A Roller Coaster of a Day

 Life seems to be about taking 2 steps forward and 4 steps backward today.  The hand strengthening exercises, well, I wasn’t quite ready for those. So here we are are at almost the beginning again.  I am back to just mild stretching exercises once a day. 

So for now it will be just spinning and weaving.  At least with weaving, I am using up yarn faster than I am spinning it.  I have 2 scarfs completed ready for pictures.  The scarf that I started in January will have to wait a bit longer for those final rows.  Sighs! 

Since I could not sleep this morning, I spent 3 hours cleaning house before breakfast.  The results are 1 bag of trash and 2 bags of recycling out. Two loads of laundry completed. Five dog pillows finished and ready for delivery this weekend.  With lots of stuff going to their proper places.  Also 1 mile walked.  Did I mention that I also managed to fill one box for Goodwill too?

Making Progress

 Today I finished plying 3 mini skeins of hand spun yarn.  I used the drop spindle instead of the spinning wheel because it gives me a better yarn. By this I mean a more balanced twist.  It is so much easier to control the twist.  

I also made a concerted effort to catch up on my back log of making dog pillows.  I made 6 cases. I stuffed 5 and pinned them.  I left 1 by my squirrel cage for all the little bits and pieces I get when caking yarn.  I also cut the fabric for 2 more pillows.  

After all that hand work my hands were just too tired to knit tonight.  Sometimes I feel like a beginner in knitting were projects took months instead of days.  I have about 2 more ounces to knit.  I hope to be finished by Mother’s Day.  I am really ready for my hands to be better.  

Quiff

 Quiff is a real word.  Good for Scrabble or W.E.LD.E.R..  if you don’t believe me just look it up.  

Over Done

 Today I tackled some deep cleaning, tossing and redoing a bathroom to make it less cluttered.  Gone is the magazine rack that held magazines and wash cloths.  I used to go through about 50 wash clothes a week with Eric, now that I am only using them to dry my hands I don’t need that many out anymore.  All the wash cloths are either in a drawer or have been reassigned to other uses.  The counter is far nicer to look at. 

At lunch I was able to open a fresh jar of peanut butter for the first time since January. I am not sure how much of that is contributing to my current level of hand pain. 

I had so much recycling going to the bin that I asked John to carry it all out. By the way he was more than happy to help carry it out.  I wanted to do more cleaning and tossing. My body said it was nap time. My hand said “what did you do to me?” Yep, I might have been too gung-ho on the cleaning front today.  

We also went dryer shopping today.  We tried to shop local first, they said it would be about 10 months to get a gas dryer I wanted.  Then we went to a big box store and got the same dryer to be delivered this week.  Guess which store we bought from?

I also filled one box for Goodwill for good measure.  

Another One Bites The Dust

 No it is not a fiber project that has been finished. It is however just as important to me.  The dryer has died after about 15 years of service.  This is to read no laundry until the replacement arrives. Thank goodness I was mostly caught up.  However the sheets will have to be rewashed as they pick up the odor from the dryer.  Something has just decided to burn out.  As per Consumer Reports it is not a great investment to repair something that old.  So we will be trying to find one that fits in our limited space that is white.  Easy peasy right. Not so much. The Gold Star appliances tend to be larger for some reason.  The newer houses  are designed for larger washers and dryers.  Sadly the houses built so last century are not.  So wish us luck.  

A Little Bit Of Loom Time

 Since knitting is still very tiring for my right hand. Not to mention that it is hard to knit more than a few rows a day. Also I should not be spinning tons of new yarn just to sit in bags on my shelves.  I decided to try a bit of weaving.  

Why weaving you might ask. Well for one thing I use 2.5 times more yarn in a weaving project than a similar knitting or crochet project.  That is a very good thing right now, since the new winter shawl that I started in January still has one skein more of yarn to go before it is finished.  Another reason is that it is now April 10th and I have not completed one project this year.  Yes, you have read that right, nada, not one completed project has been completed for 2023.  Yes, I am giving my hand time to heal after multiple  surgeries in January and February on my right hand.  Yes, I am making very slow progress. Also the older I get the longer it takes to heal.  

