Blithering Knitiot

Hey, I'm moving!!!!

2006-08-19T13:47:00.000-04:00

Hey there! Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm moving to a new neighborhood! You can now find me HERE! Thank you to Dave Daniels for doing a PSA yesterday to let you all know that I was moving. I couldn't get access to my blog for several days, so I decided to do a little shuffle. So, change your bookmarks and bloglines of you are inclined to do so, and I hope to hear from you soon! Have a great day! Paul

A note from Ann...

2006-08-14T19:13:00.000-04:00

Ann said:
You know..if you aren't going to talk about knitting...then you really need to start wrtiting bodice ripper short stories for your blog. I'm just sayin' you need to keep us interested, coming back for more.

I'm sorry. I know I haven't been knitting, and this was intended to be a knitting blog. And yeah, not pressured or stressed about anything at the moment, and yeah, school will start in a few weeks and all hell will break loose, and yeah, I won't have lots of time to sit around and eat bon-bons, and yeah, I know I have a pair of mittens to make for Bitchin' Mittens, and yeah, I know you come here to read about what I'm working on, which at the moment, is nothing.

SO, to keep YOU interested and coming back to read my blog (and YOU know who YOU are), I'm going to follow YOUR advice! I'm giving you a "Bodice Ripper" kit. Now, I'm not much of a writer of smut, although I do have quite a "colorful" vocabulary, and have been know to make truck drivers blush, or at least speechless. Here's what YOU do:

Take any of the following words, in any conjugation, in any order, and put them in sentences, and Voila! Bodice Ripper! (I'm not putting them in any order - that would be too easy for YOU, and I want YOU to have FUN!)

YOUR words:

heaving, wet, moist, torso, thigh, breast, lick, kiss, touch, grope, taste, bite, hair, mound, manhood, nape, bicept, sweat, bulge, crevice, pound, delight, thrust, moan, wimper, cry, scream, knees, give, take, groan, smile, eat, engulf, envelop, finger, leg, arm, pubis, ram, torture, tie, gauntlet, cod piece, stuffing, ooze, throbbing, spread, sit, force, man handle, pinch, twist, nipple, tug, pull, stroke, shoot, facial, eye, nose, gag, forest, pecs, shoulders, waste, buttocks, kneel, prone, nibble, ear, honey, wine, cherry, chocolate, nonpariels, swine, sword, sheath, handle, water, slide, grunt, declaration, eye patch, dun, wooden leg, spire, parrot, whistle, hand, pressure, goat, thief, pirate, page, widow, virgin, slut, whore, bastard, horse, mule, spigot, hose, dumpster, bed, table, tree, staircase, ship, bank vault, carriage, saddle, Woody Allen, grease, poker, ash can, water closet, broom handle, bodice, corset, bloomers, stockings, wart, knuckle, Lizzie Borden, hatchet, mutton broth, pears, corn cob, Crisco, rolling pin, apron, French Maid, fish-net stockings, stiletto heels, satin, silk, flow, drip, and crank shaft.

There. Feel free to add words of your own (I'm sure I must have missed several), and remember, have fun. Especially YOU

Oh, and while YOU'RE writing YOUR Bodice Ripper, have a cookie. They're tasty.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA......... *sigh*
I love my knitting friends...... I Love You, Ann!!!

Nothing

2006-08-13T23:30:00.000-04:00

So, it seems that there hasn't been a whole lot of knitting going on lately. Well, actually, there's been NO knitting going on. I was very frustrated by this, and I just couldn't place my finger on it. No knitting. No desire to knit. No motivation what so ever to pick up the needles and knit. And it's not because I don't have the time to knit - I teach, and it's summer. HELLO!!! I have 24/7 to knit. And I know it really pisses off some of you. (I'm sorry, I don't make up the school schedule, I just live by it.) I've been trying very dilligently to make my apartment more livable and functional. I've been on 3 seperate trips this summer (I was gone most of July). So why wasn't I knitting?....

Then this morning as I was walking Lizzie, enjoying the incredible weather that we've had here in central New York over the past couple of days, it hit me: no stress. I have no stress in my life at the moment. No schedules, no play rehearsals, no lessons to give, no grades to calculate, no concerts to give, no petty co-workers to deal with, no little commute to school. Nothing. Knitting is an escape for me, and there's nothing to escape FROM at the moment. Please understand, this is a temporary state of being - September will be here before you know it and the poop will hit the fan. THEN there will be stress. THEN there will be schedules, play rehearsals, lessons to give, grades to calculate, concerts to give, petty co-workers to deal with, commuting to school.... And knitting. That daily escape..... I'm thinking there may be something on the needles before school starts - I do have a pair of mittens to make that I've committed to, and I'm sure they may get cast on any day now... I hope....

Change of subject:
This is a train bride that stands in the town I grew up in, Nicholson, Pa. Completed in 1915 for the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, it's 2,375 feet long and stands 240 feet above the Tunkhannock Creek. Kinda cool, huh?

Have a great day!

The view...

2006-08-12T12:22:00.000-04:00

From a rear window of my apartment. Very clear sky today, and beautiful breezes. Very nice...

Enjoy your day!

Not MY sky...

2006-08-07T19:09:00.000-04:00

Hey there! I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Really. But, I wasn't home (again). I was visiting my good friend Molly at her home in central Florida. This is HER sky. Isn't it amazing??? I think so, too.

We spent the week getting caught up with our lives, visiting art museums and seeing other friends who have made the move from upstate New York to live in the sunny state of Florida. So, it was a very relaxing week with good friends and good food, and several afternoons spent in Molly's pool.

Even though it was an awesome week, it is good to be home. I guess.....

Home away from home...

2006-07-29T17:10:00.000-04:00

This was the lovely view from our room in New York:

Actually, the room was great, what was outside the window left a little to be desired, though. Which is ok, cause really we were there to see shows, not sit in the room and stare out the window. The shows we were able to see (in this order) were: Avenue Q , Forbidden Broadway SVU , The Drowsy Chaperone, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Needless to say, we had a wonderful time at the theatre seeing some really awesome musicals. The Drowsy Chaperone was by far our favorite. If you get a chance to see it, YOU MUST!!!! Avenue Q is also a must see - extremely clever and funny.

Now, we also met up with friends who live in NY. This is the view from the balcony of their apartment:

Another friend who lives in NY works at the Metropolitan Opera in the costume shop, and we were fortunate to get a tour of the costume shop and other areas of the Met. It was really amazing to see what goes on behind the scenes. I think opera might be on the agenda the next time we go to NY...

And I'm sorry to say that we didn't get to a yarn shop while in NY. We were having a theatre fix, which hasn't happened in about 5 years, so we were really focused on plays, and eating, and plays, and eating, and plays... Well, you get the picture! LOL!

