It's the latest thing!

This looks interesting--Pocket Wheel. Not that I need one, you understand. If I need anything, it's to sell a couple spinning wheels to get a production wheel--one that will spin a lot of yarn for very little effort. The problem is that I have two that I do NOT want to let go of--and the one that I would part with, I rarely use, but I do like spinning on it. It's just simply too big for the area where I spin, and even though it's a lovely wheel, I can't take it anywhere because it's just a mite too big to carry. My Castle wheel (Kromski) is much easier to transport...the other wheel I won't part with is my Electric Roberta, which I can't use until I spring it on my husband who doesn't even know I have it yet.

So what HAVE I been doing for the last several hours having completed Owlie, I was somewhat flummoxed by what to do next. I finally decided to do a little spinning--since I only have a ton of fleece to spin.

But last summer, at a dyeing class in Hastings, I was able to dye some of my wool (a pound) a deep, dark purple--royal purple, in fact. We used the whole jar--as the pan wasn't really deep enough for the entire pound, and because I wanted a really saturated color--we used too much dye, but the end result is a lovely purple. Here's the stuff on my castle wheel--

See the pretty purple??????? This will probably turn out to be socks, but it's about dk weight--so I COULD make a tank out of it--something with some lace, perhaps. The right design has to pop out of the air, I guess. I don't have a particular design in mind--I could make a simple tank top with monkey eyes down the center front--crochet a simple shell pattern around the raw edges in white, and call it good. The color lends itself to a lot of ideas.

While taking the pic, Chat sat on the television--as if to say "Here I am, striking a pose for you! I will allow you to take one picture!" And true to his word, he hopped down after I snapped this one. I suppose he's just too cool for me.

Owlie done!

I got Owlie done! And I felted him, but for some reason--the felting didn't work well, and instead of making him fuzzy--it stretched him out.

I used Cascade 220 100% wool--and so the lack of felting doesn't make sense--he's still cute, but here he is in his unfelted form--which to me actually works and looks better--

Important Website

http://www.thedietdiary.com/blog/lucia/2469

Calculator to calculate increasing evenly across the row.

http://loumms.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/using-dpns-joining-in-the-round-part-1/

Joining in the round on DPN Needles

WOW!

Thanks for all the comments, you guys!

Yes, the owl is crocheted, then felted. He's a keeper. I've almost got his body done--had to buy fiberfill this morning (sure thought I had some in my craft room) so I can stuff his little owlie butt--

And the mini mochi eye sock original pattern, the lace panel goes down the front and back of the sock. I determined I liked it on the sides, so when I finished the leg, I turned the sock 1/4 turn and knit the heel so that the lace would be on the sides instead. It's not as easy as it sounds using magic loop, and I had to off-load one sock to dpns to do it. The final result turned out really well, I believe. The eye of the partridge heel fits me very nicely on 32 stitches!

Mandy is neither afraid of thunder or of the vacuum--which strikes me as odd. I was just watching a Ceasar Millan (Dog Whisperer) episode, where the dog tried to attack the vacuum--the owner just had to have the dog go into "calm-submissive" state before beginning, and when she turned it on, if he attacked, she had to stop and correct right away, then ignore him while she went back to vacuuming. Before long, he wasn't attacking the vacuum anymore.

We are closing on our refinance this week, hopefully before hubby gets laid off or signs up for retirement, but since there's only 2 days left, I think we're okay. I want him to retire VERY much. I don't want him to be travelling from place to place, given his medical conditions.

Beyond that, the day is supposed to be really nice, and I can hardly wait for lunch time.
CUL8R!

The Dishcloth from Hell Makes a U-Turn!

Well, I futzed and I fretted all day, trying to decide what in the world would make this last dishcloth look better. I didn't particularly like the raw edges, since I felt it didn't look "finished". So I decided that I would do an applied I-cord, but just picked up stitches along the edge and worked a knit purl and knit rows, and wove in the ends.

The result was pretty! I was satisfied, and it's now in the drawer with the rest of the pretty dishcloths. I put the scraps back in the scrap bag for when I make a monster rug, and below is the pic of the final, acceptable cloth:

Another FO!

Just finished the Mid-Month, February dishcloth from Monthly Dishcloths. Here she is--too much orange. I don't like it. I plan to try it in reverse to see if it looks better.

Well, What Did You Think?

Do please leave comments when you read my blog--it lets me know that someone out there considers me interesting enough to read this silly endeavor--

Allbeit, my therapist says that it's a good thing I blog, else I'd go nuts.

So why am I paying her?

Something to think about, I suppose.

I am finally getting to cleaning up the living room. I have a ton of stuff that needs to go downstairs--and some that needs to go to other people--so that I can get my living room back--and it's a slow process. I try to take something downstairs every time I go down those steps, so that I don't waste a trip. Little by little, things are "disappearing" from the living room and "reappearing" downstairs--and once I'm done with the upstairs, I'll start on the downstairs. Right now, there are a couple of bigger items to take down, but I'll leave those for last for when hubby is in the right frame of mind to help.

I had an odd dream last night--well, good and odd. I was Christmas shopping, and I lost my son and mother AND my car--and some nice young man helped me to find them again. I was 20 or so, my son was little, my mother was her young self again, and I had lost a ton of weight--so much so that I had this flap of skin in front left over from the weight loss. Here's the odd parts--first, I was never fat when I was young, and the left over skin was shaped like a, hmm...how do I say this without actually saying it? It looked like a part of the male anatomy--attached to my belly button--or just slightly below, in the "men NOT working" zone.

