She Walked Away

Hello? Mom? I've decided to become a hooker.

Actually, I think my Mom would support me if I were to call and tell her that, but I don't mean it that way.

After having taught myself to knit from Debbie Stoller's Stitch 'n Bitch book years ago, every time I tried to crochet something was always wrong. It didn't help that I considered crochet to be fairly dated. Everything I saw that was crocheted looked, to me, like an old lady made it.

Well, either I am an old lady myself now, or I just saw enough crochet that DIDN'T look dated, but I seem to be embracing my inner hooker now.

Thanks to alicia from Posie Gets Cozy for posting her ginormous (her description) ripple blanket at least a couple of years ago, I tried ripples and just couldn't do it. I checked out Jan Eaton's ripple stitch patterns book from the library, tried both crochet and knitted versions, and still couldn't do it. My timing was off (and I just want to make it, not actually read the pages leading up to the patterns). 

I found a flickr group making vintage stripe blankets. No problem. Every stitch was dc:

I tried without success to make granny squares. They came out warped and goofy looking, and I was warped and goofy looking trying to make them. My timing was off. Again.

Determination made me go to Debbie Stoller's The Happy Hooker for learning how to make granny squares again. I figured it out, and now I wonder why I made it so difficult before... it's easy. My first crocheted afghan: Hip to Be Square:

 

Now, thanks to Lucy at Attic24 and her straightforward instructions and images about rippling, I completed my first ripple project: A blanket for Wilson.

So now, I am working on several crochet projects at once. A secret project for a friend (so I won't post or describe it here), another granny square project to give to my niece, and a series of flower motifs inspired by Lucy (again!) that has not yet told me what it wants to be when it grows up:

and

I have a large amount of work to do in school, so I reward hours or reading, writing and studying with crocheting while watching Simon Schama's History of Britain. I guess you could say I'm hooking my way through school [with Simon Schama]!

 

Now with more degrees!

Today it was 60 degrees. There's still snow and ice, but now there is also standing water and MUD. Lots of mud.

I'm a firm believer in being careful what you wish for, so I am not going to complain. I'm grateful that Wilson doesn't roll around on the ground when he's outside - managing muddy paws isn't so bad.

Between adverse weather and a wee bit of the flu, I have been in the house a lot this winter. I have started and completed lots of knit and crochet projects and completed lots and lots and LOTS of homework. L-O-T-S of it.

I have also documented some of my projects like Wilson's Ripple Blanket:

With it being 60 degrees outside, Wilson isn't too interested in being on or under his blanket, but I think he likes it. And Fnn likes it, too:

Getting Back to *ahem* Normal

The sun is out and it is the second day of above-freezing temperatures. I don't know what to think, let alone post here.

I'm soon off to brunch, then to class, then I have the rest of the day and tomorrow off (with homework).

Breaking Point

I wish I could be happy just taking the bus and not concerning myself with the fact that my car remains stuck in the driveway. I have shoveled, salted, chipped, picked, cursed, and fallen for 6 days and my car isn't moving.

I just need a push.

I only have a few neighbors who can see me out there, struggling, but they can see me. And I can see them watching me and not offering me any help. The really sad thing is that there is a church two doors down and not a person who watched me as they headed in and out of services Sunday offered to help me. I drive a standard 5-speed car, and I can't accelerate and push it myself, or I would. Today I called my Dad blubbering and he suggested using rugs to get traction. Great idea, but it didn't work.

All the good that my Sunday meditation practice did for me has unraveled. I lost it this morning. Full Stop. Scared the shit out of my dog.

I deactivated my facebook account. I realized that I had been posting my progress - or lack thereof - for a week and none of my 300 'friends' had offered to help. I posted about my frustration this morning and one of those friends commented that if I lived where she lived, someone would have helped me by now. I realized that facebook is simply a forum for people to feel like they have a lot of friends, but in a crunch no one ever steps up. Technological stalking and bud-inski-ness. I won't miss you facebook.

In support of the help I have gotten, a few friends offered to help in ways, one friend has driven me around a little... I truly appreciate this, and I am grateful to be a student with a student bus pass.

So later today, my parents are driving 60 miles from where they live to help me. I'm so grateful to them, but worry that they are going to so much trouble. I'll update later. I hate winter and I really hate where I live at the moment. I'm exploring relocation options as soon as I finish graduate school. Don't worry, I won't let the door hit my ass on the way out.

 

 

Insult to Injury

I am sick of being in my house.

I really think the weather in the past week is causing me to have a nervous breakdown.

Don't misunderstand me. I realize I am fortunate to have never lost power or heat, to have had plenty of food to eat, to have at least enough talents and interests in things as to not sit in dark rooms and stare blankly for hours on end.

Here's my week. You tell me if I am feeling sorry for myself (and sorry for any duplications - I'm losing it in here):

Monday night I took the bus downtown to meet some fellow graduate for a special at the Tapas restaurant. Our reservations were at 5:30 pm - the same time that the freezing rain began. Tapas were great, company was great, caught a ride home and was so grateful for it. There was a good 1/4" of ice on everything by the time I got hom.

Tuesday the rain and sleet continued. I stayed in, campus was closed so I did not need to report to work. I chipped away at the ice on my car and steps and walks when I could, but I mostly stayed in.

Wednesday the rain and sleet continued. I don't remember when it stopped exactly, but I went outside and chipped some more with a garden shovel, attempted more scraping from my car, and basically slid all over the solid 4" sheet of ice that blanketed everything. These two days were difficult for Wilson, who had quite a bit of confusion about his yard.

Thursday I stayed in again, but also went out and continued my chipping and scraping with only slightly better results. I realized my car wasn't going anywhere, and I was becoming depressed about the situation. Fortunately, I had plans to see Yo La Tengo with a friend, and she could drive. She offered to pick me up and I agreed. Wow. I actually left the house and saw people. For several hours.

This wasn't from the show, but they did the same cover in a more electrified version and I loved it!

 

Friday I did NOT go to class. I would have taken the bus, but the bus stops are still very icy and dangerous, and it was about 3 degrees outside. No thank you. I continued my chipping, scraping, shoveling... blah, blah, blah. I also managed to bundle up and walk to the nearest grocery. What does a stir-crazy person buy at the grocery after being housebound for a week? Hint: not vegetables.

Today (Saturday), I lounged around, continued a crochet project and felt sorry for myself. Mostly because the first two-thirds of the day it snowed. A LOT of snow. BIG flakes. I tried to stay on top of things by sweeping snow off of my stranded car and steps. I also slipped ass-over-teakettle. My butt reports that the snowfall total was about 7 inces.

More Wilson:

I finally checked the bus route and took a ride to the public library and big box store (not WalMart). Getting to the bus was easier than I thought and I managed to have a decent time running errands this way.

So I have done a lot of homework and will be taking the bus to my class tomorrow afternoon. Thank goodness for the bus! It's so nice to have someone else do the driving.

Special note to anyone who had to look at me while I was out amongst the living today: I know! I am having a breakdown.

 

 

 

 

Still Frozen

Today it is beautiful here, but don't let that fool you. It's extremely cold and everything is still under a thick blanket of ice.

Attempts to chip my car out have been unsuccessful.

There has been some potty confusion over the past few days. Who goes out and potties on an ice rink?

I am contemplating going to class tomorrow. The campus re-opens today after 3 consecutive days of being closed. Wise decision, actually, there is almost no way to ensure the safety of students when there is ice on everything. If I do go, I'll need to take the bus. The weather forecast of 3 degrees makes that pretty unappealling, frankly.

So I leave you with Happy New Year (of the Rabbit) wishes, and hope for an early spring that goes on forever.