Bekahs Tangled Skien

Writing practice

2010-08-07T01:00:00.003-04:00

She was exhausted, two more miles to go and she would be home. Well to he new apartment. Hopefully it would be more homey AFTER the boxes were unpacked and all of her furniture arrived. Selene was turning 30 this week. A new decade deserved a new start she decided. So she packed all her things that would fit in her Celica and sent the rest with a moving van to ______ Oklahoma. A small Midwestern town, cozy and a bit Mayberry in it's quaintness. Just perfect for her mission. Finding a husband, now rest assured our dear Selene had far More planned for herself, but this was her primary objective. She had already taken out a small business loan and found the perfect storefront for her other lifelong dream; A bakery. NOt just a sweets shop with overpriced coffees and frosting laden cupcakes, But a true honest to goodness Bakery. Fresh loaves of pumpernickel and french breads, buttery warm croissants, and of course the cakes. Cakes were Selene's passion, she spend hours mapping and drawing out her designs on crisp sketch paper. tumbling cascades of ivy, with stawberries and sugar paste blossoms. Dainty white chocolate lines dancing across the sides of a rich dark chocolate frosted cake, filled with champagne maranaided strawberry jam. She kept them all in a leather bound journal her father gave her for her graduation present. The rich scent of it's oiled cover and the warmth of the memory of the gift always made her careful to only put the best of her ideas into it's precious pages. Now she would finally have a place to bring these confectionary dreams to life. As she pulled into the parking space in front of the bakery Selene took it all in. A modest brick two story, her apartment would be upstairs so that she could get the earliest start on her baking. Sweet smelling gardenias potted in large urns out front, and a striking white spiral staircase to one side with matching white shutters on the large front windows. She closed her eyes invisioning how perfect it would all look once the cakes and pastries were all laid out in the window case. Oh yes, she thought, what a wonderful start it would be.

Ladder wrap pattern

2009-08-02T16:11:00.002-04:00

per Ravelry I am posting my ladder wrap pattern here :
CO 18 sts with 8 YO's (once every two sts)
1:(k2,yo)
2:(p2,yo)rep.
thats it and b.o. when the yarn ball ends.![alt text][1]

Also I am adding my pattern for Hot flames Man sweater:

I used one each of the classic wool. The flame design on the bottom is a reverse of the “hot rod socks” graph by PinkLemon aka Melanie Gibbons. It was the best one to match my husband’s flame cane. And I liked it much better than the ones I came up with.
on each piece you will leave off 2 sts on one end. hence 3.8 and 6.8 repeats on pattern
note this on your graph to keep the pattern in order.
Front C.O. 45 sts in red for FRS and FLS rep flames 2.8x . @ 17 in. B.O. 2sts (5x) over 10r K side for right and P side for left. @20.5 In. B.O. 1st (6x) over 12r, P side for right front,K side for left front. K four rows then B.O. or hold all(24sts)

Back C.O. 110 for back in red. follow flame patt. 6.8x
at 17in B.O. 10 sts on each side ;then 2 sts every opposite row(5x) continue to 22in you will B.O. for neck shaping:B.O. 8 sts, then 1 st(6x) left side then knit to 24 in. hold sts. (25 sts)
Sleeves : C.O. eight and knit 24 rows ,crochet seam to BLS and FLS with matching yarn ;each row to a b/f st. with one Bst. left>just st two tog.
P.U. sts around sleeve hole(75sts ttl.) on B&F knit in the round to 1in before wrist bone. begin: k1sl1 round, Kall round, repeat for 2 in. B.O.

Once sweater is seamed, add a 2-4 inch red bottom by:P.U. all bottom sts. (K1,Sl1),( P knit sts and knit sl sts. ) rep. 2 rows to prevent rolling.

the finished sweater will have a zip front and a k1sk1, p1 k1( as sleeves) collar for stiffness
and possibly side pockets If I can figure out how I want them.

So lazy,

2009-07-18T11:37:00.004-04:00

Here I go again tryin to re-vamp this thing. really it's not that I'm lazy so much as I have other things I need to do and of course sharing my life on the webbernets just weirds me out a bit. I mean I'm not that interesting. BUT I am off gardening again, I just can't give up on it. Fortunately every year I seem to get better at it. Four butternut squash, A dozen large tomatoes so far, three banana peppers and four watermelons, An enormous amount of basil And the rest of tomatoes, bell peppers, and squashes haven't come out yet. It all seems to be going or GROWING slowly, I gave up on the organic thing, mainly because I'd actually LIKE to eat something and not watch the bugs slowly devour the pathetic little wannabes.
Still nothing new on PG's back injury. edit for anonymity
I finished my Solas Caohm(IC-SPRING09) for the bookstore baby. It's not quite up to the pattern but I ran out of yarn and this thing is plenty big as is. I used chunky yarn. I want to make another one soon, in cotton and up to pattern standards, but first I have to adjust the pockets on PG's sweater since they're not big enough. Durn giant hands. Then I have to add to the bottom and sleeves of Cait's sweater from last year so it'll fit this year. I wonder if I'll have a chance to make me a sweater this year, or maybe if I'm really lucky I'll get to start on a shawl.

Social distance and yarncakes

2008-10-01T07:44:00.003-04:00

Ever had a day where you just don't want to do anything but laze about and enjoy the day? Today is one of those days. Crisp and cool, the clouds are just right, And empty needles just begging for a new project.
Unfortunately there are also a pile of dishes begging to be washed as well. Not to mention the roll of decimated TP the cats have strewn through the dining room. No lazing today. But like I said I did finish all my projects. I do have one thing on my 3.5 circs, a mini cozy from some free yarn I got last year with my chenille. It's a shimmery silver grey fibre of unknown breed. I'm guessing acrylic, but man does that stuff felt if you get briers stuck to it. My favorite thing about it besides the shimmeryness is that it came in cake form. I love yarn cakes. They're so cute and compact, they don't come apart nearly as badly as skeins or balls. I'd like to find out how to cake a skein, so if anyone out there knows how, feel free to share.
I want to start up an atheist/agnostic group meetup locally, but I don't want to be disappointed like I was with the fibre group. I don't think I can take another epic fail in the social dept. I get tired of being let down by people and my belief that they care. The more I interact in the wild the more I pull inward and isolate myself. I think my expectations are perhaps a bit high of people in general. I expect them to be like me, and majorativly they are not. At least not here in my real life area. Plus people want interaction, sometimes I don't want to make an effort to call/visit every week. Sometimes I crave the quiet. Most people see that as I don't want to interact at all, and I seem distant. SO I don't form bonds as easily as a more invasive person. I'm always on the borders, skirting the edge of socialness And not. I don't like to dive in and get dirty, At least not right away. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, but then again I may be wrong.

Fall planting

2008-09-28T11:51:00.003-04:00

Hello world, Been really busy, and slightly less social this month. I tend to get in moods, jaded by the world around me and I shut out other s. But on the positive side I have been very busy within my little sphere. I have 6 southern pea plants growing off my northern side of the house, hopefully they will be ripe for harvest before the freeze in late dec. One good thing about living in the south is the frost is very late and often brief. I have about a dozen Italian lettuce fledglings due for harvest in the next 6 weeks, and my tomatoes are practically falling off my accidental plant. the ones I actually planted are in a sorry state and the ones that are in good shape have only given off 3-5 decent toms. the greens are in varying states, the older crop is nearing harvest and the babies are about 1/2 inch tall, so maybe some nice turnips for thanksgiving. My mints are outstanding and probably the best crop I've got. But I am very optimistic about spring. The composts are huge and rich. I believe I will be able to double my crop in the spring now that I've got the hang of things.

For knitting I have a lot of projects on, Not really a lot finished. Cozy is 2/3 through, but I got distracted with My red and yellow socks which are my on the go project. The Cozy is just too large to take to the bus stop and lunch etc. I am on the last 12 rounds of the second sock. I have finished my fair Ilse top I started this last week. I made 3/4 sleeves that are ribbed from 1/2 to the end so I can turn them up if need and weather be. It's out on the line right now drying and blocking.
I have been really good at not buying any yarn since I am trying to save as much $$ as possible in the economic crisis. One can never be too cautious. Which is another reason why I am considering expanding my garden from merely play to sustainable levels. I must brag on my Clothes line, I saved 300kw hrs on my electric bill from line drying half my laundry on it. My only reasons to Not use it are rain and I must machine dry Physics Guy's laundry, as He hates the crispness. Which I LOVE.
I also learned how to change a tire, though It won't do me much good as I am not strong enough to turn the lugs unless I use a Hammer. I may consider tossing one in my trunk Just in case. Usually around here the local guys will feel sorry for me enough to help If I seem too pathetic, so I predict I won't need it(hopefully). I wish My health and upper body strength wasn't so shitty. Maybe I should bust the weight bench out of the closet, and some pain pills on the side. Since I know any training would send me into throes of pain. Let this be a lesson kiddies, drink your milk. Bones are important.
I think that's all for now. Don't want to use up all my words in one post.

drowning in 12ft of stupid

2008-08-16T15:53:00.003-04:00

When did people become so incredibly dumb? We're now restricted to wading in the lake because 5 people have drown in the past 5 months. One of which was an 8 yr old child. I can't help but wonder where his parents were. Why were'nt they watching him. Especially if they knew he couldn't swim. My Girly is 6, she knows she can't swim, has no desire to go into water she can't walk in. Even if she did, I am right there to either help, or tell her no. What a concept. It is terrible that this boy has died, I am very sad for his parents. But when do people start taking personal responsibility for their actions instead of us having to bubble wrap the world for them? People are trying to restrict foods allowed in the workplace, Have succeeded in locking them out of most schools, what happens when They go to the market? gas masks and bio suits? When I lived up north there were SIGNS that said : "Do NOT lick the poles". People had to be TOLD not to lick poles. People forget their kids are on top of their car in the seat. forget them in the market, FORGET THEIR KIDS!?! When I first had Girly I was terribly scared that one day I too would forget her, like I'd heard of so many times. Never once have I forgotten her, only once have I even forgotten to buckle her in the car, and she did it herself(3 yrs). How do you forget you have a kid? or where you have placed it? I mean I guess I could see if you had like 8 or 9 of them and you didn't pick one up from school, cheer camp or something until well after pick up time. That's a lot of kids to keep up with. But on the 1 to 4 level? You can count them on one hand. DO not drink on the side of my shampoo? Why? I can't help but wonder if the dumbing down of people is some sort of sheep control thing. 'Make then stupid so they don't question anything we say.' sort of thing. but I'm not a conspiracy nutter, so I hope maybe it's just a freakish natural development of lazy that we will some day overcome. Hopefully.

Falling off the face of the Earth

2008-08-11T08:13:00.002-04:00

Nope, I haven't done it. Summer is just A crazy hectic time, and really there's not much to blog of then. I'm attempting to get back in the habit now. Especially since PG has made his own blog. I don't really know what all or how much he'll have to say, but I feel i should write too just because... yes I know not too terribly mature, but I've had to be mature far too often so :P. Over the summer I have made pathetic attempts at gardening, made a clothes line to try and cut down the ever growing electric costs, Helped to control the pet population x2, and succeeded in pissing of my mother yet again. Yea me. I have currently 8 tomato plants a light sprinkle of greens( pitiful really) and seedlings for spinach, lettuce and basil. this is usually the final stage of growth for me. All the turnips -may they rest in peace- burnt to a crisp so I think later in the month I will try, try again. no raspberries, they failed on all fronts. my non edibles are getting on fabulously though. The caladiums are springing up new shoots almost every day, and my daisies haven't died yet. maybe by winter I will have a successful compost growing, and then I can mix it for spring planting and turn out a better crop.
On the knitting front I have gotten much done, busting about 5 lbs roughly of yarn into functioning wearables or cat snuggles(think security blankets. I have a lot of things in my queue on RAV that I may or may not finish this year, but I also have a lot of things in my head that I want to get done before Christmas/sol. I am learning to make soap, not from scratch but the glycerin and additives. I have three lovely bars on my counter cooling right now. If they go over well, I may start making them for the farmers market to sell along side some washcloths and such. Other than that my life has been just typical stuff really, and Off I go agian to live some more of it.

Finally

2008-06-29T15:53:00.004-04:00

I have something to blog about at last. My summers are usually dull so I Don't really care to bore any lurking readers with mundane nonsense. But today I finished PG's ribbed man socks, and I'm STILL working on the stole that I started Before the socks. Sometimes I don't think it wants to get finished, really, I have stitches hiding under stitches, And erratia I (fortunatly) found on ravelry that isn't posted on the site. I would like to buy some yarnage from a few new online sources like Knitivity's store, but I am on a yarn diet until I reduce some of my stash and at least get a couple of wraps done.
I also Finally have a lawnmower * joy of Joys* and I don't have to spend near as long mowing the grass and therefore have more time to plant and prune. I bought some various daisies from Lowe's to put in place of the bell peppers that never grew. and I have three tomatoes , not really red OR big yet but still tomatoes. organic gardening is SOO incredibly hard. Those damn beetles are eating the leaves off my Toms and greens. The squirrels and doggo have eaten half of my raspberry vinlings And a caladium bulb.I'm hoping Squirrel on that last one at least.
In 'electronic news: My camera has NO batteries And is being rather wonky about the rechargeable ones, hence no pictures of said destruction and projects. Kiddo smashed her DVD player the DAY before I went and bought 'The Spiderwick Chronicles' so I've had to endure it at least 3 times a day in here in the living room.Physics Guy doesn't seem to mind all that much As I have gotten him hooked on Populous(Cd Rom) again, SO He's trying to figure it out. When he's on the computer the force is impenetrable. Which is a triumph for me, at last a game that I am good at that he is not besides backgammon!
And the funny: The best most hilarious thing to do is buy a bag of chicken feet from the meat store( who eats this shit really, I want to know) and place three on kitchen floor around kittens. Pouncing and hilarity will ensue.
Especially when one doggo decides he wants to try and TAKE the kittens chicken feet. Not a good idea. Kittens do have very sharp claws despite their fuzzy cute exterior.

Work sucks

2008-06-16T15:30:00.005-04:00

I have not been on here to blog in a couple of weeks, I am a bad bad blogger:( But When the hubby is home I can get NOTHING done. I mainly sit on ravelry or clean. that is it. I am still working on the cobweb lace stole, which is taking quite a long time for me. I expect as much from a lace project, but man I am usually on top of these things. I am also working on a pair of socks for Physics guy, since I haven't made him anything substantial ( the boobie pillow doesn't count). and He really needs a pair of quality socks. I quit the aran lobster sock for now, I am not in the mood for cotton. I think my garden hates me, All I am growing are tomatoes and paltry raspberry leaves. everyone else has withered to crap. I am going to add some more cow poo in the fall and go for some more torture then. Southeast Georgia is not the place for gardening in the summer heat. Not for me anyway. Well that is all the excitement for now. Maybe I'll have something good tomorrow. I'll try harder.

Quilted china doll Socks

2008-06-04T00:21:00.003-04:00

I Finally finished my new pattern And man It was fun. THe only thing I would do differently is made them a half diamond longer ( I still have a bunch of yarn left). And elongated the stitching all the way up and not just on the feet. Which I did because i realized the scrunched look on the first one, but I didn't want to frog it back up so Instead I made the other to match. Now I like the scrunching, but other people may not like it so much. I've also made a few dishclothes for my kitchen, I'm debating colouring the white parts yellow, but I'm not really sure. I want one day to have my kitchen in a burgundy and buttercup yellow colouration. It's not going to happen any time soon, and dishclothes don't have a long lifespan here, so I may just live with the peppermint as they are. I even made one round Like a real peppermint candy, Cuz that's how I roll.
Girly and I are going to the lake tomorrow fo a bit of relaxation. Frankly I need it. PG has been home for the past 2 weeks with his back. The cortisteriod injection has NOT helped, The physical therapy HAS NOT helped, really just made it worse. He's trying to avoid THE TALK about retirement. Not that I blame him, I mean who wants to retire at 23 years old? But as a person who loves him and sees him trying to kill himself getting up to go to work then colapsing pale on the couch after two hrs of working through the pain. I think It's time. I hate it for him, but i also want to (selfishly I admit) have a few years with him before it gets really bad. I allways hope of course that technology will grow and find a way to help bring the pain level down or out completely. So does every person with or close to a person with illness. I know the doctors are going hard at finding cures, Most of them know more about my family than even My Real family does. We're there so much, I've seen the nurses swell with pregnancy, have they're babies, and now those babies are walking. they're like an extended family to me now. I think I should knit them something, come to think of it...

I said I would blog

2008-06-01T23:14:00.002-04:00

Like three days ago I thought I would blog, but as it turns out I was more busy being sick. I'm still working on my socks since I hadn't felt up to it over the weekend. Einstein is up and walking now, becoming more and more catlike and less of my snugly pseudo baby.

I have days when I wish I could have another child, and enjoy a pregnancy full of belly pats, coos and "Oh! when are you due?". I didn't get that the first time around. I got more of the scowls, and looks like I had the whore plague. Even though I was with the father, and graduated high school early, being 15 and pregnant was not a happy, whimsical time. Really, I watched Juno and Wished my pregnancy had gone so well. So Yeah I wish I could have another go round to get the praise I earned for being a damn good mother thus far. On the other hand I see my one child as wonderful as she is, is a freaking hand full. Driving to school, homework, lessons outside of school, feeding and maintenance,= lots time and $$. With Physics Guy's disability I am even less inclined, as One never knows when he'll be up and about work, or down and out asking for cheezburger at 12 at night. we're even talking about the possibility of his retiring in the next 2-5 yrs. He's 23 yrs old. I know with housework, yard work, parenting of the one and only I already have, and the enormous amount of energy that goes into everything else on my plate my Brain probably couldn't take any more. Yet I still feel the need of the lovely survival instinct at least one week of every month. I wish I knew how to squelch it before I turn into the crazy catlady. some one help me.

Einstein

2008-05-30T21:37:00.003-04:00

my little kitty boy is soo spoiled, he thinks he's a people:
If he goes to sleep with me he expects me to be there when he gets up or else he cries and cries for me until I come to give him head rubs. Then he goes right back to sleep amongst the boobies.

I will wright more later, I am not feeling well, and I had to post these to show off on Ravelry. More to the kitty story and some yarnage soon

Knitta Time

2008-05-29T10:36:00.005-04:00

So I've been really busy on knitting when I am not giving kitten massage/ supervision. I have two make up bags one knit and one crochet.

I am still on my two socks, since one of them somehow turned mobius on me,and thus had to be frogged back. and the other I am painstakingly writing the pattern with fixes to the parts I don't really like

I'm sitting here writing one-handed b/c Einstein is in my lap for a foot massage. Note the baldness of the leg: his range of motion is getting better every day, just in small doses. he's So energetic its hard to get him stillfor A massage. Yesterday I was surfing the news with my toes, loving him so he'd stay still for his PT. I tell ya, if PG hadn't had a background in medical I would have gone berserk calling the vet every day about his leg. He's eating my elbow now, I just realized I've been rubbing the wrong durn leg. Which I should know better, his bad one is the same as Physics Guy's. I like to call them Gimpy one and Gimpy two. I wonder if he still has his external tens unit around here... that could be helpful. basically it stimulates the nerves and makes them feel better.I forget the particulars when I've only got a few hrs spread out of sleep all night.
Here I am talking kitty when I'm supposed to be talking knitty. I am investigating on how to do A knitted steering wheel cover for my car. The wheel itsself is so old it's turning sticky.Ok it's attached to a '93 caprice so... I can't find a store bought one that I like enough to buy. I think wool or cotton would be practical since it will be in a hot car and thus subject to melting if made with acrylic. I also haveAnother tempting top to make for my SIL. And Lace things I'm fantasising about as well.
I'm also loving how well my nails look in these pictures. Any one who knows me KNOWS they don't look this nice IRL. I always have some sort of dirt/ chipping funk about them. but shh don't tell.

