Well, maybe a little, but it just involved the BAV and a trip to see some international orders off...I know, I couldn't help it. I have been a bad bad blogger, keeping all of this business to myself until I could work through it with color and texture. We are fine, here at Chez S and this is the latest of the malarkey, just in case you want to read about what The Husband's friend calls The Perils of Pauline.
You all know about Friday, which will from this time forward be known as the Day of Torture. The weekend came and on Saturday I decided that we needed to get out of the house and to the movies. We both really really needed to laugh and so we chose The 40 Year Old Virgin. I must say that this is one hell of a funny movie, raunchy, silly and sweet. We both loved it and it proved to be just what the witchdoctor ordered...a date flick for men and women. He let go just a little...a teensy bit. On Sunday we feted my mother for her 80th birthday, in the only way that she wanted, breakfast at our house with just us, so that she could hang with the Thundering Herd and admire all of our hard work around here. Hey! The price was right. :o) We used the rest of the day on Sunday to plan our attack on our future, even though The Husband was painfully hanging onto a shred of a chance that he would be offered something, there in the Evil Kingdom, or as Wiley Miller of Non Sequitor calls it...Prophane Industries. Not a chance, buster. He spent Monday finding out who got jobs and who did not and he is actually one of the few sacrificial lambs. I told him that he should be happy for his friends that did get offers because they have more need of this than he does, the two people that will absorb his job function are a young man who is the breadwinner of a little family and the other person is a single woman in a position of being too young to retire and too old to be on the job market. I told him to count his blessings and ride out the days until his early retirement and then just turn his back on that place with his head held high. He wore his lucky Kiss My Ass shirt today...a beautiful and bright tropical print. I think that he is finally getting it...he is escaping and we will be ok.
We will stay put for the time being. There is plenty of potential for building the business on this property and so that is what we will do. The bay area is still very centrally located and the You-puss man knows where to drop the heavy yarn boxes...
Ready for color? I really really have been busy and not just wallowing in the mud (it was easy to get sidetracked when The Husband got my $$ hopes up with a possible job offer and now I am back on track). Here are the first pictures of Sock!
Yup, the work has begun on this beautiful, beautiful yarn. I am so happy with how it takes color in such a deep way and know that it will be wonderful for socks or a myriad of other projects. We will get it up on the site as soon as Brenda has time for me but in the meantime, more colorways are set for the dye table today...there is a big tub of yarn soaking out there right now. (The Husband has been winding yarn like a pro...)
I finally finished the first pound of the new silk/merino colorway that I decided to call Bimini Blue. This was the real tester for the Spin-tech because I wanted to do two 8 ounce bobbins and ply them...no problem. The color is even richer than it reads with this light filled shot.
Thanks to the encouraging words of friends, I did put together a couple more shawls from my stash of yarns. I tried to see if there were other things that could be put into the combinations, to give the same drape and luster as silk and tried one of my favorite cellulosic yarns, Fatima (rayon/cotton textured yarn) and nope...(rude buzzer noise inserted here) it is silk or nothing. Here are pictures of a couple of other pieces that I did this weekend of torture...they are a fine way to chill out.
The question came up about kitting these things and yes, I am going to give it a go at the Labor Day show, to test the waters. I think that they can be quite reasonable, if I break up the skeins into the "just right" amounts. I have also called in an order with Brittany for a stash of size 17 needles (no they are not heavy) so that people can get started on the way home. I think that it will be fun. We will see how they go in person and then put up individual kits on the website as they are put together. They will be nice gifts for knitters or nice kits to knit up as holiday gifts. Cushy Shawls.
I'm daydreaming about those sock yarns.....
I think your attitude is fantatic, considering the blow that was handed to your family. I have been holding you in my thoughts. My father faced forced early retirement, and it was difficult. But now he loves, loves, loves his life. I hope the same for you.
I bet the shawl kits go like crazy. I love them. Maybe a poncho variation too, as people seem to really like that too.
Posted by: Wendy | August 24, 2005 at 09:46 AM
I think the shawls are wonderful Lisa they will be eaten up like candy!!!!
Posted by: elizabeth | August 24, 2005 at 10:10 AM
Way to go, Lisa! Just wondering - what age is "too young to retire and too old to be on the job market"? I am 56 and facing the loss of funding for my soft-money position at the University in the next year or so. Actually half of it is going away in October. I am feeling "too tired to be on the job market" - and also have a self-employed spouse (woodworker). So it's into the void with heads held high around here, too.
Posted by: Katie | August 24, 2005 at 10:27 AM
These days it almost feels like MY age (38) is too old to be on the job market! Big employers are going cheaper and cheaper by the minute! It's almost as if HR departments base half their decisions on whether or not they can get 20 years out of you or not!
Go Lisa! Go Lisa! Go Lisa!
Posted by: kim | August 24, 2005 at 10:52 AM
Ohhh Lisa......everything just looks so yummy.....!! Now you are going to keep yourself warm in one of those cozy shawls.......or shall i knit you are real lace one......since you are not going to do it!*GRIN* Just keep the good work going....you and Rod can do it...I'm in no doubt!:-) Slobbery hugs from Denmark.....!*GRIN*
Posted by: Helle From Denmark | August 24, 2005 at 12:53 PM
Well, I am keeping my chins up and moving on. It gets a little nerve wracking to feel like the business will carry us but when The Daughter went off to out of state University, the cotton sweater idea came into my little pea brain...I have faith. I just want The Husband to be happy and energetic and heck, we can do that on tuna melts as easily as filet mignon. :o)
Jeez, Helle...no lace shawls for this knitter, that is certain. However, I will never say never to socks, especially with more and more colors piling up around here. Yippee!
Posted by: Lisa S | August 24, 2005 at 02:30 PM
The sock yarn looks fabulous and you know we're all cheering for the two of you. Go House S!
Posted by: Angela | August 24, 2005 at 02:33 PM
Anyone have dibs on the blue yet? MINE.
Mine mine mineminemine
Posted by: Kerry | August 24, 2005 at 06:51 PM
Whoa! You *have* been busy. What a riot of color. I'm glad you and Rod got to have just a bit of fun, and I love the "kiss my ass" pink shirt. I might just need one of those! I'm glad to hear that you're both doing well. Oh, and that blue is to die for!
Posted by: Sam | August 24, 2005 at 08:54 PM