Preface:
I didn't really announce my trip to Illinois because it would have meant explaining to a lot of people that I did not have time to see them during my three-day stay. I'm nothing if not non-confrontational, so hush-hush it was- and I'm sorry that I didn't have more time to spend with everyone.
A couple weeks ago, I was talking to Scott about how long it's been since I've been to Illinois, and how I miss our family and such. He pointed out that I had taken off the entire week of Christmas, and could drive home for a few days if I chose. I mulled that over for a bit, and decided to go for it. I called my sister (Andrea), and she graciously agreed to house me for a few days. I would drive in on Saturday the 19th, and leave on Wednesday morning.
As my departure drew closer, I started keeping an eye on the weather. By Friday it seemed like some great, cosmic force was really trying to screw me over- the weatherman was calling for record amounts of snow starting Friday night and going all day Saturday. In many states this wouldn't be a huge problem, but Maryland has some serious deficiencies when it comes to snow removal. But I figured I only had to get out of the state, and then I'd be fine- besides, I had four wheel drive! How bad could it be?
Friday evening I went to the grocery store, where I learned of the term "snowpocalypse." The place was nearly cleaned out, as people apparently thought there was a good chance they'd be trapped in their houses for a week or more. To be fair, it does seem that the entire state of Maryland has seven plows and a bag of kitty litter to combat snow removal- these folks just aren't accustomed to dealing with snow. Regardless, when I went to sleep that night I was still confident that I would make my trip the next day.
The first thing I did when I woke up was look outside... It looked like a solid 3 inches of snow had fallen- nearly double the estimated amount for that time, and it was still coming down fast and heavy. I jumped in the shower, packed up my things, and listened to Scott as he subtly tried to convince me to stay. It's not that I'm particularly stubborn, I just have a very strong desire to prove people wrong when they think something will be too difficult for me. Not just Scott, but several coworkers had told me driving in all that snow was just too scary. "Psshht!" I thought, "I'll show them!" And with that thought still in my head, I started the Jeep.
At six in the morning on a Saturday, there wasn't a huge effort to clear the roads. I put the Jeep in four wheel drive right off the bat, and made my way to the interstate where I hoped the plows had already gotten started. Taking the entrance ramp slowly, I strained to see through the snow to the road ahead. The plows had not been there. This was going to be interesting. I crawled down the road, doing my best to stay in the tire tracks of the semi-trucks that had come before me. Eventually I caught up to a line of trucks and other cars/SUVs that were daring enough to brave the snow. We crept along, following each others' tail lights through the blizzard. Every now and then, some crazy fool in a Hyundai would blow past us all at 40 mph, and I'd make a note to look for that car up ahead- upside down in a snow drift.
By the time the snow tapered off, I was nearing Pennsylvania. Traffic would pick up here and there where the plows had made a brief path, and daylight made seeing the way easier. Unfortunately, it was still very cold. While salt made the street more wet than frozen, and speeds increased, the spray from other cars' tires would freeze into an icy brown coating all over the front of the Jeep. I had to stop every 30 min. or so to chip the ice off my wipers, headlights, and grill.But like everything else, this too would pass, and as the temperature rose, the ice became less of a problem. Or so I thought.
Now, I can't be sure since the problem still hasn't been diagnosed, but about halfway through Ohio three warning lights came on- electronic stability, traction control and ABS. I assumed (and still think) that ice melting into the dashboard caused this. The Jeep still drove perfectly fine, and those things aren't really integral to running the vehicle, so I just marched on. After thirteen hours of driving and nearly $30 in tolls, I finally arrived at my sister's house.
Frankly, that first night wasn't quite awesome (due to no fault of my family), and for a minute I really thought that the whole trip was a mistake. I was so exhausted and overwhelmed, I already missed my husband, something was amiss with the Jeep, and how was I going to make that whole trip again in just a few days? Despite being so happy to see my siblings and the kids for the first time in two years, I really just wanted to go home. Luckily a tasty meal and a good night's sleep made all the difference in the world, and I woke up the next morning ecstatic to be there and ready to rock!
We did gifts after dinner Saturday (the Christmas knitting went over well, I think) while my brother and his girlfriend were in town. They stayed through Sunday, and we all had a late breakfast together before walking over to say hello to some extended family (my uncle lives across the street from my sister). I was really excited to see my uncle, aunt, and some cousins that I hadn't seen since before we moved in 2005. Then, by early afternoon it was time to pick up Cassidy!
