You know they're good socks when they give you flashbacks

First, the cute stuff. Free pattern: Capitan by Rosie G.. Yarn: Galway chunky 100% wool. Needles: 10's. I made three of these puppies. I saw them on Tiennie's blog and fell in love with this pattern. Lizzie thinks it's a keeper. The other two are going to her cousins. The pattern has this cute little tab across the brim with two big buttons on it, but being that a) I'm lazy; and b) I want INSTANT gratification; theses were made sans cute tab.

Yes, I do realize those don't quite match my shirt. But I like them anyway. This pair of socks has really got me thinking. Remembering. I haven't matched my socks to my outfits since the mid 80's and early 90's. I wouldn't just match my socks to the polo shirt I wore, with collar flipped up, of course. Oh no, I'd match TWO pairs of socks one folded "just so" on top of the other one so they both showed with my penny loafers and denim mini to the TWO polo shirts I wore on top of the other with the collars flipped up to show both in all their matchingness glory.

This little trip down memory lane took me to the day when orange became my personal superpower color. My aunt took me for the weekend. We'd had our colors done (very 80's, no?) and it turned out this bright, obnoxious orange color was my "personal best" shade. I thought I would barf. Then my aunt found a little shop in Prairie Village that sold clothes based on your colors, or seasons or whatever the heck it was. So, three hours later I was the proud owner of 5 new outfits, one of whom I detested. It was an obnoxiously bright orange cotton short sleeved cabled sweater with a white full cotton skirt with an orange print of some kind. It appeared to be a package deal, the orange monstrosity and the other cool clothes or nothing at all. So, the orange outfit came home with me.

I'd be reminded to pull it out for special events. I'd put it on grudgingly, but then it turned out that whenever I wore it, good things happened. I'd get an A in the presentation I had to do at school. I'd beat my arch-enemy/rival for the flute first chair challenge. I'd get asked out by whatever boy I dreamed was the coolest that week. Because I believed I was unstoppable in that damn sweater, I really was. I think I wore it to shreds. I think this is why my subconscious went insane and decided to order orange and green glasses a few months ago. Seriously? Who gets ORANGE glasses? I know, they look "coppery" on me in just the right light. They're still orange. I finally realized THAT's why I lost my mind that day. It was the sweater all over again. They must not have inherited the super powers as I was wearing them when I backed into the neighbor's car last month. Damn prius. Just wrote a check for $925 to get that fixed.

Then, when knitting with my dear friend Chery, she mentioned that she had some bright orange cascade 220 that just wasn't working out in the sweater she'd planned and did I think I'd want it? Oh yeah. Come to me orange yarn, come to me!

OK, so last flashback now, I promise. I remembered how I could stand on one foot and lift the other foot behind my head. I thought hey, how cute of a picture would it be to hold my foot up in front of my shirt? Yeah. Well, I'm a few months of 40 now, and it almost killed me to get my foot to my damn waist.

So the real world hasn't killed me yet...

Survived my first official day on the new job. Temporary job, but new job. Good people, good work, hope it lasts a while longer. What better way to reward myself than a trip to the local yarn shop? Oh, and a call to another yarn shop? HEY, that's what I do.

First, some progress on yet another pair of socks. I'm re-falling in love with my socks that rock sock club yarn from last year. Yes, this is the first skein that's actually been knit, I'm working on it. I have totally lost my freaking sock knitting ability. I've screwed up the last 3 socks I've made and then while knitting along on the 2nd sock, making sure to decrease to the same screwed-up number as I did on the first sock of the pair, somehow decided to start a heel flap. Not a problem, except I'd ALREADY TURNED THE DAMN HEEL on this sock about half an inch before. Don't you think I'd notice something like TWO HEELS on a sock? OK, I did notice, but it took me about 6 rows into the heel flap before thinking, hmmmmmm something doesn't seem quite right here. Nice knitting, dumbass.

Did you know they now give a burgandy tote when you buy $100 at Knit Wit? Wanna know how I know that? Like I said, rewarding myself. I picked up a cool pattern booklet, an amazingly adorable knitted sheep pattern, 5 skeins of heaven, 2 skeins of Cascade 220 in a light grey to do some colorwork on a few hats. Yes, COLORWORK. When discussing this new idea with the Jo's (Jo Minor and Jo Major), it turns out that when they last brought up the idea to me long ago I had a yelling hissy fit over the futility of me ever, ever, EVER knitting with more than one color at one time. I remembered it as more of a quiet reluctance, but ah well. I'm swatching and practicing and it hasn't killed me yet. Pictures soon.

The 5 skeins of heaven? Only the most amazingly cool stuff I picked up today. It looks a bit like natural silk and feels as close to heaven as I think cotton can ever aspire to. Artesanal yarns from Aslan Trends. 40% cotton, 30% alpaca and 30% polyamid. Each skein has 218 yards and works up at 4 stitches/inch on 8-10 US needles. Oh my holy hell. When I fondled the swatch, I HAD to have it. It doesn't look nearly as amazing as it is in person, just take my word for it. It will become some form of a lacy tank for summer.


OH and the call was to MisKnits for a cone of wool to make up a sweater. It's a lighter version of navy blue and it's going to have to let me know which of 4 sweaters it's wanting to become. Much swatching ahead. While there a few weeks ago as a reward for getting the job I picked up some reaaaaaaaaaaaly pretty sock yarn. Apparently I am the queen of rationalization....yarn reward for getting a job....yarn reward for going to the job....I'm afraid I see yarn reward for when the job is over coming as well. Trekking Hand Art in beautiful blues and deep dark colors. I think they'll become a pair of wedding socks for my hubby-to-be. I can't see him actually WEARING the wool socks on the boat in Abaco (Bahamas) but I figure they look like how he's described the colors of the ocean once you get out to the really deep parts. Looks like the wedding on the boat thing is getting closer to actually happening! We've narrowed it down to the end of April. Anyone else freaking out that it's only 2 months until I'd be wearing a bikini and TAKING PICTURES???? No? Well, I'm freaking out for the both of us. Not working-out-constantly-and-dieting freaking out, but still-eating-brownies-for-breakfast-occasionally and freaking out in my head. Maybe I'll just make sure everyone knows that pictures will be from the waist up. Or I could be in the water (with the sharks and lion fish and barracudas) the whole time. Giving up the brownies might be less painful.

Who needs chocolates and roses?

Jeff called and said he hoped I wasn't expecting a dinner out and flowers (I wasn't since we've got his boys and my two kids and NO ONE'S getting anything romantic with all that going on), because he's got a special Valentine's Day present for me....

OK, so this is a picture of another version of our new (very used and slightly smelly) 1998 Starcraft Venture. Ours is sitting in storage down in the Ozarks. Pictures of ours will come in the spring when this bad boy gets put on the road. See how the name is SOOOOOOOOOO much cooler than the actual object? I'm totally going to say "Make it SO, Number One" and "Engage!" every freaking time we leave town with this thing. (Yes, I'm a total Star Trek dork) Besides, I'm marrying a man who is, in fact, NATURE MAN and this piece of metal and canvas puts that one more layer between me and all that great outdoors crap. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it. The last few times we went camping we survived horrid winds, floods and bug infestations. I can be a couple of steps ABOVE the dirt and creepy crawlies in this thing. I like the great outdoors, I just really, REALLY like coming back INSIDE from it as well.

