'Twas the week after Christmas ..

and all through the house,
every creature was sneezing, including BarbP's mouse!

And me. You can tell how deep the virus has imbeded in my brain if I'm making feeble attempts to rhyme. I feel just like a kid who has waited all year for vacation from school and gets sick. I mean, the Courts are closed, for St. Nick's sake! No one is in their offices! I should be frolicking, visiting yarn stores, making merry! Instead,

the felines are nestled, all snug in their beds,
recovering from catnip, too much it is said.

See? Stop me, now.

The other viral-inspired thought I've had is this: Who, as a character in literature, have you fallen in love with? A safe question, as a fictional character can't reasonable compete with the real men in our lives, and an interesting one. So, anyone who reads this, publish a list of at least 5 on your blog and challenge others to do the same!

Here goes:

1. Aragorn. Even before Vigo.
2. Rhett Butler. Never the wimpy ole' Ashley. What was she thinking?
3. Dr. Zhivago. Made even better by Omar Sharif's portrayal. Who wouldn't love a brooding Russian poet?
4. Mr. Rochester. Okay, so I have a thing for older men. Jane Eyre was a smart girl.
5. Garp.

Any takers?

ps The tissues were crumpled, .... no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Santa brought me ...

a cold! A really nasty, snotty piece of work. So all day today, instead of reveling in my wonderful presents and going out and doing fun things with my offspring, I laid on the couch in my pjs. I'm drinking lots of fluids (not the fun ones, either) and hope to nip this in the bud before we leave for the Adirondacks on Thursday morning.

In the meantime, the illustrious Twig has tagged me for the following:

"THE RULES:Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.”

Only six weird things, not six thousand? (hee hee)

Okay, here goes:

1. I get obsessive about having my socks match the color shirt I'm wearing. Why? I have no reasonable clue.

2. I can't sleep at night with the closet door open. Monsters -- I know they're in there.

3. I can recite almost all of the joke lines from any Peter Sellers' Pink Panther movie: "Minkey? You said minkey?" or "Does your dog bite?"

4. As a ten-year old, I had a poster of Spock on my bedroom wall. Weird? Only that I used to kiss it good night.

5. I was vice-president of the chess club in high school.

6. My husband says my hands move at night as if I'm knitting. Now, if I could only have him put the needles and yarn in the right position ...

So, who to tag?

I'm with Twig, most everyone I read has done this. I"ll think on it, in my feverish haze ...

Three Days ...

... and not a knitting needle was clicking.

I'm done with Xmas knitting. Well, done only because I'm going to wrap the yarn for my siblings' sox, along with a note that they can choose the pattern of their choice, and if the yarn isn't to their softness/color/whatever preference, we'll visit the LYS and exchange.

Whew! Why didn't I think of this before? It's a great alternative to knitting my fingers into gnarled knobs and foregoing sleep.

But ... I did finish this:

It's greener than it looks, and the other end of the Tree Scarf I posted about last week or so. So if I was truly smart, I'd start knitting these throughout the year, and be ready to relax next Xmas. Moi? Well, it could happen, but only in an alternate universe.

So it's off to do some last minute shopping and then my goal is to relax relax relax. The Charlie Brown tree is up, there's cookie dough in the refrigerator waiting for the girls to come home and bake, Chex Party Mix in the offing, with hot cider punch. Stop by for some holiday cheer -- I'd welcome you all!

Toronto has no Yarn Left

Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration. But it certainly has less yarn than it did on Wednesday past.

The sister and I took a short trip to the Great White North, in honor of her birthday, and in search of the Holy Grail of Hockey. See my post at www.hockeyknitalong.blogspot.com

After filling our hockey needs, we checked out Romni Wools, on Queen Street West -- towers of yarn, floor to ceiling, narrow aisles, basement chock full -- it's a great source for all those yarns I've seen advertised in magazines, but never in person. Man, if you were looking for just the right yarn called for in a pattern, this would be the place to go. And, talk about wall 0'needles! More brands than I ever knew existed. It made my head spin. That said, it was difficult to browse -- the aisles too narrow for wandering, and if anyone wanted to pass you, you had to squeeze back, or actually back down the aisle and into a cross-aisle.

So we wandered on to Lettuce Knit. Heaven! Beautiful yarn, a friendly cat, even friendlier store personnel ... here's a photo of the sister making a purchase.



We both bought kits for vests from Fiber Artist -- silk and wool yarn, knit sideways -- and I indulged in a skein of laceweight silk and cashmere to knit a "smoke ring" with, to match my brown winter coat. All, of course, to start after Christmas (right -- who wants to take bets on my impulsivity and complete lack of ability to resist new yarn? Especially when it's soft and wonderful).

And isn't this cool?



It's a wire bird-thingie, filled with bits of yarn for the birdies to line their nests!







The BataShoe Museum was an interesting side jaunt -- believe me, designer shoes look like they hurt like hell. My low-cut hiking boots suit me just fine.

So, we're back, eh? No worse for wear from our trip north, except maybe for the $30 in Cadbury bars and Coffee Crisp shoved in my suitcase for future consumption. Those Canadians know how to live!

