Who comes up with these things?????

No, really, is there someone sitting in an office somewhere, coming up with strange ideas into which we can fit our personalities? I have an M.A. in psychology, and might actually be qualified - can I sign up??? It's like the folks who name paint or crayon colours - I could so totally come up with descriptive names ... bile green... diarreah yellow...

You Are a Ring Finger

You are romantic, expressive, and hopeful. You see the best in everything. You are very artistic, and you see the world as your canvas. You are also drawn to the written word. Inventive and unique, you are often away in your own inner world. You get along well with: The Pinky Stay away from: The Index Finger

What Finger Are You?

A little pre-senile dementia, anyone?

According to the Journal of Neurology, knitting is one of 13 activities shown to reduce the risk of developing dementia by as much as 38%.

Given that, why am I having so much frigging trouble making a sock that fits? I studied pre-senile dementia in grad school, and well, I'm just wondering...

I finally figured out the Grasshopper pattern from last month's Blue Moon Fiber Arts kit

and I don't like it.

I don't think this has happened to me before, but I finished the sock, put it on, and I don't like it. For several reasons. The fit is a little baggier around the ankle than I like... the top is a little snugger than I like. But I think that the most likely reason of all (yes, I am quoting the Grinch a little) is that the pattern doesn't do justice to the yarn. The yarn, a silk/wool blend, is absolutely gorgeous and knits into the most beautiful fabric with a soft sheen. With the lace pattern, the sheen is lost.

So, I don't like it.

I started the second ball as a Monkey sock, and much prefer it. Of course, I got to the heel before realizing I couldn't pull the damn thing over my foot - too small... so I frogged and am using slightly bigger needles, and am finally making socks that fit!

I started these a couple of weeks ago, from the Pick Up Sticks sock club.
Again, beautiful yarn ( bamboo/wool/nylon),interesting pattern (see the shell motif at the right end? works with the pattern name - Beach - get it?) - but it doesn't fit. Too small. Only one size was given for the pattern and in my enthusiasm I didn't bother checking. And it's too small. So off to the frog pond with this one, too.

sigh.

However, I do like how you can take something like this:
,
add a little of these

and come out with this


The sweater is now done and ready for mailing to Artisan Knitworks... yay!

And remember the nest in our euonymous vine? Look who showed up...

The mom is in the middle, flanked by two babies! I can't tell you how much fun the boys and I have been having watching them, and talking to them - the boys so much so that they TRY NOT TO SLAM THE DOOR - this is significant progress, let me assure you!

So now I must try to get my brain cells back in order - I cast on a sock on June 21 for Summer of Socks, which I will post later, and am hoping, praying - actually, I'm measuring - so that it fits...

You Are: 70% Dog, 30% Cat

You and dogs definitely have a lot in common. You're both goofy, happy, and content with the small things in life. However, you're definitely not as needy as the average dog. You need your down time occasionally.

Are You More Cat or Dog?

Well, duh....

Late on the bandwagon

Finally, some time to sit and think, and do the 7 things about me post for which I was tagged by both Miss Scarlett and Riggwelter... I found this fairly difficult, because first, I had to actually sit still for a sec to think of 7 things, and second, had to think about things about me, which I find really tough...

so -
1. I have very ugly feet (so naturally I am posting a photo of them for all the world to see), but what is notable about them is the two webbed toes on each foot:
No, they do not improve my swimming, nor do they have any effect on me other than precluding toe rings, which I don't like that much anyhow.

2. I am a hard-core, lifelong animation, especially Looney Tunes fan, and sometimes at night, when I can't sleep, I come down and watch old cartoons (pre- and during WWII are the best for animation quality) all by myself...

3. I am much more upset when animals are hurt in movies than when people are.

4. Despite the fact that most of my house is in a state of perpetual uproar, I am actually an organized person, and once something has a designated spot, I will almost always put it back where it goes. Seems that finding the spot is the hard part, sometimes.

5. I am petrified of lightning and snakes, and not much else. I think I was okay with snakes until someone brought one for show and tell in Grade 1, maybe?, and it slithered up my arm and through my sleeve, coming out at my neck. Now I can't even watch them on TV.

6. Okay, I lied. I am also deathly afraid of being trapped in a car underwater. No idea where that comes from, but I am unable to watch movies like "The Abyss" - I tried to watch it and had to stop because I held my breath through the whole thing. I know what to do should my car plummet off the side of a bridge into deep, dark water, but I am terrified nonetheless.

7. French was my first language, and by the time I was three, I'm told I was fluently bilingual. Then we moved to Ontario and, according to my mother, I refused to speak to her unless she spoke to me in English. So she did, and I lost my French for the most part. I can understand reasonably well, but am unable to retrieve the words to converse.

What I really want to know is why my mother would have caved to me as a three year old. Was I that tyrannical? Or so strong in personality and will? Was she overwhelmed with her new baby, my brother Pat? There is no way I would have given over that much to my three year old, especially if I knew what benefit it would have been to her down the road. Just sayin', Mom, that's all...

Other items of note this week:

Ben is playing softball, two 2-hour games EVERY WEEK, Wednesday and Friday nights - he's having fun but it is putting a real crimp in our traditional Friday night pizza/movie thing - of course, he's very cute in his team shirt and cap
What I like about this picture is that he was way across the field, and still managed to see me with the camera and smile perfectly - so camera conscious...


And for the third year running, we have a mourning dove nesting in the vines surrounding the front door:
I can't imagine why they would pick this spot, because the front door is always opening and closing, often with a bang, but we are watching eagerly for babies...

and yes, the euonymous vines are mostly dead, thank you for noticing - I am thinking of planting clematis plants on either side of the door, and having them wind through the vines...

so now you probably know more about me than you wanted to, and I have decided I probably need a pedicure. But I will probably buy plants instead...