Tuesday, March 28, 2006

New beginnings new socks!


Okay so the yarn is a little cheesy, but I am digging these crazy colors. They are very "me" and is just the right knitting project for me right now. Easy, fun and portable and very springy (the season not the tension). I am actually doing the slipped stitch rib pattern (I think I've called these everything but the right name) and it is excellent for breaking up the striping and pooling that would normally occur. You can see it in the top ribbing part, which I don't really like, but I'm thinkin' you won't really see the top of my socks much. These would go great with a pair of jeans and nice white sneaks!

I am home today, taking a much deserved mental health day. A little nap, a nice sandwich, some cheesy tv and I am in a pretty good mood! DH will be home soon, he is leaving work early to help me get the house in order for the social worker tomorrow (home study for the adoption). I have to serve this woman lunch and I need to figure out what to serve that is both 1) tasty, practical & presentable and 2) doesn't look like I am trying to bribe her into giving me a kid. I am thinking I am going to pre-make some sandwiches and serve a green salad. Sound okay? Any other ideas?

Gotta go wrestle the vaccuum out of the closet now. And brush the cats. And figure out how to conceal this cold sore so it doesn't appear I have leprosy. And hide the laundry, and.... sigh...

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Stupid Uterus

It didn't work.

Stupid Uterus.

Well, I had a good cry for about a half an hour, then cast on for the retro ribbed socks. I refuse to put any more energy into infertility, I already wasted 3 years. Focus on the future I say! Thank GOD I have a wonderful husband who loves me anyway, and doesn't at all mind adoption. I said to him today that if we couldn't afford adoption I would definitely lose my mind. No really, this shit can really make you nuts. I think if we couldn't afford it, I would beg, borrow and steal to get the money. We are meant to be parents, that I know in my heart.

Tonight I am going to throw away all medicines and other traces of IVF treatment and take much satisfaction in it thank you very much, and will probably follow up with something heavily laden with chocolate. It may seem to some that I am in denial, but I don't think I am. I have always been a person of action. If something doesn't work, try something else (makes me good in emergency situations...trust me, you'd want me there if you were on a sinking boat - which actually happened to me once). I'm sad, but I'm more mad that I failed, since I am an over-achiever. I read on a fellow blogger's post that you make a better adoptive mom after having gone through all this. It makes you stronger somehow. I like to think that the child we were meant to have wasn't due to be born until around now, and this was God's sick way of fending us off for the time being. Whatever, "it is what it is" is what I always say, and no more true than now.

Okay, so as promised, no more talk about this. Stick a fork in me, I'm done. Fat lady has sung.

Good night, Good Luck, Amen

Actual finished objects!

Howdy. Just got back from the RE's office to give blood for the pregnancy test. Seems I should have went yesterday, because they don't do pregnancy tests on the weekend. Based on the "what are you a moron?" attitude from the nurse, I guess I was supposed to know that. Listen beeyatch, shut up before I shove a progesterone suppository down your throat. You of all people should be wary of women with dangerously high hormone levels. So call me Monday then, whatever, do what you have to do.... *Sigh*. I don't even care anymore. Can't you not wait until I don't talk about this anymore? Bleh, me too.

In happier, knittier news, I do have an FO to show off! I finished the manly cable scarf I was making the DH. I got the gray, cabley and wide part down, but I am about 10 inches off the length he wanted. He tried it on, and he says it's fine, so I'm leaving it. Ya gotta love cables, man. Very impressive with minimal difficulty. The only hard part is getting used to juggling a cable needle. BTW, I tried that cable needle-less thing...uh no way, too dangerous. When live stitches come of the needle my heart starts palpitating. I prefer a single bamboo DPN in the same size needles I'm working with. I've gotten pretty fast at it too! Here are the pics:



My Own Cable Scarf (10" x 50")
Pattern: Cable pattern from the front of the Aran Pullover from Vogue Knitting's Baby Knits Two
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Merino dk, 4 skeins
Needles: Size 6 bamboo straights

While cleaning up some of my craft stuff the other day, I came across a doily I crocheted but never blocked. So I did that too while I had the pins out:

It's easier to weave in the ends once it's blocked. And it ain't no easy trick blocking in a perfect circle...this was as close as I could get. I love making doilies, but really, how many of them can you have without your house looking like an 80 year old lives there?



The shawl is still coming along, I have only one more 5 row repeat to go and then I can start the edging. I bought beautiful amethyst beads to use, I can't wait to start that part.

Now, what to do next? Well, I'm going to do those socks I think, but that won't take too long. There is another shawl I want to knit for someone, but I'm not sure yet. At least this one is worsted weight and not lace weight!