Again...

2006-07-25T00:09:00.000-04:00

Yep. I'm off on another little getaway. This time a few days in New York City to see a couple of Broadway shows with some very wonderful friends that I don't get to see very often. We've all worked together producing, directing, or performing in shows over the past 15 years, and every now and then we like to see somebody else producing, directing, or performing in shows. Since we're going to be gone for several days, my Lizzie gets a little vacation as well. She will be staying with my brother and his family. They have a dog and two cats, so she'll have lots of fun playing with them. She's very good with other animals, so I know she'll have a great time.

Can you just get in the car so we can go?? Huh?

See ya soon!

Favorite Color Swap

2006-07-23T16:23:00.000-04:00

So, since we have recieved our Favorite Color Swap Pals, these are the questions we were asked to answer.

Favorite Color Swap Questionnaire
1. What are your top three favorite colors?
I tend to like earth tones - greens, reds, golds, browns
2. What crafts do you really enjoy?
I knit, and have in the past crocheted.
3. What products do you really covet?
I really have grown very partial to INOX dpns for knitting in the round.
4. What other activities do you enjoy besides your favorite crafty things?
I swim at the local gym (regular swim trunks, no speedos for me...), and I also am very active in the local community/high school theatre scene directing plays.
5. Is there anything you collect?
Not really a collector, unless your talking about adding to the yarn stash. In the past I used to collect pressed glass candle sticks, but after having to dust them constantly, I
gave that up....
6. What is your zodiac sign and/or Chinese zodiac symbol?
Pisces/Rabbit
7.What are your favorite…
…scents/smells?
Lilacs in the spring, anything citrus.
…types of music and/or bands?
I listen to a lot of choral and classical music, more so than current pop music. it depends
on my mood what I have in the CD player.
…authors?
I don't really have a favorite author, but I read a lot of biographies and non-fiction.
…animals?
Dogs, of course, and I'm thinking about getting a cat to keep my dog company.
…places to shop?
Anyplace unusual or out of the ordinary. Antique shops, flea markets.
…season?
Fall, then spring is a close second.
…yarn/fabric/paper/other craft supplies?
Favorite yarns? I appreciate good wool, wool/silk blends.
…candies or goodies?
Yes.....
8. Do you have any wish lists?
No
9. Are you allergic to anything?
No
10. Do you have any pets? What are they?
A dog - Lizzie. She is a chow/shepherd mix.
11. Please include anything else you would like your secret pal to know about you- anything that would be helpful in finding you little gifts that you will really enjoy.
Anything that's not here that my color swap pal thinks he/she needs to know can ask me.

So, there you have it, in a nut shell. Feel free to ask about what you don't see....

Saturday Sky???

2006-07-22T09:47:00.000-04:00

This is the view from my living roon this morning. I question the sky part. I'm sure there's one up there somewhere, but with all the rain and thunder and lightning, it seems to be hidden. We also have flash flood warnings as well, so I'm just assuming it's gonna be a very wet, very dark day. *sigh*

Oh, the little red mission style house is for sale. Would anyone like to buy it for me? I'll be your friend.... hehehehe....

Pondering... Over Coffee

2006-07-19T07:56:00.000-04:00

Good Morning! So, since I mentioned I got some SOHO Tweed this past weekend, I thought that maybe those of you who actually knit (cause it seems I'm not one of them at the moment) would like to see what I came home with. I got 6 skeins, 3 natural with flecks of browns and yellows, and 3 skeins of a beautiful deep green with flecks of purple, yellow, and a little red.
Now I just need to figure out what they will become. Am I the only one who sees yarn, has to have it, buys it, and has no idea whatsoever what to do with it? I'm assuming not... I'm sure that sometime when I'm holding it and studying the colors and textures it will come to me in a vision as to what this lovely little bundle should become.

And for Diana, a little close up:

(Oh yeah, Dave has a Cafepress shop. Or I think he still does. Ask him about it, I'm sure he'll let you shop there... Hehehehe......)

Back Home

2006-07-18T16:54:00.000-04:00

So, I'm home. The weekend in New Jersey was really awesome! Saturday was spent in Cape May, wandering, shopping and eating. What a lovely little tourist town - lots of little shops to browse in, and little cafes and restaurants to eat in, and I even found a nice little yarn shop and came home with several skeins of SOHO Tweed! WooHoo!!! And yes, postcards and souveniers were bought and sent....

Sunday morning was spent at the beach. It was HOT! We got there a little after 9:00am, and the sun was brutal! We found quite a nice open area to lounge in, and by the time we left, which was about 11:30, the beach was packed, and they closed the beach parking by 10:30. The line of cars waiting to get in to the beach when we left was astounding! It's quite a hoppin' little place in the summer!

This was the beach when we first got there:

The afternoon was spent at the home of relatives of my friend Eileen. They were going to an afternoon family gathering, so they let us use their house and pool for the afternoon while they were gone. The pool was wonderful, and we felt like we were at our own private resort:

So, between lots of wandering, shopping and lounging in the sun and the pool, it was quite a relaxing and fun weekend.

But the thing that made it the most memorable was the wonderful people I was with. I am really very fortunate to have very kind, loving friends. Eileen's relatives, with whom we stayed, are some of the most delightful and people I have met in many years. I have never felt more comfortable with people I have just met, and I can only hope that when anyone comes to my home, that they feel as welcome as I was made to feel this past weekend. It was like coming home from a long journey. Eileen's Step Mom, Edda, said she can't remember being around a group of people who spent so much time laughing. Which is what we do best...

I think we all came home with some wonderful memories....

Not much going on...

2006-07-14T09:48:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I posted anything. Maybe because I've done practically no knitting. I've been goint to Physical Therapy religiously, piddling around the house in little spurts to get more things thrown out or organized, reading lots of blogs, walking Lizzie and brushing her and giving her a bath, and just everyday ordinary stuff.

I am taking a little excursion this weekend with friends to the Jersey Shore. Shopping, tooling around, going to a beach, and pretty much relaxing and laughing like idiots. And maybe taking a little knitting project to work on... Should be a fun time. We'll be back Monday night, and hopefully I will have some pics to share. And maybe a fun story or two to post about. Have a great weekend, stay cool, and see ya naxt week.

NOT Saturday's Sky

2006-07-07T22:15:00.000-04:00

Why is this NOT Saturday's Sky! Well, first of all, this is Friday. Secondly, I took this picture yesterday, Thursday (while I was organizing my stash). And lastly, I never signed up for Saturday's Sky, so this is my own little silly curve on it. (Please forgive me, but I couldn't resist...)

Have a great night!