When I discovered this, um, disconformity--I became very weirded out, and my only thought was that of heading to a plastic surgeon to have it removed. Once I was focused on that task, however, I found my mom and son, and between all of us, we finally located my car and we drove home.

There are cultures that believe in transmigration of the soul into other forms. I personally am not one of those cultures, but I am aware of them. Whether past or present, I have no knowledge of that business, but I remember understanding that some souls went up the chain of command (god being the highest, man the next, then woman, then dog--I think--and on down a list after that which I can't remember), and all of it had to do with whether you were deemed good or bad when you were alive AKA karma. So if this dream has anything to do with "karma" (laughing at myself here) then I got stuck in my dream, somewhere in the midst of man and woman--they have a name for that--and I know that there are children who are born that way--with both male and female "parts", and that doctors do try to make these babies one or the other, whichever is most predominant and easiest. Be darned if I can remember what they call the condition, at the moment. But it's not important. What IS, is that this one is "movin' on up".

OH! Hush!

I seriously have to get my dog on video--and upload it here. Somedays, I think Mandy is a little spastic in her love of the "ball", which doesn't actually have to be a "ball"--it could be a sock or a slipper or any other "toy" that lays on the floor at the time. Remember, the floor is her domain--so anything left there, is fair game--for the game that is. She tosses the ball in the air, catches it, runs around the room, bounces it on the floor, catches it again, then runs to the other end of the house--until she tires of the game. Barking and carrying on as if she's playing "keep away" from some ghost. It's really quite comical, and means that I don't always have to play with her, since she can entertain herself at times, while at the same time entertaining me. But for some odd reason, if I giggle at her behavior, she stops--as if what she's doing is somehow deemed abnormal--well, okay, it is--but it's funny and I really hate that she thinks she has to stop because I giggle.

There are sounds that she is very timid about--gunshots, fireworks, the computer printer, voices coming from the computer, my giggles, the dog barking next door--she seems to go into some sort of insanity when those "sounds" come up. I have tried to print things and set her into "calm-submissive state" as Ceasar Millan says--to get her accustomed to the fact that she doesn't need to fear the sound of the printer. Some sounds are frightening enough to send her to the bathroom, shuddering under the stool--wrapped up into a little ball--and she's not a little dog--but she seems to basically crawl into a hole and bury herself! If I go in and try to draw her out, she will come out, but she looks into every cranny about the house to make sure there's no bomb there. She sniffs everything to make sure that it's sound and healthy. God help you if another shot rings out!

So yes, you could say my dog is a tad neurotic, but I love her to death anyway. I would love to be able to give her a space where she could get away from the sounds that trigger her timidity, but I live in the country, and that's expectations a bit over the top.

So please, tell me what you think of my version of the mini-mochi eye socks, because they are definitely very different from the ones on the Crystal Palace Yarn page, and I like them even better than the ones on the web--today, they are blocking. I am going to finish up the dishcloth from the Mid-Month Monthly Dishcloth today, and then go into town on several errands--I'm meeting a friend at the gas station to drop off his dog hair, then to the pharmacy to pick up scripts and milk and perhaps some sandwich meat, and after that, I'm headed to the LYS and pick up that white wool yarn for the owl. Then I will begin on the owl.

The Owl
He's crochet, which is a break from the normal knitting habit. He's really cute. I downloaded the pic from Ravelry to show you here.

Done! I can wear them tomorrow!

I'm so excited! I got my Mini Mochi Eye Socks done shortly after midnight--having stayed up with my hubby, who REALLY liked them!

In fact, he liked them so much, I think that I might make another pair of socks for him sometime soon, but first, my little white owl...

Here's the final pics:

Fiber Day!

This is what greated me first thing in the morning. A boding of ill weather--a red sky in the morning.


Today my friends and I drove to Chelsea to a fiber fair. I got more wool in this lovely shade of browns and yellows--and 3 books--2 by Cat Bordhi and one older (1996), with some lovely patterns in it in what I like to call "the old style". I apologize for the fuzzy pic. Camara jiggled at the last minute. I didn't want the book jacket to pick up the flash, so I snapped without flash, and this was the result. I can update it with a better pic another time (if time permits, and it's most likely that time WON'T).

I wasn't able to find any white yarn there for my little white owl, so I will have to stop at the LYS to get some on my way through to my MIL's house--I'm not real fond of driving in the weather today--the roads are very slick. We'll be home soon though, so I'm not too worried yet. Well, instead, I opted to stay home. The weather is still snotty almost 2 hours later, and the wind is blowing hard--making for a lot of drifting. So instead, I contacted the LYS and asked them to hold it for me. With luck, tomorrow's weather will be easier, and I can run to the store for some.

People are very ignorant in this weather! I was surprised at the aggressive driving! Our driver is did well, but folks alongside didn't seem to realize that the roads are slicker than goose crap--which in case you didn't know, is very slippery, indeed!

The best story of the day, though, was of this older couple who opened their door one winter night to find a little pig! They let him inside, and while hunting for the owner, they found that he would potty in cat litter, and the husband became very fond of this pig! So they kept it, and live in a very affluent part of town in a 500K home. Imagine that?!

We're nearly to a stopping point, so I'm going to close for now. I'll post pics later.