I got to her house, and the two of us drove over to Scott's Dad's house. I got lost for a second (Cass got me back on course), and realized just how much I had forgotten about my hometown (it's spooky). It was great to see Ray and Dorothy again, and hear about what's new with them. There was dinner and gifts and chatting and chocolate-pumpkin cake, and before we knew it, it was time to head home. As I dropped Cass back at home, we made plans to go shopping the next day as her Christmas gift (because despite our best efforts, she refused to tell us what she wanted). Back at my sister's house, I hung out with her and my nieces before it was time for bed.
Monday morning, my sister and I ran a few errands and I got to see her use an ear candle on my nephew- it was amazing and gross at the same time, but after reading the linked article, apparently also useless. Hmm. Later I picked up Cass, who said she wanted to go to Woodfield. Those of you familiar with the suburbs of Chicago may recognize how nutty that seems (Woodfield? At Christmas!? lolol!), but we actually lucked out with parking, and lines moved pretty quickly. Really, the only difference was the sheer volume of people we had to navigate through. We learned that the new iPhone is $700 if you're not eligible for contract renewal (we're not), so that was right out (but we're considering it for her birthday if she's extra super good). So we spent the rest of the afternoon getting clothes and shoes and such. Several shopping bags and two Cinnabons later, it was time to go. I dropped her back at home, and we said our sad goodbyes.
Tuesday was Sister Time Day. Andrea and I drove to Dundee to visit a couple yarn shops. Whee! First we went to Fishbed Knitting Emporium, and what a great shop. Just awesome. A nice lady (who I assumed is the owner) was teaching a class when we got there, but was still very helpful and friendly. She had a great selection of yarn, told us about the open knitting times and classes, and pointed out the sale room. I picked up some yarn, and Andrea got a Norah Gaughan pattern book. We had a great time there. Then we went to The Gifted Purl on the other side of the river, which honestly sort of sucked. I'm really not that picky when it comes to shopping, but this place was just ugh. Nobody said hello to us, my sister got a sideways glance, and I was completely ignored. The yarn was 85% novelty yarn, 10% baby yarn, and some Lambs Pride Superwash. I get the whole different strokes for different folks thing, but, well... shouldn't they think about that too? I mean, no sock yarn? No lace weight? Only one choice of yarn that would work well for a sweater? It seems like they cut out a large demographic by not stocking basics. Add in the cold shoulder we got, and well, I'm not even going to bother linking their shop. Boo to them. If you're looking for yarn in around the western suburbs of Chicago, definitely go to Fishbed Knitting Emporium (they have locally dyed stuff too)!
After yarn shops, we stopped by Michaels, an organic pet store, and Anna Shea Chocolates- which is freaking awesome! I highly recommend the Grand Marnier Orange Liquor Ganache. Andrea particularly likes the Jewel of the Nile Spiced Praline and My Precious Cinnamon Caramel. I just learned that you can order custom boxes online, and somewhere Scott just felt a distinct feeling of dread but isn't sure why.
Tuesday night, I had dinner with my best girl, Kimmie. Last time I was in town we had a scheduling snafu and wound up not seeing each other, so it had been a while. But I was glad to hear that she is still doing super, and is still the same, awesome, Kimmie. She and I are similar in that we share an affinity for coloring books and making home-made pop-up birthday cards, but where we differ is that Kimmie is always into something good- usually a charitable organization of some sort. I will occasionally knit for charity, but mostly I'm a lazy bones. She sort of gives me something to aspire to, and one day maybe I'll be less lazy and do some good for the community too.
Also on Tuesday, it became apparent that I had contracted whatever bug my youngest nephew had (probably). I tried to suck down a lot of water, and will it away, but by Tuesday night it was clear: I was a Sicky McSickerson. Not the type to let a sniffle get in my way, I started the long drive back Wednesday morning anyway, armed with lots of water. The Jeep had started acting up a bit the night before, compounding my increasingly icky mood. Whenever I started the Jeep and tried to drive, I would hear a grinding-ish noise and it would sort of hesitate. I was pretty sure it was the traction control going schizo on me, and after a few seconds it would go away and drive normally (until I started it again). So let's see: sick, busted my new Jeep, and then to top it off- I got my first speeding ticket ever.
