CF Walk 2005 TEAM JOEY

Sat. May 21, 2005 Shawnee Mission Park Shelter #8 CF GREAT STRIDES WALK Taking steps to cure cystic fibrosis
OK, I'm not fully up and operational, but we'll be soon having a link that accepts donations securely online through paypal and through the www.cff.org official CF website that goes towards TEAM JOEY's fundraising. Last year, our little team raised over $2500, and our goal this year is to hit $5000. Nothing like big goals, huh??? Ah well, here we go!

Great Strides is a nationwide 10K (6.2 mile) walk to raise money to fight cystic fibrosis. My son Joey is a 5 yr old battling this disease on a daily basis. It's a genetic disorder that affects approx. 30,000 people in the U.S. and the median age of survival is 33.4 (just raised within the last 5 years). The disease primarily affects the lungs and digestion, but moves onto osteoporosis and diabetes and other fun stuff as the kids get older. My son is living proof that these fundraising events work as two of the medicines he's currently on were approved within the last 5 years and have made the WORLD of difference, keeping his little lungs healthy and strong. In a nutshell, money buys science, and science buys life.

Anyone in the KC/Lawrence/Topeka area that's interested in joining our little team, send me a note and we'll get you signed up. We have SO MUCH FUN at this big ol' celebration. I have sponsor form/collection envelopes that I personalize with a picture & word of thanks for helping Joey and other kids like him. If you raise lots of money, yeah for you! If you raise $5, well that's $5 we didn't have before. Each year we make very stylish and comfy (just ask Amanda) shirts for our team members and I have to admit, a good portion of our team is a tad bit lazy, so we walk about a mile or two and head back to the big party. The best part of this event (besides the saving children's lives thing) is the FOOD and fun stuff for kids of all ages. We have donations out the wazoo of food food food, pizzas, subs, cookies, yogurt for you healthy ones, donuts for the rest of us, coffee, pop, water, granola bars, desserts, and on and on and on. We normally have a good d.j., there's a big playground for the kids, entertainment, firetrucks, you name it, we got it. Did I mention the food? Another perk of finishing early is you get the first choice on the chow.

Those of you out of the KC area, please don't feel obligated by any means, but if you're considering donating to a charity anyway, why not send some $$ to help my little guy and a ton of other kids like him. One story for what this money goes towards hits home VERY closely. My son is now at the point where he is almost entirely immune to all oral antibiotics that fight respiratory and sinus infections. This means that soon we will be like the thousands of other CF families, facing months of living with infections, then going into the hospital for "tune-ups" 3 to 6 times per year. Tune-Ups are scheduled for the kids to go in to stay at the hospital for 2 to 4 weeks and have i.v. antibiotics to help knock their infections down to a more livable level. One of the worst parts of CF is that these infections are not only antibiotic-resistant, they are extremely aggressive and pretty much don't go away. Right now there are new stronger antibiotics in the different levels of testing that can hopefully help keep my son healthier within the next few years. This all takes more money than we can imagine, so I fund-raise with a strong personal investment.

I'm hitting the LYS's and our local area grocery stores (with cute child in tow--I am LOW, aren't I?) to see if they will accept $1 donations for Team Joey. Wish me luck!





I think I'll put a virtual collection of the 65 roses cards with first names or blog titles on the donation line for any online donations. That could be really cool to see.

Here's part of our Team Joey 2004 group. This year, we will be joined by Miss Amanda and her friends, some of Joey's pre-school classmates and their families, a group of my asian friends, and anyone else I can convince to join the fun. You raise $$, I'll get you a tshirt and free food. What else could you want?


Last gratuitous shot of the cf poster child for Team Joey:


Almost done writing, don't worry! Here's a link to a little 2 min. movie showing scenes from a CF walk:
CF WALK SHORT MOVIE

Thanks for your support, thanks for reading, thanks most of all for your prayers and kind thoughts. It means the world to me that this circle of friends I've found online has become a part of my life.

OK, enough gushiness...

Tiny life & knitting update for the day--> LOST my knitting last night at the CF motivational meeting. Went back to the company where the meeting was held, and it was gone. :( 3 skeins into my "Tina's Tote" Gone, gone, gone. So sad. At least it was just a plastic LYS bag but it had 3 skeins knitted and one more of noro and my circ needles. sad.

Joey's going back to Children's Mercy Thursday morning for a day of tests as his sinus infection's back with a vengeance. I picked him up today from pre-K with a 103 fever and chills, went into the pediatrician, and one good thing is the antibiotics that he's resistant to for his sinus infections actually worked for his ear infections. The next available emergency-based appointment with the ENT clinic at Children's Mercy is in 2 months. TWO MONTHS. What do people not as pushy as me do with their sick kids????? Good thing my kid's got a way with the ladies, as his doctor gave me her email address for times when I can't get through in time at the clinic number. This amazing woman (who I LOVE LOVE LOVE) does all his sinus surgeries, etc. is going to squeeze him in for me. HOW AMAZING IS THAT????? She's the only specialist that works with CF related Sinusitis in the city and she has a bedside manner you would DIE for. When she saw he was crying and scared when saying goodbye to me before his last surgery, she came out of the operating room, bent down and asked if she could carry him into the room while they talked about Buzz Lightyear and video games her boys used to like to play. He kissed me and jumped up into her arms with his little stuffed cheetah. I'm wiping my eyes now just thinking about it. We are really blessed.

Ok, don't worry, it's back to normal SHORTER (yeah right, I type like I talk--a lot and fast) more life/bitch/knit/men related issues. Working at home tomorrow, which is a good thing. Tylenol & Motrin's keeping the fever pretty deal-able, so I plan on getting a little sleep.

ONE last note, the chocolate basket I won SUCKED. The big box of Ghiradelli dark chocolates had two, count em, two pieces in it. The other boxes had strange things in them that are being donated to the "give em to my assistant at work to make her stop talking all the dang time fund." See, I can still be catty, even when I'm sentimental. it's a gift.

Pictures Pictures Pictures

OK, here it is...

My goodie package from Nyxxie!!! Can you believe it???? The pretty balls are hand dyed kettle yarn, and are soft & yummy! I am going to have TOO much fun deciding what to make!

We need a close-up of the CUTE little bags too! I always lose my measuring tape & scissors & such, so now I'll be stylin and organized!!!



Here's the stylish Knitting Virgin modeling her ribbon tank finished (FINALLY) in the bathroom mirror:


Here's my booga bag, it knitted up SO fast! I couldn't believe it. Gotta LOVE that noro yarn!


Not much happened on the life front today. I did get a phone call from Young Boy (my little friend w/privileges who's only 11 years YOUNGER than me) and we chatted. He is off to Vegas to bowl in the High roller and will take me out when he gets back. He's actually a very sweet friend, but it's still a bit weird.

What else? hmmm boring day really. OH, I can now whoop up on BOTH of my children on smashbrothers on the nintendo. Mommas beating their kids at video games, all is as it should be.

Went to the Great Strides team leaders meeting tonight. Our big walk is on May 21st this year, to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis research. Team Joey is growing stronger this year! I'll put a link on soon if anyone would like to contribute or join the team and walk in Shawnee Mission Park in May! We're hoping Miss Amanda comes back this year as we had a BLAST last year and raised a lot of $$. If anyone's looking for a great place to donate a little money, please keep us in mind. Joey's walking (ok running, jumping, climbing) proof that research money is working as three of his med's were just approved within the last few years and have made the world of difference. One of the newest things they're working on is new oral antibiotics so he can stay out of the hospital. We're almost at the point where he'll have to have i.v. antibiotics each time he gets any infections, which isn't much fun when you're a 5 yr old boy. OK, it isn't much fun no matter how old you are. On the Joey front, we're heading back to the pediatrician tomorrow as the ears are infected again, but he's not feeling too bad, so that's good. And guess who won the raffle for the Godiva Dark Chocolate basket???? mmmmmmmmmmm yummy.

a little bit of knitting going on

So, I knitted like a banshee this weekend. My children were like some strange version of my normal obnoxious yet cute red heads. They played together ALL weekend with hardly any whining or "she touched me", "he's annoying me" and "it's MY turn on the nintendo". I know, I'm actually waiting for the earth to open up here in KC and for the real monsters to rear their whining heads.... No, really, I've got amazingly good kids, they just drive me nuts every so often. It was FREAKY though. I spent most of the weekend sitting on my butt in front of the tv knitting knitting knitting. I'd get up and fix food, help direct them into another project or just make sure they were actually alive and they just played their little hearts out. I completed my booga bag, pics to come soon, it's dark now and the pics under the lights don't show the noro's pretty colors, so I'll take a pic in the sunshine tomorrow. YES we also had SUNSHINE! I thought we were living in Seattle (minus the cool artsy atmosphere) for a while as it was about 3 weeks without direct sunlight...clouds, mists, fog, rain, and all that fun stuff.

There's the prettiest full moon out and the stars are bright it's amazing to see. It reminds me of when I was in a college class on languages and diction and the like and the hippie-chic teacher had us keep moon journals. I was thinking, what the HECK does the moon have to do with how different parts of the country pronouce words??? I did it anyway and it was cool. Must have fulfilled some ancient druid/back when women were priestesses thing in me as it was very zen-like. I know, it's late and I'm tired, and getting a bit woo hoo ish, but I thought now that I'm out every night with the dog, I may as well pay attention to my surroundings and all that.

Guess what else??? I got a box of GOODIES from Nyxxie. I'm not sure what I did to deserve this, or if it's part of a major stash relocation, but it was FUN opening the box and petting all the pretty yarns. Again, pics will be added tomorrow. The BEST part was these amazing little bags, they are COOL and then I realized, they're designed to look like little underwear...OK, it sounds weird here, but I'm telling you, they're CUTE AS HECK! I laughed and laughed. Thanks sweetie!

