Hope is All That Matters

Now that I have written the first part of the Provisional Cast On Tutorial, and today, after I performed the second part for the camera, I need another day to figure out how to tell you that the Provisional Cast On is a crapshoot.

Actually, the fact that the whole shebang didn't unzip for the camera doesn't mean it won't "unzip" for the rest of you at some point in time. I guess the news is, with Knitting and Life, we'll have to arm ourselves with whatever tools, be it patience, booze, a crochet hook or a barking dog, everything will come out okay.

And it did. But, like most of my provisional cast ons, whichever method I use, only once in awhile do I get the "unzip" effect. The rest of the time it is either hours of gathering steam so I can untangle and pick up what I think are working stitches, or I just take a deep breath and carefully clip the provisional stitches away and place the live ones back on the needle. (That is why I would always suggest you use a bright, slippery type of yarn or fiber for the provisional part.

Like I said, Life, just like Knitting, doesn't always turn out absolutely perfect.  Last week, we had a scare. Poor Chuck had been limping and the vet had to keep him for a day to do some tests to rule out bone cancer. After a day of the two of us crying, morphine for him, sedation and later, sympathy, we disovered Chuck is a-okay, but he has some lasting issues which we will control with medication and love.

On other news, the Sunday-type news, we are looking for locations, camera shoots, you know, the ones for the You-Know. We're shooting in late summer in Southern California, and although I'd love to see some of the shots done in old Hollywood-type places, the permits would be way too expensive. So my husband has been scouting out nice places near our home that are either for free or maybe with permission from the owner. If any of you know of some kitschy or picturesque or quintessentially California spots that would be el-cheapo, write me an email.  Even if it is a private home. But please, no coffee houses.

Here are a few pics of what we have seen today and yesterday. (BTW: We're not thinking of doing a shoot on this trail but since it is literally 85 steps or so as a crow flies out our front door, I wanted to show you what we do on the weekends. Chuck got four ticks trekking on this little trail. Me? I got only one.)

Comments

[Sarah]

Good luck on the photo locations! I wish I knew something I could recommend. Now, if you were near Chicago...

Thank goodness Chuck is okay.

[Lizbon]

Love the weekend pics. My memories of SoCal are far too distant to be of any use, though I wonder if there are still those crazy dinosaur-looking oil pumps. That would make an interesting backdrop for knits. Or do I mean incongruous?

[wendy]

I think you are talking about the Tarpits... The La Brea Tarpits...hmmmm. Must check and see (I'm thinking that taking photos there would be big bucks).

[Lynda]

There are always the trains in my little town...

whew....glad Chuck's okay. I'm not a dog person, but I actually enjoy seeing/petting Chuck!

[JJ]

What a relief that Chuck is OK. Does he have a torn CCL or something? That's the first thing I think when I see a lab limping because it's so common in that breed. Or hip dysplasia. (If it's a Rottweiler, I automatically think bone cancer). If it's hips, knees, or both, Chuck needs to lay off the biscuits. Even though his trick is fabulous.

Can't think of anything in SoCal. I'm here in Davis, where there's NOTHING interesting to photograph!

[flutter]

Make a run up to Melrose, Wendylove. There are OODLES of kitschy places all in one locale, many of which I bet you could use with something as small as a photo credit.
just a thought. Glad to hear Chuck is ok, poor guy. A friend's pooch had valley fever that resulted in some very painful joints, poor thing.

BTW as always you are completely adorable.

[Vicki W.]

Hey, am I the only one that was tricked by the picture with the pots? In the small view, I didn't see Wendy, and assumed it was a close-up of a table filled with small pots. What a surprise when I enlarged the picture. Cool!

[Jill]

I'm glad Chuck is OK. What a sweet doggie.

Man, seeing you in tank tops and sunny weather makes me jealous! I'm in Michigan and am so ready for summer!

[Dee]

Does it cost a lot to take pictures at Vasquez Rocks? Maybe you're not doing too much of the nature thing for the pictues, but if you are going to the great outdoors, you can't do better than the Vasquez Rocks because there are so many ways to shoot them. Oh, and on the way up there you could shoot in front of the oil wells that are all along the 14.

