Calgon! Take Me Away!

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":

1. 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).
2. Brian is leaving for Hope today.  He has different standards for packing and clearing out than I do, not to mention. . . priorities.  Enough said.
3. 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'.)
4. I have been doing laundry - almost constantly - for 3 days.
5. 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?
6. 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.)
7. I have made at least 8 trips to Target and Bed, Bath, & Beyond over the past week.
8. There is never a clean glass in my cupboard.  Not one.
9. Tom had to hide his Gatorade in our bedroom.  (Most parents have to hide liquor.  We resort to hoarding Gatorade.)
10. 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!

 

 

Comments

[margene]

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!

[Vicki]

No one wears size 13s around here, but what they lack in size they more than make up in quantity. ; )

[Marilyn]

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??

[Diana Troldahl]

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 :-}

[Pam]

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.

[kmkat]

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?

[Sue]

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

[Cookie]

Oh my...

I love you or I'd tell you about my week. :p

xo

[Lori on Little Traverse Bay]

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. : \ )