The heat is on

Of all days to have a chemical imbalance in your pool! It reached 104F where I live in northern California yesterday. I keep telling my 11 yr old grandson that you can literally cook an egg on the sidewalk with that kind of heat. I don't think he believes me, because he wants to try it. So, I plan to introduce him to solar cooking before the summer is over. While I'm on the subject of my grandson, tryouts were held yesterday for All Stars in his baseball league. He made the first cut, and I'm so very proud of him!!!

I spent the first part of my day cleaning the pool..vacuuming, cleaning the filter, adding chemicals, etc. Hopefully, it will be satisfactory enough to where me and my grandkids can go in for a bit today! Summer has arrived and since we are in a serious drought, my husband and I have made the decision, like a lot of our neighbors, to stop watering our grass. It's not pretty, but it's necessary. We will continue to water our trees and plants, but not the grass. We are okay with it though, and it will give us a clean slate to start with come Fall.

Once I had the plants watered, and the pool cleaned, I came inside to cool off and read a little bit. I'm about halfway through my book and am now finding it hard to keep my nose out of it! It's very simply written, but it is holding my interest.

Spinning was on my agenda as well, and I did finish the 'scrap' merino I bought ages ago. I call it scrap because it's not really enough to do anything with, but it's perfect to practice Navajo plying with. I'm hoping to get started with that today. I'm going to try to spin for at least a few minutes each day, and since I just saw Jasmin of the Knitmore Girls on Saturday, she inspired me once again to participate in her and Gigi's "SPAKAL" (spin along knit along). After I finished the green merino, I immediately got set up to spin for this fun event, with some sort of a merino blend. I wish I could remember what it's blended with. I knew I should've labeled it as soon as I brought it home! I purchased it from Morgaine of Carolina Homespun, at Lambtown in Dixon, CA, this past October. When you buy it from her, it comes off of a HUGE bale of roving, so it's not like it's a braid or anything like that that is usually labeled. If anything, it's probably blended with a tencel, which is what I tend to buy because it makes for such pleasurable spinning. Like I said though, I'm not sure because this doesn't seem to have the same shine like normal. No matter, I'm enjoying spinning it and I plan to knit a sweater from it since I bought two pounds!!

Green merino all spun up!

Merino mystery blend begun!

 

I just love the tweed-iness of that merino mystery blend! I worry that I might be spinning it too thick for the grist that I need, but no worries as I will swatch before I even begin my pattern. If it's too thick, I will wait until my fleece I purchased Saturday arrives in August, and spin it for the SPAKAL. It's all good, and I'm just having fun!!

 

My Wrath of Grapes Cocktail (Vodka Lemonade by Thea Coleman) cardi is growing each day! I'm so excited!! Last night, I finished up the decreasing for my waist shaping, and now will knit for three more inches before I start increasing back out. I love love love this pattern!!! And the yarn, oh the yarn...it's just heavenly! My only problem is being able to capture the true color in my photos. I'm working on it though!

 

I hope your week is off to a wonderful start!!