In my mind I'll be Elizabeth Zimmermanningly knitting as we camp our way across the USA (or across parts of Kansas and Missouri anyway). Yes, I know she spent her camping jaunts with a piece of canvas and cooking on a fire on a rock. This is about as nature-girl as I get. Since we're getting closer to buying our land in the middle of tick-hell country, this will allow me to stay in something where the thousands of critters trying to eat me alive will have a little more obstacles to get through while we stay over on the weekends working on our land. I'd buy stock in a bug spray company soon, people. The sales are going to SKYROCKET.

I've totally lost my sock knitting ability. NOT ONLY did I knit one smooshy sock on 64 stitches in my normal pattern but then knit the 2nd one on 60 stitches and only realized this AFTER turning the heel, but I totally screwed up the sock I picked up to make myself feel better about the first screw up. Cripes! I knit socks as my "when the world is getting too hard and I need something to knit without thinking" projects. Now I can't even think my way through them? Nice. So, it's nothing any NORMAL knitter would worry about. Just us entirely-too-anal ones. Yes, I KNOW the smooshy pair are only one rib off (K3,P1) but it makes my brain bleed to see how big the size difference is. I'm going to frog the 2nd one and reknit it. Put it away for later, picked up the fun and bright and cheery STR yarn and cranked out a sock on 64 stitches in 3X1 rib, just like usual. Then apparently, I forgot that half of 64 is actually 32 stitches, knit the entire foot with 32 pattern 3X1 rib top and 36 stockinette stitches on the bottom. Then knit most of the toe as if I knew how to count, saw I somehow had 4 stitches more on the top than the bottom. Frogged it back to the starts of the decreases thinking surely I must have over-decreased on the top EVEN THOUGH the pretty line of decreases looked just right and KNIT IT AGAIN and ended up with 4 extra stitches. At least this time I figured it out while trying to get the stitches lined up back on the needles. I frogged back a little farther, reorganized the stitches so they're evenly placed around and knit up the toe. It looks just fine and fits loverly. I've even written down notes to tell me when to do the "pattern element" aka "screw-up-fixer" so the 2nd one matches the first.

I think I'm going to get going on a colorwork hat. Maybe something complicated will be easier than my usually easy stuff.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

PS--I avoided all barf, Joey got better very quickly and I even sat down next to Jeff's ex at one of the basketball games last weekend and explained that, shoot, with having to get a real job now I just won't be able to take care of her sick boys every time she needs to dump them and run let us spend extra quality time with them. Shoot. I think I was blunt enough that she got the picture. I have no problem with helping out, but it was getting a bit much.

You know what? I'm totally excited about my V-Day present. I'm gonna ROCK the camping out thing now.

Dodging the barf

First of all, the knitting news. I have been cranking along on my laced-front ribbed sweater. It's very pretty. I just noticed as I laid it out that I've very smartly made mirrored increases and decreases and all the like, but TOTALLY FUXXED UP the bind off shoulder edge on one of the fronts. damn. Ah well, I've already frogged this damn thing back 3 times to screw with the non-mirrored-looking neckline so what's one more time? At least it's just about 6 rows on not much stitches. I've got to make up the sleeves, put it all together and hold my breath to see if it actually fits. NOW I'm seeing why I'm such a fan of in-the-round knitting. You can try it on as you go. Ah well, if it's too small it'll go to my daughter.

You know those cutesy little games at baby showers where they ask you to give a piece of advice to the new mom-to-be? I used to say something stupid like take a nap when your baby naps. Yeah, from now on, I'm giving her a barf bucket with the following instructions...Keep this barf bucket within easy reach next to your bed at all times. Do not get comfortable thinking your children are in 2nd grade (or 5th grade) and can make it to the bathroom and take care of themselves. ALWAYS have a barf bucket ready to grab and run and thrust in front of a child's face in a matter of seconds. A small plastic trash can works best. BUT not to be used as a trash can, that slows down the whole getting-it-into position. Put TWO plastic grocery bags inside. Trust me, use both. You don't wanna be cleaning up anything that may soak through one bag. Then put in a couple of paper towels. DO THIS. I used to do this. I even kept a barf bucket handy until about a year ago but then got lazy. Let me tell you, the things that come out of children over the age of 8 stain a lot worse than things that come out of little babies.

SO, back to the barf dodging. Earlier in the week, Jeff's ex was leaving their oldest boy home from school with a "low fever" of around 102-103. I'd hate to see what a high fever is. I said, OK, bring him over. I quarantined him in an area with the tv remote and seven-up. He got picked up later that day and apparently barfed the night away. I cloroxed the crap out of the house and hoped for the best. Then had to go visit the new job's office and got the OTHER stepson dropped off also with "just a low fever" but he began barfing upon entering the house. Nice. I LITERALLY had to jump out of the way of flying nastiness in order to make it to the new job without wearing puke. Nothing like a nice, calm entry back into the business world, huh? Well, guess what? The little barfing bug is working its way through the family. Joey's school called and he's got the barfs too. Damn. At least my kids and I've gotten the flu shot each year, so when Jeff's boys bring it over (just like twice last year and once already this year) it hits my kids with usually just one night of ickiness instead of the 2-3 days of crap his boys get. I keep trying to point out to his ex that if they got the flu shots, they may not be getting this crap in the first place, let alone bringing it into my house. She just said, "OK, Thanks, Christine, got to get to work now, bye" when her youngest starting heaving the other morning THIRTY SECONDS after they opened the door. After coordinating with Jeff on caring for these sickies I pointed out that since I'm no longer going to be working from home, this kind of stuff needs to find another way of working itself out. Man, if you hear the words "my stomach..." don't wait for the rest of the "hurts", it'll be too late and you'll be out buying carpet cleaner. Trust me.

ICK! I'm off to re-wash my hands and frog the top of the right front piece of my sweater. And prepare more barf buckets.

Able to yell again

Well, last time we talked, I had lost my job, backed into the neighbor's car and set myself on fire. Good times. Since then things have settled down a bit. I lost my voice, got a temporary job that could maybe turn into something longer, got my voice back, lost my voice again and found out that something is munching away in my sock drawer.

I was so stressed out last week that I didn't even KNIT for three whole days. I don't think I've gone three days without knitting since back in 2004 when I learned how. It amazed me. Three days. Then I started thinking, wow, is that NORMAL? Do you guys knit that much? I don't mean all day, every day, but a little in the evenings or when waiting for kids at basketball practice and as a little break after the day at work is over? Do you guys have the local yarn shops saved on your cell phones too? Or is it just me?

I'm normally a pretty shiny, happy kind of a person. Life doesn't often get me down. But when stress gets too much for me, my body just kind of picks some strange thing to do and goes crazy with it. Bad divorce and sick baby? Hives from head to toe that WON'T GO AWAY, tons of allergy meds, steriods, and relaxation techniques. Crazy white-van-with-no-windows-driving Stalker Man? Hair fell out in clumps and put on 40 lbs in 2 months. Lose comfy job and have to go back to the real world? Throat closes the hell up. I couldn't hardly breathe. I finally was able to massage my muscles and give myself a talking to and relax things enough to breathe and swallow again, but my voice was gone. Whisper with an occasional croak. Whenever the heart rate got pumping and that freakout feeling came back I'd have to stop to rub my throat to be able to just breathe normally. Seriously freaked me out as this lasted for almost a week.

