Winners! We have them!

I am such a slacker. And I hate leaving people disappointed. So, I went back to the toy sale, and picked up a few more orangutans. Lista gets an orang with velcro hands, so he can hang in her nursery, and Pixisis and Melcentrica both get Original Ooks. There may be a slightly smaller version for Carry if she likes, or perhaps for someone else who might want a Librarian of their very own. Comment away! (Although this time there might not be multiple winners, as I bought out their selection of orangutans. Also nearly bought out their selection of penguins. Emperor, King, Adelie, Magellanic, Rockhopper, Gentoo, and Humboldt. Perhaps another species that I can't remember. I really need to stay away from that place.)

Anyway, their packages are on the way, along with some other stuff that will be landing soon, and hopefully everything will be appreciated.

Really glad that stuff went to the PO yesterday, as it is snowing here and I am not yet convinced that I should leave the house. Yes, I have a project at work that needs my attention, but it has been waiting since August (not my fault! It showed up on my desk in December!) and can wait a bit longer.

Anyway, watch this space for more contests, hopefully in the near rather than distant future. Until then, i give you a gratuitous cute Zuzu picture. Enjoy!

Randomness and an OOK!

So... It's been a while. Lots has happened. October was insane. Went to a wedding reception, saw Neil Gaiman, helped with a benefit for the Museum Women's Committee, did the Tour de Stitch again with Mom, baked 20 dozen cupcakes to take to Rhinebeck, hosted our annual shindig, and had a hot date with a book on October 25 when things finally calmed down. Somehow was able to work in that mess, and knit just a teensy bit.

November was somewhat quieter, but still busy. Saw William Shakespeare's Land of the Dead - ZOMBIES!!! - on the 1st, went to the Jell-O museum on the 6th, took a toe-up sock class with Cookie A on the 7th, and the rest of the month just raced past.

Anyway, can't believe that it's December. The day before Thanksgiving, went to a meeting at what turned out to be a toy company, and they were having their annual Christmas sale. Well, I went back today, and everything that they had over $1 was half off. Including Ook!



I picked up two, which is good, because Mike actually really likes him. He'll be lurking in our library. His counterpart, however, is upstairs in the former office, hiding with half a dozen penguins. Anyway, I think I'll have a contest for the Upstairs Ook. Leave a comment to tell me why he should live with you, and the best story (or a random number) wins.

Anyway, time to make dinner and watch Extract. Have fun!

StuffOnMyZuzu.com

Because I don't like the StuffOnMyCat.com copyright bit, here is StuffOnMyZuzu:



Still running around a lot, still knitting a lot, still reading but not as fast as the first half of the year(have been keeping up on the list), and have been working a decent bit. I actually really like my job, which is cause for celebration. Anyway, need to be quick as it is past my bedtime and I have a Very Exciting Day of Laundry ahead of me tomorrow. Fun.

Finally...and lots of pictures!

Well. This is my first weekend at home in months. Those of you who pay attention to my ramblings on Ravelry and/or Facebook know that my mom had bypass surgery on June 2. Quintuple bypass. With lots of complications. She was in the hospital for most of June. Anyway, she's doing muuuuch better now, and is home, and is driving, and is getting back to as-normal-as-possible life.

I should be making cupcakes for tomorrow's SAAZ blues and brews, but hey, it starts towards evening, so I have all day tomorrow... Today has been a lazy day, just because it could be. Finished book #90 today. Was definitely different, and somewhat disturbing. Started the Chronicles of Narnia, all seven in one book. We'll see how long those 800 pages take...

Anyway, I am posting because I finally awarded the winner of the PPZ magnet! A few weekends ago, Mom drew a name from those who wanted entered in the drawing, and Jesse won! I gave him the magnet on Monday at knitting group, and he was thrilled. (I should have had the camera out when I handed him the magnet - he had quite the look on his face!) Anyway, here he is, with his prize. Someday I will make brioche for that boy, too, just because.


