Three on Thursday

Hi Everyone,


The downside (of the work week) is here!  And, I have a random collection of 3 things for you:

• It was mild enough today that I could wear my fingerless mitts driving to work.  LOVE!!

Obviously not driving, but rather at work (with a Sisters' photo in the background from a number of years ago...and my orange peeking out on the right).

• It is going to be mild all day and Fletch is grilling steaks tonight.  YAY!!

• Monday is a holiday for me...so a 3 day weekend coming up.  BUT, I do have to get on a conference call at 10.  That's ok because 1) I'll be home and 2) taking part in the call on a holiday will win me big time points and 3) the call will probably only be a half hour.  No biggie and I won't be going anywhere since my car will be in for inspection then.

OK...I've already accomplished a ton this a.m., but the work is still piled up (snow days and holidays really create a back-log).


Hope you are all having a great day/week!

Unraveled Wednesday 1-10-18

Good Morning!


There was some melting yesterday (it got up to 45), but not all...and it was 22 this a.m.  However, they (the weather folks) are still saying it will hit 60 by Friday, so I'm guessing the snow & ice will be gone.  I'm hoping to get a walk in on Saturday.  Then it looks like back to the chilly weather next week.  On the bright side, the days are longer - sunset is almost at 5 p.m. now and as of today, the sun is rising a bit earlier in the morning.


Before I get into knitting and reading, I have a Tyg story.  Last night, around 9 p.m., I was sitting in the kitchen working on Colin's sock and talking on the phone.  Suddenly Tyg ran to the door and started making noises like I have NEVER heard come out of a cat.  There were low growls (which I have heard), but then a high pitched almost yipping (the only way I can think to describe it).   There was a cat on our patio and it was almost like Tyg was trying to talk to it.  BUT, his fur was all puffed up (his tail suddenly looked like that of a Maine Coon cat!).  This vocalization continued for a good 15 minutes.  When the other cat wandered off the patio, Tyg jumped up on the counter to look out the window on the driveway side.  The sounds were hysterical - both Fletch and I were laughing so hard.  It was also loud enough that my friend on the phone with me was laughing.  Tyg desperately wanted to go out, but we didn't let him for about an hour or so (by which time the other cat was long gone...I think...).  He was in and out after that several times, but ended up staying out all night.  When I came downstairs this morning to start the coffee, he came in and ate and then promptly wanted to go out again!


So, on to the knitting.  Colin's socks are becoming a quick and fun knit.  I've had a bit more time to knit this week (thanks to the weather) and here's where the first sock is:

I'm really loving the cables and I hope to have the leg completed tonight and move on to the heel flap and turn (which will be the cuff color).


On the reading front, I am about a third of the way through The Roanoke girls which is ok - an easy read.  I've had some good ones come through on Overdrive recently (Sing, Unburied, Sing; The Essex Serpent; Little Fires Everywhere) so I'm anxious to finish this up and start something new.  I am also reading A Stash of One's Own - Clara Parkes which I am enjoying.  it is the perfect read as I crawl into bed.  Some of the essays in it are pretty humorous.


A few people commented that the cardamom black pepper coffee I had on Saturday sounded good.  It is Delicious!  I'm pretty sure the coffee shop uses a cardamom syrup of some kind as the beverage is pretty sweet.  I had been thinking of adding cardamom (ground) to the grounds when I brew coffee and then Mary suggested the same thing to me.  I did that this morning and love it.  I make strong coffee (and sometimes coffee & chicory) and I froth milk and then warm it in the microwave so that I end up with a cappuccino-type drink.  The cardamom flavor was perfect!!


But now, I need to take care of some of the work piled up on my desk.  By Noon, we will be on the downside of the work week!

Winter is Still Here!

Good Evening Everyone,

Well, winter is still here.  I got up and went to work, but any icy forecast was in our future and my office closed early.  I left shortly after Noon...got home...had a snack, took a nap, got up and had a shower and then knit.  That's a win of a day for moi.  Meanwhile, we have had sleet and some rain.  I don't think anything is falling at the moment, but earlier when Fletch went out to take the trash to the curb and fill the bird feeders, he said the driveway was coated in ice.  I'm happy to be home.  And, could I be lucky enough to have a 2 hour delay in the a.m.?  We shall see.  It is supposed to warm up and actually be in the 40's tomorrow and 60 by Friday.  Crazy Weather continues.

