Determined Rambling

Thirteen days ago, I was struggling with every aspect of my creative, academic, and fitness life. As of today, I am making inroads into regaining my life.

 

Not only have I been writing and doing some sporadic knitting, I’ve also been reading and I just completed the first day of the C25K via Zen Labs Fitness App. I’m even making inroads into the Vegan diet I’d like to adopt.

 

I would love to say that this inspiration to do more came from within but, actually, I’m filling a void left by the hopes and dreams of having my own garden plot being temporarily shattered. I got a call yesterday saying that a garden plot was ready for me and asking me to come register. I returned the call and made an appointment to meet with Garden Lady. Just as I was about to head out the door with my checkbook, Garden Lady called me back ten seconds after we’d hung up and asked if I knew the garden plots were for fifty-five and older people. This had never been mentioned so, naturally, I was shocked. I was totally professional as my heart sank to my feet at the prospect of losing the growing space I’d never really had in the first place. She said she’d keep me on the waiting list in case anything changed. I thanked her and we disconnected the call.

 

I was in a right peeved mood for quite a while, I was short with people, distant, and moody for most of the day. Then, I got to baking a cake for The Maternal Parental and making dinner. For dinner last night, I made an Afghan Kidney Bean Curry thanks to a recipe I found on The Curious Chickpea blog. It was then that I realized that, without the garden, I was free to do more things in my day than if I had to walk the miles I would have had to walk. It also freed my financially. I can save the money I was planning to spend on gardening supplies and plants to grow.

 

I can either make due with what I have: An Aerogarden, two windowsills, and a few surfaces with room for houseplants or I can splurge and buy another Aerogarden or grow lights and grow more stuff in my room. I think I’ll err on the side of houseplants for now. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Aerogarden and I’m curious about grow lights but I just don’t know if I have the room in my room for so much stuff. Houseplants are more practical and easier to maintain. Sure, I won’t be growing beefsteak tomatoes or anything anytime soon but I can grow low light loving favorites of mine.

 

I will also pester politely ask the Manager of the community if I can grow stuff outside in pots and Earthboxes. Ten to one, they’re going to say no but it is worth a try.

 

If anyone had any suggestions for a good houseplant, please share it in the comments section. My room, while SSW facing, gets very little sunlight. It also has an extreme in temperatures. It is usually very dry in here too.

 

Okay, I think that’s enough personal writing for today. I will be saving my writing energy for tonight and my continuation of one or more of my stories, if not the start of a whole new one.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Take care and have a fantastic day.

 

I Think I’m Back…

…Not unlike an unreliable geyser.

For the first time in a long time. A heart-achingly long time…I am writing again.

It isn’t much, just something in my Positive Goals and Self-Improvement journal but it is more than I’ve done in the past five months. Outside of social media postings, I haven’t written a thing except for the inscrutably brief marketing lists.

It feels good to be back at the craft I want to pursue. I intend to take it with small steps but I’m determined to get back to writing multi-chapter stories again before the year is out.

To be honest, I really don’t know what brought on the drought in my writing and crafting. I just didn’t feel the urge that normally drives me to do things like write, knit, crochet, etc. To say that my awake time was boring, stilted, dull, and without inspiration would be an understatement. I’d been under a lot of stress both at home and in the outside world and I guess that must have contributed to the dearth in my writing production.

I have to learn to write in spite of these feelings of blankness. Hone my craft in such a way that a lack of inspiration isn’t a blockage to at least a passable story which can be improved upon at a later date.

In fact, I should make this one of my goals. Now, to update LibreOffice…

*pondering

 

An Interesting Turn

My understanding of Plant Based vs. Vegetarian vs. Vegan was completely and utterly misinformed. After talking with some friends of mine, I was properly informed of the errors in my classifications and help was offered to aid me in adjusting to my newly adopted diet.

 

A Vegan diet. Here we go again. I’ve been down this road before. At least this time, I’m doing it on my own terms.

 

As stated before, I am not giving up my knitting, crocheting, weaving, and other Yarn-y goodness. I am adhering to a dietary regimen. I’m just a bit more clear on the details now with regard to what I’m eating.

 

Speaking of yarn-y goodness. I  finally pushed myself to knitting the heel flaps of the Rye Light socks I’m knitting. My socks are nicknamed ‘My Patronus is a Harpy Eagle’ on Rav if you’re interested in following my progress. Here’s an old picture from January:

 

 

 

These will be short socks. However, I’m proud of me for pushing myself to knit on rather than get stuck in the crafting equivalent of quicksand. It isn’t the pattern but my own mood due to unavoidable things going on in my life right now. I have nine projects (at least!) to complete this year. I don’t want to spend my time getting tangled in one.