Organizing Stash

2006-07-06T13:00:00.000-04:00

I've never been good at organizing. Ever. I just don't think that way. I deal really well with clutter, and I don' tmind having a few things out of place. So, now that I have some time, I decided to attempt to organize my life and throw out stuff I don't need. I also decided to try to organize my stash so that I could fine yarn I bought easily, and to see what it was I actually bought or was given.

I have this odd little room in my apartment that about 7' by 18'. Yeah, odd. And it's been paneled with knotty pine, and has a wall of built in shelves. These shelves are not very deep, and not very fuctional at all. So, what I ended up doing was to use them for video tapes, CD's, and my stash and knitting books. I have several baskets stuffed with yarn. One for yarn from Dave, and one for yarn from my Dye-O-Rama buddy Cayli, and other baskets for purchased yarn, and little things I have been working on or swatching. I also have yarn in the wardrobe closet (the acrylic stuff I won't admit to most people that I have - so it's tucked away so no one will be offended...), and on top, vases with knitting needles, and a wire basket of some swatching. If you look closely, there is a very old "Alka Seltzer" bottle next to the little lamp. In it are my Grandmothers tiny crochet hooks she used to make doilies. They're like a little treasure. I have no desire to crochet anything with those tiny hooks, but they're nice to have.

This wasn't very easy for me, and I'm sure someone who is "anal retentive" would probably walk in and arrange it all differently, but for now, this is where it is, and this is where I'm keeping it. For now....

Unusual

2006-07-03T21:37:00.000-04:00

So, still getting shit thrown out. No big news there.... But, I did something this afternoon that I never do. Ever. After walking Lizzie and doing a few little odds & ends around the house, I crawled into bed and read. Yep, a book. And not a biography, as I am wont to delve into, or something historical and non-fiction, but a novel. A fun little read called The Reluctant Tuscan by Phil Doran. And I read for about 3 hours. I'm kinda shocked, I gotta tell ya. I never read expect in bed before I go to sleep. Oy... But it's a fun little book, and I'm amazed at the Italian dialogue that is recognizable (there are a lot of Italian references, and one of them is lyrics to an Italian art song I teach the kids). So, I guess it kinda grabbed my attention....

And I did get a little more done on my recycled bathmat. I'll post a pic when it's finished. And I have a plan in the making for my Bitchin' Mittens, so that's next on the needles, I think. Have a great night!

Still Purging

2006-07-02T21:39:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I'm still in my "purge the apartment till it hurts" mode. It's kinda become addiction-like. I have to throw things out on a daily basis or I don't feel like I've been productive. Yesterday I took a load of stuff to the local dump - including a broken recliner and a very old, very thread-bare nasty oriental rug. No, it never was a nice rug, so it was ok to let it go. I'm always amazed at the things I've held on to over the years. I keep thinking that if I continue in this manner, I WILL find Jimmy Hoffa and solve the mystery.

I did start a quick knitting project today. It comes from a neat little book called "The Comfort Zone" by Juliet Bawden. It's not a knitting book, but it's got lots of projects for the home, and this little project happens to be knitted. It's a VERY simple little bath mat, in garter stitch, knitted out of scraps of fabric instead of yarn. It's very cool! For fabric, I'm using an old king size bed sheet (I no longer have a bed that big, so the sheets are pretty much useless) which has stripes of muted blues, greens, purples and golds. I've cut the sheet lengthwise with the stripes so the mat has a quasi striped effect. Oh, and it's knitted with size US 13 needles. It's like knitting with telephone poles after the US1's I've been using for those socks (which I've put on the back burner for a little bit. I think I'm going blind from the small stitches). So, I should have a new bath mat in a day or so, and then maybe I'll have the notion to get back to those socks....

Hi Honey, I'm Home!

2006-06-29T20:17:00.000-04:00

Hello!

The computer is home, and life is good! Everything is working well, and I can now chat and terrorize Dave and Ann whenever I want. Yes, life IS good!

So, during my little hiatus, I did some purging of my little home. These are the times I hate being a pack-rat! So, I threw out a lot of shit, and now there is lots more room to collect more shit! And I re-arranged a couple of rooms and moved things around to make better use of the space I have. Hopefully, I made some good choices. Time will tell.

And, I started physical therapy Tuesday. I'm having a little trouble with my left knee. It seems that three muscles in my quads are working against the fourth muscle causing my knee cap to veer to the left, not straight on as it should. So I have exercises to do, and I have the ok to swim again. I haven't been in the pool for about 2 months, so it was really awesome to be back in the water. I only swam 900 yards, but I thought that wasn't bad for a first time back in the water.

And I was stopping by the local library quite frequently to check my e-mail, and I did check out several knitting books they had. I also learned that one of the librarians is also a spinner, and her brother is a knitter (he learned to knit while he was in the navy). The things you learn at the library.....

So, that's what I've been up to lately. Thank you to all of you who were concerned or left nice little messages. It's good to be back...

A Little Respite

2006-06-25T21:17:00.000-04:00

Hi there! My lap top is going to the computer doctors tomorrow morning for a yearly checkup, so I'll be offline for about a week or so. This will give me some time to do more purging of my apartment and throw out more shit I don't use or need, get back to swimming, paint the bathroom, tear out some nasty carpeting on my stairs, organize my CD's, take a couple of bags of clothing to the Salvation Army, and spend time with Lizzie.

Oh yeah, and I'll have time to knit. Remember knitting? I think I used to do that......

See ya soon, and stay out of trouble. I know I will.

Don't miss me too much...

The end....

2006-06-23T18:50:00.000-04:00

No, not the end of my blog. Although with the lack of activity here in knitland......

But, no, the end of the school year. Testing is all done, grades are all done, and tomorrow is graduation. Finally. And I was only invited to 12 graduation parties this year. It's a slow year, I must be slippin. LOL! Last year I had 11 parties graduation day (plus more the day after graduation). Oy... So, I go, I make an appearance, I give a little gift, and I'm on my way to the next one. And I did all my graduation shopping tonight in less than 1 hour. It all kinda just fell into place. Now I have to fill out cards to go with the gifts, and get through the weekend of parties. And then the summer is mine.

I have a couple of little trips planned for the months of July and August. A long weekend at the Jersey Shore, a trip to NCY to see a couple of shows, and a week in Florida to visit a very dear friend that I do not see often enough.

And I may even pick up the needles again. My fingers have been itchin a little to get some wool around them, so we'll see what the future brings. Have a great weekend!

