The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino

A must read if you have an invisible illness

The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino

It all Started on June 09, 2007

I started this blog on 6/9/2007 to join a knitting swap called "Knitters Virtual Vacation". I am still in touch with many of the vacationers.   

We all say this-I did not realize that it has been that long since I posted, I started this post on 2/5/11 but did not put it up. I'm trying out some of the new features that blogger has added. I have made a 'new' page "About me" and I'm thinking of one about my cats and other subjects that I think my friends might like.

I am still unemployed and so many of my hours a day are looking at jobs from so many sources that it has become a full time job.  I have come to realize that I am not marketable in the industry I have always worked in. I need to reinvent myself. Then there is the 'age' issue. Everyone is letting go of the experienced workers-read-older and higher paid. Then they post the job looking for level entry but want all the experience that the person they just let go has.

What I really need to do is apply for social security disability. When I'm not looking for work I go to doctor appointments. If you have have advice let me know? There is so much information out there and on the SS site that my mind goes numb. 
Now for your viewing pleasure-

2/15/2011 Here is Pia all stretched out.

 and this is the little girl I adopted on 1/23/2005

4/12/2011- Sissy & Pia-it is very rare that they are together. They were close as kittens but as they got older they have own special spots. Sissy spends most of her time with me and Zorro has now started taking a spot on the couch.

Sissy is not that happy but is giving him some space

Still here but lost in a row boat with 1 oar

Hello to anyone who is still out there. I have not visited my blog friends is months. I am going to keep this short. I lost my knitting muse. I cast on a pair of socks on 1/1/10 so I could start the new year on the right foot.

On 5/21, my Supervisor and I who complied the whole of the "Production" department were given immediate notice that our services were no longer needed "due to restructuring of the Production function within ****** company.

I have never not had a job. The market out there sucks. You can not believe the job requirements. It looks like every job want a Bachelors degree to just answer the phones. In addition to the over done job descriptions, high school & college graduates are in the running because they are all level entry so many companies are going to take advantage of that for the summer months. I have over 30 years of experience which does not seem to count for much right now. I've been applying for jobs that I am over qualified for but that is OK, I could deal with less stress right now.

The upside to being home this long is that I have cleaned out my garden and going through closets and drawers. I have already made two trips to Goodwill. I have taken pictures of Barbie's and other collectibles to put up on Ebay. Then there is a collection of 'vintage' that I will try on Etsy.These garden pictures were taken back in May. Since then the landscapers cut everything back so the management company can fix the soffit, roof & gutters. If I had not "been home" I would not have know I had a problem. So that was an upside of not working. I was going to take these into work like I do every year but before I had a chance I did not have the job.

The cats love having me home. I have taken dozen of pictures of them. They are such clowns. Sissy in particular loves having me home to the point where I am more than ready not be be at home. I spend 6-8 hours searching for jobs on many different sites and she is right next to me looking for attention. She is doing things that she never did before.

Zorro eating out of Pia's bowl. Took this one so you could see how big she is.Here is Stanley on the bottom shelf of my gardening bench. This is one place he spends a lot of time staying cool in the afternoons
This was taken in the morning. This was as close as I could get. I took one move forward and he left this spot.

We all know how our furry friends like boxes. Zorro had been curled up sleeping but by the time I got the camera he sat up. Then he left.
Within seconds Sissy got it. She stayed awhile then she took off, she just could not help herself to find out what Zorro saw in the box. She & Zorro are pals. The are the frick & frack of my kitty brood.
Every morning I open the front door and the morning sun comes in. Sissy & Pia grab a spot. This spot has become Pia's main spot. Here is my fat cat in all her glory. No shame here.

Have to go now, job search continues. I will do better in posting, it might also help me talk to adults.

Ode to Forgetfulness

Well, this sort of explains 2009 for me.

George Thorogood and the Destroyers - Rock n roll christmas

Merry Christmas to all. Had to share this one with you and to let all know I am still around and still working on the forever sweater!! 24 more stitches to the sleeves bind off, soak, block and sew together. My plan to have it done by the 31st!!

A Bear for Anthony

This is the first 'toy' I have made. It is from itty-bitty nursery by Susan B. Anderson. There are more patterns that I will make. I used Sugar'n Cream Citrus Fruits. Size 3 circular needles, knitting back and forth. I purchased the book at my fav yarn store Knit Picks. It is made in all squares and in garter stitch. How easy is that. 8/25/09- Well, I tried to add a slide show when I 1st posted this. Still have a lot to learn. So here is Anthony's bear

Foreverland

I always wanted to go there. I remember making Tinkerbell well as a kid. Now that I am no longer that young (but I am still a kid at heart) I will share what has been going on.

