NotScarlett

Not-so-deep thoughts

I find myself pondering many things today. Why do I always seem to decide I need to take a shower in the middle of a thunderstorm? That's never a good idea, yet it always seems to work out that way. How does that little frog who lives on my kitchen window survive with the sun beating down on him for half the day? You'd think the poor guy would dry up. How did those Triscuts get in the pantry? I didn't buy them and I haven't seen B bring any home.

Deep thoughts, I know. I'm a regular philosopher.

I've been pondering my knitting projects as well as these important questions. I've drawn a sad conclusion.

I am suffering from simultaneous cases of Second Sock Syndrome and Startitis.

I've got a pair of socks completed. Fantastic, right? It would be way cooler if they matched. I've at least started the second Charade, but keep getting distracted by things like the Tangled Yoke Cardigan, the Josephine Top (with the lovely PURL BUMPS...I'm so dumb sometimes), swatching for the Simple Knitted Bodice, contemplating an Hourglass Sweater, and wondering if I have any yarn in the stash that would work for Bristow.

With all these projects swirling around in my brain (and my living room, and my office/studio, and my bedroom.....) I figured out a way to focus.

Start something else.

The good news is, I finished it in a matter of hours. 

After some simple fiddling with the pattern, I turned a lone skein of stashed Lana Knits AllHemp 6 into a mini-Everlasting Bagstopper for my beach bum sister. Just the right size to throw in some sunblock, a book, a drink and your keys. Perfect for someone who lives a whole 2 minutes from the beach.

I sewed a strap for the bag, which was not so good. Whenever I touch a sewing machine, there is bloodshed. Actual blood. I break needles. And other things. And then B very, very, very patiently fixes them and finishes up my botched sewing project while I pout and curse in the corner. Unfortunately, B wasn't home today when I was battling the sewing demon, so the straps became A strap, and I would advise against examining it closely. The little do-dad there is an old Roxy keychain I cannibalized and added as a makeshift toggle. Stash knitting? Check. Re-purposing stuff I'd had lying around for-evah? Check. Happy sister? Check!

Sister is in town this weekend with J and the little dog, and we're all attending the shindig my landlords are throwing tonight. I think there's about 50 cars parked on the property right now and people wandering around everywhere. It's a birthday party for my landlord, who I believe just turned fifty. I've already been warned that there may be drunk men peeing on my lawn in the wee hours. I plan on closing all the blinds and not going outside once we come home for the night.

Tomorrow I'm having a party of my own. Just me, some DVD's and some swatching for the multitude of sweaters in my knitting queue. Sounds like a perfect day to me.

Whoops

Yeah. Those things I thought were holes in the Josephine pattern? Purl bumps. After reading Christie's comment, I came home from work tonight and picked the pattern back up. Sure enough, I read the chart wrong. I have no idea why I thought the purls were YO's, but I've reswatched and all is well. File this one under dork with a capital D.

What do YOU think??

I'm still crushing on the Josephine Top, but before I cast on, I need to make a decision.

(For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, you can see some beautiful finished knits here, here and here.)

The top section has a simple textured pattern, and I love the look of this on the finished Josephine's I've seen. I'm knitting this from stash, and really do not want to buy more yarn. I got gauge with my yarn choice, but those little texture eyelets? Look not-so-good on my washed and blocked swatch.  I have concerns that after been worn all day the fabric will look a little funky. I see this top as being a great addition to my wardrobe and want this to be a very wearble piece that I do not have to fiddle with constantly.

So. I had a thought...why not just knit the top in plain stockinette? I know it seems obvious, but I'm waffling. I really cannot make up my mind as to whether I should just go for it, or buy different yarn, or abandon this project altogther. I'm asking for YOUR help. Whaddya think? If you were me, what would you do?? Let me know via the poll below.

Incidentally, anyone out there looking for a copy of the IK this pattern comes from? I've got an unopened copy of the Summer 07 issue up for grabs. If you want it, leave a comment on this post and I'll mail it out to you in the next few days. First one who wants it gets it.

Monday Loves

My biggest Monday Love of all is my impending vacation. I think I'm high on plane ticket fumes. November cannot come soon enough.

Um, anyone in the Tallahassee area wanna dog-sit?? We've got a complex schedule of feedings, walks, and attention-giving sessions tentatively worked out with our landlords and some friends, but I'm feeling super guilty about leaving Sam. Who will he cuddle with at night? Who will he snuggle with on Sunday afternoons? It's not the feeding and walking I'm worried about as much as the attention....he's spoiled rotten and needs lovelovelove. I'm scheduling people to go take care of him, and they're like, "Ok, so a feed and a walk? That's it?" and I tell them, "No, no. He'll already have been fed and walked. I need you to go over and pet him and talk to him. Hug him. Maybe throw his ropey for him out in the yard a little bit. Sing him a song or something."  People think I'm nuts. Sigh. I'm such a dog mommy. Look at this though, he's such a love. He and B were having a snuggle fest yesterday.

