Sorry, Nikon

I have a friend who once took his older car to have the air conditioning fixed. The service department contacted him to explain that his car is not equipped with air conditioning. Tell me, do you have any stories like this? Here's one of mine.

Today I'm sure I was the laughing stock of Nikon's Customer Service Department. My Nikon D50 works fine and I feel like an idiot because it was never broken. I hate to admit it, but I thought there was a problem with the monitor. Wake up, Beth, the D50 is an SLR! Perhaps it time to read the manual or take a photography course.

My Camera Stinks

See that Nikon D50 pictured above? It is not working - again! How did I get the picture you ask? I took it with my Canon PowerShot SD450 which has never given me any problems. Take that Nikon! Because I've owned it less than one year, it is still under warranty. I will call them tomorrow, they owe me a replacement.

The last time it stopped working I called and they talked me through fixing it by pressing the hidden reset button on the bottom of the camera base. Tomorrow I will refuse to reset again. I've got important photos to take: birthdays coming up, first day of school, Halloween, Christmas...

Am I Four Yet?

We celebrated T's fourth birthday with family members yesterday - lots of food, swimming and presents. I told T. it was her party day and her birthday was coming up soon. This morning when she woke up, the first words out of her mouth were "Am I Four Yet?" How cute is that? On opening most every gift, she got this big smile on her face and said - "Just what I needed on my birthday!" She sang along to "Happy Birthday" and had no trouble blowing out four candles. You have no idea how much this enthusiasm means to me.

The celebration will continue this week as the four of us go out for dinner and as we get together with a small group of T's closest friends.

Knitting Meme

Here's a fun meme I found from friends: Gina, Katie and Marsha.

Bold for stuff you’ve done,
italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and
normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan/Blanket
I-CORD
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards huh?
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair (never, but I know someone who has!)
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Bouncing

Today I took T. to a birthday party at one of those a local BounceU. There was a family party at the same time, so we met up with Dad there later.

Dad: How was the party?
T: Good, I bounced all over the place!

Thanks Again, Shawnee!

Many thanks to Shawnee who has spoiled me rotten in the No Sheep For You Swap! Look what I got in package two: 2 skeins of Pakucho 100% organic cotton in lovely green tones, a tube of Udderly Smooth cream, notepad and candies. Shawnee hit the nail on the head with this yarn selection for me. I'm wild about the color. The last time I knitted with organic cotton I made this sweater/hat set for A. I have no other organic cotton in my stash, so I'll be picking up this Pakucho soon!

Now, more on the candies. I've eaten Pop Rocks before, probably back in the 70's and I've had Tootsie Rolls since who knows when, but where was I when Nerds showed up on the market? I eagerly opened the candy's clever packaging - grape packaged on one side and strawberry on the other. You slide a little piece of cardboard back and forth to close the box or dispense the candies. How fun is that! Let me tell you, these little crunchy candies are packed full of flavor! I love them. And here I thought my husband was the only nerd I loved!

Thanks again Shawnee for a lovely package and for introducing me to Nerds.

Simple Hat

Pattern: Debbie Bliss Simple Hat from "Baby Knits For Beginners"

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, color # 005 - 1 skein (50g)

Needles: US 3 dpn

Mods: I used a smaller gauge yarn (pattern called for Debbie Bliss Cotton DK) .

Mainwas knit in the round, when 9 sts remain, made I-cord thingy at top.

Finished size Head Circumference size 17-18 inches, 6-12 month old.

Start Date: 6/6/07

Finish Date: In Bethany Beach, DE - June 2007

Toe-up Socks Complete

Pattern: Combination of P's toe-up class and Joy's generic sock pattern

Yarn: Panda Cotton (55% bamboo, 24% cotton, 21% elastic nylon) color #0432 - 1 skein

Needles: US#1 dpn, gauge 7st/in

Mods: I CO fewer stitches than pattern suggested due to elastic in the yarn.

I used # inches around ball of foot X sts/inch X .75 (so, next time use .90 as suggested)

Start date: 4/17/07

Finish date: 6/24/07

Thank you, No Sheep Pal

A lovely package arrived awhile back. I think it was right before the 4th of July and our second trip to the shore for this Summer. It was a busy time and I have not been up to my usual tricks on the PC since. Poor excuse I know.

Anyway, did I mention it is such a lovely package from my No Sheep For You Pal? See in the photo, I got two skeins of Bouton d'Or New Bamboo (color 078), which I already have on needles. I'm making a pair of baby socks as a gift for my friend, A. Along with the yarn I got ladybug tissues and a little ladybug handwritten note.

Thanks again, No Sheep Pal.

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit!

On this the first of July, I remembered to say Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit.

On researching why I am getting the "err" message on my Nikon D50, I found this and this to be most helpful. I've tryed a different memory card, a fully charged battery, removing and replacing the lens and none of those worked. Besides Jonathan Ryan suggests if the message has appeared for a third time, as mine has, it is time to return the camera. I only hope my husband saved the purchase receipt.

