Hot Heads

First, some non-knitted hot heads.  Just before the big vacation and the snow started coming, Mr. Sophanne and I had the pleasure of playing with da brudders at the local mall.  While we are not fans of the local mall 2 weeks before Christmas, there is an indoor play area. Woot.

Here I am with two of the 3 brudders- getting all three in one picture facing the camera is next to impossible.  This is as good as it gets.  Mr. Sophanne picked up these reindeer lids at the local Claire's and you can imagine the sight we were to behold with 2 twins and older brudder on our way to see Santa Claus.  As a side note, isn't it always the case that the man disappears from activities and returns with surprises such as these?

The next hot head comes in the adorable form of Mr. Sophanne's granddaughter who happens to be with all of her cousins in Paris.  Note last year's Christmas hat on her head.  That hat has likely seen more of Europe than I have. I am so proud.

All scarves seen (and not seen in this picture) were knitted by her mama- who took this summer's knitting lessons to heart and knit no less than 10 scarves in 3 months.  Socks are next for that girl!  Again, I am so proud.

Hot Head the Next:  CousinofSophanne has a birthday coming up and wears a purple coat.  Enter Charlene Schurch's Hat's On and the standard stockinette with ribbing thing.  The colors match her coat perfectly and it was yet more destashing.

Hot head the most- Knitnightmarc made a balaclava that I accidentally stumbled upon on Ravelry this week.  They kind of creep me out.

And yet with the recent shoveling of snow I've been obligated to do, I began to see the advantage of such head gear.  Enter this pattern called "from Russia with Love.

The cables and lighter color make it look less criminal (I'm guessing that few criminals or ninjas are sporting  malabrigo balaclavas)  but alas, it is not as finished as I had hoped.  The proclaimed advantage to a balaclava is the fact that it can be worn as a hat, a cowl or a full on ski mask thingie.  Note to self.  When it says "bind off loosely, just bite the bullet and do a sewn bind off.    The business around the eyes, while lovely is nothing less than form fitting and will not stretch over my head.

Hopefully I can solve this before the "G" storm arrives!

The magic of my knit night friends.

KnitnightTara's homemade Christmas card from last year.



KnitnightMarc's homemade Christmas card from this year.  Why yes, it's and embroidered ornament done on "go away paper" or whatever it's called.  And sewing machine on paper.  Crazy amazing.

This is the envelope for KnitniteTara's 2012 card-




This is the front.  She doesn't take full credit because she purchased a laser paper cutter this year.  I would be taking full credit.  That laser paper cutter doesn't design and cut alone.



















Open up and turn the card and then there is this:

So much glitter, so much glue, so much thread, so much talent.  Next year I'm tempted to join the "card making club" just because by seeing my anti-handiwork, the creators of this magic will be even more grateful for their own skills.

To wrangle and continue.

As was all of the world, I was devastated on December 14.  Unstoppable crying for 5 days.  A day and a half of school missed.  The following things did not make it much easier, but it helped.

When I finally returned to school and taught students, I realized that every child I see is really "one of those babies."  Only they are here.  And alive.  It is my job to cherish them for all that is sacred and magical in them- just as I am grieving the loss to the world of all that was sacred and magical in those innocent victims.  I hope that for the rest of my life I am able to pause with that perspective always.

I spent last week reading the book Columbine by Dave Cullen.  We are all still striving to understand Newtown.  We won't be able to.  Columbine is a work that Dave Cullen took 10 years to write as he (appropriately enough) "culled" all of the information from other books that were written, police interviews, the journals of the perpetrators,  etc., etc.  All that was available.

 What I got from that is that we can not find reason in insanity. I realize that I do not need to know who or why this most recent shooter was.  He is scarily similar to those who have gone before him and until we find a better way to identify and treat sociopaths (and I use that term clinically- those without the capacity to feel empathy), there will be tragedies both large and small.

I have opinions on mental health but they are not informed.  I have opinions on guns but they are not informed. Although the headline Studies show that countries that have more guns have more shootings sort of cuts through any confusion for me.

I find it ironic that those who so heartily support second amendment rights permitting gun ownership ignore and dispute the fact that our country's creation was based on the separation of church and state.

It has been hard to watch the earth continue to spin.  But it is all anyone can do.

The shared pain and remnants of fear wash over us all like a giant tsunami.  There is no relief, only wave after wave.  I am holding everyone in my heart.

Random Random

It is what it says. Random.

