the quacking fiber addict

Didn't get much done today, but I definitely feel better. It was cool and drizzly and humid all day, making work difficult - humidity and I aren't fast friends. But, we managed to find the dog park at Mt Tabor (no one was there, of course) before taking Charlie back to Lauralhurst. No pictures today, sorry.

After that, and running around aimlessly some more (Mum and I are such experts at getting lost), I got around to meet Opus for tonight's Sip'n'Knit at Knit/Purl. We had planned to meet at 5, grab some lunch beforehand, then go back to the shop. I ended up knitting for close to half an hour - Opus forgot how bad rush hour traffic on the Met can be. More knitting time for me, eh?

I didn't manage to escape the store without spending money (who could?), but I kept the bill down by just getting two balls of Panda Cotton in "Seascape" - I'm hoping it'll be a better match for Pomatomus than the Lorna's was. Cross your fingers for me.

Small point of contention - Mum insisted on picking me up from the gathering. She has this thing about women walking anywhere, alone, at night. It was alright for me to take the bus into downtown, but nothing would convince her to let me take the bus home. Ahwell. Opus found it bemusing. I explained it away by citing the fact that Mum's a Jewish Mother - it's her job to worry about these things. I don't mind it, but other people seem to have difficulty with it. Whatever, I guess we should all be glad she's not their mother. I won't deny that she drives me crazy at times (just look thru the archives), but I'll grant her leeway on this point.

Anyway. Onto the toes of the Seaside socks - looking good. Hopefully I'll get them finished tomorrow and blocked on my sock blockers (woot! first pair). Then I can get to casting on Titania's Revenge... Mmmm, sock yarn.

Labels: Portland, Sip'n'Knit, socks, update

*sulks*

Since I'm deeply afraid the wi-fi'll die on me (yet again), I'm going to keep this short and sweet:

• The Seaside socks are past their gussets
• Penny sent me a lovely, and very ducky, package but I can't post pictures yet *more sulking* because the MSN hates me
• More boxes have been unpacked
• Mum and I climbed Mt Tabor yesterday (don't recommend it to the faint-hearted) and I took a lovely photo of the view from the top, but (yep, you guessed it) can't put it up because the MSN hates me.
• Found a cute knittery and cafe down the street. But, in my expert opinion, I'm afraid they need more yarn.
• Found an organic butcher (inside an organic shop, yay)
• Sent a package to Tammy today as a 'thank you' (note to self: send her an email so she doesn't suspect a letter-bomb)
• Went to bank, PO, and DMV to change address. Woot, lines are such fun.
  

And, now, we get to find out if I can post at all...

Labels: The Move, update

• Ver' tired. Haven't gotten a full night's rest in nearly a week.
  
• Got earplugs - I can actually hear my father snore through two walls. I have no idea how my Mum shares a room with him.
• More unpacking done today. Found the DVD player and the toaster and baking supplies. Woot.
  
• Dad and Emm drove to Eugene and back today to return the U-Haul truck.
  
• Not much knitting done - heels turned on socks and gussets being decreased. Got a headache every time I tried to knit, probably from looking down too much. Need to learn how to learn to knit whilst holding the project aloft.
  
• I've lost another 3 lbs.
  
• Took Charlie on a ver' long walk this morning, and Portland is definitely called the City of Roses for a reason. Look at the roses growing in our front yard:
  

Other than that? Not much to report. Still haven't unpacked my room (or my stash). Why am I bothering to update my blog? Because I took a picture this morning. I'll try to be more interesting tomorrow, I promise.

Labels: The Move, update, Weight Loss Challenge

Title says it all. Family crazy. Move hectic. Want to burn house down (after strategic evacuation of stash). Sold spinning wheel (weep not for me, or Lennie) to St M this morning. Mouth still hurts, and skin still itches from hives. Haven't knit on this all day:


Have to send payment tomorrow for Journey Wheel. Much packing to do. Eeek. Going to bed now.

Labels: family, The Move, update

“There are many examples of women that have excelled in learning, and even in war, but this is no reason we should bring 'em all up to Latin and Greek or else military discipline, instead of needle-work and housewifery.”
Bernard Mandeville

Now, me personally, I wonder why we can't have both. Funny thing.