That's when I got the call back and had to do some negotiating for the temporary independent contractor gig. Yup, I sounded like a damn frog that was going through puberty. Long story short, I got the job. I've got funds coming in soon and I'll just see where this takes me. The BEST part is that I've got a little flexibility and can still be home in the afternoons with the kids most of the time. sweet. This will help me get through to the spring (hopefully) and then I'll figure out what to do for the summer and beyond.

I also survived a weekend with all four children with NO VOICE. I always knew I was a yelling mom. I don't yell often, but when I do, it's LOUD and it WORKS. I'm fine with that. The only problem is I yell a LOT more when we've got all four here. Sometimes this house is so freaking loud that a good HEY! is about all that will cut through the noise to get anyone's attention. I needed an air horn. Next time I freak out and can't talk I'm getting me an air horn.

The voice was just starting to come to a low whisper level when I took 3 of the 4 monsters out for a day at Shawnee Mission Park last Sunday. It was so beautiful outdoors, in the upper 40's and low 50's that it felt like summer after that week of temps in the teens. Jeff had taken his youngest boy to ski up near Weston, MO so it was just me and the rest of the gang. David (Jeff's oldest) asked if he and Joey could hike down from the playground to see the ice on the lake and I said "Yes, but make sure you look out for Joey." It was a good LONG way down to the lake. I went off to get our picnic lunch carried down from the truck and was setting it up in the shelter. Elizabeth yelled out, "MOM, I think you'd better come see this!" I go running over to the top of the hill and the two boys are in the MIDDLE OF THE FREAKING LAKE ON THE ICE! OH my holy hell. I had NO VOICE. (and apparently no mind working to tell me to have Elizabeth yell for me). I scream-whispered GET OFF THE ICE! NOW! GET OFF THE ICE! It was this freaky horror movie sound effect thing that echoed through the hills. The boys looked up and saw me and apparently the mom-eye works from afar as they boogied themselves to the edge of the ice again. When Elizabeth and I hiked down there (a big-ass brush and tree covered hill) I asked David what part of "look out for Joey" didn't he understand. He said, "What? We had sticks." Yes, they were tapping the ice with the sticks. Then came a lesson in what happens when little boys are in the middle of the ice over a 30 foot deep lake by themselves with only a stick and the temperatures are WARMING UP. We all promised that none of us would go out onto frozen ice without a grown up with them to help pull them out and get help should something happen. cripes almighty. I did let the kids slide around for about another half hour but made everyone stay within 10 feet of the shore. Voice was officially gone once again. I also learned that I need to be a bit more detailed than "look out for Joey" to include "don't place my boy in mortal danger please." kids. Yes, I've TOTALLY gone sliding around on a frozen lake with a few cousins and no parents involved when I was a kid too, but it's a whole lot different from the mom-side of things.

Also in the last week I've now found holes in FOUR of my knitted socks. Of course, it's one sock each from FOUR PAIR of socks. grrrrrrrrr.... Now, being a woman who takes care of her feet, I'm thinking it's not just a coincidence that each of these socks suddenly sprang new holes. damn damn damn. I've microwaved all my socks and am finding a new place to keep them to see if I can quit feeding the yarn munching bastards, whatever they may be.

I'm back to knitting and even decided it was safe to crank out on a sweater again and give the freaky sock knitting a break. Ok, I'm still knitting socks, just not with every moment of my time. I finished the back and half the right front on the ribbed lace-front sweater from that Lingerie Style book in cascade 220 heathery blue. I'm LOVING this yarn. It's turning out spot on for gauge, but sure looks long and skinny. really skinny. I keep stretching it out and holding it up to me and it seems to look ok, but damn this thing will be form-fitting. I made one of the larger sizes and it's still really skinny. Guess this is why I should be knitting it in the damn round so I could be trying it on. Yeah. I know. Good thing I'm a process knitter and love the getting-there and don't mind frogging big projects, huh? I'm interested to see how this one turns out.

boy, it's a good thing I'm supermom, huh?

"Hey mom, you know that hero report I did? Yeah? Well we have to dress up like our hero tomorrow morning." nice. What ever happened to the "Mom, I have to bring cookies to school" crap? With the hero being Christa McAuliffe (the first teacher to go into space when the space shuttle exploded back in the 80's), you can't just pick up a space suit from the HyVee bakery department. I think I did pretty damn good for the evening before. I also had offered to cover a bowl in aluminum foil as a space helmet, but being an 11 year old fashionista, my daughter passed on that one. You don't EVEN want to know where my brain was going when Lizzie said her teacher said to "be creative" and do a before and after the heroic event costume. Um, yeah. Maybe that would have worked better with someone like Laura Ingalls Wilder, little girl on the prairie, grown up author. Um, before=teacher/astronaut. after=boom. Yeah, I thought the sweatshirt and sticky-backed felt was a better idea there. I told her to carry a stack of books like she's a teacher, then an astronaut and just skip the whole acting out the ending business. I did make her do most of the work on cutting out the letters and fitting it on there, so it was good old bonding mom & daughter craft time.

More socks done. Finished these up with a teensy bit of yarn left over for future darning if necessary. Wollmeise yarn, color Gewitterhimmel (stormy heavens), needles 1.5 hiya-hiya metal dpns. LOVE those needles. The yarn had enough for a pair for mom and one for Joey. I'm also almost ready for the heel on my smooshy socks from birthday yarn. Since it's all of 12 degrees outside, I'm sure these socks should get some good wear before long.




So, you've all heard about how cotton burns and wool smolders but stops immediately when the fire source is removed, right? Well, it's true. Ask me how I know. Go ahead, ASK ME! Well, I'm glad you asked. See the smoldering log on the left in the fireplace insert? See it sitting nicely INSIDE the firebox? That was AFTER a bit of fireworks in the house. Ever heard of burning hedge wood? It's that unbelievably hard, dense wood that early farmers used as fence posts hundreds of years ago and they're still standing. The wood is almost petrified. Well, when that wood starts to burn and then fresh air gets in, it sparks like the 4th of July. No, not quite like the 4th of July because those sparks are IN THE SKY. These were IN MY FACE and apparently a few settled on my arm. The mild-mannered log on the left decided to try to roll out in the midst of the fun. I couldn't get it shoved in there enough to shut the damn doors and the sparks were just getting thicker and crazier. EVERYWHERE. I see this FLASH of flame. ON MY FREAKING ARM. The whole stop, drop and roll just somehow didn't stick in my brain. My sleeve was ON FREAKING FIRE. I went more with the flail arm about wildly (fanning the flame), curse loudly and jump around until I grabbed the edge of the big Zimmermanish vest thing I was wearing (made from yarn from Joanna, bless her fire-putting-out stash) which smothered the flames, used superhuman strength and shoved the damn log back into the firebox, slammed the door and sat down panting. I looked at my sleeve and the cotton edge of the sleeve was charred black, apparently cotton shirts make quite the fire starter. I should email survivorman, wonder if he knows that. The Zimmerman vest? Not even a scratch. I even pulled out a tiny chunk of sparked wood that was still smoldering from the thick wooly stitches and dropped it in the pot of water on top of the stove. No burns, no horrible stuff. Just an even bigger love of all things wooly and natural and Zimmermanny. Usually Jeff takes stove duty. We pretty much heat the whole Weasley house with firewood since we're able to come by it free. Since Jeff had been traveling a great deal lately, I'd become NATURE GIRL, almost enjoying the clear mind that comes to you while "wood chuckin'" (carrying wood in from the pile by the side of the house to the garage) and was getting quite cocky in my Nautre Girl abilities. I've officially turned all things fire-related back over to Nature Boy himself. Most of the problem was that after burning wood for almost a week at a pretty steady rate left this big angle of ashes and the logs want to roll right out at you if you don't do the shoveling ashes thing. Nature Girl will chuck wood, but she could find 45 other chores she'd rather do than shovel ashes.