Here's my progress on the Mini-Mochi's. See how my lace is going down the side? It was a little tricky for a while, but I finally got my stitch count back to where it needs to be. The next pair I will make sure to cast on with a larger needle. These are a little bit snug on the calves NOW, but I am losing weight, so before long (summer?) they will fit perfectly!

Walking to the car

I am at this very moment, I'm blogging while I walk to the car after work. My fingers are freezing so I'm going to stop for a while and pay attention to where I'm walking. Oops!

From this point, I headed over to the Verizon Phone Center to ask about Yahoo Messenger for the Blackberry.

It seems that the software is text only, and not voice, but it's still (with the exception of the unlimited broadband) free, and my son (or my friends) can message me while I'm at work, and I can chatter with them online while I'm away from my big computer. This is a boon for me--it's like "reach out" Literally. And touch someone. More than a phone--instant access to other people--if they're online at the same time you are.

It appears that people aren't technically "online" this evening, so I'm going to knit. I am past the gusset decreases now on my Mochi's and headed down the foot.

Fearsome Morning Visions

This morning, I had a vision, just before the alarm sounded. There is another little girl missing with curly hair and a frilly dress. She was drowned in the river, and caught in some reeds underneath something, which held her down. She was put there by a pedophile, who was literally standing beside the river waiting and hoping for her to come up and float the rest of the way down the river. When I got to the scene, it was as if this man had been MY boyfriend, and he was scoffing at me, and I was trying to hit him, but not being much of a fighter, my fists landed, but did no harm except to make him laugh.

Then suddenly, the little girl--and my mind told me "Victoria", escaped her watery grave, and baby bottles came out, one after the other, and I yelled "Come on! Work Harder! You can do it!", and finally she came out and floated up topside and down the river.

The bank had a breakwater or a bridge where I was, so there was no going into the water to get her, but I figured she would go to ground eventually. This bast (need I go on) stood there laughing. I took off to get help.

He's medium tall, lighter hair short cropped, squarish face, which is pudgy and ugly to my thinkng. Slightly overweight--maybe 200, but no more than that, and vintage trailer trash--and a pedophile. If you think "Sargeant Carter" from Gomer Pyle, you'll have a pretty basic look at the guy...altho he's not a ringer for Sgt Carter, he did resemble him.

I finally found some help to get this idiot (another woman I didn't know), and together, we ran down the street to get this guy, but when we got there, he was, and this is the hard part to describe, completely encased in a plastic shroud--but still alive.

I take this to mean that he's close to being found out, and is trying to kill himself OR he's been found out and is now being murdered. Of course, this gives me NO satisfaction, because I want to hurt him, and hurt him very badly for hurting this little girl. And inside the bag, he's laughing at me.

And there's another little girl missing--the little boy that I didn't know about has been found dead. The little girl is Hailie, but I might have the spelling wrong. I got the idea that the pedophile dressed her up, did what pedophiles do, then tossed her into the swiftly running river, where she drowned. Then he followed her until she didn't come up for air anymore.

How sad and tragic for that little girl.

The little boy wandered out to the pond nearby and fell through the ice. I don't believe that he was murdered, but that his mother was definitely not on top of this little monster! She took her eyes off him for a minute, and he was GONE investigating the interesting stuff out on the lake.

I guess I shouldn't have eaten so many carrot sticks last night. Sheesh!

I'd Never Have Believed It

I never would have thought that I would blog from this room--but the Blackberry allows it so why not try it out? With unlimited broadband access, I can literally blog anywhere my heart desires--I won't tell you where I actually am, but leave you to guessing.

I pulled The Lovers today when I asked the Tarot what was up with my ex--generally, this card means choosing one thing over another thing, or at best having to make a choice--so I emailed his sister-in-law, who doesn't normally respond to my queries about him, but that doesn't stop me from trying, right? So far, so good, but I wonder if she worries that I might someday use her written email against her--because she is so much more open about things on the phone--so who knows? In the meanwhile, I find beer cans outside the house that don't belong to us or the neighbors, so who is leaving them and why? I mean, that's a whole dime, right? But seriously, it feels like a calling card to me--so I'll have to bring it up to the neighbors again.

Still hard at work on my Mochi's. I may have them done by the weekend.

Another Lazy Day

Not much done today, except answering a lot of phone calls, taking care of people who call one at a time, satisfying their needs and hanging up.

I came in late today, because I felt simply awful this morning--something I ate, I suppose, so I slept a little bit longer, and came in when I felt better. Thus, I stayed later than normal to help make up some of the time, and also took only 1/2 hour for lunch--which means I didn't knit today at the office, but I will get to it this evening after I eat supper.

It's supposed to snow big time tonight, so I will be late again tomorrow due to road conditions. I am not looking forward to coming in tomorrow, but I have a doctor appointment in the afternoon that I must go to.

I'm looking forward to putting my feet up tonight and getting the gussets done on my mochi's. Then I can post them! I am seriously happy with the yarn. Everything about it--the feel, the color--the way it sort of slides into the next color real cautious like--

And now it's time to go home. Whew. Long day!

Monday-Monday

And a day off work for me! YAHOO! But have you ever wondered why it's a holiday today? I mean, sure--St. Valentine's Day and an extra day off so you can get the housework done because your spouse or significant other took you to dinner and basically ruined your day for housework?

BAH!

I don't care so much why I have the day off. Only that I have the day off--and I meticulously maintain my calendar to show me those days I have off--whether I know why I have them or not--and today is one of those days.

It's not that I don't care.

Okay, well, maybe it is.

