Slippery When Wet

On an extremely windy, rainy night while thousands lost power, I sat in my kitchen and ripped out/unknit several rows of my hat.

And watched Netflix.
Why yes, that is Murder, She Wrote that I'm watching.
This is another hat using this same pattern I used earlier - I really like it - it's simple and warm, and who doesn't need a red hat?
I don't, not really, but I want one, and since I'm knitting from my stash....red it is!
But this yarn is dangerously slippery on metal needles. No matter how much I mash the stitches together as I'm knitting on one needle, it invariably moves and gets too close to the end on another needle - or in my case, drops several stitches off the end.
Since I knit my other hat with these same needles, you'd think that I would have learned from experience - if the yarn is slippery on metal double points, then switch to bamboo/wood.
Did I do that?
Heavens no.
On this particular hat I had to take out several rows and then do the New Yankee Workshop exercise. You know - count twice, knit once - isn't that how it goes? - to make sure I didn't need to rip out any more.
It's a laborious process at best, but sometimes the only way to fix mistakes.
Exercising patience. Yet another resolution.
And speaking of Yankees, and Jessica Fletcher, next time we head to Maine, which I hope is soon because we loved it there, I hope to have my red hat done.

For your viewing pleasure, here's a gratuitous shot of Sand Beach on MDI.
Love it.

Winter is Just a Dead Leaf Away

Being locked in an office all day does not allow you to experience the weather in any way other than visually. If it's raining, I see the wet rooftops, when the sun shines I'm envious of all those able to walk around and enjoy it, and when it's snowing I look out and see the white snow blanketing the cars and streets. But on a day like today - a cool autumn day - I don't know what the temperature is until I come outside at the end of the day.
So even though it was overcast it was wonderful to come outside and feel the coolness in the air. The high temp was 66, and tonight is definitely sweatshirt weather.
Before leaving for work this morning I put a chicken in the crockpot, and as I walked in the door this evening all I could smell was that wonderful aroma of a dinner - already cooked and waiting to be served.
I've lit some apple scented candles to usher in the cool fall evening, adding to the ambiance of the changing season.
Finally, some Vivaldi adds an extra special touch to the evening:



In other words, enjoy the mild weather while you can because winter is coming, and it's going to suck just like it always does.

We're having weather here too, you know

While the heavily populated east coast has prepared for Hurricane Irene, I was making preparations myself.

I can't very well watch news of the hurricane unless my toes have been properly cleaned and colored.
Hope everyone stays safe!

Reveling in spring, but dreaming of winter

I finally went back to the public library yesterday.
Believe it or not, I haven't been there in three years.
The shameful truth?
I had a ridiculously high fee that needed to be paid, and really, when I have that kind of money in hand I buy yarn (or chocolate), I don't pay my library fines.
Shame on me, I know, but I had an alternate library to use, so I wasn't really missing anything.
SN2 told me yesterday, however, that he needed to watch a certain movie for one of his classes, and the college library didn't have it, Netflix didn't have it, and I didn't feel like calling Family Video.
Well that's not completely true. I did call them but they weren't open yet, so I checked on the public library site.
They had it!
I was ready to "man up" and pay my fine, so I took some money and drove down there.
I should have walked but I was not looking my finest yesterday (not that I ever am).
Let's just say that I was fitting in quite well with some of the trashy element in town.
And I drove DN1's beater car with the broke muffler.
Lovely.
I did check out some good books, and I started reading one of them yesterday.
It's Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke.
The book is set in Minnesota in February.
Not that I'm complaining about spring at all - yesterday DH and I got out and did some much-needed weeding, and I kept waiting for the storm that never materialized which meant it was kind of muggy outside.
We definitely need the warm weather, as well as the rain, but sometimes I miss winter.
The coziness I guess I miss.
Last night I couldn't sleep. I ended up getting up at 3:30 and came downstairs, played on the computer (of course), and then curled up in the chair to read.
I feel asleep reading about Hannah Swensen (from the book) driving around Minnesota in the middle of winter, and of course I proceeded to dream about just that.
I was there - in the dusk that comes at 4:00 in the afternoon, seeing the sky dark with snow, but thankfully not experiencing the mind-numbing cold that accompanies a winter day.
And then I awoke and realized - it's not winter, it's spring!

