Going Old School

 I have been hiding out in my knitting room listening to an audio book alternating between knitting a UFO That was started before Eric went into hospice.  Then was tinked because I should never knit lace work when I am taking care of someone going through hospice.  Then thinking it is time to spin on every drop spindle I currently own.  Maybe even fill up a basket and ply them later.  

I am so totally exhausted and out of sink that I totally forgot about Tour de Fleece. At this point 11 days in I am not going to stress myself.  I will just look at my lovelies as I spin on the drop spindle of the day or 2 it takes to fill them.  I will pull one braid at a time and spin until I run out and then go to the next one.  

I am currently on an Orson Scott Card binge. Currently Invasive Procedures. The last book was Stone Father. Both good reads. 

Below is the first spindle filled in this endeavor. A Golding that has an amazing spin on it.  I did not think I would be able to spin lace weight on a spindle this heavy.  I spun a blend of merino wool and silk.  

I Am Behind on Patterns

 Things are going pretty good right now. I just wish at times I had a staff to type up my pattern notes and take pictures of my finished objects.  I am about 3 patterns behind now.  Maybe I will just have to buckle down. When John’s at work I should be working too.  I think I will give it a try next week.  

I just don’t make enough on pattern sales to hire anyone.  If I am really lucky I sell enough patterns to pay for the yarn.  I usually don’t include time to design, knit, photograph or type my patterns. The numbers would be just to dismal even for me.    Bring a pattern designer is a lot like the other arts. A few make bank and the rest of us have a supportive spouses or full time jobs or both.  

Stay safe and consider wearing masks again. The COVID19 numbers are going up again.  

A BBD

 It was one of those epic bad body days.   Fold 2 loads of laundry and rest for 2 hours. Repeat.  

John did not want to go shopping at Tuesday Morning, but since I was too tired to drive he drove and found a new tool for the garden.  I found nothing.  

After a baked chicken lunch and shopping for coffee, ,guess what?  It was nap time again.  

I did manage to fill and sew one dog pillow.  John loaded my car for tomorrow   

I hope I got enough rest today so that I can sleep tonight.  Wish me luck.  

Errands

 A few errands left me exhausted.  Because of the Jiffy peanut butter recall Skippy peanut butter is still in short supply.  I will have to come up with another fast and easy protein.  I got 95 zone minutes for 5,200 steps.  I need answers.  I am just rambling. Time to go to sleep.  

Thank You

 This is a tongue and cheek kinda of blog post. Yes it will be cheeky.  

First off I would like to thank a nameless local Tucson home improvement store for refusing to help us with our shopping needs. They also had a front desk clerk that refused to get us a sales person to take our money.  Silly me. I thought green money was green money, good for helping the bottom line of any retail business during a recession.  We came dressed Tucson summer casual, what else are you supposed to wear during summer in Tucson.  We were even wearing tennis shoes and not flip flops. At this store it was apparently not good enough for help.  This in the end run saved us lot’s of money.  

Today we went to Lowe’s Store 1638 where we meet the most helpful and friendly sales associate Estevan.  I could not find a more helpful and knowledgeable sales person (outside of Grandma’s Spinning Wheel and Artemesia if I tried). Estevan helped us with a shower head, and plumbing supplies for the new sink faucet, to replace the one that broke in the guest bathroom. You know the one that made 3 full loads of towels . We also got a new rain gauge to replace the one that was literally crumbling in place. 

For everything we bought we spent less than the bathroom faucet cost all by itself at the local home improvement store.  They also did not have rain gauges which would have meant a separate trip.   I know the store manager made a very wise decision in hiring Estevan.  Friendly service, help and everything we needed all in one stop.  They also did not care that we were wearing Tucson summer casual or that my hair was still wet from my shower. So I will count today’s shopping trip as a win.  

Thank You Very Much  

John was busy too. He installed the new shower head and rain gauge already today.  All that is left is installing the new faucet.  We just have to figure out how to use towels to pad the sharp angles and the wood floor of the cabinet.  After that is done I can treat the wood with a 10% bleach solution once or twice to get rid of any lingering mold that might have occurred.  Let it dry a few more days and pit the pool towels away.   Then I can do a happy dance that the a hip high pile of towels will no longer be gracing our den.  Not that I don’t love our pool towels. 

So it was a very good day.  