Later while knitting I kept getting this smell of steaks. Grilled steaks. At first I thought the neighbors were grilling. Then I realized it was 1 degree outside and almost 11pm. Then I smelled my arm. Yup. Somehow I'd got the stink of singed meat without actually burning myself. cripes. Washed and slathered my arm in lotion and went back to knitting, but I can totally still smell it.

OH and the month-old fudge? It rocked.

I am a very good driver.....

I AM a very good driver, I am just NOT a very good backer-upper. SO, what have I been up to these last couple of days? Working on the resume? Finding local colleges to complete those damn few hours left for the official degree? Snuggling up in bed watching the Walton's while knitting and sucking down hot chocolate and hiding from reality Making life plans for the future for where this career opportunity is taking me? kinda.

Also BACKING INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S FREAKING CAR. nice, huh? They always park this little white honda RIGHT where any car backing out of our driveway almost hits. Jeff even told me he's almost crunched it at least a dozen times. Only thing is, ALMOST doesn't help me here. Good use of my savings, huh? damn. damn damn damn. Car is being appraised and at least the neighbor is letting us use Jeff's brother-in-law's body shop. damn damn damn. Pictures tomorrow. I was entirely too depressed and it was entirely too cold to try to snap a pic tonight. At least the damn thing's still drivable, it just has to have the entire front freaking end replaced since it's a itty bitty toyota and is only made out of about 4 pieces. damn damn damn Only good thing is that the truck didn't even get a scratch.

One smart thing I've done is put down the sweater knitting and back away slowly (without running into anyone) and stick with sock knitting. A lot of freaking sock knitting. The gorgeous wollmeise I got a while back became mom's first pair of knitted socks. Size 11 knitted socks. There was still enough left (hopefully) to make Joey a pair as well. My camera was in Germany with Jeff when mom's socks were delivered, so I've only got pics of Joey's socks in progress. In the last few days, I've knitted the heel and foot of mom's sock and one and a half sz 3 kids' socks. I'll probably finish the other one tonight. I'm actually working most of the day and hardly knitting until night. It's been freaky. These fingers be flyin'. When stressful things occur in your life, your tension WILL change and you will be even more pissed off if your sweater suddenly gets much, much tighter for a while, so do us all a favor and PUT THE GOOD KNITTING DOWN when life gets too hairy. Socks are much more forgiving.

Oh, and the best thing about today? While digging through my cabinet where I keep the extra vitamin bottles and lotions and such, looking for some vitamin C as my throat is killing me, head hurting, stress must be wiping me out and I don't want to get sick......GUESS what I found? CHOCOLATE!!! During a trip to Crown Center right before Xmas Joey and I wandered into that shop that makes its own fudge, mmmmmmmmmmm, and watched them make some. SOoooooo, I ended up bringing home a boatload of it. Ate about half of it, stuffed it into the cabinet and FORGOT about it. I'm thinking the m&m's are good. Anyone think I'll get sick eating month old fudge? Does it go bad? Cause it smells sooooooo good. I'm thinking to be safe I'll eat just a little bitty bit. and see what happens. Yeah, you know I'm eating more than an itty bitty bit. These are TWO slices of inch and a half thick KC homemade fudge. One's chocolate peanut butter and one's pure chocolate heaven. Screw the m&m's. I want FUDGE! Wish my belly luck.


Thanks for the good thoughts, guys. It means a lot. It really does. And Teri, I'll bust a move with you ANYTIME lady. Parking lots full of ice in the freezing cold are no match for a couple of 80's flashbacking almost 40-yr old girls like us. MAN that felt good. Nothing finishes off a night of good old' knitting guild official business like that. You know what to do, now bust a move....

Good night Jim Bob, Good night Elizabeth. do dah ........do dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (come on you KNOW the last notes of the Waltons always leave you wishing you were there too! And yes, I can totally sing/hum the entire freaking song.

Knock, Knock...

R: Knock, Knock
Me: Who's there?
R: REALITY, turn around, please.
Me: Reality, who? *turns around obediently*
R: Reality THIS! Bwa ha HAAAAAAA *CHOMP! *biting me right in the ass*

Well, it's been nice. Really, really nice. Working from home as a consultant. So very, very nice. Ah well. It's all over. My yarny, happy world has crumbled around me. Good thing I've been budgeting lately, huh? DAMN!

In the last 48 hours I've been told of the "great opportunity" for my future. My company is being sold. My job is going bye bye. Very, very quickly. GREAT opportunity, huh? Ah well. Because I do have a good man as a boss, who talked up my abilities and skills, I also had an interview to work temporarily with the new company. There is actually the potential to have full time employment with a good growing company and work about 5 minutes from home.

I know, I know. Everyone ELSE works in the real world. I've had it good. I know it. I'm just a little bit absolutely freaking out about entering the real world work force again. Big shiny buildings make my innerds all funky. It's not pretty. I only cursed a little bit under my breath while walking into corporation-world central for the meeting. Turning around I heard a man chuckle at me. With how my life usually works, I figured it was the guy set up to interview me, but you know what? I got lucky and he got out on another floor. *whew*

Best interview advice had to come from Teri...I said I was feeling as lost and confused as a newly divorced single momma out in the dating world again. Then I said, oh, yeah, I was REALLY good at dating, so maybe that's not a good example. Teri said, That's it! Just think of it like a date. Then she looked at me, realization set in and she said, um, yeah. Maybe NOT think of it like one of YOUR dates EXACTLY, you know..... a few snorts of laughter later, we figured I'd better just think of it as an interview after all. Instead of lucky panties I wore my lucky socks. I have superhero powers while wearing my mountain colors barefoot socks. 60% superwash wool, 25% mohair, 15% nylon, 48% superabilities. I know the numbers don't add up right, but who'm I to question such amazing sock yarn? I'm a believer, baby.

THANK GOD for good friends and family. You guys rock. You kept me mostly sane and helped me pull my act together pretty damn quick from full freakout mode to interview-ready in a matter of hours. Best part of the day? The fact that the monster sized goiter zit on my chin broke out about 2 hours AFTER the interview. Nothing says competent, professional business woman like a goiter zit on a middle-aged woman's chin, huh? nice.

