by Kat | Aug 1, 2019 | General, In This Moment
I woke up this morning thinking how nice that it was finally Friday and about 30 minutes later I realized it was Thursday. Sigh. I hope those were not the best 30 minutes of my day! Ha!
I am joining with Carole and Friends to share three things from my week thus far!
Thing One:
I went for my annual mammogram last Saturday… a necessary “irritation” I never expect it to “not be fine” but I am almost always called back for additional views. This year the place where I go is only using digital imaging and I did not need to go back for any additional views! Bravo for technology!
Thing Two:
I went to the dreaded DMV yesterday and unbelievably; technology has improved things there as well! I checked in and received a number which was immediately called… I am not kidding you. The thing that took the longest was the machine that immediately printed my new ID – I was in an out in less than 10 minutes! Well done PA for improving what was truly a painful experience.
Thing Three:
AUGUST! At long last July is over! Not that I am rushing summer, but I really needed to turn the page on July! My August calendar is a blank page… and I look forward to filling it with some very good things!
What about you? Did you have some very good things this week?
by Kat | Jul 31, 2019 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers!
I am back to patiently knitting my shawl and I am *almost* to the point where I get to do the little “flower” motif! Wooo!
As for Early Bloomer… I wore it on Monday and thought about the fit all day. Sadly, I have determined that I need to rip it back to the sleeve divide and re-knit the body… smaller. Yes, I am upset about this as well, so it is in a bit of a time out while I finish the shawl.
It might even stay in time out while I knit Romi’s new sweater.
This really caps off a very unfocused July and I have learned my lesson (or re-learned it – in my case!) No impulse knitting – it never turns out well…
The reading though…I am about a tenth of the way through War and Peace – 10-ish hours down…40-ish more to go. I am entirely engrossed with the story and the writing is very good – which is a very good thing when a book is so long!
I finished the third installment in the Inspector Lynley series – Well Schooled in Murder. I just love this series and am eagerly awaiting the next book – I am on the wait list at the library, and fortunately, I don’t think the wait will be long! It was another 5-star book and I highly recommend this series!
I also finished The Silent Patient… I am not sure where the recommendation for this one came, but oh boy. I thought it a bit contrived, I knew “who did it” almost immediately, and from there the remainder of the novel was quite predictable. I had originally given it 3-stars, but I downgraded it to 2-stars for the lack of originality. I do not recommend.
That is all I have this week! I hope your making has been much better than mine! What’s on your radar this week?
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below – and thank you!
by Kat | Jul 30, 2019 | General, Words
Joining with Juliann and sharing my word update again this month.
My key to dealing with stress is simple: just stay cool and stay focused. – Ashton Eaton
I should have looked for this quote earlier this month and I might have been more successful in refocusing myself!
Why?
Because I entirely lost my focus in July and I spent the month struggling and quite frustrated. I felt much like this Butterfly Bush – tossed willy-nilly in the blowing breeze…never quite in focus. And the harder I struggled to get back to focus the more elusive it became.
So, as this month comes to a close and I turn the page on a calendar, I am giving myself permission to move on. Start fresh. Begin again. Refocus.
by Kat | Jul 29, 2019 | General
I was lucky to have this lovely visitor yesterday morning! The butterflies have been abundant on the butterfly bush this year, but I have not been outside with the “big camera” and the tripod when they have visited!
This Red Admiral butterfly was most photogenic, and it is the winner of the week!
Now, on to the weekend… which just flew by, didn’t it?!
I sewed another pair of Rose Pants which I had hoped to wear with my newly finished Early Bloomer. But, when I tried it on with them – it just looked frumpy! Curiously, I think it is too long! I am not quite sure what to do about it – or rather, what exactly it needs to improve the fit. Perhaps the pants just aren’t right so I am going to try it with a tunic today to see what I think. My fear is that the fix means ripping it back and removing some length. Grrr!
The Neville House (aka Woodville Plantation) was so much fun on Sunday afternoon! I loved having a little local history lesson along with the opportunity to see a house that was built in 1755!
But, what about you? Did you all have a good weekend?
by Kat | Jul 26, 2019 | General, In This Moment
It is almost painful to type these words: The last weekend of July is upon us…and while I have no desire to return to the ungodly temps we had last weekend, I would like to put July on pause and slow down these days that are just racing by!
Thinking –
I did not make a “Summer Bucket List” this year, but with July almost over I have been thinking about what things I’d like to do before September is here. One thing I have wanted to do for some time is visit the Woodville Plantation which is around the corner from me. Sunday I will be able to check that off as I am going with a girlfriend!
Grateful –
I have struggled with finding gratitude in recent days and I realize that finding even one thing to be grateful for is crucial to my wellbeing. This morning’s Tiny Bit of Quiet is an excellent reminder to pay less attention to the “what” and more attention to the “how”… Today I will pay more attention to all the how’s of my day – and I am so excited to have this reminder that sometimes you need to change your focus, to look beyond.
Inspired –
By so many things! But this crossed my radar today and I love that steps can be art!
Finally –
I laughed at a tied vote between Daelyn and The Weekend yesterday. I bound off my Early Bloomer yesterday… she is having a bit of a spa treatment currently and I hope to be wearing her soon! And, I am hoping that plums will be available at the farmer’s market tomorrow – they are one of the best tastes of summer!
That is all I have for this week! Have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Jul 25, 2019 | General, In This Moment
It’s Thursday and I have three things to share so I am joining with Carole and friends again today!
This morning a curious quiet greeted me when I took Sherman out – no bird song, no frenzied hum of cicadas – just silence. It seemed that nature was reminding me that summer is fleeting, and I should spend more time enjoying it than I do complaining about it!
I am going to try and heed that advice, especially with warmer temps returning today.
Thing One:
This Willow Variation crossed my feed reader yesterday and I see a lovely flannel version in my mind – paired with a black long-sleeved shirt and leggings. Yes, fall is creeping into my mind – if ever so slightly!
Thing Two:
Last month I injured my ankle but after a couple of days, though it was still a little painful, I could walk and so I ignored it and carried on. And then July came and my focus to walk every single day happened, and by the 15th the pain was, well, much more painful. It was now constant pain, pain that interrupted me, and, yes – pain that stopped me from walking or doing Pilates. Enter, Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy. 10 days of Motrin and immobilization have helped considerably. Yesterday was day one of doing some very careful movements to stretch and build up the muscles and tendon and know what? I feel like I could walk today – but I won’t! I am going to get back on my Pilates mat today though and incorporate some more of the stretching and mobility exercises! Moral of the story… self-care is important and when your body is telling you something, don’t ignore it!
Thing Three:
So that yarn… I swatched, and swatched, and swatched – and no matter what needle I use, I CAN.NOT.GET.GAUGE!!! In fact, I could not even get close to gauge! And, then I took a breath and pulled out some leftover Joyful and swatched…perhaps the key is in the name, because I too was JOYFUL. I got gauge!! I have 1280+ yds and now that brown yarn is back in a pile by my desk. However, one of the swatches matches gauge to Andrea Mowry’s The Weekender and Isabell Kraemer’s Daelyn Pullover. So, my question for you… which would you choose and why?
Happy Thursday, everyone!
