I’ve added Chinese to my Duolingo lineup. I highly recommend this show. Not a movie but a series. My husband and I couldn’t stop the binge.
I’m trying to find a way to put my biggest guilt trips here. The end of the month is looming. Two goals haven’t even been touched. I haven’t edited anything. Nor have I worked on my read-alouds or podcast. Finding privacy and time seems the biggest issue. Nor have I touched the real piano. Boo! Next month is Camp NaNo. I have no idea what I’m doing. And so I’m Muddling my mind.
I’m not too impressed so far. But, hey, it’s a beach!
This is how the kit looks. I’ve already started knitting up.
Progress on the socks? Sure.
I’ve started the arch ribbing. These will be a mix of the sneaker no-show socks and the Fleegle Heel. Obviously, Chiaogoo red-laced cable needles, Two-At-A-Time. Because the yarn is thin and the needles are size 1 my hands and eyes can’t work more than a couple rows.
These are easier. I had a lot of the above and this yarn so more socks. These won’t be no shows. Just Fleegle Heel slipper socks. Though cotton and not as easy as wool yarn. But bigger yarn and needles are easier on my eyes and fingers.
My uke is calling and it’s almost midnight! Yikes!
Just when thought I wouldn’t be writing about my latest knitting project, the prompt is ‘Wool‘
Here ‘wool’ comes from sheep or Alpaca or the like. Elsewhere ‘wool’ is the word for yarn. Yarn can be organic or synthetic.
Many people, like me, used to be miserable and itchy when our moms made us wear anything of wool. Some maintain that allergic reaction. My allergies have changed as I aged. Best of all wool, like superwashed wool is so soft and cozy. So I suggest finding some and trying. Wool is strong and stretchy especially when nylon is added. It is wonderful for socks.
My latest examples.
Cotton (wool meaning yarn) soft and not allergenic. But not fun to work for socks. These are one row from off the needles!
These are soft actual wool but the yarn is thin as are the needles so I have to cut my knitting time to save my fingers.
Now without calling too much attention to Finishing Friday or the like. But heck, so as to not pull the wool over your eyes, I’ll check in with the nearly finished Peacock:
Plastic. Not wool. I’m thinking I’ll be done by Wednesday.
Still, I’m streaming on Saturday. Consciousness leads me to mention two shows we’ve streamed today:
The Wizard of Paws on Disney is so heartwarming!
And I think I’m a Swifty!
We watched half today after spending the morning on the wizard. We couldn’t sit still any longer.
These may be finished tomorrow as they will be shorty socks. I’m not excited about the color nor that they are cotton but I think their new feet will like them.
I share my little accomplishments because I have been discouraged in the past feeling less than or that I couldn’t learn or my blurry eyes or hurtie fingers messed with my feelings of success of any kind.
What I’m learning seems insignificant, even to me. But when I look at tiny new things I can do, the little things add up to something huge. I’m so grateful for these lessons and processes.
I can now spend 40 minutes on the stationary bike, 10-20 reps door push-ups, floor/ceiling touches.
My fingers stretch more for the tenor recorder, almost full range now.
I dreamed of playing When the Saints Go Marching In as the chord changes are becoming smoother. And it doesn’t hurt anymore. Can you believe it?
People, including me, believe a person can’t learn and grow in their 70s and older but I’m learning to see it differently. I don’t think I ever had the freedom to learn this way. To play, enjoy all the little things.
So I bit the bullet. I tried the Fishlip Heel. I watched the tutorials over and over. I got this far with the heel.
The blue yarn is my lifeline. I’m about to tink back one last time. I don’t want to wear out this yarn so I’ll create the Fleegle Heel I love so much. If someone can lead me to a tutorial for the Fishlip that makes sense I’ll try again with new yarn rather than fatigue the current yarn. I can’t share the Fishlip tutorials but once again here’s my favorite sock tute.