Field Trip!!!!!!

My big sister and I are going to Toronto, tomorrow. On the agenda are both the Hockey Hall of Fame and as many yarn stores as we can find. She wants to go to the "Shoe Museum" too, but I'm resisting. A museum about shoes???? Hmmm. Perhaps she is more like Imelda Marcos than I ever knew.

I can't wait, and am putting obsessive-compulsive sticky-notes on all my files so my assistant will know what to tell clients when they call incessantly in my absence. I swear, there is something like needy-client radar that makes them realize you're out of town and they absolutely must talk to you right that second about something as vitally important as .... "He/she took the Mexican sombrero lamp we got on our honeymoon out of the house!" or, the ever popular, "He/she was five minutes late picking up the children."

Oh well. I've brushed off my Canadian vocabulary, eh? And packed at least 2 toques. I'll also be bringing back as much Coffee Crisp and Cadbury chocolate as I can stuff in my bags. Not to mention souveniers from the Temple, the Taj, the Holiest of Holys, the Hockey Hall of Fame.

So, as said in the last three words of the Canadian National Anthem, "Drop the puck!"

Ho Ho Ho!

I got my replacement Brittany needle today! What a great company -- I snapped a size 5 while knitting socks, and remembered they replaced broken needles, sent an email, and ... voila! What a great company.




And ... a holiday scarf. There's a story -- I started this just for some mindless knitting, on a whim. Decided to embroider the tree, will probably do a reindeer on the other end, and red and green fringe. One of my attorney friends (Sharkette) has been admiring it in progress, and bug bug bugging me about it. "Is it for me?" "Come on, it's for me," and I'd always say ... NO!

So, the cookie and gift exchange on Saturday. My gift was a lovely hand-blown ornament, and a certificate good for a pair of mittens or scarf. Guess who got my gift??? (Mind you, they weren't marked as to who gave what). She leaped with joy, pointed at this scarf, and said, "It's mine!"

sigh

On the bright side, it's great to feel that someone really likes your knitting. On the not-so-much side, I'll be making another one just like it for yours truly!

Hats, Scarves and Mimosas

Here's a collection of hats for the outpatients at the VA -- knit by the lovely ladies of my Sunday knitting group.






And here's a scarf from Paton's SWS -- the 80% wool, 20 % soy. I love the subtle shades -- it's for my pal Andrea, the upstairs lawyer, who's always giving me rides when my car needs fixing, and Diet Cokes, and an ear to vent into when the practice of law gets, you know, frustrating.

Most of my knitting is Xmas related -- secret sweater for my sister, socks for TwinB (TwinA shouldn't tell if she reads this!), fingerless mitts for SIL ... but I'm trying not to get too stressed out.

The Xmas Cookie Exchange is Saturday -- a group of 8 women lawyers (law gals? law chicks? law 'hos?), getting together for frivolity, cookies and gossip. Did I fail to mention Mimosas? I'm making Rice Krispie treats -- with Xmas Krispies and melted chocolate chips on top, complete with holiday sprinkles.

Well, back to the pre-vacation custody and visitation grind!

She's down for the count ...

brought to her knees by a virus. Or something disgusting that is making me dizzy,my head ache and my stomach roil. I don't even feel up to knitting. It's baaaaaaaaaaaad.

So this post is just a whine for sympathy. I hate microbes.

It's Done!!!!

Here's my latest creation -- it's a modification of the Refined Raglan from the Winter IK. I added the cable detail on the cuffs and bottom, instead of hemming. (Let's face it -- at my age, who needs extra bulk in the hip area?)



Here's a close up of the raglan cable:

Yarn: 50/50 wool and alpaca from Ellen's Half Pint Farm from Vermont.

Gauge: 4 stitches to the inch, on size 9 KnitPicks Options, which I love.

Size: 38" finished chest, unblocked (okay, I'm lazy)

What I'd do differently: (and may yet) the neck. The yarn has a wonderful drape, but seems loose around the neck. I might rip back and do more decreases, but I'm not sure. My office pals all say it looks fine (I'm wearing it today, though it's unseasonably mild outside), but I'm still not sure.

What I love about this sweater: Raglans and I get along really well. I adore not having to sew seams, I love the colors -- even though I alternated skeins and got pooling -- and the yarn is so soft I can't stand it.

Comments on the neck would be appreciated!

Other items on the needles (and couch, and bedside table, and desk) are:

1. EZ yoke sweater, knit at 3 sts to the inch from Lamb's Pride Bulky that has been hiding in the stash for quite a while. I bought enough to knit the ridged pullover in Loop -d- Loop, and after I started it realized the ridges made me look like an oddly shaped lego. So I'm trying the Zimmermann percentage system and going off on my own. Don't tell my sister, but the sweater is for her.

2. The never-ending Linus Project blanket.

3. Swallowtail Shawl. Stalled. Big-time. I really need a keen mind to concentrate when knitting this and just don't have it lately.

4. Mittens in progress for a friend.

5. and ... Xmas gifts that I can't lest for fear that certain offspring of mine will be reading this!

