Saturday, I woke up with the worst headache I can remember ever having. I occasionally get migraines (about once every 3 months or so), but this was one KILLER! I'll spare you the gory details, and just say Saturday was mostly spent sleeping.
Sunday dawned bright and cheery - I LOVE the sun!!!!! I decided that I needed to get over my fear of lace, and I have some beautiful purple yarn that I bought YEARS ago that I've never found the right project for. There's a really nice, simple-looking lace fichu in "Victorian Lace Today" that I thought I could handle. Yeah, right! Turns out I might just be too stoopid to knit lace.
After casting on twice (took forever to find the right waste yarn). *245* stitches, no less! I finally knit the first 7 rows, and had started the beginning lace portion. I was knitting happily along, on about row 4 (repeating it like, 36 times) when I realized my count was off. Of course, it was off back at the beginning of the row, so I'm in the process of "knitting backwards" - recovering stitches (including the k2tog's) when I realized the reason I was off was because I'd dropped a stitch! I was so frustrated, I threw it across the room! Once I calmed down (but obviously not all the way) I ripped it out, and put the re-wound yarn in the bag until it could learn to behave. This morning, when I woke up, I was regretting ripping it out - was, in fact, berating myself pretty badly, because I WON'T be defeated, and I'll HAVE to do it again - however, after thinking it over, the only thing I could do was rip it and start over again. At least that's what I'm telling myself now. I'll do it again - soon - but I've got gloves, a coat, and a chemo-cap I need to finish.
AND, what's the best way to wrap up knitting needles to mail? I want to send some needles and yarn to Stacie's charity - because I've got more needles than Carter's got tiny little pills, and I WANT Knit Pick Options!!
OK, that's all for now - continue to talk amongst yourselves.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Meet Star
Here's a pic of our Star kitty:
AKA - Vampire Kitty & Half-Vampire Kitty - because his fangs hang out, sometimes only one at a time.
Star was a very sick kitty last weekend. What I found out was that "male cats do that" - apparently with alarming regularity. Star is now 9 (or 8) years old. I thought back, and I guess I've never had a male cat that lived that long. Several years ago I decided that my cats would never go outside again. Outside is a very bad place for kittys, what with dogs, cars, mean kids, etc., they should just never, EVER be outside.
One day 8 (or 9) years ago, the kidlet and I went to Wally world. One of the local shelters was there, and in the middle of all the barking and yipping, I heard the teeniest, tiniest "mew" - we hunted around, and found this scrawny, ugly TINY black kitten. Now, I'm a firm believer that you don't pick your pets, they pick you. We went to Wally World to do our "regular" shopping. We stopped and looked at this kitten, the kidlet took him out of his cage, and he just attached (glommed would be my mom's word for it) himself to her. We went in, did our shopping, and I decided that if he was still there when we went out, he was ours. He was, and he's been ever since. We weighed Star at the vet's last week in his carrier. They weighed 18.5 lbs. I figure that Star probably weighs at least 16lbs all by his lonesome. Big Cat! We have small (Peanut, about 2 lbs), medium (Samantha, about 5 lbs) and large - Star. I never really appreciated Star until he got sick and we almost lost him. By my calculations, he was sick for a while before we knew what was going on. He'd started crapping on the furniture, and occasionally peeing, but mostly just crapping. I'm thinking now that was when it began. It wasn't until he started acting really, REALLY sick that I did anything. He couldn't walk, couldn't jump, wouldn't eat or drink, and when I was ready to take him to the vet, I found him lying in the litter box. Not really 'normal' behavior. So, I almost killed my cat, and I feel awful, but he got his revenge - $800 in vet bills. The biggest marker of how sick he was is how wonderful he is now. He's like a different cat! All he wants to do is be in someone's lap (or on a shoulder, but given that he weighs more than 3 bags of sugar, that doesn't last long) and be petted. And WHAT a purr! He can be heard from across the room. Another way he fooled me, is he purred the entire time he was sick, and while we were waiting in the dr's office. I kept thinking, "How sick can he be if he's purring like that?" Turns out, pretty sick. Kidlet said she thought he purred like little kids hold their blankies - for comfort. Anyway, Star's home, mending, and living like a king. He has his own bed, his own litter box, he gets only canned cat food, which he eats in peace in his own cage (to keep prying cats and dogs away) and he sleeps in peace in either his own cage, or a pillow in a chair. If I got treated like that after I came home from the hospital, I'd be sick, too! We love our Star kitty!