My Scarlet A

2008-05-28T20:23:00.004-04:00

When I first put the Scarlet A on my blog, I didn't realize how accurate it was to the truth of my experience as an atheist. Being newly "out" I never felt alot of persecution...Of course I never VOICED my feelings on the subject of religion. I had friends of many faiths. I pride myself on the fact that I can tolerate people whether I agree with their personal faith or not. I just Didn't Talk about religion with them. However, when I come to a person, who says they can handle what I like to call "My personal truths versus their own" for a more politically correct phrasing, I don't hold back. I speak honestly when I choose to speak. Sometimes people cannot handle it...Even when sometimes they say they can. This blog Is my private place for my thoughts. Granted I share them with the world, it is not nor WILL it ever be censored. Here I can stop and take the time to gather my thoughts and tongue, And I can say how I feel with out being interrupted and distracted. I don't always have the time, or verbal ability to put out what I want to say. I am A writer, I gather my words like wool, And I knit them into a coherent fabric on paper, or as the case may be in text. Sometimes my grammar is sub par, But if one can get past that they will see the greater picture I am trying to show. My voice has been stifled so many years, my opinions never counting, why should I be silenced any more? Now that I am un ashamed of my thoughts and feelings I see that in some circumstances they are only tolerated when they aren't shown/voiced. Tolerance is a two way street, I listen though I may not agree, and unless it is in the context of acknowledged debate I do not get offended, nor interrupt. I expect the same in turn. Sometimes, that is not reciprocated. And thus my scarlet A, being shunned because others cannot handle MY word As I kindly handle theirs. Even when I want to scream, Even those I love like family. Now I see, only in the company of like minded people can I be my true self. I will never shut up and sit down. I will never be silenced, not by and man or woman ever again. The things I have to say may not always be happy sunshiney knit and cat stuff. Sometimes it may challenge the beliefs of those I hold dear. That is me, who I am, that is LIFE. Filled with pain, growth, and movement, life is a challenge. I proudly wear my Scarlet A, And I hope to one day find others like me, who I can sit with in real life.. not just online. I'm only 22 years old, there's plenty of time yet. Until then my friends, Good night.

Quarantine

2008-05-25T21:15:00.002-04:00

Roundworms are bad, nasty little critters. I have the Girl cats shut in the back room so they don't poop all over the house and spread it. I don't believe any one else has them, people or dog wise. Doggo Is safe thanks to his heart guard, which I didn't know also protects against other intestinal parasites. Yea heart guard! I need to get some more form the vet :( I may see if DR. Betz has any since she is super doc. Einstein is driving me nuts because he wants like mad to run and play, but his back half doesn't work so well right now from the catheter/weakness/drugs. I was his chauf-fur to all the places in the house he wanted to go holding his back legs and following him around. He's back in the kennel now pissed off, but resting. he has NO fur on his rump, which completly shows just how scrawny he is compared to the illusion of largeness his mega fur gives. Those little buggers ate him up so quick. At least he's eating and pottying well now. I am trying to not super freak out because they had been all sleeping in Girly's bed with her. We've been cleaning up her room so I can disinfect it. It's way late so I can't do any more tonight. OMB I am so tired. I don't even want to go into the other drama in my life right now. I just want to sleep and let kitty boy get better.

Saturdays Suck

2008-05-24T22:08:00.002-04:00

My poor kitty. Einstien (the boy) got sick this morning. he couldn't stand his gums were pure white, and he was getting to the point of limb stiffness and tremours. I called every vet in camden, and let me say NOW and forever the vet service here is pure SHIT. If you EVER have to get a vet, get one from jax and suffer through the 45 minute drive, bad traffic, and all the rest or do the traveling chick who incedentally is ALSO from Jax.. the one vet who I got ahold of today told me to give him honey to raise his glucose and he'd be fine. GLU...effing COSE, which BTW has nothing to do with anemia/blood issues other than diabeties. I called him back and he gave me the run around for 20 precious minutes about how "hard it was to do a transfusion on a cat" that I insisted upon, until he finally addmitted he had family stuff to do and he was NOT coming in under and means. I could have handled it had he said it first off. all the other ones told me under NO means was I to worm treat or de bug them until 12 weeks minimum nor the mother, exept one who gave her some stuff that almost killed HER. which brought on said condition. We had to drive to jacksonville to the ER for a blood transfusion. His poor little blood count was down to 5% He's such a trooper though, He fought me all the way down there and the nurses too. they de wormed, de flea'd and juiced him up for a grand tally of our whole bi-weekly paycheck. We gladly paid after being there for 4 1/2 hrs. with alot of other pet owners in worse conditions than ours. He's staying overnight for observation, and we have to go pick him up in the morning. It rained like mad the whole way home. I felt sick as hell with my car sickness and eating a giant hot dog in under a minute IN the car. I can not knit whilst riding in the rain, freaks me out, the thought of impalment form a rain soaked crash. Physics Guy had to drive, plus he had physical therapy YESTERDAY, so he's tore up from the drive and the wait. But Einstein (clearly) is his baby and no cost would be spared, even if he has to stay home and pill it up for the whole holiday weekend. The dr. was outstanding, I want to take him home and distribute his clones to the other vet's offices. the only thing I don't get is Einstein was super all week long, chasing stuff, and playing, I even took him to school and Taro's and he was hopping all over the car.Then Whammo today he was so close to death. Needless to say after 700 bucks he is not going home with any one else. When he finaly gets old and crusty and kicks it, I'm keeping him as a cat doily I don't care.

Ah , missouri

2008-05-23T07:36:00.002-04:00

Only in missouri would you get a $250.00 gift card to a gun shop with you vehicle purchase. one dealer is actually giving the option of gas cards or guns with purchase.really see I lived there for about two years outside of springfield. I was about 12 I think. we used to ride our bikes in the storm drains to cross free ways and those things were HUGE. All the homeless folks would set up communities in there, old beds, dressers, one guy had a mini fridge in there. For what use I have no Idea, it's not like there were outlets( though I wouldn't have been surprised). the main reason why we rode around in them and disturbed the homeless people was because If you did actually get brave( or stupid) enough to ride on the side of the road/sidewalk or bike paths the endearing motorists would TRY and swerve to hit you. No shit, I knew people who would be riding along to thier granny's house and get smacked in the back of the head with a phone book, slushie, or the token stick. the added bonus was the coolness of having a mini mart next door, we'd go there and buy a bunch of V8 bottles and see who could drink one down the fastest. This was of course before the tasty new "berry blends" and strawberry banana ones. Nope we had those nasty veg only ones that tasted like tomatoes, carrots and feet. I reemeber one day our bike posse rode up and the police(locally known as "the po-po")were there. Turns out some kid had wondered around the store poking packages of meats up his shirt. The lady din't want to get him in trouble as was going to let him have some of the meats , because I mean If you're stealing meats thre's generally a HUNGER issue. she asked him to pull out said product...kid had like 200 bucks worth of meat in his jacket..in the early 90's in rural missouri, that's a shitton of meat! We didn't know the poor kid unfortunatly. If we had known him we would have totally hooked him up with foodage. One of the guys' gran lived about a block down from us. I swear She was the inspiration for Cartmans mom. "Hi kids, you want some cookies? I got roast in the oven you go eat those cookies and come back in 10 minutes It'll be ready" she had 10 kids at any given time at her house. She would call in poeple off the street "yall want some snap peas and sausage?" "I got some sun tea a'brewin" I loved gran. and most of my friends' families were the same way, my house was the icecream/popsicle house, because my mom cooked like a prison chef.
when my dad went completly nutters and held my brother hostage in the house and the swat team cometh, my posse were all there. They hid us out at their house while the boys tried to talk Rick into leting Bub out. There may be some crazy, gun toting, bible belt types up there, but there's also alot of butt kickin', stranger feeding, wonderful ones too. P.S. guns are very usefull, I am totally NOT anti gun. 'specially since SAlly's squirrels have come to my house. I have a 22 cal....I wonder if the rabbit ears would be over kill? probably.

Not hate, just Indifference

2008-05-22T13:07:00.005-04:00

NOTE: "IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO HEAR MY RELIGIOUS VIEWS PLEASE COME BACK AT A LATER TIME, IF YOU HAVE NO QUALMS FEEL FREE TO READ ON":

The one main question or statement(as it comes in many formats) I get after telling people I'm an atheist is" why are you angry with god/ why do you hate God, or the much more common:"I feel you're angry with god". I am so totally NOT angry with god. And while I'm on it, if I were which one would I choose? Or maybe I could be angry with them all, but really that's a lot of fairy dust to be pointlessly angry with. No not angry, just indifferent. You see most people commonly misplace the opposite of Love with anger, when in fact anger assumes belief in said god. I however do not. So you see :indifference. Do not love, nor hate because I am confident there is nothing to feel emotion towards. The religious talks I end up eventually having with people have become like a recording to me. Same arguments, different formats.
Their personal God is not vengeful, doesn't smite the wicked,helps and heals, and is a jovial grandpa kinda guy. Yet they all read from the same book as the next person which states all about how thy should kill those (women) who sleep around, eat shellfish, or don't believe the same religious jargon as them. Also if you can say: "oh well this passage can't apply now, that was just the TIMES then." I'm sorry, throw the whole thing in the trash, because the same goes for the rest of it. I can not believe in something in a book that has been ripped apart and put back together half way and slipshod like some tinker toy from their hell more than a dozen times in the past century alone. and isn't really even written by said deity, I mean jeez dude omnipresent, get off your duff and write it yourself. It's not like you're actually doing something. These days if God tells you to write a book on how to kill people you don't like and rape their women, And condones sacrificing your children you go to either the funny farm or prison. Who knows that these boneheads hundreds of yrs ago didn't belong in the same place? Some where I read once the only difference between Christianity and the scientologists of today is about 2000 years. I concur. Back then you cold spout enough BS and get enough people to follow you and poof you're a religion. Sometimes all it takes is a good con and a charismatic personality, hey look at all these get rich quick schemes thousands get into every day. Same concept, you work your tail off give them your money/faith, con others into it and you get a fancy car/eternal life/ one million dollars, only to be miserable and irritating and come up with less than you started with. The old "there's a coin in your ear" trick didn't work on me as a kid, it still doesn't now, sorry.( not really)
Another argument is the old: well what kind of morals can you teach your kids without god, all the ones you say are made by us. Like there's some bloody patent on not running stark naked through the streets stabbing people. Common decency is not a religious value. Most definitely not, otherwise you would see a lot less hate mongering towards gays, non religious, and people who don't like (insert your religious holiday here) My morals are as follows:
(1) don't do things that could potentially harm yourself, others, or make ME want to kick your butt.
(2) learn all you can, and do your best so you will be wise enough to make the world a better place.
(3) help people when you can if you can,
(4) wipe front to back
(5) chew with your mouth closed
You see even less than the 10 commandments. Pretty simple stuff really, doesn't even need to come with an omnipresent figurehead.

Knit night

2008-05-21T19:49:00.004-04:00

Taro's is not going to be open for our usual knit night, as the owner is going out of town. Any ideas on another location (if we still want to have it) are welcome. so far we have: The sweetest thing, or we could just go out to somewhere and eat or, we could do an early one@ four clock, whatever. I would say at my house, but I've had weird heart problems today and have been to freaked and don't want to speed clean when It's acting funny and rupture something. I am not having pains just like a heavy beat where it takes my breath every few beats. I'm at 120/60 sec. which is not BAd , actually more in the normal range, but Higher than my average which is low. I took some asprin and A nap, but I'm still a bit jitery. I think it's because I'd been going and going all morning until about 3 and then a nice lull where I could sit around confused it a little. but then I also am not a DR. the only other different thing I did today was : dye my hair. I WAS SUPPOSED TO have dyed it back my natural color, but as I found out later from another parent/hair dresser/ MAN. I was only supposed to leave BROWN on for 10 minutes not the 25 I usually go for with the red. so now I am uber goth. Which it's kinda growing on me after the surprise of the darkness wore off. I def. feel the purple highights I'm thinking about could only complement this look, though the flash does pick up the red highlights alot

Bland

2008-05-20T10:56:00.002-04:00

Today is a very boring typical day, not much going on. Dishes, and vaccuming yuck. So instead I will tell you about my Monday.
Yesterday Girly got an award of some sort at school. Not really sure FOR what, but she got one of those obscure awards the schools give out with wonky names. She's "tigerific" whatever that is. Even She has no clue what it means, but she's durn proud of it. After the awards and a pot of joe, and a rather large can of soda I had to well...GO. So of course I went to the ONE stall that had the broken lock, I figured I could jimmy it closed and back open. The closing of said lock worked, However the OPENING of it required a rather large chunk of my forefinger to be ripped open evidenly. But much to my credit I did not cuss like a raving loon. Which Is good, because I was in an elementary school bathroom with about 20 odd Snowflakes whose parents would probably have shit if they had been exposed to foul language. The nurse gave me a lovely bandaid and I got back in time for the spirit stick thing, where if you don't have elementary kids is where each class in turn screams bloody murder to see who has more "school spirit". I want to know who pays for the hearing aids. The school system is funny here, they say under GOD, sing religious based stuff, yet at the pep rallys play " goodies," that stupid"bananas" song by gwen stephani and some hip hop stuff that I feel naughty for playing in the vicinity of small ones. I swear I was expecting "shake ya ass" or "the thong song"(which they DID play at PG's high school dances)to come on at any moment. Makes me giggle every time. But at least it did make me feel a bit less uncomfortable at the thought of my last encounter with the principal in publix with me holding a case of beer, and two bottles of wine...on a monday, wearing sweat pants. I swear that guy looks like an older DR. Drew from loveline, but he SOUNDS like DR. Phil.
But onward PG grilled so I have a mssive amount of dishes to do, since washing them is not part of grilling, basically all that is is slapping the stuff on the grill and turning it periodically. my job is prep, and clean up. woohoo.

Not a weekend blog (Or) GET OFF MY LAWN

2008-05-18T19:36:00.004-04:00

I usually don't blog on the weekends, but I have nothing else to do so why not. Actually I do but still. I did finish Para-pro's scarf in it's ribboned glory, with great efforts made to have minimal twisting in the ribbon. I planted the raspberry twigs Sally so graciously gave me Friday. Three near my garden on the back fence and one near Girly's window with some plastic lattice I've had for ~~centuries~~ quite a while. The other two are still in the pot since I have enormous amounts of de-rooting to do where I am going to ~~kill~~ plant them. In the meantime I have been whacking away at my negligent neighbour's trees. Yes, a neighbour more negligent than me, please hold the applause. This guy bought the land for some unknown reason, COMPLETELY fenced it off and lets it run wild and hairy into and over MY yard. It was atop my house as well until I threatened lawsuits if his shit fell on my house and killed my child during an (inevitable )hurricane. He promptly called the tree service people. But to the now: there's a row along the fenceline of gangly shit trees( gum) and oak( terribly allergic, complete with nosebleeds) draping themselves over the fence and into my garden, life and the general vicinity of my vehicles. SOOO I am clipping and sometimes jig sawing the little buggers down. Mostly just the offending branches...mostly. Being as I am short and all, my tree trimming accessories are: an old pool ladder, hand saw, pruner's shears, and a dog leash. Basically I tie the leash to the offending branch, pin it to the fence with the other end and hack away until the non trespassing limb goes bouncing back to it's own side. I need a hatchet... or maybe a high powered long armed chainsaw.MMMmmm Oh and I'm usually standing on the pool ladder at the time of this process.
I have gone a bit crazy in the heat and planted ALOT of greens near my back porch, in the side yard and More in the garden. I spent much time over the weekend yelling a the dog/kids/hubby to "get out of the seedlings!" Hubby STEPPED IN MY BED. WTF!?
his reasoning" What, there's nothing there? I stepped inbetween the tomatoes. " Yeah right on top of thier roots. With your size 12 clods. Bonehead. The tomatoes despite thier rootsmashing, are looking better since I dashed a bit of lime in the soil. Evidently COMPLETE veg. potting soil is'nt as complete as they say. , I have cantalope sprigs coming up in the garden and in the pear tree dirt, along with the caladiums that I gave up on. I figured the dirt is so good and wormy under there I had to grow SOMETHING and since the caladiums werent growing I'd plant the cantalopes there. as soon as I plannted them I noticed little dog claws poing up out of the dirt. Having had bulbs before I knew(and the location helped) these were the forgotten Calads. We shall see who lives and who dies once they get going. Now I just have to WAIT. ugh

new socks

2008-05-16T21:42:00.004-04:00

So I finished a top secret project( or not so top secret if you know me IRL) A WISP wrap from knitty in mohair for Girly's teacher. AND I got my sock yarn in on wednesday. I've got one sock done for my seaside socks ( don't know if this is another pattern's name too) that I fashioned up, I will add pictures to this in the morning of it since the lighting around here sucks at nighttime. As most knitters and certain chips I cannot have just One, so I am also working on a sock(pair) using an english quilt cabling as my secondary project with the blue Plymouth DK sock yarn.
I have to say I don't know which pattern I like more. I am loving the way the slip stitch cableing is giving two different colourways to the Quilt sock, AND I love the light rib the lobster cabling gives the seaside sock. I'm not sure quite how I feel about the colour pattern in the yarn on that one though, I think It would have been better suited for a diagonal rib patern or some such because the colour patterns sort of blob( forgive me unknowledge of the 'technical' term) in a spiraling fashion around the sock in a green-blue and green-yellow like those spiral string cheeses you buy at the store(MOMS will know what I mean)

In any case I am being terribly naughty because I am SUPPOSED to be working on a ribbon scarf for the para-pro at school so she doesn't feel slighted that I made the teacher something and not her too. I am restraining myself from also making something for the other coaches-helpers etc too because, well that's a frightful lot of people for one weeks worth of knitting time before the school term ends.
I am considering what to start next already because I would like to start a booth at the local market for fun just to see what all I can sell in the south where it comes to knitting. I'm thinking bags and simple scarves and maybe some baby things to start , and sell around july(the next one).I'm not looking for a business or anything jsut a fun time and maybe a few dollars in my pocket on my own terms to do yarny things with as I please. They have the market one a month to start and they may do it more often once they get it going and If it turns out well. Here's hoping it does as I am in desperate need of some local growers/talent/goodies to entertain myself with:P
AS AN added bonus I am SUPER exited to have met OL A pattern designer for litle things like socks and scarves etc. Who said she would let me do some pattern testing for her. YEA! I obviously can't blog/picture those one I get into it, but hey it'll be great fun and I love new ideas and puzzles. Plus when I see it on ravelry I can smile and think to my self "hey I tested that, I hope (s)he likes it!" I'm weird like that.

Hurrah California

2008-05-16T08:21:00.005-04:00

G/L marraige is legal again ( for Cali residents). One hopes it sticks this time. It absolutly boggles to think that changing the terminology to "domestic partnership " soothes the minds of the rightwing traditionalists. I never did get that. call it what it is. And finally THey are! I mean really lets be honest the only thing "disrupting traditional marraige" is the nonsense the involved parties of each marraige do to end it, be it cheating, abuse, not hanging the laundry up, whatever. Someone elses marraige has jack to do with how your own turns out.

i'm Tired, sick and tired actually.

Of what? Well Of homosexuality being compared to beastiality, and pediphilia and then 'justified by disscribing them all as"carnal sins" or murder as A "sin in general".
I'm sick of intolerant bigotry being disguised as "faith". I'm tired of A Book's words being twisted and distorted to fit a sick selfrighteous agenda. I'm sick of feeling sad, and appaled by the constant flow of ignorance, when there are books and sites of a nonpolitical/religious stance where you can learn things. I'm tired of being hyjacked by "you're bad, but not really, but youreallyare, but im gunna word it so it looks like im not saying it, but you are, but I'm not judgeing ."types. I'm not speaking of any one in particular, just that I can't take it any more. It's one thing to debate theology, and quite another to be a bigot. righteous or not. the KKK thought THEY were righteous in thier G-D's Eyes, so did hitler, and the guys in the holy wars. Doesn't make it so. But alas HIndsight is always 20-20. And it doesn't stop the bashings,suicides, and killings that are happening now. Even if you may not DO them , or publicly"condone" them you're contributing to the hate if you pirvatly condone. and you may as well be right in there with the bad guys kicking and spitting on that little 15 yr old gay boy or girl. or burning that cross in the bi racial family's yard. or throwing that wiccan family out of thier neighbourhood. Bigotry is a frame of mind, Acting on it may well be what gets you thrown in JAil, but the hate is the same hate and it disgusts me. may not be black/white, but it's the same hate.
SO let the G/L communities have marriage and divorce if they want it. it isn't stopping you from having your own. If you have problems see a counselor, don't hate on people who are happy in their marriages.
This counrty is far ahead in so many things, and yet at the same time so very far behind. be it national health care, GLBT rights, or sanity in general, it's nice to see a bit of global intellegence streaming over to our country, one day (soon I hope) it'll trickle on down to the rest of us and more people will be able to openly show their true feelings without being afraid of attack or isolation. But for now YEA CALIFORNIA!!

