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.  

A Taste of Spring

 We had our first 80 degree day of the year.  Since I have lost so much weight and a whole lot of inches, I plan on getting a jump start on summer by trying on all my summer clothing to see what fits.  This will let me know what will need to be filled in.  Of course the clothing will be bought closer to summer. A good closet purge is good every once in a while. Goodwill will get the clothes that are to big. I already know that I will need some summer weight long sleeve tops in light colors, especially white.

It was a great day for lunch and dinner outside too.  Now if the wait staff would stop insisting that all salads need salad dressing I would be extremely happy.  If I had wanted salad dressing, I would have ordered it.  If a salad is made with fresh and tasty ingredients no dressing is required. It dulls the flavor of the vegetables.  Not to mention adds a few hundred calories to a very healthy meal.  

I almost forgot to mention that yesterday when I was looking for a shirt, I fit into the petite size clothing. It has been decades since that happened last. Yes, I know it was the PXL, but it is moving in the right direction. Go me.  

A Few Trying Things Today

 Some days are harder than others at the grocery store. Today at Trader Joe’s they had my favorite jam filled cookies that are dairy free.  I really wanted to buy a box or 2 but left them behind at the store. I consider this a win for me.  Since I have passed the 20% total weight loss things are slowing down.  Although I am losing inches like crazy.  Maybe once my body is finished losing this round of inches the weight loss will pick up again.  I can only hope. 

I also found out that it is next to impossible to spin silk on a drop spindle outside when it is windy.  I put the spindle back into its bag and knit 4 rows of my doodling shawl. Then stayed outside until it became too cold.  

My right hand is still an issue.  I hope it makes a full recovery soon. It is driving me crazy.  

Just Tuesday

 I drove from one end of Tucson all the way to Marana then back to a grocery store by the house doing errands today.  Then it was lunch time and nap time.  

The biggest news of the day is that I folded socks today.  The first time since my hand surgery in January.  It is definitely baby steps.  But I will take them all in hopes of running in 6 months to a year.  

No Art Fair for Me Today

 Today did not go as planned.  A wardrobe malfunction caused a change in plans.  So I went shopping.  The bad news was the mall was a bust.  The good news is that with less product in the stores almost all the stores I went to were ADA compliant with a minimum of 36” between racks.  I am not sure why it took almost 30 years and a pandemic to make it happen.  

Even better news. The internet still works and I was able to order what I needed in a couple of hours.  Most everything should be here by Thursday.  

12,074

 I did 12,074 steps today. Which is 5.05 miles. John had to walk further to get less steps.  That is the penalty for being taller and having longer legs.  

Post Pandemic Shopping

 I am really beginning to hate post pandemic shopping.  Big retailers say come to our stores to buy what you need. So I went to the stores only to be told that item that they used to stock in stores is only available on line.  However they will order what they think I want or that they are over stocked with and not what I want.  

So now I try calling the store ahead of time when it literally across town.  I land up at an out of country call center where I repeat my question a minimum of 5 times and the person just wants to data harvest.  If we land up getting through to the store, they don’t carry it in the store. Then we get a callback from the out of country call center saying head on over they have them in stock. 

A Hint to Big Companies. Customers don’t like or need the run around that you are handing out. We don’t have to shop at your stores.  Customer service is job one, yes I said job one.  Without customers buying whatever you are selling you are out of business.  We deserve and demand good customer service.  

I am going down through sizes at a good clip right now.  When I lose a size, I really need to try on what I want to buy instead of just guessing.  Please try to do better.  Running companies has always been hard work.  Companies that are not well run fail.  Poor customer service can cause problems to your bottom lines.  Which leads to Chapter 11 or 13.  Both you may want to avoid if at all possible, it’s really bad for you if you depend on quarterly bonuses to pay you personal bills. 

Please try to make shopping like it was 2019.  When shopping was easier for all involved.  We need a reason to get off the computer and head to the malls.  The extra walking is good for us.  The selection should be awesome.  

The Tucson Version

 Last night it started snowing at our house.  Since we live in the Sonoran desert. This is a rare occurrence. I stayed up past midnight to watch the snow and get pictures. 

