Miss Eva

I've been away for a while.

In truth, it's because I preferred just to sit here with my dog and knit or read. I'm happy I chose to do those things.

I rescued Eva on February 1, 2013 from the Madison County Humane Society. She was a senior dog who was found on the interstate in the middle of  a snow storm. No one had any idea how she ended up there but I know I ended up loving her goofy, gorgeous face and brought her home.

About a year into our relationship, I found out she had a brain tumor. I promised her peace, love and family until the very end.

On March 14, 2015, I held my beautiful dog and let the vet ease Eva's pain. Two years and 6 weeks and she completely, 100% stole my heart. I'm still devastated.

She was not a tiny dog (clocked in at 96 lbs within a month of me getting her) but she lost a lot of weight towards the end. Even so, she still took up a lot of space.

I don't regret getting an older dog. She needed a good retirement home, with her own large fenced in yard, and she got it. She got lots of love, hugs and kisses. But, in reality, Eva made me a better person. I needed her more than she needed me.

"One by One, they pass by my cage, 

Too old, too worn, too broken, no way. 

Way past her time, she can't run and play. 

Then they shake their heads slowly and go on their way. 

A little old lady, arthritic and sore, 

It seems I am not wanted anymore. 

I once had a home, I once had a bed, 

A place that was warm, and where I was fed. 

Now my muzzle is grey, and my eyes slowly fail. 

Who wants a dog so old and so frail? 

My family decided I didn't belong, 

I got in their way, my attitude was wrong. 

Whatever excuse they made in their head, 

Can't justify how they left me for dead. 

Now I sit in this cage, where day after day, 

The younger dogs get adopted away. 

When I had almost come to the end of my rope, 

You saw my face, and I finally had hope. 

You saw through the grey, and the legs bent with age, 

And felt I still had life beyond this cage. 

You took me home, gave me food and a bed, 

And shared your own pillow with my poor tired head. 

We snuggle and play, and you talk to me low, 

You love me so dearly, you want me to know. 

I may have lived most of my life with another, 

But you outshine them with a love so much stronger. 

And I promise to return all the love I can give, 

To you, my dear person, as long as I live. 

I may be with you for a week, or for years, 

We will share many smiles, you will no doubt shed tears. 

And when the time comes that I must leave, 

I know you will cry and your heart, it will grieve. 

And when I arrive at the Bridge, all brand new, 

My thoughts and my heart will still be with you. 

And I will brag to all who will hear, 

Of the person who made my last days so dear." - Author Leslie Whalen

RIP Sweet Eva

Podcast Spotlight: Sawbones

I'm getting addicted to Sawbones. I have a thing for medical stuff anyways, but the hosts are so damn funny, I downloaded the entire backlog and am making my way through it.

Shew....

One of the hosts, Dr. Sydnee McElroy, is truly a doctor so there is a lot of good, factual information. Her husband, Justin, is the comic relief. This podcast is what they say it is: a tour through misguided medicine.

The episodes I've listened to recently include phrenology (feeling the bumps on your head to see what kind of person you are) and plastic surgery. If you listen to the Measles episode, be prepared. They go after the morons who choose not to vaccinate (as well they should) and they give the facts about measles so people can be aware of how bad this new outbreak in America really is.

This podcast started in June 2013 and, based on that, I have a whole lot of learnin' and laughin' to do!

Knit From The Stash, Read From The Stacks

It really didn't take long to break my yarn diet, but more on that later.....

The weather in Indiana is still frightful, with another ice storm heading our way tomorrow. I have to say though, I am going stir crazy and so is the dog. WE NEED OUT! *deep breath*

For 2015, I deemed January and February hat/scarf knitting only. I was going to stash dive, buy NO yarn, and knit hats and scarves for the 2 shelters in Madison County. So far so good. I pulled out all the manly colored yarn and have went to town: 1 hat and 2 scarves are complete! I've casted on another hat in Lion Brand's Fisherman's Wool and another scarf in Lion Brand Wool Ease. The scarves will all be bulky/chunky yarn so I can get more done. I'm going to start some chunky hats as well simply because it's been so cold here I really want to crank these out and get them to the guys!

