Stitchin' & Bitchin'

Catching My Breath & Waiting to Exhale

2011-01-13T21:32:00.008-05:00

2011 hasn't started off well - I've found myself in the horrible position of getting the flu not once but twice. I am the lucky girl aren't I? Been out of work more than I've been in - I know it's probably irritating the hell out of my boss but honestly, I couldn't find it in me to care, what with my head in a bucket and all. I am praying that this isn't an ominous sign for 2011 - 2010 was the year from hell and I don't know if I could go through all that again.

Rewind . November 2009 - my sis, Queenie, has a seriously bad MS exacerbation. Like uber bad. Like not being able to speak, see, move (and here I was just complaining about puking in a bucket). She wound up in rehab for MONTHS, battled infections, idiotic doctors, insurance companies, etc...all of that. She lost her job, most of her mobility and a lot of her dignity. It was tough watching her go through that. Finally though, relief. She comes home right before Christmas and things are sort of OK again.

January-February 2010 It's not long before we realize she really needs help with mobility. Back to the doctors & arguing with the insurance company and voila ... she gets her power wheelchair. She can't fit it in her car but hell, she can zoom around the house. We're happy, things are looking up ....

March. Mom collapses in the garden. Neighbors come rushing, ambulance comes, off to the hospital where they tell us - not looking good. After a lot of tears, a LifeFlight, 2 priests and a nun, the 3 of us girls do the hardest thing we've ever done and let her go. It still just doesn't seem real. I keep expecting to see her head pop up in the garden with her great big smile but it never happens.

July. We remodel the house for Queenie - get ramps put in, redo kitchen, bathroom, lots of handrails...lots of MONEY. Overall a good thing, just expensive. Once it's all done, Big Daddy, the Locust & I move in with Queenie & Peepette. Weird to live with my sisters again & I know it's weird for them now that they have to live with boys but we're working it out.

December/Christmas. Christmas was hard - weird somehow, like that smell you just can't place in the frig when something's gone slightly off. We got through Christmas & New Year's without her - we'd gotten through all of the "firsts" - 1st birthday without her, 1st Christmas without her, and so on. I guess I had this feeling like once we got through all of the "firsts" things would be better. They are, by bits, but still...we're just "off" somehow. I'm hoping one day magically we'll be back. I hope.

And so here we are today. I'm still breathing, but catching & holding my breath a little bit, waiting for another shoe to drop. While I'm waiting & trying to breathe, I'll just do what I do best ...make socks.

Completed Bacon Socks

Two Years Since I've Blogged....

2011-01-06T19:54:00.005-05:00

and I'm still making socks.
In this case, I'm making with the Bacon. Bacon colorway that is. Excuse the crappy cell phone pic - my camera is somewhere...I just don't know where.

The yarn is from Holiday Yarns in the "Bacon" colorway. And y'all...it looks just like freakin' bacon. I am not kidding. I would NOT kid about pork fat love. Making these for my Peep, the chef. I'm using the Roger Sock (Ravelry Link) pattern by Anne Hanson. The pattern practically screams Bacon!! just like that annoying commercial. Katie will absolutely love them once they're done. The yarn makes a nice squishy sock but whhooo boy is it skinny. I'm having to use a US size 0 for these and it's making things move a little slowly. A great colorway but I think I'll stick to something a wee bit heavier from now on.

A short post considering it's my 1st one in sooo long but I've had a lot going on in the last 2 years and not all of it good so I'm starting with the happy easy stuff .... socks.

(P.S. I tried originally to post this using MobileBlogger and my cellphone just to see if it would work and it didn't. Color me surprised).

A Diamond in the Rough

2008-07-04T20:01:00.002-05:00

I haven't blogged in a long long time quite honestly because I haven't really felt like it (plus Ravelry has sucked my very soul from me). Life has been busy and in my free time I just want to knit & enjoy my life and blogging just hasn't been high on the list of things I've really enjoyed. Sometimes, blogging seemed more of a chore than a joy and more of an intrusion than anything else. I just didn't want let the world in. These past few days, though, really put me in the mood to share.

Hubby & I have been on vacation (sans kidlets) since last week and it's been wonderful - plenty relaxing. Aside from one minor disagreement, we've truly enjoyed each other's company and our time off. We spent a few days in Atlantic City (we lost) & recharged our batteries - it was wonderful. While we were there we celebrated our third anniversary and he completely surprised me with a gorgeous peal & diamond necklace that I don't want to take off. He was incredibly romantic, writing me a beautiful card and giving me little "clues" during the day before finally unveiling the gift on Wednesday afternoon. I was all teary & blubbery like I usually am and completely overwhelmed with love for this wonderful man.

It hasn't always been easy being married (hell, at times it's been downright HARD) but it has always been easy to love him. He makes me laugh, cry, smile & frown - he is a truly wonderful man and I'm so glad I'm his and that he's mine. He's the diamond to my pearl.

I love you honey. Thank you for saying "I do" .

Baby Jesus Takes Manhattan

2007-11-19T17:25:00.000-05:00

Every winter, some folks at my job get together & take a bus trip to NYC. A few years ago, one of them got the (sacrilegious) idea of taking the Baby Jesus out of the Nativity Scene our administrative assistant puts up every year and taking him on a tour of the city (apparently, he thought the Baby Jesus didn't get out much). This past weekend marked the last of the bus trips so the Baby Jesus got one final whirlwind tour............

Over the River and Through the Woods

2007-09-17T18:28:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, in a land far far away there lived a princess... a very TIRED and stressed out princess who needed a vacation. Not a big vacation, mind you, just enough to recharge her batteries. The Princess was lucky enough to have 3 friends who were similarly exhausted & stressed. What to do, she asked her friends? What can we do in a weekend to relax & forget the world exists? The answer was simple ..... KNIT.
All of them agreed that knitting was indeed the way to go. But just knitting alone couldn't be the entire answer since all of the girls knitted quite alot and kept themselves surrounded by yarny goodness. Lady Kim was even lucky enough to own her very own yarn castle (which, unbelievably so, was the source of some of her exhaustion!). What to do?
Lady Cathy came up with the inspired solution....
knitting retreat....
in the woods .....
with food and drinks....
no men.....
no cell phones......
just glorious knitting, nature and the company of good friends. And she had the perfect place in mind. Her aunt, Lady Jane, lived in such a place .... it indeed sounded like Nirvana....

So off the princess and friends went,
traveling late into the night

Road weary after long travel, finally, they reached their destination ... only one thing stood in the way of warmth, comfort, knitting & sleep....

the BRIDGE of DOOM.

The Princess was deathly afraid heights as was Lady Heidi. It was dark as dark could be and bridge was slick from the rain. Certain she would meet her death, the Princess nonetheless struck out across the Bridge of Doom, aided by the backwards walking Lady Kim (who didn't appear to be afraid of the Bridge of Doom but was petrified). With everyone safely across, they descended on Lady Jane's castle, nestled in the woods.

That first night they slept, lulled into dreams by the sound of rain on the roof and the comforting noises that only a century old castle can make. They awoke the next morning to find Lady Jane's castle was even more magnificent than they had thought....

***

The Princess and her friends savored every moment in this wonderful place. She found herself renewed with a fresh energy, even feeling brave enough to traverse the BRIDGE of DOOM for a second time (although truth be told, a trip to a yarn castle was what tempted her), surprising even herself by crossing. Even Lady Heidi crossed with a (semi) smile on her face!

That evening they curled up with their knitting while Lady Cathy flitted in the galley, preparing the evening feast............

Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Icing

With full stomachs and contented minds, the Princess and her friends knitted into the night....

Lady Kim and her
Vintage Bubble Bag

Lady Jane and her alpaca cable
square

Lady Cathy and her Socks with Bling Bling

Lady Heidi and Sheldon

The Princess' Neon Storm Sock
(unfortunately the Princess was not
photographed with her sock as she is
the Royal Photographer)

They knitted and laughed, told stories of their Knights (Lady Jane's Knight was in the far away land of Colorado, hunting for elk), their children, their families, their lives. With each stitch they interlaced themselves into each other's lives, forever weaving them together in this moment.

All too soon, it was over. The next morning the Princess and her friends bid adieu to Lady Jane and her brood

May

Molly

Gem & Gabriel

made the final crossing over the Bridge....took their last look....

and headed for home.
Our heartfelt thanks, Lady Jane ..... it was a trip beyond compare. Fair warning... plans for 2008 are already afoot!

***Yes, there WAS indoor plumbing!!

Baby Love

2007-07-16T18:00:00.000-05:00

I have Baby Fever, big time. Partly, it's because I'd love to have some kidlets of my own (not gonna happen) but partly because a friend asked me to whip something up for her brother & his wife. They've had their first, a lovely little princess named Yara. Princess Yara is a few months old and, up until recently, no one, not one person, gave Princess Yara anything handcrafted. Nothing. Not even one of those cute little Boo Boo bunnies that simply everyone gets. This simply would NOT do. Princess Yara needed handknits.

So I began. I started with the Pinwheel Blanket. Unbelievable as it sounds, I mucked it up. I missed a bunch of yarn overs (yarn overs are a lot like cops - when you need them, they're no where to be found. When you positively absolutely don't want one coming around, they're everywhere. BaHH!) Anyway, it's headed for the Frog Pond. Next, came the inevitable baby knit, Baby Surprise Jacket. Done in cream & trimmed in a nice red, I think it's going to be gorgeous this winter. I whipped up a quickie pair of socks in some Online Caribic #733 I had that matched it perfectly.

After the sweater, I just HAD to make Princess Yara some summer knits, as well. This time, it was Bernat Cottontots in LimeBerry & Koolade that saved the day. I made CivilBitch's Striped Halter which was so much FUN to make. I am definitely adding this to my baby outfit repertoire! It was easy and the finished product was adorable. I did some baby pants using Ms CraftyGalore's Soaker Pattern (they're not a true soaker as they're cotton and not wool but they turned out adorable anyway!)- super fast and they turned out perfectly. And, the topper, Children's Cotton Hat from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I used a slightly larger gauge, added a slight ruffle and, voila, had a sunhat. I love how this set just came together:

I have this urge to whip up some more of those halters, although the next time I think I might crochet an edging rather than knit the ruffle. That dang ruffle took almost as much time to knit as the whole halter did! Oy, such is a ruffle.

**sigh** I just love looking at these cute lil ole thangs.

Like a Virgin, Touched For the Very First Time

2007-07-15T14:36:00.000-05:00

I'm baaaccckkkk. Whew. It's been a while. I can,however, blame my absence on a much needed, richly deserved V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N. **sigh** It was luverly. Went up North to visit my cuz & her hubby in LOndon, Ontario for a week. John & I needed the time away, truly. We didn't do very much - mostly relaxed - and ate - and I knitted (of course!). We had a fabulous time.