Let's see, only 25 more knitting days until Christmas! In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny, YIPE!

How to throw a 90th Birthday Party

... or, my cousin really knows how to do it up right.


1. Find a 90 year old. Not just any 90 year old, but one who wears a red cowboy hat and loves to have fun.

(Sorry, this one's taken!)












2. Decorate the place with red and purple balloons, tablecloths, party favors, candy kisses and cake, then invite 120 people.












3. Hire a DeeJay. Not just any DeeJay, but an 82 year old kick-ass DeeJay, who, at one point during the festivities brought out an American Flag and waved it while playing "Battle Hymn of the Republic." No lie.














4. Bring out the Elvis impersonator. Okay, so there wasn't any fringe, but my aunt loved it.

5. Make a "Top Ten Reasons Why I Want to Be Like my Aunt Alice When I Grow Up" List, to read with your sister.

Example: Because she's so cute, men still flirt with her. And, she eats hot fudge sundaes for dinner and no one yells at her.

6. Celebrate, Celebrate, Celebrate.

Aunt Alice had a wonderful time, as did everyone there. I can't wait to post photos from her 100th.

ps Aunt Alice is responsible for teaching me how to knit -- and is still making lap robes for nursing home patients and caps for kids. Gotta love her.

What I've been up to ...

or ... the good, the bad and the ugly. You choose!

This is good. It's a hat for charity -- the colors look a little garish, but it works. Note the cool curly-ques on top -- the colors are orange, lime green and turquoise, all in Lamb's Pride. I used size 8s, and cast on 72 stitches, did k2 p2 rib for 2 inches, then increased to 84 stitches. I started decreasing when the whole thing measured about 5 inches, then did a k10, ssk round, decreasing 1 st every alternate round until the end. Voila! Crazy kid hat.

It's a charity project, and will be going to the Open Door Mission for the homeless in Rochester as part of a Christmas package.

And ... more good.



I've been working valiantly on my first "outside of the lines" sweater project. I started out doing a basic raglan, using the Elizabeth Zimmermann proportions (with a provisional cast-on because I was unsure what kind of edging I wanted), then saw the Winter 2006 IK and the Refined Raglan. So I quickly adoped the Lace and Cable pattern, even though my stitch count was a little off.
As you can see, the edging is in Lace and Cable (different from IK), and I'm loving it. I'm also going to do a higher neckline, more of a mock turtle, when I get there.

The yarn is 50/50 wool and alpaca, from Ellen's Half Pint Farm in Vermont. This was my indulgence at the Hemlock Fiber Festival and I absolutely love the way the yarn feels and drapes. I know, I know -- pooling. But I did alternate skeins, and I just don't care. I think it looks neat no matter what! And I can't wait to wear it. ETA finishing by Thursday (I hope)!

And more good ...
See the cool pen I ordered from Twig's website? It's www.wicksandwood.com and I love it. I'm a fountain pen freak, and this is a lovely tulip wood. Feels great in my hands and the colors in the grain are wonderful. Go Twig! (but not her team -- those dreaded Rangers).


And the bad and the ugly are all in one -- remember the case I posted about last time? The one where I thought I might be thrown in jail for contempt? Well, it was damned close. The pseudo-Judge would not let me out of the case, moved forward with the trial, wouldn't let my client present her proof, sustained every objection of opposing counsel, denied every one of my objections, and when I said his actions were certainly issues for appeal, said "Go ahead. The Appellate Division can use the work."

I almost lost it. I'm still reeling.

And that has led to a real depression in my outlook, work-wise. Maybe having a few days off will help, but I'm just feeling like I'm going through the motions. It's a struggle to get up, get dressed and go to the office. I wish I were independently wealthy. Then, I'd limit my practice to Law Guardian work and screw the rest.

Enough venting -- more knitting!

What I Am Today ...

A Giant Crab.




... and why. No, knot knarly knitting. A trial. The very same trial I vented about earlier, the one where the client moved, didn't pay me, I made an application to withdraw, which was denied ....

I've given it lots of thought, and I'm just going to let both the other lawyer and the Court have it. It's easy for the Court Attorney Referee to sit there, paid by the state, health insurance, retirement, no overhead, and keep me in a case without being paid ... but if I were going to work for nothing, it would be a pro bono case of my own choosing. Which I do. But being held hostage by the Court and this other attorney? ARghhhh.

I'll let you know if I'll need bail money for the contempt charge. Can you knit in jail? It might be a good thing .... think of all those projects I can finish!

Oh -- Wal-Mart update. PTM (Pony-Tail Man) broke down and went -- not at 3 am, but early in the morning. He just couldn't resist. But he did limit his purchases to hunting paraphenalia (I was envisioning a panel truck pulling up with cases of deoderant soap and cans of tuna). So I do hear all of you who like to shop at night, and like the discounts. And I find it difficult to pass by a bargain ... maybe I just find all mine on the internet!

Knitting photos and posts tomorrow -- unless I'm behind bars...

A Line in the Sand

I have drawn it. And it's not about knitting.