This morning the Santa Catalina Mountains looked like this. I also put today’s date on the barbecue instead of building a snowman. I don’t think my hand would have liked that. I just finished what John started. It was a fantastic idea.  

Four hours later the Santa Catalina Mountains looked like this.   

The snow did not last long. We did however get 1/2 inch of rain and melted snow in our rain gauge.  Some of our plants are worse for wear, others our fine.  I tend not to baby my outdoor plants.  The need to be able to survive on their own in our beautiful desert climate.  

Water from melting snow ran off the roof for at least a couple of hours.  So the ground got a good soaking.   I stayed inside, except to take pictures.  

Wednesday

 While I was cleaning yesterday I found 3 years worth of so last century day planners. My feeling on the subject is that if I have not needed the information since 1993, 1994 or 1995, I really don’t need to keep it.  I also managed to empty 4 inches of shelf space.  They are now in the recycling bin.  

It is currently snowing at our house. The only place it has not melted is on the barbecue.  The only question is will there be any left by the time I wake up tomorrow morning.  All I have to say about this winter is that the weather has been very weird.  We are fluctuating between the mid 70’s to snow to lows in the teens.  

Part of the backyard covered in snow. Not enough for a snowman.  This is a big deal in Tucson.  

A Big Fan of Le Creuset

 Some people wonder why I am such a big fan of Le Creuset Cookware.  It all started after we got married and moved into our first house in the mid 1980’s.  I really wanted a great pan that would last for at least 10 years. I knew that Le Creuset was very expensive.  A very good quality pan from a good company.  But there was away that I could get at least one piece as a newlywed.  My dad and I pooled our Betty Crocker Catalog points.  With at least a 6 x 9 inch envelope full of points bundled up and a check for $35.00, I got my first piece. The money was from rebates and using coupons when I went grocery shopping.  The Betty Crocker Company use to put point’s coupons on everything that they sold.  I used those points for everything in my kitchen including my Oneida silverware, white Corelle dinnerware set which is also still in use, I bought this before I got married.

Fast forward to February 28, 2023.  The pan I bought in the mid 1980’s, is the pan I am using to cook dinner in tonight.  It is a simple Salsa Verde Chicken.  

1 double chicken breast 

1/2 cup Salsa Verde and water

Spray the pan with nonstick olive oil. Place the chicken in the casserole dish.  Wash your hands with hot soapy water.  Cover with the Sals Verde Sauce. Pour the water around the edges of the chicken.  

Bake at 350f for 35 to 45 minutes. It is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165f. The extra water makes the chicken more tender.  

This is dinner for 2 nights for us.  When we were younger we would eat this as 1 meal for 2.  

Over the years I would get more pieces for myself and my daughter.  I even passed down 1 pan that I could no longer lift do to arthritis.  My daughter now uses it for holidays.  In the long run the pan has cost less than $1.00 per year.  Over the years I have gotten a few more pieces, but the heart shaped pan is still my favorite.  It ranks right up there with my Kitchen Aid K-5A mixer bought in 1978 for a whole paycheck and still in use today.  

A Home Run

 I think I am keeping my local department store in business.  I bought 3 more pairs of pants in a smaller size today.  They were sitting at center waist today.  I expect that in 6 to 8 weeks they will be at the base of my rib cage. If this trend continues once spring arrives, you will see me in almost nothing but dresses.  I can wear a shift type dress down through at least a couple of sizes.  Although since I bought all but one of my dresses before I started losing weight I will have to try them all on to see if they still work  That should be at the end of next month. 

I am still trying to figure out how I got my step count for the day over 8,500 steps.  I have not seen a number like that in a long time.  

The stitches came out today.  I will have to start physical therapy at home in earnest tomorrow.  My hand is still sore. I did not try knitting yet.  I did a bit of spinning though.  

John did the tall person thing today. We cleared half a shelf of books that we no longer need.  I even found a 1st edition on Goldwater from the 1960’s in good shape.  I will see where it belongs next.  We even found my day planners from 1994 and 1995.  I will shred them.  Since almost everything is so last century, I don’t think anything will be useful.  

