A White Tiger and a Regular Tiger

In the vein of time being impossible to track and possibly being meaningless while also looming larger than ever, I finally knit these tigers just as the Year of the Tiger ends.  Sure, the new pattern for the Lunar New Year helped prompt me to get going with this, but that wasn't all.  My nephew recently had a birthday, and it was a special one.  It's hard to believe that he is now twenty-one.  He was a precious little baby, a precious little boy, and is now a precious young man.  I want to post picture after picture of him, but I'll resist the impulse.  

You know how small children often like to share animal facts and their enthusiasm regarding their special favorites?  He was no different, and tigers were there at the top of his list.  He loved tigers and was especially intrigued with white tigers.  Still, in his young mind, to declare a favorite would have been disloyal.  So when he was asked about his favorite animal, he would most often respond, "A white tiger, and a regular tiger."  I managed to crochet a regular tiger for him when he was little but never got around to making a white one.  So, for the occasion of his twenty-first birthday, I added a white tiger and a regular tiger to his birthday presents.   

Big Changes

We knew this day was coming, but we hoped we would have at least one more year before it happened.  Still, no matter when, we would still want more time.  My brother, sister-in-law, and two nieces moved away today.  It's all happened so quickly.  We were so grateful that they worked to find a way to isolate and test so we could have a little in-person time with them before they left.  That they were willing to do so meant so much, and that they worked out the details to make it happen.  We're sad for them to go, but happy for them to have new adventures and opportunities.  We hope their new home exceeds every amazing expectation they have.  Our loss is The Centennial State's gain.         

Back to School

Fine, so the kiddos here have been back in school for over a month, but August was a bit much, so here we are.  The whole return to school is still more than a bit much, but I'm managing my anxiety about it a bit better than I was six weeks ago.  I still hold that the nieces and nephew could all come over to my house to learn arts and crafts, cook, play Big Brain Academy*, Wii Sports, Wii Fit Plus, and Wii Sports Resort and they would come through just fine.  Add in some Duolingo for the oldest niece to keep up with her foreign languages and we're soaring above the trees.  If we're feeling especially ambitious, we can add in the less glamorous home ec stuff and do a bit of cleaning and laundry, and there will always be yard work that needs doing.  

Ah, but that is not how we are doing things, and I understand why it is not.  My inability to take care of them all five days a week not being the least of it.  I'm mostly joking about keeping them all out of school, but with the way the world is going, I'm kind of not joking at all.  Anyway, I do what I can, and I can make masks.  I sewed a bunch and then sewed a bunch more for my older brother's friend's kid.

 

In the meantime, it's medical stuffs running amok, a bit.  We were in the hospital last month (non-COVID) and it was wild and they wanted us out of there as soon as possible.  I mean, he was admitted due to dehydration, and when they first got ready to discharge him he had unexpected vomiting, and if we could have found a way to get him to the car they would have had him go home, even though he couldn't even hold down a sip of water.  Did I mention that we were one room away from one of the plastic-ed-off COVID units?  The icing on the cake is that the unimportant (temporary--it was done and gone a day later) vomiting is now what some of the healthcare providers have seized upon as very important and they've changed up medicines and we have not had good results.  It's all a bit tiring, and healthcare folks are tired, too.  We're all just doing our best.  

Anyway, in spite of it all, I think were doing decently okily-dokily.  I'll be back soon, and I even have knitting.  I'm just as shocked as you are.  

*Did you see that their will be a Switch version of Big Brain Academy coming out in December?  I can't wait!           

Sweet Sunday, Mitt-vember Edition

Yes, this is posted on Monday.  I fell asleep.  I was sure I was going to return to the post and write more.  Then I forgot about it.  *shrug*   I'm sure the NaBloPoMoPoPo will get me for such an egregious move.  

My niece has her mittens!  I managed to get them to her this weekend as I had planned.  They are a little big for her, though not as big as they appear in this picture, and they should work for next winter, too.  My sister has Disney+ and has been watching Home Alone and now she is inspired to get mitten clips for the kids.  I much prefer that plan to the one where I knit eleventy feet of i-cord to attach to them.  They might never have gotten their mittens if I had made that part of the projects.  It feels good to have these done.   