The hardest part of this whole situation was my nature boy was in GERMANY. (He'll be home by the time you read this for any crazy stalker-people out there.) Across an OCEAN, for cripes sakes. I gotta hand it to the man. I tried to hold out until the end of his big training trip so I didn't ruin his fun, but he could tell something was wrong. When he asked what was bothering me I dumped it all on him in about 5 minutes straight in full crazy-speed-talk-mode. He calmed me down, then called me and left some amazing messages on the answering machine for me throughout the day today. Basically he said that I've always supported him through any troubles and he'd do the same for me....we can get through anything together...he knew I'd be spectacular in the interview, not to worry a bit...and mostly that he loved and believed in me. You know, the man may drive me up the wall sometimes, but THIS is why I love him so. This and the fact that he wears my socks and sweaters with pride.

OH and the police thing? That's now TWICE I've attracted attention from the men in black here while knitting in the car. I think it's because I've switched to metal hiya-hiya double point needles. All that silver flashing or something. Maybe I need wooden needles for car knitting. Hiya-hiya's should come with a warning label.....WARNING: May attract police or impale knitters if held in lap while driving. Yeah, I totally poked myself with one the other day as well. Hard enough to leave a little red dot. That's how crazy good karma's stabbing me in the tummy kicking me in the ass this week.

Thank God it's Friday. This week sucked. I'm ready for a break. I'm gonna curl up in bed and knit and hide for a while. ok?

Yes, sir. No, sir. Only on the red lights, sir.

SO, sitting in the left-turn lane at a red light. Minding my own business. Knitting on a sock. A quick WHOOP WHOOP of a police siren next to me got my attention. Mr. Policeman has an intent look on his face and his window's rolled down. I roll mine down and say, "yes, sir, is there a problem?" He gets out of his car, with the lights going. nice. Apparently, when I held the knitting up close to see whether I needed to decrease on this round or the next on the heel gusset, it made the man a titch uncomfortable seeing a driver wielding metal implements of doom double pointed sock needles instead of having both hands on the steering wheel. After explaining what I was doing, "yes, sir." And promising that I never, EVER knit while driving, "Oh, no, sir!" that the knitting goes in the lap as soon as the light turns green he seemed to be ready to let me get on with it. (That really long stretch of very straight, very deserted highway last summer and a stockinette sock in progress don't count here.) Also, Mr. PM didn't agree that sock knitting is, in fact, why God made red lights, no chuckle at all. That's the beginning of the "yes, sir....no, sir" business began. Apparently I'm not nearly as funny in real life as I sometimes think I am in my head. Knitting humor and policemen don't mix well. Thank God it's not a ticketing offense to knit a sock at the wheel.

What, MORE run-ins with public servants? Yes, please. Saturday afternoon Jeff's burning off a pile of brush and apparently had a few too many wet smoldery leaves in the chiminea. Ok, in the big metal barrel that was cut in half and serves as our outdoor firepit. There was a column of smoke so thick and rolling that the local firemen that were heading back from a grocery store stop decided to come and check things out. After admiring the screened-in back porch Jeff made and talking twigs, leaves and all things fire and smoke, they said we weren't in trouble since the fire was technically in a chiminea, but should put this smoke-fest out so the neighbors would calm down. While they were there we must have had 4 old men come running thinking the house was burning down. I do love our neighbors.

Knitted objects in action. We bundled up and packed snacks and such and spent Sunday afternoon playing in the park. Football, hide-n-seek tag, lava tag, hiking around the paths, throwing sticks on the frozen ice, generally having a good time. Thank God for warm wool. And long underwear. Good times had by all.

Well Darn it!

Guess what new knitting skill I get to learn now? I wasn't actually saying "darn it" when I found the hole. I was saying "it" but I used a little more descriptive word in front of it. I always thought, Oh, I won't ever darn socks. I'll just wear them until they start to give out, realize they've done their job and that'll be the end of them. But these are my MONKEY socks. My very, very favorite pair of socks. Darn it.

Skating party at 4:00 today, gotta get the hanging with the kids thing done while they still think it's cool that their mom likes to roller skate too. I'm sure I'll be a social pyranha soon enough.

How can I say no to toes as prettily dressed as these? Guess I'll have to do some surfing around to find directions of darning. Anyone with points can sure send me info if they'd like.

Well, so much for stash-diving

OK, so I said I never said I wasn't going to buy new yarn. I just said I was going to try to make it on the budget. In my defense, if this yarn works up like I hope it will, it's a hell of a shopping triumph. $12. TWELVE DOLLARS! It feels fabulous, has good squooshability, smells good. 75% superwash wool 25% nylon with Aloe Vera. One skein is supposed to be enough for one pair of men's boot socks. Since Jeff seems to like the thicker yarn for socks and I'm sporting bags full of sock weight yarn, what's a girl to do? I'll probably actually swatch this stuff up. I don't think I've ever swatched for a sock. Ever. I just either frog it in process and reknit, or find someone to fit the sock I made, or usually my socks just magically fit. Of course, that's usually with sock weight yarns that I can usually guesstimate pretty well what size needles and how many to cast on, etc. What? MEASURE a foot? Swatch it? *sigh* I'm crossing over to the dark side of knitting, where you do things that make sense. I haven't decided if I'll make these toe up, which would make the most sense of all, since I'm not sure how long of cuffs to make, but that's really pushing it for me. We'll see. Twelve dollars plus sales tax? Absolutley the cheapest I've ever gotten out of a yarn shop.

Isn't this pretty yarn? Damn, I love Cascade 220. This is from the heathers line. I got 7 skeins on the day-after-Christmas sale at Knit Wit in Olathe. Shopping pre-budget, you know. It's going to become the Laced-Front Sweater from Knitting Lingerie Style. A butt-load of ribbing, but it is so pretty I can't help myself. The dreamweaver link of this book has good pics of the book's projects. The one I'm making is the grey laced-up sweater leaning against a yellow background.



Does it totally cancel out the goodness of drinking the slim-fast ultimate no-hunger stuff if you have to mix a couple massive squirts of hershey's chocolate syrup in there? Is there any flavor that doesn't taste like fake-chocolate-flavored dog barf? I'm not going crazy with the whole weight loss thing this time around, I'm just trying to whittle down those thighs if I'm going to be getting married on a boat and wearing a bikini for a honeymoon. I figure if I can drink that crap in the morning and eat normal food at night I should be ok. Of course, that means avoiding those damn Crispy Creme donuts at the Knitting meetings. Oh and those damn chocolate chip cookies. Maybe I'll bring a veggie tray instead of McDs' next time. It looks like the official date is moving from February to late-April or early-May. We're still trying to work out the legalities of getting married in the Bahamas on Jeff's uncle's boat.

Resolutions Schmezolutions

I don't do well with the whole resolutions thing. I will try, don't get me wrong. I just get tired of not completing whatever tasks I set myself. I have found I'm much happier in life with lots of itsy bitsy goals. I can cross so much more of life's list that way and it's not that big of a deal if I don't follow through. Wow, that's really pitiful. Ah well, I'm happy.

I do have one resolution for 2008. I resolve to smile politely and QUIETLY when people point out that I may knit too much and may have a problem. My usual response is to smile not-so-politely and say "BITE ME!"

I'd also like to get a real camera this year and learn to use it. I take sucky pictures. I hate that. Ah well. Bite me.