Post Surgery News

 I am getting excited. The stitches come out tomorrow.   Then I can work on some physical therapy to regain full use of my hand and hopefully get rid of the pain.  

I can also use some really big knitting needles to start knitting again.  I make it a point not to knit with stitches in my hand.  I have not been told not to, but all I think about is ouch.  I have 3 projects started that were interrupted by the last round of surgery.  Then maybe I can start knitting the knit along project that I was supposed to start in January and be finished in 8 weeks.  I was to sore and bummed out to go to the last 2 zoom classes.  I really felt like my hand had let me down.  

Shopping Again

 It was time to go shopping for smaller pants again today.  I landed up with 1 pair on sale and a new solid side  drop spindle bag.  No dress pants though, because they actually felt like I was crawling into plastic.  We as the human race need to start going back to natural fibers.  It is better for the environment and people too.  I guess I will go out next week to look for more.  Since I am down to losing a pound a week this current set of pants lasted 10 weeks.  I hate shopping for new clothing so often. When the clothes get too big I have no choice. 

I think I am finally getting the hang of the e spinner.  It is getting less frustrating.  I can still spin better on a drop spindle and double treadle wheel.  I should have lots of interesting yarn for handwoven projects.  

Losing It

 I lost 4 more pounds last month.  They tell me it’s perfectly normal and healthy for my weight loss to slow down after hitting the 20% mark.  I am just the impatient type and want things to go faster. This being said I will hold my course. 

In another area, I sat down with my Ashford E-Spinner3 this afternoon. I have to say from my personal perspective that it is much faster to spin yarn on a drop spindle than the e-spinner.  It took 2 solid hours to spin the yarn below.  I also don’t think that the yarn quality is better than a drop spindle or my double treadle spinning wheels.  I still am not sure what the hype is about.  I have made a personal commitment to spin 2, 4 ounce (100 grams) of a wool silk blend rovings that just happened to be with in reach. Then I will ply them.  Wish me luck. 

My personal favorite drop spindles come from Tom Golding, Krudent ( no longer available as new), Forester ( no longer available as new), Bosworth, Sherpard’s Woodworks, Gnomewood Creations, Akerworks and the ones my husband prints on his 3D printer that are only available at Grandmas Spinning Wheel in Tucson Az.  There are a wide variety of drop spindles in a wide array of price points and materials used. For a wide range of spinning options.  The lighter the drop spindle the finer the yarn will be. A 15 gram drop spindle will get you cobweb or very fine lace weight. A 1 to 2 ounce should get you around a worsted weight yarn. I use my heavier spindles for plying the yarn. 

What I Hate Right Now

 I can say with all honesty that I am tired of stitches in my hand and COVID19.  Both have put a big crimp in my life for different reasons.  At least the stitches come out on Monday for the second time in 2023 and it’s only February.  At the end of the day the stitches have a purpose.  My hand will function better.  COVID19 does not and will still keep me from having a fun retirement.  Keep me dining outside.  Not letting me go to fun indoor events.  

I thought retirement was supposed to be the best time in my life.  I think people lied to me so that I would work hard when I was younger.  Yes, I had a bad day.  

One Project Finally Finished

 The bookcase in the den is finally finished.  Even dusted.  Before you ask the cookbooks are not in any order. It still shows that I am missing one of Julia Childs cookbooks.  The cookbooks are not organized in any way. Not by region, country or regional style. They would not pass the library test.  

What it is about is being dusted. No books stacked on top of others.  Junk removed.  Parts of audio books tossed if the other parts could not be found.  In general neater.  

That being said the fiber arts books are organized.  John’s shelf was camera shy.  

3 More

 3 more shelves were completely reorganized today.  I also made a Bookman’s run today. I got enough store credit to get 4 pairs of socks for charity, 1 pair of socks for me and a new to me Wii Fit game.  

I also managed to make the main course of dinner using only my left hand.  Well except for the spices.  We both enjoyed a rare bit of home cooking.  We even have enough for tomorrow too. It was a turkey breast.  I put it in a cold oven. Then put the lid on and closed the oven door.  Only then did I turn on the oven.

