Trick or Treat

Happy Haunting to All!

Vote Early; Vote Often

Since I will be busy on election day I decided to take advantage of early voting today. I'm glad I got to my polling place as early as I did. The parking lot was packed when I got finished (only 15 minutes after they opened). Even though I'm a tech-savvy individual I still don't have 100% faith in the touch screen machines so I took the time to fill out a paper ballot this go
around. Here are some various news stories on this concern:

Voting Machines from CNN.com




Interactive Voting - The Pros and Cons to Each Method





I hope to one day get to the point where I believe that no votes would be lost with the touch screen method - until then this is one thing I don't mind doing the old fashion way. Being the nerd that I am, I am proudly displaying my "I Voted Today" sticker. All I need now is to blast,"Proud To Be An American" for all to hear.



The below video sums up my last thoughts for today on all this election madness -



(Interview with the Kids from the Ron Clark Academy Rap)

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I've wanted a tattoo for sometime however I never knew what I would get. Now, I think I have the answer - Connect the Dots Tattoo. It's body art and entertainment all in one!

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TCU plays UNLV this weekend which happens to be the school one of my good friends graduated from. This of course this meant one thing. . . a friendly wager had to be put in place. Let the game begin!

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Right now I seem to be in limbo with my projects. I don't seem to have the time to work on anything. I've been so busy with so many other things finding time to knit doesn't seem possible.

On top of all this, my DRT group is doing a reverse swap and I think the box should be coming my way any day now. Thankfully I know a few quick dish rag patterns that are fast knits.

Amongst the miscellaneous errands I have to run - soon I hope - is shipping off a RAK package to acferreira1 (Acferreira1's PhotoStream). She wanted a set of size 3 DPNs. I accidentally bought a set thinking I needed them when it turned out I already had a set. I came across her request before I got a chance to return them so instead I decided to give them to her. She needs them to make her daughter a "baby vintage cardigan." These should have been in the mail to her this past weekend/early this week, but time has just slipped away from me and alas they aren't sent yet.


Well, that's all for now. Until later . . .Ciao!

I've Accepted the Challenge

I've decided that I'm going to take on the HFCS challenge. During the course of yesterday another one of my friends decided to accept the challenge as well. It should be an interesting November - Stay tuned to see how it all turns out.

Shout Outs!

I haven't done shout-outs in awhile. . . .

* Jules1960 (Jules1960's PhotoStream) - I know I've thanked you before, but I wanted to thank you one last time for your really nice notes. Very few people realize that dropping someone a quick note to wish them a good day every once in awhile can make all the difference.

* Jesi (Jesi's Blog), Piperdoodle (Piperdoodle's PhotoStream) and my peeps in Indy -

Jesi and Piperdoodle thank you for arranging the meetup just because I was going to be in town. It was very nice of you. All my non-knitting peeps can't believe that you'd do that for someone you really didn't know.

Thank you to everyone who showed up for dinner. I had a blast! Jesi thank you for bringing the coupon for a free slice of cheesecake. That ROCKED! I'll be sure to let you know when I'm in Indy again. Also, let me know when y'all plan to come up to Chitown for a yarn crawl. I'd be happy to show you around.

* DaisysMom - I'm so glad you enjoy my blog. Thank you for letting me know. I finally got a chance to peek at yours and it is now on my never-ending list of blogs I follow. DaisysMom's Blog

* Anyone Who Has Left Me a Comment - Thank you! It's nice to know I'm not just participating in the cyberspace version of talking to myself.

No More High Fructose Corn Syrup (at least for 30 days)

One of my all time favorite places to eat just announced they are eliminating High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) from all their foods - Jason’s Deli Is First Restaurant Chain in U.S.To Remove HFCS in Food.

The timing of this news is ironic as I am considering taking on a challenge during the month of November to eliminate HFCS from my diet (not an easy task). The idea was given to me by a friend of mine taking on this challenge. Here are the details of the challenge:

From my friend's blog:

"The Challenge (if you choose to accept it).

Starting November 1st you will not eat or drink anything containing HFCS until November 30. Restaurant meals are excepted because you can never be too sure and I don't want to spoil a birthday or something. This should give you a week to alter your menus and get your pantry prepared. Then just start reading labels. Don't buy or eat anything with HFCS in it. You have to check every label- even bread can be hiding some. You don't have to go all organic, but you may have to change brands on some things."