While there, Anne & I made a yarn/book/bead store pilgrimage - amazing! We started at The Mystic Bookshop in Downtown London-lovely little shop with a spitfire of a cat. Next, we traveled to Needles & Pins where I lost my Koigu Virginity. People, I"m here to tell you that this Koigu stuff is everything they say it is and more. The colors are so incredible and it feels so delicious - you don't whether to stare at it or eat it. Here's 2 I picked up there:

After that, we headed to The Mandala Bookshop where I found a great diabetic cookbook. From there we headed to lunch (french fries & brown gravy, anyone? Yum!) and then off to London Yarns where I finally got to touch (and of course BUY) some Austermann Step. From there we toddled down the road a bit to London Beadery where I was just overwhelmed. I picked up some beads for a scarf and some spacers for my Pandora bracelet (which I promptly broke but that's another story).

But, the highlight of the trip was later that week when we made a side trip into Hamilton to drop a friend off. We passed a little shop on the way in & I begged Hubby to stop on the way home. We found Needle Emporium just in Ancaster. Not only was the shop AMAZING, the owner, Julie, was incredibly friendly & helpful. I walked out of there with Kidsilk Haze. Yup, you heard it here first folks - I'm going to attempt lace. I've done lost my mind.

Surprise Surprise Surprise!

2007-06-18T17:09:00.000-05:00

Baby Surprise, that is. Been working on this one for a few days now, for the newest member of the Zeiser household, one Miss Yara. I'll be seeing her Auntie Sindy in 13 days (not that I'm counting down the days until vacation or anything, ya know. I'm just saying it's 13 days is all) so I want to have it done done done! Then, maybe some socks (yeah I know I promised the Baby Sock Pattern but I royally f*cked up the toe so it will have to wait until I get back. Believe me, it ain't nuttin' but a thang). I had a little trouble finding my Zen place with EZ's pattern but I had my "aha!" moment when I found Dawn Adcock's notes. They cleared things up for me immensely and I've been using them in tandem with EZ's formula. It's made ALL the difference.

I hit the Noro Sale at my LYS on Saturday. My budget, while small (and unbeknownst to hubby, heehee), was enough to score some Iro in colorway #9:

Its current destiny is a fall shawl for me - nothing fancy, just some plain garter stitch, maybe a wee ruffle ... all for me. I loves me some Iro :-)

Been thinking on moving over to Word Press. Blogger has been giving me all kinds of trouble lately, especially with Flickr. And, since I needs my Flickr for my Ravelry I'm thinking about changing. I dunno - what's the general consensus on WP over Blogger? Leave me a comment & let me know what youse think.

By the way, did ya' notice how I slid that Ravelry comment in there, all smooth & subtle like? Oh yeah ...I am IN, baby! Addicted doesn't even begin to cover it. Jes & Casey have done such an amazing job - it's something special. If ya' haven't signed up yet and you knit and/or crochet, go...run...flee...sign up NOW. Invites are getting churned out & it's only a matter of time before they're out of beta so ...go on now. Away wit ya' ...what are you still doing here?

Noro On Sale!

2007-06-12T21:18:00.000-05:00

The owner of our LYS, Kim, called me home tonight to tell me she's putting Noro on sale....

30 % off people. 30 freaking percent.
(sale's on until June 23rd)

I love me some Noro. I think it's time to stock up. The new Knitty went up yesterday and, wouldn't you know it, the one pattern that I loved, Askew, comes, not only in "healthy girl" sizes but is perfect for, you guessed it....

NORO
(wall of Noro @ LYS)

Have You Ever Done It in a Public Place?

2007-06-12T21:05:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday was WWKIP Day and we had a blast! I was watching over our LYS while the owner, my dear friend Kim, was enjoying her anniversary "down the shore". My crocheting friend, Cathy, & I decided we'd represent. We set ourselves up right out front of the shop, plugged in the iPod, turned on some Lime ' Violet and at 9:30 AM away we went (we had to change over to some Ren Faire music later on since the traffic in front of the shop drowned out L&V). Later on, some other shop regs came & KIP'd with us (hi Kris, hi Noro Kim!) and we really had a great time. We stuck it out until 1:30, when the sun & heat chased us inside. We had a BLAST!!

Hot Dogs! Git Your Hot Dogs Here!

2007-06-06T17:59:00.000-05:00

**Disclaimer: There is no knitting content in this blog post; there is a wee bit of crochet but it's hardly worth mentioning. Move along if you don't care to see gratuitous shots of cuteness. Knitting content will resume later. If you're lucky and I'm in a good mood, there will be more gratuitous cuteness in that next post in the form of baby wear (and possibly a free baby sock pattern if I get my head outta my butt & write the thing down).

Gratuitous Cuteness #1 Oskar pouts because no one EVER plays with him, he is kept on a diet of thin gruel & moldy bread & is basically neglected. He is the canine equivalent of Oliver Twist. (please note the blanket upon which His Sadness lays. It's the one that took me 2 years to finish, won a blue ribbon in a county fair & was subsequently scorched by the faulty heater. It's what all neglected dogs are given to lay upon. The Red Heart makes them itch. Oh the inhumanity of it all!!)

Gratuitous Cuteness #2 Orange Gorilla (I resisted the urge to call it Magilla - that would put us past ain't it cute into insulin resistant cute) is one wee doxie's favorite toy. Gorilla is small, slightly furry & so yummy to chew on. This is Mr. Man and Gorilla, sharing a moment.

Gratuitous Cuteness #3 (which should really be titled Wee Doxie Evolves From Cuteness Personified into Pit Bull with an Attitude*) Daddy had Gorilla. Oskar wanted it. Daddy lost. (please note the evil look in wee doxie's eye. That's one vicious wee doxie)
*no offense to the Pit Bull

Gratuitous Cuteness #4 There are 3 photos just prior to this one that I couldn't get. They are, in order The Stalking of the Stink Bug, The Barking at the Stink Bug & The Pouncing on the Stink Bug. Wee doxie, ever victorious, wins again. I give you The Enjoying of the Stink Bug (in fairness to the wee doxie, though, a certain Auntie Peep had treats she was giving out & we think he got confused over what to eat):

Gratuitous Cuteness #4 The last of them, this one breaks up the monotony of doxie cuteness & gives us some Border Collie cuteness. Wee doxie's cousin, the aptly named Domino, shows us how the bug stalking is really done. Appearances can be deceiving - while Domino appears to be the canine equivalent to a dumb jock * he is actually very smart. He does not eat the bugs he stalks, preferring instead, to let them live another day. For him, they are entertainment & not protein.
(*no offense to the dumb jock)
And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Towanda!!

2007-06-04T20:08:00.001-05:00

Ahh, the sweet smell of victory is in the air tonight. After the events of last week, I've been thinking a lot about my mother in law, believe it or not. She is a strong woman, that mother in law of mine, and takes crap from no one, least of all her children (all grown now of course). Her house is run on her terms, her way & no one questions it. Even the grandchildren know "Grandma's house, Grandma's rules."
Today, I channeled in a little bit of my mother in law & a little bit of Towanda. It's Donna's house, Donna's rules. They're pretty basic:

1. Clean up after yourself. You leave it out, I throw it out.
2. Don't test me. You won't win.

Both rules are being tested as we speak. Shall be interesting to see what happens when someone goes to look for a piece of their work uniform & can't find it because it's in a landfill somewhere in New Jersey.

I Love Lucy

2007-06-04T20:06:00.001-05:00

...and she loves me! This is my new favorite bag. Why?
Because it fits all my crap & doesn't drag to the ground. (I have lotsa crap. LOTS). I only ran it through the wash one time ( I could have gone for 2 but I was happy with the size after 1) & blocked it over an old piece of Tupperware (hmm, I'm noticing a trend of using kitchen ware as blocking tools. The Gladware better run).
Did I mention that I LOVE this bag?
I do, in a unnatural, wooly way :-)

Baby, I'm A STAR!!

2007-05-31T17:29:00.000-05:00

The Felted Starburst Beret is DONE...all stitched, felted and blocked, with hardly any yarn left (I made it by THIS much!). I made this for my much loved, artsy, color loving cousin, Anne. Normally I wouldn't post about a gift but I just couldn't resist with this one. Done in Noro, this was really a happy knit - the color changes just were so gorgeous. They softened up & got even more beautiful once I felted it. I blocked it on, of all things, a dinner plate. The designer even recommends storing on a dinner plate to keep it's shape & I can see why - it's the perfect thing to block it on. Anne will have to wait until I come to visit her in July to get it but somehow I don't think she'll have a need for a wool/mohair felted beret in July, even if she does live in the frozen tundra ;-)

River Rapids Sox

2007-05-22T21:47:00.001-05:00

River Rapids Sox
Originally uploaded by bellisima372004.

...and here they are, in all their glory. I'm so so happy with them - they looked even better in person. Bev really loved them, which the important part.
I also did an eye of partridge heel which looked awesome in this yarn.
(and for those of you counting, this was officially pair #20. I think I may just stop counting now).

Finis

2007-05-16T20:52:00.000-05:00

The River Rapids sox are DONE. It's all over but the blocking ...last one is on the blocker now. Pics to follow.
My hands will NEVER forgive me.
Thankfully, just in time for LOST (if I can even stay awake that long).

And in the most shocking finis of them all .....
Melinda Doolittle is gone from American Idol.
This proves it to me ...the show isn't about talent at all. It's about popularity. Which is even more telling ...
popular doesn't mean good.
It's high school all over again. I should have known better than to watch it again this year. I'm done.

In a Knit Frenzy

2007-05-15T17:24:00.000-05:00

I'm furiously trying to finish Sock Bug's River Rapids Socks in Deep Blue from Lime 'n Violet's old etsy store. Luscious yarn, this ... it fits this pattern so well. Reminds me a lot of home, believe it or not. The colors look a lot like the beaches when I was a teenager & it's a nice feeling, this yarny walk down memory lane. Trying furiously to get these done for the woman who taught me to love knitting socks, Bev Bortner AKA Knitting Guru of my LYS. She's moving clear across the state to Pittsburgh (it might as well be Outer Mongolia **wwaahhh**) and we will miss her terribly. Not only is she a simply amazing knitter, she's a kind warm lady who would give you the socks from her feet. We're having a Bon Voyage type thingy on Thursday night for her. I've finished sock 1 and am beginning the gussets on sock 2 .... I CAN do this. It will mean ...Heaven help me .... not watching American Idol and Deadliest Catch with my undivided attention. However, I do draw the line at LOST...needles on hold tomorrow evening from 10-11 PM ET.

On other news, **MAZEL TOV** to my (blog-less) favorite red head, Sindy Joy, who is the very proud aunt of one Miss Yara Zieser, born last evening. Sindy, forgive me if I've misspelled the little princess' name. I'm all verklempt over a new life. She is a truly a miracle.

It's Alive!!!

2007-04-30T21:33:00.000-05:00

OK, so I'm not dead ...although I feel like it. Work has truly eaten my brain. Short staffed, more work than ever before, plus a new computer system .... all designed to put me in a rubber room. Yet another meeting tonight (there's something so wrong about eating dinner at 9 PM)...I missed Heroes because I, once again, fell asleep. I am turning into my mother who can sleep standing up, no kidding. My poor cousin must think I've fallen from the face of the earth because I can't keep my eyes open long enough to call her or Miss S back. To top it all off, I missed her birthday. I suck. Anne, I'm so very sorry.