I can’t wait to get the stitches out next week so I can start physical therapy at home.  Unfortunately I know all the exercises.  By that time most of the book cases should be finished.  Then it’s counter time again.  When I am tired I just put things on the counter instead of going the extra mile and putting things away.  

A Good Day

 I am starting to feel human again after my hand surgery on Friday.  I was a little more active today.

I did some very light deep organizing.  I filled 2 bags with books for Goodwill and 1 bag for recycling.  By the way I am now at 3 bags of books leaving the house with a few more places to go through this week.  Since Goodwill will no longer get the things out of the car John will take the Goodwill load in.  

I was able to do a very little bit of spinning on a small Turkish spindle.  I am very anxious to start creating again, however, I will take it very slowly until the stitches come out.  

John went with me for the fruit and vegetable run.  It went very smoothly.  

Weekend Shopping

 I think unless I can go very, very early.  I will try to avoid shopping at Target on weekend afternoons.  I did not mind the people.  What I did not like was a store full of dogs that were not service animals.  I know this because service animals have special vests.  Not one service animal vest in sight.  Also service animals are trained not to go up to people unless their person needs help.  There were puppies and some  dogs the size of small sheep or horses.  Going up to people wanting to be played with or petted. I am not sure what would have happened to my hand if I did not change my route because some of the larger dogs were jumping up on people or nudging them for attention. I am not sure who was needier the dogs or the owners. The city of Tucson and Pima County provide dog parks for the dogs and their owners to socialize.  I personally don’t play with dogs I don’t know. Also having dogs romp throughout the store including the grocery area does not seem like the best idea in the world to me.  I am wondering if that poses a health code violation because of the produce left in open bins and tables. 

There is nothing wrong with having pets.  I think at certain times of life they are great.  That being said, pets do not belong in the grocery store or restaurants for that matter.  Pets need to be left at home for certain activities. 

Also I do not like the attitude of the cashiers towards reusable shopping bags. I keep mine clean. One that I used today was older the the young lady who checked me out.  After I had paid for my groceries, she looked in the bags to see if I was trying to steal something then simply dumped my groceries and bags at the end of the checkout and went on to checkout and bag the items from the next customer because they were using Target’s plastic bags.  This leads to the following question. Target why do you even sell canvas bags if you check out staff refuse to use them.  Do you as a corporation even care about the world you are leaving to your children and grandchildren?

These opinions are my own. They reflect my shopping experience today.  My hand 1 day post hand surgery was not up to the task of bagging my own groceries.  That is why I choose to use a cashier instead of self checkout.  I guess the joke was on me today.  

Surgery #2

 It’s hard to type so here’s today’s picture.  Not fully recovered from surgery #1. Here we go again. 

Snow

 It snowed at the house last night.  This is what is left at breakfast today.  It’s a big deal for us in the desert southwest.  We don’t get it often.  Yes that is on the Barbecue.  Might be 1/8 of an inch.  

8 Feet

 I cleaned out 8 feet of shelf space today.  It is in the back of my car for drop off tomorrow.  John has really enjoyed this unique Valentines Day Gift. There is more work to do but the back of my car is full again with tomorrow’s charity donation.  

Hopefully my right hand will be functioning shortly.  I am getting tired of mass cleaning. I don’t know what else to do when knitting, spinning and weaving are very limited and make my hand sore.  

Valentines Day

 As I was doing more cleaning out of clutter. Clutter defined as things we no longer need or use, I admit I was thinking about tomorrow. Tuesday is Valentine’s Day. The restaurants are crowded and it might be a little too cold for outdoor dining, winter slammed into Southern Arizona with a huge cold blast.  As usual the Road to Mount Lemmon is closed because of snow and ice.  We had rain at our house.  We missed the hail and snow.  

We are in need of nothing.  So there was no need to rack my brain for what to buy.  I might buy some strawberries to go with dinner.  

So I started thinking, what if I filled my car with things that will leave the house permanently.  With everything going to Goodwill.  I can give John the gift of less clutter and more organized space around the house.  I told John about this and he is fine with the idea.  By the way I filled 2 more boxes today.  

