Things I've Discovered Over the Last Week or So

Well it's interesting to note that that after being without cable for the last week, I wonder now why we even have it. There's nothing but crap on tv these days. At first we were all excited, "Cable's on, cable's on! Yea!!!!!" Then we discover there's still nothing to watch. What a sad existence we lead.

I've also discovered that I really dislike living in a neighborhood. I knew that I didn't care for neighbors, but now I know that I'd be much better off living miles from the nearest neighbor. They so get on my last nerve. So do their children. Why does a kid that lives across the road want to use my bathroom? Why can't she walk across the road and use her own? I'm the meanest mom on the road because I don't let the whole neighborhood hang out in my house for hours on end. But hmmm, none of the other moms allow it either but I'm the bad guy.

I learned that I have sincerely missed my stitching. I haven't had time lately to pick up a needle and finally I get a cute quickie project from the LNS and am really enjoying stitching on it until I lose the buttons. So then I discover that I'm this really anal person because I can't bring myself to stitch on this any more until I find the flippin' buttons. It's not like I can't replace them, one call to the LNS will get me another set but I hate that I can't find the things. Where could they be? What could I have possibly done with them? It's making me crazy but finally this morning after pulling the couch out for the 500th time, I had to let them go. I had to get the button monkey off my back. The obsession of finding these buttons was sucking the joy out of everyday life. I'm going to start stitching on my project again in just a little while and know that I can call Kathy at the LNS Tuesday morning(they are closed on Mondays) and she will hold me another set--at least I hope she can. These buttons went with the fabric of the month at the LNS and their freebie chart, Flip Flop Days. Too cute, another reason I hate misplacing the buttons. Not to mention the $7 price tag on them.

I've also missed reading. Never have time. I have so many books stockpiled to read that I don't know which one to read first. I have three going right now and that's two too many. I need to calm down and settle on one book and finish it before starting another one.

Today I picked up the new Harry Potter book for DS#3. He and I are going to start reading every night before going to sleep. He needs to get back into a good routine before school starts in a couple of weeks.

I also picked up Stitch-it Kit by Jenny Hart- the founder of Sublime Stitching. I've been wanting to try my hand at embroidery, thanks to saucy kitty and I saw this at Books-A-Million last week and wished I had bought it so when I was wandering around in there today I decided what the heck, go on and treat yourself. I've been doing that a little too much lately but que sera sera.

I'm normally not one for shopping therapy but lately it's been kind of nice and unfortunately it's made me feel better. Guess I better put a stop to it and fast! I've spent way too much on books and stitching stuff the last month or so. The sad part is I still have a mile long list of things I want to add to the old stash. I don't have time these days to finish the projects I have started yet I still have tons of projects running all around my brain that want to be stitched in the future. Luckily or maybe not, there aren't a whole lot of new designs that are must haves for me. Most of the projects on my wish list are older charts that I just haven't added to the stash yet.

Also picked up the new Interweave Knits magazine, Family Circle Easy Knitting and Piecework.

I want to work on my knitting skills and have an order coming from Knit Picks. I ordered some sock yarn and an Ann Budd book, darn, can't remember the name. It's a book with all kinds of basic knitting patterns for socks, sweaters, scarves. I have her sweater book, but thought since I'm just learning this book might be better.

I want to attempt to make DS#2 the Jesse's Flames Sweater from Stitch N Bitch Nation. It looks pretty easy, right up to the intarsia in the sleeves but hopefully by the time I get to that part I'll be ready for it. If it goes well I may make the same sweater for DS#1. Is that lame? It's a cool sweater though. Maybe I should try to make the first one and maybe do the manly sweater from Stitch and Bitch for DS#1. I still want to try to make Skully from Stitch N Bitch for myself. I love that sweater. Wonder what it is with me and intarsia? It's just so cool! At least the patterns I'm considering appear easy for a beginner. I guess that remains to be seen huh?

Also have the yarn for my first attempt at sock knitting. Just don't feel comfortable enough with my purl stitch to officially start the first one yet.

I'm still working on a crocheted shawl for my grandmother and since life is starting to settle back into it's normal routine post-Dennis I might just be able to get it close to finished by next weekend. I wish I could have decided on a more original pattern for the shawl but I found a nice ripple patterned shawl in Vanna's Favorite Crochet Gifts book that seemed to be nice and didn't have an annoying fringe. My grandmother is going through chemo and I thought the fringe, even in TLC's Amore, might be aggravating so the ripple patterned shawl seemed like it would be comfortable to wrap up in if she gets the chills. I think I might crochet her a chemo cap or two. Any recommendations for a nice cotton yarn(I'm assuming I need to use cotton since it's summer time?) that would make a comfortable and appealing to the eyes chemo cap? Any pattern recommendations for a crocheted chemo cap? My dad's wife is undergoing chemo also so I may make her a chemo cap too. So much sickness and sadness these days.

DS#3 just came in and said the beach near us has reopened. I can't believe it. I thought they'd shut it down for months like they did after Ivan since our beach was hit pretty hard by Dennis. The boys and I might just head over the beach for a little while tomorrow. It's been ages since I've been. I've now become one of those people that lives 3 miles from the beach yet never manages to get over there but once in a blue moon. I never thought I'd ever become that person but I'm sick of fighting the crowds. They never repaired the parking lot after Ivan and parking is kind of hit or miss. You go early or drive around searching for a little hunk of asphalt to park on and hope that no one blocks you in and let me tell ya, these hillbillies down here park anywhere they want to. The last day we went to the beach cars were parked three deep in the center of the lot, what's wrong with this you might ask? Well the cars in the middle couldn't get out because the idiots parked behind them and in front of them. They were stuck. It's just not worth it. No I was not one of the cars in the middle. But every time I go I wonder when and how I will get blocked in. It's easier to just stay home.