Friday, August 31, 2007

Hungry hungry kitt-os

Fresh food rocks! Zuzu has been finicky lately, but this morning I gave her 1/3 (rather than 1/4) can of food fresh from the can, and she gobbled it down. Yum! Then she curled up on the blanketed ottoman to take a nap. My kitty has CPS - Chubby Puppy Syndrome. :-)

Met with some SAAZ members last night to discuss the newsletter, and I think I walked away the editor. I wasn't necessarily the last person standing, but more likely the last person to duck.

Was very unhappy, as two of my sock needles broke, and the shop was closed last night when we stopped on the way down to Akron. Must get replacement 2.75mm DPNs! Brought some additional yarn, but not enough accessories to actually start something else. Also, I want to try another pattern for that yarn - was hoping to get that at the closed shop, too. May try again today, as I simply cannot knit a sock with only 3 DPNs. Maybe I need to get circulars and try to learn magic loop or something.

Need to call this morning and schedule a mulch delivery for this afternoon. Hopefully work won't keep me very long (and hopefully they will have my check!). But if you see me online this weekend, tell me to stop wasting time and start mulching...

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Sleeping in, sort-of

In a bit of a tizzy this morning, as I'm starting some "other" work and was not sure what time I needed to be there... I can stay at home a bit longer, so that is good. Guess I should have worked out this morning.

The moon was lovely last night. Almost called Mike to tell him, but thought that perhaps he'd be on his way home when it was at its most beautiful. He was not. I took some pictures, which I'm sure did no justice. May upload a few, depending if they look better on the computer screen than they do on my camera's LCD.

He was out with his beer buddies, I was out with my knitting friends, and Poor Lonely Zuzu was home alone not eating. I don't know why she's being so picky all of a sudden, but it seems she wants us to open a fresh can of food every time she's fed. Kitty, you start generating income and paying for your food, and you can have a fresh can three times a day.

Working on the stripey socks. Discovered (and would have realized, had I thought about it) that toe-up socks are not the best for stripey yarn. Will keep that in mind with the other stripey yarns I have.

Anyway, just got a phone call, so I'm on the road. Standard road kit will include laptop, cell phone and knitting. Fun!

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Truths of the kitty

1. Meow if you are hungry. Someone will prepare food.

2. Stare if you want to snuggle. The human furniture will adjust and provide suitable real estate.

3. Stare with big eyes if you want to play. A pouncing posture helps, too. A mysterious red light will appear and beg to be chased.

4. Announce yourself when entering a room, particularly if you want to play chase.

5. The blanket-covered ottoman is the best place in the house. Its only deficiency is a lack of sunshine.

6. The house is full of hiding places. There is always at least one place the humans will not think to look. Find it. Watch (and listen to) them search. Fun!

7. The recliner is mine. All mine. Don't even think about it. Stop thinking. Mine! That barstool by the window belongs to me, too. So is that sofa. Actually, everything is mine. Even you are mine, too. And your shoes. *Especially* your shoes.

8. There is something intriguing behind the television stand. It must be investigated every now and again, particularly when the humans are watching. Help them get their exercise by staying back there until they walk over to see what you're doing.

***

So she doesn't talk as well as these cats. She still gets her points across.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Seeing things in the fog

This morning, when I was driving to work, it was foggy. Noticed something in the power lines. There were hundreds of spider webs stretched between power lines (parallel lines, probably about a foot apart), and it was only possible to see them because it was misty - if you looked too hard, they'd disappear. Anyway, I appreciated it.

Started a stripey sock, and have the toe done. Plan on using the extra skein of yarn leftover from Kelly's socks to make a few pairs for my nieces, just need to get the sizing right.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

One finished project

Finished Kelly's second sock last night (all except weaving in the ends) right as we got to the Bat Gala. We'd been mattress shopping, and were in the neighborhood, so we stopped by South Chagrin Reservation and checked out the festivities. We were a bit early, so we helped the shop volunteers (one of whom I knew) set up. And I do mean I finished right before - I bound off the final stitches as we pulled into the parking lot. I definitely prefer toe-up socks, although I'll try leg-down socks again, and see if my opinion changes.

Recently learned about double knitting, where you knit two socks at once, one inside of the other, and I am very intrigued. Tried it last night, but didn't get past the cast-on. I think I had an epiphany about how it works (let's hope so!) so I can successfully try again today.

