A Leaf Sock in the Car

I wanted to knit in the car on a day trip. So I have to finish knitting the pinwheel sweater...almost done (I hope it still fits Eloise when I'm finally finished!) and that grey and wasabi cardi with the horses for her, but both of those are out for the car. The pinwheel isn't ideal b/c I've had to quarantine that (a mouse got into the house and walked across it so I'm not into snuggling and carrying it around until its been finished, washed, and de-Mickey-fied.). The color work in the cardi makes it madness to do without concentration, so that left me with a serious gap in my two hour car trip.
I started an adult sock. I'm using Step-by-Step Cheat Sheet for Socks by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.  The yarn is some Ranco multi by Araucania.  And I got the strip of leaf lace pattern from the pattern encyclopedia at the knitting fool.

We went to Camden Adventure Aquarium and Eloise had a black as usual.  Her favorite ocean animal has to be the shark.  She has four different stuffed ones, one of which she carried around the aquarium, pressing again the glass to try to feed him the fish inside.:)

Nice diversion

Did I spell that right?...Anyway...

With Aussie Sock in hot pepper purchased at Yarn Diva. Pattern Step by Step Cheat Sheet for Socks by Yarn Harlot and I added the diamonds using Interweave's Lace & Eyelets book.

Hedera & Lesser Known Skeins

Took a break from the Clapotis this afternoon and started the Hedera socks from Knitty. I've been eyeing them for a long time, and had all that Jitterbug. Just incase they do fit her Royal Lupie-ness when I'm done I'll leave the "for" part empty in Ravelry. I added an extra knit stitch in between each repeat to make it a bit more roomy. I got the idea from Tiphanie on Ravelry who did only one pattern repeat. Not the same thing, but looking at her pattern brought me to thinking about altering the pattern by adding more stitches and how I'd do it.



I also tried to work on the Lesser Known Skeins site. LKS is a Ravelry group my mom made for people who have blogs but weren't getting many visitors. Anyway, there's a bunch of very talented people who belong to the group. I love to hear stories, and reading blogs is just that, so I have benefited from it's creation. Lupie (aka mom) has thought about a page for a while so I've done a little work so far.




I took a background from thecutestblogontheblock.com and made some extra graphics...I hope they're okay with that. I could have made my own bg and made graphics out from there...but I really liked the bg I picked from their site. I originally got the link to their site from Plumpy.

Hell Yeah!

I frickin didn't get to finish Mary's Thank You socks. I would have been able to but I was running around like a mental patient for most of the day...I asked her to drop by my room and I told her about the socks and she freaked out! She took the finished sock and went around bragging to others that I was making them for her. It was nice of her to freak out like that. You rock, Mary.

I'm nervous about next year already b/c my principal is supporting me in the creation of this heterogenious grouping program I'm copying from Lupie's old school and I'm scared other teachers are going to make it difficult for me.

But for now I can say...
TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT!


SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER!
NO MORE PENCILS
NO MORE BOOKS
NO MORE STUDENTS'
DIRTY LOOKS



UPDATE

Just finished the Mary Thank You Socks

A pretty eventful weekend...

I'll write quite b/c I'm STILL not done with the thank you socks... but hopefully she'll still get them tomorrow. Why must I have them ready for tomorrow?? Well, if you take a look at the counter at the bottom of my page you'll see

TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!

Like I've said in previous posts, I'm going to miss my kids, but I'm excited to do stuff in my new house and to her my sister (yes, poor Lupie has two of us!) set up her (filthy) new home. (By the by, if you're renting, you still have to clean...even though it's not yours - the people who lived in Pepper's house until she bought it left it repulsive!)

So the weekend began with a fare well lunch for one of my co-workers being transferred to another school. I'm sad to see her go, but I'm happy b/c she'll be in a new-ish building in a school with a lot of spirit (we have spirit issues in my school - by the way, now the ceiling in the stairwell fell down - throw us a bone Corzine!)

