Thursday, March 05, 2009

Spending the Egg Money

Well! Who knew that so many people would share the floating egg trick with me in the comments to yesterday's post? The kids and I put the eggs in a pot of water today and they didn't float. So I hard-boiled the eggs and fed them to the kids for lunch. No one died.

Experiment successful. Oh, and let's check "science" off the homeschooling to-do list for the week...

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We hosted clubs this afternoon. That means, my house is clean and my children are traumatized by our typical crisis cleaning this morning. I guess I shouldn't have threatened to throw out all their possessions, but I was feeling desperate. The threat of public shaming will do that to you, you know.

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I am anxiously awaiting my Knitpicks order...you see, my top-down baby sweater has remained unfinished because I have not been able to locate the four size-2 DPN's required to knit the sleeves. I didn't want to order new ones, because I managed to find 2 of the needed needles; meaning, the other 2 are around here somewhere.

But a few days ago I bowed to the inevitable: the missing needles will not show up until I have their replacements in the house. This is a law of knitting, I believe. Much like gravity is a law of nature...can't change it, just gotta roll with it....

So, since I was already ordering a set of double-pointed needles, I figured I should add a few items to get the free shipping, right? Like, say, an entire set of Harmony circulars? The ones with the smooth joins and flexible cables? And then there were the sock-yarn samplers from last year that are now on sale...had to pick up one of those, of course....

Yeah, I totally got carried away. I can rationalize everything except the Harmony circulars. I mean, the metal circulars set was 15 dollars less; in keeping with my thrifty nature, I should have bought those instead. (Knitters, at this point you might rush to comment that no, buying the metal set would have been a terrible mistake. I know I would do as much for you. Thanks.)




20 comments:

  1. I don't knit, but I'm pretty sure that buying those metal things would have been a really bad move.
    (how was that?)

    I tend to lose fabric. I will know darn well that I have a certain fabric in the house and I can't find it, but I know it's there............

    Somewhere.

    So if I can't find it within a few minutes, I have to do an analysis on how much time it might take me to look for the fabric, and how much work I could have finished during that amount of time, so I usually just go out and buy more fabric, because in the long run, buying the fabric will cost less that the money I would lose by not working.

    (How's that for rationalization?)

    And then the bonus is that I have spare fabric in the house in case I ever have a fabric emergency.

    If I can find it.

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  2. Karen, I really wish you hadn't posted that KnitPicks link!!! I am desperately trying to find someone to teach me to knit. I can crochet, but can't knit. I have been scouring UTube like a fiend trying to make sense of some of the knitting videos on there.
    Oh and the older the eggs are the better they are for making deviled eggs.

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  3. Always happy to support another knitter. I am gradually acquiring the Harmony modular needles, and I love their Harmony DP's as well. My next KnitPicks order will probably include the little notebook to hold the modulars; right now they are in a small Rubbermaid box, and the DP's are grouped with the same-size circs in clear plastic "Spacemaker" pencil boxes from the office supply store

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  4. I'm not sure what is so tramatic about cleaning to young kids..but it is. My daughters were entertaining me last week reading from old journals. One entry spoke of having to clean up "for the dreaded tomorrow" There was no entry the following day, so I am left to wonder what WAS so dreaded about October 18 2001?

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  5. Don't know much about science and eggs. But, I do know about knitting. And, yes, the Harmonies would be a mistake. Wooden needles are the only way to go. Knitpicks is a great site.

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  6. Well, I sympathize with the Thrifty, of course, but I for one can't knit on metal. Too slippery, too bright, too loud! In your position, I would have had to go for the Harmony needles. Perhaps you are the same?

    Besides, they're so pretty...

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  7. If you prefer wooden needles and you bought the metal ones, you wouldn't use them as much, therefore they'd be a waste of money. Ta-da.

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  8. Metal would have been terrible. Too slippery and everything would slide off and then you would have to do it all over again!!

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  9. I suspect that when we have children they will be incredibly ruined by emergency cleanings, because I do not clean unless public shame is inevitable.

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  10. Blah, blah, "Thrifty nature!" blah, blah.

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  11. Glad to know you survived the egg salad--any time I lose something it turns up when I've replaced it. It blows. Or sucks. Eggs, that is.

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  12. I have not ordered them only because I can't decide whether to get metal or wood - I've been gradually trying more metal needles and finding I do knit a little faster but the wood ones are SO pretty and what if the yarn is slippery...

    Now you can tell me if you like them so maybe I can make up my mind!

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  13. Enabler to the rescue! You definitely made the right choice with the Harmony needles. The metal ones are so cold on my hands.

    Have you tried Magic Loop or socks on 2 circulars? It's revolutionized my sock production.

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  14. I have to say that I looove the metal KnitPicks Options. For the beauty of the wood, I got the DPN set in Harmony. It must have been a good month to get both sets of yummy needles. I use them almost exclusively. There is a reason so many knitters love them, they are fabulous! Enjoy yours, I got a sock sampler too - on sale of course!!

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  15. My experience agrees with yours: the missing supplies will not show up until the replacements have been purchased.

    While I am not a knitter (I know, it is a terrible flaw), I can see that wood is superior to metal. With wood, you can feel the LOVE, which is especially important in the making of baby attire. Just sayin'.

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  16. The missing item will only turn up after you buy a replacement. Isn't that Murphy's law? The only exception I have seen recently was the crimping tool for replacing phone/network wire plugs. I refused to buy a new one, as the good quality ones are $30+ dollars. Hubby had no idea where he put it and it was missing for months. It finally showed up in a box of stuff he took to his workshop to sort. Now I need to buy new phone plugs, as I don't think we have any. We have bought 3 packs of network jacks in the last year, but lost the first 2 somewhere. :)

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  17. I'm a real newbie knitter, but I've been crocheting for a long time...and I can't knit or crochet with metal hooks/needles. They make my wrists hurt really bad, so I always go with wood, bamboo, or plastic for needles/hooks/implements.

    You only bought those to spare your health so you'll still be able to care well for your family as you age. Right? :)

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  18. I can only knit a straight line - and I didn't realize that there WERE other knitting supplies, but I am absolutely sure that those metal things would be an abomination.

    They were on sale weren't they? Therefore, they are unwanted by knitters in the know, and clearly substandard. (probably made in china out of lead paint chips)

    Frankly, you SAVED your family money. Had you bought those crappy metal things, you would have had to buy the others anyway once you read the article on how they were killing children and kittens, and would be out even more money. Technically, I think your husband owes you $15 and both the shipping fees...

    I can justify ANY expense. Always here for you.

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  19. I'm a lousy knitter, but those multicolored needles are so beautiful...

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  20. hum... I know nothing. I just started knitting. Are metal needles bad?

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