Yesterday, a Wal-Mart Supercenter opened in town. New. Built right next to the old regular Wal-Mart. Which is now a vacant warehouse-sized building.

Granted, I did go to the old Wal-Mart on occasion, usually when I needed cat food, cat litter and giant bags of dog food. Pony-tail man, however, loves Wal-Mart. Even though I point out on a regular basis that he goes for one or two items, and then comes home with many, many bags of things he didn't know he "needed" until he saw them at such cheap prices.

Enter, the Supercenter. Open 24/7. 24/7 -- I'll say it again. I'm going to scream, I can tell. What in the world can anyone NEED SO BADLY THEY HAVE TO GO TO WAL-MART AT 3 AM? And what about the people who have to work those ungodly hours? And the pittance that workers in Third World countries get paid to make the pseudo-silk flowers, cheap turtleneck sweaters and general "stuff"? And the obscenely rich owners?????

So, I hereby vow not to step foot in this new abomination. Ever. Not at noon, not at 4:00 p.m. and most definitely not at midnight.

The cats can catch mice until morning.

Sorry -- my medication is wearing off .... :)
Oh, and that reminds me -- who gave Wal-Mart the right to steal the yellow happy face for its ads? It's just not right, not right at all.

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead ...

... by witch, I mean Rumsfeld. Usually, I don't mix politics and knitting (those sharp instruments in the hands of, say, a rabid Democrat such as myself, may be dangerous -- although, some of my best friends are elephants), but I am so happy that scary man has stepped down.

I grew up in the Vietnam era and faced both brothers going off to war, my husband is also a Vietnam vet, and I just can't support a similar war. We'll never win. Never. And I don't want anymore lives to be lost.

Enough said, for that unpaid political announcement.

Here we have --- something warm! These are loosely based on the armwarmers in "Holiday Knitting" (someday I'll be able to figure out how to place a link in my posts), except I knit an actually thumb, instead of just an opening. It's a spiral rib pattern which looks even better in person, and Paton's SWS yarn -- 80% wool, 20% soy. So, for all of us vegetarians, if we get lost in a snow drift, we can always eat our mittens!

Size 6 needles; 32 stitches. Warm as toasted tofu!



The colors are much prettier than shown here -- more pinks and muted greens/browns. I still have at least 1/3 of a skein left, and will be making more as Xmas gifts.





And as for the folks at the White House, who's next?

Nerds R Us

I confess -- I love office supply stores. I can spend almost as much time browsing the aisles of pens, pencils, notebooks ... as I can in a bookstore. (Never a yarn store -- browsing in my LYS is like encountering a hole in the space-time continuum -- just ask the man).

And family owned, small town office supply stores are like heaven. So, every time I find myself in Yates County, at the courthouse in Penn Yan, NY, I must go to Long's Office Supply Store. You should see their selection of jigsaw puzzles! Crosswords, too! But I digress. Here is what I found today:
Yes, it looks like a pencil pouch. A pencil pouch that stands up on your desk.

But ... what's that peeking out the sides?

Double pointed knitting needles!!!!

And more:

See my little scissors? My yarn needle holder?

I'm in love, and all for only $2.49.

I may go back for more.

In other knitting news, here are two hats -- one for the chemo cap project of my monthly library knitting group, and the other knit from Lamb's Pride scraps for the VA Xmas project. The man says that he should have the green one, because he's a veteran too, but I told him forget it. (He didn't really mean it, but now I know he likes the style).

Okay -- I've tried to post those photos twice, so either this entry will be empty of hats, or have 4. Talk about space-time ...

It's Election Day tomorrow, so that means no court. Hurray. But it also means I have no choice but to plunge into all the paperwork that's on my desk. You know, the dog files that just sit and wait, patiently, ready to bite your hand when you pick them up?

Arf.

It's not a mistake ...

it's a hat!!! Below you'll find the ultimate in making lemonade from lemons -- last year I started a scarf knit from Lamb's Pride Bulky. Tried the triangle-modular thing (I'd done a solid color one for TwinB last Christmas), but hated how this looked. Shoved it in a drawer, tried not to think about it.

So last night, as I was rummaging for yarn to knit a charity hat, I saw the scarf. Hmmmm, I thought. What if I sewed the ends together, picked up stitches and made it into a hat? So I did!



It's even cute on, warm as the Sabres' dressing room, and will be donated to our Bar Association's charity drive for Xmas -- hats, scarves, etc. for patients at the VA Hospital (men and women).




I had a good day yesterday -- actually took the afternoon off, got a haircut, spent some time with TwinA. Who is studying and working waaay too hard and needs to eat more and take care of herself (are you listening, Andy?) 2 more weeks until the quarter ends, then hopefully some down time with Mom at home.

Here are the flowers the camoflague hat caused:






Lovely, eh? (forgive me, I grew up essentially across the street from our friendly neighbors to the north -- Canada)








Now, I didn't notice until I took the photo, what the card actually says: Love, Como Man.

As in Perry Como? I thought he was dead!



