Swoon. Thud.

Swoon. Thud.

Oh, boy! It's done it's done it's done! The malabrigo (swoon) (thud) - what was I talking about? OH YEAH! I finally finished the sewing up - no small feat when it's so freaking hot that yarn felts as you touch it. Not this particular yarn, of course; this particular yarn can do no wrong. It is The Best Yarn Ever. This week, anyhow. I am so damn proud of myself - I was guessing on the sleeve cap shaping and it came out just dandy. I so rock. Behold! (Yes, I will be bringing it to knitting, and everything else for the next million years, whether you want me to or not) I used six skeins. With about half a skein of #6 left over, so I now have four skeins extra. This is some seriously good yardage.

Other news: DD#2 has been throwing up, every so often. We're thinking, maybe sudden lactose intolerance? or something? She never has liked ice cream, so doesn't eat that, in fact the only dairy we reliably get into her is chocolate milk, so we've been trying the lactose-free kind. So far, so good. Unless it's a virus. Anyhow, the barfing has been pretty interesting. Good morning darling, do you feel like you're going to throw up? No? Oh, good.

Wed. I got to spent Four Goddam Hours Driving My Darling Children. The two older ones are planning this spectacular costumed thing for Anime Boston next year, and they're meeting and scheming and sketching and oh, it's so involved you would think I was making it up. (I'm not.) So, an hour drive to the house where all this is taking place, drive back home, drive to pick them up, drive back. Four Goddam Hours. Please tell me this counts as points off purgatory. Or something. Perhaps in my next life I will be a winged horse and not have to deal with any of this PLUS get to go wherever I want really really fast. This was what I was doing instead of knitting at Javaroom. Pout.

My cousin called and is having a spectacularly horrible divorce, I learned. As in, rat of husband screwing around while ostensibly up here in Boston area to settle the estate of my cousin's deceased mother. With baby son in attendance. Ewwwww. Ah, the many ways of expressing the concept, "Asshole." She just wanted to know if it was okay to call for emotional support now and then, since I've been through my own grotesquely horrible divorce. Well, of course. Hang in there. It does end. It does get better. You do not in fact die from this.

Hm - transition to something fluffy. Oh! Pirates of the Caribbean 2 is coming out! Whee! Can't wait! I'm going to try and get there for the group outing Friday - probably with all three kids and husband in tow.

The dye-o-rama pal yarn is knitting up nicely. I'm at present trying to decide what kind of heel I want. Here it is:



Last but not least, some discernable progress on the sleeves for DH's Hardangervidda. Look. It's going fine, now that I've found my other 3.5mm circular so that I can work without wanting to curse every few stitches. Anybody want a whole bunch of Inox circs? I'm gradually realizing that I hate working with them every single time I pick them up. The pattern for this sweater (yes, it's the same one Yarn Harlot made for the Olympics) requires three different needle sizes. It is unfortunately not altogether clear or consistent when one uses these. Well, it does say to use the 2.5 mm for the bit that gets turned under and sewn for the hem, and 3.5 mm for some of the colorwork, but for some reason the sleeve instructions differ from the body instructions as to what size one uses for the colorwork and the stockinette and the "broken rib" section. No, this is not a sweater that does grievous bodily harm, "broken rib" is "ribbing that gets interrupted." And I am making an Executive Decision, having spent the better part of an hour digging around and thinking and sewing up the last bit of my entrelac cushion (see pictures! ain't it grand?)


before finally finding my other 3.5mm needle. I noticed once I was making merry progress on the two 3.5mm's that I was in fact supposed to be using 3mm. Unlike the colorwork on the body, which is 3.5mm. This makes no sense to me at all. So screw that. It would probably be wise for me to be doing the ribbing on the smaller 3mm needles, but frankly this sweater has already taken way longer than it should have and I have not the faintest idea if I will be able to find the 3mm needles without a huge amount of trouble, and y'know, I think it is not going to make that much difference. Here it is:


Italy beat Germany today. Tomorrow, it's France vs. Portugal and that gorgeous Ronaldo guy. England are out of it, and I will just gently remind readers that I predicted they'd go out on penalty kicks down one man who was ejected (red card). This is the way of the England team. It is what they do. It is Buckner and the ball between the legs. Sigh.

Thanks for the wishes and flattery, Erica and Tattoo Queen! Gee! I still think I should dye my hair green, but that could just be the menopause really kicking in. And thank you so much, Yarn Harpy; see you at some point this week, eh?

It's too hot. Happy Fourth.