AKA - Vampire Kitty & Half-Vampire Kitty - because his fangs hang out, sometimes only one at a time.
Star was a very sick kitty last weekend. What I found out was that "male cats do that" - apparently with alarming regularity. Star is now 9 (or 8) years old. I thought back, and I guess I've never had a male cat that lived that long. Several years ago I decided that my cats would never go outside again. Outside is a very bad place for kittys, what with dogs, cars, mean kids, etc., they should just never, EVER be outside.
One day 8 (or 9) years ago, the kidlet and I went to Wally world. One of the local shelters was there, and in the middle of all the barking and yipping, I heard the teeniest, tiniest "mew" - we hunted around, and found this scrawny, ugly TINY black kitten. Now, I'm a firm believer that you don't pick your pets, they pick you. We went to Wally World to do our "regular" shopping. We stopped and looked at this kitten, the kidlet took him out of his cage, and he just attached (glommed would be my mom's word for it) himself to her. We went in, did our shopping, and I decided that if he was still there when we went out, he was ours. He was, and he's been ever since. We weighed Star at the vet's last week in his carrier. They weighed 18.5 lbs. I figure that Star probably weighs at least 16lbs all by his lonesome. Big Cat! We have small (Peanut, about 2 lbs), medium (Samantha, about 5 lbs) and large - Star. I never really appreciated Star until he got sick and we almost lost him. By my calculations, he was sick for a while before we knew what was going on. He'd started crapping on the furniture, and occasionally peeing, but mostly just crapping. I'm thinking now that was when it began. It wasn't until he started acting really, REALLY sick that I did anything. He couldn't walk, couldn't jump, wouldn't eat or drink, and when I was ready to take him to the vet, I found him lying in the litter box. Not really 'normal' behavior. So, I almost killed my cat, and I feel awful, but he got his revenge - $800 in vet bills. The biggest marker of how sick he was is how wonderful he is now. He's like a different cat! All he wants to do is be in someone's lap (or on a shoulder, but given that he weighs more than 3 bags of sugar, that doesn't last long) and be petted. And WHAT a purr! He can be heard from across the room. Another way he fooled me, is he purred the entire time he was sick, and while we were waiting in the dr's office. I kept thinking, "How sick can he be if he's purring like that?" Turns out, pretty sick. Kidlet said she thought he purred like little kids hold their blankies - for comfort. Anyway, Star's home, mending, and living like a king. He has his own bed, his own litter box, he gets only canned cat food, which he eats in peace in his own cage (to keep prying cats and dogs away) and he sleeps in peace in either his own cage, or a pillow in a chair. If I got treated like that after I came home from the hospital, I'd be sick, too! We love our Star kitty!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Last Week
Was stolen from me - Here's my week:
Sunday - sick cat to E-Vet hospital. Bladder size of baseball. Potassium so high, he was having heart problems
Monday - sick cat to regular vet. Catheter working, but kidneys not.
Tuesday - too much stress, I'm sick, kidlet's sick, cat's still sick (kidneys still not working, vet's worried)
Wednesday - not enough drama at my house. Hot water pipe freezes. And bursts. Cat's kidneys working, but barely.
Thursday - managed to make it to work. Had to leave early to pick up cat (YAY!) and meet plumber for 2nd time.
Friday - plumber wants $3000 to replace ALL pipes. Convinced him to replace ONLY broken one.
Total cost for week: lost work time: 3 days (Monday was a holiday)
Total cost for cat: 800 freakin dollars! Good thing I love him.
Total cost for plumber: $340.50 - NOT $3000! SHEESH!
Found out I have lots of REALLY good friends, but the week sucked pond water.
Will write more later.
must.
catch.
up.
BTW, cat, kidlet, and me are all doing fine. Really, REALLY glad last week is over! STILL colder than a witch's tit in a brass bra, but at least it's quit snowing for a while.
Sunday - sick cat to E-Vet hospital. Bladder size of baseball. Potassium so high, he was having heart problems
Monday - sick cat to regular vet. Catheter working, but kidneys not.
Tuesday - too much stress, I'm sick, kidlet's sick, cat's still sick (kidneys still not working, vet's worried)
Wednesday - not enough drama at my house. Hot water pipe freezes. And bursts. Cat's kidneys working, but barely.
Thursday - managed to make it to work. Had to leave early to pick up cat (YAY!) and meet plumber for 2nd time.