I sure didn't end up with what I was aiming for on this one. I think I like it, though. I may make the actual long sweater jacket this was supposed to be someday. It was SUPPOSED to be the Long-Collared Jacket-Sweater in Garter Stitch, Spun-Out #32 from Elizabeth Zimmerman. I ended up making a 4 ridge garter stitch border band and bound off knitwise so the braid-like edge matches the phoney seams on the sides. Freakishly deep armholes meant the sleeves would make me crazy on this one. I think it works as a vest though. I'll probably add buttons and pockets down the road. I made the collar increases one at each collar point instead of 2 so it kind of rolls into a tighter shawl collar kind of thing. I'm pleased with myself for making changes and following my knitter's instincts on this one. Yarn was Gjestal Naturgarn, No. 1, dark grey wool from Norway, that I got from Joanna in the local knit guild's yarn swap night. I've still got 4.5 balls of this stuff, I really REALLY like it.

Ok, I apologize to long-time readers that have already heard this story, but the "itsy bitsy" made me flash back to my daughter's preschool days. Even though the girl is usually quiet (NOT like her momma) when she wants to she can be LOUD as heck. Music teachers usually love this and put her in the front row of concerts because she can belt out the songs. Lizzie's preschool teachers asked me to practice new words to the Itsy Bitsy Spider at home with her. Apparently they had to change the words due to a "situation" at a little concert. They went to the old folks' home to sing and there's my daughter in the front row, singing at the top of her lungs, "The ITCHY, BITCHY SPIDER went up the water spout...." I almost swallowed my tongue I was trying so hard not to laugh. The teachers were all in a huff, I think I escaped with a few snorts and covered them well with a coughing spell.

Quite possibly the ugliest thing I've ever knitted. Ever.

Nine partial balls of Schaefer Elaine yarn. Each one beautiful in its own way. Independently beautiful. Together? It's as if I knitted up the barf from my dog after he got into the kids' neon twist-up crayons. (Thank God that stuff was non-toxic.) It was the strangest thing. I was POSSESSED by this project. The more I knit, the uglier it got. The uglier it got, the more I was compelled to knit it. I started it Wednesday morning, finished it last night. 5 days. Of knitting this thing. I used the basic idea of the Moderne Log Cabin garter stitch blanket from the Mason-Dixon Knitting book. Seriously, I love this yarn. It made some of my very favorite scarves knitted years ago. I just would NEVER put these colors together on purpose. It ended up being 26" X 44", which is just perfect for a lap blanket for me while I'm working at my computer. Also, if you spin it in an ever widening circle and flip the lights on and off, it looks just like the start of a migraine. You never know when that may come in handy.

I've decided to not make sleeves for the Zimmerman-ish sweater jacket thing I'm working on. Adding a band/border thing around the inside, not sure if I'll like it or not. I'll probably finish it off with an i-cord bindoff and see what I think.

Anyone, besides Chery catch the little phrase "HUGE downturn in the freshly acquired yarn department" in the lat post? I'm on a budget. *gasp* I know, it sucks. The whole saving for our future crap, not living for today, but living for tomorrow......blah blah blah. Yes, I do truly want to have a place to live and retire early enough to be able to enjoy our lives. I'd also like the home we retire in to have electricity, running water, air conditioning and internet access. Though the tick-infested "farm" we were looking into has dropped off the list, we're now looking at 3 more country properties. Our goal is to move there when the kids go to college, in about 12 years. In order to do that, I've got to help save for the greater good. The budget I wrote had a very modest $300/year yarn allowance. Those that know me well snorted quite loudly at that amount. Apparently, I don't walk into a yarn shop without spending about $80 per trip. Seriously. The whole "you need MORE YARN?" discussion came about after the boy pointed out the cedar chest full of lovely yarn. I decided not to point out the large 6-drawer monster dresser also full of yarn. See, sometimes I CAN think before I talk. So, the $300/year is off the board. gone. no yarn budget. for me. none.

SO, the new plan is to pay groceries, medical stuff, bills, gas, etc from the checking account. Live on $100 per month for the rest of my misc. spending needs. This includes McDonalds' trips, pizza deliveries, movies, entertainment and YARN. Cripes almighty. Seeing as I'm a shopaholic yarn snob, you'd think the stash would have some good stuff in it. It does, but also my tastes have changed drastically in the almost 4 years I've been knitting. The plan is to re-fall in love with this fiber that I couldn't live without. I do have some good stuff in there along with a lot of single balls of strange stuff. I'll save my pennies up for goodies and use the couple of gift certificates I've got and hope to make it through. I still have a secret stash fund for monster yarn cravings, (and the yarn shopping room at the Knitting in the Heartland Spring festival thing) but I'm going to try to use it sparingly.

Frugal doesn't come naturally to me. A normal weekend outing with the kids would be taking my two to the movies, buying popcorn and icees and pop for me and a big ass bag of peanut m&ms to share. Easily spend over $50. Then maybe order pizza for dinner, another $20 including tip. OK, so I see how this COULD add up to a lot of wasted cash. In a fit of frugal go-get-it-ness I planned an entirely FREE outing this last weekend. The kids and I mixed up some kool-aid in thermoses, iced tea in a thermos for me, packed some granola bars and fruit roll-ups and hit the road. We went to the Nelson Atkins Art Gallery and parked on the road outside (free parking) and toured the old part of the museum and admired traditional paintings and sculptures and various Chinese displays. Then we wandered into the new Bloch wing and it ROCKED! That had such neat, unusual things the kids were fascinated. Then we walked all freaking OVER the outside checking out the sculptures and enjoying the beautiful weather. We must have walked for almost 3 hours total. We had a picnic snack in the minivan and headed for home, tired and proud of ourselves. I'm going to try to scout out other free adventures here around the city. Being frugal sure does take a lot more planning and thinking.

I was all inspired by myself and went to a frugal mom website to get more ideas. They were talking about making their own granola for cripes sakes. I'm not going that far, I just wanna save some money but still knit with soft, pretty yarn. Is that so wrong? For the record, saying "for the greater good" in Dumbledore-speak doesn't really help either. Not shopping still sucks. Anyone with good ideas of outings for the kids and I please feel free to send a note. I'm just starting on this stupid ass budget challenging new lifestyle and could use some help.

He may ruin the house and drive me crazy, but the boy gives good presents!

Santa's little helper did a very good job this year and got me a ball winder and a really nice wooden swift. I've spent HOURS winding yarn into cakes and rewinding my old hand-wound balls into cakes. I do love cakes, whether they be chocolate or yarn. OH there's nothing prettier than a freshly wound cake. I've not wound the new yarn I got at Knit Wit's big sale yet, I've got to drag out that little pleasure as there will be a HUGE downturn in the freshly acquired yarn department. Details later, let's just say it's a good damn thing I've got a monstrous stash.

Joey loved his sweater made by his momma! Yeah! He wore it for about 3 days straight and now my mother has decided the whole family needs these wallaby sweaters. Oh, she'd like hers just like Joey's, but washable, ok? Sure mom. Joey's doing his modeling shoot with the "this one the girls will think is hot, mom" shot. Yes, I'm surrounded by dorks. I love them, but they're all dorks.



We've been busy here at the Weasley house. All Christmas decorations are put away snugly in their tubs and stored away in the basement. The boys found the snow and a sled helped get the newspaper up to the recycling bin a little easier.


Much sledding was done, we went to the super hill over by I-435 by corporate woods at least 4 times in the last 2 weeks. The last picture is Jeff and his friend balanced on a giant innertube with his friend's little girl riding on top of the both of them like a pyramid.



