How To Fix Those Knitting Blues

So, I grumbled to Lorraine last week about how I can't seem to stay focused on any one project for more than a few rows, and then my mind wanders and the ADD kicks in.


Oooo, look it's the ice cream truck!!



No, but seriously. With the exception of my Gingko Leaf sleeve I'm working on, and here it is:

I haven't been to overly productive. Speaking of ADD, Gandalf decided playing with the end of the needle was much more fun than modelling for Mom. This represents about half of the sleeve, believe it or not. Of course, much more would have been done had I not chosen to work it while watching "Blood Diamond". And - wait for it - I LOVE this pattern now! Wow, and it only took me the entire body, and about 3 years to get to that realization! *patting myself on head* But, I have to say that the fact the sleeve is going so well is thanks in no small part to Dorothy Siemens' brilliant instructions. The sleeve is practically idiot-proof, follow the chart and you don't even need to think about when to increase, and how to incorporate it into the pattern. My kind of lace.

And I've also been working on socks:

Atticus is much more obliging. Then again, it is July... So, one half of the Lisa Souza Mahogany socks are done, and the second is well on it's way! I have 4.5 hours of "Das Boot" to thank for getting a lot of it done. No worries, I haven't tired of Kiri, I have worked on her, only it really looks no different than last time... And no, I haven't forgotten Amphora. I'm just in no rush to finish it, as it's still a couple more months before I can wear her.

All that to say... I decided to use this I-don't-know-what-to-knit phase to get a head start on my volunteer knitting for the Annex Cat Rescue. This year I'd like to make a pile of kitty blankets, and Wendy was very sweet in letting me use her Kitty Bed pattern from her book to make some kitty beds for sale as well. And a few other things as well.

I don't think I need to worry about not having any spare feltable yarn.

These are just "remnants". Some stuff I have NO IDEA how I got it.

Thanks everyone for your kind words for Jen. The funeral and wake was held last Wednesday here in Toronto, and I think she would have been mighty pleased at how it all turned out. Also with me at the wake was blogless Rachel H., who kindly showed me that yes in fact I CAN turn off my stupid new Motorola Razr.

"I don't know about this phone Rachel, the battery dies awful quick."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm recharging the damn thing every 48 hours."

"Well, aren't you turning it off when you don't want it on?"

"See that's the problem! I don't think you CAN turn this thing off!! I doesn't tell you how to do it in the manual!"

*silence* *crickets in the background*

"No, really!"

At which point she takes the phone from me.

"Oh hey Miss Brigitte-I'm-installing-a-new-server at the datacentre tomorrow. I JUST TURNED YOUR PHONE OFF."

"Oooooo..." *Edith Bunker voice*

Rachel H. and I work together. I'm a techie systems person. She's in Customer Operations. And she had to show me how to turn off my cell phone. What? I just find it so funny now!

If you can't laugh at yourself...!

"Man, vacuuming is HARD work! Gandalf, next time you're carrying the hose, and I'm pushing it around."

"OK Atticus. But maybe I'll use my superpower glowing eyes to make it move itself! Go go Gandalf-Ranger!"

"Oh for cryin' out loud..."