Anyway, the vacation is all B and I can talk about. Where to go, what to do, who to see. I thought 10 days would be better than the 5 or 6 I was there last time, but it's not long enough. We'll have to jam- pack it full of all the stuff we want to do. I'm actually looking into a possible Vegas detour....we shall see. I love Vegas. The place is just so sublimely, over-the-top, ridiculous. I really think B would appreciate a visit.  Now, no one get all excited about the m-word. It would just be a little side trip. Nothing else.  It  has been decided that there will be no wedding ceremony of any kind without B's mom present, so get that idea right out of your head...I'm still trying to get it out of mine.

Speaking of that wonderful woman, she's a Monday love also. I am quite fortunate to have such a strong, intelligent, kind woman as my future mother-in-law. We spent some time with her Saturday and she bought me an awesome gift from Ten Thousand Villages.

This is my new pet. He'll be living in my office next to my Darth Vader action figure. He needs a name. Any ideas?

I'm definitely feelin' the yarny/knitty love this week. I've got some new knitting crushes. I seem to be suffering from Sweater Insanity again. In mid-August. In the South. There are at least 5 I want to make. Sweaters. With long sleeves. You know, for COLD WEATHER THAT WE DO NOT HAVE HERE. Kill me now. 

I love this...........and this......and I have the yarn to make b0th...and I am swatching for both...completely abandoning my second socks that need to be finished. I feel so naughty, especially since I made those Summer of Socks rules for myself.

I knit up some samples for Meg this weekend and fell in love with her yarn all over again. The Shiny knitted up so beautifully that I am kinda-sorta halfway tempted to knit a sweater out of it. I loved this yarn back when I made my Monkey's, and I love it all over again now that I've worked with it recently. First though, I must finish the Clapotis. Oh, and I have plans for this too, sometime in the near future.

I cast on a Montego Bay scarf in some Tofutsies last week, and really like the yarn and pattern together. I was NOT loving the yarn+pattern+needle combo, though. The damn stitches were slipping off my beloved Knit Picks circs. Great for socks, not so great for this open, lacy pattern I'm knitting with yarn thinner than what the pattern calls for. Sadly, the scarf has been sent to Scarf Heaven and shall be reincarnated another day with different needles.

Oooh, looky! I actually FINISHED SOMETHING! These are the Rapunzel House Socks from d-made.com, made into footies. I used some Misti Alpaca I had in the stash to knit these babies up. The pattern is great, it went really quickly. These are not for me, they're a gift for a pal o' mine.

Have I mentioned 10 million times yet how much I adore Ravelry? I'm so thrilled to have been a part of this for the last 6 months. I remember when all the members showed up on three pages, and now? There are thousands of knitters, crocheters, spinners, and dyers signed up. Tons of patterns and yarns have been added, there are dozens, hell, hundreds, of different sub-groups...it's just incredible.  Casey and Jess deserve all the buzz they are getting for this site, and they really deserve the support of the knitting community. If you are a member, I encourage you to donate a lil' somethin' to them to help them keep everything up and running.

If you've not yet received your Ravelry invite, please be patient and know that it is truly worth the wait. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I logged in over the weekend to check out pattern mods/yarn subs for the Josephine Top and Tangled Yoke Cardigan. This is such a fantastic resource for all of us, and as it grows I think it will just keep getting better and better.

Now, I know y'all know this, but I love B. I love him for so many reasons. I love him because he's just as silly and ridiculous as I am. Yesterday I was getting ready to cut up a watermelon. We're all about wordplay, silly accents, and general goofiness at our house, sooooo one thing led to another, and I ended up calling the watermelon a vato melon. Which led to this.

We couldn't help ourselves.

Other things I'm loving-

Shout Wipes, due to the frequent amounts of liquid I've been spilling on my shirts which is directly related to the copious amounts of tea I've taken to drinking recently.

The David Sedaris story on this episode of This American Life because it is hilarious for so many reasons.

This blog, because not only does Alyson make some gorgeous yarn and knit some purdy things, she is HYSTERICAL.

My polka dot shoes. They just make me feel happy. Love them.

Happy Monday!

Write This Down

So, that trip home? The one I've been talking about?

It's a go. I can finally give those of you who asked dates and times. Email me.

I just bought tickets. I got a REALLY good deal.

Um, do you have any idea how excited I am right now??

BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS!

Monday Loves/Updates

There's a lot going on 'round these parts, so this is gonna be a quick post.