New layout, New post

2008-05-14T22:30:00.002-04:00

So I changed my template. I FINally agonizingly got the colours Just so, and then I noticed My damn side bar is at the bottom. What the hell kinda SIDE bar is at the BOTTOM!?! I hate that, but I also do not want to go throughthe painstaking process of colou/font/size and other bs again tonight. crap I'm gunna haveto do it in the morning. It's almost 11pm. If any of my readers have a good place to find templates pretty please send it my way. I Needs one to match my pretty yarn header pic. I am in a pink and black mood. Also I totally busted up my hand hoeing the pepper beds today. Grass is the closest to evil there is. I swear I was hoeing concrete. If I'd had a bit of forethought I would have knitted myself some garden gloves. It's not like I don't have umpteen zillion yards of cotton on a cone in the yarn room. i've just been super busy with ACtual gardening and making stuff for other people that I havn't taken the time to figure out how to make those durn fingers on gloves to start I can totally make a bunch of in the round fingercovers (they look much like knitted condoms) I just don't get the hand to finger changeover thingy. Now It looks like I have hemmeroids on my hand. Only they don't hurt near as much under the calouses.( hands not bum) Gosh bum callouses, ouch that just sounds painfull... Come to think of it, I think I'll start calling irritating people THAT instead of my not-so-nice words I typically use for them.

AS promised

2008-05-13T09:48:00.004-04:00

Pictures of my garden.

It's looking a bit bare as I am between cycles right now and the greens I planted in march are almost all eaten, and the new seedlings aren't quite big enough to capture on film. I am today working on the OTHER planter by my porch opposite the one with tomatoes in it. It'll look almost Identical but instead of tomatoes it will(hopefully ) have bell peppers in it.
And a yarn bag of kitten to seal the deal:

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T21:23:00.004-04:00

Mothers day booty, from a hubby who doesn't shop yarn:

Susan Bates 7 and 10 inch Double Point Needles 4 7in. double point
Plymouth Encore Sock DK 7518 skein 1
Plymouth Encore Sock DK 7521 skein 1
Plymouth Sockotta 617 ball 1
From of course :WEBS
The Only yarn store the Goddess frequents.
Hubby Got too confused looking at all the yarny goodness ANd so told me to pick what I wanted. Being budget conscious I desperately pried my eyes away from the fabulous

SHibui sock
and Plymoth happy feet
That's a bit over my current limit., Plus two pair as apposed to 4 AND needles, nuhuh. 'SPecially after going to Bonsai for supper with the Whole family. All in all A good mother's day.

One never Knows

2008-05-10T18:53:00.003-04:00

YOu never know what you'll find at the beach. Girly and I went this morning as our own Mothers Day. Since we are spending Mothers day proper with PG's Mom. WE got up about 745 and got there by 8am. We even had a nice giggle at the expense of another driver on the way. You see I know ,being as I am friends with Many a police officer, That out of towners should NOT go over the speed limit. I was going my alloted 55mph and the person behind me figured HE would pass me and go about 90MPH....with a local PO about 100yrds up. The officer pulled out to get him as I was coming up to him. GIrly " GET 'EM! Get 'Em!!" hee hee. Once we got there we had a great time as there weren't many people there at all. about 10ish other people stared to flow in. One group of ladies had a camcorder and were sitting in front of me. when their bags got caught in the tide I chatted them up. Turns out the youngest was a knitter too and was admiring "the bikini from hell" wondering if I too was a knitter:)And as we were discussing what the best fibre to take on a beach excursion was"cotton versus fuzzy mohair, and sock weight over worsted or larger" Girly ran up and calmy told me she had squeezed something squishy in the water and now her thumb was burning. Good thing the teen lifeguards were there. They had some vinagar in a spritzer bottle to save the day. Girly was so disgusted with"that naughty jelly" that Our yarny conversation was cut short and Girly and I went onward to the farmers market off 8th street( only open on Saturdays from 9-2 pm FYI). We sampled fresh organic cheeses, and breads, etc. There was a man selling organic coffee beans, and a bunch of local produce, and flowers, We spent $30 on some dried bananas, blueberries,fresh crab cakes and surprisingly Girly who TOTALLY HATES olives Asked to buy a jar of organic olive/pimento/herb& anchovy dip that she LOVED. The guy gave her a sample, I figured the poor guy was about to get the worst review ever but she was all"Oh. MY. GOD. Mommy that is the best stuff EVER!" You really never know. So then we came home to have a nice picnic in the floor, and a LOONG nap.

I'm sorry, is this ELM street?

2008-05-07T08:03:00.003-04:00

DUDE, I just met my new neighbour. I think possibly He might be a wee bit nutters. Possibly. I was minding my business walking doggo and he calls out hey my name is "blah blah something" ( I really have no clue I lost it about 2.5 minuets later, You'll see why)He was a bit twitchy, but then again so am I, so eh whatev. So we're chatting about the house, the gawd awful termites he found heavily imbedded in it. and Doggo is severly snuffling him.I give the back off command yet the snuffling continues( I figure 8ish in thew morning, the guy probably (a) has a dog at home in heat or (B) had a really tasty breakfast...For about five seconds "Oh , sorry about the pants I um got in an 'Altercation' last night." I look a bit more deeply at what I thought was alot of brown paint from painting the house But nyet, It was Blood. OMG I live A bishop's move from freddie! Which incedentally is right behind my monitor, so I'm sneaking little glances back there now looking for suspicious carpet rolls. I mean I little guts OK. Guys fight, they get wasted at the pub and fight, but crapola someone needs a transfusion.
MAybe I'm a tad overreacting. MAybe he likes a good pub brawl. Or maybe I'll just keep over here and keep a look out for stripey sweaters and funny smells. But then again those could BOTH be coming from My house...

Pictures of stuff

2008-05-06T08:11:00.012-04:00

Here are the aforementioned pictures of my top, with the scalloped/shell add ons. It's still a tad too stretchy but I guess that's what happens.
And for your viewing pleasure: a subtle kitten chomp on a leg. He's so cute, but Vicious!

A Bit of a more friendly Look here:

I know my Garden looks a bit ghetto with the bricks and torn garden paper, but I'm still working on It aesthetically. Frankly I just don't want the stuff to DIE. Making it pretty doesn't do much good until you're sure that you don't just have a giant sandbox. Making it pretty is my task for the day.(then it'll probably die on me) I'm going to show pictures of it once I get it decent, for now here's a picture of my Avocado tree and his little minty friends in their shared pot. Yea he's gunna need a new one soon!

Tempting

2008-05-05T19:52:00.006-04:00

I finally finished my "Tempting" top(knitty.com) at Sally's house. I still had a few finishing touches I added in pick up line today. I did not do the sleeving, In stead I increased by the 52 sts on each side and carried on with the yoke. I bound off the 12 sts underarm and SC around the bottom of the arm/yoke for added stability since I put it on Once and it mega streched. I also instead of the ribboned bow, crocheted a nice shell st border(in the lime green) on the top's neckline and folded two shells over each arm's first two rows so it has a squared look. I really like the diverseness this pattern can have. really it's so teribly simple I could do a bunch of them and come up with all sorts of add ons and things. I thought about one with puffed sleeves and one cabled instead of ribbed,and an embossed diamondy one. We've been talking alot of knitting today so it's all stuck in there clinging together. I also planted some peppers,cilantro and ginger Sally was kind enough to give me after my own pepper seeds failed to germinate and I think...maybe. that I see a few caladium babies under the pear tree, along with some pansies Girly threw out there to"keep them company". The onions are growing, the tomatoes still aren't dead , but I think I am about to kill a horrible pair of socks I am knitting from scratch. these suckers are irritating, I'm striping them with two colours and then they have a completeely differnt colour on the bottom. I . hate. these. socks. but they're for girly and they are cute, once I figure out this laptop thingy I will post pictures of the socks, and the top. Did I mention I also have another sock on .. oh wait TWO other socks on needles other than the pair I already have? yeah. and one pair has to be dyed after I finish the mate. but I like THOSE socks. I am making an effort on them. I just wanted to do this top first, and save the easy small knitting for toasty outside days. Anyhow, off to watch more mindless killing, because the graphics on this game are SOO kick ass( I can see the Rain bouncing off the puddles, and pants creases people!). Plus the plot is getting really interesting too.

Free to BLOG!

2008-05-04T23:59:00.002-04:00

It's been a LONG weekend. First after a trip to the beach with 30 kindergardeners (okay 15 in our group) We had to take a raod trip to Valdosta to see my SIL graduate(colledge)...(again) I have never BEEN to VAldosta, I HAVE NEVER been on the wrong side of a map with No DISTINCT road signs to guide me. I was the map engineer on this trip....I also left my vat of coffee on the porch after dashing through the house for an hour trying (with NO LUCK) to find the damn cell phone. DId I mention I spent THE.WHOLE. DAY.with a bunch of 5-6 yr olds at the beach? WE ended up nearing jessup before I realized gee since the MAp didn't clearly define east or west until the 3RD PAGE(west) I used my powers of FInd the road sign logic to see the 'U.S.-some# east' sign to point and say "that way?" when asked left or right. It said to go left then right immediately. I TOLD HIM TO!!! of course it ALSO made us go in a wide circle around hwy 82 JUST to get back onto......HWY 82..the same freakin road!and after an hour of wasted time we gave up and went home. With the inlaws' camcorder in our trunk. they were less than thrilled. I however enjoyed an evening of alcohol and prep -H. It kinda reminded me of Gilligans island. A three hour tour BACK to rural Georgia. Which is kinda like the lost island on there, only we don't have coconuts and great radio reception. I spent all of yesterday diging out a 4 by 5foot space for some onions and tomatoes, transplanting the roots, tubers and grass to the ginormous hole that is my driveway and rolling out paper to keep the grass from running back up in the garden when I sleep. At least I got to eat at the japanese steakhouse for supper since I was too tired to cook:)
PG is out buying laptop for himself with the rescession money, which is yeah for me. I might actually get to blog on the weekends now. though I would settle for watching him play Timeshift all weekend. That game is AWESOME!!. well okay he's back. bye for now, might blog tomorrow .
we'll see...

How to Survive A Riot

2008-04-30T10:00:00.002-04:00

Today when I opened IE to my Google homepage I saw " gas hits...Record High" and right under it in the how to section: "how to survive a riot". Coincidence? maybe, but at 3.60 a gallon not for long. I may be the only one rioting but, Sweet jesus on a surfboard man! It's not like I go out to eat, buy new clothes or jewelry. I can barley afford the pick five for $20 meat special at the butcher. If we didn't have PG's job supported retirement thingy we'd not have anything by the time we're his parents age. What happened to 1.30 per gallon milk being"too high" and bread at 60c a loaf? I am sick of this war, sick of this recession that"isn't a recession", and I'm sick and damn tired of relying on oil for everything. I'm not just blaming Bush Either. We've ben kissing ass in the mid east for decades Knowing our sustenance relies on their oily whims. WHen we finally as a country get a clue, it's still going to take years and $$$ to make any sort of renewable alternative work and to get the oil giants here in the states to allow it to be mass distributed. Not to mention the $$$ and time for it to trickel down to the lower classes being able to afford a new car that runs on the stuff. It's not like I am looking for a way to get a Porsche, and Gucci shoes for a pittance, I just want to be able to buy my kid a freaking pack of undies without having to eat beans and rice for three nights to afford them.
Some people may question why I have internet if I am broke? Well it came with my phone package TYVM, and It's really the only way to talk to my mum and brother when a phonecall to austrialia costs about $20 for an hour. All my family is long distance, so I can send picturesvia the internet without having to pay more for gas, and $$ to go to the shop and get them developed. then $30 more to ship them overseas only to be LOST on the cargo ship for 2 months again. I'm trying to get a garden going to offset some of the grocery costs, but when It costs so much to get the supplies some days I just want to scream. Ecspecially when half of what I plant dies before fruition.
I'm tired people. tired. And it's only getting worse.

Oopses

2008-04-26T16:09:00.007-04:00

Have you ever done something that you know you probably shouldn't have, but done it anyway? I'm sure you have. I planted an avacodo seed. I hav a baby avocado tree. It was near my front porch because it looked really pretty in my small flower patch. I hypothetically asked hubby just how big the get? He said "big enough probably I wouldn't want one in the yard. I got paraniod that these massive avacodoes would come pounding down on the house to elimitate anyone else buying the place after I get sick of it. I transplanted it near the big garden (closer to my neighbours yard:D) In a small planter. I think though that I should get a big planter for it instead so I can move it at lesuire when it gets really big.
Also in the realm of things I shouldn't have but did any ways I moved my 30 inch tv( not flatscreen), have been doing squats to combat cornish hens on bamboo skewer bathing suit issues and the final clencher carrying a 70 pound young'n through the house all in three days and pulled something in my ass. Then to make matters worse I had to go grocery shopping unles I sent PG who would end up buying nothing but doritoes and chicken noodle soup. Ah yes the pain. And with the new meds he's on he was like sleeping in the same bed with a giant sweaty legion of octopi.At one point I was sorely tempted to sleep out on the porch with the salamanders.
Why did I move the Tv to set of this chain of pain? I went shopping:

You can't see it well under all the stuff, but I got a new tv centre, Which is FAR better then the crap we had up since 6 years ago when we moved in AKA: two plastic shelves and a tv caddy. eww. those shelves were bowing BADLY. And yes, In case you're wondering, that big red row under the TV is the intire Friday The 13th seires.

Passion

2008-04-24T23:01:00.002-04:00

It comes in many forms, subtle ones like a good latte, and more obsessive ones like the passion my father had for my mother.
He loved her alot, I know it because I heard it spoken much when I was little. He wrote it alot as well in the letter he sent her every time she ran away from him and the beatings. And allways with those letter I knew she would go back to him, Her passion for him burning just as strongly.We never stayed in One place for more than two years when I was with my parents. After leaving the Army my father could never stay in one job for long, and that often led to the biggest fights. Often they started over him going to a bar, of Not coming home all night. We used to wait up for him to come in. Piss drunk and stumbling up the stoop we'd stand at the door reall quiett and hold the locks so even if he got the right key INTO the lock it never opened. I thought it was a game.
Sometimes He would bring home flowers, those lily ones that look like ears of corn. They were their wedding flowers, and I thought it was romantic. It truly was a bribe against the brusies and such that had sent her to sleep in my bed the nights before. Sometimes when it was really bad, we'd leave him. Only to go back after one of those letters.
I never noticed most of the bad things that happened to my mother over the years, But I wish I had. Maybe it would have helped me understand her better. I wish I knew the father who came before the one I remember, maybe it would help me understand why she kept going back to him. Passion can be good, or bad. Perhaps that's where it crosses the line to adddiction, or obsession.
My mother was an addict, and my father was obsessed. ANd I forgive them. But I should never forget. Life is a process like a pattern on a pair of needles. An error can be a mistake that ruins a work, or turned into an integral part of a new, great work. I Am trying, to keep it as integral, and not let my past botch my life. I have moments like now when I want to reflect, to try and learn from things I used to not understand. Or maybe just to talk it through and let it go. Sometimes I write these things and I delete them instead. Perhaps I should do that with this one too. but for now, I'll leave it up.

Finally

2008-04-23T09:32:00.002-04:00

I have finished the bikini form hell, and the poncho. the poncho tends to want to be square instead of diamond shaped, but It is perfectly long. I had to seam in some linen to the inside of the bikini so I don't flash the other beachgoers, but that is OK. I'm now onto a pair of socks for kiddo. I hope they wear well, they're wool, but I'm doing them on 2.5 mm so yeah the yarn is teensy, which worries me because Girly is VERY hard on a pair of socks. The cotton ones seem to be holding up to her wear alright. Every day they look like they've melted but I hand wash them and they pop right back. I am leery of using my new Good sock yarn on her though. They say it can withstand Hiking boots, but I wonder if they tested it on an ADD child with a cup of sugar in them. THEN I would not be so scared to use it.
Physics Guy is seeing his doctor today about his back. His meds aren't working as well as they should. We've been discussing the possibility of medical retirement since it's pretty bad and can only get worse. There are Guys at work with LESS severe injuries who are already getting out on it so it's not really IS he that bad off, but IS he ready to admit it.Which is very difficult for him to do. He's a very proud Guy, and he's one of those who Needs to work and be busy to be happy. Plus the idea of milling about the house and being given menial tasks by me doesn't sound like much fun :D And we wait, I don't know what his Doc will say, and that is the most difficult thing for me. Not knowing eats at me. I am somewhat of a control freak and I NEED to know what, where and how. I can't plan for what I don't know, and that really stresses me out. I hope that in the next 10 years the great minds can think of some way to fix him, but honestly it's a tossup. All the plans we made to see the shores of Ireland, and the midwestern town where I'm from, the beauty of the mountains, and the lights of New York, may well never come to light. But I can't give up the hope that it might happen, who knows. keep dreaming, and maybe one day it will be possible.

5 days

2008-04-20T12:32:00.003-04:00

Wow I can't belive I haven't blogged in FIVE days! O course this coincides with PG being home with his back. I have gotten alot of knitting done though. I made a pair of short socks for Girly with strict orders of NO heels and NO toe seam. They look like something my Mum would use for her prosthetic leg. Only with fancy boucle cuffs. She loves them though. I bought some more cotton to dye for A few projects, mostly more socks for her and possibly a tank for me. I'm almost through with the bikini from hell. I have 10 rounds left on the leg. and then I may not like the length and add a few more. AND I am a 60 R by 80 sts. away from my poncho. I am considering casting on for the WISP shawl I saw on Knitty.com after that with some nice alpaca/mohair stuff in my Auntie stash. Or I may finish the Aran by the sea socks I discarded for the summer project list. I am just FILLED with possibilities at this point.

cuddly cuties

2008-04-15T10:48:00.004-04:00

My doggo Loves kitties. Last night Puss was moving the kittens to a new area, And was COMPLETELY freaking out. She moved them into the living room with us and snuggled them up on the couch. But she was Still Panting loudly, and terribly nervous. Champ decided this was the best way to calm her down... It did. He crashed out too for a little while of inhaling kitten smell.
We moved them into our bathroom after we went to bed. PG was worried they might fall off the couch or into the crack and suffocate. She likes it back there and it's closer to the Cat potty.
We've been taking them all out into the living room today to help Puss keep from panicking again. She doesn't like being alone.
She also helped me finish half my poncho

Zombies

2008-04-14T12:29:00.003-04:00

How to know when you've had too much wine the night before: you dream Christian Zombies are after you trying to pray you into one of them. No joke. Think: Night of the Living Dead and Benny Hinn had a baby. That would be my dream last night. That was one of the oddest scary dreams I've ever had. I've had some odd ones, and I've had some scarry ones. But this was a supercombo of nightmarishness.
yeesh. That's what I get for talking politics, religion and old movies with Physics guy, over cabernet, before bed. I know have a sudden craving to watch Bruce Campbell movies. That chainsaw arm was pretty handy. Tee hee. Handy. Sorry.

