Knitting, with Dogs

Knitting stats

I recently volunteered to knit lap afghans for a local hospice group. Since I have to track the volunteer hours I spend knitting, I'm getting an interesting perspective on how long it takes to knit something like this.

Example: last night I sat and knitted for 2 hours and 15 hims. (I bought a stopwatch. Yes, it's anal, but I like to be accurate.) Over 170 stitches, I knitted 27 rows in pattern. I counted rows with this:

(My pattern is over 9 rows. I could count 4 pattern repeats without resetting the counter.)

So: 27 rows x 170 stitches: 4590 stitches. Something like 34 stitches/minute. I don't think this is very fast, but it's probably about average for me. I've known for a long time I'm not a fast knitter. And I'm ok with that. :-)

I added about 4 inches in length to the lap afghan. It's about 13.5" now.

Just another bit of knitting trivia, presented for your enjoyment.

Oh, and While I'm Thinking About It:

Take care of your teeth. Don't wait 4 years between dentist visits, especially when you're over 50. I just got back from spending half a fortune on having HALF of my teeth cleaned, scraped and scaled. I get to go back in a couple of months and spend the other half fortune on the other half of my teeth. And we haven't even started on the cavities yet.

I hate going to the dentist.

No Knitting Content

Not much knitting to report, but here are a couple of pictures from Dopestock '04. We had 18 folks show up, some from way down in Florida even! We had a great venue (Picnic shelter #7 at Red Top Mountain State Park), good weather (we missed the rain that apparently fell further south) and good company. We had some music from Labdad and Flander. It wasn't as bad as Bruce_Daddy seems to be indicating:

Earthpuppy won the banana pudding contest and was crowned accordingly. Bambi Hassenpfeffer, Uncle Bill and Geobabe look on in approval:

I didn't win, but my pudding had homemade meringue on top. For what it's worth. :-)

A few of the other folks there: Labdad, Geobabe, earthpuppy, OhFace, Flander, and Torie:

(I know this is very 4th grade of me, but I like all the user names. I remember user names much more readily than "real" names, the same way I remember other folks' dogs' names before I remember the owners' names. (Could that sentence have been a little more confusing???? Or contained more apostrophes???) In that world, I'm Archergal. Like Tolkien, I have an unsatisfied desire to shoot well with a bow.)

We had enough food to feed twice as many people as we had -- a true feast! I blew out my diet, alas. But I'm picking myself back up and getting back on the diet horse. I borrowed a guitar and played along with Labdad. I probably haven't played a guitar in 2 or 3 years, but my old fingers remembered the chords. My fingertips, alas, didn't remember their callouses. It'll take a couple of days for the soreness to go away. But it was worth it. You should have heard our rendition of "Long Black Veil." I love jamming with other people. Sing-alongs are way too much fun.

Oh well, back to good old mundane reality.

High Calorie Cooking

After a short but productive trip to Cast On Cottage, I came home and started cooking for the Straight Dope picnic (aka Dopestock '04) tomorrow. I'm bringing homemade peach ice cream, homemade banana pudding, and old-fashioned pimento cheese sandwiches.

The ice cream is the kind where you have to cook the ingredients before you freeze them. The recipe I'm using has 2 1/4 cups sugar, 5 cups whole milk and 4 cups whipping cream. The custard (cooked part) is cooling in the fridge now. In another 30-45 mins, I'll pull it out, add the whipping cream and the peaches and put it in the ice cream freezer.

The banana pudding has home-cooked pudding too. The recipe I used (pulled off the internet) was a little tricky. I think maybe they had you put a little too much flour in the mix. I had to toss out the first batch I made, because it got too lumpy. The second batch is a little better. No Cool-Whip here, either; nothing but cooked meringue topping for my buds!

The pimento cheese will have lots of medium cheddar cheese grated by hand on one of those round Mouli-type graters. It will have lots of pimentos and LOTS of mayonnaise. It will be very yummy.

I don't even care about the pudding or the ice cream that much. I've lost a lot of my sweet tooth. But I will break my diet and eat some of those pimento cheese sandwiches. I loves me some home-made pimento cheese.