First things first: an update on the dog story.

After going around and around, B and I decided at this point in time, we did NOT need another dog, and really couldn't take one on. I was very sad, as puppy girl had been released into the adoptable population at the shelter as of last Friday and I just wanted to swoop in and save her.

I've been feeling really guilty about not being able to go get her, so imagine my joy when I found out yesterday that puppy girl has gone home! This makes me incredibly happy. I'm so glad she's no longer at the shelter and back with her people. Hopefully they'll keep a better eye on her from now on.

More good news: no more hospital trips, although I have concerns about my back and will be attempting to find out if I now have nerve damage as I suspect I do. Thanks, incompetent doctor at the ER!

I've been knitting up a storm, and hope to have some pictures soon. We've had really hot weather here and I've been staying inside, with all the shades drawn and the AC crankin'. When I've been brave enough to venture out, it always seems to be right in the middle of a massive thunderstorm. Not ideal picture taking conditions.

I did receive my Sockapalooooza socks! My wonderful sock knitter was Emily, and she sent me exactly what I asked for. These lovelies are knit in Trekking Pro Natura in a gorgeous jewel toned blue/green colorway with fabulous cabled ribbing. They fit perfectly. Thank you Emily!

I also got word that my sock pal, the blogless Alison, received and loved her socks. This was my first time participating in Sockapalooooza and I will definitely sign up again.

I've got to get back to work, but I'm super excited to tell y'all that we are buying plane tickets for our Cali trip this week! I'll let the pertinent parties know dates and details as soon as they are all ironed out and set in stone. YAY!

Celebration

Lemme tell ya, B and I know how to have smokin' HAWT dates.

Yesterday afternoon, we met up for some romantic times at the ER so I could get a blood patch. (Yes, after repeated calls to my doc, they FINALLY did something for me.) I looked super sexy with tears rolling down my face as I was given an epidural of my own blood. I know B was thrilled to be there, AGAIN, with me. Afterwards, we went home, where I had to lay flat on my back for the next 12 hours and B had to wait on me. Ahhh, a woman in pain, crying, exhausted, frustrated and exceptionally bitchy. What more could a man ask for?  I know I'm his dream woman.

The good news is, other than being verrrry sleepy and feeling like someone rolled over my lower back with heavy equipment of some kind, I FEEL NORMAL. No insanity causing headache. No blurred vision. No nausea. I'm seriously amazed.  Dawn, you weren't kidding when you said instant relief. It was like magic...they didn't give me any kind of painkillers, the only drugs they used were the topical/local anesthetic for the epidural. My own blood cured me. Just think about that for a minute...isn't that cool? I'm so impressed with my blood right now. YAY FOR FEELING GOOD AGAIN!

The whole lying motionless on my back thing last night was kinda sucky, but I did manage to work out a way to knit while watching one of my girl crushes on TV. I worked on a new sock, which I am calling my Heritage Sock. My paternal grandmothers side of the family is German, so when I saw this yarn on sale about a year ago, I snagged it and planned to make something for someone. I have no idea what my original intentions were, but now the yarn is being turned into a pair of toe up socks for me, with afterthought heels.

I used Judy's Magic Cast On, which is so easy I thought I had to be doing it wrong. Next time, I'm going to try this method recommended by Wendy, in order to eliminate the starting slip knot which I am finding very noticeable on these socks.

A nice treat was waiting for me when I got home from the ER yesterday....my Loopy Ewe Seasonal Sock Club package for Fall! I won't post any pics for a while in order to avoid spoiling anyone, but I'm so pleased with this package, the yarn is just lovely.

After my day yesterday, I have to give huge props to all you moms out there who go into labor and have epidurals. Seriously. How the hell do you do anything, let alone take care of a baby, after having one of those? It just reaffirms my stance that moms are the bravest people in the world.

Monday Grumps

I'm grumpy.

Nothing terrible or tragic is happening that should cause me to be grumpy or upset. Everything is fine. I'm just grumpy, and I know exactly why.

Heat index of 110 degrees + Having a headache for the past week and a half =G R U M P.

I know, I know. All y'all nurses out there know why I have a headache and exactly what I need to do to fix it. Guess what?

The bastard ER won't.

Yep. You heard me. They. Won't.

I hate them. They are The Suck.

(And also? I won't. I won't go sit there so they can make me feel worse than I already do, and then expect me to pay them for making me feel worse.)

My doctor has given me some meds to try and make it go away, but ummmm, that's not exactly working.

Can one of you nice nurses out there just come over to my house and fix it? Pretty please? I trust you. You're knitters. You can trust a knitter.

Sigh.

Here. Look at a sock photographed at a weird angle.

Sock #1 of my Charades, in Yarn Pirate's Rum Runner.

