To say I am running behind is a grand understatement. It is the last day of June, and I am finally recapping May. May was so busy that I am going to struggle to remember everything that happened. I can tell you that a lot of knitting took place. It seems like I got some making mojo back, which makes me very happy.
Finished objects:
Honeypie hat by Tin Can Knits. I knit this using West Yorkshire Spinners Aire Valley Aran held double. This is hat #1 in my quest to knit all of my library hat patterns.
Paris in Berlin by Joji Locatelli. This was knit with Royal Bee Yarn Company Fingering Weight. There will be a separate post for this.
Flax by Tin Can Knits. This was knit using Holst Garn Supersoft and Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair held together. There will be a separate post for this.
New cast-ons:
Vinca Hat
Works in Progress:
On the go socks
Knit House Cardigan
Shatar Vest
Goals for next month:
Schedule a facial
Fix Betty’s sleeves before camping
Figure out sizing for York Pinafore
So yeah, a lot of knitting happened in May. I knit the Honeypie hat after being inspired by my urge to knit all the hat patterns in my Ravelry list. I did cast on another hat, the Bubblegum Crisis, but I just hated the pattern so much that I ripped it out and deleted it from my Ravelry queue. I have cast on the next hat on list, Vinca, but then had a Squirrel! moment and set it aside. I finally finished my Birthday Flax. She is fancy! It was already too hot to wear it by the time it was done, so I have put her away for cooler days. For Mother’s Day, we had a little outing and ended up going to the Royal Bee Yarn Co in Pacifica. I hadn’t planned on getting any yarn, but made a little splurge and bought a skein of fingering weight so that I could cast on a lightweight cowl for the mid-season months. I was really happy with their house brand yarn after I knit the Boxy with it, and knew I couldn’t go wrong with another skein. It only took me seven days to knit the Paris in Berlin cowl, and I am very happy with it. I have started to plot some new cast-ons and am very excited to get started. I am also really considering ripping out the Shatar vest. I love it. There is nothing that I don’t love about this vest, but she has some problems. 1. I think the size I am knitting is too small. It is meant to be fitted, but saran-wrap chic is not my esthetic. 2. it is colorwork in light fingering weight yarn. Harris almost killed my elbows, and that was in worsted weight. 3. I can’t motivate myself to work on it. Even though I have wanted the finished garment. Even though I love the color combination. And even though, I think I would rock the nerdy librarian look with a button down blouse under it. I just can’t make myself work on it. Perhaps by ripping it out, I will cast it right back on in the proper size and set up a schedule to work on it. Because I know that once the weather gets cold, I am going to want to wear that vest. We will see what I decide. Stay tuned.
The month of May was on and cracking. We had so much to do each week/ weekend. The first weekend started with a Parent’s Night Out and the mother Clay and I went to dinner just the two of us. I don’t think this has happened in the 10 years that we have known each other. After dinner we met up with A’s moms and had a beer. It was a really enjoyable evening. The next day was the mid-nephew’s birthday and we went to Napa to celebrate with him. I got to see Sister #3 and her family, which is always a good time. That night Lenar came to dinner and to hang out. I always enjoy spending time with him. He is a sweet and funny guy and I am so glad that we developed a friendship once I was no longer his boss. The next week, Feebs had an epiphany that she no longer wanted to participate in taekwondo. After almost 2 years she was burned out and ready to try something new. I gave her some options and she selected rock climbing. So, I signed up for the safety course the following weekend and we joined a rock climbing gym close to home. It is funny, it is half the cost for me to sign up at the gym, and she has a free kid’s membership, than is was for her to go to taekwondo by herself. We started climbing, and we are having a blast! She is a little spider monkey, flying up those walls. Unfortunately, I don’t get to climb the high walls because I have no one to belay me. I did get certified to belay her, though, so she is having a lot of fun. I am able to boulder without a safety line, so I have been doing that. Sadly, my end of April dance session seemed to spark my sciatica, so I am keeping a close eye on that and not pushing too hard at climbing. Mother’s Day happened the following weekend and I enjoyed both days. Saturday I got to spend the day with the Mother and we had such a nice time! We went shopping and went to dinner, just the two of us. We went to the Walnut Creek Yacht Club and I haven’t been there since my first attempt at marriage. The food was amazing, and it felt really nice to go back there. Sunday was just the three of us and while everything that I wanted to do sort of fizzled out, I still had a really great day. I got my little trek to a yarn shop, had a nice solo walk, and spent the day with my two favorite people. I went to bed that night feeling like it had been a really fantastic weekend. The following weekend was a little crazy because Mary G was back in town and looking to meet up. We went to a happy hour on Friday with the old crew and we had so much fun. She is crazy and cranky and Jersey, and I realize that I really do miss her. The next day was the little Clay’s birthday, and we went to his party at Dave & Buster’s. I had never been to one of those before. It was a LOT of stimulation. I can’t say it was horrible, but it was a lot. The kids had a good time, though, and I had a good cocktail. The next weekend was the anniversary of the Husband and I meeting, and I had made plans weeks prior to take him to our meeting spot and have a romantic little reminder date. That all went to hell when there was an ArnoCorps show in Oakland. So we ended up going to that instead. My feelings were really, seriously hurt, but I had to get over it. The next day, we headed up to have a sleepover with the O’s. The day was okay, but the evening went to hell. It was so bad that at 10:30 pm I told my peeps to pack their crap and we headed home. I felt like a jerk for pulling the rip cord, but everything had been so tense in our lives that I just couldn’t take more stress that night. We had some discussions and came up with game plans for future sleepovers. Fortunately, the next day was Memorial Day, so we had an extra day to decompress before the work week started. The last day of May was a busy one. I had a hair appointment then ladies night with the two greatest ladies. I am so very grateful for those women and the vibe that we have between the three of us. During the whole month, we also were scattering in yard work and the death admin that is involved with my father-in-law’s passing. There was a lot of garage clearing and logistics around what will be coming to live at our house that was his.
So, that was May. I feel like I forgot a ton (which is probably true since I am trying to recall everything a full month later). I know it was a good month. I know that happy things came from it. I know that next month will be crazy too, just like they all are. In spite of all the stress and tension from the last couple of months, I am so grateful for my life and the people in it. My life may not be glamourous, but it is full and it is mine.
Loves,
M
Mrs. Collins Makes Stuff 