What Do You Give a Plumber?

Here's my plumber. Isn't he cute? He's really handsomer than this photo shows, and he Never Ever has Plumbers' Butt. Two evenings he spent getting my toilet and sinks straight, and he would not accept any money. This is a karmic debt if I ever saw one. Please give me some input, folks. He's outdoors a lot. Shall I knit him a scarf? He's 6'5" so maybe some nice big socks? He races boats...(Nothing is coming to me from that.) Comments please!

Blessed are the Plumbers

For they shall be revered among ignorant homeowners. He came, he wrestled with rusty bolts, he told funny stories,( he, too, is owned by a greyhound ), he cleaned up after himself. Both my toilets and all of my sinks are working the way they were intended. It's so lovely when things function properly in one's home, especially mysterious, water-related contraptions.
Pictured is the Cow of the Day.

Patients of the Day

Random Hats

These are perfectly normal people, when they are under normal circumstances. It's our workplace that makes us strange and crazy. Knitting-wise, here's the story. A baby came in and J said "Could you make a hat like that in my size?". J,S, E and L selected yarns, I measured heads, and off I went. If you look at the yellow one,(stand a ways back from your monitor) you can see how simple the construction is. The girl in the pink hat is getting the Rowan cotton baby blanket. Maybe I'll make a teeny hat, too.

Cinderella Lives

I get to go to MS&W after all. Thank you fairy godmother! A small number of enthusiasts are heading up for the day on Saturday the sixth. I'll be looking for the Virginia Purl (tho I don't know what you look like) and please look for me. I'll be in my geek outfit : wide-brim Tilley hat, long straight denim jumper over a tastefully neutral tshirt. Reading glasses low on the nose. Jumping involuntarily at sudden loud noises.
An unexpected find this weekend. While waiting in line at Advance Auto with some 20W 50 for Sven, I saw little keychain retractable tape measures, for 58 cents each. I scooped up four.

Things Are Looking Up

I'm back and badder than ever. My plumber just left (my plumber,I love the way that feeds my elusive, illusory sense of security). He hasn't finished, but there are no sounds of dripping water anywhere in my house. When I sent out desperate little notices that I'd be unreachable by computer, my cousin in San Diego sat down and wrote me a nice long letter, on elegant stationery, with a fountain pen. He is the one in the family with class and style.
Coming up tomorrow : a minor shopping coup, and photos.

In Limbo

The only knitting I've done this week has been on the baby blanket, on my breaks at work and last night at a little league game. All energy has been focused on getting someone to restore my computer to its former glory, and getting the plumber to come over and fix my leaky sink. The computer will be spending a few days away from home. Until then, I leave you with the Patients of the Week. Tobias is the big one. He says he's an English Mastiff, but where'd he get the long hair? The cat declined to be interviewed.

Help from a Friend

I downloaded something protective to my computer at the prompting of a friend. Chaos. So protective, I couldn't get in anywhere. Now I can do some things but not all the usual things. I'm trying to see the funny side of this. Until I get untangled, let's see if I can find something for you to look at. Ah, sheep. English Cotswold sheep. I don't know the breed. Here's an amusing one: Being of a certain age, I gave in to the nagging of my nurse practitioner and made an appointment for a colonoscopy. I put a temporary tattoo where the doctor would be sure to see it. Considering the scenery he's used to, I figured he could use a good laugh. I was unconscious before he arrived, and he left before I woke up, but the giggling nurses said he appreciated it.

Day of the Triffids at Ginter

And orchids too.

Cashsilk

Here's my cashmere/silk that, it is to be hoped, will transform itself into a shawl. I've swatched this bit of yarn on #9 needles, and it sure did bloom when I washed it.

Garden Goose

This is my friend and neighbor and fellow greyhound person, Carolyn. Don't know the goose's name. We strolled around the Ginter Botanical Gardens this morning, early, before the screaming little kids took over.(P.S. Thanks Ashley in Ohio for the photo mini-tutorial.)

