Heading over to Frog Pond

Sadly, RPM is heading over to Frog Pond. For the life of me, I just can't seem to figure out what size socks should be for my feet. I cast on for a large, thinking that's what my feet really are (shoe size 8.5-9, depending on manufacturer). I was loving how the colors was swirling with the swirly stitches, but then I went and tried it on. Totally roomy. Totally bad for a sock. So, after an appropriate period of boo-hooing, I'll be frogging this one and starting from scratch. Oh well, I guess it's all part of the learning process.

Betcha I'm gonna wind up with pooling next time around. Sigh...

In other knitting news, I restarted Dublin Bay with smaller needles. Just a half inch cuff so far. Too soon to tell if these are going to be OK, but we'll see. Pictures to come when I've got little leg to show you.


Cannon Update

Tuesday was another meeting with the Vermont Senate Appropriations Committee. Jim was originally going to call in, but they he heard that the VVMML Museum Board President, Ron Crisman, had be working the Statehouse over the last couple of weeks he decided to show up--in period attire--to present our case. I'm happy to report that the meeting went fairly well for us. The sentiment in the building seemed to lean towards the 2nd Vermont remaining as custodians of the gun. There were a number of reporters covering the event and yesterday there were articles in the Brattleboro Reformer and Times Argus. Next time I'll tell you exactly how the meeting started (I need Jim to tell me exactly what he and Ron said), but for now I'll just say that it couldn't have gotten off to a better start for us!

I'll leave you this evening with this picture of a poster I've been seeing on the trains and subway. It's for the new casino that's been opened at Yonkers Raceway.

Is it just me, or is there something very odd and disturbing about this?

Suspicious charges?

Today I got a call from my credit card company about some recent activity on my account. The first was an insurance company charge. Yup, that's a car insurance payment. The second charge was for $74 to one Blue Moon Fiber Arts company. Yeah, that's mine too!

Hmmm.... What's with banks and BMFA?

A trinity of socks

The third red Claudia Hand Painted sock is done. (Color: Chocolate Cherry.) Finished on Saturday, March 24th. All three have been washed. Twice. So, here's what we have.

Socks that still look like they came from three really different dye lots. The washing didn't make any difference in the socks. They bled dye equally--and lots of it.

Remind me to wash these puppies by themselves.

It's frustrating. I really love this yarn. Initially I found it very slippery--the knitting equivalent of trying to catch a greased pig. But I got used to handling it and I absolutely love the feel of the fabric it creates. However, the color thing really does bug me. Why use dye lot numbers when there are these kind of differences.

So, what do you think? Where's my pair? A & B? B & C? A & C??? D & E????? ;-)

OK, on to the next projects...

I've started working on the RPM sock again (sorry, no pictures this time) as well as a new sock.

The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, custom dyed for Purl. A birthday gift (along with a gorgeous set of ebony Lantern Moon DPNs) from sadly blogless Elsie. The pattern is a free download from Mossy Cottage. I started a sock on the DPNs, but I need smaller needles to get gauge.

Cannon Update--Good News, Bad News...

Bad news. In early March we received the proper paperwork from the state for the relinquishment of the gun. It was just a matter of time before it came through. The Arsenal has been notified, and the gun is ready to go. Now the museum needs to arrange to pick up the gun.

Good news? A couple of weeks ago, Jim sent out a mailing to the Vermont state legislators with information to counter the lies inaccuracies that have been stated and published about the gun situation. As a result, he received a call from one of the state senators asking him to attend (via conference call) a meeting of the Vermont State Senate Appropriations Committee. We thought that they might offer us some funding to help replace the gun. Well, it turns out that they don't have any money to offer us towards another gun, nor do they have money to maintain this gun. So they've decided to let us keep the gun. Yes, the napoleon. Evelyn. Just like that. There's quite a bit more too it, but basically they feel that the gun should stay in our care so long as our unit remains together and active.

Bad news? You knew it couldn't just end there. The head of the VVMML Board has demanded an opportunity to speak before the appropriations committee. I guess he's not ready to give up the fight. (Not really surprising, considering his tactics in this.) The meeting is set for April 10th and Jim will call in to this meeting again. Will this change anything? Who knows. Hopefully this guy will just shoot himself in the foot for the last time.

If you've stayed with me this long through the non-knitting content of the post, thank you! And here's a picture of Great South Bay. Summer's coming!