Meanwhile, on the knitting front:

This is the first of Colin's socks.  He chose the colors.  The cuff is Blue Moon Colossal Sock (600 yards!!) and the color is Sabertooth Caterpillar.  It is 100% Merino,  Next up we have Mineville Wool Super Sock in the color Constellation, 80% Merino and 20% nylon.  Both bought on line.  Colin picked out the colors and asked that I make them reversed.  So the first sock will have the Sabertooth Caterpillar for the cuff, heel and toe and Constellation for the main body and foot.  The second sock will have Constellation for the cuff, heel and toe and Sabertooth Caterpillar for the body and foot.

I couldn't find a pattern that I wanted to make for him, so I am winging it on my own.  I decided to put cables on the leg of the sock.  You can sort of see them in the picture...I think they will show up better on the other sock.  It keeps the knitting interesting and I love cables, so a win!

I did manage to get the bills paid yesterday and Fletch is busy watching something on TV that I'm not really interested in...so the night is mine.  I see more knitting in my future!

Have a great evening!

Snow Cat

Good Chilly Morning to You All,

Brrrr....it was 1 degree this morning.  Of course, they had forecast -1, so I suppose +1 is better, but it is hard to tell for sure.  For once, Tyg didn't go out right away...he waited until it warmed up to 2 or 3 degrees, and then he stayed out for quite awhile.  I looked out the kitchen window at one point and saw him in the yard.  Here he is underneath the birdfeeder handing on our clothesline...hoping for a taste of cardinal or sparrow (he was unsuccessful):

And here he is walking down the path that Fletch had shoveled to get out to the feeder to fill it:

He tends to hunker down by the back door on the patio.  In the morning the sun shines in that spot, so he can gather some warmth while waiting for a near-flying bird.  He is back in now and curled up somewhere.

Yesterday morning I did venture out and met up with Dee for coffee and knitting.  My beverage of choice was cardamon black pepper coffee - so good!!  After awhile we ventured across the street to a favorite restaurant - Stove & Tap for lunch.  It was still pretty windy - enough to sting your face - but, it felt so good to get out and the sun was shining brightly.  Thanks Dee for meeting up.  Hope to do it again soon.

I got a good start on Colin's socks and managed to do some rows in between yacking yesterday, and a few more when I got home.  Then I discovered a HOLE.  This has happened every single time I have started socks for Colin.  So, I had to tink back about 5 rows.  Grrrrr.  But it's done and now I'm back on track.  The cuff is complete and I've done 5 rows of plain knitting.  Today I hope to come up with a pattern to make a couple of cables on his socks.  Wish me luck!!

But, before I can do that I need to pay bills (which I successfully avoided last Thursday), set up my spreadsheets for 2018 tracking expenses and we do have to venture out to the grocery store.  We used the last of our eggs for breakfast and aside from lettuce and radishes, we are out of fresh veggies.  Oh well, at least it is another sunny day.

The forecast is for a warm-up starting tomorrow...but the forecast also includes a mix of snow and ice for tomorrow night.  If that happens, I will be missing yoga again.  However, the warming trend is to continue and at this point we are planning on Fletch grilling Thursday when Colin comes over for dinner.

Hope you all are enjoying a delightfully cozy and lazy weekend with plenty of knitting.

Cold Friday

Hello All,

It is SO cold out there!  No more snow, but the wind is just relentless...still...9 degrees outside with a -10 wind chill.  The good news is that my office is on a 2 hour delay today - woo hoo! 

Yesterday was a wonderful stay-at-home day.  I managed to get some laundry done, some reading and some knitting (finally cast on and started Colin's socks!!).  I made a huge pot of corn chowder for lunch which was delicious.  My Mom used to make that a lot on snowy days.  Of course, she always baked bread on those days as well.  I did not do that.

Today's work delay has given me the luxury of (finally) finishing up my fingerless mitts:

I used a Leslie Friend pattern and changed it up just a little.  The yarn is Miss Babs Yummy 2 Ply and the color is Dark Orion.  I love them.  This close up will give a little better idea of the color:

It is sort of a dark steely blue.  Love!!