But I have bigger fish to fry--such as how much money can I spend at the LYS? Should I spend that $35 check I got in the mail? You know--things like that.

I'm already considering buying some more of that soft as a baby's bottom Mochi Yarn. Perhaps I'll buy another colorway--red sounds really good. Maybe yellow. I really do love how this yarn knits up, and it's smooshy to knit with. I seriously can't get enough.

My sugar was a bit high this morning, and I had a leg cramp up, but not enough to bring me straight out of bed screaming. The reason is because hubby took me, his mom and his sister to the Chinese place yesterday, and I really ate too much--not to mention the small plate of carbs that I took in for desert--half a spoon of pineapple (in sugar syrup) half a spoon of mandarin oranges (yep, you guessed it) and a half a spoon of chocolate pudding (which I've been craving) and part of a pastry made with philo dough and frosting. This was more than enough to set my soul on fire, and frankly--I'm surprised that my sugar is where it is after all that--um--sugar/carby mix. Yet, my weight didn't fluctuate, and today, I will be working all of that off. I expect that I will end up at the mall sometime today, and walk--miles, I bet--just to get some exercise. So I believe that my sugar will be WAY DOWN before the day is up. Plus, I have to take my meds this morning yet, which I haven't gotten to. So give me a moment, I'll be right back...

-----
Okay-
I asked the cards what I need to know for today. I pulled the Knight of Pentacles--entitled Husbandry. Oh, geez. With all the stuff I have to do today, and I pull this card? It's telling me that I need to do housework, instead of run about spending $$. Well this is true, but I don't want to be charged for another month for the cell phone that I'm cancelling, and I want to start using my Blackberry. I'm all about that. So I'm off to the races. I'll spend time doing housework later when hubby isn't home...because you see...

He has to work today.
And I don't.
That's serious cause for celebration!

:)
See ya!

Today's Draw...

Today, I drew the Knight of Wands, entitled Health--this is a good thing, as I think I might have had a touch of food poisoning--or perhaps the nightmare the other night gave me a touch of IBS--and if you don't know what that is, you don't NEED to know.

So having a health card to come up is a good thing--it can be a reminder to watch what I eat today, or it can be an "omen" of sorts to tell me that things are going to be looking up in that department. I'm hoping for the latter.

I've been working on the mini-mochi socks--made out of, yes, Mochi Mochi Yarn. This stuff is a single ply very like roving--and quite a lot like Noro--except the strands aren't fat and thin like oro, and the yarn is like "baby bottom" soft.

I mean, next to the skin soft--not a scratchy in it!

I'm tickled to death with the way they are turning out, even though they don't match. It's like a new color every 6 or so rows, and I watch the progression with fascination! This is definitely a fun knit!

Internet Phone Calls

I just got off "the phone" with my son, via long distance call using my computer and yahoo! Messenger. The call was basically free--without a cell phone (okay, so I used my broadband card), but it didn't charge me minutes on my cell phone, or long distance charges on my land-line.

I am a happy camper!

I can call my sisters-in-law and my mother-in-law basically anytime we're all online--and we can conference call using Yahoo! IM--this is a plus, and can help keep the family connected!! I MUST call the relatives about this!

Beyond that, my son sent me a link, and you must seriously read this flowchart. It's really something else!

flow chart


Keep in mind, please, that my son is something of a weird "thinker". He thinks odd things. Sort of like the query "If a tree falls in the woods, and there's no one to hear it, does it still make a sound?" He thinks like that. Very abstract.

He also sent me a u-tube video that really disturbed me. We spent over an hour online talking about this and that, including this new gadget (and who on the internet doesn't like new gadgets?) called a Kindle--it's basically an IPOD that you can download audio/video books to--through Amazon. Cost? Only $359 and it's yours...the books are extra--but apparently Amazon boasts over 230,000 titles. Imagine that? You can basically read a book! Anywhere!

Um, can't you do that already?

But this book talks to you!

Um, can't you go to the library and get books on tape and play them in a cassette recorder or cd player? I suppose it's cool that it's something that the entire file is on one device and no fiddling with cd's while you drive down the road...yeah, I can see that being a huge thing.

I guess there's quite a bit of interest from folks wanting that "latest thing". For me, I like to lie down in bed and actually read the book--I don't fall asleep (at least, not until the book drops to my chest and I start to examine the insides of my eyelids) while reading, and it's a quiet, enjoyable time. And if it's riveting, I can still put the book down or read on, if I can't, and I'm such an imaginative person, I worry that I would have nightmares over the Steven King stuff. Reading it in a book somehow would make it less "tangible" rather than hearing it on tape or through this new-fangled device.

And I can buy a book for $7. Books for the Kindle begin at $30. Somehow, I think I would get more enjoyment out of a book...at least for now. And when they start selling on Ebay, no longer the "hot gadget of the month", maybe I'll get one--Look how far the Ipod has fallen and all the after-market ipod-look-alikes?

Yes, I believe I'll wait...maybe listen to audio books on tape someday--which is more my speed. HA!

Guess What?

It's still snowing. It has snowed for several hours straight.
I think there's four inches out there, but I left my boots in the car last night, and I'm not about to go get them in stocking feet.

It's still snowing, and I have to go grocery shopping. I'm screwed.

Nightmare Plague

Well, I've done it again. I didn't take a sleeping pill last night, figuring that it's a 3-day weekend, and I should be able to sleep comfortably and enough that I can get the rest I need.

Apparently, my body does NOT agree.

