Insert Pithy Title

Here I am at work, and all I really want to do is go to the library. Look at all the lovely books, and bring some home with me. I even brought my very anal (thanks Kelly!) list of books that I want to read. Or at least I think I want to read. Sometimes I pick up a book that is on my list, and read the first few paragraphs, or even the ending… I know, there is something wrong with me…. and if I don’t like the book I put it back on the shelf. So far I have only ever reconsidered on one book. The Witch of Cologne. It was an excellent book. Not about witches. You know what I really want to read about? Fairies, and witches, and in the present day. Not a book for kids, but one that makes you think. Another book that I though of for no good reason lately – A Wrinkle in Time. I remember reading that book when I was very young. In fact, I believe there was a series, and I was addicted to them. I wonder if my adult-self would enjoy them as much as my younger self would?

You know what else I really want lately? A mint chocolate-chip shake. I haven’t had one in years. In fact the last time I think (I might be wrong) was when I still lived in San Antonio.  If you haven’t ever had one – Baskin Robins made the best ones. Maybe I will snag one today and I will let you know at some point if it was good, or not. I would say tomorrow, but by the look of things it might be another month before I have a lull in my day long enough to post anything. Let alone take pictures and actually post them…. Now that would be something, huh?

Another thing that I have briefly looked at after I got my invite is Ravelry. Lovely really. Altogether lovely. It would be really useful if I had the time and energy to get it going. However, since I am either moving in 15 or 30 days I don’t think there will be much happening to that either. Oh, well.

Knitting? Well, yes. I have been knitting. Unfortunately, I have also ripped out everything that I have knit. I don’t know… There is nothing wrong with what I have been ripping other than the fact that I am not really sure what it is that I want to be knitting. I really want to knit a shrug to wear at work, but everytime I start one there is something about it that I don’t like. So, I rrriiiip it out. I have been looking at the Retro Redux Shrug in Lace Style… However, I would have to buy the book, and it is not in the budget. In fact, nothing knitting related is even remotely in the budget right now. Ugh.

Nothing much

Lots of things going on here, but really not all that much to blog about. I bought a skein of Lamb’s Pride Cotton Fleece in Truffle to swatch for the Dollar and a Half Cardigan from the Spring Interweave Knits. I don’t know if it will work out or not, but I really want that cardigan. I also bought a skein of baby blue yarn by Bernat at Wally world… I am planning on making a little baby hat out of it. Maybe a couple because there is a lot of yarn in that one skein. It is cheap and acrylic, but very soft and washable. Perfect for a couple of baby hats. Must do that this week because it is for a woman at the clinic where I work. Her last day is two weeks away and I really want to give it to her by then.Work is going well. I actually love it. I wish the hours were a little different, but I am still happy with the job. Really, I am happy with the people that I work with. They are great, and funny. I have noticed that I tend to want to talk to them – Normally, I don’t want to talk all that much. They are just so funny and open. A little aside – it is snowing outside. WTF? I am not happy about this. I really wanted to get the little schmoo out of the house today. He is getting stir crazy. So am I! I really wanted to get out of the house and do something fun. Well, maybe we will think of something.The little schmoo just turned three last Friday. It was a good day, and I cannot believe it has already been three years. He is such a cutie. He can also me a real terror. Such a funny mix of dark and light personality. I love the mixture. Hope you all have a great weekend. 

