and I have to get up at 4:45 tomorrow a.m. to head for the airport for our flight to Beijing. Yikes. I am not sure if I’ll have much internet access while there. I don’t know what will be blocked. If I can, I’ll try to post some photos while I’m away. Otherwise, I’ll post when I get back after May 30th.
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not missing, just busy
Ah, I remember the before-time … where I actually had time to knit!
chugging along
It’s certainly taking me a long time, but I like how these socks are turning out. The colourway is turning into a neony green next, so that will look good against the solid black. Probably the other sock will be more blue/purpley.
Work continues to be absolutely hectic and insane. Everything’s a deadline. I am going to Beijing in about 1o days, so in addition to keeping on top of my files here, I’ve been preparing for our trip there. Lots of things to get finished before then and we’ll be very busy once we get there. Panic is lurking around the corner!
in other news, the greyhounds are content (if contorted)
- and -
old Apollo is old.
Roller derby continues to rock. I actually had my ankle x-rayed on Tuesday because it is still bothering me. The doctor didn’t call back, so I assume the x-ray showed nothing other than I need to let it rest and heal. It can rest when I’m in China and will miss out on 5 or 6 practices. I’m going to be very sad to miss that. In the meantime, I tape it up well and wear a neoprene brace on top of that so it’s well supported when we skate.
I have list after list for my trip and packing. I would like to take some socks to knit on the 18 hour flight, but I don’t think I’ll take the beautiful stripey socks. Two balls of yarn in an airplane seat sounds like trouble to me. I’ll either take the West Coast Sunset socks out of hibernation or cast on something new. I doubt I’ll have any time to knit once we get there, but at least I’ll have something on hand if the opportunity arises.
All work and no play
Well, I do make a point of going to derby practice three times a week. That’s pretty much non-negotiable. Last week and so far this week work is insanely crazy. We have several files with a deadline of Monday, so we’re all pushing hard to get it all done. Exhausting!
Derby is going well. Tonight we did some scrimmaging and drill work and I’m feeling glimmers of understanding and like I know what I am doing or should be doing. Cool! (note to self: buy more ibuprofen)
I did get the heel turned on my sock and started the gusset decreases. But only a couple stripes in.
Small things that make me happy:
wave lotion
I was in Shoppers Drug Mart last week and happened to see this. I really like Marc Anthony product, but his other line of curl products didn’t really do much for me. So I thought I’d give this a try.
works pretty good!
I like that it leaves my curls soft and non-crunchy. There is also a spray in the product line, as well as shampoo and conditioner. I’ve never been one to buy into expensive shampoos (i.e. I buy whatever is under $3) but this makes a big difference.
curly girl
The products are classified as “sulfate free” so that’s supposed to be better for your hair and make it softer and curlier. I am trying out the “no bangs” look. In all my life, I don’t think I’ve ever NOT had bangs. The goal is to get it all one length, cut into a chin length bob. I’ve had my stylist keep bringing the back up so the sides and bangs will catch up. Getting there! I keep the “bangs” swept to the side with a barrette because I HATE hair in my eyes!
ETA: found this photo that shows the last time I didn’t have bangs. I’m the goofball on the right.
nice hair ribbons, bitch!
Probably in about Grade 3? 8 y.o.?
benchmarked
On Monday night we had our skills testing (aka benchmarking) at roller derby. We have to pass the WFTDA minimum skills requirements before we are allowed to play in a bout. I was fairly confident that I would do okay, but with my ankle still a little weak, there were a few things on which I felt less-than-stellar. However, it all went fabulously and I (and all the rest of us) passed! Woo! And I did 26 laps in 5 minutes. I could have pushed it and done 27, but I would have had to cut in front of the other two girls on the track and I didn’t want any of us to fall.
Now I feel FAR from ready to play in a game, but we will work towards that at our practices now. We have to do the written component tomorrow night at practice, but I feel very good about that.
Work continues to be extremely busy. Knitting time is limited. I am working on the stripey sock heel flap:
stripey socks
Hopefully I can spend some quality time with my knitting on the weekend!
Slow
Another crazy-busy week. I haven’t had a lot of time to do any knitting, but I did make a bit of slow progress on my socks:
the Chroma is sooo soft!
I love the colour progression and I’m glad I chose the solid black as the second colour.
fast dog, slowing down
Old Apollo! He sleeps, grunts, groans, farts. He is slowing down, but he’s always excited for a walk (slow) or a ride in the van.
although he keeps falling into the Grand Canyon of dog beds
This morning, the poopers had their weekly visit to the pet store to be adored and fawned over. And of course to get cookies! Now they are zonked out for the rest of the day.
Our derby league has our benchmarking test on Monday. This is for all of the new skaters to show that they have the minimum required skills to enable us to play in bouts. We did a run-through earlier this week and on Tuesday I did my 25-in-5 (25 laps of the track in 5 minutes) so I am confident in that. There’s a couple of little things I’m not as strong on, but I think I’ll be able to pass. My ankle is still not 100%. I wanted to get out today for an outdoor skate just to get some skating time in, but the weather is being petulant. The forecast last night called for clear, sunny weather and mid-teen temps, but we woke up to a cloudy, drizzly day. It’s started to clear, but it’s still not very nice out. Maybe tomorrow.