Blonde by Design

2006-06-19T13:27:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm very excited that my friend Samantha has a blog! She's not a knitter. She's a very entertaining, beautiful blonde. She always finds the right things to say, has the best advice, and her stories, I think, are a hoot! She writes like she talks, so reading her reminds me of sitting on the beach with a margarita in one hand and Jimmy Buffet playing in the background while you have a little chat! She's one of my dearest friends, and has helped to get me through some very trying times. I can't imagine what life would be like without her. If you have a moment and want a little chuckle, you can visit her here:

http://blondeoxygenbydesign.blogspot.com/

So if you stop to visit, tell Sam I sent ya!

I love you, Sam!!

Nada...

2006-06-17T11:42:00.001-04:00

Well Good Morning! I see it's been almost a week, and no pics of my Trekking socks. That might be because I've done nothing with them since last weekend. Not a thing. Not a stitch, not a round, nada... Why? Well, this past week was the last week of school for the kids, and it's been very exhausting keeping things under control and still trying to get the last few things done for the end of the year. Now we're in the throws of state regents testing, so although there are no classes, there are scheduled tests and duties to get done before graduation on the 24th. So, although there is a major change in schedule for a week or so, it's been quite exhausting. It's amazing how tiring proctoring two tests in one day (yep, the whole day) can be. So, coming home to a beer and a nap and no desire to knit has been the typical day this past week. Oy...

The only knitting I have done this week was swatching for the Bitchin' Mittens knit-a-long. And I'm not thrilled with what that is looking or feeling like, so I may change my game plan all together. Hopefully I'll get in the mood to get back to my socks this weekend and have a pic or two by Monday. Enjoy your weekend and do something fun!

More...

2006-06-11T23:00:00.000-04:00

Ok, so after knitting furiously today, and managing to get a little laundry done as well, I have heel gussets. Exciting, isn't it? hehehehe...

You know you wanna!

2006-06-11T08:42:00.000-04:00

Ok, so, how about a knit-a-long that has some very open ended rules, you don't have to send anything to anyone, and for the most part, you can do whatever the hell you want? How does that sound? Then you really need to check this out:

I think Dave has outdone himself with this one! Your mittens pretty much can be anything you want them to be - wearable or not - functional or decorative art - it's all up to you! And for those of us who are so random that we usually have to look for our car keys every morning (or the dog...), this gives us a wide berth for creativity and making changes at the drop of a hat! So, grab those needles and make some mittens!

Turned Heels...

2006-06-09T22:17:00.000-04:00

So, a little more progress. This sock thing is really kinda cool!

Heel Flaps...

2006-06-08T22:15:00.000-04:00

Yes, they are heel flaps. Nothing more need be said.

A little more...

2006-06-05T21:24:00.000-04:00

This is about 2" done on each of the cuffs of the socks (a bit better view of the colors as compared to yesterday's pic). I'm really liking the way the colors flow, and apparently there is some type of pattern in the striping of the yarn. I had no clue that the knitting would look like this from the look of the original skein. I'm thinking this is way cool.

So, my "vision" for the socks is to have a short cuff of 2.5 or 3 inches (cause I like wearing the shorter socks in the summer). What do you think? I'm open to your comments. Have a great night!

Yep...

2006-06-04T18:54:00.000-04:00

The socks are started. Trekking XXL color #131. US1 dpns. Woo Hoo!!!

Long day...

2006-06-03T19:48:00.000-04:00

So, it as a long, wet day. I was at a marching band competition, which concluded with a 3 hour long parade with about 35 marching bands strutting their stuff. I was not in charge of this yearly event, but I did volunteer to help with the electronic tabulation of the scores for each band. This basically meant that I'd put data into the computer, given to us by the judge's scoresheets, and double check the scores with 3 other people, and rank the outcomes. Usually a big event in our community, the crowds were a little smaller today because of the constant rain we had today. Cancelling the parade was discussed, but that would only happen if it began thundering and lightning. It did not, so we had thousands of kids marching and playing, and thousands of parents and spectators, all getting wetter by the minute. And where was I during all of this? We, the tabulators, were situated in a school bus with our lap top computers. We did not really see much of the parade - we were busy with score sheets from the judges. We heard it, but were glued to our computers. So basically, I spent my day in a bus with my computer, and a couple of very fun, wacky people. We laughed frequently, and, in hindsight, it was a good day.

This is my favorite tree on the school campus. Notice the grey sky. This was at the brightest part of the day, when the raining had stopped for about 45 minutes...

I'm hoping to cast on for my socks tomorrow. I'm kinda getting antsy to get them started.

Swatching...

2006-05-30T21:15:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm doing a little swatch of this yarn, Trekking XXL, for the Trek-A-Long. I've swatched with a size US1, and a size US2 (The US2 is the needle in the pic. I used US1 for the beginning part which is the first section below the garter stitch divide). I'm thinking that I like the look and feel of the US1. It's a closer knit, which I think would be really good for socks to hike in.

I think I have till August 31 to finish them and get a pic of me hiking in them.... I think I'm screwed....

Well, well, well...

2006-05-28T22:05:00.000-04:00

The thumbs seemed to have gone a lot quicker than I expected:

I guess we're gonna have an early Labor Day, huh Dave? Hehehehe....

P.S. - Since many of you have asked, the mitten pattern comes from the book "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns" by Ann Budd.

Soon...

2006-05-28T09:29:00.000-04:00

Look, Ma, no thumbs! Hehehe... Ok, ok... Yes, I've been working on these things FOREVER! I realize that. But again, I never said I was in this for speed... (And I'm using size 2 needles, for Heaven's sake!) Hoping to get the thumbs done in the next day or two, so I can start my first pair on socks for the Trek-a-Long (I guess it's a good thing that the Trek-a-Long goes till August 31st, huh?).

The flash really washed out the colors, but I really just wanted to show you that, indeed, progress is being made....

She got it!

2006-05-26T14:11:00.000-04:00

Very cool! My Day Swap Buddy got her yarn and the other goodies I sent her! And she likes them! I'm so pleased! Her blog is here. This is what she said:

You are AWESOME!!!! Thank you so much! I am going to read your blog & learn about my dye o rama buddy!! Thank you so much!!! I LOVED EVERYTHING!!!!

Is that sweet, or what? You're welcome, Cristina! Have an awesome day!

Just a Quickie...

2006-05-23T21:30:00.000-04:00

So, I sent out the yarn today for my Dye-O-Rama swap buddy. I hope she likes it. I think she will, from the e-mails and info I got from her. I'm hoping to have those mittens done by June - I've started the decreasing of the main part of the second mitten, then all I will have to do are the thumbs. Looking forward to that.

Just for kicks, a little gratuitous theatre shot:

Some of my favorite babies in a Rodgers & Hart review, summer of 2004. Great kids. Four of the six are either majoring or minoring in music or musical theatre in college. I'm kinda proud....

Remembering

2006-05-20T13:26:00.000-04:00

Again, another big thank you to Cayli for the beautiful yarn. I can't help but smile when I just look at it - she really did a wonderful job. Visit Cayli here.