Have a few more rows to go on the tote bag, then the straps, and then felting...

Finally got my card reader to work, after uninstalling some software. Posted pictures (someday, to Flickr!) of Kelly's socks, my yarn purchase, and my little ham, who is now sitting like a turkey.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Adventures at the yarn store

The yarn store (Stitch, Piece & Purl) is having their birthday sale today (25% off all in-stock products), so of course I had to be there.

Picked up a decent bit of yarn, and will post a picture if I can get my card reader to work.

New additions to the stash are as follows:

Sock yarn:

Regia Design Line - two colors of self-striping, one teal, grey, and blue with a hint of pink, the other dark blue, grey, and tan with hints of green, pink, and burgundy. 75% superwash new wool, 25% polyamide

Brown Sheep's Wildfoote Luxury sock yarn - Brown sugar. I've been tempted by this before, and gave in today due to the sale. 75% washable wool, 25% nylon

Other (I'm not sure yet) yarn:

Berocco Comfort - this may become socks after all. It feels like it would be wonderful to work with. Very soft, shades of green. 50% super fine nylon, 50% super fine acrylic

Malabrigo kettle-dyed merino wool - rainbow-hued, beautiful, soft wool. I've had my eye on this for a long time. They had a sock stitched up, so this may become socks, too. Nice, thick, cozy socks. For me. No one else. Be warned!

Rowan Tapestry Potpourri - a rosy, self-striping yarn. For whatever reason, I could not resist the pinkish shade. Will probably make a scarf for Mommie, as she likes pink. Or, perhaps I'll try socks. :-) It's probably a bit soft for socks, but hey, I'm on a sock kick. (No, really...)

Also picked up a drop spindle, as I've been thinking about trying spinning. A woman in my knitting group has some alpaca fiber ready to dye and spin, and she's going to share some with me. No better time to buy a spindle than when it's on sale.... Wish me luck!

Friday, August 24, 2007

Just call me Kitty... Kitty Furniture

Woke up around 5:00 as usual to a noisy kitty. Fed her, crashed on the couch (no work outside the home today, unless you include the grocery store). After she ate, she curled up on me, and purrrrrrrred.

So I'm wondering if I should post less frequently, as when I don't post I get more phone calls. No, we did not drown. We have one of the higher houses in this flat part of Ohio, and while our neighbors have had water/flooding trouble, we have not. *knock on wood*

Working on Kel's second sock, and am very proud of myself as I turned the heel at 69 Taps in Akron for SAAZ night (Tuesday). I was able to concentrate well enough with a group of people and beer. Still have a few more inches to go, but the socks should be ready to send soon. Will probably show off the pair at knitting group on Wednesday, then mail the box with socks and scarves. Kel, should I send anything else?

Started reading a garage sale book. (No, in most cases that shouldn't scare you - I picked up Life of Pi and Blink that way. This one however, well...I'm wondering.) Bought it for a quarter (maybe $0.50) because of the blurb from William Gibson. Loved Pattern Recognition and thought that a few coins could be spent on his suggestion. Book seems okay, I guess. I'm about 50 pages in, but nearly didn't make it past page 2, due to this sentence: "It was late early spring, and outside in the darkness it was raining." Late early spring? How awkward is that? I guess I know what he was trying to say, and perhaps he was trying to convey a specific series of days before spring has fully blossomed, but I was not impressed by the phrase. Particularly when other references to season mention winter. It's a quick read (50+ pages before bed), so I'll give it another chance. The writer could just be suffering from poor editing, as I also noticed a girl being called Betsy and Betsey in the same paragraph. Maybe I should concentrate on the story and not the writing. Hey, it worked for Dan Brown - he managed to make millions out of mediocre writing and a decent story (even if it did have the traditional Scooby-Doo ending ["And I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids!" was the only thing missing, in case you were wondering]. Angels and Demons was not nearly as Scooby-Doo.) Then again, maybe I'm just picky. Thoughts?

Kitty logic

If I stare at my dish long enough, food will materialize...

I think she was trying to convince me that I had not already given her breakfast. Poor, hungry kitty.

Knitting group met last night. I am nearly to (about a round or three away) from the heel of Kel's sock. Patti took a picture of the completed sock on my foot - it will someday appear online.