I actually think I'm doing this as a shameless ploy for attention -- a sort of "love my desserts, love me" kind of thing. But it's lots more fun to make stuff for other people than it is to make it for myself anyway.

We should have a good time tomorrow.

On a healthier note: I found a beginning yoga DVD that I like a lot. It has a "fully modified" routine that even folks like me with tight hamstrings/hips/shoulders and not much muscle mass can perform. I like it a lot. Of course my legs are sore now, but if I stay with this, that should go away.

Wish me luck!

Thanks, Secret Pal!!

Look what came in the mail for me yesterday!

8 skeins of yummy Cotton Fine-y goodness! It's the loveliest yellow color you can imagine, and I LOVE yellow! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!! I haven't had an opportunity to try Cotton Fine, so I'm really looking forward to using this!

I've started on my first lap afghan. Here's the progress so far:

I'm basing the design on another pattern from Folk Shawls, by Cheryl Oberle. It's the pattern from the Aran Pocket Shawl, slightly adapted to make it easier for me to remember. It's got a LOT of seed stitch. Normally I hate seed stitch, but I'm finding this pattern is not too bad -- 5 sts of seed stitch, 2 k (RS) or 2 purl (WS), with some variation every 12 rows or so, is kinda nice.

Of course I'm only 7" into it. I'm sure I'll be heartily sick of it before the end.

Wow...

News from the Dog World:

It's only been a couple of days since I put in applications with the two major Australian Shepherd rescue groups -- ARPH and STAAR, and I've already gotten calls about two dogs. Folks, there are lots of dogs needing homes out there. I wish I could keep half a dozen. But I can't. And I want some fairly specific traits in a dog:

I want a smart dog.

I want an active dog.

I want a dog with drive and enthusiasm.

In short, I want a dog with a personality like Sasha's.

I worry about this a little. I worry that I'm trying to "recreate" Sasha in another dog. That's why I don't want another black tri colored dog. I'm afraid I'd be disappointed when the dog isn't Sasha.

I really think I'll be ok once I have a dog picked out and at home with us though. But I'm in no rush. It's important to get this right.

Please, folks, spay or neuter your pets. If you can adopt a rescue animal, do it. Try Petfinder. If you can help out your local shelters/rescue reps, help them. The animals need our help.

Olympic thoughts

I suspect I'm an endurance athlete in another timeline. In this timeline, I've always said I'm built for comfort, not for speed. The only thing I can do is keep going. But I really admire the endurance athletes. I remember watching Joan Benoit Samuelson in 1984, running all alone way ahead of the pack. I admired her so much then, just running steadily and with concentration. And in the same Olympics, when Gabriele Andersen-Scheiss staggered into the stadium, hammered by heat and exhaustion, I cried watching her, and grieved for her physical state. I also admired her courage in continuing all the way to the end, in spite of the way she felt. (She recovered with no problems.)

Today I watched the 2004 women's marathon. I watched Paula Radcliffe lead much of the race, only to collapse, physically and mentally exhausted, less than 4 miles before the end. And I watched in amazement at U.S. runner Deena Kastor went from 8th place at 30 km, to 6th place at 35 km, and 4th at 40 km. Then she just kicked into gear and sailed past Ethiopia's Elfenes Alemu, who'd been in 3rd place for miles. When she got into the stadium, she cried much of her last lap.

I cried with her. Da girl done good.

If I could be an athlete, I'd be a distance runner or bike rider. I did do two different 100 mile bicycle rides (aka a century), 10 and 11 years ago. But now I'm middle-aged, overweight, and I have a bum knee. But me and Bouncer went out tonight and jogged/walked a mile around the neighborhood in honor of the ladies who can go 26 times that.

Stash enhancement:

I went to Dunwoody Yarn yesterday and came home with this:

Cherry Tree Hill Suri Alpaca. It's softer than a lot of alpaca. I was knitting a little with it today. I think it will knit up nice, but it's a little stiffer to knit with than I expected. I'm going to have to think of the right pattern to use it with, but I think it will be nice.

