If You Haven't...{first in a series?}...Have You Even Quarantined?

Will this be a recurring blog topic?  Knowing me, probably not.  While I've done some of the same things that many other people have done while staying at home, much of it isn't worth the effort of a blog post, and you probably don't have to worry about reading an ode to a loaf of bread I've baked.  Anyway, today we ask, "If you haven't colored your hair with dye bought as part of a grocery store delivery, have you even quarantined?"  Well, have you?  Up until recently, I had not.  I ordered two boxes (I knew one wouldn't be enough) of a color called Amethyst Chrome and hoped for the best not the worst.  I figured if it left the brown hair brown and made the white hair Amethyst Chrome, that would be more than good enough.  Then one day there was a horrible attack on our country, so in the midst of watching too much television coverage and doom-scrolling, I got out the boxes of hair dye and got going.    

Generally speaking, if you're going to show a physical transformation, you post a before picture.  Then again, I chose a hair dye shade called Amethyst Chrome.  If the dye takes, there is obviously going to be a difference.  So we can totally dispense with the before, right?  That being said, I know I can't get away with not showing an after, so here you go. 

It turned out alright, I think.  I don't know how it will hold up over time, and I'm not even thinking about how/whether to maintain this.  For now, I'm just going to stay at home and have purple hair. 

Since We're Inside All the Time

I'm a homebody, for sure.  It's just a bit of luck that my history, personality, and brain chemistry have made staying home somewhat less difficult for me than it has been for some people.  I mean, that's all I can really call it.  Sure, there are moments when I might have had a boost if I could have convinced myself that it was some sort of intense feat of discipline and superior moral character, but I know that wouldn't be true.  

Still, there are things I have missed while adhering to the best guidelines for staying as safe as possible during the pandemic.  Looking out our windows is nice, and I'm very grateful for it.  That doesn't keep me from wanting to see other landscapes.  It's also a flimsy pretext for another yarn purchase.  What, like I'm going to get only two of the three Palette sampler boxes?  Of course I got the Forest and Ocean set.  There are so many gorgeous blues and greens, from light and bright to dark and deep.  Maybe I'll knit a grove of tiny trees, or perhaps just a horde of sickly looking zombies. 

Happy Birthday, Sister!

Yes, it is time for one of the most knitblog-worthy of occasions, the knitalong!  This will not likely be a quick one, for we are knitting large items.  How large?  Well, if we get gauge, (and we'd better, or we'll need more yarn--seriously, we've been warned) they will be 50" square.  We're knitting the Hue Shift Afghan.  Can you believe it?  

My sister took up knitting over a year ago, and she's made her way through a few projects.  She finished her first major piece, (except for the ends--yes, I agreed to weave them in for her, and yes, you can judge away) so I asked her if she'd like to do a knitalong.  She seemed a little wary, as people often think I am a much faster knitter than I actually am.  Yes, it's true that I have more free time than she does, but she is a monogamous knitter, and besides, I thought she'd like the blanket.  I sent her a bit of the pattern (don't worry, I bought her a copy of the pattern once she agreed) and asked if she felt like tackling it.  She said she watched a Youtube video on knitting mitered squares and feels confident.  As soon as that text came through, I asked which color set she liked (she said Rainbow is her favorite) and sent in an order.

I'm glad I asked, because I would have guessed Jewel, and I would have been wrong, but I'm not surprised she chose Rainbow, either.  In fact the only one that would have left me scratching my head is Decor, as that is the least "her" of them.  I am going with Pastel because, well, it is a little different than I would normally (Rainbow or Jewel) choose.  Decor is my least favorite of the selections, but I don't dislike it.  I just think the other color choices are better with this pattern. 

While I waited for the yarn to arrive, I planned on sewing a project bag for her, but that didn't happen.  You're shocked, right?  Anyway, I baked a cake and decorated it up as best as I could and sent the cake and present over.  It's a milestone birthday, and I wish I could have put on a big party for her, but that cannot be.  I hope the cake and this present are a good way to celebrate the occasion.  They say, "Go big, or go home."  Well, why not both?  We're going to be home for a while, yet.  We might as well do something big.