Yarn as Souvenir

The thing I like most - so far - about the Yarn Harlot's new book, is all those moments of 'Oh! I thought I was the only one who...'
I haven't felt like this since I found out that other people have panic attacks. (Thanks, Christine, for reminding me of that.)
I understand yarn as souvenir, and I have touristy photos to prove it. My friend Angie lives in France, outside a small village with a large chateau. On market day she helped me buy some sock yarn. OK she did all the buying. I no sprechen ze Franche.

The Magnificent Seven

Here's six of the seven greyhounds I had at my house this weekend. (Pearl refused to sign the model's release.) Good thing I have a kennel license. It was fun, but I'm glad I'm back down to two. To unwind this evening, I spun some of my silk/cashmere; just enough to play with, not enough to show off.
(Trivia question : Who survives of the original "Magnificent Seven?")

Twister?

Naw. A Great Dane puppy came into the hospital with an allergic reaction. His face was swollen, and we had to convince him to be still while we gave him an injection.


To show there were no hard feelings, he shook hands all around when we let him up.

Yard full of Pollen

The maple tree in my back yard resembles a lace pattern, yes? AhhhhCHOO.

Next Big Thing

Not one to rest on my laurels, I plunge right in to the next project. (Baby blanket? What baby blanket?) There are two ounces of 50/50 cashmere & silk maturing in the stash, which would be perfect for a shawl. Never been a fan of the garter stitch, but a swatch of this stuff, washed and blocked, unpinned and admired, carried around in the mouth of a greyhound, rewashed and reblocked, looks good to me. Off to The Yarn Lounge for consultation. Stewart and Melanie listen to my description of the dream shawl, point me in the right direction, pat me on the back for encouragement, and send me off with hope in my heart and that peculiar itchy/twitchy feeling in my fingers.

FO Alert

In the time that most knitters take to create a large Aran sweater, I've managed to complete a pair of preemie booties. What can I say - there are five guest greyhounds here through the weekend, who need regular ear scratches and tummy rubs. If I can get all of them (plus my two) in one picture, I'll post it.

Wisteria

Winter seed pods. Velvet on the outside. As the pod dries, it develops tension (like yarn, or the San Andreas Fault). When the pods open, it sounds like firecrackers. The seeds fly an amazing distance.

Quieter.

Bummed

Pasha says hello...
I emailed the prez of our spinning guild to ask for details of our annual organized trip to Maryland Sheep and Wool. Imagine my chagrin when I learned that nothing had been done, and everyone was on their own. Oh well, there's nothing I absolutely need that can be found only at the festival. But I did have my heart set on standing in the bathroom line for a couple of hours.

Patient of the Day

This little guy is a Corgi. He's been hand-raised from day one by one of our technicians.

Small Fraction of Stash

Not an official flasher, and a day late to boot, I offer my dining room china closet, which actually displays some old Fiestaware, but mostly yarn and doodads. The wood wall pocket has swatches, odd balls, and spinning experiments. Things against the mirror are mostly spinning things; in the basket : Rowan Cotton, and Fortissima cotton sock yarn. In the box is Jawoll. When I find a yarn I like, I get All the good colors. Yes! Those are Bosworth drop spindles hanging from the chandelier (to keep them from warping).Not shown:kitchen pantry, a closet, bed in guestroom.

Two Half-Finished Objects

This half-a-baby-blanket is of Rowan dk cotton, on Addi turbos size 5. The pattern is a variation of the Cot Blanket from Little Badger Knitwear. I've been doodling along, thinking I had til June. I forgot about the dreaded Baby Shower. So, sigh, another project I'm behind on. The white splotch is a bootie, for a preemie, scaled down from patterns in 50 Baby Booties to Knit. The yarn is Lorna's Laces white, on Inox size 2 double-points.
The second bootie has been started, I swear. I stopped by The Yarn Lounge an hour before my massage appointment, where there are no distractions. It's All About the Knitting.

Here's a better look at the lonely bootie.