It's strange, I got into this blogging thing as a way to keep a record of my little day to day activities and thoughts and such so when I'm an old bitchy woman I can look back and relive my memories. (I have a VERY bad memory already, so was afraid I'd forget this stuff). Though the things I write are usually pretty mundane, that's usually more meaningful to me than the big official "event" kind of memories. What's amazing is I've found all these cool women and men that I just love keeping up with. In today's world it's hard to make new friends. After you leave college, you get those work acquaintances and the college friends drift away except for a few very close friends. I don't know what I'm trying to say exactly, except I have LOVED bringing you people into my strange little life and LOVE reading and commenting and keeping tabs on your often equally-strange little lives as well! It's like the old neighbors chatting over the back yard fence or at the kitchen table is taking place on our laptops, work computers and home pc's. I think that neighborly-ness is seriously lacking in our country and that bringing more of that back will help us as a nation and as individuals as well.

Ok, I've been without serious caffeine, chocolate and junk food since Thursday and I'm getting a bit sappy. I apologize for the gushiness, but it's true. I love you guys and thanks!

Weekend update: I completed the booga bag, it's amazingly cute, but it's also not so big. The pic makes it look like a major sized tote bag, but nope. I guess I could have READ the pattern spec's but ah well. It's a cute purse. I'm now making a bigger better bag, and it will be the "Tina's Tote". Also in the same color of noro, but bigger and I'm not sure how I'll do the handles as I'd like it to have a touch of style but haven't figured out what exactly yet. For now, I'm just making the dang thing HUGE and I'll figure it out what to do when I get near the end.

Sat. afternoon I survived dual play dates. I'm the WORST at paying back play dates as I get easily overwhelmed by too many children, so when I do it, I do it BIG and get it OVER with. Yes, I know I am wanting to go into education, but for big kids (high school), the little ones wear me out. Joey's little best friend came over at 11:30, just as I was taking the dog out for his lunchtime crap. I thought, oh well, I'll just send Miles out for a few minutes on his own, what could possibly happen in 5 minutes??? Got little Will and Joey set up playing with superhero action figures ("they're not dolls, mom, they're ACTION FIGURES!") Asked Beth to call the dog in, and he came in COVERED in FRESH DOG CRAP. I mean, it's a good thing he's a little dog, as every inch of him had CRAP on it. OMG he smelled HORRIBLE and he was tearing through the house, Will was screaming, Joey was trying to catch him, I didn't want anyone to get dog poop all over them with their friends coming over, it was pandemonium. Especially since I made a mistake and said "BATH" in front of the dog, which sent him into new levels of speediness. For something that small, with short little legs, he can FREAKING FLY. We finally corralled the damn dog into the bathroom, Beth didn't have the door shut well the first time and he was out again. FINALLY I have the dog inside a plastic tub in my bathtub, and am soaping him up, the doorbell rings, it's Beth's friend. I ask her to answer the door (after looking through the window to make sure it's acutally them so I don't have her let in a freak or anything) so she comes in with her little RICH stay-at-home-in-a-mansion-WITH-a-nanny-for-her-kids-and-a-housekeeper-to-clean mom walks into the bathroom where I'm up to my elbows in dog poop and bubbles. Yup, I fit right in with the Johnson County mommas. She is one of the cool moms, though, so she laughed and understood. It ended up being a really fun day. The boys played and built and drove hotwheels and created whole worlds out of cardboard and tape in the basement and the girls had school going with Beth's 52 stuffed animals. They had name-tags and numbers for each animal. It was a riot.

The kids dropped off to sleep early and I just sat and knitted knitted knitted and went to bed BEFORE midnight. OH, I forgot to mention I snuck out to the BOATS Friday night. My cousin came over hungry and poor to eat all my food and watch the kiddos. I had nowhere to go, nothing to do, so decided I'd take $100 and PLAY IT SAFE (yeah right) and sat my butt at the poker table from about 11:00pm till 1:00am. I ended up winning a little, losing a little, losing a LOT, winning a LOT and left with $150. On the way out, the craps table was calling my name.....Christine....make some money.....play......DO IT....so I thought, what the heck, my cousin's normally asleep by 11:00 anyway, what's a few more minutes going to do? LONG story short (I know this post is at least 3 pages long by now) I ended up at home at 3:59AM with $456 in my pocket after paying my cousin double wages to make up for the late night. I get home, get to bed, Joey's up at 5:00am ready for the day. I sit him down with a bowl of cereal, turn on scooby-doo and doze till 6:00am when Beth's awake as well. I not only survived dog poop and 2 extra kids on play dates, I did it on TWO hours of sleep. yes, I am amazing. Yes, I do have big-ass dark circles under my eyes and I'm going to BED. But I had so much fun and really needed the extra $$ as the increased child support thing has not yet kicked into the point where I actually get to SEE the money. Good night!

Oh holy hell

"The world has always been betrayed by decent men with bad ideals."
--Sydney J. Harris

"Indeed, I tremble for our country when I reflect that God is just."
--Thomas Jefferson

It's a good thing the Christian soldiers are marching on the world...How frightening, to actually want to promote "love thy neighbor" as meaning love ALL your neighbors. Nope, we'd better only love those that conform with what the Family Morals police tell us should be our morals.

I was just a little Catholic girl, growing up taught to love other people, feed those who are hungry, clothe those who are cold, and to BE NICE. PERIOD. I am not up on my bible quotes, but I do remember the commandment of Love Thy Neighbor.

A nice group of people have created a video with children's most popular characters, and they sing and dance and teach kids to love EVERYONE even if they're a bit different. This would have been ok, but *GASP* there MAY be one tiny reference to gay people. Here's the scoop Christians issue gay warning on Spongebob video.

Can't the media start saying "Psycho Nazi-Wannabee's issue warning...." instead of "Christians"??? I always thought Christ taught love & acceptance. He let the hooker Mary Magdalene (I sure hope that was the right name, or I'll be showing my ignorance here) wash his feet with her hair and loved her as a lesson to us. We know history has shown us how much the evangelistic minister crowd loves hookers, so maybe they can learn a bit of TOLERANCE for cripes sake. Funny how commandments, bible quotes, and the like can be changed and tainted to serve your purposes, isn't it?

And I've gotta say, John Stewart was in rare form last night. I about peed my pants when he said that as George Dubbya was solemnly sworn in, many Americans across the nation solemnly swore as well..... that's the damn truth.

Does the current trend of government by fear remind anyone of our history books? It sure seems a lot like the times before McGovern (again I hope that's the right person, my brain isn't quite awake yet) started persecuting the "commies" and "commie lovers" and all things red. People were arrested, lost their jobs, disgraced their families all for maybe attending a meeting or dinner party where they MAY have discussed theologies a bit different from the mainstream American way. It got to knowing someone was a cause for ostracism. Hey, when did red get to be a good thing? hmmmmmm. I'm proud to be blue.

On a knitting note, I'm planning on KIP all over the dang city this weekend. My little trend is spreading...I usually line up in the car to pick up my daughter and you sit for about 10 mins, so, of course, I pull out the knitting (currently the booga bag). I've become "the mom who knits" and I've had quite a few moms come up and say they had knitted as children and been inspired to pull their old needles out and want advice....it's been fun. Amazing how GOOD things can spread as well as the persecuting kind, huh? sorry, ANYWAY, sitting there yesterday I saw TWO other mommas knitting their little fingers off in the cars and waved and smiled. As dear old Martha would say, KIP, it's a good thing.

My little protest against The War President

Please click the War President picture below to see the larger image. This image of our leader was created by Joe at The American Leftist out of photos of the soldiers who have lost their lives. It is an amazing thing and takes my breath away.

The Washington Post's Faces of the Fallen, a collection of information about each U.S. service member who has died in Iraq. Updated daily, when I checked in a few minutes ago, the total was 1,362. How many more before we admit it isn't working?

Please read Justinland's by the numbers. By all means lets spend millions on parties, gowns, food, protection while our servicemen and women are left with no real support or equipment necessary to stay safe.

Knitting Meet-Up in KC!

I finally did it, I got off my butt and drove to the KC Knitting Meet-Up at Starbucks tonight on 39th street in this CUTE little slightly trendy neighborhood that smelled like a LOT of restaurants that I'll be coming back to in the near future! I actually went to the wrong Starbucks (how many could there be in KC near Westport???) and of course, you can't just wait around and NOT eat anything, so I got some SMOKIN hot green tea and a piece of lemon pound cake. yummy. After I asked, I found out there WAS another Starbucks just down the road, got back in my car and found it. I met a couple of very cool women, petted the softest yarn on the face of the planet, and ATE even more....it was RIGHT next to Chipotle, what was I to do??? yup. Fajita Burrito the size of my head. again yummy.

I brought my noro booga bag, and even though it looks like a substantial tote bag in the picture, it's an itty bitty thing. It MAY turn out to be the size of a small handbag. I was going to frog it and make it bigger, then thought I'd go ahead and make it as is, then get creative and MAKE MY VERY OWN tote bag combining parts of the different felted bags I've been admiring. Might just get creative, scary, I know.

It was nice just to sit with a group of people that were even more looney about knitting as I was. We talked of yarn, of sex, of life, of food, and quietly knitted. I was even tempted to MAYBE make a sock. I was mesmerized by this figure-8 cast on technique and the colors of the yarn.....I just don't think I can commit to making my first one as I have a tendency to get a bit FREAKISHLY consumed & obsessed about things that I love...(not people, don't worry, just yarn & other crafty-ish things). The lady who showed me is teaching a class on toe-up socks at my LYS in February, I'm thinking of it....maybe.

Anyway, I came, I saw, I ate, I knitted, I ate. It was all good. They meet every Wed. night and I'm going to try for once or twice a month as it was nice, a bit of the olden days quilting bee feeling. In our email/impersonal society, it's kind of nice to talk to strangers, say hello and visit. OMG I know I'm too tired to be typing, I'm getting all pollyanna here, good night.

Bloggers Protest!

Please visit Kerstin's blog At My Knit's End for her post on Monday, Jan. 17th. She has info on a quiet little blogging protest on the inaugeration celebration day. She has a poignant letter from Jessica at KnitFit who has an idea for a blogging protest of the current administration's policies and goals of "spreading democracy" no matter the costs. I will be joining these people by posting an image of The War President created by Joe at The American Leftist and a link to the Washington Post's Faces of the Fallen List of fallen soldiers, which is updated daily.