She jokes about Tom Jones and his panty catching kitchyness. She and my other co-worker are even going to a Tom Jones concert in July (may the Gods bless them). There's also this whole funny thing with Angela Lansberry (don't know if that's spelled ok) that has a huge back story that I'm not going into on here...but anyway...so my co-worker jokes about them. Another one of us as a gag wrong a letter to the transferee in the persona of Tom Jones apologizing that he couldn't make it to dine with us and assuring my co-worker that he'll see her in July at the concert. Hardy har har:) And she even made these hysterical lolly pops (delicious by the way:)

On Saturday Pepper, Lupie, and I got our hair cut and I got mine dyed. My hair dresser put something like seven gradiated colors in it to make this gradual transition of reds to dark purple underneath. It looks less purple and more black on the bottom. It's very pretty, and the cut is great, but I don't know if it's wild enough for summer - I'll see how I feel.
Pepper's been working hard at her pretty new-to-her house. I love it. It has fantabulous landscaping. I went by on surprise today with Mr. G to invite her and Mr. Pepper out to eat at a local Japanese place but they had company so Mr. G and I went without them. We ate at Fuki (I love the name) in River Edge, NJ. This was the best Japanese I've had in a long time. Here's a shot of the Mary socks on the table at the restaurant.

The fish was so delicious and tasted fresh. Usually when I hit a Japanese place on Sunday, most any place, for whatever reason I feel the fish is only okay. This fish rocked. The service was nice, very attentive. It was priced similarly to most places in the area (Wasabi in Ridgewood is another good one, but this one is way cuter and much more homey.) I had a sashimi platter - the white tuna was awesome. Look at how they served my salmon row.

For desert we had Red Bean ice cream in a ball and deep fried tempura style. It was Mr.G's 1st time eating red bean ice cream. He really liked it. It was the perfect, scrumptious topping to a great weekend. And now...

One more day

And finally...True Blood...Right NOW!!!

I really think Lafayette is dead...wait...GASP

And watch for Suckie's grandma's knitting.

So tired...so excited!!

Yippy Skippy!!!

Photo from Bravo

I am so excited about this!!

I have been very ill as I'm sure one can deduce by my last post. Yesterday, by evening by migraine was so bad that I called Mr. G at work to stay on the phone with me b/c the dizziness was causing me to walk totally messed up and I was afraid I would fall.

I would have stayed home from work today except A) it's so close to the end B) some of my students find it impossible to behave for subs - you should see the note a sub left for me when I was out Monday. I don't know what the hell they're thinking! The behavior is frankly unsafe, but hell, I should be able to get a frickin migraine and not fear that they'll kill each other - and C) I had a very important meeting about one of my kids and the mom keeps neglecting to show (she missed 5 meetings - I don't know, man). He's a great kid, a good person, a wonderful artist, and all I want is for him to succeed. Things didn't go as I'd hoped. I know he failed, but I feel the situation is beyond his control in some ways and I was hoping to get him AP-ed (administrative promotion). I haven't given up yet, though.

Honestly, they're all great, my kids, they're just freakin insane. They can't behave appropriately ever. I insanely picked this year (obviously unknowingly) to re-vamp my whole approach to discipline. These little dudes need the old, louder me (I was - am kinda still - a drill sergeant yeller) just because their volume is immence.

I really have the "artists row" of homerooms this year. They're all visual artists, or performers and they don't know it yet - hysterically freakin funny children. I have one who can draw really well, but I feel that he'd be a great writer too. He really drives me nuts and weighs on my patience - does this not speaking to me thing - but he's an awesome little guy & just human.

I have one who loves baseball and it's nice b/c I'm just getting into it more b/c of Mr. G - this kid's a genius. I adore his humor. I have another who is equally as smart and a wealth of obscure knowledge...WWII planes, King Tut, etc. My girls rock! They are the most helpful cutie pies ever. One of them is a total pisser - she could be a comedienne right now.

I have two secretaries too. One boy and one girl. I don't think they realize how much they help me every day. One of them is moving and I'm really going to miss her. She's like a little mini homegirl.

I can't wait for Monday - last day - to be over. They are totally crazy, but then, so am I, so we were all a good fit together. I'm proud to know them. They're a bunch of great kids.

Needless to say the Thank you socks ain't done. My nights have been full of headache and totally knitless:( I'm glad Mr. G is home tonight b/c I still feel shitty:(

Thank you sock 1 is done...

It's taking me longer than I'd hoped thanks to the Fables I can't keep my hands off of ( I can read and knit, but it's hard when you're reading a beautifully illustrated graphic novel and don't want to break the spine). Mr. G says they're going to make a live action series based on the book. I'll have to hunt for that.

I did not do the kitchner. I will do it again at some point when I can watch Mom do it again, but Bead Knitter, a really gifted blogger with great taste in Spocks :) suggested I do a three needle bind off after turning the sock inside out. This was priceless advice, especially since this was something that I could accomplish while tripping on a migraine (I ache right now:( ) Her blog is just amazing. She has incredible beading skills, like the stuff you see demoed in the Fire Mountain catalogue and think 'Who the hell made that, Da Vinci?'