At this point I am leaning towards taking on this challenge. I'll let you know once I have made a final decision.

Until later . . . Ta! Ta!

Five W's and One H

The goal of a journalist is to answer the who, what, where, when, why and how of any story or person. (Also known as the five w's and one h.) In looking back at prior blog entries I noticed I never answered those questions about myself. Not that it's necessary however if I were on the other end it would be nice to know more about the person behind the words.

Who . . .

Am I?

Depending on how you look at this question the answer could be short and sweet or long and descriptive manner.

Short and Sweet:

I am. . .

* 30-something
* Avid Knitter (shocker!)
* Frog lover (double shocker!)
* Volunteer moderator for several online groups
* Volunteer for several not-for-profit groups

Long and Descriptive:

I try to avoid these long and descriptive "about me" sections. I never know what to say so I cut and paste my "standard" jargon.

Here is what you find in the "About Me" section on my Facebook and MySpace profiles:

"I can only think of one thing to put here that would want you to read more about me... I've been skydiving. (That seems to amaze everyone whether they have a desire to do it or not)

Now that I've gotten you to read more, I don't only skydive. I actually have a variety of hobbies that fill my "free" time. Amongst them are photography, comedy improv and, of course, knitting.

I'm thirty-something navigating through this crazy thing we call life. Just when I think I have things figured out I get thrown a curve ball and the game starts allover again.

I am fortunate to have wonderful family and friends. They definitely make the ride WAY more interesting and I don't know what I'd do without them.

I've traveled to some really cool places in- and out-side of the US. Amongst the most interesting are Israel, Ireland and England.

I believe laughter is key in life and I try to do my part by making those around me laugh . . . it's the least I can do."

Yeah. . . so that's it. I feel the "short and sweet" approach suits me better.


What. . .



Is my blog all about?

It's mostly about knitting with random stories about my day-to-day life and other things I find interesting mixed in.

Is my obsession with frogs?

Ironically I use to think real frogs were gross and disgusting. In my 5th grade Biology class we had Tadpoles in our class room. As expected, before we knew it they were full-grown frogs and it freaked the shit out of me.

Today, I think frogs are beautiful creatures though I still wouldn't hold one. As cartoons and stuff animals they are super cute. I cannot say exactly what got me hooked on collecting and associating with frogs - it just sorta happened. At the end of the day I guess it's just my thing.

Where. . .


Will you find me knitting?

Almost anywhere. The first public place I ever knit was on the Metra train going to and from work. It was strange because people would stare at me and it made me uncomfortable. Now, I have no problem with knitting in public. It's just what I do. People are surprised to hear I've knit at a bar, or two. Some of my friends think it's weird, but I don't and that is all that really matters. I must say that I have not gotten to the point that I must knit wherever I go - at least not yet. : P

When. . .

Did I start knitting?

My aunt taught me how to knit when I was in fourth grade however it did not become a regular hobby of mine until I was unemployed back in late 2006/early 2007. Not to long after taking a refresher class I started making baby blankets for those I knew expecting a child. For about the next year and a half all I made was baby blanket (I knew a lot of people expecting).

This past spring I ventured outside the boarders of blankets and explored the many other projects one can knit. I even knit something for myself as well (up to that point I would only knit for other people). I also recently started getting involved in the social aspect of this hobby. I’ve met some truly great people.

Did I start blogging?

Well if you check the archives, I started blogging about knitting back in July. However, this is not my first blog/online journal. Many, many years ago a good friend of mine introduced me to Open Journal and for a while I wrote on that. I've also used LiveJournal as well.

Why . . .

Blog?

Why not!? It's sure to get lost in cyberspace, right!?

Seriously, I started this blog as a form of entertainment - pure and simple. I did not really think anyone would take the time to read what I had to say.


How. . .


Much longer will this post go on?

Not much longer as I'm almost done.

So, that is a snap shot of me. If there is something that you are wondering that I didn't cover feel free to inquire within.

