Groundhog

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Just poking my head up to assure you all that I’m fine.  I sort of like the way that if the blog goes dark for a few days, the emails start coming to make sure I’m okay.  It makes me feel like if I’d ever fallen and couldn’t get up that I wouldn’t be eaten by my cat before my body was discovered.  (I know that realistically I would be found by my family long before that happened, but apparently I was really shaped by one bad episode of Law and Order. Note to self. Maybe not watch that show.)  All is well here, though I’m trying to power through family stuff to ready myself and them for some away/ teaching/ talking/ time. 

(Insert imaginary picture here, which would be a grand one were it possible to get it off my camera, which it isn’t because the cable that I deliberately put on my desk to make sure this never happened again is missing, which I’m sure is not the fault of anyone who lives here except me, because nobody who lives here is the sort of person who would ever, ever, ever touch another persons stuff.  Except maybe a lipstick. Or a book. Or mascara, or a black tank top, or that skirt.  Or a bag.  Never.)

I did finish my socks.  I did start more.  I did forgive myself for not finishing my January socks until February 2nd. Breaking a self imposed knitting rule is still not a federal offense, so I’m letting go. Tomorrow when there’s a photo assistant available I’ll take some pictures for you, and until then all I have time to say is that the Sleepy Hollow socks have a dead sexy heel turn and gusset increase/decrease  combo that I hope thrills you the way it did me. 

(Note: if you’re a non-knitter, don’t even try to understand that last sentence.)

116 thoughts on “Groundhog”

  2. I loved the last sentence…particularly loved that you clarified it for the non-knitters. Best answer I have seen to what would have been many questions…you’ll keep them from going glassy-eyed.

  3. Happy (belated) Groundhogs Day, then! I wanted to finish my hubby’s mittens in January, and that didn’t happen either. But his hands haven’t frozen off yet, and I will get the dreaded Second Mitten done soon.
    I haven’t seen my camera cable in months, so don’t be too hard on yourself about that.

  5. Whenever I lose something, I say a prayer to St. Anthony (works whatever religion you adhere to – or not). St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please come around, something is lost and it must be found.
    Weird, but it has worked so many times I don’t worry about why it does.
    Good luck with the cable.

  6. If it hasn’t been stolen by the squirrel (or it’s evil teenage girl accomplices), it’s probably on your desk. That’s where mine was after I searched in both cars, the other office, the living room, and the top of my yarn boxes. Right behind the computer I wanted to plug it into.
    I may steal your last line for FO posts. Partner always says, “oh yeah, that middle part [where I’m discussing tension, etc.] is something only another knitter would understand.”

  8. So glad you are ok. Yes, we do wonder when you don’t post for a bit if all is well.

  9. I don’t know about your camera cable, but I now have a non-functional iPod sych cable because the cat chewed it into non-functionality. Maybe yours has killed it and hid her prey?

  10. I’m always losing my camera cable, too! And I always put it on the computer desk, too! Check in behind it – mine is almost always there! Oh wait, you probably did that. Hope you get it soon!

  11. To heck with the cable for pics —just make sure you have clothes for the trip . Oh and your knitting of course. The cable will be there when you return -just poof out of no where from no one . Good trip

  12. Sometimes I get “thing-blind” and can’t perceive what I’m looking directly at. When that happens I have to physically pick up and look at everything on the particular flat surface I’m searching – that breaks the mental block. Looking behind things is good, too, and not just on the floor – I have found things that had stuck halfway down behind something.

  13. I cannot understand your exact pain because I keep my camera cable plugged into my laptop at ALL TIMES. Except, like, um, NOW when it isn’t and I can’t locate it…
    And scissors. Can we just talk about scissors for a moment? WHO KEEPS REMOVING MY SCISSORS FROM MY DESK? Why am I reduced to sawing the last thread I’ve woven in on these socks with the end of a screw driver? Oh yes, I can find the screwdriver, but not one of my six pairs of scissors and not one of my three camera cables.
    Nope, can’t feel your pain exactly. Not me.

