Spinning for a Break

Inspired by Dave, who seems to predraft all of bump of roving before spinning it, I decided to finish up the first bump, designated to become Mike's next sweater.Little Squid is there to give you a sense of perspective. Most of that predrafted fluff spun up into this:

and these.
Around 8:30 I decided to stop for the night so there is still some unspun. I'll take care of that today so that Maria doesn't have loose roving around to deal with. Then I'll do some plying and predraft the other bump.

Now, however, a little spin on my bike ...

Passover

Two parents, 5 kids and 4 grand kids. Need I say more?

(Except that those are NOT my fingers over Not-so-Lil' Bros head. Those fingers belong to his son!)

This was the first night.

The second night was spent with our neighbors and, due to a migraine on Little Squid's part, adapted somewhat. On Passover, one is supposed to "sit around the table relaxing" (to quote my dad's haggadah). This rarely happens, simply because we cram all of the family and friends around the table as is humanly possible. The cramming is due to the desire to share and be with family and friends but physically, is not as comfortable as the phrase would lead you to believe.

With Little Squid partly out of action, we really did sit around the table relaxing. We moved the basic seder accouterments to the coffee table and lounged on the couch and in chairs, unencumbered by the confines of the dinner table. The little ones (ages 3 and 5) had freedom of movement (and stuffed plaques to play with) and the adults and our two read the haggadah and talked and laughed. It was nice even with a semi-miserable kid. He was less miserable since he was able to participate to the best of his abilities. When dinner was served, most of us moved to the table.

Over all, a lovely two evenings.

Today we tortured the kids with their annual physicals and accompanying vaccinations. Tomorrow, hopefully, a bike ride.

You Never Leave Your Parents ...

... empty handed.

It's a plot. My parents are trying to thin out their belongings by palming them off on us. Really. I never leave their home without a pile of books or other miscellany. Last night was no exception. And since all five kids were home, I'm betting that my parents got rid of a ton of stuff.

Us? We walked out with several books. Actually, it was one of the lighter loads, not requiring a box or other special equipment. All we needed was a bag. I'm not even sure what they all are aside from another Asterix book or three and the cookbook that was a gift and not a hand-me-down. For a change, Mike was the recipient. When my Dad says "take," you just can't refuse.

Complaining? No, I'll just try to remember to bring stronger bags next time.

*** Actual Passover report in a day or two after Lil' Sis and Not So Lil' Bro send me their pics. I forgot my camera for all of remembering to put a fresh battery in it. ***

Spring Break!

Woo Hoo!!!

We start off with a bang, or rather a sonata or four as we troop up to Carnegie Hall for a concert. Then two Passover seders and some serious relaxing. As much as I want to be on my bike every day, it probably won't happen due to various obligations. It's o.k., what we have to do is good stuff so it works out.

For those of you wondering about the status of the blanket ...
it is actually much further along with only 42 rows of flower/stem/leaf left to go.

Wishing all my readers either a lovely weekend or a joyous holiday -- or both!

Riding on a Tuesday

I finally did it. I finally managed ride in the time between getting out of work and picking the kids up from Hebrew School.

After showing off my "Come to the Dark Side, we have cookies" tee shirt to colleagues, I drove down to the synagogue, parked at a failed meter (was that a sign or what) and did two loops of Central Park -- including the Great Hill. The entire ride took a little more than an hour (along with riding to the park) but only because I paused before getting on the loop to take a call from Squidette. Each loop took less then 25 minutes -- slower then Papa Squid does it but then I am unlikely to ever catch up to him at full speed.

I feel virtuous.

Too bad I can't do it again today.

Squid on Wheels -- Separte but Equal (almost)

It is a damp, slightly chilly day, today, but ride we did. Yesterday, in contrast, was warm and perfect (despite overcast skies) for riding but recitals and operas got in the way. That's the way things go sometimes.

Today, however, we could not easily ride as a family if we wanted to be sure of avoiding the rain that is predicted. So, we did the next best thing, we kind of rode together.

Little Squid and I saddled up and peddled uptown for Hebrew School, stowing his bike in the cloak room. Papa and Squidette drove uptown, unfolded their bikes and, with me in tow, did a loop and then some of Central Park. Breakfast at the dinner for the three older Squid and then Papa and Squidette drove home while Little Squid and I did another partial loop of Central Park (we did a small bit on the way uptown) and rode home. Total credited family mileage: 12.4. Squidette did about 9 but did a smaller, uncredited ride, with me a week or so ago, so she is caught up for family mileage purposes.