Well the news isn’t all that bad. Since I have brought the looms, yes plural looms out last week, I have almost completed one scarf.  It took 2 1/2 skeins of yarn.  I took it off the smaller loom last night.  I gave it its hot water bath this morning.  With the temperatures in Tucson in the low 90’s it should be dry by sometime tomorrow. Then I can do the finishing touches on it. 

On the larger loom I have a cotton open weave shawl going in a variegated yarn.  This is my first attempt at open weaving.  The first few inches look fantastic.  I can’t wait to see what design the yarn will make.  A 2nd scarf was started on the smaller loom tonight. I am using up a bunch of bulky yarn on a 5 dent heddle. In English that translates to 5 warp threads per inch.  Where the shawl is a much denser 12 warp threads per inch. A huge difference in the time it takes to warp the loom., not to mention the time it takes to weave each piece. It took 4 hours to warp the shawl and less than 30 minutes for the scarf.  

So without further ado here is an almost side by side of both looms.   With a picture of the open weaving too.  The bottom of the open weave will be straighter once it is taken off the loom   

Bye Bye

 We got this ceiling fan shortly after we moved into our house.  We have been able to to find parts to fix it for over 2 decades. Now we are having trouble finding a new light kit, which are no longer manufactured. So we sadly have decided to replace the fan because the lights don’t work properly anymore.  

I even tried threatening it with replacing it. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t. It’s like hitting the old style cathode ray tube TVs.  Sometimes hitting them in the right spot would make it work just a little longer until dad could come home and pull out the burnt out tube, then go to the store and buy a new one to plug in.  Then the television would work until the next tube burnt out.  We could always get new tubes.  This time it did not and no parts available.  So tomorrow after lunch we will have the fan and lighting unit replaced.  I really hate designed obsolescence.  It is a tremendous waste of resources. Not to mention more things landing up in the landfill.  

Warped

 Today I managed to warp both my looms.  The small one was easy after I dumped the first batch of warp that literally started disintegrating as I was trying to warp the loom.  The second try was much better.  I will finish the warping process tomorrow, by winding the yarn on to the rear beam.  Then threading the heddle.  Then tying the yarn in place.  Then weaving to finish a charity scarf.

The second loom was took 2 hours to partially warp.  I will probably finish that on Friday.  It took a whole cake off of Whoopee by Circulo Yarns to warp a shawl for me. That is 578 yard or 528 meters.    I was able to get 3 more cakes in my desired color at Grandmas Spinning Wheel.  The loom did not want to be warped and needed John’s attention a little over 1/2 way through the process.  The Shawl will be about 23 inches wide so I will need an extra set of hands to wind the yarn up on the rear beam.  

My small loom.   

Almost all of my larger loom.  You can see the difference between the 2 looms and why I will need help with the larger loom.  

In other news my eyes are doing great.  No issues following last year’s surgery.  

Side by Side

 John always comes up with elegant solutions.  Take this week for instance.  I was feeling really for no other term really super fat.  John’s solution was to pull a picture from just before I started my lifestyle changes from 2021 in Sabino Canyon. 

Then he took a picture while we were at saguaro national park east today for a comparison. Which he showed me at lunch.  It really lifted my mood.  I can really see the changes in my face.  

While I still have some more weight to lose, even I can see the progress of side by side pictures.  By the way the outfit in the top picture was sent to Goodwill months ago.  This current shirt is 2 sizes smaller.  Notice that I have rolled up the sleeves 3 inches because the shirt is starting to get too big.  The pants were bought on a trip with my eldest just after she finished grad school.  Over a decade ago.  Giving a shout out to shopping my closet. 

So I will continue on my less of me is more of me journey with renewed focus.

How WasYour Day?

 It was a no good, very bad, horrible day…..I did not eat a box of brownies or cupcakes.   Sorta of good.

I did my physical therapy and exceeded my walking goal.  Really good.

It was no way in the world a break even day.  Sighs!

Plus I did not buy enough yarn for a weaving project.  I need 3 more skeins of the yarn for a woven summer shawl.  Sighs! 