Last night was spent at the local Council of the Arts, which is housed in a former high school building here in town. The theatre of the high school was refurbished several years ago, and has been a very active performing arts venue. Last year, the technical director of the theatre was tragically killed in a freak accident, and so in honor of Martin, the Council of the Arts theatre was renamed for him, The Martin W. Kappel Theater. It was a wonderful catered event. Cocktails and hors d'oeurves in the arts gallery, then a formal presentation in the theatre itself. Several colleagues of Martin's spoke about his work in the theatre, and then, to top it off, his two sons had put together a video presentation about their father (narrated by his wife, Victoria, who is the director of the local Council of the Arts), including clips of his own performences as an actor and mime. It was touching to see Martin as a young man performing in the theatre. He was mesmerizing.

I was fortunate to have worked with Martin on a couple of projects - one a reading of one of his original plays, and in another I was his music director for a production of The Fantasticks. I learned a lot from Martin, and his presence is sorely missed here in out little rural community. He also worked with my high school kids on several productions as a lighting designer. I'll never forget the reaction of my kids when he had designed the most beautiful lighting using many different colors, and as they were on stage acting, they would also look around then to see all the different colors and how it made them look. That was a most memorable dress rehearsal. I was so proud of my kids for noticing the work that Martin had done for them. He really had amazing talents. He was also a wonderful friend.

I miss hm.

Woo Hoo!

2006-05-19T16:21:00.000-04:00

Look at this! Just look at this! What an awesome way to end a long week of kids singing off key and being ready for summer vacation! From my Dye-O-Rama yarn swap buddy, Cayli! She states, "I did 2 as I really didn't think the first did "autumn" very well. Not surprising, coming from a native San Diegan." Hehehehe.. I think "autumn" came out very well! ( I love earth tones and the reds/golds/greens of autumn) I think they're absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to get them on the needles and have a go!

She also included a surprise skein for fun! How awesome is this?!!???

Thank you so much, Cayli, for the beautiful yarn! This is so very cool!!! (Can you tell I like them a lot???) Have a great night!

Lizzie

2006-05-16T22:00:00.000-04:00

Yep. Still working on those mittens with Dave's yarn. Tonight I finished the shaping of the thumb gusset of the second mitten, so they are coming along.

I shared with Ann today that Lizzie, my little girl, was a surprise gift from my students about 4 years ago. They seemed to feel that I needed responsibility, so for a long time they teased me that they were going to get me a dog. I relentlessly reminded them that I couldn't have a pet where I lived, so it was not even a consideration. But, the jokes and teasing continued, and in playing along, I decided that they needed some guidelines if, indeed, they were to get me a dog:

1. I wanted a female.
2. She must be either a Jack Russell Terrier or a retired racing Greyhound.
3. She must come from a shelter, or the SPCA, not a breeder.
4. She needed to be an adult, not a puppy.

I thought these were simple enough requests, but also specific enough that they wouldn't be able to do it, so I'd be safe, and they'd give up the search for a dog. There was no more discussion after I gave them my requests. For many weeks.

One night after a long theatre rehearsal, all of the seniors in the play were standing on stage in a huddle. I again reminded them that rehearsal was over, and we all needed to go home. They just stood there and looked at me and made no effort to leave. They finally said, "We have something for you." They handed me a dog collar. I said, "What's this about? You know I don't have a dog". Then they handed me a leash, and pictures. They had gone to the local SPCA, looking specifically for a Jack Russel Terrier or a Greyhound. They had neither, but told the kids they were welcomed to look at the dogs. So, they walk into the kennels, and all the dogs were barking, except this one. She just sat in her kennel and looked at them. Of course, they wanted to see her, and they spent about an hour and a half with her. They did all the paperwork, took pictures, and brought them to me.

I was literally speechless (which NEVER happens). And how could I just say no? They went to all this trouble, so I felt I at least needed to see this dog they picked out. The next day, we all went to the SPCA to see her. So, they bring out this dog. Emaciated. Furr falling out. She had had puppies recently, because her nipples were still exposed from nursing. She was found by the local dog enforcement - she had a collar, but no tags. And no puppies in tow, so God only knows what happened to them. She looked more like a fox than a dog. She was not a pretty sight. In fact, she was a mess. Literally. And she was all over me. Instantly. And I had to have her. So.... We re-did the paperwork and put her in my name. We named her Lizzie because that was the name of the main character in the play we were doing - 110 in the Shade - and I took her home. My landlords met her, and they changed my lease so I wouldn't have to move. And she has changed my life...

And if in the middle of the night, on the rare occasion, she happens to be curled up on the sofa (which is the only "naughty" thing she's ever done), I can live with that. She's wonderful with kids, other dogs and cats, and she only barks when the door bell rings. So what's a little dog hair on the sofa every now and then? That's why God invented lint rollers....

Bein' Crafty

2006-05-14T11:31:00.000-04:00

Good Morning! I saw this on a blog out there in blogland, and I thought to myself, "I can do that!". So, I tool this bunch of PVC pipe and little doo-dads from the local hardware store:

And I very carefully put them together to create this:

My very own, cheaply made niddy-noddy! My Dad would have been very proud of me - he was a carpenter/electrician/plumber, and could basically build or repair anything out of whatever was on hand, with whatever tool was handy! Now, all I need to do is to put it to work this afternoon and get some yarn ready to send out tommorrow to my Dye-O-Rama buddy.

Ya know, several weeks ago when I started all this blogging stuff, all I was gonna do was knit when I had the chance, and pop in from time to time just to share what I was doing. Then I met Dave, and it seems that all hell has broken loose.... LOL! Not that I mind, because I find that I have been doing things that I never thought I would ever do, and I've been challenged, and I'm kinda liking it!

Then I met Ann, and that's another story altogether.... Hehehehehe......

Shoppin'

2006-05-11T21:45:00.000-04:00

Yep. I bought 'em. Dave made 'em. Ann's PISSED....

A beautiful DPN case and Notion pouch from the infamous "peepee" fabric. Needless to say, it really brightened my day...

Funk?

2006-05-10T22:47:00.000-04:00

So, I was at this choral concert tonight. It happens to be a chorus I used to direct, and gave up because I needed time away from all the "extra" stuff I used to do in my spare time. The concert was really good! My friend Maggie, who makes soap with me, had several solos in this Gospel Mass the group sang, and she was AWESOME! She has an excellent voice that is like velvet! Yay, Maggie!

I realized during this evening of beautiful music, that I didn't miss directing. Or all the rehearsals. Or all the different personalities one has to work with. I used to be a very social person, and now I'd rather be home by myself. I've been by myself for a long time. I've gotten so used to being alone, that when I'm in a place where I have to interact with people, it makes me a little uncomfortable... It's not easy, like it used to be...