It reminds me of a few summers ago when my oldest wanted to invite her friends to a vegetarian cook-out -- grilled veggies, salads ... We went to the local supermarket for a cake, and she told the bakery clerk to write "Meat is Murder" on it. I know, a little extreme, but funny.

Funnier still was what was on the cake when we picked it up. Of course, this was a weekend, and the bakery was staffed by a guy in his early 20's who appeared ok, but was in reality a few yards short of a skein. The cake read: "Meats is Murder". Meats!!! It's now become part of the family laughography!

So back to the title of this post -- it's not a mistake, but when they do happen, they can be damned funny.

over and out ...

Elmer Fudd has mittens!

Isn't this funny? The spouse loves them. It's camo yarn (Paton's Merino), and I pattern I found in one of my mother's old books from the forties. Trigger Finger Mittens. I used size 3, KnitPicks dps (which I love) for a tighter gauge -- it gits cold in dem dere woods! I was also thinking, couldn't Mr. Spock use a pair? In Science Officer blue, with black trim, of course.

And here's the progress on the hand-dyed self-creation. This is a sleeve, and the yellow is a provisional cast on because I can't decide if I want ribbing or something different.


I'm worried the sleeve is going to be too baggy -- but I always worry -- and if it were smaller, I'd worry it was too tight. I love the softness of the wool/alpaca blend, and can't wait to be wearing this, because snow is in the forecast.



Off to Court -- to fight for truth, justice and the American Divorce!

Nasty November

Almost everyone I know is sick -- my partner in the law practice, my secretary, TwinB ... and people are hacking and spewing all over Family Court. Other than encasing myself in plastic, I'm wondering what I can do to prevent what Marvelous Marlene (my sect'y) calls "the creeping crud." My hands are so dry from repeated washing that the skin is about to flake off.

And flake is the operative word -- meant to take photos of the camo yarn mittens today, but forgot the camera. So words will have to suffice ...

I'm trying to perservere and finish projects before seriously planning others -- but I find myself leafing through magazines and books, planning what's coming next -- and not really paying attention to what I'm doing. Exhibit A -- the sweater being knit from the lovely hand dyed yarn. I love the colors, love the feel of the wool/alpaca, but get distracted and voila -- find that I've cast on the wrong number of stitches for the sleeve, 10 less than needed, and don't notice until half way up the arm.
In the words of that wascally wabbit, what a maroon!

But seriously, I wonder if that's typical of how most of society is now behaving, myself included. I am always multi-tasking -- watching tv, and knitting; knitting and reading; blogging and talking on the phone; eating and reading. My DH sits on the couch, watching tv (okay, we love Law & Order a little too much), with the laptop on, surfing, watching, talking on the phone.

So maybe, just maybe, I should (gasp) do one thing at a time.

Think it'll work? Think it'll catch on?

A new GrandPuppy!

For those that have known me a long time, it's no surprise that I a simply a 'ho for babies. Always have been, always will be. Kids too, of all ages, but there is something indescrible about holding a tiny one, having him/her sleep in your arms, nuzzling that soft skin ... Now, I have 4 children, 3 of whom are daughters, and all in their early twenties. So I'm in no hurry to be a grandmother -- I want them to be settled and secure, and most of all, ready. On the other hand -- my hands, actually -- I'm dying to knit teeny tiny little cute garments.

Enter, Ubu.



Oldest daughter (that's Lizzie, with fiancee Bob in the background) and their new pup, "Ubu". He's a rescue pup, part Boston Terrier and part Beagle, and adorable.

He needs a sweater. No, he needs a sweater! And maybe a little cap ...


Anyone with doggie patterns, please email!

And since the site has been devoid of knitting content lately, I can only promise more later. My camera is in the car, it's raining like crazy outside, I'm still in my pjs ... but here's a list of what's being currently worked on:

Camo trigger mittens -- yes, I finished the hat, and the man loves it so much, he sent me flowers. Yipe!

My Hemlock alpaca/wool hand-dyed sweater -- about 1/2 way to the armholes on the body.

Family Denim Tunic from Weekend Knitting -- I love this sweater, I hate the miles and miles and miles of seed stitch.

Swallowtail Shawl -- I have to frog back a few rows and am dreading it. Mohair. Need I say more?

Log Cabin Blanket -- this is for Project Linus, and I'll be knitting during hockey games. Easy, mindless, can be thrown to the floor during victory dances without a problem.

And to end with another dog photo -- here's Alice, sleeping with paw over eyes. Definitely too big for a dog sweater, and at 90 lbs, no need!

Do you number your briefs?

Another baby cap, modeled by the unbeatable SabreTooth. The boys did it again, beating the Bruins and now have an 8-0 record.

I have to admit, this winning streak scares the crap outta me. We've been so close before ... only to have the Cup stolen from us (bitter? nah), and it's early in the season. Oh well, more tension means more knitting for charity!

And the mandatory knitting:

Mandatory as in mandatory (read -- stupid, useless, waste of time, ridiculous -- you get the picture) Continuing Legal Education for lawyers in NY State. We need 24 hours every two years, no matter how long we've been practicing, no matter how much we know about our specific area of practice.