 

That’s about it. I’ve got to rest up because I’ve got a lot of stuff on my plate recently.

 

Until the next time, have a safe and fantastic journey around the Sun. Take care, my friends.

Plant-based Diet

I have been studying a lot about Plant-based diets for the first time in literally years. I’ve been reading and looking at credible videos, recipe sites, shows, etc.

 
For the first time ever, my thinking on this particular dietary path isn’t based on my animosity towards another being or my trying to prove myself. To the best of my knowledge, I haven’t been bitten by an anti-meat tick. I simply appear to be losing the craving for animal-based foods.

 
I’m not trying to convince anyone else to join me in this escapade. This is my journey. See you on the other side of this thing.

 

 
In other business, I’ve been knitting. By the way, I have no intention of giving up on the knitting, crocheting, and weaving. I’m going to be adopting a diet, not a full lifestyle. Back to the narration. I’ve had multiple projects going since before the first of January but, owing to my being incredibly sleepy while knitting, I managed to mess up the Villimarjatar shawl. I will restart the shawl once I’ve finished the Rye Light Socks.

 

 

Until the next time, have a safe and fantastic journey around the Sun. Take care, my friends. 

So Far Behind

I’ve gotten to the end of the year with projects to complete. This wasn’t my intention but there you go. I fully intend to either frog or finish each one of these projects to the best of my ability.

 

Nomad Hat and Scarf is nearly completed. Yet, my measurements were off when I knitted it up. So, I can either reknit it or shave my hair off. Adding another sequence in the pattern is another option. I’m going to see if blocking the hat will help. However, I don’t think it will. So, that’s a lot of rare yarn I’m going to have to repurpose because it is not going to waste.

 

I still have three Hobbes dolls to make for friends. The parts are languishing under my bed. I am determined to do this one because I gave my word.

 

Another that I am ridiculously behind on is the Cosmos Doilies for friends of mine. I had a valid reason for putting it on pause in that my vision got bad but I have had no good excuse for staying away from it for all this time. I mean, I started the projects in 2015 for pity’s sake.

 

I also have two pairs of Misti Sock Family socks to do. I was meant to finish those in July. I think I might frog these and start them again on a different pattern. I love the pattern as it fits my feet perfectly. However, I’m wondering if my mind isn’t subconsciously rebelling against making these due to familiarity. This would be the seventh and eighth attempt at knitting this pattern regardless of completion.

 

Personally, I wouldn’t mind trying a Toe Up pattern or two. I have a few in my Queue waiting for me to pick them.

 

Last, but certainly not least, there is my mother’s incomplete non-garter ridged Flax sweater. It hasn’t gotten bitingly cold here yet but it will do according to The Weather Channel app. I think I’ll make this one a priority to finish ASAP. It is the easiest for me to see even in dark rooms and I can knit it without fear of losing stitches.

 

Regardless of all of this, come 1 January, I am casting on for Villimarjatar with the good yarn. I’m determined to knit this shawl. I hope like everything that the combined knitting only takes me a month or so because I really want to get more projects done in 2019 than I got done in 2018 or in prior years by comparison.

 

That’s all. Happy New Year.

 

Until the next time, have a safe and fantastic journey around the Sun. Take care, my friends.

Busy and Learning

I’ve been neglecting this blog. Between all my other obligations and the obligations which have foisted themselves upon my shoulders, I haven’t had much time for the mentally carefree writing I normally do here.

 

*chortling*

 

I currently *shock*gasp*awe* have only two knitting projects I’m actively working on. One is a larger project that I hope to get completed before the end of the year. It’s a sweater for the Maternal Parental of which I am currently into knitting the body portion. I will be knitting the sleeves once I’ve done a few reinforcing rounds in the trunk. The other is the second of two gloves I re-started weeks ago. I have finger number one mostly completed and hope to have this silly thing completed before the end of the week (generous timeframe). Once I’ve completed the gloves, I will get to work…finally…on my much put aside Nomad Hat and Scarf combo.

 

I have so many crafting plans for next year but before I can even think of them, I have to get through this current workload of knitting and crocheting.

 

In addition to this, I’ve started a blanket for my little cousin. It’ll probably be one of the first things I finish crocheting in the New Year. I’m making another Dreamy Lace Baby Throw in Lion Brand’s Pound of Love/Pastel Green.

 

I’ve also got to make an appropriate gift for my friend and his affianced. They’re both great people and I am overjoyed at their betrothal.