Yup. In over 11 years I'd never even gotten pulled over. Not once! But there I was on 294, lights flashing behind me. Now, I'll admit that I was speeding... the speed limit on most IL expressways/tollways is 55 mph. I was doing between 65 and 70. Yes, it's speeding, and speeding is wrong, blah, blah, blah... but when nearly every other expressway in the country is 65 mph, it's just sort of what you do. Anyway, the cop pulls me over, and I unzip my window. You want to know what he says? He claims I was doing 80. 80! There is no way I was doing 80. And what kills me, is that he had passed me about a mile or two earlier. When he didn't seem interested in me then, I just kept doing what I was doing. We both went through a toll, and as we were getting back up to speed (he's still in front of me at this point), he jams on his brakes, hits the flashy lights and gets behind me. Ok, yes I might be stupid enough to do 10-15 mph over the limit when a cop is so close... But 25 over? When he's right there? Nobody is that retarded. But not thinking it's a good idea to call a cop a liar, I just said "Sorry I really didn't think I was going that fast." He goes back to his car and comes back with a ticket that says I was doing 75- a slightly lesser ticket than doing 21+ mph over the limit. I can live with that, since it's the same as if he'd said I was doing 65-70 mph (which I was), but it really sticks in my craw that he tried to give me a ticket for doing 80 (you can see where he changed the speed on the ticket). I hope karma bits him in the ass for being a liar. Liar! I guess it did point out to me that I no longer drive a family sedan which blends with the masses and is therefore less likely to get pulled over for anything.
Anywho, the rest of the trip home went well (despite the Jeep's problems), and getting back to my own house felt great. My sister is a wonderful host, but there really is no place like home. The Jeep has an appointment next Tuesday, and hopefully I will have recovered from this bug by Monday morning. If not, I honestly can't say I'd be sad to have to miss a day of work. Now that all the holiday knitting is over and done, I'm really looking forward to starting some new projects. Hmm, I bet if I start a hot water bottle cozy, I'll feel better by the time it's finished...
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Ahh, Thanksgiving weekend... It's my favorite time of year. The weather is colder, meaning more knitting and less bugs; and the holiday season has arrived. Our little Thanksgiving dinner went off without a hitch, although we had a bit of a scare Wednesday night- we had to take little Spencer to the emergency vet when he developed an earache.
The poor little guy started shaking his head nonstop, pacing back and forth, and would yelp suddenly once in a while as if somebody pinched him. Plus his little, curly tail had been droopy all evening. We didn't want to wait until Friday to take him to the vet, so off we went to the emergency vet. Two hours later, we were sent home with ear cleaner, ear drops and an oral antibiotic in case it was an inner ear infection. Apparently, there is so much crap in his left ear that the vet couldn't really see very far in, and so couldn't tell us for sure what was going on. If the cleaner doesn't work, we'll have to bring him to the regular vet and knock him out to really clean down in there and find out.
A little back story: Spencer has had a couple ear infections over the past few years. Much like his feet and face, he doesn't want anyone going near his ears. Past attempts to clean out his ears have not gone too well, and it always took two of us- one to hold his squirmy ass down, and one to do the cleaning. It was always a fight and never seemed to really work. It doesn't help that he is small, and therefore has small ears which are hard to wipe out.
So when the vet sent us on our way, I was pretty sure this we were going to end up having to knock him out when their plan didn't work. The next morning, I figured I would try to clean his ears on my own, because I really don't want to have to wake Scott up all next week to help me clean the dog's ears before I go to work. Miraculously, Spencer was pretty good about it! I had to sort of half-sit on him- not enough to squish him, but just so he couldn't get up. Maybe he sensed that I'm not screwing around, maybe he's getting old, or maybe he just really hated the last brand of ear cleaner... whatever the reason, he sat reasonably still and let me clean out his ears. And again today- ears cleaned with minimal drama. This leaves me with some hope that we won't have to knock him out after all.
Oh, and during yesterday's cleaning, I could swear a fly flew out of his ear afterwards. It could have just been a weird coincidence/illusion, but as I was wiping the excess cleaner away, Spencer shook his head and out came a fly. It was the strangest thing, and I don't really even trust my own eyes because it is just so ridiculous. But I will also note that ever since then, he has barely been shaking his head. Who knows.
Other than Spencer's little escapade, it was a pretty uneventful Thanksgiving. Scott and I lounged around in our jammies most of the day, watching documentaries on Netflix. We showered up mid-afternoon, and began cooking our typical Thanksgiving feast. For the past 5 years, it's been just the two of us, and we've gotten quite good at it. Our dinner consists of the following: one boneless turkey breast roast with gravy, jellied cranberry sauce, stuffing, corn, mashed sweet potatoes, and rolls. A day or two ahead, I make pumpkin bread (which is lucky to make it to Thanksgiving Day); and I make a pumpkin pie the night before or morning of. Almost everything comes out of a box or can- it's fast and low-stress. It's also perfect for two, and gives us just enough leftovers for dinner the next night.