I am up at 1:30am from a nightmare. I won't even bother to relate it, out of it's own stupidity--but the entire thing plagues me, because it could have been avoided.

IF

I had taken a sleeping pill. You see, I have pleasant dreams, when I sleep well.

Of course, it's now 2 hours later, and I'm still not back to sleep--so I thought I would blog, and hope that the "tired bug" will bite me.

Yes.

Bite ME.

You see, I love the information on the internet. That's why I blog. That's why I'm in dozens of groups, both on yahoo and on Ravelry. That's why I knit, and why I read other people's blogs--just to find out what they're working on--and sometimes, that gets you into trouble.

For instance I was reading a blog one day taking a breather at the office, and there was a link to another blog, where the first blog was touting a free knitting pattern, which I thought I might want to look into.

Click on the link, and BLAMMO! Surf Control? What? For a knitting site?

Come to find out the blog had the word S**, and I don't mean See or Say...and so surf control (a modified Parent-control application) stopped the blog from loading. I had to go back to the original blog and check it out, and sure enough--there it was--and so I emailed the link to my home address so that I could look at it in private.

So what is it with you people so fixated on something that you have to have a naked avatar or the words that don't even describe your blog? I mean, come on! Don't you realize that sort of behavior is just a little over the top? Frankly, I'd rather be fixated on something productive...and while lovemaking is fun--there are other things that are "fun" to do and say that don't involve the mediation of a parental control to keep others from viewing what you do on a normal day--and quite honestly, unless you're a tad "teched in the haid", you're not making love 24-7. I know some studs out there would like you to think that's what's going on, but reality speaks--probably not.

I mean, really! Get a life, you guys!

I'm so squeeky clean that I even asked some of my friends who often emailed me some pretty colorful stuff, to please send those to my home address. You know the drill I mean--the Christmas card with the naked fellow lying on top. Granted, he's one handsome dude, but he doesn't belong on the office computer--not even as a forwarded chain email that you sent to all your friends in your mailbox! Please kindly send those to my HOME email if you must. That sort of behavior made me wonder what the other person was thinking, because clearly, they sent it to ME from THEIR work computer. Odd. Simply put, just plain old "odd". And why the "parental control" didn't catch it, simply because it wasn't full frontal nuditry, (and no, that's not a typo), doesn't mean that it isn't somewhat explicit TO ME. Notice I didn't say "offensive". Frankly, it would be nice to have that nice shape...hey! Maybe I won't go there. Hubby IS trying to sleep--and snoring. Snoring husbands are safe husbands, yes?

So I am up and about.

And I find out that it snowed last night. Apparently, pretty treacherous driving for hubby coming home late at night that the stress of it put him right under the covers and asleep in no time. Of course, he does tend to have difficulties sleeping quite often.

Perhaps he should take a sleeping pill--grin--except he SAYS that they don't work on him. Yet, he seems to examine the insides of his eyelids quite often! ;)

But let ME wake up, and suddenly it's a free for all in the queen size bed that houses us both, plus 2 cats and a dog, which also contribute to the lack of sleep not to mention the lack of space. Sometimes the discomfort of not being able to put your feet fully down into the end of the bed is enough to make you get up and walk about the house like a freaking zombie--

Would that I were sonambulistic..but normally, I am not. I wonder if the sleeping pill (let's say I take 2 instead of my usual 1) would be enough to cause it--of if I would simply sleep better? It's hard to say, since I don't abuse drugs that way. There was one night, a long time ago, when I feigned sleep-walking--but never got out of bed--that's sort of a funny story...

It was when I was married to Randy--I was asleep on my stomach, which I did quite often, because Randy was always so--RANDY. But I woke up for a minute or two, and I knew that he was watching me, because of what he was doing at the time, and so I quickly opened my eyes and lifted up on my elbows, gave him this queer-eyed "look", closed my eyes and dropped back down to the pillow.

The next morning, he asked me what was up.

I pretended not to know what he was talking about--to which he related the story--and I gave him this incredulous look and asked him what the **** he was talking about. I think I might have denied doing it, too. Which caused him all sorts of weirdness in his own head. Weirdness, I might add, that came naturally. He was SURE beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was awake when I did it, and he wanted to know WHY I did it. I flat out denied that I did it, and he accused me of sleep-waking.

Not sleep walking, mind you, but just sleep-waking.

I told him it was an oxy-moron, and that he was something of a moron (hmm...retrospect) and that it didn't happen, because I don't sleep-walk--so how could I sleep-awake? I mean beyond the fact that asleep and awake are total opposites of each other.

Well, what more can I say. Seriously, I was just giving him a mind f(iretr)uck, which seems appropriate now that our marriage is over (ah, 20-20 again there) by denying that I was awake at the time, but getting all weird about it? Anyway, I'm sure he told everybody he knew about the weird woman he was married to.

About that time, news came out that some women were making love while they were asleep.
OH WOULD THAT I COULD!!! A BOON FOR HUSBANDS EVERYWHERE!! Unfortunately, it wasn't the husband! LOL! Now that makes ME laugh!

A bit of silliness there, but I wonder now if it made Randy wonder if I wasn't getting up in the middle of the night to go and be with some other man. I'm quite sure that it kept him wide awake for a couple of nights anyway, watchful that I didn't sleep walk out the door. Quite a turn of events for a sleepness night, no?

