Sunday, June 29, 2008

Summer crochet & Other things

Wow, I can't believe it has been over a month since I last wrote, or maybe I can. I am a little slow on the upkeep of a blog (journal). LOL I have never been a good journal keeper. My first and only diary was when I was around 15, (way way back in the olden days), :) and I wasn't good with keeping that up to date either. So, what have I been doing for a month. Well let me tell you. I decided to crochet the "light and lively top" from Lion brand. I figured I'd use this awesome yarn I had in my stash, Reynolds Saucy in Purple Passion. Now understand, I have a large bust, so I had to alter the size a bit to fit me. First time I did the triangles I made them way way too big. It was so funny, it made me look like I was flat. LOL. So, I frogged them, but not until after I had added the under bust. Nooo it would have been too smart to frog first, less work, but I had to make sure. So, I ended up frogging the triangle and 3 rows of underbust. Now at this time I also realized I didn't have enough yarn. Ain't that always the way. So I googled the yarn name and color. I found it, but wasn't happy with the price. I'm cheap, what can I say. So, I decided I would make the triangles and the underbust the passion purple and then use a nice dark multi-color for the body then trim in the purple. Well wouldn't you know, I couldn't find a color scheme I liked. I love to buy on e-bay. It's so much easier, prices are usually cheaper, and the ease of it is great for me. Well, back to the color problem, I ended up buying a pinquoin yarn that was multi-colored in lighter colors. I thought, hey it's summer, let's go light. Well wrong. LIGHT LIKE THIS FOR ME IS WRONG. Ok, so let's see, I frogged the triangles and made new ones, they are perfect now. Then I added the three rows of under bust in a smaller size and it seems like it will fit. These I did in the purple passion. I then crocheted the body in the light multi, using up 5 skeins, and the switched over to the purple, and did 9 rows of that. I had maybe a total of 6 rows to go, then I would work on the straps and be done. HA HA, wrong. It was too short. The pinguoin doesn't crochet up the same as the purple, and the color made it hideous. So, yup, I frogged, rip-it, rip-it, rip-it. All the way down to the underbust. I have since found the purple passion from a seller on e-bay. They sell it a couple pennies less than the yarn stores online, and their shipping price is better. So, I just bought 5 more skeins to start, probably need more, and I have been crocheting with all the purple I have left. It's almost done, thank goodness, I really want to wear this. I was hoping to wear it on Saturday, July 19th. I have my finger crossed.

So, what else have I been doing. Ahhh let me tell you. I went fishing down the Cape Cod Canal, I am the only woman of the group allowed to fish. I am usually a better "fisherman" than they are. Not only with cutting my own bait, baiting my own hook, never complaing about having to go pee, or that I'm hungry; I catch the bigger fish. LOL Check it out over in my pictures. That was me, on a chilly day. Usually, I am wearing a bathing suit and soaking up the rays, drinking the beers, and splashing in the water. I LOVE TO FISH. Can't wait to go again. But they go on Saturdays, and I am usually stuck babysitting the grandkids. But let me tell you, when their dad is off from work, I am gone. Up anywhere from 3 am to 5 am to go fishing.

This weekend is gonna be big here. Being that it's the fourth of July. We live in the center of town and there is a carnival across the street in the park every year. All of our freinds come over, cook out, have a few drinks, take the kidz, (those that have them), to the carnival for about an hour or two, then set up the chairs on the lawn and watch the show. It's great, no fighting for a parking space, they park in our yard. And getting home for them is so much easier, they take the back roads, so no traffic. It's really nice. Everyone helps with kidz, food, and drinks. Next year though we are adding a yard sale to the list of things to do. Each person who wants to set up, pays $5 (that's for the ad in the paper and such), and then sells all weekend. We should do great, with all the people that pass by my house to get to the carnival. We'll see.

So, I am already thinking about the holidays. I have so many things I want to make. I want to make at least 2 afghans, 3 mens sweaters, a madonna shawl in filet, 4 boy sweaters, 4 girl sweaters, 6 sets of kitchen items, barbie doll clothes & furniture, baby doll clothes, saddle bags, and a few pairs of slipper sox. I have a bunch of yarn to start the projects so if I work one big item until it's finished and just do a few small things in between, (you know, when you get bored with the big item), I should do good. But I am not starting anything until I finish my top first. LOL

All's well on the home front. Kitties are doing phenomenal, and hubby and I are doing good. Well, I could be better. I have recently been told that this awful rash all over my body is Lichen Planus. Sounds really bad huh. Well, it's not. It just means I am having an allergic reaction to something be it chemical, airborn, or even my arthritus meds. So, to help, I stopped my arthritus meds. That does seem to help with the spreading and itching. But it is still there and UGLY. Some of it has turned purple, and anywhere that I scratched until raw is now scarred. It's totally gross. And my arthritus is starting to bother me agian. So unless they can give me something else for my arthritus I have two choices; I either have this UGLY rash and little to no pain, or I can be somewhat normal looking (cause we all know I'm not normal looking anyway), and pain. I once made a statement to a girl friend of mine how I wanted a new body, and she answered me with the best answer I have ever heard. She said "you are given one life suit in the time to wear, how you wear it is your choice, no replacements, and no exchanges". A very wise woman.

Well ciao for now.