366 Days

 It has been a year snd a day since we had a Summer Monsoon at our house. We got a good storm with most of the rain falling in the first 30 minutes or so. We had river’s flowing in the front and back of the house. We also had a little white water as the water flowed through the front yard over some smaller rocks. 

I was too busy sitting by the window watching the rain to take any videos. So you are just going to see the rain gauge afterwards and our double rainbow. The second rainbow was hard to see from where I was standing trying to stay dry.  

A Strange Week So Far

 This has been a very strange week for me so far. Somethings I will talk about, some things not so much.  Well here goes.  

I was at Whole Foods this week when a lady stopped me in the parking lot and wanted to buy my car right there on the spot. I suggested that she go to the dealership to see what they had. 

She said she did. However she wanted  my make and model which they did not have.

  I kept saying no.  I really have to learn to be ruder. 

She thought it was brand new. I reality my car is about 2 years old. It was bought just before the COVID19. Since it don’t go out much it sits in the garage a lot. It still looks new. I am about to cross the 5,000 mile threshold too.

She told me I could buy a Tesla and I said no, why not buy one for your daughter.  Maybe next time since the are in short supply I should just say I will sell it for some outrageous price like $ 1.5  or $2 million and if they are will to fork over that much cash, no financing, I would think about selling it.  I think I should be able to buy something suitable and add a little money to savings.  

I am finding that my hands are good for about 2 hours a day of crafting. Then they get too tired to move.  So I am rolling with the punches.  I decided to hand off 2 charity knitting projects at the next knitting guild meeting.  I am no longer going to finish a project for the sake of finishing a project.  I must love it or it will be handed off or tinked.  I must use my limited time wisely. 

I have a little more energy so I am very slowly trying to catch up with housework.  Well I am running out of battery and it’s time to plug in and turn in for the night. 

Using My Wheels’s Again

 I found that using my spinning wheels, yes I have 2 spinning wheels. Has helped ease the arthritis pain in my foot. Some exercise is good. So today I finished filling up one bobbin. It was so full John could see it from the couch.. I don’t think I really could have gotten any more yarn on the bobbin if I tried.  I found more roving in the same color way in my stash and started another bobbin.  Yes, I did some stash diving. I also found some nice silk to ply it with from Ito.  I hope I have enough, because Ito Japan, sold out to a company in Europe which does not like to work with American yarn shops.  

Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I thought I would save you some time.  Today in pictures.  The top picture is the really full bobbin. As you can see it is just about to go over the edge which is not a great thing. The second picture is about 8 ounces more roving. That bag should fill 2 more bobbins.  

Depending on how the yarn turns out it will either be woven into a shawl or knit into a sweater. Yardage will help make the decision. 

Today’s Balance

 Today I found out that I could only knit a row or 2 before I needed to take a break on my new shawl.  The rows are getting incredibly long. I increase by 6 stitches every other row.  I am almost back to we’re I was before I had to tink 10 rows.  It is going to be the perfect summer shawl. It just might be next summer before it is ready.

Ok, so I said I found balance today.  It was in the form of one of Mr. Golding’s drop spindles.  The spindle is so incredible.  It is perfectly balanced.  Spins like a dream.  With the weight of the spindle I was very surprised to find out how thin I could spin the 50/50 combo of Merino and Silk.  I don’t know why I can’t spin this fine on either of my spinning wheels.  I can’t wait to see what it looks like when I ply the yarn . It definitely needs to be a 2 ply yarn. Definitely for a one of a kind project.

In the rush to make yarn to sell, I forgot how much I love my drop spindles. I learned to spin on drop spindles.  Kathy Withers’s is a great teacher  if you want to learn to spin on a drop spindle and are on the East Coast you should really try and take her classes. She also teaches other forms of fiber arts  if you want to support a small farm and just knit or Crochet you need to try Kathy’s yarn which is available on line.

I decided today that I will no longer be taking commission work or repair jobs.  This is all me no outside influence.  I do know a few wonderful fiber artists at Grandmas Spinning Wheel here in Tucson who would be happy to help you out. Stop by during regular business hour’s for help. 

The picture does not do the roving, yarn or spindle justice.  I hope that you can see how fine the yarn is coming out. Yes it really is that thin.  

The Good and the Bad News

 The good or great news is that I don’t need hand or elbow surgery for now.  

The bad news is that I can only knit for a couple of hours a day.  

