153 Done!

 Oh boy do I have a reason to celebrate.  It isn't all doom and gloom here at Mereknits, although there is a bit of that, too (more of that later).  I have completed 153 squares for my vest.  That is right you read that correctly, 153 squares.  I have just started the border, well that is before I realized I had better get moving on the dinner preparations.  I can not wait to get it all finished and blocked so I can show you the finished product.  Of course it is about 190 degrees here in Florida, well okay that is a slight exaggeration, so I won't be able to wear it for a while, but still I am almost at the finish line!

 As my youngest is trying very hard to get done with his school year, the availability of the computer has been limited at best.  He is working his little tush off, and I, as his loving Mother, have to not run to the computer and blog every time he gets up.  I know I have many, many other things to do but still reading blogs is so much fun.  If you are a friend and I have not been to visit it is because I am trapped not being able to access the computer for more then a few minutes here and there.  Then when he is about done for the day I have to head off to work.  Frankly when I get home from work I am too darned tired to do much, so I will visit as soon as I can.

Speaking of friends, my lovely friend Amy is leaving for New York soon.  If I let myself think about it I get so, so sad.  I am almost done with her shawl.  I have a few more rows, and then the fringe and that is it. Hopefully I can remove it from the loom this weekend. It is made from the lovely cream yarn with sequins I showed you in my last post.  Even if she never wears it she can put it on quickly, and get wrapped in a hug from me.

I know so many of you are fighting illness and stress of some sort.  This seems like an exceptionally hard time in almost everyone's life.  One of my friends from my knitting group has now called in Hospice for the esophageal cancer she has been fighting so bravely, for the past four years.  My heart breaks for her children.  Another friend (her daughter swims with my son), just got diagnosed with a very rare stage 4 cancer that involves her uterus, lungs and skin.  She told me the name but I can not think of it.  She went to the doctor (another friend) with a cough, and after an X-ray all H*ll broke loose.  She was feeling fine, actually pretty good with the exception of the cough, when they found out.    I was sitting next to her last weekend at a swim meet chatting away. It has really shocked all of us. So if you have a few spare prayers, could you send them to my friends who are fighting so hard?

A New Shawl

 I had a  request to make a shawl.  I know you have seen this one before, I hope you like it again.  Made from Rozetti Polaris in the colorway called Cloud Cover.

 This is a beautiful yarn to play with.  Can you see the sequins sparkling in the sunlight?  It is so amazing to me that someone would like something I made so much, they would ask me to make one specifically for them!  I get a bit nervous wondering if they will like it when they have it in front of them.  I think people who make things often feel unsure about their projects.

I really love to make shawls.  I envision the person wearing it to be wrapped in love. I love to make them, yet I don't often wear them.  Hmmm.....What is with that?

 I had to order this yarn online as my local yarn store did not have it in stock.  I also ordered a lovely cream color with gold sequins.  I think I will make another shawl for a very, very good friend of mine who is moving to New York.  She is moving in June, so soon.  I will miss her terribly.

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.

Blog Friends, Monster 4 and a Cute Story

 What would a girl possibly do without her blogging friends?  Her amazing blogging friends that come to the rescue?  I can not even tell you how much I love each and every one of you.  I love how you share your own experiences and make me laugh, and cry.  Knowing I am not alone in this crazy menopausal haze,  and male dominated insanity, has really helped.  With the exception of my Father going completely bananas at my expensive, and now my sisters, and catching yet another cold (do you think I am stressed?), the weekend has been good.  Especially the time I have had to snuggle with Max.  He is so soft and yummy.  He fell asleep on my bed Friday night while I was reading, and let me hold his paw.  He is the definition of sweetness.

 Last night while waiting for Mr. 18 year old to come home, I kept myself awake finishing Monster #4.  Because he is going to an older great-nephew, he got a sewed on mouth.  I think he looks quite happy, and ready to have some fun. 

 By only stuffing the ends of his arms, they do not look so questionable.  I think that may be the answer to the inappropriate looking body part issue I seem to be having.

