Tiff Crochets

I’m supposed to be watching TV and working on my newest nemesis - the striped afghan that will not grow - but no.. I had to check for updates on bloglines.  First, Kim mentions this amazing, gorgeous ripple afghan again and I’m going to have to start my own if she doesn’t stop it.  THEN, she links to Dawn, who not only is about to start a ripple along for such an afghan but has a wonderful writing style that I instantly loved, who links to the best podcast EVER - CraftLit.  The first episode features a Pride & Prejudice reading!!!  How can I not want to listen to every episode (42ish?) right now??!?  Okay, maybe not all of them.  At least the twenty (twenty?!?!?) episodes that feature P & P.  I’m beginning to think that I had way too much caffiene tea today because everything I’ve seen on blogs tonight is so! stinkin! exciting!  Speaking of, feeling a little bit thirsty.  (I opted for the flavored sparkling water.  I feel like I’m drinking a coke, but I’m really not.  [Texan term for soda.  See, you ask, "Would you like a Coke?"  They say, "Sure."  You say, "We have Dr. Pepper, Sprite, etc.  Whatcha want?"  Never, ever, ever say "soda" "pop", etc.  Andy says pop and the girls look at him like he's crazy.  In my family coke just means Dr. Pepper.  One of my cousins drinks Pepsi and she's always been considered the weird one.  Anyhoo, I'm being good and drinking water.  Flavored sparkling water.])
I really think my busy lifestyle over the past almost-year has kept me from some amazing things out there on the internet, namely podcasts.  I’m slowly getting caught up and am going to try to listen to at least one per commute each day.  I won’t be able to at this time next year when hopefully I’ll only have a few minutes commute to work.  I’m so excited about teaching next school year. I’m working on a portfolio of materials to take to interviews.  The twins are pushing for me to get a job at the high school here where we live because then they’d get to ride home with super-cool cousin Tiffany (They think I’m cool.  I don’t think I’m cool.  It’ll change soon.  They’re going into high school.).

I’m feeling the need to cuddle under my nicely finished afghan (ginormous and made of Homespun ) and watch a movie.  Maddie’s feeling very under the weather tonight so I’m wanting to stay up a little bit just to see if she wakes up miserable in need of mommy cuddles.  I don’t think I posted this photo yet of the girls with my dog Hoover from Christmas at my mom’s so I’ll leave you tonight (although I’m not sure anyone is left who actually reads my babbling lately) with a photo of the girls -

I spent my lunch hour at Barnes and Noble today and picked up a nifty journal (hopelessly addicted collector) that has “guided entries”.  I’ve been keeping a journal on and off for about twenty years and thought that now would be a time to get restarted.  Maybe it will refuel my extra-super dormant writing skills.  So, as part of writing in my journal, I’m going to add an extra piece on this here blog for my journal entries just because it sort of makes me feel like Bridget Jones, which makes me think of Colin Firth, which makes me think that it’s time for a Pride & Prejudice marathon, which makes me think that my Netflix movie better arrive today or else I will watch P & P….. and I’m going overboard with my extra thoughts!  I’m going to separate it out with the handy page break thing (the “more” button) so that you don’t have to read it if you don’t want to. 

Now on to works in progress news…

Last night, while watching Disc 3 of Supernatural (why didn’t I know this show existed?  I love it!), I worked another few inches on the striped afghan.  It’s almost officially one month overdue for the birthday recipients.  They will get it as soon as I finish it, even if it’s Christmas!

I started a great little round knit washcloth Monday night, but I don’t like using a size 8 needles because my tension is too tight so I’m going to restart it tonight with my size 10 needles while watching Jericho.

I’ve got to get some swatching done.  I’ve got three designs wallowing around in my head that need written, swatched, and started.  I must do this soon!

I probably should finish Laura’s leg warmers before we head to Montana in a few weeks.  They’ll be a hit with the in-laws.

My first motif for my table runner was 3 inches over the gauge size!!  I went down two hook sizes and it’s still 2 inches over.  I’m not going smaller.  I’ll just have a wide table runner.

I’m waiting anxiously for my order at www.discountyarnsale.com  to be processed.  It’s been a week and I want my organic cotton and cotton ease before I leave for Montana! 