It's official now

I'm a slug. Transformation is complete. I know I've been getting a bit lazy lately, but this is ridiculous. I've either got to start dating again or act like I am or it's going to get scary around here.

I just got back from the old bowling alley, smelling like an ashtray. I actually had a good time as I packed up a tote bag (I am the QUEEN of tote bags and could probably build a home entirely out of them) with about 12 knitting magazines...and spent all the time between shots going through them and sticking notepad pages out with what I want to make so I can tell where the heck everything is. I am starting another tank top (ONLY because I finally found the perfect one for my silver glitterspun yarn I've now frogged from 2 tops and already have sitting in my stash, so no more $$ there). I need to scan some pics as I found the most amazing sweater on a full-page ad in the Holiday 2004 Vogue Knitting mag. OMG. THIS is why I learned to knit. I must find this pattern and buy it and create this masterpiece and I will transform from the lowly slug to a stunning beauty. (or at least I'll look hot in the sweater, whatever works). It's a tube-top-ish thing with ribbing and cables and has a gorgeous shrug (sleeves that are attached to each other but tighter fitting than a shrug and a scarf all done in winter white OMG I MUST CREATE THIS!!! Then I'd HAVE to hit the gym and get all buffed up again.

BACK to the slug story. Well, I was all together this evening. Along with my tote of organization knitting supplies, I had my contra-band diet coke in a bottle to sneak in (they have gone all pepsi and it KILLS me to not have my diet coke while I bowl), had my bowling shirt (I keep forgetting and they make me pay $2 extra for a stinking shirt fine), even a clippie for my hair so I can see where I'm throwing the ball. I was READY for the evening. Then, driving down the road thinking, oh, did I remember to change into my bowling bra? (a racer-back one so the straps don't fall off my shoulder and throw off the bowling) and then I realized, OH CRAP. I haven't worn a damn bra in a week. I've been living in turtlenecks & sweatshirts & jeans & my little slip/on tennies/hiking boot things. (Remember I'm only about a half A-cup, so a bra is basically to give me shape, keep anything from poking through shirts and for warmth. I've been comfy with the heavy sweatshirts and not bothered. I about died. Well, I bowled with just the bowling polo shirt and went commando. Not one of my better moments. Combined with the fact that I also haven't shaved my legs in a week, I'm just a little bundle of feminine beauty lately. (I do still bathe, so don't get too scared).

After returning home smelling like an ashtray, hopped in the shower, shaved twice (hey, I was like a wookie here) and resolved to GET OVER THIS CRAP. I have had my spirit broken by the mighty mighty dungeon, but I'm still breathing. I'm wearing HEELS tomorrow and a cute sweater and a BRA. I used to have fashion sense, I used to look stylish (ok it was a few years behind the times, but it was still a style, dammit). I hope to have saved myself before I start leaving a trail of slime where ever I go like the little slug people, but it's a long climb back to humanity. At least I'll have some cute damn tank tops to wear once I get back there.

At least I made it through the day without eating anything too terrible. Yea for me. The night's not over yet, but I'm tring Jenn's approach of eating cereal. Cheerios it is tonight, baby.

Modified New Years Resolutions

I know, it's not even February yet, but the resolutions needed a bit of work if they were going to make it to spring.

I've gone from:
*Exercising on a regular basis (3 times per week min)
*Eating more healthy food and less junk
*Taking extra time with appearance no matter if I'm just going to the dungeon, (wear makeup and nice clothes)
*Being more patient with the kids and myself
*Begin a savings program to save for a down payment on a home and a real vacation
*Enjoy life's little moments

to:
*Trying not to resemble a slug
*Eating vegetables & fruits (along with the bad stuff)
*Sitting still & quiet for 5 min's each day
*the Saving thing
*Enjoy life

The slug thing gives a little more lee-way. I haven't actually exercised more than once in this new year. I'm drinking this freaky stuff called Pom that's supposed to be chock full of antioxidants and other good stuff. It's all juice, but has an aquired taste. I figure if I eat enough good stuff, maybe I'll be too full to eat all the crap I normally inhale. I did pass up the donuts my aunt brought today and did not eat the fries that my kids didn't finish from our McD's treat this afternoon, so that's not so bad.

Why is it so hard to not eat when you're not hungry? or is it just me? I'm not an emotional eater, I don't eat when I get stressed, I just eat all the time. I thought I'd try to not eat today if I wasn't hungry. It was almost enough to drive me insane tonight. I did ok during the day, was able to walk by stuff, or pick up another project or go do something else, but tonight it was all I could do not to bring a bag of cookies or popcorn or candy with me to bed. Why? I thought it was just a habit, but it's like this consuming madness of me wanting to eat and I'm NOT HUNGRY. WTF? I am a very strong woman. I can do a lot of things and have lived through a lot of crap in my lifetime. But it takes more willpower than I possess to quit eating all the damn time. I'm going to bed. I am going to make it through one day at a time. Cripes, I sound like an AA commercial. It's a good thing I've got generally good metabolism still, even though my ASS and thighs forgot that and started packing on the fat. ONE more WTF for the road. WHY is it when OTHER women get fat, their chests get bigger???? I gain 40 or 50 lbs and I'm still a half-cup from filling my A cup bras. I lose 20 lbs and I LOSE weight in my chest and a little all over. WTF????? That's not right. If I get chubby, SOME of it should go to give me cleavage! dammit.

Ok, off to bed, I'm cussing more than I'm talking now and tired and hungry and feeling slug-like.

ho hum weekend

So, another wild weekend of fun fun fun was had at the Knitting Virgin's home. I've GOT to get out sometime or I might just explode, or would I implode? Who knows, who cares. woo good attitude going on here, huh?

Mark & Russell did call and say they were worried as they hadn't heard from me since New Year's and took me to dinner where I ate a BIG OL' plate full of sizzling fajitas from the good mexican place near here. Yummy. They really are sweet friends and I love them lots. What a great combination of personalities...Mark's dry humor cracks me up and Russell's about the sweetest smartest guy I know. They just really seem to complete each other. It's good to be around. Mark caused me to almost spit a grilled pepper out of my nose, though. He wanted my opinion as a mother for which remodel house plans to go with but phrased it "since you're with child" and Russell almost fell off his high barstool chair. Once I convinced him I was NOT pregnant, he was able to eat again. Russell had been partially ignoring us as he was trying to figure out my new phone so I can turn off the dang "driving mode" where it talks to me LOUDLY.

Actually, it was a pretty good weekend. Lots of cleaning, I'm waging a war against the clutter that threatens to bury me in piles of paper and crap. I made it through Joey's room and left with 2 big yellow trash bags full of crap, broken toys, crap, paper, crap, etc. I organized drawers, under the bed, floor and even the dreaded closet. I think Miss Beth was getting a bit nervous as she started cleaning on her own to keep me out. smart girl. My room is still filled with piles of crap, so it's next to go. I swear I just did this a month ago in here, but did not make it through the closets, and they're leaching out into the room. It'd be nice to actually have room to put CLOTHES and SHOES in my TWO closets, so that's a task for another day.

All bummed as I wanted to go YARN shopping on Saturday, but since we get paid the next business day AFTER normal paydays, I'm still broke. My $2 lasted about half the weekend, but I had to get really poor and take all the change into the bank on Friday afternoon so I could buy gas. I HATE being that poor. I did get a partial payment of child support in the mail Sat, but it was after bank hours and though we get paid on Monday, it's a bank holiday, so I'm still freaking POOR until Tues. am. I'm trying to get organized and doing some of the "smart women finish rich" book tips, so it's been extra easy to NOT spend any money since I don't have ANY! Looks like yarn shopping will have to wait for another day.

In the meantime, I'm starting this Biased Stole with some Fiesta Yarn called La Boheme (but in a darker color combo than what's shown here. I think it's going to be too "old-lady" but can't find anything else to make with the yarn I've already got in my stash. I've got 3 skeins of the colored combo and one of black. I got it for a tank top (I know, imagine that) and it's going to get made into something, I just don't know what yet. I think I'll just make the dang thing and then I'll still have one colored & the black skein to do something else with. We'll see. I had to get plastic circ needles as the LYS was out and that's all they had in Michaels. I HATE working on plastic needles, they're too damn slippery. I'm a spoiled child. yes I am.

My mother does not shop but once every couple of years. Then look out. She can do more damage in an hour than I can do in about a year, but of course, she has money and can do that. SO, her new kick is the bare escentuals mineral makeup. I have to admit I was entranced with an infomercial on a sat. afternoon a few years ago, and then forgot about it. Mom started watching QVC (scary) and has a bunch of this stuff. She had me come out and watch the hour special with her on the stuff last week. I again was entranced. Then I think, this stuff's been around since 1976 and it's never really hit the big time, isn't there a reason? But, she was all excited and ordered me the fairly-light, but I think I need the "fair" since the other has a "warm" undertone (aka YELLOW) and I look dead in foundations with yellow bases, but we'll see. I did order a sample of the "fair" (porcelain aka neutral undertone) from ebay, so I'll do a bit of experimentation. The main problem I have with this stuff is that the President of the company is BUTT UGLY, so not a good selling point. I don't want my makeup to make me look like HER, so we'll see. I'll keep you posted on the results. My mom really does look good and has been all "glowing" with it, so maybe there's hope.

More pictures pictures pictures!

Here's the highlights of Christmas Eve in Western Kansas...

Click on the pic to see more fun and the cutest 2 little red-headed boys around (I know I'm a bit biased on this one)


And, I'm working working working at home home home tonight and loving loving loving it! I'm also working my butt off at WORK too, but it's still nice to leave and pick up kids right after school. I'm sorry to be repetitive, but it's just such a nice change.

