Knit the Dog

[...because if I ever run out of yarn--- I can just knit the dogs.]



Sunday, June 22, 2008

Blue Ridge

Got back Thursday from five days up in the mountains. It was blessedly cool, down to the forties at night, and clear. Holli, Dave, & Phil rode bikes three days, we played golf one day, and I did some hiking and some knitting & read two J. D. Robb mysteries. Other people fed us the whole time-- B&B breakfasts and restaurant dinners-- pretty sweet. I gained a few pounds I have to carve off this week. Didn't take a single photo the whole time; I just wanted to be there.
Have to get ready now to go up to Rhode Island on Saturday. Working on two more pairs of socks and maybe a wrap.
The hummingbirds have been coming to the feeder regularly, or one hummer comes a lot-- can't tell. Things are very dry here, which I'm sure makes my sugar water more interesting. We badly need a small, polite hurricane!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Rosie's Got her Wag Back

Well, mostly. She is recovering from [Ewww Alert!] impacted anal glands. I don't even want to think about what that feels like and I am grateful humans don't come with those accessories. The vet also tested and warned me to keep an eye on "Rosie's benign fatty masses." Well. I've got those too, but in my case they're called hips and thighs. Anyway the Rose is on the mend & we're glad. At nine years old I guess we can expect more doggy decline. Hmmm-- they're just about my age in dog years. Oh, dear.
The socks are done, see pic, and I'm trying to put another pair on the needles. This time I'm doing toe-up socks, so I can make the ankles a little longer without worrying about running out of yarn. This calls for starting with a curved toe geometry that is giving me fits; also, the yarn is finer and the needles smaller than the first pair. One needs very bright light. I want to start them so I can take them up to the Blue Ridge with me next week, when Phil & his friends go on bike rides and I get to knit to my heart's content and do a little hiking. It will be cooler up there, and I'm so looking forward to that. 96 degrees F yesterday (and the thermometer is in the shade under the eaves.)

Saturday, June 7, 2008

A Woe of the Tail

Something's wrong with Rosie's tail, and if it doesn't wag normally by Monday we'll be off to the vet. She's in a little discomfort (not enough to effect her appetite or desire for walkies.) But her tail is just hanging there as if it's broken, although neither of us can remember any reason why it would have been injured. Mysterious. I've checked out everything I can think of and meanwhile she's getting extra TLC and yogurt.

Went to the farmer's market today & came back with green beans, yellow crookneck squash, red potatoes, beets, blueberries, purple caulifower, and the first of the Sandhill peaches. It's going to be a colorful weekend. So far the squash went into a casserole, the caulifower got steamed (and turned a disconcerting dark blue that sort of puts you off eating it, although it tastes fine) and the beets got roasted with carrots--- a little too roasted since we were watching Big Brown lose the Belmont & I forgot to take them out. I felt bad for the horse, he should not have been run so soon again in this heat and with a cracked hoof. He's still a magnificent beast.

I have to admit I feel bad for Hilary too. I was hoping not to have to vote for her, for a number of reasons, and will be pleased to vote for Obama, but she certainly set a high bar for future women to follow. I wonder if she'd have done better if she were a plain old senator and not attached to a former Clinton--- I rather think so. It's interesting that in many foreign countries the rooting is for Obama because he is seen as "new". One can only hope.

I've been listening to podcasts while I finish the second sock. Brenda Dane, who lives in Wales, gives a great knitting-related podcast once a month called Cast-On. She interviews interesting people and throws in a little good music, and they last about an hour-- just right for a dog walk or a session at the gym.

Next post I will have a picture of my feet modeling The Socks (and will be plotting my next pair.)

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Sitting Pretty

For the three plus years we've been in this house, we've talked about getting a table & chairs to go on the deck. Finally pulled the trigger. The folks who built this house must have been great entertainers, because it's designed for big parties; big kitchen, big livingroom, generous deck, french doors opening onto the deck. We're not that social, but during the part of the year when outside living is possible, the deck is pretty nice. Surrounded by trees, there's usually some shade and a bit of breeze (and acorns, tulip poplar flowers, oak/ash/pine spring thingys, twigs, pollen, bushels of leaves...) So, we went to the usual Lowe's and Home Depot, looked, were not excited; went to Furnitureland South, looked at the price tags, and came back to Lowe's determined to be plenty excited, and came home with a nice round table and four chairs, all heavy enough to withstand a windstorm and easy to clean.
Furnitureland South is a High Point institution. Five floors of furniture! Acres and acres! World's largest----- chest of drawers. Yup, four stories high and thankfully bolted to the building so it doesn't fall on anybody. You really can't miss the thing. It has Hickory's World's Largest Chair beat all hollow. All this has to do with North Carolina having once been the center of the furniture industry, due to all the hardwood forest that we've since cut down and replaced with pulpwood and houses. The furniture is now made in places like Indonesia, but still marketed from here. They do have great stuff, just not that I want to spend that kind of money on in order for it to be rained on and collect bird dookey.
We planned, of course, to eat our steak fajitas on this new table, but as soon as Phil got everything set up it started thundering and soon rain was banging down and the dogs were cowering in their "We're all gonna die" mode. This morning's coffee and newspaper out there was very pleasant, though, if a little damp. Gotta make a cover for that table.
We also caved on the AC last night. We traditionally hold out as long as possible on both AC and heat, for which Duke Power should be grateful. But last night we were sticking to the furniture and the sheets and there would have been no sleep without the wonders of modern HVAC. I don't think I could live down here without it.
I finished one of the socks in that first pair yesterday, all but the grafting of the toe seam. Tried it on and it's a little strange in the fit, but I figure I'll wash it and block it and it will be done, and be an actual sock, if nothing else. The second pair will have better workmanship. Its sock brother is almost done too, I'll model them soon.