Complications

So Dad came through the implant surgery fine, only to discover that the cardiologists punctured his chest wall, allowing air to leak in and forcing a partial collapse of his lung, a condition known as pneumothorax. They took Dad to the OR so they could put in a chest tube for draining the air; the puncture will heal on its own. Needless to say, Dad is not pleased with this turn of events.
Me? I'm wondering about the cardiologists. But I imagine all questions will be answered when I arrive in Los Angeles tomorrow, for I'm going out there, sure as shootin'. Checked into my flight and everything. Since I'll be gone only until the Red-Eye leaves Thursday night (back in NJ in time for breakfast Friday morning), I'm not even checking luggage, just stuffing a few necessities into a briefcase.

Of course, because life just isn't complicated enough, the movers hauling the stuff from my parents soon-to be-former house to me just called to say they want to deliver tomorrow. DH refuses to accept delivery, in case there's damage he doesn't notice (he's real bad about noticing things like big gashes in fabric, huge deep scratches in wood, etc.). Le sigh. I have set up delivery for Friday, after assuring the movers that a plane landing at 7 am should allow me to reach my home 10 miles from the airport by 10 am (assuming no delay in LA). I could accept delivery right now, this afternoon. Now I'm thinking I should have post-poned delivery until Monday afternoon. Won't think about that, the plane will land on time. Right?

While on a Sunday Drive

It's the three weeks, the three weeks before the ninth of Av, a major day of mourning in Judaism. No movies (can't go anyway, 'cause I'm in my year of mourning for my late mother), no beach, not much to do on a hot summer Sunday. DH weeded early, I cleaned early, then we packed Rocky and some cold drinks in the car and headed for the Ramapo Mountains in West Milford, where DH thought he remembered there were parks for walking. DH even printed out directions for every Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor (kosher ice cream, you see) in a 10 mile radius of the town of Butler, slightly south of the area on the map. Once in Butler, we discover the bridge to the park DH remembered was out, so we decided to head north in the mountains. Pretty scenery, a temperature drop of 10 degrees (we have a compass and thermometer in our car's rearview mirror, handy gadget), headed for another park when BAM! we both spotted this in someone's yard:

Only to me he looked like this:

Rocky did not make a sound. DH kept asking me if that was a bear. Yep, it was. I had some knitting with me (of course) but it was on wooden needles!! Size 5! What I needed were sharp metal ones, maybe size 27 or so. No such luck.
We made a U-turn to see what the bear was up to (he was wandering near a tractor, of all things), but the bear had scampered off. It took the entire trip back to Butler, and a scoop of mint Oreo fudge ice cream at BR to calm me down (this after contending with turkeys and deer every morning when I walk Rocky; the white turkey hen and her 6 poults have taken to following me part-way home sometimes). I am so not cut out for the wildnerness.
Then, of course, this morning's Today show would feature this story. I should have been warned; the NY Times' Travel section the weekend began with a writer visiting Glacier National Park checking for bear repellant on his hiker's belt. I should not have laughed at the story.

Skye the Circus Dog- Tah Dah!

No, Skye is not practicing for Ringling Brothers.

We went on a new hike yesterday (before the heat of the day kicked in). "We" consisted of DH, DD#1, DSiL, and myself, plus the three collies. We'd heard there was a trail to a waterfall in a nearby park (in reality, a dam overflow, since that part of our county is not on a fall line). DH wanted to see it, so we all piled into DD's Equinox and headed there.
First, the view from atop the dam:

Now the waterfall:

Niagara it ain't.

The collies were encouraged to frolic in the stream to stay cool. Skye decided that following DD across the log was the better option.


Coll was shown by Rocky how to ford the stream (I would not let Rocky, who is 10 and a half, on the log you see- the risk of injury was too great). Rocky forded so quickly we could not get a photo of him doing so.

Just like Lassie Come Home fording the River Tyne, right Coll?

Rocky deigned to pose at the end of the hike. He is head collie, after all.


In other news, I was picked for a jury; judges here have a strict definition of what constitutes personal hardship. Fortunately, the trial should end mid-week, so not bad. DH has no fewer than 3 job offers IF the folks who offer have money. They won't know until next month or thereabouts. I can't schedule interviews until the trial is over, so my job search is more research into potnetial employers right now.
I keep intending to pick up needles and finish the baby gift for my niece, then start some just-in-case bibs for quick gifts. Plus I need to make myself some face cloths. I really should make those cloths. Inertia, I haz it and hates it.

LA Photos

Yes, that's a photo of LA: Franklin Canyon Park, just north of Beverly Hills.