After dinner, we lounged around some more, watched more movies, and eventually ate some pie. We talked to our families on the phone for a bit, and everyone seems to be doing well. It was a perfect day. As for being thankful... well, aside from the usual (husband, family, friends, health, etc.), I am thankful that Abraham Lincoln stuck Thanksgiving on a Thursday, leading to a four day weekend for millions across the country. And I'm thankful that I'm one of those millions, and that I get to spend three days knitting and watching Christmas movies.
I hope that whoever reads this also had a great Thanksgiving this year, and that your holiday season is off to a great start!
The poor little guy started shaking his head nonstop, pacing back and forth, and would yelp suddenly once in a while as if somebody pinched him. Plus his little, curly tail had been droopy all evening. We didn't want to wait until Friday to take him to the vet, so off we went to the emergency vet. Two hours later, we were sent home with ear cleaner, ear drops and an oral antibiotic in case it was an inner ear infection. Apparently, there is so much crap in his left ear that the vet couldn't really see very far in, and so couldn't tell us for sure what was going on. If the cleaner doesn't work, we'll have to bring him to the regular vet and knock him out to really clean down in there and find out.
A little back story: Spencer has had a couple ear infections over the past few years. Much like his feet and face, he doesn't want anyone going near his ears. Past attempts to clean out his ears have not gone too well, and it always took two of us- one to hold his squirmy ass down, and one to do the cleaning. It was always a fight and never seemed to really work. It doesn't help that he is small, and therefore has small ears which are hard to wipe out.
So when the vet sent us on our way, I was pretty sure this we were going to end up having to knock him out when their plan didn't work. The next morning, I figured I would try to clean his ears on my own, because I really don't want to have to wake Scott up all next week to help me clean the dog's ears before I go to work. Miraculously, Spencer was pretty good about it! I had to sort of half-sit on him- not enough to squish him, but just so he couldn't get up. Maybe he sensed that I'm not screwing around, maybe he's getting old, or maybe he just really hated the last brand of ear cleaner... whatever the reason, he sat reasonably still and let me clean out his ears. And again today- ears cleaned with minimal drama. This leaves me with some hope that we won't have to knock him out after all.
Oh, and during yesterday's cleaning, I could swear a fly flew out of his ear afterwards. It could have just been a weird coincidence/illusion, but as I was wiping the excess cleaner away, Spencer shook his head and out came a fly. It was the strangest thing, and I don't really even trust my own eyes because it is just so ridiculous. But I will also note that ever since then, he has barely been shaking his head. Who knows.
Other than Spencer's little escapade, it was a pretty uneventful Thanksgiving. Scott and I lounged around in our jammies most of the day, watching documentaries on Netflix. We showered up mid-afternoon, and began cooking our typical Thanksgiving feast. For the past 5 years, it's been just the two of us, and we've gotten quite good at it. Our dinner consists of the following: one boneless turkey breast roast with gravy, jellied cranberry sauce, stuffing, corn, mashed sweet potatoes, and rolls. A day or two ahead, I make pumpkin bread (which is lucky to make it to Thanksgiving Day); and I make a pumpkin pie the night before or morning of. Almost everything comes out of a box or can- it's fast and low-stress. It's also perfect for two, and gives us just enough leftovers for dinner the next night.
After dinner, we lounged around some more, watched more movies, and eventually ate some pie. We talked to our families on the phone for a bit, and everyone seems to be doing well. It was a perfect day. As for being thankful... well, aside from the usual (husband, family, friends, health, etc.), I am thankful that Abraham Lincoln stuck Thanksgiving on a Thursday, leading to a four day weekend for millions across the country. And I'm thankful that I'm one of those millions, and that I get to spend three days knitting and watching Christmas movies.
I hope that whoever reads this also had a great Thanksgiving this year, and that your holiday season is off to a great start!
Monday, November 23, 2009
If Spencer Could Talk
Me: Ok, Spencer. It's time to go outside.
Spencer: I don't wanna. You have your raincoat on. I think this means it's raining outside.
Me: Let's go buddy.
Spencer: No.
Me: [picks Spencer up, carries him down the stairs]
Spencer: Don't put me down! It's all wet! Nooooo!
Me: [puts Spencer down]
Spencer: I hate you.