I started Knitting the back panel of Hey, Teach on 6/21/09. I got to the armhole decreases on 7/9/09. I had some much trouble with row 7. Designer should point this out and give us a heads up on how to work it. I have ripped out, tinked back so much that I could have made a dozens of these!!

Detail of Pattern

The back completed

I knit the front & back panels up to where the pattern starts. This went well. I then started the left front. That too caused me so much trouble. I understood the pattern. I could see where I screwed up and would tink back. This should have taken me hours to do. Maybe not at one sitting but over a few night or over a weekend. NOT! I tinked this more than the back. I finally completed the last 5 rows Sunday 8/16/09. After binding off the left front I put the left front back on the needles. Counted my stitches, like a good girl should. I am making the largest size so I should have 61 stitches. I had 57! So ribbit! I ended the night casting on the 61 stitches and went to sleep. Or so I thought

I had a sleepless night on Monday and went to work and got home without sleeping for 38 hours. I have been dealing with Fibromyalgia for over 25 years. I did my regular nighttime(checked emails, faceb00k and played bejeweled) routine then took my night time pills around 8 pm and had a great nights sleep. I woke up Tuesday feeling better than I have in a long time. Work has been busy-crazy. Well, Tuesday was a rare day and the rest of the week I dealt with the pain that comes and goes in different parts of the body.

to be continued

1st post with email-

6/29/09-This is my first posting using my email. I have set up the setting to save as draft. 7/9/09-I am finally posting it!

This is some fabric that I won from Melissa Morgan Oakes. It is something I received as a runner up 'famous' Lexie Barnes fabric giveaway. I won this back in April. That is how far I am behind in keeping up with my blog and you, my readers.

Special News Alert-----KSee Abducted

This reporter (msknitnohow) just finished an interview with KSee. I felt it was important to report to her family and friends how & why she was abducted. To explain why she has not read 402 posts on g00gle reader, read her normal email and try to keep up with Facebook.

She stopped spending time on the computer. She fed her 4 cats, yes 4! Got the junk mail, undressed and sat down and would pick up where she last left off. This thing had taken over her life. I asked if this object would even let her sleep and go to work. KSee responded "Yes, but not by choice. My life is no longer my own"

She said "it all started late in the evening of June 20, 2009". She started a swatch which was finished early the next morning. She then cast on 125 stitches, knit 4 rows of 1 x 1 ribbing. For the next few nights she was obsessed, this would be the one. She knit in stockinette st until her project measured 8 inches. Her every waking moment went into working on this object. There was one decrease row which left her with only 115 sts. KSee was able to successfully knit 8 rows of 1 x 1 ribbing.

The following weekend 6/27 found KSee attached, absorbed in this project. Now it was time to start the lace part of this object. She showed me the pattern and tells me "it is very simple pattern, 8 repeats with twelve rows per pattern". As I am (msknitnohow) clueless, I just nodded as I was afraid that she would loose it if I told her the truth, I have no freaking idea what she is doing. All I see is little boxes with strange symbols. I'm just sent out on assignments. What do I know?

That was when it became a serious problem. She told me "I don't even want to stop to eat or pee!" Now people, this woman has a very big problem. As I sit here looking at her, I see that she could stand to stop eating but peeing-- now that is something even I do not want to picture. I feel like I should call in a mediator, but for what, I wonder. Does she need a shrink? She has a mentor at her office who accomplished this project in less than 10 days. I let it go at that.

As of today (12 days and counting) she has ripped out, tinked back and made every mistake that could be made. Over and over again, no less that 6 times, all this past week. KSee tells me that this will not get the better of her. She plans on persevering. "FGS, how difficult can 8 repeats be."

At this time we take a break. KSee comes back with the abductor. She shows me that she is back to the ribbing. Some how she ended up with 116 stitches last night, on the 1st row of the pattern. That was when sleep took over.

This reporter will certainly keep in touch with KSee and will report back to you how things fair. This is so serious that I believe that I can convince my editor to bring a photographer with me on my next visit. Oh, BTW when she showed me the object I had no idea what it was.
to be continued

What kind of Sheep are you?

I found this on Anita's blog. So what the hey! You can find the quiz here.

I lost the link to the description, took the quiz again and was a different sheep. Go figure.

