skittermagoo!

Sockamagoo, part deux

This is also tonight's post part deux . . . the first attempt disappeared on me! The daylight also disappeared on me today, so both my photos are totally washed out by my camera flash.

I think in my internetless state, I forgot to tell y'all that I finished another pair of socks! These are my citrus socks, which are probably the slowest pair I've ever knit (I started them May 1, and finished them about 3 weeks ago). I went with anklets on these, with hopes to wear them in early fall (which here in North Texas is just before Thanksgiving).

stripey orange goodness, washed out by the flash

I love, love, love these socks, and the yarn (Trekking XXL) was great to work with! Even though I had to knit them on size US0 to get the gauge I wanted.

I've also been rocking along on my Sockapal2za socks . . . these are my first attempt at cables, and I'm totally addicted. Cables are so fun! I know they don't show up well in the photo, but here they are anyway:

I tried to get a shot with the cable rib stretched out a bit (it looks better that way), but it turned out to be a wonky shot of part of my hand and the sock all scrunched up.

Clapslowtis is on the back burner yet again, because I have been obsessive about these cables on little itsy bitsy needles.

AND I started a sleeve for the flame sweater. Three times, actually. But now I'm 10 rows into the chart, and it's super fun (though I still think that making increases every 7 rows is kind of whack. It means that sometimes you have to increase on the purl row, which isn't hard, but it threw me for a loop at first). Black yarn is a bitch to knit, though, especially after dark. So that's been a "daytime" project.

BTW, if you can't find a cable needle small enough to use with your US1 needles when knitting socks, a toothpick with the ends sanded down and waxed works really well!

OK, I have to go knit some cables now.

Cheers!

Guess where I'm blogging from?

Okay, I'll tell you.

HOME.

Yes, that's right, Verizon came through with flying colors and got our DSL hooked up . . . 4 days early! So now, after more than two months fighthing with SBC and trying in vain to speed up that slow boat, and after eventually being forced to fire their asses and hire "the other guy", Verizon did right by us and got us all connected and stuff.

We had a bit of a rough spot during setup when I foolishly tried to mess with the security settings on the modem, which promptly threw Hub off the 'net temporarily, and booted me off permanently. So we had to go back and redo some stuff, etc, blahblah, and now it's working! And FAST! Woot!

And of course I walked all around the house with my laptop making sure I have a wireless signal wherever I wanted to go. I even went and stood out on the deck and sure enough, I have juice! So when we eventually get some patio furniture and it cools down and the mosquitoes go away, I can even blog from the backyard. Wow.

Ya know, after all those weeks of not having internets at home and having to do all my online stuff from work, it's almost like having the web for the first time again.

Annnnnnnddddd, since I have absolutely no plans for the weekend besides finishing Harry Potter and knitting, I should have some pictures and other blogginess for you all. Yay!

Sockamagoo!

Blogging briefly from work today . . . still no internet at home (though according to Verizon, my DSL will be working August 2. Woot!)

It's been nothing but Sock Madness chez Skittermagoo this past week or so . . . okay, yeah, so I've been working a bit on other projects (One more repeat on Clapslowtis! Cast on for sleeve of flame sweater!), but the thing that's been on my mind most is socks, socks, socks!

Firstly, I ordered that Queen Kahuna sock book, and decided to try my hand at a pair of toe-up socks of Knitpicks sock garden yarn in Daffodil.

And like a good little knitter, I swatched . . .

swatcheroo!

And decided that yet again, I'm going to be using US0 needles. Or maybe US1s. Love those colors!!

I also started some socks for my Sockapal2za pal! I decided to do a variation of the Cable Rib socks that are in the current Interweave Knits mag; the main change being that I'm doing them on a long circular instead of DPNs, so I had to alter the pattern a teensy bit. Anyway, I swatched some Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn, and got gauge, and started. And decided that I didn't like the loosey-goosey-ness of how it was knitting up, and went down a needle size. Which may or may not come out okay; I may have to do some major alteration of the pattern (i.e. choosing a completely different one!) so that it'll fit my pal. See, that's where swatching got me.

Okay, yeah, I'll shut up and show you the goods! Jeez!

mmmm, cherry tree hill goodness in Nantucket Red

In other news, I had my first Plumber Encounter at my new house . . . and surprisingly it wasn't a bad one! I never did meet Mr. Plumber, but he did the thing that needed to be done (which was outside the house, so I didn't have to be home), left us an invoice under the doormat, left us spare parts, and charged about half as much as he'd originally estimated. Wow!

Agh, gotta get back to work . . .

Trying-to-catch-up Friday

Hey y'all. I know you were thinking I'd disappeared off the face of the planet or something. Or maybe not. Anyway, I'm here, just terribly busy at work, and since I still don't have internet at home (more on that in a sec), I've had no blogging time at all.

So today I'm trying to catch up at work . . . my experiment is not a very hands-on one, so I've got a couple of blocks of time to try and clean up the mountain of pieces of paper on my desk. It's bad, y'all. I had to start a full-scale archaeological dig yesterday just to find my to-do list. Basically my in-box has grown to the point that the whole desk is a giant pile of in-box. It makes me crazy.

The other good thing is that I'm leaving work early today! The bad thing is that the reason is because I have to go home and wait for the plumber. Who is going to replace my house's broken outdoor faucets. For approximately $275.*

That's $275 that will be taken from my unofficial spinning wheel and yarn fund. Grrrrr.

ANYway, in my other (outside work) life, I've been doing a bit of knitting . . . I finished the back of the flame sweater, and started the Sockapal2za socks, and I even did a row or two on Clapotis (which now should be known as Clapslowtis). But alas, I have no pictures today . . . my Stupid PC at work doesn't like my cardreader.