Knit-wise, I am working on the Mini-Mochi Socks (google, pls) and in the Green colorway, which is turning out very

Green. Like frog pond green. Spring and peepers green. Love that green. Fern-frond green. I feel like spring is coming, even though it is snowing. Honestly, I should go work on it, maybe take a sleeping pill and when I get tired, put it down and go back to bed.

Sounds like a plan. I'll see you tomorrow!

I got a new toy!

Yes, friends, I have succumbed to the pressure, and got my first Blackberry yesterday. This thing frightens me with everything it can do--and I'm not kidding.

It's rather like having a Palm Pilot AND Phone in one. It's got a calendar, a note pad, a task list, ability to sync with my computer and I can transfer pics to it. I can email documents as attachments! I can read my home email at the office!

Heck, I can even get phone calls on it.

(sic!)

Okay, it's more powerful than that steaming locomotive, but it was fun playing with it last night--so much so that I didn't read any email online (just on the BlackBerry, which kept me busy until 11:00 when I turned my computer on to download messages).

I only get about 400 messages a day, and that's most knitting related.

I'd take a pic of it and upload it, but it can't take a pic of itself, unless I'm REALLY REALLY FAST! We'll try it.

Damn ... shoot. I guess I'm not faster than a steaming locomotive.

So yes, I finished my Flower Patch Socks. This was a design that I will do again. The only changes I'll make is to knit in size 2 needles--that's it. Because it's done stranded, they are pretty thick, so winter weather is seriously the only place I'll be able to wear them. Sadly, my feet can't breathe in them, and the wool in the yarn, while it does wick the moisture out some, it can't get it all. They're a tiny bit hard to get past my heel, which is no big deal, but I'm not one to love fighting with a sock in the morning--I can get really snippy--if you get my meaning.

A yarn project's worst nightmare...snippy.

I drew the 5 of Wands, entitled "Grounding" today. It was reversed. It means that I need to seriously buckle down and get some work done at the office today, because it sort of indicates that I'm going to be a little on the wirey side--or a "lack of grounding" or just unable to "get grounded" because it's in the reversed position. This is something that I really have to be conscious of, because if I don't get this one particular job done, other issues will not flow well, and I need to get this first job done before I can do the second job (which to me is the one that needs done more, but what do I know?). The supervisor issued an edict to get the first job done, so I'm doing the first job.

And that's the way it was. February 12, 2009.

Are YOU Ready for this?

Can't touch it, not even with the best of the world's best.
Such a FUN knit, and went so fast!
I can't wait to wear them in the morning!

In the words of Archie Bunker...

"Aw Geez, Editt, I did it again!"

I came to work. I couldn't just glue my head to the pillow and rest a while longer.

And I forgot to bring the pattern for my socks, of which I am past the gusset decreases and ready to work on the foot for a while. Idiot knitting that I could literally do in my sleep--if I had the graph for the flowers.

So today, I suppose I have to work.

Hubby is seriously considering retirement, but if the Vice President of the company gets involved...well, we'll just hope for the best. He might end up a travelling die man! What a guy!

Women's Expo!

See the progress on my Flower Patch 2nd Sock? I'm working on the heel!

Recap of the weekend:
I took half a day off work on Friday to spend with my sister-in-law. She's a really fun person to hang around with, and this day, we planned to spend getting ourselves fitted for a new brazziere.

Yes, you heard it right.

Now, normally, I purchase this sort of item at Meijer's, and as I've gotten older, I'm finding that my biggest pet peeve is going to this store to have to wait for the fitting room attendant, tear off all my clothing, try on 4 or 5 brazzieres only to find out that not one fits correctly. Then having to put all those brazzieres BACK in the box (ever try to fold a brazziere into 3 sections?), which somehow is impossible without making the package bulge in an ugly way, put all your clothing back on your body (never mind having to look in 3 full length mirrors at your nudity!) go back out to the counter where you found them, but now have to replace them where they were, find 5 more to try on. And repeat from several times, and you've got this huge recipe for a mental/emotional breakdown and a fight with the hubby when you get home!

So I rarely buy bras--which means I rarely wear them.

So I was seriously looking forward to going with my sister-in-law. Not for moral support or finding product that MIGHT fit. No! We went to a "bra fitting place" in East Lansing. A little hole in the wall called "The Front Room". Did someone say "what's in a name"? I considered "Shop Lifting", but rejected it, and laughed all the way into the store.

The staff was perfectly lovely. The store owner took one look at me, and brought in two brazzieres--and both fit wonderful, but the second one fit the best. So I walked out wearing a brand new brazziere. I wore it all weekend. I only took it off to sleep, but I could have worn it to sleep, because it was almost like lingerie--wait a minute. They ARE lingerie!

But while we were shopping there, my SIL found some coupons for $1 off at the Women's Expo, and she thought it would be a really crazy thing to go to it....that is until she found out that it was TODAY! She asked me if I'd like to go, and I said I couldn't think of a better time than spending time with her--and so we went.

Cost to get in was $7.50--and with our coupon, $6.50. This seemed high, but I was excited to get inside and see all there was to see.

It was mainly featured for women's health, but there was a ton more there, including a whole row of food to eat from L & L--everything from cheese and crackers, cakes and icing to a chocolate fountain and mixed fruit. Why, there was even chocolate ice cream--low carb so that us ladies watching our weight could have some--and it was so tasty. Of course, it was the back row that drew us most, but we refrained and restrained ourselves so that we could have supper with mom later.