I love being a child of the 80s - my legs were cold last night (track pants in the wash) so I pulled out a pair of legwarmers. They lived up to their name.

Anyway, must go in to work. There's a SAAZ thing tonight - I might actually go with Mike assuming I can escape the office early enough.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

This is why you should *always* carry a camera

Came home from exercising, getting ready to take a shower. Zuzu is laying in the hallway outside the bedroom (between Mike and me, as he's in the office), all stretched out, almost a running position. We make eye contact, and I toss a sock at her. It lands by her tail. I toss another sock. It lands by her head. I keep tossing socks to her, and she keeps watching, wondering if they are good toys. After I've thrown six socks (yes, I need to do laundry), I walk over, and pet her a little. She's relaxed, so I put a sock on her as if it's a mini blanket. Sock one, no movement. Socks two through six, and she just lays there. I go back into the bedroom, and Zuzu is just hanging out in the hallway, with half a dozen socks covering her from neck to back feet. My camera bag is downstairs, as is my cell phone. I know that if I walk past her and go downstairs, she'll follow me. So I go into the bathroom, and take a shower, and when I'm done, there are six lonely socks laying on the floor in the hallway. Silly me missed my chance to post a picture on stuff on my cat.

Anyway, I'm now to the heel in Kel's sock, as I did a few rounds this morning on the way to work. Socks aren't as car-friendly as tote bags, though.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Good Meowrn-ing!

I really wish that Zuzu would let me sleep until at least 6 after I was up after 11.

Off on a day trip to Pittsburgh to see the glass exhibit(s) with a friend. I don't know how long we'll be there - I hope there's time to have lunch with my mom!

She's driving, so I'll definitely get some knitting done! Kel's second toe is done, and I'm on the third color of the tote bag. Maybe I can finish something in the car...

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Is a knitting driver worse than a cell phone driver?

Today at work was a coworker's birthday. While the rest of us assembled in the conference room waiting for the guest of honor to arrive, we chatted about various things. We waited for what seemed an inordinate amount of time, and I remarked that I should go get my knitting. I mentioned that the tote bag I was working on was a perfect car project, and my coworkers seemed shocked that I would knit while sitting at traffic lights. (Yes, I did it again today - it works well! The bag is knitted in the round, so no row changes to worry about, and it's tall enough now that it sits still when I put it down.) I don't understand how that is somehow worse than reading the newspaper at stoplights, as one woman admitted to doing. But the biggest wrath of the day was reserved for Bluetooth users, particularly those who don't remove their earpieces when in meetings or talking to people in person.

Shameless plug of the day: Kitty Crack (Otherwise known as VitaKitty). Zuzu loves her chicken jerky!

Song of the day: "Sister Kate" by the Ditty Bops. I think I heard that they'll be in town soon - must find bar buddy to go (unless Mike can be convinced to join me).

Anyway, I should work on Kelly's second toe, so I have another low-attention project for the car!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Double the fun

Knitting group met tonight, at a little place in Berea. I'd recommended it, as I'd seen Brad Yoder there a few times. Turns out that there's a knitting group that meets there every Wednesday. So our group met another group. I think we were sitting at their table. The first pair walked in, and walked back out, and sat down outside. Other members came up, and at some point one woman pointed at us and made a face. Eventually they garnered enough courage to come in, and we all chatted a bit.

I finished Kelly's first sock today, while having an Ionic Detoxifying Foot bath. Could be quackery, I don't know, but it was free. Started out with clear water, and ended up with some disgusting stuff. I was hoping that it would suck out the toxins left by the mosquitos that bit me, but no such luck.

Started her second sock at knitting group, but had to rip it out as I wasn't paying enough attention. Toes and heels aren't the best social knitting. Worked on the tote bag, as everyone agreed that the mauvey-pink works with the blue and grey. Learned that tote bags are good car knitting - I pulled it out while sitting at a long traffic light and did a few quick stitches. It sat perfectly still in my lap until the next light.

Oh well. I should go to bed - have a long day tomorrow.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Rogue snapdragons

Did some weeding over the weekend. Noticed some flowers blooming in the small patch between the front stoop, driveway and walkway. Snapdragons. Short ones. Yellow and white. I did not plant them, but they seem to be taking over the space. Don't know where they came from, but I like them.

