Stress Reaction

Peace and Quiet

2008-06-29T20:10:56Z

My hubby and the youngest are at the movies seeing Wall-E, and the daughter is at work, so the dogs and I are spending a lazy Sunday afternoon chillin'. With this abundance of quiet time, I found myself motivated to break out the macro lens and take some photos. I’m still in the groove with the cross-stitch, though having finished one project, I was reminded of a drawback to this noble art. It’s expensive to frame these babies!! Ouch! Still, I love the stitching.
Have another little piece of my heart now baby (love me some Janis)! And the macro. Work on 32-count linen with silk requires (for me) strong light and granny glasses. But the macro lens gives the illusion that I am stitching on a feed sack.
Proof that I have not completely abandoned my first love! Not so, my friends. This is delicate work indeed.

The Heart of the Matter

2008-06-12T00:29:44Z

Sick people scare me. Today was one of those days when reality reared back and slapped me upside the head and asked me “What in the hell do you think you are doing?" This guy came in with this funky heart condition which has required getting it "shocked back into rhythm” in the past, and oh, by the way, “my heart feels kind of funny”, and all of a sudden my heart is feeling kind of funny and I’m desperately longing for a run-of-the-mill sinus infection or allergy sufferer. It’s always a bit of a shock to be reminded of how little you know verses how much there is to know. It’s a good thing, but humbling non-the-less. On top of that, I’ve lost the knitting bug. My sister, a severe allergy sufferer, used to sit on the couch and snuffle and snort and there would be these piles of tissues strewn around her like snowdrifts. I feel like that. I woke up a week ago with a clear head and drifts of yarn around me and absolutely no desire to knit. Luckily, previous stitching bugs have infected me in the past, and they have cute patterns too.

How Much Fun Is This?

2008-06-03T00:57:04Z

1. Leah Peak, 2. Road trip to Vancouver, 3. california's 1st, 4. tulip, 5. josh-holloway_07, 6. Tea estates, 7. Greek Isles, 8. Crème Brulée, 9. How can I put into words what I feel?, 10. Pointing to Heaven, 11. It's raining light, Hallelujah!, 12. Suffering from fatigue & stress? Here is the cure! Created with fd's Flickr Toys. Via Katie. Here's what to do if you want to play along: a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search. b. Using only the first page, pick an image. c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker. The Questions: 1. What is your first name? 2. What is your favorite food? 3. What high school did you go to? 4. What is your favorite color? 5. Who is your celebrity crush? 6. Favorite drink? 7. Dream vacation? 8. Favorite dessert? 9. What you want to be when you grow up? 10. What do you love most in life? 11. One Word to describe you. 12. Your flickr name. (kid version: favorite animal?)

Sock Race

2008-05-06T17:30:59Z

Top Left: Traveling Vine in Seacoast Hand Painted
Top Right: Charade in Vesper
Bottom Left: Creeping Vines in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock
Bottom Right: Lenore in Socks That Rock Not to be confused with a foot race, three legged race, road race. In fact, I think I would be hard pushed to break a sweat with this race. But I have committed to not starting another pair of socks until at least two of these four are finished and ready to adorn someone's feet. Check out Ravelry (or Flickr) for the specs. Lot's of time on Ravelry here lately. Anyone besides me just luuuuurve Ravelry?

Pretty Is As Pretty Does - Or Not

2008-01-11T19:27:16Z

I alluded to the fact about a month ago that I am suspicious that Goldilocks and I are twins separated at birth. Her issue may be with porridge and chairs and beds, and mine with socks, but otherwise we are simpatico. As an example: The facts: The sock yarn: STR in Scottish Highlands. The needles: Addi Turbos The pattern: RPM. The skills: adequate. The conclusion: UGLY! Everything that could have gone wrong with this sock has gone wrong. The stripes are wonky (again; this is the second time I have tried to knit this skein; didn’t like the stripping the first time either), the short-row heel marginal (though, in my own defense, it is my first wrap-and-turn short-row heel; got to say: not a fan) the ribbing too tight and the leg too loose. Somewhere along the line I ended up with several breaks in the yarn along one side of the ball. Only thing I can figure is I stuffed it into my knitting bag on top of a partially open pair of scissors, because it was unbroken when I wound it from the skein. But because this is about the tenth (no exaggeration here folks, though I will spare you the photographic proof, as it would likely prove too painful for both of us) attempt at knitting a decent pair of socks, I persevered. Shouldn’t have, I know, but sometimes (as in always) we have to learn from our own mistakes. It’s not all bad Chez Stressreaction. I have put this monstrosity aside (I can hear your sighs of relief) and have found a pattern/yarn combo that seems to be working, and am over half way through the second sock. So maybe the curse has been lifted, or the spell broken, or the Karmic debt paid. Soon I should have something pretty to show you. In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed for me. The ones you don’t need for your own knitting that is.

How I Spent My Saturday Night

2008-01-08T04:54:29Z

This little clip was made to show my Dad (who I don't think quite believed me) how our little dog walks. The vet says that there is something wrong with the way his tail attaches to his spine. At any rate, it doesn't seem to give him any discomfort, and we get endless amusement out of it. The choice of music was my daughters. Obviously we are very bad people!