From the beach

2008-04-13T10:12:00.006-04:00

The beach was lovely, we got there about 730 Am. It was still a bit too cool for swimming in the ocean part, but there was a nice stream before a sandbar, before the tide that had reasonably warm water. I had the brilliant Idea to park my stuff on the sandbar sandwiched in between said current and the ocean proper...It was lovely until about 1030 when the tide started coming in and almost swept everything away. Fortunately my stash and camera were in my waterproof bag. I'm sure the other early beach goers got a kick out of seeing a screeching banshee woman scrambling for her three bags and blanket" My yarn ! my yarn!" Girly didn't get swept under This time, which was a bonus. Though she did venture a bit father than I'd like down the shore and I momentarily lost her. I bought her some goggles and she was scuba-ing in the current And so I couldn't see her. Plus there were NO bathrooms. At 745 no one is open. Fortunately where we stopped there was an FD(Fire dept.) And there's not a fireman I know who would turn away a little kid. So thank you to the Probie who let us in. WE also went to the beach shop around 11oo when It opened. I took a picture of the owner,Isn't she pretty!
but I chickened out on asking her to do a knitting picture. I'm not quite as ballsy as SmcP But I did take a picture of my seaside sock with a seagull who was rather fond of my boiled eggs.
The object of getting there so early was A: to get there before all the good spots were taken. However all the "good spots were further down the shore...near the bathrooms. And B: getting some good seashells before the tide swept them out. Which failed as there were NOT any to be had. So we got alot of abalone and some broken pieces for a wind chime, and whatever abstract project GIrly had in mind when she got these Which were carefully picked with schoolmaster like scrutiny.
And we saw the beautiful car of my dreams As we were leaving: the Saturn Sky. I am so jealous of Bossy. Getting to ride around in one of these for her road trip. It gets the BEST gas mileage for a sports car. I've also heard rumours there is a hybrid model. That would be a GREAT Mothers day present.

Just Beachy

2008-04-11T22:24:00.002-04:00

It must be a beach week. Carolyn went to Jekell And I'm taking Girly to the Fernidina beach tomorrow. It's soo nice out down here it is hard to not want to be near the water. I don't know for sure if we're going to be IN the water or not as Carolyn says it's terribly cold still. Maybe just toes. Plus I kinda have a fear of Girly and water. Mainly because she has a tendency to try to down in the current. At 6 months old I took her out in her floaty baby trolley off the shores of Jekell's main beach. the waves were tame, the water was warm. all of a sudden out of nowhere a gaint of a wave swooshed over Girly knocking her into the undertow. She thought it was a riot. I very nearly passed out screaming from panic. PG just calmly dove down, grabbed a leg and yanked her up. Repaet this 4 years later with arm floaties(we didn't go back to the beach before then, we stayed in nice safe pools with clear water) that the wave from hades swept OFF her arms. When they say NOT a life saving device they really mean it. I am seriously contemplating In Icord saftey cord for my leg to her kinda surf board style to prevent this from happening this year. I myself did not learn to swim until I was 10 years old. There's no real need for swimming in the midwestern Ghetto. I mean really WHO drowns in a sprinkler? Anything bigger than and often times even the kiddie pools were stolen so no one I knew had a big pool. the time I did spend in the south was filled with floaties in 4 ft maximum pools and sticking to the tideline. So yeah I have no real lifesaving capabilities when it comes to water, unless of course you become a floater. I do have AED and CPR training. It's nice to have family in EMS servicies to teach you handy stuff like that.
I have the beach bag prepared already so we can just get up and go. I included extra camera batteries so I can get some good pictures. Adn mapQuest so I don't get lost like last time and wind up in a shipyard. Though the locals are Royally nice about giving the wayward traveler directions. Just don't look at them in your rear view, they WILL be laughing at you. My favortie spot on the beach it right by an Italian restaruant. They have live music playing and the widows are open so if you sit in the right area you get A nice serenade, and Oh the lovely smells of basil and garlic coming off the kitchen. It's a great beachgoing experince. So look for pictures some time tomorrow. If I'm feeling adveturous I may wonder around to find old cottages and things. I will be bringing my sock Ala Harlot so expect sock traveling pictures as well.

Skinny Bitch

2008-04-09T09:05:00.003-04:00

Just who, I would like to know, has a 20 inch waist?! Maybe it was the yarn, maybe it wasn't, seeing as they used a cotton yarn themselves. My Gosh, I had to frog the whole bikini bottom. The. Whole. Thing. I got to the part where the leg attaches to the OTHER leg, and thought' I should hold this up to me and see how well it will fit.' Even with the add on of the drawstring waist, it MAY fit Girly. I was a bit worried when I saw the teen sporting it in the pattern, but I'm not a really big person myself. But even with my daily jog there's no way my 34 inch butt is going to fit in this thing. And there is no way I am dieting to get into it. I like my "lady lumps" I work hard to keep my butt in a nice moderate size. 20 inches went out the window about the time Girly came out that window down below. Not to mention the fact that everytime I have been on a dieted regemine before I lost ALOT of boobage, and I DONT have much to spare. Now I have to make a whole new one from scratch. I think I'll do it in the round to make it a bit easier. Crud

UFO's

2008-04-09T06:48:00.005-04:00

For some reason I cannot seem to get finished with my bikini bottom. Mainly because I cannot wrap my mind around how the pattern is supposed to make this tiny scrap fit over my rather round ass. Am about halfway through it, and that is: to the part where I am supposed to connect(i think) the legs/bum together and round them I want to add a few rows to be sure it fits. Then again I don't want it to be too large and make my ass look bigger and lumpier. Also the poncho I am making to go over said bikini is giving me trouble. Since I am making it from scratch I kinda forgot where I was going with it and fubar'd the half I already made, BUT I can't just unseam it because once i figured out that was all I'd have to do I also realized it is too short. It would be OK for a regular poncho @ 60 sts on 8mm, but I want it knee length so I can just wear IT over the suit and be appropriate if I see a Starbucks near-by. I just cannot do the teen girl walking in in flops and a teensy biki thing I see around here during the summer months. I mean REALLY who goes grocery shopping in a bikini top and daisy dukes?! IMO that's kinda skanktified. 'specially when one has a kiddo with them. I digress

I re-started the poncho on 9mm with (x4)80 st x 80R squares which hopefully will be enough. By gauge it should anyway. and then I'm BO about 10 sts at the top left (x2) and right(x2). Once I run out of skein yarn I'll frogg the failed one. because I really don;t want to deal with ripping and winding while amidst the projects and house stuff if at all possible.
I also got some more potting mix for topsoil to bribe some lettuce and tomato seeds with. I potted the tomato seeds, and the romaine I just put in the garden along the border of the collards I have already planted for the Guinea pigs. No one(human) in my house likes collards but me , and I only like them in my salad. We do however like lettuce. The caladium are sprouting root buds, so I haven't killed them yet. Basil, Oh my gosh, the basil on my porch. I have PLENTY of basil And something else in another pot, but I can't remember if it's the lavendar or chamomile, as I planted them both in it. I did the lavendar in early march, but when It didn't sprout I added some cham, because it ALLWAYS grows good for me. I usually can get at the minimum enough for a few pots of tea before the summer dries it all up.
other than that, the only news is Me trying to talk PG and Girly out of keeping a kitten. They want the cali, I want them ALL gone. Frankly I've had cats all my life, I am pretty much catted out. The thrill of the litter box has gone, along with the hope of ever taking a shower without the cat also wanting to take a stinky Poo at the same time. Oh and the small fact that I am allergic... But yes I suck it up, and take antihistamines...And hack...and do eye drops. PG on the other hand seems to (while I appreciate his thinking I am super mom)believe I can muster the energy to keep up with him, Girly, AND umpteen pets. Because we all know I will inevitably be the keeper of the litter and designated vet driver. No freakin way.

Kitten pictures

2008-04-08T07:52:00.004-04:00

Aww aren't they cute. they all seem to have some sort of tortie markings, though Thing One is mostly blue and white, thing two is mainly white wih blue cow spots and a few licks of caramel, number three( name pending, though I rather like Gertrude Mc fuzz, keeping with the Dr. suess theme) is completely undeniably tortie and white.

Momma Puss is doing just fine. Thing two had a bit of a rough time with coming out of the sac and expelling fluid, We ended up having to help out and rub him up a bit. We though we might have to with Gertie too, but Puss finally came around to the job. CHamp is loving the Kittens, Puss surprisingly enjoys everyone being in there with her even him, she lets him lick the kittens, and lay around"guarding her". If I don't go in there she comes looking for me and calling me to come back.

Ladies and gentlemen

2008-04-07T21:55:00.003-04:00

we have kittens!!!
Kitten number one was born three minutes ago!Pussikins had him on Physics guy's lap! fortunalty we had the forethought to bring the nesting box in and poke her in it before the little guy popped out. We're thinking one-two more are coming soon. Poor hubby.

Update** kitten two was born about 11:30 and number three at 11:50. lets hope there are no more.... they're so cute.

do wah diddy

2008-04-04T09:25:00.001-04:00

When I was little my movie was not Princess bride, or Gone with the wind. No those came much later. My movie, was My Girl. I loved that movie, I cryed every time Thomas died, no matter how many times I saw it. I was the bookworm nerdy girl who loved poetry and was a bit odd. I could relate to Vada, and I loved the linen top with the blue smocking she wore when Shelly taught her to wear makeup. I wanted one so bad. I never got that top....But Now I found one, I'm too old to wear it properly of course, so I got it for Girly. And since she has a hatred of jeans I got her some nice denim blue bike shorts to wear with it. She hasn't seen the movie yet. I don't think she's old enough to handle Thomas' death, she would be much too inconsoleable, trust me, she cries for the crickets the tarantula eats. But she will eventually. But we won't see My girl 2, that was just yuk, nowhere near as good as the first.Soo she's going to be realy cute. I was going to get a linen dress with great embrodery for the summer, but when I tried it on it looked just horrible. the Elastic "waist band" was UNDER the ass part. not CUPPING, not ABOVE where you would THINK a waistline should be. no. Even when I stretched it to see what it would look like if I bought it anyway and disected the elastic out(hey it was a great colour) it just looked crap. Fortunatly I tried them on before I bought it in various sizes just to be sure. I went from small to large, still it looked like I had an underwire bra for my butt. WHO would wear this? A few inches lower would have made a nice mermaid thing, and a few inches Up and It would look, well, Normal. Oh well shorts for now, until I find something better. Oh also I'm making a knitten bikini with boy shorts this week. I'm goimg to embroider some tiny red poppies on it to make sure the nipplage doesn't show through the seams. I hope it is as great as It is in my head. Will show pictures once the results come in. So far I've only got one and a quarter cup(s) done, and the i-cord is kicking my butt.
In random fact news, Champ the dog is gloating over his new treasure he found on our walk. what is this priceless artifact? some kid's apple he left on the sidewalk near the bus stop. Poor little Jimmy won't get snack today:(( Champ isn't so much eating it as licking the peel.Probably enjoying the kid smell/taste. He's kinda obsessed with little kids. He thinks they're all his and he is thiers, and they will be licked. I don't know if he will actually eat it, he's more fond of pears. He carried it home in his mouth "roorooroo"ing at everyone he saw to show it off. Oh yes He is proud of his find.

Mawiage

2008-04-03T07:45:00.004-04:00

Often people think that with marriage comes a "happily ever after" filled with snuggles, prosperity and endless joys. These people are usually single.
When you get married, there are the happy dilightful parts. Like someone to warm you on a cold night, to share joys and tears. Watching a scary movie together under a hand knit afghan(had to slip in the knitting)
The Least wanted to think about is the fact that with the happily also comes the miserably ever afters. The key is to work through the miserably and wait patiently for the happily to come around again. the smashed through tube of toothpaste, the Picky etaers, and the stinky disagreements. Sometimes even illness. Some days I can't stand my husband. Any married woman can tell you the same( and the husbands too I'm sure). BUt unless you're married to a really rotten guy there's no reason to let a few irritations ruin an otherwise good thing.Little girls see the happily ever afters in movies and stories every day, and Nievly think that THE GUY will be a perfect agreeable man clone. Not gonna happen. Alot of marragies get messed up over sweating the small stuff. Sure we like to gripe about the stinky socks in the floor, and the mystirious inability to wash a load of laundry, but We all are irritating to some level. I for example like to kick my husband in my sleep, and sometimes forget to wash his pants:D which sucks. But we also like to hang out and watch old movies, and talk about world news and sciency stuff. We order Pizza and have mudfights in the yard. Not allways, but enough to remember them during the crap days when the laundry is loafing on the couch and he's forgotten to put away his dishes and I want to throw a kettle at him for being a pain. marriage is a job, like it or not. Things don't always fit like puzzle peices, sometimes we have to cut off parts and hammer them in to make things fit right. The efforts we put into it make the results much more valuable.

shoes

2008-04-02T16:05:00.002-04:00

Dear Leli Kelli,
How do I put this nicely... You kinda suck. the sugary sweet commercials with the preppy uppper east side kids. You insinuate that my Kid is not cool becasue she does not have your glitter spackeled K.E.D.S. knock offs. And brazenly say the way to be "Cool" Is to have them. Then, when I finally get sick of hearing the sad pleas, and cheesy commercials, I watch for a web addres, or something of the sort. And you have NOTHING. Npt a phone number, email, jack diddly. So in effect adn retort I now will make my own sparkle shoes for my kid. the same way I madew mine when I was small. Good old Elmers glitter glue, And a pair of durable yet cheap K.E.D.S. Maybe someday when you get a ticket on the clue train, and a proper website or retial chian, I may stop in.. Just to see what a better job I did. have a great day sucking. -SG

After Party

2008-04-01T11:28:00.002-04:00

Bus rides are scary. I have only ridden on/in(?) a school bus one other time. I was about Girly's age. I don't recall much, but I definitely DON"T remember the bumpy spine jarring off the railroad tracks, or almost falling out of the seat (quite a few times) like I did today. Girly didn't budge. Must be an acquired thing. Horton was good. I fell asleep a few times in the middle, but I got the begining, the gist of the middle and the whole end. My sugar was high, my caffeine was low, yes I fell asleep like an old person at the movies. And a note to any future parents: DO NOT buy popcorn unless you are willing to share with an intire class. There is nothing worse than 15 kindergardeners begging for "poppy". Fortunatly I was saved by a more experinced mom who DID buy enough for the whole class and had the forethought to bring individual cups. now if you'll excuse me I need a pot of joe. BADLY

Tuesday Morning

2008-04-01T07:03:00.003-04:00

I got my order of yarn in yesterday about 1:30 pm. Isn't it pretty:) I Love the susan bates cable stitch holder too. I like how it's more fish hook shaped than the more bowed in dpn look of the regular ones. It keeps the stitches on better. I'll post more later as I'm off to watch "Horton Hears A Who" with the Kindergarten class. Oi

Working on the Yard

2008-03-29T10:32:00.002-04:00

I don't know what happened to my unfortunate bag of sugar as is traveled it's way to my kitchen. somewhere between here and the factory it must have gotten doused whith ( I can only hope) alot of water. I just about need a ~~sifter~~ cement pounder to break it up. Normally I would have noticed these things and avoided the bag 'o funk, but really in a 9am no-coffee-in my-system sugar run, shit happens. After a smell test, precautionary lick test complete with flashes from "Steve don't eat it" and a dog check (hey if he licks it its OK to eat) I am fairly sure it's just had a run in with water.
I have researched my caladiums and found that I don't get to plant them until May, which sucks because of course by may I won't know where the bag went to and I will more than likely have calads running wild in my heating closet. I do have alot more of Girly's pansy seeds I may plant in the meantime in the area for them so It doesn't look so terribly bare. I'm sure my neighbours will appreiciate that my yard doesn't so much look like a hippy armpit any more. Every one else here keeps their yards impeccable in the winter months. I however like to let it rest. My laziness has resulted in the sweetest black dirt in the back yard, but not somuch in the front. but hey It's got growth now at least. when I moved here 4 1/2 yrs ago there was nothing but mud and sand. 4 years of not rakeing the leaves, and chucking pears for the dog finally paid off.
after a bout of raking some branches up that fell out of the paer tree and some I whacked off the bushes of mystery I figured I'd take a nice break and listen to some music. It would have been nice. If PG hadn't misplaced my flipper switch. Over the winter I complained that I kept getting shocked every time I got out of the car.I guess I thought he'd FIX it. Instead He found that the amp wire was arching off the door and that was what kept zapping me. His answer was to ripp the durn flipper out, thereby keeping it from arcing off the door, but also keeping ME from cranking the tunes to deafiningly loud levels. Now I have my wired up sub, and no flipper to turn it on with. poop.
SO now instead I am killing time until the crafters get-together @ 2pm at the library. I should be going to a baby shower that I made booties for. But PG is barfy and I don't want to be too far from him incase he needs something. And unless there is yarn, coffee, or some other shiny important thing I don't drive farther than 20 minutes away alone. I get REALLY bored, and start to nod off. I have tried K-while driving twice on these sort of trips out of desparation to keep moving. tip: loop your hands through the steering wheel and put the yarn around the back so as not to get tangled up and so you can still steer. Naturally you can't CABLE or make anything fancy or you defeat the purpose of NOT killing anyone. If you can do it with out looking, it'l work. Wait why am I telling this? really don't knit and drive. it's not safe. which Is why I don't do it anymore. But I Have tried it, for the learning experince. One should always try new things. It inhances the mind right?

Tales of Yarn

2008-03-28T18:03:00.007-04:00

It's been a week of yarny goodness. My birthday on monday with my friends and cake and a kick butt stash bag from Sally. Then making booties for another friend's baby on Tuesday, Wednesday Girly and I went to a great antiques(and not so antique) shop and I got some tapestry yarn to make a rug with for girly's room, it's great for felting because it's 100% virgin wool. Then thursday Sal Girly and I went to the island to scope an LYS when was wonderfull. First we fortunatly lucked up and went the wrong direction and stumbled onto thier NEW location which was NOT on the map I googled. they weren't open yet so we had a blast at the ACE garden centre looking at the flowers and getting some agnes bushes for Sally's yard and I got some low lying plants to go around the bottom of my pear tree. Where the soil is like heaven. probably the only spot in my yard I can say that about. We also got some Ivy and pansies for Girly to plant. Didn't want to leave, but the prospect of a juicy yarn store was too much to pass up.Girly took some pictures of her favorites:
They had CHEERY TREE HILL for pete's sake, and gobs of Noro Today I got my reciept from WEBS and a handy litle tracker from UPS so I can see where my yarn is. I should be getting it Either tomorrow or monday. Monday would be good for me, PG won't be home, and the Kntting posse will be here for monday morning Knit in, since Sally's house will be sleep central and we don't want to disturb anyone. oh yes, there will be much cleaning and raking here over the weekend. I was out back doing the weeding and prep for the caladium bulbs...Those in the Picture BTW are NOT mine, they are off the holland bulbs site. (the brand I got) I can only hope mine turn out that well.
ANd I pissed off some little blackish creature I think It was a salamander, but when large shiny things run at me I kinda glaze over and run screaming. I poked around back there but I coudn't find it again so I ran the weed eater for a bit around the general area to make SURE I scared him off. I don't think he'll be back for a while. Now I am off to check that I am palnting the bulbs correctly, I will take some pictures ...If they don't die.

Yarn addict

2008-03-25T07:19:00.003-04:00

I told my husband he was a spammbaiter addict last night....Ironically with a sock in my hands, a cable needle in my mouth, and two bags filled with yarn spilling out around me. Oh yes, I did. " Are you sure you want to talk to ME about addiction?" he incredulously asked doing the little finger swirly around my general area. "maybe not so much" But of course he let me win since it WAS: my birthday:DI don't think I would have won had he seen my purchase today from WEBS.. What, I got $80 ish for my birthday in cheque, Why not spen it on yarn and stuff....Okay MOSTLY yarn, but I did get some circs and a cable needle too. I usually can only dream of WEBS closeouts, today that dream is MINE!!in these and other fabulous colours

I got a cone of laceweight to make some nice summer projects And later paint, and some tweed sock yarn too, Sadly they were out of the really great navy blue, which is a favourite colour of mine, so I got a white flecked one that wil suit my cableing better.
Do you drop the (e) in cableing or not? I never know. English was always my better class so I'll go with the (e) for now. I know by my typing you can't really TELL I'm good with english, But really I am, my hand eye stuff just isn't that great, and I have a tendency to have typing dyslexia I've noticed.
I think though that I will always have my add/random thought screaming to get out problem though. such as above. Back to the yarn, Ah yes. I have come to accept that I will more than likely have at some point over the summer a hot sticky woollen project on my lap. Mainly because I love the feel of wool. I love the light scratchyness, the fluffy, and the just overall feel of the stuff. I don't think I can go a whole summer with out SOMETHING woolen. But I'm trying to save up all my non wool to use for the summer. Bob knows I won't have my socks done by then.

