Ah, Jeez . . .

So Snakes and Ladders has been moving right along. As evidenced by this:



See? At least 5 repeats of that "18 row repeat, over 80 stitches, on size 5 needles" that I was soooo looking forward to. A lovely, intricate lace pattern; 18 rows, all different; perfect to take my mind off everything else that's been weighing heavy on me lately. Right?

Wrong. This pattern has a definite "right" and "wrong" side. The "right" side being mostly knit, and the "wrong" side being mostly purl. Well, there's the rub. See where I have that empty needle speared on S&L? Yep, right there, halfway up what I've knitted so far. . Let's take a closer look, shall we?



See that? A purl row on the "right" side. CRAP! I noticed it tonight when I had Tool Man stretch it out so I could show off the total loveliness that S&L was turning into and what an excellent knitter I am. (Hey, no one else really give's a rat's ass how good I am at this stuff, so a girl has to pat her own back now and then.) Now, I have so far sucessfully ignored that fact that (ahem) several of my rows didn't come out right so I had to either: a) knit more than 2 stitches together, or 2) "make" a stitch where none had previously existed. (I think we all know why they "didn't come out right" by now, don't we?) I justified this by convincing myself that in such an intricate pattern, no one but myself would know. All onlookers would be so overcome by S&L's intricate pattern, that I had so cleverly worked in fuzzy mohair of such beautilicious colors that they'd never see such slight changes. In fact, I was so overcome by the lusciousness that I could hardly see the errors myself.

Actually, I was avoiding having to frog off mohair. As anyone who has knit with anything the least bit fuzzy, it is danged near impossible to "rip it, rip it" with mohair. But now I KNOW that "wrong" side row is on the "right" side. God, I hate it when that happens!


I really don't see what the big deal is, Mom. After all, why would anyone look at your lousy knitting when I'm in the room?

So, tell me what to do. Should I try to ignore the "wrong" row on the "right" side and keep going? If I do, will I totally hate this thing when I get it done and never wear it because I KNOW about the "wrong" side row on the "right" side? Rip it out and try to pick up from there and carry on? Rip it out, and then being disgusted with the S&L, find another pattern for another shawl? Rip it out, wind up the yarn, and move on to mindless knitting (like maybe warshrags from Mason Dixon)? Come on, people, give me some feedback here!

Bridge of Sighs . . . .

It's been a long week. Sigh, . . . .

The carpet is done and so is the kitchen floor. But the bathroom flooring is on back order. So we still only have one tiny bathroom and two new toilets in boxes. Sigh . . .

My liver still isn't behaving as well as it should, in spite of being off any medication that would affect it, so my internist sent me to a liver specialist. I saw the specialist on Wednesday, and he ordered a whole boatload of tests that required about a gallon of blood and an ultrasound. They did the ultrasound on Thursday and I'm still tender from it. Now wait a week to 10 days to get the results. Sigh . . .

And then, the decision has been made to close the office at the end of June. We've all tried exceedingly hard to keep the firm going, and we just can't do it anymore. It has become clear that my boss will not be back to practice law, ever. And the firm cannot continue to operate without her. The employees, all women, are a very tight-knit group. We've been through a lot, both in and out of the office, and we've shared with each other, leaned on each other, laughed and cried with each other. The worst part is not that the office is closing or that I'll have to find another job, but that I will lose touch with a bunch of great broads that I care very deeply for. And no matter where I land a new job, it won't ever come close to comparing to what I'm losing here.
Sigh, sigh, sigh . . . .

I did finally finish Aryanna's sweater and topped it off with little brown leather buttons. Then I wrapped up the baby layette and her sweater in tissue paper, plopped the whole bunch in a bag and handed it off to our client today. She was surprised and (I think) touched that someone went to the trouble to make something by hand for her children. Knowing that I really like her and she probably won't be my client after June makes me sad. Sigh . . .

And I forgot to take a picture of Aryanna's sweater before it was gifted. I've been forgetting a lot of things lately. Sigh . . . .

