snowjam 2014

it sorta started on saturday when the boys were home, and they were talking about the snow that statesboro was expecting this week.  this should have been my first clue that something wasn't quite right-snow up to 3" south of Atlanta, and just a "dusting" in my area. uh-yea that doesn't NORMALLY happen.  so at work on Monday, I was keeping a close eye on the weather channel, and yes, it did look like it was going to be south of Atlanta.  Our plan at work was, use common sense, if you experience foul weather in your area don't come in, pretty simple.  Tuesday morning, easy ride in, and the news was still showing on the weather radar that the snow was maintaining it's existing path UNTIL about 11:00-snow coming down pretty steady at home, but not in Atlanta, by 12:30 when I'd left the office it was really coming down, and continued for about 3 more hours.  Everyone on the road was going doing a good job of going slow and keeping a safe distance between cars, it was just very slow going.  I was doing great with my driving until I took the exit closest to my house.  I got stuck twice at the traffic light while I was sliding and trying to turn left.  I got Steve on the phone to help guide me, cause in my 30 years of driving, I've never had to drive in the snow.  I finally made the left turn and then started going sideways in the lane towards the next intersection, and I just decided it wasn't worth trying to get the rest of the way home, which was only about 5/6 miles.  Fortunately, there was a McDonald's right there, so I pulled into the back of the parking lot, and made plans to settle down for a little while to wait for Steve to come pick me up.  Now I have to back up a little bit, when I left the office I had a brief debate about whether or not to bring my whole work out bag or just an extra pair of leggings and a polar fleece jacket.  I decided to take it all so I'd have extra layers plus shoes just in case I had to leave my car along the way.  I also packed a cliff bar, a Fresca, carrots and a jar of peanut butter.  I had my personal phone and a fully charged work phone.  I also had plenty of knitting to keep me occupied in the event that I was there for a while.  When I got to McDonald's I ordered a coffee, and a small snack.  As luck would have it I ran into an old neighbor who is a deputy sheriff, and he offered to drive me closer to home.  Our old neighborhood is only about 2 miles from where we now live, so I touched base with Steve to let him know what the plans were which allowed for him to stay at home and clear the driveway, and take Sophie outside if she needed to go.  This was a very fortuante encounter as a) Allen is trained to drive in hazardous conditions  b) he was in a truck with front wheel drive and c) he had a police radio with him, so I know if we had any problems it would be easy to get help.  He also had an iphone charger, so I could recharge my phone.  It's really the little things that can make a huge difference.  It also took us 4 hours to get the rest of the way.  I honestly could have walked it in less time.  Finally made it home safely and without incidence.  I realize after hearing other's stories about their travel home, or their inability to get home, how very blessed and fortunate I was to get as far as I did, and for running into Allen.  God was definitely looking out for me, my friends and family members.  I am also grateful to have a warm house to come home to and electricity.  I can honestly say I'd be totally okay if we don't have snow again for a very long while.  Here are some photos.
Not quite onto the interstate

Somewhere along 75 near Windy Hill

 Somewhere between Chastain Road and exit 277

 Car abandoned and is staying put-for a while

 This mornings walk around the neighborhood

 Portion of our yard-this morning.

Okay snow, you can go away now!

2014-the year of the pullover.

and maybe one vest.  I am on the 2nd sleeve of my Cora pullover, and when I tried it on last week, I was very pleased with the fit.  I think I'm officially hooked on pullovers, and especially with cables. I'm hoping that I'll be finished with all the knitting by Sunday night.  Maybe I'll leave some for while I'm watching Downton Abbey, so that I'm knitting on Cora while watching Cora-hey get it?!

 

Okay, so between August(ish) and November, I bought this batch of  yarn for sweaters.  Madelinetosh Vintage in twig (top left), Malabrigo Rios in niebla (top right), and juniper (bottom right), and Malabrigo Arroyo in piedras (bottom left).  Not pictured is Madelinetosh Sock in vanilla bean, and I think I have enough to do a sweater or at least a vest.  I'm not hurting for yarn at the moment, as I still have vacation yarn that I bought for socks or other accessories.