Mmmm. That's some good sock.

I do have some Monday loves, even though I'm a big ol' head hurt-y, sweaty, whiny grump.

1. Those ice pack thingies you use in coolers or whatever?  The kind that are  a bit flexible and have that blue gel crap in them? I want to marry them. They are one of the few things keeping this headache from becoming insanity inducing. I pop one on my head, and I actually get some relief.

2. My landlord and his wife invited B and I over for dinner tonight and fed us homemade paella. It was unbelievably delicious, and we had a really lovely time visiting with them and their kids. (For those of you late to the party, we all live on the same property and see each other every day, so this is not as weird as it may sound.)

3. I saw a newly hatched baby bird up close and personal for the first time in my life today.

Baby bird! Not cute at all! Yet, strangely cute in it's ugliness!

An update on the dog saga will come soon....the shelter was closed today, and I 'll be calling tomorrow to see if she is still there. Any suggestions on how to talk my landlords in to ok'ing the two dogs idea?

Maybe I should have Sampson tell them he wants a sister. He can be very insistent.

Obsession

I cannot stop thinking about that damn dog.

B said we'll do "whatever it takes" to make sure doggie has a home if no one claims her.

Am I insane to call the shelter to check on her? Or to call local vets and see if they recognize her description? It's a pretty small area where I found her with only two vets nearby, so it's not that far-fetched.

Help me. I've got dogbrain.

I turned the heel and started gusset decreases on my Rum Runner Charade sock last night. This pattern is awesome, I love the way it's working with this yarn. I'd show y'all a picture, alas, my camera is at home and I am not.

How about we look at some of my current Flickr favorites instead?

Congrats to a certain someone who reads this blog. I'm so excited for you...and I'm already plotting and planning knits for you.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Natural Born Sucker

I pulled up to a busy four-way stop on my way home from work. This particular intersection is in a rural area, but is notorious for being a busy and dangerous spot. I don't normally take this route, but I'm house-sitting this week, and in order to get to the place I'm staying, I have to go through this icky intersection. As I pulled up to the stop sign today, I saw a dog standing in the middle of the intersection. Cars and trucks were honking and swerving, and the poor dog just stood there, completely terrified.

I had to go through the stop sign, traffic was backed up behind me and I couldn't just get out of the car. I turned around, found a place to pull over, and hopped out of my car into the thunderstorm that was making this intersection even more dangerous than usual. Doggie was right near where I had parked my car (sorry, person whose grass I pulled on to!) and I called to her. She came running to me, friendly as could be. I checked her collar, but there were no tags. Doggie went right on ahead and jumped into my car, making herself right at home.

I could not believe how friendly this dog was! She was snuggling up to me, giving me puppy kisses, looking up at me with big brown eyes. I checked her out, and was happy to see she did not appear to be injured. She was wet, but she was clean and well groomed, with neatly trimmed nails, super clean teeth and gums, and a healthy coat. My heart stopped for a minute when I realized she was an Australian Cattle Dog, which I've been obsessed with ever since I was converted into a dog person. She was absolutely beautiful, black and grey with brown markings on her ear and face. Did I mention she's only about Cricket's size? And really, really, really ridiculously friendly and sweet? This girl is definitely NOT a stray.

With no tags and no one obviously out looking for her, I figured she got spooked by the storm and somehow got loose. I called the shelter and explained the situation, and they told me to bring her in.

Allllll the way to the shelter (we were in the boonies, y'all, it was a bit of a drive) this dog just kicked back and enjoyed the car ride. She'd lean over and lick my arm every once in a while, and at stoplights she'd scoot closer and closer to me until her chin was resting on my leg as we drove along. I tried calling B to tell him I was gettin' my Good Samaritan on, but he didn't answer. The message I ended up leaving him went something like this:

"Hi honey, I just saved this doggie from certain death at XYZ road, and I'm taking her to the shelter. Her owners have 7 days to claim her, and then she'll be adoptable. IfnoonecomestogetherIamgoingtoandshecanstaywithusuntilwefindheraahomeormaybeforver. Anyway, hope you're having fun playing drums. Call me later!"

At the shelter, puppy girl did not want to leave me. Every time I moved out of her sight, she barked. Once I'd get back in her line of sight, she'd settle down. I filled out the paperwork to turn her in as a good samaritan (they actually call it that!) and asked if I could be notified if no one claimed her.

It's been two hours and I am still thinking about this damn dog. Thinking about what would happen if we got another dog. How would it affect Sam? Would my landlord be cool with it? Would B even go for it? Can I name her Sydney?

I seriously hope her owners find her, I'm sure they're worried sick about her. A dog that loving and well cared for has to be missed.

If not? I'm so screwed. I'm totally smitten.