Now for something completely different

   That was one of my favorite quotes from Monty Python. So this post will be about something different. Let's talk about crocheting first. I have finished the 2nd cat bed, after adding another row to the walls. My Hubs thought it was too short. I added the row, and he was right. Again.

    I am currently working on the 3rd and last of the cat beds. It will be just like the 2nd one, but a different color, and bigger. See, the last one I intend for the smallest of Sara's cats, Nermal. The biggest bed, the felted one, I see The Dude claiming. So that makes the newest one for Lemmy. He's bigger than Nermal, and smaller than The Dude. But really, they can sleep in whichever one they want to.


    Yesterday, I didn't post because I was not feeling very well at all. I just couldn't put any words together that I thought you might want to read. I spent most of the day on bed, with a worried Hubs hovering over me. I feel much better today, thankfully.


    This morning, I went to Stich n Bitch, then I went to the karate school to keep my good friend company while her Cherub tests for her 2nd degree black belt. During the actual testing a few months ago, she couldn't participate due to a broken bone in her wrist, and she was wearing a cast. She did take the written test which she passed. This weekend has been set aside for her to complete the physical portion of the test, along with the 3rd degree candidates. So in actuality, it's probably more intense than the original testing. I'm sure she will do very well.


    So I went to keep my friend company for a while, then went and ran some errands, then went back to keeping company again. Now I'm home, because I have my own chores to take care of. But if I have time later, I will go back again. Poor Kim is all alone, sitting on those hard bleachers, by herself.


    I do have something else to talk about, but I'm going to hold off for now. It's very exciting, and I'm thrilled to death about it. You will just have to wait!


   

an ungrateful cat I have

    And talk like Yoda, I do. That's right, Ozzy won't go near his custom made felted cat bed. So I'm going to take it to daughter Sara's and let one of her cats claim it as their own. In the meantime, I'm crocheting two more, so no kitteh will feel left out. The new ones aren't to be felted, I'm making them out of Lion Brand's Homespun, which I know her cats like to sleep on. She has an afghan I made for her from that yarn, and they love it.


    This morning, I was actually busy. I did some laundry, and went to the store. That was necessary, since we were nearly out of half and half, which is an intolerable state to be in. After I got home and unpacked and put away, I went over to visit my good bud Bonny. We hung out for a while, then decided to go to Michaels. I bought some more Homespun for the aforementioned cat beds.


     After that, we decided to look around in our local consignment shop. They have some awesome stuff in there! But the cast iron cauldron I had my eye on was gone. I guess it was a good thing, because I can't afford it anyway.  I'd better get back to it, or the cat beds will never get done!

Finally Done!

 Friday:  
    That's right, the cat bed is finally done! This time I remembered to measure it before felting. It was 20" across the round base, and the walls were 6.5" tall. Here is a before photo:

    Now, in the photo, the walls curled in, and when I take the after felting photo, they should stand up. As I write this, the cat bed is in the washer, felting. After it comes out of the dryer, I will take the after photos, and add them to this post. I will also take the after measurements.


    After felting, the sides wouldn't stand up, so I took a needle and more yarn and kind of puckered it, and now they stand up. Of course, the stupid cat wants nothing to do with it, even though I told him not to get in it, it's not for him. If you have cats, you know that they don't do what you want, preferring to do what you don't want them to do. So I told him NOT to get in the bed, it's NOT for him, it's another basket for my yarn. I even put some yarn in it.

    Of course, he still won't go in it. But I have hope for the future.  The after felting measurements are: 13" across, and the walls are 3.5" tall.


Saturday:
    So far, Ozzy has shown little interest in the bed. He has stepped with front paws into it, but not all the way. Yet. I just put some yarn in it, and told him to stay out of it. That might work.

Updates

    Well, it never did storm. We had some rain overnight, but no thunderboomers. I took a two day rest from the blog, I just didn't have anything to say. It was too fracking hot to knit, so I haven't finished up the cat bed for Ozzy yet. This morning it was too fracking cold to have to get up and move, but I went and hung out with the Cherub.


    It was even more awesome that she was still asleep when I got there. I woke her up at the prescribed time, to get ready for school. In the entire year and a half that I've been keeping her company, this is the first morning that she's been asleep when I got there. It was actually wonderful, I got to sit and read in the peace and quiet for a while. I had brought my kindle fire with me, since I had gotten a couple of new games that I thought she might like. Maybe next week she'll be awake.


     Remember when I told you all about my great grandmother's watch? That I had taken it to be fixed and cleaned up? I don't remember if I told you about the aftermath. It was cleaned up, but it still didn't work. So Hubs and I took it back to the guy in Fishkill. This was about three weeks ago, maybe more. Well, he just called me a little while ago, and said it was ready. I immediately called Hubs, since he's in Fishkill. I thought maybe he would have enough time left on his lunch break to go and get it.


     He said he would try, but if not today, he would make a special trip just to get it. Now, we have already paid this guy a chunk of change to do the work he already did. And the watch still didn't work. That's why I want him to get it, I wouldn't have the guts to call the guy on it. My Hubs is like his mom that way. She never took any bullshit from anyone. The Sears home repair crew all cringed at the mention of her name. I believe she put the fear of God into each and every one of them at one time or another.