Anyway, Zuzu is pestering me, it is nearly dinnertime, and I have daffodils to browse. (Thanks, CathyCake!) Maybe next year I can convince the deer to leave my tulips alone. Worst case I'll have something blooming in the spring.

Oh, I should give you an update on my knitting adventures. Knitted the pieces for Mom's sweater in two weeks, entirely in the hospital. Working on seaming it now. The shoulders are seamed, the sleeves are set in, and one sleeve is sewn shut. Just need to seam the other sleeve and both sides, and then pick up stitches for the neckline. Might make Mom a cowl to go with it, as the neckline won't cover up her scar, and she doesn't really want to show it off to the world. It was nicely blocked, and looked lovely until it spent a week in a bag. Will re-steam before giving it to Mom. The color is perfect for her.



Finished the first pair of beer socks, Oktoberfest, and unfortunately, the ribbing is too tight, so they don't fit over my heels. Need to frog and redo the foam. Not a good picture, but here you go:



Okay, this one is a bit better, but still not great.


Finished my Gin and Tonic socks, and they fit well. They're snug to get on, due to the fiddly cable, but once they're on they're lovely. Zuzu approves.





Did another Calorimetry, just because, with yarn I handpainted myself. Just need to get a button and sew it on. More hospital knitting.



The summer of alcoholic socks continues. I started some Irish Ale socks, designed by the lovely RedScot, who also designed the Gin and Tonic socks, and the Traffic Island socks that I never posted because I wasn't posting. Let's remedy that. Oh, might also start some frozen margarita socks tomorrow, depending on how simple the toe/foot is. Must remember to bring my headlamp so I can knit in the dark.



Also made two baby bibs for the baby that caused the maternity leave that resulted in my current job.

A dinosaur, of course, and a duckie.



Trying to work on a shawl, but think I'm going to start over as I am only 7 rows in and have 4 extra stitches. That's what I get for trying to do lace in a dark-ish room in public. Oh well. I can live with losing 7 rows.

What else? It's a bit later and I still haven't had dinner, Zuzu is still asking for a second dinner, so everything else will wait. Have fun!

Let's see who is still paying attention

So I know I haven't posted in forever. Sorry. And I'm not going to post anything tremendously substantial today, either.

But what I am posting is a contest! Just a little one, but still fun.

I found a Pride and Prejudice and Zombies magnet at Oddmall today. It can be yours..... Anyone who comments before the end of May will be entered in the drawing for the magnet and other miscellaneous goodies that might be sitting around the house.

Good luck!

Caffeinated again

So... In Reading, with my mom and sister. Luckily we have a suite, as I am camped out on the fold-out couch thinking about sleep while my body just doesn't wanna. Had a lovely dinner tonight, with the exception of the "decaf" we ordered with dessert. It wasn't. Decaf, that is. My mom had chest pains while walking back to the car, and I am still awake, even though I was exhausted when we got back to the hotel. Um, yeah. Now I am frantically typing as I kick my feet and consider how long it will take me to doze off.

I think I'm going to read, and see if that helps. No, because I am enjoying the book that I am reading, and while I purchased a copy of the book that I am struggling to convince myself to read before it is waaay overdue at the library, that book is in my sister's car, and therefore I can't get it, which is sad because even though I like it and love the author it tends to make me somewhat sleepy.

Anyway, yes, I have been knitting, and finished the bag part of the Market Squares bag yesterday (was it just yesterday?) while somewhere, um, dinner maybe? No, in the car. Nearly done with the second of the second pair of Fetching, this pair slightly modified to make them bigger because I wanted them that way, tyvm. Hopefully the last bits will get done tomorrow. Or maybe tonight, as I am still awake, dammit!