Here they are all together basking in the sun by my pool.  After a few more squares to complete on my vest, I will be starting on Monster #5.  I have at least four more monsters to go.

Now for my cute story.  For all you American Idol fans I bet you will like this.  I work with a 3 1/2 year boy who lives in medical foster care.  He has cerebral palsy and can not talk (with the exception of about 5 words), but he is very bright.  He makes sounds, and smiles, and laughs.  We have a really great time together when I work with him twice a week.  Anyway, on Wednesday night his medical foster parents noticed he was singing, and waving his arms the first time Phillip Phillips sang.  They waited for him to do it with the other two contestants, but he didn't.  Sure enough when Phillip Phillips came on and sang again, my little buddy sang with him.  He did it each time Phillip Phillips sang, but only when he sang.  I think Phillip Phillips has a new fan, don't you?

Again, I want to thank you all for caring so much.  When I am feeling crazy, like I am going to jump out of my skin, I am coming back to my last post to read your amazing comments.  You are the best!

Why?

I am having a tough week, and because of that I feel a bit whacked out (actually really tired and angry).  So I have been pondering a few things...

Why does your husband/son come in and want to have a big conversation with you when you are watching the final singer on American Idol?  And usually the conversation goes something like this, "Who is that, are they good?  Where are they from?  Do you like this song?"  I don't know because you are talking and I can not hear them.

Why do women go through menopause?  I'll tell you it is kicking my butt right now, and I am surrounded by men so they don't, "get" it. After periods, child bearing years, premenstrual syndrome,  cramps, and postpartum depression we should have had enough.  No! We have to be going through the opposite of puberty, while we have kids in puberty!  Not fair I say!

Why, when going through menopause, and I need more and more time to just be alone, everyone in my family feels they need to be with me more and more?

Why do I have to ask you nicely to take your laundry upstairs and put it away seventeen million times, but when I get mad at seventeen million and one you say all I do is yell? 

Why are men so self centered?  I try to raise my boys to see the big picture around them but I swear there is a male gene the should be named, "Me, Me, Me." 

 Why, in a week where I desperately need to knit or crochet, can I not find the time?

 Why can I not knit an arm for a monster that does not remind me of male anatomy?  I swear I followed the directions this time and did not veer off at all. I am scared to death to stuff these.  Obviously I am surrounded by way, way too much testosterone.

 Why do I feel the need to ask if you are really going to graduate before I mail out your announcements?  I swear I will be in a panic until that diploma is in my hands!  And let me remind you Mr 18 year old, you have two more weeks of school, so get cracking!

Why do people vote they way they do?  Do you really value your daughter, grand-daughter, nieces or the little girl next door so little that you do not want them to have equal pay for the same education and work level of their male peers?  And you do not want them to have the same health opportunities?  Really, we can supply a bunch of old men Viagra, but not women birth control pills?

 Why are so many people hurting right now?  You hear it all over blog land that people are going through a difficult time.  I see it with my friends fighting for their lives and I just wonder why we are all tested so much?  I know all you can do is offer a hug, kind words and maybe a dinner or two, it just seems like it is a difficult time for so many people.

Why no matter how much I do for my parents it is never enough, and the daughter they haven't seen in 11 years is perfect.

Why can I not sit through a two day workshop without wanting to shoot myself in the head?  I had to attend one this week and I swear I can not sit still.  I am a mover, at home and at work, so sitting there trying to pay attention is so hard.  I know why kids have difficulty paying attention in school.

Why do our beloved pets have such a short lifespan?  My Max is only 7 but he sure acts old.  He has a bad hip, and facial muscular atrophy.  He is also allergic to wheat and corn. He is so wonderful and frankly the only one with testosterone in my house that is not annoying me right now.

Monster Make Over

Although I am sure I need a monster of a make over, I had a Monster make over.  Remember bowling pin monster?