I hope I can still get some more Circulo Whoopee in color 9883 batch 698459.  

Less is More

 I started physical therapy for my right hand.  I am hopeful that this will bring much needed pain relief.  I am also hopeful that I might start to get more sleep.  All I need to do is a lot less.  Wish me luck.  

Spring has Sprung

 I went out for my walk today.  This plant seemed to come to life overnight.  The flowers are more plentiful when we really cut back this bush.  I am really not sure what kind of bush it is. It was here when we moved in so last century.  The rest of the front yard does not really come into life until the summer monsoon rains.  

A Very Busy Day

 I was finally feeling well enough to vacuum almost all the tile in the house. I skipped the knitting room.  That will get do after I finish the next round of de stashing. That makes a little bit of a mess.  After that I steam mopped half the house.  After 1 1/2 hours of cleaning I called it quits.  We have an awful lot of tile in the house.  Let’s just face the facts.  At the time it was easier to push Eric’s wheelchair over tile than carpet.  It is also easier to clean up messes on tile rather than carpet.  It was a strategy that worked well for us. In that cleaning time I did not include the 4 loads of laundry.  That happened before breakfast, well at least the start of the 1st 2 loads.  The washing machine and dryer do most of the work.  

I also got a bit of knitting time in while listening to my current audiobook All The Devils Are Here by Louise Penny.  I just love her writing.  I am also not listening to the books in order,  just what I can get at the library when I need a new book.  

I can tell when I have a very active day. My hands get very, very tired.  

Need I Say More?

 After a really bad couple of hand days and nights, my hand was feeling well enough to knit a few rows tonight. I might finally finish my new shawl this week. It might be that I had started wearing my Maxi Fingerless Gloves while sleeping again.  

4th Avenue Street Fair

 We made it to the 4th Avenue Street Fair today.  My find of the day was a pair of Calla Lily earrings made from Pennie’s from the 1960’s.  Kate Hast is a very talented metalsmith.  She is also the owner of Le Duc Jewelers.  You can find her work on line at Le Duc Jewelers. There you can sign up for her newsletter to see where she will be at or order online.  She will be at the 4th Avenue Street Fair until Sunday.  She is on the eastern side of the street towards the back.  

I was also very pleased to see that the local Lavender Oaks Farm has opened a Brick and Mortar store located at 347 East 4th Street. The shop is called The Lavender Manor.  This is at the corner of 4th Avenue.  They have all things lavender of course. The lavender is grown on their farm.  Plus a tea room with all things tea.  

This was my shopping splurge today.  I do use the lavender in my knitting room and boxes to ward off evil little bugs that eat yarn. The hand cream is wonderful. The lip balm just because it’s dry in the desert southwest and they had peppermint.  You can shop online at Life under the Oaks. They also have a news letter and events at the farm.  Check out the current details online. Events change with the seasons. 

More Progress

 I did something that I have never done before.  I typed up most of a new pattern before I have finished knitting the sample. I have to admit that has a lot to do with my recent hand surgeries and the slow healing process.  There are still a few tweaks to do. The sample to finish.  A bit more editing.  It will definitely take me longer to finish the knitting.  Then it’s picture time.  I am thinking some time in April with any luck.  Then there are 3 more patterns in the pipeline.  Just maybe I am getting my mojo back. 

I also have hit my walking goal 10 days in a row of a minimum of 5,500 steps.  I think my current decluttering efforts have a lot to do with the high numbers. I also tend to get a lot of steps cleaning house.  Also it is easier to walk with hand pain than knee pain.  

Patterns Leaving

 Today I tackled over 20 years of accumulated knitting patterns.  On this first cut I got rid of almost all the lace patterns.  Also patterns that were aspirational at the time, as I will have the skills to knit these some day.  Well a long story shortened, I have the knitting skills and I no longer want to knit them.  I emptied three 2 inch binders plus took some out of 3 inch binders.  I will bring them to the next knitting guild meeting so other knitters can pick and choose patterns that were published pre Ravelry days by indie designers   I even had to start a second bag to accommodate all the knitting patterns that are leaving.  Next on the agenda is to make a second cut as to what I can realistically make.  This should cut thing’s further, however that will take more time.  So today I cleaned off 8 inches of shelf space.  John and I are happy about that.  

