It Is BALLOON!

The nephews were in a swim meet yesterday. Typically they start early and I can leave after their events. But this was the Championship meet with all the teams in the local league. It started at 9Am and I had to pick my SIL up at 8:30. The boys had to be there at 8 so my brother got them there to give my SIL more time.

So I went for my Saturday Starbucks and called my SIL on the way there to ask if she wanted anything.

"Hey all the balloons are up. It looks like they're landing at the Community College." I told her.
"I think that's one of the places they usually try to land" she said.

Starbucks is across the street from the College. Yikes.

At the light for the entrance to the college:

Waiting to turn into Starbucks parking lot:

Taken from the parking lot:


The thing that amazed me the most was that no one took the spots in the lot. Everyone parked on the side of the road or on the entry road to the college. I was able to get in get my Chai Latte and leave in 15 minutes. So I was on time to pick up my SIL. COOL.

Most importantly, the boys did great! DN#1 made the finals in one of his events, and DN#2 made the finals in both his events. There was an hour break for lunch and then they ran the finals. DN#1 placed 3rd and DN#2 placed 5th and 1st in his events.

I am so proud of them! I have to admit tho that my heart was in my throat and then my stomach and back again in the 25 or less seconds it took for them to swim their heats and their final heat. This individual sport stuff is a killer on Aunt Chrissy!

Anyway, there was a LOT of waiting around while the other events and age groups swam, so I started a plain pair of socks with the Red Heart Sock yarn. This is how long the day was...

There are some splotches in the dye, but actually I like the combo of short and long color runs. It knits up really well, no splitting, and nice stitch definition. So far, a "Thumbs Up".

A Shocking YPF

Pretty Colors!!!

Reasonable Price!


Who makes this really cute and reasonably priced yarn? Where can you get it????

SHOCKING!!!!!

It's 70% wool and 30% nylon. And it's soft. So shocked. I can't wait to cast on a plain sock and see how this yarn knits up!

I think you can get it just about anywhere! ;-)

I know what you’re thinking

“Have you been working on any projects involving yarn?”

Why, yes I have!

Lunchtime knitting has revolved around the Lace Ribbon scarf. It’s very long. I’ve used up one skein of DIC Smooshy and joined the second skein about 2-3 inches down. Which in real time is about one and a half lunch times (may not be a full hour depending on whether or not I need to eat or can wait till I’m back at my desk for lunch).


I think this is my favorite yarn of all time. Not just because the yarn is yummy but the colorway is so magnificent. I hope I can get the camera to do it justice. I know the pic is blurry but it represented the colors the best.

I have been working on the DN’s Big Boy Blankets when hot flashes permit. Some days it’s too damn hot, even with the a/c on, to have a blanket in your lap. I’ll spare you the photos but I can hold them up comfortably and when laid out on my lap will reach just about to my ankles. So I’ve got about 3 feet done on each? I’ll spare you the same ole photos and wait till they’re finished for the final photo shoot.

I am having ISSUES with my Seascape shawl. I’ve resorted to life lines and I haven’t even finished the first TWO ROWS of the main pattern section. It’s KICKING MY ASS! In order to get my head around this pattern, I need some motivation and some quiet time. So I went ahead and joined the Ravelympics to see if I can get help/motivation/moral support/chocolate/wine (heh) from my team. Since this is a project I decided to knit for the Loopy Groupie DIC Baby KAL, I’ve joined the Loopy Groupie team and am knitting in the Lace Weight Javelin event. Wish me luck.

Then there is this little do-dad.

It all started with an idea for a long term project with left over sock yarn*. Then I found some Patons Grace in my stash and started monkeying around with some patterns from this book and thought I’d practice joining as I went (article from Interweave crochet) for the long term sock yarn project and I just kept on going and going and going. I’m not sure what I think of it yet.

I know I need another color in there but what I have doesn’t really go with the colors I’ve used. Not to mention I don’t want any of the motifs touching another motif of the same color. So I think I need a 4th color. I thought maybe yellow and decided I’d stop at Michael’s on the way home yesterday for a couple of skeins. They don’t have yellow at Michael’s. I look on line and they have a color called “Ginger” that I think would work out great, so I may have to go searching for it at AC Moore.

Some times I hate my Michaels.

But they did have something that stopped me dead in my tracks. You’ll just have to wait till Friday to see that little gem.

Oh, and while we’re talking about WIP’s, let me give you a little Fitness-A-Long update. I’m a work in progress right? I went out and got me a fancy scale with numbers on it I can actually read. I weigh myself every two weeks and so far I’ve lost just under 10 lbs in 6 weeks. Yeah I know it’s really slow, but it’s weight that’s no longer on ME so I’m happy about that.

*If you have any left over bits of sock yarn you don't know what to do with and are willing to part with them, PM me over on Ravelry. I'd be glad to take them off your hands! My Ravelry ID is Buttercup.