And to end, A nice Quote from Sojourner Truth: If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again!

summer projects

2008-03-23T00:50:00.005-04:00

I've been trying to find some light summer projects to do once the heat wave rolls around in about oh.. 2 months from now. I've been saving up my silk for then so I'll have something not so hot on my lap. I'll probably be doing some lace work too then. Which I hate because of the tiny stitches. But the end result is trully worth it. I haven't done any yet, so it will definitly be a learning experince for me. I sould be in bed right now but I slept for about 3 hrs this afternoon and now sleep is impossible. Plus my throat and ears hurt from the pollen. We FInally got our taxes done, so in two weeks I will be less stressed and maybe feeling better. having the money to pay the bills AND get groceries and gas( at $3.20 pg)in my military tank of a car, somehow makes me not as snippy and short. I've noticed that my stress levels and yuckyness somehow magically come together at the same time... how can this be...
I also finally got Girly to watch Princess Bride with me. I've been trying for 5 yrs now. She chased everyone around yelling "Humperdink" for about 30 minutes. Ah yes, finally sucess. Did anyone else notice the cool knit outfit of the miracle man's wife? eccentric yes, but you could definitly make some adjustments to turn it into a wrap... Princess Bride is a sort of rite of passage, much like every boy simply MUST jump off a roof at least once before adulthood( often and usually more than once)Yes it's cheesy, And a bit odd, but it's got something special there. Something movies don't have much of anymore these days. Not to mention the kick ass wardrobe. I never realized just HOW much my dog looked like a ROUS. especially now that he has patchy bald places. But yes I realized the time had come for both she and I to watch PB (for me , agian) when a friend was making references and despite the familiarity niggling at the back of my brain, I could not for the life of me remember WHERE i knew it from. Shameless I know, forgive me. And so For my Dear daughter's sake , and to keep my own life's saftey from the knitting needles of a good friend, We stayed up until 10 pm and had tea and The Princess Bride. I may try and find A nice bit of black cloth to make Physics Guy a mask and cape for fun....He DOES look alot like Wesley.....

It isn't easter ham But...

2008-03-21T21:44:00.004-04:00

I've been looking up some new recipies to add to my meal planning. I am a bit uneasy about some of the thai ones, Fish sauce doesn't sound all that yum, It brings on memories of catfish gutting and the goop you pullout. Never the less I bought some to make a sea food stew called Yose nabe in hopes that it doesn't tasste like the fish and sour feet that comes to mind when thinking of fish sauce. If when I open it it smells too terrible I will revert to a nice safe gumbo instead. I have to omit the mushrooms already since PG is horribly allergic and ends up itchy and vomiting like the girl on Exorcist. It's not a pretty sight. I'm also going to try a nice greek dish which looks really yummy. And more to the standard eating habits of my family. Prawns, rice and tomatoes are always big here. throw them together it's gotta go over well.
In knitting news I have most done on my cape, leaving only one side of the front and some possible adjustments to the hood before the bordering.
It's going to be a basic diamond cable. And of course blocking the durn thing so it doesn't curl anymore. I may have to crochet a few places on the underside to STILL keep it from curling because even though I moss stitched the first inch it wants to curl once I get past the moss. I haven't gotten much done on the socks I have on the needles Either. really I've been so tired the past few days I'm surprised anything is done at all.I will be gratefull for this 3 day weekend so I can get some rest. 5:30 am to 11-ish Pm is not a very restfull thing, especially given that from the time I get up to about 2 1/2 hrs after I am rnning around getting people dressed and off to their business and out for a walk with the dog.
Girly is STILL awake because her tooth hurts. I don't know why, the dentist was supposed to have de rooted it and capped it, yet it still freaking hurts two months later. She's driving my mad in there screaming like I ripped off an arm. of course it doens't bother her during the week. Must yell at dentist first thing monday morning....

Broken

2008-03-18T13:14:00.002-04:00

Physics Guy crashed the vid. card last night playing Splinter Cell. I never realized just how much of a difference this hd monitor made until the card went out. everything looks weird and strechy. And flat. It's kinda like life. the whole you don't know what you've got thing. I never knew what a real tight knit family was like. The sharing, the openness, the calls every few days, just to say hi and make sure everyone was in good health. The first couple of years with my husbands family were foreign to me. I didn't understand why these pepolpe called "all the time for no reason" now I miss it when they don't call for a few days. I am very close with his mum. Closer than with my own, I feel like anything I am going through I can share with her. My own family doesn't call very much, even the ones in the states. I never knew that a knock down drag out fight doesn't mean ending contact forever with that person as it typically does with my family. I still find it strange that if you need something a family member will help you get it. be it a night off from the kids, or help with a morgage payment. Family is SUPPOSED to be close, like a part of your heart not living with your body. People who know birthdays, heartaches and are there to share them with you. I am very grateful for my new family, if it were'nt for them, I don't think I could cope with the one I was born to.

Who Exactly is This Patrick guy?

2008-03-17T07:52:00.002-04:00

And why does he like us to get boozy and sing ballads of Ireland?
Well actually he doesn't. He's not even Irish. Nope. Really no one knows where the heck he's from. There's a plethora of guesses, but the closest one to Ireland Fair is Scotland. He was a slave in Ireland, and went to Rome and other such places. Then he decided to go convert those "horrid druids" in Ireland. I.E. God called him to save the Irish. Basically led a bunch of soldiers into Ireland preaching to them,and killed the ones who didn't convert. (the soldeirs not him personally) Basicaly pissing alot of people off. He seems to from his history to be a nice enough guy for the most part, albeit misguided and uneducated. And we all know what happens when those things come into play eh George? It looks to me like alot of the history on this subject has been lost and glossed by the CC, so we really don't know alot about St. Patty other than the myths and legends. The whole shamrock thing is pertaining to Pat trying to convert the "heathenous irish" but they were to simple to grasp the concept(more likely they didn't give an R.A.and so played dumb, And being half irish not to mention married to a full blooded one, I can say with certainty we like to pull the stupid card to get outta stuff ...alot) so he used the shamrock as an example of the xain trinity, so they could understand. Then the whiskey soaked minds sopped it up. Wearing green or getting pinched? well this one Actually pertains to Ireland. Ireland is called the Emerald Isle, so of course, we wear green to remember Ireland, and you get a pinch to not forget your roots. There you have it, old St.P is not irish, and the only thing the guy has to do with Ireland is having a part in the bloody hostile takeover of a peaceful country. And if you've ever read irish history and tales, you know how vile that turned out. AS it usually does with the rape and looting and torture, you know all those Good moral values. So I guess we get liquored up to forget all the shit him and his buddies did. That a good enough reason for me. I can't help but see that durn near all the holidays are of a religious nature, catholic predominatly. Shit. If I actualy was a more bitchy person I'd only celebrate Presidents day, Mlk day, and new years, and maybe thanksgiving, since at that time the Native americans and the forigners were friends, and the whole religious freedom thing, thankfull for being alive etc.. Fortunatly, I realize every freaking thing and holiday is so shit stuffed and comercialized, I could celebrate damn near anything I want, and I'm not going against my lack of religion and being hypocritical. Almost everything was stolen, poached or filled of B.S. from the start anyway. I'm not an angry Athiest, like the stereotype goes, maybe once I get older I may get more pissy, but now a reason to party and scream loudly at strangers that you're Irish is Ok with me.
I see Alot of atheists who don't celebrate anything at all because of some religious connotations attached. I disagree. Why limit yourself and the things you choose to do because of someone elses beliefs? That, my friends is just the same as having a religion and letting it dictate for you. If you like to decorate, and like presents(or beer) and you want to celebrate and throw a party for your own reason then do it. If you're Irish( or not) and you love the culture and country, Celebrate it. BAsically my eternal motto: Be YOU, Be happy, be real. No need to give yourself a head enema about it.
I do reccomend being knowledgeable about the whos and whats of things. If nothing else for the education factor. One can never have too much knowledge, or as Yarn harlot says: too much yarn. DO with your knowledge what you will. It's your life, and the only one you get. BE wise in your choices....and have a pint!
Cheers

Fun Fur

2008-03-14T11:56:00.004-04:00

So here I am today looking at sock yarn porn.
I'm also doing Guinea Pig laundry, but that is not so much fun to talk about. I saw a custom job this lady did in tiffany blue and chocolate for a Ravelry chick. Positively drool worthy. Blue and brown are my yum colours. I want to get a lot of sock yarn. A LOT. But then again I also want to get a sheep to make my own, so take that for what it's worth. My cape in in slow progress right now, I am at the cruciale point where I could make or break my goal by putting too much yarn into one area and not having enough for the rest. Champ likes the lambs pride so I know there will be the inevitable "extra blend" into the yarn, from his loving it when Mummy is not looking. Sometimes I walk in from a trip or from putting out the trash to find him curled up in the floor with yarn woven between and around his paws. I have yet to catch him in the act of unskeining the yarn, All I know is that somehow he does it. I'm waiting for the day I come home and see he has grown opposable thumbs and is knitting a doggie scarf in the floor. And the way my carpet looks I am heavily debating making my own Cavy/Feline blend of yarn. I could really make a profit. It would feel somewhat like a nice angora/mohair, And would felt beautifully. Trust me, I've seen the hairballs.

WOOHOO!! I took a break to steam , and the mail lady came. I am sooo happy when I have the mail lady and not the man. HE sucks. He comes at 4ish maybe if he feels like it. And he only delivers bills. He really sucks. The mail lady however, always comes promptly at 1 pm, if it's raining, or bad weather 1 30. And SHE always brings the good stuff.I fnally got my package from my MUM in Austrailia. It's for both Girly's and My birthday, we've got St. Patty in between our birthdays. She's sent it twice now. Girly got an adorable poodle purse and some Ozzie kidsmeal toys. ANd Mum , the dear sent me a faux snakeskin purse, a newsboy cap, in black, and a matching black tee with pink lettering. that screams in bold caps :

Thanks Mum:)

in da hood

2008-03-11T20:15:00.004-04:00

Im half way through my stash of lambs pride, and I 'm thinking that I definitly DON"T have enough to do the intire Cape in it. I may only do the back in fuschia, and the sides in Black Wool Ease. Since that's what the Diamonds are. And it's considerably less expensive than the 7.50(cheapest) a 150YD skein for the lambs pride if I don't have enough of it. OR go halvsies on the sides in black and fuschia and NOT do the lenght I want. Call it a draw and make a nice acrylic long cape in a different colourway later. I know I want to do another one anyhow in of course blue and purple, or green and brown... but they are my typical "safe" colours. No lie, the majority of my closet is some form of black, brown and/or green. What am I wearing right now? Green socks, black pants, and a green top. In my BROWN chair. I could be a tree. really. I really wouldn't bat an eye if I was wearin brown/black underpants, I just (a) can't remember what I put on this morning. and (b) don't care to look and tell.
Also in the design bag is a caplet/tank for Girly with of course a hood. I haven't cast on yet with it,It isn't even in my Ravelry yet. I have a sock and the cape to do so I really don't want to overload. Yet agian for the 5 th time I think, I have frogged the entrelac sock, I just can't get it right in the round, there is some secret I'm not getting. Probably because I won't break down and order the durn mag, I just play with the thing, get pissed and rip it out. I'm quite sure there are other FREE patters for entrelac in the round, I just haven't google'd them yet. Im too preoccupied with what I've got in my head, on my needles, and scurrying around my house after the dishes and laundry.
I did a bit of yard work today and found four more baby privacy shrubs. I replanted one behind my pear tree, so maybe I can get a bit more privacy...And my nieghbours can too. Give it about 4 years and I can be wild and free in my back yard and no one will know...Except of course You all. I can't decide if I want to re plant the others out of thier pot in a row or give them away. I hate to trim them, the two I have that are fully grown look like they came out of a hippie's armpit right now. I will give it to them, they are Quite resileint. The left one has been struck by lightning at least three times that I know of. My basil and mint are still alive, and I have some weird stuff growing in there with it that looks like asparagus?! I am wondering if it is the avacado plant I forgot about. I don't want to touch it because if I do everything in the pot WILL die. I know, this has happened to me before. I will just ride it out and see when it gets a bit bigger. if it's an Avacado tree I will do a happy dance and get it a boyfriend. If it's asparagus... I will still wonder WTH? I did not plant asparagus. We shall see. I will take thier picture tomorrow and maybe some one will know what it is.

6 Years ago Today

2008-03-10T12:16:00.004-04:00

I had my Baby girl. 7 LBs. 14 oz. No one thought I could do it au natural, but I did. I didn't have the exact birth scenario I wanted. People were coming in and out like Denny's morning rush. I had my mother there, which I did NOT want, And my baby brother turned green as soon as he hit the room. But none the less, it was the most powerful, and beautiful day I've ever had. Happy Birthday Girly

And for your knitting enjoyment, My Hooded Cape in progress. I was going to make a bolerro that is not A bolerro, But instead I am making something I have been dreaming of making since well Forever. I have the design down, I just have to Get'r' done as they say here in the South. This one for sure, will never be a UFO. I forbid it!
Oh yeah,... ANd my Durn cat is preggers. Beh
Want a kitten? They're free, and garonteed to be fabulously beautiful just like thier mummy.

Windy day

2008-03-08T11:47:00.002-05:00

It's Super windy here, Our power has gone out all morning long, off and on, Finally it's back up. I found out the entrelac sock patern is in an old IK mag so I can't get it off the net:(( that is unless I order it. So I must improvise somehow. Until then I am thinking up a diamond pattern for a short button down sweater. Kinda like a bollero but longer. It's normally so hot here a true sweater would be impractical this late in the season. However we still have days like today where the cold winds cut like a knife on my back. I need to wait on Physics Guy to get to a working printer to get my graph paper printed out to set the pattern, since mine is more than likely broken since he TOSSED it on the back porch last week when he was cleaning, and forgot it to the rain... Men! It was a bit wonky anyhow, it only printed when it was in the mood to, and dried ink out like a sumbitch. Hey I'm not going to complain much I mean I did get it off freecycle. I'm also thinking about casting on an Baby blue Angora tank for Girly with a lacey collar, and straps in a white crochet thread. I can visualize it, But haven't CO yet. With my back and forth sinus battle I can't concentrate long enough to put the stitches together on my needles. Right now everything is in the planning and sketching stage. My hands are itching for a project, But I think for now I'll just take my time and check out other peoples work, and do the things I need to do around the house. I don't after all want my needle work to become WORK, I want it to stay my happy place.

blogger shut off on me and I lost the rest of my post. Hopefuly I can get it recovered. I'll edit this one if they do.

Ribbed with Snark...for No Ones Pleasure

2008-03-07T09:51:00.006-05:00

I am generally a Quiet atheist, content to mind my own path, and shake my head at the rest. Generally. Then someone comes along, and ruins my day And I must object. My only wish was that it were ANY other day than today when I am fighting squeaky can't breathe voice. But NOOOO, I let Girly be in the school play, KNOWING I disagreed with a line in the song she would be singing. ONE LINE. I let it pass, I discussed it in private with her, and let ..it...pass. I go to the play today and the WHOLE bloddy thing was laced with snark, and religious attacks. freaking FIVE YEAR OLD BABIES!?! Here's a quote from the mouth of a babe" This country was founded on one nation UNDER GOD(emphasised in the speech) and THAT"S (also emphasised)the way it should be. This was not said just once, but MANY TIMES over and OVER in the 30 minute play. So I voiced my displaesure to the principal( who was incidentally behind me the INTIRE time I squeaked and clenched through out the play)who redirected to the music teacher, who I also voiced my displeasure though I also complemented the adorable kids because heck they were absolutely ADORABLE), who THEN in turn redirected me to the teacher. All In all I had to tell 3 different people the level of snark in the play, and the undergod and THAT'S how it is, and a few other quotes, was frankly just rude, and also undermining my efforts as an Atheist parent. The response?" They're little, most of it was just*woosh * over their heads.so..." and " it was a pre-written play we bought"
SO freaking buttons. I don't CARE if it was over their heads, I did not send my child to a PRIVATE CHRISTIAN academy, I sent her to A PUBLIC school. There is SO much more to this country than religious rhetoric. Freedom, wisdom, diversity,triumph against oppression, open a history book! I expressed my hope that in the future the other plays would not be as religious minded, and exclusive, and left before the hands took on a mind of their own and smacked someone for their casual dismissal. I do not begrudge anyone their faith, but when It comes to the schooling of my child, or anyone Else's, they should be more damn considerate of ALL views and think , "well hey there might be Muslims, or Buddhist's or (yes even us) atheists in the crowd of parents and children, let's think about how there are MANY peoples in this country" And not marginalize and take away from the many truly great things the peoples did to make this country great by saying things like"with out miracles, and the bible, this country would never be here" BULL freaking Shiat. Men and Women,soldiers and sons, daughters and wives, People fought, worked, bleed and died, for this country to get where it is today, and are STILL dying. Go tell a soldier who came home with lost limbs, or a veteran who can't sleep at night for his nightmares, than their contribution doesn't matter, that it was all god, and THAT's why they aren't dead, go tell a mother who has lost her only son in war, than his life was God's will, and that not but her son nor the thousands like him, but BY GOD we're still safe in our beds at night. They were all but forgotten in the school today until it came time for them to come and retrieve the flags from their stands. As I saw those three men marching forward I almost cried, to think all they have done, and battled, just THOSE THREE men, and a government school gives discount to that, for to a God that one or even all of them may not believe in. It really breaks my heart.

Stripping and Sneezing

2008-03-06T11:36:00.003-05:00

Girly's room Is complete, I stripped the gooey globs off the door, baseboards, and .. okay well NOT the popcorned celing, belive me I tried. I do not like poopcorn celings, I hate them in fact. I understand thier necessity, but damn, those Harley Davidson safety glasses Physics Guy got from Grainger(free!!!) sure came in handy. My eyeballs were caked in the stuff three days ago when I put up the painters tape. I am truly thankful hubby works in such a magical place where vendor day is like mardi gras( only with out the boobies). I got the most kick ass pen from his vendor stash for my pattern writing, it's shaped like a wish bone in a pretty silver color.
But try as I might glasses and all, all I got was a bunch of unpopcorned celing. So I left the rest of the bingo dobber looking spats up there. they're not going anywhere. If need be I'll get some white paint and spatter over them. Also If you can't tell I am feeling better today, cayenne coffee and wasabi tea are my cure for the pain caused by my lovely southern enviroment. still a little winded and the bed room moving has knocked me half out, but I will be ready to rock tonight for my Tangeled Skein ladies. I had hoped to have a few more swatches done in fair isle and broomstick lace(crochet) to show off but at least I have the entrelac swatch done. Which Is alot considering my eyes were about swolen shut from the pine pollen coating they got. I am going to try for the broomstick today, see how far I get with it tomorrow with pictures.

Smells like the Ocean

2008-03-05T08:09:00.002-05:00

Today's knitting comes to you from my bed, because I am sick as anything. I haven't slept but for a few hrs as I have been getting up every 45 to honk and ~~drown myself~~ clear my sinuses in salt water. Puss loves entrelac, and it wasa surprisingly easier than I thought it would be. I've already got the patterns and concept memorized.enjoy

blogger goodness

2008-03-04T15:37:00.004-05:00

I haven't posted any of my blog a days, so here are four, that I have been enjoying this week.
http://knitterofshinythingsknits.blogspot.com/ I'm wishing you had taken the picture of the vonderstash in the Israeli Lady's shoppe. the mind wonders....

http://nellyknits.blogspot.com/, because I love a knitting democrat, and because I AM one!!

http://littlebee.wordpress.com/ I love the art, I love the quotes, great blog

http://darklightphoto.blogspot.com/ A non knitting blog, that has some AMAZING photography, and a beautiful music list.