So, Saturday, I spent the entire day in a room in downtown Rochester with 30 other lawyers listening to such pearls of wisdom as, "Always remember to number the pages of your brief." Duh. After 21 years, I need to hear this? Another gem: Don't single space. Arghhhhhhh!

The silver linings were two: I went with my friend Andrea, and we snickered together in the back row, and I brought my knitting. Hence, the scarf.

Yes, I did all this in one day. My hands were screaming, but it was the only thing keeping me in my seat. That's the other thing -- you have to sign in and sign out -- no leaving early, or all your credits are revoked. Like we're in detention!

So, unfortunately, I don't feel like I had a weekend off. I'm already grumpy about court tomorrow, but if it snows, I'll have a nice warm scarf to wrap around my neck.

Random Thursday

Books on CD

Has anyone used any of the audio book rental programs out there? I'm always scouring the local library for good selections, and most often the ones I'd like aren't there, and the overall collection is pretty thin. So I checked on-line, and there are a few companies that operate a lot like "Netflix" -- for $ per month, you can have unlimited rentals, no late fees, pre-paid mailing envelopes.

I'm trying to justify spending 15-20 bucks a month on this and am wavering. I don't drive long distances (usually), but I hate FM radio, and I think I could copy the discs to my computer and/ipod to listen to places other than the car (and ... while knitting!). Then I add it up and say, "$240 a year for stuff I can get from the library?" And then my other voice says, "You work hard and have few vices (okay, ignore the stash)."

Arghhh. My sister would tell me just to do it. "You deserve it", I can hear her say.

So, if anyone has any experience with this stuff -- please let me know. I can't tell which site has the most books, and which might be the better deal. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Everyone into the Pool

I finally started knitting with the lovely yarn I bought at the Hemlock Fiber Fest. Here's a photo:


I've also decided to take the plunge and try to design the sweater myself. Just a basic pullover, raglan -- and I'm not sure about the ribbing/edging, so I did a provisional cast on with waste yarn.

160 stitches, joined in the round, and the first thing I notice is that each time around, the same colors come up in the same place. Pooling. So i quickly search the web, and some books at home, and decide to alternate rows with both ends of the skein -- 1 row from the center; 1 from the outside.

I've only done 4, but I'm wondering -- will this lead to stripes? Is this a bad thing? What are the rules? I may have a WIP photo tomorrow, depending on whether or not I fall asleep on the couch (again) tonight.

Waking early and School Bus Rant

Couldn't sleep past 4 this morning. I was wiiiide awake, and by 6 decided that if I was going to be tired later anyway, I might as well go to the office and get some work done. On the way in, I got stuck behind a few school buses (my usual time to drive in is around 8:15 -- this was 6:45).

School buses. That got me thinking -- most businesses run on 9-5, or 8:30 -5 time. Most employers don't expect their employees to wake up at 5:30 and be ready to roll at 7. So why do we expect our kids to function well by doing that? Especially teenagers, who seem to need sleep like I need yarn.

Wouldn't it make more sense to shift the school day to, say, 8:30 - 4? That would also make life easier for working parents, wouldn't it?

Just a thought ...

Okay, I'm about to fall face first into the keyboard with fatigue, but have to put on the game face and go to Court. One of my JDs made threatening remarks at school. Again. Hey! Maybe if he didn't have to get up so damned early! Think the Judge will buy it?

... nah :)

Not UFO's, FOs Scottie!

Two FO's today -- the first is a scarf for TwinA, my own design. She's not sure about fringe, so I left it off, and can add later if she decides.

It's Lamb's Pride worsted, knit on 10's. Seed stitch on the sides, Trinity Stitch on the ends, and yer basic cables in the middle.

The second is the cutest baby hat ever! (can you tell I'm a 'ho for babies?) It's part of my hockey charity knitting : www.hockeyknitalong.blogspot.com, and adapted from the Bee Hive hat in S-n-B Nation. Now I want to do matching sox.

Well, it's almost 11 and all I've done so far at the office is surf the web. My boy turns 16 next week, and I'm going nuts trying to get him a special present -- of all 4, he's the only one who inherited the love of sci-fi and Star Trek gene. I'm looking all over for a cardboard standup of Mr. Data, to no avail. Worf is second ("Today would be a good day to die!" - it gets me every time). I'm close, and can't believe I'll be spending almost $40. Oh well. It's cheaper than buying him a car!

Muzak

Fetching! With a few changes ...

Yarn: Brown Sheep

Needles: 6 dp

Pattern: Knitty

I added a crocheted edge on the top and bottom, and did one more row of cables on the top end. Love 'em!

In other news ... driving to the office today, listening to the radio, I became inspired. Why not have music in the waiting room? Like the very song I was listening to -- remember "Band of Gold"? Perfect! or maybe "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover?"

Suggestions from the matrimonial lawyers out there?

Hockey Hat in Progress

The "Tooth" (as in Sabretooth) is wearing a baby hat, based on the bee hive pattern in S-n-B Nation. I plan to sew bee buttons on it for fun.

