I cast on for a shawl for my Grandmother on August 7 but I haven't been able to work on it very consistently. I have about 7 inches so far but going is slow on it because I really need some needles that have sharper points on them.

I think finding those needles at one of my local yarn shops is going to be my mission this weekend. I also need the new needles because the needles I'm currently using I need to start Central Park Hoodie. I went to cast on for the Hoodie and couldn't find the needles I needed. I searched high and low trying to find them. Finally Hubby pointed out that they were in the shawl. I was pretty P.O.'ed when I realized I couldn't cast on.

I really want to cast on for the Hoodie right now. My grandmother gave me the yarn for either Christmas or my birthday this year and I haven't done anything with it. I found out last week that my grandmother is going to have to have open heart surgery due to an Aortic Embolism. I really want to cast on for this so that she can see that I'm working on it before she goes in for the surgery. The doctors think that she'll have no problems recovering from the surgery since she's in such great health but just in case...I want her to know that I'm working on it.

I love my Grammie so much and I'm still scared about it. She's in her 80's and IS in great health but you never know, ya know?! I'm already planning to take some time off to be there when she has her surgery. I really do think that it's going to be ok but in case it's not I want to be there for my mom. My mom takes care of my grandmother and my sister, and my sister is not the most suppotive person in the world toward my mom (she's got her own issues). I just need to be there to help my mom just in case. And I want to talk to my Grandmother before she goes in for surgery. Ugh, heavy stuff.

Well, it's offically fall in Northern California. Well, as far as I'm concerned it is. I noticed over the weekend the evening light as it came through my kitchen window was soft and light and that a few trees were starting to change color. But the biggest change I've noticed is that I have had to switch from dark glasses in the morning to clear glasses. I hate that change but it's just too dark in the morning to try and fool myself anymore. Not to mention how dangerous it is when you can't really see what's in front of you on the road becuase your glasses are too dark.

And now for some knitting.
Pattern: Shadow Rib Socks by Charlene Schurch and Beth Parrott
Yarn: Patons Kroy Stripes in Mulberry Stripes
Started: August 8, 2009
Finished: August 19, 2009

Pattern: Rapid River Socks by Sockbug

Yarn: Patons Kroy in Flax

Started: August 20, 2009

Finished: August 23, 2009

These are #14 and #15 for the year. I'm not done making socks for my sister. I've knitted up all the yarn she gave me and with the exceptiong for these last two I have given her all the socks that I knitted. She was really happy about it and my mom told me that she took them with her to her quilting class to show off. She's super sweet and so supportive. I'm sure she'll like these too.

Finally, some good news for the Dropped Stitch family. Hubbs and I have both been needing new cars for the last couple of years but with the state of the economy and our credit rating we've been holding off and trying to save up some cash to replace one or both vehicles. When Hubb's grandfather passed away a couple of years ago he left Hubbs some money that we've just been sitting on and saving.

Hubbs has been working over time and on call hours trying to save some extra money in order to replace the vehicles. Earlier this week he came a cross a great deal to replace his truck. We met up with the guy to take a look at his truck last night and it was everything and more that we had been looking for. We put a deposit on the truck and hope to have it in our drive by in a couple of weeks.

Hubbs is sooo excited. He's like a kid at Christmas! lol

Now we'll be able to go camping anytime we want to without having to see if we can borrow FIL's truck! Yay for that!

Just a few pictures from the trip. Most days the weather was beautiful. Gorgeous Scenery.

One tired dog.

Wild Life

Family Portrait

Good Friends

Hubbs hits the waves .

Good friends and a couple of dogs.

A little bit of drinking (no telling what's in that cup)

I tried to relax

I would have loved a little less drama on this trip but there's always next time!

I'm back from vacation and I don't even know where to start. It was the worst vacation I've ever had. It was drama from start to finish and I'm sad about it. I was really looking forward to a relaxing time with Hubbs and finally getting to spend some time together. But as it turned out, it was terrible.

The first night we were there it was great. We were with some good friends and their friends and family. We were all having a great time. We all hung out and had a few drinks and generally had a good time. The next day, another couple arrived and brought with them 11 teenagers and a 5 year old. These people are people that my husband and I have known for years. I've never really like the wife but the husband is generally ok. But after what went on...I don't think I ever want to be around them again. I actually deleted them both from my instant messenger this morning.

I don't really care that they brought a bunch of kids but they purchased and allowed this kids that were all between the ages of 14 and 16 to drink alcohol. They also allowed them to all drive over to the coast without adult supervision and told them that they could drink but if they told their parents that they would never be allowed to go on a trip with them again. From what I understand, some of these kids were drinking until they were throwing up. I don't care if you give your own kids alcohol but how do you give it to kids that you're responsible for and tell them to lie to their parents? I just don't understand this kind of behavior. What kind of parents encourage kids to drink and lie? Besides bad parents that is. Not to mention that they let their 16-year old daughter sleep in a tent alone with her 22-year old boyfriend.

