Day before Easter/ I COM

I am up very early today .. it is still dark and this is not me! One of the joys of retirement is sleeping in but these pugs don't remember that. My son's is the main culprit. He is here until after his new baby is born and settled. I stayed awake to check the phone and email in case they called during the night.Without the Boy here to listen for phone - I am afraid I wont here it. I have the phone next to my bed as close as possible but without my hearing aids on - I barely hear anything. This started at age 30 and has continued to decline . Anyways I am awake to if that baby phone calls comes I am directly off to Nyack Hospital which is about 2 hours away.
anyways this little guy is due tomorrow on Easter so maybe that will happen!





Technology for people with hearing loss has continued to improve. I am so lucky to live in a time of closed captions, cap tel on computer and now my new I com. I am trying out new hearing aids this past week which sometimes can be a struggle. Eye tests are so much more black and white - you can read the letters or not.Hearing has so many different levels to it so not easy.





With these new ones: I can hear for the first time in a long time the pugs snoring , footsteps , wind , the dishwasher ect but forget hearing anyone in Applebees because the aids pickup all the back ground noise that smoother out the sounds needed to carry on a conversation.





But the thing I am so excited about is the Icom which is a Blue tooth necklace I wear under my shirt. I now can answer my Blue tooth land line and cell phone with just tapping this necklace and the phone goes directly into my hearing aids. I don't even lift the receiver cell. The cell can be in my purse. The best thing about it is hearing so much better on the phones .. It is like clear fm sound. I wont get a ticket either because it is hands free! My Blackberry Storm has the Slacker.com App and so I can listen to music on Slacker.com via the cell phone and my Blue tooth ICom. This is just so exciting for me because I have not really listened to music in ages because it sounded like noise- not music. But now every night I have to charge my cell phone, my I Com and my hearing aid remote.....lots of paraphernalia to carry around but so worth it! I ordered a Bluetooth usb adapter for my computers so I can hear video and sound on them too hopefully. Figuring all this out is a major accomplishment on my part.





Yesterday I was in Milfrd Pa and stopped at JillDeal Yarn Shop. My will power for using my stash up has gone out the window as I purchased this yarn called Sprout. I just fell in love with the gold and green Color 3 colors. I have had my eye on a DellaQ bag for long time along with 10 skeins of another baby yarn. I had been in the Monticello Yarn Store last week and spent way too much . Gotta get back on track and use this stash. Best to stay out of yarn stores for awhile!

April 2009

Ravelry, facebook and yahoo mail seem to take more of my time and less is going here.

It is not intentional just happens .



Knitting progress has been slower this week due to a hand that is hurting, doctor appts and having to take care of everything in the house because the Boy is away. We bought a condo in Pine Island, Florida and he closed on it last week. He loves it so much down there that hope he comes back! It is a fishing area so he is in fishing heaven. The reason I am not down there is the waiting the arrival of my first grandson due this Sunday on Easter. As soon as he is settled Hope to make a quick trip to Florida if I can make some kind of last minute pet sitter arrangements. So next year I will be an official snow bird. MANY things to work out though like pets and parents.



Thanks to Sue from NJhttp://craftitagain.blogspot.com/ I am working on a practice baby blanket called Radiating Star.( free from Ravelry) I am using worsted weight Lion Brand in white. The yarn is too thick and awkward but going to finish it and give it away .

I am knitting the other Fleece Artist Legging. for Sea Baby Set. This sea cell wool is reviewed this week by Knitter's Review. I love the colors of the yarn but have this issue with the yarn always getting tangled up and little nubs all over the place that don't look so pretty . I am putting off finishing this legging for some reason it is not fun.\


Happy Easter and Spring to all! I hope my little grandson arrives soon and mostly that he arrives healthy.

sea baby pics

still working on leggings
actually looks better than this awful picture. Needs some blocking.

sea baby messed up assembly

Remind me - no more sweaters that involved lots of sewing.. seamless from now on!

Last night I worked so carefully putting on this one sleeve and had enough for one night. This am I look at it and realize it is sewn to the wrong ( narrow cuff end next to shoulder ) I tired to take it out this am but can't even find a place to start ripping as I did such a good job weaving in ends. The yarn changes color so cant' tell which is the sweater or the sewing yarn. I blocked it and tried to stretch it. I am leaving it the way it is although it looks a little weird.


oops pictures wont upload on this #*!@ Gateway and the Boy has the Dell in Florida.

spring yarn cleaning..

Stinky - my helper ....

This past week my knitting stuff was reorganized again. The whole closet is officially taken over by this hobby. This was not an easy task and took 2 full days to sort and clean. My stash is slowly going down ;tring to be practical and save money . It helps to know what I actually have!

Before I had a desk in half of the closet that kept papers, passports etc.. Well- that was moved to the other room and this space is totally dedicated to KNITTING. Even the spinning wheel is out of it now. I found 2 cubicle storage ( wine) shelves in Target. They are on top of each other. An old bookcase in the garage was carted in for books and bins. The green cloth bins were found in Target on sale for 5.99!