I am going to finish my project today and make a swatch to knit Hey Teach (Rav link) or here at Knitty.com. My co-worker Carol started her's and I love how it is coming along. I have Classic Silk in color 6956. I got it at In Stitches 2007 at the Webs booth. They do not have this color any more so I guess it is discontinued. I did a search and found this site that has the color.I have enough to make this sweater. I will keep good notes for this one. Wish me luck!

My creation

My creation
Originally uploaded by KSee Kreations

I created this last year for something we were doing on the blogs. I could never figure out how to upload it.

WoW-Zorro

Here is my big boy. As I look at my garden (weeds) he will follow me around and stop me so he can get attention.

The last of my Peonies. I was able to get a better picture once the sun came out to show you the hand blown cobalt blue vase.

FO- The Forever Socks- Forever done!

Thought you would never see this day-- well, neither did I. I would have had them done on Friday night if I had not confused myself with the Kitchener stitch. I tried to tink back but and ended up ripping back to where the toe started! I have also tried creating a mosaic in Flikr. I spent hours reading help. Uploaded the pictures, deleted them and uploaded a second time. Well, I did manage to create one but have not figured out how to upload it to my blog. It is in my collection on Flikr if you are so inclined to see them again. I copied it to my computer and it is really tiny. So I am just going to show you all the views individually.

This is the 2nd sock.

Detail
This is sock #1
Detail
The #$@^% pair together!!

OK, now that you have seen all the views you can see that while they were knit from one skein of Misty Mountain Farm Jubilee- Crimson Tide, they do not match. When I started the 2nd sock I matched up my cast on using the tail from sock 1's cast on. I have never had this happen before. I did not realize the difference until I started the heel. Once sock 1 was done it was put it in my bag. It did not see the light of day since April when I started sock 2. I double checked the amount of stitches for each sock. Check, 72 stitches divided between two needles 36 per needle. I checked this 4 times for each sock. I used a size 2 Addi 24" cable.

I have cast on for a new project. Something simple. It is from the Itty-bitty Nursery book that I received last week. While I was there I could not help but add in two skeins of Felici Self Striping Sock Yarn in the Gelato color way. I am going to try and figure out how to substitute yarn and make something for a baby. Don't have one to make it for but we never run out of babies and I am never ready for when one comes along.

Now if I could figure out how to add a slide show, cross out type and so much more that I see other blogger's do on g00gle blog. I really do not want to change sites at this point.

I hope your Memorial Day weekend was a pleasant one. I know mine was quite and I was really glad to see the rain today. Yes, Lynn, I was glad. It kept the millions of kids I have in my community in the house. The past few years we have had little turnover in families, which is good, but the kids are getting bigger and louder each year. I have lived here long enough to see them from toddler to college.

I am now going to watch a movie "The Secret Life of Bees", I listened to the audio book and loved it and knit my new project.

BTW, I am still fighting ants. I went to Wal Mart on Friday and got Taro inside and outside traps. I went again this afternoon and picked up two gallons of the super duper spray for in & outside. I am so over these little creatures. I hate not being 'green' but I am at my wits end. I hope the product does what it says it will do and I can get a friendlier product to use as a follow up.

Susan Boyle - Semi Final 1 - Britains Got Talent 2009 (HQ)

Her she is. A bit jittery at the start. One of my fav songs.

Diversity - Semi Final 1 - Britains Got Talent 2009 (HQ)

This is my second pick for the winner. These guys are so much fun to watch. Wish I had seen it in person. Next up Susan Boyle

WoW-Sissy

Here is Sissy in Stanley's bed. It was the 2nd time I found her there.

I took this picture of my roses and peonies this past Saturday. I cut off most of the Peonies because of the rain we has Saturday night. I knew they would be goners. Today I still have roses and more peonies. Wild weather, late snow, very hot August weather, lots of rain and now cold mornings...this is the best show of my roses than I ever had.
This is just one in a beautiful cobalt blue vase I own. Since there was no sun and I could not bring the flowers into the house, ants, I could not get a good vantage point to show the vase/flower combo. They are still sitting on my patio along with others that broke that as sitting in a bucket. Definitely the cool weather is helping keep these going.

I interupt regulary programming

just received my mail and now have in my hand Knit Picks new catalog. Just go and look. Now.

Keeping busy

I upgraded my Internet Explorer 7 to IE8. I love it. The best feature I like is when I open a new tab you can set and see your bookmarked pages. I can now just click on a thumbnail of pages I frequent. Like the Panda at the National Zoo, I just saw her snuggling with a ball. I have my Facebook page, Google Reader, my YouTube account, Race for the Cure Team Ratner. I sent emails to my family, Friends and Knitters and have received my first donation from a special knitting friend!! I love this community. All who read, follow or comment on my blog have become friends. We have found out that we have so much more in common than knitting. I love traveling around the country as well as the world.