The Eyre Affair

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

So, here is a book review for you because I read a lot, and I need to blog about something! Also, maybe some of you, like me, are always looking for that next good read. I tend to rely on my fried Kelly for ideas on what to read next, and she has never let me down before. This book was an accidental pick-up because I forgot to print the list she emailed me, and when I got to the library all I could remember talking to her about was Jane Eyre. Of course, I had read it before, and I will read it again many times. It is one of my favorites although I don’t own a copy of it. When I searched the library’s computer for “Eyre” this book came up first. I was intrigued by the title and made my way happily to the shelf. The cover was interesting and from the book jacket I thought it would do well for a weekend light read. I was correct in my assumption! I started this book on Saturday afternoon and finished it today! It was a fast-paced detective literary novel with lots of interesting bits. Enough of the lead up – on to the review!Set in 1985, it’s a dystopic vision of a Britain dominated by a mysterious and massive government, in which the Crimean War still rages, and in which literature is taken so seriously that there’s a special branch of government devoted to literary crimes. The heroine is Thursday Next, a “LiteraTec,” who’s strong, smart, and funny, and makes it her mission to save Jane Eyre from the clutches of a nefarious madman, Acheron Hades. I do mean save, literally. The original manuscript is stolen and put into a machined that allows the person to enter the novel. Jane, herself is taken out of the book, and without her there is nothing left of the book. It vanishes from all other copies and would be gone forever if not for our heroine. Fforde has written a whole series, of which this is the first volume, and I am going to start another one today. Being a total literature geek, I really appreciated all the allusions and literary references – and I highly recommend it as light reading for the lit enthusiast.

It’s me again…

So, no pictures again because I am a lazy little shit, and I am writing this at work. Yeah, I know. Well, it’s Friday, and I really don’t have anything to do for the next 15 minutes. Amazing. I haven’t been able to find the time to do all the things that I did when I wasn’t working. Imagine that. Instead of blogging I have been reading a couple of good historical fiction books, spending time with my little schmoo and knitting just a bit. Oh, and did I mention cleaning? Yeah, cleaning. I love it so very much. I am still working on Green Gable, and no I haven’t even finished the increases yet. I know. I am going slowly. The thing is, I am worried that it isn’t going to look right. I don’t know. I still haven’t worn the last sweater that I knitted because it fits me strangely. Wicked, from Zephyr. I really just need to send it to my friend, Kelly because I think it would look so much better on her than it does on me. I got a new pattern yesterday. It is a crochet pattern by Stitch Diva. The one for four necklaces… I am going to try to find the crochet thread they are talking about so I can work on that at well. Yeah, let’s not forget that I don’t know how to crochet. I know, great… We will cross that bridge when we come to it. I hope I can figure out what it all means because the necklaces are awesome. Now that I have a job where I kind of wear nice clothes I want to have some nice accessories to go with them. Russ and I don’t go out that much so it really would just be for work. I am alright with that. I do wish that Russ and I could make some time for ourselves because I think that it would be good for us to have some alone time together. Work is good, and I really enjoy the people that I work with. They are all great. Mind you, this is not what I want to do with the rest of my life…Hope all that read this are doing well. Maybe later this weekend we will have some pictures.

Long time no post

And I have have lots of reasons. Really. I do. So, here they are.

1. I got a new job.

2. That new job has long hours 4 days a week, and I am still getting used to them.

3. The whole family was sick this weekend. Really, really sick.

So, those are my reasons. I am hoping that I do get used to the hours at the new job. I know that I will because this last week wasn’t as bad as the first week. So far, I really like this job. Mind you, it isn’t what I want to do for the rest of my life. However, it is interesting. I feel like a part of a team. I like the people that I work with so far. I will say that I never felt like I really fit in at my last job. I always felt like they didn’t like or respect me on iota. That is not a good feeling. I am glad that I don’t work there any more. I can tell you that I am working at an out patient mental health facility. It is sort of like what I did in the military. So many of the things are the same that it is a bit like going back in time. I didn’t realize how much I missed working in this type of setting. It is almost comforting. Like finding something that was lost.

I have been working on Green Gable. I am almost done with the increases (that is one of the perks of the job – I do get to knit a bit while I am there).  I knitted a cotton wash cloth during some time when I wasn’t feeling up to knitting anything else. I really don’t know what to do with that. I feel like giving it away because it is really pretty, but I just don’t think that I would ever use it. Oh well, I will just keep it until I figure out what to do with it.