Anyway, the first row was all Sparrow Hospital and different areas there that cater to women's needs--from obstetrics to breast and cervical health to nursing homes--even a booth on health insurance and child day care information. Testing for sugar and other health issues not exclusive to women, but a danger to them none the less.

There were massage chairs ALL over the place, and little kiosks where you could go in, lay back in a chair and put your feet up and put a restful cooling pack over your eyes.

There were special socks for diabetics, and not so special socks for everyone else. 600 count sheet sets for $20, mops and brooms, Sham-Wow look-alikes, Avon and Mary Kay, Nail technicians, hair dresssers and booths with bags and purses, doo dads for the pet in your life, even some that spoke to home repair--roofing and eavestroughs that I looked at because mom's eaves are falling down because of the ice on the roof! There were jewelry stores and beading specialists, clothing and a couple of Pakistani women selling birkas--beautiful work from the loom, and then some that were embellished with sequins and beads.

There was so much more, it's hard to count everyone.

So I went back on Saturday.

I took my knitting with me, and I'm so glad that I did. If I hadn't, I would probably run over people. The knitting kept me from being impatient, and I happily knit away, when people stopped right in front of me and didn't move for several minutes at a time, but I digress.

(can you feel my stress right there? Good)

I specifically went on Saturday to buy the things I couldn't buy on Friday because some booths didn't take credit cards (which mine really isn't a credit card, but you know what I mean). So I stopped at the ATM on the way in, and got some cash before going.

When I got there, the line was as long as the building was wide, and I knew I was in for some trouble. Inside, the place was quite literally a zoo. Thousands of people milling around. I had tasks to do, and knew exactly where I needed to go to get them, but the PEOPLE! My only regret was that I bought the rubber broom before I made my last purchase, and carrying it was slightly unwieldy, and kept me from doing any knitting afterward, which raised my stress level.ever.so.much.

But I made my final purchase and wormed my way through back to the front door, and whisked out into the fresh air! AH! Free at last!

I did finish the dishcloth when I returned to the car. Here's a pic:


After the Expo, I returned home with my "loot", and picked up my husband and went to his mother's house. I spent the afternoon napping. They chatted in the kitchen. I woke up to the smell of barbeque pork. We had dinner and retired to the living room to watch a movie. We ended up watching "Gifted Hands", a spectacular movie about a young man who becomes a doctor specializing in children's neurosurgery who separated twins, conjoined at the head and developed the technique to separate the left and right hemispheres of the brain to control seizures. It was a very good movie.

Mother brought out 31 pairs of pants that had belonged to dad and gave them to my hubby. We loaded up the car and headed home. I don't know why, but I was simply exhausted from the day, even though I'd had a LONG nap--so I simply dove into bed and was out like a light in moments. Hubby stayed up and watched the late show, played a game of Chess online at Yahoo Games, and then he too, retired for the evening.

And he's considering retiring from his job, too. Very strongly--even though the company isn't offering the employees the best for the buck. He thinks he might be able to find work elsewhere. I'm not sure about that, but every time I ask the Tarot what he should do, they say Retire and go on a new adventure! So it's probably pretty much a done deal. But I have to say, the man is a hard worker, and he's going to need another job to come along for him or he will literally sit in his chair and go crazy. Work is his therapy--it keeps him alive and kicking. But the right thing has to come along, or it won't be worth it to him.

For instance, we don't want to end up stuck out in tim-buck-two where there's none of our family around that we can chat with or run about town with. We want to be somewhat close to our families--and that means staying in Michigan-even though we'd both like to head to warmer climes. Hubby has a brother and sister down south, and that's where we'd like to go, but those areas are really more depressed than Michigan, right now...so we haven't made a decision "where" yet. The right thing will come along. I just know it will. And we might be separated for a short while, but it will work out.

In the meantime, I will knit, crochet and quilt my way through life. With my animals, I will conquer the world, one stitch at a time!

Progress on the 2nd sock...

Not that I have 2nd sock syndrome (AKA SSS), it's coming along a little bit slower than the first because I'm also knitting a dishcloth from Monthly Dishcloths.

I can tell that the picture is a pair of lips with L-O-V-E written out a la Love Story Style above the lips, and so the "mystery" isn't so much a mystery anymore. Pics to follow when the cloth is done and on Ravelry.

But I am past the ribbing for the cuff and started on the first row of flowers. I will likely finish the cuff this evening--the heel Friday evening, and the sock over the weekend--if I get a lot of knitting time in.

My spring cleaning bug seems to have died. It's been so cold--perhaps it's just gone into hiding? Friday should be quite a bit warmer, so perhaps it will come out again Friday evening--who knows?

I haven't been keeping up with the posted patterns on Ravelry lately. I'm finding it so much more fun to look when there are a lot of new things to look at. So many new designs out there! How to make a decision on what to make next? I've been buying sock yarn like it's going out of business, but I think that I'm going to devote some time to the Princess Shawl--maybe I'll knit some more on the border and try to finish it so that I can knit on the inside for a while?

For instance WEBS has a nice cap-sleeve pullover for only $3 that I would love to have, but I promised my husband I wouldn't use the credit card anymore!!!! WAH! But you know, as nice a pattern as it is, I would probably have something in my stash of patterns that's very likely similar and maybe even easier. I really must set up a small bank account to take care of stuff I order online!!!