I took all my sock yarns out of the bins and put them in one of the hanging shoe holders.

My Knit Picks Options , Harmony,Denise and new Addi click are all put back together and in the green bins . Button boxes and gadgets in a bin with all my baby patterns in one too.

All my project bags were emptied and organized with only 3 ufo's now.

Looking at this photos ;it still looks messy but what an improvement. All my lace yarns are in one row too.

I use natural Moth-A- Way but need to get some new replacements. I missed Rhinebeck this year and wont be going to Maryland so have to search for it someplace else?

Sea Baby

I bought a Fleece Artist Kit called Sea Baby while I was in Nova Scotia this past fall. It is adorable and made with Sea Cell and Merino. I finished one sleeve tonight while watching Idol. The neck edge had to be ripped and redone because it looked sloppy where the stitches were picked up..also problem with little holes. Maybe there is a better method of picking up stitches.....
The baby is due soon so have to get hat and matching socks done pronto. It is almost midnight so off to bed. Pictures will be posted soon. It has been a marathon of baby knitting this past 8 months.

FISH

This is what I am working on all morning. Taking a break from all the *#!^ sewing. Did I mention I hate to sew because my skills are so awful.

HOPING....Will this will look better blocked and hoping the neck opening and sleeves are big enough? sleeves sort of long....I love the colors and the GGH fuzzy yarn that came in this kits BY MELISSA. She was very helpful when I contacted her and the price of kit was cheap. The pattern is called Fish . Her site is www.melissa.net

The fin of the fish flaps...cute huh? I did not add tail that came with pattern ..looked too big on mine..

piglet done just in time for shower today

My d- in law due April 12, 2009

one of my sweaters....

my daughter, son and d in-law

my firstborn and me

piglet

mouse done - now on to piglet...

Mr. Mouse
Lion Brand color: Linen

the family

mouse in works

I am working on mouse puppet. Last night at my knitting group we did more talking than knitting. Today I am checking out another knitting group that is meeting at Roasters , the local coffee shop in Narrowsburg , NY. It is a short walk over the bridge into NY to get to shop. Hope it works out .

Way too much of my time has been spent on Facebook lately! It is very addictive. You find one friend , then another from that friend etc... I have found many of my former students whom are all grown up!!

My knitting has been mainly new grand baby stuff.. Shower is this weekend .This is going ot be so much fun!
After the puppets are done I need to go in another direction. The lace shawl for Aunt Dottie needs finished and I love the new pattern in Interweave Knits by Susan Pierce Lawrence Fountain Pen Shawl.
I love her Forest Canopy pattern.

lion puppet done (: cute

I am on a roll with these little guys. Next it is the mouse and elephant. There is extra patterns on line from Creative knitting for piglet too. I have till Sunday for the baby shower so hopefully can get at least 2 more done.
This one does not look so lion like but still is adorable. A cute tail with the Lion brand eye lash yarn is not in the pictures. I used more of the Lion Brand yarn for this. With one skein you could make 2 puppets so I have supplies to make another little zoo for next grandchild..

puppy puppet

another fun puppet done..using up my scraps and Creative Knitting magazine march 2009 Parade of Puppets. I am starting Lion next roarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.. No plastic eyes for safety reasons .

projects done!! photos

basket weave baby blanket

froggy puppet Creative Knitting march 2009 issue

Pea Pod Interweave

lace panel baby blanket

5 hour baby boy sweater ( took me way more than 5 hours)

working on some more puppets next!

w

March madness

crazy snow storm here in NE Pa and to make it not so nice we did not have heat or hot water all weekend.The plumber could not get the part till today. He drove in the storm to fix it- what a nice guy!!!

Still unpacking from being away 3 weeks and sorting mail ect . Now it is back to reality with taking care of parents , doctor appts and house stuff .

I did a lot of knitting in Puerto Rico to the point I had to stop. My neck and right shoulder are in some kind of mess with pain.
2 baby blankets, one frog puppet completed and 2 baby sweaters started .

for some reason this blog won't let me post photos today... but got them up on my ravelry ( katomliz)

addios Puerto Rico

It has been a relaxing 3 weeks here in sunny Puerto Rico but vacation is coming to an end. I have internet for the first time because we are staying in the Best Western at the airport tonight.
My Black berry Strom did not get sufficient service to go browse the internet. We were in a very rural area but survived. I knitnonstop ; so much my neck and back hurt and now need to limit it. 2 baby blankets done and one puppet along with a baby sweater started.

way way too much sangria, ice cream and eating out..I am scared to even go near a scale...diet time now but Dh and I had a wonderful time together so all worth it

Pea Pod/ Home

Is this sleeve too small? to rip or not?