Still feel horrible. Still haven' achieved much. Here's the list:

• all my crap (well, the non-clothing) has been sorted and either boxed up for keeps or for not
• my drum carder is clean and ready to be boxed up until later
• and the ends are woven in on my Charity Blanket square:

Other than that? Not much to report. I've been sleeping a lot. And just sitting quietly. Antibiotics always make me weird(er), so this is sorta 'normal' now. Everyone in the family expects me to act a bit off during the drug course. I never do much when I have an infection.

This blog post is just thrilling, eh?

Well, actually, I have a movie review to share (watching movies isn't too difficult right now, unlike knitting). Mum and I rented Dream Girls, curious about Jennifer Hudson's performance. All the reviews we'd heard/ read were true. She and Eddie Murphy stole the movie, they were just that fantastic. Jamie Foxx and Beyonce Knowles were great, but clearly upstaged. The music was fantastic, and the wardrobe fabulous. I'd definitely recommend it if you are a fan of R&B/ Motown/ or musicals in general. The allusions to Billie, Aretha, and The Supremes were not missed. Nor was Murphy's hilarious mimicry of James Brown.

Now, it definitely deserves the PG-13 rating, as there's drug use and some sexuality. But, all in all, it was an excellent film. Honestly, I really want to steal Jennifer Hudson's wardrobe (for the '60's portion, anyway).

And that's everything I can think of. My email backlog is up to a week deep now, and I just can't deal with checking it right now. I'm sorry if I'm ignoring you (I really am), and I'll try and get myself to do it tomorrow.

Labels: movie review, update

• One tooth has been drilled and filled.
• Two wisdom teeth have been removed from the list to be removed. All I need to do is get the oral surgeon to agree that the other two are fine where they are.
• I have a UTI, 5 days worth of one antibiotic (the name is so long I'm not even trying), and another SIX WEEKS worth of Macrobid. Both are to make sure we kill the bacteria off for good this time. Wow, lucky me.
• Three bras were found to my liking at Macy's. It wasn't as excruciating as it could have been, but the experience remains as unpleasant as ever. Mum made me get measured again, certain my size had changed. It hadn't. We still had difficulty finding it - not as much as St M, but it was lame that the only bras in my size were white or beige (black if I was lucky).
• No progress was made on emptying my former bedroom today - a dental appointment, urology appointment, filling prescriptions, hunting down bras and getting home alive in The Storm (hail!, and lots of it) prevented that.
• I knit 1" on my Cotlin tank top. I need to weave in the ends on the Charity Blanket tomorrow. Remind me.
  
• I finished Wintersmith last night, and can't wait for the next book. Oh, well. Thud! is waiting for me at the EPL. I also have two of St M's loans on the shelf next to me... I'm so glad I'm able to read again.

Labels: update

I have to say that the pattern was fun, but I hate stockinette heels. Next time, I'll just change it. The yarn was lovely, and even though I knit it from the inside and outside of the skein - the stripes matched up perfectly. Until the heels. Then they reversed for a short period. But the socks went back to matching after the insteps, so I'm happy, and the weird arches are growing on me. TheBon was kind enough to take a couple of shots for me (she even reminded me, too):



Pattern Specs:

• The Pattern: Monkey (from Knitty)
• Knitting Start Date: April 15, 2007
• Finish Date: April 26, 2007
• The Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, "African Grey"
• The Needles: 2 Addi Turbo 24" US 1 circular needles
• The Size: 8"/ Women's M
• Knitting Technique: Continental, 2 socks on 2 circs
  

So, yay, they're done, but I kinda miss working on them. I need to cast on another pair of socks (just to have to tote around, if not for any other reason), but I'm having trouble choosing a pattern. (suggestions are always welcome)

Umm, quick timeline, before I pass out from exhaustion:

1. I finally fell asleep after 4 am (it was one of those horrible things where I couldn't sleep because I needed to sleep)
2. I got up at 7:45 am exactly (eugh)
3. I arrived at TheBon's appt at 8:30-ish.
4. We went to meet with the seamstress that's altering TheBon's gown. She was very personable and seemed quite competent and sensible. She agreed with TheBon's request to remove her train. The gown's gonna be gorgeous.
5. We went and got breakfast and then skiddadled over to VRC (local mall) to look for men's ties for the Best Man. After dawdling in the knitting section at Barnes and Noble (my fault) and a massive hunt (3 stores!!), we admitted defeat. Men don't wear ties very often in Eugene.
6. We got lunch, TheBon photographed my socks and we ended up parting ways
7. At 2:30 pm, I arrived home and collapsed. I was woken later for The Move stuff.
8. We watched The Prestige again. It made much more sense this time, and I had to admit that the film editing might be the best I've seen. It was very tight.
9. And here I sit, typing, ready for bed. So, nightnight.