***

Word of advice to any novice hop farmers: When harvesting, wear long pants and long sleeves. Latex gloves are encouraged. Exposed skin will get scratched and *oh so itchy*.....

***

Nearly done with Kel's first sock. Turns out that I will have more yarn left than I expected. I'll probably use the extra for socks for my nieces. The 4-year-old wants very tall socks. Good thing about toe-up is that she can try them on as I work them. I need to learn the two-at-once method of sock knitting. There's lots I need to learn. I'm currently trying to learn continental knitting, which will make ribbing stitches so much easier! Tomorrow is knitting group - we'll see what they think of my tote bag colors.

Anyhow, I'm going to sit outside for a while and enjoy the nice weather.

Monday, August 13, 2007

My version of porn

My knitpicks.com catalog came in the mail today. Ooh! I am far more excited than I should be. They have such beautiful yarns! Such wonderful colors! I want to do all sorts of things to them, verbs like: touch, play, knit, feel, rub, snuggle, admire, and so on. I'm a sucker for hand-dyeds, and they have several new varieties for fall. I'm very excited about some of the sock yarns, as I've been on a sock kick lately. But I should not purchase anything else until I've finished a few projects...... We'll see how long that sentiment lasts.

Anyway, I should stop obsessing and finish Kel's sock. I have several inches of ribbing done. It just needs to be a bit taller. I tried it on, and it fits me well - hopefully it will fit Kelly just as well. The tote is on hold until I share it with my knitting group to get their thoughts on whether or not the third color works or not. I like the first two, but I'm not sure about the third. Could be that I just don't usually like pink. If it doesn't work, it may be an excuse to order some of the new colors.......

Spent today with my dad, running around Canton. We got to play on some WWII planes (check out www.collingsfoundation.org to see which ones) which was fun. It took forever to find the place - we stopped for directions something like four times, and finally found a flyer and called the museum. Lots of roads in the vicinity were closed. Kelly's sock is much larger due to the extra miles covered. Anyway, we watched the planes take off for their next destination. Wandered around the MAPS museum for a while, too. I picked up a Rosie the Riveter T-shirt. Gotta love Rosie! We never made it to the Rock Hall, which had been the original destination. Oh well - the Beach Boys exhibit that he wants to see is there until December. Great thing about being a consultant is that I can make my own schedule, so whenever he gets back out here, we'll go to the Rock Hall and Great Lakes.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

It’s sad what makes me sick nowadays

Worked on Kel's sock some more last night, when Zuzu told me that it was time for me to sit down and become kitty furniture. The heel is done. (Pictures are posted.) I think I will do ribbing for the top of the sock - If my notes are correct, she wants a short sock of something like 4". (Please correct me if I'm wrong!) That should be something like 28-30 rows, which isn't too bad. It will make the sock stretchy and snug.

Had too many brownies last night. Had a bit of beer, too, that Mike had poured before he left. Too much sugar, and I ended up queasy. Reminded me of the time that I was sick in a hotel room in Las Vegas. Phrasing it that way makes it sound like a stays in Vegas story, but I feel like sharing my geekiness anyway. It's more fun than weeding, and that's the first item on my to-do list.

Story goes something like this... I met Grandma in Vegas, and as I was younger and more able to deal with the heat, I explored around a lot more than she did. I discovered a giant Coke bottle called the World of Coke. Knowing that Grandma *loved* Coca-Cola products (I seem to recall at least one Christmas with Coke wrapping paper), I knew that she and I had to take the tour. (It also helped that they were handing out passes on the sidewalk, so it was free. Tangent: tourist-traps based on products and advertising should always be free. Shame on you Cereal City!)

Anyway, somewhere in the World of Coke was a giant cola machine, with flavors of Coke products from around the world. As we're easily amused (and it wasn't too crowded despite the free tickets), we tried lots of the varieties. I was very excited to see Tab on the list. For whatever reason, I'd thought they no longer made Tab. I remember drinking Tab as a kid, but it disappeared from the Pittsburgh market sometime in the late 80s after the introduction of Diet Coke. (Either that, or I just stopped noticing it.) I was so excited, that I filled my water bottle (something like 24 oz.) with Tab, and nursed it through the evening.

We got back to the hotel room, and it occurred to me that Tab is caffeinated. I had been off caffeine most of the summer, and I started feeling queasy. Hence the being sick in a Vegas hotel room. Anyway, I loved hanging out with Grandma. It was serious culture shock, though, as I'd spent the previous few days camping 30 minutes away from the nearest running water.