So I have been binging on audiobooks.  Reorganizing a house that has been reorganized way too many times since COVID19 hit.  

I need to come up with other relaxing activities like jigsaw puzzles, I currently do about 2 a day. I am not buying that many puzzles to clutter up the house, I have an app for that.  I also color occasionally using my left hand just to sharpen my fine motor skills.  

I am trying very hard not to shop. So far so good. I am only replacing worn out items and grocery shopping.  I really have to start cooking more too. 

So ideas that don’t use my right hand would be wonderful.  

Waiting

 We are currently waiting for our summer rains.  I think it is getting closer because I can smell the moisture in the air.  I am still waiting for the smell of the wet creosote bushes. That is the smell most people think about when they think of the after rain smell in the desert.  

I did get a bunch of errands done today too. The paperwork will have to wait for tomorrow.  I am glad it is cooler this week too.  Yes, I have hit the summer doldrums on the first day of summer. How is that for perfect timing.  

A Break from Cleaning

 I took a day off from the kitchen reorganization to do a bit of spinning.  This is a really nice and relaxing spin. The wool is merino which will be plyed with Ito silk from Japan.  I bought both from Grandma’s Spinning Wheel here in Tucson.  

This will be part of a shawl for me.  Now it’s time for a quick nap before dinner.  

Changes and Progress

 Today I decided to reorganize the kitchen including but not limited to moving things around on the counters to make room for my birthday present from John.  He got me an air fryer.  I am hoping to make things like taquitos and sweet potato fries.  There are just so many things I miss on a low fat diet.  I also flipped a couple of cabinets around, no not the cabinets themselves, but the contents.  Some things went to the trash. Other things made it to the Goodwill box.  I hope that the countertop will give good visual clues as to where things have moved.  

I also finished up plying the yarn left on 4 bobbins from Tour de Fleece 2021.  The art yarn all looks good.  Tomorrow I will skein it. Wash and thwack the yarn before I leave it in the garage to dry.  

Maybe the above activities will inspire me to get more projects finished.  Speaking of projects, I really need someone to remind me to call Vicky about ordering a new drive band for my Louet Victoria.  Who is going to volunteer.  It is for the large plying band.  I should also order a smaller drive band too. Also none of the above was on my to do list, so that was only half done today.  

See if you can spot one of today’s major kitchen changes.  From left to right our toaster, my beloved Kitchen Aide K-5 bought in 1977 as a present for myself, our tea set up and John’s MK.  The colorful squares on the counter are my hot pads from Trader Joe’s.

It's an Open Secret

 I have decided that John needs some new towels for Father's Day. First I checked out the mall and found nothing. Then after searching the internet for a couple of hours and finding nothing, I went to Costco.com and found just about the same ones we bought years ago from our local Costco. So the open secret is John is getting 2 new towels for Father's Day. Yes. he already knows that they will not be delivered until after Father's Day.

Just in case you need any new towels here is the link, Turkish Bath Sheets. I am not getting any commission off this link. I just thought that they were good towels. The price might be higher for non Costco members. 

By the way, I noticed a new feature at the nearly empty mall. The mall now includes armed Tucson Police Offices in Tactical Vest. I know its suppose to reassure me that things are safe. I have to tell you it had the opposite effect.  I mean the officer was friendly enough, but still....

In other news, John taught me about right clicking on the mouse for spelling corrections. This is my new skill of the week. 

My Sjogren's is still kicking my behind this week. So I have been super tired. It's got to get better soon.  

It’s Summer Hot

 Today was a hot day in the Old Pueblo. So we took it easy.  A little picking up, knitting and spinning.  John brought in dinner so we did not have to heat up the house.  My body needed a quite day.  

The Real Reason

 The picture below is the real reason we went to Flagstaff for vacation.  I would like everyone to know that I showed great restraint in my purchases.  I really, really did. I could have bought so much more.  Knowing full well that I could have filled 3 or 4 booths with my stash alone.  So here is my list.  

1. A small Takai Spindle and bowl from  The Natural Twist in Albuquerque,New Mexico 

2. Hand-Dyed Fiber by Kimberly Perkins of Colorado. A pack of minis and a skein to go with for a shawl.  You can find her at yarngalleryonline.com

3. Some Hematite balls from a shop near a restaurant we ate at.  I might need some squares or rectangles to properly play with them.  