(also, yep, we watched the deleted scenes, and outakes, of The Boondock Saints - very funny!)

Labels: finished object, friends, socks, update

Right. Quick update:

• I am very sore. My Dad and brother claim the same.
• The bed of the truck is chock full of plant debris we'll be getting rid of tomorrow.
• I hate dandelions. A LOT.
• I have knit 2 rows on the left spock today, and doubt I'll manage more. I'm sorry this is taking so long, Ilsa, but the pattern'll be a couple days more...
  
• I think this is lilac. Anyone? Yay or nay?
• This, I have no idea.
• Baby T's wraplan is finally not running any more. It only took 4 soapy washes and quite a few more rinses. The buttons don't look too out of place, either, thank goodness.
  
• I want to go back to bed, and I've only been up for 2 hours (nap, nap was good).
  

That is all.

Labels: gardening/ weeding, The Move, update

For a post, anyway. My stash belies that statement on general grounds. So, instead of a picture of my recent work, I present you with a picture of a woman winding silk, not spinning it (as the caption claims - seriously, does anyone see a quill attached to that thing? no) from a Chinese silk painting:


And, a quick update:

• I have cast on 431 stitches, and knit the preliminary row, for the border of Mum's shawl.
• I have maybe 2" left before finishing the back of the peacock pullover.
• The Queen of Cups socks have languished in my sack all day.
• I actually may have helped St M at TKS today. Some of the customers seemed less confused after I helped them, anyway.
• Thai food is yummy.
• Lapis/ Mr Fishy is doing well.
• Emmos and I are playing phone tag.

Aaand... that's about the short of it. I'm too tired (the workmen arrived very early this morning, added to the fact that Dad and I stayed up until 3am last night) to give you the long. Which, admittedly, you probably don't want anyway.

Labels: cast on, lace, update

no quote. tired.

• updated the blog's template again. likes it betters now.
• children are fun in small doses (i.e. 1 hour a week tutoring)
• eating out is so much more fun than eating without chairs at home
• got to see Emmos and plot. we're hosting/ planning TheBon's bridal shower. mwa. ha. ha.
• played with St M earliers. tks is fun.
• we have some major cuteness walking around in tight t-shirts, painting and sanding stuff. I have no idea why my parents always seem to hire cute, young, guys for hard labor. maybe I'm reading too much into it?
• the fish is annoyed with me. I can feel it.

And here's something for your Classicist knitters out there, Yahoo! Avatars (no doubt because of ROME) has a bunch of Roman stuff to play with now:

Labels: template update, update

In lieu of actual content, here's a little open-iTunes-hit-shuffle meme. I found it over at Crimson's.

If your life were a movie, what would the soundtrack be?

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play. For every question, type the song that's playing
4. When you go to a new question, press the next button
5. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...

You can tell I didn't lie, just because I didn't delete out, oh, all the Pop in there...

• Opening credits: "Sweet Dreams", Eurythmics
• Waking up: "Braid the Raven Hair...", The Mikado
• First day at school: "Ya Maalem", Maurice El Medioun
• Falling in love: "Frozen", Madonna
• Fight song: "See You", Foo Fighters
• Breaking up: "Slow Like Honey", Fiona Apple
• Prom: "The Highwayman", Loreena McKennitt
• Life: "Morena me llamen", La Rondinella
• Mental breakdown: "Sometimes", U2
• Driving: "Humours of Andytown", Altan
• Flashback: "Hand in My Pocket", Alanis Morissette
• Getting back together: "Rain on the Scarecrow", John Mellencamp
• Losing your virginity: "Away", Mediaeval Baebes
• Wedding: "Ce He Mise Le Ulaingt?", Loreena McKennitt
• Birth of child: "Girl's Not Grey", AFI
• Final battle: "I'm Goin' Down", Mary J. Blige
• Death scene: "Eye of the Beholder", Metallica
• End credits: "Here's To The Night", Eve 6

I have to say, I really LIKE my soundtrack. Kinda funny.