Had lunch with two of the executed ones from the dungeon. Miss C. looked freaking YOUNGER than I did, thank you very much. I guess that's what fresh air, sleeping in till 9am and no dungeon-dwelling do for you. I do miss my afternoon beverage. If she were a hugging type, I'd have hugged the stuffing out of her, but I refrained. I almost said "I'm going to hug you now" and done a cold fish hug, as I witnessed the strangest EVER antisocial handshake in the history of man and words similar to that were used by this lady during the twilight zone occurance, but thought I'd be the only one getting the sad little joke and thought, better not. Enough people think I'm a sociopath for one day....Not thinking about it, I wore a Sam Adams Sweatshirt to my daughter's elementary school science lab night and got some raised eyebrows & whispers & "Really"'s thrown at me. It didn't say anything about beer, and was very subtle, but apparently it was quite offensive to certain powers that be. I couldn't figure it out until one of the dads pointed out why the super-moms were a bit pissy. Got the trusty bumpy scarf (my very first thing I ever knitted) out and wrapped it just so to cover the incriminating evidence, and was able to spend the rest of the night without being hauled off by the johnson county fashion police.

A few pictures, (I know, FINALLY) more's coming soon

In the interests of making this blog a bit easier to open, I created another one to show more pics on. I'll add more soon and update this blog as it's OLD AND BORING and I can't take it any longer.....

Anyway, click the chics below to see a few pics from my Asian Refugee Christmas Party 2004: We had FUN!

Click the pic below to see more of the Xmas party fun:

A little liberal ranting

OK, so I open the newest Time magazine this afternoon. It's the "Special Mind & Body Issue" all about the science of happiness...happy happy happy stuff. I'm reading that I'll live longer (I know it's hard to tell here, but I'm a die-hard optimist and often obscenely happy-go-lucky), be healthier, enjoy more of life, etc. etc. etc. I'm feeling happy. I'm also happy as now I can toss the Man of the Year issue with W on the cover. My mother is a die-hard Democrat, but kept leaving the damn thing face up, so I'd walk by the coffee table and turn Mr. Bush face down. I know, it's such a small political win, but hey, I take 'em where I can get 'em and having the man's face looking all presidential in my living room was not good for my general mood.

SO, FIRST I read a little column about Mr. Armstrong Williams, a conservative talk-show host for "The Right Side" and appears regularly on other tv and radio shows as well. USA Today uncovered a bit of a scandal. It appears the Department of Education had a contract paying this guy $240,000 (PAID FOR BY OUR TAX DOLLARS----APPARENTLY WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND $$ ON EDUCATION) to promote President Bush's No Child Left Behind law on his talk show and on other appearances. The Bush Administration saw no conflict with the contract and the Dept. of Education's comments were the contract was "a permissible use of taxpayer funds." The article in Time goes on to explain that this is in direct violation of anti-propaganda laws as well as a BIT un ethical, you think??? I thought I'd better not leave the new issue out for mom to read as she's the head negotiator for the NEA for her school district. She spends hours and sweat fighting for a few more dollars for teachers' salaries and teaching supplies and lower classroom numbers, etc. I think paying some yahoo to promote an educational program that DOES NOT WORK with money from the Dept. of Education would not help her 2-day migraine. Nope. It even started to make my head hurt a bit. Paying some yahoo over $200 thousand to talk nice about our president's plan that doesn't work. nice.

Feeling not quite so happy, I skipped the article about Mr. Bush's new-found love of reading. No, not quite, he just loves reading two new books that also reinforce the fact that his plans are working. Whatever works. I also skipped an article with the picture of a crying mother in her army uniform kissing one of her FOUR children goodbye so she can depart to Iraq. barely happy now...

I finally progressed on to the happy article. I found a bunch of good quotes, one of which I even have in my little hand-written journal of quotes I like...
"If only we'd stop trying to be happy we'd have a pretty good time." --Edith Wharton
I moved on to the little side note with what makes the stars happy...and actually laughed so hard I snorted on Carson Kressley's "A world without pleated khakis." (the clothing guy from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy)....Feeling HAPPY and then I get to Ms. Ann Coulter, Conservative Gadfly, on what makes her happy..."Liberals weeping, crying and threatening to move to Canada." Yup. Pissed me off too. I went from a happy little peace-loving liberal to a pissed of momma who wanted to whoop up on this biotch. I had a break-through. WHY wait for another 4 stinking years and scrape around for a candidate to beat Bush's army, why not start NOW looking for a candidate we can get behind and BELIEVE IN??? A campaign to elect someone because you believe in them and what they can do for the country is totally different from one where you try to elect someone because they are the lesser of 2 evils.....I'm tired of being a peace-able liberal. I'm pissed. I, too, was thinking too bad Canada's so far away and so cold, but now I'm pissed. I'm taking back my little area of the country so help me. I KNOW I'm in the middle of Bush-loving Conservative-MORAL-KANSAS but dammit, I'm going to do something. Right now that something is trying not to eat an entire box of GS cookies, but hey, that feels like doing something. Look out conservative moral majority, you've got one little pissed off liberal out for blood, and I don't think peanut butter patties are going to fulfill this lust for blood.....

Oh, and I re-read all my knitting books and STILL can't decide what I want to do...went crazy not having something to work on while the kids were running around the house like banshees (we REALLY need to have a day without snow & ice so they can get OUTDOORS once in a while), so I swatched a few samples of the silver glitterspun lion brand yarn, found it would work for the cute sweater set I found in one of my books, but I have 6 skeins and it would take about 23 total, so thought nope. Then went and worked for another 2 hours or so here from home to get caught up on my hours so I can buy more yarn and food for my little monsters and more yarn. HEY, I ate tuna fish & stale wheat thins & a $.38 diet coke for lunch today to save my dollars for a down payment on a new house, a real vacation with said monsters, and YARN. I'm getting enough for a sweater soon if it kills me.

Battle of the wasp/hornet/mutant thing

So, first a dungeon update. If I hadn't lived through the history of that place, I would think "oh what a lovely place to be, everyone's so happy and they are letting me be so flexible with my schedule, it's unreal". I'm loving it. It's wierd still, but I'm loving it. AND we had the bathrooms and kitchen cleaned AGAIN today, I know, I know, it's UNBELIEVABLE!!! In the last 2 weeks, our facilities and floors have been cleaned more than they have been in the last 2 years. Is that scary or what????? MAN! How low is that when I get all excited about clean floors? If you could have only seen the nasty stuff growing all over the floor, toilet, AND WALLS of that bathroom, you would be happy for me too. Makes me wanna drink more water just so I can pee more. Ok, that's a bit much even for me.

STILL haven't decided on a knitting project, went through all my knitting books & magazines and decided I only have enough stash yarns for another TANK TOP or SCARF or I do have some Rayon Boucle yarn and a pattern for a biased shawl/wrap thing, but don't have the needles. I do have one more big ol' hank of schaeffer yarn (for my bumpy scarves I've been cranking out) and may have to give up and make one more until payday comes along. I do think I want to try the booga bag after my next trip to the LYS, we'll see.

OH, the highlight of the evening (besides getting booted off our server at work so I am accomplishing NOTHING here at home when I need to be getting extra hours in dammit), was I TRIUMPHED OVER THE BIG BAD SCARY HORNET!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, this little lady who you should remember is terrified more than life itself of anything resembling a bee, was finally feeling better as the frozen bees wood was dumped back outdoors as soon as the power came back on after our little ice storm. Well, apparently one of the little (no HUGE) M.F.ers somehow made it through. You know how I JOKED that I didn't want any unfrozen bees laying bee baby eggs in my home and laughed laughed laughed since they were all outdoors back frozen again???? I was sitting on the couch swatching up some of the stash yarn I have to see if any of it would work for a cute sweater set I found (it really didn't) and Joey said, Hey Mom, there's a moth inside. I immediately grabbed a paperback and jumped to crush the thing, hey, when my yarn's threatened, I'm like a momma bear protecting her young. Well, it was NOT a moth, no. It was one of the biggest freaking WASPS/HORNET things (don't know the difference, don't want to know) flying and flipping up to the light fixtures down here.

Dad's currently in Scotland (yes I'm a loser single momma who rents the basement apartment from her folks until my kids are both in school and don't need full time child care and I can afford to live in my own home), Mom was upstairs with a migraine and it was down to me and the kids and the dog. The dog ran like a scared rabbit to the kids who I sent back to the nintendo room. I went bobbing and weaving around the damn thing upstairs for a fly swatter, came back down and could NOT find the damn thing. I'm shaking, sweating, cussing under my breath like a drunken sailor, and finally head in to tell the kids, everything's fine, no worries, and other crap so I don't pass my unhealthy obsessive fear on to the kids. I go back upstairs trying to find wasp spray. What kind of a home doesn't have wasp spray readily available in the middle of winter? OK, I know it's some of the most toxic substance know to man and it's not supposed to freeze, but STILL. So, life goes on and I tell the kids just to keep an eye out for anything moving, no big deal. The SCREAMING inside my head is hard to ignore now, but I'm cool on the outside. We sit, we eat, we see the wasp/hornet/mutant thing and the shadow passes across my face. I somehow do not lose consciousness and calmly send the kids back to play nintendo. I use my good ol' womanly instincts and run to the bathroom, get the biggest can of nasty old lady hairspray that I got on sale years ago and just haven't ever thrown out as I keep thinking I may someday need a beehive do for halloween, and after emptying about 1/2 the can onto the thing as it dive bombs me and various pieces of furniture, then it finally drops from the sky where I pummel it into pieces and flush its parts down the toilet. flush again just to be sure.

I have to admit I heard Queen's old song "We are the champions, my friend....." in my head. SWEAR TO GOD. I was all walking with my head held high and my hairspray can stuck to my fingers and I felt good.

Wasps 0
Christine 2

Let's end this thing before anyone else gets hurt. No more frozen bees from the ice storm allowed in my house. I threw the woodbox out in the ice as well once I finally put the hairspray can down. If we lose power again at any point in the future, that damn wood is staying OUTSIDE no matter if it's 4 degrees or what. I will walk my frozen butt out there every hour to get more wood. Two ice storms, two frozen bee incidents, my heart can't take any more.

I'm not going anywhere in this house without hairspray.

I don't know what to knit next

I just can't decide what to do next. I've been cranking out scarves like nobody's business and just almost finished the last one. I've still got to fringe it, but then I'm pretty much done.