  

Thumbless Thursday

I'm making good progress on my niece's mittens.  She, amongst many others, can never know that it is possible for me to knit a pair of mittens this quickly.  Now, I'm not trying to get ahead of myself, as I have been known to let a pair of mittens sit thumbless for a year or more.  That being said, I hope to be able to give these to her this weekend.  

I'm not sure if I'm going to try to power through and work the thumbs tonight.  Knitting these has been good for directing my focus, but maybe not so great for winding down before bed.  Eh, we'll see.   

Post-Parade Mitten Modeling

Some time ago, my nephew asked me if mittens were only for grown-ups.  He's so sweet.  It was a completely innocent question.  You know I had to knit some for him.  He requested light blue and dark blue with snowflakes.  I then proceeded to take forever to complete them.  He asked about them from time to time.  Finally, I finished and gave them to him on Monday, just before the weather turned cold.  I saw him tonight, and he showed me that he still has them and has been wearing them.  I consider that a success.  

My niece believes that I have already knit a pair for her.  I said that I wasn't sure if I ever finished them.  She started describing what she thinks they look like.  I told her that I thought they were different than that, and then gave a vague description of the pair I started the other day for her.  I might need to be faster with them.

eta:  it helps if I click the publish button, eh?   

Homes Sweet Homes

You know how you start a plan and set a goal and then run off on it the very next day?  Well, maybe I did that with yesterday's plan, or maybe I just needed to get out of the house for a bit.  It was tree and gingerbread house time today at my sister's, so I popped over there for a little bit to be a part of the fun.   

Happy Thanksgiving!

It may not be original to say that Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday of mine because of the focus on thankfulness, but it's true.  And I have so many reasons to be thankful, and thinking about them makes me feel even more thankful.  I'm not going to list them all, but I'll name a few, and I'm starting with you.  I suppose if I were a better writer, I might be able to express how and how much the connections, relationships, and inspirations I've had from blogging have added to my life.

I'm thankful for my family, and writing about that is even more challenging and complicated than writing about blogging.  I had a wonderful time with them today.  I had hoped to get more photos, but this was it.  These three occupied most of my time today--in fact, it was someone else's turn to come home with us, much to the sadness of the two others. 

I'm thankful for all of the quiet hobbies I've explored that keep me company, give me comfort, provide an outlet, and engage my mind.  I closed out the evening drawing animals with my niece, listening to the Hamilton soundtrack together.  A couple songs in, and she was wondering what this music was from, and that she needs to tell her mom about it.  It might not last long, but right now, if I ask her, "What's your name, man?" she responds, "Alexander Hamilton."         

Happy Change in Plans

On Thanksgiving Eve, all through the house, well, there isn't a poem to go with this, but you get where I was going with it.  We started our Wednesday making our main goals--flu shots for each of us.  Then it was off to one of our Wednesday Family Meals (not every Wednesday, and not just Cracker Barrel anymore, either).  We finished eating, and Bruce made one of his regular pitches--let one of the niece-nephew crew come home with us and spend the night.  Well, finally Bruce is feeling well enough for this to happen, there is no school tomorrow, and Aunt Sarah is a pushover, (and she loves spending time with the kids, too) so we got an overnight guest.  

So prep for tomorrow has not gotten as far as I had hoped.  We did mostly finish the S'more Pies, with the exception of making the whipping cream to top them.  I'm fortunate to have a great assistant to help me with that.  

Now I have the much to do in the morning, and with a little added luck, get a shower before we head out to my brother's house.  I hope the rest of the house sleeps in late because we are all up way too late and I doubt I will get much sleep.  However, I have gotten to play a lot of Nintendo, heard fascinating anatomical pronouncements such as, "Your skin is there so you don't have to see what is under your skin because everything under your skin is the most disgusting thing ever," and fielded questions like, "Do you pee in Heaven?"  

I already have so much to be thankful for, every day.    

Who are You Calling Chicken?