I hung beautiful flowers out on the porch (even though the lady at the greenhouse told me, "It's too early to hang those out, you know."), and I'm looking forward to using my new tiller to tear up some ground, fertilize and then plant some more bulbs and perennials.
Petunias, pansies, buds on rhododendrons, and the promise of the heavenly scent of peonies is what makes spring so wonderful.
Balls to winter - it will be here soon enough.
I'll keep it in my dreams.

Weather Pessimist

Yesterday was a beautiful spring day. The temperature was in the 60's, the sun was warm and fell on the white legs and arms of people walking around in summer clothing.
Beer pong tables were out in force, with students holding up signs that read, "Honk and we'll drink!"
Just another lovely day in a small Western NY college town.
When I left work there was a girl sitting outside on a stairwell soaking up the sun. As she adjusted her low-cut tank dress, I said to her, "Great day to get some sun."
She replied, "I know! I have to get it while I can."
"Right, before the snow falls again," I joked.
"Yea, we're due."
"Overdue!" I had to add.
You see, we're all weather pessimists here.
We know that a sunny day in spring isn't the advent of months of sunny days, it's just a random sunny day that could be followed by a day with temps in the 40s, or even a day when the snow falls yet again.
We are seriously overdue for a spring snowfall, and it hasn't happened yet.
For the weather pessimists, it's not if it happens, but when.

This is so wrong...

It's April, people.
I just bought DN2 a sundress for Easter Sunday!
More importantly...the snow will clash with my white Jordana Paige bag!
Enough already.

Winter Storm Watch for Monroe County, NY

from 6 pm EDT, Mon., Apr. 6, 2009 until 6 pm EDT, Tue., Apr. 7, 2009

Issued by The National Weather Service
Buffalo, NY
3:54 pm EDT, Sun., Apr. 5, 2009

... WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

RAIN ON MONDAY WILL GRADUALLY MIX WITH... THEN CHANGE TO WET SNOW MONDAY EVENING. ACCUMULATING WET SNOW IS THEN EXPECTED DURING THE COURSE OF MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY WITH SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. THE HIGHEST ACCUMULATIONS WILL LIKELY BE FOUND OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN SOUTH OF BUFFALO AND BATAVIA WHERE AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 6 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE.

THIS OUT OF SEASON SNOWFALL WILL LIKELY IMPACT TRAVEL ACROSS THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY... SO MUNICIPALITIES SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR LATE WINTER CONDITIONS..

Acclimation and perspective

Collectively, we've spent the last five months covered in layers of clothing in an attempt to keep warm.
Speaking for myself, it hasn't always worked.
Spring is just around the corner, and even though it isn't here yet, people in my town are celebrating the warm weather.
We hit almost 60 degrees today, and when that happens everyone moves outside.
This means, when the sun comes out the clothes come off.
Some people wouldn't think 60 degrees is warm enough to wander around in shorts.
Those people who think that live in Florida, I'm sure.
In New York, we're acclimatized to colder weather, so to us, 60 degrees is like 85 to someone used to a warmer climate.
It starts when we're young.
I know this, because if you drove around my town in April, when honestly it's really not all that warm, there are students sunbathing on the roofs of houses and in their front yards.
Today the kids who have remained behind during spring break were in their yards playing beer pong.
From a young age, northern children develop a proper perspective on weather. They know that the sun won't last that long, so they have to enjoy every moment it is in the sky and radiating warmth.
Unfortunately, our nights are still pretty damned chilly.

Cover All Exposed Flesh

Life in a snowglobe is not that warm.
We have had so much snow, and it just keeps coming.
My kids are happy because this will be their first white Christmas.
It's pretty out there, but it sure is dangerous.
We went out in the truck last night (using 4-wheel drive), and took DN2 to a friend's house.
Our speed averaged 15 mph.
You just can't see the road, and SN2 kept asking me to do something fun, like doughnuts, or just let the rear slide around.
I told him no.
We were driving through a deserted parking lot at the time.
No cars around, so we could have had a good time with the truck, but still, no.
Want to know why?
This is why.

