Patrick

First I want to thank you for the well wishes on the death of my grandfather. It's been difficult in the sense that the family is now just about gone, I only have my dad left. Holidays haven't been the same since my mom had her stroke and died 4 years ago and now it's only a reminder than I'm one step away from being alone in the world. I haven't been the same man since my mom died and this year has been hell, the past month or so has been unbearable. No wonder I've been driving everyone around me absolutely mad with my constant cries for Valium. I don't know how else to describe what I feel other than it's a constant state of anguish that I just need the edge taken off but it won't happen without Valium. It's a band aide, I know that....but my idea is if I could get a goddamned doctor to give it to me for a short time to bridge the gap so I can get from the state of constant turmoil I'm now in to a sense of normalcy but it doesn't look like it's going to happen. I'm well on my way to a stroke or heart attack myself if this keeps up, I cannot continue this way. It hit me in bed the other night why Valium is not given anymore and risk of addiction is NOT the reason.

ANYWAY.....enough of my inane rambling. THIS is what I've been working on, or trying to. It's a sweater from Rowan's now discontinued book, Denim. Let me say right now this is the most complex sweater I think I've ever attempted. There is so much movement with the cables that you can't let your guard down for a second. It's a great challenge. It took me a while to get going-it's a bitch to establish but it's really cool. I love the "ribbing", think that is just awesome. I'm hoping that once it's washed and assembled it'll tighten up a bit. This is one reason I don't like working with cotton yarn, your tension has to be spot on or every little variance shows-cotton, I find, is very unforgiving that way.

This is 38 rows, there's 60 to the repeat. I guess this means I won't get to make my black, cashmere turtleneck this winter. Oh well...there's always next year I guess...if I'm not in an asylum by then.

Mucking About

My grandfather died on Monday so I've been relatively low-key. I AM Knitting, a very complex cable pattern for a Rowan sweater. When I make some progress I will post pictures. I think it may be the most involved sweater I've ever attempted. In meantime, I was over at Samantha's blog and saw this and thought I'd steal it (Sorry Sam, you dont mind?!)., It looked fun...

1. FIRST NAME? Jerry
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not that I'm aware of
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR JOB? Yeah, I'm a stay at home house husband :-) I love it!
4. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Friday.....the older I get the more I find I cry at the drop of a hat.
5. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I did before the damn computer became so much a part of life. I need to work on my handwriting again.
6. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LUNCHMEAT? I generally don't eat that stuff. I have tunafish or grilled cheese or Lean Cuisine Panini's (yes, I'm on a diet)
7. KIDS? does my cat count?
8. WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I'm not sure, I can be a moody prat LOL!
9. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Besides this blog, I sometimes keep a journal, yes.
10. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Yes and it sometimes gets me in trouble if it's in e mail and the person can't tell for sure if I'm being serious or not.
11. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.
12. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Once in 1989 was more than enough for me thanks...
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL? Oatmeal.
14. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes.
15. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? For me not to be in a rubber room by now, I think so but some Valium sure would help!
16. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM FLAVOUR? French Vanilla-OR Banana Boat (???) Dippin' Dots
17. SHOE SIZE? 9 1/2
18. RED OR PINK? Red
19. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I am WAY too high strung, stressed out and have a very short temper-it goes back to that valium thing again.
20. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My mom.
21. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? I dunno-I just copied this from Samantha's blog :-)
22. WHAT COLOUR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING? blue surgical scrub pants and a white sweat shirt, I just got out of bed.
23. LAST THING YOU ATE? Sesame toast, a small wheel of mini Gouda cheese and a tangy salad pepper.
24. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Nothing at all, it's dead quiet.
25. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE? Purple
26. FAVOURITE SMELL? the smell after a rain storm
27. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? I think my cousin Paula.
28. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Eyes, I'm an eye man all the way.
29. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? You mean that I stole this from? LOL! Yes
30. FAVOURITE DRINK? (non-alcoholic) Tea (alcoholic) Absinthe
31. FAVOURITE SPORT? Baseball (NY Yankees) and Football (NY GIANTS) because it reminds me of my mom's-I'll ALWAYS be a New Yorker at heart
32. HAIR COLOUR? Blond with blue and purple streaks currently. Hey, I went to see Cirque du Soleil and I like to stand out-sue me LOL!
33. EYE COLOUR? Brown, Grey if I wear my contacts
34. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Only to change my eye colour right now but probably will need them soon.
35. FAVOURITE FOOD? Japanese or Thai
36. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? HORROR movies...I didn't like the "scary movie" revival-they weren't all that scary.
37. BOXERS or BRIEFS? Hmm, you're getting personal ;-) Briefs-I'm an old fashioned guy
38. WHAT COLOUR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? White sweat shirt, you just asked me that, are you daft?
39. HUGS OR KISSES? both at the same time!!
40. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? The men in the white coats that are coming to take me away ha ha, he he, ho, ho LOL!
41. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
42. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Burnt Offerings by Robert Marasco-the movie was infinitely better.
43. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? The Apple Logo...I'm an Apple Computer whore. There's Apple logos all over the place here.
44. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Probably Charmed while I ate supper.
46. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Stones-I like the Beatles too but the Stones.
47. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU BEEN FROM HOME? Oh hell, someplace in Mexico where our ship docked before the return leg of our Cruise 6 years ago.
48. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Special talent? That I can be very annoying? Especially when I'm driving everyone nuts crying for some Valium...
49. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? March 1968 in Massachusetts

Aran Block

Let's see if I can get this photo to upload today. Having unraveled my Aran cardigan I knit last fall, I used some of the wool to work on a pillow. I was unable to get one of the fronts undone without having to cut into it so I think all around I'll just get more wool and knit it fresh. Maybe I can muster a vest out of what's left.

ANY-WHO....This block from the Great American Aran Afghan has always been sorta special to me. I don't know why but it's the block that most strongly called to me. I love the idea of an Aran sweater in miniature sewn to a block.What a cool idea. On the reverse of the pillow, I'm knitting another of the blocks. I just can't seem to bring myself to knit a plain stocking stitch block. How {YAWN} dull.

There's some other stuff I've wanted to link to but will have to wait. I can't recall all of it off the top of my head so I'll save it for next post.

Miss the 80's

Am I the only one who misses the awesome bohemian, glossy, slick, fashion-conscious, beautiful 80's? I get reflective every so often as I just haven't been happy since the 80's ended. I don't seem to fit in in these politically correct times and don't really want to. There hasn't been a decade yet that has matched the fun and freedom we had in the 80's. At least, that's true for me .

In any event, back to knitting. I'll be posting a pic of the back of the pillow block I'm working on. In meantime, here's a picture of Toyah Wilcox and the front of my pillow. Long live the 80's!

PS...apparently, the Aran block doesn't want to upload. I'll have to see what the problem is .