I have been a slacker in the socktopia department. Really, I haven’t felt the urge to knit socks in a little while. Well, I do, and I don’t at the same time. I am sure I will get back into the swing of it. I do have some more sock yarn that I want socks from. There are a few really cute patterns on the site for members, and I have really fallen in love with them. I just think they might be a bit beyond me. I am intimidated. I still want to knit a pair of Jaywalkers. They are definitely next on the list for when I start another pair of socks.

The little one is doing better today. On Friday he lost his voice all day. He also slept almost the entire day. I have to admit it was nice in a way because you could hold him and stroke his little face. I never get to do that anymore because he is always on the move. The only thing we could get him to eat all day was bacon. Strange, I know. He still doesn’t want to eat anything. Just drinking chocolate milk. I know his throat is sore, and I keep giving him a little tylenol. It seems to help a little.

I have feeling better today than I did yesterday. Not great. But well enough to knit. That is something.

Movies and thoughts…

So, the idea is you put an “X” next to the ones that you have seen. If you have a total of more than 120 you have no life… See what my total is at the end of the list. Whoa. That is all I can say! How many have you seen?

(X)Rocky Horror Picture Show –

(X)Grease

(X) Pirates of the Caribbean

(X) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest. I love johnny Dep, but once was enough

( ) Boondock Saints

(X) Fight Club

() Starsky and Hutch

(X) Neverending Story

(X) Blazing Saddles

(X) Airplane

(X)The Princess Bride

(X)AnchorMan

(X) Napoleon Dynamite

(X) Labyrinth

() Saw

() Saw II –

(X) White Noise

(X ) White Oleander – and I read the book a few times

(X) Anger Management

(X) 50 First Dates

(X) The Princess Diaries -Cute!

(X) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far:18 out of 22

(X) Scream

(X) Scream 2

(X) Scream 3

(X) Scary Movie

() Scary Movie 2

() Scary Movie 3

() Scary Movie 4

(X) American Pie

(X) American Pie 2

(X) American Wedding

( ) American Pie Band Camp

(X) Harry Potter 1 –

(X) Harry Potter 2

(X) Harry Potter 3

(X) Harry Potter 4

(X) Resident Evil 1

() Resident Evil 2

(X) The Wedding Singer

(X ) Little Black Book

(X) The Village

(X)Lilo & Stitch
Total so far:34 out of 43.

(X) Finding Nemo

(X ) Finding Neverland

(X) Signs –

(X)The Grinch –

(X) Texas Chainsaw Massacre –

( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning –

(X) White Chicks

(X) Butterfly Effect

(X) 13 Going on 30

(X) I, Robot

(X ) Robots – very cute! Tho, I think adults would get more of the humor!

(X) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story-

() Universal Soldier –

(X) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events –

(X) Along Came Polly

(X) Deep Impact

( ) KingPin

(X) Never Been Kissed

(X) Meet The Parents

(X ) Meet the Fockers

(X) Eight Crazy Nights

(X ) Joe Dirt

(X) King Kong
Total so far: 54 out of 66. YIKES
( X) A Cinderella Story

( X) The Terminal. Sounded too claustrophobic for me.

( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie

( ) Passport to Paris

(X) Dumb & Dumber

( X) Dumber & Dumberer – I didn’t even think about seeing the sequel. Please readers, tell me you didn’t do it!

() Final Destination

( Final Destination 2

() Final Destination 3

() Halloween

(X) The Ring

(X) The Ring 2

(X ) Surviving Christmas

() Flubber

( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle

(X) Practical Magic

(X) Chicago

(X) Ghost Ship

( X) From Hell

(X) Hellboy- fun comic book movie!

(X) Secret Window – suprise ending!