[Sarah]

I am so glad Chuck is going to be alright. Those little dogs become such a part of your family....

[Poodle]

OK, I got my dogs at times when I desperately wanted another child but couldn't have one. My kid jokes that she's got a sister and a brother-well, only half jokes. I freak out when they have problems. They meaning, her, the brown her or the black and white him.
Provisional Cast On: I had to do that exact same technique with the Monmouth Cap. Leave the waste yarn in until you have your working yarn safely on the needle. I don't care if it's not supposed to be done. It's the only way I can make sure that I didn't mess up. Once I have my stitches on (and counted) I check the waste yarn for any working yarn that's on top of it (safe guard against my chronic transposition of numbers)and then I untie my slip knot and squip it out of the working yarn and needle. Squip is the sound you are going for-slick yarn. . .you know. It worked for me.
Hope that helps.

[June]

With a dog named Chuck balancing stuff on his head, I thought for a second that I was looking at Dooce.com. Glad to hear the dog is going to be OK.

[john]

Poor Chuck. What a cutie. Glad he's ok, though.

[Trish]

Glad Chuck is okay. The you-know sounds like it's going to be so awesome! I agree with Sarah, if you were in Chi-town, I'd totally hook you up. I remember doing a cool shoot a million years ago (in a past PR life) in the doggie/jogging park near West Hollywood. Something Canyon. I do encourage you to do at least one shoot like the one you did for that cool coat - that picture that looked like you were in Avalon with the fog all about. Do you know the one I'm talking about? That was a surreal, awesome photo that I just loved.

P.S. Did you get new bangs? cute.

[lyn]

glad chuck is ok...i hate doggy scares!
i'm from kansas so i have no photoshoot options for you..but i do LOVE the new bangs!!

[lyn]

glad chuck is ok...i hate doggy scares!
i'm from kansas so i have no photoshoot options for you..but i do LOVE the new bangs!!
Oh yeah..i had a tick in my BELLYBUTTON once. it was NOT pleasant...and i wasnt' even rolling around in the woods naked! fully clothed hiking...the best way to do it. don't know how that sucker got in there :)

[Dawn]

So happy to hear Chuck is okay! AND that is the cutest pic of him. First thing to make me smile on this craptastic Monday morning. Thanks!

[Denise]

Scouting for locations is always fun, public parks and gardens can often be used too.
Sweet Chuck - so nice that your family cares so deeply for him and that he's going to be okay.
You look so happy and warm in that nursery, up here in Vancouver we've shed our coats but not our long sleeves yet!

[Knitting Nettie]

When I think of SoCal and such, I think of what every tourist imagines...Hollywood and Vine street signs, Monroe's prints in cement at the theatre, Mickey Mouse, the beach with surfboards, USC Trojans....more will come to me....

[Erica]

How about in front of one of the missions? It could have a sort of "Vertigo" look to it...(I think that's the right Hitchcock movie.)

[Debbie]

I'm so glad Chuck is okay. You know how I love him.

[Beth]

Nice bangs, new 'do?

[Maryanne]

I'm so glad Chuck is o.k.!! I love that photo of you in the nursery among the plants too :)

[Lizbon]

Oh, I love the LaBrea Tarpits, but I really did mean the oil pumps. I suppose they are gone, but there used to be these weird contraptions for pumping oil that were all over SoCal and much of the Southwest. I imagine that any oil pumping is done offshore these days, but the old pumps looked for all the world like giant metal drinking bird toys, or pterodactyls. A field of them would've made a great, otherworldly backdrop for a photo shoot.

Oh, and I meant to say before that I am very glad Chuck is going to be okay.

What about taking photo at a roller derby event? The women who do derby seem pretty cool - I bet they'd let you. Maybe they'd even agree to model for you.

[lisa]

if you're up for coming way down south, san diego has balboa park -- fantastic rococo spanish architecture, lots of archways, lots of green, lots of fountains, a great big organ pavilion. great locations for photos -- there are always photo shoots going on in the park. plus the san diego zoo, a merry-go-round and miniature train for girlfriend.