On the phone/internet/SBC/etc front, I had the pleasure of firing SBC on Monday, and hired Verizon to do my phone and internet, because SBC sucks and they weren't going to be able to hook up my DSL until sometime in 2009 (I'm exaggerating, but that's what it felt like). Oh, and also because SBC was billing me for DSL that I didn't actually have yet. So. Verizon is hired, the landline is already hooked up, and I should have DSL access by the 29th. We'll see if it happens! So far, so good, though.

*My home warranty apparently covers all the inside plumbing and faucets, but not the little spigots on the outside of my house.

p.s. I bought the new Harry Potter book last Saturday, but won't be starting it until today (probably while the plumber is plumbing). So don't tell me the spoilers, ok? Knowing me, I'll have it finished by Sunday.

Argh.

I was going to post yesterday, but I was too angry and frustrated . . . In addition to a thoroughly horrible morning, I spent 1.5 hours either on hold or being transferred or being hung up on by the stupid phone company.

Turns out SBC lied to me. Okay, maybe not lied, but definitely misled. They originally told me that my DSL would be activated on July 19. Now they are telling me that they won't even be able to give me a date of activation until August 15. (all of this is because Verizon owns the phone lines here, not SBC). Then they bill me for DSL service that I don't actually have.

So I'm on the hold with them right now, waiting to tell them that they are fired. Then I'm going to call Verizon and get set up with a new phone number and their DSL . . . I'm hoping that they will be able to accomodate me, and that I will have actual real internet access from home very soon.

Those SBC people, they lie.

The afternoon yesterday turned out ok, though, because I finally got my hair cut! Going to see Jason (my hair guy) always puts me in a better mood.

Ugh, this on-hold music is awful. I know it's designed to calm the angry customers, but all it does is make me more angry. Grrrrrrr.

It seems I spoke too soon

Somehow I knew I'd be jinxing myself with that last post . . . I am again without internet at home. Luckily, my DSL should be hooked up on Tuesday . . . let's all cross our fingers that it goes without some sort of SBC/Verizon/etc hitch!

I'm expecting that there will be some sort of problem with it. And no, I'm not a pessimist (usually); in this case I think I'm just being realistic.

In the work arena, I seem to be permanently wearing my cranky-pants lately . . . It's been so busy and I'm so overwhelmed by the piles of "stuff" on my desk and in my email inbox that it's all I can do not to just put my head down and weep. Luckily tonight I have knitting with my girls, and beer.

Back from the webless depths!

Shhhhhh . . . don’t tell anyone, but I have found a way to get onto the internet from home. It’s intermittent, but hopefully will work long enough at a stretch for me to get in a blog entry.

Sunday mornings around here mean yardwork and laundry and other household chores. So this morning I was organizing the stash a bit (mainly unpacking purchases from their shopping bags), and found some stuff I’ve been meaning to blog about!

Apparently when I don’t have internet, I spend money. On yarn. And shoes. (If for no other reason, I think the Hub will be sooo happy to have internet again . . . ).

So here are a couple of choice purchases from the last few weeks!

Y’all know how much of a sock yarn addict I am, right? (KFN girls, please quit laughing hysterically) Well, when faced with a new LYS* that carries Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn, how could I pass it up?

On top is the yarn I’m going to use for my Sockapal2za socks (Cherry Tree Hill in Nantucket Red). The other two are CashCotton, which will make some great little footies for me, me, ME! I haven’t decided exactly which pattern I’m using for the Sockapal2za socks, but whatever it is will be either lace or cables!

Speaking of LACE, I bought some laceweight yarn when NanC and I were in Austin a couple Saturdays ago. But here’s the thing: I have absolutely no idea what to do with it! I thought maybe I’d make that Birch shawl that everyone seems to be working on or just finishing. This stuff seems to be about the same weight as KidSilk Haze without the Haze, so I’m sure it would work. But I’m torn . . . I kind of like the idea of doing something that is either rectangular or starts at the point, in case I want to make it bigger than the pattern, etc. So here’s my plea – does anyone out there have a great idea of what I should make with this? I have about 1275 yards, and it’s sooooo soft.

Ohh, and I almost forgot! I had a major find at the Woolie Ewe a week or so ago . . . they have this fabulous clearance area where everything is half off . . . and look what I found!!

KFI Cashmereno! Thirteen balls of it! Half price!! Of course I bought all 13 (at half price how could I not), which should be plenty to make a whole sweater. Mmmmm, cashmere . . .

I also finished my broadripple socklettes!

And the Citrus Socks (which I may have shown in progress, or maybe not) have only one toe to be grafted and ends woven in . . . so photos of that next time. I got a ton done on sock#2 the other day during the two hours of waiting time I had at the doctor’s office. Yep, two hours. Grr.

Yesterday was a glorous no-plans Saturday, which was much needed Chez Skittermagoo. We did go to Home Depot, and tried a fabulous noodle place (Noodles Ave) for lunch, but other than that it was a nice long day of nothing. So I pulled my languishing Clapotis out of my bag last night and worked a repeat on it, and also did a bit on the Flame Sweater (I swore to Hub that I’d have it done before the three days of sweater weather we get here each year).

I think all I needed was a no-plans day to get restarted on all these things . . . we’ve been so busy on the weekends lately that I’ve barely had time to do more than a bit of knit, so I have been stalled on everything that wasn’t a sock. Stalled no more!

Okay, so I don’t want anyone to have a stroke or anything out of pure shock at an actual post with pictures and lots of words, so I’ll save the rest for next time. I’ll leave you with one of the only decent pictures of Abby I’ve ever taken (she usually ends up making some sort of weird face in pictures. Must get that from me.)

Cheers!

p.s. Did I mention that we have roses in our backyard?

*The Shabby Sheep, near downtown Dallas. No website yet, but I've heard it's in the works!