We will go out and celebrate this weekend when it is supposed to get warmer.  

What is everyone else doing tomorrow?

Knitting Magazines

 I wish that I had discovered sooner in my knitting career that I don’t like to knit fussy knitting projects.  I am almost at the end of going through 8 feet of knitting magazines. I am honestly keeping less than half.  I am afraid that I many have more than one copy of some magazines, because friends gave them to me saying that I would look cute in a certain creation.  With the very odd hours and long days spent taking care of my wonderful children, husband, elderly family members, volunteering in the community and running a house I did not have the leftover brain power for anything fancy.  Sleeping was a luxury back then.  

Now that I have the time.  My hands are tired and wonky.  I don’t knit socks anymore.  I really don’t use small knitting needles much anymore except to get knots out of yarn.  I am also changing sizes so often that once I finish one part of a big project it will be to big for me.  I have a couple of sweaters on the back burner when my body gets to the size it wants to be.  

So for now it is shawls for me in smaller sizes. Spinning yarn on drop spindles.  Scarfs and hats for charity projects for kids once I can manage smaller knitting needles.  We find out about the next hand surgery this week.  Then it is physical therapy at home and gradually starting knitting again with lots of breaks.  

By the way, if you are looking for an older knitting, crochet or spinning magazine just ask. I might have it.  They are going for 50% off the list price except for the ones that sold for less than $5.00 from so last century which go for the original sale price. Yes I even have some of those.

Surprisingly, once the space is cleared and a bit of reorganization later the space is filled.  Things are looking neater every day.  

On Strike

 The washing machine went on strike today. At least I am mostly caught up on laundry.  I can still go to the laundromat or do a few loads of hand washing as necessary.  This is my personal experience. I don’t believe that LG is a reliable brand like Whirlpool.  The LG seems to break down every 2 years or so.  I think they need to work on reliability instead of how often can we make this washing machine break so people will buy more of them.  I even bet they don’t have a plan to recycle old parts or machines.

In other news 7 books are leaving the house on Monday.  I listed 6 inches of magazines and store bought patterns today.  I have 6 more inches of magazines to list.  I also found 2 more boxes of magazines to go through. That currently leaves over 40 books and magazines to browse through on my Ravelry book destash page.  I also have a bit of yarn listed on my yarn destash page.  After that I think it’s time to go through all of Eric’s CD’s.  If Bookman’s will not take them they will go to Goodwill.  

The more that is leaving the house the neater everything is getting.  

I also mentioned that our little free neighborhood library was nearly empty. So I like a bunch of other neighbors dropped off a few books.  

Busy

 I was on a roll this afternoon.  I managed to free up a lot of shelf space. I am dropping a few books off at our little free library this weekend. I listed more books on my Ravelry library destash page.  I have about a foot stacked of magazines and books to list tomorrow. I am also organizing by craft and author. This has lead to finding a few duplicates in my collection.  Not a good thing.  I know after this wild first cut that I will be able to winnow my collection down some more.  I also have sock knitting DVDs that I will try to list somewhere, as my hands no longer like smaller knitting needles. 

I will be going through all my cd’s this weekend. If Bookman’s no longer takes them they will be going to Goodwill.  

I think all this extra energy is coming from losing a bunch of weight.  

A Free Shawl Pattern.

 I actually started a simple shawl for my self today.  It’s a bit modified from a wash cloth pattern. I am knitting it on U.S. size 11 knitting needles. Using some Eco Cloud by Cascade Yarns.  Yes, this was the problem yarn of a few weeks ago.  I spent about an hour doing sewn together European joins formally called Russian joins.  I have not finished the joins, however I did join most of the smaller pieces.  

This is meant to be a very relaxing knit.

Sheri’s Simple Shawl

4 skeins of Eco Cloud by Cascade or any yarn from your stash that is 164 yards per 3.5 ounces or 150 meters per 100 grams.

U.S. Size 11 knitting needles with at least a 36 inch cable.

A darning needle to weave in the ends  

Cast on 20 stitches in your preferred method.  