I'm hoping to use these yarns for some of the sweaters I've picked from the really awesome book  The Rhinebeck Sweater.   The sweaters I'm looking at are:

artichoke French-not doing the thumb thing-y

Beeckman Tavern-actually i'll be frogging a sweater in the yarn (jo sharp-classic dk) pictured to make this one.

Pippen

and a vest spring brook.

This book is so inspiring, and there are other patterns I want to knit, but these are definitely up next in my knitting plans.  Aside from my cora pullover, I have one project on the needles polypodium vulgare socks from the Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet Volume 1.  I've only done a few rows, so I'm hoping for more progress on those this week. I frogged the chancery socks, and it looks like I'll be frogging old town as well.  Not only did I mess up the patterning on one side of the front, but when I tried it on to check the fit it was too small in the shoulders-ugh! It was an odd pattern to knit, a lot of put "x" stitches on the needle and then do "x", so not too upset that it's not fitting, but it was a LOT of knitting time.  Now that yarn will get re-purposed into something else.  Hopefully, there will be something in my newest knitting book acquisition Knitbot Yoked.  I'm really looking forward to what I have planned for my 2014 knitting, and I hope to add some hats and mitts to the list as well-so what's on YOUR needles?  I'm of to get swatching-Happy Knitting!

on second glance.

my knitting fiasco might not be quite as bad as I first thought. I have no idea how this happened, but fortunately I can frog it back to the mistake and re-knit.  I was a bit concerned that the extra pattern repeat was previous to the  sleeve join which would have been a difficult fix indeed. I'm still thinking that I'll open a fresh bottle of wine when I begin this wretched process.  This pattern is Olde Town by Carole Sunday, and really stretched my knitting skills.  I'm just glad I found this mistake before I blocked it, could have made frogging it a bit more difficult. stay tuned.

 



progress.

i'm feeling pretty good about the first week of the new year.  project life for 2013 is done with the exception of the final wrap up pages, and a couple things i want to do for our vacations.  i'm giving myself until january 21 to do a final wrap up as that'll give me a long weekend to put the finishing touches on my album. 

 project life week one complete-the photo of andrew has some off color, so i'll probably reprint it. i'm running low on 2 ink colors so i'm hoping that's the problem.  i've learned a lot from doing a full year of project life, and in 2014 i think i'll be incorporating more digital generated journal cards rather than handwriting them-we'll see.

am beyond thrilled with the knitting progress. i've done the try on of my cora pullover, and the fit is PERFECT, have cast on the first sleeve, so from now on it's all stockinette in the round. since i have t-rex arms the sleeves should knit up pretty quick-whoo hoo!

now for the area that really needs to see some progress is my sewing table-i'll let the picture speak for itself. i'm giving myself until the end of january to get this sorted as i hope to go full guns with sewing in february.  i've signed up for a one day (2 sessions) of sip and sews at cottontail quilts in february so i want to be prepared and productive on that day.  i also hope to be faithful about blogging updates.  i have so many lovely fabrics that i've collected, i need to put them to good use.

how's your year progressing so far?

2014.Goals

as 2014 arrives i've decided on one word that will help me in setting and achieving the goals i have for 2014-healthy. healthy in my physical, emotional and spiritual being.  i anticipate that 2014 will not have the whirlwind of activities that i experienced in 2013.  the slower pace i'm hoping will allow me to really focus on being healthy. i look forward to stretching myself with my knitting, reading, Project Life, etc. (emotional), continuing to improve what i eat and how i move (physical), and i anticipate some changes in the spiritual realm as well, but not sure how that'll take shape. moving forward with purposeful steps-that's what it'll take. btw-these wellies are becoming my most favorite footwear for walking sophie, and with the wet weather we've had a godsend.
here's to a happy 2014 come what may, and putting our best foot forward.