(Photos were taken today in Central Park. Unfortunately, the over cast conditions does not show the lovely flowers at their best. My favorite, the forsythia, are almost finished blooming for the year.)

Concert Report

Should have brought the kids. The concert was wonderful! Though McFerrin did not perform Elliot Moose. But he did do the Itsy Bitsy Spider.

The dynamic between McFerrin and Ma and McFerrin and the Orchestra of St. Lukes was just amazing.

Amazing!

Sometimes You Just Have to be an Adult

Yesterday was one of those times. You know, when you have the be the one in control, the one holding it all together when secretly you just want to go off and cry because the event is really just too much.

Yea, that kind of time. It was also one of those times when you know that it is o.k., to feel crummy afterwards. When all the emotions catch up with you.

I'm over it now. Mostly. Got a little weepy while writing thank you notes to everyone who helped out.

Tonight? Yo Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin at Carnegie Hall. Adults only.

It is a lovely evening and the walk, should I be able to persuade Mike to walk more slowly then is his wont, should be very nice. As should the time with my husband.

Good music, a good man and a sock to knit during intermission. What more could I ask for?

Trying to Do Good

I try to do good. It goes with my philosophy of not lying and the whole teaching thing. Basically, I want to help make the world a little better.

Until now I have resisted the urge to blog about our efforts to go "green" because they tend to fall somewhat flat in light of my driving a minivan through Manhattan every day. However, inspired by Norma, I am sharing these:

Introducing Baggy, Bag-eel and Bag-Gob, soon to be joined by Baggle-Waggle.

They are small, fit easily in a purse or attach to a belt loop and open up to the size of an average plastic grocery bag. They also hold more, since they are stronger, and the handles are a tad more comfortable to hold. And, since the clips hook easily onto the chain retainer on the front door, we seem to be remembering to take them on shopping trips. I even grabbed Bag-Gob yesterday because I knew I was hitting the drug store on my way home. No huge Duane Reade bag for me!

As I said, we try.

***

(Baggy, Bag-Eel and Bag-Gob were purchased for about $5 at the 125th Street Fairway. I do not know if the 75th Street Fairway stocks them.)

Elliot Moose and The Addams Family

Ever realize that the Elliot Moose theme and the Addams Family theme are very similar? Just saying ...

Yes, today I bounced around school alternating between the two. I even did the snaps for the Addams Family song.

I'm easily amused these days. Wonder what song tomorrow will bring.

Meanwhile, half my family is on their way home from San Antonio and the Final Four. Since American Airlines grounded all MD 80s shortly before some sibs were due to take off, this is taking some doing. My parents are home, though, and that is good.

Good for Distraction

I have found the solution to all of our problems ... when you are feeling out of sorts, just start singing the Elliot Moose song . It is absolutely impossible to be down with this silly song running though your head! Yes, I wandered the halls of school today alternately humming and singing it softly as I bounced along. Hey, whatever works.

To answer Anita's question from yesterday: we are reading Asterix in English. No one on my side of the family ever mastered French. So yes, we may be losing something in the translation but I was laughing my sides off as I read Asterix the Legionary while knitting last night, so it probably isn't too far off.

The blanket is coming along. I fell behind a bit last week but managed to catch up and get ahead yesterday. Three of the five petals are done and number four is a day or two from its finish.

Of Gauls and Games

Two weeks ago, my kids introduced me to Traivian. It is a slow moving interactive game which involves thought, strategy and a certain attitude. One builds up ones resources, (grain, wood, iron and clay), ones population and ones defenses. If you are of the warrior bent, you will attack others for their resources, or, just for the heck of it.

Players have a choice of Romans, Gauls or Teutons for their villagers. Due to my extensive training in all things Gaulish, via Asterix the Gaul, I, of course, chose to go that route. In the two weeks that I've been on line, I've created a larger village then either Squidling.

The game takes very little time out of each day, since building ones resources happens slowly. It is, however, addictive.

Should you choose to join us, we are on server 1 and I go by ... what else ... Mama Squid. Yeah, a wimpy name for a war game but then I am trying to be a peaceful Gaul as in the manner of Asterix.

I highly recommend these as training guides. :-)

***

My father fell into Asterix when I was about the age of Little Squid. Little Squid now has most of my Dad's collection here as he reads his way through them. A few moments ago he asked me if I was ready for him to choose another for me to read. Boy I love hooking my kids on my childhood loves!