Well, time for bed. Gotta sleep on this one...

Have a good night, filled with pleasant dreams... ;-)

Dye-O-Rama

2006-05-10T08:25:00.000-04:00

Ok, since several of us are doing this dye swap, I thought I'd just put this out
there for public evtertainment:

Questions specific to this swap:

Your favorite colors?
I love autumn earth tones - greens, golds, reds, oranges, but I have, and will,
knit with just about any colors.

Preferred yarn weight (Fingering, Sport, DK, maybe even Worsted)?
Depends on the project, I guess.  I've worked with most weights.

Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn?
Again, depends on the project.  I'm really enjoying the yarns I've received
from Dave, the colors are spectacular!

If your buddy is able to do so, would you like a variegated, self-striping, or
self-patterning yarn?
Whatever they wish to do.  I mean, they should have tons of fun with the
process of dyeing, so it's their call.

Would you be interested in a wool blend sock yarn (nylon, tencel, silk,
acrylic, alpaca, etc.)?  Sure!

Imagine the perfect colorway. What would you name it?
Oy...names...  Is there a perfect colorway??  hehehe.

What was the biggest appeal to you for joining this dye-along?
The challenge of doing something I've never done before.
And I've had LOTS of encouragement, so that's been really nice.

General yarn/fiber questions:

Have you dyed yarn/fiber before?  Nope!

If so, what’s your favorite dye and method?  I've only done Kool-Aid so far.

Do you spin?  Nope!

Have you knit socks before?  Willing to try, just haven't yet.

Do you use sock yarn for just socks or in other patterns too?
I'm using what I think is a sock weight yarn for a pair of mittens
at the moment.

What are some of your favorite yarns?
Still new to this, but I've enjoyed Reynolds Lopi and Lite Lopi.

Favorite patterns?
I love the Ann Budd book "The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns".

Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object?

Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)?
I've used several kinds - the needle depends on the yarn and the project.
I've not met a needle I don't like.

Nothing to do with knitting/yarn/fiber in any way but seemed kinda fun:

Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack?
Oh, I'm not fussy when it comes to food...  More of a "salt" person than a
"sweets" person, but whatever mood strikes me at the time...

Do you have pets? What are their species/names/ages?
I have a dog, Lizzie.  She is a chow/shepherd mix.  She was about 2 years
old when my students thought I needed responsibility and went to the local
SPCA and picked her out for me.  She is amazing, and I couldn't have done
a better job picking out a dog if I tried!

Describe your favorite shirt (yours or someone else’s)..
Big, roomy and comfy.

What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature?
I think the world around us in general is very inspiring - the mountains,
trees, growing plants (be it flowers, vegetables, whatever)...  How amazing
this planet is...

Tell me the best quote you’ve ever heard or read.
There are too many to list here...

Do you have a wishlist?  Nope.

Anything else you’d like to share with the group today?
Well, if you keep reading here long enough, I think you'll get who I am
over time...  hehehe

Swatches

2006-05-08T21:29:00.000-04:00

Here are some very quickly done swatches of the Kool-Aid yarn I dyed Saturday. I should probably knit a little more on each one, but I wanted to get them started and out there for your comments.

They don't look anything like I envisioned them to be, so that's kinda cool. The second swatch is the first skein I dyed, and I like it more than I thought I would.

Have a great night!

My First Time...

2006-05-06T18:31:00.000-04:00

Be Gentle...

Some KnitPicks Yarn, some Kool-Aid, and directions from knitty.com, and this:

eventually became this:

It was actually kinda fun. Not too big a mess in the kitchen. Blood pressure didn't get too high. Didn't cry. Didn't throw anything. Lizzie didn't run away.... I guess it was a success. Now, the next question: What the hell will it look like when it's knitted up?

It's been a good day...

2006-05-04T19:34:00.000-04:00

The first great thing came in an e-mail today from my friend Dave, I find that I have been turned into a South Park Character. Please take note of the fingerless gloves so I can conduct, the great pom-pom on the handknit hat, the head mic so I can talk as I rehearse, and the beard and glasses. The comfy khaki and running jacket complete the ensemble. (Make your own South Park Character here!) Thanks, Dave, you're the best!

Then, in a quick shopping trip, I saw it. It's lovely. It's porcelain. It's red on the outside, white on the inside. It has a 16 quart capacity. It's:

My new dye pot! Life IS good!

Concentrating....

2006-05-04T10:28:00.000-04:00

So, as I promised, here she is: KNITTING! We all started somewhere, didn't we? Eileen was such a great help and such a good friend to tag along for this little excursion into the world of teaching. She's a REALLY good friend...

Dontcha just love Sandee's face as she's workin' the needles? This is only the tip of the iceberg for pics - isn't she precious? Now if we can just get her to relax and enjoy the process, but that will come in time.... I hope... Later.

Knitting taught

2006-05-03T21:29:00.000-04:00

Well, it went really well. She came, she watched, she knitted. I cast on 30 stitches and knit a few rows in garter stitch and had her watch. Then I handed her the needles, and she did it. She knitted several rows, and Eileen helped to guide her. During her knitting, she gained 10 stitches - which really made her watch more closely to what she was doing - a good lesson, I thought. So, she's gonna practice garter stitch, and next Wednesday we'll try purling. I also gave her a couple of beginner books for reference. She was so proud of herself, and so excited, and I'm very proud of her. She's gonna be ok! I'll post some pictures tomorrow of tonight's festivities. Have a great night!

Teaching Knitting

2006-05-03T14:04:00.000-04:00

Hey. Tonight at 6:00 my friends Eileen and Sandee are coming over to teach Sandee how to knit. Eileen is a knitter, so we kinda volunteered to teach Sandee. Sandee crochets, so working with yarn is not alien to her. It should be an interesting evening. If I know my friends, we'll spend more time laughing than knitting. Maybe during the course of the evening, I'll get to finish up the main body of the mitten I'm working on. I've ordered 5" dpns to do the thumb. I have 8" at the moment (or maybe they're 7"...), which I like using, but as the mitten gets thinner with all the decreasing, I'm thinking a shorter needle will make it easier to maneuver. Ann had mentioned that size matters....

I will take pictures of this evenings festivities. I'm not promising to post any, but we'll see what happens. Wish us luck.....

Well...

2006-05-02T20:54:00.000-04:00

I guess I'm kinda ready for the weekend... Do I have enough Kool-Aid?

Happy Monday!

2006-05-01T09:07:00.000-04:00

Knitting..... Everyone's doing it....

Mitten...