A Bit of the Old, and New

2007-12-11T20:57:01Z

Alternately titled: Winter Wonderland My A$$ (Thanks Terrisa)! Courtesy of the first winter ice storm of the 2007/2008 season here in Oklahoma, I am going on the fourth day of my weekend. Perfect conditions for some spinning. In fact, when the electricity was out for six hours yesterday, I felt almost like a pioneer woman spinning by the light of my (ahem*gas*ahem) fireplace. Ambience aside, I was glad when the power came back on. Of hardy stock I am not. Besides, only modern, digital technology could bring you these pretty pictures! Enjoy!

Just Right

2007-12-06T20:29:13Z

So I have had this whole Goldilocks thing going on with my knitting. I’ve cast on about five socks and it was always something. This one was too big, and this one was too small, and this one was too scratchy, and I began to think that something was amiss. And not just with my knitting. I’ve been noticing a general dissatisfaction with life as a whole. Maybe it’s the holidays, with the whole mustshop, mustshop, mustshop mantra pounding at my head, or the concern I have that my father told me recently that he just doesn’t "have the spirit” this year. (Ummm, at the risk of making someone jump off a building because I am saying it again: Mom died this year, Dad)! But I know, deep down, that it’s more than that. I need a purpose. Not in the physical sense (raising a family and healing the sick meet that need just fine). But in the spiritual sense. My greatest joy in my job is when I connect with someone on an emotional level. When they get that I get where they are coming from. That I have been there and understand in a way that has nothing to do with a textbook. I'm exploring options on that front, but in the mean time, I’m thinking this sock looks just right!
Collinette Jitterbug in Parrot

To Wine and Cheese

2007-11-25T17:56:40Z

Lured by wine and cheese, I went to my very first ever knitting meet up Tuesday. Literally the first time I have sat and knit in a room full of other knitters. This is huge for me. I’m not a meet up kind of person. In fact, I have often been struck by the irony of having chosen a career in which I must verbally and/or physically interact with 20+ people a day. Left to my own devices, I would probably be in real danger of becoming a shut in. Ordering both my food and various necessities online. But that’s for another day. So I went (dragging my loquacious non-knitting daughter with me), and it was fun. I worked on Lenore by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. (STR Club pattern. The only link I could find was in Ravelry). What a great pattern! * And the colors are to dye for (gawd, I crack myself up)! Turns out, I’m fairly challenged by knitting and talking at the same time. I would find myself knitting faster and faster as the conversation swirled around me, and before I knew it I was searching for missing yarn overs and puzzling over stitches that did not belong. If my fellow knitters noticed that I spent more time tinking than knitting, they were too kind to comment. Then again, it could have been the wine. *But I do have a confession. After two years of membership in the STR club, this is only the second time I found both the yarn and the pattern appealing enough to cast on immediately. The remainder of the club yarn remains in skeins and only one of the patterns knit (in an alternate color). So if you are in lust of an elusive club membership, scoot on over and you might just get lucky!

It's All In the Perspective

2007-11-16T19:48:10Z

So Amanda (still missing you by the way) over on Flickr is all about the futab, and once I ascertained the more benign definition of the acronym, I thought it would be a great way to introduce you to my final pair of Soctoberfest 2007 socks. (They were indeed finished in October. Getting them up on the blog just took a little longer).
Diagonal Rib Socks Pattern by Ann Budd, IK Winter 2004 (now available at knittingdaily.com) Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in Gold Hill Crystal Palace Bamboo dpn’s 2.5mm
I love, love, love this pair of socks, which leaves me at a loss to explain why it took me almost two years to get them off the needles. They just kept getting side lined by other projects, swap socks and life in general. Now we are complete! Sigh….

The Things We Learn, Lesson #2

2007-11-12T17:05:00Z

Hey Y'all! Welcome to New Bra Monday! And don’t go trying to tell me that wearing a new bra on a Monday is never a good idea, because I had that whole conversation with myself this morning and apparently I JUST DON’T LISTEN!!! All I’m thinking is its Monday, and who doesn’t need a little bit of extra support on a Monday? It’s got to make your Monday go better, right? Now I’m not one of those get ‘em measured, find the perfect fit, specialty bra kind of women. I’m pretty standard size and just about any Target or Wally World will carry a Playtex that will fit me. Thing is, I haven’t bought a new bra in awhile, and I forgot what un-relaxed elastic and new under wire can do to a person. We may only be talking a few inches here, but that lift is enough to make me feel like I my 5 foot 5 1/2 inch person is looking down at my desk over a 4-½ foot cement retaining wall! These puppies are indeed lifted and separated! I’ve had shoe sales persons tell me to walk around on carpeted floors and take an older, comfortable pair of shoes with you the first few times you wear your new shoes to work to change into in case they get uncomfortable. Never knew that applied to new bras. It would never have occurred to me to test-drive my new bra and take a back up bra to work with me. See what you get when you bargain shop for support garments? We live and learn! And for all of you offering support and prayers for my recertification exam, a big hug and a huge cheer! I received notification this morning that I passed! Yay!!!