Squid on Wheels: First Ride of Spring

It is my pleasure to present the PTSD (Pre-Teen Speed Demon). Zipping along at speeds upwards of 18 mph she is still careful and courteous to the others on the greenway. Crowds and rough road, however, frustrate the heck out of her.

After sprinting down the west side of Manhattan, we then carefully wended our way through the spring-weather induced crowds at the southern tip of the island and the masses near the South Street Seaport until we were able to actually ride again.

As we made our way across town, we passed the Russian and Turkish Baths. Back before the era of metrosexuals, The Baths were a strictly male bastion. There are still hours when men can let it all hang out (and others for the ladies) but most of the time, the baths are co-ed. Look at the Russian Bath -- it still had that old-time look that comes with being, well, old. Everything else looks pretty modern. Mike and I are thinking about going over one day and having a nice schvitz together.

Continuing west, we passed St. Vincent's Hospital -- a place that, so far, we have only once had to visit for medical reasons.

This building now houses offices and labs and such but prior to it's incarnation as a medical mecca, it served as union headquarters for the National Maritime Union. There are three buildings in Manhattan that used to belong to the NMU, and they all have a nautical feel to them. This one is due to be demolished and replaced with a modern hospital funded with the proceeds of the sale of all of the other building that make up the St. Vincent's complex.

And there you have it, the first real ride of the season and your first 2008 tour of New York City via Squid on Wheels.

Total milage: roughly 11 easy miles.

Duckies and Flowers

I did manage to get my walk in today and strolled along the East River. Did you know that there are ducks in our river? (Actually a tidal estuary.)


And I was charmed by these tiny flowers growing among the paving stones.


They were just all over!

Then I grabbed two crossaints and went back to work. Now to get a few hours sleep and start it all over again ...

Of Socks and Conferences

Socks. I love socks. I love to knit them, I love to wear them and I get a strange satisfaction from throwing them away when they are worn out. Don't know why, I just do. This week, so far, Little Squid has worn a too small pair of hand knit socks (guess I know what my summer knitting will be) and just now threw away a standard cotton boys sock due to heel hole. Now if I only knew how many whole pairs he still has ...

Tonight and tomorrow are Parent-Teacher conferences in the NYC High Schools. My problem with conferences is the small bit of time between the end of the day and the start of conferences. It is really not enough time to leave the neighborhood for a nice meal and, is really far to early for the same. Back when the kids were small, and my mother-in-law was taking care of them, I'd hie downtown for a quick meal with my kids. Mom, a former high school teacher herself, always had dinner on the table as soon as I walked in the door. I'd spend an easy hour or so with her and the kids and then run back uptown. Its the running that drove and drives me crazy. That said, I think that tonight I will take a walk instead of aiming for a sit down dinner. Maybe I'll grab a sandwich at a local taquira and then find a quiet corner to knit in.

Lesson for the Ages

Don't wear your brand new (very cute) shoes for an entire day of work and then walk 2 miles in them. Your feet will take a long time to forgive you.

Combine the aching feet with an aching head -- the weather doesn't feel like spring but the trees are still pollinating -- and you have one tired Mama Squid.

I managed to knit the requisite 4 rows on the blanket so I am currently ahead by one day for this week. That is good since I have parent-teacher conferences tomorrow night (teacher side) and a late meeting on Friday. So, tomorrow's rows are done and I'll make up Friday's rows either on Friday (if I'm not too burned out) or Saturday.

Now, however, I'm going to bed!

Snapshots from a Weekend

It is still cold here in NYC so biking is still on hold. Instead, we really have just been doing our own thing at home.

Included in that, this weekend:


a birthday lunch ...
a few rows on a blanket ...and explorations into the unfamiliar realm of curly hair. (Thanks, Nina!)

Now for another week of work, which includes, special for this week, Parent-Teacher conferences with both adults sitting on the teacher side of the desk.

Many of my side of the family will also be congregating in San Antonio for the Final Four. I'm only jealous because it's warm there.

70!

5 kids, 4 grandkids and oh, so much love!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!!!

Count Down

No, not what some of you think, but rather counting down the rows on the blanket flower.

There are 134 more rows.

At 4 rows per night it will take 34 nights.

That's 5 weeks, folks.

Tuesday evenings are a write off and there will be three of them between now and Spring Break.