I don't really know what to do....a hat? a purse? I think I want to make a booga bag and see how it turns out or a sophie, but can't decide....maybe a real sweater (as in more than a tank top)?????? I guess I'll be googling.

Put in another 4 1/2 hours at work today and have to do some serious work at home on the computer to make up for time lost....It's still so wierd being there. Again, love this lady I work with, but I might have to put up a half-cubicle wall or something to keep from going insane....I think I'll bring head-phones and plug into my tunes, maybe that will help. The whole (ok half) day I was like "what?" "huh?" "yeah" "sure".....repeat repeat repeat. AAAUUGGGHHHH! She won't stop TALKING and it's not loud enough that you can actually understand but not quiet enough that you can ignore....Oh and rolling downhill still. You think I'd remember that my chair rolls back with or without me and sit down a little more carefully, wouldn't you? I almost busted my butt today when I barely caught the edge of the chair right before I left. cripes. What's that? worker's comp? Can you get money for a broken butt?

I've got to put in a few hours here at home on work and then might mosey around and see what neat patterns are out there calling my name.

Went bowling tonight and we bowled the funniest team. They kicked our butts, but it was still fun. This one little older lady on the lanes next to us I swear to GOD had the best bowling outfit I've seen in some time. She had her long hair up in a bun, and had a pretty flashy red & black flame style retro shirt on with bright green pants and a FUR sleeveless jacket. Yup. MINK sleeveless jacket with all the smoky cruddy air and bowled in it all night. It might have been a touch cold when we got there, but I was stripping down to my t-shirt after the first few frames.

We have a new team member who brought her knitting along! I was so excited. She said she's knitted for about 4 years, but has never done anything other than scarves with plain old acrylic yarn and a baby blanket done in long rectangles sewed together. She never learned how to do a pearl stitch or increase or decrease......OH WHAT FUN we're going to have. She said her grandmother only knew the garter stitch and so that's all she's done. In about 10 minutes, she mastered the pearl and knit 2 together and bar increase and stitching into front & back of the stitch. I couldn't remember the SSK so said we'd try it next time. I'm a little teacher. woo hoo. I almost felt bad as her hubby made the comment he liked her only doing one thing as it kept her from spending any more money at the craft shop......I thought, oh darlin, you wait until she gets into a LYS..... poor thing.

I think it's my duty to corrupt those around me. Making my little corner of the world a bit more like me.

Working from home is kinda nice

I'm telling you, I could get used to this! I'm sitting in my new corner office (actually a computer stuck on a sad wal-mart computer table in the corner of my bedroom). Got the computer set up and it WORKS, do these miracles never end????? I'm telling you, the place just didn't work until EVERYONE was gone. Now we have clean floors, no bugs, filters that are not full of moldy chunks, clean fixtures in the kitchen, cheerful people, it's a bit unsettling as I was getting used to hiding from people's icy looks and nasty comments. I got to say, I LOVE LOVE LOVE working from home. Computer things never went the way they were supposed to as everything in the dungeon has been "adapted" to the point that computer techy-people get frightened trying to adjust anything. So, I was actually astonished that it all worked smooth as dog-snot. Ok, I don't actually know if dog snot is smooth or not, as our little dog seems to be snot-free for the most part. ick. sorry. Back to the office tomorrow.

Joey update, I think the newest antibiotic may be working as the little guy is much more onery and obnoxious again and SLEEPING at night, hallelujah! We go back for a re-check tomorrow.

Beth update, the child is still seriously addicted to the video game system here at home. Part of me enjoys that they like to play as they are giggling together and having a good time and I get so much done, but I'm going to seriously have to schedule time as she gets a bit BITCHY after playing too long. TWO female scorpios with strong personalities, no that should be FUN in the teenage years, right???? crap on a stick, I can't wait.

Knitting update (oh yeah, this WAS a knitting blog, wasn't it?????) I really REALLY tried to start on a warm project, but need to find a cute pattern for a hat. I just need to spend some time googling and I spent all my time online READING everyone else's blogs and just having a good ol' time. So, I have to admit I stitched a gauge for the original sexy tank I wanted to make when all this knitting stuff started. I have some amazing yarn that I got to make the backless tank and didn't work, and realized it would be PERFECT for the sexy tank & scarf, but I probably need to buy 2 more skeins before the LYS is out, but I'm NOT making it yet. Chubby chics should NOT have three knitted tank tops before a decent body-covering piece of clothing is knitted! ......trying to save $$ this year to take the kiddies on a real vacation and even for a down payment on my own home, so I've got to cut down on the yarn and KNITTING BOOK purchases.

My current stash is taking over all but one big drawer in the cedar-lined dresser and I'm forcing myself to FINISH items and start the ones I origninally bought the yarn for before getting more yarn, but OMG the call of the LYS....can't you hear it???? I just need 3 skeins of noro kureyon to make my booga bag and I'm afraid I can't get out of there with just that......must be strong.....must resist.......I keep focusing on my goals, but then I rationalize that now that I'm working shorter hours, I can't go out for lunch, so I'll be saving those $$...... We'll see. I might just get willpower yet.

Gotta tell you, it's also nice to be WARM with LIGHTS. God bless electricity. LOVE IT! We finally started melting today as it got around 40 or so and all the ice started falling off trees and such and another big ol ice storm is on its way.

Oh Lord, I have to say there's been another Kenny Rogers incident. NOT with the current Kenny who hasn't been seen or heard from in about a month now, but ANOTHER damn look-alike..... What is it about men in KC that turn into Kenny when they get older????? And why are they ALL attracted to me????? Do I look like one of Kenny's wives or something??? WTF? SO, Friday evening my cousin calls and sounds hungry and poor and offers to babysit for me Sat. night. I told him I can't really leave for the evening as Joey doesn't sleep well, etc, so he offered to just come over for a few hours and let me run some errands. Joey was feeling pretty good, so I said okie-dokie. My few friends here in town were either going out for a real evening or out of town (Mark & Russel were out with friends) so I took myself to the movies and went to a matinee. While there (by myself like a loser but not really minding) I'm in line for popcorn and this KENNY FREAKING ROGERS buys my popcorn & diet coke. I got up there and ordered and got ready to pay and the pimply kid said, "um ma'am" (yes, the little shit called me MA'AM) "this guy already said to buy whatever you wanted). I almost had a heart-attack as I thought it was my stalker-Kenny, but no, it's ANOTHER one. Hopefully not a stalker, very nice & polite. He said he noticed I was alone and my "beautiful eyes stunned" him. (ok, it's creepy I admit it). I said I was alone, but I was actually looking forward for a couple hours of peace & enjoying the alone-ness, but was very thankful for his kind gesture. He said he respected it, wasn't going to ask for my number, just wanted to do something nice and it made him feel good and thanked me. Then he went into a different theatre and I went in and sat my butt down and ate the free popcorn. IS THAT WIERD OR WHAT????? I did make sure to walk to the car in a crowd, but didn't run into my new friend. wierd. I made a promise to my best friend Jildo that I would never marry another guy that she didn't like and not get serious with any more bowlers (long stories there) and I think I'm making a promise to myself to NOT SPEND ANY TIME WITH MEN THAT RESEMBLE OLD COUNTRY SINGERS.

Maybe I can get on the "queer eye for the straight girl" show or "what not to wear" to get a make-over that allows men that are not 15-25 years older than me to crave this goddess.....bwaa haa haa haa

Long-ass boring post

I've missed my little blog and reading everyone else's stuff! What can I say? Life is a whirlwind.....yeah, right. I was tired, cold and grumpy and did not post for a variety of reasons, none of which resembled a whirlwind of social activity.

WARNING....THIS WILL BE A BORING POST, TOUGH.

SO, I think people are reading that shouldn't be, so no more on work for now. Except to say everyone's really REALLY happy there. It was almost freaky, but enjoyable until I thought about it and it was freaky again. I have to say I always thought I was one to roll with the punches, adjust to change, etc. Apparently I am an OLD GRUMPY ASS woman. I don't like being up in the middle of everything, I don't like that I sit by the back door with cold air streaming across my ankles and I especially don't like that I'm on on incline and keep rolling back and slamming into the damn shelving unit behind my desk. I don't like that my assistant, God love her, DOESN'T EVER FREAKING STOP TALKING.......AND TALKING......AND TALKING about NOTHING. She's a lovely lady, but I work with numbers and have to have minimal interruptions to be able to function. AAARRRRCCGGGGGHHHHHHH. Maybe I can use headphones and plug into my little radio stream without being rude?????? I don't know. I do love that I am going to be able to work from home, I am really lucky about that, but GOD I hate rolling backwards every time I don't pay attention. BUT, I've really not been at work much this week so it should really be fun next week when I have to actually SHOW UP. Monday was a pretty normal yet wierd day, Tues Joey came with me and I accomplished basically nothing other than a few tasks and then moving some of my crap from my QUIET ANTISOCIAL office to the middle of heck. Wednesday I worked a few hours, Thurs a few and Friday I didn't even try to get there. I did pick up the computer and am going to try to hook it up here at home, but it hasn't made it past the floor right inside the door. So much for my idea of making up hours yesterday or tonight. bwaaa haaa haa haa. At least everyone's happy. I'm telling you, it was wierd. The boss-man even bought us the world's biggest cinamon roll with cream chese icing that has ever been made. It was DIVINE and I dug right in.

What else? Joey's been battling ear infections that I swear are just getting worse with each new antibiotic they try. Poor little guy. He's a trooper and I think the most recent one is working. At least, he's sleeping at night and no longer running a fever. He goes back for a checkup Monday afternoon, so another short day at work for me. Beth's back, but majorly addicted to her game boy. I almost had to do an intervention with her tonight as she sassed me when it was time for her to shut down the nintendo 64 from Santa.....we had a little talk and decided she'll have a warning of 5 minutes to shut-down, one more warning at 1 min. and she'd better dang well shut down & save the machine or it's one day without any video games. Man, sometimes it's hard being a hard-ass.