 

I’m in the process of finalizing the knitting/crocheting list but it looks something like this as of right now:

 

1. Villimarjatar by Elina Urmas
2. Flax Light by tincanknits (x2)
3. Ice Queen by Rosemary (Romi) Hill
4. Ethereal by Lakshmi Juneja
5. Harvest by tincanknits
6. Kerti Shawl by Heddi Craft
7. Bigger on the Inside by Kate Atherley
8. Lost Souls Skull Shawl by Maryetta Roy
9. The Hobbit: Bombur’s Travelling Socks by Sue Sedlak

Obviously, this is a lot more Fingering/Sock weight, Lace Weight, and Sport Weight knitting yarn than I’m used to working with. However, I think I’m up to the challenge now given all these years of practice I’ve had. The thing that is honestly giving me the jittery stomach is the whole notion of doing lace knitting. Academically, I know I can do it but there’s something about never having knitted a complete lace project that eats at you.

 

I don’t know. I’ll get it done somehow.

 

I also have plans to increase my weaving and sewing in the New Year. I plan on, somehow, getting my hands on a bolt of Muslin and sewing in practice mode until I fully get the gist of it. Practice makes perfect. With the weaving, I don’t know what I’m going to do with the end results but something is getting completed. I suppose it depends on how well they’re received. I wouldn’t mind making a project bag for myself or something like that.

 

I think I’ll also go for making a pair of socks a month. It is low impact enough as to not interfere with my other knitting and crocheting while giving me the benefit of socks for my hobbit feet.

 

At the risk of making this a three day post, I think I’d better stop here. I do have a tendency to ramble.

 

Until the next time, have a safe and fantastic journey around the Sun. Take care, my friends.

Chaotic…

I’ve been pretty busy recently but this chaotic mess on my computer table is my unfinished set of gloves. As you can see, I’m working on finger number two, the ring finger, of this left handed glove. My idea for the pattern, such as it is, is to alternate the colors for the fingers. I’m not very fond of working with DPNs but will do it if necessary. I much prefer to use my fixed circular needles. However, the size I need for this project is engaged with another project at the present. Even so, I’m going to get these and the hat done before November because I must.

I have been very ill and only half engaged in day to day life. Which is not a good combination. I am actively recovering from a very bad cold while essentially holding down the fort for just about everything else. This has given me no time to rest and exacerbated the cold into bronchitis. These past few months have been a lot of pain and very little fun. It has pretty much been a plethora of doctors appointments and traveling around on the bus (how I got the cold) from place to place to place. I’m not going to dwell because it is too depressing.

I’ve decided that I’m participating in NaNoWriMo this year. To be honest, after the last two Camp NaNoWriMo failures, I was considering not doing it. Then, a story idea came to me and bopped me over the head with an admonishment to get thee to the dashboard. So, I’ve got my cover art done and a working title. All I need do is write the darn thing. Who knows? Perhaps this will be the time I finish a story rather than drag it out for several years. I hope so at any rate.

I appear to be working on a blanket the Maternal Parental is supposed to be working on. She made it known that she wanted a Granny Square blanket and sought my help in making said blanket. Given that I am eager to have a crafting buddy, I was willing to teach. However, she seems to be most unwilling to learn.Of the one hundred thirty five squares she’s supposed to crochet up, I’ve done nine. I get bored waiting for her to come learn how to crochet when I can find the time. So, I end up crocheting a few blocks to fill the otherwise wasted time.

I’m getting really tired of people taking advantage of my skills and good nature. I am not crocheting another block until she picks up the hook and does nine blocks herself to match my own work. If she doesn’t, then that’s 3,060 yards of yarn sitting there collecting dust.

I really need to crack open a few books. I am desperately behind in my Goodreads reading list quota. I am eight books behind schedule with exactly eight books in my queue. Things in my life have been so hectic recently that I haven’t had time to read much beyond day to day life reading. Sitting down with a good book has been a luxury I haven’t been able to afford. That changes tonight, I’m going to knit and read at the same time. I hope I don’t mess anything up in the process.

For languages, I am now learning two languages instead of one. While practicing German last night, I thought to myself that I wasn’t stretching myself as far as I could linguistically. So I decided to open up a Spanish language tree on Duolingo. I’ll also be purchasing a Spanish/English Dictionary when next I can find the money. Admittedly, this is the more practical of the languages I’ve attempted. Especially now.

Well, I’d better get to knitting and reading. I’m going to be diving into Singer: The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing by Nancy Langdon for my first choice. I hope to finish my gloves at the same time I finish this book.

Until the next time, have a safe and fantastic journey around the Sun. Take care, my friends.