Off to College

We got Ally all settled at Centre College this week. We went down and stayed at Shakertown on Tuesday night and then moved her in on Wednesday.

The college had everything remarkably well organized. We were stunned that a swarm of volunteers -- including professors and even the president of the college -- descended on us and helped us carry all of her stuff up to the room. It took no time at all to get the car unloaded and then we had the rest of the morning to put things in place.

There were a lot of orientation meetings for both the students and the parents and then it was time to leave. Her Dad and I didn't start crying until we were headed out of town, but we felt pretty good about her ability to cope with college life. We've been communicating by email since then at least once or twice a day. She's settling in just fine.

Bohus Update

I started the sleeve of the Bohus, only to find that it was created for an elephant. I started looking for pictures of the finished sweater -- the pattern picture isn't that good -- and found a few on Ravelry. The sleeve is a BELL shape! Well, I don't want that, so I contacted a great knitter on Ravelry who changed the shape of her Bohus sleeves and got some advice from her. With help, I was able to make a regular sleeve with the fancy cable rib cuff and I've started the second sleeve. So, the Bohus is moving right along.

On the spinning wheel, I've spun two bobbins full of the merino/mohair blend that a friend gave me. I need to ply them and I'll probably dye the yarn before I knit it up.

Around the house, we're getting ready for the big change. Ally is going off to college -- our first is leaving the nest. We're trying to get everything ready for her to go -- trying to anticipate every need. I think all of us are both in denial and thinking to ourselves that this will be the last time the family is together living as a family. I shouldn't be so dramatic, but things do change once you're living on your own at college. When you come home, it's like your a guest in your own house. Oh, well. Time marches on. Our goal as parents is to make her independant of us ... but it goes so fast.

Slowly, Not Surely

The body of my black Bountiful Bohus sweater has been finished for at least two weeks. I just got up the gumption to start on the sleeves, only to find that they're bell shaped and only three-quarter length. Why didn't I look at the pattern more closely?!

Actually, the pattern itself doesn't show the sleeves. I had to look at other people's projects on Ravelry to find some pictures of them. I only thought to look when I had done three rows on a sleeve and realized that it could fit an elephant. Anyway -- I think the pattern sleeves are really ugly and now I'm going to have to redesign them, which is going to be unpleasant. I want close-fitting sleeves that go to the wrist. This sweater may not get done any time in the near future.