What else, AH YES.....ice storm hit kc Tues. night and one little tiny strip of a road was left without power for 3 days & 2 nights. FROZE MY LIVING ASS OFF........actually, I think the cold helped my body put another layer of blubber on it to try to conserve warmth. KNITTING TIP FOR BEGINNING KNITTERS....if it's fall or winter when you learn to knit, make a damn hat and pair of mittens before you complete 2 tank tops and a backless sweater that would fit Fat Albert.....I was laying there shivering and thinking I DON'T EVEN HAVE A STINKING HAT TO WEAR, I was deliberating whether I really wanted to go back to the cold cold back part of the house far from the wood stove to pull out those damn tank tops & backless sweater to wrap around my head or if I'd rather just lay there shivering..... Sad, isn't it? I did get my scarf wrapped around the head, but it wasn't the same somehow.

And a repeat of the BEE INCIDENT occurred. For those of you newer readers, bees freeze and then they wake up when they get warm again. How do I know this you ask? Because in our last ice storm of 2 years ago, we were without power for 13 days. THIRTEEN DAYS. After about 10 nights of walking all the way to the backdoor to the wood box to drag logs to put into our wood stove, I thought I'd get smart and drag a bunch of wood over right next to the fire, so I could only be out of the sleeping bag for a few minutes.....woke up around 2am to put in more wood and saw a moving shadow on a log, thought, "oh crap, it's a spider" and got out my shoe. [before continuing let me tell you I have learned to kill spiders well. I do not enjoy them, but I can do it now. They still give me chills and a heart-attack, but I am a tough little momma. I canNOT deal with any form of the bee family, but my most dreaded psycho-level fear is of the hornet] Let's just say it was NOT a spider, but there was a freaking hornet warming itself up, flexing its wings and moving it's big-ass stinger up and down like it was getting ready for fun......then I saw that ALL the logs (at least 20) were COVERED WITH MOVING SHADOWS....crap, I've got chills now just typing this.....I am telling you I silent screamed and screamed and screamed and tried not to make any noise while having a MAJOR FREAKING BREAKDOWN.....basically all the wood went out into the ice and snow and I survived.........so, you guessed it, I learned my lesson this year and inspected the wood pile pretty well, and kept the wood box by the back door in the cold, but apparently we were getting a bit warmer than usual in the house as there was a moving shadow again. I wasn't able to kill it as I could hardly breathe myself, but at about 3am on the 2nd night without power, I was able to scoop it into a bowl and snap a lid on it and threw it in the trash. I lose more tupperware that way....Why does that shit only happen in the middle of the night???? My fear is that I didn't catch them all and there's a hornet laying hornet babies somewhere inside my house.......OH CRAP....

What else have I done instead of blogging??? OH, I finally got my knit-along tank done and seamed together. Of course, I finished it with COLD fingers (no, I not only did not make a hat or mittens but did not make those cool fingerless gloves that would have been so perfect for sitting in the cold and knitting during the last few days). Nothing stranger than completing a ribbon tank top when you can see your breath. What can I say? I was still psyched that it was done. And, it's only a bit big, which still seems to fit well. I also seamed up the Yarn Girls' Guide to knits city tank which also fits, amazing but true. I'll add pics soon, I'm just lucky to have my lazy ass sitting in front of a keyboard for now.

OH, also chubby people are not warmer than skinny people. I thought that that extra layer of fat I've added this last year could finally prove its worth but it failed me.

SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP that's mostly what I've done these last few weeks. I realized that when the dark grey shirt I am wearing really pull out the color in the bags under my eyes, it's time to get more rest.

OH, one more work note. HOLY CRAP we have a CLEAN FLOOR, actually 3 of them. The boss-man's son came in and cleaned for us and moved furniture and was basically slave labor and was AMAZING. He swept, mopped, stripped and waxed the bathroom floors, cleaned the toilets, walls, sinks, moved furniture and cleaned UNDER it and we have floors that are not green any more. AND we have NEW CLEAN filters on the humidifier. It's just not the same at all. It's pretty pleasant. FRIGHTENING, isn't it??? AND Miss Hateful apparently did a number on our phone system in her last week at work. It was almost funny, but wasn't, but I had to laugh anyway and give the biotch credit. She not only messed them up so NOTHING worked, and when you tried to fix it it got worse, but ALSO went to each and every little booklet in the entire dungeon and punched out the little programming card. I tried to get info online, but the system is so old, they were not able to help. Bossman finally got someone at the phone system co to help him out, but it took an entire day to get it going again. I thought bossman was going to have Miss Hateful arrested. It was amazing. Final twist of irony is that I now sit in her area. I changed the chair, I have a more comfy one, plus she probably put voodoo hexes on it or burried glass shards in it or something. Maybe she was pleasant before she had to work on a hill and slam into the damn desk behind her???? yeah right, she was probably a biotch as an infant. Can't you just see her stealing the good juice bottles and rattles from the other babies in the trailer park? MEOW, sorry, I'm a bit catty late at night, actually I'm a big bitchy all the time.

Tried staring the eating healthy foods and exercising kick again, realized it just wasn't going to fly. So now the new plan is to still eat the regular crap I eat, just include a butt-load of veggies and fruit and protein and I'm drinking some strange mango-antioxidant juice thing that's supposed to save me from free-radicals or something. Who knows? I still think I can work out a way to exercise and knit at the same time and I don't think I'm the only one as in the Knit.1 mag there was an ad for an apron that you can wear that lets you run your yarn from it as you walk around.....more on this idea later....

That's it, no more. Sorry to all for the long post and for typing ass at least 4 or 5 times.

I miss my dungeonites, it's wierd wierd wierd down there but I'm so glad you got out and Amanda, I'm stinking JEALOUS that you got the GREAT job that even called you to say don't worry about driving in the bad weather, take the day off...YEAH FOR YOU!!! C, enjoy the PEACE and QUIET and sleeping in. dammit. My afternoon beverage run is just not the same.

And the dungeon goes on....

Well, I've got to say I don't miss a couple of the people that are no longer dungeon-ites after the big layoff right before Xmas, but I do miss my other peeps.... And, apparently I didn't realize how good I had it (did I just say that? WTF?) No, really, I am not yet moved from my nice quiet corner office out to the middle of everything yet, but it SMELLS out there and there's NO WALLS and I'm a baby. It's all old mold smell coming up from the carpet, smells like a dead cat.

A few mysteries solved...

#1...The bathroom skank makes sense now as they were not only paying Miss Hateful to NOT clean anything (she did empty the trash, but that was IT) they were also giving her extra $$ to provide for the cleaning SUPPLIES. When I'd finally had enough and was going to clean last week, I tried to find supplies and found the only thing resembling a cleaning product was the mold-encrusted toilet bowl brush and a can of lysol. Period. scary huh? I'm donating a few supplies and plan to go in with gloves and get down to a layer of linoleum that isn't green or yellow or orange. ICK.

#2...Hmmmmm why were we always getting sick here (besides the organisms growing in the kitchen & bathroom?) AH YES.....the air filters on the humidifier (the ones I asked about and was told, oh yes, we change them each season) have not been made in 10 years. They are ORANGE with mold and had things attached to them. It was finally figured out that they ran "clean water" through them and sprayed with lysol. HMMMMMmmmm.. I think I'm going to measure them and take my problem to a cute guy at the local hardware store or head to a farm supply shop and flirt until some guy can find me a substitute. ICK ICK ICK ICK ICK

Knitted my ass off this weekend only for fun. Did NOT get the scarves done for sister in laws, but remembered my 2 not-yet-felted noro party bags I'd made and not put together. Stayed up until about 2am Thurs morning and got them put together and felted them over lunch and once I got home, dried them in the dryer (I KNOW you're not supposed to do that, but I didn't care and it even felted a little more) and wrapped them up. Finished my aunt from KC's scarf, got it fringed last night, fringed Joey's camo-looking scarf and it is COOL, and finished one sister in law's scarf but was tired of fringing, so put it off for another day.

New year's was fun, but a bit strange. I went to Mark & Russell's and until 11pm was the 7th wheel. Three other couples, but not any couples, no, I was the ONE straight one there. It was so funny, they were really sweet as could be, Mark & Russell, a couple of girls I'd met a few times and Richie & Chad, a very funny couple who had me cracking up all night. Once all the straight & other gay people showed up around 11-11:30, I had to hit the road to get home as my dad would wait up and was exhausted after our family's plans. I know, I know, I'm 36 but my dad still waits up if they're home on the weekends. At first I thought he was worried I'd be on the road with the drunks, then I realized they were worried as they thought I'd be the drunk on the road with the normal people. HAH. Ah well, I behaved myself, only had a few shots and they were early in the eve, and got home by midnight, kissed my Joey on the head, said a prayer that my Beth get home safe and went to bed. What a wild woman I am.

Back out to the mold, got to get moving in.....movin down....to the front side.....to the deluxe corner below the ground.....mooooovin on down..... sign it with me now....

The worst blind date in the history of man

Dang blogger......I had a nice LONG post last night, of course did not think to save it somewhere else first, and blogger ATE it. Stinking blogger. Here's the 2nd time around.

First, I had a lovely evening with my old friend Bill. We ate Italian at a quaint little restaurant with the WORST bartender and WORST waitress ever until they got their tips after dinner and then we decided to get a bottle of wine.....then they were stinking all over us. NOTE to self.....when eating out somewhere nice, tip BEFORE the meal so you can get that service WHILE TRYING TO GET your food. Very nice evening, he's off to Hilton Head, SC now, so I have a nice place to go visit sometime.

OK, a few posts ago I recounted the 2nd worst blind date in the history of woman-hood and have had a few requests for the winner of the contest. I actually DID win a radio station contest and got a free dinner & movie for 2 as a result of telling the story a few years ago. Here it goes. If anyone can top me, I'd love to hear it. I do know many women have been raped or other horrible things happen on dates, but this is the worst of any non-criminal blind date I've ever heard about.

A long, long time ago when I was 20 yrs old, I was home from college for the summer and a girlfriend did the "oh, my boyfriend's cousin is in town and we can't go out tonight unless you go out with his cousin....." so I said I'd at least meet the guy. He was cute, seemed relatively intelligent and said he had an extra ticket to an event at Kemper Arena, so I said what the heck, ok.......famous last words, right?