Name That Tune

Ever hear a song that you know very well, but do not know the exact title of? You know who it's performed by, but cannot remember the exact name. For the last half hour I've been trying to figure out the title of a Queen song I heard recently. A friend of mine asked me the name of it, and I could not give them an answer. At first I thought I would have it in my iPod so it was finding the answer was no-brainier (or so I thought). However, that was not the case. It's nothing to lose sleep over, but I will definitely pursue this mystery until I have an answer. Meanwhile, one perk of this chase is that I get to listen to great music by Queen.

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Another week is coming to an end and once again I am amazed how quickly the time has flown by. It appears there is a fair amount of rain in the forecast so it doesn't look like I will be getting in one of my extensive walks. No worries though. It's all good! There is plenty of other things to do. I look forward to a low key weekend without the craziness that seems to have been my life story lately.
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The perfect pumpkin is sitting in my kitchen just waiting to be carved. It's the first year in forever that I have carved a pumpkin. Ironically I do not like to eat anything with pumpkin in it - go figure! So all the inside goodness that many use for baked goods and other seasonal treats will not be present in my home.

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My knitting has come full circle . . . literally. After I completed my last blanket I was hell-bent on making a pair of fingerless gloves. Actually, I believe my very first blog post was about how I was going to make fingerless gloves. Fingerless gloves are great because they warm your hands without getting in the way of doing such activities as typing (which "normal" gloves do). These project never materialized into anything because I kept getting frustrated with the DPNs and had no clue how to increase. However, now I am ready - and just in time. I find myself in places from time-to-time that still think it is summer and run their air conditioning accordingly. Since I dress for the weather the only problem is that my fingers are freezing.

I will be using the sock yarn that I made the Harry Potter socks with as it is a nice DK weight. Since I have not gotten the caked yarn for the Windy City Scarf I am free to start a different project. This should be a quick knit (I hope).


That's all for now. . . until later. . . BB!

"No Matter Where You Go, There You Are."

The origin of this is interesting. According to one site, this quote comes from Confucius whereas Christianitytoday.com points the origin of this quote to a biblical connections. There is even a Alternative/Folk song by Luka Bloom called "No Matter Where You Go, There You Are."

And that is just the beginning. . . regardless of its origin, the interruption of this quote can be different from person-to-person. For example take this Blogger's reference and interruption of this quote: Keen: Yin Yan Power. This particular blogger sees this quote talking about where one is in their life and where they are going. When I first heard this quote it was referring to people realizing that they are responsible for their conduct around coworkers even if they are outside of the workplace.

November 4th is approaching fast! It's hard to believe in less than two weeks the fate of Barak Obama and John McCain will be sealed. In the meantime, it's not too late to create these puppets and teach your kids about politics:

* Barak Obama Puppet

* John McCain Puppet

Unfortunately there is not a Joe Biden and Sarah Palin pattern.

Since I am very tired this particular evening that will be it for today. I'll be back again soon. Until then remember . . . "No matter where you go, there you are."

Ciao!

"We Don't Own The Edison Company"

LOL! Just reading the title line makes me laugh. When I was a child my father would say this to me all the time because I would leave my room and not turn off the light. If I had a dollar for each time he said that to me I would have been rich - seriously!


This weekend went by in a flash, again. I was more productive vs prior weekends. I got some projects done around the house that have been lingering. This included organizing my yarn stash. Most of the knitters I know say my stash is nothing. Compared to theirs they are correct. However, for me it is a lot. There are those with container after container after container of yarn. (These are the people you see the day after Christmas at Target hoarding all the storage containers that are on sale. No, they do not have THAT many ornaments; it is really for all their yarn.) Others "store" (more like hide) it in a closet - several of them to be exact. Most interesting place I have heard of someone storing yarn is in a liquor cabinet. Here's a look at my stash:

This Is My Yarn Stash

My Brangelina Hat is finished. It is a quick knit! Just as warm and cozy as my friend's hat. Since one cannot have too many hats I will definitely be making another soon.




Yarn was not the only thing that got cleaned out and organized this weekend. My car did as well. Yep, it was my semi-annual car cleaning. It was nice to rid of all the extra crap that was piling up. It was exciting to find all the shoes I have been missing. The DVD of my first jump was amongst the "other stuff" I found while cleaning out the car. People have a hard time believing I have not watched it yet. I got it so I could mark the event, but it is not something I am running to watch. I am weird about watching myself on a recording. Maybe after I stop jumping then I will - as a reminder of how much fun it is. Until then, I can experience it firsthand.

