Because talking to Tonny kicked me in the ass, here is the finished product. Not perfect, but perfect is for the Master Knitters program.
You like-a da sauce?
No, it's not all of it. But it's close.
Don't worry, I did a much nicer job on the cubbies I filled at Cyndi's shop. I'll blog that one next. But for now, my husband is home. It's nice of his job to lend him to me every now and fucking then. Good night!
(Koi does not sleep. She waits.)
All right, last we met I showed you wonderful pictures of my shiny, new shelves. What do we do with them? We fill them with yarn before the other shit that fills shelves has a chance to migrate in.
Step 1, move in all of the upstairs yarn.
Ah yes, feed on my chaos. A Webs bag that probably has a lot of the yarn that it carried home from Webs. A gift bag from a swap in which you'll find some of Heather's yummy yarn (in a colorway that I adore) and some kid mohair. An entire laundry basket full of yarn. A lot of this used to be downstairs yarn.
There's a fair amount of roving and fiber mixed in. That's not for the shelf, though, I have a plan for all of that. It's going in here
Ooh, that's right. Meet the downstairs yarn. Yep, that's another Webs bag!
So, the plan now is to empty out baskets of yarn upstairs, get them downstairs, and sherpa yarn upstairs. I'm trying to get the cats to make like little pack llamas, but they're surprisingly uncooperative.
With all of this moving, packing, organizing, untangling, and such, there arises a very important question: to stash, or not to stash?
Does Ravelry need to see all of this?
I'm taking pictures as I tuck things away, but am I really going to start updating my stash?
Do I want to own up to all of this? Sure, I'm owning up to it here, but these are just pictures. You can't really get the depth. There is nothing here proclaiming 1,237 stashed.
Anyway, back to it. I'll do it while I talk to the cats and wait for Chris to make his call home that's usually timed about two hours after I want to be to sleep.
For some reason, I'm just really hating him being away right now. More so than usual.
Anyway, To the Yarn Cave!
I do not hide my amour for Ikea. I can't. It's too strong. I must simply obey it, let it coax me in the door, and along the path that the arrow indicates. Seriously, if it weren't for that arrow, I'd probably get lost and starve to death in there.
Yesterday we sought out Ikea with a purpose. Because Ikea is a bit of a haul (unless you make the commute past that area everyday anyway which Chris's dad does. He's offered to pick up stuff for us before, but half of the wonder of Ikea is being in Ikea, not that the offer isn't appreciated.) we usually need to be going down into Mass for something or other. Or other presented itself yesterday. A good friend of Chris's (and all around great guy) is getting married next year, and his engagement party was in Connecticut. It was a great party, and I really like them as a couple.
Back to Ikea. Actually, back to the purpose for veering slightly east of our direct path home to get to Ikea. Recently, in an issue of Interweave Knits, Amy Singer of Knitty Fame wrote a small piece on organizing your yarn. She suggested you organize it as if it were your personal knitting store. Talk about planting a seed.
A few months ago I picked out the shelving system I want. Meet the Expedit (you can't food me, Ikea, that's not good spelling, even in Swedish).
This is the 4x4. We got the 4x4 because the 5x5 wouldn't fit in my Focus Hatchback.
(Laser Kitteh set to disable for size reference).
So, Chris set this up, and while he is away on business from tomorrow until Wednesday (he should be home for knitting, so smile) it will be my job to fill it with yarn. Just the way I want it.
Let me tell you a secret.
It ain't all gonna fit.
And it's going to be a little bit like Journey to the Center of the Earth.
I'm wondering if it'll be blog fodder. It might be just too embarrassing. We'll see :D
My Monday started with a bit of heartache. George Carlin has left us, at age 71. One of the great truthspeakers of our time is gone. The older he got, the less he cared about the sensibilities he offended. In fact, I think he went out of his way to target new ones. Discomfort is what makes us grow. Anger is what makes us fight. He saw the exoskeleton that we'd outgrown, and he advocated breaking it and growing out. Or maybe he was just a cranky man who liked to pick at scabs. Who knows?