Oh well, I should attack the weeds in my flowerbeds. But I'd rather hang out with Grandma. I really miss her.

(For your amusement - the history of Tab: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tab_%28soft_drink%29)

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Domestic goddess time

Taking a short break, as one batch of brownies is in the oven, two loaves of beer bread are ready to go in, and a second batch of brownies will be assembled while the bread is cooking (the cream cheese needs time to soften; besides, I think the cheesecake brownies will stay here, and the others need to go to a party).

I just posted a picture of Kelly's sock so far. I'm not quite to the heel, but getting there. Will probably end up working on the heel tonight, so that it's ready to be a to-go project again. I should probably do a rib pattern above the heel, but we'll see. Maybe k4p4 would work - it's not so much switching back and forth. Anyway, I like the yarn. It's Swedish. Jarbo Raggi. It's not exactly stripey, at least not in the wide-stripe sort of way, but it alternates between dark purple and lavender. It's hard to see in the picture, but the colors shift between darker and lighter shades. I hope Kel will like them. If not, I'll keep them. I could just make more - the Raggi seems to be stitching up quickly. I love big yarn and big needles.

Posted two pictures of Zuzu to go with the two of the socks. She's gotten used to being my favorite subject, and is quite the ham. "Ham? You have ham?!?! Meow! Feed me! Meow! Meow!" No, kitty, I don't have ham. *You* are the ham, and it's only fitting with as much of a little piggy as you've been recently. It's one of the words she knows, courtesy of my father-in-law. And as Tom would say, "Zuzu, could you kill a pig?" She's wanted to go deer hunting on occasion; she's very interested when we have deer in the back yard or across the pond.

Okay. Bread is in the oven. Brownies are on the stove. Used my felted potholder and oven mitt to remove them from oven. They worked well, which is good, as several family members will be receiving them for Christmas. More people, perhaps, as they're inexpensive (actually cheaper than some scarves) and *very* quick to make.

Oh well. Mike's ride will be here in 90 minutes. He's going to a party without me. I wouldn't mind going, but it's a big blowout sort-of thing, and I prefer parties where they have real toilets and not portapotties. Especially at night. I can deal with the transitory water closets when I can see what I'm doing, but not when it's pitch black, and many other people have also not been able to see what they're doing. Plus my dad will be visiting tomorrow night, and I want to try to put the house in order before he shows up. Cleaning is not fun when one is hung over, and it's too tempting to drink too much at that party. Happy housekeeping!

Yummy, yummy yarn...

The Kirtlandia Society luncheon is today, and I wanted to bring a project (as I always do to the meetings). I did not want to bring the tote bag in progress, as it's big and very obvious. Kelly's socks were the obvious choice for small, unobtrusive projects, except (as she knows) they require nearly an hour of pay-attention knitting to start, and I want to watch/listen to today's presentations. So, this morning, I worked on the toe. I'm definitely getting better with the wrap and turn stuff. I've uploaded a picture of the toe for your amusement.

Anyway, during much of the process, I had a kitty on my lap. (She's staring at me now, hoping the laptop will go away...Poor kitty - I have to get moving!) She had fun playing with the working yarn, and trying to eat the waste end. Tracey Ullman refers to yarn as "edible" in her knitting book, but I doubt that she tries to eat it as much as Zuzu does.

Friday, August 10, 2007

If only...

The rule in this household is that Zuzu does not get fed until after 5:00 (preferably 6:00, but that doesn't always work). So I tell her, no breakfast until Carl Kasell's on. I move downstairs between 4:00-4:30 (depending on when she starts prodding me to wake) and turn on NPR. When they switch from classical music to stories, I know I can feed her.

This morning, she was particularly insistent before 5:00, sitting on my chest and meowing directly into my face. I think she used her skills of kitty thought power to give me an idea of how she could fill her tummy before 5:00.

First, we'd need to be on "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me" and win Carl Kasell's voice on our answering machine. Then, Zuzu would have to learn how to play the recording, so I could hear Carl Kasell before he was on the radio.

Think it can happen? She is a motivated kitty - particularly when she hasn't eaten for 8 hours..... Maybe she'll call Carl Kasell and ask for help. It might work, as she has a very persuasive meow.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Wow! They shrunk!