2006-04-30T20:47:00.000-04:00

So, yeah, like I'm still working on a mitten. Yeah, it's going slowly. But ya see, I'm not in this for speed. I'm in this for relaxation. So there... This is how far I've gotten, and Dave's yarn looks a lttle washed out here. The colors are very vibrant in real life:

I just wanted you all to know that I'm still knitting.... And I thank those of you who have left comments the past several days. It's been such fun trying to keep up with Ann and Dave. It's not easy....

Have a great night!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2006-04-30T08:19:00.000-04:00

My Mom is now 75. How awesome is that? She raised 6 boys (and did not become an alcoholic becuase of it... lol.), has 9 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, and another due in September.

Growing up, she always made sure that we had lots of books to read. Reading was so important to her - her dream was to be a teacher (Due to her mother's health, she left high school during her senior year to take care of her). She instilled in us how important an education was, so she did her best to make sure we got what we needed, and that we worked hard to achieve academically. We were always encouraged to try new things, and to make the committment to finish what we started. We were allowed to participate in sports (except football - that was the only sport she put her foot down and said "NO".), band, chorus - what ever made us happy. When as a kid, and I started crocheting and knitting, it was ok. I had her support and love, and it was all ok. (Don't get me wrong, my Mom was a very good disciplinarian. She is the reason my brothers are very good parents, and I have very good classroom management skills. We learned that "no" was a very neccessary word, and it's ok to use it. The only time we knew we were in big trouble was the few times she used that phrase that made our blood run cold: "We'll take care of this when you father gets home...")

I'm very lucky. I still have my Mom who, since retiring from working in a dress factory many years ago, is incredibly active. She's NEVER home. Which is awesome. When not volunteering at the local hospital, there are the many bus trips - Atlantic City, Nashville, Branson, Phillies games. Yes, the Phillies. A tried and true fan of the Phillies is my Mom. A couple of games a year, and of course, most evenings in the summer are spent watching "her boys" on tv as she does a crossword puzzle, or spends time on the phone with one of her boys. And yes, I can talk with my Mom about anything... She's an awesome listener.

April 29, 1931. I truly believe that God smiled that day. I love you, Mom! Happy Birthday!

Discovery...

2006-04-27T17:48:00.000-04:00

So, I needed to get a little birthday gift after school for a friend. I'm in this great little gift shop and I overhear this woman saying "I was taking this spinning class today...". My ears pick up, and I immediately get to that side of the shop to get involved. The store owner is a friend, and she knows that I recently got involved in knitting... So, as it happens, this woman and her husband have an alpaca farm. So, we get into this conversation about her farm, the alpacas, and of course I have to ask if they sell yarn. Indeed, they do. She said to me "we have yarn and roving and finished items (socks, hats and scarves) for sale at the local Farm Implement Store. (Where one would go to buy a tractor or other large farm machinery)(If one would need something like that...). She also said that they were going to shear the alpacas next week if I want to come and see them. It turns out that her farm is about 15 miles from where I live. What a lovely woman! It was a very nice chat, and of course, I just had to get my ass to the Farm Implement Store to check it out. And here you have it:

This knitting thing is starting to evolve into what one might describe as a "crack habit". I'm also starting to discover that there is more right here in my backyard than I thought... Which is very cool.

Life is good...

By the way, I didn't forget to get a birthday present as well...

Naked Yarn...

2006-04-26T17:48:00.000-04:00

Look, Ann! Look Dave! Naked yarn!

I'm kinda excited that I'm gonna attempt to dye this stuff. I still don't know what method or colors, but I'm gonna do it! hehehe...

And I know that I'll get some suggestions and answers to my questions from the experienced people out there. And if not, I could really fuck this up.....

And I'm thinking some type of cable knit sweater may be on the needles in the future... And socks.

And...

2006-04-24T17:50:00.000-04:00

Since the picture of my knitting in the past post is a bit "busy", and doesn't really show off Dave's yarn, I decided to post this:

And yes, the project is mittens. Let me explain:

I'm not afraid to knit socks. Really. But, after a couple of e-mails with Dave, and then referring to the Ann Budd book, "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns", I measured my foot and my size isn't listed ( I guess I have big honkin' feet. Go figure...). And since I'm not that experienced with altering patterns (well, actually, I've NEVER altered a pattern), and I didn't want to run out of Dave's beautiful yarn, I settled on mittens instead of socks.

BUT, if all works out, I'll have yarn left over for an extra special project just for Dave!

Be afraid. Be VERY afraid.....

Hehehehehehehe......

End of Vacation

2006-04-24T16:33:00.000-04:00

So, after having had a week off from school for the spring break, this is what I've accomplished:

I bought a new digital camera and started a blog.
I had a great trip to Skaneateles to check out a great yarn store ("Hi Shannon!").
I bought some great yarn!
I received a little package a while ago from Boston (Thanks, Dave!), and have begun knitting on dpns - kinda successfully, I think...
I had lots of quality time with my little girl, Lizzie (and she's still shedding...).
I made some new friends and had several entertaining e-mails because of my blog.
I learned from Ann all about "cornholing".

Damn, life is good...

Here is an updated pic of my knitting - I don't knit as fast as Dave - but then, who does? lol. I added a mug that matches the bowl that several of you commented about, and turned the bowl so you could see the design. OH, and the project? Mittens... I thought maybe I should tell ya, since it doesn't look like socks.....

(Could there be just a few more patterns in this picture?)

And for Cookie, a pic of the cloisonne hummingbird:

Back to school tomorrow. *sigh*

Have a great night!

Rainy Day Knitting

2006-04-22T20:12:00.000-04:00

I decided that since today was (and still is) a rainy day in Central New York, I would give a try at doing some knitting on my new dpns. This is quite an interesting process, and as time went on, it got easier and faster. Below you see my results of the day so far. I'm doing a 1 x 1 rib on size 2 needles. The yarn comes from our famous friend in Boston, Mr. Dave Daniels. The colors are really vibrant and beautiful (the picture is a little dark, but I think you get the idea. I'll have to take pictures again during a sunny day so there is more light in the apartment). What is it I'm knitting, you ask? Well, let us leave that for something to discuss in a future post.... Next to my little adventure in knitting is my notebook from Menwhoknit.com. I just love the slogan, don't you?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Now that I'm rested....

2006-04-21T10:38:00.000-04:00

Good Morning!

Yesterday I decided to take a little drive over to the Finger Lakes region of New York, to visit a little yarn shop I had heard about from friends called "Elegant Needles". Located in the beautiful historic village of Skaneateles on Skaneateles Lake, Elegant Needles was well worth the trip: gorgeous yarns (too many to remember), and a nice selection of needles: Addi Turbos, Lantern Moon, and Brittany.

