Musical Theater is running through my brain...

I've been feeling a little blue. Life has been a bit overwhelming this year. Money issues. Family issues. Mom's health issues. Friends experiencing some real trouble and injustice.

Some days I feel like a one-armed juggler just waiting for the plates to come crashing down around me.

I'm a pretty good (virtual) juggler. (In reality I couldn't juggle if my life depended on it - bad eyes) To keep my important plates up and in proper order, the lesser plates stay on the table, waiting to be worked into the rotation. Unfortunately, the lesser plate pile gets bigger as the same important plates get tossed faster and faster at a frenetic pace. The lesser plates never get incorporated and then I look at the pile and wonder why nothing is moving, nothing is done.

Today, that is what I'm feeling.

When I feel this way, music from the stage and screen begins to echo in my head. Without provocation, the filing cabinet in my brain pops up the appropriate song, thought, fact that fits the situation or that tries to FIX the situation.

Tonight, the sound track is trying to cheer me up.

Judy Garland is singing "Forget your troubles. Come on be happy..." from Summer Stock.

Dick Van Dyke is singing "Grey skies are gonna clear up. Put on a Happy Face..." from Bye Bye Birdie.

It's not really working.

I think I'm tired. I want to do things, but haven't the ooomph to get up and do them.

I need to step away from the computer for a while, and make myself scarce on Ravelry and Facebook and Yahoo. I have a feeling my habit of checking these sites frequently is a major contributor to my blues and my avoidance of the lesser plate pile. Previously, I have been unsuccessful in my attempts to step away. My fingers seem to have a mind of their own. Their habits are well established. They know the buttons to push and the sites to visit and the games to play.

I need to use the computer for business. I want to use it to avoid my life. I need to retrain my mind and hands to stick with the necessary computer use and severely limit the I Want Computer Time use.

Time to scale back. Time to step away.

Time to find a new direction, to find the drive to lower that pile of lesser plates and ease my mind.

Wish me luck!

Want to win a prize?

Bloggers all over the place have contests. If I'm not a regular reader of a blog, I tend not to enter because I think the regular readers of the blog should get there shot at the prize.

But then I realized contests are sometimes used to drum up readers or followers or potential customers. So, I entered a contest today - and you can too!

At i heart handmade, there is a contest to win a lovely wristlet (small purse) from Maya's etsy shop. Drop by the post called Maya's Kalupi Giveaway and follow the steps to enter yourself! :) You have until Saturday, August 29 - noon MST.

Throwing down the gauntlet

 

Details:
KnitPicks Gloss.
Size 6 beads - selected colors from the Mambo Mauve mix from www.beadwrangler.com - and they are lighter in person.
US2 (2.75 mm) KnitPicks Harmony DPNs.
US12 Steel Crochet Hook.

Robbyn's pattern - Glacial Gauntlets of the Wolf (ravelry.com link)

I made a pair for my niece in black and red (rav link to my project page). They were well received. I love the pattern, so I decided to do another pair for a gift I'll be giving. The project is moving along fast - I cast on at Knit Night on Thursday! I hope I have enough beads. If not, I hope the new order arrives before I get to the second mitt.

This and that and a little more

So much I want to do - so much heat I don't want to do it!

While the heat and humidity of the last few weeks has not be record breaking, it certainly feels that way!

I'd like to knit - but it is so hot little progress is made.

I'd like to crochet together that last HAP afghan waiting for me. I can only do a little bit each night because the weight of the blanket makes me so darn hot!

I'd like to tame the garden. But the heat and humidity are debilitating when I step outside.

I hate to wish away my summer... but a little relief would be so sweet!

Defying the heat and humidity, I started my Feather Duster shawl (ravelry.com link) in Colinette Pariesienne. Mohair in the middle of August. I must be nuts! :) Again - I do a little and then have to set it aside to cool my clammy hands.

First repeat. I've gotten farther than this - more pictures later.

I've started a secret project for my downstream Secret Pal partner. I selected Gloss fingering weight from KnitPicks for this project. It doesn't seem nearly as warm as the other projects I've got in the works. Perhaps I'll have a finished object soon!

Mom is making slow progress. She has had a slight set back this week. The anemia has taken hold again. I'm watching to be sure she doesn't fall too far and require hospitalization this time. She was hospitalized the last two times her red blood count fell too far.

Physical therapists are visiting twice a week and seem pleased with her progress. Slow and steady. Now if I could just get her to eat more!

As Mom is improving, I can leave her for a few hours now and again - if I time it right. That meant I was able to go to my LYS - The Yarn Garden in Annapolis - for Thursday Knit night. I was glad to visit and just sit and knit. I hope Mom continues to improve - for her sake as well as allowing me to resume my Thursday night outings on a more regular basis.

Working on my stealth project, I was happy to show two knitters the crochet hook beading method I use. Neither had seen it before and wondered how it worked. Now they know! :)

Until next time.

August

August is upon us. This summer is flying by. I am so glad to see July behind me. Wacky weather. Wackier health scares in the family, with a long uphill road ahead.

While the road will be uphill, it seems to be a better one than I would have supposed three weeks ago. Mom is regaining her strength a little at a time -- small steps leading to bigger steps.

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I am mailing my first Secret Pal package today. I've been able to gather the goodies over the last few weeks, but haven't had the chance to package it up and get to the Post Office. Finally, I took the time to get the box packed, sealed and addressed Friday evening. I will take it and a few other things to the Post Office before it closes today.

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Last Sunday, Mom's friend came to visit, so I was able to get out for a bit. My friends came down and took me to lunch in North Beach. After a lovely crab cake lunch at Thursday's Bar & Grill, we took a little stroll on the Boardwalk and watched the Bay and the sunbathers.

There had been a storm the day before and one expected that night. The water was a bit choppy and the tide was coming in. The breeze was blowing and the hot day seemed even bit cool. It was delightful.

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Not much knitting has been done at my house. I plan to rectify that this weekend. I'm organizing my stash a bit, searching for some yarn I know I have. I want to make the Feather Duster Shawl (Ravelry.com link) by Susan Pierce Lawrence of Knitting as Fast as I Can. There is an August Knit Along starting in her fan group on Ravelry. Join us if you'd like!

In addition to starting this new project, I have two objects to block. One, a shawl I made for my mother. It's been too warm to wear it, so I haven't taken the time to finish it. I will this weekend.



The other ready-to-block item is my Forest Canopy Shawl (another Susan Pierce Lawrence pattern) which I completed some time ago and haven't blocked either. Here's the blobby picture:

This is made with yarn I dyed at the dye class I attended a couple of January's ago. It was a DK weight yarn and was dyed using acid dyes. A lovely mix of yellow, green and blue, if I do say so myself!

Blocking and/or blocked shawl photos to follow!

Hope you have a lovely cool August Saturday!

Until next time.