Hot Knitting

Another day in hellish heat. Betsy, my dog, is all better now. I was exhausted and hot all day yesterday. Couldn't take a nap - it was too hot. I spent the day trying to figure out ways to keep cool and reduce use of electricity. Tough to do when the "heat index" is over 100 and humidity is 87%. I put a sheet up over the doorway between the livingroom and kitchen. Not the best solution. The kitchen got really really hot. Can't be good for the fridge. My little air conditioner in the window in my bedroom is managing to keep that temp tolerable in the house. I just hate running it non-stop. One more day of this, says the weatherman, and then it will break. My lawn needs to be mowed, but I'm not going out in this heat to do that. It can wait a few more days.

Knitting
I did work on the fingerless gloves which are now magically transformed into very nice mittens with cabled cuffs. I decided I really have no use for anything fingerless. If it's cold enough for mittens/gloves, those fingers need warmth. I simply made the hand part long in the 4 X 1 rib and started decreasing when the length reached the tip of my pinky finger. I will be doing afterthought thumbs. Easiest way to go. They are turning out really nice. I like them. I used some 6" bamboo dpns for the body of the mitten. What a difference! I love working with them. It's so much easier to work with 6" rather than 8" dpns. The only US size 4 dpns I have are either 10 or 12 inches long. I HATE those things. I have to replace them with some shorties.
I bought some handpainted wool yarn on ebay from a lady in Nova Scotia in July. I was hoping it would arrive yesterday. No such luck. It will make some really pretty socks, I think. I have several pairs of Birkenstock clogs, which, first of all, are my absolutely favorite and most comfortable shoe, and secondly, they show off handknit socks very nicely.
OK, time to get to work. Til tomorrow.