Tooth is very happy to be wearing the hat. Tooth is VERY happy indeed, with the Sabres 5-0 record. *victory dancing*

In other knitting news, I'm just finishing up my first "Fetching" from Knitty. I'll post a photo when they're both done -- soon I hope because, although I'm not suffering like my Buffalo brothers, it is getting cold here.

Uh oh, here goes that victory dance again! *********

I went to Buffalo once ...

and it was closed! Seriously. Both my brothers live in Buffalo, and both are without power and not expected to be back on the grid until sometime next week! To torture them, I called each and made them listen to the coffee grinder as payback for years of little sister abuse! What a freak storm. So they're freezing, and I'm painting! This is the first coat of the living room, and the alcove that goes out to the deck. I had to go back to Home Depot twice to get the right shade of green. Why do things look so different in the store?




Here's last night's hockey hat -- a wild and crazy chemo cap for the local hospital.





It's loosely based on the sparkly hat from Stitch -n- Bitch, with flower shaped sequins.





Well, back to do the second coat. And rest up for tonight's game against the Rangers -- in true Buffalo style, the City may be in a state of emergency, but the puck will drop. Go Sabres!

Trial From Hell (almost)

.... with the help of a very straight shooting Judge. I've been driving myself crazy the past 2 days, organizing exhibits, making testimony outlines, going over the facts in my head again and again, knowing that trial was a huge risk for my client.

So this morning, after I lug in two briefcases, set up all the exhibits on the counsel table, prep my client for cross, the Judge calls counsel back in the chambers.

Let me ask you this: when a judge says to you, "Counselor, I'd advise you to tell your client to take the settlement offer and run," that would be a good indication that the trial won't go your way, correct?

So I did. She took it. No trial. What a relief. So ... I came home and took a nap!

and tonight ... frog city. You guys are right, Twig and Carrie. If I hate it now, I'll hate it always.

ribbit

To Frog or Not to Frog

Into the pond. Or not:









It's the Geometry Lessons shawlette/wrap from Vogue Knitting Spring. Finally finished it, in Cherry Hill Baby Loop. Hate it. I know blocking will make it more even, but I'm supposed to sew it together at the armholes, making a little "sleeve", and the back is too short, with those tails in front ...





So what do I do? I love the yarn, love the colors. Here's a close up:














I'd show you some bad photos of me trying it on (with metal binder clips serving as pins under the arms)



I've been toying with adding on, trying to make it into a triangle shape, or a rectangle ... or adding a border ...












Suggestions?

You probably won't believe this ...

... but our toilet backed up this morning at the office. No shit. Actually, the reverse! Did I bring this on by my last post, she wonders?

The day can only improve ...

The difference between being a lawyer and a plumber

Water, water everywhere. Just like:
My home town.










What does all that water have to do with the practice of matrimonial law, you ask? Well, it's like this: Plumbers deal with crap. Toilet crap. Clogged drain crap. Backed up sewer crap.

Divorce lawyers deal with emotional crap. He cheated on me. She took my baseball cards.

Same job, right? Wrong. Here's the difference -- if your toilet is backed up, you can't flush and the entire house smells like crap -- YOU DON'T TELL YOUR PLUMBER HE/SHE NEEDS TO WAIT TWO WEEKS TO GET PAID! (Was that me yelling?)

No, a plumber needs a check (cash preferred) in hand before the snake comes out. Or, the plumber walks away and says, "Sorry, that's not my crap to clean up."

Not so with lawyers. Case in point -- an ugly ugly case scheduled for trial, let's say this week. And let's also say, weeks ago you told the client he/she needed to come up with a trial retainer to pay for the intense preparation needed for trial, as well as a full day in Court. A week passes. No payment. The check is in the mail. Well, the check is for less than half the trial retainer when it arrives -- the amount you quoted for finishing the divorce IF THERE WAS A SETTLEMENT, which you strongly recommended due to the gaping holes in the case. (sorry, yelling again).

Trial is in 2 days. You know the Judge won't let you out for non-payment by your client at this late date. You feel like an ass. You realize that, despite 7 years of higher education, including law school, you are not as smart as a plumber.

Pass me a wrench, will you?

But ... not to ignore knitting, here are 2 Caps to the Capital, knit during the most recent Sabres games. Go Buffalo Go!

Five Things

In the middle of my sleep deprived existence (read at 3:00 a.m.), I found myself thinking about things that go with knitting, and things that don't. So here's my list, with a disclaimer that I may be suffering from sleep deprivation hallucinatory thoughts --

So, knitting and

1. Hockey. Okay, of course I'd say that. But it works. During tense moments, I knit faster. During really tense moments, I look down at my project, with one tiny peek at the t.v. screen. It can't be a complicated pattern though, or one that will fly off the needles when thrown off the lap for a victory dance.

2. Watching children sleep. It's been a while, but I fondly remember sitting in the twins' room, rocking and knitting, seeing the little cherubs quiet at last.

3. Drinking Guiness in an Irish Pub. The highlight of my knitting life. No one gave me strange looks, and every time I wear the shawl I made during that trip, I can taste that creamy goodness.

