Coming Up...Purple?

Everything is not exactly coming up purple, but I have much planned knitting that will incorporate purple in the very near future, because guess what??? No, I mean it...really, you guys! 

GUESS WHAT?!?!?

Sweetie got me tickets to see DONNY OSMOND for my birthday!!!

Gahhh! So excited that I am having Deep Purple dreams and planning to knit purple, sparkle socks to celebrate! I may even get myself a purple jumpsuit to wear to the concert (which isn't until July, so maybe a swimsuit instead?)...but first, socks for sure...

 

Then perhaps I'll knit socks for Donny, too! I mean, he was known for his purple socks back in the 70s, so why not now, too? I could not be more excited for this concert, it was a great surprise! Thank you, Sweetie!

Another surprise was this fairly spectacular
travel mug and cake from Jess! Wow!

It was a good birthday, and in other Knitting Knews, the scarf finally arrived at its destination in Kansas! The Girlie loves it, yay!

I am also knitting away on a very involved birthday gift for a cute grandson who will soon be two! Here's a progress shot, 7 of 9 blocks complete, ready for arms, legs, faces, fins and tails...

See the purple block there? That's going to be a cat! The last two blocks are more complicated, involving colorwork and texture, and all nine will be  the animals from Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? I am currently working on the body of the goldfish, then the sheep will be last. Super fun!

After that, PURPLE SOCKS AHOY! 

The other yarn in my "happy mail" photo from Leading Men Fiber Arts (one of my fave dyers!)  is for a Christmas vest or colorwork sweater. I have not decided which yet, but this fairly neutral green, the color is called "The Grouch," is pretty spectacular!

So many possibilities, and the 5-year-old is still asking about the Super Mario Bros.U Deluxe sweater he would like me to knit him next...but first, purple!

Oh, and did I tell you that I'm going to see Donny Osmond in July??? Gah!!!! And super yay!

What's bringing you joy today? Whatever it is, even if it doesn't include purple, I hope you have lots of it in your immediate future!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

It's Been Everywhere, Man

On March 21st, I mailed a box to my son and granddaughter. There is a birthday gift (it's silly, not valuable) and a Taylor Swift inspired scarf (handknit, priceless) in the box. 

Let's say that the box is headed for somewhere in Kansas...which it still is, by the way. I realize that Kansas is far from Cleveland, and I probably didn't mail it early enough, but the original estimate of arrival was March 25...just 1 day late for the birthday. Oh, well.

Except for the fact that the actual travel itinerary for this box, priority mail and so far, has been Cleveland to Akron; Akron to St Louis, Missouri; St Louis to Kansas City, Kansas; Kansas City to destination? No, Kansas City back to Columbia, then St Louis, MO; St Louis to Hebron, Kentucky (!?What?!); Hebron to St Louis again; St Louis to Kansas City, KS again...and, although the estimate says that the box will be delivered today by 9pm, I am not confident. So, cross you fingers and say a prayer (if you are the praying kind) that the box will, in fact, arrive today.

I guess I have to laugh, although I am frustrated. This is a first for me, and it is more angering to watch it travel back-and-forth in my notifications... But maybe I should just be glad that this scarf has had an adventure? 20 years ago, I would have simply wondered where it had gone...today, I know a part of its story. Yes, it has had quite the adventure!

To keep calm, I have carried on with the knitting (shocker, right?!?), working on some giftie things. A few dish cloths, here and there, and gifts for a soon-to-be birthday boy! 

This guy will be 2 next month, and he loves Brown Bear, Brown Bear...can you start to see the characters in these blocks?

I've knit 4 bases in a week, and there are 9 animals, so I'm going to have to hustle to get them all done, but I think I am up to the task! 

Before I can keep knitting today, I'll need to get the bread and potatoes going for tomorrow's Easter dinner. Dough is currently rising, and I'll cook potatoes as soon as I sign off...

Whether you are observing a holiday or not, I hope that you are able to enjoy some time with family this weekend. I'm looking forward to celebrating that Jesus is alive with my family and church tomorrow! 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Uncharted

The Swiftie socks are done, and I have traded them for some far less complicated, uncharted knitting!

These lines are not blurred, and my charts are all finished. Yay!