(X) I Am Sam –

(X ) The Whole Nine Yards

(X) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 70 of 90.
(X) The Day After Tomorrow

(X) Child’s Play

() Seed of Chucky

() Bride of Chucky

( X) Ten Things I Hate About You

(X) Just Married

(X) Gothika

(X) Nightmare on Elm Street –

(X) Sixteen Candles

( ) Remember the Titans

( ) Coach Carter

(X) The Grudge

( ) The Grudge 2 –

(X) The Mask

(X) Son Of The Mask

(X) Bad Boys

(X) Bad Boys 2

() Joy Ride

( X) Lucky Number Sleven

(X) Ocean’s Eleven

( X) Ocean’s Twelve

(X) Bourne Identity

(X) Bourne Supremecy

( ) Lone Star

() Bedazzled-

() Predator I

() Predator II

() The Fog.

(X) Ice Age – very funny watch it with or without kids!

(X) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

(X) Curious George
Total so far: 90 out of 121.
(X) Independence Day

(X) Cujo

(X) A Bronx Tale –

() Darkness Falls

() Christine –

(X) E.T. Seen this one a few times!

(X) Children of the Corn

(X) My Bosses Daughter

(X) Maid in Manhattan

(X) War of the Worlds

(X) Rush Hour –

(X) Rush Hour 2 –

( ) Best Bet

(X) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

() She’s All That

() Calendar Girls

(X ) Sideways

(X) Mars Attacks

() Event Horizon

(X) Ever After

(X) Wizard of Oz

(X) Forrest Gump

(X) Big Trouble in Little China.

(X) The Terminator

(X) The Terminator 2

(X) The Terminator 3 
Total so far:110 out of 147.
(X) X-Men

(X) X-2

(X) X3 

X) Spider-Man

(X) Spider-Man 2

(X) Sky High

(X) Jeepers Creepers- 

() Jeepers Creepers 2

(X) Catch Me If You Can

(X) The Little Mermaid

(X) Freaky Friday

(X) Reign of Fire

() The Skulls

(X) Cruel Intentions

(X ) Cruel Intentions 2

(X) The Hot Chick

(X) Shrek

(X) Shrek 2

Total so far: 126 out of 165.
(X) Swimfan

(X) Miracle on 34th street

( X) Old School

(X) The Notebook – See it and have tissue ready

(X) K-Pax

( ) Krippendorf’s Tribe

( ) A Walk to Remember

() Ice Castles –

( ) Boogeyman –

( ) The 40-year-old Virgin

(X) Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

X) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

(X ) Lord of the Rings: Return Of the King

(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

() Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

() Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 135 out of 181.

( X) Base-ketball

( ) Hostel – Travel

( ) Waiting for Guffman

( )House of 1000 Corpses

( ) Devils Rejects

( X) Elf

(X) Highlander

(X) Mothman Prophecies

() American History X

( ) Three

( X) The Jacket

() Kung Fu Hustle

( )Shaolin Soccer

() Night Watch

(X) Monsters Inc.

(X) Titanic

(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail

(X) Shaun Of the Dead

() Willard
Total so far: 144 out of 200.
( ) High Tension

() Club Dread

(X) Hulk

(X) Dawn Of the Dead

(X) Hook

(X ) Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

(X) 28 days later –

( ) Orgazmo

() Phantasm

(X) Waterworld

(X) Kill Bill Vol. 1

(X) Kill Bill Vol. 2

(X) Mortal Kombat

( ) Wolf Creek

( X) Kingdom of Heaven

(X ) the Hills Have Eyes –

() I Spit on Your Grave –

( ) The Last House on the Left

() Re-Animator

() Army of Darkness
Total so far: 155 out of 220.
(X) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace – The star wars movies are check your brain at the door fun. It doesn’t hurt that Ewan Mcgregor is in ep. I, II, and III!

