A Few Sheep Shy of a Farm

Are we there yet?

Okay for a short week it sure is moving slowly! I’ve been staying up too late, too often again and I’m so tired I can’t even see straight, literally!

We went out for dinner with J & L last night. It was fun, we went to an Italian place we all really like and had a nice meal. We even manged to break up the party after about 2.5 hours, a first for us. Usually we hang out for 10+ hours when we see them! Don’t get me wrong, I love hanging out with them, we always have a blast. However, on a “school night” its generally not a good idea. And to make matters worse, I’m the only one who really has to get up early, the rest, including DH can sleep much later than I can!

When I got home I had a bunny that needed some attention. Now its only been about 6 weeks since I plucked Jasmine the last time, but when I plucked her I tried to leave as much of the fur in as I could, so she wouldn’t freeze to death since it was right in the middle of some really cold weather. Well, she seems to be shedding again, the stuff I left in is coming out! So I spent an hour last night trying to brush her out and ending up covered in angora. It sticks to everything! And loves to go up ones nose! Not so much fun!

Speaking of Spinning Group: J has been using the Joy wheel all week this week, should be interesting to see what she’s come up with! Better home with her than in the trunk of my car or in the living room. I have the Jensen in the living room at the moment, and since its a small room, its hard to justify 2 wheels living in it!

On the Joy, I’ve been spinning the “Sunset” roving that I dyed last fall, its a 4 oz skein of the Finn/Ramboulett Cross. I love the colors, but the fiber got a bit dried out from all the treatments. Its in a plastic bag with a bit of olive oil spritz on to loosen it up a bit. . . .

On the Jensen, I’m spinning “Charmaine” a Corriedale fleece from Crossfire Hill Farm which A and I scoured a few months ago and I carded about 1/3 of it on Spike. There are some noils in it but its spinning up nicely.

well, off to work. . . .

Well, the week is officially 1/2 over!

My big news for the day:

I’m getting a new phone! Isn’t that exciting? It is for me. The one I’ve been using I’ve had for 2 years and its been acting rather weird lately. Oh and the new phone is a camera phone!!! So while they won’t be great pictures, I will be able to take pictures of projects and things again!!! Won’t that be nice?

Oh and the spring shearing is starting to happen!!! Isn’t that wonderful? I’ve already gotten one small box in the mail, it contains:

3.5# Montadale Wool

1# Polypay Wool

2# Cotswold Wool

So nothing big yet, but I hadn’t spun any of these before so this should be fun. All three are small enough that I’ll be doing the scouring myself, in the kitchen sink . . . And we know there will be more coming along in the next few weeks!!! Isn’t this fun!!!

Wow! what a treat!

I took yesterday off from work and spent part of the day at a spa! So much fun! There is nothing like spending Monday being pampered instead of being at work!

Okay, so this weekend was a good one all around. Saturday DH took me yarn shopping! We went to not one, but two yarn shops! I even got yarn to start a baby blanket for my soon to be niece or nephew! I kept messing up the pattern row of the blanket and had to restart it 3 times but I’ve got it down now and I’m a few inches into the blankt. Its a nice easy pattern, a very simple “old shale” repeat. Its going to be really pretty when its done.

Sunday I went visiting family and saw lots of them. I also picked up my Girl Scout Cookies, YUM! And Monday was spa day, a great finish to a long weekend.

well, lots to do at work today, have to make up for yesterday!

Notes on a wonderful Birthday!

Yesterday was my birthday, and no I’m not going to tell you how old. Let’s just say old enough that I’m no longer required to answer that question ; )

Normally I take my b-day off from work, but with 2 major projects going on that just wasn’t possible. So I spent the day working on 50 copies of a 12 section binder and finishing up details for today’s event. That part wasn’t so fun but at least it got done.

After work I picked up M and we headed over to Mind’s Eye Yarn for spinning group. A quick trip to the grocery store yielded some yummy stuff for dinner and a great big chocolate cake with raspberry filling!!!! I decided I was having Chocolate cake on my birthday no matter what! Just before 7 I headed over to J’s new place to pick her up and once everyone had arrived and was settled we had some very yummy cake.

Spinning was fun, though I don’t think I like this fiber I’m working on. It got slightly felted and is a pain in the @$$ to deal with so I may just toss it, but we’ll see. After spinning I took J home again and headed home myself. DH was home when I got there and so were 2 dozen long stemmed roses, a rose balloon and a very sweet card!!! I got to sit and spin for a while on the big wheel and chat with DH before bed. All in all, a very nice birthday!

As for fiber, I’m playing with spinning up some of the corriedale that A and I scoured a few months ago. So far it spins up rather nicely. Easy to draft and rather springy singles. I’m thinking of trying out a three ply with it if I can focus long enough to spin 3 bobbins of it!

I’m still working on the sock from my hand dyed, hand spun Romney and really like the way the colors are working out. I may have to spin the 2nd skein in order to have quite enough for the socks, but that’s okay. This yarn spun up quickly as the roving is light and drafts easily.

I’m also working on baby booties and a bonnet for our neighbor across the street who just had a little boy. I hope to have those finished over the weekend so I can get them wrapped and delivered . . .

Well, off to work. I’ll post over the weekend if anything interesting happens!

My knitting list just keeps getting longer!

I just found out last night, I’m going to be an Aunt!!!! My brother and his Fiance are going to have a baby!!! Due in September!!! Actually within days of our own Mother’s birthday!! What a present, being made a Grandma for the first time!!! Her family would like them to move up the wedding to this summer instead of next but if they are going to have the wedding they want, and get ready for the baby, they need to keep it as planned. And good for them for sticking to their own plan!!! Our Mom isn’t being pushy at all, though she did ask what the plan would be, nothing wrong with asking, once.

So I’ll be looking around for baby patterns and superwash yarns as I know they will use things that they are given. Guess we know what I’ll be working on most this summer!

Oh, and our neighbor across the street had her baby, another boy! I’m not sure exactly when they had him but it was recently. I’ll be working on booties and a bonnet over the weekend . . . .

And there are something like 4 more baby gifts to be made in the next few months as well. Yikes! What a total baby boom this hear!

I’m working on the sock from the funny roving I dyed and I’m about 1/2 way done with the foot. I haven’t had much knitting time the past couple of days so its slow going and runs the risk of being cast aside in favor of more baby items for a while . . . ah well.

Still lots to do at work so I’d better get to it . . . .