Three Rows & Some Optimism

The Oxford English Dictionary defines optimism as having "hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view."

I have knit 5 rows in the past week. While this is a sadly small amount, it is more than I've knit in, well, probably 2 months. I'm feeling cautiously optomistic that perhaps the knitting logjam has been broken. Or at least dinged.

The Must Have Cardigan, knit by many and coveted by me as the re-knit of the frogged boat cover, has some renewed interest.


The question is WHY am I unable to knit in my new digs? The space is certainly good for knitting, the vibe good, the project of interest and I would like to wear it this year (sigh). Yes, I've been busy but that seems not entirely the answer.

Promised photos of the pretty darned cute kitchen curtains! Made from a fabulous vintage feed sack, I absolutely love them! The new kitchen is aqua and red and when I saw this feedsack in the same colors AND with chickens on them it was a must have. I opened up the seams by unpicking the stitches, gave it a good press and cut off the top band. Then simple tiny seams along all edges and sewing a simple casing for rod pockets along the tops of both panels the window treatments were done. Love 'em! Phone pics, for which I apologize!

The top "valance"----- the top stripe of the feedsack----- Eshelman #100 pounds

Albeit fuzzy detail of the feedsack.............. the bottom tier of the treatment. Every chicken in the neighborhood will be over for coffee!

And a VERY dark photo of the whole shebang. Apologies for my complete laziness not to drag out the "real" camera!

Hot and Hotter

The weather has gone from hot to hotter, heat index today 115 they say. It all makes me very glad that this is not the week I was moving, believe me--- it was hot enough when I did.

You know your settled in when:

• You've unpacked everything (the basement does not count)
• Things are hung on the walls
• You've cleaned post-move
• An actual meal has been prepared in the kitchen that is eaten sitting down at a table using real utensils. The meal is Real Food.
• and--
• Knitting Has Happened!
  

Finally I was able to go to meet the knitters on Tuesday and actually managed to knit a couple of rows. It took the better part of an hour to remember where I was in the process of two projects!

There are crazy brides right now requiring attention, work is fairly hairy and I still confess to collapsing in the evenings unable to hold the requisite tools of knitting. It will get better I know it will. The worst of it is that the squirreling away I thought I'd be doing this summer has just not happened, nor is it likely to!

I think for the moment, changing plans is going to have to be a Big Girl Attempt at facing reality, accepting changes and moving on. It's sort of like frogging (or tossing) old projects that no longer serve you!

I wish I had something wonderful to add, some fabulous project completed or even new goodies purchased. Right now, holding my own is a wonderful thing. (And have I mentioned how I adore my aqua and red kitchen????)

Post Moving Exhaustion

Moving is a killer. I'm telling you. KIL-LER. Everytime I move I say I'm never going to do it again and then I do. Go figure. I do have to admit that being able to sit in the back yard in the evenings when it is cooler has been delightful and I didn't have outdoor space in the last year. The stargazer's were in bloom during the move and I enjoyed them very much. I plan to do some patio sitting with some knitting when I am not too exhausted to hold the sticks.

If the truth be told I think I forgot HOW to knit. I'm pretty sure I have absolutely no recollection where I left off with the projects I'm working on and as we know that will involve some brain time trying to get that sorted out. Right now it seems too much effort.

Everything is together enough to eat, shower, sleep and collapse after a day at work. I'm taking the weekend off to get everything finalized so with luck by the time Monday morning rolls around I'll be in great shape. Maybe not knitting, but in great shape. The dogs have settled in and all in all, things are good.

Holiday Weekend on the Way

Ahhhhhhhhhhh......................... yes! It's a holiday weekend! Are you taking a long one? A three dayer perhaps? Or as the news said last night, "here in St. Louis we take 3 1/2 day holiday weekends!"

I'm not holidaying----- there is still soooooooooo much work to do. Although the painting has taken a wee break, the packing and unpacking and shoving and pushing and pulling and moving and hanging and re-hanging continues. The light is at the end of the tunnel however.

Regardless the 4th will find me making time to bbq, maybe have the first home cooked meal in well over a week and sitting down on the patio with a cocktail or two. Maybe one of these:

Blueberry Martini

1 cup Fresh blueberries, washed and dry, divided into halves for use
2 oz. blueberry cocktail (juice)
1 oz. fresh mango juice (found in the international section of the grocery)
2 oz. really good vodka
1/2 oz. orange flavored liqueur (best possible)

Place half the blueberries into the bottom of the shaker and lightly muddle them, then add all of the other ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice. Shake that baby like James Bond going tropical! The ice will further break up the berries. Strain into chilled cocktail glasses. You may rim with sugar if that is your preference. Make this a 4th of July cocktail by rimming the glass with coarse white sugar and garnish with a pretty little cocktail pick of alternating red raspberries and reserved blueberries.

Enjoy------ have a fabulous weekend! I won't be knitting, sewing, or otherwise engaged in anything creative but I hope you are!