The action shot of my hat is the new hat I started because I was feeling left out without having a hand knit needing completion by Christmas. I ended up making TWO of them just the same. I used my Kansas Alpaca yarn I got last year. I them with 2 strands of dk alpaca held together using my Dax Alpaca's Seed Stitch Knited Cap pattern I got in Taos. I love this hat! I gave the other one to my cousin Kelly. Jeff's the one in the pics with the strange elf-looking red tipped hat. It was a gag gift received by his youngest son and is now Jeff's favorite hat.

OH, and I almost forgot. I'm Zimmermanning myself. I'll give details tomorrow since this post is so freaking long. I'm having to recalculate everything because I couldn't get the gauge called for and it's mostly working out. The sleeves are NOT, so the whole thing is now in time out stuffed in my dresser drawer for another day. It's a garter stitch long sweater coat kind of thing from one of the little pamphlets put out by EZ and Meg.

Sympathetic Knitting Pains and CHRISTMAS YARN SALE

It's a strange Christmas season this year for me. I'm not holiday knitting. Seriously. Ok, so I had to do ONE project, it was making me looney. I knit up an adorable shrug from Stephanie Japel's book, Fitted Knits for my cousin. She kept talking about how much she liked mine, so this summer I asked her do you like it like it? or do you like it like you WANT ONE like it? I made hers washable in some beautiful dream in color teal yarn from MisKnits. It took exactly two skeins to make one of the larger medium sizes. I love it even more than mine. It's hard for me to knit for others because I want it all! Ah well. I hope she likes it.

I keep waking up in the middle of the night with heart pounding, feeling like I've forgotten something important. I'll catch myself driving down the road and just SITTING at a red light without any yarn and needles in my hands. Don't freak people, I put down the knitting when I drive, during Christmas crunch time any few moments spent not knitting are just wasted time. Catching up on some reading during quality time on the john? That's a luxury not allowed during Christmas crunch time. Hell, sleeping is low on the priority list during the crazies.

I am absolutely a mess this year since I'm not making myself freak out with the deadlines and pressures and crippled hands. I feel like I'm missing something. Getting sleep, wrapping normal presents DAYS before Christmas? Who is this woman? I'm usually knitting and crafting right up until unwrapping begins. My family's Christmas is on the 30th and I keep catching myself thinking, hey, I could knit four more hats and two pair of socks by then, no problem. I have to walk away from the pattern books, back slowly away.

I finally figured I couldn't take it any longer. I cast on with some local Kansas Alpaca I picked up last spring and am working on a hat. The holiday non-startitis was KILLING me! I feel less lost this way. I'm not sure who the hat will be for. Probably me. Do you know I've not got a hat of my own yet? My pretty blue alpaca one I made has been claimed by my daughter Elizabeth who wears it to school almost daily. It shows off her blue eyes so well and makes my heart happy to see her wear it.


BIG ASS YARN SALE ALERT!!!!!!
Jan, the owner of Knit Wit in Olathe, KS is having her day after Christmas sale on the 26th. It starts at 9:00am and as she puts it, "Every inch of yarn in the shop is 30% off." She's also got some seriously amazing closeouts that are 60% off as well. Boy, if it wasn't Christmas season, I'd not post this here. A little part of me thinks I should keep my big fat typing fingers quiet and save all that yarn for ME ME ME ME ME! But, since I can't buy it all, I'll share. Just don't get offended if I knock you on your butt trying to get to the sock yarn! She's also got massive amounts of cascade 220, which I plan on getting for a few more sweaters.

SO, what do you do when you're the only woman in a house full of boys and men (Elizabeth is in NM with her dad for Christmas)? What's that? What's the big deal? I started smelling a little bit of gas and walked down to see what was going on. They'd brought in the old go cart that Jeff's restoring with the kids. To CHANGE THE OIL and work on it. ON THE CARPET. IN THE HOUSE. In front of the large fireplace insert with a full fire going. IN THE HOUSE! I went down, stood there with I'm sure a puzzled WTF look on my face and Jeff said, "oh, honey. You're here. Good. We need to borrow one of your pans for the oil." nice. I find my life is less stressed all together when I just smile, nod and not try to even explain how freaking strange the idea of this is. See, it's COLD out in the garage. huh. ok. I just gave them a plastic tub, asked NOT to have it back and went back upstairs to my knitting. Welcome to my world.



Merry Christmas everyone! May all your projects be finished in time for you to get a few moments of sleep!

I'm STILL tired

Whew, I could get really used to traveling on other peoples' money. Jeff ended up winning a big sales award, so we stayed at the Bellagio Casino & Hotel and living large. We got to charge everything (except gambling) to the room. OH the food I ate.....that second stomach I seem to have came in very handy. OOOoooooohh it was yummy. Since Jeff's not a fan of the sweets, I got all his fancy desserts too. He was very gentlemanly and didn't make any comments as I was inhaling both plates at the Eiffel Tower restaurant, I mean they were PRETTY and CHOCOLATE and unbelievably creamy. He did ask me on the 3rd day of 2nd helpings of all things chocolate if I was going to have to pay extra for an additional seat for the new addition to my back end I was working on, but after a dirty look and a smack, he was back to behaving himself. I did totally have to wear a girdle/gut&hip sucker-inner thing under the dresses and skirts I brought, but it's VEGAS and I wasn't paying! Come ON!

OK, besides the food, we had free use of the spa & salon. Oh my holy hell. We both got rubbed, steamed, oiled, soaked, filled with healthy cucumber waters and the works while in big fluffy robes. LOVING that! I also had Joe (or was it Bob?) and his THREE assistants do my hair after my toes and fingernails got did. Seriously, one assistant washed my hair. One brought me diet cokes, and the other one I think all she did was say "ooooooohhhhhhh, aaaaahhhhhhhh" and clap just like the 4th of July. I asked if he might want to do something different for our big fancy award dinner night. Maybe straighten it and make me look all sleek and sexy? OH no. He said, You're in Vegas girl. You need big sexy Vegas hair! Being a fan of the big hair, I said, ok, knock yourself out!

Well, after an $85 plus big tip paid by the company, I was presented to the mirror sporting technically big hair. There was much oooohhhhing and aaaaaahhhing and clapping by the three assistants. I thought I looked like someone famous, but couldn't place it. Feeling ready for anything, went up to the room. In the elevator, it came to me. The famous one I looked like? Peg Bundy. Minus the tight pants. Peg freaking Bundy. Then, in the room, it dawned on me. My hair was NO bigger than I normally wear it. Apparently I'm rocking the midwest with big ass Vegas hair on a daily basis. *sigh* Ah well. It was an experience being applauded for sitting there while people played with my hair.

You be the judge. Me on a normal day:

Me with Peg Bundy aka Vegas Hair:


I'm trying to scan the photo of the two of us all dolled up for our big night out on the town, but my scanner is being pissy. Maybe tomorrow. Since it was a special occasion, I used the $50 boob job. God Bless Victoria's Secret silicone inserts. What else? Oh we saw the Producers show with Tony Danza as the star, very good. We ate EVERYTHING in site including a full seven course french meal at the Eiffel Tower restaurant. We finally got craving normal food at one point, we walked up the strip a ways and ended up at a McDonalds.