     I look forward to reporting to you on the condition of my 100+ year old watch. I also am looking forward to wearing it!

Stitch n Bitch and Other News

    This morning, we had our weekly get-together for Stitch n Bitch. All four of us were there. We had a nice breakfast, and got to work. Jan has been working on a hoodie for her son Sean, Kim has started a drop stitch summer sweater in a really cool thick and thin yarn. I am still working on Ozzy's cat bed. It's getting near the end, as I'm running out of yarn. I just have to make sure I have enough left to bind off. I think Cheryl must be too busy these days to have time to knit, I'm glad she finds the time to make it to group. Since her kids are no longer in Karate, this in the only time we get to see her!


    It was so hot yesterday, and it's going to be even hotter today. Last evening after it cooled off a bit, I put our whole house fan on. I love these things. They are big fans in the ceiling in the center of the house. When they're turned on,  they suck air in from outside through the open doors and windows. In the summer, I put it on early in the morning and suck cool air into the house before it gets hot. Then in the evening, after it cools off some, and it's still hot inside, I put it on again. This is assuming we aren't using the air conditioners yet. And we aren't. Yet.


   Anyway, while the fan was on last evening, I could smell my lilacs. That made me very happy. Even Hubs could smell them. I'm assuming it was Miss Kim I was smelling, as she's in the front yard, and I was sitting by the window at the front of the house.


    In other news, I got a call from my son today. He asked me to help out at their Karate tournament tomorrow. I get to "man" the table that sells the spectator bracelets. I did it last year, and it was lots of fun. You get to meet all kinds of people.


    I'm going to try and remember to bring my camera. Maybe I'll get to take some photos this time. But don't hold your breath, just in case.   

I'm knitting today / Random stuff

    That's right, I'm knitting today. Even though I am not feeling all that well, I want to get this darn cat bed done. Here is a photo I took just moments ago!

    The black and gray mix is the round crocheted bottom, and the solid gray is the sides. I'm going to knit as far as I can with the yarn I have, to make it as deep as I can. Hopefully Ozzy will like it. Right now, it's huge. After it's felted, it should be just the right size for my fat cat.


    I decided to take it outside, for better light. Just my luck, as I go out the front door, it starts to rain. So I just threw the bed on my stoop, and snapped a photo before anything got too wet.


    Our stoop is actually one big rectangle of stone. It was someplace else when we moved in, and there were just cement blocks being used as steps up to the front door. Hubs made a frame and poured cement in, then placed the big stone in. It's a good stoop.


    Totally off topic, but I'm missing one eyebrow again. Damn Alopecia. Why only one eyebrow? Last time this happened, I lost quite a few eyelashes as well. I need to find someone to wax off the other eyebrow, so I don't look ridiculous for too long. Last time, my friend Bonny did it, but she's currently battling a bad case of poison ivy on her face and hands. Don't think I want her touching me right now.


   

So far, it's a non-knitting day

    This morning, I got up with the full intention of knitting on the cat bed. It's now 3 pm, and I have yet to pick it up. I took care of my farmville farms while I had my coffee, then made a list for the supermarket.


    I needed to buy meats, and chocolate truffle decaf coffee, so that means a trip to Adams Fairacre Farms. Their meat is of excellent quality, and cheaper than other places. So off to Adams I went, after a shower.  I also had to visit our local supermarket, for a few things that Adams doesn't carry. After Adams, I went to the beer store. I had tried a beer that I really liked, but the beer store didn't have that brand. And I don't ask for help in a store. One of my lovable quirks, I guess.


    After I finally got home, I put away all the groceries, and poured myself a tall glass of very old iced tea. That brought down my core temp pretty quickly. It's very warm and humid out today. And that's another reason I have no desire to work on the double yarn cat bed project. It's very warm on my lap! Maybe tonight, after it cools down a little.


    As for the rest of today? I plan on washing some dishes, and bringing up the laundry from the dryer that was done yesterday. And I'm pretty sure that there's enough stuff in the closet for another full load. Does it ever end?  I don't think so!

A Morning of Galavanting

    This morning, friend Bonny and I went gallivanting. My mother-in-law introduced me to that term, and it fits pretty well. She used to go out gallivanting all the time.


    So this morning, Bonny and I went out, to go to Hobby Lobby because she needed more yarn. Then we went to Michaels, where I found a longer (36") size 11 needle. Points for me! I also bought a new size N crochet hook. I can't find any of my old ones.


    After that, we ran some other errands that she had to do. It's nice to get out once in a while. I got home just before noon, when the new Knit and Crochet Now program was on. Perfect timing!


    So I've been knitting today, working on Ozzy's new bed. I changed over to the longer, bigger needles. I hope to get some photos tomorrow. I've also been working on more secret projects. Let's call them Christmas or Festivus presents. I wish I could show them to you, but they are surprises.


    And just so you know, I broke out Sara's sweater yesterday, and did a few rounds on that too. I stopped because I think the body might be long enough, but I didn't feel like measuring it.


    I also enjoyed the beautiful day we had today! It was so sunny and warm, despite the chance of thunder storms. We didn't get any. YAY! I hope it was nice where you are!