Thought of the Day…

Why do people think those testicles hanging off the back of trucks are funny? Why isn’t it considered indecent? Why is it accepted?

If I had a uterus hanging off the back of my car, it would that cause a riot.

(OK, I just saw there are people who want to have these dumb ass things banned. Count me in!)

Things that help me get through the day:

The knowledge that I have sharp implements with me at all times. Who said it wasn't cool to be a knitter?

Some of the pages from my “Bad Cats” calendar. (THANKS Jen!) This is a new favorite:

And my new favorite – a box of wine.


Then I come home to this news:

Saints get TE Shockey from Giants for draft picks

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I don't think anyone knows this but I have the biggest crush on Jeremy. And he's going to THE SAINTS??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! sob

This has been a day more horrible than I ever could have imagined.

I do?

Remember way back at the end of last summer, there was this guy who was sort of in the picture, but then I didn’t mention him because it didn’t really work out? Well he’s always been in contact with me because according to him, we’re friends.

This is my routine with him because he makes me mental. He calls and I let him leave messages. Then every fourth or fifth call I’ll answer and chat with him because the male attention is kind of nice every now and then. Last night was one of the calls I answered. I told him a little about what’s been going on here at the office and that I was looking for another job. He thought it should be easy for me to find something.

OK, he drives a truck and makes deliveries all day (he’s our Fed Ex guy), so he doesn’t really get the world of expendable help. I explained to him that in my kind of position, companies prefer to hire temp to perm and if they can get away with it, a long term temp. I’m not saying that direct hire permanent Admin positions aren’t out there, they are. Just few and far between.

Anyway, I tell him that I need the health insurance, so I can’t take a temp job because I can’t afford the cobra. This is when I could smell the wood burning. I could practically hear him thinking from 4 towns away.

“I’ll marry you for like a year and put you on my insurance.”
“HUH???”
“Yeah, but I’ll need something in return.”
“HUH???”
“Like 20% of the equity of your condo”
“Forget it!”
“OK, how about sex 3 times a week?”
“How about I’ll pay the difference in your health insurance costs?”
“Sex three times a week is a win/win for you.”
“OK, you got me there. Pick a date and we’ll go to Maryland and get hitched.”

Now, I’m just playing along. I’m pushing his buttons when and where I could because this is the worst idea in the history of bad ideas. Besides, I know he isn’t serious at all. He hasn’t even asked me out on a proper date and here he is proposing. I can hear him trying to get out of this…

“No, we’ll go to Vegas!”
“We can’t afford to go to Vegas.”
“But I want it to be fun and special.”
“OK, you buy the tickets and we’ll go.”
“You quit your job then I’ll buy the tickets.”
“Oh no. I don’t quit the job till I have some security. So you have to buy the tickets and marry me, then I’ll quit my job.”

Dead silence.

“I’m feeling kinda backed into a corner here.”
“You put yourself in the corner. Don’t blame this on me.”

I’ve been proposed to twice in my life. Once when I was in High School and that was a big ole NO, and this time. I want better than a half-assed-sorta-hey-ya-wanna-but-I’m-totally-kidding proposal.

But if I get desperate enough, maybe I will take him up on it. (kidding!)

F is for Finished!

Now that I’ve settled into my anger and disappointment (see last post), I finally have some FOs to show you.

First I have two Hats for Alex. These two additional hats technically make the three for June, which I never finished. So I’ll be sending 6 to Trillian as soon as I have the next three done.


This however is the crowning achievement of the past week. The Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl. I crocheted like a mad woman. I finished it in less than a week. I loved the pattern and I could knit it again and again and again. I used some Organic Cotton (Rowan PureLife) and although it was a little splitty, it has a great drape and feels so soft.


I also had to try and get a photo of Noel with her newest toy. Every time I picked up the camera she dropped it and plopped down to pose. Goofy cat. Anyway, she’s been running around the house with this sample card from The Loopy Ewe (in the plastic) for days now. I even slept with the damn thing last night. It’s not unusual for me to sleep with her favorite toy du jour.

Happy Weekend!!!

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuucccccccccccck

Had a meeting with my boss and I won't be doing any of the Facilities stuff any more.

But I report to someone new. Guess who. Go on...

Yup. Even tho we have the same title and same job level. Nor did she report to me when I had the facilities coordinator part of my job.

And I have to move out of my office (which I couldn't care less about) and into the cubicle that is the least private (3 walls are 1/3 high and 1 wall 5 feet) and in the path of all the traffic (bathroom, kitchen, mailroom, copiers and direct line to the front door).

I am obviously being punished.

Cobra payments would be $549 a month. Too rich for my blood.

So I'm stuck for now. I applied to 7 job on line last night. Tonight I check out another job site.

You'll have to come by the office one day and see how well I fake happy.

At least my Katie loves her Momma.