Me: Hurry up! The sooner you go, the sooner we can get back inside, and the less wet we both get!
Spencer: I don't understand this concept. I'm going to glare at you and sulk because you made me come out in the rain.
Me: [half-drags Spencer into the grass]
Spencer: Nooooo! Not the grass! That's even worse! I hate wet grass so much!!
Me: Go potty.
Spencer: Fine. Whatever. You suck. Here, see? I'm going.
Me: Good boy!
Spencer: Now let me back in! Let me in! Let me in!
Me: Okay, okay, we're going...
Spencer: Oh, thank god. We're back inside where it's nice and warm. I'm going to snuggle with you on the couch!
Me: No, get down!
Spencer: But I'm all wet!
Me: Exactly- you're all wet. And you're a dog. No couch for you, come back when you've dried off.
Spencer: [gives sad puppy face, waits ten seconds, tries to jump on couch again]
Me: I said no wet dogs on the couch! Go sit in your little you-sized bed.
Spencer: I don't like it anymore, as is evidenced by my constantly trying to destroy it.
Me: Where's your hippo!? Go find your hippo!
Spencer: Hippo? Hippo!! I know what that is! Where is hippo!? I must find Hippo!! [locates hippo]
Me: Good job!
Spencer: [humps hippo and nibbles it's ear for several minutes] ...Hey.
Me: ...
Spencer: HEY!
Me: Whatcha need?
Spencer: I gotta go poo!
Me: We were just out there! Why didn't you poo then?!
Spencer: Because it was wet. I didn't want to be wet.
Me: We need a fenced yard.
Spencer: You say that a lot.
Spencer: I don't wanna. You have your raincoat on. I think this means it's raining outside.
Me: Let's go buddy.
Spencer: No.
Me: [picks Spencer up, carries him down the stairs]
Spencer: Don't put me down! It's all wet! Nooooo!
Me: [puts Spencer down]
Spencer: I hate you.
Me: Hurry up! The sooner you go, the sooner we can get back inside, and the less wet we both get!
Spencer: I don't understand this concept. I'm going to glare at you and sulk because you made me come out in the rain.
Me: [half-drags Spencer into the grass]
Spencer: Nooooo! Not the grass! That's even worse! I hate wet grass so much!!
Me: Go potty.
Spencer: Fine. Whatever. You suck. Here, see? I'm going.
Me: Good boy!
Spencer: Now let me back in! Let me in! Let me in!
Me: Okay, okay, we're going...
Spencer: Oh, thank god. We're back inside where it's nice and warm. I'm going to snuggle with you on the couch!
Me: No, get down!
Spencer: But I'm all wet!
Me: Exactly- you're all wet. And you're a dog. No couch for you, come back when you've dried off.
Spencer: [gives sad puppy face, waits ten seconds, tries to jump on couch again]
Me: I said no wet dogs on the couch! Go sit in your little you-sized bed.
Spencer: I don't like it anymore, as is evidenced by my constantly trying to destroy it.
Me: Where's your hippo!? Go find your hippo!
Spencer: Hippo? Hippo!! I know what that is! Where is hippo!? I must find Hippo!! [locates hippo]
Me: Good job!
Spencer: [humps hippo and nibbles it's ear for several minutes] ...Hey.
Me: ...
Spencer: HEY!
Me: Whatcha need?
Spencer: I gotta go poo!
Me: We were just out there! Why didn't you poo then?!
Spencer: Because it was wet. I didn't want to be wet.
Me: We need a fenced yard.
Spencer: You say that a lot.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Whoosh!
Did you hear that? That was the sound of 2009. I can't believe the year is almost over. It really hit me at my office's Thanksgiving luncheon- this is the beginning of the end. Tomorrow I will pick up everything for Thanksgiving dinner, which reminds me- quick detour:
I am told (albeit by an unreliable source) that pumpkin crops didn't do too hot this year, and so there might be some sort of shortage during the holidays. I picked up my 2 cans of canned pumpkin already... you might want to hoard yours too, just in case. Back on topic:
Then Friday marks the official beginning of the Christmas season for many people, and from there the rest of the year slips by like a runaway train headed downhill on a greased track. Of course, the commercial world of modern retail has been shoving Christmas down our throats for almost a month now- which is a rant for another day, but- I would like to point out how warped it seems to me to see Christmas displays when it's 70 degrees outside. Stupid South... it makes me want to move to Alaska.