Oh, and I haz a dinosaur!! We went to the Works at Wyomissing for lunch. As it is a Dave and Buster's kind-of thing, and there was a short wait for a table, we played skee ball while we waited. Which isn't important, even though it was fun. It is especially not important since they did not have fake mustaches for me to buy with the tickets that I earned. Of which there were a decent amount, since I apparently kick butt at skee ball. What is important, is the Dino Drop game, which was near the entrance to the very loud game area, and oh so tempting. Mommie said that we weren't allowed to play until we had eaten all of our lunch, so after we ate, Wendy and I wandered over, and I managed to snag this guy:



I named him Rutherford. And sorry for the poor quality. Studip cell phone cameras. anyway, ktb and Jesh met him this afternoon at the chocolate shop, and he provided much entertainment at dinner.

Anyway, I am going to attempt sleep again, as it is nearly midnight and I really should, especially since I need to drive Mommie and then me home tomorrow. Oh, and my body likes to wake me no later than 6:30am. Fun stuff...

A morning in the life ~or~ The reason I avoid caffeine...and other stuff

It is 5:18 am. Yesterday, I had two cups of (excellent, btw) coffee made from beans Gretchen brought from NYC. Enjoyed the coffee, but wow, the caffeine! Didn't notice it so much during the day, but when I went to bed? First, stayed up later than usual because the normal tiredness didn't kick in. Went to bed, and forgot to take my glasses off until I'd been there about 10 minutes. After about 30-40 minutes or so, I realized my feet were twitching. When I finally made them stop, my ankles hurt. Eventually made it to dreamland, which was a very bizarre place. I was hiding in an office and trying to download David Bowie albums. A noise startled me, and made me turn off the laptop screen to make the room entirely dark, although finally I woke enough to realize that the sound was like Zuzu moving her plate around. Mike was snoring.

Anyway, I felt like a breakfast failure yesterday, since we don't have many breakfast foods in the house, so time to make cinnamon rolls. And apple pies, because my apples are going to go bad if they don't get used. Gretchen likes apple pie - I mailed one to her once.

*************

6:12 am. Cinnamon roll dough is rising. Debating going to the store, but as the guest room is not far from the garage door, that might wake Gretchen. Oh! My sister is online... Chat chat chat chat chat... Piecrust!

6:45 am. Piecrust is chilling. No wonder I haven't tried using butter instead of crisco - it would take 3.5 sticks! Nearly one pound of butter in two piecrusts. Maybe after I find a job. Oh, and my pastry blender could probably be used as a weapon, in case you were wondering. Time to peel and chop the apples! Or give Zuzu some attention, since that is what she wants.

7:26 am. Pie is in the oven. Took longer than expected to find the apple destruction device, and when I found it the apples didn't want to die, so I had to skin and chop them by hand. Nutmeg exploded a bit, so the pie may be a bit too nutmeggy, but hey, worst case we make another pie later. Which we will, as I still have a few apples left. Gretch is awake and practicing knitting. I should catch up on the VLT. Or at least try.

8:13 am. Pie is out of the oven, and cinnamon rolls are shaped and on their second rise. Cream cheese and butter is on the counter, softening, for the cream cheese frosting. Moving pictures from camera memory stick to computer.

8:48 am. Gretchen says the pie tastes like Christmas. Cinnamon rolls are in the oven, getting started on the cream cheese frosting. Also thinking about getting dressed for the day. Nowhere near the end of the VLT.

9:05 am. cinnamon rolls just about done; time to eat one and run off to the art museum!

Sorry, too tired to really post

Happy New Year! Yes, again I have procrastinated and not posted for quite a while. So what has happened over the past months? I am going to make you wait for a while to find out!

As usual, I got distracted and wrote a long, rambling email message instead of drafting a long, rambling blog post. Anyway, I want to clear my list of books read in 2008 so that I can start on the 2009 list, as I read a book this afternoon. Perhaps I will even add links tomorrow, but I am sleepy now, and thus too lazy to do that.

Books read in 2008, with most recently finished at top:
yeah, maybe I'll add numbers...