I am happy to report that the Bears played really well yesterday and won over the Vikings 48- 41. There were some beautiful plays on the Bears part. The point spread was a little too close for my liking (especially since they lost the week before to the Falcons at the very end of the game). A friend of mine was in from out-of-town so we got some eats at a sports bar nearby and watched the game. Recently I realized how much I enjoy watching football. In college if the Frogs were at home there was no question whether or not I would be at the game. I don't know why my interest faded for a few years there.

Kathy G Report


Last week I said I would talk more about Kathy Griffin's show that I saw Tuesday night so here it goes: Best stand-up show I've ever seen. It was even better than watching "My Life on the D List." (Which I find hilarious!) I do have to add that getting to sit main floor, center and close enough to actually be able to make out her face, vs just a speck of a person, was well worth stalking the Ticket Master website just before tickets went on sale. There were parts of the show here and there that were a bit slow, but it did not phase me at all. Her take on Sarah Palin was classic. Her rant about the whole election was great as well. Overall, it was worth every dime spent - and then more.

The next day I, along with millions of others, saw another stand-up comedy routine known as the presidential debate. Unfortunately, I did not find it as funny and ended-up turning it off 30 minutes into the show.

I have had some interesting conversations with others about the election. Many I know are scared about our choices. They truly feel more than ever that it is not a matter of whom is best suited for the position, but more like whom is the lesser of the two evils. We have a lot of serious issues facing our country - I do not envy whomever wins.

That's all I have time for tonight. Until later. . . Ciao!

M.I.A.

In the last 48 hours I must have received at least a dozen e-mails, text messages and missed calls from people wanting to make sure I was still alive and ok. For the record I am and thank you for your concern.

Why would people wonder this? Well, normally I response quickly to my messages so when I don't there is a tendency of people to think something is wrong. Life surely has had me running around in circles lately.


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It's Saturday morning and I still have not heard anything from the yarn shop I called last weekend about the "Sock The Vote" yarn. I hoped my mom would be able to pick it up for me before she returns home, but that probably will not happen since she returns tomorrow. Per the shop, the manufacture was going to ship it out this week. The lady I spoke with at the shop said that they should have it "by the end of the week." In my mind that means by Friday (yesterday). Since my name was on "the list" of requests you would think I would have been called once it arrives. Calling the shop has been on my "to do" list, but I have not had the time to make even a short personal call during the day. I guess if I have to pay shipping for it I will have to pay for shipping. It is what it is.


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It became apparent to me this week that I've officially ventured to the "dark side" of knitting. Earlier this week it became clear to me for the first time that knitting has undoubtedly shifted my priorities.

I received an e-mail about mid-week that a rebate I had submitted ages ago (or in real time back in July) finally processed and I would be receiving the prepaid Visa gift card the rebate offered in the mail soon. I was thrilled to see this because I was getting a tad skeptical that I was ever going to get it. What made me realize that my priorities have shifted is when my first thought after reading this email was, "This is great, I have more money for yarn!" Yes people, you read that right. Let's forget the fact that I've recently moved and there are still a TON of things I need to get for my new place. Let's forget the fact that I could just use the card towards my monthly living expenses. No! No! No! That would be too practical. What is the first thing I want to spend this on? YARN! Whether or not that is what I ultimately spend it is soon to be determined.

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Last, but not at all least. . . what I'm currently working on.

I never got the Windy City Scarf started this week. I didn't have access to a ball winder and swift so I could cake the beautiful merino yarn which is now currently with a friend for winding and will be returned to me this coming week. Since that was the case I took the baby blanket out of hibernation - again - for a night. However, then I saw my friend's Brangelina Hat. Honestly I was trying to figure out how I could take it home with me without my friend noticing. It was SO freaking warm and comfy. That meant only one thing - I had to make one for me.



Below is the link to the pattern, or as Crazy Aunt Purl calls it "recipe," to this awesome hat:
The Brangelina Hat.