I Survived the Worst Day of the School Year 'n all I Got was this Lousy T-Shirt

Firstly, Mr. G took some pics of the really beautiful animals in our neighborhood and I wanted to share a few more. I feel so lucky to live here. Such an overlooked part of everyday...the animals around you, but I'm always mezmorized and there are plenty to watch by my house.
Nextly, today was the DARE Graduation at school. As a 5th grade teacher in NJ my students take part in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program during which a town cop comes in each week and teaches the kids about the dangers of drugs and alcohol abuse. Our cops take it one step further and throw in lessons about dealing successfully with any negative peer pressure involving illegal substances and violence. The cop we had this year was just awesome. The kids love her and you can see she enjoyed spending time with them too.

At the end of the program the students do three things...write an essay about what they learned, create a poster for DARE with a slogan (for example: Be Awares, Drugs are for Squares), and take part in a graduation. It has the potential each year to be cute...we all wear matching tees and put on a show for the parents, the 4th grade, and various town officials. Here's this year's shirt.

We usually do it up...rewrite songs with new, DARE-y words (STOP! in the Name of DARE, Before you Make Mistakes! Think it Oh-Over), skits, etc. As you can imagine this all takes time. But if you look further down on the page that counter to the last day is a' tickin' (thank the Gods), testing was late this year, and as much as I love all the kids in this year's 5th grade, as a group they're a difficult mix. So this year we tried to fly low.

It still managed to be very stressful. So many needy kids with so many issues makes for insane rehearsals. Other teachers complained that we were too loud (don't ever call the principal on your co-worker right away...go to them and talk first. Don't teachers tell kids to try to solve problems on their own first? I can't wait to see how other people are going to deal with this group! Let's see who complains then!)

We ended up making this Bob Dylan Subterranian Homesick Blues-esque video (that's the one where he holds up the signs in the video) all to the tune of Under Pressure (we used both the original version and the Used's cover during the show). The cop spoke, we ran the video, the best essays were read aloud and in the end everyone was happy, but the stress of getting there with 95 some-odd kids behaving like they'd snorted 20 Pixie Stix each was heavy. When I got into the car to drive home I realized that the only end-of-year work I have left to do can only be done in school and that I have the evening free. Mr. G works late...so I stopped at Kings (Ou La La, movin' on up) and got some treats for myself.
The Green Mountain Coffee bag says Mocha Nut Fudge and the cake is red velvet. I'm chowing down right now. Along with some knitting on the Mary Thank You Socks, the next volume of Fables and watching The Fashion Show with Smudge I think I'll feel better by morning!
The sock is coming along smoothly but as usual I'm dreading the Kitchner. I don't know why
I'm so bad at it. I even use a guide. Hopefully that'll be done before I go to sleep tonight.

Wish me luck with the Kitchner:)

Mom's post about Annette & Thank's to Mrs. S.

photo by Lupie of Knitting with my Mother's Hands

Lupie posted about the ChalkDust Knitter who just passed away, Annette. She was Pat and Karen's teacher and was incredibly gifted. She will be missed.

I'd like to say thanks to my friend, Mary aka Mrs. S. She was unable to go to see Billy Elliot on Broadway with a gaggle of my co workers on Friday and gave me her ticket. I was kind of afriad to see this with my co-workers b/c the story itself brings out so many emotions in me and connections to my own life that I can't help but be totally moved. I said what the hell, though, and had an immensely wonderful time.

First we ate at Becco in NYC. The food was good, but I don't know if I'd go back. I did have a good time. I sat by a few of my co workers I don't often get to spend time with and it was very nice to get to know them a bit better. My friend, Mrs. L, found out she is getting transfered come September and I got to spend some time laughing and bs-ing with her and that was great too. I'm going to miss her very much when she's working in another school, but I feel that that environment will be a wonderful change from the issue-weighty place we all work now.

The musical was totally amazing and I basically cried through the whole thing:) But it was good crying. Mrs. L. was roaring with laughted at the fact that I couldn't stop.

To thank Mary for the ticket I've started a pair of socks for her.

Here's the first of the two being made from Aussi Sock I purchased at Yarn Diva. I love this yarn and want to pick up some more. Beneath the sock is the second volume of Fables. I'm really enjoying the story and recommend it.

And in the wonderful world of Bun, Smudge jumped up to the kitchen level from the sunken family room at around 6:30 this morning. Congrats, little man!:)

And the Countdown Begins...the Great GrimmWitch Relocate

Thank the Gods my college course is over. I was never able to find enough time for it. For whatever reason perhaps b/c of my rockin' SmartBoard, work I do at home for my job has increased and I find myself working at least two or three hours on work work after I get home at around 4:30. The move is slowly creeping forward and We need to start packing.