He said, "You never want to do anything fun."
I replied, "Wait a minute, it's after 11:00 at night and I came up here to help tow your friends out of a snowbank because their car got stuck while they were doing doughnuts in the parking lot. No fun here, buddy, you should be glad I came out to help."

He still doesn't get it.
And I let the high school boys attach the tow rope while I stayed in the truck.
They were cursing up a storm because they were so cold.
Silly boys.
Like I said, pretty snow, but very dangerous conditions.
Surprisingly, it snowed about 3 inches during the hour and a half we spent in church yesterday.
My guess is that we have close to 12".
And we have had blowing winds that cause white outs (and drifts).
I came downstairs this morning and the side door windows had frost....on the inside!
Today we are still in a storm warning until about 7:00, with lake-effect snow expected.
(Guess who's not going to work today, or tomorrow, or the day after!)
And the advisory tells us that it will be very cold (last night at 11:00 it was 11 degrees, although the wind chill was less than that).
So yes, cover all exposed flesh - it's not going to get warm again any time soon.

* I'll post pictures later when I can gear myself up to go outside in the cold.

Weather Woes

You know we got hammered by a huge snowstorm this past weekend, and I was too busy working on my sock to complain about it.
So I'll do it now.
It began on Friday afternoon.
I went ice skating with DN2 and her class.
Here I am in my skates at the rink:When we emerged from the rink the snow had begun.
It didn't stop until Sunday.
Saturday was the scariest - DH and I were sitting upstairs and there was a bright flash of light. We thought DN2 had taken a picture or something and we looked at each other and asked that question. All of a sudden there was a loud clap of thunder.
Thunder and lightning and snow. (See note.)
I really believed the world was coming to an end.
It was scary!
So what did I do?
Kept on knitting.
A true Madame Defarge.
So now we still have about 6-8 inches of snow in the yard, plowed piles that exceed 10 feet in height in some parking lots, and a prediction for a bit more snow this weekend.
And you say the beginning of spring is coming soon?
We will have more snow on Easter than we did on Christmas.
At least our grass will be nice and green this summer.
If this snow ever melts.
Guess I had better knit more socks to wear with my sandals this spring.
Because I'm such an expert sock knitter now.
Pause for riotous laughter, including my own.
Have a great Thursday!

Note: Apparently this phenomenon is called "Thundersnow" and is very rare but does occur in, get this, the Great Lakes area. Gosh, guess where I live. I have to tell you it was actually very scary.

Gale Force Winds

I awoke this morning to the wind pelting the rain against my window.
Those winds were 75 miles per hour!
Garbage was strewn all over the streets (for those of us who had garbage day) and there was a Christmas tree in the middle of the street, blown there from the side of the road.
One of my co-workers was driving into work this morning and a tree branch fell onto the hood of her car. A few inches more and it would have been through her windshield.
Fortunately she's okay but her car is going to need repairs.
A boring yet busy day for me and what I had in mind to post about will never come to fruition, at least for today, because I haven't had time to take pictures!
I guess it would help if I would get my butt up out of bed earlier than 6:00.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow.

Forecasts

Looks like we will be getting some more snow.
Again.
We have an advisory from 0700 to 1900 (that's 7-7). Last year we had a brownish kind of Christmas, there was no snow, but this year I think we will have some white stuff on the ground, especially since our temperatures haven't risen above the 30s in 2 weeks.
But I'm still walking to work!
How about that, eh?
School is over for me for the semester and now I'm waiting on my final grade.
I'm also waiting to hear about the graduate program.
All of this is an exercise in patience while at the same time I'm going crazy because I have not finished all of my Christmas shopping!
I've barely put a dent in it.
And then I haven't talked with people I should be talking to, like my brother Ken.
By the way, Ken, Bill R. wants to know how you are doing.
And so do I.
All of you in the South think of us in the northeast who will be getting yet even more snow which will probably impact our ability to shop.
I may end up doing a lot of shopping at Wegmans - gift cards!!!
Have you finished all of your shopping?
Oh, almost forgot to tell you something.
Went to a parent-teacher conference for DN2 yesterday and found out that she has been tested as reading at above a fifth grade level.
She's in third grade.
I'm truly impressed.
See, these books in my house are good for something besides insulation, right?