Rows 1 and 2. Knit Across.

Row 3 and all rows except the bind off row. Knit unit you have 1 stitch remaining, yarn over, knit 1.  

When you have 4 times the last knit row do a loose bind off.

This will give you a nice subtle edge.  

Pictures to follow.  Please share the link to my pattern with your friends rather than photocopying the pattern. You many not give this pattern away with a yarn purchase, you must give the link.  I will give you the total number of rows later as I just started this today.  

I Figured It Out

 I figured out why I was in pain and cranky. A lovely little tendonitis flare up in both hands and one ankle. The solution was simple. Both hand braces and an ankle brace.  A lot of sleep. And I feel a little bit better. I will brace my hand’s again tonight.  

I listed a whole bunch of weaving books on my Ravelry books for sale page.  I might have just sold a few this evening.  Wish me luck.  Also more shelves of books to go through.  

TTFN

I made it through the day.

 The arthritis won today.  

Progress

 This is progress at a snail’s pace.  I started spinning this beautiful Masham dyed by Indigodragonfly before COVID19 when I was still teaching drop spinning.  I found it during the organizing of spinning baskets.  I decided it must be finished.  I spun it on 5 different drop spindles of the same weight by 3 different spindle makers.  Today I finally finished the first spin.  

Now to get it off the spindles to ply the 5 skeins.   

The spindles from left to right: 2 Foresters, 1 made by a midwestern maker, 2 Kurdants

Fly on the Wall

 This afternoon we went to a “juried” art show.  It was interesting to see what was actually acceptable to the group.  Since it was billed as a “Fine Arts Show” I personally expected something a little more upscale.  About 50 percent were truly artistic and had really nice work. Really one of a kind pieces with thoughtful consideration in to what and how the items were made.  

Then there was the “artist” who went to sip and paint workshops.  I say this because they all have a certain style to them.  A customer was trying to get his motivation behind the paintings.  They reply of it just came to me did not quite cut it with the potential buyer. The potential buyer started asking more in depth questions.  The “artist” was out of his depth and could only come up with it came to me.  In my humble opinion this did not reflect well on anyone.  There is always a plan for a project.  A note on a scrap of paper. A crude drawing. A photograph. A note on the phone.  Colors that are calling to you.  Unless of course you just like throwing buckets of paint on a very large canvas and call it modern art.  

Then there were the jewelry “designers” who bought partially pre made beads and added an earring fish hook.  I find it amazing that someone can do so little work and call it original.  Spend maybe fifty cents on parts and sell it for $45.00 or more.  I guess it’s what the market will bare. This takes away from the actual jewelry artist who hand craft each piece..often working for less per hour, but making beautiful one of a kind pieces.  

On the way out I over heard a buyer telling her shopping companion that she did not particularly need more jewelry.  Was not that fond of the piece. Here comes the, But the artist was nice and needed the money.  I will just give it away later.  No one has to know.  Really.  I just don’t know what to say   

I find it amazing what a group will do to fill its coffers. To string people along both the artists and the buyers.   They have to do better.  

On the bright side it was a nice day to walk around an outdoor mall.  

Out and About

 We got out today.  We headed down to the Kino Sports Complex for a Tucson Gem and Mineral event.  I did get 2 shorter silver chains for 2 pieces that John got for me on our last vacation.  I also found a little mounted stone to make into a stitch marker.  

What I did not find were any great deals like in the past.  Charms that used to go for 5 or 10 dollars a scoop of about 20 were at the low end $1.00 a piece today.  Thank you big oil for raising the shipping costs, thus the overall cost of everything.  

We found a new out door lunch spot. Seis on River Road off of Campbell.  They had a salad called a Rustic. I then added some squash and chicken.  I of course left off the salad dressing.  I could eat that salad a few times a week.  

*Edited to correct the restaurants name   

Something Different

 I am trying something different to try to change my perspective on life. I bought a journal today at Target, actually 2. I just could not decide which I liked better.  My goal before bed is to write down something positive that happened on that day.  I got the first entry in.  No, I will not be sharing most of them.  