So goodbye dear friend. You held up a mirror, and it was good for all of us.
I do have one beef, Georgie. Why the fuck did you never (in your ENTIRE 71 years) do anything with the Muppets? You can hang out with the Smothers Brothers, you can do a stint as a train conductor on a kids show, but you can't chill with Cookie Monster or Fozzie? I think, if you're sitting on a cloud, sifting through it all (you know, before you start causing trouble again) that should be one of the points that you consider and go "Damn, I never got to do the 7 Words bit with Bert and Ernie"
I will knit something for you, I think. It'll be grand, and my grandmother will never, ever, be able to see it.
On another note... I had to buy deodorant the other day. Gotta love a transition like that. As I was perusing the fragrances I found one called "Pure Cashmere" and I just about died laughing. I almost turned to the woman next to me and said "I want to smell like a goat!" but I realized she was weirded out enough by the laughing.
Did I get it? You bet your sweet ass I did!
But sadly, it smells like vanilla. I don't want my armpits to smell like a milkshake. I'd honestly be happier with a Eau de Sheep and Wool.
le sigh...
So, Chris asked me what I'm going to post about. I told him I didn't know. He said "Post about something awesome... like me."
So, I is for Inspiration, and my husband is mine. I guess my lack of post is not due to lack of muse. But even the most fantastic muse can't get salmon fillet out of chum. My mind has just been in other places. Something did occur to me, though. I've let the "You must have pictures to make a blog post" get to me. I've stopped myself from blogging lately because I didn't feel I had the pictures to back the post up. So enough of that. If I feel I have to force pictures into a post, then I don't feel that I'm being organic. My strong suit, I feel, is my language. I will not always post pictures, and I won't apologize for it. I'm sorry I let all of "those people" get to me.
But today I have some pictures. K is for Knit in Public, and we had a good one.
We've met some new friends (on the right is Heather, our new buddy who I hope we see a lot more of. On the left is Donna, my mother in law. She's pretty awesome too, not new, but still pretty great).
We also got to meet Pat, who is a wonderful lady, and a great knitter (I learned all of this in the 5 minutes that she had to share with us, we WILL HAVE to meet up again).
Did we get the crowds that we were ready to enjoy? No, but we still had a fantastic time. Lots of knitting got done, lots of jokes were shared, weather was enjoyed, hula hooping was reveled in (until Lora's oldest boy picked up a hula hoop for the first time in his life, then he picked up a second, and hooped with both of them. Yeah, spirit was busted. I haven't touched my hoop in that long.)
But even with only us, we used our powers for good instead of evil.
So many people brought yarn, bags, gift certificates, hand knit socks, and so many wonderful goodies to raffle off. We actually had more gifts than participants, so we joined some together. We ended up raising just under 100 dollars for New Horizons, Manchester's soup kitchen/food pantry/shelter. These people do such wonderful things for our area, and we're glad to help them do it.
So I want to thank everyone who showed up, everyone who bought a raffle ticket, everyone who donated something to raffle, everyone who expressed a desire to be with us, but couldn't, for whatever reason. Thank you, thank you, thank you. See you again next year!
L is for Lazy knitter, which I am not. Want to see?
Not a very recent photo, I've got a few more inches done, but I'm done letting photos, or lack thereof, stagnate my blogging, remember?
I've finished something else, but I'm not ready to share that yet ;)
L could also be for Lazy blogger, I guess, but here's a list of the other things that have been taking my attention: gardening (tomato above for proof) Wii Fit (5 pounds lost, as proof), reading (yeah, I've forgotten how to do that lately), wanting to spend time with my husband instead of upstairs on my computer (on his laptop now) and (AND!) Friday I got my Master Knitter's package.
Ok, so the Master Knitter program that I just got can't really give me an excuse for the last month, but I may need to use it later, so pay attention to it.) I get my yarn tomorrow, UPS willing. I'll be keeping up with my progress on my Ravelry projects page, if you're inclined to keep tabs on me. You know, that is if I don't blog it.