4. Groups. I just love to get together with other knitters, whether one or twenty. There's a loose collection of us that gathers at a local coffee shop every Sunday, and I've been trying to imagine a cool name for us.

Q: "What did you do this weekend?' "
A: "Oh, got together with my knitting crew."

-- knitting posse? gang of knitters? needle wielders?

5. Train rides. I've been known to extend the length of my trip just to feel the train sway back and forth, look out the window, and knit. Flying just isn't as knitting-friendly -- narrow seats, no room for the knitting bag, fear that knitting needles will suddenly and without notice go the way of toothpaste and cosmetics.

and not

1. Snacks. Try as I might, I just can't figure out how to eat popcorn and knit. Maybe if someone would feed me ... But, there is an upside -- it stops me from digging right into that evil bag of Doritos if I have sox in my hands.

2. Movies. I can't do it in the dark.

3. Driving. I would if I could, believe me. (Note: this does not apply to being a passenger, but then I do have to suffer through DH's driving habits).

4. Sleep. See answer to #3, except for the reference to DH.

5. Blogging. Can't type and knit at the same time! Hmm, could try typing with toes ...

So, those are my thoughts -- feel free to respond with answers of your own!

We Shoot ... We Score!!!!!

I am so thrilled at Twig's (www.mapleontheweb.com) genius in setting up the Hockey Knitter's Knitalong. I can already tell it's going to be loads of fun, with good natured (not) rivalry :) especially between certain teams.

Dallas? Dead to Me. Forever. "No Goal" -- remember the foot in the crease?

And if forced, I'll root for any other Eastern Division team NORTH of the Mason-Dixon Line, no matter how many MDL warshcloths I might make. A hockey team in Florida? Give me a break.

In the famous last three words of the national anthem of our Canadian friends, those gentle giants to the north, "Drop the Puck"!

Another Fine Mess ...

... the yarn cabinet. Will I organize it? ever? Will I make something wonderful out of all those random skeins?

Suggestions gratefully accepted.

Tower O' Yarn

What fun I've had! Winding winding winding. This is only half of what I made into those little birthday cakes of yarn. My only regret is that I didn't get a swift and winder before this. No skein will stop me now!

Oh, and the yarn is that wonderful stuff I bought last year in Ireland -- heathery colors, thick -- a little scratchy -- now it only needs to tell me what it wants to be when it grows up!

And the Knitpicks Options? Love 'em. I don't find them to be too heavy at all, unlike Ms. Grumperina. The pointy ends are just right, and the join is smooth. I envision buying more -- maybe the 13 and 15's, and longer cables. I also picked up a pair of size 3 dps for heavier socks, and those are good too, although a tad too long for my comfort. I really prefer shorter sock needles, but have only been able to find them in wood -- the Brittany's, I think.

My biggest dilemma is what to knit first! The yummy alpaca/wool blend I got at the Hemlock Festival, or wrist/handwarmers (it is getting a little cool on my morning walks), maybe a hat ...

WARNING: HOCKEY RANT TO FOLLOW

I know it's a cliche, but ... so much yarn, so little time. EXCEPT ....
NHL Season starts on Wednesday!!!! Hurray!! And my Sabres are looking good. Well, if you totally ignore the new "third jersey". What a crock! What a marketing ploy! What an ugly Buffalo! You can check it out at www.sabres.com, but be prepared. At first I thought it was one of the Pittsburg jerseys -- dark blue almost black, yellowy-orange. What happened to going back to the traditional royal blue and orange. And, more importantly, where are the crossed sabres? On the shoulder? Give me a break. Actually, give me a cross-check.

Anyway, 83 games in the regular season. 83 evenings on the couch, knitting away. Drop that puck!

A long and winding road

No photos. No time. I'm winding!

I love the swift and winder. All the lovely yarn I bought in Ireland last year is creating a "tower" of wound skeins. And the new alpaca/wool from the Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Fest. I'm in heaven. It's knittiner Knirvana.

More tomorrow -- hopefully with photos. And I haven't even mentioned the Options needles!

It's Christmas!

My Knitpicks box arrived -- Options, yarn winder, swift!!! I just want to go home and play. Think the Judges will understand? After all, it's knitting!

Tame(r) Tuesday

No throbbing-vein Judges today; just Judges who don't mind keeping lawyers (and clients) waiting for over an hour for their pre-trial conference. Great idea, isn't it? Have both parties to a divorce wait outside a courtroom, staring at each other, shooting daggers with their eyes (no wait, that's the lawyers) for hours. I know why they have metal detectors at the courthouse door.

Anyway, here are the photos that wouldn't come through yesterday -- they have titles~

"When Good Yarn Goes Bad" or ... why I ordered the swift and winder.
It's lovely ribbon yarn from Cherry Hill, but a snarly mess. A winder probably wouldn't have helped, but a swift sure would!







"Chinese, Again?"
My unique way of making stash into coffee table art.









"She Came in Through the Bathroom Window"

... or, the color I painted our bathroom last week. The floor tile is going to be soft green. ribbit.






"Siamese on Shawl"
Need I say more?