The first two nights of Passover are also gone from the knitting calendar.

So, assume 10 lost nights (figure other stuff will get in the way), that makes it 45 nights to finish the flower. Then 136 rows of yellow and 32 rows of orange seed stitch. That's another 42 nights assuming I continue with 4 rows per night. Maybe up it to 6 for the yellow and then back down to 4 for the seed stitch and make it 31 nights. Now forget about the lost nights for now and we are projecting 65 nights to finish the knitting and one more to hide the ends (optimistic, aren't I). That brings us to: June 2. 19 days before Squidette's birthday.

Any bets?

(That said, I'm actually doing far more then 4 rows a night right now, but I don't want to count on being able to keep up that momentum.)

(And, for those of you who understood the first sentence, the number is 60.)

Blanket Progress -- So there!

So There! to those who thought my speed would not increase with the fewer skeins of yarn. Keeping to my goal of 4 rows per day, I now have an 18 row surplus and could, if I wished, go 4.5 days without working on the blanket if I wished. That said, there will be rows where I will need 7 or more balls of yarn at once so I think I need to build up that surplus now.

Tonight I should hit the point where the first two petals join with petals 3 and 4, roughly 1/3 of the way through the flower. No, I have not calculated on what date I should be finishing the flower and recommencing plain yellow knitting. I figure the blanket is good to last me through the entire spring and into the summer.

We'll see ...

Seen on the Street

Every so often traffic is slow enough that not only do I have time to admire the backs of the trucks in front of me, but I also have time (while stopped at traffic lights) to take pictures of them.

Here are two that I often see on my way into work. Look closely (maybe click to make bigger) to get why they make me smile.

Blanket Progress

I made some major progress on Squidette's blanket this week, fulfilling my goal of a minimum of 4 rows per night. Yesterday I finally hit the point where the first two petals meet and am now only working with three skeins of yarn instead of 5. Things should go a little faster now and I may set my sights at 5 rows per night for the next few weeks. (270 stitches per row still takes a lot of time, I'm only gaining maybe a minute per row with two fewer skein changes.)

There was also some spinning this week, but in my zeal to have more yarn leave the stash then enter it, I am not skeining the new stuff up quite yet. Yes, I know it is a cheat but allow me my delusions.

From Mini-Me to Oh My!

Yesterday


This Morning



Now


Oh, and did I mention that she is playing with the New York Pops, at Carnegie Hall, at the end of April?

Thursday Roundup and a Sweater from the Past

Work, meeting, tea with my folks. That's it.

What? You want more?

Mind if I skip the first two?

How about this? The gifting of the Daddy.




Doesn't look like much, does it? Lil' Sis and I stood in for all 5 siblings and presented Daddy with his birthday present, 10 days early. He kept saying that he didn't want a fuss, so we kept it low key. A birthday card/photo collage/ poem constructed by the eldest sib and a pair of tickets to Young Frankenstein. Lil' Sis and I stepped away after the last picture to let Dad regain his composure.

Since I can never leave my folks empty handed, I came home with this:


Knit by my Bubby for my Zedda. Now, unfortunately, full of moth holes and stains and, in my opinion, unsalvageable. But, now documented for posterity. Look at that detail. She even put in ribbon to stabilize the buttons.

Three Dollars and a Test

I hit the post office today and, putting a $20 bill into the vending machine, received two books of stamps and $3 and something cents in change. The $3 looked like this:
Yup, 3 different dollar coins. A Susan B. Anthony, circa 1980; a Sacagawea, circa 2000; and a brand-spanking-new James Monroe!

Yes, it doesn't take much to amuse me.

This test also amused me. Give it a try.

Legal At Last

As I type, I am unsure if the last of my siblings to reach age 21 is even asleep -- she might still be out partying. I was informed, in no uncertain terms, that she would be celebrating St. Patrick's Day until at least 12:01 AM when she turned 21 and no longer needed her fake ID.

And, so, I'd like you all to whisper (because of her hangover) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!. (I have absolutely NO sympathy and am a mean sister.) Tonight I will have a drink in your honor.

Happy Birthday, Amanda! We all love you!

Buildings, Blankets and Friends

Yesterday I set out in search of fiber. My information was flawed, however, and I could not find it, despite walking a block east and a block west of the original designation. Oh well, I did get a nice walk in and snapped some interesting photos for my faithful blog readers.
Would it bother you to learn that One Fifth Avenue is not the lowest address on Fifth?