 She was just lacking something and I couldn't put my finger on it.  You are all so lovely, and I bet you were trying to be nice and all about her, but lets be serious she was lacking something in the cute department.  My friend Lynda, who was visiting for the weekend, suggested a skirt.  Lynda is a non-knitting, non-crocheting, non-yarn loving friend.  After she suggested it, I knew she was right.

 Not only did Monster number 3 need a skirt, she needed a granny skirt that ties in the back.  I think she is much happier now that she has some clothes on.  She also needed a nose to add some dimension to her long face.

She looks happier now, much more complete.

Leave it to a non-yarn loving friend to come up with a solution.  Lynda's husband was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer yesterday.  Not good news at all.  One of my knitting group friends has had her cancer return and she is not doing well.  And yesterday another friend of mine had a brain tumor removed in an 8 hour surgery.  Yikes, this has been a bad news weekend.

Hope the news is better where you are.

Happy Mother's Day

As a present to myself for Mother's Day I bought some new yarn.  I had a 25% off coupon for my LYS, burning a hole in my pocket.  Can you blame me? So I just popped in to see what was there and look what I found.

This Berroco Remix was purchased to make the Sawtelle sweater.  I have had my eye on this beautiful, free pattern for some time.  I was thinking of making this while watching the Olympics this year.

Some basic Ohio State colors for my son who will be leaving home to attend school the school this Fall.  I think a nice hat and scarf might help to keep him warm after those cold, morning swim practices.

This lovely skein is hand spun by a local knitter.  It was not part of my 25% off, but I loved the colors so much I couldn't help it.

Mother's Day is tomorrow.  I am a bit torn this year, just like last year as my Mother continues her slow, slow, horrible decline.  It is just so hard to watch.  I feel so sentimental about my own children getting older, and as my Mother declines, I see how precious my time with them is. I hope you find beauty on Mother's Day.  If you are a Mother, Grandmother, Aunt or a special woman in someones life, I send you a big hug.  You are the people shaping the future of our young ones.

Happy Mother's Day, treat yourself well.

Monster Number 3

Before we get into another Monster photo shoot, did you see the Super Moon the other night?

 It looked about the same to me.  I really couldn't tell the difference, but I bet all sorts of craziness went on that night.  I stayed in!

 

 Monster number 3 is complete, and to be honest I am not sure how I feel about her.

 She looks more like a cat, probably because I can not follow a simple direction, and I probably miscounted somewhere.

 Number 3 is made from Bernat Mosaic, a yarn I thought was soft and lovely but will not use again.  The yarn kept pulling apart, right in the middle of an arm or leg.  Once again I have to say, " Life is tooo short for cheap yarn", even for a Monster.

Her head is supposed to be round, she looks like a weird bowling pin with ears.  I am not sure she is going to make the cut, I will wait and see how I feel about her later (which makes me sad because I don't want her self esteem to be threatened).  Now I have to complete nine more squares on my vest before I can start another Monster.  I will be completing some squares watching American Idol tonight.  Anyone else watching this year?

Monster Photo Shoot

 Monster number 2 is done.  She is a bit shy with her first ever photo shoot, so she had to be coaxed out of the shade.  Isn't she cute? She is made with Red Heart Boutique Treasure. 

 She is so shy she didn't want a mouth, she just wants to show her love by looking deep into your eyes.  And notice no questionable extremities.  I followed the book this time.  Glad I gave you all a laugh with the last monster.  I think there may be a whole cottage industry out there making questionable male anatomy.  Just think if you are mad at your partner you could twist it, step on it, pull it, you get the picture.  We had a good laugh about all the possibilities at knitting group last week.

 Here she is showing off my crochet vest.  I have stuck to my word and now have nine more squares done after finishing monster number 2.  A total of 108 squares, 45 to go!!!!!!

 This has been a busy, busy, crazy week.  Just trying to keep everything straight has been a trial.  Monster number 2's cuteness has helped.

As I have met my square requirements for the vest, I have started monster number 3.  I think number 2 needs a friend.

Hope your week was a bit more relaxed than mine, and your weekend is even better.