Re my resolutions:

My eating has been pretty good. I've dropped 3 lbs. so far. I'm staying pretty paleo, though I did stop at the Varsity today for a chili dog and onion rings. (Hey, I was starving!) But exercise... not so good. I only managed to exercise about 3 days last week. Gotta do better than that!

At the Dog Park

News From the Dog World:

There's a new park not too far from us, and they have a dog park section. We took the Ivan and Bouncer out there yesterday afternoon. There were no other dogs there at the time, so we just played around:

There were a few little agility-like obstacles there -- a jump, a short tunnel, and a low dogwalk. Bouncer would go over the jump easily

and Ivan would go over it, but he didn't really see the point. His attitude is "Why jump, when it's easier to go around??"

There was a little tunnel there too, and again, as soon as Bouncer knew what you wanted, he'd go through it whenever you asked him. Ivan would go through it too, but without enthusiasm:

Same with the little dogwalk they had there. Bouncer didn't like the dogwalk as much (even though it was really low), but he'd go over it with some encouragement.

Bouncer is a little chicken dog. A lot of things make him nervous. He's a lover, not an adventurer. Ivan just doesn't care to do a lot of that stuff. It's obvious he doesn't see the point! No agility dogs in the making here, alas.

However, Ivan DID like to run and chase Dear Robert:

They both got in the swing with me a little later.

It was funny to watch them together. I'm starting to think that male dogs are maybe a little sweeter than females ("bitch" hasn't come to mean what it does without a reason), but they have to sniff and mark EVERYTHING. Even my neutered boys have to do this. (One of Bouncer's nicknames is "Sir Marksalot.")

They're good dogs.

Daily Knitting Report:

I finished the Pound O' Love baby afghan. Here's a picture:

It's about 32" on a side. I like it.

I'm hankering to do lace again. I think I might make this. Hey, it's a poncho!

Internet diet

I need to go on an internet diet. I'm spending WAY too much time online. I know part of the reason why -- I'm craving contact with other people. Since I'm not working, I spend most of the day at home, alone with the dogs. Now, I'm not really a people person. I LIKE being by myself. But it's possible to have a bit too much of anything, including solitude. So I hang out on the internet and read blogs and get a little contact (however distant) with other people.

Of course the remedy for this is simple: get out more. I'm working on it, I'm working on it:

I met some of the Gwinnett Knitters at B&N last night, and I hope to meet with them some more next month.

I met Marilyn on Tuesday. We worked on her sweater and chatted, and we're planning on going together to the next Atlanta Knitting Guild meeting. I haven't been to an AKG meeting in many, many years, but I think it's time to go back.

I've actually made it down into town for a couple of SnB meetings, and plan to go to more.

I met with Beth on Wednesday and signed up to become a craft volunteer for VistaCare, making lap afghans, booties, or whatever for hospice patients and caregivers. (Note: this kind of volunteering is a little more formal than some others. You have to keep track of the time you work on projects and report it regularly to the organization.)

Handspinners Guild meeting is Sunday, yay!

Atlanta members of The Straight Dope Message Board are having a picnic next weekend at Red Top Mountain State Park. (Note: this group has nothing to do with drugs. It's all about fighting ignorance.

The other thing that keeps me on the internet too much is just plain curiosity. I like to find things out, and to follow links wherever they lead. I am an information ferret. Tracking information down is just FUN. But it takes away from knitting time, and outdoors time, and dog time, and so forth. So I need to cut it down a bit. Real Soon Now.

Daily Knitting Report:

My fingers haven't been totally idle! I made Bonne Marie's Bucket Hat in one day, with one skein of 2nd Time Cotton (I think that's the name of the yarn). It's fun, it's easy!:

It's cute on Bouncer too:

Both feet of Dear Robert's socks are done, and I'm working on the heel:

And, in true Yarn Ho style, I've been enhancing my stash with an eye to making lap afghans:
Plymouth Encore Colorspun

More Encore:

Patons Country Garden DK:

and Sock Yarn for Dear Robert (he wanted light and plain):

I'm working on the last bit of border for the Pound O' Love baby blanket. Don't worry, it won't use the whole pound of yarn. I hope to have a picture in the next day or so.

