Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Gettin' Things Done

I sometimes have to trick myself into doing what needs doing. For instance, I NEVER plan on cleaning out my fridge. The times it gets cleaned (and yes, I do clean it on occasion) is when I start looking for something in there and can't find it. By the time I've spent 30 minutes digging through umpteen butter bowls with magic marker scribbled words on them, words like "carrots", "mushroom soup", or "dog chicken" (don't ask) I start hurling things out of there faster than my dog can inhale her chicken.
Two hours later, my fridge is sparkling. The shelves are washed clean, the sticky residue has been wiped from all the jam jars, the unidentified blobs with green fur have been tossed, and decomposing veggies have been relegated to the compost bucket. The drawers have been washed, dried, and put back in their places. I can stand back proudly and announce, in the voice of Zelda Rubenstein aka Tangina Barrows, "this fridge is clean".
If I KNEW I was going to do it, I'd find some excuse to get out of it, but I trick myself into doing it. I am so clever that way.
What, you might ask, does that have to do with pictures of sock yarn? Absolutely nothing. I went for a snack while the pictures were loading, and told myself "you really need to clean out the fridge".
I love this yarn. I think I already mentioned it in a previous blog, but it bears repeating. It is so soft, just like buttuh! The colors are so pretty and springy...like spring, the season, not bouncy springy. I think I may have to trick myself into finishing these socks, though. I have too many projects going at once, and nothing finished to show.
This was an error in judgement. It's my Amanda's Squatty Sidekick, or rather, not so squatty; I cast on extra stitches to make the base a little larger than the one in the pattern. I knit it with some wool yarn I picked up for a song in a thrift store in Little Rock (received a standing ovation-no, not really). It was really old. The label was yellowed and crinkly. It had probably been sitting in some little granny's knitting basket since the '60's.
I thought there was enough of the yarn to knit this bag. I was wrong. I could kick myself. I still have the strap and the flap left to knit, and no more wool. I'll have to either knit the straps and flap with a contrasting yarn, or rip back to the base and re-knit it, alternating stripes of the green wool with stripes of a contrasting color, so the original green will go farther. I'm not really of a mind to go to that much trouble, though. As you've likely determined by the fridge story, I am somewhat lazy.
I saw the furry novelty yarn at Big Lots, and noticed it was the exact same shade of green as the wool, so I bought it to add a little pizazz to the top of the bag. It was really cheap. It doesn't help with my shortage of yarn, though. What to do, what to do?

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Pepper Saga Update:

Pepper's still with us, and it's looking likely he'll stay that way. I bet you all knew that, though.


Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

~Psalm 37:4 NKJV

36 comments:

Blessings each day said...

I realize that I am challenged when it comes to doing awesome things with my blog, but this just popped up 15 minutes ago, but says it is from Sunday! Is this magic, something like the urge to clean the refrigerator?
blessings and thanks for coming back to blogland,
marcy

Blessings each day said...

Oh great, now I come back here and it has the right date. It's late at night/early morning and I should be in bed especially if the blogspot people are playing with my mind!
later sissy,
marcy

magnoliasntea said...

Oh good, someone else who cleans out the fridge the same way I do..cool. I call it my obligatory purgin' method. ;)

Love the sock yarn. I gave it a squeeze at JoAnn's, and you're right, it's very soft. Go, Deborah. Oh, hope that doesn't make Jane Pauley mad. _rolls eyes_giggles_

I'm sure you'll come up with a way to make the bag work.

Tracy Batchelder said...

I don't usually have a problem with the fridge, but I need to trick myself into cleaning out the closet. :)

Anonymous said...

I always wait as long as possible to clean the fridge. I really dislike that job!

That sock yarn is so pretty! The colors are so spring-y.

Tipper said...

You are so talented! I love the squatty bag-and the sock is a work of art.

I do the same thing about the frig and lots of other stuff-let it go until in a mad dash I decide I can't stand it one more minute!

Nancy said...

Do you want to come clean my refrigerator? It is one of those chores that I neglect.

Why don't you find a leather belt at the thrift shop that will work for the bag handle. I think a nice brown belt would look great with the celery/sage wool.

Marguerite said...

That's how I clean out my fridge too, with periodic tosses of fuzzy stuff between cleanings because the washing outs are very infrequent. Really, there are so many other things to do that are better ways to spend our time.

Love the socks.

Kerri said...

That was hilarious! And yes, I was wondering what yarn had to do with cleaning out your refrigerator! I need to clean mine. Maybe I can trick myself into it!

Claudia said...

I have the same fridge problems! And yet, when it gets cleaned, it's SO beautiful! But life is too short to be cleaning all the time! :D

Carol said...