The good news is that I've actually finished something....my first pair of Jaywalkers. I love this pattern. LOVE it.

Don't know when I'll be working on socks again soon as I'm working on AWESOME pinwheel baby blanket for a certain red head's future niece/nephew. I originally started it as a simple corner to corner garter stitch blanket & it was nice but no "oomph". The pinwheel pattern is perfect, plus I like the idea of a circle, symbolizing in some small way the circle of life. (Don't mind me, I get a little too deep when I'm overtired & getting wonky on Benadryl. Ohh, I forgot to mention ...allergies. Runny nose, itchy eyes & constant sneezing is terribly attractive in a woman of my age). Anyway, I'm working on this one in Bernat's Cotton Tots in Easter Parade & it's sooo soft, like a really well used, fluffy bath towel.

Other semi exciting news ...we have a new couch. I hate it. Hubby is happy as this one doesn't smell like dog pee. I don't care for it at all, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which, is that when I pointed out another one, a certain other female member of my household insisted she liked this one & suddenly my husband changed his mind about the blue one we were wandering over to. I knew I'd never win so I said "ok, whatever you want" and moseyed on down the aisle. Gotta pick your battles, Mom always used to say. This battle? Not so important. I'm tired of fighting for my husband's attention ...I have enough crap going on in my life without having to battle some juvenile little miss who thinks her shit is the stuff of roses. Besides, it's only a couch, right?

Tired Is As Tired Does

2007-04-03T18:58:00.000-05:00

God DAMN am I tired. Work is kicking my ass up one road & down the other ... the house is driving me crazy (if ONE more person leaves their socks, underwear, hoodie or any other clothing item in the middle of my fucking living room floor one more time I swear I WILL go fucking postal) ... and worrying about my Peep is becoming a full time job. For those not in the know, here's the quick & dirty on my Peep:
Diagnosed with MS several years ago after getting tested for everything under the sun. She has constant pain in her legs, back & hands. Her mobility has decompensated over the past few years & is now using a cane (she used to be a POWER WALKER people - she walked faster than my 11 year old stepson RUNS); doc now says a wheelchair is in her future. Her reflexes now suck & driving is becoming impaired; doc reports her to the state for her own protection; state orders hand controls in the car (narrowly avoiding losing her license & last grip on independence). Spasticity in her arms & legs is becoming a bigger problem & a Baclofen pump is looming in the horizon as a potential treatment. She's tired all the time but still maintains an amazing attitude. She's not take ONE SICK day since diagnosis. Not ONE. I worry about her all the time. Hubby says not to but ...it's not his fucking sister with the cane. It's MINE. It's my sister and I'll worry if I want to. So fucking there.
And if THAT'S not bad enough .....

Sanjaya is STILL on American Idol. Am I the only one who sees the similarity to Leif Garrett? Perhaps Leif's Bollywood Love Child? Things that make you go hmmm.......

I'm going to bed.

My Manifesto

2007-03-30T18:31:00.000-05:00

I've taken up Britt's Manifesto Challenge - what an AWESOME and empowering idea! Here's mine:

Part I: Family & Home

I will love and cherish my family and will not let anyone get in the way of my doing that.
I will not let my dream of having children die...someday it will happen. I will try to remember that while my step children aren't my bio-children, it's not their fault that they're not.
I will always remember how hard my Mother worked to take care of us. My Father will always be my Father but my Mother will always be my Mommy.

Part II: Work

I will do the best job I know how to do and not slack off just because others are.
I will not let my job come before my family or myself EVER again.

Part III: Beliefs

I will continue to work on getting my faith back. I know it's there somewhere.
I will not allow others to take what little faith I have away from me.
I will try to live by the Golden Rule. I know I will fail sometimes but I won't beat myself up when I do.

Part IV: Knitting and Crocheting

I will not let Muggles who don't understand my joy in knitting & crocheting to get me down. When someone says "it's just a pair of socks" I will not run them through with Knit Picks very pointy size 2's. That's some really bad karma.
I will not fear. Fear holds me back from making things like lace and a sweater in my size.
I will not snark other's work, no matter how much I want to. That karma thing again.

Part V: Health

I will work on being healthy again. I have a lot of living, knitting & loving left to do. I am tired of being an American Statistic.

Finish Line

2007-03-13T21:56:00.000-05:00

Finally, pics of the finished felted handbag, modeled by my work sista, Sally (who looks far far better in a full length shot than I do!)

Paper or Plastic? How About Felt

2007-03-13T18:39:00.001-05:00

So in November I took this Fair Isle class (I'm forever taking classes - no one tell my mother - she'll think if I can take knitting classes I can go back to college). The class project was a handbag/totebag. Everyone else in the class finished theirs in plenty of time. Not me. Per my usual, I doddled along at my DonnaTurtle pace. I FINALLY finished it this past Sunday. Here it is pre-felted.
And once I can figure out why blogger is being such a damn BUTT MUNCH ...
I'll post completed photos.

Doin' It All for the Peepage

2007-03-13T18:15:00.001-05:00

And so it's begun ...my very first sweater. I took (yet another) class @ my LYS at the beginning of March. Right from the get go I had a problem with sizing ... pattern only went up to size large. And that would be the "America's Top Model" size large which essentially means it wouldn't fit my cat. So, off I go .... to enlarg-o land.
The class instructor was amazingly patient & helpful & together we figured out measurements using Elizabeth Zimmerman's Percentage System. So far I've got 1 1/2 sleeves done ... ok, so it may be until NEXT winter that my Peep actually gets the thing but I'm enjoying every little knit stitch.
(And there's a LOT of those, lemme tell ya. A LOT. I'm in Knit Hell right now. But, it's all about the love, ain't it? Ain't it????)

Lime ' Violet Very First Ever Spectacular Yarn Pr0n Exchange

2007-02-27T07:01:00.000-05:00

OK, so I'm a day late & a dollar short seeing as sign ups closed on the 25th but ... I'm just so excited over this swappage. I've been involved in swaps before but have never been this happy to start one. Maybe it's because it's Lime n' Violet or maybe it's because my life is a little pathetisad, I dunno but ... I have a good feeling about this one. Kit (aka Dragon Celt) has done an amazing job of organizing us all & generally making it a happy thing. I'll be helping her out (read: I am a minion), getting swappee names, etc out but she's the brains behind the whole thing.

If you need a button, see here:
Just please remember to save it to your own computer first.

I'll be working on my part of the swappees when I get home from work this evening ... I can hardly wait !

Knitting as Therapy or I Knit so I Don't Go Up on the Roof with an Uzi

2007-02-23T01:03:00.000-05:00

It's been a rough couple o'months. Thank God for needles & string, that's all I can say. I know all of us joke about knitting being our sanity & salvation*** but in my case it's true. The rhythmic clicking of the needles, the soothing feeling of pulling one loop through another, the meditativeness of yards & yards of stockinette .... it's kept me from going postal (please no letters from the US Mail Carriers Association offended by the phrase). Cases in point:

1. In June 2006, my Simba died. Now, before you go all "well, it's really just a cat" keep in mind that he was actually a person in cat hair. We communicated with just little touches, he with a paw & me with my hand. He squeaked & I sang. I felt lost without him. Still do some days if truth be known. The day I went to pay his final vet bill was a tough one, just as bad as the day my Dad died and I'm so not kidding about that. To make me feel better, John took me to my LYS. I bought a skein of Cherry Tree Hill Glitter Alpaca (which I still have, by the way) and signed up for a sock class. To date, I've made 14 pairs of socks, am good friends with the LYS owner and now work part time at the shop just for the yarn. That day I wanted to die. Knitting saved me. (On a side note, this was also the day I discovered the Lime n'Violet podcast. I laughed for the 1st time since he died because of them).

2. Later on in the summer of 2006 hubby & I had the children discussion. You know the one every newly married couple has ....let's get started on this whole baby making thing. I knew there would be obstacles (hubby had a bit of surgery to prevent that whole baby making thing 10 years ago but I wouldn't let that stop us). I won't bore you with the details but just go to the bottom line ... we're not having any children. I want them, he doesn't. Can you say "where's the Xanax?" I cried, I begged, I bargained ... no budging. He had 4 children, didn't want anymore & that was that. Oh, I was free to be with someone else to have children because he didn't want me to give up what I wanted ...oh, sure, like I'd do that. Took me this long to find him. Men are lining up around the block to have children with a 40 year old overweight bitchy knitting fool. Let me run right out & find me one of those. Yeah. Once again, knitting saved me.

3. My happy vibrant don't let any grass grow under her feet sister (that's her up there on my header, looking at the crazy one shoving Cracker Jack in her face - ain't she cute?) has MS. Now, we've known about it for a few years & have watched as she's gotten a bit worse every day. I spent a week with her in NY this past November visiting relatives and am with her 24-7 for a week. I can now see close up how hard every single day is. How she struggles to just go pee sometimes. How her feet & legs burn and tingle every minute of every hour of every day. And I see how she doesn't let on. I knit that entire vacation. I kept knitting when we came back and her doctor told her she either had to learn to use hand controls in her car or give up driving. And I knit even more when the doctor told her it was time to think about a wheelchair. Yup, knitting again.

4. We won't be moving from the hell that is this house anytime soon. Why is that you say? Well that would be because the tax refund we talked about using as a down payment is gone. The bills we were going to pay with it remain unpaid. So I'm destined to spend another year in this fucking dump. Shit, with this one I was now working on a sweater (for my sister, of course).

I could go on & on about how knitting is keeping me off of Zoloft. The list could go on for pages but I won't bore you with the details. Suffice it to say that if I didn't have the pointy sticks I would be in a padded room , drooling down the front of my straight jacket.

Just keep knitting, knitting, knitting.

***In addition to the knitting, Anne & Sindy are my ever present "keep me grounded & away from the vodka" soul mates. Without them I'd truly be crackers***

One Sock Two Sock Three Sock - 28 Socks??