Women in Advertising

2008-03-04T09:48:00.004-05:00

Are women exploited by men in advertising? Or are WE exploiting ourselves. Think about it. The women in ads for things like body spray, burgers, and lingerie are being PAID, and willing participants in the adverts. They are not being forced into it. They made the choice to sell with their bodies. Is that exploitation? That is not to say some of these ads are not blatantly vile, or anti woman, some are, as I have previously stated, but explotive? no not when the persons in them are doing so of their own volition. I can understand the anger at allowing women to starve themselves to bone thin extremes for fashion, that IS stupid, but exploitive? No . These women have brains the same as you and I. They CHOOSE to not use them. If every super skinny model stood up and said "screw off, we will NOT model until realistic measures for body image are given"The Industry would cease until they got a ticket on the reality train. They haven't yet, simply because MODELS are allowing it. The women who are making the CHOICE to be stupid skinny sticks. Just as in the suffrage movement, women went on strike, burned their bras and such, so should they perhaps today in this if they are as outraged as they say. But they aren't.
Because some Women are into it and want to be like that,not using the sense they have to realise some of these girls it's just a genetic lottery, and the rest are snorting coke and chucking their brownies.
While other women are all caught up in the drama factor, the oh the man is after us boohoo nonsense. You are the only one who allows yourself to be used in such a manner. But back to adverts and exploitation. Dove and Axe, two legs of the same body, but we women LOOOVe dove, because they tell us they love us. We hate Axe because they show T&A, and lusty lonely women leaping melons and tofu for some guy they smell five isles away.(there is fact, that shit stinks to high..well somewhere, I can literally sniff my husband out in a market if he uses that stuff, and not in a good way, cuz once I find him I have to run away or pass out) And say they are teaching men to only look for and expect hott sexy skinny women. WE should be the ones to teach our brothers and sons what a woman is. Instead of copping out and blaming the media for teaching them what we lack to. If we show that there are two sides to the same coin. The intelligent and the beautiful. That beauty is unique to the individual. We wouldn't have to worry about it, and the companies would find a new way to advertise. Women choose in stead to say it's the man fault, but its' not. This is not a slave country any more, no one forced these women into skimp suits and gave them boobies or death options. No, that's not sexism, that's just women making unintelligent choices. Men are not as stupid as some like to think. They KNOW all women aren't silver screen airbrushed goddesses, but if we are going to try and make like one, they won't complain about it. They're Zen like that. WE are the ones starving ourselves, WE are the ones getting botox, and fake tits, to say MEN are forcing it... well I call bullshit. If you give a kid nothing but candy all day, they won' complain. It's not the kid's fault, YOU gave it to them. If you teach a child good balanced eating habits they will in turn accept and enjoy those as well, and in turn be all the better for it. Much the same is it with men. Now of course we can't go out and make every one change for the better, Man or Woman... Not every one WANTS to. The thing you can do is teach your children and the people around you better, and hope the ass holes and disillusioned don't breed and die off soon...And you know they will, what with the paltry amounts they eat and the booze their male counterparts consume:P But to say men are exploiting us is just as insulting to women as a whole, as the "go Iron my shirt bitch" comments. We ALL DO have brains, some just choose to market their tits instead. And yes some guys like that, let them have the bleach blonde size 00, and get married, you know they won't have kids and ruin her "perfect " figure so there's no risk to society. Let evolution take its course and breed out the stupid. If you don't think it'll work...taken a look at a do-do bird lately?

Recipie of the Month

2008-03-03T21:24:00.002-05:00

I'm really stuck on the recipie for the month, hot today, cold tomorrow, what would make a good all weather recipie? cheesy macaroni cassarole
one 16 oz box of your favorite mac'n' cheese, boiled to al-dente,
one T. of butter stirred in to melt, with salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated cheddar jack
2 T cream cheese
one can of tuna in water(drained)
one can (16 oz) of sweet peas
cheese nips(crushed)
mix all stuffs save the 'Nips
Pour in a greased with olive oil(or butter) dish, in the oven at 350^ until the cheese on top is a bit crispy, top with a light sprinkling of ...Yes MORE CHEESE, I hope you've had your ~~newspaper~~ fiber today.
Now sprinkle the 'nips an return to over for roughly 8-10 min. I'd go for the 8 in a gas oven(to be safe and not burn the cheese).all in all about 55 minutes to an hr, with the boiling time. You can eat it hot or toss it in the fridge for later. If it's hot later add some mayo/miracle whip, and have a cold macaroni salad. If you don't enjoy tuna you can allways go to the trouble of baking and dicing up some chicken for an omit.
I sometimes do the chicken one, when I am sharing with others... but I grew up on the tuna one, and prefected it over the yrs. My mom was never a fan of cream cheese.

Deliciousness, and Cat brain

2008-03-03T06:22:00.005-05:00

I love a good ball of yarn. My Auntie(adopted by marriage) from Boston does too. Lucky gal has a woolco. and everything. She came up from Orlando on her way home and called me to let me know she was bringing a bit of yarn fo a care package. She too is a lover of needlework; a hooker herself for many years. She has accumulated much yarn over the years, and even is lucky enough to have had a friend in the yarn shoppe business who gave her the hook up on alot of high end yarns. So SUV brimming over she met us uptown to visit her Sweetie pie(Girly), and drop off the "bit of yarn" for me. She tried to drop off more but PG drew the line here: Holy woolens batman! I haven't even gone through it all yet. I'm saving it to play with at Sally's later with the Ladies. But there is some SERIOUS yarn happening in there. Some of this stuff has seen more travel than I have. All I can say is: I love you Auntie Carmen

In other less yarny news, My cat STILL hasn't shown up home. It's been two weeks since she made off. She's about 16-17 yrs old, and has minimal eyesight and some kidney problems. I'm thinking she snick off to do her final kitty business. Which really sucks as I could at least know for sure if she were home and did it. She' rarely runs off, and for no more than a week on walkabout. I had taken to just giving her free roam of the yard when ever she wanted it, since she didn't ever leave the yard and small wooded area beside it. And she Allways comes in for the night to sleep on my head. Now Puss (Girly's cat) has taken over bedtime head warming/nightmare inducing duties. I don't really know What it is about cats, but when they sleep on my head I with out fail have some of the most Horrid nightmares. Last night's was the most dreaded : teeth-falling-out-nightmare in which my teeth for no apparent reason all fall out. This dream is worse for me than the half finished-bridge of death and zombies-pretending-to-be-Hubby dreams combined, I have only two really bad fears: careening off a bridge while driving, and my freakin TEETH falling OUT. Though practically speaking it wouldn't be so bad. No more flossing and having to take aspirin after because the pain of that evil little string permeates to my BRAIN, ANd if I need a whitening I can just pop the ol dentures in some bleach water. :P But seriously I think that's the most aweful icky nightmare ever. I think what it is it the cat heat warms my brain up too much and sorta cooks it like a fever. You see these cats don't jut sleep on the pilow by my head, they WRAP themselves tummy closest around my head so I get all the purry, hair flying,warmness of a cat hat.
I'm hoping Miss Kitty is just on an extended walk about, and not the long walk from which you do not return. I'd like to have a few more years with her, weeing on the bath mat aside, She's a pretty kick ass cat. You'd have to be to attack mastiffs and other large breeds the way she does. This cat can (and has) make Staffies tuck tail and run. (pit bulls to the average joe)
I'm hoping that she's going to surprise me an pop up in a coupla days hungry and a bit less tubb to resume her head warming. lets just hope.

Beauty

2008-03-01T13:43:00.000-05:00

This is a poem I wrote some time ago, I had it on one of my poetry sites. I don't feel this way so much any more. I don't really know when , but I know a change in me came. Round about the time I started knitting, and quit the religion scene. I don't feel as hopeless, and unloveable now. I think alot of it has to do with letting go, letting go of thoughts other people put upon you, and the stigmas they put agianst you. Letting go of unlive-uppable standards given by mothers, husbands and most importantly Yourself. Beauty is a state of mind. I just thought I'd share it.

I see beauty all around me,

the smile of a child with an icecream, dancing in the sandy playgrounds

a bird on the water glistening in the sun, soaring high in the clouds

the veins of a blade of grass, or a flower blooming proudly

interior beauty of a kind man/woman opening the door

or helping put away groceries for an elderly person

a picture, a song, a book

why don't I see the beauty in myself,

I know I can be kind, beautiful inside,

Yet I cry, feel insignificant and unhelpful

wondering at night, did I do what is right

while I should be sleeping, looking forward to the next day

does my child see my admiration, have I shown her all my love

or remember my impatient outbursts, and forget the happy times?

the voices of the past telling me I am not good, am not smart

they cloud my judgement and my dreams, no matter what I do they laugh and taunt me

I am an outsider, the other moms stand away from me, as if they see my imperfections.

I try, perhaps not hard enough , to be their friend

yet alone I sit, at parties, recitals and games.

I think will my child do the same one day

or will she be better than me in my emotionally stunted friendships

only here physically apart do I find friends, I wonder why

do I exude some physical sign of abnormality, not in my face but manner?

like the caste less of ancient times

untouchable, odd ,unmistakably different

until I know for sure the cause and cure

I still have cookies to bake, rooms to clean,

Life goes on, full of tastes, smells and endless chores to keep me busy

until the night when I wonder again have I done enough

am I beautiful now? at least to those I love most.

copyright bitches.( but you can share it if you put it as mine)

Abbreviations

2008-02-29T08:28:00.006-05:00

In knitting and crochet there are ALOT of abbreviations. I have a habit of saying them in my head as I go to remember what comes next. Only I do it in a different way. ktbl= ktable, k2tog/p2tog= k Tog or p Tog(sounds like Dog) for k3tog and up I just think # and Tog.
slp(slip as if to purl)= spell, yes I know it's a bit backwards but if you say purl fast it's sounds like pell(at least here in the south)
st st I just cut down to SS
Giving them names helps me think faster than thinking letters. Of course the simple ones I keep the same, like K, P, beg,co, Bo, cab.
Right now I'm copying a pattern for goblet socks. And Oh my gosh it's a pain. It's not a wordy pattern which would make it easy to copy down in a notepad. It's one of those graph patterns that take forever to copy if you don't use graph paper. I'm the type of person where I can't visualise symbols as words. I NEED words to burn them into my brain long enough to write it down. Little circles and slashies do nothing for my noggin. I have a photographing memory with numbers and words, just not with graph stuffs, I think that was my biggest trouble in higher math, squiggles and pi signs don't stick well. So I sketched out the grph on a pad and am going to have to translate it to words so I can get it when I'm knitting it. Oh the sacrifices I will make to churn out a pair of socks. I want to wait to make them until I can get I nice wine coloured yarn, which I think would do them very well, or perhaps a golden and brown colourway...or gold and red and brown... I have some great yellow and green that I want to do a scaly dragon-esque or parrot like pattern with, but so far I haven't found THE ONE PATTERN that makes me say' WOW I could see that as the animal.' My cotton socks remind me of mermaids and the sea, I like that. I really enjoy a pattern that gives an image along with it. Not only is it functional, but also artistic as well. Something that will capture your attention and take you away to a magical place in your head.

Irish weeds

2008-02-27T08:47:00.006-05:00

Okay, You will not belive what I just saw. They are SELLING clover IN THE STORE! WHY would you SELL a weed? EVERYONE HAS THEM. that's like selling freakin dandilions. I have these lovely green tributes to Ireland ALL over my back yard. SEE: I guess with St. patty's around the corner, it may be a nice table topper for parties, but really, have you BEEN to an irish St. patty's party? You don't want a table toppper, it takes up too much pint space, you could put AT least two more beer on that thing.If you buy these things for a St. patty's party, you're not Irish, you may THINK you are, but no. You know what REALLY makes a good Irish table topper? A keg of Guinness. Or maybe a nice layout of meats, grilled, sliced, roasted meats garnished with carrots and potatoes. Or if it's a guys only type of thing...chips and nuts, that's it, maybe a nice bottle of whiskeyin the middle to centre things up. So before you go pay 10 bucks for a handfull of irish dandilions come over to my house , I''ll give 'em to ya for free, and mine are just the right size to use for a coaster for your pint.More on St. Patty nearer to the day. Fun and interesting facts about the guy, the history, and the culture of Ireland.

Going Strong

2008-02-26T08:17:00.005-05:00

During the mad rush yesterday PG and I got about half of Girly's room done, not counting the top border. Mr. expert told me to get masking tape for the borders....$1.99 Masking tape does NOT take the place of the $8.99 roll of PAINTERS TAPE. no matter how much you try and make it. SO now I have to get thinner to get the seep off the bottom border and door frame, as PG went slap happy with the roller, and forgot we had a BRUSH to get those pesky nooks. Yet MR. fire alarm is unscathed and carefully painted around... That's what happens when you marry a fireman. To hell with the doors, the fire alarm MUST NOT be teh pinks!!!On the positive side he actually likes the colour, just of course, not the Flatness of the paint. Which I expected, and it really doesn't bother me. I'm sure there's some sort of clear coat paint for walls , right? Cars have it, It would stand to reason walls should too. Why let cars have all the fun.
I finished up one of my Aunt purl socks at Sally's yesterday before the painting. I picked at the patttern a bit to make it fit me better. I am Never happy with a pattern, I MUST pick. Even though I should finish the other one, in all it's '80 style glory, ( I swear when I saw this thing finished I had flashes of crimped side ponytails, and madonna-esque gloves.)I'm not in any hurry to do it. It's warm as crap, but not something I would wear to market...unless It was on one of my grungy, nonmatching days. Which incedentally I am having today. Now I am working on a wrap in Patton's Divine Amethyst I need something fun and fancy to do. Plus it's insanely easy with K2, YF, rep pattern. I can't decide if I should try and sell it, then buy more to make me one, or keep it for myself...I really need to get up my stash for an online sale. Family keeps nagging me to do it. Really I just don't want the monotony of churning out generic pieces for the masses. I wouldn't mind so much if I just do unique ones, and tough cookies if someone wants one JUST like it in a week, unless they are going to front the money. Then of course I would'nt object:P

Woman get back in the kitchen and... oh hell

2008-02-24T19:54:00.002-05:00

I gotta say Hell ya for these ladies : http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/node/7995
Soo many women are abused everywhere by thier husbands and boyfriends. IF we had something like this here in the states that would rock my socks off. I found it Via stumble upon. I hate abuse, I was abused, my mum was abused, I do not tolerate it. SAldy things here in the states are pretty bad off when it comes to DV as well. Women are still being abused. Some men still think it's O.K., nessecary even in some places. Religious sects are still condoning it,or allowing it in a round about way of, "forgiveness", pleasing the husband prevention, and using misconstrued quotes from thier religious materials as evidence of thier higher powers permission. SOme women think it's okay, since the kids aren't getting it, or that if it's not often or it's only verbal that it isn't that bad. Even though studies prove violnce doesn't get better, Only worse. Then once they are able to leave There are places vic's can go now and get away, but if they're anything like the ones here, it's not good enough. I volonteered at one for a while, EVERYONE in the county knows where it is, and the admin are so busy argueing over petty crap like whether to hang clothes by colour or size, that the place hasn't even opened yet, and it was suppossed to back two yrs ago. Which means alot of women have no where to go , or are routed far away, or crammed in overflowing facilities. Nor to mention the religious exculsivities of most, where you must go to church, and read nonsense, and BE of a certian religious persuation or you can be asked to leave. Then they wonder why the women go BACK to thier husbands for round 2. There's either no other option, or they're taught to forgive, and let go, only to take it to mean forgive and go back. What really can we do to keep our women safe? education, strenght, and ability to provide for themseelves so they dont't feel powerless to leave. Every woman should know how to work at something so that if in any scenario where she MUST provide She CAN. Personally I think a gauntlet of mad badass women with baseball bats is just the thing to curb a man from hitting his wife. Think about it, would you really want to meet them at your front door as you're off to go to work? But really a no tolerance attitude, and women who know they CAN do better is a much preferable solution. Though there is something to be said for ownership of a nice cast iron skillet just in case.
Not to isolate all the awesomeness of these ladies, they are also picketing and protesting to the indian gov. to help impoverished people in the country and uncovering corrupt officials, and kicking much butt both literal and figurative. so Cheers to you ladies, Pink has never looked so powerfull!

Poncho pattern

2008-02-22T12:09:00.004-05:00

I am making this pattern after the fact, as I can't ever do a pattern when I am actually making the thing, I don't know why, I keep a notepad for just that reason.so any gaps, or errors please let me know and i will look more closely, also bear in mind I am a small person , so your particular size on this sould be determined by width around your shoulders for the body, and the difference between that and the size around the largest part of your breast area(with your arms crossed for more room, you will need a measuring friend!!) for the centre: any who: here goes: CO 138 in main colour worsted weight, on 6.mm for body
and 60 on 6.mm for centre.
Body:
feather and fan:
R1: K a row,
R2: P a row,
R3: K1,*(k2tog)3 times, (yo,k1)6 times, (k2tog)3times, rep from* to last st. k1
R4:K row(ws)

rep 1-4 rows: 4 times
then
R5:k row,
R6: P row,
R7: K1 , (yo, k1)3 times, (k2 tog)3 times, then rep.from row 4 after *
hint: for every k2tog, you should have equally a YO,k1. So if you end with say the last k2tog's and have three sts left you can either (a) k all sts, OR (b) k2tog, yo K last. as long as your yo's and K2tog's are equal it's all good.
R8:K a row(ws), Repeat 5-8: 4 times.

~if you want a longer poncho you can rep from 1-4 again or 1-8 depending on how long you really want it. each 4x rep of 4rows is 2 1/2" at the high peak, and 3 1/4" at the low(longest) point

after the last repitition's Knit on wrong side row, stockinette from your upper breast to collarbone. for me:four and 1/2 inches,
this would be the time to seam in the centre: on (looking down at in your lap)left side of centre to right side of body. Hold them right side to right side and SC in them both on the last st of every row(that you can get). Or the good ol' needle seam works too, either or.

Centre:
follow pattern of body untill 8 rows into the stockinette,
row : continuing in stockinette, dec by(k1, k2tog)every right side row until you reach 20 sts(or one third of the sts you cast on). on a p row hold 'em on the needle and SC down side and back up to the top.now you can tie off now you have 22 sts to do :to the bulky below after seaming together with the body.
( you will place the buttons after the holes, unless you want them closer together, or are using smaller buttons I'm using ones the size of quarters)

now tie in your new bulky colour yarn. : k a row, p a row, P a row(RS), 5 rows of stockinette,
then R9:(p one , p2tog)
k row, P row,
R12: (k1, k2tog) K row, p row
R15: (k1, k2tog ) stockinette four rows.BO

buttonholes : on left side of body(looking down at it): sc to about the5th row(I added an extra button, told ya I knitpick) ch, 5, sc to the 14th row ch5 tightly, sc up to one inch into stockinette, ch 5, sc to four rows from top of main colour, ch5, sc up to bulky, sc all the way back down and tie off, and weave in ends. (this for me actually aded up to chaining every tenth Sc as I skipped a few rows and just used larger Sc since I couldn't fit the hook in some of the tighter rows)
Start on Right side bottom of bulky: sc3, ch3(button holes), sc in 2nd row,rep two more times, sc around top and back to bottom of bulky yarn. Hold together as you would wear it andput the buttons over the holes, poke the buttons strings through through the holes and sew/knot on to the button side:)that way they will be straight and dead on the holes That I think should be it. It's long enough to reach my elbows, but short enough I can wear it while doing the dishes and not get it too terribly wet.( how horribly martha!)
With some of this stuff, like the way to make button holes or the how to of putting on the buttons, seaming, is really no big deal to do it your own way, these are just ways that are easier for me. I hope I have been inteligible. I will go over this A few more times in the next few days to make sure I've been thourough, as this patern writing is a new thing for me, so I want to be the utmost of clear I can be.