I'm so glad that I don't have any children and when/if I do, they won't be of age to be friends with this couples children. Unfortunately, my best friends daughter is friends with these kids and was on this trip. Her mom suspected that something was going on and did tell her that she was NOT to be drinking. Apparently, the wife of the couple that brought the kids went to my friend and said, "Sorry about letting A. drink. I forgot that you were her mom." WTF?! If that had been me, I would have smacked her in the face.

Before we even left on this trip I was afraid that I was going to have a run in with this woman. We've had problems with them in the past, but the husband belongs to Hubbs off road club so we've had to deal with them in the past. But most of the time she doesn't participate in any club functions so I don't have to see her that much (Thank God). They also used to live right down the street from Hubbs and I but have since moved to another neighborhood about a mile a way. Even though it's a small town we hardly ever see them anymore.

I don't know what I could have done about this situation. Most likely, nothing. But part of me wants to call all those kids parents and let them know what was going on. But I don't know who they are or who their parents are.

Ugh. But I feel better for having talked about it here and to some other friends.

I have some knitting that was worked on over vacation too but nothing got much work done on it. I've almost completed another pair of socks and hope to have them finished over the next couple of days. Only one more pair of socks after these to do for my sister. Then hopefully I can concentrate on a shawl for my grandmother for her birthday. And I want to cast on Central Park Hoodie too. My grandmother gave me yarn for my birthday in February and I've been being a weenie about casting on for it. Anything that requires guage scares me! Yikes! But it would be a good challange from doing 11-ty billion socks this year.

Cross your fingers for an actually knitting update later this week!

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.

Yarn: Patons Kroy Stripes

Started: August 3, 2009

Finished: August 8, 2009

Mods: None.

I liked the pattern. But I didn't think it was special. I like some of the other patterns that I've done by Cookie A. better. Not much to report today so I leave you with that.

Have a great weekend.

While I wait for my yarn to arrive, I have to have something to work on or I will go insane. I seem to have a habit of needing to be doing something all the time. I can't just sit quietly and watch TV without having something in my hands. Sewing is fine, knitting is fine but just sitting...not fine. Usually it's the just sitting that gets me into trouble. That's when I start thinking about all the little projects that need to be done around my house and with 20 min's or so Hubbs is about ready to kill me because I've scheduled his life for the next two months with no time off. So knitting really keeps happy harmony in our house.

So for the current project:Sorry for the bad picture, dang camera phone.

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.

Yarn: Patons Kroy Stripes in Krazy Stripes

Started: 08/03/2009

Hopefully I will finish this pair of socks this week so that I can get restarted on the shawl for my grandmother before Hubbs and I go on vacation next Wednesday. I want to work on the shawl while we're gone. Not that I think I'll finish it and socks are probably better for travel knitting. I might have to take that new sock yarn and a pattern with me too just in cast the shawl gets to be too much. Either way, I can't wait to go on vacation. We normally just take 3 days and go for a weekend but this time we're going to be going for 5 days! 5 days at the ocean! I can't wait.

What did you do for vacation this year?

Finished #12! I finally completed my goal for 2009 of knitting 12 pairs of socks! Yay!! So without further ado I present Soybean Socks.Pattern: Soybean by Christabel Seneque

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Heritage Solid in Green

Cast on: July 28, 2009

Finished: August 2, 2009

This was a very easy pattern and I was very lucky to be one of the test knitters for Christabel. It was an easy and fun knit. As soon as the pattern becomes available, I hope that more people will knit this sock. Christabel is very talented. I hope to see more patterns from her.

I cast on for a shawl for my Grandmother on Sunday but as I worked on it I realized that the more I worked with the yarn, the more I hated it. I chose Lion Brand Baby Soft in Cream but I don't think it's all that soft and it feels itchy in my hands. I knew when I purchased it that I didn't really like it but I was trying to go inexpensive because with my 15% pay cut from my employer we really couldn't afford to be spending a ton on luxury yarns. But the more I worked the patter which I do love and think would be beautiful in a different yarn. So I ordered some yarn from Knit Picks yesterday. I chose Shadow Kettle Dyed Lace yarn in Atlantic.

I love this color. It's so dramatic. I hope it's the same in real life. Excluding the shipping, I actually spent the same amount for this beautiful 100% Merino yarn as I did for the yucky acrylic yarn I'd already bought. I know my grandmother is going to love it.

I also ordered enough yarn for two sweaters for me and a skein of sock yarn.

This is Swish Worsted in Tide Pool Heather. I'm going to use this to make the February Lady Sweater.

This is Shadow Kettle Dyed Lace Yarn in Grasshopper. I'm going to knit Celeste from French Girl Knits.

And last but not least I ordered Stroll Hand Painted Sock Yarn in Make Believe. I don't know why since I'm not a big purple person but I love this color, adore it. I can't wait to make this into a beautiful pair of socks. The combination of purple, green and blues is just rocking my socks off. I can't wait for the yarn to arrive!