I am so ready for Fall

I am so ready for Fall. I think it happened when I was buying beads at Beadstorm. I was waiting for my beads, picking up and smelling the stick incense they carry and I hit on one that made me want Fall to come. Something that smells like fall, like cinnamon, or such.

It has been cooler here too. The leaves are starting to turn, and I am ready for all the kids in the neighborhood to go to school so I can get some peace and quiet. I like kids, not enough to have any of my own – and I totally understand the need to be kid-like, but what is up with the high-pitched shrieking, and for seemingly no reason?

Anyway, back to peaceful thoughts about Fall. The Minnesota Renaissance Festival started last weekend. I think we may go this weekend. I have always loved to go to Ren Fest, but now that we have Spencer the wonder dog – it is even more fun. We take him along and after a somewhat lengthy bit to check him in, we walk around, look at all the wonderful crafts, people-watch, eat and watch the shows. He just loves to visit with people and hang out with us. Of course, he really loves all of the food that is dropped at this fair, but I would like to think that it is our loving company that makes him so excited to be there.

Looking at the themes for the weekends, it might be more fun to wait for the Highland Fling. I love to see the dancers and hear the bagpipes.

Have you noticed that I haven’t mentioned any knitting yet? I finished the shadow shawl and I haven’t blocked it yet so I don’t think I want to show you that again.

I was casting about trying to find a project that I could start up during the gathering of Minnesota Ample Knitters. I wanted to continue on my Charlotte’s Web Shawl, but then I realized that I wasn’t understanding where I had left off, and then I decided to just rip it out and start again. But that isn’t a good project to start up when visiting.

So I quickly dug out some of the deep chocolate brown yarn I had purchased for the Wool Peddler’s Shawl (Folk Shawls). Easy stuff, just a big triangle with yarn-over increases at the edges and in the center. That is, until you get to the lace borders. But for now, it is just a brown triangle, so I won’t share a photo right now. The yarn is very yummy, Gems Merino Opal, which feels heavier than the same in green that I used for the Highland Triangle (Folk Shawls). I wish I had this color in the Gems Merino Pearl (fingering weight), which would work better with the Cherry Tree Hill that I have chosen for the lace. But what I have will do because I have decided it will.

My mother has decided on a vest. It is the Sari Silk Vest from Folk Vests. I have 4 skeins of the recycled silk in my stash, so how cool is that? I need to order some solid colored recycled silk yarn, and I see that Himalaya Yarns has it, but it is a blend of wool and silk, and has less yardage than the stuff on the pattern. Is there anybody out there that has knit this? If you have, can you help me out with some questions I have? Just email me if you can. I have emailed Cheryl Oberle, whose pattern this is, but I don’t expect an answer, really. I always think authors as some elusive, magical creatures who don’t check email as compulsively as I do.

Today is my Beadladies Day — knitting and beading and coffee, and I will be working on that brown triangle.

Peace!

So Many Things to Do, Some Things Done

I am almost finished with my Shadow Shawl (Kinver Knits).

More important, I finally went shopping for the beads and made up some new beaded stitch markers for sale.

They are Red & Gold Goddess Guards, Angel Guards, & Witch Watchers beaded stitch markers.

I should be able to finish the shawl today. I decided that instead of starting a new project, I should finish my Charlotte’s Web Shawl, that has been abandoned, but that is only because the vest that I promised my mom needs yarn that I don’t have (need to track down and order it) and frankly, I can’t decide which new lace project I want to do.

More later – Peace!

Update

I decided to publish the post I had wrote on Friday today. It is dated Friday because it is Friday’s post. Anyway – I never did get around to taking a picture of the shawl. I might do that today (update at 4:23 p.m.) and here it is!

I didn’t even end up visiting Le Joy. After writing the post, I lost my phone 5 times (in the same room). I also kept hitting into things, dropping things. I felt overwhelmed, unable to deal with the slightest bit of thinking. Then I realized that I shouldn’t go to visit Le Joy, because I was in serious danger of doing something stupid.

I called and left a message, then got into the shower and almost fell over.

Since Friday I have had other weird moments of just wanting to fall down. Not that I feel dizzy, but I seem to be really clumsy. I think it is just the (still) effects of not having enough sleep. I am doing better each night with the CPAP machine, but it is still taking some getting used to. I was able to drive last night, which is a huge relief — don’t like feeling so hemmed in.

I finally finished re-reading Harry Potter book 5 and started the latest. I should be able to finish today.

Now I am off to do just that!

Have a great Sunday.

Mixed Bag

Life is sometimes just full of contradictions. Today is shaping up to be so wonderful, but kind of weirdly crappy too.

Yesterday I came back from an overnight sleep study to determine my level of sleep apnea. Wow, that was one interesting experience. Had to check into the center at 8:00 pm to start the process. By 9:00 pm I was all setup – wired beyond belief and feeling pretty uncomfortable. Here I was, sitting in the hospital bed with so many wires coming out of me I must have looked frightening, but still knitting; trying to work around this box device where everything plugged in. I managed to get a few rows done on my Shadow Shawl and didn’t even make any mistakes, which was one small feat because of that box being in the way, and because I am sooooooo very tired. Tired to the state of feeling very sleepy when I drive – really having to concentrate on staying awake, falling asleep when I sit down to relax (read, knit, watch a movie), etc. I was also feeling very shaky; it was hard to keep my hands doing the right thing.

When it was time to try to sleep, the technician took the box and hooked it up over the bed, and we did a few tests to see if everything was working. After a few adjustments, it was time to sleep.

It took a bit, and an Ambien to help me get there, but by the next morning they had determined the correct level for my CPAP machine, and I was trained on how to use it and sent home.

Today’s technology is pretty amazing! This gadget looks like a mini vacuum cleaner, but unlike a vacuum it is (thankfully) very quiet. My husband didn’t even hear it at night. Me, I was ultra aware of the sound of the air, of being unable to sleep on my side – and of sometimes waking up very abruptly – wondering what the heck I was doing with this thing on my nose! Imagine how you felt when you were first learning how to drive a car – thinking there was no way you would ever be able to relax and not have to think so hard — that is how I feel right now.

Yesterday was overwhelming, and today it still is – but I can already feel that there is a difference. Last night was very frustrating, but I managed to sleep using the machine, and didn’t take it off, except for brief bits where I felt that I needed a few minutes break.

Still shaky today – but a bit more rested, enough to knit a few more rows before I head off to visit my friend Le Joy and her newish baby. I was with Le Joy all through her difficult pregnancy – visiting her almost every week, but since she has had the baby (now almost a month!) I haven’t been able to visit her. I can hardly wait!

Oh, more about knitting – here is a pic of my progress on the Shadow Shawl:

Here’s to a terrific Friday and an excellent weekend for all of us.

Peace!