We had a mostly pleasant time in LA. Sad yet not sad was the time spent going through my mother's things and sorting them. DD #1 and I now have lovely new hats, and DD #2 has several gorgeous dressy suits. I inherited nearly all my mother's jewelry, but several pieces cannot be found. Towards the end of her life she told my brothers people were stealing from her (she had people to clean and people to help care for her and my father). They dismissed her fears as paranoia, and now her diamond engagement ring, platinum wedding band, name necklace, jewelry from Israel, and more are gone. Being she hid some of her jewelry in unlikely places (DD #2 reached into the pocket of a coat she tried on and pulled out a gold watch, diamond bracelet and earrings, gold necklace, and gold bracelet- all stuffed in that one pocket), we are hopeful that some of the missing items will turn up when the house is packed later this summer (my father is moving to my brother's new house, which has a separate apartment suite).

We went through old family photos. I found the original of my mother's passport photo taken in Germany before she emigrated to America. The daughters were enthralled to see the old albums. My sister-in-law had the presence of mind to find all the loose photos she could, to store them in advance of movers coming. On another trip, we'll go through all the photos so that copies can be made for everyone.

I'll also be getting my parents' living room suite. My father prefers to use the family room furniture in his new apartment (I can see why: more comfortable for him with his needing to put his legs up now). So I'll be arranging for a small mover (that's what they're called!) to move the various pieces from LA to NJ.

On the job front I have more interviews lined up next week, in between nephew's wedding, post-wedding parties (called sheva brochas, or seven blessings for the special blessing recited in honor of the bridal coupled during the grace after meals), and checking out of the VA, then in again as a volunteer (give up old ID; get new ID). DH has some job leads and interviews, even an offer from someone who won't have money to hire until grant funding comes through- in October. I have some freelance work; maybe I can pick up enough to hold us over until we find permanent employment.

Meanwhile, enjoy some more photos from LA.

Franklin Canyon Park again

View from Mulholland Drive, summit of Santa Monica Mountain range

View of Beverly Hills and nearby area from Mulholland Drive

Near my brother's house

Rejected, Dejected, and Off to LA

I did not get either job.

The job in Manhattan, the one to which I was supposed to return in order to meet the manager? According to the recruiter, a better candidate (one with "agency" experience) showed up and was offered the job.

The job on the beautiful overlook? The very next day I received a politely worded e-mail informing me they've decided not to move forward with hiring a grant writer to obtain Federal grants. Somehow I think they knew that at 3 pm the previous day. Yet, the following day, they e-mailed me again, asking if I would write for them on a free-lance basis. I said yes. I still have to hear back from them. I'm not holding my breath.

Friday I had a telephone interview with a manager for a UK-based company that has a local education company. That went well, so well that I'll have an in-person interview at the local firm late this month. They sent me a writing test (totally out of my field); I finished it and sent it off. Now I've not heard really good things about this firm; in fact a friend of mine who switched from lab to medical education some years ago interviewed here and was glad to be offered a job where she is now (she's been trying to get me an interview there, but that's another post). My take: get my feet wet here if I'm offered a job and keep looking. If I like it there (things change!), I can stay and not look anywhere else, right?

To be honest, I am panicking, not the least because DH did not get his bridge grant and will definitely be out of work starting July 1. His field is less marketable than mine (yeast genetics; unless you are a brewery, who needs one of those?).

Tomorrow the entire Knitter family is going to LA. My nephew is getting married, not in LA-- in New York City on the 27th. My father thought he would be too ill to fly, so we made a family decision to go see him and attend synagogue, when my nephew will be called up to read the Torah portion as a groom. Thank G-d my father is better and will be coming east for the wedding after all; in fact, he will stay with DH and me. You can imagine how hard I'm finding it not to think about the cost of travel, in money as well as time at this juncture.

Sock update: it's back. Really and truly, it dragged its bedraggled self back onto the shelf from whence it came, needles and yarn and all. I'm letting it sit in time-out for a while as I make hostess gifts for my sister-in-law.

A Visit to a Peony Farm

Yesterday DH and I spent a quiet day doing chores and visitng a peony farm, Peony's Envy in Bernardsville, NJ. It's supposedly the largest peony farm and garden in the northeastern US. They grow and sell peonies, irises, and other flowering plants. We came just past peak bloom but still it was a sight to see. I'll let the photos I took tell the story.