Journal Entry No. 1 follows…

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I love to crochet.  Really, really love it even.  (It is Valentine’s Day so I might as well be extra loving. ha!)  I’m beginning to think that I love combining crochet with knit too.  It’s a new love which means that it might not withstand my short attention span, but right now it’s bright, cheery, and fun.  Look what I made!!  In 20 minutes no less, including all end weaving!!  I love square coasters, so I call these Coasters Squared (I’ve only made two so far.)

Details:

1 ball of Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick or something of that sort in White Fisherman. (much, much less than 1 ball, more like a few yards per coaster)

10 mm (Size 15) knitting needles

10.5 mm (Size K) crochet hook

yarn needle, scissors

Cast on ten (10) stitches.

Body

Using your needles, work in stockinette stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) until piece measures about 4″. 

There is no need to work knit stitches at the beginning and end of the row because the edging will keep it from curling.

Edging

Using crochet hook, slip stitch into corner of piece, ch 1, sc. 

sc across, evenly spacing your stitches (about 7 stitches) until you reach the next corner, 3 sc in next corner.  Continue to work in sc across the edge, 3 sc in corner until you reach your first corner.  2 sc in your first corner, join to 1st sc.  Finish off.

Copyright by Tiffany Roots, 2007.

Sorry for the absence.  The past three weeks were the most labor intensive in my pre-internship training and my ever-wavering ability to balance work, life, and everything else shifted a little off-kilter, which is not uncommon with me for the last year, I know.  Eventually things will get back to normal.  I think!

Recent news events had me pondering this week at what point would stress and a hectic life push me over the edge.  I work a regular fourty hour workweek, but my travel time is an hour each way due to traffic, not mileage, so I am gone from my house and children from 7 am until 6 pm each day.  As soon as I get home (my mom picks up the girls from daycare), we start cooking dinner and are typically finished around 7:15.  The girls take baths/showers and sit down at 7:45 to read or finish homework.  I try to tuck them into bed by 8:30 at the latest.  Depending on the state of the house, I pick up the living room and try to wash a load of clothes for the next thirty minutes and then sit down to watch a movie.  That is a slow night.  Wednesday nights Maddie has dance and we don’t make it home until 7:30 pm.  If I have a large assignment, I sit down and work on it as soon as the kids are in bed.  Overall though, I try to finish whatever I am working on by 9 at night. 

What I do between 9 pm and bedtime each night is what I truly believe keeps me from being overwhelmed.  I either read a book (while watching a movie - no time to split the two up) or I crochet or knit.  I may only be able to work on a project for five or ten minutes, but, I have worked on it.  I sit in my oversized chair, under my afghan, and I crochet.  By the time I head to bed, I am relaxed.  And happy. 

I feel relaxed, but my sleep and eating habits show me that everything is not okay, even though I feel the opposite.  I fall asleep at a regular time, but I sleep fitfully.  I wake up every few hours and by the time my alarm goes off, I’m exhausted.  I don’t want to resort to sleeping pills because even the newer ones make me groggy for the next twenty-four hours. 

I eat out a lot - for breakfast if I leave for work on time, for lunch because I want out of my office for that hour, and for dinner because I’m too worn out to cook.  I’ve gained twenty pounds in two years, mostly because I cannot find time to exercise.  I could wake up earlier or stay up later, but I’m already exhausted each day.  I can’t leave the house to exercise because there isn’t anyone else at home to watch the girls and I’m already limited to two hours a night with them.  I will not intrude any further on their time with me in order to exercise.  I can’t save up any money to buy exercise equipment for my house because we’re maintaining two households right now with Andy in Dallas. 

Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to escape.  To drive north instead of south when I leave work.  Head west or east - anywhere except home.  I want to disappear for weeks and think of nothing but myself.  I want to turn off my phone and I don’t care if someone is looking for me.  I feel this way because I want someone other than myself to bear the bulk of the responsiblity of raising a family.  Husbands do not feel the same sense of responsibility that wives carry around with them.  I make my decisions based upon first considering the needs of my children.  I truly believe, at least in Andy’s case, that men make decisions based upon considering their needs first.  Everyone elses needs are not less important, they are just not the most important.  Considering all of that - would I ever make that wrong turn and disappear?  Would I make a decision that would adversely affect my life and that of my loved ones?  I don’t believe I would or could ever do that to my family.  BUT, I think of it often.  And I don’t believe that I’m the only one out there who does.