That's all for now. I think it's time to rejoin the world. Until later . . . Ta! Ta!

Just A Little Something I Wrote . . .

All Just a Dream

She poked him intently as if it was critical he awoke. As his eyes began to open he did not need to speak a word; his face said it all. “What the hell is the matter?”
Her face had a look of panic and her voice quivered as she said, “It’s all a dream, isn't it?
“You, this house, my great job; it’s all just a dream! Any moment now I will awake and it will all be gone.”
“Calm down,” he said in a reassuring tone, “It’s not a dream. This is your life; embrace it. If you continue to worry something will most likely go wrong.”
So she did as he suggested.

*** BLINK ***

She woke up and sat up in the bed. Her eyes panned the room slowly. She was alone and her home was silent. No one was next to her to poke. She got out of bed and walked around the cold rooms. There were no other signs of life to be seen. Swiftly she ran back to bed and tightly wrapped the blankets around her small body. As she drifted off to sleep again she thought, “I must have been dreaming. But it felt so real . . .”

From that day forward their life, their love, their legacy would be in her mind all just a dream.

Short and Curly

For those that visit my blog frequently, you probably have noticed I've been posting a lot of random things lately - none of them knitting related. This is not because I don't want to knit anymore. It's mainly due to lack of time. I've been so busy lately by the time I sit down to knit I honestly just want to go to sleep instead. At times like this I think about all the vacation time I have to take before the end of the year. Maybe it's a good thing after all.

The baby blanket has been placed back in hibernation and I'm getting ready to cast on the "Windy City Scarf" as seen in Stitch 'n Bitch. Since the yarn I plan to use is a lace weight, and not a 10 ply worsted weight, some adjustments to the pattern will need to be made. This should be interesting.

That is all I have about knitting for now. I went to see Kathy Griffin perform last night at The Chicago Theater and will write about that night out soon. I will just say this. . . it was worth EVERY penny I spent on the ticket - and then some. The best part was we had kick-ass seats on the main floor so the experience was even THAT much better. More to come on that at a later time.

Until then . . . . Ciao!

PS - "Short and Curly" refers to how I wore my hair today. I loved the way it looks and couldn't think of anything else to use for a title.

Diva Complex?

I'm not a HUGE Ringo Starr fan, but I've been to one of his "All Star Band" concerts and had a great time. I'm also a huge Beatles fan. So, when I heard this news blurb I had to do more searching on the matter to see what it was about.

Here's the initial message:



WTF? Seriously! The more I hear this story reported on I start wondering if Ringo Starr has gotten a diva complex. Who doesn't have time for their fans!? Aren't they the ones who made your career? Aren't they the ones supporting your ability to live the life you have!?

I read this on CNN.com and felt it said a lot about where he once was and apparently is now - "Starr once starred in an episode of 'The Simpsons' which showed him answering every piece of fan mail.

'They took the time to write to me, and I don't care if it takes 20 years, I'm going to answer every one of them,' Starr said on the show." (Ringo Starr Article)

I guess he no longer feels this way.

This is a more extended video on this news item:



This is all I really have to say on this matter. Back with knitting news a bit later. Until then . . . Ciao!

The First Pictures are In!

WooHoo! I just checked my e-mail and the first pictures are in from the family reunion this weekend. They are awesome! It reminded me that I have a bunch of photos to download myself on my "free" time.

Ok, that's all. . .you can go back to what you were doing.

Short, but Sweet

That is how I would describe today's post... and probably any other posts this week. Between a hectic schedule this week I will have very little time to post let alone knit.

This weekend I went to what I consider to be "yarn heaven" otherwise known to other as Wool and Company in Geneva, IL. It is an awesome shop. I'm so glad I ventured out there. Of course I had to pick up some goodies -



"Yummy" Yarn




Elizabeth Austen "Andes" Yarn in Gryffindor colors.

I'm also expecting to get some of the limited edition Schaefer Anne "Sock the Vote" yarn. No store in this area will be carrying it so I called a shop near where my mom is visiting right now and put my name down on their list. Then I called mom and asked her to do me a "odd" favor. After explaining why I couldn't just pick it up at a shop in this area she agreed to pick it up for me "if" it comes in before she leaves. Gotta love mom for helping me out like she does - even with the "little" things. If she likes the colors I'll use one hank for her birthday socks.