2007-02-07T20:13:00.000-05:00

Well dear reader it's been since before Christmas since I posted - lots has gone on:
1. Christmas has come & gone. Thank God THAT'S over. It so wasn't worth all the stress.
2. I'm now a statistic. My fluffy self is now officially a Type II Diabetic. Let's not discuss just yet. Still a VERY sore subject with me. (and by sore I'm mostly talking about my fingers from pricking them so often).
3. I have begin working on my FIFTEENTH pair of socks. Yes, people I did say FIFTEEN PAIRS. I learned how to do them on 2 circulars over the summer. OK, so most of them were done in sprt weight & were mostly house sock kinda of things but...15 pairs of socks y'all. I'm a Sock Goddess. Tell me if I'm getting too big if a sock ego here.
4. The 15th pair of socks have been temporarily put on hold until I finish my very 1st sweater. Took yet another class last weekend - I'm 1/4 of the way through my 1st sleeve. When I can get my camera to cooperate there WILL be photos.
5. I turned 40 on January 3rd. It was NOT a happy day, especially since, with this whole Type II 'beedies thing, I couldn't have any cake. I'm still trying to make friends with 40. Right now we've got an uneasy truce - I try to forget I'm 40 and 40 just sits there & is quiet. Once in a while 40 rears its ugly head & reminds me it's still around though. This weekend I got a perm - my stylist was nice enough to point out that grey hairs get even more wiry when you perm them. Thanks Kelly. My 40 year old ass appreciates that.
6. When I was 19 I was engaged to a guy named Steven. You'll notice that I call my husband John. Ergo, I didnt marry the guy named Steven. Long story about why but suffice it to say, we broke up 21 years ago. I talked to him last in 1990. I got an email from him last month saying "Hey, what's doing, buddy" I refer you dear reader to the grey hairs I mentioned in item #5. Many of them came from his initial email. He's actually turned out to be a decent human being. How crazy is life sometimes?

That's life in my neck of the woods in 6 bullet points or less. Photos to follow tomorrow. I hope.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas....

2006-12-13T20:34:00.000-05:00

...which can only mean one thing ... I'm stitching my ass off. I am in full blown holiday knit. I've got 2 1/2 pairs more to make by Christmas.....so far I have 1 sock done. No, not a pair, just ONE sock. Thankfully, I"m doing it Modea Dea's Sassy Stripes which is more of a sprt weight so it goes fast. I'm using #2's (Knitpicks of course) & am doing them on 2 circulars. So far I've got this one...

Color is called "Crush" and for an acrylic it's really a lovely colorway-pinks, magentas, a chocolate brown....the giftee will love them I think.

I've finished one in the Lime N Violet colorway from Lisa Souza and Oh. My. God. I LOVE this yarn. It's fabulous to work with & the picture just doesn't do the color justice. I'm so completely torn over a.)giving this as a Christmas gift to someone I KNOW will love it or b.) being a greedy fiber piggie & keeping it (and it's mate when I finish it) for myself. I have a feeling I'll have to buy some more & make another pair for myself.

BTW, please be sure to check out Lisa's recent colorway, Violet's Pink Ribbon. Proceeds from the sale go to an amazingly good cause. The minute I get my next paycheck I'm buying .... be sure to check it out.

Lots of stuff going on in this neck of the woods but until holiday knitting is over, I'm keeping this one short & sweet. Valuable knitting time is being wasted as I type !! Happy Holidays to all .... as socks are finished I'll post :-)

PS If anyone's thinking of getting their nails done soon you MUST check out OPI's new Holiday Collection. I fell in mad lust with Music Hall Curtain Call ....it's my new favorite & perfect for the holidays if you don't want to go the "red route"...it's all glittery & coppery & satiny...like a Christmas ball...only better.

Sock It To Me

2006-11-13T20:15:00.000-05:00

Socks are not only done....they're done, worn, washed & worn AGAIN. They've also been taken on vacation where they were fawned over. It made them feel much better about themselves. (Nobody tell them but they're ACRYLIC. Shh!)
Here they are in all their handcrafted glory....

I finished these then started AND completed ANOTHER pair. Oh yeah, who's yer Daddy? Pics on pair #2 to follow (just as soon as my sister takes photos of them. I'd barely had the toes Kitchenered before she ripped them out of my hands.)

I'm now on pair #3 & so far, these are my favorites:

I'm doing a very basic sock on 2 circs using Lisa Souza Superwash Sock Merino in the Lime n Violet Colorway. I love this yearn ...it's soft & squishy & just FLIES. I'm a slow knitter & I completed the cuff ribbing today at lunch (I cast on last night but only worked on it for a little bit before dinner started tying to kill me from the inside out. Roasted Brussel Sprouts with butter & garlic are deadly weapons). As usual, I'll post pics once these are done.

Sock Lessons

2006-10-23T18:47:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it....I'm on sock #2! #1 is done & completed & I'm on the gusset of #2. There's issues on both but I can live with them since this is my 1st official pair. I'll post photos when the pair is complete.
Some things I learned while knitting these socks:

1. Double points can & will jab you under acrylic fingernails, making a bloodblister & putting a dent in the acrylic. For safety's sake (and because I don't want to pay to un-dent more acrylic fingernails) & because I just love the way the yarn slides on those cables, I adore the Socks on Circulars method. It is FUN!

2.Picking up stitches where the yarn splits is not technically picking up stitches. It is making a mess.

3. Trying to keep track of how many gusset decreases you've done whilst having a marathon conversation with Anne and Sindy is impossible. Not because I can't concentrate on decreases but because laughing too much while talking about our husbands makes it too hard to hold needles never mind count.

4. Cats love expensive sock yarn more than they love tuna & mice. Dachshunds do, too but they're easily distracted by a squeaky soccer ball from their Auntie Peep.

5. Making socks is like smoking crack. One hit & you're addicted.

6. Knitting socks in the lunchroom at work will always lead someone to believe they can either touch your work in progress with WENDY'S BURGER GREASE ON THEIR DAMN HANDS or can ask you to make them a pair. Sure....that'll be $25. Yeah. Didn't freakin' think so Burger Boy.

7. If one keeps trying ON the sock it makes it difficult to finish.

8. Continually trying on the sock makes one realize how incredibly badly a pedicure is needed & how truly icky toes look without polish.

9. Reading ahead on the sock pattern directions & getting the entire toe done & kitchener-ed before the 3rd & final sock class will give you this incredible "Oh yeah, who's yer Daddy?" kinda feeling. Sock Smugness I call it.

10. Making socks is like smoking crack. One hit & you're addicted. (OK, that was #5 but I wanted to make sure everyone realizes it. Just saying "NO" does NOT work on this stuff).

From The Mouths of Babes #2

2006-10-23T18:31:00.000-05:00

Our house liked the whole question & answer thing so we're back with #2. #3 is on the board now & we're all taking turns with doing the asking. Danielle thought of this week's question & Wow....was it a doozy:

If you could be president for a whole week what would you change in society?

Wow, pretty deep for a 16 year old .... their answers blew me away. Danielle said:

I would change the way we are treating Iraq. (Who says kids aren't aware of world events?!)

Mine was pretty wordy (I figured I had a week to get stuff done):
Fair warning-this one's llooonnnngggg (or just skip ahead to Day 7-that's the best day)

Since I have a week, I’m planning on getting more than one thing done (what can I say-I’m an overachiever!):

• DAY ONE: I’m the Commander in Chief which puts me in charge of all military. As my 1st decision, ALL troops stationed outside the USA are ordered stateside. Troops in Iraq head home 1st –the fact that our troops are being killed by Iraqi’s pretty much tells me we’re not welcome at this party anymore. We’ll be taking our toys & going home.
• DAY TWO: Close all of our borders. All of them. If you want to leave, fine, have a nice day. Coming back, though, will be tough. You must be able to prove you are a LEGAL US Citizen to re-enter this country. Don’t feel like you should have to prove that you’re a legal citizen? Tough nuts. Go to North Korea – they could use someone to test radiation poisoning on. (By the way, those troops that just came home? They’ll be standing guard along our borders to make sure no one gets in without permission). That same day English will be declared as the official language of the USA. All government forms, information, directions, etc will from now on be in English only. Don’t understand how to apply for Food Stamps because it’s not in your language? Learn. My ancestors did (my grandfather could read & speak 7 languages with a 3rd grade education; the least you could do is learn how to speak the language of the country in which you now LIVE). Anyone found to be here illegally gets no free passes. Go. Leave. Now. We’re sending you home. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
• DAY THREE: Cut off all foreign aid. Yes, all. To everyone. Charity begins at home and our “home” here needs some serious work. At the same time, declare all foreign debts owed to the US as “paid in full.” No one gets anymore money. Any private citizen can donate any monies they want to any cause they want but public funds won’t be used. We’ve helped the world for a long time-we need a financial break.
• DAY FOUR: Cap the price of a barrel of crude oil at a fair price. This is the most we’ll pay. That’s our final offer. Don’t like it Sheik Abdullarama? Tough. Sell it to another country that will pay your price. We’re your biggest customer ….we’ll be fair with you, you be fair with us.
• DAY FIVE: Declare the death penalty unconstitutional. If you’ve received the death penalty as a sentence then it’s a good bet you’ve done something horrific. Death is too good for you. You get to suffer in jail for the rest of your life. And not some namby pamby jail either. One out in the desert with nowhere to run to, where the food is awful, the heat is ever present & the sand flies are as a big as a Collie. The Warden? My sister, Meredith (and those of you who know her know what an inhuman punishment that is). All those empty cells on Death Row? Empty them out, clean them up, remove the bars & turn them into homeless shelters. It’s not pretty but it’s warm & dry & a better place to sleep than Central Park after dark.
• DAY SIX: Direct every single cabinet member, Congressman & Senator to take a pay cut of at least 40%. Cap my own Presidential Salary at $65,000. Raise the Federal Minimum Wage to $8.00/hour. Pass legislation to include an automatic annual inflationary increase in the Federal Wage level. Individual states have 12 months to raise their state minimum wage levels to meet the Federal Wage.
• DAY SEVEN: Knit. Even God rested on the 7th day. I’m going to need all the rest I can get. I’m just getting started.

And, once again, Brady, who is 10 just said it all:

Make peace in the world so we wouldn't have to fight.

Well. That pretty much said it all. Damn. Kids get you every time.

2006-10-19T06:06:00.000-05:00

Blast From The Past

This is worth watching for the special dancing guest star .... I LOVED Mr. "I'm A Little Bit Rock n Roll"....you can't watch this video & not laugh...it was a great way to start my day !

From the Mouths of Babes

2006-10-14T20:34:00.000-05:00

In our kitchen we have a dri-erase board for notes, memos, etc. This week, inspired by reading "Welcome to the Great Mysterious" I posted what I hope to be a weekly question for our family. It's something fun & hopefully, will make us all think just little outside of the box. This week's question was:

"If you could have the ability of any animal or insect, what would it be & why?"

Danielle (age 16) and I answered it ...Brady, who is 10, also answered it. Here's our responses:

For those of you that don't read 10 year old, here's a translation of Brady's response :

Kmodo Dragon. Why? Cuz I'd be huge & be able to eat a car.

Leave it the 10 year old to be really basic & say just the right thing. Wouldnt it be a pretty cool world if some of us were huge enough to eat a car? (OMG, I just realized how HUGE my ass would be in that world!)

So....what ability do YOU wish you had?

Room With a View

2006-10-11T17:50:00.000-05:00

OK, so not so much a room as an office. Here's my view, a bit blurry but you get the idea....