With all this going on, I needed something complicated and beautiful to knit. Something to take my mind away from all the turmoil that is swirling around me. Lace, that's it! Something nicely complicated, something you have to really pay attention to, something for ME for a change! I've been wanting a swanky shawl to go with my little black dress. So I pulled some beautiful mohair blend out of my stash. It's Stacy Charles Ritratto in color number 64. Here's a picture; scroll down and click on 64 for a good picture. I bought this last winter because I couldn't resist the colors, or the tiny metallic thread plied into it, or the fuzziness of the mohair; so I bought 5 balls. Now for a pattern. Nothing in my books or magazines felt right; so, on to the internet where I found this pattern. Perfect! And I love the name: Snakes and Ladders Stole. Of course, I just can't seem to knit a pattern as written, so I added on for a garter stitch edge all around, just enough to keep it from rolling up. Casted on last nite, and so far I have this much done:





An 18 row repeat, over 80 stitches, on size 5 needles. Just what I was looking for. I've barely made a dent in the first ball. This is going to be a long knit. Sigh . . . . .

Done In

That's me; done in. My week from hell is finally done.

Remember that three day trial? Well, we only got about 1/3 of the way through the complete trial. We're the petitioner, so we went first. We got all of our witnesses done except one or maybe two, who will have to wait for later, so we haven't yet completed our prima facie case. The respondent got started on his response case started but he still has at least three witnesses to go; including at least one professional which will take most of a full day. And then when he gets done, we get a chance to put on a rebuttal case. So we asked the court for two more days. Which turn out to be May 29th and June 11th. It certainly seems unfair to ask people to wait two months to finish a custody trial so they can then wait for the court's ruling letter which comes 10 to 14 days AFTER the trial is over.

Oh, and that full day depo and 1/2 day hearing? Did those, too.

And got into the office at 7:00 a.m. on each of the court days and worked until 7:00 on two nights to get ready for the next day. I managed to work late enough on Wednesday to completely miss the Washington County Bar Meeting, where I was supposed to be the guest of the presiding judge and get a plaque in appreciation of my services to the court for the last five years. And I haven't even had time to call the judge to beg forgiveness.

Guess that'll have to wait until Monday. In the meantime, I'm going to be horizontal, either in the recliner or in bed, until the swelling in my ankles goes down, or Monday morning; whichever comes first.

Adventures in Shopping

Yesiree, bob, we are makin' progress. The ceiling and walls have been texturized (twice in some cases) and the plastic, paper, and tape have been removed from the premises. The painters come on Monday to paint the kitchen and living room ceiling. Then on Tuesday, the floor people will come to remove the old carpet and what remains of the vinyl; on Wednesday, they'll prep for the new stuff. Then on Thursday and Friday, we get new kitchen vinyl and carpet everywhere. Unfortunately, the bathroom flooring is on back order for 2 weeks. But at long last, the end is at last in sight.

I'm still working on Aryanna's cardi. I'm about 1/2 way through the second sleeve. Hey, I've worked my buns to the bone this week. With a 3 day trial coming up next week to prepare for and training the new associate attorney, along with all the regular office stuff and the house stuff, I've been just a tad frazzled this week.

Then on Friday, I realized I do not have enough decent suits to make it through next week. Because not only do I have a 3 day trial, I also have a full day deposition and a 1/2 day hearing. And the only black heels I have kill my feet. So, yesterday after work, it was off to Chico's to spend the $200 gift card I've been saving. They were having a sale at 15% off, and had a full rack of discontinued in my size. SCORE! So Tool Man pulled stuff off racks and I tried on. Walked out with a black and white print dress, a black jacket, a necklace, and a pair of earrings. And still had money left on the card! On to Kohl's, where I found a great pair of black leather pumps with black patent bows on the toes.

This morning, we were going to eat breakfast out (it's our Saturday morning tradition) but everywhere was packed so we skipped it. Which we would regret later. So we went on to Ross, where Tool Man found a killer black crepe suit for me that marked down from $149 to $21.99! And a cute brown and pink pinstripe suit. And a pair of black slingback heels and a pair of heels in a cream color leather with a pearl finish. All on sale; total checkout was $79.92. Tool Man and I are on a roll by now, so on to Payless shoes where they're having a buy one get one 1/2 off sale; so I pick out a pair of medium brown open toe pumps and a pair of dark brown slingbacks. By now, I'm done, whipped, finito, toasted; and Tool Man's debit cards are smokin' hot. And it isn't even noon yet. But remember, we didn't get breakfast, so we're starved. But we have to go to the grocery store before we go home.