Moving on. I am not dead, though the wish to write a suicide note hasn't escaped me in the past 48 hours. No, not depression. Just the worst stomach virus I have EVER had. I finally caught what Mum had. Contrary to what we thought, it was not the same virus I caught at A's. It was much worse. I started using a pillow as a bit, that's how much worse. It felt like someone was crunching my bones. While still violently ill (I really shouldn't be sitting upright, but I am SO DAMN BORED), I am desperately glad that part is over. The pain and misery ranked up there with Scarlet Fever, making it to my Top Two Worst Illnesses EVER.

Anyway. Haven't got much knitting done. Well, I finished a lace repeat on the Queen of Cups. Wrong. I noticed this last night. I had accidentally followed the Instep pattern instead of the Leg pattern for the second half.

I refuse to frog it.

And now I shall go and lie down.

Labels: meme, travel, update

This is an extremely quick update, and I apologize to everyone I seem to have been ignoring (I really haven't, I swear!). Ten quick things:

1. I am alive
2. I arrived safe and early on Sunday afternoon
3. I was kidnapped persuaded by my father to visit my Mum in Olympia before we went home
4. Mum is very sick with the stomach flu (woot)
5. It took me 24 hours, but I got the cable internet in her apartment to work. Yes, I am Queen of the Internets. Mwahaha. The Cable Guy Mum called said it couldn't be done. I shall thwart him when I get the chance.
6. I have knit a hat and matching wrist warmers for Mum
7. Olympia is cute. I have many pictures.
8. I am no longer sick (thank you everyone for thinking of me!) and am heartily grateful for it.
9. I am obscenely late in sending out my Hogwarts Houses Swap package (as organizer, this is just embarrassing)
10. I want my bed. Seriously. I miss it desperately.
    

Labels: family, travel, update

Well, today was interesting (and exhausting) day. Today (in chronological order):

• little D returned from his grandparents and turned the house inside out for a short period of time
  
• baby T was a bit fussy (but adorable as always)
• A, baby T, and I set out for Stitches (see photo below for pic of baby T in the minty raglan and bootees getting into her car seat...)
• I spent WAY too much money. Pictures tomorrow (err, later today), I promise.
• We lost the car keys and had to call for help (literally), only to have them resurface at the Lost and Found desk.
• Grocery shopping (I promised minestrone soup for tomorrow night) and a very late dinner... slight 'oops' to be reported on the pasta front.
  
• And, finally, Babel, one of the more depressing movies I've seen in a while. It was good, don't get me wrong, but it definitely wasn't a pick-me-up type of movie.
  

Oh, dear, baby T is crying again.

Labels: Stitches West, travel, update

Quick update:

• I am not dead. But I may qualify for zombie-status.
• I have been coughing, more or less, nonstop for 3 days now. A nasty combination of Robitussin and MaxAir (my adrenaline inhaler) keep it bearable.
• No knitting to show, since the adrenaline makes my hands shake too much to knit. Now you see why this really, really, really sucks.
• I can talk again. Between coughs.
• Have listed 3 pieces on Craigslist. Feel like am wandering in dark w/o a torch, since no one will give me any advice on how to sell said items (arranging viewings, etc). Blech. At least I have offers, eh?
• Everything tastes funny.
• The trip down to SF is in, T-minus, 5 days. Please, please, please don't let me go down there sick or have to cancel (this is directed to whatever deity may choose to listen).
• I've just woken up (up all night coughing) and want to take a nap already.
• Have not made any crafting progress on Hogwarts Houses Swap. Since I can't knit, I probably can't sew, either.
  
• I refuse to whine. It is undignified.

Labels: update

I'm so boring, I know, sorry. No quote tonight. Too drugged (DayQuil) to think of one.

Quick update:

1. Might have a FO to report. Gonna get a 2nd opinion tomorrow.
2. TheBon and I shall hunt for FR dyes tomorrow. May Ha'shem favour us, is all I can say.
3. Umm, missed Mdme DeFarge's tonight. Headache.
4. Voice still mysteriously missing, periodically.
5. Nathan Petrelli needs a good kick.
6. Socks for A are progressing, yay.
7. Got D a key to the USFG office today.
8. Have a really cute knitmation I've been meaning to share for nigh 6 months now:

Thas all. Sorry for so little. I promise to try harder tomorrow.