And here was the view out my window a few weeks ago:

Yes, indeedy folks that's a Praying Mantis. And it was heeeuuge. It was also incredibly cool. I was so infatuated with this bug that I had to go outside & get pictures. Everyone in my office thought I nuckin' futs & laughed the entire time. My friend Loren walked behind me saying "Now you know if that thing flies off the window & tries to eat your face off I'm gonna laugh like hell". This is Loren with a fuzzy smirk:

I laughed last, though. Zeke (what I'd dubbed my new buggy friend) stayed calmy on the window & let me snap away. It was very sad to see him be torn from the window by a nasty crow a few hours later but it was kinda nice while it lasted.

Le Cinema (or How I Will Spend My Wednesday Night)

2006-10-11T16:11:00.000-05:00

OK, now I know I don't have a life (although my sister Katie does tell me that, while I don't really have a life, it is life like in many ways) but how sad is it that I'm getting excited over a night of TV?
It's not sad at all when you consider the line up:

7 PM CSI Repeat (I so want to nibble Gil Grissom's umm...never mind)

8 PM Jericho (It's like the movie "The Day After" only better acting & with nummy Skeet Ulrich (I would start at his toes & stop at all the good parts)

9 PM LOST Whatmore can I say? It's LOST for goodness sakes! There's all KINDS of yummy man goodness on that show (and a question for any other LOST fans...am I nuts or is Michael Emerson just the teeniest bit hot in a creepy kinda way? I think Id nibble...but just a bit)

10 PM Project Runway - this is it - almost the last one. Oh Lord, please let that freakin' psycho Jeffrey fall on some scissors or something!

And of course, while watching all of this I'll be working on this:

Yes indeedy....it's a SOCK! And far far better than the 1st one I ever made. I've turned the heel & am working on gusset decreases now (I'm half through that)....I'm halfway done. I can't wait to finish it.

Bad Blogger, Bad!

2006-10-09T17:09:00.000-05:00

Holy Craptastic Batman, I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've blogged ANYTHING.
"Bless me Blogger, for I have sinned. It's been 25 days since my last post." Oy.
I have good reasons. Honest.

1. Work has been kicking my ass. And, if you've seen my ass, you know how huge of a job that is. I am now comfortably esconced in my office (office, yes I said OFFICE! I am no longer a cubicle dweller! I have real walls, a ceiling, a door & a view of the parking lot! Go me!) and no longer have the multitude of distractions that I used to have in my (rather cozy) cubby. Which means, undeniably, that now....I can get more work done. While a good thing in the professional sense, in the personal sense, it's incredibly exhausting.

2. I have been a mad stitching FIEND. I've been taking classes (Continental Knitting, Stranded Knitting Parts I & II & Socks Part I) & working on the projects for those plus making a commission crochet blanket (which for some reason took forfuckingever). The next time I agree to make something from Lion Brand ANYTHING (but especially Homespun) will someone PUHLEASE hit me in the damn head with a brick? Dumb, Donna, incredibly dumb.

3. I've been sick as a dog. Twice. The whole upper respiratory thing, complete with cough, chills & mucus that is otherwordly. I'm on my 2nd batch of Keflex & my 1st batch of cough medicine w/codeine (Keflex + Codeine + Empty Stomach + Nausea = Puking X Hallucinations. What a long strange trip). All of this has made me incredibly irritable & my coworkers have a heard this statement more than once:
"If you don't leave me alone I will LICK YOUR PHONE."
It's effective if not a teeny bit disgusting.

My penance for letting all this stuff interfere with blogging? Besides the 10 Hail Marys, that is?
Photos, I promise.

A Sense of Place....Sept 11th, 2006

2006-09-10T12:30:00.000-05:00

I live in Southeastern Pennsylvania, in a sleepy little town called Leesport. It's roughly 15 miles North of Reading (yes, like the railroad) and it's claim to fame is its Farmer's Market. A far cry from my birthplace, Staten Island, NY. I moved here to SE Pennsylvania in 1990 to escape NYC .... the dirt, the noise, the crowds, the hustle, the bustle. I was in search of peace, of serenity, of a slower pace & a better life.

I found what I was looking for here .... I lived for a time in a restored 1 room hunting cabin nestled in the trees. It was beautiful no matter what the season ....in summer it was warm & green, humming with insect sounds; in spring it was full of new life & smelling of clean freshness; in autumn it was crisp & bright, the leaves even more vivid & in winter it was a Currier & Ives postcard, complete with sled tracks in the snow. I so enjoyed living there in my single days....just me, my fur babies & my yarn (the ever present yarn-where would I be without it?!) I never once missed NYC ... the few friends I'd had there had moved on & we'd lost contact. Every once in a while I'd get an email from a former co-worker or an occasional holiday greeting from a high school acquaintance but that was it. People in my new life were constantly amazed by how much I didn't want to visit NYC on bus trips or shopping/sightseeing/theater excursions. I was joyful to have finally found what I'd sought. My Mother & 2 sisters had followed me to this peaceful corner of the world so even that last tie holding me to the city was cut.

I was in my car on the way to work on September 11th, 2001 listening to Howard Stern. I thought it was a joke at first when I heard the reports of the attack on the towers (one must consider my source). I got to work and watched it unfold on CNN ... stunned & heartbroken as the 2nd plane hit on live TV. It was a bad dream sequence in a B movie....things moved in half time, a fog swirl in my head. This could not be real ... this was NYC...things like this happened far away, in other places....places where I had no connection. It got worse as the day went....the unimaginable happened when the Towers fell. We were all stunned.

Work stopped that day for us, like it did for millions. The office closed early and we all went home, moving like zombies. I called Mom & the sisters, needing to hear them, to know they were OK. Katie had visited Windows on the World only the month before and while I knew she was far from it, I needed to hear her voice. We did what every family did that night...we drew each other as close to us as we could in any way that we could.

As I watched the TV coverage long into the night I began to feel something I'd not felt in 10 years .... I missed home. I missed the noise, the crowds, the traffic, the heart of it all. In the midst of all that carnage & horror I wanted nothing more than to get in my car & head for the Verrazano. I knew all at once what it meant to be a New Yawker .... to feel that pull of home.

I didn't head for the city as I'd wanted. Instead, I took out my hooks & my yarn & stitched. That night & for long nights afterward I stitched through tears & heartache, watching TV. I looked for familiar faces amongst the ash & smoke and saw no one that I knew but with each one I saw me & mine. I missed my home, true, but that longing was tempered with relief....relief that we were here.

For the last few weeks I've been listening to Brenda Dayne's podcast, Cast On. Her "Sense of Place" series has ended but for me has just begun. I've discovered that my home is not in bricks or mortar, nor in smoke or ash. I will always miss my birth home but I've just only recently realized that the old cliche really is true...home IS where the heart is.

The 5 year anniversary will be full of memorials & tributes, homages to fallen heroes & songs of loss and sorrow. I will think of that day & shed tears on those we've lost. I will miss my birthplace to be sure but I will be grateful for finally finding my true Sense of Place .... my little place of belonging....no matter if it's here in this little sleepy town or amongst the din of the city. My heart knows its sense of place ... when my family is with me, in person or in spirit ....I am truly HOME.

Etsy Shop Is Up & Running

2006-09-10T11:45:00.000-05:00

Stop by for a visit...so far not much but plan on adding more as time goes on.

bellisima67.etsy.com

Redneck Knitting

2006-08-30T04:38:00.000-05:00

So this is what I'm working on.....

Yes, it's a camo skullie. It will soon be hunting season in these here parts and I'm trying to get a jump on some items I'm going to put either on etsy or eBay. And for those of you that are sitting back & laughing their tuckuses off (hmm...I wonder if tucki is the plural of tuckus? Bah, never mind, you get the idea) over the idea that I might know ANYTHING about hunting let me just say this.....

I bagged HIM, now didn't I?

Besides, I may not know much about hunting but I DO know fashion. Well, sort of....I know that people that hunt like camo for when they're NOT actively hunting & bright blaze orange for when they ARE hunting (guess which yarn I'm adding to my stash this weekend?!!?)

Ahh...Joy In The Morning

2006-08-20T14:22:00.000-05:00

It was wonderful getting up before anyone this morning...the house was quiet like it hasn't been since Friday (when both kids came home from their respective trips. We weren't really expecting them until Sunday so it was a bit of a surprise). Just me & my furbabies....
made some coffee, ate a FANTASTIC bun from a European shop/deli that just opened up here (a prepackaged bun at that....yummy all the same!), turned on iTunes, read the news & stitched. It was lovely for about 3 hours...then everyone woke up. It was great while it lasted, though. I wish all my weekends could end like that.
Had a wonderful day yesterday, both in fiber & in my marriage. After getting my nails done (I ADORE acrylic nails. I'm vain...I admit it. Shoot me later), I wandered down to Yarns 'r Us, my LYS. The owner, Kim, is a wonderful lady & runs a great shop. She's been open for about 2 years and has done a wonderful job of keeping as many of her customers happy as she can. She stocks a great variety ...from alpaca to silk to wool to acrylic. She also makes sure to carry lines like Red Heart & Peaches 'n Cream - alot of people wander in just to buy that & wind up leaving with LOTS of other stuff, too.
I had gone in for an extra skein of Noro for a gift that I'm making & we got to talking. Before you know it, I'd sat at her table & we were happily knitting & talking until 3 PM. (FYI, I got there @ 10:30). We had a GREAT time, chatting & talking to customers who wandered in. Kim & I have an idea for a neat set of crocheted slippers w/deerskin soles from a pattern/photo she found in a book from the 40's. The directions are clear as mud so I'm working on the crochet portion of the pattern. Kim is working on the sole. Hopefully I'll have something ready for Thursday's Knit In. Go me!!
While I was there hubby called & we had the invariably routine dinner chat. Instead of the usual "what do you want? I don't care. What do YOU want? I don't care-let's have pizza", hubby surprised me with "I'm taking you out." At those words it was "bye Kim, gotta go."
Not only were we going out to eat, it was my choice. I happen to LOVE Red Lobster (yes, I know it's a chain but OMG is it a GOOD chain!) so that's where we went ...after that it was off to play Bingo. We had a great night, got to spend some wonderful quality time together (much needed quality time) & ate some good food. All in all, it was a great day, from beginning to end. :-)

Dogosaurus Rex

2006-08-20T14:20:00.000-05:00

OMG, is this not THE cutest dog sweater pattern evah?!? I am thinking of doing this for Sava, my sis's Lhasa Apso, in yellow & purple. I think she'll be adorable in it!

I could also size it up & make it Boxer-size for a certain cousin's furbaby. Methinks this one befits an Ogre the best :-)

My Brush With Greatness

2006-08-15T19:01:00.000-05:00

Not only am I a happy knitter but I'm also a happy blogger .... I've got comments...from people other than my family....and both of them are of knitting fame....I'm all aquiver :-)

First, Miss Lime (of the infamous Lime 'n Violet) graciously commented on the loss of my Simba and then Ellen of Knit Sisters commented on my doggie oral post.
I feel so....well, I feel so cool (and the first one of my sisters that calls me a pathetic loser is gonna get a Knit Picks in the eye). Thank you ladies - I haven't felt this cool since high school (and the first one of my sisters who tells anyone how UNcool I was in high school gets nada for Christmas. Keep in mind I can knit cool shit now, like those AWESOME PATRIOTIC FOOTIES).
Like I've mentioned in a previous post, I'm truly non violent. I swear. I'll kick yo' ass if ya' don't believe me.