I have got to climb out of my COVID19 burn out.  I have got to work my way safely out of isolation.  Maybe with an outdoor knitting or spinning group.  Unless the looms are smaller, it might be hard for outdoor weaving.  Even the smallest looms can be awkward to carry around.   Maybe just going to the park to knit or spin with a drop spindle might be in order.  

I am working on getting healthier and more active.  To be totally honest I don’t make my walking goal every day.  I came really close today, even adding a loop around Target before shopping today.  Although I did skip my favorite Starbucks tea and replaced it with a tangerine and cashews. They are about the same number of calories, but nutritionally the tangerine and cashews were a better choice.  No processed foods of any kind involved.  Everything in my life is about baby steps right now.  

Shopping Smaller

 Has anyone else ever noticed that when clothing goes on sale they always have many more options in the size you are not looking for? Yes, it was shopping for smaller size pants today.  So far it has seemed to hold that for every 5 percent weight loss from my original weight, I go down 1 pant size.  At least tops and dresses are much more flexible in sizes, so they get replaced less often.  Usually after about a 10% loss.

I guess I expected something a little different when I hit the 20% weight loss.  I was really not envisioning trudging through 2 different malls across town from each other trying on loads of pants and only coming home with 3 new pairs. Which means that I will be wearing more of my dresses and washing dark dress clothes more often.  In addition to being tired, sore and hungry.  

Let’s me explain the hungry part.  I no longer eat fast food.  That leaves out the mall food court.  In addition to that, I still do not eat indoors.  I always wear my mask inside.  I have yet to figure out a system where I can eat with my mask on.   So it was a quick packet of peanut butter and ice water in the car before I went shopping for dinner.  Yes, I keep a few packets of peanut butter in my purse for things like today.  Then it was home for a very late lunch.    

Tomorrow is almost here so TTFN. 

If you want to know my origins of TTFN you will just have to read When WeWere Very Young by A.A. Milne. A Fun fact. On January 1, 2022 the  original Winnie-the-Pooh series entered Public Domain.  Although Disney still holds rights to its versions of Winnie-the-Pooh.  

20 Percent

 This week I hit a milestone stone in my weight loss journey.  Since January of 2022 I have lost 20 percent of my total body weight.  My reward is going out to buy smaller pants.  I have also eliminated a lot of medication and cut the amount in half for 2 others.  

They say the first 20 percent is the easiest.  I still have more work to do.  Let’s see where I am next January.  

I am following the book “A Pound of Cure” available on Amazon.  I will not get a commission on any books sold. I just like the theory behind the lifestyle changes.  Please consult your medical professional if you want to follow this program.  Not every program is right for everyone.  

TTFN

The Award Goes To…

 The Award for Lack Luster Quality Control in a Mid Range yarn goes to Cascades Yarns, Eco Cloud.  For a mid range yarn going for $14.95 a skein when I bought it. I give this award in the spirit of everyone gets awards for everything now a days.  

Please note the store I bought it from is no longer in business.

 With a 75% failure rate. I bought 4 skeins for a shawl.  Only 1 skein had no breakage. It was stored in a plastic tub. There are no pets in my home. 

Let’s be clear about something up front.  The yarn industry standards allow for up to 5 knots per skein.  I only had 1 knot in the 4 skeins. Which is very good.  It exceeds industry standards. I am not sure of the industry standard for the number of loose strands of yarn allowed per skein.  I will have to look that up someday when I am not so frustrated. In my small sample it ranged from zero to 4. As seen in the picture below. 

This yarn gave my squirrel cage a hard time today. I have never seen yarn knot in the middle with my squirrel cage. I have never seen so many loose ends in a single project worth of yarn.  There should have been a total of 8 ends, instead ther were 26. Yikes. That averages out to 3 separate pieces per skein.  I even had pieces of yarn fall to the floor. I sure hope it knits better than it caked up.

I will spend a lot of time doing European joins so that I have less ends to weave in.  

Please be aware that this is my opinion of the yarn. I bought the yarn because it’s so soft and natural. If you have had a better experience with Cascades Yarns, Echo Clouds please be sure to tell them.