  15. Is Canada a federation? If it isn’t, can it have federal offences? Or is that just a phrase that has drifted over the border?

  16. The same thing happens with my iPod cord, Stephanie! I hope you find your camera cord soon, ’cause I can’t wait to see that dead sexy heel!

  17. Glad to hear…uh, read from you again. You didn’t see your shadow, did you? Maybe the groundhog took the cable??

  18. “There are no knitting police” about 2 February being the end date for the January socks.

  20. Screw the camera cable. I am always losing mine. Enter the SD/MMC card reader. Brilliant. And universal.

  23. That heel sounds like the “Strong Heel” (named for the person, not the quality) that Charlene Schurch taught us at Sock Summit! I LOVE doing that heel and do it all the time now!

  24. I was worried about you and about to email. :)I told myself you’d been gone from Blogland this long before and that I could manage without my Harlot Fix, and that you’d be back likely today. 🙂 Glad you’re okay and finishing socks! I asked my eight year old grandson to show me how to get music into my little MP3 gizmo ’cause eight year olds know these things. He rooted around under the computer desk for a moment then asked where the cable was. I didn’t know there was a cable needed. Oh well. At least you know you need a cable!!! Hope it shows up soon.

  26. I don’t think non-knitters will ever understand sock heels, but “dead sexy” is high praise and makes me want to go take a look at that pattern!

  27. Ah yes, discovering that type of heel is what made me fall in love with sock knitting. I love no-picking-up-stitches heels.
    Have you tried the heel-with-no-name that Katherine Misegades designed based on the underarm gussets in gansey sweaters?

  28. It is probably with the charger adapters that vanished from my table after I walked away from them for 30 seconds.

  29. Tried offering a “bounty” or reward for the found item? It used to work great for me when my daughter was little or with students in my classroom. (Rewards don’t have to be big; it’s the thrill of the hunt!)

  30. Around our house it was usually the cat that was behind random missing objects. She had a special ability to figure out which item would send you over the brink if it went walkies and then she would “disappear it” for a while. Although when I was younger, I was convinced it was the Borrowers and now I’m not so sure there aren’t a few Nac MacFeegle running about the house. Good luck. 🙂

  32. glad to know that you’re fine, but here’s the important question:
    did you see your shadow?

  33. I gave up on keeping track of the camera cable and bought a thingy that I can put the SD card right into. Somehow, I loose that less.
    No, it doesn’t make sense, but what does?

  34. Did you ever decide what you’re doing about the Olympics? I would only commit to a KAL that went with tv-on-dvd, and that kind of defeats the purpose, so I won’t be doing any KAL-ing (KALling?) but it’s just been niggling in the back of my head. Not trying to resurrect any lingering drama though.

  35. Re: your tweet about the “purity test”
    It took me a bit to think of, but I feel that perhaps the drinking water in Haiti would be both an acceptable context and newsworthy. But you were probably right not to go back.
    Re: your post
    Camera cables are shy creatures. In my case they can usually be found right under the same book/set of papers that I’ve already looked under 20 times, and I’m only looking this time to prove to someone else that it’s totally not under there.

  36. Maybe the cat ate your camera cable! My kids would just step over my lifeless body so be glad you have someone else checking in on you!

  37. I fully understand. My daughter tells me she watches facebook. If she sees I have been on there she doesn’t check in on me. If not then she’ll call to see if I am OK. I guess that means worse case scenario, I’ll be laying on the floor writhig in pain and without knitting needles for no more than 24-36 hours 🙂

  39. And also? You might want to make some gansey spinning kits and stick *them* on your top shelf. Winter 2010 will be here in about eight months, you know.

