Leave it at Home

I usually love meeting up with friends to knit.  Today was not one of those days. Little miss I am not happy with my life choices was in over drive today. When I left the house it was 28 degrees below my minimum temperature requirement of 70 degrees f.  So I wore my wool coat, the one I got when Teri was a toddler, so last century.  Well yes I did buy and expensive coat but amortized over the years the current cost per year to wear my nice coat so far is $6.66 not bad for a nice wool coat. Then again the devil is in the details.  Next was my sweater, a fancy one if I have to admit it.  Bought when the kids were in elementary school and on sale. Amortized over the years works out to $4.75 a year of wear at this point. My point to her was that I buy nice things that last, I also take care of them, they might cost more at the beginning,  it the cost per years of wear. Brings the price way down.  It went this way for yarn and other things in my life. Let’s get one thing straight right here and now. Life to to short to knit with crappy yarn.

Then it came down to how to pay for things. Here I was even called un-America.  This is going just a bit to far.  Every family handles their finances to the best of their ability. Every family is different. Every family would like a redo at some time in their lives. A blog is no place to go into this.  Suffice to say my knowledge of our country and financial well-being has been one of saving for what you need.  Not living beyond your means.  The changes came about in the 1960’s with the advent of readily available credit.  The banks learned that they could create a new revenue stream by giving people more credit then they could handle and charging high interest rates and late fees.

Then came  The Lifestyle’s of the rich and famous in I believe was the 1970’s showing what more money could buy, whether it was trips, bespoke clothing or accessories. Designers are very smart people. They created mass produced lines with a lot less detail than their bespoke lines, but enough to get the customers flocking in to buy the goods.  Travel also became cheaper and faster.  Work ethics were also changing.  Gone was the 6 day, 80 hour work week of past generations. Most jobs even introduced paid vacations.

This is were the country started changing.  Some people planned and saved. Thought it was still a good idea to live under their means.  Other people went headlong into the credit card debit way of life.  Let’s fast track forward to this century.  The people who were frugal are for the most part doing OK.  The people whom opted for the credit card to the max way of life are nearing or at retirement age. They have started wondering if they are going to be able to get out of debt before they retire.  They have visions of county run, rat invested living conditions.  They are scared and need to lash out.  I understand all of this, however I am not in the mood to be on the receiving end of someone else’s bad choices.  It’s time to pay those credit cards off no matter what you age is and save for big purchases.  You probably won’t be able to buy a car or house without a loan, but the more you put down on the big ticket items the less interest you will pay and have more money for the things you want.

Now want and needs is an entirely different conversation.  Not for now but later.

Weird Weather

I get I live in the Sonoran Desert. We are use to extreme weather, but not all in one day.  This morning was in the mid 70’s so I choose a short sleeve shirt to wear. A few hours later it had cooled to 71 degrees so we went for our walk.  By the time we got back from a walk around the block it was 67 degrees.  Even in winter the temperature peaks about 3 pm.  By dinner time it was in the 40’s.  So I wore my fur line house slippers out to dinner.  It is supposed to get down to 25 degrees tonight.  A fifty degree drop is a bit much even for me.

We my new pattern the NH Shawl is getting big enough to warm my lap. So it is time to knit.

New Patterns

I have started a new shawl pattern that is going to be called the NH Shawl. I am almost a third of the way through the design.  I also have a pattern that needs a little bit more data and typo corrections and it should e out the door this week.

Check back for further information.

Progress?

Today was better.
Arthritis- 1
Sheri - 1
So I will call it a tie.
I am on the last broader round of a baby shower gift 6 months over do.  I dis not sleep most of the day. I am still exhausted though I even managed to put a few things away and drop the crochet hook under the couch twice. Progress in a wired Sheri way.

Today’s Score

Today’s score was dismal.

Arthritis- 1
Sheri- 0
Steps 4578 out or 8100.

I rested most of today. I am hoping for a better day tomorrow.

By the Numbers

Today by the numbers goes like this:

I went to Bookman’s Mid town and Bookman’s East side.2
The number of socks my store credit bought. 12
Hand knit hat finished.  1.
Pillows given to Ivan.  I not sure weather he liked the Elmo or truck pillow better.  I know that they will be loved.  2.

The Bookman’s stops were for my on going Zenning. I guess I will need to figure out what to zen next.  Maybe a couple of extra dressers that are no longer needed. Then more books. Maybe even tackling organizing my fiber books or my closet.  I am sure all that can result in more trips to Bookman’s.

In the meantime I have:
3 hats to knit. 2 to find and correct errors these will go to Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank and 1 for a friend.
1 blanket to knit and add a crochet border.
Some animals to sew.
3 purses to finish.
1 random animal to finish.
Can I get this all done before the end of January? I hope so.

Yeah for Zenning

More stuff gone. Today I filled the entire back of my car with socks, hats, books and bibs for a charity run. Then when John came home we filled it again for a Bookman’s run tomorrow. Yeah for Zenning. Less stuff. Did I mention that I also filled and entire box for Bookman’s today while I was putting other things away?