Tyg spent a lot of time outdoors yesterday - he loves the colder weather and show does not bother him at all.  He goes out on the patio and *hides* waiting for birds to fly close by.  Luckily he was unsuccessful in catching any of them (Fletch did find a mouse on the driveway that Tyg had gotten).  But, after so much time outside yesterday he was pretty tired last night.

And he has not yet gone out this morning (which is unusual).  Instead he perched with his back end on the table and stretched out over a chair staring out onto the patio:

He is curled up now with paws and tail covering his nose.

More bitter cold is forecast...low of 6 tonight and a low of -1 for Saturday night.  I'm hoping for plenty of sun tomorrow when I venture out to meet up with Dee for some coffee and knitting and lunch!

Now I need to have a bit more coffee and then get dressed and ready to go out.  Have a great weekend!

The Gift of a Day!

Good Morning!


Yes, this is a gift of a day...my office is closed due to the weather!  Not much snow out there, but it is still falling and terribly windy outside.  I'm thankful to not have to go out (though we do need milk...so maybe later I will venture out or send Fletch out).


Last night was another night where I had trouble sleeping.  I don't know if I was wound up after watching an episode of Shetland, or wound up due to the possibility of weather, but for whatever reason I woke up around 1:30 or so.  Got up and looked out the back window and couldn't see anything falling from the heavens.  Got up again at 2:15 a.m. and could see that a new dusting of snow was on the patio roof.  Then I saw a blur across the back yard.  It was Tyg!  He had not come in before Fletch went to bed (much later than moi), but was making a beeline for our patio.  I ran downstairs and let the poor kitty in.  And then I could see the snow coming down.  Tiny flakes blowing all over the place.


As cold as it is, it is quite a bit warmer than the past few days.  The temp this a.m. at 5:30 was 22...every other morning it has been in the single digits or low teens.  Still, not a good day to go out for a walk.


There was success last night with the sock repair!

It is not beautiful or perfect, but I think it blends in well and it is not very lumpy (LOL), so I think it will be comfortable to wear.  So today I can concentrate on finishing my 2nd fingerless mitt and starting Colin's socks.  I may take a nap (ha! - not a surprise after my sleepless night) and I may read some (started The Roanoke Girls which I got on Overdrive).  So far I'm enjoying it.  And, I have laundry to do and bills to pay.  It's a good thing I don't have to go to work today!


Wishing you all warmth and beauty on this chilly Thursday in January.

Unraveled Wednesday...or...Oy Vey!

Well, Good Afternoon,


I so enjoyed having so much time off during the holidays, but coming back to work has been a madhouse!  Crazy/busy...tons of changes at work (systems, procedures) and we all know how DIFFICULT change is.  Yesterday I worked over 9 hours straight - no breaks.  Today I hope to get out by 4 (I was in at 7:30 and worked through lunch (again).  BUT, I don't want to complain.  I know I am fortunate to have a job and one that I (mostly) enjoy.


The hard news that I came back to was that the CEO of our company, his two sons, his fiancée and her daughter were all killed in a plane crash New Year's Eve.  So terribly sad.  This is not the CEO of my company here in the States, but the overall CEO of the entire company based in Europe.


Anyway, on to the knitting which did unravel, but not by my doing.  Here is a picture of one of the heels of the pair of socks I gifted Mailing at Christmas:

A bit out of focus which is ok because it is horrible!  Not sure how or when this happened.  They looked fine when I wrapped them, but I had thrown them in a tote bag with other gifts.  I'm thinking that something must have snagged on them and broken a strand of yarn.  Darning/repairing is NOT one of my fortes, but I will try tonight to repair this.  Colin says she wants the socks with or without the hole, but we can't have that!


My second fingerless mitt is where it stood the other night.  Almost finished, but I simply couldn't do any knitting last night...way too tired.  Maybe tonight I can repair the sock AND finish the mitt...not positive that will happen though.


I did manage to finish my first book of 2018 last night.  I found The Other Einstein to be an enjoyable read.  There are a few physicists in my family...I only hope they are nicer/more respectful than Einstein apparently was.


There are some more books on my Kindle from Overdrive, but I think they will disappear in a day or so.  I may just stick with the books I got over the holidays and others that I already have on my Kindle.  Will let you know what's up next once I start.


Meanwhile, I still have a ton to do before I can get out of here today.  Luckily dinner is leftover crab quiche from New Year's Eve, so that will be quick and simple.