Not me, surely.  You've got to be brave to play Wii tennis and baseball with the 5-6 year niece-nephew crew.  Yes, it has been an afternoon of auntliness here.  We had a good time, and the good times kept rolling so long as they were constantly being entertained and/or fed.  I kid.  They're good younglings.  They ask Alexa to flip a coin to settle disputes and to set a timer for taking turns.  

We even managed to end the visit without tears.  They left without taking all of the weaving treasures they discovered; instead, they were satisfied with snack size M&M's, and I got to finish knitting a small chicken.  If that's not a successful day, I don't know what is.             

Time Passes

Five years ago, I was knitting this hat at the hospital, waiting for my niece to be born.  

Today I baked a cake for her 5th birthday.  

    

Countdown

As you know, we sometimes have to go to the doctor all the way down in the 'ham, and that's a bit of a drive.  So, when an appointment is scheduled at the right time and we feel up to it, we like to visit Trader Joe's.  It's not a store we have locally, so it is a fun treat.

Now, truth be told, we mostly pick up junk food, so it's probably a good thing we aren't any closer and don't shop there more often.  It's not all we buy there, but it truly is the bulk of it.  At least we finally stopped buying a bottle of wine every time, because we don't drink, and we don't have much occasion to give a bottle to someone.  That being said, that hasn't always stopped us.  We're weird, and we know it.

Some of our favorites are seasonal items.  We're mental for that saltwater taffy.  One of our nephews loves the firecracker bar (chocolate with something like pop rocks and spiciness) so much.  That's another thing we like about going there; we can bring things back to others that they can't get otherwise.  My mom has never been a tea fan, but she would like to drink tea.  I made her some white ginger pear that she liked, so we brought back a box just for her. 

Anyway, on our last trip, we apparently went on just the right day, because the Advent Calendars had arrived.  We picked up a pile for nieces and nephews, and now we can finally give them to the little ones.  Here's hoping they make the countdown to Christmas more fun.  

          

 

Happy Birthday, Eva!

When the birthday girl is this sweet, going to a birthday party at the infamous children's party place doesn't bother me a bit.

Thirty-One

Happy Halloween!  

 

Twenty-One

Knitting this would have been much faster if I hadn't had so much help.  I wish I could have captured a photo of my nephew helping me with the process.  He was lying on the couch next to me with his legs in the air and the yarn running between his toes.  To his credit, he did not create a tangled mess, only a small mess. 

Happy Halloween and Time Change Weekend

I hope your day was no tricks and all treats!  I also hope that the time change was not too taxing on you. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to get into the leftover (we had a grand total of two trick-or-treaters) Halloween candy.  I think I've earned it--those Boo the Bats are Christmas presents.  Yes, I just might avoid the horrible crushing pressure of finishing Christmas knitting on time this year.    

A Place for Everything

And everything in its place?  Well, it seems unlikely that I will ever be that organized, but I am making progress.  Today's proof is a new cabinet for my sewing machine.  Up until now, when I wanted to sew, I was using a tv tray as a table, and while I was able to make it work for some things, it was not ideal.  There is so much I like about this new piece.  It allows me to have a proper place to sew, it offers storage for various sewing tools and accessories, and it can close up and keep everything protected and out of sight.  


It might take me a little time to organize everything in it, but I am already using it for sewing.  I finished Eva's birthday blanket, and I love it.  


I first saw this blanket pattern over at Grumperina's, and I bookmarked it immediately.  I read the tutorial and thought it might be something I could make, so I bought some fabric.  I washed, ironed, and assembled, and then it was time to pack and move, so it sat.  One day I decided I had better get going on it, so I even managed to do most of the sewing on my old tv tray setup, including making the binding.  I finished the blanket the other day after I assembled my table, and I love it.  I think it is cute, and can see more of these in my future.     

Avoiding Monkey Limbs...

...in the form of battling start-itis.  Yeah, The good news is that I have the bodies and tails of a couple of monkeys for the babies finished, and that is nice progress.  However, for now, I am having trouble getting myself to sit down and work on the arms and legs.  Ah, it will be all right, just as long as I can stop myself from giving in to those start-itis urges.  