No yarn shopping, but plenty of sock knitting. I ended up making two blue socks. From two different yarns. I've just realized I've ALWAYS made two socks for a pair in a row until now. I've never had the 2nd sock syndrome, unless you count my very first sock that turned out 4 sizes too big and I hated the yarn so I purposely never finished it. How weird is that? I'm a total start-a-holic having at least 4-10 projects going at a time, but always make one sock and then its mate right afterwards. I can start two or three socks but once the first gets cast off, the matching one is always next to finish. ANYWAY, I finished my first birthday yarn sock from blue smoooooshy and it's fabulous. Because I thought I'd better get mom's first pair of socks done before our family Christmas on the 28th, I started one for her out of some wollenmeise I'd picked up. It's fabulous. Unreal. It's sexy yarn. Seriously. I hope the woman likes them, because they're gonna be pretty damn hard to give away. The wollenmeise one is the tube only with these bright little teal bits in it. It's killing me because I have this pretty soft smoooooshy sock and I can't wear it yet.



OH, and I totally played Texas Hold-Em all night long until 5am and went back to the room with $200. Of course, if I'd have left about half an hour after I sat down, I'd have gone back to the room with $350, but I never said I was a smart woman. Me leaving Vegas with money? Who'd of ever thunk it?

I'm thinking I may have to go back to the good old days of big velcro rollers, shellacking the hair with hair spray and blow drying it to glue, ratting the crap out of the top of your head and then smoothing it all over with yet more hairspray. I just need a trio of applauding assistants and I'm there, baby.

Vegas Bound!

Sorry for the no blogging, I'm hitting the road. Ok, hitting the air. On our way to Las Vegas courtesy of Jeff winning a president's award in sales for his company. Can I get a woo hoo? Day of spa goodness for me, golfing for him, lots of free cocktails and dinners and shows for the both of us.

Taking my hiya-hiya metal needles on the plane. Wonder if they'll let me. I've got some little rosewood dpns stashed just in case they take my hiya's away from me.

Have a great week and talk with you soon!

Madam Inappropriate Strikes Again!

SO, just when you thought it was safe to bring a nun to the knitting guild meeting........

Ok, so I arrive LATE to the morning knitting guild meeting, just sit and start knitting away, mostly minding my own business. Two sweet little ladies are sitting to my left, two dear knitting friends are sitting to my right. All is right with the world. Joanna tells a story of an old boss who would get creative and avoid cursing at all costs. I told a story of a preacher's wife, who when on the phone talking to me, called her soon-to-be-son-in-law a "Richard Cranium." It took me a bout 5 minutes later in the conversation to get it, Richard Cranium! HAH! We all chuckled and the very sweet lady to the left of me put her hand on my arm and asked "what, dear? I didn't hear you." I said loudly, "she said RICHARD CRANIUM" and smiled. She thought a moment and said, "I'm afraid I don't get it either. Would you explain it?" At this moment I was puzzled by the looks of shock by both Joanna and Teri and the mortified look on the other lady sitting at the table. Joanna was making odd movements under the table (later I found out she was trying to kick me but I was sitting too far away). I said, "Richard is sometimes known as Dick and Cranium means head." She said, "I'm sorry, I still couldn't hear you." Joanna's just shaking her head now like people do when they see a horrible wreck on the side of the road. I say VERY loudly, "it means DICK HEAD." Now at this point, BOTH tables of ladies turn to stare at me. The lady to my left laughs and seems to get a kick out of it.

Teri said, "Christine, you missed the introductions, so you apparently didn't know that she's a nun." Joanna said, "Christine, why did you think everyone was calling her SISTER?" Nice. I missed that part coming in late. The fact that the lady sitting next to her called her sister at least 8 times since I'd sat down apparently didn't sink in. Although, at the point where I had to explain it that last time I thought to myself, "huh, they don't LOOK like sisters, ummmmmmm"...and proceeded to yell obsceneities in the poor woman's ear. I apologized and she just laughed.

Then it dawns on me, Oh sweet mother, I just yelled DICK HEAD in a nun's ear. I think I actually heard God's eyes rolling. Yeah, that's a good start to a day. Thank God nuns seem to like me. So far, all the nuns except one have had great senses of humor and forgiving natures. That one exception? It was a long time ago and a certain red-headed little girl had decided to buck the system with a titch of attitude back in the doily-on-the-head days. It wasn't pretty.

"Mom, I had the strangest dream last night...."

Apparently, my daughter had this dream that she was trying on clothes all night long. Weird, huh? The fact that the child sleeps in a super-freaky high bunk bed and her mother would have had to clamber up on her tip-toes with one foot on a stool and one on the top back of a chair while leaning precariously over the edge of the bed and stuff the kids' arms into unyielding armholes held on cords from the denise interchangeables and one of the damn button ends popped off, so when the child finally got the sweater pulled off of her she had to be wiggled all around until the missing button thing was found so she wouldn't accidentally choke on it in her sleep..... yup, weird dream. Seriously, what kind of a mom would do that?

See what happens when you make a top-down raglan and don't have a spare 11 year old girl to try on the sweater so you can determine when to stop the decreases and make sleeves? It was either that or pay a neighborhood child to try on the thing and keep her mouth shut. I'm thinking that could end you up in jail, so that was a no-go. Knitting isn't pretty, people.

I'm making the Anthropologie inspired capelet out of Lamb's Pride bulky on sz 11's in a dark blue for Elizabeth. I'm adding long sleeves and was going to do a cable down them or use long ribbing, but she's been talking about wanting belled sleeves, so am not quite sure how to handle that one. We'll see when I get there. I'm hoping to put it under the tree along with her main present. Joey's wallaby sweater is all done and ready for wrapping as well.

Other misc. knitting going on around here is yet another pair of mountain colors barefoot socks for Jeff (if they fit since I forgot and used 1.5's instead of the 2's, otherwise they'll be for me). I ran out of yarn on the start of the 2nd toe. YES top down-people, I know that could be avoided, but where's the thrill? Being a knitter who has an absolute buttload of yarn more than she decently needs, I went digging and found another colorway that blends in so well you couldn't tell unless you REALLY looked close, and I think you might not even know then. I love a challenge. Can you guess which one was the patched up one with the different yarn?

I started two pair of birthday socks, one of smooooooshy from Teri and one from Jo Major in Claudia Handpaints. Yes, both for me as well.



I knit most of one fetching on the way home from the Lake of the Ozarks on Sunday. I am using up some leftover cascade 220 from Joey's sweater for a pair. I think I'll make another one with the same yarn and smaller needles for Elizabeth. They're unbelievably cute. Fetchingly, actually.


While at the Lake, Jeff got to play with big boy toys as he'd rented a big old machine with a 7 foot scoop thing to dig out the hill that was advancing on the lakehouse. I took the kids to my folks' lake house about 20 minutes away and spent the day indoors with heat and television and yummy goodies left over from the Thanksgiving meals. When I went over to see him the next day, I saw Jeff was working in a pair of my wool socks and wearing his boyfriend sweater! Action shots of the sweater below. Since I wasn't the one taking the pictures (his stepmom snapped these for me) the sweater wasn't the focal point of the picture. The older guy with Jeff is his Dad. It was a good weekend at the lake. I got to knit, he got to play, kids ran around with my folks, good times.