Life Lessons from Gilligan

Gilligan is probably the most challenging sweater I’ve done in quite a while. I started out with using the wrong type of yarn, ripping out and starting over cause I twisted my work when I joined it, starting over cause I just wasn’t paying attention. After consultation with mary I was on the right track with some lovely yarn that was great to use. I encountered many frustrating moments as I attempted to increase in lace, and maintain pattern, interpret instructions that were a bit confusing at times. I wanted to give up on this project many times along with way, but kept with it. I had to ask Mary to hold my hand more than once which she was willing to do, and even shared in my delight when I finished and declared that it FIT. Of course, I became a bit deflated when I blocked the sweater and worried that I had stretched it out of shape and I’d have to re-do my blocking. Fortunately most yarn is very forgiving and you get multiple re-dos. Is this the most perfect sweater, well no, I can see stitches that are not quite as tidy as I’d like, something is a bit off on another part. However, it fits pretty good (this is not a flattering shot!), and above all I stayed the course and completed the project. Here’s where the life lessons comes in-I’ve had some real challenges lately, made mistakes along the way, had to re-start a lot, get advise and encouragement from friends, including a little hand holding along the way. I've tried to equip myself with the tools I need to get the job done (in life) prayer, devotion and surrounding myself with good-vibe people (in knitting) good yarn, needles that won’t cause me to injure myself, stitch markers to help me along the way, row counters, etc. With both Gilligan and life, I can look in the mirror and see the flaws, but also see my successes. I also realize that unlike THIS sweater I’m still a work in progress, and if you look at my queue on ravelry, I’ll never really be finished knitting sweaters, but I hope that most of them will be a little easy on me. oh-and life-you can go a little easy on for a while too. thanks!

adjust-adapt-move forward

today's theme-- indicated by the title, and my attempt to connect this post
with the blog name--♥

adjust-in knitting if you have a pattern you're dying to try, and you have yarn you want to use- an adjustment may have to be done-needle size, etc. that's why gauge (even though we hate it) should be done- ranks up there with blocking.
adapt-in the same vein as stated above because we're not all the same, and patterns are often designed with an "average" figure in mind, we have to adapt the pattern to our size-thanks to the extensive amount of time mary spent with me at knitch a while back, i have a better understanding of what really fits me and what to look for in a pattern, so that my knitting time is productive time.
once the above 2 goals are met- you can move forward with your project......

okay, so with that brief intro, i'll get the point which--my carpool went bust, i'm back to doing the whole bus thing. it didn't even last 8 hours! while we were discussing details for meeting up for our return trip-turns out they wanted me to be at their location at 3:00-dude- i've already change my departure time once, and told you via email and phone-at 7:00 am you're telling me you changed departure times without saying anything till now?????
sooooo, that leaves me with doing the bus, 'cause any day steve will have to turn in his city car, and that'll leave me with either busing it in, or driving the "tank" which i'm not doing, all that to say, i've got to adjust, adapt my morning schedule and move forward.
adjusting to getting up earlier so i can depart my house for the park and ride by 5:40 to get the 6 or 6:10 bus, adapt to not having "extra" time to get things done before i leave, and adjusting my exercise routine, so i can still do my devotion and check emails before i hit the shower at 5:05 --i love doing the bus thing except for how my morning has to be re-arranged, but it guarantees me about an hour and a half of knitting time 5 days per week, and someone else takes over the driving, so if i do fall asleep-it's okay. i don't save any money doing this as i have to drive 7 miles to the park and ride, pay my fair, $6 a round trip! and then i have to catch the train, and then walk about 3 blocks to my office, which is great when it's not raining or below freezing!
so moving forward has been okay so far, but once the weather gets cold-hmmmm me thinks more adapt/adjusting will be required also, thinking-leg warmers, and more praying there's no rain until i'm inside my office--
that's it is a not so small nutshell how between life and knitting one must adjust, adapt, and move forward- thanks for hanging out with me----

next update with photos- 3 completed pairs of socks!!!!! AND my ravelry stash is being updated with my new purchases- check it out this weekend.

in the now-

..somethings i'm really liking about "now", at the time of this photo (friday)

i was enjoying the gorgeous weather at lunch while working on the elvis sock-









other stuff i'm liking is the teenage years, okayyy i'm stretching it a bit, but it was cool with pj in the basement with some friends working on music for a video they are doing for church- liking having a space for them to "go-to", liking knowing who my kids are with and what they are doing- goodness knows i could hear everything--amps guitars, and keyboard-but also laughter and the music they were creating.

also liking that andrew was at soccer and doing his own thing-



liking the greatest compliment from a 20 something in my office last week-something to do with hoping to look as great when i'm at your age gotta totally ♥ that!

Word for the year . . .

Calm --almost or utterly motionless, (totally not me!) not excited or agitated, composed, absence or cessation of motion; serenity, peace. Synonyms: peaceful placid serene tranquil

This will be what I strive for in 2008, and I hope Ali will continue to inspire me throughout the year. Maybe I can become a bit more creative with the paper, pens, pencils, and other crafty bits I have at home, this will certainly help me both use up some old stuff thus helping the old wallet! Also, having visuals of what it means to be calm will help ( i hope) remind and encourage me in this endeavor. Other words that were left in the comments for Ali's "word" post included breathe-focus-simplicity, all are important for a well balanced life.

Some things I've already been able to use to bring "calm" into my day- my new Diana Krall CD loaded on my computer at work, and I've had about 45 minutes at the beginning of each work day (between home and) to knit-no rushing, just taking it one stitch at a time!

I'm on my road to journaling, Mary and Katie got me a Cavallini calendar, (the NY one), I plan to jot down things either daily or weekly, no strict plans on this project, want it to be something I look forward to doing rather than an obligation.