Moving Along With The Windows

So Dan the Project Manager was here today to take the detail measurements to order the new windows from the factory. I must say, so far it seems that Home Depot has the whole replacement process very well organized and provides clear channels of communication. It looks as if this is going to be a fairly painless process as far as home improvement projects go.

Wish they offered the same service for bathroom re-models.

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Tracy mentioned that mice dislike Irish Spring soap. I don't have any of that currently at hand; but her comment reminded me that I had also heard that they dislike dryer sheets. Those I do have, so this morning I went around slipping some behind bookcases and under furniture. What the heck, couldn't hurt.

Well, The Boys Caught Another Mouse

I thought there was one about, because for the last couple of days they have been staring intently under the stove, and under the dishwasher. And this morning as I was going out to do some whacking back of bushes, they were staring intently under the bookcase in the sun room. When I came back in, the cats were nowhere to be seen.

When I called and rattled some dry food in their dish they came running up the basement stairs with what I thought was one of their toys. On closer inspection, it turned out to be the real thing, intact but quite deceased.

I suppose that if we do have mice, it's just as well that the cats should catch them. I just wish the mice would wise up and move out.

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On a happier note, I did finish the little shrug. It softened a bit on washing, but still isn't merino. Since I want it to wear over turtlenecks in the winter, that isn't really a problem.

Darn!

I completely forgot about Last Saturday Knitting yesterday. I hate it when that happens.

I wouldn't have been able to go anyway, but at least I would have known what I was missing. There were a couple of reasons i needed to stay at home. 1) Dear daughter came down for a visit (though she would have re-scheduled had I asked) and 2) Pete the Home Depot Window Guy came to give me his sales presentation, and an estimate; and to take my order, and my deposit. I didn't really need the sales pitch. I already pretty much knew what I wanted - the same type windows that my sister in law got from them last summer.

I sort of hate to see the old ones go: wood, true multiple lights, original to the house. But they are in terrible shape. So this year we'll replace everything upstairs and the living room picture window - maybe next year the rest of the downstairs. The new ones won't have the same character, but I'm looking forward (big time) to fewer drafts and easier washing.

I've set the wacky socks aside for the moment to work on a little raglan sleeved shrug.



The yarn is Evilla Artyarn 8/2, which is sort of like Kauni, with the same type of long color repeats. I'm using it doubled. It's one of those rather scratchy, lanolin-y with bits of straw yarns that makes you feel almost physically connected to the sheep it came from. Some folks just hate this kind of yarn, but I don't mind, and I fell in love with the color. This picture is about the tenth attempt to capture it. The photos kept coming out purple and pink, which it definitely is not; but this one is close to accurate. I'm on the last row of body ribbing and have the armhole ribbings left to do. At this point, it is highly uncertain whether I have enough yarn to finish. I think I can squeak by without ripping back and eliminating a row from the body. But I'm not sure. Stand by for further developments.

Twisting in The Wind

Well, there's no wind, but I have been twisting away as I progress with the insanely cabled socks.



Visually speaking, these are kind a wackadoodle; but I've been having fun trying out different combinations. Basically, they're tubular sample swatches that I stuck heels in. And they'll be warm enough, come winter.

It Fits the Wig Stand Very Well

I re-knit the Slightly Slanted hat in a smaller size by working only seven horizontal pattern repeats instead of eight and eliminating one vertical repeat.



It fits the small headed wig stand fine. It also stretches to fit big headed me, though it's an extremely close fit; and because it shortens as it's stretched width wise, just covers the tops of my ears.

The yarn is Cascade 220. It took somewhat less than a skein. I knit it on size U.S. 5, which means many would use size 7.

Roccoco Cables

Hmmmmm. It's possible that I got just a little carried away here.



But it's been fun trying out different combinations. I need to throw in some heels at this point. Then we'll see where the insteps take me.