So, March is over. I just posted February (literally) and here we are talking about March. I am sad to report that there are no finished objects this month either. I did knit a lot, especially in those few final days, but nothing got the Completed stamp. I must say that I am proud of how much I pulled together at the end, though.
Works in Progress:
Zipper Sweater
Birthday Flax
Travel socks
Home Camisole
Shatar Vest
Goals for next month:
Mending pile-
Sew zippers into Zipper Sweater and Harris
Shorten the sleeves of the Betty cardigan
Work on WIPs
Give the Father his sweaters/ get them out of your house/ head
Meet with a financial planner
So, nothing is done. I finished knitting the entire body of the Zipper sweater and the Home Camisole. I only have to sew in the zipper and weave in the ends of the sweater and do the neckline and armholes of the camisole. Of course, I had to order new zippers for both of the Father’s sweaters and now have to hand sew them in. I am never excited about hand sewing. I think the camisole is going to be too big, as usual with any summer top I have knit in the past year… I don’t know what my glitch is with size selection. I seem to keep over estimating my size or just picking the wrong size to knit. I am not petite, but apparently I need to knit smaller. Mind you, if I ever knit a gauge swatch, it may not be so far off… I could be onto something there. I think the Zipper will be too short for dad and I will have to cut and extend it. I knit it to fit the measurements that I took, but I still don’t think it will work. I go see him next month and will figure it out then. I am taking it and the yarn with me so I can finish it while I am there and leave it with him. I would like him to be able to take it on his trip if he chooses. I also want both sweaters out of my custody. I think April will have a glut of finished objects (fingers crossed). I am in the homestretch of several things. I also think that April will be the month that I buy my sock machine. She will finally be mine. One small bitch is that you have to pay for shipping on an $800+ machine. How can you charge me extra to send it when the cost is so high? Am I too used to buying through big box stores? Gripe, gripe, gripe…
March was pretty okay. My work life is still going pretty smooth, so that is always good. The first week entailed the great annual tax preparation, which is always fraught with concern. It isn’t too bad. Owing taxes means I make enough to have to pay them. Right…? That is what I tell myself to feel better. I had my usual 5 week hair appointment scheduled on the first weekend, but we ended up going to see the Father-in-Law at Stanford. It was a long day, but we were able to spend time with that family. We missed the Edgar Allen Poe Speakeasy, which was unfortunate. Maybe we will get so see it or something like it another time. The following weekend was ladies nights with best girls. We have been plotting a fantastic surprise for the guys and it involves t-shirts and looks of disgust. I can’t wait to give them to the guys at the work weekend at Ab’s house. I had reserved the following weekend for Jamie’s visit to Napa, but we didn’t get to hook up while she was here. Anniversaries are so inconvenient and it interfered with me getting to see her while she was in California. Our Jamie-free weekend ended up being incredibly chill, which was nice. The Mother and I worked on my table and got it mostly sanded. The Father came that week for a visit. We took him to the good Burmese place in Dublin. He was supposed to come back the following day, but his busy schedule prohibited it. He and Jill are traveling to London in April, so we made a plan to get together before he leaves. That next weekend I rescheduled my hair appointment, thank goodness, and I changed my hair color and have gone back to my more natural color. My goal is to let it grow out and cut off the color treated hair overtime. I am very curious what my natural color and texture are now at the ripe age of 43. I know I am very gray for my age, so I will be curious to see how it goes. I will keep it short while it grows out. After my hair, I had lunch with the Husband’s Aunt. She is such a delight. I absolutely love her. We have decided that we will take a trip to Urban Ore so that she can check it out. I will get in touch next time mom needs to go so that we can make a day of it. The next day was St. Patrick’s Day and the Husband made his amazing corn beef sliders. Those things are so good. That week my allergies absolutely floored me. I was in a haze the whole beginning of the week. By Thursday I was still miserable and we had to go to a retirement party for the Husband’s coworker. Unfortunately it was in the park in the reservoir and I felt like garbage. I am sure my snotty cheerfulness really impressed all of his coworkers, but I felt like hell and couldn’t fake it. We were pleasantly surprised by a visit from the Mark. He was working in the bay area and stayed with us for two nights. Feebs had a sleep over with the Mother and they had a nice time. The three of us went on an adventure to Santa Rosa and had good food and (they had) beer. The next day we went to a really good little breakfast place in Berkeley. We also stopped by Avenue Yarn shop so that I could get a tiny bit of the Bay Area Yarn Crawl in. I only went to that one shop, so I didn’t participate in the event. I couldn’t justify traveling to 20 yarn shops in that wide of an area. I do intend to go to the Sierra Nevada one, though. I won’t miss it again this year. The week continued on, and I still felt like garbage. I was off Thursday and Friday to spend time with Feebs for her Spring Break. On Thursday we went the Museum of Curiosities in Sacramento with the Mother. We had a nice time. It was only one floor, but had NEMO vibes and Feebs loved it. After the museum we went to Fenton’s and had a delightful lunch. We were all tired by the end of the day. Then Friday came, and my coughing was really bad and I started to get death breath (what I affectionately call the taste in my mouth when I start to get bronchitis or pneumonia). I know my body and the signs of impending doom so I called my doctor and got some antibiotics and a stronger inhaler. I was wiped out all Friday and Saturday. Sunday was Easter, so I had to rally a bit to make the day fun for my girl. I did, but just a bit. I had absolutely no energy and was pretty lifeless. I think I could have finished my Home Camisole if I could have knit for more than 5 minutes at a time. Oh well, there is always next month.
I have a lot that I want to accomplish for next month. Things to finish, things to start, things to organize. I want to set up a call with a financial planner and get our money better organized. I am almost to my savings goal, that will allow me to shift what I am saving for. We need to start thinking/ planning on buying a truck, so that needs to happen. Once the Father’s sweaters are done, I need to cast on the top for the Mother and get that going. I may not be able to pull it off for Mother’s Day, but should be able to get it done before her birthday. I still want to cast on something that makes my heart smile. I want to sew something fun and feel accomplished for completing something special and useable/ wearable. I want to get over whatever yuck is plaguing me and pretty much everyone I know so that we can all be healthy and well. I want April to bring happy things and more good memories.
Loves,
M
Mrs. Collins Makes Stuff 