Hmmm, our coffee table used to be empty...but somewhere between the crocheted pony-bead lizard and super capes, I seem to have lost control. Even the pig looks a little judge-y in that last shot! But, after all that charting (starting with pen and graph paper, ending in computer spreadsheets and docs with all the words) I am glad to be moving ahead to simple stripes and squish in my knitting. 

The pattern is not "out there" yet, but I hope to get everything uploaded this week. It will look a little like this when it is available...watch Ravelry if you're interested. 

And if you're not interested...here's a fun, new book I bought this week! 

A children's book by knitting designer Anna Hrachovec, this one is every bit as fun as the cover suggests! Even if you don't knit, the photography and text are super fun, and most everyone knows at least one kid who likes fun. Right? (You can find it HERE, and also on Amazon...)

There, I've finished socks, bought books and started stripes. Drop me a comment and let me know what you're up to this weekend!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Oh! And New Glasses! Yay!

Reading and Knitting (and Crochet, too!)

I've been spending time listening to audio books and podcasts as I play with yarn lately. Both are helping me to expand my horizons and connect with the world around me; because here, in the middle of life, when I read an actual book, I fall asleep! 

I have always loved non-fiction, but fiction re-entered my life when my granddaughter joined a reading club this past spring, and I asked about what she was reading. I hopped on Libby to see if any of "her" books were available as audio-book borrows, and lo-and-behold I now read young adult fiction! 

I have also rediscovered the books of my youth. Stories and authors I am comfortable with, in the way that I might be comfortable with a friend I haven't seen in 20 years but have bumped into while shopping. The books I read in the open, and some I hid inside textbooks, a little embarrassed that someone might "catch" me reading them. Catching up has been fun, and I kind of love not having to write the book reports. ;) But I have noticed some things...

In YA fiction, there are an impossible number of "devastatingly handsome" young men. There are also freaks and geeks, to be sure, but the hero is usually not that, and his appearance (and his kiss) makes a love interest go weak in the knees. Lol...

Language has changed since I was a young adult. There are more 4-letter words in the newer YA fiction (especially those that start with an "f"), which makes me uncomfortable, but which also seems to be the way of the world. I know this is the way young people (and older people) talk these days, but I don't like to think about my grandchildren with potty mouths...and these characters could be my grandchildren.  

Love is nearly always complicated by a problem that could be easily solved by a simple, face-to-face conversation...which has always been a problem in the world of entertainment. C'mon people. Couldn't the girl just say to the boy, "Hey. I saw you talking to Karen. What's up with that? It sounded like you two have something going on."? That might not solve all of the heartache, but some angst could likely be avoided. (I may have notes for Hallmark movies, too...oy!)

In the older fiction, the comfort from my youth, while the language is often tamer, characters and authors are sometimes problematic. They are also reflective of the time in which they were written...a fictional history of real-world problems. This doesn't make them bad, and it doesn't mean that we should ban these authors, stories and issues...and even though the world is re-thinking the attitudes expressed (which it should), it does not nullify their past and present existence.

As I read with the pre-teen and with the little kids in my life, I hope I will be wise enough to foster real conversations about what might work (and what might not) in the books we read. I hope we talk about why older books might be problematic now, and why they weren't then, and I hope they learn how to respect others and practice kindness when they can. I look forward to sharing ideas and favorite books as they learn and grow and develop their own thoughts and opinions in their ever-expanding world, and to seeing each light-bulb that goes off in these early-readers!

When they are ready to learn to knit, I'll be here for that, too! Have you read any good books lately? I'm currently re-reading the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and The Girls by Emma Cline (YA fiction, fyi and lol).

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (and Read) in Good Health!

Dishcloths and Toys are great projects to read with!

Left leg. Lazy lion licks a lollipop.

I know. That's a weird title. And why is my first picture a pair of shoes?

Well, let's back up the train a little...say, about 6 weeks. Wait, let's go back even farther.

Do you remember when you learned to read? The first time you looked at a book, without your mom, or dad, or brother, or teacher...you opened that book, and YOU read the words...and it was MAGIC! Or, at least, that's how it was for me! I even remember that most of my first books were of the Dr. Seuss variety, and I have clear faves from my childhood...like this one:

That Marco had quite the imagination! 

