"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

6/8/16

Grand Central at the Parkarosa

It was Grand Central station at the Parkarosa on Monday. Starting just around 8:30 am, trucks started showing up at our house with materials for building our garage/shop. The came and went all day long. It was very exciting.

The first truck had the roof trusses on a trailer. I was wondering how he was going to get those trusses off the trailer, since he was all by himself. He backed the trailer into the place where he wanted to put them, jumped out and removed the straps holding them on. Then he got back in the truck, moved forward a bit, then backed up, accelerating as he did so. The trusses were sitting on metal rollers. He slammed on the brakes and the trusses just rolled right off.  I stood there thinking "Well, I'll be darned!"



A little bit after he left, another truck showed up loaded down with bags of insulation and a fork truck. The driver used the fork truck to unload the bags and a few small boxes.



Later on a truck with a very long load parked on the side of the road out front. A fellow got out of his truck, unloaded a fork truck, and proceeded to dance down the driveway with a very long load. It was so long he couldn't just drive straight down the driveway with it, so he zig-zagged sideways down the driveway a little bit at a time until the space was finally wide enough to go forward. It was very entertaining to watch him. The load was sheets of steel siding and roofing.



Over the next couple hours or so guys in pickup trucks arrived to search for utility items underground and painted lines all over the place. Then, around 6 this truck appeared with the largest load of all.



He also had a fork truck hanging off the back of his truck which he used to unload it. This is what the front yard looked like yesterday morning. Piles of wood and building materials all over the place.



In the afternoon I went to knitting group in Rathdrum, and when I got home there were several new stacks that had been delivered while I was away. I wanna see workmen assembling all that stuff together into a building. We were told they would start Monday, but so far, no one has.

We got word yesterday that the lot line adjustment deed was approved and filed. We now officially own all the land that our house sits on, as well as our driveway. HOORAY!!! It is such a relief to have it done. I am no longer sleeping in the neighbors yard. Yay!

Last night our television died. It comes on, it has sound, but no picture. I think the LED's have croaked. I have made an appointment for a Sears repair person to come out on Friday to look at it. I hope the repair doesn't cost more than buying a new television. I am very fond of television. I usually have it on all day when I'm home for background noise, and of course we watch it for entertainment in the evening, or watch Netflix, or one of our huge DVD collection movies. I'm gonna miss it.

Speaking of repair people, I had one out last Friday because the toilet in the guest bathroom was malfunctioning. It would not stop running, and the valve for turning the water off started leaking. Sweet Hubby did not want to deal with it, so I called a plumber. Now I know it's true. Plumbers are expensive. But the toilet works properly. That's what's important.

The last three days have been unseasonably hot. Up in the 90's F. That is not normal for June. It's supposed to cool off as the week progresses. Today it's thundering out there, and raining at the moment. It's also very dark.

I finished knitting the cardigan for Layette set 12 yesterday, and cast on for the hat. I think I will knit today, all day, except for the assorted housewifely chores I need to get done. I haven't had a day of knitting in awhile. I might even go out and sit under the umbrella in the rain. It's very warm out there even with the rain.

Live long and prosper. \\//







6/3/16

Layette Set #11 for KnitWits

I've finished Layette set number 11. I wasn't real sure about using this weird shade of green, but I really like it now that it's done.



The blanket.



Pattern: Scallop edging from Lots of Knots blog

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Pacific
Content: 60% Acrylic/40% Superwash Merino Wool, Worsted weight
Color: 11 Celery (discontinued)

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Lemon

Yarn: Red Heart With Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Peacock

Hook: Size H

Started: May 19, 2016
Finished: May 29, 2016
Close up of edging.



The cardigan.



Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea
Size: 6 months

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Pacific
Content: 60% Acrylic/40% Superwash Merino Wool, Worsted weight
Color: 11 Celery (discontinued)

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Lemon

Yarn: Red Heart With Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Peacock

Needle size: Size 6 and 8

Started: April 26, 2016
Finished: May 10, 2016

The hat.



Pattern: Jacky's Hat by Courtney Kelley
Size: 3-9 months

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Pacific
Content: 60% Acrylic/40% Superwash Merino Wool, Worsted weight
Color: 11 Celery (discontinued)

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Lemon

Yarn: Red Heart With Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Peacock

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: May 10, 2016
Finished: May 12, 2016

The booties.



Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss
Size: 6 months
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Pacific
Content: 60% Acrylic/40% Superwash Merino Wool, Worsted weight
Color: 11 Celery (discontinued)

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Lemon

Yarn: Red Heart With Love
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted weight
Color: Peacock

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: May 16, 2016
Finished: May 19, 2016

So, it's been awhile since my last post. May was a highly stressful month and I did not feel like blogging at all. Getting the lot line adjustment for our property was a difficult task. Way more difficult than it should have been, but last Friday the papers were finally signed. Now we wait for the county to approve it, and the building permits to be issued. The builders are scheduled to deliver the building materials on Monday. I am relieved to finally be moving forward on this, and I'm looking forward to watching the whole building process for this garage/shop.

Besides the above layette set, I've finished a few Ellowyne outfits for my Etsy shop. I need to make the time to photograph them and get them in the shop. I'm having a hard time with motivation.

Weather-wise, we had quite a bit of rain last week, but now the sun has returned and predictions are for temps in the 90's in the next couple days. 90 is rather warm for June. I'm glad we have our air conditioning.

Mollie is doing fine. We took her on a little road trip on Mothers Day to Moscow, Idaho to visit Ruth. (If you'll remember, she went back to school and is now attending the University of Idaho.)



Mollie traveled fairly well, though she barked so much at everything we ended up stopping at a store so I could purchase a spray bottle, which I filled with water. Every time she barked, I squirt her. Eventually she got the message and stopped barking so much.

I had a very nice Mothers Day. The weather was gorgeous. We took Ruth out to lunch, and then we walked through the University's arboretum which was filled with beautiful blooming trees, and lilacs. The air smelled so good. I'd been wanting to see the arboretum for quite some time. I'm glad I finally got to do it.

After that we headed home. We took a scenic route, rather than hwy 95, that went through fields and pastures loaded with wild flowers. Some of the fields had so many Delphiniums they looked blue. I enjoyed the drive very much.

Ruth has been home the last 2 weeks. School is done for the summer. She did well for her first semester back at school. She made the deans list! I am so very proud of her. She's enjoying school too, which I'm glad to hear. She's majoring in Computer Science.

We have a broken toilet. It croaked yesterday. I'm calling a plumber for the first time ever because Doug doesn't want to deal with it. A seal needs to be replaced, and the valve that turns the water on and off is now leaking. Said plumber will be here in about an hour. I better get dressed. I'm still in my jammies.

Almost forgot, Layette set number 12 is underway.

Live long and prosper. \\//