Stitch n Bitch Report!

    Today was our first official Stitch n Bitch session since June, and school let out for the summer. We had a blast, as usual. In attendance were myself, Kim (OFL), Jan and Cheryl. It was especially nice to see Cheryl, since she comes the furthest. All the kids got off to a good start on their respective school years.


   Kim is working on a sweater for her Cherub, a lacy, short sleeved, cropped cardigan. Jan is still working on her beaded shawl. I am almost finished with the pastel rainbow baby blanket. I was worried it wasn't going to be big enough. HA! I shouldn't have worried. I will measure it and have that number and a photo tomorrow!


    Cheryl cast on some cotton, and looked like she was working on a dishcloth or washcloth. It was a pretty colorway.


    We had breakfast first, then broke out the crafting, and got down to work. The nice ladies at Cranberry's told us how much they missed us this summer. Ah, but it's nice to get back into our regular routine!


    

Not Just Another Day

    No, it wasn't. Today was my birthday. I had a pretty good one, nice and quiet, just like I prefer. I got to hang out with Hubs this morning, then tuck him into bed. I babysat for Miss Malia, then later on, after Hubs went to work, My good friend Kim and her Cherub came over.


    Cherub swam, and performed a Vegas showgirl act while wearing my lemon slice float on her head. Hilarious! Kim and I laughed alot at that one. Due to the cooler temperatures at night recently, our pool water temp has plummeted down to about 75 degrees. It was up to 82 degrees at its warmest.


   It was very sweet that Kim and Cherub came bearing birthday gifts! Knowing my love of hedgehogs, Cherub presented me with a very adorable figurine, and Kim outdid herself with the triquetra shaped wind chimes. I will probably put them in my new craft room. They are so very cool, and of course, match my new tattoo! Oh, and Cherub made me a birthday card too!


    After they left, I made myself some dinner, then went over to friend Bonny's house. She had invited me over to hang out with her by the fire pit. Since it seemed like it was gonna be chilly, I went! We always have a good time. I wasn't able to go last night, as I wasn't feeling very well. Thankfully I had recovered enough today, that I was able to go.


    All in all, it was a nice quiet birthday. I'm not one for excitement any more, I guess that's what comes with getting older.


    I am still on a crafting break. There is nothing that I feel the need to create at this time. However, a very good friend of daughter Sara's is expecting, so I am mentally gearing up for crocheting another couple of baby blankets! Unfortunately, I have to get the yarn from my NOT favorite store, Hobby Lobby. Oh well, the things we do for the ones we love!

How My Day Went

    This morning started out with me in the middle of a really interesting dream, when BEEP BEEP my alarm went off. It was 5:45 a.m. Not my favorite time to get up, not even my 10th favorite. But I do what I have to do for a friend, and I am getting paid, so I get up.


    That job is only 2 hours long, two mornings a week. It won't kill me. And Cherub is a sweet tempered child, whose birthday is quickly approaching. Three days, as she reminded me more than once this morning. Then she will be in the double digits, age-wise, a huge deal.


    After I got home, I made myself some coffee, chocolate, of course. That's all we drink. I even made it full caff. Hubs has to drink half caff, so that's what I usually make. I felt I needed the full caff to get through the rest of the day.


    Somewhere along the line, during the three and a half hours until I had to go sit for Miss Malia, I forgot to set the coffee maker up for Hubs. That is one thing I always do for him. So when he gets up for work, all he has to do is turn on the coffee maker. As a stupid boy, I figure he can handle that.


    Today Miss Malia was not having nap time. I have a sneaking suspicion that someone spiked her morning bottle with some sugar. The past two weeks, that child had fallen asleep before noon, and mostly slept for up to two hours. Today, however was different. At 2:45 p.m. she finally climbed up onto my lap, grabbing her blanket on the way. I swear to you, she passed out as she leaned her head on my chest.


    She was still sleeping at 3:20 when her dad came. So I didn't get my planned knitting time today. I was disappointed.


    I kind of figured that Hubs would be a little perturbed at me for coffee maker thing. He wasn't! Since it's his first night back to work for the week, he was up a little early, and was able to make it himself. He made a full pot, and I got to drink the last cup. So I have enough energy to stay awake for a while this evening.


    After Hubs left for work, I sat here and knitted a little bit, maybe three or four rows. I broiled the sirloin tips. Now I just have to make some garlic mashed potatoes, and eat my dinner.


    I have been thinking, sooner or later I will have to buy a thesaurus. I've caught myself wishing for one in recent weeks. I'm betting you'll notice when I finally break down and do it.

The Great Green Eyed Monster

    Every once in a while, I get a little jealous. You see, I've been blogging now for just over a year. My good knitting friend finally started blogging a few months ago. It took a long time to convince her that she was funny enough, and had enough to say.

                                            RidiculousKnits.blogspot.com

    Anyway, she doesn't blog every day, just when she feels like it, or has something to say. I love her blog, it's funny. However, I see that she has lots of followers, more every time I read her blog. I, on the other hand, an now up to seven followers. This depresses me. I know that lots of people are reading my blog, but I get jealous anyway.


    I know that she has tons of followers on twitter, and that's where most of her blog followers come from. She tweets a lot. I am on twitter, but don't tweet that much. I find that twitter is too restrictive, I usually have too much to say for their lousy 144 characters.


    So, to make myself feel better, I go and check a former friends blog. She hasn't posed anything for nearly six months, and still has only one follower. Her husband. Somehow, this makes me feel lots better. I know it's silly and petty, but it still makes me feel better. It gives me a much needed ego boost.