So, he picks me up in an old restored blue mustang convertible and I'm thinking oh, this'll be fun......then we drive to his relative's house so I can MEET his parents. ON A BLIND DATE. Ok, I thought that was a bit wierd, but no biggie. Then when we leave, his dad and little 10 yr old brother come outside with us and everyone gets into this station wagon complete with the fake wood siding peeling off. I was told they had the other tickets, so we'll all go together. Again, a bit wierd, but I'm a trooper. We park about a mile or THREE from Kemper in the HOOD as daddy doesn't want to spring for the $5 for parking and won't take money from a lady. (see how long ago this was? parking now is at least $15 per event there) BEFORE we go any further, you need to realize this is the late 80's and it was a time of preppy Gap people and penny loafers and big hair.

It turns out not to be a concert, the "event" was Hulk Hogan had come to KC for a big wrestling match. This was BEFORE wrestling had become this strangely almost cool because it's so fake thing. NOPE, this was back when people truly believed everything that happened in that ring was REAL. We truck up to the tip top of the arena and sit amongst what I swear to God is the reunion from Deliverance. My date springs for ONE coke for the four of us and suddenly I wasn't too thirsty. These people went CRAZY. The scene is one little girl in penny loafers and a Gap button down and about 8,000 people in stained wife-beater's (nasty white tank tops that didn't cover their bellies), ripped jeans, no sleeves and that fun long skanky hair in the back with feathered sides (men and women both).... We sat next to this lovely lady in her 60's who had no lower front teeth. She was able to spit chaw through the hole and I figured I'd better hold my purse in my lap. Next to her was her 80-something yr old mom who kept screaming "rip his balls off Hulk" through the entire 3 hour event, even when only women were in the ring. She also swung her metal cane around in the air and beat it on the backs of the seats around us. I did see the famous Hulk and I think he won, can't really remember, but I also saw a bunch of midgits fight the largest woman I ever saw and she sat on a few of them at one point. SO, in a nutshell, I was surrounded by crazies who looked like there had been a bit too much playing in the same gene pool and this crazy old lady cracked me on the shin with her cane telling me to "watch my balls or they'll get ripped off too" while her daughter was spitting juices and trying to teach me how I could learn even though I was unlucky enough to still have all my teeth. It was a bit of a culture shock for this sheltered little Johnson County girl, but again, I come from tough stock so I just people watched, and dodged the spit and blood and all that. There were at least 4 serious fights in the stands and you had to watch out for people getting thrown through the air as well.

So, the long LONG night comes to a close and I sigh a little sigh of relief. But, wait, there's more......instead of walking with the thousands of people to our car we walk to the back of Kemper to stand in a line with about 15 other losers. There the three men I'm with (skinny 10 yr old kid, chubby HAIRY creepy dad, and my date who looked ok until he started dancing around) TAKE THEIR SHIRTS OFF and stand outside the back door for ANOTHER 2 FREAKING HOURS so they can flex while Hulk is escorted into his limo. Hulk was surrounded by about 10 body guards, so you couldn't actually see the guy anyway, buy my little date with a pimply chest & back was flexing next to his dad and brother and they were yelling "rrrrrr, arrrrgh, and Hey Hulkster" and other fun things.

After convincing the guy that I really wasn't up for another wild evening out, I politely thanked him for the evening, dodged a sloppy kiss that ended up with his tongue slurping the side of my face and didn't take any more phone calls......THIS EINSTEIN thinks, oh no, she must be being held captive against her will and came to rescue me from my home. I swear to GOD, the guy was nuts. He comes by our house in a quiet little suburban town where there's more police than actual residents and very little crime so they don't have a whole lot to do.....and the guy tries to break into what he thought was my bedroom window. It was not. The evening ended up with my father (who is the sweetest most peaceful man you'd ever meet in your life) holding a shot gun on the guy asking him to get the heck off our land (just like in the old western shows) (no the gun was not loaded) and about 4 cop cars pull up to escort the guy out of the city limits.

Is it any wonder it took me another 15 years to go on a blind date? And with the track record of 2 blind dates, 2 crazy psychopaths, I'm not thinking any more of these will be in the future.

I'm here, I'm here...

I'm here, but haven't blogged or read anyone's blogs lately and I'm jonsin' to see what's going on and who got what done for Xmas and who's still insanely thinking they can make deadlines like me!

I'm here, but I'm working my butt off and I'm knitting my fingers off. Our family Xmas celebration was moved to this Thursday eve (THREE FREAKING DAYS OFF) and I was overly generous thinking oh, I can just crank out a few more scarves later.....CRAP. THEN I forgot all the LYS's are CLOSED on Mondays, so I got NOTHING accomplished last night, no, that's not true. I completed a quite ugly fluffy scarf with a red/black bernat boa yarn that could have been pretty by itself but I thought I'd mix in my black squiggle just like I have been doing with the splash...but the splash and boa are not really interchangeable, so it's U.G.L.Y....(everybody now, U...G...L...Y...You ain't got no alibi.....) I know, flashbacks from marching band cheers in high school, didn't you know I was a geek back then? and now if I care to admit it.

MORE LATER including fabulous pics of the scarf women....My aunt, the one who retired so she can become "the Knitress" is knitting something for everyone she's related to...and we have a big-ass Catholic family, so the chick has her work cut out for her...anyway, she made me a gorgeous black silky soft warm scarf with a pretty silvery black boucle and a black eyelash that is DIVINE.... and I'm lovin it, especially as all the scarves I liked and wanted to keep for little ol me have been given in presents....actually those I had made for my brother's wife and the other bro's wife to be were given away.....and they want the Schaeffer yarn scarves, NOT the fast 4 hour ones, not really sure how much these little fingers can knit, but we'll see.

Work's its own little unusual place right now. It will sure be quiet next week with just the three of us with local boss man....oh, right, it WON'T be quiet as the other big bosses are coming back to "help out". I won't have the nice corner office to hide in any longer, so will be right out there in view, which always means more work...I should be glad I have a job, but man that unemployment was sounding good...state of KS even pays for college education up to $3000/year....hmmmmmm....Ah well, they won't let go of me until the whole shebbang is gone.

Merry Merry Knitmas & greetings from a psycho

HOLY CRAP there's not much time left before Christmas. Tonight I've got to sew in some ends on a butt-load of scarves & purses & crap. I should do it as soon as I'm done with a project, but of course, I put them all off for LATER. I've also got to sew the noro party purses together and get them felted. Hopefully they'll be dry by the time we have our little family Xmas a few days after the big day.

So, I get the mail yesterday and find all these lovely Christmas cards from family and friends (I almost never get cards out and figure I'd better at least send a few this year or no one will send me any more)...and get all warm & fuzzy feeling reading the dreaded family update letters and laughing at pictures and such, when I get to a card with no return address. Thinking, ah, it's probably from a lazy person like me, open it and it's from Lavere (yes that's actually his real name) some normal card with "love Lavere" written in it. Creepy. OK, the story behind this is he was the 2nd worst blind date EVER IN THE HISTORY OF BLIND DATES....the best friend of one of the bowling center managers I used to work with when I worked in the district office, said he had a nice friend, who just wanted an evening out with no strings attached and he thought we'd be "perfect" for each other. Apparently this manager guy thought I was a total psychotic schizophrenic sociopath as that's what this guy was. FREAKY. We went to lunch (I normally drive myself at dates or drive the guy too so I can leave if I want) and he met me at work and I can't even describe the hour. It was a strange lunch with conversations of about every off-limits topic, how girls that happen to get raped need to have the baby as it's cleansing for them, other strange strange things like that....and I was like looking at this guy with my mouth hanging open in shock the whole time. If I politely tried to change the subject, he'd come out with another one. I cut the time short, figured I'd better not leave the creep at the restaurant because his best friend was waiting to go play golf with him back at work, so drive him back and he won't get out of my car. I swear to God, he won't get out. I finally say, you know, I have to go back to work...inSIDE the building...OUT of the car...and he's still going on about how homeless people actually want to be cold and it is offensive to them to give money or clothing....and he's answering himself like I'm talking and I'm not saying anything. I finally take my purse out of the blazer and go inside to work and tell his freaky-ass best friend to get him the hell out of my car. Then he comes inside CRYING tears running down his face because he thought he may have offended me and he couldn't live with himself...(thinking GOOD, maybe a life without you in it would be safer) but I did not say anything but "oh, no it was lovely thanks". ICK. Time goes on and about every other month a teddy bear or card arrived at the office with no name attached or he'd stand at the other end of the building from our office just talking with his friend and looking like he's not aware of me and then pointing at me like you do in jr. high. After a few talks with his friend that I really REALLY don't want anything to do with him and his friend thinks he just doesn't do well in relationships because he "tries too hard". ICK. SO, I get the new job here in the dungeon and on my last day at the old job I get an envelope with a black thong with my name in beads up the back butt-floss string with no name. CAN WE ALL SAY ICK????? So, let's just say the card is NOT hanging on the door with all the rest lest the psychoticness is catching. My old boss from that job (yes the one I've gone out with a few times lately) told the manager early on to keep his friend away from me or he'd be arrested or physically hurt and that I was actually seeing someone so to give up. I'm not even worrying that the guy has my freaking address to send the card to as I got the same card last year. What the hell? HOW do I attract these people??????? I'm just really hoping not to end up a story on Law & Order some day.

Another post I'll tell you all the story of the WORST blind date ever from when I was 20. Needless to say, I go on no more blind dates. Would you????

Dang Blogger

I'm still here, just have to do some streamlining on my blogger stuff as I can't get much to show up yet.

Work is pretty interesting...Congrats to Miss Amanda for going out and getting her dream job on the Plaza in the Arts with PAID personal days each stinking month and sick days each stinking month and tons of vacation and they shut down between Christmas and New Years and she'll be surrounded by fabulously gay friends, fabulously rich people and other energetic musical types. YEAH FOR YOU! You can't tell I'm jealous can you? When I was a little girl I always said, "When I grow up, I want to work with natural gas and electricity contracts in a dungeon" Can't you just hear mini me? NO, really, I'm glad to have the job now and am lucky to able to work from home when I need to. It really has worked out great for the both of us.

