another knitting blog

got you in my pocket

Episode 2 of 'Everyone I know is opening a yarn shop' guest-starring Ellen of Pocket Meadow Farm Fiber Arts

Ellen sold up, moved out of the DC Metro area, and opened at yarn shop in beautiful Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.

A few months ago, Ellen sent me some yarn to knit up as a sample for the store. It's a 2-ply sportweight, mostly Border Leicester with some Romney and mohair mixed in. As she describes it, "I had 7 or 8 fleeces taking up space in my house, so I mixed the ones that were compatible, dyed half of the white ones (brilliant orange, dark brown and black), mixed em up in a box with a gorgeous charcoal grey fleece and some grey mohair locks. I love the final product and wish it could be replicated! I think I only had a total of about 34 skeins. Its minimally processed, no harsh chemicals, etc., hence the lanolin scent."

Sampler Stole from Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle

The yarn has rustic nature, which I appreciate. As Ellen mentions, the skeins have a clean, lanolin scent. While not exactly 'soft', the yarn is isn't coarse or excessively scratchy either. The wash before blocking softened it a bit, but this is not a summery, bare-skin stole. I see it as a something cozy to warm the shoulders on a crisp autumn morning.

dear ants in my house

I keel you.

mystery lace

Something I finished before I moved.

Problem is, I don't know what the yarn is (I bought it at Black Sheep last year and lost the band) and, I don't know the exact name of the pattern (I know it's from A Gathering of Lace, but I can't locate the book at the moment).

I have it draped over a circular sidetable with the center motif under glass.

I should be unpacking

I can't do much else because I can't find anything. This is what the bonus room looked like last weekend after I finished moving in.

It doesn't look significantly better now.

I think I'll go lie down.

BTW: Molly seems pretty much back to normal.

@40

spinster
home owner
motherless child

just stop it, please

After I got the call that my mother was in the hospital, I sat Molly down and told her that she had to last another year because I couldn't lose both my mother and her in the same year.

I haven't lost her, but she did give me quite a scare. We made an visit to the emergency vet clinic tonight for a very sudden-onset bladder infection. There's a good possibility it's stress-related. First, I disappear for a week; and then when I return, I immediately start taking away everything familiar and leaving her shut up in rooms alone for extended periods of time. No wonder she's stressed.

She didn't have to spend the night and she ate her soft food like she was starving when we got home, so I think we'll get through til tomorrow. She's on antibiotics and pain meds. I hope that means at least one of us can get some rest tonight.

I really don't know what I'd have done if it was life-threatening. As I drove to the clinic, all I could think was, "This can't be happening." I broke down and sobbed at the vet like a crazy woman. Luckily, it looks like this is only a small crisis. I'm still holding it together.

I was taking tomorrow off anyway for the delivery of the washer and dryer. That's fortunate. Now I can stick around and monitor her recovery.

I am so tired.

moving day

#1 reason why this move sucks

I've been hauling stuff to the house all week. It's been slow going on this end because three loaded trips up these stairs, and I'm ready to lie down. Unloading on the other end seems trivially easy.

I have help lined up for today and movers coming to shift the big stuff. Tonight will be the first night in my very own house.

ETA: Just to be clear, these are the steps at the apartment I'm moving out off. I rented a lovely view for a couple of years. Now, no view; but no stairs either.

thank you

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time in the past weeks to email or leave a comment. I'm sorry if I haven't been able to respond to each of you personally. However, don't be surprised if you eventually get a little note from me. I do what I can.

The move is progressing. Movers will be here this weekend to haul the big stuff.

That's all.

life goes on

She's been gone a week already. It's still not real.

I took possession of my house today. That's not real either.

I have a week to move now. What have I done? Why did I think I had to do this? So much responsibility. I don't want to pack; all I want to do is sit and wait for the pain to stop.

I don't want to move, but I have to. I don't want to go on without her, but I have to.

Life goes on.