Pirates

The last time I was in the theatre my husband and I saw Babel. We got popcorn*. Last night I saw Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End with two girlfriends. We did NOT get popcorn*. They talked me into to going, it did not take too much talking. It was the first I had seen of the Pirates movies. Yes, I really am that out of the "in"!

Now, I so want to see the first and second movies and now I may have to add these to my "to knit" list.

*I was not allowed to get popcorn or buy anything at a movie as a kid. So, having popcorn at a movie always reminds me of going on dates. I actually remember saying on dates, "you mean I can get popcorn if I want it"!

Back From Bethany

We had a wonderful family time at Bethany Beach in celebration of my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. The damper was that my father ended up being admitted to the hospital the Thursday night of our stay (June 21). He was showing signs of a mini stroke (TIA) and after a serious of tests that turned out to be the diagnoses. On a good note, he was discharged this morning, has no lasting damage and can resume normal activity.

As far as knitting is concerned, I got alot done there. I finished the Panda Cotton toe-up socks and the Simple Baby Hat from Debbie Bliss Baby Knits For Beginners. I'll be posting photos as soon as I can get rid of the error message on my new Nikon D50. Urgh!

SP10 Has Done It Again!

Start with a lovely handmade card, add bamboo yarn, cotton yarn, painted egg leaflet, lavendar sachet, measuring tape, pins, Mitchell's Fat Wool Soap, topped with chocolate (some for the girls and some just for me) and you've put together the perfect parcel.

So, my SP10 remembered I wanted to try some bamboo yarn and spoiled me with some. She thought of me when in an antique shop and spoiled me with a painted egg leaflet from there. Somehow she knew I was in need of something to keep the moths away and spoiled me with the lavendar sachet. You did make the card right? I like it best of all the items in the package. I have it displayed prominently in my kitchen to remind me to get knitting!

I have been so well spoiled. So fortunate am I to have been paired with you for this exchange. You've put together packages as if you've known me forever, really!

Thank you, Crafty Drama Queen.

Mango Moon

This post is especially for you, Marsha. You asked for pattern suggestions using a single skein of Mango Moon Recycled Silk. A few years ago I saw scarf in "Unraveled" (a lovely local shop which unfortunately had to close) made with the yarn, admired it and jotted down the pattern on a scrap of paper. Of course, now I can't find the scrap of paper.

But, I just e-mailed Joy who used to work at the shop and she knew exactly what scarf I was talking about. She wrote to me in reply:

"Yes, I remember the scarf and the pattern. Her Aunt Carol had made it using “purse stitch”.

On an even number of sts.
K1, *yo, p2tog* rep between *s, end k1.
Rep this row.

Happy knitting."

Strawberries

This morning the girls and I headed out early to pick strawberries at Highland Orchards. We went out to the fields just behind some other pickers who looked much more experienced than us. I overheard them in line talking about what type of leg wear was most appropriate for picking and one woman asked me "are THEY going to pick too?" I simply replied "yes".

The girls did a great job. It did not take us long to pick 3 1/2 lbs of berries. We remembered to take our carton from last year and got a 35 cent discount on our total. The berries cost about $8.00. It was sunny and hot in the fields, next year we'll have to remember our hats!

Knitter's Day Out

Today I signed up for Knitter's Day Out (KDO). I've been there twice before. It's a great opportunity to spend the day with others who share my passion for knitting and to take some classes at a very reasonable price.

Now look at the photo. See the lady in pink? I was sitting to her left.

Why?

M: Good night, I love you.
T: Why do you say that?
M: Because I want you to know that I love you. And I want you to remember that you are always safe here.
T: Are you talking to me?

Wallaby Progress

Here's the progress on my Wallaby. I'd better go hit the needles because this baby was born yesterday!

I couldn't help but use the forget-me-nots in the yard as a backdrop. They match well with Knitpicks, Shine, Bachelor Button yarn. Don't you think?

Another Parcel From SP10!

I received another brilliant package from my SP10. The latest issue of Simply Knitting, needle case, lady bug buttons (oh, so cute), knitting needles and a skien of lovely Hip Knits silk yarn in 'eat your greens' shade. You've gotta love it for that name alone. Trust me, though, it feels great. The yarn is hand dyed 100% silk, 180 metres to 100g, recommended needle size - 5mm/US8. It's available at www.hipknits.co.uk. They say that one skein is perfect for a hat, scarf or small bag. That suits me just fine. SP10 even thought to send a scarf pattern my way - I'll get that via e-mail.

Your parcel arrived just in time to bring a smile to my face on a difficult day.
Thanks so much!

SP10 Parcel Continued

Along with the great yarn are some yummy candies local for my SP10, a bar of chocolate orange soap and a postcard from her recent trip to Scotland. Is she aware that I save every postcard I receive and of my fondness for maps? In my life before motherhood, I worked as a cartographer.