Knitting Along

I think KALs  (Knit Along) might just be the downfall of my UFO completion drive. No, I haven't joined any new ones but they tempt me daily.  There are several versions of self indulgent KALs on podcasters' threads, sock KALs, sweater KALs, blanket and charity KALs ..... you get the idea. You can join a KAL for just about anything! Some times I join them because what I am knitting fits the category on a thread that I follow. That's OK, although it still has the potential for shifting my main focus from one WIP to another. The ones that cause the problem are the KALs for a sweater, sock, cowl or something that I had in my queue maybe or I just like the look of. So, a new project sometimes gets cast on and frequently, because it wasn't in my plans, it gets pushed aside for something else. So, part of my goals for 2015 is to avoid - strictly - KALs for projects not already on my needles. I can join but only if it helps me to finish something already in the works.

In family stuff, my Mom is doing OK after my brothers death. Better than I had expected, actually. I am also doing OK, though I still have a hard time if something reminds me of my brother and how he isn't there to share with any longer. My DH has to have a procedure next week to fetch a kidney stone that is partially blocking his kidney. He is *so* not looking forward to this, especially since he doesn't feel any symptoms.
We are dreading the coming weather (because it will be ice rather than snow) but we are prepared. I certainly have enough yarn and knitting to get me through! LOL!

In knitting news, I am still knitting on my Iron Bridge sock. I have reached the heel turn point so I have to knit that section when I can concentrate. I finished one sleeve on Parmida's Low Tide sweater and will pick up the stitches for the second sleeve tonight. I plan to finish this sweater over the weekend and mail it and the twins sweaters (finished quite a while ago) out next week. I'd like to finish the sock, too, but I am not sure about that. I would love to have 2 WIPs finished.

I have to confess that I bought yarn last night and cast on a new project. I have no shame about this, though. I decided to knit a lap blanket or 2 for a group called Alice's Embrace. It's a group who knits and crochets lap blankets and shawls for people with Alzheimer's. I liked the idea of knitting for someone else and this struck a cord with me. So, I purchased a few balls of Encore in red to add to what I already own (red, black and cream) so knit a few lap blankets. I cast on last night and knit just a few rows and I hope to do that (knit a few rows) a few times a week. The yarn is held double and I am knitting on size 15 needles so it should be a fairly quick knit. The website provides patterns and I will follow one of their patterns for the first blanket. I may do something different for the next one, though.They also provide guidance on yarn selection and pointed out some things I didn't know so that was awesome. Check it out and if you have some time and some superwash yarn, consider making something yourself.

The weather sounds yucky to dangerous for tonight and tomorrow so I am planning my indoor projects. Since my yarn and projects are all out of the closet they live in for my review, I think a general rearrangement of the whole closet is in order. A full emptying, vacuuming and reordering is in order. I cleaned the oven last Monday so I think I will do more kitchen cleaning - wipe down cabinets and clean out fridge. Knitting, of course, as listed above. A few rows on the blanket (I am knitting Sunday Drive, BTW) and a few rows on my Shawl Collared Cowl should fill the blanks in my schedule. Haha!

Walking - I didn't do very well this week, once work started again. I hope the weather holds off long enough tonight for me to fit in a walk. Maybe by Saturday late afternoon and again on Sunday is my plan. I may have bad weeks but I will keep on trying to incorporate walking back into my regular routine. I need it and feel much better when I do it, so I plan to be persistent.

DH has a project that he's been working on. We have a leak somewhere in the fuel system on the boat. The boat is more than 30 years old (therefore so is the fuel tank). He decided to take on the project of removing and replacing it. He has been doing a lot of research and asking for advice on boating and fishing forums, taking it one step at a time. Its a big project for him to do, especially with his eyesight but we really want to keep boating and we can't afford to pay someone to do it.  Right now he is stuck on actually removing the tank from the boat (after very carefully emptying the gas tank and removing - by hand so as to not make a spark - all of the screws, nails etc. that he could find holding the tank in). It doesn't want to budge. Sigh. Is anything easy? Ever?

I think that's all for today. I may have more to talk about or even some photos over the weekend. Have a good day and if you are in the bad weather, please be careful.