I do have wonderful justifications for each of the potential projects.      

• Doorstop Chicken--We could really use one for the front door when Bruce wants to prop it open, and it is adorable
• Tea Cozy--I do not have one, the weather is changing, and they are so pretty
• French Press Cozy--Again, I do not have one, the changing weather, and the pretty
• Bender/Nibbler, Guardian of the Bum Fodder--Really, I do not need more justification than that, but also, our home has two bathrooms, and neither has much for storage room 
• Slippers--My current pair is in need of replacing, and while these would not be the slippers I would wear full time, (my annual new pair of slippers has returned to Costco, so I will probably buy them next month or get them for Christmas) these would still be great to have in the rotation and for snuggling up on the couch, or while weaving, or really, just whenever, because after all, the weather is changing.

I have the patterns for all of these projects, and I probably have the yarn for all of them, (maybe not for the tp cozies, but probably) and they are all totally practical, right?  Ah, but I am not casting on for any of them.  I will settle down to finish the monkeys soon.  I may just need to find the right Netflix marathon pairing.  Oooh, brilliant idea:  knitting-pattern-Netflix-marathon-pairing-algorithm.  You're welcome.  

There is no real need to worry that I will abandon the current monkeys, Celestarium (making very nice progress on that edging), or other gift projects in pursuit of any of the above right now.  I kind of got over it while I spent some time nurturing hurt feelings/grieving/processing a difficult situation.  While that is not a good pattern to get into, and I need to be careful about such things, occasionally, there is a time and place for it, and it might involve whiny music and circus peanuts.    

Coming Out of the Dark

Well, Stacey certainly had it right when she commented on the darkness of the yarn for my Celestarium.  It is not a project I work on in low-light settings or when my eyes are tired, but I think it will all be worth it when I am done.  I am hoping to finish it by the end of the month, but that is not a deadline.  However, I do have some deadlines approaching, so I am trying to keep going on those projects.  I call myself over 50% done with the Christmas knitting, but I cannot rest on those accomplishments.  

Besides Christmas knitting, I have decided to take on making things for a couple of birthdays.  I have almost completed sewing a blanket for Eva's first birthday next month, and I am weaving a blanket for Katie's birthday in December.  As it has been National Spinning and Weaving Week, it seemed the perfect time to get the yarn on the loom for her blanket.  

I didn't quite need sunglasses for this, but almost.  I think it should turn out to be interesting and something she will really love.  The blanket will be two woven panels sewn together, so it should be a nice size for her.  I have some ideas for adding some visual and textural interest beyond the bumpity yarn, but I have not decided anything just yet.  For now, I am just glad to have the loom set up and ready to weave.  

It is so nice to have a room for crafting, especially when it comes to weaving.  I could get started on it without worrying about being in the way of anything else, and being able to stop and come back to it if needed and it not being an issue.  

Dispatch from the Patch

Just when it seemed we were out of the danger from the cold, a leftover piece of it jumped up and bit me.  Actually, it was a patch of ice I was not even thinking of watching out for because the danger of ice seemed like it should have been gone.  Yeah, I fell, but it could have been much worse.  I was carrying my nephew (he's 20 months) at the time, and I am just glad that he was unhurt.  I was carrying him on the left and I managed to fall to the right.  Now I have a somewhat sad elbow and shoulder, but it is not too bad.  I am doing the resting and icing and that is helping.  It has limited me from doing much beyond Netflixing, but there are worse ways to pass time.  Anyway, somehow I have found a comfortable position on the couch and gotten some real sleep in acceptable quantities for three nights in a row, even.  Yeah, I'm surprised, too, but quite pleased.  

So, you ask yourselves, and quite rightly, "Why is she bothering to blog if she's just lying about on the couch not doing anything?"  Well, you see, before the fall, my sister found a picture of something and gave a not-so-subtle hint that she would like me to make it for my niece.  Since it is unbearably cute, super easy, and takes almost no time, I made one.  I think I will make more.