Ok, I'm going to stop here. I feel the whole post is a little disjointed, and I don't think that adding more will correct that. So everyone have a pleasant sleep tonight, and let the week be smoothe and sweet.
A little, anyway. Meme courtesy of Gina.
1. What was I doing 10 years ago? Waiting for the summer vacation after my Jr. year of high school.
2. What are 5 things on my TO-DO list for today? Play Wii, figure out a menu of things that I will actually cook and eat when I'm alone all the week. Seriously, any suggestions are welcome. I forget to eat when Chris is away.
3. Snacks I enjoy: Pickles, salt and vinegar chips, marshmallows, chips and salsa. (Any of these items suggested for my diet for next week will probably be considered, but seriously...)
4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Buy a house that's a drive away from everything. With land for a garden and long strolls, and a big kitchen, and a bathroom with a tub that I can soak in. Start finding things to keep me busy that would help the world I live in and those in it. Billions is an awful lot to have and not try to make the world a better place. I think I might also like to raise goats. And I'd like to foster my local artisans.
5. Places I have lived: Sherman Mills, Maine. Derry, NH, Manchester, NH, Great Lakes, IL, Yokosuka, Japan.
6. Jobs I have had: Walgreens checker girl, pharmacy tech, night stocker at Wal Mart, Navy Hospital Corpsman, nursing aide, Medical insurance customer service, tech support, and customer service for yarn distributor
Bloggers I am tagging for this MEME: I don't know who's left... Caroline, Gigi, Jennifer from Yawn Over (I haven't heard from Jennifer and her cute pup in a bit)
All right, I'm alive. I've even been knitting! And spinning a bit! Crazy, huh? I'll have pictures some time this week. With Chris gone I'll probably be sitting in front of this machine a fair bit. After my Wii fit workouts ;) That's a little bit too much fun for work, I tell you.
See you later!
When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ballpoint pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat the problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion to develop a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to 300°C.
The Russians used a pencil.
A dog went to a telegram office, took out a blank form and wrote, “Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof.”
The clerk examined the paper and politely told the dog: “There are only nine words here. You could send another ‘Woof’ for the same price.”
“But,” the dog replied, “that would make no sense at all.”
A bear walks into a bar and places his order. "I'll take a gin and.... tonic"
So the bartender says, "What's with the pause?"
And the bear says, "I was born with them."
Two fish are in a tank. One turns to the other and says "Do you have any idea how to drive this thing?"
Not so clean after this. You were warned...
Worry not, Mr. Roger's did not move to a new 'hood, and we aren't discussing playground violence.
I'm just really behind on my ABC along.
F is for Finished.
I'm not nuts about that picture. I can't take pictures of myself, though. So oh well. I have plans to rip out the neck band and the lapel borders and knit them smaller. Kaffe designs, but he doesn't know a whole lot about womanly curves. Anyhow, there's my colorwork for the decade.
G is for Garden.
No picture here. Imagine three pots with tomato plants. And a few other pots with dirt. Yay dirt. Wet dirt. Lots of rain.
H is for Harlot.
No pictures of said harlot. The flash went off, I'm pretty sure, but oh well.
We had a great time seeing Steph. I always really enjoy seeing her, and I love to hear her talk. I do feel sad that she seems so worn out this time around. I hope she gets the week of sleep that she seems to need. Shoot, sometimes seeing my small band of friends is tiring. People wear me out! I can't imagine meet n greeting with 1000 knitters in a few hours.
She should have gone our route. By the time we go to Webs, we were buzzed.
It's not our fault. See the bottom of the beer? They hid blueberries in the bottom of our beers! Of course I had to find them.
Twice.
And then Heather's, because she didn't finish her last drink.
Webs drunk? I fully recommend. I got up to Steph and told her about those bastards who hid fruit at the bottom of my beers. I'm not quite sure how she labels me in her head, but I'll be you this will be a defining moment. Then I told her about The Champions of Cumulative Action (which I named for one of the concepts she spoke of last time I saw her). So, it wasn't all drunk girl talk.
