Rotten Eye Candy

What we're dealing with this week. Two days, and no sign of the power company who are supposed to come get the tree off the power line. Thank you Texas storms. (And of course, it wasn't the two dead branches on the other tree, nor any of the branches that just needed to be pruned. Of course not.)

Strange, but true

Picture this: It is 8:15 Wednesday morning. I'm standing at my Elmo (it's this really cool thing like a combo digital camera and overhead - I *love* it), going over morning work, when I hear a snap. My students hear it too. I can tell immediately that my heel has snapped off. I give them an assignment, hobble over to my desk, and examine the evidence.



It is not pretty. I happen to have a hammer in my room, so I attempt to hammer back on the heel. I am unsuccessful. I go to tell the other 4th grade teachers my story, and amazingly enough, one of them happens to have an extra pair of shoes at school. Whew! I don't have to walk to lunch barefoot. Much fun is made on my behalf, and I go home barefoot, determined to find a shoe repair place, since these were my favorite shoes, of course.

Thursday morning. 7:30. I'm walking out of my room to go make a copy, when something on my shoe feels funny. No way. I've broken the heel on ANOTHER pair of shoes, a pair I specifically picked out of my closet, thinking "there's no way I can break this heel" (these are a pair with a large, clunky heel, not a little kitten heel like the ones I was wearing on Wednesday). Stand in the hall on duty with heel sort-of attached.
Attempt to fix with Elmer's Glue once class starts. Elmer's doesn't help. That same teacher, who doesn't have an extra pair of shoes today, has a glue gun. Glue heel on, but don't wear around my room, for fear of loosening it. Put on to wear to lunch. Seems to be working well! Leave recess, standing in line at the water fountain with my class. Turn to go upstairs, something feels funny. NO WAY IN HELL. Broke my other *&*^%#$#^*& heel. The other shoe. Carry it upstairs, and fix other shoe with glue gun. Wear to dismissal. Notice upon entering the building that my shoe is crumbling as I walk.


Am laughingstock of school. I've never broken a heel before in my life. Three in two days? What are the odds?

Worse news? Since it's now "fall," I can't find brown sandals anywhere. Unfortunately, it'll be 90 here for about another month. Hate wearing closed-toe shoes when it's hot. Considering going barefoot to school tomorrow.

It never rains,

but it drops steaming piles of dog poo on you.

So we're behind and over budget on the kitchen. But we expected that.

Then, two weeks ago, the garage door broke. Ka-ching.

Last night? The AC. Compressor. Won't be fixed until tomorrow (and that's assuming it stops raining!). It's a bit warm in here. I'm just really glad it hasn't been hot yet, and that it IS raining, since it helps lower the temperature.

Pass the ice?

Knits that don't fit

I finished Vanessa. I am not happy.



From the front, not too bad. Looks a little big and gappy.



From the side you see more bagginess. Yuck.



And the back is just a disaster.



Pattern: Vanessa from Rowan RYC Classic Art.
Yarn: RYC Luxury Cotton DK in Damsel - 9 skeins
Needles: Sz 6 Clover Circulars.
Dates: April to June 30 for main body. July for additional ribbing and seaming.
Mods: I knit a larger size for the ribbing. This is what I think caused the huge bagginess. It also came out wayyyyyyyy too short, so I knit and added on 3 more inches of ribbing.
Thoughts: The yarn was delightful. Soft and pretty - very nice to work with. The pattern was fine, even for a Rowan pattern, though it never tells you to make 2 sleeves. I understand that it's implied, but c'mon.


It is way too big in the bust, even though I followed the measurements for the 36" bust for all but the ribbing. The ribbing is not attached in an attractive way, hence the "ribbon" of extra yarn to cover up the seam.

If I didn't know about the bagginess in the back I might wear it. I might still wear it, since I made it, darn it! But as hubbo said, "It's not your best look." Le sigh.

It is hiding in the closet now, for the foreseeable future. Em, if you want to try it on you have to come to Texas! :)

I can't decide if I am up to ripping it. Maybe after the disappointment wears off. Grrrr.