The last photo looks like what my own Karl Rosenfeld peony should look like; this year it set buds but they didn't mature. The owner of Peony's Envy, whose title is Lady Farmer (I like that) thinks the weird weather disturbed it and I shouldn't rip it out and plant a new one.

Meanwhile, DH and I came home to see this:

Yep, my own double light pink peony decided to open up afer all.

Rhinebeck Haul

As promised, here's my Rhinebeck haul. It's small, mainly because 1) it was my first time and I had no idea what I wanted/needed other than a drop or supported spindle plus some roving; 2) after paying for a wedding, major car repairs on both autos, and DD#2's college tuition in the past year, cash is real short in the Knitter household.

Left to right:
1) One skein of Brooks Farm 4-Play 50/50 silk and wool. This will be a hat for my grad student come December. I had a most difficult time deciding on the color (Brooks Farm has one of the most gorgeous ranges of colors I have ever seen in yarns), then remembered that the pattern has a sunflower theme. The first skein of yarn I picked up was dyed lovely shades of golden peach and apricot. I showed it to DH for his opinion, which was, "It's very orange." As if orange were a negative adjective. I picked up this rose and cocoa mélange sitting next to the peach and apricot (I think I was getting hungry at that point) and DH said, "That's very pretty." Coming from DH, that's high praise indeed.
2) A hand-made and -painted high whorl spindle from Snook Farm. These aren't on the website; I think they must make them just for the fiber fests. The lady said the wood is some kind of hard pine. You can see a little of the yarn I've spun so far on the hook. I have much to learn. The spindle was only $18.
3) One ounce of Coopworth roving from Snook Farm to practice spinning. This is the white fiber I spun. For $3 it's cheap enough that I can play with the roving and not feel bad that I don't get anything useful from it. I had a coupon for 10% off the Snook Farm purchases, so spindle and roving amounted to $20, even with tax.
4) Not pictured (I forgot to take it off for the photo shoot!) is a dainty silver and coral bracelet I bought from one of the Navajo vendors. I'm a sucker for Navajo and Pueblo jewelry, especially if there's coral in it. This one was only $18.

What would I have bought if I could? Well, I had in my budget enough $ for some Bartlettyarn sport weight to make a vest for DD#1 in a color she fell in love with at Brooks Brothers (but not the $385 price tag). But alas! though I stopped there first, they had only 2 skeins and 3 are needed.
I drooled over the Golding lucets. I never even heard of a lucet until I saw them at the Goldings' booth. Such a simple device to make an I-cord! My wrists ache for some reason when I make I-cord on DPNs; I have a 4-pegged knitting Nancy, but it makes a too thick I-cord. A lucet will make a thinner I-cord more suitable for ties or button loops. But $61 for the thing! I could not justify it, no matter how beautiful. A search on the web found wooden ones; granted, not carved like the Golding lucets, but made of precious woods all the same for prices ranging from $9 to $20. I think I'll go for the $9 one in walnut, and that one has only a $1 postage charge.
I never did find a supported spindle. I'll put that on my list for next year, along with a revisit to Brooks Farm.

One last photo from Rhinebeck, this one of the sheepdog exhibition. The little black border collie was a bit too eager to go after the sheep; she kept biting them. We were surprised by this because at the sheepdog championship trials in Morristown, biting is a disqualification. Rocky herds people (us, mainly), Skye herds other dogs (though his parents are champion stock-dogs). Wonder what they would have thought of this show.

Rhinebeck!

I finally made it a sheep and wool festival. Yesterday DH and I went to the NY Sheep and Wool Festival at Rhinebeck, about a 2 hour drive from our house. We could not have ordered better weather. Trees were near peak foliage color. Temperature was cool enough to show off my hand-knitted creations.

That's me in the grey cabled sweater, shopping for yarn. At one point, I felt faint, truly overcome by all the selections. I was quite restrained in my shopping (really, I spent less than $60; I'll cover those in a separate post).

We met this Highlander selling spinning supplies.

We watched so many people spinning. DH got into the spinning groove; I think he checked the pricing of every wheel there. I myself am not ready for a wheel, but nice to see he was looking for a good wheel at a good price.

Fleece, roving, yarn- you name it. If it's fiber, you could buy it.

This baby alpaca was so cute, I wanted to take him home.

DH wanted to buy this young buck for DD#1.
Of course there were sheep- so many breeds of sheep!

These are Jacob sheep, a rare and ancient breed that date back to Biblical times. These sheep may be descended from the sheep that Jacob herded for Laban. Jacob and Laban struck a deal: Jacob could keep all the spotted lambs that were born. Apparently Jacob took Mendelian Genetics 101, for it's recorded that he separated the spotted ewes from the solid colored ones, so as to have more spotted lambs.