Like I said, this is a "short, but sweet" post.

Until later . . . Ta! Ta!

"They Can Eat Pieces of the Elephant As They Want."

That was just one of the great quotes heard at my family reunion today.

Oh, what a wonderful time it was. There were about 20 of us from my father's side of the family (Which is a lot for my family. Normally we consider 10 an accomplishment). I got to meet family I didn't even know I had and some cousins I haven't seen since I was a little girl in pigtails. It was AWESOME!

Cameras were flashing left and right. Email addresses were being exchanged. I was so impressed and proud of the different professional and social contributions we make as a collective group including political activism both domestically and abroad, a business owner who thought outside the box and found a way to make business requirements easier to meet and educators who touch/have touched all different age groups. These are just a few of the amazing things people in my family do.

In a mere hour or two visit it was if we had always known each other - strangers became family. It was fun to hear all the stories from years gone by and share memories of those that were no longer with us as they are never forgotten. This post is dedicated to them . . . Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Stanley, Uncle Sidney and Josh. I didn't know all of you as I was young when some of you left us, but I feel as though I know you through the stories I've been told and all the great pictures I've seen.

"Fist Bump"

I have the cutest and most adorable niece and nephew in the world! Yes, I'm completely bias, I have no trouble admitting it. If you met them I think you'd agree they're amazingly adorable. I'm dedicating this post to them by titling it "Fist Bump," a.k.a. - "pound." Why "Fist Bump" you wonder. . . Mainly because that is my nephew's new way of greeting me and saying goodbye to me. Hugs and kisses are out, fist bumps are in!

I have a knitting deadline - the first deadline I've had in a long time that was just a day or two after it was set. For weeks now I've been putting off sending my older niece what I fondly call "the test hat" for my great nephew so I'd know what size to make the remaining hats. Well, as it turns out, my middle brother and sil are going to visit my her and great nephew soon. How perfect! I figured I'll just ask them to take them with. However, that means I have to start and finish at least two hats within 24 hours - I have to have them for this weekend when I go to my family reunion. Possible? Yes. Pushing it a bit? Absolutely. I will do my best though.

Yarn dyeing did not go as well as I had hoped unfortunately, but I'm not really upset. I will learn and one day I'll be dyeing yarn left and right. Today I did discover that one yarn manufacture is getting political as they have created sock yarn representing all the women in the 2008 Presidential Election. Yes, you read that right! Schaefer Yarn is asking knitters to "Sock the Vote" in 2008. In viewing the colorways I feel they are very fitting for the individuals they represent. I know exactly which colorway I want - now I just have to find it and order it.

I'm cutting this entry short as my eye lids are weighing heavier and heavier by the minute.

Until later . . . Ta! Ta!

Keeping a Pulse on the Upcoming Election

Projections as to who the next President will be are being made constantly by many different web sites. Here are two that I think are good sources:

FiveThirtyEight

7-11.com

I'm thinking the 7-11 site is the best one to follow!

Only 6 More Hours

That is how much longer I have left of fasting.

It's Yom Kippur and for the second time in my life I have decided to fast. Growing up it was a given we'd pick up lunch after services. My favorite memory of breaking the fast before it even really started was when I was in high school. My youngest brother was in from college and we (brother, mom and I) were our kitchen eating bagel chips and shooting the bull. Next thing I knew I realized sunset had take place. I then took a moment to pause, think about whether or not I would stop eating and then mention of the irony to my brother and mom. We laughed and then continued to eat our bagel chips.

The first time I fasted I made it almost the whole way through. My downfall was that I decided to make the kugel for break fast dinner about an hour or two before I was about to leave. I never counted on the fact that the scent of kugel would make me even more hungry than I already was. When I finally got to the point where I almost fainted I decided it was time to eat something. I draw the line once it becomes a health issue.

My strategy this year has been to work on dyeing yarn as a way to get my mind off eating. There has just been one little problem with this approach - in order to dye yarn you have to spend lots of time in the kitchen. I find myself with quick thoughts of grabbing a bite while I wait for the yarn to soak and then it dawns on me that I can't eat until 6PM ish.

