Sunday, October 2, 2011

The end to a boring vacation

Today ended up being the best day of my vacation, although it was the last day of it.  I got good sleep last night, set the alarm so I could get early enough to spend time with Zach, who is shifting his circadian rhythms and presently it sleeping from about 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Then we went to McSnacky's for breakfast, shopped for a couple of hoodies for him for winter and came home.  I wasn't bouncing off the walls, but I had energy to actually do stuff today.  I'm planning on setting the alarm again tomorrow regardless of how much sleep I get because it occurred to me that my circadian rhythms might be off as well.  I seem to do better when I get up early enough to enjoy the day instead of waking up at noon and feeling like the day is over already.

Tom got home today, too, safely.  I always worry when he's out on the road like this because of idiot drivers who pay more attention to their cell phones than the road in front of them. Or those Sunday drinkers who never think they are over the limit.  But he got home safe, albeit very tired from his vacation.

We sat down and made a list of requirements for the newer car which we plan on looking for sometime this week.  I'm just too nervous to drive the car anymore than I have to.  Of course, we must go into super-tightwad mode from now on.  It won't be easy to get back on that train again, but get on it we must.

I completely frogged the frolicking deer hat because it was going to be too long.  I never managed to get the gauge right.  If it was sport yarn, I could do it but not with worsted, which is what the pattern called for.  No way can that be right.  I'll get the yarn for next year and knit him one then.  Just can't swing it this year.  I'm wondering if I might make it on 3 pair of winter socks this year instead of spending money on new yarn.  Maybe I can pick up some yarn at the thrift store.  I doubt it.  Most of what they have there is Wintuk yarn from the 80s. 

I am working on a sweater out of the deer hat yarn.  Had to buy more but I loved the fair isle look so I'm working on a Red Heart pattern.  Unfortunately this time my gauge is under so it's going to be a bit smaller.  I'll just have to lose some weight before it's done.  The length gauge is spot on though.  I never manage to get both width and length gauge right.  So I worked on it a bit and then worked on Zach's sweater a bit more.  His is fairly easy with 4 row striping so I knit on that while watching something that requires me looking at the tv.  The fair isle is for when I can just mostly listen to the tv.

I found a new show on BBCA called Bedlam and I love it.  It's definitely a keeper.  Also a show about the ER in King's Hospital in London.  Another keeper.  The latter one is a reality based show.  I really needed to add two more shows to my lineup.  Although I'm thinking of dropping Ghost Adventures.  I'm just not as enthused about the boys this year.  They're taking themselves too seriously as if they are experts in demonology (yes, everything is a demon these days) and I'm having trouble stomaching Zak this season.  I'm also thinking of dropping the show that comes on after about a psychic and a detective.  The first show wasn't bad but the second one was boring beyond belief.  Life is too short to watch boring shows.

Well, time to make up the bed and knit while watching some more tv.  I'm hoping to get to sleep by about midnight or so.  I'm going to drink some tea before bed to see if that helps.  Something hot might make me sleepy.  I got more Earl Grey (decaf) today at the store.

Tomorrow I've got to pick up a prescription, hit the library and put some money into savings.  I hope to do that before Tom leaves for work so I can take the truck.  It would be so nice to be able to start the car up in park and get the key out without jiggling the gearshift.

TTFN

3 comments:

carol said...

I have a major problem with gauge. I'm apparently a relaxed knitter, so I always end up with needles a size or two smaller than the pattern calls for. Just can't seem to knit tightly enough.

Kathy said...

I don't normally have stitch gauge problem if the yarn is the right thickness and can usually adjust it with different needles if there is a minor difference, but this hat pattern...no way this is worsted weight yarn.

I'm not a tight knitter either. It hurts my hand too much when I have to have a dense gauge so I can't knit very long on patterns that call for it.

But...at least we're knitting!

knittingdragonflies said...

That is how I operate also. Yarn not good for that project, well, look for another more suitable.
Vicki