Friday - plumber wants $3000 to replace ALL pipes. Convinced him to replace ONLY broken one.
Total cost for week: lost work time: 3 days (Monday was a holiday)
Total cost for cat: 800 freakin dollars! Good thing I love him.
Total cost for plumber: $340.50 - NOT $3000! SHEESH!
Found out I have lots of REALLY good friends, but the week sucked pond water.
Will write more later.
must.
catch.
up.
BTW, cat, kidlet, and me are all doing fine. Really, REALLY glad last week is over! STILL colder than a witch's tit in a brass bra, but at least it's quit snowing for a while.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Where I Knit
I'm not sure if this is a meme or not, but since Julie over at Samurai Knitter wants to know, here it is: [Drumroll, please]
On the left, you'll see my Christmas present from my favorite (ok, only, but don't let's be nit-picky)sister, open, in use. The color's not so good, but it's thepurple grape Jordana Paige knitter's satchel. Also, there are my knitting glasses, some snackage, my iDog in his case, and on top of the couch are the tissues, because my nose is ALWAYS running. I know, WAY more than you wanted to know, huh? In the picture, but unseen, because they're buried are 2 new knitting magazines (I actually bought Knit 'N' Style, something I swore I'd NEVER do again, but there were 2 coats in there that I. Must. Have. and I forget what the other one is, but it had more fingerless gloves, and something else I. Had. To. Have), and "Victorian Lace Today," from which I'm planning on knitting the full hexagon shawl - be afraid, very afraid! I have asked for the yarn from my mommy for my birthday, and she has ordered it - it should be here any day now. Shimmer from KnitPicks, I think the colorway is Garden - lots of pinks. Oh, and the remote control for the TV is there, too. There you have it, where I knit!
On the left, you'll see my Christmas present from my favorite (ok, only, but don't let's be nit-picky)sister, open, in use. The color's not so good, but it's the
Monday, January 08, 2007
Birthday Weekend
Saturday was my birthday. In my family, we celebrate! Mom used to wake us up on our birthday with a huge gift - I remember one year she plopped the biggest comforter I've ever seen on my sleeping form - scared the crap out of me, but it was a terrific surprise. So, Saturday, on my birthday, I awoke to more freaking snow! Only 2 inches or so this time, but seriously! I've really had it.
Kidlet had to work, so I spent the day home "putzing" as we call it in my family. The other thing we do is call and sing "Happy Birthday" so I was serenaded first by my mom, then by my sister and her family. It's wonderful to hear such joyous singing in honor of the day you were born.
After the kidlet got off work, we went out to dinner at Outback, where they proceeded to sing to me, and I got the "Chocolate Thunder from Down Under" for dessert. Strip steak for the meal, it was quite tasty.
This is what I got from the kidlet:
And this (brace yourself!)
I also finished the first glove from the new book "Not Just More Socks" - here is a pic of the beginning of the second one:
It's blurry, and doesn't really show the colors all that well, but let me tell you, there are some AMAZING corals and purples in this yarn. It's Regia, and I'm thinking I need more to make some socks!
Some January 6th trivia - New Mexico became a state Jan 6, 1912 - we'll (the state, not me) be 100 in 5 years.
Jan 6th is also Epiphany. So, not only does my family celebrate this day, the entire state of NM and, yes, all of Christendom celebrates my birthday! YES!!!!!! I AM THE QUEEN!!!!!
Kidlet had to work, so I spent the day home "putzing" as we call it in my family. The other thing we do is call and sing "Happy Birthday" so I was serenaded first by my mom, then by my sister and her family. It's wonderful to hear such joyous singing in honor of the day you were born.
After the kidlet got off work, we went out to dinner at Outback, where they proceeded to sing to me, and I got the "Chocolate Thunder from Down Under" for dessert. Strip steak for the meal, it was quite tasty.
This is what I got from the kidlet:
And this (brace yourself!)
I also finished the first glove from the new book "Not Just More Socks" - here is a pic of the beginning of the second one:
It's blurry, and doesn't really show the colors all that well, but let me tell you, there are some AMAZING corals and purples in this yarn. It's Regia, and I'm thinking I need more to make some socks!
Some January 6th trivia - New Mexico became a state Jan 6, 1912 - we'll (the state, not me) be 100 in 5 years.
Jan 6th is also Epiphany. So, not only does my family celebrate this day, the entire state of NM and, yes, all of Christendom celebrates my birthday! YES!!!!!! I AM THE QUEEN!!!!!
