Getting Closer

I'm just about finished with the Cabled Yoke Cardigan - I'm VERY happy with it, it looks good on Hannah (who is about 3 sizes too small, and lacking the womanly attributes that will make it fit more as envisioned...)

It looks better from the back, and I may rip out the front ribbing and try a different route. Or not.

But Hannah is a tall girl, and a wonderfully patient live mannequin, and she has ARMS (always is important in seeing how sleeves actually fit.)

And, most important, she's patient. Thank you, Hannah! I'll try to get better pictures later...

So after some futzing I sat down and did the math for the pattern - this is a complex one.

But if I can get the formulas to come out right, it shouldn't be too wacky, but it will take some concentrated thought.

I'm forcing the sleeves to the back, making the area between the back armholes slightly narrower than the front. In the case of this sweater I think it will make for a more flattering look due to the heavy cabled yoke, but it's an extra element to consider.

I also think this is a sweater that may do well with a belt, but I'm going to think long and hard about it.

So I have this pattern to write up, the pattern for the Cropped Cardigan, and then the pattern for the Tilli Tomas cardigan. I have pretty complete notes on the latter two, and this one is on the edge of being finished. I need to wait for the kids to go back to school, though, so I can have a good, long block of uninterrupted time to immerse myself in the math.

Wild!
Max just got back from a Minnesota Wild hockey game with a friend from Baseball and his uncle. He had a MOST amazing time - he was absolutely glowing! Not only was the game a blast (they played Edmonton) but he had a wonderful time with his friends, just being part of a group of guys doing a guy thing.

Max has missed that - the mental and physical rough-housing - and he's had an emotionally draining years. And our friends were MORE than generous, and Max came home with a jersey (pre-bought) so he would fit in with the crowd. We should have painted his face.

Sometimes I worry that his naturally sensitive nature - he's a pretty empathetic kid - will be too strongly affected by this year of turmoil. So I'm so grateful to my friend and her brother (and other male members of the family) who included Max in this boy-friendly outing. THANK YOU!

Now the big question - does ANYONE know how to go about signing a kid - who is just an okay skater but very enthusiastic - up for Hockey in a town where everyone seems to have played it since birth? Max asked about it before, but I couldn't find a local program that seemed to meld with his skills. I have a funny feeling that I'm missing something that's right in front of me...

Tomorrow a friend who's in town for a few days has invited us for some hotel pool swimming - the kids will be thrilled (Gerry will probably stay home) I always look forward to poolside knitting.

Ads I Could Live Without
There's an ad on TV where folks sit around discussing the cost of dear ol' mom's interment, the point being that one should get insurance to cover these costs so your family won't have to have the constipated look on their faces that the heroine of the ad has.

The ad itself is annoying - and guilt inducing. And it prompted Gerry to bring up the subject of 'What on earth will you DO with me when..?' We haven't discussed this so far. This is odd, and painful, and feels out-of-body.

Gerry's going through a rough period of very low energy (he's had an infection recently) and he's not getting out and around as much as he would like to.

What on earth WILL we do with him? Or without?

I can't decide whether having the kids home has been draining, or whether he's pretty much the same as he's been, but having extra bodies in the house has highlighted the amount of time he spends resting.

I can tell how bad he feels when he doesn't seem inclined to fix dinner or putter around the house, or toss a load of laundry in the washer. Not that we've turned him into Hazel or anything, but keeping busy is good for the body and the soul.

Let's hope this infection clears up soon. Let's hope the restart of the Zometa in a few weeks has a positive, strengthening effect!

New Years' Eve
Gerry and I arranged to drop the kids off at a babysitting "festival" being held by the local girls' soccer group as a fundraiser at a nearby church. We did this in New Jersey once, and it was a great success. If he's feeling up to it, we can drop them off, then go see a movie (maybe Juno or Charlie Wilson's War) and then pick them up and come home in time to see the ball drop on TV.

Good heavens, when did we become so middle aged? Do they do fireworks over the state capital here? We may drive over to one of the bridges and watch them - that's always fun! At least we're seeing friends the next day - life outside our gang of four!

At any rate, I'll have my new ON SALE gloves that I bought this week - aren't they amazing? Cabled backs and leather palms!

I adore them - and they match the PT Cruiser!