Rainy day blues...or pinks

2008-02-22T10:23:00.006-05:00

I've said before, I love the rain. But unfortunatly it doesn't like me. My arthritis is kicking my butt today. My joints are all swollen, sadly Girly has it too.It must be hereditary I guess. I hate it when she wants me to dress her because her little baby hands can't get the buttons. It sucks because I know how much it bothers me. So I have to get three people dressed. I went and did my grocery run anyways, because we needed veggies and butter, and of course Warsteiner to get through the weekend:P I figured I'd goof off while waiting for my RX to fill and scoped the paint rejects. I found some fab green but unfortunatly there was'nt enough to do my living room, and it was flat, so a definite PG no go. He MUST have semigloss in the living room if we are going to paint it. I talked him down from the DARKGLOSSNOWAY TO SEE MARKINGS!!!ledge to a reasonable colour level, and semi gloss. I also found a cutesy pink colour called cherry soda, 4 gallons, washable but flat:P my true paint love. I bought it, 20 buck for 4 gallons. Girly's peals of happiness are already ringing in my ears and she's not even home yet.
^note above pinkness(and reasons the wall needs painting)^Only one thing stands in my way now....I have never in my life painted a room. sure I've done trims, and botched a table or two, but a whole room! nope. I know I'm supposed to wash the walls first, and lay down paper( which I got). other than that, I dunno. The walls are already painted with a matte, so I think I won't have to prime or buff them. But I don't think I can just slap it on there willy nilly, surely it's not THAT simple...Is it? anyone have a painting for dummies book? I know I should have looked into this before getting the stuff, but painting is something I REALLY wanted to do since I bought this place. egg, white and buff don't do it for me. For now since it's raining I have a reprive, I know that much, paint+ rain = forever to dry. For now I will be content to go colour my hair, and wait for the Physics Guy on the big stuff. I also have a slipper to do, and dishes. I finished my poncho last night, and Now am doing the knitpicky do I want to add anything, is it right? perfectionism snit that I do with all my finished work. I think though that I am done. what do you think?

bugs and marriage

2008-02-21T12:20:00.006-05:00

I love Biology, it's something fun to read and learn about things like beetles who hide in termite mounds by using thier butts as disguse, or the infamous Cukoo bird, who imitates the baby of it's unfortunate new parents. Camouflage, pretending to be what you are not. I see this sometimes in the human world too. We are, after all just animals. the girl who pretends to like hockey since the boy she has an eye on likes it. The one who stuffs her bra, to seem more well endowed, why? to catch a man who doesn't like her for her and then be left miserable once she's bonded to him? And often men are guilty of this too, the old " loving the cooking, but tossing it to the dog when she's not looking " things. Why? Why lie, to a miserable means? Is it really all that bad to know what you want and persue it and not to settle for falsehood? For humans there are many options to explore and no one(usually ) is going to eat you if you aren't the right mate. In the animal kingdom there are the unfortunate souls who may even be eaten if they ARE the right one. I like the spider who sneaks up on its girl and tyes her down, to keep her from eating him. Only as soon as he's gone she wiggles right out of the fetters as easy as you please. very funny. SOmetimes us females play this card (no not the BDSM one:P) the poor helpless girl card to find a mate."oh, help me, I can't lift a screwdriver" leaping on the first mechanic or roofer guy who comes along and can tie his own shoes. Nevermind if he's not funny, drinks too much, or is allergic to your 10 dogs, by BOB( sorry I can't even say george anymore with out throwing up a little) he can DO stuff. Don't get me wrong. Im not saying anything bad about roofers or mech's, Love the trade. I'm just using them as an example that popped 1st into my head. I guess what I'm trying to say is Be YOU, do what makes YOU happy. Learn how to do minor repairs yourself, go ahead and take the car to a shop for an oil change, its' cheaper, but don't let princess syndrome become your weapon for finding a guy. I bet once you do things for yourself, and BE yourself, you will eventually find a guy who you like for himself and he will like you back. Then you can go make puppies somwhere, or have coffee, or whatever. And It will be worth the wait whether it's 10 day later or hell 10 yrs. Let go of the steryotype that if you're not married and pregnant by 30 that your life is *gasp* over. look at the red hatters, they are over 50 and living it up, why should you not? Harrison ford, He CERTAINLY isn't looking too shabby, rrow! And he's like 60ish. So live life , don't do drugs, or the mailman....unless you really like him.

Knitting nook

2008-02-20T10:17:00.004-05:00

I love my pets, really I do, all 10 of 'em. But sometimes like today I wonder...did I make the right choice in not adopting out some of them before they got too many? I mean take a look at my knitting room. All this ample knitting space, taken up by my massive cavy friendly cage. I am a space hog, I like my space, It's nice to have somewhere in the house to go and ~~hide~~ knitt away to my hearts content with out interruption. Most of my time is spent DOing for everyone else, feeding, listening, being a couch/ foot rest. I really like to have an area I could invite friends over to. But I don't have that. nope I have a small area that isn't (usually) overtaken with critters, pop cans, and or other items that take hours of time to make livable for guests. And it's in the back of the house, so you have to sift through the rubble to get to it, by which time any sane person would run screaming from my home... That is unless they live there like I do. Note the tag-a-long Pup who is in every picture, save the one I blocked him from getting in. I 'm hoping in being brave enough to show the inside of my house on here I will maybe work up the courage to invite people over and say animals be damned I WILL have a social life, And Blow what they think of the mess. But really I want to go and delete the messy living space picture right this very second.But then again, I mean, why call it Furniture, if It can't have FUR on it? and who could not love this face?
^Scruffy^
In case you are wondering where the cavies that go in the cage are? They are in the tub, waiting on their bedding which is in the dryer. That is a cage for 4 cavies. cavycages.com has intructions for building your own, and cavy care and ownership. Just for pete's sakes, don't buy= adopt, and if you do either make sure they're both ( cavies do best in twos) the same sex, and if females, that they're NOT preggers first. This was my mistake, preggo pigs. AHGH!

Oh Baby

2008-02-19T06:10:00.006-05:00

There are in my opinion few types of persons who bobbles look good on. Babies are one of those types. PG's firefighing friend is having a baby in a few months, well more accurately his WIFE is. None-the-less a baby is on it's way, which means I must make it something. I have a granny square blanket I may or may not finish, depending on how bored I am. Ever since the giant granny square blanket I made father in law for christmas I cannont bring myself to attention long enough to mke any more. Frankly I am sick of them right now. So in stead of finishing the blanket I made a baby bobble jacket and am in the process of matching booties. In the process meaning I am formulating the plan of them, not actually ON them yet. At least in the case of babies I can procrastinate. the little tyke isn't going to be here in a few days, so I have plenty of time...unlike a certain sister who is going to be here In 4 DAYS who I promised houseshoes too..that I haven't made yet. In any case I have the jacket made
The middle bobbles look off centre because they are actually buttons, and they aren't laying right yet. I haven't washed it or tucked the ends either but that can be done on the coffee break between folding and hanging. Nothing ever seems to look right when I am trying to take it's picture. Kinda like the obnoxious cousin who fudges up all the family photos by sticking his tounge out at that last possible moment before the flash.

The houseshoes will have to fight the house WORK. Which has gotten enormously larger since the battle between Physics Guy and Girly over bedtime stories last night. It ended with him not so carefully throwing penalty toys out of her room in a big freaking pile, that I inevitably will have to clean up.. For all his square root of 30pi he can't seem to grasp neatly stacking or tiding up... And she won the bedtime story. Well now of to morning drop off, and then on to housework. Perhaps I can find a bit of time inbetween spraying and steaming for some shoes.

Bacon oh how I love thee.

2008-02-14T09:52:00.003-05:00

I love bacon. I feel as if it should have it's own special food group on the pyramid, though adding Fat back to it would be debateable. Bacon can go with or on anything to make it better. If I can't eat I know I can count on A nice slab of bacon to make me hungry. which makes today all the more horrific. Physics guy wanted bacon for breakfast. A meal he rarely has. So I whipped out the 2 pould slab of applewood and the grill pan, as soon as the normally succulent sweet aroma hit my nostrils I had to run to the bathroom. I couldn't finish cooking it. I had to TIME it during my heaving, so I could tell him when to flip the slices. I don't time my cooking, ever. Fortunatly I can still EAT it, as I am right now, but I'm burning candes and opening doors to make the smell go away. I even went to the store and took the dreaded test just to be sure. I'm not, but I must be getting sick, or all the sugestions of "when ya going to have one" Are making me act like I am. These are the only things that have ever made me nautious over bacon.
On a lighter more viewer friendly subject, on the blog feature list today are: http://theaddknitter.blogspot.com/ I haven't thouroughly investigated her blog yet, but I plan to do so after the school party that isn't really a party so they can have a bigger giant Spring party with the parents party. you see they're only allowed to have 3 parties a yr. damn uptight school board.
and http://www.confessionsofaknitter.blogspot.com/ Who has some fabulous doggies that I LOVE. And on the older posts she has knitter podcasts. Woohoo!

I will be back later for more, hopefully.

A Blog a Day

2008-02-13T06:11:00.008-05:00

I said I would post Pictures, so here they are: my socks that I finally fininshed over the weekend.Somehow the second sock was just a bit more snug than the first,Not much and it went away mostly after I wore them around abit. Also I realized an error I had made in the first one, on the heel prep I was supposed to do sets of 4, but I only did sets of three, wich didn't change the size fortunatly because there was a certain number of ROWS I had to stop at , but it did mess up the look and ribbed it. Actually I prefer the set of three to the set of four look. and it feels a bit more padded. thats what I get for putting R 2 and 4 instead of going R1, R2, R3, R4, it usually puts me off and I have to frog. Since it was already finished and seamed there is no way on earth I am mad enough to frog a whole half sock for a part that will not even be seen. Not for a sock I made for myself anyway. If it was for someone else I would. I am still haunted by the sweater I made for SIL at Christmas that was about 8-9 inches too short.

And the boobie pillow I made for Physics Guy, which he loves. Men are so easily thrilled. Thanks to Martha Clem aka StarGazer for the pattern.
I decided since I have alot of fellow ravelers with blogs, that I would read at least a blog a day from them, to find new blogs to add to my list. My reading for the day is coming from: quirkyknitgirl and knitasaur , Ladies from the 20 spot( other 20 something aged knitters)
Knitasaur has some rather delicious looking pink and green socks, that remind me of jolly rancher candy. And Quirky girl is making me hungry for a yummy steak burger. Maybe I just need to eat some breakfast.

Be my valentine

2008-02-12T06:26:00.000-05:00

I finished my socks, now I'm working on The crocheted boobie pillow Physics Guy requested. Thank goodness I am done, My living room carpet looks like a pink fairy exploded on it. there is spattered oatmeal and calamine lition that I am going to have to pick out of the fibers. why? Well my dear dog has allergies to fleas, and ONE flea gets on him( from the vet TYVM) he goes into a chewing frenzy. Now he looks like a horror version of the Dog dragon on The Neverending Story, scaly and clumps of hair. Last time I shaved him and wrapped an oatmeal pack to him. This time I was out of medic tape so I just caked him up with oatmeal and later applied calamine. He decided he was going to roll in the floor to be snarky and get the goop off.I also have the glitter sichuation. I loathe valentines day. Really it's just a corporate invention for the dumb male sapps to go out and buy flowers and candy and unneccesary jewelry items.Made to seem like a real holiday with concocted rationalzations about one (or several guys) named valentine who just happened to (all) die on feb 14th,writing a farewell letter to an obscure maiden signed "your Valentine". Which was right in the midst of *shock* a pagan fertility rite time. So the Catholic church decided to use the poor unfortunate sap to market their new and improved holiday( gosh that sound SO familiar, where did I hear that before....hmm?)Now they have the kiddies involved ( in a sexual fertility holiday where they used to slap women with goat flesh to hopefully help them get pregnant)and the schools participation.
I decided to stick it to that little greedy cherub and teach Girly to make her own from craft items we'd already get even if it wasn't Valentines month. We made 20 valentines in the floor...with glue, and confetti glitter. PG says we're going to cash in our movie tickets we got for christmas(yule, winter sol, I knew I'd heard that before!) and see the new movie "Definitly, maybe" on valentines/opening day. Which really means we're going to sit home and I'll probably make everyone pancakes in the shape of internal organs, since actually goiong out involved getting a sitter... Something we haven't done since Girly was 3 yrs old. Yeah thats 3 yrs ago people. I highly doubt it's gunna happen now. THese days getting a sitter means so much more than it did In my sitting years, back ground checks all around, shot records, anti sue paperwork, locking away any valuables if said sitter does inhome, plus coughing up an extra 20-30 bucks for 2 hrs of funky seats and stale popcorn sans child.
Happy goat slapping folks. And just think when your done, you can throw 'em on the grill YUM. I'm going to sweep the fairy guts out of my carpet now. I may be bak to post a picture of my socks later, though I make no garontees. Also sorry for the mucho spelling errors, the spell check thinger doesn't work on my page, It hasn't since the third post I made on here.

power of 7

2008-02-09T19:49:00.000-05:00

Okay Dee tagged me for power of 7 , basically I have to write up 7 things about me, and then send it to seven other people. Really I don't think I kow 7 other bloggers, I read quite a few, but I don't really know them enough to tag them politely. But I'll do my best.
1. I love socks, but I hate wearing them. I am thouroghly enjoyimg making my scalloped socks, and I worry that I may only wear them once or twice because of my loathing for the wearing of the sock. I love all types and colours of them, I usually buy socks in fun patterns and stuff, I just can't seem to keep them on my feet for more than a few hrs.
2. I'm a farm girl, half my life I was raised on a farm, I would love to have one some day. Even though I cannot grow a thing. Really I can kill cacti.
3. I would rather read than watch TV, I really could do with out a tv in my home. Physics Guy would probably DIE without one so he's the only reason we have it.
4. I get incredibly lonely at home during the day when everyone is out,I have to crank the radio player so it's loud enough so I don't feel alone. But when they're home I wish I had peace and quiet.
5. I like to sing ALOT , but I can't do it in front of anyone else. Not even PG. I freak out and clam up. the last time I sang in public I was 12 yrs old and I still went to church.
6. I used to get kicked out of many sunday schools as a small child for having religious debates with the teachers. I usually won. I am now Agnostic/Athiest.
7. I love liver, any liver, my favorite is a smoked ground liver concoction called braunwswageir(sp?) it smells like cat breath, but I love it. It is so good with provalone cheese and miricle whip

my sexy 7 are:(okay I only have 5 so far, but really I don't have alot of people who I know that have blogs)I'll add more as they come:P
Sally
Carolyn
Laurie
Nikki
impossible princess

Shallow Guilty Pleasures

2008-02-08T08:42:00.000-05:00

Okay I admit it, I watch Janice Dickenson modeling agency, and Real Housewives. I used to want to be a model before I had Girly, now I just want to take a bloody bath in peace. So I wach these foolish young guys and gals persuing their dreams and excersicing themselves silly. I love Janice though, she's like a mother hen. If I had actually gotten to model She would be the agent I would want. though I'd probably kick Peter in the nads. I watch house wives for the trainwreck factor, and I've kinda gotten attached to Laurie, she's a REAL real chick. I think it's good to have a few fluff topics to think about. It keeps you from being too cynical, and serious. Everyone has a guilty pleasure, whether a mindless tv show, or a chocolate cake that you hide from the kids, or a rather pricey skein of yarn that you relly shouldn't have bought but did anyway. What's youre guilty pleasure?

wasted time

2008-02-06T12:17:00.001-05:00

I have not done much today A friend sent me a link to a website where you take a picture of yourself and they scan it and match you up facially with celebs who look like you

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

this is me without makeup on, becareful of your eyes they may burn out. Girly got matched with Shirley temple, Jessica Alba, Kate hudson and a few others. I have been playing on there ALL MORNING LONG scanning every picture I have on my computer. the one I have of my ladies group I scanned, Carolyn and Katie were BOTH matched with Grace Kelly, THE Grace Kelly, with runners up Sheryl Crowe and Annette Benning. Sally, yes you girl your best mathes were: AnnaSophia Robb and miz Cindy Crawford. Go Go hott mamma:P and these were just the beginning, I rolled out alot of crappy photos for fun, and the precious few of Physics Guy, My Mom at her wedding, who got the closest match to some big named celebs.

Needless to say I was an addict all day, and got only a couple loads of dishes and laundry done. butMan I had a good time.

Super Crazy Tuesday * edit

2008-02-05T10:18:00.000-05:00

Life is chaotic in the best of times. Sometimes we have to rool with it and let nature take it's course. And other times we have to get a helping hand back on our feet. Toady epitomizes these things. I found out that my cousin who was in a terrible wreck, after only a week in the hospital with NO surgery is back home and recovering well. Our tarantula molted agonizingly slowly,

Part of me wanted to help her out, but There are sometimes in life where you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride, Or you end up ripping off a leg or two. And now my doggie, 15 yrs young:P weeing blood. like BLOOD not tinge. fortunatly now it's stopped , the vet is running tests as I type. Honestly there is not a more humbling experince than running after a dog around the neighbourhood trying to catch wee with a Steel mixing bowl. HURRAH!, it is no more than a simple UTI( urinary tract infection) thank goodness, but, It's a good thing we went, Apparently He's somehow picked up a very rare butt parasite, that's only transmitted through raccoons. WTH, Which begs the ? where the heck did he come in contact with a raccoon at? Falcons and binnies are the only wildlife I've seen near my yard...Wierd.
I voted this morning before the puppy issues, I was sad when I saw Edwards was still on the ballot, I felt a bit like I was betraying him by skimming past his name to poke Obama's check mark. like maybe If I voted for him he'd say HEY someone still voted for me, I guess I'll run after all. Which I know is BS, but still. It sucked.

Firefigher chili

2008-02-03T19:32:00.000-05:00

I thought a fun Addition to my blog would be a recipie of the month, something seasonal, that would go well with the weather. Today's recipie is My favorite chile:

1 Lb ground sirloin 8 oz dryed Kidney beans
one each: purple onion, large tomato, bell pepper, habanero pepper (diced all)
about two tsp of dried basil or chopped fresh
about 1 1/2 tsp of chopped garlic
16 ox tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
one T of schiracha hot sauce or what ever chile sauce you may have.
one bottle of Guiness beer Stout or extra Stout
1 inch cube of chocolate, bakers for stout /sweetened for extra stout

Boil your beans and soak them as directed on the bag in enough water to cover them and then about two more inches(if you are using a large pot) If you aren't using a large pot, for pete's sake go to the store and get one, you'll need it.CHilli doesn't like being made in small portions.
add all ingredients save the paste, and one cup of water.
Check and stir every 30 min adding more water if neccesary, I usualy add another cup before the beans are nice and mushy.
Once beans are a nice mushyness add paste and one paste-can of water, stir and salt. hopefully you have made the cornbread and also gotten cheese from the store while this was cooking, because these are the best things to have with this chili.
Or if you're an 80's child like me, a nice vat of french fries and nacho sauce work fabulously too.
Please don't omit the Guinness for miller or bud, it doesn't work. Only Guiness seems to work for this recipie. If you want to use American beer, use Hersheys chocolate not bakers. I don't know why, but that's how it is, at least when I make it.

Cupcakes And Coffee

2008-02-01T10:23:00.000-05:00

9 ish am:
we had such a fun time last night , the girls and I. The lovely bead selling lady was at the shop too. Carolyn had a fabulous Idea to get her to make some beaded stitch markers. something I would never have thought of since well I use pop tabs as st. markers. not because I can't afford them. I actually think I have two bags around here somewhere. But hell they are free with purchase of my soda. I'm a cheap girl,

2:30 give or take pm:
hahahahaha
~~bla bla bla~~ doea ERUEKA!
make itstop
Oh my sorry, no I haven't lost my mind ,just figuring out how to use blog text. My eyeballs hurt from reading all this html jargon.My friend Sally wanted to know how to use it. And now I am trying to figure it out more too. Physics Guy knows all kinds of computer stuff,ESCPECIALLY html. But I am too proud to ask him to teach e. No I want to learn it on my own. It sucks to ask the person you are married to and KNOW they have not an utter Idea how to wash whites versus well hell wash anything at all, how to do anything you don't know. SO my eyes are bleeding and I am learning on my own.