  40. I’m feeling very comfortable snarking at you from way over here in a whole other country. Is that wrong?

  41. The cat took the camera cable and dropped it down one of the heating vents in your house. Yeah, that’s got to be where it is, with all the tape measures. I looked at the Sleepy Hollow socks, and they are lovely. But I think that patterns should indicate not only the level of difficulty, but also how much attention span is needed. I am hosting a baby shower in a couple of weeks for a friend who is expecting twins, boy and girl. I have one girl bootie and one boy bootie knit, and I have completely lost my will to knit the other halves. Now I’m making a scarf for a friend (with two matching ends!) I fear the poor babies will each have one bare foot. I’m blaming all this on Seasonal Affective Disorder.

  42. Isnt it nice to have friends who can understand what you’re saying without an explanation?

  43. Oops – now I see this post – more relevant to comment here. Stephanie, and anyone else with camera cable issues, get a card reader. It’s the size of a flash drive and plugs into the USB, it fits in my camera case so I always have it, and it cost $7 at Marshall’s. No cables, no getting the computer to recognize the camera – just put the memory card in and go.

  44. Maybe it went to LOLO (Land of Lost Objects). That’s where thinks like single socks and scissors go when no one is looking. I’ve never been there, but I have plenty of objects that have made the trip. Sadly, most have never returned.
    Until about a year ago, I would not have understood “Dead sexy heel turn” but now I’m kinda stoked. Going to check this out!

  46. Well, I was about to call out the Mounties. (haha)
    But then I do worry a bit too much…
    Thank goodness everything’s o.k. and you’re just very busy.

  47. And does the Yarn Harlot poking up her head mean there are only six more weeks of winter?
    (You and I *wish*!)
    Good luck with getting ready for Madrona, and I look forward to the heel turn reveal (says the woman who finally found her phone charger a week after her last trip. I was getting worried.)

  49. I’m knitting my very first sock right now. So, though I don’t understand the last sentence, I hope to *someday*. This one is knit from the top down, and I’m on the heel flap. I’m very glad the yarn is variegated as I find that helps me count rows.

  50. Maybe Hank could find the cord…esp. if you promise a reward. LOVE the socks link. Must conquer that learning curve. W/Presbytera, I do wish you would take the poor gansey out of time-out. Your anniversary is only EIGHT months away!

  51. I have a LOT of experience losing things – a LOT – and I can say with some certainty that the best way to find it is to not want to find it anymore. In fact, if there’s some way that it could become really inconvenient for you to find it, then you would probably find it immediately.
    Like if you bought a new one at twice the usual cost because every other store was closed, then you would find it in the car on the way home.

  53. It could happen, if you did the cabin/furious-book-finishing thing again. But that would likely not include any cats. But we’ve still got your back. 🙂

  54. George Carlin…and the pile…that’s where your camera cable is at. Haven’t learned to knit socks yet. I have lessons scheduled in the budget right after spring break. I will ask about these heel turns you speak of.

  55. Glad you’re back! I was worried. Was thinking that if you had a webcam we could all have been like that lady in the news who remotely rescued that ice-walker. Just a thought.

  56. re Really Bad Law & Order Episode: that really happens. DH was coroner for a while and went w/police to check on a guy who hadn’t been seen for about 2 weeks and his apartment was starting to smell. When they found him his cat was sitting on his chest … and the guy’s face was part eaten. The dog was cowering in a corner, starved and scared. End result of the story: we are dog people in our house.

  57. I’m with Gillian – all us knitters – we’ve got your back. Can’t lend you my camera cable, tho – sorry.
    Just checked out Free Range Knitter from the library today. I’m looking forward to it.

  58. Can’t wait to see the picture. I’m getting that pattern as soon as I finish my current sock. At least that’s the plan unless I break the rule. We’ll have to wait and see.

  59. Isn’t loosing your camera cable the most annoying thing ever? I lost mine after I swore I ‘always’ put it in the same place between uses. 4 days later, after turning the house upside down, it was underneath a pile of papers that I was going to put in the garbage. Yikes. I bet it turns up just when you decide to stop looking for it!

  60. Oh, the joy of finishing a pair of socks!!! Just finished a pair of Lenores and, in the absence of my RSC kit, cast on another pair. I have that pattern almost memorized by now-I’m on pair #4. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Cheers and red wine, Hazel.