I'm Still Here!!

2007-11-06T17:44:08Z

My peeps! I know you all are still out there, because I’ve been following your various antics on this here internets! Great thing, internets, isn’t it? You can do the whole lurking thing and keep up with you friends while maintaining a low profile yourself! Gotta love it. But really, the low profile on my end was not by choice. I’ve had my nose to the proverbial grindstone in the form of studying for my recertification exam. Funny thing about medicine; once every six years they want me to take this six-hour test and prove that I know enough to “do no harm”. Whaa? Anyway, I had to bring my head above the sand (or the pages) long enough to publicly thank Kat for a superb Special Swap package. The theme was Movie Night, and Kat can put together one of the best Friday Night Knit packages ever! A fabulous chick flick (ashamed to admit it, but one of my absolute favorite genres)! A treasure of a book: A Treasury of Knitting Patterns (Squeeeeeee)! Aromatherapy candles to set the mood, and finally some super soft Touch 4 ply Pure New Zealand Fine Wool for (I’m thinking) a fabulously lacy scarf! Kat, you rock my friend! Thank you so much for the much needed study break! PS. There was popcorn, too, but you all can guess how quickly that went!

The Monkeys Join...

2007-10-10T14:45:57Z

Socktoberfest! They talked me into it, those bad monkeys, and now they are too lazy for a proper photo shoot. They must have enjoyed a little too much beer and bratwurst. Lazy though they may be, in my opinion, they still hold on to their sense of style. So while they kick back on the hammock, I will fill you in on the particulars: Monkey Sock Pattern by Cookie A. (free at Knitty). I probably can’t say much about this pattern that hasn’t been said before. Its fun, very fast and I really enjoyed watching the pattern develop.* The only modification I made was a slipped stitch heel. The pattern called for stockinette on the heel, but I think the slip stitch heel holds its shape better and is more durable. Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in the Deep Sea Flower colorway (purchased at Sonny and Shear). This color is super saturated, vibrant and beautiful. It did stain my fingers and needles lightly while knitting but this was easily removed with a wet cloth. There was also some moderate bleeding of color during the Eucalan bath prior to blocking. The yarn is very, very soft. Very Smooshy. My only reservation is with the durability. Time will tell. *It has been my, thus far adhered to, practice to knit a sock pattern only once. There are just too many patterns out there that I want to knit. I have to say, however, that this pattern might just be an exception. It goes so fast and the pattern is so quickly memorized that I can easily seeing it becoming my “quick sock fix” pattern. Just lovely! If you haven’t knit a pair of Monkeys yet, what on earth are you waiting for?

The Price of Boredom

2007-10-03T20:08:32Z

Boredom gets me in trouble a lot. My ADD, hypomanic personality requires that I be doing something all the time. I want to climb walls and pick imaginary bugs off my skin if my hands aren’t occupied. So, as you can imagine, this forced hiatus from knitting or anything fiber related (spinning being out of the question as well) has been pretty hard to take. My best friend has kicked me to the curb in favor of married life (and I can't honestly say I blame her, because what is there more intoxicating than new love?), so what’s a girl to do? I’ve taken to bug photography. These little suckers have decimated the leaves of my cannas. With my luck they will be calling their little buddies and gunning for my wool stash next.
Please excuse the butt shot. With four dogs, it's virtually impossible to avoid. I adopted a couple of puppies. The one on the left is Bébé. She came home with me from the shelter about a month after my mother died. She was in a cage in the cat room, starving, shivering and crying. They said she tested positive for Parvo and the previous owners didn’t want to mess with her. The timing being what it was, I couldn’t just leave her there to die, since all they had the ability to do was offer her food and water. The antibiotics and IV fluids required to keep her alive cost more than any pure bred, but as you can see, she is healthy and much loved. The one on the right has no name. He came home with me because his previous owner just had a baby and didn’t have time for both. We haven’t named him yet because his personality is still developing, but I am leaning towards Darcy. He has green eyes (seriously; I’ve never seen a dog with green eyes before), and I've always imagined Mr. Darcy with green eyes. So my dog total now stands at four, which puts me at serious risk of a husband total of zero. Serious trouble.

It's Getting Cooler and Fall Is on the Way...

2007-09-20T05:48:04Z

Correct me if I am wrong, but somehow I’m thinking that this is not what Keri had in mind for her Fingerless Mitts for Fall KAL. What do you think, Keri? Would this win me any points for style? Thought not. I have a rather painful case of tendonitis in my right wrist. While it represents multiple challenges to activities such as knitting and other, I assure you, quite necessary personal functions, it was worth it. I now have cute office furniture. And before my hand was laid low by super heavy particle board, I managed to finish up one Monkey and start the mate. I fell in love with these socks when I saw (now sadly blogless) Amanda’s version in blue. So as to not induce severe withdrawal symptoms, I did not completely abandon my habitual purple color family, but instead selected Dream in Colors Smooshy Sock Yarn in Deep Seaflower. Me likey a lot!