I'm being completely monogamous with my knitting. ONLY hats and scarves for 2 months. Then the rest of the year is an Amanda free for all! I will finally get my WIPs done and knit things for me!

Stash Acquisitions

I hope this is the only acquisition for the year (besides the yarn clubs). I really really need a yarn diet and really just want to knit the beautiful stuff I already have.

One of my favorite indie dyers, Gnomeacres, is having her 5th shop birthday! She updated her shop with almost 400 skeins of yarn and I didn't think it would hurt to look, right???

I caved.

I bought the birthday candles set. I had previously purchased her Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle set too (that comes in a pizza box!) so I figured this was just destined. Aren't they beautiful? I'll have them in my hot little hands in 3-4 weeks. (Pssst! Her Valentine colors are out!)

For Your Eyes

I've been catching up on Warehouse 13. I'm at Season 5, Disc 1 from Netflix and am super sad it's ending. I've also started Parks and Recreation after reading Amy Poehler's book. I seem to keep jumping in when shows end. Boo. But P&R is really good and I don't normally go for comedies.

For Your Ears

At this point, who hasn't been listening to the Serial podcast from NPR? I just finished Episode 7 of 12 and am thoroughly hooked. I hope they continue this format. Go listen now!

More Butt-tah!!

I'm on a quest to cook at least one recipe from all of my cookbooks this year. Some of them I use on a regular basis (like Nigella and the Tassajara Bread Book), but some I only glanced through and then put on the shelf. I'm tackling

I made the potato cheddar ale soup today and it was mighty good! I have so many recipes tagged in this one that it may take a bit to get through but it will be a tasty journey!

This is part of my second pledge for 2015: ready only from my current books (of which there are about 1,200 in my house). I can get books from the library, but no new acquisitions. So far, holding true to this one!

Don't Make Me Go Back!

After 2 weeks off work, I have to return tomorrow and I'm super not happy. I didn't get nearly enough knitting done. Now I have to put knitting on the back burner while work takes over *everything* again. *grump* I did get to spend 2 weeks with Miss Eva and that has been most pleasant. Naturally, as I head back to work, we're expecting bitter cold and snow. Yay?

I've had a wicked sinus infection for the entire 2 weeks (+ 1 week before vacation). I guess if I already feel miserable, I might as well be at work!

On The Needles

My Halloween socks (now for 2015!) are still in progress. I got some done when waiting at the hospital over break.  But they are not even close to being complete.

I just casted on a scarf for my charity knitting (see: blog post). My friend Becky had quite a bit of yarn and her family gave me a lot of it. I am using her skeins of Loops & Threads Charisma in the Lakeside colorway. It's blues & browns and works very well for a scarf for the men at The Christian Center. I feel good that her yarn is going to help people :)

 Off The Needles

Our silent auction at work went well and one of my co-workers won the hand knit scarf I offered up. Instead of rainbows, she chose Gryffindor colors (sweet!). Luckily, I still had 2 balls from when I made my big ol' Harry Potter scarf and I was determined to finish this while on vacation. It's done! It looks really good too!

Click to embiggen

That will be in the happy recipient's hands tomorrow!

I also casted off, today in fact, a hat for the Christian Center. It's a basic rib hat and it's a pattern called Just a Beanie. It's my go to hat pattern. The label of the yarn is missing but it feels like a nice acrylic, perhaps Brava from Knit Picks.

Click to Embiggen

I also completed a prayer shawl made with Lion Brand Homespun. It was a very pretty light blue, teal and white and I did not get a photo. I wanted to get it done (it's was on the needles for a long while) because I had lots of shawls and chemo caps to send out. I mailed out 2 boxes of caps to Riley Hospital for Kids and 1 box of caps and shawls to Kellogg Cancer Center in Skokie, IL. That made me pretty happy!

I plan on only knitting hats and scarves for the homeless shelters for January and February and then the rest of the year really work on my UFO's that have stacked up and hit my Ravelry queue because I actually haven't made a lot for myself in a while. I haven't even finished my Iced cardigan.