A part of Linda’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “signa…” Find a word that starts with “signa” and use it in your post. Enjoy!
There, I found my favorite signage.
Sadly, I’m at a standstill on today’s fun. I need to study the YouTube about the Fishlip heel. It isn’t easy to know which tutorial will get the results I need. I’ll share when I know which to choose. The author of the pattern is very restrictive with her pattern. And I totally get it. She worked hard on her baby and deserves credit. Soxtherapy is her tag. My problem is trying to just use her heel part and not the rest of the sock.
Arch is done. Now I’m going to learn the Fishlip heel. I will run a rescue line just in case something goes wrong. At least I won’t have to tear everything out.
I’m almost halfway done.
Yeah. Laundry needs to be folded before I can go to bed.
I’m loving watching this the second time around. So fun, but attacks issues we should think about.
Much looks the same as last time. But you want to know what I’m learning as I go? All attempts get me closer to not. Not a baby beginner. Not a total loser. And if I take a moment and look back I find more proficiency. Faster, not so lost. Progress. And it’s not linear. There are times I pick up the recorder and find that somehow God put holes in my fingers. Air is escaping, somewhere.
Sometimes I get the chord progression of these simple songs. But if I don’t, I only have to remember a month ago. I could tune my uke. Now I can sing little songs and not look as I move from F to G7 to C to C7 and more, and I know without looking at my hand that I did it.
I can remember being 12 and learning to crochet and knit. How I got so frustrated when I had to rip it out.
Now I look forward to trying again. The thing that makes these hobbies frustrating is placing time constraints or perfection goals.
I may not be producing the way society deems worthy, but I’m 74 and enjoying my life. Learning is my fun. Seeing changes in abilities, even as I’m told growth can’t happen anymore, THAT is the fun.
I am keeping my goal on the stationary bike and other exercises. And I see tiny improvements.
My only disappointment in me is trying to find my way to the reading aloud/editing goal. But I’ll figure it out.
Here’s the pics of progress.
I rarely finish a crossword puzzle book but I threw this full one away and am looking for another. The other thing I rarely finish is a bottle of hand lotion. It usually goes bad before I’ve used it all.
These balls are to crochet a strap for my uke. I’m following Bernadette’s YouTube
I’ve only added a couple rows since I posted these. But only 2 inches until the heel. I’m planning to try the Fishlip heel. I bought the pattern. You can Google where to get it. I’ll include it when I find out it works for me.
Only a couple more rows added here, too. I can’t get hyper-focused on the thinner yarns and needles. They can hurt my hands or eyes.
I’m loving this beautiful bird. Can you see how much more color lights up this picture with each section of drills?
Not as happy with this one. It is tiny and the colors are not so vibrant.
I feel good about developing discipline. Why is it only now growing?
I can’t believe I’m involved in three diamond paintings at a time. I straightened and sealed the Sea Turtles. So that on pay day I can mail it. It still looks the same so I’ll use a past pic.
This was a fun project!
While it was drying, I decided to go with the peacock next. So I’m geared up ready to go. Here’s the opening.
The usual pen, cushion, tray, wax and baggies. Those cellophane bags the drills come in were so full of static. I think because today was windy, snowy, rainy, and back to wind.
I can’t wait to start this beauty! I have books on that center fold hoping to iron it out by tomorrow. We
I got this much done so far on the lighthouse. Click on the picture to see the diamonds and empty symbols. I learned, just now, that this lightpad doesn’t need to stay plugged in. It can be charged! Yay! Small wins, ya know?
Except for hiding the yarn ends, I finished these. They seem larger than the size 7. But as slippers they may work.
So the founding of the day was trying not to dump diamonds everywhere especially with static making them fly. I only have two hands people!
Working on my series: Haven.
Doodler (zendoodle.com)
Music major: voice and piano
Mom of four great adults
Reiki II practitioner
I have been on disability/retired for 10 years now from depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.
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