    I would like to say thanks to all who do read my blog. It tickles me to know that people in places like Russia, and Ireland, and even Brazil read what I have to say. Thanks to everyone! I hope I don't disappoint any of you!

   Tattoo countdown: It is now 13 days until I get my new tattoo!!

The Un-Crafting Report

    At the present time, I am not working on anything. That's right, not one thing. The secret project I started, I ended up frogging because something wasn't right. I was in the decreasing, but had waaay too many stitches left for the K3, K2tog round. I would like to start over, but I think I should use a smaller size needle, and then it would need to be shorter than 16". I don't have any circular needles less than 16". Perhaps you can see my dilema.


    When I go babysitting, I am taking my nook, so I can read while Malia naps. I am currently taking a break from Game of Thrones III (I don't remember the exact name of the book), and have started reading the Ann Rice werewolf novel. So far, it's good. I do miss crocheting and knitting. I have even looked through the newer patterns I have gotten from Ravelry, which I put on one of those stick drive things. There is another colorwork blanket which I might be interested in trying. At least, when I get some money ahead to buy the yarn.


    All I can do is hope that soon I can get together with my knitting expert friend so she can interpret what the great EZ means in the directions of the baby surprise jacket. I can't even call it a pattern, it's really directions.


    On a totally different note, I finally baked my famous walnut peanut butter chip brownies last night. I finally felt like baking! I used the metal pan, when I should have used the glass one. They are a little overdone on the edges. Next time, I will remember to use the glass pan. That's how long it's been, that I forgot which pan makes them come out the best!

Year End Craft Report

   This year, I made a lot of stuff. Sweaters and shawls, and afghans too. Even a few scarves. But as of a few weeks ago, I have stopped knitting and crocheting. I don't know why. I just lost the urge to create. So I am taking a break.

   However, I am looking forward to making some new things next year. I have plans for a do-over on the sweater for my granddaughter. It just wasn't working for me. I also am nearly ready to cast on a new shawl. In fact I was going to do that last night. I got out my swift and ball winder, and wound the skein of gorgeous lace weight yarn from my friend Kim, of atknitsendyarns.etsy.com. The pattern I want to make uses two different size needles, and I borrowed the size 11 circular that I don't have, from Kim.  I know I have size 6 circulars here somewhere. I looked for them last night. I even remember that Kim had given me a spare set that she didn't need. But I have yet to find them. When I do, I will cast on the shawl.

   So that's it for this year. Nothing on the needles or hooks right now. Actually that is misleading. I have an entire large tote bag full of partially finished projects. I had just decided to put them all away for the time being. So I think that they don't count. Out of sight, out of mind.

    Isn't it amazing that I can still find things to write about! And darn near every day! I guess I have a lot to say. I am looking forward to what I can come up with next year.

In Which I Discuss A Few Things Of Personal Importance

   I didn't get a chance to write today, and since it's after midnight, technically it's now tomorrow. I was in bed with Hubs, he had to go to bed early since he was to work in the morning. I fell asleep early, and when I woke up a while ago, I came out to the living room to take care of my farmville farms. When I went back in to bed, I couldn't get back to sleep! So, here I am, catching up on my blog.

   My day yesterday started out badly. I got out of bed, set up the coffee maker, and turned it on. I went in to the living room to wait, and play on my laptop. After a while, I was ready to have some coffee, so I got up to get myself some. Imagine my chagrin when I discover that the coffee wasn't ready, had not even brewed. The water was still in the reservoir, and the pot was not full of hot delicious chocolate coffee goodness.

   In earnest, I turned the pot off, then on again a few times. Still nothing. I even unplugged it and plugged it back in again a couple of times, just to be sure. I ended up having to go to a store, and buy a new coffee maker, before I could have my first cup of coffee. How badly does that suck? I think I may have growled at a few people in the store while making my way to the check out, with the box tucked under my arm.

   I try really hard to never have to go out in public without having first having had at least one cup of coffee. Last Saturday, I was faced with a similar situation. It was the day that the big, bad, October storm was coming. That morning, I got out of bed, and got dressed right away. My Darling Hubs had asked me to get him some more cigars whilst he slept, so he wouldn't have to stop on the way to work, in the storm, to get some. I did this for him, without benefit of coffee, because I wanted to get it done as soon as possible, and before it began to snow. I made it. I am a good wife.

   So here I am, sitting here because I can't get back to sleep. I turned on the TV and The Mummy is on. That movie was on before I went in to bed! And it was on when I woke up to use the facilities! It's like Christmas, when they show that movie with Ralphie and the BB Gun for 24 hours straight.  I think it's A Christmas Story.

   Yesterday, I remembered that I had some Lion Brand Amazing yarn hanging around, and thought it would make a cool looking hat. So I cast on the stitches, and started the 2 X 2 ribbing. It didn't work! I tore it out, and tried again. The second time, I twisted it. After the third attempt failed, I decided that the yarn really didn't want to be a stinking hat. So I used the yarn left over from my new sweater. It's working out really nicely! I love it, so far. I will be beginning the decreases soon.

   Speaking of the sweater, I am having trouble again. I only need to sew up the pockets; in fact, one is 2/3 done. I can't seem to get into it. And I am not happy with the shoulder seams, but I've already decided that I am not going to do them over, frack it.

   And friendship.  Isn't it weird who we are  attracted to be friends with? And what happens when two of your friends are no longer friends? Is it like a messy divorce, where friends have to choose a side? Is that fair to the friends? It's not our fault. I think we should be treated more like the children of the friendship, and they should have shared custody. After all, we "kids" love both of you!  I needed to get that off my chest, "Just sayin' is all..."   (My favorite quote from the movie, Sweet Home Alabama)