Saturday, February 7, 2009

The muscles in my back cooperated and I made it through Handle With Care. I put some cream on and took some advil and let my partner know he had to be gentle and all was good. It was even enjoyable. The funny thing is I always dread going but it's never as bad as I think it will be. There are 5 of us in my building who are designated trainers. Three are new this year and will hopefully carry this on as I slowly pull back.


Now we have to meet as a team and design a new training that incorporates verbal de-escalation techniques and physical restraints and our new mechanical restraints. I try to make sure there is some new stuff so people pay attention. If we do the same things over and over, people stop listening so we have to mix it up and add some new stuff. Thankfully, my children showed me how to use Powerpoint so I'm ready.


On the knitting front, after I had to rip out half of the second whimsy sock because I dropped a stitch so far back it was too hard to pick up (I knit tight), I still managed to finish them last night. I decided to give myself as easy a weekend as I could and did some spinning and lots of knitting. These are the Leaves of Whimsy. The pattern is from my Knit a Day calendar last year. It is very reminiscent of the Embossed leaves pattern by IK. I love it. It's easy to memorize and it moves along fairly quickly. They yarn is from A piece of Vermont and is a merino/bamboo blend. I measured them repeatedly as I worked them but one is still slightly longer than the other.


And then last night I picked my February bag and it contained this. I wanted some socks with browns in them so I could wear them with my brown pants. This is Cascade Yarns superwash. Color 900-something. There is brown/black/maroon/taupe parts in it. I've started some Waving Laces socks (from 25 Favorite Socks). It's very thin and nice and soft so it's a joy to work with. I am also working on my Feb sockapalooza sock. That's done on size 2 needles and they feel impossibly small.
We are in the midst of some lovely temperate weather. The days are predicted to be in the 40's and 50's (4 - 10 C). That's almost balmy for February. I used my break on Friday to walk to the candy store in Philadelphia where they still sell handmade chocolates to get some for my family for Valentine's Day (or as El calls it 'singles awareness day'). Lore's makes the very bestest dark chocolate covered cherries. Pk loves them. I know they'll be really busy this week so I was glad to get in there while I could. And I had to find some non-chocolate candy for Em's Jim. He doesn't like it. (No, I don't understand it either).
So, now I'm off to sit in front of the open window and spin some more Inna Ga Da Vida. I have some good books on my mp3 player. Sounds like a good day.

10 comments:

teabird said...

Your socks are wonderful - I'm still on my first socks of the year, despite all of my intentions to knit a pair a month...

Galad said...

Your socks came out great! I'm working on my sock roulette project this weekend. Figured I'd better get moving.

Sheepish Annie said...

The program I am currently teaching focuses more on de-escalation strategies than anything else. (thank heavens) That said, I still had to teach choke hold releases and whatnot. I am still sore and I didn't have to do it with a bad back!

Glad you made it through without further damage. And I do love those socks! I hear the temps are going back down soon so I think they will come in handy!

Rose Red said...

The socks look great! I think I will make Waving Lace from one of my brown bags too (just need to pick the right one!)

Alwen said...

The socks look great. I love the colorway and that pattern together.

And your February yarn is gorgeous!

Bezzie said...

Ha ha! I just finished my Pattern a Day Socks this weekend too. I think I saved the Leaves of Whimsy pattern too. Yours look great--I'm glad I saved it!

roxie said...

I am so impressed by you sock knitters. Socks drive me nuts!
Yours as soo lovely!

cici said...

well the socks look great. I am also a tight knitter. I haven't knitted sock in way to long

Dianne said...

I'm glad your back is doing better. Your sock look great! Oh, and "Singles Awareness Day" - that's hilarious, and soooo true!

Amy Lane said...

The whimsy socks really are wonderful-- and you're not the only one to get fraternal socks from what you swore was an identical pattern. I tell myself that it just proves that yarn has personality!

Happy Sunday!  I am sitting here working on my sweater made with the cashmere yarn my husband gave me for my birthday last year. I’m further...