Dawn Brocco's Life & Design Blog

Too Much Fresh Air
We continued work on the grounds cleanup this past weekend. There's still more to do, and it'll have to be done all over again in a few weeks. Spring needs just one clean up, fall always needs 2, and sometimes more. It's a lot of work that still takes a lot of time, lawn sweepers and vacs, notwithstanding.

So, needless to say, I got very little work done on my designs this weekend. I did get pictures taken, but that's as far as it went. I didn't want to move a muscle, which was fine, but the brain also went into temporary remission. I couldn't have read anything technical, if my life depended on it!

Also, didn't get one RE call this weekend. We're still on, supposedly, a client's 3-house short list, but there's been no word from their agent in 2 weeks, nor return of my agent's phone calls to them. Sigh.

Clearing Out
I've spent today cleaning, clearing out and organizing things. I boxed up my old Umac C500 mac clone desktop, Apple display and Umax scanner and hauled them to the basement to go off to the Salvation Army. Also going is my old HP Deskjet printer, an HP 5M laserjet printer and another Apple display that one of the kids used to use. I hope they take it all - it's hardly worth the effort to try and sell these older computer things.

I moved my entire long shelf of fiber books. Moved my laptop and lamp to another table, now that the computer and scanner are off the desk. Took photos of books I'll be putting up for sale (soon!). Have put a HUGE bucket of handwashing to soak, did a load of laundry, and have made several trips up into the small attic. I went through a couple of dressers and a closet finding things to throw out and recycle. It feels like enough, for one day.

Yarn Test
I think I did the ultimate test for a hank of yarn! For yard cleanup, I couldn't find my winter scarves and mittens (as it was nippy enough for at least a scarf), so I coiled up the hank of O-WooI got from Webs a couple weeks? ago, wrapped it around my neck and tucked one end into the other at front. I worked for hours wearing it, and not at any time did the yarn itch, scratch, or feel anything other than comfortable and cozy. Sounds like a keeper!

Languishing
I balled up the first 250 gram hank of Eco+ yarn for the next baby blanket, but I'm languishing in new design avoidance. I think that's part of why I'm doing this reorganize and clear out. I need that fresh-start feeling, that being surrounded by the same old stuff (that I know needs to go) seems to squelch. Gotta get the cobwebs outta my head, and what better way than to clear out the physical environment.

Best Socks So Far
I have done some knitting however. I began another pair of plain winter house socks for self. I wear through them too quickly. Awhile back, I ripped out a design sample for a jacket. I've used most of the yarn already in the reknitting of some worn out pairs and have 8 ozs of 3 strands of Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride Worsted wound into balls. So, with US size 10 (6 mm) dpns, I got nearly an entire sock done Saturday evening while watching TV with hubby and recuperating from lawn work.

Is it me, or has BS done something to their site's coding that makes it completely un-viewable in IE 5 for Mac, which I've been using for ages and USED TO bring their site up just hunky dory?? Icab organizes the home page fine, but won't go to any of the links!

I am STILL finding, though, that the BEST pair of socks I've made so far is the sample pair for my Interlocking Cable Socks design. Why? The mohair yarn I used as reinforcement. Actually, it's 70% mohair, 30% wool and is Brown Sheep's Handpaint Originals. Though for this design, which used LPW in the aran color, I used the natural color in the HO. I used the HO in the heel, the turn and an inch past the heel, as well as ball of foot and toe. I didn't carry the yarn along, instead, I knit alternate sts with the HO and the LPW. Though the socks are made with just 1 strand of LPW, unlike the 3 strands I am using now!, they are soft, cozy and the most long-lasting of all my socks.

I'd make more socks using the HO, but I've been out for years, and it's not inexpensive. I DO have some Bluefaced Leicester yarn, which I could try, but I really think it's the sturdiness of, and staple length of, the mohair that has kept the socks alive.

Mind you, if anyone is unfamiliar with Handpaint Originals, it's NOT a brushed mohair yarn, like La Gran. It's smooth and dense.

OK, enough from me today. On to my continued reading of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth", while I rest a bit from all this up and down the stairs and back and forth through this big house!

Onward.