Calgon! Take Me Away!
08/23/2011
Habits die hard! Carole is on vacation this week. . . and there is no official Ten on Tuesday topic. I seem to be stuck in the format, though, so I've decided to go solo this week.
Remember this commercial?
This week. . . could be me! Here are Ten Reasons I'm Ready to "Lose Myself in Luxury":
- Erin is home for a couple of days before she begins her graduate studies at Carnegie-Mellon. We're having a grand time -- but there are lots of things to do (like. . . Shop for Stuff and Eat Out. Things poor grad students can't do on their own).
- Brian is leaving for Hope today. He has different standards for packing and clearing out than I do, not to mention. . . priorities. Enough said.
- There are about 8 pairs of shoes (none of them my own) currently clogging the mudroom doorway. (Size 13s take up a lot of space. Just sayin'.)
- I have been doing laundry - almost constantly - for 3 days.
- A college friend of Brian's has been staying with us. While he is a delightful guest . . . my family room looks like a frat party exploded. Can there really be only two of them?
- We are in a high state of Search Mode. As in, "Mom have you seen my _____________?" (Fill in the blank. . . cell phone, dorm bedding, sunglasses, Pull t-shirt, etc.)
- I have made at least 8 trips to Target and Bed, Bath, & Beyond over the past week.
- There is never a clean glass in my cupboard. Not one.
- Tom had to hide his Gatorade in our bedroom. (Most parents have to hide liquor. We resort to hoarding Gatorade.)
- I am knitting lace.
Yes. Lace. Now.
I'm currently at the half-way point of the Cladonia shawl lace section. I was feeling pretty smug about it, too. Half-way. No disasters. No rip-backs. (Except for the feeling that the colors may end up a little more . . . Witch-at-Halloween than I had intended. I was hoping for a light, fun, "party" kind of color combination; but the black is . . . well, blacker than I had expected; and the pink is more purple-y than I had realized; and the green? It is as neon-y as I expected. We'll see how it all comes out.)
But then, last night, I sat on my knitting and pulled the needle out of about 25 stitches. Not too bad. Except . . . some of it unraveled into rows below. That took a while to sort out.
And then, this morning, while assessing last night's damage in the light of day, I realized I have been knitting the even (wrong side rows) . . . backward! I forgot to read the chart from left to right for the wrong side. I wondered why my lace seemed to have a different texture than expected.
So. I'm just pondering right now.
Calgon! Take me away!
Oh boy, I'm in the same state and I have no children! If children were in the mix I'd have to drown myself in Calgon! LOL
You deserve a fancy spa vacation after dealing with big shoes, loads of laundry and two kids who are going off to school! Go for the Thai massage!
Posted by: margene | 08/23/2011 at 08:54 AM
No one wears size 13s around here, but what they lack in size they more than make up in quantity. ; )
Posted by: Vicki | 08/23/2011 at 09:37 AM
Ahh, yes. The back to school crazies. I remember them well. I'm glad they are done but I would take that time back again too...our youngest has been out of college for 4..or is it 5 years already. Where did THAT time go??
Posted by: Marilyn | 08/23/2011 at 10:17 AM
It's a good way to invent a new lace stitch, though.
Just think how quiet it will be soon, and savor all the hubbub while it lasts :-}
Posted by: Diana Troldahl | 08/23/2011 at 10:34 AM
I am with you -- and would add an 11th -- that commercial made me realize how far we've gone from Calgon commercials - I mean, viagra and anti-depressants are certainly valuable in their place, but I'll take Calgon ads anyday.
Posted by: Pam | 08/23/2011 at 12:26 PM
Oh, Kym, I just want to pour you a cup of tea (or the adult beverage of your choice) and settle you on my deck with a hug and some mindless knitting! Children/young adults are just a tornado, aren't they?
Posted by: kmkat | 08/23/2011 at 12:28 PM
Nooo, rip it, rip it now and start again straight away, you know its best.
Did you see on the the Rainey's Sisters blog, the video about fixing lace - not suggesting it as a remedy just a source of fascination http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQcbqkBD5EU&feature=player_embedded
Posted by: Sue | 08/23/2011 at 03:58 PM
Oh my...
I love you or I'd tell you about my week. :p
xo
Posted by: Cookie | 08/23/2011 at 05:13 PM
Amen, sister! (I have "college student" home this week, too. I think he hasn't done laundry in weeks! ...AND, he brought it all home. : \ )
Posted by: Lori on Little Traverse Bay | 08/26/2011 at 07:02 PM