For your continued Zombie Nutcracker amusement- rather than the traditional Santa's shop for kids to buy junk for themselves their parents, our PTO chose to buy a craft of some sort to make and gift for the holidays. Ironically enough, the 5th grade students received wooden nutcrackers to decorate. They've mostly all already seen the google image page of zombie nutcrackers. I may have some 'splainin' to do. Oy.

Epic Mickey 2. New game for Mr. Sophanne. He defeated the first monster, went back to add "player 2" and erased all progress. I mention this not because it matters a whole lot to me but because of the effect Epic Mickey has had on my life.

In the game, you paint things blue to fix them and paint things green (paint thinner) to make them disappear. Mr. Sophanne continues to buy ice cream drumsticks. I continue to search for ways to avoid them. This evening when he asked me if I wanted one, I said no and then imagined as he ate his, that I was making it disappear with paint thinner.

News on something I hate the most. Self righteous and mildly proselytizing Christians in my general circle of life who regularly behave contrary to the Golden Rule. There was one today who snapped like a firecracker at me. As a rule, I am not someone who gets snapped at often. In fact, more than once I've been complimented for my ability to facilitate calm and level-headedness. When snapping happens, I take umbrage and while I know I need to let it go, it's much harder when the snapee takes such pride in being a good person. And now feel better for being able to "tell on her" on the blog.

Finally, I finished the Vertigo vest at knight night and the awesome Gina took probably the best picture I'll manage to get. Sometimes I am so lazy. I am pleased with the results. It will get blocked this weekend. I am hoping that someday the weather outside and in my building will allow me to wear it more than from the house to the car in the morning.

Another episode of life inside my brain.

Every year in December the k-2er's listen to, act out portions of, and watch George Ballanchine's New York City Ballet's version of The Nutcracker. Nothing unusual there in music teacher world.

Today a pile of 2nd graders were particularly lethargic in their reenactment of the opening party scene. I suggested that they looked like zombies.

And then, I couldn't stop myself from playing "what if." Out loud. What if the ballet were made of all zombies. What if instead of the little brother breaking the nutcracker's head, just ripped the little zombie sister's head off. And then, when Dad goes to scold him, little brother pulls Dad's arm off.

Oh the laughter. Oh the inappropriateness. Oh the hilarity. As you may suspect, 2nd graders love me.

And then, just now, in case it was a been there done that sort of idea, I googled "zombie nutcracker" and got a page like this-

Bwah ha ha ha!

Blerg

That's the only word I can think of to describe my inability to read directions.

I spent all day today working on the top front panels to finish that vest.

At about 5:30 p.m., reality paid a visit and I snapped into realizing both were all kinds of wrong.

I think I leave the comfort of socks, hats and lace just so I can laugh at myself.

Size 8 Needles, an outburst, and some sad

Size 8 needles knit items much more quickly than size 3.  The beautiful Kathy Zimmerman cable sweater is slogging along.  Slogging mostly because I can concentrate for approximately 2 rows of cabling before I know I have to stop.

That I might have something to turn to, I matched stash with pattern and found Vertigo in some malabrigo  in the colors dusty rose and pearl ten.  Pearl ten? It must be secret code for "matches dusty rose in a cool way."  As always with wintertime pictures, colors appear less vibrant than in real life.  Some of the colorwork is a little bunchy- if blocking doesn't fix it, I really will rip and reknit.  I like this vest that much.  Does this really make 3 knitting posts in a row?

Confidentiality prohibits me from going into detail but let me just say that my Monday morning after a week of vacation began with a student banging limbs on thunderously resonating metal bookshelves and cabinets screaming (not at me) 

"YOU ARE THE DEVIL YOU G-D D-MN M-TH-R F-CK-NG WH-R-!!!!!!"

One would think that would be a terrible way to start the week and, in fact, it sort of was.  BUT, after that first thing on a Monday morning, no matter what happens the rest of the week, it's a good week.

What makes me sadder than sad is that I can't share the story with my blog friend Nicole Stanger McMaster at Throwslikeagirl.  Nicole lost her battle with breast cancer this week after an aggressive form of mets popped up seemingly out of nowhere and took her from this planet entirely too soon.  

I found her knitting blog and later found out we shared professions as well.  It's pretty strange and horrible to lose an internet friend.  While playing with internets friends, you feel so connected and yet when you grieve, no one in your physical space (only fellow ethereal bloggers) really understands the extent and significance of the loss- and there is the fear that expressing too much sorrow to and for family members makes you seem kind of creepy.

So, HEY NICOLE out there in Spiritual Internet World, I'm glad I got to know you.  I'm glad you're no longer in pain, and I'm sad that you're no longer here.  