My Awesome Consumer Power Has Caused the Summer To Come To An End

We live in a very old house.
150 years old to be exact.
You would think with the 10 foot ceilings the air would circulate rather well and it wouldn't be quite so hot in the summer.
At least that was my rationale, because it is so tit-freezing cold in the winter that I thought, well we'll have it nice in the summer.
Apparently not.
The hot air just gets trapped inside the house and all one can do is sit on the couch and sweat like a pig. (And for me, bemoan my lack of knitting ability. Again.)
Or we could go hang out in the basement but I'm not going down there. Never.
So we got the opportunity to buy two used air conditioning units for $45. They are only one year old and the guy who sold them to us is a friend of my mother's and he bought them for his house last year and then this year decided to get central air.
We only put one air conditioner in the window in the living room because it started getting kind of chilly and we thought, well as soon as it warms up we'll install the other.
Since then we've run it twice.
It works, yes, without a doubt it cools the room.
But the thing is, Mother Nature has taken care of ending summer here, and I think she is putting the blame on Mame. Or us.
We purchased air conditioners, ergo, she let summer come to an end.
And it's only August!!
As I sit here in my living room at 6:00 in the morning I know that it is only 59 degrees outside (because The Weather Channel told me so).
Looks like we're not living in the South anymore, Toto.
Yesterday felt like a mid-September day and if I'm not mistaken it is still mid-August, right?
I don't know, I just can't figure it out.
Do we need a jump-start on winter? Perhaps Mother Nature thinks so but I don't.
Because it's not like our winters are unnecessarily harsh or anything!



(For the record, this is actually a picture of the Oswego area, and they are around the lake from us about 100 miles or so. They get dumped on because they are at the eastern-most tip of Lake Ontario. We do get a lot but we're south of Ontario province and get a lot of the residual Canadian snow, but not necessarily "dumped on." Sometimes it just depends on what county you live in. Regardless, I'll still take the blame for the early end of summer. I'm sure it has to be my fault somehow.)

Chilly Willy

Brrr...brr...
It was so hot over the weekend that the poor animals were suffering.
As were the humans.
Today it is 30-40 degrees cooler and I think I may have to light a fire and fix grilled cheese and tomato soup for supper just to try and warm up.
So don't come looking for me.
I'll be somewhere trying to stay warm.
And here's something interesting that I just found out -- Quisp is a better knitter than me.

Raise your hand if you love thunderstorms!

It's getting darker outside and the thunder is rolling and the lightning is flashing...what a great way to spend a Thursday evening.
It would be even better if it were a spooky Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
I absolutely love thunderstorms.
You can't get hurt by them - it's only loud noise!
After all, no one has ever been hit by thunder!
I don't like to drive in the rain, though, because my vision is wonky enough, I don't need the rain to exacerbate the situation.
I hit up the book sale at the library today - it started yesterday and I can only imagine what I missed.
Fifty cents for hardcover books and twenty-five cents for paperbacks (remember now, I work at a College, so you know there are some good things coming out of the library).
Got some interesting items - a huge red volume of Twentieth Century Children's Writers; Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded; Joseph Conrad's Youth; and I bought two books for one of the girls with whom I work because she stayed behind to watch the phones while another woman and I went to the library.
I don't know if she answered them or not but she was there to watch them if they rang.
Now this girl (woman, I should call her) likes romance novels, so I bought her books that are not romance novels, per se, but definitely have something of a love story to it - but also plenty of depth. For her summer reading pleasure (why put it off until then?!?) I picked up two books, one by Rosamunde Pilcher and the other by Maeve Binchy. I have always enjoyed their work, and they're literate as well, so you don't have to be ashamed to show the book in public.
I have a 15 page paper due next Friday and I am still allowing my thoughts to incubate.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
This weekend I will be allowing my fingers to give birth to the 15 page baby in my head.
Let's hope it's a successful delivery.
Off to make supper -- what should we have with the rain?
Why soup of course.