... Yes, I mentioned that I was dyeing yarn. It's been interesting to say the least. I do recommend you get latex gloves. I'm sure all my family tonight will be wondering why my fingers are green. I used the Wilton food coloring gels I got back in March to make green icing in honor of St. Patrick's day (which might I mention made me sick just looking at it). I tried following the yarn dyeing directions that I found online, but started to make "adjustments" to the process as I saw fit. Right now I have a few samples drying and will then put them through one last wash process before declaring victory. I will report back as soon as the results are in.

That's all for now. . . Ciao!

Equals

I am not expressing my political opinion in this post necessarily; just merely passing along something that others may deem humorous. . .

Miss Me!?

Of course you did! :D

Yesterday went by quickly. When I finally had a chance to sit down at my computer I thought about posting for about a split second and then decided that cyberspace could do without my ramblings for a day or so.

I have a lot on my mind to write about, but can't right now so I'll be back later. . . exactly when later is is yet to be determined.

Until then . . .Ciao!

FW: Forward this!

I got this today from my mother of all people . . .

Beer Cheese

Yes, you read the title correct - "Beer Cheese." That is the type of soup I got with my meal tonight. Of course I haven't had a chance to figure out what Beer Cheese taste like because the rest of my meal was so filling. I guess the soup will be my lunch tomorrow. I will report back at that point.

As I sit here contemplating what to write next I have become all too aware that I officially have my first cold of the season. This is one of the reasons I don't like Fall and Winter. Oye! Funny enough I was just talking to someone today about the pros and cons of getting a flu shot. I think it's random luck of the draw when it comes to a flu shot's effectiveness. I've had flu seasons when I've gotten the shot and ended up getting the flu anyhow. Other years I've passed on getting the shot and coasted through the whole flu season without a problem.

Right now I'm back to working on the famous baby blanket. It's basically my "fall back" project at the moment until I make a decision on what to attack next. At some point it will no longer be a fall back project and I WILL need to finish it up for real.

As I mentioned in an earlier post I have a ton of things I want to complete in the next two months. So you'd think I'd have no problem making a decision on what to make next now that my socks are finished. I guess part of my indecision is that I'm a monogamous knitting - I only work on one project at a time vs. multiple projects like a lot of other knitters do. I'm starting to understand why they do this, but I can't bring myself to work on more than one project at a time. When I've talked to others about why they work on multiple projects at one time they say it helps with their Knitting ADD. It is times like this I wish I had Knitting ADD. I'm sure I'll get this all figured out and I'll knit-up all my gifts just in time.

Ok, I'm sure there is more I can share, but I'm out of energy so I think it's time to rest.

Until later. . . Ta! Ta!

A Few Firsts Today

Today was filled with firsts that I've decided to ramble about . . .

* For the first time ever I smelled waffles and realized that not only do I NOT like waffles, but it got also got me thinking how I don't like pancakes either (not even chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream).

* Today I finished making my first pair of socks.

* This was the first morning I embraced the start of Fall.

* This was the first day I actually put on my Fall coat before leaving instead of just bringing it along "just in case."

* This was the first day I actually wore something I made out in public (two items actually - socks and hat)

* Today was the first time I drove over train tracks just as the signal went off to notify everyone that a train was coming. (Not something I wish for anyone to experience. I got over those tracks as fast as I could!)

* I realized for the first time today that my aunt's birthday was this past week and I didn't wish her a happy birthday

* This was the first time I was extremely thankful I choose to hand-wash something vs. throwing it in the wash - the garment color bled all over the place.

That's all. . . I told you this post was just a bunch of rambling. ; )

Harry Potter and the Enchanted Socks

They are done! I finished my first pair of socks today. They are so warm and comfy! Oh, and pretty too! I'm please with the colorway I choose. : ) Instead of trying to post ALL the pictures I took during the process I'm just going to link to the set of pictures I have on Flickr - Harry Potter Socks

I'm calling them my "Harry Potter Socks" because I spent a good chunk of time watching the Harry Potter movies and listening to the HP books while knitting these socks. (Might I say I'm now in love with Harry Potter - yes, I know I'm many years behind the curve on this one, but I don't really care - it was worth the wait!)