And that my friends, with tears in my eyes,  is all a memorial can really say. 

c'est finis

MountainMama is going to get someone she knows who sews to line these.  There are so many mistakes and small oopsies, that I don't even want to think about it.  These definitely fall into the HANDMADE category and I'm not sure that they're as built to last as the actual John Deere tractors,  but it will do for a few years.  Fortunately, they look pretty good from a distance.  Fortunately they are for little boys with small hands that can actually fit inside the top.

What else I did over Thanksgiving Break.

They need a little finishing at the top  but right now they're blocking with plastic bags.  To this I say, Dear Intarsia, we are getting a divorce.  Love Sophanne.

Heading to Aunt of Sophanne's for some Bob Evan's pre-prepared meals, Yahtzee, and if cousin has her way, Monopoly!

Wherein I have a new friend and we had an adventure.

It never ceases to amaze me when that happens.  This new friend wants to learn to knit better, taught at nearly all of the same schools I have in my career (just a year or two ahead of me), shares my political inclinations (unlike many in my surrounding area) and laughs a lot and sometimes laughs at inappropriate things.  She has more driving phobias than I and so today we had an adventure.  In the "things always happen for a reason" category, I met her at one of the new schools I have this year.

We picked up the "T"  about where knit night meets and rode it all the way to the North Side of Pittsburgh. We saw this sign when we disembarked.  Not sure  about what "area of refuge" really means but there was one there in case we needed it.

When we left the station, we saw this.  And, as it turns out we were in the same parking garage that Mr. Sophanne and I parked in when we went to a Pirates game this summer.  No traffic for us today though.  The Light Rail did all the work.  (note the green T sign.  I love the T)

After walking a mile we found our way here:

The National Aviary.   It should have been a half mile walk but one has to expect some misdirection in life.

Once inside, we saw some birds.  These two birds remind me of the story of Ulysess visiting Circes Palace and a bird warning him of danger ahead.  

These two were just adorable and photogenic.

We signed up for a Pirates of the Caribbean Parrot show but somehow got locked out of showtime and they don't let latecomers in.  I was thrown off for a good 15 minutes or so.  I was a little surprised at how attached I had become to the idea of seeing that show.

The flamingos are always fascinating as were the penguins.  The penguins begged to be anthropomorphized and I had a most excellent voice and dialogue going on for them.  (think Henri le chat noir except more of an Art Carney kind of voice)  It was perhaps that activity that distracted me from noticing that it was in fact show time.

Back on the T to the Wood St. exit where we found a place called Ewe Can Knit.  I was suspicious when the only reference on the web to them was their facebook page.  It was a pen and stationery store that had yarn on the second floor as an afterthought.  There was some yarn that could have been purchased but it seemed like it was there mostly for decoration.  

The thing is, I have always wanted to have this adventure and feel comfortable doing it.  I plan it in my head every summer and wonder why, at the end of the summer, I haven't done it.  And I realized that you don't hear of many solo adventurers.  Usually they at least travel in pairs.  And really, I can count on one hand the number of people who have the time, energy and desire to have the same kind of adventures I like to have so today was a lucky lucky day.

The Awesomeness of Tara v. 8.2

By now you know that knitnightTara is amazing.  If you need a refresher, you can look here and here.


It's time for yet another episode in the series The Awesomeness of Tara.

She knit these lovelies for someone to take to  a "redneck" baby shower.  Camo sweater, bright orange buttons, and cowboy boot booties.  What you can't see is that the booties are fleece lined.

The person she made them for has offered payment and she doesn't know what to charge.  I have offered to be the financial consultant of All that is Tara and said $50- she thought that was high- she has $15 in materials.  I'm saying you'd pay AT LEAST THAT for the cuteness of the boots alone in a high end store and these are better made.

And yet, while these are amazing and adorable, they do not properly give tribute to awesome.  This evening instead of knitting, she was putting together her homemade Christmas card list.  You may remember the knitting penguin from last year.  She was talking about people that she has no real work/family/knitting relationship with that she regularly sends them to and I said "You could send one to Aunt of Sophanne"- knowing the meticulous time and care that go into these cards I was mostly just joking- kiddingly adding names to her list where none were needed- also knowing that they've never met.

She then pulled out the list, passed it to me and said "She's already on there."

That. Girl.  She is something else.

The Impish Little Trickster Knitting Fairy

is hired by the knitting goddess to do her dirty work.  Her magic powers include promoting self doubt and suspect vision among knitters.

Case in point:

This is about 43 rows of the back of Kathy Zimmerman's Welcome Back, Friend Sweater.  It's about six inches long right now.

