Red Checkered Hat

 I have a new hat finished for KnitWits.

Pattern: Patons Check Mate Fairisle Hat
Size: Mens

Yarn: KnitPicks Mighty Stitch
Content: 80% Acrylic/20% Wool, worsted weight
Color: 26815 Serrano

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 312 Black

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft

Content: 100% Acrylic

Color: 2601 White

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: May 22, 2022
Finished: June 8, 2022

Comments: Second time I've knit this pattern. I love the color combination. It makes me think of Buffalo Check.

Here's a close up of the crown. Not my best work, but it'll do.

Laid flat.

I have exciting news! I have a new-to-me Prius.

It's a 2012 Toyota Prius V hybrid, which is a little larger than the standard Prius. It's about as big as my former Camry. The color is Pearl White, which is iridescent like a pearl, but that doesn't show in the photo. It has 112,000 miles on it, which is pretty low for a Prius this old. It's in beautiful condition.

There were two problems that concerns us. The check engine light was on, and the tire pressure warning light was on. They figured that there were a couple sensors that have gone bad, so the dealer agreed to include repair of both items as part of the purchase price. One was repaired last Thursday, and the other one gets repaired next Friday. It was $12,999. I got a very nice trade in value for the Camry and by the time it was all added up, we owed $3000, so Doug took the money out of the retirement fund and we paid cash so we owe nothing.

The next day I drove to the dealership to give them the title for the Camry. On the way home, I decided to run through a new car wash that opened a couple months or so ago. I got the works, got in line, and was soon drifting through the gauntlet. However, when I got to the section where powerful air blowers blow the water off the car, something awful happened.

There are two rubber strips on the top of the car over the doors. They don't really serve a purpose, except maybe to act as gutters to keep rain from draining over the doors. The blowers in the car wash were extremely powerful. More than any other car wash I've taken a car through. They actually blew both strips off the top of my car. When I came out, one was hanging in front of the driver side window, the other was just plain gone. The manager came running toward my car. He put the hanging strip back on. Then he went inside to see if anyone had picked up the second one, He came out with 2 rubber strips which he said come off Toyotas in there quite often, but neither of them fit my car. He went back inside to watch camera footage to see where it went after blowing off my poor car. He saw where it landed, but he couldn't go get it because it was in a dangerous place. I would have to wait until they closed for him to get it out.

The next day I went to the carwash, but they did not have my rubber strip. The manager claimed it wasn't there. He asked for another day to look for it. As of today, it has never been found, so they are going to purchase a replacement strip, and I'm never taking a car through that place again.

One more picture. My Rhododendron is blooming. Yay! (Ignore the weeds.)

Live long and prosper. \\//