That's about all I have for now. I keep thinking of things to blog about and never get the time but I'm going to make an extra effort in 2015. Somehow I need to NOT let work take over my personal time. *fingers crossed*

A Call for Hats and Scarves!

My little town of Anderson has had some downturns. With another fabulous Midwest winter coming on, I wanted to give something back. Ulterior motive, I need to use up yarn as well.

I contacted a few shelters in Anderson and they could use some handknit/crocheted hats and scarves. So I am officially putting out the call for items to be donated through March 2015. If you knit or crochet and can contribute, please do! If you don't knit or crochet, hand bought items would be welcome too! Anything to keep the men at the shelters warm while the temperatures drop below freezing. If last winter was any indication, it could get up to 20 below, real temperature.

The first place we'll be donating to is The Christian Center on Main Street.  The Christian Center serves as a rescue shelter for men

The Christian Center's Rescue Shelter program maintains a 24/7 ** "no turn away" policy. Immediate physical needs are met, as guests sign up for beds, eat three meals a day, take showers and get haircuts and pick out fresh clothes. Men can stay up to 30 days, during which time Christian Center staff help them to evaluate their next best step, which may include enrollment in our Men's Program or different recovery programs with other service providers in the area.

The second place we'll be donating hats and scarves to is House of Hope of Madison County. House of Hope serves as a halfway house

The House of Hope is a well-established program that has served Madison County and the surrounding counties for many years in helping men recover from their addictions. In fact many of our employees throughout the years, have started as clients, became house managers, and either remained with the House of Hope in management roles or went to other treatment facilities to further their professional ambitions

For now, the residents we'll be donating to are men, so men's colors are needed. However, I am still researching and trying to contact shelters for women and children as well.

If you are interested in donating, please contact me at manadabomb AT gmail DOT com.


EDIT: Free patterns for hats/scarves

Tin Can Knits

Just a Beanie

Hole the size of a dime...kinda

It's been a while. But this time I have a good reason :)

My knitting has been a bit on hold due to a hand injury. Luckily, I have no pictures of this injury because it made me break out into a sweat when I looked at it. Blech. A small incident getting Eva out of the car with a ramp caused me to rip a chunk of my hand off (left behind on said ramp). I didn't realize it at first, just thinking that I scraped it on the sandpapery "floor" of the ramp. Once I got Eva to the backyard, I checked my hand and saw an almost dime-sized hole missing between my little finger knuckle and ring finger knuckle. As in... could see muscle underneath. And cue cold sweat.

Not much can be done for a hole like that so for 3 weeks, I left knitting by the wayside to nurse a hole-y, bandaged hand.

But I'm back!

On The Needles

I'm working on a Christmas present, although I said I wouldn't be. I'm so close now I decided it HAS to be done by Christmas. Details once it's given to the recipient.

My Halloween socks, my go-to vanilla sock pattern, in Gnomeacres Smell My Feet are on the needles but on hold. Halloween is so gone....

I was working on the Stephen West Shawl KAL and am still on clue one. Seriously, yes. I'm ok with this. Right......

I also have the I Flunked The Written Sunnydale KAL project on the needles and that's been on hold too. Oy.

Christmas vacation is coming soon and I know I'll get lots of knitting worked on. Just need a bit more time!

For Your Eyes

I've caught myself up on Haven, Castle, The Walking Dead and Z Nation. I have quite a few more shows that are waiting for me to catch up on (Sleepy Hollow, Outlander, Elementary)

I'm really enjoying the tongue-in-cheek goofiness of Z Nation. TWD just floored and upset me with it's mid-season finale but I guess I'll survive. Damn you, Kirkman!!!


I leave you now... more to come as I get back into the swing of knitting with a holeless hand!

Eva - staring daggers at Maggie chewing on an antler. Share, kids!

My Favorite Podcasters

My bucket list now officially covers Rhinebeck : New York State Sheep and Wool Festival. I'm so jealous of these ladies.

It thrilled me to see my favorite podcasters all together :)

Kim from Craftstash, Kristin from Yarngasm, Maria from Subway Knits, Laura from The Dyer's Notebook and Dana from Danadoodleknits (blog).

If you enjoy yarnporn, this is an episode to watch!