(X) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones

(X) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith

(X) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope

(X) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back

(X) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi

( ) Ewoks: Caravan Of Courage

( ) Ewoks: The Battle For Endor

(X) The Matrix

(X) The Matrix: Reloaded

(X) The Matrix: Revolutions

( ) Animatrix

() Evil Dead

() Evil Dead 2

( ) Team America: World Police

(X) Red Dragon

(X) Silence of the Lambs

(X) Hannibal

Total: 167 of 239
And those are not even close to all the movies I have seen in my lifetime. I didn’t realize I had spent so much time watching imaginary people living out their lives. Let’s not even talk about all the books that I have read in my lifetime and the hours that has eaten out of my life-span. No, I am not complaining about the books. I would think I wouldn’t be even close to the person that I am today without all the reading I have done. Well, can anyone say, “home-body?” I prefer books to movies, but I can’t knit and read at the same time. I can knit and watch a movie or two at the same time. We have been watching Finding Nemo – lovely.

So, the knitting content…. is that what you are looking for? Alright – here you go. I finished the weaving in the minimal seams on Wicked. Really I should have done it when I finished it. It only took about twenty minutes. Now, it is all done, and it is about 75 out for the last couple of days. I wonder if it will get cold again this month. Other than that – I really haven’t done any other knitting. So, I will show you the progress on the shawl and something that I haven’t posted before.

Oh, I also signed up to participate in a photo along. I missed last week. So, I need two photos. The first topic was – This weeks challenge is to post a picture of your most precious knitting/crocheting gear. Precious in the sense of emotional value not price tag.

These are the needles that I learned to knit on. They are lovely and old. They came from a wonderful person. I treasure them. No, I do not knit with them anymore. I have been snagged by the love of circulars. I love my knitpicks set that the big chicken got me for Christmas. The are great. I have knit only with them since I got them.

The second topic was – This week you are going to show your favorite knitting/crocheting literature. This one sits next to the bed & I read it or flip through it almost every other night as I am getting ready to sleep. Also a gift from the big Chicken. Isn’t he great sometimes? Yes, he is… Other times? Not so much. We love him anyway.

By the way – Happy St. Patrick’s Day. And Happy Anniversary to me and the big Chicken… That was yesterday. It was nice. Hope you had a great weekend, too.

 

Still the same

Knitting:

      Nothing new to show you. I will say that I am horribly disappointed with the new knitty.com. Really, there isn’t one thing in there that I would ever want to knit. I have never been able to say that about any of their previous issues. I feel kind of bad, but the submissions for this one must have been on the uncreative side. Oh, well. I will still look out for the next issue to see what is in it.

      I don’t have anything new to show you because the only knitting I have done is a couple of repeats on the shawl and a few rounds on the sleeve of Wicked. So sad. I have nothing.

The little Schmoo:

      He has a bit of a cold. He won’t stop scratching himself. His skin is so dry and rough. No lotion will help him. He loves to tell me “No” even when he doesn’t mean it. Lovely. He doesn’t want to sleep in his own bed. He loves Teddy Grahams. He is scared of loud noises now. We get to watch the same movie about a hundred times. Fabulous. Really. At least we got him interested in a new one. Finding Nemo instead of Cars. I think we are going to have to but this one.

Job Hunt:

     Job hunt? You thought I had a dream job at the LYS? Well, dear readers, so did I. Unfortunately, the owner changed her mind. I was supposed to start on Monday. She sends an email to tell me that she is “taking back her offer.” I am not bitter or anything. Nope not me. I love to go on interviews. I love that I told a job that would have been alright that unfortunately I already had another position. So, back to the classifieds. Yep, that is what I have been doing all this week instead of knitting and blogging. I have been looking for a job and going on interviews. I have been wallowing in my own self-pity. Yep. Fabulous. Really.

Laters…. I do plan on knitting today. So, maybe later a FO? You never know. Wait and see.

