Now We’re Cookin’ part 2

First of all, an apology for yesterday’s rather melodramatic post.  Overcast rain-y thunder-y lightning-y weather tends to darken my mood.  Yes, there was water on the basement floor, right where it came in before (in my playroom, of course) which is, of course, one of the areas that was supposedly fixed before we poured ten thousand dollars worth of concrete on that side of the house.  So here’s what I have deduced:  The guy fixing the cracks on the outside of the foundation missed one.  The guy putting in the gate at the edge of the concrete has dug a hole and cemented in the gatepost, but since the gate hasn’t been installed yet (that’s supposed to be on the 12th- reference Donny Osmond song from the 60’s; ask me if you need help with that) the hole hasn’t been filled and the landscaping hasn’t been raised at the corner of the house.  Rain+hole+gravity+mystery crack= some water in the basement and a bad attitude for a few hours until the sun came out.  We are going ahead with the carpet install in a few weeks, and I am moving into my splayroom by the end of August come hell or high water.  (That takes on a more literal meaning these days.)  Thank you for all the supporting indignation.

Now, to justify the “now we’re cookin’ ” title of today’s post, I have just consumed my first Green Monster.   My older son put me onto this, and while I don’t think I’ll do it every day, it can’t hurt once in a while.  Whoever knew that bananas, blueberries and spinach could taste so good?  And don’t I look better?

There has been a modicum of knitting here, but truthfully (and don’t tell the Chancellor of the Exchequer) most of the Fibre Energy has gone into Stash Enhancement.  A little bit here, and a little bit there.  It all feeds the mojo.

 

 

 

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Now We’re Cookin’ (part 1)

Take one contractor who seems to be avoiding text messages, add one scheduled carpet installation, sprinkle generously (really, really generously) with rain. Result: Water in my basement, with a side order of depression and maniacal laughter.

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Lost and Found

The Canada Post “job action” is over, and I have started to receive a few things that have been lost in Limbo for the month of June.

From WEBS:

The Ella Rae Lace Merino is a discontinued colourway, and while I cannot imagine using all three skeins on one project, the price was so good I just had to order three. The Misti handpainted lace has no project assignment either, but I love colourway. The Kauni I ordered after attending the Stitches conference, and also has no specific assignment. Lucy Neatby uses it in a few different patterns, so I will just let something evolve on its own.

From our local bookseller, McNally Robinson:

Not sure how I missed this one on my radar, but it looks great. There is one pattern at which I draw the line: I refuse to knit up a sock blank, dye it and then knit it into a sock. I have too much of a backlog to knit something twice on purpose. (There is a difference between this and having the yarn protest midway through a project that it really wants to be something else.)

A few more books:

The folk series is great because if Mike says I don’t need another pattern book, I can point to the historical information and call it a scholarly work.

Finally, from Knitpicks:

Getting these parcels was like Christmas. I had almost forgotten what I had ordered. Especially from the “What the hell was I thinking?” department:

Who on earth ordered these?

Oh yeah. Part of a bundle.  Right. Not my favourite colour, but perhaps someone I know would be happy with yellow and grey socks.

The red socks are coming along slowly.

Do you want to know how much my back was bugging me over the last 2 weeks?  Even if you don’t, I’m going to tell you.  The first week I couldn’t sit, and couldn’t knit, and I didn’t even care.   The last week I’ve started to feel more like myself  (with the assistance of  a new toy) and the socks should be finished in the next day or two.

On the summer agenda:

A wedding:  My oldest nephew is tying the knot.  Nuptials to take place at the bride’s parents’ farm.  Not quite sure what to wear, although I have been advised that rubber boots will not likely be needed.

Finishing the yard reconstruction.  All that’s left is odds and ends, and putting down new sod.  Then we can “furnish” the new patio, and wait for bats to move into the newly-installed Bat House (complete with Bat Sign on the top to help them find it).  Then, if they follow the plan, they will proceed to eat all the mosquitoes in the yard so we can actually sit outside.

Finishing the basement work:  We have to paint over the new drywall patching, call in the carpet layers to (re)install the new carpet, paint and install baseboards, install new ceiling tiles, and what should be the most interesting job of all, reassembling the Bowflex.

Dare I say it?  Move into the new Playroom.  (I hope I haven’t gone and put a hex on the whole thing.)

The one thing that cannot be delayed, sadly, is our company yearend.  Now that I can sit for more than three minutes at a time, I have no excuse for avoiding the books.  So, fortified by yet another cup of Kahlua-flavoured coffee, I take my leave of you and head to my office.

(a few minutes pass)

Rats, I thought that just by typing it, the work might do itself.  Now I actually have to show some discipline.  Bye for now.

(a few more minutes go by)

No, really.  I’m off to work.

(lunch time.  I can always work this afternoon.)

Sigh.  No wonder I’m always 3 months behind.

 

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