I'm learning how to deal with my doggie based on things I learn from "The Dog Whisperer" television series and book. Now that I don't have sheep, I have a frustrated Border Collie that needs to be able to get out and run--the BAD part of that is that she doesn't STOP running--or rather that she doesn't run in a circle--but in a straight line. Before too long, she's out of sight, and that worries me. She would likely come home eventually, but it's the enemies that she might run into in the process that I worry most about. So at some point, I have to figure out how to figure this out, because she doesn't come when called...and I have tried everything...all of the old standbys that I've used with other dogs don't work on her. She's got a different command that she pays attention to, from her previous owners, and I don't know those commands--so she doesn't listen to me most of the time, no matter how "calm-assertive" I might be. She is incredibly smart. She even knows when she has to go potty--the trouble is, I don't know her signs. It's a frustrating relationship, for real!

Time to go back to work.

It Happens!!!!

The long-awaited pic--one down, one to go!

And a meme: Use the first letter of your name to come up with the answers!

Your Name - Tenna
Four letter word - tiny
Boy name - Todd
Girl name - Tara
Occupation - Telecommunications
Color - teal
Beverage - tea
Something found in a bathroom - towel
A Place - Ticonderoga
Reason for being late - tired
Food - toast
Something you shout - Toodles!

What a LONG day!

Today just seemed to go on forever and ever. I got a lot of work done, but I'm pooped now. I had hoped that Monthly Dishcloths would have the next installment up, but sad to say, it's not. I haven't had time yet to sit down and work on my flower patch socks, because I've been catching up on email and taking a little breather. I didn't do any knitting at the office today, because I didn't take much of a lunch, but I did get out early, which I sometimes like to do. That way, I can get it some sunshine, and there was lots of it today--mostly missed, but what I am getting to enjoy are the last rays of the day, and it's very encouraging.

I have much laundry to put away, and I'm rather burned out at the moment. It's even doubtful that I will get something made for my dinner either, opting instead for a sandwich and maybe some soup--but even that's debatable.

In short, I'm just worn out from the day. It was a good day, but a tough one, and I'm looking forward to watching some television this evening. Planning to watch Medium tonight, as I have said previously, and I can hardly wait.

I know I promised a pic of the sock, but the way I'm feeling, I'm not sure it's going to happen. I will knit later once I get something done around the house, but it might be much later before I actually get the toe decreases done...so I'm not counting on it--it would be nice though, wouldn't it?

There was quite a chat going on in the Weekly Dishcloth group on Bravenet, and covered all sorts of subjects. I turned out to be the Steve Martin of the group (remember "WILD AND CRAZY GUY"? Well, I'm a Wild and Crazy Lady!), and I literally had them all in stitches with laughter most of the time. This sort of thing helps me to forget my troubles, and get on with life. Many times, my zaniness gets me queer looks from people who don't know me, but I remember being this way all my life. It's a coping mechanism, I suppose--keeps me from getting lonely and all that.

So today's card is:

10 of Pentacles reversed-Entitled Tradition-A warning that I'm stuck in a rut and need to get going with the creative juices before it's too late to leave something to posterity--I'm going through the motions, trying to get through life instead of searching for the meaning and questing for my own personal truth. My heart and spirit simply aren't "in it"--it also points to difficulties with finances and money disagreements within the family.

Oh, hell. Just what I need when I'm at a quarter tank! And by that, I mean, come on, guys, I'm tired! Can I just take a little rest?

Apparently not.

A Tech of the flew...

Or something similar, has me pretty down this weekend.

Of course, it could be something I et..

Or it could be that my emotional self got the better of me yesterday.

I was simply sic. Today I feel better though, so figured I'd do some blogging.

The Flower Patch socks are coming along--I'm working on the foot of the first sock, and if there was ever a part to dislike about making socks, it's the foot--around and around and around--row after row after row. I work a row of flowers, and then have to stop. The movements of fair isle make my wrist hurt. Couple that with typing and it's a recipe for disaster. A pic when the sock is done, I promise.

Today's card is the Ace of Wands, entitled Creativity. Maybe that means that I'll get on those socks and get the one done today? Probably not. But Monthly Dishcloths has a new knit along going on, and I'm thinking seriously of going to Walmart to pick up some red Peaches and Creme to make the newest addition to my washcloth stash. I have so many now that I don't think that I can count them. The prettiest ones go into the bathroom for use in the tub since I don't get very dirty like my dishes do. The ones that fail to trip my trigger in the loveliness category end up in my dishcloth drawer. It's not that they are not ACCEPTABLE, but only that I don't appreciate them nearly as much...for instance, last year's January cloth was a football. Now I don't much care for footballs, nor does my husband, and neither of us follows any football teams beyond the local college, and even then, it's only a passing thing, and only if they're winning strongly and going to the Rose Bowl, but a dishcloth with a football on it...well, I don't know. It's a nice football. But it's in the dishcloth drawer. Someone else who loves football might put it in with the bathroom washcloths, but not me.

I've also got to go to the Kroger store.

Why didn't I do this crud when I was out yesterday? I seriously don't feel like going to the grocery store AGAIN today.

But we need milk as the current gallon is turning.

The sun is about to come up and the sky is blue. I understand the temps are supposed to reach near 40, and I can feel every degree warmer already. Even the wind is a balmy breeze instead of the wind chill of yesterday. Of course, I wasn't feeling so good yesterday, and that might have had something to do with it. Gee, ya figure?

I'm going to finish up the laundry--maybe clean out the cat litter box--but I think that's about all I'm going to attempt today--to try to get over whatever bug might be harbored inside me. Otherwise, I'm fine and looking forward to Monday.

Someone check my head! I must be sick!