73 Uncle John's Triumphant 20th Anniversary Bathroom Reader, by the Bathroom Reader Institute
72 Anathem, Neal Stephenson
71 To the Nines, Janet Evanovich
70 Hard Eight, Janet Evanovich
69 Territory, Emma Bull
68 War for the Oaks, Emma Bull
67 We'll Always Have Parrots, Donna Andrews
66 Bimbos of the Death Sun, Sharyn McCrumb
65 Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson
64 The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory
63 Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
62 We Bought A Zoo, Benjamin Mee
61 Prelude to Foundation, Isaac Asimov
60 Hoot, Carl Hiaasen
59 Foundation and Earth, Isaac Asimov
58 Foundation's Edge, Isaac Asimov
57 "It Itches.", Franklin Habit
56 Seven Up, Janet Evanovich
55 Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
54 Hot Six, Janet Evanovich
53 Visions of Sugar Plums, Janet Evanovich
52 The Dead Travel Fast: Stalking Vampires from Nosferatu to Count Chocula, Eric Nuzum
51 Plum Lucky, Janet Evanovich
50 Plum Lovin', Janet Evanovich
49 Nation, Terry Pratchett
48 Naked Brunch, Sparkle Hayter
47 High Five, Janet Evanovich
46 Four to Score, Janet Evanovich
45 Three to Get Deadly, Janet Evanovich
44 Two for the Dough, Janet Evanovich
43 Second Foundation, Isaac Asimov
42 Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex, Mary Roach
41 One for the Money, Janet Evanovich
40 The Day of the Triffids, John Wyndham
39 Foundation and Empire, Isaac Asimov
38 Foundation, Isaac Asimov
37 No Idle Hands: The Social History of American Knitting, Anne L. MacDonald
36 The Return of the Solar Cat Book, Jim Augustyn
35 Tipping the Velvet, Sarah Waters
34 Affinity, Sarah Waters
33 Fingersmith, Sarah Waters
32 Douglas Adams's Starship Titanic, Terry Jones
31 Ya-Yas In Bloom, Rebecca Wells
30 The Fiery Cross, Diana Gabaldon
29 Dave Gorman's Googlewhack! Adventure, Dave Gorman (obviously!)
28 Drums of Autumn, Diana Gabaldon
27 Voyager, Diana Gabaldon
26 Black Postcards, Dean Wareham
25 A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson
24 Dragonfly in Amber, Diana Gabaldon
23 Outlander, Diana Gabaldon
22 Back on Blossom Street, Debbie Macomber
21 A Good Yarn, Debbie Macomber
20 Daddy's Little Girl, Mary Higgins Clark
19 The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, Christopher Moore
18 Slapshot!, Stan Fishler
17 Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present, Harriet Washington
16 Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, Elizabeth Gilbert
15 What's a Girl Gotta Do?, Sparkle Hayter
14 Petal Pusher: A Rock and Roll Cinderella Story, Laurie Lindeen
13 Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
12 Johnny and the Bomb, Terry Pratchett
11 The Best of World Cafe: Great Conversations from NPR's Most Popular Contemporary Music Show, David Dye
10 The Onion Girl, Charles de Lint
9 Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, Jared Diamond
8 Even Vampires Get the Blues, Katie MacAlister
7 Wicked, Gregory Maguire
6 Wit and Wisdom of Discworld, Terry Pratchett
5 Cross Bones, Kathy Reichs
4 Small Gods, Terry Pratchett
3 The Light Fantastic, Terry Pratchett
2 The Color of Magic, Terry Pratchet
1 The Margarets, Sheri S. Tepper

Not quite a book and a half a week. I guess I can live with that. Anyway, off to start the list for 2009! And hopefully post tomorrow, well, maybe Monday, as Gretchen is visiting for the weekend, and we all know that means I'll be forced to live more in the real world than the virtual one. Which is probably good for a change.

Oh, but did I share Zuzu's LOL with you? We miss seeing Alejandro around, although we have woodpeckers and other birds to stalk now.

Happy New Year!


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