Saturday, January 8, 2011

A post in which there are no pictures, but we are pathetically grateful the house didn't burn down around our ears.

I'm sorry, there are no pictures in today's post. I haven't had many things, in the past three days, of an illuminating nature to snap. Literally, as the thing would be.

First, the hot water heater took a bath--literally, as the tank leaked into the electronics. No problem, that was replaced within 24 hours. THEN, our fuse box went wonky this week and needed replacing. Yes, the main fuse box for the entire house. Our main breaker went rogue after 25 years of good services and started melting the metal prongie thingie thing that was holding the whole thing together. I haven't slept in two nights (in any real way) because of the Mystery of the Flashing Lights we've been enjoying here. I don't know about you, but when the lights in part of your house (on two different circuits, mind you) start browning out and then going out for a minute or two before spontaneously coming back on without ever throwing a fuse, I get a little worried. I'm glad the problem seems to be resolved now. I don't have to sleep with one ear unplugged to hear the smoke detector in the basement in time to get my pets and family out in time. Thank God.

On the upside, I did get some knitting done. Wait, no, there will be a picture today!



Hah! It's the Flower Bud Beanie from Ravelry's database. I've got one repeat of the main pattern and the decreases (only a nine row set) to go. The pattern says it's an easy to memorize stitch pattern, and it is. I didn't think it would be, but I was knitting on this while hysterical with fear that my house was about to burn down and didn't mess up the pattern. Which is good, because I was seriously wound up tight and couldn't watch television or surf the 'nets (having my television or computer turned on--having anything more than one lamp and one other electronic appliance in the effected rooms turned on, actually--made the lights go all flickery: Not cool), so I needed something to keep me sane. Between worrying about potentially roasted kitty cats and messing up my stitch pattern, I'm amazed I made as much progress as I did.

No worries, y'all; I've got a rescue line in there just in case that comment skews my knitting karma to the tragic in the last repeat. I've been moving it along with the project, so I had some peace of mind in my time of strife.

Anyway, the pattern is, indeed, simplicity incarnate, and it's turning out quite lovely in this yarn. I made the shorter version (the original goes down over the ears, I wanted more a proper beanie-style), and it's a darn good thing, too. I am a wicked loose knitter and I think I'm going to use up every inch of the yarn--the pattern calls for 115 yards, and I've got 143. But knit loose and you use more yarn than someone knitting at a much tighter gauge for the same patterns. Keep your fingers crossed I don't run out in the middle of my decreases, or you'll hear the screaming from where you are.

I honestly can't wait to have this thing done, though. When it's finished, I get to make something warm for me, me, ME! And I need it, too--our temperatures have dropped like a chunk of ice coated lead into what feels like a sub-zero Kelvin range. For a knitter, I'm awful short on love for the so-called 'sweater months'. Then again, I could wear a sweater in a rain forest and barely break a sweat, so take that comment for what it is--an angry exotherm ranting about the unfair nature of life in the temperate zones.

I'd better go get knitting, then, hadn't I, if I want to get warm again before mid-July!

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