Labels: update

I'm sorry, I promise a better post tomorrow. Quick things to list:

1. I received my Magic Yarn Ball!! *squee* I promise I'll post pics tomorrow. I'm having trouble with the pattern, but LOVE everything my partner made/ sent me.
2. Charlie has been following me around like a baby duck. I finally tricked him into going into the basement to make my escape earlier.
3. The reversible brioche scarf is a very nice and simple knit. Mindless is really the right word.
4. I started on A's socks again today.
5. I am going to Olympia for 2 - 3 days, and leaving on Tuesday. I get to help with house hunting. I also need to cut my stuff by 1/2. Excluding the stash. The stash stays.

That's all I can think of right now. Oh, I need to update my mileage on the sidebar.

And SICKNITS LIVES again! Come and snark with us.

Labels: update

• No, I do not want to lend my laptop to a woman who couldn't access the internet without a map and two Sherpas.
• No, I do not want to cancel my travel plans. Just because, somehow, possibly, I might get hired for that cashier's job at the local market. No, I'm sorry. My family and traveling-friend are more important to me than a place that won't give me a week's vacation.
• No, I do not want to listen to loud, off-key, tone-deaf daveners (but, I did. I deeply believe in performing mitzvot and the fact that most Jews can't sing). No, I shall not stay for refreshments (thank Hashem my ankle swelled up during the morning service, else we wouldn't have ever escaped).
• And, no, dammit, I want to keep my Tea Cozy Hat for myself. If I had known that it would be so popular, I'd have hid it.

No pictures tonight. No quote. I'm stressed, annoyed, and my foot hurts.

Labels: family, friends, update

In creating, the only hard thing is to begin: a grass blade's no easier to make than an oak.
James Russell Lowell

In an effort to forget about my many WIP's this evening, I started another project. Oh, yes, I did. I have been staring at that gorgeous cormo/ rambouillet mix knitwit sent me in the August Handspun Swap for too long. I finally decided to swatch and find a pattern to match, since my creative genius is seriously lacking right now. I narrowed it down to Hexed and the Tea Cozy Hat (both by Woolly Wormhead), and since the gauge matched the latter, I ended up casting on my very own tea cozy hat:


Even better, it turns out the original Tea Cozy Hat was made with handspun yarn, as well. I think I'm gonna take that as A Sign. Hopefully that I'll actually get this hat done in a reasonable amount of time.

Anyway. Long day. I had to get pin-backs for a swap (I've been needing them for a looong while, anyway). I tried to follow Penny's advice, and it mostly worked (thank you, Penny!). I did finally collapse at around 5:30 this evening from the unpleasant combination of a migraine and throbbing ankle (some days I really, really hate going to Costco).

Somewhere in there, I promise my mother that I'd make Pollo pomodoro minestro (chicken tomato soup) in two night's time. Sooo, that'll be another recipe I'll put up (I usually wing it, but this time I'll write down all the ingredients and everything). My soup's kick @ss, if I do say so myself.

And, uh, that's everything. I have another contest to put up. I have some stitch markers to fob off on the winner.

Oh, and I wanted to ask for feedback. Is it wrong or weird that I put "18+ preferred" on the age requirement for the Hogwarts Houses Swap? It's says preferred, not only. I figured if -18-year-olds would want to participate, they'd still send me their info, but apparently they think I'll bite them or something :(

Am I crazy? I just find that, most often, underage swappers can have issues fulfilling their swapping duties (I have had some great high school student swap partners, but the majority... hrm). Opinions?

Labels: cast on, idiocy, update

Quick update:

• Finally switched to new Blogger. (May Hashem have mercy on me.) I'll probably spend the next several hours (figuratively, since I'm sleeeepy) putting labels on posts.
• Ankle still reallyreally hurts. I mean, really really. Mum suggested that I might have a hairline fracture
• Big sis A called parents to harass them into letting me (finally!) drive their new car, so I can pass my exam (I just need to master parallel parking, and... uh... breathing evenly) and drive while they're out and about.
• I finally picked up La Primavera again. And in a moment of foolish bravado, I actually ripped out the two lifelines I had in place before putting in another (so far the Knitting G-ds haven't punished me for this infraction yet).
• I gave up on spinning the yarn for my partner's magic yarn ball (I tried treadling with only one foot tonight, which was only slightly disastrous) and dug in the stash and found a suitable alternate. Thank goodness for The Stash.
• I actually picked up the Dalebarn sweater of Doom, before coming to my senses and stuffing it away again.
• I have to help paint Emmos' new house this weekend. That'll be interesting.

Labels: update