Cast On, Cast Off

Sort of like life, right?

I’m nervous today – I’m finally on my way to a job that’s been rescheduled twice already. Mainly because of the weather. Guess what’s going on outside today? But I’m going. Anyway, I always get nervous before a job. Sort of like stage fright, but add in the driving factor (sometimes I get anxious driving) and I feel like I’m going to puke. I always make it through, but you know. Somethings you just have to go through to come out of. Cast On. Cast Off.

Speaking of casting on, my class last night was interesting. I finally learned a tubular cast on and it’s very pretty. As is the cable cast on. I had A LOT of trouble with your basic long tail (Shirley Paden calls it the half-hitch). I generally do a knit on cast on, which apparently isn’t appropriate unless you’re knitting lace, but that’s what I know. The finger cast ons were hard for me. I kept trying to do the movement in my head, but I don’t know if I got it right. She did some double twist loop de loop thingy at the end, some kind of Japanese cast on, that had my head spinning. Yeah. I gave up on that one. All in all, it was interesting (did I already say that?) Good info for the arsenal.

The weekend had its moments. Poor sweet girl was sick – nasty cold and snot dripping everywhere. My sister and brother-in-law were sick too. I figure the snot will start pouring out of my body as soon as the wheels lift on the plane on Friday. You know, when I’m heading off for vacation. I’ve been sick on a lot of vacations, so I won’t be horribly disappointed. (Remind me to tell you about that cold I had at the Four Seasons Maui. Man was that torture!) Still though. It’d be nice NOT to be sick.

Lauren asked how my nephew enjoyed the casting party. Well, when my nephew and I were talking about the weather yesterday and how we could smell Spring, he said wouldn’t it be great if it was Spring all the time and I said, yeah, but then we’d have to live in L.A. or Florida and that ain’t happening. No, really, I told him that the seasons were important because if everything were the same all the time, it would get really boring. And he said, like when we were doing the belly cast right? Apparently, he didn’t have a good time.

That’s not true – he loved slathering his Mommy’s belly with Vaseline, getting all gooky and ooky and stuff. He just got a little impatient with applying the plaster. I guess that can get kind of boring. My sister and I both agree it’s the best one of the three we’ve done. I told her when she has her fourth, the cast will probably make itself. This weekend I really felt the baby moving for the first time. When my nephew was in utero I’d just sit there with my hands on my sister’s belly. It’s kind of hard now when I’ve got one kid on my lap and the other one hanging on my back. My sister’s kids are definitely lovers – which is great with me. I miss them already. The next time I go down will probably be baby day! I can’t believe it!

There’s stash to talk about. I received some of my order of Alchemy Yarns Silk Purse and it’s beautiful – although the color is a little off from what I imagined. It’s much more saturated, which I think, in the end, will be better for my friend. I can’t wait to start knitting it.

Also, I received the yarn for Short Rows! I’m so, so excited. It looks even better in person and the colors are beautiful. I want to cast on immediately! Alas, I think it will have to get in line. I’m sort of overwhelming myself with projects and I feel the need to finish something. Even if that something is Ribby Cardi. The sleeves have gone no where fast. And the train did nothing for me – four rows at the most. I’ve still got forty rows of increases. Have I mentioned how much this is killing me?

Stash pictures later. I need to get ready for work.