  61. Steph…. you don’t need the cable if your camera has an SD card (memory card) and your laptop has an SD drive. Just pop the SD card out and pop it into your computer. Your computer should find it automatically and you can transfer your pics directly onto your computer. No need for cables.
    Cheers!

  62. Wow… another person that watches Law and Order and knits. It’s my favorite knitting show. Ever.
    Sock heels are so sexy… I love them…

  63. I’m looking forward to seeing your finished socks. The patterning on the half-done one you showed us was lovely (even when/if you look at the less than perfect portion at the heel).
    My daughter (the one attending university across the lake from you) loves CSI and Law and Order, the gorier, the better. I have a copy of the short-lived Craft magazine which features a scarf that looks just like a police “Do not enter” yellow tape; I plan to finish knitting it for her prior to her graduation in May (wish me luck since it is not on the top of my to do list!).
    I LOVE your idea of a home-grown sock of the month club in which one draws from a pile of kits. It sounds like a perfect antidote to the dithering that one can go through after completing a major knit project (or after completing a major yarn purchase, if truth be told). I got several projects completed in January when I just reached into one of my yarn cabinets, grabbed a project, and knit until I was done. I think I need to kit up more of my stash in order to facilitate stash reduction.

  64. I saw that Law & Order episode too. yuck. Any way wish I could join you at Madrona this year but its not in the cards. Care partnering a friend through a stem cell “harvest and rescue”. Happy to be here but wish I could be there. Have a great time and say hi to all the Blue Moon Gang.

  66. but did you see your shadow, that’s what I want to know… 😉
    (can’t wait to see the sock with the sexy heel-turn)

  67. Oh, I have that sock pattern! I haven’t knit it yet though, but I was intrigued by the heel construction. Now, where did I put it….?

  69. Whew! I WAS worried. Glad you’re back. And I would hope that my cat would have the good sense not to just sit there and starve! But she only likes really fresh food, so she might just forego a rotting body.

  70. Yup, I’m one of those that gets to thinking “where is that harlot?” I try to give you weekend space and remember that you might have a life beyond the blog.
    I ask Tony (St Anthony) to help and he finds it every time. However, he doesn’t have any idea that you want it “now”!
    Did you see those Terradance socks? Now those are some sexy looking heels, too.

  71. Worse. I lost a whole knitting project. 1 1/2 socks, in a bag a new friend gave me at Sock Summit. Recently, within the last two weeks. That’s not to mention the bag I lost earlier with two, that’s right, two, Socks That Rock projects (earlier year) in it… I never used to lose things. This getting old is not for sissies…

  74. Those are some deadsexy socks! Just remember to read the directions fully before knitting the heel. I’ve learned this from experience.

  75. Love that sleepy hollow pattern!! Is it appropriate for someone who has knit a total of 3.5 socks?

  76. Thanks for poking your head up!
    As for camera cables – shoot, I can’t be arsed to update my knitting blog when I _can_ find the cable… so more power to you for having such a definitive Checkpoint Charlie.

  77. Have you ever considered one of those Eye-Fi storage cards that connects to the wireless network in your house and when it finds your computer automatically downloads the pictures on your camera to the computer? No cables required in that case. Haven’t managed to get one myself, but I’ve heard/read good things about them.

  78. Oh, great. Now every perv who googles “sexy heel” is going to be showing up here. Possibly dead. Smooth, Steph.

  79. Rams’ comment just cracks me up.
    Thank goodness the google-search function isn’t checking the comments section too, or you might wind up with a hit on dead, sexy, heel and, now, cracks. (You’re welcome!)

  80. The darling husband has misplace the camera cable. Instead of looking for it in the drawer with all of the electronickey stuff, he said he just has to buy a new camera, phone , computer boat, and car. The camera cord sure did set off a midlife crisis or something. Great sock – I feel I’m still the only person in the world knitting socks two at a time toe up. Even the people at my LYS told me they hate doing socks this way. No converts.