4. Some lovely comb covers by Mrs. Aragon, mother of Artie Aragon who made the weaving needles.  From Dine Weaving Textile & Looms  From Farmington, New Mexico 

The whole lot fit neatly into one bag.  

Vacation Part 1

We were to busy having fun to take many pictures. We took more on our second part in Sedona Arizona.  This was our first vacation since the end of 2019.   I lost 5.5 pounds because I was limited to outdoor dining, low fat and carbohydrates meals. I hope that I can keep the trend going.  We also walked an awful lot.  No days of less than 10,000 steps.  

Vacation

 

My Learning Curve

 I needed to develope a new learning curve for knitting. I am taking a multi facetted approach. The first thing I did was figure out how I was holding my knitting needles. It turns out I was holding them too close to my body. So I am learning to hold my knitting further away from my body. This has changed a couple of things like muscle memory for one. I am now prone to make more mistakes and can not knit with my eyes closed when I am tired. 

Which brings up the second change which is a major one for me. I stop knitting when my hands or arm gets tired. This means I have less knitting time on bad body days. I used to do more knitting on bad body days to keep my mind occupied.  Now I read more or listen to books on tape. I am actually watching television during the day. This is something I reserved for sick days in the past. 

I am also doing more things with my left hand. I am teaching myself knitting with my left hand for starters. I am practicing coloring with my left hand and then onto writing which I have not done much of since 3rd grade when my teacher did not let us use our left hands at school.  

No my arm is not totally healed by these changes. My right hand is more useful. I am dropping less things. My right hand is not in as much pain. Less pain is always good in. My humble opinion.  

I know that there will be other changes along the way. I need to learn to live within the limits of my body instead of pushing my body to live beyond its limits.  I still push it a little, but not like i use to.  

A Successful Version

 My fingerless mitten version 2.0 is a complete success. I will be knitting up the 1st mitten starting tomorrow. You know I always knit the second mitten 1st. That way the second mitten always gets knit up. With any luck I should publish this pattern before the end of the month so that you can start your holiday knitting. This will make a great gift and you can get 1 1/2 pair per 100 gram ball of worsted weight yarn.  

Then I will pick another color and knit Another pair for myself. They are really comfortable and the yarn is really great. I use them for sleeping to keep my hands warm at night. And also other things. I find fingerless mittens so useful. I also don’t have to take them off to use my iPad.  

A BBD

 My body and I are not on very good terms today.  The only major accomplishment was that I got my 5,000 steps today. I am hoping for a better day tomorrow.  

My Appoitment Was A Bust

 I made an appointment at the app;low store in La Encantanda to get my battery replaced.  They were out of stock. I guess John was lucky when he got his replaced. This was not the only item that they were out of stock on this week. John went to go buy a new IPad and they were out of stock on those too. You need to preorder any iPad and some other items and then you can go in and pick them up. 

We as a world are still working through supply chain issues caused by Covid-19. Since we are still having break outs of Covid-19 variants I personally think it will be a year or 2 before we get back to some semblance of normal. In the mean time please be kind to the store personal, they are just as frustrated as you are but have to deal with it hundreds of times a weeek.  

So I am taking this time to finish up Version 2.0 of my Fingerless Mitten. Then do some spinning.  My version of lemonade.

New Glasses

 Today we braved Costco on the weekend to pickup my new pairs of glasses. A regular  every day pair and new Ray Bans. The Ray Bans are not the black aviator frames that I have been wearing since the 1970’s but a gold metallic frame. Every fewish decades a girl needs a change. We also picked up some Cheerio’s and Kleenex. 

Then lunch out at a local Tucson favorite, Beyond Bread for a half a sandwich and gazpacho soup. Then home to finish the 4th load of laundry for the day and naps.  

I actually cook dinner tonight. I made quesadillas with mushrooms and black olives and John made the mixed vegetables. It was a nice light summer dinner. It was also super easy to clean up after.

On the craft front I am teaching myself how to knit left-handed. This will give my right hand break. After the first few rows it wasn’t too bad. I guess that’s the great thing about being ambidextrous. It’s easy to switch up somethings between hands.  Although I should have not started with double stranded knitting on U.S. size 17 knitting needles.  I should have also started a new project instead of switching in the middle of a project.  I know no one will be able to tell the difference with this scarf. It also required me actually paying attention to what I was knitting. It’s always good to try new things.