I made a batch of cupcakes for the kiddos at school today, no frosting at all, they got to frost them and make them into ground hogs At School. And I got to spent the day with them. and then I spent the whole ride home explaining that the GH doesn't REALLy make it spring or winter, it's just a superstition based on if he wants a mate yet or if he wants to sleep some more. Nothing to do with weather prediction.I love her teacher, I swear, she reminds me of an older adult version of Girly. I got to play teachers assistant and watch half the kiddos during library time. It was fun but not my thing for a daily grind. I could not be a teacher, the eternal sunshineyness, the kids who insist on bitching about so and so taking THEIR glue. the sticky little hands, and not being able to hug the huggy kids. I think I hugged like 3 kids today not including my own offspring. And they KNOW when you're not a teacher that you'll break the no huggs rule. how can you not? you're a mom. That's like telling a baker he can't make pies. so they gather around you "hug ME hug ME, " I applaude teachers every where for their stamina.

Edwards Is gone

2008-01-30T09:51:00.000-05:00

I am beyond upset, I Knew he wasn't doing great in the polls but dammit he was MY candidate. HE was inspirational, and down to earth. A real , likeable bule collar raised normal guy, with great Ideas, for the future of our country. I could see great things from him. I don't wanna vote for clinton OR obama. I am going off to throw a tantrum now. Please don't call, the phone won't be answered as I will be drinking.

Slacker

2008-01-30T07:36:00.000-05:00

What do I have to blog about? nothing. It's wet, muddy, and the animals are driving me crazy. I'm playing with my Filatura127 wool, And unfortunately amythyst does NOT match up with the deep violet of colour 44 So I am not going to be able to make the spiderweb lace sleeves I had planned. Maybe at a later date I will find some similar yarn (in a more meshing colour) to do it with. Ordinarily this would bother me a tad more but really who can stay mad with something that works up this fabulously?

Also of course when I brag about doing something in a certain time frame IT NEVER happens. I had planned to be onto my second sock by today, but as you can see, I'm not even to the toe dec. yet. But I hope to be there soon. I only made one teensy mistake in the gusset. but no one can(maybe) tell. I miss read the pattern and dec. twice on the same side but to even it up I did it on the other side too. I've put it on , it fits fine, enough strech that it is snug but not constricting. and NOT the dreaded so loose it can crawl off your foot while you're sleeping.
Here's a token picture of One of my lovely felines Puss, watching Penn and Teller B.S. with Physics Guy and I. This is her spot. On your arm On the mouse. She has a whole devoted space about a hand's breadth from it. we took the printer out JUST so she could have her own space. Where does she go? Straight to the humming laser mouse and arm. And in case you are wondering: No that Is not my arm, it's Physics Guy's. Mine is less hairy and reasonably darker.:P
At least she appreciates fine comedy and logical debate:)

Monday , Monday

2008-01-28T12:49:00.000-05:00

Maybe You might think this song Is before my time. I've always loved the Oldies. This song really sums up my day today. Kiddo got to play hookey from school because she had her dental appt. the funniest thing you'll ever see is a congested kid high on Nitrous oxide. It's like a bulldog hanging out a car window. drooly, squinty and howling. SHe fortunatly Konked out halfway through the drive back. When I got home I heard terrible news about a cousin who I love dearly. She was in a car accident this morning and is in stable but critical condition. We aren't sure as of yet how bad it is, Only that she's had a bad c-spine injury and her spleen is ruptured. Please keep her in your thoughts/ prayers, I know she will appriciate it. Her Dad always took care of us kids, almost like a second father, and she is a great kid, full of love. Whatever you beliefs, keep hope for us that she will be Ok. thanks
~SG

What would you do with $800

2008-01-25T19:12:00.000-05:00

I Can't belive I'm actually hoping something Bush preposes will Pass. But I am really hoping the tax credit thing does. I don't really know if it will help the economy, It may possibly. I just really need the money to pay dental bills and get a bit of a saving up. Most people say they hate the tax man. I love the tax man, He's like Spring time Santa. Yeah It's MY money, but I get a really fun gift in the mail. WE're going this weekend to visit his "workshop" give him our list, and a few weeks later WooHoo. The only difference is in stead of leaving it UNDER a tree, tax man Santa gives us a present written ON a tree:) Just in time for my birthday.
Along with taxes I hope to have sock #1 fininshed this weekend. WIth a few minor reductions in size and sts in the pattern I should be fininshed in time for monday afternoon pick up at school. That Is if I don't damage either the sock or my brain in the process of gusset and connecting the heel flap. Tomake sure I keep it in a fitting size I transfered to my circulars instead of the DPN's I was using. Which the pattern called for circs anyway, that's probably why. After Tax man Santa sends the money,I MAY go to knitpicks and get a few sets of dpns and circs to have on hand for sockage. I didn't want to get alot before I commited to socks because I wasn't sure if I'd like them or not. Really socks are something that you either love or hate, so I didn't want to buy the tools to have just sit around in my craft room and gather dust. I'll let you know after I finish these.

Funny Fibers

2008-01-24T09:29:00.000-05:00

I've been knitting like mad for the last coupla days, So I thought I'd take a break and share some of my favprite knit/crochet on the web funnies the first one is a poem made by a Fellow Ravelry-er's Dad it's number 15:http://www.guppyart.com/hammer/
A boobie pillow with link to the pattern:
And a lovely thong from cafepress:

I am rather please to know that we will be getting some new additions to our Tangled Skein Fibre group in the next few sessions. A few ladies I've met online have agreed to stop in for a few lessons, and one of my favorite Ravelers may be joining us soon with her many talents in the ways of the wool. I am allways Pumped up adn happy on thursdays becasue I know however sucky my day might be I have my blessed night amongst fellow knitters and crocheters. So far my day is going rather typically for a thursday: peeling the dust off the fans, going walkies with the dog who thinks he MUST wee on EVERY sign we pass, madly scrubbing foreign gunk from my fridge, And discovering things I never knew about things in my house.: Did you know there is a drianage pan under your fridge? Yep a little plastic pan where whatever condensation may leak out can happily drip in safety. Well, At least If you KNOW it's there and clean it properly. This is something NOT taught in home ec. or by your mother apparently. And while on the note of fridges, why the heck can't they give you just a teensy bit more lee way on the icemaker and power cord on the darn things? I haven't seen the floor under there since 3 yrs ago when I decided to clean behind it and got trapped in the tiny nook that I made. And I am NOT a big person, so this thing by normal standards is freaking impossible to get to for you average person. I would show pictures but really, that is a place no ONE would want to see. Kinda like Certain actress/singers personal bits.... scummy, hairy and possibly filled with biologial warfare-esque bacteria.

Things You Don't Want to See

2008-01-22T08:49:00.000-05:00

In your inbox, before the coffee kicks in and makes you a nice person.
QUOTE:
Nominee for Best Joke of the year... Or is it a Joke?

A Somali arrives in Minneapolis a new immigrant to the United States.
He stops the first person he sees walking down the street and says,
"Thank you Mr. American for letting me in this country, giving me
housing, food stamps, free medical care, and free education!" The
passerby says, "You are mistaken, I am Mexican." The man goes on and
encounters another passerby." Thank you for having such a beautiful
country here in America!" The person says, "I not American, I
Vietnamese."

The new arrival walks further, and the next person he
sees he stops, shakes his hand and says, "Thank you for the
wonderful America!"That person puts up his hand and says, "I am
from Middle East, I am not American!" He finally sees a nice lady and
asks, "Are you an American?" She says, "No, I am from Africa !"

Puzzled, he asks her, "Where are all the Americans?" The African lady
checks her watch and says ... "Probably at work." :QUOTE

Evidently I have somehow happened to be put on the racist republican mailing list.I have literally had to walk away from the computer 3 TIMES, to keep from respondig to the person who sent this. Now please Note that I am not saying ALL repubs are racist, I am not. But for Bob's sake AAGH! Every person I have met from a foregin country who has come to America has Worked thier respective Asses off,Usually 2-3 jobs to support thier families both here and abroad. Usually for minimum wage OR LESS. The people I've seen who are best described in this steaming pile of poo are the very Americans this is supposed to "support". And quite frankly , If you dont like immigrants why the blazes are you here? YOU , unless you are a direct descendant of a Native American tribe ARE IN FACT A FREAKING IMMIGRANT. SO please If you read my blog,or know me from somewhere and care to send this type of message, Please refrain from sending it My way Okies? thanks. Now I need more coffee, and maybe a zanax.P.S. This was sent to me yesterday...yeah on MLK day. Good stuff a- hole.

politics and pedicures

2008-01-20T21:19:00.000-05:00

WEll friends, I had almost a half a sock. I had Sally's concern of non-stretchiness covered with the resolve to buy some elasti-string to weave through post Knit. And then the thought occurred to me"Gosh this sock looks awful big for my leg". I tried it on and sure enough unless I was making thing highs there was no earthly way this sock was going to fit on my leg even with elasti-string. The recipe was one size ladies standard sock. My legs are NOT. they are small. I had to frog the whole thing and I will restart tomorrow about 20 sts. smaller. If I'm not still irritated at it. I get like that with my projects, if they make me mad I put them in time out. Pretty much just so I don't get in a hurry and mess them up worse than before I frogged them. Tonight I am working on my Yarn bee Luscious dress for spring. The basic idea is a tube dress with a tie in the back neck strap. I may form fit it on the sided around the waist. As of right now I've only gotten the strap and about 3 inches of collarbone coverage. I want my socks:(
In the mean time I am amusing myself by looking over political stuff and discussing the candidates with Physics Guy. He's a libertarian, and I am (I think) registered as DEM. Though I'm not really sure if I registered or not as last voting time I was sick and in a NyQuil fog. It's truly a miracle I remembered to vote Kerry. Well maybe not SUCH a miracle considering the other one was Bush ,and really I'd have to be pretty Effed up on more than NyQuil to vote for him. But I don't remember actually signing something saying I registered as one or another politically. Off the tangent, I think I get to vote in the primary, but I'm not really sure, I'll show up anyway. If they kick me out, Hey then I'll have something to blog about. It's odd, the county that I live in is Supposed to be predominately a democrat county, Yet everyone I seem to meet is a Rep. OI, well except for my neighbour, Ed. He's VERY liberal.:) I actually incorporate his house Into directions TO my house, and It helps people find it. How ? well lets just say He likes Signs...ALOT. I was sorta scared of Ed when I first moved in, Now I adore him and his little fuzzy puppy. He's a normal guy who is just really POed at the way the country is going, And honestly I agree with him on that. I just don't want to take it out on my front lawn. But Seriously Ed has a good Idea, peaceful protest,on your personal property, where everyone can see it everyday and think about what they mean. SO here's to you Ed. Maybe we'll see each other at the primary, and if not ,there's always Publix.

Finis Shrug

2008-01-18T19:46:00.000-05:00

Finally I fininshed Girly's shrug.I had A bit of trouble on the seaming but I decided on a nice slip stitch and it did the job. SHe loves it. Now she's wanting a hodded scarf to match just like Mommy's. Which would require another trip to the yarn shoppe. ONt a good Idea right now since when I went to get the finishing yarn for the shrug last time I got this as well:

I am going to make me a pair ... Err TRY to make me a pair of lacy scalloped socks. It's Lily Sugar and cream 100% cotton Midnight magic that I reduced to 2 ply instead of it's bulkier 4ply. Not something I reccomend unless you have a hair tie, and the patience to stand up and untwirl all day. I wanted these socks bad enough to do it. and I will do it again after I finish these on More Lily's in Summer splash. Which is a green, yellow and blue. Why would I do this? I have never had a kick ass pair of socks, always the bland white or black ones that never matter if you lose one in the wash. Hey , you have a whole bag full more of them. Yes I want a kick ass pair of socks, ones I would not be ashamed to wear in sandals, or to take off shoes in public to show off. Socks that make you feel sexy.
Ok maybe I'm pushing it there, maybe a matching pair of panties? Those I would not show in public, but I may brag that I made them as a combo package in the right circles.

scarves and stuff

2008-01-16T12:33:00.000-05:00

scarves and a hat I'm trying to sell. NOW the green one IS NOT for sale, It is just showing the colourway/yarn of the scarf I am selling. I have more I just can't find my camera today for some weird reason. I think $15 for a scarf and $10 for a hat is good. I'll blog more later , I have to pay the water man:)

freaking rain already

2008-01-16T08:11:00.000-05:00

It's been off and on cloudy for two days. Just as I think OK it's coming,alright. poof A wind comes and blows it all away. It's cold and rain would be fun. I like a good cold rain, their much better than hot sticky summer rains. You can almost pretend that its REALLY snowing when you have a good cold rain. Makes me want to go get some cocoa and hang out with friends. :( but My fav coffee spot is mysteriously closed. Weird, I may have to try back later on because I really want some raspberry white chocolate cocoa. and a chicken salad sandwich.and company. I guess I could invite people over, but then I would worry the whole time if they think my house is messy compared to theirs, not like my coffee, or the guinea pig's hay smell, or my corner spider who lives by the door where I can't reach so I just say eff it, he can eat the flying bugs that try to sneak in the door. He's a small wood spider, very friendly, harmless. I don't like to kill spiders, I usually scoop and drop. Him I would have to squoosh with the broom, and that would make me sad. I figure heck he'll probably kick it in a few days anyway, they don't live THAT long. or I'll just make PG get it, as long as he doesn't dent my ceiling again.
Oh yes on that: Last night during a particularly fun night of livingroom dodgeball, he decided to leap onto and over a stepping stool he was to lazy to put away. It was in the hallway entry. it has a door brace, it's aluminum. He's 6'1 the stool is about 1 ft tall and he only has about a poptart's length from said bracer when he's on the ground. SO with a flying leap he pummeled himself unconscious(only a second or two) and into the floor. I'm just glad he didn't break his neck, since it was directly on THE TOP of his head where he hit. Tiny goose egg for the night. Something for me to make fun of him about for until the next time.

Knit shortage

2008-01-15T00:21:00.000-05:00

I've not been doing alot of knitting today, or yesterday for that matter/ I have been playing Zelda, my most addictive game. I have it on nes for the comp., Snes for my SNES( cuz I'm old school like that), Physics guy's N64, and now Girly's DS. which is what I've been actively playing all weekend long. I love this game. I kick it's butt. Which Is a very difficult thing for me do to with a game. I am by NO definition a gamer. I get whooped at donkey Kong. I enjoy Watching OTHER people play games, I can sit for HRS. watching PG play SWAT4. But I cannot play, Except ZELDA. I get very addicted to playing it. I almost cried last night after playing for 3 hrs. straight and not saving only to have the battery die on me. I haven't even hardly been online except to check my e-mail and respond to a religious spammer who has decided by some f-ed up logic that If I don't agree with his POV I am " best case scenario, going to hell" yeeeah, I'll be the one with the killer steaks buddy, make sure you bring the A1 mkay. And to check in with ravelry friends and scope their blogs. knitswithballs had an awful xroomie who I would maim horribly if he took all MY yarn and $$. oh yes, ALL yarn. And Yarn's the word's house isn't there yet:(( dadgone mad isn't blogging about poo, and loads of other fun stuff I didn't get to read yet because...Well I had to go to the temple of courage to rescue the 3 rd fairy to get the map to figure out where the heck ZEL got off to this time. I did however get in a few rows at the dentist's office while Girly was getting her "princess crown" and found that I have to go to Brunswick and get more cotton ease yarn or else no shrug for Girly. I only do this on the MOST important projects. I just hope I don't spend too much, since we're now on the write every penny you spend down budget. A $40 tab to Micheal's wouldn't look nice to Physics Guy.

Of Beans and Skeins

2008-01-12T22:44:00.000-05:00

There is nothing more relaxing for me than a rainy day. I can sit back and brew me a pot of coffee, knitting in hand and listen to the water fall off my roof. No I don't have gutters, they didn't come with the house, and so through lack of fundage we don't have any. I like this becasue in the areas where the roof meets and folds down the water pools and pours down making a waterfall and small pool for my frogs in the spring. I love frogs, they come in so many fun shades and shapes, plus the whole bug eating quality. There's a waterfall by Girly's window so when she wakes up (usually around noon) on a rainy week-end afternoon we can sit in her floor and play ponies and pretend we live on an exotic island with a magical waterfall. there's another one by my SPOT in the living room and when I sit there the sound makes the knit/coffee meditation complete nirvana. One thing I can't quite figure out is how to properly brew coffee, I usually make a 6 c pot, with 2 1/2 T of coffee, but I change brands alot so I don't get bored, and I've noticed through this one coffee's T is another coffee's HOLY COW too much. SO I usually guesstimate by smell light smell= more grounds. on most occasions this works for me, but not Always.
Today this theory proved wrong, so I've done alot more on my knitting than usual. WHich I guess is Good since I had to frog the whole bloddy thing I was doing and re cast more stitches on thursday. I now have 65 sts CO and about an arm's length up to almost shoulder on Girly's shrug. I may take a break for the rest of the weekend on it so I can deep clean and muck the guinea cages. something that takes all day to do:(P I think the girly-pigs like my knitting too, they chitter when I clack the needles and watch me with thier little sideways looks. if I'm knitting something long like a scarf or a blanket for the barbies they will sneak up to the edge of their cages and smell it or climb up the side to take a closer peek. so far they don't eat the yarn, something I can't say for certain naughty kitties who like to stalk up and chew the yarn as it's being pulled to the project.I have been in the process of knitting something only to wrp my next stitch and come up holding a slobbery chewed off end. Meanwhile Miss Oreo there is sleeping on the skein with the OTHER chewed end snuggled between her paws at my feet.Ahh well now I'm off for more Java. YEs it's 11pm sue me.

Utterly vile advertising

2008-01-11T17:23:00.000-05:00

To think these things were actually ads back in the day make me want to vomit http://www.oddee.com/item_92625.aspx though the Camel ad was kinda funny, the thought of using a prepubescent girl to sell sex/perfume makes me incredibly pissed. I would photo link but honestly I don't want it on my page. It's not as crazy these days but still less is not absence. women are used as sexual objects to sell everything from cologne to sodas, placing younger lolita-esque women in ads with men old enough to be thier grandfathers in penis pill ads. Even ones designed FOR women are sometimes anti woman, making it seem unnatural or ugly to have a period, go natural without makeup, or heavens forbid have body hair in thier nether regions. Yet we tolerate yes EVEN BELIVE IT. Women in size -2's telling us we can be thin just like them and not be so fat and ugly, because "of course bigger than -2 = ugly" we know it's BS yet we still are expected to strive to BE like them. People use kids to advertise things that have nothing to do with them. ads for cleaning products, and scrubber mitts on kids TV channels. the Hey kids tell your mom and dad advertising, I mean really why else put ads for e-z-screwdrivers on x-toons channel? Like my 5 yr old is going to go unscrew a lightbulb, much less her own bed. I'm so sick of all the BS advertising used. If the product ACTUALLY makes you feel good, and be healthy, or is a great product let it speak for itsself. If it is'nt, then get of YOUR corporate executive asses and make it better.

Back to school day

2008-01-10T22:08:00.000-05:00

I love back to school. Love Love LOVE IT. DOn't get me wrong I Adore Girly, and the wonderful times we have mud bathing, and chip munching, and vegging out to shrek 1-3 binges. BUT I don't do any housework, other than neccesary undie washing and dishes required for meals. Now that she's back in school I have the time to scrub and fold and make the place look decent agian. I suppose I could manage to do these things while she's on vacation, but really you only live once and what memories would I rather have her remember? Mommy scrubbing dishes or her and I slinging pats of mud at each other in the yard and all around enjoying each-other's company? The house and the work involved will always be here, don't I know it, but one day sooner than I realize she will be all grown up and off on her own. Then I can wash the entire house in to my hearts content.... I better buy shares in soap before then to make my money back:P The only problem with back to school day one is I am so lonely and the house is so quiet that first day. The shock of no squealing and leaping over kitties is like a vacuum, pulling all other sounds into it making it seem even MORE quiet than it already is. Usually I play music really loud to drown out the noise of no noise. Today I just crashed out, trying to get over the never ending sick I've been fighting since before Christmas. with the TV on. Knitting night was Awesome, as usual. we had a nice teacher who played the guitar for us while we knit, and crocheted. Sadly and lastly though, I must pay my respects to my dear Judith's late kitty. He lived a full and wonderfull 19 yrs with a charmingly sweet lady. He will wait at the rainbow bridge for her with all the wonderful other animals we love, and who willingly and wholly love us in return.
Cherish each day you have with those you love, furry or no, our time here is short so make the best of it and share it with the ones dearest to your hearts.