But you know what? Drunkenness affects my yarn buying almost as much as my knitting, which is to say almost not at all. I will warn you, I am a hell of an enabler when I'm drunk. Actually, I am when I'm sober, too. So much for the warning. I'm as dangerous to your yarn budget drunk as sober. Caroline said that shopping with me was the way to go, though :D That makes me happy. We got her a bag of Jaeger Pure Silk, which is in my top 5 yarns to roll around naked in.
But I almost didn't buy any yarn for myself. I was on my way out the door, happy, when Chris talked me into some Greater Adirondack Lolita in the Foliage colorway. It's purty, and I'm happy aging it until I can knit it.
So, the Harlot, the yarn, and the people. The people are sublime. I got to see old friends and make some new ones. I got to carpool with some of my best friends. I'd say that there may not have been one thing I could have done to improve Sunday. Except I wish Steph was well rested. Poor gal, we wear her out. (((Huge note here, do not take this blog post as a declaration of Steph's failing health. I am not her doctor. I am not her mother. I am not her. I'm merely expressing concern and well wishes. I want all of my friends to have as many naps as they want.))) Jesus, can you tell I've been spending a bit too much time on Ravelry's main boards, leaving a disclaimer like that?
I is for Invisibility.
I don't know if we're on J yet. I'm not, anyhow.
2008 was a success!
The Champions of Cumulative action raised over 1,000 dollars, contributing to the over 55,000 raised in total, and you helped!
We ended up walking 7 strong, and we'll be doing it again next year. How could we not?
We were surrounded by people who had love for the cause. Great company and high spirits. The weather was absolutely sublime, and it didn't hurt that they had respite and snacks for us every two miles or so. (food is never not a good reason for me, honestly.)
Want to see the team I have so much love for? I don't know how it happened, but I didn't get pictures of everyone (I didn't know Christina could move that fast) but here's a sampling of the day.
First, we all got tshirts. I'm collecting these now, and I like this year's design.
This is Amanda exhibiting the "change your tshirt in public" technique, with my help. Classy broad, ain't she?
Here's the closest thing I have to a team picture. We have "official" ones coming from the chapter, but for now this will do. Before anyone asks, Chris does still have both of his legs and is not hobbling on a badly-aligned prosthetic.
And here's the start! This picture does nothing to show the huge crowd that just boiled out of the schoolyard and onto the street, but it's an idea.
Did I mention that the weather was sublime?
After the 5 miles they fed us, and we all got medals! This is Chris and my dad-in-law. There's a serenity here that overcomes the tired legs. Seriously, where is Christina hiding in all of these pictures?
There was a guy there letting people ride his Segway, and I'll have to tell you. I love this little gadget. It is incredibly intuitive, and it has a whole bunch of giddyup. I only wish I had a practical application for one.
Don't laugh. I challenge you to look cool on a Segway. It just can't be done.
And that was our day.
But that's not it for you! I have prizes!
To the lovely Noolie and Donna H. go one skein of Can-Do!
To Gigi, the Wollmeise gift certificate!
To Caroline, the Knitter's Critter, Shiver!
And... a surprise 5th gift goes to Patti. We'll let it stay a surprise for the now :)
I used a random number generator over at random.org and contacted the winners through Ravelry.
I want to sincerely thank everyone who donated or linked this walk on their blog. I love this community so much. We will be walking again next year, and come about February we'll start putting the word out for donations and walkers. I want to hit that 2500 this year, and maybe have ten walkers on the team.
I want tshirts. Something with an awesome design proclaiming the awesomeness of COCA.
Yes. It will only get better. All of it.
One week left to donate for the walk to end MS! One week to be registered for wonderful prizes! One week left for me to figure out how much Motrin I'll need after walking FIVE FREAKIN' MILES.
I am so friggin excited. I'm anxious to see how much everyone raised. I can see who donated on line (and that's all of you lovely people!) but I have 5 other people on my team, and I know that they're all doing fantastically. Honestly, I just can't wait for the walk. I know I'll suffer with people I like.