  81. Cameras got cables? (see Jonny Hart cartoons: “Clams got legs?”) Who knew? I thought socks got cables! Sorry, it’s 4:30 am, and I woke up, wide-staring-awake at 2:50 – after going to bed at 1 … I’m getting tired of this) Glad you are ok

  82. Hi!
    Yes, sure my camera cable seems to have a secret life of its own… sometimes it’s where I put it and sometimes ih wanderes off somewhere else.
    Reading your “Free-Range Knitter” LOVE IT!
    Yday I read the part of your teenage daughter, being either to fast or to slow. Amazing how similar to my 17-years daughter. I was giggling to my self while reading 🙂

  83. I use a piece of masking tape to keep my camera cable on my computer desk. Best of luck in finding yours. Can’t wait for spring to come. :o)

  85. You’re absolutly correct there’s no way a non knitter would understand that last sentence. As for things going to the land of the lost you need to gather the family together and say a prayer to the Goddess in power over the household to put the fear of consequence in them all. That will make it show up for sure. If for no other reason than they will think you’ve really gone over the edge.

  86. My husband zip-tied the camera cable to the computer desk so that it could never wander and we would always have one. He then bought a second one that is allowed to wander, this one went missing within a week. It surfaces periodically, often being carried around the house by our twenty month old daughter. And I have to admit that despite mocking him ruthlessly when he brought out the zip-tie, it means that we always have a cable around for file transfers.

  87. Just love that last sentence. Love reading you, love your knitting pictures. Belated Blessed Imbolc.

  88. HAHAHAHA!!! ‘non knitters, don’t even try to understand that last sentence’… HEH! *is now incredibly amused* it’s so true… the poor non-knitters… eheheh.

  89. Go find a copy of the Nick Lowe album Pure Pop For Now People AKA Jesus of Cool and listen to the song Marie Provost never mind Law and Order this ones a true story

  90. Have a book recommendation for you & the blog, shd you *gasp* need a break from knitting (I’m thinking carpal tunnel) or in case you are one of those multi-taskers who can read & knit at the same time (yes, I’m looking at you, Sarah!).
    “Galore” by Michael Crummey. Reasons to love this book:
    1) it’s a ripping good read, one of those ones that makes you stay up past A Sensible Hour to keep on;
    2) another marvellous Canadian author (which is great but never enough just on its own);
    3) story is authentically set in small Newfoundland outport but is decidedly not “quaint”;
    4) historical fiction in the sense that it covers over a century of time, and it feels like the author got the details right, but never bogs down in period minutiae;
    5) strong, unique characters in a story where you can’t see the events coming but they are believable when they do;
    6) religion, faith, myth and mystery are woven in, as part of the characters’ lives and not in any twee way;
    7) see #1.
    One of those books I just got so excited about that I have to share with everyone.

  91. It’s good to have people expecting to hear from you. When my mother, a retired high school English teacher, missed a weekly hair appointment, the small town went out to check on her. They found her collapsed in her garage, dead from a heart attack. Mother would have been horrified to collapse in public, so I’m happy with these circumstances.

  92. I have one of the Eye-Fi cards that was mentioned above, and I love it. I felt like it was the height of laziness to get one because I was pretty good at finding my cable, but I just HATED transferring photos from camera to computer. the eye-fi does it all by it’s self (and also to flickr if you’re into that kind of thing) so I don’t ever have to go through the tedium.

  93. Can’t wait to see photos!
    And yeah, I think my cat would totally eat me. I’m a little afraid to fall asleep in the same room with her. Especially since she’s decided she doesn’t like her current catfood any more.
    EEK.

  94. I can take the memory card out of my digital camera and stick it in a little slot in the side of my PC and download pictures that way so I don’t have to keep track of the dreaded cable. I know you have a Mac; maybe a passing teenager could look to see if you have a card slot?
    I’m intrigued by that combo heel/gusset because the gusset is my least favorite part of sock knitting. I’m going to be trying my first short row heel as soon as I get down the leg just to avoid the neverending gusset. Knit on!
    I knew you were okay, I just missed you.