Thursday, January 04, 2007
SNOW!!!!!!!!!!! part deux
I CANNOT FREAKING BELIVE IT!!! People, I live in New Mexico by choice, and for several reasons - see part one of this - one of the most important is, IT'S NOT FREAKING MINNESOTA!!!!! Now, don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, or any of those other, northern very cold states. Nothing except the cold and the snow. Both of which we seem to have in abundance. See, in NM, it snows, we enjoy it for a day, then tomorrow the temp goes to 50 or so, and the snow goes away. Nice, neat, clean (ok, maybe not so neat and clean - there is all the mud to contend with), but STILL!!!!!
Someone apparently forgot to tell the weather and "global warming" people - we've got ass-deep snow, and it's not going away!!!!!! I'm sorry if I sound just a touch hysterical - BUT I AM!!!!!!!!!!!
This is for the freaking BIRDS!!! And BTW? If I hear one more freaking bird singing cheerfully? I'm gonna find me some mentos and diet coke and see just exactly WHAT it will do to a gizzard - birds, consider yourself warned!!!!
It started snowing a week ago - Thursday, Dec 28, a day which will live in infamy. It didn't stop until Sunday. And its still cold. I'm talkin' bone-chilling, tongue-on-the-flagpole-freezin' cold! It's down to 15 or below at night, and only gets up to 36 during the day. No, don't say it! I don't care how cold it is where you are - I WANT WARM!!! AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!!
I know, we need the moisture. We need the snow pack. We need the skiers. I'm telling you now - I've HAD IT!!!!! I don't care anymore!!!!
There are no pictures. I hate the snow, and refuse to acknowledge it's presence with pictures. If you need pictures, go here they have lots of pretty snow pictures.
On the up (calmer) side. I had a wonderful Christmas, and lots of great mother-daughter time. My wonderful daughter gave me "Victorian Lace Today" - all the time making me think she'd gotten "Big Girl Knits" - and she gave me "Not Just MORE Socks" - companion piece to my (current) favorite knitting book. I've already started the Button Gloves. I'm also drooling over several shawl patterns in Victorian Knitting, but can't decide which one I want to try - being fairly inexperience at lace knitting, I'm a little freaked at the thought of knitting the shawl I want to knit. I also got (from my sister) the Jordana Paige purple bag. I gave her the new brick-red one. We are stylin' now! I'm in love with my bag - although I still adore the KIPer bags from KnitPicks.
Anyway, I'll quit now - take pictures tonight so I can post a few tomorrow. And try to not freak out about the next storm!
Someone apparently forgot to tell the weather and "global warming" people - we've got ass-deep snow, and it's not going away!!!!!! I'm sorry if I sound just a touch hysterical - BUT I AM!!!!!!!!!!!
This is for the freaking BIRDS!!! And BTW? If I hear one more freaking bird singing cheerfully? I'm gonna find me some mentos and diet coke and see just exactly WHAT it will do to a gizzard - birds, consider yourself warned!!!!
It started snowing a week ago - Thursday, Dec 28, a day which will live in infamy. It didn't stop until Sunday. And its still cold. I'm talkin' bone-chilling, tongue-on-the-flagpole-freezin' cold! It's down to 15 or below at night, and only gets up to 36 during the day. No, don't say it! I don't care how cold it is where you are - I WANT WARM!!! AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!!
I know, we need the moisture. We need the snow pack. We need the skiers. I'm telling you now - I've HAD IT!!!!! I don't care anymore!!!!
There are no pictures. I hate the snow, and refuse to acknowledge it's presence with pictures. If you need pictures, go here they have lots of pretty snow pictures.
On the up (calmer) side. I had a wonderful Christmas, and lots of great mother-daughter time. My wonderful daughter gave me "Victorian Lace Today" - all the time making me think she'd gotten "Big Girl Knits" - and she gave me "Not Just MORE Socks" - companion piece to my (current) favorite knitting book. I've already started the Button Gloves. I'm also drooling over several shawl patterns in Victorian Knitting, but can't decide which one I want to try - being fairly inexperience at lace knitting, I'm a little freaked at the thought of knitting the shawl I want to knit. I also got (from my sister) the Jordana Paige purple bag. I gave her the new brick-red one. We are stylin' now! I'm in love with my bag - although I still adore the KIPer bags from KnitPicks.
Anyway, I'll quit now - take pictures tonight so I can post a few tomorrow. And try to not freak out about the next storm!
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