But I'm pretty sure that One Half Fifth Avenue is the lowest.
And then there are the Mews. Scroll down in the link. Formerly stables, they are now residential and form a quiet, private, street just north of Washington Square Park. They are, by the way, situated between One Half and One Fifth Avenue.

***

I did promise work on the blanket, and 8 rows were added last night. More rows were added to the rib warmer but then there are only 30 stitches per row vs 270 for the blanket.

The evening concluded with a phone conversation with Susan! It was great to put a voice to the blog presence and we talked like we'd known each other forever. Thank you, Susan!

Weekend!

Two weekends ago , with the laundry done a day early, Squidette and I spent a lovely morning crafting while Little Squid was off at hebrew school. I helped Squidette wind a warp for her small loom using some coned lace weight merino that was marinating in my stash and then sat down to spin while she wove.

Fast forward to sometime this week ...

Pink warp (double stranded) with blue weft (single strand). It softened and fulled to just the right amount with washing.

On my end ...
Roughly 500 yards of Cochineal / Osage dyed Corriadale spun to an uneven worsted weight with a nice rustic texture to match the rusticness of the coloring. On top, 320 yards of 3 ply, lace weight (pretty evenly spun after plying) cotton. I'm thinking lace scarf with the cotton.

On the knitting front, Squidette's blanket has 12 rows out of 185 done of the flower. Yea, I did not work on it the last few nights and instead, started a Rib Warmer using my cochineal dyed corriadale from a few weeks ago. I needed to knit something that would quickly use up a ball of yarn. Got to even out yarn out to yarn in with all this spinning and the blanket will not yield a finished ball for at least 50 - 100 more rows with 5 being used at a time right now. I'll go back to it tonight. Promise!

Honest Squid

I am a strong believer in honesty. Lies, even small ones, have a habit of coming back to haunt me, big time. So, I don't lie. I will sometimes shade the truth, but I refuse to outright lie.

So why did a truth come and bite me in the rear yesterday? Ah, it probably wasn't the truth but rather the recipient just being them self. Regardless ... I needed what is in the previous post. At least the raw version once I calmed down a little. I think I need to do some more unraveling today.

Will I ever, really reveal what the heck is going on around here? Nope, not publicly. Unfortunately for this story, this blog is too public. I do promise, however that it has NOTHING to do with any other Squid. Promise. Remember, I don't tell lies.

---

And, an aside to Susan. What you sent me yesterday? I may use it tonight if I can figure out the time difference. Thank you!

Sometimes You Just Need Cookies

Not MY Son!

Summary of a real conversation:

Mr. X: Mrs. Squid? This is Mr. X, your son's Phys Ed teacher. Little Squid has been unprepared for the last six weeks.

Me: Huh? How? Isn't all he requires sneakers?

Mr. X: He hasn't worn sneakers on a Tuesday for the last 6 weeks.

Me: Huh? My son doesn't own any other shoes. Even his dress shoes are too small.

Mr. X: I can describe them -- black crocs with a yellow stripe.

Me: He doesn't own Crocs. He goes to school every day in his sneakers with his road ID attached.

Mr. X: Eveery Tuesday he's been wearing crocs.

Me to Little Squid -- do you own crocs that I don't know about?

Little Squid: No

Me: He doesn't own crocs he only has sneakers right now. (Poking around Little Squid's closet.) I know he's lazy in Phys Ed but unprepared?

Mr. X: Every Tuesday ...

Me: Will you be there for conferences tomorrow? (Thinking that I have to show him Little Squid in order to set this straight.)

Mr. X: Yes, until about 3:00.

Me to Little Squid (With lightbulb suddenly on) What day do you have Mr. X.

Little Squid: Thursday

Me: My son has Phys Ed on Thursday, Mrs. L's Class.

Mr. X: Starting to stress the same point again ...

Little Squid: It could be the other Little Squid

Me: Huh?

Mr. X: Oh! I'm so sorry! There is another Little Squid in second grade. I'm so sorry. I just saw the name Little Squid and assumed the last name.

Me: That's o.k.

Mr. X: And he's been doing better lately. I'm really sorry.

Me: It's o.k., I'm a teacher and have made the same mistake. I'll still come by tomorrow.

Mr. X; O.k.,

Me: See you tomorrow. Bye. (Click)

Massive amounts of laughter in the Squid household tonight. Little Squid has an unusual real first name. It never occurred to me that there was another child with the same name in the school.