Scrappy Random Ripple [Crochet]

Scrappy Random Ripple ~(54" x 65")

I've had some extra time on my hands at home this week due to two of the girls not feeling well :( 

:(  There really isn't a greater helpless feeling than that feeling when you want to wave a magic wand to make them feel better.  But.... that magic wand simply doesn't exist.

Trying to keep my anxiety at bay, I kept busy by putting more rows onto the Random Scrappy Ripple (pattern:  Neat Ripple by Lucy at Attic24).    

Anxiety, you ask?  Gah.  Yup!

I really didn't mind staying home Wednesday with Cassie;  it was an easy day to write up sub plans for;  most classes were in need of a work/practice day after learning a new skill or two on Monday/Tuesday.
I was back at work Thursday..... until I received a phonecall from the school nurse that Candace was fading fast (with a 101 fever).  So, I scrambled some quick notes together for the rest of the afternoon;  scrounged up a sub to cover my afternoon classes, and was heading home.
It's a good thing I stopped in the highschool office before I left though to check out the substitute situation for Friday -- this was a 'just in case' move, per Nurse Kelly's request of keeping Candace at home if her fever didn't break.
Holy Moly!  All five of my 'go-to' substitutes were already scheduled for the day.  But... our secretary (with some input from our Principal) worked her magic and fanagled the substitute schedule.

Planning for a substitute isn't the easiest.  And my 6th period class is of my biggest concern right now.  I wasn't there on Wednesday.  I was at least able to finish up their class period on Thursday.  But....if I were to be gone Friday---what to do with them?  I actually allowed them to give me some input on the game plan.

BECAUSE---I also have an afternoon mtg on Monday; therefore, I won't be with them.  And then again next Wednesday, I'm out with an all-day meeting.  Blah!  Thursday marks the end of the semester, so... it just is escalating a little bit into...."ummm, well... what to do?  What to do?"

So, sure enough....Candace spiked 102 Friday morning.  It's a good thing I spent 3 hours on Thursday afternoon planning notes and videos for my classes.  I forwarded them along to the school secretary to be printed out for my sub.  I updated the websites for each class.  I wrote up a dozen or-so emails to students who were scheduling times with me to reassess some skills.  All but one responded back to me by lunch time;  everyone was able to be flexible and reschedule to Monday before or after school.  I'll tell ya, technology SURE has its advantages!!!

Anyway---so yeah.  I was feeling anxious Friday (yesterday).  It's kinda cumulative of Candace reallllly not feeling well... and me being out of my classroom... and the guilt that comes with being out of my classroom.

**shrug**

Just sharing a little insight into the mind of me as a teacher...

So, anyway.  Once I was able to focus on the crocheting, the anxiety slowly subsided.  Crazy enough, it never really went away.  BUT, I reached a point in the Scrappy Random Ripple where I felt...."It's done."

This afghan was started at the end of November after I attempted to tidy up my living room area of yarn mess.  I had leftovers from other projects scattered around, and I had also purchased some scraps from a local thrift shop.  They seemed like they would play nicely together.

I snipped a small piece from each ball and placed the snippets in a little container.  A die was also placed in the container.  The plan:  I would have one of the girls choose a piece of yarn blindly from the container, and then have her roll the die.  The afghan would grow by the number of rows shown on the die, using the color selected.    Completely random :)

And, of course, with yarn still scattered around (albeit, a bit more organized that in November), it's a perfect idea to start aNOTHER ripple!   ((I realllly do love this pattern!!!!!!!!)

New start - Always Time

Bonnie's mystery quilt of 2014 has begun, and of COURSE I'm eager to participate.  I hadn't chosen fabrics, so after arriving home Friday afternoon after celebrating Thanksgiving at my parent's house, I spent some time in the sewing room.  I had a stack of luscious lilacs/sages/olives that I was hoping would fit the bill, but..... *sigh*.... no matter how I sorted them, varied them, added to them.... 

... they weren't working out with Bonnie's requests.

And, in a weird silly moment, I begged the silent aura of Bonnie for forgiveness.  I chose to push pause on her mystery.  I needed to work with these fabrics!

Friday evening, I spent in front of the television with stacks and stacks of quilt magazines.  I'm thankful I've been able to ignore the little voice in my head that often tells me  I need to reduce my pile of magazines, thinking I'll NEVER make a quilt from a pattern.  By the time I headed to bed, I had narrowed my choices to four that I felt would work with the fabric amounts on hand.

Saturday morning, I finalized it to the Ramblin' Aunt Sukey pattern.  I've made this pattern before for Cathy's Aunt Sukey, back in 2008.  It's a lovely, elegant pattern. 

The morning was spent cutting up most of the units.  It's crazy how much time it takes to cut all of these pieces, but yet...... there's SO little to show!

I would have loved to begin sewing, but I had a wedding to attend of a very special young lady.

Bright and 5:00 early this morning though, I was up raring to dive into the project.

Hours later (7?), the blocks are completed and are resting on the carpeted area, waiting to be sewn into a quilt top.  Today was a wonderfully productive day :D  After working on it for hours, I think it'll suitable fit the name, Always Time.

My Green Bay Packer scrap leader-ender project is growing nicely on the design wall.  I have no definite size in mind;  I'll just keep adding until it reaches (no larger than) a queen size.

Now, I have decisions to make!  I would love to continue tackling this collection of yarn odds-n-ends in a new 'Scrap Ripple' afghan, but, sadly, I think my school work needs to take some precedence.  (At least long enough for me to know what I'm planning to do tomorrow!)  And soon---the Packer game is on!