Last night, I felted the Bigfoot socks and the potholder/oven mitt combo. The socks shrunk *A LOT*. They are now perfectly sized for my feet. I'll have to share a picture.

I'm currently on row 11 of a 94-row tote bag. The first contrasting stripe is done.

So I thought that my kitty was letting me sleep in this morning - from what I could see, the clock said 7:05 (which means 6:35). No such luck. I missed some segments, as when I got downstairs the clock said 4:45. Oh well. I fed my hungry kitty and we snuggled. Life is good. Now I need to clean the house.... There's a knitting meetup tonight, so I should get things in order before going. And I have packed all of the supplies for Kel's socks, so I could bring a smaller project bag. We'll see. I love working on tote bags because they seem to go so quickly. I love big needles. Maybe I need to make another alpaca blanket similar to the one Zuzu likes so much (see picture). Big blanket, something like three non-solid days of knitting.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Change in project plans...

Okay, so I was *supposed* to start on Kelly's socks yesterday when we were out. Silly me forgot two essential things to the pattern--a crochet hook and scrap yarn. I brought the pattern, and had even called Kel to confirm the size of her feet. That said, I didn't read the instructions and forgot to bring the supplies for the crochet cast on. At least I planned for my own incompetence and brought the yarn (and pattern, and needles) for another felted tote bag.

And no, I have not felted the Bigfoot socks. I realized that I had yarn in the same colorway that was designated for felting also--this time as an oven mitt and potholder. And as those items stitch up *very* quickly, I thought I'd try for efficiency and felt them all together. Both pieces are nearly ready for felting--just need to weave in the ends. Hopefully tomorrow I'll do that.

As for the tote bag, well, I've finished the base, and just need to pick up stitches around it before starting the stripey pattern. And the tote bag uses the same size circular needles as the potholder, which is why it came along, too--I had the needles in the project bag (aka ziploc) and I wanted to keep the needles with the project, at least for now....

Oh well--I should play with the kitty. And then get ready for work.... I really like this consulting thing.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Making an old hiding place new again

Our lovely little girl went missing this morning. She followed us upstairs, but not back downstairs. We ate breakfast, and Mike watched an episode or two of Buffy, and no Zuzu. I decided that I was going to find our kitty.

I looked in our bedroom, under the bed, on and under blankets. Moved into the guest room, and the covers were smooth. Looked under the bed, no kitty. But wait! The fabric covering the bottom of the box spring has some holes. Zuzu has been known to climb in there and sleep as if she were in a kitty hammock. She was in there, not where she usually sleeps, but at the other end of the bed, above some of the boxes, mostly hidden.

Speaking of our kitty, I just paid off her medical bills. Her belly fur isn't completely filled in yet, but her surgeries are paid off. It's sad when you need to take out credit to pay for pet care. (Although with six-months-same-as-cash, it only made sense...) Let's hope we don't need to use that account again... (But they say it's a health care credit card, and can be used for human care as well as kitty care.) But Zuzu's care was worth every penny. She's definitely a lot healthier now, and very happy. (Now curled up on a blanket by the window.) (Okay, I'm probably obsessed, but she's adorable. Check out my pictures to see!)

Sunday, August 5, 2007

General whatevers - nothing exciting

Today when I woke up, I felt like I'd been beaten during the night. No clue why, or how, but I was sore. It's not quite as bad now, but was yucky this morning. Maybe we just need a new mattress.

Just finished the hat and mittens for my youngest niece, to match the set for her older sister. (I ought to post pictures, as they're really cute!) I think 2 is a bit too young for a scarf, so she'll have to wait on that. (The 4-yr-old was ecstatic to get a scarf, gushing, "I've never had a scarf before! Now I'll have something to keep my neck warm in the winter," and wearing it around the house for longer than necessary for a July evening.) I might start ponchos or socks--actually, I should do the toe of a sock so that I have a to-go project that doesn't really require counting until it's time for the heel. Gave away the bottle green Mosaic scarf to another knitter who is willing to weave in the ends. I opened my project bag to give her a business card, and she was smitten with the scarf. Will soon felt the Bigfoot socks--wish me luck that they shrink as much as they need to.