I am home from hospital feeling relief I don't have a heart condition but would feel better if they could figure out what is making me have these spells that come again. I have been taking it easy and trying just feel better all week.

We leave Monday for PR. I am excited but will feel better when I am there. My track record for traveling this winter has not been good.

Speaking of track records- while I was in the hospital I was bragging to my kids and other knitting visitors that I never in my whole life got a speeding ticket. Well- should have kept my mouth shut because coming home tonight a few miles from my house on the NY side a snotty state trooper pulled me over and gave me a ticket. He said I did not stop at the stop sign - just slowed down.. to tell you the truth I was not paying attention and should have noticed he was behind me..sort of scary..

still struggling with the Pea Pod ( 2nd one started - other one hibernating)

I tried to change the sleeves picking up stitches using another pattern. I did one and it looks small. I hate hate hate to rip so still studying it. I started the hat tonight.

LPlans disrutped.......

good news - my hospital has free wifi my BB Storm works here . My knitting was in the car before I came here. So not totally bored all weekend here. Had 3 project in my bag to keep me busy.

bad news- won't be leaving for PR on my birthday - Tuesday. Having a heart cath Monday due to chest pains after a stress test. Flying the next day is not an option.
DH wont be home from golf trip till tonight- thank god my kids have helped take care of pets and me.

after tomorrow I will know when and if we can leave for PR. I wish they could figure out what is causing these spells that last for periods of time.This one started Jan 12 after going to the gym doing old lady stuff but then coming home all full of energy to clean the floors. Cleaning the floors did me in.. good excuse to justify that I am officially getting a cleaning person and not doing any more floors.

Pea Pod

Knitting along on the Pea Pad and was loving the yarn. Sometimes your gut tells you something is not right but you keep knitting along...and knitting and trying to figure out what is not right...click click click at midnight you think " oh maybe I should go on ravelry because this does not seem right "

you look at all the pictures very closely and you figure out what has been feeling not right-damn the leaf pattern was only supposed to be done once but I continued doing it several times with those left over 7 of stockinette... for the whole front section

but then again you look at it and want to salvage it after all the( misguided ) concentration and work . I am leaving it for awhile before doing anything and starting another one the correct way. In someways I like it because it looks like a little Irish sweater but weird.. Maybe I can continue with it this way but then again the sleeves may look odd ?.DH has my camera so can't take pictures till he is back from his golf trip.

Lucky me

My blogging has been slow lately with ravelry and facebook taking up more of my computer time. DH thinks I spend too much time on the computer and makes faces as he goes by me. Maybe he thinks I should be cleaning or cooking more? or maybe watching football (now basketball) and CNN financial gloom and doom .

My bags from cancelled cruise are getting refreshed as in 2 weeks we will be leaving all this snow and cold to stay for the month in Puerto Rico. We have rented a house from a friend that lives on the ocean..that is why I say I am lucky!!! so this week I my job is to figure out all the packing and details involved with leaving pets and house for a month. Trying to pack one suitcase for a month is another challenge. But like I said- I realize how very lucky I am to be doing this and being retired. Many friends my age are still juggling stressful jobs and all they have to do to keep their medical benefits or have no pensions . Working all those 32 and half years at public schools has paid off in later life. I am also grateful to DH who has manged our finances successfully.Without him - I would not be able to do these things.

Knitting news: Still on same shawl and growing baby blanket but started Pea Pod baby sweater last night and very excited about it. For some reason blogger.com is not letting me post pictures today but here is the link http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pea-pod-baby-set I am using pale green Sublime ( oh- love this yarn). The pattern is a little ( very) quirky . When this was started in the fall -while away- but had to stop because of not figuring it . But looking at Kate Gilbert Ravelry group resolved my problems and loving this little sweater.

still cold and snowy

fire has been going nonstop for several days..

thermometer reads minus 10

This has to be a record winter with cold, snow and ice. As I blog more snow is coming down . Although it is so very pretty - I slightly resent it because of dangerous roads . Today my daughter and son were going to take me out to lunch in Middletown but not sure if that will happen with all the snow. Reports said to expect one inch but there is at least 5 out there now.Now the reports say some clipper system is moving in. Oh- but I am so very grateful that I don't have to commute one hour to work this winter. Panic attacks strike me if driving in bad weather.

Yesterday we walked over to the Eagle fest..http://www.dveaglealliance.org/. It was an enjoyable day seeing friends and listening to different presentations. My favorite was Bill Streeter with his live birds and an owl lady from NJ. Despite the frigid weather record crowds attended. Eagles were flying overhead which is something that is pretty common around here but I am still always amazed at these majestic birds. From my house one can see a nest of them in a huge conifer on other side of river.

Knitting progress on the shawl is slow because gave my arm a break this week and only do a few rows a day . Deciding which baby item to knit next is a challenge with so many to choose . Nothing is shouting at me yet. Maybe a quick knit of hat or scarf would get me back on track .This shawl is turning into work.