As for my first sock knitting experience . . . it wasn't as awful and scary as I made it out to be in my mind. Knitting the training sock first really did help. The first sock seemed to knit-up really slowly. The most painful part of it was the ribbing because repeating the k2,p2 pattern for 2" seemed to take forever. The second sock definitely knit-up faster once I knew what I was doing. I have to admit that when I was shaping the heel flap and gusset for the first time I was momentarily cynical that I was actually doing it right. I guess it was the right way since both socks came out perfectly fine. Though I am enjoying my socks, I don't know that I will be making them as long next time. The next pair might be ankle length. I also learned that I don't mind working with double pointed needles as much as I use too. They are a bit difficult to use when you are wearing an arm brace, but hopefully that won't always be the case. I would like to learn how to make socks on circular needles and maybe even use the magic loop method one day to make both at one time. Making sure I have the right amount of yarn was another important lesson I learned this time around. Lastly, I realize I still need to learn how to graft correctly. On the first sock I was so irritated by the grafting process that I finally just stitched up the sock whatever way I could to complete it. On the second sock I took more time to learn how to graft and did a decent job for the most part, but could use some improvement.

As I stated before, sock knitting is definitely not something you do for just anyone. There are countless hours involved in the process. It has to be for someone you truly care about and want to have such a special gift. That said, I think the ONLY time I would knit a pair for someone who wasn't special to me is if I was involved in a Sock Wars challenge. All in all - I LOVE sock knitting and am officially hooked on making socks!

Got Cake!?

No! Well speak for yourself because I do!



While watching the debate last night, I used a friend's ball winder and caked my hank of sock yarn. (I definitely need to get one of these along with a swift) I can now finish my second sock - woohoo! Though others have shared with me that they wear the first sock while knitting the second one I am starting to get anxious for the pair to be finished. I think it has something to do with the shift in temperature. Today's high was somewhere around the low 60's (yuck!). I think it's safe to say that summer is O-V-E-R! As much as I hate to admit it. . . .

Not much else to report. Between having a lot to do lately and trying to not strain my hand/wrist more than I already have I haven't done a lot of knitting on the baby blanket - good thing I don't need to send it off until December! Now that I have more yarn for the second sock I will definitely be finishing that up soon and you know as soon as I do I will post all my pictures and thoughts on sock knitting at that time.

That's all for now. Until later. . . Ta! Ta!

Yay for #7!

After a very hectic day I arrived home to find Emily's blog post with my DRT team's official placing in the Dish Rag Tag competition. We came in 7th! Considering there are 25 teams in the competition this year placing 7th isn't bad at all. Here is the official post - Four! (anyone who knows me well enough will know immediately what contribution I made to the decoration of our box - It's a no brainer!)

Breaking News!!!

Just picked up an e-mail from Emily to the group - Our box has been received!!! WooHoo! It was received with three other boxes so we're now just waiting for the "official" standings.

Will post that info as soon as I get it.

To My Dish Rag Tag Peeps

Since we are at the end of Dish Rag Tag I wanted to send a shout-out to my DRT Peeps:

Y'all are AWESOME and great fun to talk with. It was nice to be on a team with individuals who really took the competition seriously, but not so seriously that it wasn't fun. I had a blast!

To our fearless leader "slowknitter" - you rock! You did a great job organizing everything/everyone and keeping our morale up even when we hit a road block, or two. (And, BTW - you weren't "that" slow once you received the box.)

jennantonnix - I appreciate you letting me change the delivery location on you at the last minute. Also, I loved my gifts and I can't wait to use the S'N'C you gave me.

Edith - I'm glad the box didn't take so long to get from my location to yours and I'm glad you liked your gifts.

To the rest of the team - It's been great chatting with you on our Ravelry and DRT forums. Y'all did great!

It really is hard to believe the competition is over with and that now we're just waiting for Emily to receive our box. Sadly, another team's box came in before ours yesterday so now it looks like we'll place somewhere in the Top 10, but not the Top 5. Oh well! Now it's time to get through the DRTWS. If you're part of the competition you know what that stands for, if you're not you couldn't even begin to understand.

I'm looking forward to next year!

Until then . . .Ta! Ta!