Case in point.

Sunday Morning I had 41 rows.  Sunday evening I had 43 rows.  Monday afternoon I had 47 rows.  Early Monday evening I had 41 rows and now there are once again 43.

The way to avoid the impish little trickster knitting fairy is to CLEARLY mark where you are in the pattern when you stop knitting.   On Monday evening I believed that I had started knitting in the wrong place and tinked 6 rows (WITH CABLES and using a cable needle to uncable).

When I began to start what I thought was the correct place, I realized that the tinked rows were actually correct and previous tinking was an unnecessary.

The bonus is that I love Louet Gems Sportweight.  I also love the chia goo goo(something like that) needles which are as delightful as addi turbo lace at half the price.  I've learned my lesson with over purchasing and managed not to order some more immediately because I love it and more has to be better. At least I've learned that lesson for today.

What I wanted to ask my neighbors but didn't.

When I came home this evening the neighbor kids were burning leaves that were next to a tree and under a tire swing. One cherub was swinging over the fire as the others fanned the flames.


Did I miss the sale at the stupid store? And by that I mean the store that SELLS stupid!

Happy Birfday!

It's been 5 happy years since we've had the Liza girl.  We both are a little bigger and a little happier. (except I think she's sticking her tongue out at me in picture number 2)

Barely Knitting? Knitting a Bear.

One of the yarns that came home with me at the knit night trick or treatwas some bulky Tahki Primary Baby- from Knitnight Marc

Knitnight Tara and Knitnight Alison were hoping for a unicorn.  I knew if I didn't jump in on it, I would forget what I was going to do and the yarn would marinate until the next swap.

He's pretty adorable.  I do get anxious assembling.  Watching Knitnight Gina do it the last time helped, I feel much better about his facial features.  His arms went on pretty well too.  It's the legs and the ears that aren't my favorite but when you get to that point, you just want him done. 

Name him anyone?

Clutter Wars

You may recall that 2 summers ago I did some serious book culling.  I was proud and felt lighter after the process.

After last months trip to the yarn store, my yarn/book room was overflowing with stuff.  Good stuff, but still stuff.  I decided I'd see if there was any more culling to be done.

As a result I probably donated $400 or more worth of books to the school librarian and three plastic bins (not the biggest but the medium size) to the used book store where I bought most of the books in the first place.

I cleared the shelves of about 5 bags of knitting yarn for the Trick Or Treat exchange at knit night.  I also finally parted with several of the Namaste bags that weren't my favorite and took the financial loss as a lesson in how many knitting bags any one person actually needs.

And then I decided.   No more new hobbies.  No more old hobbies that I don't do anymore.

Knitting and reading are officially my hobbies.

The dried up painting supplies will be thrown away.

I have a fabulously wonderful plan for all of the sewing fabric and notions that I buy every time I see an awesome seamstress on the blogs.  Better still, it does not involve me sewing. (in fact won't that master seamstress be surprised when all of her inspiration shows up at her doorstep?- but sometimes we need other people to either use or throw away our stuff for us)

I don't need to go visit that lady at the quilt store who forgot to call me when classes started.  I don't need quilting classes.

While I am glad to have the computer programs that play with film editing and video, I don't have the skills, time, computer memory, inspiration, or motivation to really dig into it.  Ditto with photo editing.

I can admire a craft, skill, hobby, whatever, without throwing myself into it and imagining that I will become the undiscovered superstar of that medium.

There is still some work to do when it comes to digital information- my new place for reading.

I had another episode of iTunes insomnia that brought all of the early music of The Police back into my life.

 It takes a good bit of restraint (sometimes unavailable) to prevent myself from online purchasing every book  that I've read a good review about.

While I am finally letting go of a notable amount (for me) of the physical clutter I have, I still have no system for monitoring and managing and preventing the digital clutter.  I'm thinking that time will come when it's time.

However small my uncluttering steps are in this lifetime, I am proud.  I know people who do not ever have "enough" in spite of everything new they acquire.

And while I am not really a comment whore (I know you're out there reading and for that I'm grateful), I am truly interested in how other people manage "stuff"- both the digital and the physical.  If you have time and are so inclined, it would be interesting and helpful to discover other people's secrets of stuff.

Because what's a knitting blog without knitting?

The field trip to natural stitches yielded quite a stash of Louet Gems sport weight.  Pictured below is a poorly photographed start of Kathy Zimmerman's Welcome Back, Old Friend.  It's a slow knit, mostly because I am not at all interested in trying to frog cables.  I'm hoping the sport weight wool will make this wearable some day.