I know there might be issues about using our knitting blog for causes but that is all part of what we are. We share our ups and downs. Our dogs and cats. The gifts we make, knitted or not. The prizes we win from contests. The goodies we receive from swaps. If we do it, care about it, make it, we share. That is why we keep up with one another.

When my friend made a donation and all the people in my office saw it and I told them how I reached out they was surprised. I was so proud to say it was from a knitting friend. To them it was a 'hobby' thing. Then they thought about it and figured out that they too would reach out. So another race is on! To encourage the "home office" to join they are offering two lunches. I forget what we need to do but it will be Pizza and Super Chicken. I think I am the only person in the office who does not like their food or I am the only one who openly admits it! OK, I'm getting carried away!

Here are a few things that I have purchased since the beginning of the year. I will spread them out over several posts because seeing it all in once place overwhelms me. I know that when I buy online that they are my treats to myself as I believe one day at a time. I know that I can spend too much but...

This is a book I swapped at the 2009 Knitters Retreat. I have had it in a stack of things to take pictures of! Check it out at Knit Picks.

More from the retreat. You can read about Mary's art at Robin's post here mid way down the page. The wine ring was made by Robin but I am using it as jewelry.
All this highlight tape came in the mail yesterday. Run don't walk and get these. It only took one day to receive them!

I mentioned in a previous post that I spent March and April on Ancestry.com. I have so many records of my Great Grandfather, Abraham Isherwood and family who immigrated from England between 1905 and 1916. So far, I've only printed out a few pages at work as they need to be 11 x 17. (Work or print out, what a choice!!) I did save all the jpeg as pdf's at work. I have Adobe Pro at work. I will use these tapes to highlight the family members for my Mother & Aunt to read. I also hooked up with a relative in California who is the grand-daughter of Abraham's son Abraham. That's correct, Abraham my GGF, father was also Abraham! Talk about confusing trying to make sure I attach the correct record to the right Abe.

Panda check. Mei Xiang does move slowly but she has been moving around. There are two cams Cam 1 is Mei Xiang, Cam II are the boys. You have to watch her. Panda fever here in DC.

I started this post about 2 hours ago, yikes! Not all in one sitting but you can tell I'm on a role. Which for me is a good sign because it means I am busy around the house.

Later, enjoy the weekend. I'll have pictures soon of my roses & peonies. It is cloudy and misting rain so I plan on cutting all the peonies. Jeez Louise, I sure am on a roll. Could it be the 4 cups of coffee? lol

Killer Weed

What is this? I went through all my garden books,searched on-line and did not find a picture. I have now cut them down so the pods won't open. With the rain these grew to 3'. If the rain didn't stop they could have turned into Jack's bean stalk. Although, I would hate to see poor Jack with prickly things stuck all over him, LOL.

I picked up the lawn paper bags when I was at Safeway last Monday. They are the cheapest and best way to recycle yard stuff. I will fill up a bag later when it is cooler. We are having beautiful weather again today. Breezy and sunny. The neighborhood kids have not come out yet to make me close up the house and Zorro is behaving himself by not clawing in the screen on the patio door.

This is the only Lilac's that I cut off my bush. This is a 18 year old plant and only blooms every other year. 2007 the landscapers cut it back. Which is OK to do but then you have to wait two seasons for flowers. I hope they leave it alone this year.

Least we forget why I started this blog, here is another purchase fro Jimmy Beans Wool. This is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Limited Edition April 2009 Robin's Eggs. Thank goodness I did not like the other months colors. The colors just grab me and before I know it I hit the purchase button.

I have pulled out all my spring and summer clothes and moved back the fall/winter to the walk in closet. I have quite a stack of clothes to try on and I believe most will go to charity.

Edit: why is it that some pictures you can make bigger and others not?

Race for the Cure

Yesterday I sent out an email letting you know about Team Ratner. I have never reached out to my Family, Friends and you my fellow Knitters before and I hope I did not intrude. Here is the link to my Personal Page. My goal is to raise $125. If you are reading this and can make a donation as little as $5.00, I will reach this goal. You may select to keep your donation private.

As I mentioned in my email, I have signed up for Sleep for the Cure and I would like to be at the Mall to support my co-workers. After my shopping spree yesterday I know I can not manage the walk. Anyone have a Segway I can borrow? LOL

Thank you.