In between that I still have a huge amount of pressure at work. It doesn't feel like home away from home anymore. Every day I'm waiting for something else to go wrong.
I'm also trying to take the next few steps in my quest to be a mom. I suppose I should have listed that first in my non knitting pursuits, but sometimes my priorities get all jumbled.

So, cute things 1st. Smudge has made a wonderful recovery from the head tilt he had over the summer. We thought we'd loose him, and we hoped at the most that he'd live on unhindered by a permanent tilt, but he is my little hero and looks exactly just as healthy as he did before he was ill.
I didn't want to remember it so I didn't take pictures of his illness, but by the point the below was taken I was elated that he was alive and kickin' and thought this was going to be it for him so I snapped this shot.Well, since then he's improved greatly and is up to no good again. He discovered the moving boxes.
As previously promised I have some pics from Mr. G and my little trip to Phili for Eastern State Penitentiary's Terror Behind the Walls, a remarkable haunted house set up in the historical prison. Mr. G has yet to send me the few pics he took w/ his phone at the pen, but the next day we went to the Camden Aquarium (nice, but worth $45 some odd dollars per person?).

Many exhibits featured pumpkins for seasonal look.

Me looking at jaws from the extinct Megalodon.

View of hippo from the underwater area of their tank - this made it worth the money - they are extraordinary!

And the weekend's booty pictured next to my well loved copy of Watchmen. Can't wait for the flick. Mr. G bought me this Teddy Scares at the prison and he comes with a ball and chain...
And at back tat!
Now for knitting...
I finished Griffin's tomten a while back and added monkey buttons, but don't have a pic yet. Finished the ripple blanket as well...pics to come. Its being washed as I type.

I knitting a baby surprise for a co-worker's brand new granddaughter, Sophia, out of CottonTots from Bernet. I love that stuff.

The buttons are butterflies.


In celebration of this festive Yule season I made my sister, a long time Impressionist fan, a pair of socks out of Rio de la Plata merino in the colorway Starry Night purchased from Yarnmarket.




I made a scarf for a student of mine that gifted me with some yarn. She crochets and I knew she would appreciate this and wanted to thank her for her gift.

In addition to finishing my tomten for Griffin's cousin, another adorable Sophia, I'm working on Jaywalkers for mom, and a top down cardigan out of Zebra Caribe.

And another Baby Surprise for another pregnant co-worker.

I just love this pattern. I love that I don't have to seam too much b/c I feel that's my weakness. I think it's a warm, practical jacket that can be made to look so different every time by simply changing the colors and the way in which they are used.

Just as the vacation rolls downhill to a too quick end the ChalkDust Knitters met up for a great meet at Pat's house. It was just so nice, her place is beautiful, and I enjoy our time together more than I ever thought I could. Pat gave me a great book on beading (very comprehensive...Thanks Pat!!) Those of us who were not able to make it were enormously missed.

Pic Pilfered from Knitting with my Mother's Hands (aka - my mom's site)

And now for something completely different!

Happy New Year!!!

The Adventures of SmudgeStick & the Flat Feet

Smudge still has a 90 degree head tilt and cannot move around more than a few inches on his own, but he can eat on his own if we put the hay or pellet bowls in the litter box with him...he was (and I assume still is) litter box trained, but can't get in or out of the box without help now so we line it with towels and change it frequently. One would think we'd of thought of that, but the small animal specialist vet thought of the idea. That way if he begins to roll he's in the box and catches himself.

In addition to Smudge being sick I was sick too:( I finally got out of the house yesterday and went to Stix with the ChalkDust Knitters. I got the black yarn I needed to finish the fair isle hat from the class with Sunday, also got some orange jitterbug and ... FLAT FEET!!!!







I'm doing the Harlot's basic sock pattern (it's in my ravelry) b/c I really want to do a simple pattern so I can see the colorway work itself out. I know its gimickie, but I really wanted it so I splurged.


Now for more crap...
the back of the Central Park Hoodie - Yes, I made it longer, and yes, the cables are backwards - I didn't have my pattern when I started the cables, made the mistake, and was up about a foot when I realized so they're stayin' as is:)



Griffin's Tomten - I saw him Monday. He is so freakin CUTE!! but I think he's still way too small for it. No news on the GrimmWitch baby front yet.



Sox for Griffin - too cute, bud!



And I finished the socks I made for my Mom.