I LOVED that book, with it's simple and colorful illustrations, and I often wished that I could see such spectacles on my way to and from school! I still own my childhood copy, and while my children didn't love this classic as much as I did, I am holding out hope that perhaps Peanut and I will share it as a favorite someday...I've even bought the app!

I read a LOT as a kid, and I had many favorite books. Some might even say that I was a lazy kid, much preferring a quiet corner and a good book to a game of tag, or kickball, or a bike ride, or anything that did not include reading. The adults in my life were all so impressed that I loved to read, none of them insisted that I just go out and play sometimes...so I didn't. I grew up "fluffy" and uncoordinated, and I've been pretty content with that for most of my life.

Another of my favorite Seuss books (which became more of a favorite as I taught the kids to read) is Dr. Seuss's ABCs...but it's not just a favorite book, I have a favorite letter, the letter "L." It stands for "Little Lola Lopp. Left leg. Lazy lion licks a lollipop." Wait! That's me! I'm lazy and I LOVE lollipops! Little Lola Lopp should be my BFF!"

When our own kids were small, Sweetie would handle all the playtime. I was often there, even if I was on the sidelines...after all, someone had to be there to capture the fun on camera, and be ready with a band-aid, just in case...but I am decidedly play-challenged. It's never good when Mom knocks the toddler over with the ball or frisbee, or if she can't remember what "ghost man on first!" means.  Mind you, I do know how to have fun, but I would never be mistaken for a "player," not in any situation! I'd still usually rather sit and knit, or read, or do something quiet than go outside to run and play, or bike, or even play corn hole. Severely play-challenged.

So, imagine my shock and surprise when I decided that I'd like to be a runner. Whaaat??? But I'm the lazy one...that's my whole identity! And, if you think I was shocked, you should have seen Sweetie's face. As a matter of fact, we were out running one day, and a neighbor spotted us. She was shocked beyond words for a moment, then asked Sweetie, "How did you do it? How did you get Pretty to run???"

He answered, "Well, I planted a tiny seed 25 years ago..."

But seriously, I just want to be healthy. To that end, I have recently (in the last 3-4 years) overcome my aversion to the out-of-doors, with its dirt and bugs and uncontrollable temperatures, and I have even started to enjoy long walks in the park. Our walks are usually somewhere between 3 - 7 miles, depending on the time we have and where we walk. But lately, I've noticed that my whole family runs, and I guess I was feeling left out, so I started a C25K (Couch to 5K) program for beginner runners six weeks ago. I bought good shoes (pictured above, with neon green laces) and some breathable running clothes, and I stepped off (with the coaching of Sweetie, Snake and Dollface).

In week 1 of the nine-week program, I was running in 60 second intervals, walking in between the runs, and it was hard. Every step and every breath was hard, but I've kept at it, and yesterday I ran for 25 minutes without stopping or walking at all! I'm not sure how far I ran, but I think it must have been a tiny bit over 2 miles...pretty impressive for someone who couldn't run to the end of her (very short) driveway without passing out 6 weeks ago! (Thank you here, to Dollface, Snake and especially Sweetie, for your encouragement and advice...without you, I would have quit long ago! I love you guys!)

So there you have it. Am I still lazy? Mostly, I suppose...my favorite hobbies are still yarn and craft related, with little to no exercise involved. But, like a lazy lion with a lollipop, I know I could drop that sucker and run...if I want to. You know what? Don't tell anyone, but I think I am even starting to like it a little. I mean, about halfway through my run yesterday, Sweetie asked how I was feeling. I think I barked at him, "Like crap! How do you think I'm feeling?," between my huffs and puffs. But then I started to pay attention to how I was really feeling...and I don't think I really felt that bad. I mean, for the last 5 minutes I was really struggling, but up until then, I think I did feel ok. And afterwards...well, there just is no describing how I feel after I run (and after I catch my breath)...then I feel AMAZING! I felt so amazing after last night's run that I celebrated with some knitting!

What are you celebrating today? Even if it's just that you opened your eyes this morning, take some time to celebrate, and also to Knit in Good Health!