Sunday, March 12, 2006

K2, SSK, P1, K2TOG,K2...K2, SSK, P1,K2TOG,K2..... K2, SSK,P1,K2TOG,K2 ...K2, SSK, P1,K2TOG,K2...K2, SSK, P1,K2TOG,K2

Say it with me now......K2, SSK, P1,K2TOG,K2

I love knitting lace... it's amazing to be able to create such intricate patterns, but holy yarn over batman, it takes forever! I didn't get as much done this weekend as I had hoped, but maybe be the end of tonight I will be almost 75% done.

I decided my next project for ME is going to be socks. I bought this sock yarn in "Hot Tamale" because I loved the colors...but I'm not sure I like how they look knitted up based on what I've seen in the blogs. I wish you could maintain the random variegatedness that you see on the whole skein somehow...instead of the colors separating into big blocks which throws me all off...anyway the yarn was cheap and I am kind of new to sock knitting so whatever...

I went to the "LAST TWO DAYS" of the Treasure Island closing yesterday and I got a whole stashload of goodies. Everything was 90% OFF!! I got all of this for under $25!! The best part was that I went by myself and perused for a good hour to make sure I looked at every little thing!

I got 5 books, 8 pattern pamphlets, Knit Wash, 2 sets of plastic DPNs, some phots sleeves and even that branchy thing for decorative purposes in my den. Yay!! I can't wait to make the retro rib socks in the Sensational Knitted Socks book! And my cousin is having a girl in May, so the Patons pattern is perfect!

Today I spent the day getting pregnant. Or so I hope anyway. Happily all 3 embryos thawed nicely (I have a visual of them sitting out on the counter overnight like a package of chicken cutlets) and they put them back in today. At this doctor's office, they don't let the husband in the room for the transfer, which is kind of weird. I'll be sure to tell the kid that his father wasn't even in the room when he was conceived. My acupuncturist met me at the hospital and gave me a treatment right before the transfer. This is supposed to increase your chances quite a bit, so we'll see. If nothing else, it definitely helped me to relax after the one hour stressful drive (we were a little late) to the hospital. So now the two week wait. Ugh. If it doesn't work, at least I know I tried everything (everything I was capable of dealing with anyway) and we are still on track for adoption.


Sigh...and tomorrow starts another fun week at work! Woo Hoo, I love Mondays!

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Introducing....

Miss Woolamina Sheepskate!
What an awesome surprise from my secret pal, who did an amazing job of making this Sheepskate Secret Pal Mascot (get it, cheapskate, sheep...skate...sheep on skates...come on, work with me here). So now I have my very own little knitting pal to whom can now be the one I vent to when I need to curse and complain about my knitting. Her silent support will be a welcome change to my husband's "why do you even do this stupid hobby if it makes you so mad?" BECAUSE I WILL NOT BE BEATEN! *ahem* *cough* I digress......Here are some pictures of her first day at home, I think you can see she is settling in nicely:
Getting a little exercise in with those skates.
Sitting down for a bit of knitting.
Maybe Miss Woolamina will help motivate me to get my ass moving on the leaf lace shawl. These repeats are killing me. I f**d up AGAIN, the stupid needle pulled out by accident and now I have to figure out how to fix it, as I'm pretty sure there's a few yarnovers that left the building. But just to prove I am making progress, albeit, very freaking slowly:

And it seems to have turned purple too...I MUST get this over with!! Maybe today I'll go to Home Depot, and try to find something to use for blocking wires. Oh and I need beads for this thing...must find a bead store somewhere, because the craft stores have a limited crappy selection.


Nothing more really to report on the infertility front. My transfer should be in about a week and a half or so. I have been going to acupuncture a few times a week, and it is quite the interesting experience...I don't really feel any different, although my menses this month was just as painful, it was MUCH shorter which is good. Last night she taped these tiny gold beads in the inside of my ear and every so often I have to press on them for 5 seconds...for relaxation and blood flow to the uterus. Feels kind of like voo doo, huh? I am glad this is the last time I am going through treatment...It's too much for me and I now feel like I am turning into one of those desperate women who go into deep debt and deeper depression trying to have a biological child. I decided that buying one off the shelf is better for me emotionally and physically (no labor & no stretchmarks sounds like a deal to me!). I am just grateful we can afford it, cause kids ain't cheap these days...Although, with my luck I'll be pregnant with twins making my way to Colombia...My family thinks that great, ("Yeah! Instant Family!") Needless to say this is just one example of why they are all lunatics.

I leave you with another insane member of the family, Lucy. What's wrong with this picture?: