Tofu-knits

Nov. 25th

We are finally getting some interesting weather up on the peaks.  This is today, about 3:30 pm.  I had just a couple of raindrops fall on my car an hour ago as I drove home from work.  But up higher, it's a different matter.  The prediction is for rain tomorrow, which will probably mean some significant snow on the mountain.  I just hope we don't have another storm next week, when I'm taking off for a week in Chicago.

Oh, and lookie here.  I have knitting to show.  This is the sleeve of the sweater I'm hoping to have done for hubby by Christmas.  It's plain old Cascade 220.  The cat pattern is from Dale of Norway pattern book 114.  I think it's out of print, as it doesn't show up on their website.  This will be the only cats on the sweater.  It's my attempt at putting something unusual on an otherwise not-terribly-unique sweater.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I'd been having shoulder pains, probably from some weightlifting.  After chatting with one of our orthopedic PA's, I've figured out that it probably is some rotator cuff irritation, with perhaps a Type 2 or 3 acromion complicating matters.  He said the first thing I should do is find some strengthening exercises, do them faithfully for a month, and if I'm still having pain come in for X-rays to see if I've got a hooked bone end irritating things.  So if you look in my office (HA!) you'll find a copy of this set of exercises along with this precision training aid.  Yep, a can of soup is about all I can do these with without causing pain.  But it is not hurting as much.  And I'm sleeping better, so perhaps it's helping already. 

Nov 22nd.

This was the big event this week.  Hubby has been looking forward to this day for 14 years.  Yep, he started this the same year I started medical school.  He built an airplane, and this Wednesday, and 7:47 am, it took off and flew for the first time.  

He was in flight training in the 90's when I was in college, hoping for a career as a professional pilot.  Then I was accepted to a school out of state, he tried to find training there, but between having to work and weather part of the year that made flying difficult, he wasn't able to continue.  So he started building instead.  The first parts of the project were constructed in our living room.  (Random bit of information: TV remote control signals actually work better when bounced off aluminum airplane wings, even if the wings are suspended on the wall behind the viewer.  I suspect there's some scatter of the beam, so a greater chance of hitting the sensor on the TV.)

The project was put on hold for 4 years in residency, as we had no garage at our apartment.  By then he was up to the fuselage, and it would not fit in a living room.  Besides, we both had commutes of about an hour, which didn't leave much time for fun.  But as soon as we moved to a larger, grownup home with a garage, he started up again.  The plane has moved twice since then.  The first move was to our house, where it occupied half the garage for a couple of years.  Then when the wings went on, it was too big for the garage, so moved to a hangar at the airport.

Last year, he went to Montana to meet with the builders of his instrument panel.  Earlier this year, he spent several days in Texas assembling his own engine.  (Under the supervision of the factory engineers, of course.)  The last couple of weeks he's spent testing instruments, engine, brakes, etc.  Last Saturday it was inspected and found 'capable of safe flight'.  (No experimental aircraft is ever 'airworthy'.  But experimental does not mean unproven.  There are thousands of planes of this design flying throughout the world.)  And everything came together on Wednesday.

I confess, I haven't always been supportive of his project.  It's cost lots of money, which I would rather have put toward debt reduction or retirement.  It's taken up room in our apartment or garage.  He's missed social events in order to work on the plane.  (Heck, this weekend we're going to see 'The Mikado' out of town, and making a one day trip instead of an overnighter so he can stay here and keep playing with it.  That means I miss my chance at visiting a yarn store.)

But this week, I'm so proud of him.  And I'm excited that now he has an airplane, so trips to mid-range destinations will be easier to make.  (Taos Wool Festival, anyone?)

I've read a couple of blogs this week which mentioned trouble with Typepad.  So I'm going to claim less than full credit for some of the formatting here.  I first attempted to post a short video clip of the the plane taking off, but Typepad wouldn't recognize it.  So I deleted it, and posted a still photo instead.  It took 2 tries, and each time it moved down a paragraph, and all the text above it was underlined.  I couldn't get it to un-underline, and don't have the time or patience to re-type it all, so it will post as it is.

Nov. 18th

I am now officially withdrawing from NaBloPoMo.  There's really no need to announce that, as I never signed up for anything.  But I am giving up on the idea.  Maybe someday.........  In the meantime, here's a Saturday picture of the mountain.   We've been enjoying nice weather the last week or so.  But it does make for some pretty monotonous photos.  So I managed to get a more interesting picture of the peak.  

Hubby is a private pilot.  He's building his own plane, which is tentatively scheduled to fly for the first time tomorrow.  In the meantime, he's been hanging out with other pilots at the local airport.  Sunday morning they get together and fly somewhere for breakfast.  This week our choir was not singing, so I was able to tag along.  The weather was beautiful, and I grabbed several shots out the window.

In answer to a question in the comments, yes, the wheel is a Reeves Norwegian style.  It was wheel number 3 for me, bought used, and came with only 1 bobbin.  It took some time to get used to, but now I love it.

Again, I have no knitting pictures.  I haven't done much, and what I have done isn't that interesting to look at.  

Does anyone else remember Biorhythyms?  I have a hard time believing that there is a predictable pattern to your life that is set at the time of birth and can be charted indefinetely.  But I do recognize that various aspects of my life seem to have cycles.  And right now, I can't think of anything that is in a positive cycle.  

Trouble sleeping sure isn't helping.  I had strange dreams last night, but don't remember any of them.  And my shoulders are hurting.  I've spent enough time around orthopedists to know there are configurations of shoulder bones that make one more likely to have problems, although I can't tell you exactly how that happens.  And a swimming coach many years ago told me that the best way to avoid shoulder problems from swimming was to choose the right parents. So I'm afraid I may have to live with this.

 About a month ago I started working out with weights.  I like the changes I'm seeing and feeling.  I make a better anatomy model for regional anesthesia than I used to.  But I can't sleep comfortably in the same position I'm used to because my shoulders ache when I do.  Instead I lie in a position that doesn't aggravate my shoulders, and hope I stay there after I fall asleep.

I'm sure the shoulder pain is also partly because I'm getting older.  I have a birthday coming up next week.  And this year, more than I can remember in the past, I'm feeling as if I'm getting old.  Yes, I'm sure some of this is a reaction to the deaths we had in the family this summer.  Then last week I spent a day caring for geriatric patients, and it reminded me that we all get old.  Some of us just get there slower than others.  But the sore shoulders, the gray hair, the declining eyesight: it's not going to go away.  It'll get more pronounced.  

I do have to wonder, though.  If it feels like a down cycle in my health, work, religion, and even knitting, it it because they're all down at the same time?  Or is it me, looking at my life through a negative filter?

Nov. 14th

No pictures of the mountain today, because I came to work at 6:30 am, it's now 8 pm and I'm still at work.  It's been an interesting day, and not in the fun sense. 

It looks like I get to go home soon.  More stuff tomorrow.

Nov. 13th

OK, here's today's mountain view.  

One thing I'm doing since I'm posting more regularly is try to learn how to do new things.  And it's trying.  It's taken me half an hour to get one picture and 3 lines of text into the post.  Pictures are loading very slowly.  And when they do upload, they are sometimes formatted oddly, so any text I enter is unreadable.

Yesterday I read up on how to add YouTube videos into my blog post.  As an exercise, I opened a new post, added a video, then saved it for today.  Today, editing the post I started yesterday, I couldn't get anything entered above the video.  No matter where I put the insertion point, the video jumped up to the top of the page.  I finally gave up and started over.  So there may or may not be a music video along with this post.

And don't even ask me why some of the text is blue and some is black.  I have no clue.

I've been feeling guilty about not posting any fiber related pictures for a long time.  So here's a fiber supplement.  This is some Cormo I've had for several years, which I'm spinning pretty fine and hoping to turn into a lace scarf or 2 for a charity auction.  I've used this before, and it makes some lovely scarves.  But over time, I've begun spinning it finer and finer, without meaning to, so I'm curious how this will turn out.  I'm going to 2 ply it.  No, not from a center pull ball.  I'm not that masochistic.  I'll wind it off onto cardboard cores and ply from 2 balls.

My taste in music runs toward the loud. This is my most recent 'gotta see it again' video. It is my answer to the claim that Hip-Hop music has no redeeming artistic value. Are you reading this, MaryAnne?

Nov. 12th

And here's this morning's view.  Sorry I couldn't get a picture yesterday.  The quick glance I had out the window at work was stunning, with the peak sticking up through a layer of clouds.  This being November, I'm pretty sure it'll happen again by the end of the month.  I wonder if the people who live in the house behind us have noticed their neighbor outside almost every morning taking a picture of their house.

With some downtime, I looked upNaBloPoMo.  I misunderstood.  Yes, November is the big month, when bloggers make a commitment to post every day for the entire month, and win prizes if you do it.  But you can sign up anytime, and post for an entire month any month.  I could call this a practice, and try again later.  But I know myself and deadlines, and projects that take dedication for that long a time.  So I'll continue on, posting more than usual, and call it good.

That little problem I have with deadlines and organization gets in the way of knitting, too.  I was thinking today about all the things I hope to finish for specific events.  There's a sweater for hubby I'l like to finish for Christmas.  It's going, and I still have hope.  Someone at work is pregnant, and I have an all-but-buttons/wash/block/trim ends Tomten Jacket that will do nicely.  So far so good.  And I agreed to knit something for another pregnant friend, but she's not due until next year so I've got time.  About a week ago I remembered I wanted to knit another lace scarf to donate to a charity auction in February.  I started spinning for that last week, and if it was the only thing I was working on, I'd be safe. Oh, and I'm test knitting a hat pattern for a blogger who shares my birthday.    Now, if I can just focus on these things, and not get distracted by other things, like the domino knit throw I've just got to make with the yarn I bought 20 years ago for a Kaffe Fasset sweater.  Or the baby hats our church is making to support a team of OB/GYN docs who are in Afghanistan training local doctors.  Or the orange and brown laceweight I bought at Stitches Midwest. Or the aqua plain worsted weight wool I bought last December make a cardigan I was going to practice designing myself.  Or the vest that only needs arm bands, the Lily of the Valley stole, the kitty scarf, or anything else that I've already started but gotten distracted from. 

Nov. 11th

Missed another day yesterday. When I left home for work in the morning, it was too dark to get any pictures, and when I came home from work it was too dark for pictures

Today I have no pictures.  When I left home for work this morning, it was too dark out to get any pictures.  I'm still here, and when I leave for home, it'll be tomorrow. 

Consider this a contractual obligation post.

See ya tomorrow.

Nov. 9th

This picture was taken about noon today.  It's now 6 pm, and we have about half an inch of snow on the ground with more falling.  We may get to use the new snowblower tomorrow!

I'm proud of myself for posting almost every day of NaBloPoMo.  Perhaps I should declare a few more months for my self.  Like, NaWriJoMo (Write in your Journal Month), or NaEaHoMo (Eat at Home Month) or NaDoYoLaMo (Do your Laundry Month).

Here's part of the clean up crew for the birdseed on the back porch.  But he's shopping, not dining.  Hubby popped the hood of his truck to get to the battery for a jumpstart, and found a small pile of safflower husks on top the battery.  It makes sense to me.  I'm sure the engine compartment of a truck is warmer and more private than the porch.

Today is my sister's birthday.  Happy Birthday, Sarah!  To celebrate, she planned to cash in some frequent flier miles, fly to Chicago, and Climb the Sears Tower.  By now I'm sure she's done, and I hope she's happy with her time.

Nov. 8th

Here's an early morning shot.  I'm not familiar enough with my camera to get the true colors to come through.  In real life, the reddish area on the side of the mountain is much richer, almost glowing.  And the sky is blue.

What I wasn't able to get a picture of at all was what I spotted on the back porch.  I mentioned a day or 2 ago that I'd put our birdseed into a Rubbermaid deck box .  When I looked out the porch door, I saw a ringed tail and a big raccoon butt poking out under the lid.  He was still there when I got back from upstairs with my camera.  It was too dark to get a shot through the window, flash from inside doesn't work, and when I opened the door to get a clear shot he jumped down and ran away.  At least the birdseed wasn't scattered all over the porch this time.

I was thinking about this as I went about my Saturday morning stuff.  And an idea came to me.  One quick trip to the baby section of my local Target, and about 15 minutes of work later, our deck box is babyproofed.  I hope that makes it raccoon proof, too.  But as the screws holding the brackets on are short, and the plastic of the bin is kind of flimsy, I fear Rocky may be dining at our house again soon.

Had a great time at our 20th anniversary party last evening.  I don't dress up very often.  And this is a casual town, where dressed up means socks and no holes in your jeans.  So I get some interesting reactions when I put on a dress and some makeup.  No one told me I clean up nice.  But I did get a, "Wow!  I've never seen you in clothes before!"

Caution:  slightly naughty comment ahead.  When I looked at the stats for my blog, I noticed more than the usual number of page views.  If you got here by searching on 'spilled seed', you're probably going to be disappointed.  It's birdseed on the porch.  And we don't have any bees.

Nov. 7th

Here it is as it looked this morning.  The sky was clear, and it was really cold.  Our outdoor thermometer is no longer talking to the indoor sensor, so I can't tell you just how cold.  But the birdbath was frozen solid.  They're predicting snow for elevations just above us this weekend.  I guess winter is about to start.

That makes it knitting weather.  I'm still working on a sweater for hubby, no pictures yet.  And this morning I sat down at the spinning wheel for the first time in months and spun up a little bit of old Cormo.  It felt good.  

Nothing else terribly exciting to report.  This evening is our company's 20th anniversary celebration.  I bought a new dress to wear to the party.  That's about as interesting as life gets here.