News from the Dog World:
Check out the new Aussie Rescue button on the side. I'd like to have a red-tri Aussie some day.

Secret Pal 2 questions

Cuz who doesn't like to talk about themselves (at least occasionally)?

What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Hmm, that's a head-scratcher. I like fine yarns, wools and wool-blends, especially with silk. Sometimes it's a treat to knit with something bulky, though.

What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Probably lace knitting, though you wouldn't necessarily know it from what I"m working on now.

What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Shawls, stoles, afghans. I love not having to worry about shaping. I'm lazy.

What are you knitting right now?
1) Liv, from Elsebeth Lavold, in Silky Wool
2) A baby afghan in Lion Brand Pound of Love acrylic
3) Toe-up socks for Dear Robert.

What do you think about ponchos? (this is really a curiousity question for us)
Return with us to those thrilling days of yesterday! So many of the patterns look almost exactly like the patterns that were showing up in magazines when I returned to knitting in the 70's. And yes, I'll probably knit one. But I want to make a lacy one.

Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Probably circular needles, though it really depends on the project.

How did you learn to knit?
Largely self-taught.

How old is your oldest UFO?
I have an afghan that's been sitting, untouched, for 2 or 3 years. Older stuff was frogged, and are no longer considered UFOs. I can't frog this one, because it's knitted squares, and I've already sewed some of the together. It's just BORING to knit. I hate boring knitting.

In other knitting news:

I started sock 2 of Dear Robert's socks. I'm going to knit both feet, and then do the heels together, then finish them up together.

Does anyone else occasionally hate their ballwinder??? I do. I have a swift, and a ballwinder. I am experienced in the use of these things. But THIS ballwinder, just occasionally, gets on my last nerve. It's a relatively new ballwinder. My previous one rarely had problems, but Bouncer chewed that one up. (Bad dog, Bouncer!)

I'll be happily winding the ball, keeping a little tension on the yarn as usual, when all of a sudden, instead of the yarn winding neatly around the ball, starts wrapping around the top or the bottom of the ballwinder. Much frustration ensues. Maybe I need to change ballwinder-to-swift orientation or something.

I don't need a ballwinder. I wind decent balls by hand. But I like the flat-on-bottom ball the ballwinder produces, and I find winding balls by hand BORING. I hate boring.

I'll figure it out. Probably.

Time to get serious

But not just yet. From the Handy ZireCam:

Here's where we went last night:

Turner Stadium, aka "The Ted," to see the Braves play the St. Louis Cardinals. Braves lost. :-(

We went with some of Dear Robert's family. They're on the far side of DR.

Since I'm kinda sports-impaired, I took my knitting:

My weird expression was caused by me saying "Get the knitting and me too" without moving my lips, and while trying to smile.

I did get about 7" knitted on a sock. No, not one of the ones on my list. This is ANOTHER sock. I know, I know.

Now the serious part. There's a couple of things I HAVE to get serious about. One is my weight. About 3 years ago, I changed my eating habits drastically. I lost 30 pounds (about what I needed to lose) and kept them off. Until this year. I've gained back about 10 lbs., and I tell you, this shit has GOT to go. I've done too much cheating on my Way of Eating. I've slacked off on exercising. And it's all come back to bite me in the ass.

So here are my resolutions, starting today:

I'm going back to a strict Paleo diet. No more bread or sweets for me. They're addictive, and once I start eating them I can't stop. And the weight piles on.

I'm going to do at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. No, this doesn't include aerobic knitting. I have to get up and walk, bike, or exercise at home. I've got to MOVE about more. I know I feel better when I do.

AND I'm going to get more methodical about my knitting. I'm going to keep better track of projects and yarn purchases. Right now I couldn't tell you what all I'd worked on and finished this year. I just don't remember things like that, in the same way that I don't remember dates unless I have a mental tag to hang them on. Keeping a list and tracking it should help with that. I'll probably makes some changes to the page here to help me keep up with the tracking also, but that will have to wait for a bit. I have to go exercise right now. :-)