Anniversary Weekend

Mr. Batty had the fireplace checked. Turns out there was some faulty wiring and some other issue. The developer sent his fireplace people and will be sending over an electrician to cap the live wires properly. Until then, this thing stays turned off. Thanks everyone for your concern, we're all doing much, much better. I was even able to knit a little last night! Not much, nothing exciting to show yet, but I got to knit.
I think I'll be starting another project just for myself. Best way to cheer myself up. I just got a few of the new Classic Elite pattern books in, and I love many of the patterns. Hmmm... maybe use some of the yarn my sister sent for my birthday?

Anyway, knitting content to follow. This weekend is our 6th wedding anniversary, so Mr. Batty and I will be out and about doing anniversary stuff. He's taking me bat shopping! I do most of my shopping for decor around Halloween. It'll be fun. The rest... we'll just see what we feel like doing. Spontaneity is a good thing. Plenty of planning at work.

...and then, it exploded

The fireplace, to be exact.
Yesterday, I did some grocery shopping after work, went home, put the food away, said hello to the cats, settled down on the couch... and noticed the smell of gas. Not just a bit, either.
So I get up, pick up my bag, head out the door, turn around... and there is an incredibly loud BAM! WHOOSH!, a huge flash of orange in the fireplace, smoke, and bits of metal and insulation flying.
So I run out, get a neighbor, call 911. While waiting for the fire department to show, I touch the door to make sure it isn't hot, peer in a bit... no fire. So we go in, get the cats, and put them in the neighbor's apartment. Then, the fire department showed up.
We still don't know what happened -- maybe the pilot went out and I accidentally turned on the gas (on switch for our fireplace is next to a light switch). Maybe the wiring was wrong. I'm just glad I'm OK and the cats are OK and our condo didn't catch fire.
Gas and power to the fireplace are now turned off, and I intend to keep them that way. At least until an installation person licensed by the manufacturer of the fireplace can have a look and make sure everything is working properly.

It was quite a shock. I'll need some quiet knitting time tonight after work. Just some calming routine thing that makes me feel safe in my own home again.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon at our house. The laundry is laudering, Mr. Batty is doing homework for a class, I'm dabbling in Java programming, the cats are sleeping... there's going to be some baking later on, I'm sure, but for now, it's quiet time.

I am fresh out of clues for the SKA mystery sock. Here's the result so far. The color in the first picture is closer to the real thing, though the pattern is hard to see. I'm really liking these socks, which is saying something, considering they're yellow...


Here's the side view. Ribbing in the back, honeycomb heel, and this sock is pretty darn tall. Nancy Bush socks are usually designed with a really long shaft, and these are no exception.


Speaking of lazy... it's hard to learn more about computer networks when the cat decides to fall asleep on your textbook. No wonder thinkgeek.com sells everything from caffeinated soap to pixie sticks with caffeinated colorful sugar stuff.


Cat over IP. Snore.

Socks and a Gift

Once again, I decided to join the Sock Knitters Anonymous over on ravelry. Anyone who visits here on a regular basis knows that I'm a bit compulsive about the sock knitting, so the shoe -- or, rather, the sock -- fits. Well, except for the anonymous part. But let's not quibble over details.
This year, I have decided to knit more of the mystery socks. The September mystery sock was designed by Nancy Bush, and the challenge for the month is to knit with yellow yarn. How fortunate that I bought some lovely Fleece Artist Merino sock yarn in Saffron when fleegle was having her destash!


The back has ribbing for part of the sock, but that changes to stockinette further below. I'm having more fun than expected knitting with yellow yarn.


Yellow yarn can be goth, right? Uh... I'm not hearing anything... ahem, moving right along.

I can't believe I haven't publicly gushed over the lovely emergency kit I got from Kathy... do you see the lovely red and black pattern? She made that herself! How very, very cool is that?


And speaking of cool, look at all the useful stuff on the inside! The stitch markers are hand made, and it comes with this adorable little crochet hook doohickey for when I drop stitches, which is bound to happen sooner or later.


Thank you so much! I'm so very, very happy with this. And... I'm working on "stuff"
Because I haven't forgotten about the whole Paying it Forward thing.
I just need to work faster, because we're running out of year.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow...

My tendons are better. I have been able to knit a little here and there, so I finished the rainbow-colored knee-high bed socks for my sister. They are going out with the big package o' knits that's been sitting on my wardrobe, waiting to be mailed.


They work as knee highs... or as slouch socks. Psychedelic slouch socks. Yeah!

Boring details:
Pattern: Helless Bed Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Schoppel Wolle Zauberball in Frische Fische
Needles: US #1
Comments: A fun knit. Because I usually knit socks on 0's, these practically flew by.

The other thing that flew by... 2 ounces of corriedale. Here they are, all spun up, waiting to be plied. And look at my cute project bag! Not surprisingly, it's a Halloween theme. With spiders.


I get most of my stuff around Halloween. Best time for bat- and spider-themed stuff.

Spinning

What does the hardcore fiber addict do when tendonitis rears its ugly head and won't let her knit? Why, she spins, of course!
After a lengthy hiatus, I have decided to give spinning another try, this time with formal instruction. So today, I had my first spinning class, and I've learned so much already. And when the spindle is full, I get to learn how to ply. I have yet to ply anything successfully, so I'm really looking forward to it.


I also bought a carrying bag for my wheel. I ordered it from the Woollery. It shipped Monday, and I got it today. 3 days. I couldn't be happier with my experience.