WIP: Strangling Vines Scarf (and some spinning)

Are we there yet?
I think it may be time to bind off Strangling Vines scarf. I don't want to make the classic mistake of binding off too soon because I'm anxious to finish. However, it's about 60 inches as is, and will probably grow when blocked. (Keep in mind, it will also be less puckery after blocking.)

My "method" for measuring scarves is to hold them near the top of my head and see how far they are from the ground. I'm about five feet tall, and 60 inches seems to be a good length most of the time.

Being so close to finishing seems almost too good to be true. And I have a lot of Sea Silk leftover. I'm already scanning patterns on Ravelry, but I'm envisioning something simple, lacy and beaded. I think I can do that without a pattern.

Blocking is always a road block for me (no pun intended. Or maybe I should intend it.) And I've never blocked lace before. I'd really like a Knitter's Block and some lace blocking wires. I want to do this right, but all I have for now are T-Pins and old towels.


Spinning Update

In a recent comment, Titianknitter asked about getting together to working on spinning the merino. Actually, it's going pretty well:

I'm getting the hang of it, and I'm almost done with the periwinkle and ready to move to the indigo. The real test will be seeing how it plies.

The yarn is starting to stack up on my Mom's Niddy Noddy. I need to process some of this yarn soon:


Thoughts on Outsourcing
A little while ago I got a call from the third party company that was recently hired by my job to handle some of my job's benefits stuff. It was survey. They wanted my opinion on the ease of the insurance enrollment process. I found myself struggling to remember what parts actually had to do with this company, and what parts had to do with other companies. Because this is how it works (I think):

1) My company has this third party company handling benefits.
2) That company works with other third party companies to provide benefits.
3) The company that does my 401K has another company that's handling the management-it-for-you option.
4) The company that provides the debit card that I can use for my FSA is different than the main company that handles my FSA.
5) The person who called with the survey was probably with another third party company.
6) Keep in mind, my company is a third party company that does lead generation for other companies.

When we think of outsourcing, we imagine Americans losing their jobs, but outsourcing doesn't always mean jobs going overseas. It's confusing, but in this case, outsourcing is allowing my (relatively small) company to offer FSAs and other benefits we wouldn't normally have. On the other hand, half the time I don't know who I'm supposed to talk to when I need something.