The Needles Are Here! The Needles Are Here!

2006-08-15T18:27:00.000-05:00

My size 2 circs arrived today! (OK, so hubby picked them up for me...they didn't exactly ARRIVE)....now I can finish my footie....happy knitter am I :-)

My Sister Gets Oral from the Dog

2006-08-14T18:59:00.000-05:00

(Oh my Gawd will I get traffic over THAT title!)
My sister is a half a whack job. She loves my Oskar. Apparently, he loves her back.

In a Snit & Can't Knit ....

2006-08-14T18:18:00.000-05:00

...can't knit what I want, that is. Remember those awesome little patriotic footies I was working on? Well, I finally finished the one (pic to follow later) & I wanted to start the other one...testing my socks on circulars mad skillz. The Susan Bates size 2 circulars I was using were ferkockteh (and for those of you who don't know Yiddish, that basically means they sucked monkey balls big time) -the joins were AWFUL & my gawgeous "1776" kept getting hung up on them. So, I did what any self respecting knitter would do....
I ordered a pair of them from Knit Picks. Those nice pointy slippery shiny nickel circulars that I'm currently in lust with. The order was shipped 08/10/2006 which means they should be here by now (did I mention that Knit Picks has lightning fast shipping???).....since we live in BUMBLEFUCK Pennsylvania & our post office doesn't deliver the mail (we don't have SIDEWALKS here ), we have to pick up all of our mail @ the Post Office. The lobby is open 24 hours but for any packages pick up is between 8:30 AM & 4:00 PM & Saturdays 8:30-11:00. I work...at a real job...from 8-4:30. When the hell am I supposed to pick up my mail?!?!?!?! Don't these people know I NEED TO KNIT MY DAMN FOOTIE!?!?!?!!
ok...rant over....hubby is going to get them for me tomorrow morning when he gets home from work. If it weren't illegal to threaten a US Postal worker I'd tell him to stab them with the needles. I'm non violent though. Really, I am.

Yarn Porn!!!!

2006-08-11T09:52:00.000-05:00

I REFUSE to go on a yarn diet. Its bad enough that I have to watch what I eat but I am so NOT going to limit my yarn intake. I'll go nuts & need Haldol if I do......
First up, some yummy Egyptian Cotton. I'm thinking Clapotis for this one but I'm not sure...note my swatch...and yes, it feels as good as it looks:



Some gawgeous Venezia from Lang...the picture doesn't do this color justice. It's a soft pink, like the center of cotton candy.....



Glitter Alpaca from Cherry Hill...not sure what I want to do with this but am tossing around either a lightweight scarf or maybe ...just maybe...socks.



Noro! Wooo Hoo! Lawdy, I love me some Noro! These colors are more amazing in person. This is earmarked for a gift for a family member ... not telling who or what but I'm sensing a modular scarf (maybe Edgar from Knitty?)



and here it is all in one place...notice everyone touching & feeling all the yummy yarn. Everyone that is, except my hubby, who is giving me the finger. What a manpig, that husband of mine.....

Knit....Knit Like The Wind

2006-08-10T08:31:00.000-05:00

I got the new Knitpicks Options Needles. Oh. My. God. They are AMAZING. They have all of the advantages of the Addi Turbos but with mucho pointiness (Addi's are just too stumpy for me). The set is only $60 & with free shipping over $40, it was well worth the money (Addi's don't make an interchangeable set as far as I know & with one pair of Addi's retailing for around $16, the KnitPicks was the better option).







I cast on a sweater for Mom right away & it really flies on these needles:



Ignore my many mistakes...it's my first sweater. I think she's going to love it.

Back in the Saddle Again

2006-08-07T22:30:00.000-05:00

After a long hiatus in which I had the energy of a turtle on heroin, I'm finally posting again. Losing Simba took the breath out of my soul & it was hard for me to form words for a while. I miss his little nose every day but I know he's where he's meant to be now.

Knitting has been my solace since June 27th. Knitting & listening to Lime 'n Violet and the Mother Superior of Knitting Podcasts, Brenda Dayne. After dinner every night I've been plugging in to listen to past episodes & knit. Just mindless knitting over & over again. I've gotten over the whole combined knitting thing that I was doing (which will make things easier for me I think) and have learned how to make hats. Here's 2 that I made for the Caps to Capitol campaign:

It's been my therapy, my sanity.....thank God for the soul healing properties of the needles.

Put A Sock In It

2006-07-05T20:34:00.000-05:00

So, I finally decided it was time for me to graduate to knitting socks. I thought I was ready, I really did. I've crocheted so many socks, slippers, sandals, etc...how hard could it be? The second I asked myself this question was the very second that Destiny said "you had to ask, didntcha??"
So, off I run to AC Moore & purchase myself the tools of the knitting sock trade. For those sock knitters out there, this is the part where you cringe & say "She didn't buy metal DPN's now did she?" Yes, she did. For those of you who aren't knitters & just read these blog to see what fiber trouble I've gotten myself into, DPN's stands for Double Pointed Needles aka bane of my existence as a beginning knitter. I bought myself the Susan Bates DPN's thinking (incorrectly) that since I loved their straights I would adore the DPN's. Once again Destiny said "muahah, think again, biotch." Metal DPN's are essentially these slippery slidy POINTY needles that just refuse to keep yarn wrapped around it. Experienced knitters can make these puppies sing. I, however, was only capable of making them barf.
After an hour of finger cramping DPN fun, I figured I should probably get some help. Off I surf & am overjoyed when I find this marvelous tutorial on using DPN's. Within 15 minutes I'm whimpering. My fingers just refuse to work that way. Off I trot to the place where I've found almost all of my knitting help -Amy will not fail me.
She failed me. I tried, I really did. I just didn't get it. At the end of 2 hours I wanted to commit hari kari with the damned DPN or at the very least find that fucking Susan Bates & stab her in the face with her own DPN's. I gave up. ME, the Nellie Forbush of fiber. I said "screw this. I'll buy socks @ WalMart like every other redneck in Berks County."
Fast forward to last week. I had to put Simba to sleep, my period was a week early & my blender broke just as I was mixing up my Mudslide. Crap week to say the least. After stopping by the vet to pay the Gross National Debt for Simba, I needed a pick me up & asked DH to take me to a new LYS. That was when it happened.
Nirvana.
LYS. 4 miles from home. Stuff on sale. Airy & open. Nothing smelled like food (isn't it funny how most LYS smell like week old Moo Goo Gai Pan?), the owner was friendly & most definitely NOT a yarn snob. I spent $30 on some Glitter Alpaca and was about to leave when she said the magic words....
"we're having a sock class this Saturday"
I stopped, turned, wiped the drool from my mouth & said..."I'm an idiot with DPN's"
"Well, this is on 2 circulars. It's MUCH easier."
Sold. Where do I sign up? I'm so there.
Fast forward to Saturday morning, 9 AM. I'm on vacation & have been dedicating my life to sloth this past week but I'm up early for THIS. Not only that but so is DH. AND he's offered to go with me. Am I lucky or WHAT??
And so we begin. There's 4 of us...we're making the Footie from the recent issue of Creative Knitting. OK, so really it's a Ped....but Footie sounds so much more knitt-ish.
Anyway, I was the stupidist one in the class. I just couldn't grasp this whole 2 circular thing. Then finally, the world's greatest knitting instructor, Bev, very gently said "honey, it's just like crocheting, just keep turning it around."

Ahhh. NOW I get it. And so did the rest of the people in the class. Not only did we do socks on circulars BUT we did the heel with short row shaping. Yup. Me. Knitting idiot. Class ran over by about 2 hours & no one cared-we were all focused on these damn socks.
I give you ....my footie so far:

(and for the geek knitter in all of us, I'm using "1776" by Schoeller & Stahl. It's a superwash wool & self stripes sooo nicely but OMG, was it super small to work with on a 1st project).
I am bound & determined to finish it. I may not make both but I MUST finish this one. Perhaps some patriotic amputee is in need of a Ped.

This Is What I'm Reduced To.....

2006-06-29T22:14:00.000-05:00

Merino Wool. It does say a lot about me I suppose.

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Merino Wool.You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to keep you close because you are so softhearted. You love to be comfortable and warm from your head to your toes.
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At Peace

2006-06-29T21:41:00.000-05:00

My Simba is at peace, finally. I will miss him so very much ... there are no words for the hurt in my heart. My only comfort is that he isn't in pain anymore ... now he can run, purr, pounce, smile in that way that only a cat can...he is free....

Why are you crying,
I am not there.
Look not for me by the favorite chair,
I am not there.
See me not at the bed's foot,
nor at the door's step,
I am not there.
Do not look to the earth's cold hand,
it could not hold me,
I am not there.
Look to the midnight star, a comet's flash,
racing shadows in the field, sun lights
dance on water's edge.
Hear me, the rustle of the grass,
pine bough sigh, the beat of bird's wings,
the rain's quiet tattoo.
Feel me in your heart, for it is there I cannot leave.
Wait for my loving kiss, my paw's soft touch
at Rainbow Bridge.
I will meet you there, and we shall dance again,
together.
~Unknown~

The Big Suckarooti

2006-06-26T19:52:00.000-05:00

Today sucked-big time, starting with getting out of bed. I'm on vacation & the one thing I want to do (besides getting drunk on Bailey's whilst talking to Ann & Sindy, trash talking men, the need to work & the curse of being born beautiful instead of rich) was to sleep late. I didn't get to sleep late. Why? This is why.....

...he had to pee. At 7. That's AM...as in THE MORNING. While I'm on vacation. Did I mention the typhoon/monsoon/tsunami thing going on? There's no way this dog will go out in the yard in THAT. Luckily, I talked him into going back to sleep for 30 minutes...which was when I poked my head downstairs and said in my sweetest "I love you hunny you are my God my man stud my hunkahunka burnin' love" voice "sweetheart, can you let the dog out?" ...and he fell for it...err I mean he let the dog out. OK, so that part didn't suck too bad ...I did get to go back to sleep for a little while.

Finally, I rolled my beached whale of a body out of bed around 9'ish, haul it into the shower & wait to wake up. Which was right around when I noticed the shower curtains are OUTSIDE the tub as opposed to INSIDE the tub. Which means that the flooding outside is now INSIDE. Crap. There goes my relaxing shower. Who needs to relax, right? It's only a vacation for shit's sake. Who wants to relax on one of THOSE?

I call the vet & get the latest on Boo Boo Kitty. I find out he's taken a turn for the worse & the tone for the rest of the day is now set. If there was ever a need to get drunk today is IT. But, my brilliant plan has been shattered by one very important fact .... I forgot to go to the liquor store. I'll make do w/coffee instead.