Chroma Stripey Socks
Rachel had sent me a skein of this gorgeous Knit Picks Chroma. This is the fingering/sock weight and the colourway is 25241, “lollipop”. I thought carefully about what I wanted to do with it. I was thinking hat, shawl, but then I decided to take advantage of the fabulous colour progression and cast on for some stripey socks.
delicious!
I still haven’t sorted through the photos I took on Saturday night’s derby. The videos turned out much better than the photos. I still will put some of the better pics. In the meantime:
How'd you like this pack of scary bitches comin' at ya?!
We have our skills testing on Monday night and I’m still nursing my cankle along. It was feeling really good, then I stumbled over the dog beds in the office on Monday, so it’s still a little “not 100%”. I will rest it well after Thursday night practice until Monday and if that fails, I’ll tape the hell out of it!
Sask Cup Roller Derby
Last night a bunch of us went to Saskatoon to watch the 2012 “Sask Cup” roller derby. They had an invitational scrimmage before the main game. The two teams for the scrimmage (which has all the regulations and time periods, etc. of an official bout) were made up of benchmarked players from other leagues who didn’t have enough players to make up a team of their own. We had three skaters from our league that took part.
This is our second night of derby watching. I got a lot more out of it because I now understand the rules and what’s going on and what all the whistles mean. The big fella is also becoming quite a fan and understanding the game.
I also took about 250 photos, but I was having trouble finding a shutter/aperture combination that would work. Either the shutter was too slow or I couldn’t focus on the player. I ended up setting my iso to the highest (1600) and using an aperture priority mode of 1/250. Still not great, but workable. I need to go through them all and cull down to the best ones. I’ll put an album online of those.
Legwarmers done
I finished up my legwarmers on the weekend.
too pretty to wreck
I used two strands of sock yarn, 3.5 mm needles and a cast on of 72 stitches. I worked a tube of 2×2 ribbing for 10″ then cast off. The sock yarn is pretty durable, but in a surreptitious examination of my teammates’ leg warmers, they are going to get holes and ripped to shreds if I actually wear them during practice or a bout.
artsy-fartsy misfire ...
When I was setting the camera to monochrome for this shot:
old man, sunbathing
Apollo will spend the late morning and afternoon on the beds in front of the window. The sun streams in and the warmth must feel good on his arthritic joints. He will lay there, panting, but won’t get up and move someplace cooler unless I make him.
[ETA: he had his annual check up a week or so ago. It didn't go well. Our usual vet is on maternity leave and one of the other vets did the exam. For some reason, he insisted on lifting Ava up on the exam table, when the other three vets that have seen the dogs just examine them on the floor. He did Ava first. Before I knew what he was doing, he tried to lift Apollo up. I would have stopped him if I had realized what he was doing.
Of course Apollo freaked out a little. The vet didn't even grab him correctly to lift - he scooped his forearm right under poor Apollo's man parts and because Apollo freaked out, the vet then said that there must be something wrong with his bladder, tried to grab him again (WTF?!) and instead of just examining him on the floor, insisted we had to go outside to collect a urine sample. By now Apollo was quite wary of the vet and when he saw him reaching under him with a cup-on-a-stick, he showed his teeth to him.
Vet did the urinalysis and of course there was nothing wrong. He didn't even finish the exam. I wasn't too impressed with that. We'll take him back, but ask to see a different vet. There's nothing "wrong" with him, just that he's achey and old. I was curious about his weight, because I feel he's lost a lot of muscle tone in and around his shoulders and chest. He weighed in at 84 pounds. Last year was 81 (but that was after we lost Sabrina and poor Apollo was depressed), and previous years: 87, 84, 84. Ava weighed in at 58, up from 55 last year.]
then there's this one
She will moan and grumble until I come from my office and lower the blinds so the sun isn’t so hot on her.
and my cool 'chocolate' derby socks!
I was torn whether I should go back to working on my West Coast Sunset socks, but in the end decided to use that beautiful Knit Picks Chroma that Rachel sent me and I’ve paired it with some solid black sock yarn and am going to make another pair of Noro Stripey Socks (but not Noro).
well, that kinda sucks
So I’ve been spending my very precious and limited knitting time working on my roller derby leg warmers. I have one completed, and the other is about 2″ into the required 10. Some of the other girls said we can get them for cheap at Dollarama. I investigated today:
3 pairs of leg warmers and 3 pairs of fishnets/tights
Sadly, for the price of less than one skein of sock yarn, I got three pairs of leg warmers, two pairs of fishnet stockings and one pair of black footless tights.
Now my motivation to finish the legwarmers has diminished. Add to that the gorgeous KnitPicks Chroma sock yarn that Rachel sent me a few days ago, and I just want to make some socks!
Another “action” shot from derby:
around the turn
I slightly sprained my ankle at our extra practice on Sunday so I had to dial it back a little this week. Taking a three day break until practice on Monday should put it all to rights again!
game face?
We had a photographer come to our practice on Monday and he took tons of shots. Here’s one of my favourites so far:
game face? concentration? crickets?!
I was probably more concerned about not wiping out or wiping someone out than any actual strategy or game play!