Springs & things

On a whim yesterday we piled in the car and drove to the Springs. It was wonderful, and the big Chicken and I cannot wait to go back without the little schmoo. I would love to take him again, but we have a suspicion that he was allergic to something in the waters. His little schmoo ears swelled up three or four times their normal size. Other than that he seemed to enjoy the day spent lounging in the hot water and walking quickly to the next hot water. The water does smell a bit like sulphur, but after you are there for a bit you don’t really notice the aroma of rotten eggs in most of the pools. There was one that overwhelmed me – it was a very natural style pool that was within reaching distance to the river. The warm water was coming up between the rocks, causing lovely bubbles, and a stench to rival most diapers. The drive there and back was beautiful. I cannot wait to take my friend Kelly there the next time she is in town. On the drive there there is a formation on top of a mountain called the Chimney Rock – and it really does look like a chimney. I wish that we had taken a camera! One of the water-proof disposable ones would have been perfect.

Perhaps I can talk the big chicken into going back there for our anniversary – getting massages and pedicures… He wants to go downtown and have a few drinks and spend the night in a hotel. Sounds like fun? That is what we did last year, and let me tell you I didn’t know when to say when with the drinking. Mind you, our anniversary is on St. Patrick’s Day – there was a reason for all the drinking. This year I want to take it easy. I also want to wear a beautiful dress – but I don’t see that happening because it will probably be too darn cold here still. There will be the wearing of the green, and possibly some shamrocks. I cannot wait!

I finished one sleeve on Wicked… Sadly, no pictures because I am being lazy and I don’t feel like going to get the camers. The next one you will see will be a finished object. Stay tuned! While in Pagosa Springs yesterday we stumbled across a little craft shoppe… It had a small bit of yarn, and was mostly for embroidery and quilting. I did pick up a couple of things of DMC #5 for Perdita. I got a bit of brown and a bit of green. Go figure… They are my favorite colours. I think one will be for me and one will be for a friend. I also cast on for a shawl. I know there is a bit of talk about shawls over here. I decided to knit one after walking around the house with a blanket draped oh so stylishly over my shoulders the other night while I was feeling very yucky. I also want to wear it this spring – I think it will look nice with a pair of jeans. No, in case you are wondering, I will not be wearing a shawl pin. I just don’t really like the look on me all that much. I have thought of getting creative by taking a little bit from this pattern and adapting it to the shawl that I am working on. I like the idea of having options on how to wear it. I also like that the buttons are not actually attached to the piece.

Sorry Kelly!

Short post tonight… It is almost 1am and I am really tired, but I finished the body of Wicked. It fits! Here I will show you… Sorry Kelly! (I will make another on if green for you if you want!) Now I just have to do the sleeves. After talking it over with the Chicken we have decided on a three quarter length sleeve.

Wicked Progress

                                                                      

 

Sitting here watching is snow and knitting while the little schmoo is sleeping – that is pure bliss. Do not get me wrong I am terribly ready for spring, but snowy weather is the best for knitting. I am really trying to get Wicked done because I have to get the other little schmoo sock done. I don’t have that much left of February, but I am alright if I don’t get it all the way done before the end of the month. So far I am up to three skeins of Cascade 220 in the heathers for this sweater, and I don’t think that I am going to have to get another one. That would make me very happy because I know what top I want to start next! I will wait unitl I am done with Wicked before I even mention the name or actually start on it or I know that I won’t finish Wicked… I know how I am.

The little one is still addicted to Cars, but we have only watched it once today. I really don’t ever want to watch it again in this or the next lifetime. I love the movie, but I think that around fifty times is enough. Don’t you?

Knit Night at Yarn last night was fun, and I still wish that there was someone there closer to my age. I just need to knit in public more and convert some people. If the weather breaks and kind of clears up by tomorrow morning I think I might go to a coffee shop in the morning and knit for a bit just to get out of the house by myself for a little while. I know that I just left the house by myself last night, but it is addictive. I want more time by myself. I am happier when I come home, and happier to see the little person and the big person! If the weather doesn’t stop by tomorrow morning I might have to wait until Sunday morning, but that is alright.