Went to the Hudson farmers' market yesterday, picked up some yummy veggies. Made salsa today, will soon make some tomatillo salsa as well. Corn probably for dinner, too. Stopped at Miss Chickpea's Funky Fibers and browsed a while. They had some gorgeous yarn, but I should really avoid purchasing anything new for a while. I want to sign up for their Continental knitting class, as it's a lot more efficient to knit that way. I missed the July sessions, but it will be offered again in the fall.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

This is why I love Barbara Kingsolver

"I have seen women looking at jewelry ads with a misty eye and one hand resting on the heart, and I only know what they're feeling because that's how I read the seed catalogs in January."

Now if only I similar characteristics and resources -- space, time, discipline, etc. -- I'd have a much nicer garden in place of my lone tomato plant. Last year I did raise some seedlings, but not many.

Anyway, I'm off to the farmer's market..... Apparently there's one in Hudson on Saturday mornings. Wish me luck!

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Organization and other stuff

Today was my first day as a consultant for my former employer. I was supposed to be there for three hours. I left after 6.5. Stopped by Costco on the way home (that place is *always* busy - don't people have to work for a living?), and picked up some fun cube-like shelf things. Put them together in my craft room (also known as Zuzu's Forbidden Room), and started sorting my yarn. At least the portion of my stash that was upstairs. Six cubes, distributed according (mostly) to projects in potentia:

1. Socks and scarves (slippers too)
2. Sweaters
3. Bags
4. Baby gift stuff
5. Scrap yarn for random stuff
6. Inheirited yarn from my sister's husband's grandmother.

6 can most likely be donated, as it's all *really* old acrylic yarn--so old that the labels don't include yardage, weight, a gauge, or anything, really. The labels say things like "make an afghan with three skeins." I doubt that I'll use much of the yarn, so I should just donate it to a group that makes projects for charity.

Have my scarf bag in my car. Gave my friend Cathy a fun scarf made with burgundy eyelash yarn mixed with a silver twine-like yarn. I loved it, and would have debated keeping it, but I have a habit of not accessorizing. A coworker gave me some jewelry she'd made as a goodbye gift, and it actually matched what I was wearing that day. I put on the necklace and earrings, but they didn't last long. The earrings lasted maybe an hour, the necklace a bit longer. The necklace finally pulled off when I was crawling on the floor trying to test a network cable. Thank goodness for magnetic clasps. Anyway, the jewelry is very pretty, but it will stay boxed up until I need to dress up for some reason yet unknown.

I did finish the bottle green Mosaic scarf, with the exception of weaving in the ends. Have lost the Mosaic scarf made from the reddish yarn - I know it's in the house somewhere, but I don't know where. Working with the perfect 4-yr-old girl yarn, to make my niece a hat. Will then probably start on the poncho, simply because it looks like fun.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

First day of freedom

I am officially no longer employed. Yes, I have some consulting things lined up, but I am now an Independent Contractor. I am considering today a Saturday that conveniently falls in the middle of the week, so I can do things like go to the bank (and with Mike when he gets his driver's license renewed).

My agenda today:

1. Sleep in. Check - once Zuzu had roused me, I fed her and crashed again on the couch rather than get ready for work.
2. Find the checkbook. Done. Just had to follow the trail of clues and remember that Mike had used the checkbook last to pay for entries into the Ohio State Fair. Find the leftover forms, and find the checkbook.
3. Order Tori Amos tickets. I have a presale option through WYEP, so tickets to the Pittsburgh show go on sale at 9:00am. Task will be completed shortly after 9:00. I do not yet have a date - does anyone want to use the other half of my pair of tickets?
4. Laundry. It desperately needs done. Enough said.
5. Clean. Again, desperately needs done.
6. Weed. Can you tell I haven't devoted much time to household necessities lately?
7. Go to the library. Must return book, plus pick up the new Barbara Kingsolver that I'd requested.
8. Knit. If there's any time left, I'll start on my niece's hat and/or poncho. My knitting group meets tonight in Lakewood; perhaps I'll try to join them. Maybe Mike would like to go and hang out at the Beer Engine...

Fun, eh? I like life as a domestic goddess. I'd love to be a stay-at-home mom to Zuzu, but unfortunately she does not generate enough (any!) income for that, so I have to work to pay for her food. (And her medical care - and that bill is due soon!)

Oh well... I should do a few things before ordering tickets. Wish me luck in getting good seats! ended up with 6th row Orchestra - anyone want to come with me?