Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Rain, rain, go away

It started raining about dinner time yesterday. Rained all night. Rained all day today until just before I left work. I love rainy, thundery weather more than most, but an occasional break is nice.

We've gone four hours now with now rain, although I think more may be on the way.

On the plus side - one of the damp envelopes in the mailbox when I got home contained the April sock kit from the Rockin' Sock Club. The yarn is glorious, and so much "my colors' that it is frightening. The pattern should be okay, too. Not to spoil it, but there are two different versions of the pattern. I first saw the picture on the back, and thought "No way." But then I saw the front picture, and all was well again. I hope I am able to get gauge with normal needles this time.

What about the February socks, you may ask? I'm still chipping away at them, slo-o-owly, a few rows at a time. I'm about four inches into the foot of the first sock, so there is still a long way to go. It's too bad Lent is over. They would have been a perfect discipline project.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Return of the memes

You Should Rule Saturn

Saturn is a mysterious planet that can rarely be seen with the naked eye.

You are perfect to rule Saturn because like its rings, you don't always follow the rules of nature.
And like Saturn, to really be able to understand you, someone delve beyond your appearance.

You are not an easy person to befriend. However, once you enter a friendship, you'll be a friend for life.
You think slowly but deeply. You only gain great understanding after a situation has past.


What's that bidness about rarely seen with the naked eye? I could look out the window right now and see Saturn. I must say, though, I never get tired of looking at it in a telescope.

In other news: Knightstar has the Peek of the Week at the Piker Press this week.

Teasers are starting to leak out for Script Frenzy, the upcoming script writing event from the fine folks who brought you NaNoWriMo. I hate to say it, but I'm thinking about doing it. It seems clear that novel writing is not my first, best destiny. Maybe scriptwriting is my calling. I am pretty good with dialogue, after all.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Pretties

My friend Amy went to Europe recently. Tonight at the KnitWits get-together, she announced, "I have presents," and pulled out four 1400 m/1533 yd skeins of merino/silk lace weight yarn. That's enough to make a large lace shawl.

I immediately pounced on the aqua skein.

It is very pettable, and the silk really makes it sparkle.

Thanks, Amy, for the beautiful gift!

Speaking of soft, pettable things, Miss Katie came home to live with us four years ago today.

The other cats at the Animal Rescue League that day were just lying around in their cages, but Katie was up at the front of her cage, chatting and working the crowd. She was a total salesperson, and I fell for her shtick completely.

I went cat shopping that day because my dad had died on this day the year before, and I thought a new cat would cheer me up. Or distract me, is more like it. And that she did.

Daddy professed not to like cats, but he shamelessly spoiled the cats that lived with family members. For one thing, he would turn on the tap so they could have fresh water from the sink. Darned if Katie didn't pick that up, even without him here to teach her. I have to think that he is somehow behind it.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

A word of advice

Before you leave the cat home alone, put your shoes in the closet.

"I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about."

Hooky

Knightstar won tickets to today's Iowa Cubs day game, so I took the afternoon off and we went to the ballpark.

The forecast was for sunny and mid-60s. When I left work, it was cloudy, windy, and 49. And me in short sleeves, with no coat. Once at the stadium, my first stop was at the gift shop, where I bought a stadium blanket. It was easily the best purchase I have ever made at a game. It cost $30, but it was made out of heavy sweatshirt fleece, and covered us both comfortably. It appears to be about the size of a twin bed blanket.

We got to our seats just in time for the national anthem. You may not suspect this about me, particularly if you've ever heard me on a political rant, but I am a real softy for the national anthem. Singing it gives me a lump in my throat, and I like hearing it performed well - which, as we all know, is not so easy.

When I saw eight elderly people gathered around the mic, I got a little nervous. It was a group from a retirement home, and most of them looked old enough to have been on the business end of WWII. They jumped into the song with reverent gusto - no Metropolitan Opera chorus, but plenty good enough.

Then it happened: And the rocket's red glare...

Every person was singing a different note. I bit my lip. It's a hard note to hit, and they were just enthusiastic amateurs, but it tickled me. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw Knightstar, looking at me expectantly, wondering if I was going to react. I clenched my mouth shut to keep from laughing, but my shoulders were shaking and tears were running down my face from the effort.

It turned out to be a good game. The Cubs defeated the Albuquerque Isotopes, which has to be the best name for a sports team EVER. The sun came out. We went for a late lunch at a real restaurant. There was still time for a nap when we got home.

It was a pretty good day.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

One for the knitters

Yeah, I've been slacking. We went on vacation, and then we went back to work... you know how it is.

However, while we were a-traveling, we could not resist having dinner at Two Frogs Grill in Ardmore, OK. We did it for the knitters.

Friday, April 06, 2007

Yarn emergency

Weird weather we've been having lately. It has turned cold and blustery all along the midsection of the country. There was snow last night in Kansas, enough to stick to the evergreens, the lilacs, and the wheat after the sun came up.

I found myself out and about, with a winter coat, but without a scarf. I procured some fat yarn (Rowan Big Wool Fusion) and fat needles (US19/15mm). About three hours later, I had a scarf. Since it was started and finished and will be worn within 24 hours of purchase, I say it does not count against the yarn diet.

Those other things in the picture? Sock yarn doesn't count, right? On the left, two skeins of the new Colinette Jitterbug sock yarn. The one in the middle is so brilliant I practically fell down when I saw it. On the right, Crystal Palace Panda Wool, a wool, bamboo, and nylon blend. Beyond that is a sampler package of Soak wool wash.

I also bought something up the street at a specialty fabric store, but that one is going to stay under wraps until I decide what to do with it. It may end up being a gift.

Yesterday I cashed in a Borders coupon and some gift cards, and bought "More Sensational Socks". Oh my, what an inspiring book. I want to sleep with it under my pillow. Anyway, the gal who checked me out said, "Do you really knit socks?" I assured her I did. She went on, "I tried to learn how to knit, but it never worked for me. When I shelved these books the other day, I couldn't imagine that anyone would actually knit socks!"

Maybe I should drop by that store again and show her the Jitterbug.

Monday, April 02, 2007

My largest work to date

Remember the peculiar little purple picture I teased you with a few weeks ago?

The full picture is on the cover of this week's Piker Press. I've always thought that much of modern art was less about skill and more about having the chutzpah to convince other people that you were an artist. Apparently, I possess a smidgen of that chutzpah.

I can pretty well guarantee that you've never seen anything like it.

Sunday, April 01, 2007

My philosophy

I've been on a de-cluttering binge, and I found these two newspaper clippings that I have held onto for ages. I figure I can get rid of them without guilt if I share them with the world first.

I've been toting this episode from "Li'l Abner" around since the Nixon administration, it looks like. Even as a young teen, I understood what my future likely held. (Click on the picture to see it larger.)
This one came from Dear Abby or Ann Landers.