To be filed under they don’t make things like they use too. The television we bought when Eric was no longer able to go on vacations about 15 years ago, died this week.  John picked out a great model, don’t ask, because I don’t know. I stayed home for that shopping trip with all that new technology. I really did not want to break the store.  I do know that it is about the same size and has a better picture quality than the old one.  I sat and knitted while I watched them install it. 3 technicians and John.  

A busy but wonderful day.  

Shopping from My Closet

 I have finally lost enough weight and inches to start shopping from my closet.  I can’t wait to see where that takes me.  What style trends can I start with clothing that I bought when my daughter graduated graduate school.  I now have more energy because of the weight loss and as a result I am doing yet another round of deep cleaning. 

Leaving this time are lace knitting patterns.  Those who know me are quite understandably happy. Quilting patterns. Also patterns for outfits that I will never make that are back in style.  Not to mention all the things that went into recycling. Did I mention that the Goodwill box is overflowing? Less is turning into more.  Less time to find things. More time to do things. More open space.    A win- win for me.  

This week I might even try my Lucet for the very first time.  A kind artist at the renaissance fair in Phoenix showed me how to do it. Now it is my turn to try it. My right hand is still wonky so wish me luck.

I got some bad food last Saturday and landed up with a mild case of food poisoning, but have finally fully recovered.  It was a rough couple of days.  We have all been there.  

TTFN

The third time is a charm

 Today it took 3 tries to find a pair of pants that fit.  The first 2 tries got way to big.  I will try shopping in my closet to see if I have smaller pants that fit before I go shopping again. Wish me luck. Also I have almost filled another box of clothing that has gotten too big for Goodwill.  

Old School

 I spent the afternoon catching up with plying yarn.  This is some art yarn plyed on my Louet Victoria.  100% wool plyed with Little Flowers by Crystal Palace Yarns.  It will go into a hand woven scarf.  No tears or deleted words involved.  Just relaxing joy.  

Progress is Good

 A good but all around tiring day.  I had knitting guild this morning.  Followed by lunch with John.  Followed by a long nap.  Followed by lots of small cleaning tasks which lead to some great progress.  

I raffled off my last spare yarn swift at knitting guild. Now it just the Shepard’s Woodworking squirrel cage for me.  That makes me very happy.  That cleans out a bit more room.  I am finding that taking many smaller steps in cleaning and decluttering are leading to bigger strides.  

Which has lead me to break down bigger tasks in my head.  I will have to see if this works out.  

This and That

 I have started pre spring cleaning.  The more weight I lose, the more energy I have.  Except when pain wakes me up at night.  So I am trying to do tons of small little things that seem to be adding up to bigger things.  I am also trying to walk more. Today I got over 7,000 steps. 

It was interesting shopping at Target today. They are remodeling the whole store. Moving everything around.  They have extra staff on hand to help.  I can compare it to a home remodel except it is super sized.  Almost everything is going to be in different places, even the freezer and cold Food sections.  It looks like they are adding more energy efficient freezer and chiller cases.

My hand was even feeling well enough to knit a few rows on the doodle shawl.  I am taking baby steps with my hand.  

Preparing for Summer

 As I promised myself. Today I tried on all my summer dresses and skirts.  Most skirts will have to be worn with heels because of the design on the skirts. For some reason they all got longer over the winter. All 5 of the sleeveless dresses had to go, they were just too big and showed too much. They are now in the Goodwill box.  Some of my summer dresses were regulated to house dresses. Others we will wait to see if they are going to be worth getting them hemmed. They seem to have gotten longer and looser over the winter.  Since it will be about a month or so before I have to make up my mind, I will let them stay for now.  

Below is the pile of dresses leaving. Three are from my favorite designer Bryn Walker.  Someone will get a Ganga at Goodwill.  The other 2 are pandemic online shopping off of eBay.  Somehow I thought the pile would be bigger.