I think I have knitters elbow.....OW OW OW OW OW.

Quick details of Sat. night. The backless bling bling is officially DEAD. I got the back done, seamed the sides and it was freaking HUGE. I was able to mess with the back to get it tight enough, but if I leaned over, all this extra fabric went flying out to show the stick-on boobs. NOPE. Went to Black & White and found the most amazing black top with sexy brooch and chain straps and a matching bracelet and sexy little black purse....Pics soon I promise!

Later,
C

So THAT's how they make ice cream

More fun

Well, another day down here. I was suffering a bit of the "survivor's guilt" but then realized it's just a job and life goes on. I have to admit I woke up with a case of the "something crawled up my butt and died" syndrome today from a bit of stress thinking about the next few months at work. But, life goes on. I was feeling the worst about the timing of the layoffs here, but the woman who's hit the hardest (who's husband is not working) actually pointed out that it probably saved her a ton. If she hadn't known until January, she would have over-spent on Christmas like we Americans always do, and then been devastated in January when she would have had to pay the bills. So, she's going to scale back the holidays to the things it should be, like joy, family, etc. and is actually working hard to make the transition easier for those of us left behind. I don't know if I'd be that helpful or not if it were me.

After re-knitting the frogged back of the backless bling bling, I realized the pattern was NOT wrong, I was merely RETARDED. SO, after knitting one half THREE times, I thought "huh, that's what you do" and got it done right. Finished at about 1am and need to put it together tonight and get the ribbing along the edges done before Sat. night. I sure hope this damn thing fits after all these "learning opportunities" aka frog times. I can now put stitches back on the needles with ease....frog frog frog it.

Said goodbye to my daughter this morning for her trip to New Mexico. We'll miss her, but she has an unbelievable time down there as her Grandma N. does Christmas like nobody's business. It's the most commercialized, crammed with WAY TOO MANY presents, and UNBELIEVABLE cookies and goodies and such, that it's incredible. I actually still miss Xmas at her house, just don't miss the being-married-to-her-son thing. Joey got some bday presents dropped off for him and doesn't really mind not going this year as I told him he can open one when we get home tonight. We're planning his bday party for Sunday at the same little gymnastics place where Beth had her party. I'm jumping on the giant trampoline as long as my head is not hurting from the big Xmas party Sat. night.

Wow, big work update

OK, so the dungeon's going to be a bit chillier for the next 2 weeks and a whole lot emptier in Jan 2005. Nutshell version, everyone's gone but me and two administrative assistants and the owners. WOW. Miss Amanda is still here with me, and another very sweet woman as well. The next two weeks are going to be horrible. People are mad, sad, crying, quiet, loud, and all the rest. They have to work through the 31st. One woman's husband isn't working right now, and I really REALLY feel bad for her. They will get small severance packages (I think 2 weeks pay) and KS pays well for unemployment, I think it's $350/week, but man, what a surprise right before Christmas.

The not-funny part (for some reason I thought it was funny anyway) is that I'm sitting across from the big three wearing a Sam Adams sweatshirt with a chocolate stain by the neck where my son apparently wiped his face on my during my hug this am, a pony tail, minimal makeup, tennies and faded jeans with cutoff edge that's all stringy.... The last 2 days I've dressed in business attire, with the clients coming and my court date, so today I pick the day to rebel. I'm not even wearing a BRA! THIS is the woman you're putting in charge of the accounting and basically the company? How scary is that? I'm sure they were thinking, nope, this one just can't do it, let's make the sr. analyst do it all..... Ah well. My friend is handling things pretty well, as we pretty much figured we'd all be gone in the new year anyway, but she's almost giddy.

I just had it pointed out to me that without our Controller here any longer, I'm the one that gets all the daily phone calls & stress from the big dogs. He also does ALL the backup and computer stuff.....crap.

The good thing is that I'll be set up to dial in from home to the system should Joey get sick or need to go to the hospital I'll be able to work remotely. That is pretty cool.

wow

Court, men and backless bling

Court went WELL for me. I could've really taken the guy for a lot more $$, but I just wanted it DONE and fair. SO, the ex never even talked with his attorney (or paid anything past the retainer I'm guessing) for the last 2 weeks. His lawyer was the one trying to get it settled and I gave him the ex's cell phone # as he didn't even have it. They went back & forth and I gave the guy credits for traveling expenses and food and hotel rooms, etc. but it worked out to not too much difference in the bottom dollar. I now get extra added to help cover the monthly out-of-pocket since Mr. Man decided he was living in poverty and just couldn't pay it but will hope to soon...... HAH. Well, if he goes over the yearly amount, I send a bill certified and if he doesn't pay, it goes to the courts and he either pays or goes to jail. It sounds terrible, but you have to realize he hasn't paid one penny for out of pocket medical expenses in over 4 years and I've been paying almost $3000/year for Joey's stuff. The best part of the day had to be when his lawyer finally got the ex on the cell phone and said, "I'm signing this now, ok? NO NO NO I'm signing this NOW OK?" then clicked the phone off. I didn't say a word. Everyone signed and it's all done and now I'm getting more than twice what I was before and am happy. :) I asked his laywer if he needed to let Mr. Man know to talk with his bancruptsy lawyer about the increase of our child support so it doesn't garnish his entire paycheck, and he said, "Darlin, it's not my problem any more, let him figure it out." Don't piss off your own laywer. Not a good idea! PLUS if the knucklehead had signed the stupid proposal I had been trying to get him to sign up until 2 days ago, it would have been $150 cheaper a month for him. OK, I admit it, I was doing a bit of evil Bwaaa Haaa Haaa laughing as I drove down the road, I couldn't help it. Score one for the good girls!

MEN....what can I say???? CRAP Well, the other night at the bowling alley I ran into Kenny Rogers aka stalker man, who wanted to give me a Xmas card with "a little something for the kids" and told him very nicely, no thank you, I think it best that you go have a nice Christmas holiday with your family and I really need to concentrate on my family without any outside MARRIED influences, but thank you for thinking of me and now stop thinking of me. ICK. I gave all the details of where this guy lives, his name, cell # to Russell in case I ever turn up missing. I don't feel threatened by him at all, but you gotta watch out with the creepies.

My old friend Bill (ok, the one who used to be my boss at the old job) is back in town for a week or so finishing up his training of the new Dist. Mgr, so I invited him to go with me to the big party Sat. night with my friends. I know I'm going to get teased as he's 11 yrs older than me, but I think it should be fun. I almost didn't ask him but figured, what the heck. I'm getting pissy in my old age. I'm not really worrying about what people think so much any more. We'll see.

Italian Stallion called to say howdy and see what the social life had planned. We may or may not hook up for a night of good food, good drinks at the Cigar Box (small club in downtown KC owned by one of his godfathers) and dancing.... Probably not until between Xmas and New Year's, but it could be fun.

Backless Bling Bling is causing a great deal of cussing from the south part of KC. Can you hear me from there? OH HOLY HELL. I was all excited, cranked out the back, it looked strange, but I thought, oh I'm sure it's fine....went to the LYS, and found a very nice & patient girl who taught me the mattress stitch, and how to pick up stitches, stitched it up and realized it was FUXXED UP and not fixable. With the help of 2 seasoned knitters, we got it back down to the original 10 rows of ribbing and I'm adapting the pattern as I go. YUP, it scares me too. I now have to redo the back, get the dang thing together and then pick up a million stitches and do some ribbing all around. I am wearing this dang thing if I have to duck tape it to my body. Hey, duck tape is silver too, right? CRAP! That's what I'll be doing all night tonight & Friday night and Sat day. Or, I'll cave and go to old navy and buy something flimsy and flirty, but I WANNA WEAR MY BLING BLING DAMMIT.

Big bosses are here in KC a few days early, woo hoo. They're in the conference room conferencing. I'd better get back to cranking out the work.

Send me fast knitting thoughts, maybe it'll help!

A positive creative quote for the day

"To be surrounded by beautiful things has much influence upon the human creature; to make beautiful things has more."
---Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to court we go

Well, I plan on getting the last few rows of the backless bling bling done as I wait outside the courtroom for my child support hearing. Can't freaking wait. Nutshell story, "It's so hard supporting two families"....Zero $$ for his share of 50% of out-of-pocket medical expenses for the last 4 years which are more than $180/month for medicine copays plus any dr. visit copays & 20% of bills....Child support still based on zero child care expenses (now I'm paying for 2 kids' child care) and incomes of both are raised. I turned mine in and we got his bancruptsy papers to use as his proof of increased income.....UGH. I tried to settle over and over, but he figures he'll just tell the judge how hard it is and is pleading "poverty"....(as he's driving their new minivan with the doors that open and engine starts by remote into their new house they had built in the nicest suburb of western Albuquerque) I swear to God, he's pleading poverty. I get $374/month for TWO kids, one of whom is chronically ill and I pay more than that for ONE of the kid's childcare monthly. I make LESS than him and pay ALL the out of pocket fees and ALL the child care and HE's living in poverty?????? Get over yourself. OK, sorry for the venting, but it had to come out or I was going to get a bit bitter. Now I'm just like "BRING IT ON BABY" and "have a nice day". *smiling sweetly*

Back to knitting, I'm cranking out that damn backless tank, but am REALLY pushing it to be able to wear it Sat night....3 FREAKING DAYS AWAY....nope, not stressed, especially as I don't exactly know if it will fit or stay on or show too much skin, or if my back will look chubby or slender, and AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH. It's getting made anyway and I might be wearing some ugly-ass thing instead, we'll see. I've got about 6 little rows left on the back left side, and need to stitch the side seams and then learn to pick up stitches and knit about an inch of ribbing all around so it won't go flopping off and show more skin than anyone wants to see, it may happen yet.

Trying to behave myself today, and present the nice little single mom image and not the chic I really feel like today, shown below: