I understand, I need to let go of the control thing. I’m not in control and I’m not gonna be. This is getting tired, pls 2 B backing off nao.

Ice storm last night. I didn’t sleep. I already wasn’t sleeping much, and then the branches and trees started falling. And the sirens started. And the lights.

All night. At 3:40 in the morning, the transformer blew like a gunshot, jolting me out of bed with a pounding heart in the “dark” of the night, or what passes for darkness in a befogged light-riddled city.

It is, I admit, very pretty.

So this morning, I got up, and dragged around tree pieces with my downstairs neighbor, Tom. Nice guy. Works for Budweiser.  Then we shoveled ice, snapped off pieces of the giant branch we couldn’t drag, and I got out my saw and sawed off two branches so we could get out.

This is *after* the cleaning and the saw.  One of the branches that fell took off a corner of my deck.

They’re now saying there’s a chance we’ll be without power until Monday. I’m hoping, being next to the middle school, I’ll be higher priority.

Yay.

In good news, Tom’s visiting today through Sunday morning.  And I’m basically done with the Leaves ply of Dionysus. I’ll pick up the vine thread this weekend and should be able to ply Monday or Tuesday. Hurray for getting some things done in a timely manner.  I’ll probably start on a batch of Queen Mab next for a change in fiber.

Oh, and I managed to order fiber for more Lichen and, finally, for Rusalka.

~The Gnome

I restarted my little brother’s hat. I’m trying actual DKing it. Doing a ribbed hat with two strands of the happy feet. We’ll see. Hopefully I have enough.

I’m a little over halfway through spinning the “leaves” ply of Dionysus. I can’t get a good picture of it, for some reason. It’s prettier than this. But this is the best I could do this morning.

I’ve decided that, in my desire to do something about/for Jen, I’m going to collect 6 inch washable squares from a bunch of my friends and acquaintances, and piece them together into an afghan. A physical representation of support, and it gives me something to do, at a time I feel like I need to be *doing* something.  If you want to help out, email me for an address. We’re doing earth tones, with a break for any Patriots (football team) themed squares.  She was an avid hiker, and football fan. I’m hoping people who want to donate squares can get them in the mail by the first full week of January (4th-10th) so that’s 4 weeks.

I called my parents last night. I reminded them I love them. They drive an hour to work and an hour home, every day, often in exceptionally crappy weather. It helped a little. As has the outpouring of care and support. Thanks.

~The Gnome

Can I get a hug?

My day job is as a graduate student, working on my Ph.D. in Biochemistry.

Everything was lining up. We published a paper last week. One of my lab mates, Mel, graduated yesterday. The lab was looking good. Then…

My lab mate, my friend, Jen… was in a car accident last night. They hydroplaned and crashed off the highway into the trees. She got trapped in the car and was pronounced dead on the scene. Her husband is in the ICU here, he’ll be under observation for another day before being moved to a normal bed for a week. Then… he goes home to heal physically and start putting together the pieces of his brand new, shattered family.

She was going to have a son, Max, on her favorite musician, Bon Jovi’s birthday. She published her first scientific paper last week.

They say things happen for a reason… but right now, I don’t want to think there’s a reason for removing this wonderful, talented, vital person from the world. I don’t want to think there’s a reason that the world shouldn’t be made better by her presence, and her mind. Somehow, thinking that this was truly random, helps right now.

Lessee… never enough time. Science, as usual, obstinately refuses to follow Occam’s Razor. Completely. Or cooperate in any way.

But, my coworker is defending her thesis today, go her!

I finished up the last bit of the wine for Dionysus, and stared on the leaves.

Trying to clean my disaster area of an apartment for a (thankfully understanding) houseguest this weekend, my good friend, Tom.

Haven’t had time to restart my little brother’s hat.

BUT I got two more rovings dried and photographed.

More War for the Oaks, a slightly darker batch this time. Also this time in the larger XL “men’s” size of 125g instead of 100. For bigger socks, bigger projects, or… you know, whatever!

And, also in the large size, Rust

Just a few more of this fiber left. Debating what to hit next. I’m thinking maybe some merino/bamboo heathers, or merino/alpaca…

Back to lab. Must make my yeast glow.

~The Gnome

So I managed to almost completely spin the wine for Dionysus. Which is good, since it’s supposed to be a holiday gift, which means I need to get it done, now.

I think I can likely finish the leaves this week, which will leave twisting on the vine. (Yes, this really is how my brain works). I’m still trying to decide between fruit for it. I have a really dark bead (called “eggplant”) that really looks like a dark grape, but likely will only show up against the green, and a slightly lighter more shiny one. I’ll probably have to hold each up against the plies. The wine might be light enough to allow for the grape beads.

I dyed more of the War for the Oaks (slightly darker this time) and one I’m calling “Rust” for now, both in large 125g batches. Those will be dry by tomorrow and I can post them.

Also finally managed to get this guy dry. I’m pretty happy with the way it came out, better than I envisioned. A nice range from chartreuse all the way to deep emerald.

Into the Green (yes, a reference to the book, I’m in a book mood lately)

I’ve ordered some more colors to play with. Yes, I’m like a kid. It’s like grownup fingerpainting.

~The Gnome