  95. It’s good to hear you’re well. I live vicariously through your exploits here in my gray cubicle and I miss you terribly when you’re quiet.

  96. Once the February socks are finished by February 28th, no one will even notice that January’s weren’t finished until February 2nd. You’re still meeting the overall goal. Heck, I’m still working on the last Christmas socks and lace shawl! Must get even earlier start this year!

  97. I wish you the best getting the family ready for your trip. I’m finding for me that family stuff is getting in the way of knitting. Silly dog always needing to go walking!

  98. Ok, I totally have a self imposed rule of no Law and Order before bed. Especially if I’m alone!
    Can’t wait to see the dead sexy heel.
    xox

  99. Ooo mama you know how I like a dead sexy heel turn.
    The camera cable is in a time hole. It will appear when you are at Madrona.

  100. definitely the cat or under your PC. Did you lift the PC or did you already pack your PC bag to take with you and put it in there. Easy to forget things you do on the automatic pilot. Or maybe it “slid” into your coach.

  101. I have the same issue with my camera at the moment. And, despite turning the house and my office drawers upside down, no cord has appeared (though I did stick a memory card in so that I won’t have to suffer through that pain again!).
    SIGH! I guess I am going to have brave my son’s room and computer nook, camera in hand, to find the correct cord out of the quadrillion ones we seem to have acquired (though not ONE has fit to date!).
    ROF LOL

  103. We are not alone – an article on the BBC website today that elderly snails cannot remember where they left the lettuce……just sayin LOL

  105. i’m sure you already know this, but the USB cable that connects some external hard drives (and sometimes other hardware too) is the same as the camera cable (only a different length). if you have one such, you could hook that up too…

  108. Check kitty’s hiding places for the cable. My cat used to love playing with anything that resembled the yarn I would NOT let him touch — and so my phone charger and headphones regularly disappeared off the desk and could be found under a) the couch b) the bed or c) the entertainment unit (and how he squeezed under there I never knew).
    Have fun on the trip!

  109. DH has a slightly aggravating habit of putting the camera cable away in a zip lock bag, with the rest of his electronic stuff. Does he tell me where he stashes the zip lock bag? Nope, but will happily produce the bag and said cable when I need it. Once too often, and I duct taped the cable to the my laptop. As soon as I get the wi fi card, he can have his fippin’ cable back! Steph ;-}

  110. I do not worry about dying and not being found until the cat had eaten my nose. My early demise would be discovered by my hungry family when dinner failed to make an appearance.

  113. I was casually reading through the comments when, shake, rattle and roll AGAIN. 6.0 on the scale and only 36 miles from Ferndale CA. I don’t like these shakers, but want the knitting community to know that if city hall falls down around me, I’m under my desk with the computer tower and my dog. Dig me out! Whew! I think I need to knit for awhile to calm down!

  114. Remember, you have 3 daughters–nothing is yours alone. That’s why I constantly have to go looking for my makeup in DD#1’s room. If it isn’t tied down, it walks away (or is considered fair game for “borrowing”.)

  115. Stop looking for the cable altogether and get yourself a memory card reader. It can’t be used for anything else and therefore can’t get lost. 😉
    Beautiful socks!

  116. My Daughter in Law was supposed to be induced on Ground Hog Day. We were afraid our Grandson would see his shadow and go back in. Fortunately they waited and he was born on Feb 4th weighing in at 9 pounds.
    Get a printer, fax, copier and scanner from HP. They have a slot for every memory card you can imagine. Images fly up and you can send them right to the computer. I also have a card reader which I keep at work. Both are amazing!
    I could never find tools. I would buy pliers, screwdrivers; vice grips…..need a tool? Go to the toolbox and all I could find is a stick and a piece of string. Not even good string. Now the kids are both married and I still can’t find anything!

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