I don't even bother w/doing hair or makeup ...vacation, right? Big Dog Momma tshirt + jeans + ponytail = vacation dress code. I look (and feel) like death warmed over. My eyes are red & puffy from crying over Simba, my nose is dripping like the crotch of a $5 hooker and I'm looking every year of 65 years old (I'm 39). I've just thrown the final load into the washing machine (which has been leaking since they installed it, waiting for the mysterious plumber to arrive. We've been making do w/a bucket under the pipe. (Class Act, yeah I know) and am settling down to knit a few rows. That's when the dogs start barking. Why? Plumber. Unannounced. Today. With the washer going. And he's wearing a tank top. And he's hairy. And sweaty.

It's at this point that I realize I've done something so wrong at a major karmic level. I've have pissed off some major deity or wronged a malevolent goddess....something. I say "fuck it", go downstairs, finish up a quick email to work, toss on my shoes & go see Boo Boo Kitty. That's when my day REALLY becamse the Big Suckarooti.

He looks awful...his eyes all rheumy & red, like he'd been crying, too. He barely moves, just sleeps & purrs. He refuses to eat or drink (thankfully they're pumping him full of fluids) and generally looks horrid. I miss him so much...it's like a piece of my soul is sitting in the kennel with him. Dr. P says things aren't looking overly positive now -he's in guarded condition at best. His liver function is impaired & his blood glucose levels aren't regulated. I stayed for a few hours, as long as I could without completely going over the edge. I'm doing whatever I can to take my mind off of it (like this entry) but nothing works. I miss my Boo Boo...my little punkin' man. I just want to pet his little head until he falls asleep purring on my shoulder. Maybe tonight when I sleep I'll get to do just that. Sleep well punkin' man...Momma is holding you in her heart.

Knitting = Sanity

2006-06-26T10:16:00.000-05:00

This has been what's keeping me sane...a scarf. Woo Hoo. A plain old scarf, done in short rows in a colonial blue wool something or other that I found. I can't concentrate on anything more complicated right now. Spoke to the vet this morning & my Boo Boo Kitty isn't doing as well as he was yesterday. He's still badly dehydrated, they can't regulate his blood glucose levels & he's not eating. Dr. P think we're looking @ a fatty liver & if that's the case prognosis sucks. I'm going to see him this afternoon around 3 or so ... I am a mess. Thank God I'm on vacation - if I had to work this week I'd get fired.

Boo Boo Kitty

2006-06-24T13:24:00.001-05:00

This is Simba AKA Simby Bimby, Simbalaya, Squeakers, Punkin...and the ever popular...Momma's Good Baby. Right now he's one Boo Boo Kitty ....his lethargy, weight loss (6 pounds!), lack of appetite, weakness, fading eyesight & poor coat are pointing to one thing-feline diabetes (final bloodwork to confirm that but the vet's fairly certain that's what it is). The vet is seriously concerned & gives him a 50/50 chance in his present condition. Dr. P (who is an amazing vet & an all around great guy) has my baby for the weekend. Send good fur baby vibes please. We can use all the good thoughts we can get.

Can You Stand The Cuteness??

2006-06-20T23:03:00.000-05:00

I couldn't resist this shot....they look so peaceful, so angelic....looks are deceiving...

Modular Knitting WIP

2006-06-20T22:50:00.000-05:00

Here's my 1st attempt @ modular knitting. It's a crude attempt at a scarf using 2 colors. The wool is Glengary Shetland in 2 shades of mauve (the pics look purple-I have no camera skills at all) and came from my Mother's ancient stash. I'm kinda diggin' it but I have to do more work when it comes to changing colors.
(clickables)

Knitting Meet Up

2006-06-20T22:35:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I go to my very first Knitting Meet Up tomorrow. Is it just a little bit sad that I'm incredibly excited about it? I can hardly wait! I met 2 members of the Meetup @ the Modular Knitting class that I had taken @ AC Moore a while ago but the meeting night always conflicted with LOST ok, ok, I know I'm more than sad...I'm pathetisad. Or is it pathetique? Either way, my life is boring....on the up side, I'm knitting my ass off (oh how I wish that were true! My ass is the size of Cleveland) & loving every second of it. I am just finishing up the Surfer Girl Halter Top in this month's issue of Creative Knitting. I did it in Bernat Camoflage Outback and it only looks a little white trashy. I'll post pics once it's all blocked.

Open Letter Redux

2006-06-20T21:58:00.000-05:00

This letter to the biological mother of my stepchildren, originally posted earlier this year, mysteriously disappeared from my blog. Hmmm...how did that happen I wonder? None of my posts were deleted other than this one...perhaps the intarwebs was acting up. Perhaps. In any event, I found the original draft & have decided to repost (and have changed my blogger password in the process). Here it is, in all it's glory...yet again (and for those of you that have already read this the 1st time, skip to the end as I've added a post script)

Some background information...I met DH 3 1/2 years ago, not long after his now ex-wife, C, had left him & their kids to pursue a relationship with a woman in Texas (DH & said wife lived in PA) she'd met online. When that relationship didn't work out she left Texas & moved to Missouri to live with another woman, also someone she'd met online (nothing snarky meant about the whole online thing since that's how I met DH, too). Fall 2005 she & her GF moved back to PA, ostensibly to spend more time with the kids. DH has custody of the kids (D who is 16 & becoming a beautiful woman and B who is 10 & all boy) & they are the light of my life. Recently, A (C's gf) & I had a rather intense phone conversation in which I spoke my mind & gave my opinions on a lot of things. It created a lot of drama & emails back & forth. DH has asked that I don't respond to her emails & I've agreed since it would only start a war & that's something we don't want to expose D&B to. That being said, the entire thing has been eating me up & I need to vent. I know she'll never find my blog so I feel safe in venting here. There's so much more about this woman that would make your head spin (drugs, alcohol, stealing, lying-the list is endless) but this isn't about her, it's about me. Here goes......

Dear C,

3 1/2 years ago you made a choice that changed your life forever. You may not think you abandoned your children but you did. You willingly & with forethought left them. In my book, that's abandonment, honey. You can dress it up with any excuse that you want but cutting through the bullshit-you left your kids. You can never take that back. Here we are 3 years later and while you're geographically closer to your children, emotionally, you're even farther apart than you were before. Your actions and inactions are making the chasm between yourself & your children wider & wider every day.

You say you wonder how long you'll be punished for the mistake you made by leaving. Simple....FOREVER. Your children will never ever forget the fact that you left. They may forgive you but they will never forget. What they may not forgive you for is the way you're handling things now that you've come back. For all the contact that you've had, you might as well have stayed in Missouri. You hardly call or write (and the only reason you called twice in the last 2 weeks is because I shamed you into it. We'll see how long THAT lasts) and when the kids actually get to spend time with you it's for a few hours at best.

You wonder why I don't like you. It's a simple answer really. I don't like you because of the hurt I see in B's eyes when he is really missing you. I don't like you because I hear D say how much she hates you when I really know she means she loves you with everything she has. I don't like you because of how you lied to your own mother about your husband, telling her he gambled away his paycheck when really he never even saw his paycheck. I don't like you because you & I both know what kind of person you really are - a manipulative self-centered liar who looks for excuses instead of answers, who runs away when faced with the cold hard truth & who doesn't know the first thing about being a Mother.

In 3 years our family has had it's ups & downs, its quarrels, its fights. But in that time, we've discovered what it's like to become a family-a true family. These kids now know what it's like to have TWO parents who love them unconditionally. TWO parents who look at every decision that needs to be made from the viewpoint of "How will this impact the kids". TWO stable employed parents who are teaching the kids what a good work ethic means. TWO parents who love each other AND the kids with a love you will never know. Why? Because you're too involved in YOU.

I pity you, C, I really do. You lost everything important in your life - your husband, your children, your mother, everything that matters -you don't seem to care. You say that no one seems to know how you feel, that you love your kids, that you want to be a part of their lives. It's just words, C. Actions speak louder than words & right now your actions are screaming "I only care about myself." The only good thing in all of this is that because of you, I now have 2 amazing children in my life. I love them more than the air I breathe, more than life itself. Even a dog can give birth (and we know what they call a female dog) - just because you gave birth to them doesn't make you their Mother. It just makes you the uterus.

PS~I do have one thing to thank you for C and that's this - that you had the sense that God gave you to get involved w/an evil meddlesome little bitch like A. Her need to create drama and watch the fur fly was what started all the insanity between M&M (additional background to the reader-M&M are DH's parents; his crazy mother tossed his father out on his 72 year old ass with his dog & the clothes on his back. He is now living with us for as long as he wants. For that I thank you because now this wonderful man is now in my home & away from the vile treatment & abuse he suffered for years. The children have their Pappy & DH has his Dad....and I have them all. What do you have, C?

Off With His Nose...and His Head

2006-06-13T18:34:00.000-05:00

This is...was...Woofi. Woofi was a very delightful squishy that I bought to support our local animal shelter. Woofi came with his own collar, tag & little adoption certificate. He also had a nose. HAD.

This was Boo Bear. He didn't have his own collar or a little tag or a little adoption certificate. What he DID have was a head.

And this is Oskar. He now has Woofi's nose and Boo Bear's head. I have no clue where this 11 pound bundle of ferocity placed said nose or head.

For Anne

2006-06-06T19:49:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about you all day long ... I hope today went well & you've begun the 1st step in what will be a long but necessary journey. I know that going through this will be tough for you...that some days will be harder than others but we both know that the goal here is your happiness and, ultimately, your inner peace. For such a long time you've not had either of those-not truly anyway-but I think you will, soon. I love you, cuz....I'm with you, even from all the way over here.....

" I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace."
~Dalai Lama

Purple Purple Purple

2006-04-28T19:26:00.000-05:00

My very first official knitted thing....a scarf. I'm so proud. I did it all in garter stitch - one strand of Paton's Merino in That's Purple and one strand of Lion Brand's Colorwaves in Purple Vista. I used a size 13 needle & it really made a nice open stitch. The combination of the yarns really resulted in a super soft & squishy scarf. I sent it to my Crochetville Secret Pal, Kelle. Even though the edges were a little wonky, she said she liked it. I'm kinda proud of myself ...I actually made something :-)

Fiber Boobage Continued

2006-04-21T18:56:00.000-05:00

Yes, ladies & gentleman, it's a boob hat. And yes, that is my hubby, Breast Man. I made hats for hubby, my BIL's & FIL this Christmas & they were a hit. You'll notice all of the men have their tongues hanging out...they were all trying to lick the boob hat (although I have to admit that may have been my fault. I gave it to him with a tag that read "Got Milk?") And, once again, hubby is stroking the fiber nipple.

My Husband the Breast Man

2006-04-20T20:55:00.000-05:00

OK, so I know it's little bit past Christmas but I just came across this pic of one of hubby's Christmas gifts tonight. My wonderful husband has this thing for boobs. Big, small, droopy, perky - he likes them all (well, I think he'd rather go with the bigguns if given the choice but really, to him, a boob is a boob is a boob). So, for those times when my boobs & I could not be there for him, I made him the next best thing....something to rest his lil head on. I give you.....the Boobie Pillow. Please note that his finger is ever so gracefully stroking the nipple. I love my hubby, the manpig.