We watched some of the sheep being judged. I thought they all deserved medals for cuteness.
We left before the day ended, and still hit traffic on the NY Thruway. Oh well, it won't keep us from eagerly awaiting next year's festival.

A Weekend Away

This weekend we visited DD#2 in Baltimore. Couldn't have picked a better weekend, weather-wise. After the mandatory shopping marathon (food, supplies, new shoes, etc.) and the necessary inspection of her new apartment, sightseeing in my old hometown was in order.
First stop: Federal Hill for the coffee at Spoons and the view from the hill itself:

You can see the National Aquarium (glass pyramid) and the University of Maryland research station (funny white tents across from the aquarium) quite well.
We came across this doorscape (if that's the proper term), which we found amusing:

It's amusing because the owners put up a mezuzah (meaning, like us they are Jewish) yet they have a crab-shaped door-knocker (definitely not kosher). But hey! it's Maryland, and Maryland is for crabs. We approve.
If you've any doubt that Baltimore is Birdland, check out this entrance to the Museum of Visionary Art (next to Federal Hill Park):

Last, a visit to Fort McHenry. Thought Columbus Day is an official Federal holiday (hence my day off), National Park Service folk have to work.

This is the modern-day view of the scene of the Battle of Baltimore (September 13-14, 1814):

Pretty peaceful. We spotted a cargo ship bearing new autos coming up the shipping lane on its way to one of the terminals.

DD#2 spotted this; the soldier bore her initials. That gave her a thrill.

Of course no trip to this fort is complete without paying homage to the flag that still waves; this is a replica, as the original now resides in the Smithsonian.

No knitting on this trip, though I brought a sweater and vest down to DD#2 to keep her warm when the chill comes next month.

Back from the West Coast

We're back. LA rocked and rolled during last week's magnitude 7.2 quake (courtesy of the Laguna Salada fault). You could surf in my brother's swimming pool, the waves were that high. But look at the view along my parents' walkway (above). And this is the sidewalk in front of my brother's house:

Hard to resist, eh? This was the first time in 30-odd years I found myself thinking about living again in California (lived there twice; moved from there twice). But when the earth trembles, I stop sleeping. And when I stop sleeping, I remind myself about all the reasons not to live in LA.
Thank you readers who sent wishes for my parents. I appreciate the good thoughts. My mother has age-related degeneration, and unfortunately will only get worse. My father, thank G-d, is doing better.

On the knitting front, my sister-in-law was enchanted with the Shetland Triangles shawl. My 5 year old niece now wants one, in pink (of course), with beads (naturally). Any excuse for me to buy more yarn (as if I need excuses, right?).
Carefree's parts are done; I need to put them all together and pick up/knit the neckline stitches and it is done. To keep myself sane during the flights, I bought some wooden circular needles and started another Evelyn Clark shawl out of some Jamieson's Shetland fingering weight (Spindrift) I had in stash. I have no idea who will get it. Too bad it's blue (official name of color is Twilight). Evenstar needs to have clues 4 and 5 knitted; today would have been a good day to get a move on except my house was looking very neglected. So I cleaned it: Three bathrooms. Polished silver. Waxed furniture with hard wax. My hands asked for a break after that. I'll take photos the next chance I get (I have about 150 photos from LA to upload, annotate, crop, and fiddle with first).

I'll leave you now with one more shot of LA: down the block from my parents' house.

Knitting and the Desert

That's my DH clowning around on the San Andreas Fault (he likes to live dangerously sometimes) at 1000 Palms Oasis, wearing a vest I designed and made years ago of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride worsted. One color is a purple and the other is a teal. Funny, I don't think it's one of my best or even better efforts, but DH loves it (and he certainly is not a fan of purple!). He was smart. Not like me:



See me shivering on Keys Lookout in Joshua Tree National Park (at a mile above sea level) blowing, blowing, gone! Wish I had thought to bring some of my warm knits along- I'm wearing a lined rain coat over 2 jackets and still freezing. But who knew we'd have wind chills close to zero deg F? In Palm Desert it was about 80 deg F and folks were swimming!
Travel nugget: if you are ever out in the Palm Springs area of SoCal, do go to the Coachella Preserve at Thousand Palms. It's free (they ask for a $3 to $5 donation per car), it's unique (a waterfall in the desert- how cool is that?), and it's fun. Easy hikes, and the temps were easily 10 to 15 deg cooler in the oases than out in the sun.