Re: that field trip to Natural Stitches.  The first time we went (a year ago) I had no plans. Actually my only plan was to pick up whatever yarn happened to strike my fancy.  I got some nice yarn.  I used most of it (except for the 5.000.000 yards of Lorna's Lace Helen's Lace)  Occasionally I buy laceweight yarn as if you could rip one of those out in a weekend.

This time I was quite smug.  I spent the week before the trip taking note of which patterns I knew I wanted to dig into, and the amount and type of yarn I would need for each.  While I would say that I was mostly successful (the Louet Gems a prime example), something happened when I was looking at the Madelintosh sockweight (by the way does anyone EVER make socks out of that?)  

Somehow I convinced myself that I really needed to make not one but three different versions of Color Affection, so I purchased 9 different fabulous skeins of Madelinetosh sock yarn.  Hello allowance- goodbye allowance! (and then some.)  The truth of the matter is that I neither have nor had any intention of making Color Affection.  It was merely the vehicle for purchasing more of that gorgeous yarn. Bad Knitter.  Bad Bad Knitter.  Someday you'll see this yarn but it deserves more than a crappy nighttime photo.

Also regarding purchasing yarn with the planning process.  It's more than a little ridiculous/hilarious that while in the midst of that great store I was convinced that I would have time to knit 2 vests, a severely cabled sweater, several pairs of mittens, three color affection shawls and three intarsia Christmas stockings before I made it back  next year (or sooner.)  Let's just say that if that really happens, I am one Bad Ass Mo Fo Knitter.

And finally in the category of "Welcome to Middle Age,"  My favoritest KnitnightGina brought me an early birthday present last week.  Two pairs (varying strengths) of reading glasses.   She says she looked for the ugliest ones she could find for which I am grateful.  The more garish (I prefer that to ugly) they are, the less likely I'll be to lose them.  So far I only need them for dark yarn and lace weight but I felt like it was an initiation into the "hey you're like us club."  And also a fabulous early birthday present.

As for the birthday, it is still a week and a half away and that Mr. Sophanne cracks me up.  The trip to the symphony was the Best Present Ever.  I have no need for anything else. HOWEVER...

Mr. Sophanne didn't want to go to the casino alone last weekend.  He said "here's $100, it can be your birthday money, let's go to the casino."  And by birthday money he secretly means "birthday money so that you will gamble at the casino money."  I was not a big winner but I didn't mind so much, I had no attachment to that cash.  Spending it at the casino was almost a present to him. 

He handed me the same amount last night (after he had his name drawn and was a winner) and said "you shouldn't spend your birthday money at the casino." So I'm "up" again and instead of going to the casino, I'll be going to a ceramic painting place tomorrow that is donating 10% of the proceeds to a breast cancer fundraising team which is money MUCH better spent.

Because what's a blog without adorable dog pictures

I've got some catching up to do.  So I thought I'd start out by distracting you with some gratuitous but adorable dog photos.  Every now and then the girl likes to pretend she's still puppy sized and she cuddles up to Mr. Sophanne while he's working on his laptop.

This moment is less special and more usual.  Under the covers with her ice cream cone.  Just like me after an episode of Sleep Eating.  Why oh why does he continue to buy drumsticks? I love the left eye leering sideways and the paw over the cone.

We were experiencing difficulties with our camera and Mr. Sophanne wanted to take a few test shots.  Mostly I wanted to edit out the fact that we don't have a mattress pad on the bed and the fact that the sheet is always undone  but I yam what I yam and that's a pretty adorable picture.

Devoted Husbandry

Here we see Mr. Sophanne watching the third quarter of the Mountaineer Game, dressed and ready to leave IN THE MIDDLE OF IT to go hear the Pittsburgh Symphony.

And here I am in front of Heinz Hall, waiting for things to begin.

What a performance.  

I don't listen to much music.  When you hear the sounds I hear all day long, it's necessary to sort of "clear the palette."  By the time the palette is cleared the evening/weekend is usually over and it's back to work.

The thing that makes music music is that you can't express what it says or does with words.  If you could, there would be no need for it.  The part of me that wants to share the experience with you is piling words upon words of boring description.  The part of me that has any sense at all knows I might as well just say, "It was Awesome." and leave it at that.  I will add though, that tears fell uncontrollably from my eyes for the first five minutes because the sounds were so beautiful.

And, while we did have directions to get there, I managed to navigate Mr. Sophanne in and out of the city without any back tracking, illegal u-turns or traffic citations.