Crochetville Secret Pal-REVEALED

2006-04-20T20:48:00.000-05:00

I had the BEST time w/this whole Secret Pal thing over @ Crochetville. Courtney AKA xmaystarx had me -I got the greatest things from her .... notice the pack of knitting needles is missing a pair-that's because I started using them right away. She was a great Secret Pal-it's funny how a simple thing like a little ecard from someone you don't know can make your day. Courtney, thank you so much!

Modular Knitting

2006-03-15T22:39:00.000-05:00

Been working to teach myself modular knitting. I apparently am either a lousy student or a lousy teacher because I suck at it. I signed up for a class @ AC Moore (same woman that taught my basic knitting class there last month) and I'm hopeful I'll be able to make something....anything. I just got Modular Knits and it's an awesome book. The only problem I've got with it is that there's no stitch guide in it. I'm still working on increasing & I wish the book had a little tutorial on that since increasing & decreasing are pretty integral parts of modular knitting. I'll eventually get it. I hope.

ATC Along on Craftster

2006-03-08T00:11:00.000-05:00

I've been following this Craftalong - totally lurking of course. Some of the entries are just amazing I'm biased, of course - my cousin is one of them & I love her last entry. Check out the post by NightOwl on page 6 of the thread.

ATC Along

Go Go Go Granny Go

2006-03-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

On the way up to Canada this past summer, I worked on a Granny Square. It evolved from a dishcloth, to a 12" square to a blanket. I finally finished it a few weeks (and for those of you that didn't know - our trip to Canada was in July. It only took me 7 1/2 months to finish what's generally considered to be the easiest blanket in the world to crochet). The neat thing about this one is that it's made entirely from cotton. It's going to be perfect for the summer I think - just something to toss on when taking a nap on the couch. I'm digging the pastels in it, too, even though it totally clashes with everything. I really like how it turned out.

American Idol - Chris Daughtry vs. Bo Bice

2006-03-07T23:45:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I'm saying this as a die hard Bo fan but....I LOVE Chris Daughtry. His voice aside for a moment .... have you SEEN him??? **fanning self before swooning** I declare...that man sure does fill out a pair of Levi's.
As for his voice... he beats Bo . Up until now, I felt Bo was THE best vocalist to ever come out of AI but I think Chris has him beat, hands down. His version of Fuel's "Hemmorhage" was probably the best I've heard from that show yet. Coming up for a very close second in terms of performance was Mandisa's "Every Woman". That woman is ALL diva & is proving to the world that BBW's should not only be seen but heard AND appreciated. She's made some great song choices & tonight's Chaka Khan song was PERFECT for her. I felt like Every Woman just watching her!

Ahh....heat....just in time....

2006-03-07T23:37:00.000-05:00

We got oil delivered on the 28th .... it felt soooo good to come into a nice warm toasty house that night. And we got it just in time, too.....it's supposed to be sunny...and 60 F this weekend. At least our toes are warm.....they'll just be in flip flops.

Ooh baby it's cold outside....

2006-02-27T22:32:00.000-05:00

...and inside. Why you ask?
We ran out of oil. And they can't deliver more until Wednesday.
How did this happen?
Simple....my wonderful husband was in the hospital. He's the oil guru. He & the furnace have this relationship that I don't understand. I don't even go IN the basement. I don't even know what the furnace looks like, never mind how to tell if there's any oil left in it.
Oops. Big time. It got cold in here this afternoon & he took a gander @ the fuel gauge. Then I got the phone call while on my way to a meeting. Here's how that went:
"Hey hon"
"Hi honey"
"Hon...umm...we ran out of oil"
"Oil?" (here's where I'm praying he means Crisco or something. God must have been listening to his iPod instead of me at this point)
"Yeah. I called all over & the soonest I can get someone is Wednesday."
"Wonderful. How cold is it in the house?"
"I can still feel my toes" (this is a plus until I remember that I'm the one with perpetually cold feet)
"Well, guess we'll have to stick it out, maybe pick up some space heaters or something" (this is the part in a sit com where you'd hear the canned laughter. You'll see why in a minute)
"OK hon. Look honey I'm real sorry"
"Sweetie, it's ok, you were in the hospital" (and I'm not mad @ him, truly. Not now anyway. My feet still have feeling in them. My nose is a different story)
"Oh and hon?"
"Yes dear?"
"The cheapest I could get the oil was $1.97 a gallon. OK, have a good meeting. I loooovvveee you"
And so off I go to my meeting. One that was hot, crowded & tiring. I should have savored the heat while I had it, I know. To top it all off I made the supreme mistake of wearing the shoes from Hell. 10 hours in them made me feel like one of those women in China with the bound feet. I make my break for it & am working my way home by 7:30 PM.
I hit WalMart first, incorrectly assuming that, since they're WalMart they would have small heaters. Wal Mart is ...well they're WALMART for Chrissakes. They have EVERYTHING.
Wal Mart disappointed me. As did K Mart, Tractor Supply Co, Ollies, Big Lots & Kuzan's Hardware. By now, my feet are screaming at me, I'm starving (oh, by the way, have I mentioned that I'm on a fucking DIET, too??? Yeah....diet. I'm a masochist, I know) & for some reason my right arm is killing me (I think from the scarf that I had to frog last night). Plus now I gotta go home where it's cold & there's no hot water. And if that weren't bad enough....I have cramps.
So, here we are...just chillin'.

Thank you Secret Pal :-)

2006-02-26T12:06:00.000-05:00

A big "THANK YOU" to my Crochetville Secret Pal. I've gotten e-cards that have really brightened my day & yesterday got a great package in the mail. The latest issue of Crochet World and some adorable note cards ... they have a silhouette of a woman knitting on them. I love all of my goodies. Thank you Secret Pal, whoever you are!!!

Just Keep Knitting, Knitting, Knitting

2006-02-26T11:53:00.000-05:00

So, I took this knitting clas after Christmas. I always wanted to learn how & had sort of an idea so Mom got me a lesson as a Christmas gift. I learned the basics (although the teacher only had 2 years of experience herself) and was able to make this>>>>

I'm thinking I'll felt it and either make a needle case out of it or perhaps a little bag or something. For a 1st attempt, not too bad. Thank God felting hides mistakes.

So then I decide that just doing the garter stitch is getting boring. Kinda like doing row upon row of single crochet ... I need variety. So, I head to A.C. Moore. The woman who handles their yarn department is an amazing knitter (she taught me 3 minutes flat how to hold the yarn in my LEFT hand instead of my right. BIG difference for me as I've been crocheting for 30 years & have ALWAYS held the yarn in my left hand) and she teaches all knids of knitting classes. Took that class yesterday & it was WONDERFUL. She was thorough, patient, detailed ... really went beyond what I had learned in Class #1. I'm now able to knit, purl, bind off & increase just a little bit. I even know how to correct a missed stitch. I feel invincible.....sorta. Her best advice was to just keep knitting, knitting, knitting - keep doing it over & over again. So that's what I'm doing & am working on my 1st official knitting project. To be safe, I'm making a knitted scarf again in garter but no details as it's for my secret pal over on Crochetville. I think she'll like it...the colors are wayyy cool. Let's hope the cold weather holds, though...it's gonna be WARM.

In Sickness & In Health

2006-02-26T11:27:00.000-05:00

DH & I are only married 8 months ... he's my very heart & soul...and this past week we had the 1st true test of what those vows meant. Last Friday he was complaining of abdominal pain. Man that he is, he kept it from me just how MUCH pain he was truly in. Saturday was Tishy's Sweet 16 party & no way was he going to ruin it. The man stoically made it through the party preparations & the party itself, driving people home afterward & unloading all the leftovers. By Sunday morning, though, he was even worse so off to the ER we went. 13 HOURS later they admitted him. For a day & a half we heard words like "pancreatic mass" & "tumor" ....we were scared...terrified. The kids had never been without either parent before (their mother lives 2 hours away-DH has custody of both) & it was the 1st time he & I had ever faced something like this as a couple. The kids dealt OK w/it although Tishy was puking her guts up for 5 days from anxiety. My Buddy was nearing the "when is Daddy coming home" whining stage & I was just plain old scared. Final diagnosis? Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction as well as Retroperitoneal Fibrosis . Both sound ominous, horrible, etc but...not so bad it turns out. They did a teeny bit of cutting to correct the sphincter issue & a some steroids for the fibrosis. He's home, feeling better & going back to work tonight.
The good thing that came out of all of this is that we're ALL now eating healthy. We made a commitment to get rid of the junk, eat less, excercise more...all that good stuff. DH is pre-diabetic, I've got high BP, we're both in the obese category ....and I don't wanna die. So, here we are...trying to keep living. Wish us luck.

Go Steelers!!

2006-02-02T18:59:00.000-05:00

Our office mascot is Gert. Gert is a huge Steelers fan & her owner (Lori, who sits next to me & makes sure Gert's outfit is appropriate for the season) told me she had no Steelers attire. I whipped this little outfit up last night. I thought the hat was a little Harry Potter-ish but everyone else got a giggle out of it. It's hard to tell in this photo but Gert is a mini-she's barely 7" tall. That hat was a killer to make near the end. She's ready for Super Bowl Sunday!!

My Husband, the Yarn Enabler

2006-02-02T01:09:00.000-05:00

I'm married to the most wonderful guy. On Monday, he took me out to lunch & then for ice cream just 'cuz. I then had a horrid day @ work & was a whole lotta grumpy when I got home. My mood changed the minute I walked into the living room & saw this.....

all for me :-). My yarns have been scattered all over the house-in plastic bags, totes, in closets & under beds. I just had nowhere to put it all & like any good addict, always wound up buying yarn I already had just because I couldn't find what I needed. He apparently has been looking for just the right thing for a while now & found this at Target. My sister now calls him "yarn enabler".

I've cleaned a bit & now it's looking MUCH nicer

Not only that, but now I can actually see and USE all my Longaberger baskets.

I was able to de-stash some because of the giant yarn clean up- I posted over at Crochetville that I had some yarns to swap & got some fast responses! JimmieLu & I worked out a great trade for most of it. I'm thrilled about it & can hardly wait to mail it all off to her....it'll be like Christmas, only with yarn :-)

Crocheted Dog Bed

2006-01-27T20:18:00.000-05:00

This pet bed was a fairly easy project out of "Pampered Pets" by The Needlecraft Shop. Most of it was simple single crochet back & forth. Used some acrylic WW that I had laying around. The dog loves it. Excuse his "Damien: Omen 2" eyes - my camera & I don't get along.

Jumping on the Blog Wagon

2006-01-27T19:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I've done it - I've got a blog. What I'm gonna do with the damn thing now that I have it, I dunno. But, at least I've done it. My blog cherry has been popped.