Never, and I mean never, go to WinCo on Saturday at noon; especially when you're hungry; never on the day before a holiday; and never when you only need 3 things. All of which we completely ignored and went anyway. So we had to park approximately 27 miles from the door, sprint into the store in the rain, dry off a cart, and fight our way through the mob to get: a single box of lime Jello, a tub of small curd cottage cheese, and a can of crushed pineapple. All of which are diabolically located as far as possible from each other while still being inside the store. While gathering the mere 3 things on our list, we also snatched up a six-pack and the new edition of Knit 'N Style; we considered them our reward for not killing anyone or their "darling child" before we got out of there.

All this because my sister-in-law Faye told Tool Man last week that she and neice Jane were planning the menu for Easter, when Jane said, "How about a fruit salad; Bobbie makes a good one." So Faye relays the message to Tool Man, who relays it to me. And I ask, "Which one?" His answer: "I don't know; she said something about lime Jello." Now, as Ellen says, "Honey, I was raised a church-going Midwestern Protestant. My people know the multi-layer Jell-O salad." So, after getting home alive and relatively in one piece, then slapping together a sandwich and virtually inhaling it whole (by now it was almost 1:00 p.m.) I whipped up one helluva Jello salad for Jane. I hope this is the recipe she was hoping for!

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Remember a couple months ago, right after the "rescue crew" came and made holes in the floors, walls, and ceilings that I said "I know this will get a lot worse before it gets better." Well, it did. I came home to this:

You notice we have approximately 6 inches of usable stairs. Try racing a dog up those while carrying your purse, a shopping bag, a lunch bag, the mail, and your knitting.

Then when you get to the top, you just want to relax in your nice living room:

Except you can't because the repair people have been there today. And they've moved all the furniture to the middle and encased it in plastic.

After they were through with that, they piled up all the leftover drywall and new carpet pad in what usable space was left. Notice they even covered the sliding door in plastic? The dog is VERY confused by that.

Look what they did to the kitchen today:

I dare you to get a cup of morning coffee after these guys have been in your house. If it wasn't for Iron Mutt Coffee, I wouldn't make it to work in the morning.

These guys apparently have more than enough plastic, tape, and paper, with which to completely encase every bloody thing in the house. The one thing they apparently don't have?

A broom! That white crap on the floor is drywall dust. (Pay no attention to that white thing on the right, it's just the camera strap; Tool Man decided to take the pictures tonight.)

Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

Look, Ma! No holes!

At long last, the repair crew showed up to start filling holes and patching walls and ceilings. They did the garage last week (so we have someplace clean to put furniture when it's time for the carpet and flooring).

Today they showed up to put (sorry, had to stop to watch Apollo Anton Ohno. Dancing With The Stars is on, you know!) up the drywall everywhere. But first, they did this:

They draped various parts of the house in plastic to protect it from the dust and debris. Remember that scene in E.T. where they set up the plastic tent in the house to examine E.T. before he dies? Like that. Only more.

See what I mean?

Notice the cabinets, stove, and fridge are also sealed in plastic? Gosh, guess we'll have to eat out until they're done!

They also filled in the holes in the master bedroom

the master bathroom,

and the guest bathroom.

They're back tomorrow to tape and mud the seams. Then on to texturing, painting, and flooring. Ho-rah!

Getting the holes fixed in the wall inspired me to make significant progress on Aryanna's cardigan. See, I even finished off one arm"hole" last night.

So far, I'm really happy with how this is turning out. I debated whether to chose the dusty rose and the bright pink from the variegated for the body. I thought the bright pink would be more "girly", but I really like the dusty rose. And the dusty rose plays up the chocolate brown and tones down the bright pink. I'm thinking maybe brown pearly buttons for this one. Just a little more sophisticated for a small miss, size six.

Oh, yeah; Tool Man and I picked out new toilets last weekend in an attempt to avoid having to do this whole "dry out and repair" thing a second time.