Nah, not lazy. Smart. Why bother to clean it until it needs it. LOL If there is still room to stuff, I see no need. Heee.

I have the same problem as you, multiple part way finished projects. I often have Craft ADD. LOL

elizabeth said...

Renna you crack me up! "What does this have to do with sock yarn??" Great post. :)

And I followed your button to the 30x5 and I'm in. Surely I can move 30 minutes a day... (famous last words???)

Karen said...

The only thing I've ever knitted is socks, using the yarn like yours that makes a pretty pattern. But, your colors are so pretty. I earmarked the site, in case I can't find it in the stores.

I'm terrible about cleaning my fridge, too. Looks like I'm in good company:)

cinnamongirl93 said...

I usually clean the fridge when I come home after shopping. Not my favorite job.
The clutch is looking good. Try a contrasting color for the strap. I like how you used the fun fur for the top.
I'm glad pepper is staying put. That's great!

Liz Harrell said...

I do the same thing. I'm my most productive when I dont plan, which makes no sense. But congrats on the clean fridge, that's a huge job! At least in my house.

And thank you so much for your thoughtful comment yesterday, I really appreciated it.

Hugs,
Liz

Anonymous said...

I knew it. :D

These days, I work better with a list. It's so sad when the mind starts to go...

Aunt Kathy said...

So you got a nice clean fridge... but did you ever get that snack???? LOL

Amy said...

I really can't understand why no one has invented a self-cleaning fridge.

I just cleaned mine out too and it is such a joy to open!

MSM said...

This was just a nice way for you to remind me that I had quite the collection of unidentifiable items in my fridge, right? Who told you?

Amy, a redeemed sheep said...

Face it...Pepper is staying. ;o)

Beth said...

I put most things off around here. But for some reason I'm able to clean out my fridge every Monday. (Trash day is Tuesday so Monday is a good day to throw out any old bits.) I don't wash it out every week, though. I wish I could motivate myself to do all my chores each week! ;)

nikkicrumpet said...

BAG???? I hereby declare that it is now a HAT and you are done! Problem solved :) You can thank me later.

Georgi said...

I love that sock yarn, I will be picking some up as soon as the road defrosts. lolol

Juri said...

I love the squatty bag! I had to smile about the fridge cleaning...I do the same thing. If I planned that job, like you, I would find 100 reasons to get out of doing it! However, let me look for something and find those things that I no longer can identify, and the fridge gets sparkling clean! And I KNOW was dog chicken is...my fridge always has some!!!

MRS MJW said...

Oh what lovely colored socks. They sing spring to me! Yea, spring!

Joyfulsister said...

Hey Sis,
Hmmm Now you got me checking out my fridge!! LOL. I love the yarn colors, it looks like it feels really soft too. How creative you are my friend. I'm doing my catch up visits and enjoying catching up on reading each post.

Hugz Lorie

Brenda Pruitt said...

I use to crochet. I loved the softness of yarn. I wasn't very good at it though. Liked quilting better. I'm glad about Pepper!
Brenda

Robynn's Ravings said...

Yay for Pepper!!!

And Yay for a clean fridge. That is exACTly how I clean mine. I wish I had these disciplined scheduled days but I don't, and that's the reality, and whatever it takes is what I say.

Hey, LOVE that beautiful multi-colored yarn. Wish I were more clever. :) Can't wait to see your project when you're all done.

Linda ★ Parker's General said...

I love thrift finds....
happy news for Pepper.....
and great to have a clean fridge regardless of how it gets that way!

Gigi said...

Oh, I do the same thing when it comes to fridge cleaning. Why is it that that particular job is so daunting?!
Love the way your sock is looking. I finished my first one last night, and I'm so jazzed -- love it! I think I'm hooked ;-).

Debra said...

I love your new dog...he looks like he loves you too.
How about turning your green -not-enough-yarn project into a vest for him?! Then you could knit Leyna some snazzy coat for Easter....Well, just an idea!
Love, Debra

Suzan said...

I hate to clean out my fridge and I also despise oven cleaning. I tell myself that my oven is "self cleaning" - my mom (bless her) says it's not and bought me oven cleaner (yuckk).

Paula said...

I knew Pepper would be a keeper... I just wondered how long it would take for him to convince you. (Chuckle, snort)
I love the sidekick! And what song did you sing? *cough*

Kitty said...

Hi Renna. Thanks for dropping by my blog and taking the time to comment. I've had a nice time reading through your bloggy bits. I need to do the fridge. I do those deals with myself ... 'no more 'fun' sewing until you've finished the curtains'. It's got to be done!

Take care. :-)

Renna said...

Discovering that so many of you are much like me when it comes to being disciplined to keep a clean fridge...or rather undisciplined, somehow makes me feel a bit more normal. ;-)

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