The best part of the store, though, is manager Shannon Chaffee. Shannon is a master knitter, extremely knowledgable about the craft of knitting, and could answer any question I threw at her. She offers help to knitters during business hours, gives private knitting lessons, and hosts a knitters' group at her shop Wednesday Evenings. She was very friendly and easy to talk to, and as someone who is re-introducing himself to the craft, her interest in my knitting and knitting experiences was genuine and caring. My questions and opinions were taken seriously and with optimum professionalism.

In a nutshell: I LIKE HER A LOT!!!!!!!

Another great thing about Shannon is that she is also a singer, so she was awarded BIG POINTS in my book! She belongs to a Sweet Adelines group that will be competing in a huge competition in May, so I wish her and her group best wishes for some kick-ass singing!

So, that said, I thank Shannon for a great shopping experience, and I now have a great reason to take a little jaunt to Skaneateles every so often. If you're ever in the area, please take a look at Elegant Needles! 7 Jordan St., Skaneateles. www.elegantneedles.com (Her website is doing funky things at the moment, she said, so keep trying...) There are also several great little shops and restaurants in Skaneateles, so plan on taking a day and do the tourist thing!

On that note, here are 2 pics of beautiful Skaneateles Lake,
taken from Shotwell Park:

From a landing at the entrance to the park:

Entrance to Shotwell Park from the flag pole:

Have a great day!

A Little Shopping....

2006-04-20T19:36:00.000-04:00

So, I needed to do a little shopping. I got in the car, I drove, and I bought...
A little Jo Sharp, a little Jaeger Luxury Tweed, a little Cestari,
2 hand painted coffee mugs from Bulgaria,
a cloisonne hummingbird for my mother's birthday,
and yes, a few "tools".

And I'm quite fatigued....
So, I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

Have a pleasant evening. I'm afraid I need a little nap...

Quiet day...

2006-04-19T18:41:00.000-04:00

I think I look really nice on this rug. What do you think?*

*Actually interpreted as: "Put down the yarn and the sticks, and let's go out for a walk. It's fucking Spring, for crying out loud!"

Thanks for all your kind comments. Knitters... Gotta love'em...

Why I knit...

2006-04-18T19:59:00.000-04:00

Hi there!

First of all, thank you to all of you who stopped by and said hello! And a bigger thanks to Dave for letting you know I'm here. He is a peach!

So, to the question at hand: Why I knit....

I think I was 10 or 11 when I learned, and for many years I took on project after project, never finishing them. Sure, there was the sweater for a sister-in-law that took 3 years (oy...), numerous afghans that were either knitted or crocheted (yes, I can do that, too!) and never saw completion to warm someone on a chilly evening. Why? Beats the hell out of me. I guess my attention span back then wasn't long enough to get me to the end... So, after years of starting things, and then college and then the work force, knitting stopped for many years.

I took knitting up again about 2 months ago because I had this need to create. Normally, when I create, it's always directing a play or musical, or conducting a chorus or church choir, or some other form of performing arts (I teach music, so all of these things outside of school became nothing more than an extension of my job).

So, after years of living my life as a constant rehearsal or performance, I took a little time off. (Can you say "Burned out"??) Gave up the church choir. Gave up the Community Chorus. Even gave up the high school musical for a year. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Came home after school, walked the dog, and stayed in. By myself. Alone.

AND LOVED IT!!!!!!!!! It was really very nice to have home time, dog time, and Paul time. I read. I cooked. I cleaned. I purged my apartment of anything I held on to for years that had absolutely no use in my life. I found my kitchen table that I hadn't seen in months (Dave must be cringing at that statement. lol.) My life was starting to have order. What it didn't have, was a creative outlet. What it also didn't have, was a social outlet. I, in turn, put up so many walls between myself and any living human being, that there really was no social outlet, either. And the kinda weird thing about that was, it really didn't bother me. I liked being by myself. (Also, having had a very rough year at school the year before, people were not high on my list of good things... Long story, not important - not going there. No need to.) But I needed SOMETHING...

So, one day in January, I did a google search - men who knit. And the doors flew open, and finally, here I am. I'm a man. And I knit.

I knit to create. I knit to give my hands something to do. I knit to keep busy so I don't stuff my face because I'm bored. I knit to try new techniques and patterns. I knit because I can. And I can quite well, if I do say so myself. LOL! I'm not going to set the world on fire with my projects. I'm not going to publish designs for yarn companies. I'm not going to knit because I have to make gifts for people and make deadlines to have things finished. I knit to keep me sane. I knit to keep me busy. I knit. It doesn't matter if I knit for hours, if I knit for a couple of minutes, or if I spend an evening not knitting a single stich. It's not a race. It's not to make more stress in my life. It's because I can, when I can, when I want to. And I'm very happy with that.

Knitting has also introduced me to this community of online bloggers and knitters who share their projects, their knitting, and their friendship. You know what I mean. The wonderful comments, the e-mails, the suggestions, the help, the concerns and the laughs. And I thank you all for all these things that you have given me. So, we'll keep knitting, laughing, sharing, blogging and creating.

So, I'm pretty happy knitting with all of you. And honored to be in your company! Have a great night! Paul

Thanks, Dave....

2006-04-17T19:36:00.000-04:00

My friend, Dave Daniels, was so kind to post about my new blog. He's a good guy! So, if he brought you here, tell him Paul said hello! And yes, I do knit, and if things work out the way they are supposed to, there will be a pic of some scarves I recently made or am working on:

Ok, so not a great picture by any means, but it's a start. The striped scarf is a pattern from "Scarf Style" ed. by Pam Allen. The green scarf is a stitch called "Harris Tweed" from "mon tricot 1100 Stitches and Patterns" that I worked into a scarf. The scarf in progress is called Misty Garden from "Scarf Style". I'm working it in Paton's Divine (which I think is really difficult to work with and I really hate knitting with it - not that I'm bitter or anything...). (And I think I deserve an "A" for effort, for I did attempt to make a tableau of my projects al a "Cabin Cove" tradition - what do ya think, Dave, I tried......)

Thank you all for visiting and leaving the very nice, supportive comments. Any friends of Dave's.....

So.....

2006-04-16T13:03:00.000-04:00

While having a few beers with my friends Ron and Geri last night, we were talking about my recent obsession with knitting, and all the blogs that I have found on the internet. A few people that I have been talking with were saying that I should start my own blog, but the only real thing holding me back was a title. Ron is quite the connoisseur of beer from all over the world, and as we were drinking this really wonderful beer named "Blithering Idiot", the name came to us all as in a vision, so here I am, the Blithering Knitiot.....

So, in the future, I plan on showing you knitting projects I'm working on and planning on doing, and maybe a few observations on life and living in rural Central New York.