On the bright side, I have completed 12 of 14 knitted Christmas gifts. The last two are on the needles, one of which is about halfway done (I think I can get that one done this week). Mostly I have my job to thank for that feat. It's been incredibly slow, and I think at least a third of all that knitting was done at work. Maybe half. Netflix gets an honorable mention, too- a few projects were turned out while streaming bad horror movies on the laptop.
After Christmas shenanigans have come to an end, we arrive at the New Year. I seem to remember making some sort of resolution last year, regarding yarn consumption and finishing some projects. Well, as far as the unfinished projects go, I think I succeeded. The Clapotis did get frogged, which might be cheating, but everything else got finished so I call that a win. But on the yarn front... that was more of a fail. Maybe even an epic fail. I have accumulated a lot of yarn this year. There was the birthday haul, the Sheep and Wool Festival, a big sale at Eleganza, a big purchase during an exploratory visit to a not-quite-local yarn shop, and several other smaller purchases. To be fair, I do think that I knit more this year than during any other year, which might make up for some of that. But the whole goal was to at least knit down the stash a little, and that did not happen. I still have more yarn than will fit in my stash cabinet. But maybe if I try again... oh, who am I kidding? I'm just going to say "fuck it" and go with the excuse that I'm saving for retirement. It's not like wool has an expiration date.
For next year, I think my resolutions will be project-oriented only. That seemed to work out pretty well, and will help keep the stash manageable. And I'd really like to knit up some of the sweaters I had planned in my head. That's my biggest stash problem- several sweaters' worth of yarn and no sweaters getting made.
On an unrelated note, it seems my fascination with journals has been rekindled by Etsy. There is something about a blank book that just makes me feel all fuzzy inside. Maybe it's the endless possibilities, I don't know. I just love it. I don't even write in a journal of any kind- I don't want to ruin the lovely blank pages. But I like having them. Anyway, these are pretty awesome, and so are these. These are cool too, although some are a little too "Ren Fair" for my taste. I feel a new obsession coming on, better start saving my pennies.
Speaking of saving pennies, let me tell you how I saved approximately $10,950... I quit smoking 5 years ago! Well, about 5 years ago anyway- it was somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So yay me! And that doesn't include the money I saved by not having several sinus infections each year, prolonged colds and the such (and avoiding infections and the antibiotics that come with them saves a lot of money when you're allergic to penicillin and have to take fancy-pants designer antibiotics). While knitting did sort of replace smoking, I'm pretty sure I don't spend anywhere near $2,000 on knitting stuff per year- even if you add in all the extras like needles, books, magazines, Advil, etc. I rewarded myself by buying more yarn.
Well, I better get to work on those last two Christmas gifts. We recently got an Xbox Live Gold account, so now we can stream Netflix to the TV- which is pretty great. Yesterday I knit while watching Ghostbusters for the first time in at least a decade, and let me tell you- it was just as awesome as the first time I saw it in 2nd grade.
I am told (albeit by an unreliable source) that pumpkin crops didn't do too hot this year, and so there might be some sort of shortage during the holidays. I picked up my 2 cans of canned pumpkin already... you might want to hoard yours too, just in case. Back on topic:
Then Friday marks the official beginning of the Christmas season for many people, and from there the rest of the year slips by like a runaway train headed downhill on a greased track. Of course, the commercial world of modern retail has been shoving Christmas down our throats for almost a month now- which is a rant for another day, but- I would like to point out how warped it seems to me to see Christmas displays when it's 70 degrees outside. Stupid South... it makes me want to move to Alaska.
On the bright side, I have completed 12 of 14 knitted Christmas gifts. The last two are on the needles, one of which is about halfway done (I think I can get that one done this week). Mostly I have my job to thank for that feat. It's been incredibly slow, and I think at least a third of all that knitting was done at work. Maybe half. Netflix gets an honorable mention, too- a few projects were turned out while streaming bad horror movies on the laptop.
After Christmas shenanigans have come to an end, we arrive at the New Year. I seem to remember making some sort of resolution last year, regarding yarn consumption and finishing some projects. Well, as far as the unfinished projects go, I think I succeeded. The Clapotis did get frogged, which might be cheating, but everything else got finished so I call that a win. But on the yarn front... that was more of a fail. Maybe even an epic fail. I have accumulated a lot of yarn this year. There was the birthday haul, the Sheep and Wool Festival, a big sale at Eleganza, a big purchase during an exploratory visit to a not-quite-local yarn shop, and several other smaller purchases. To be fair, I do think that I knit more this year than during any other year, which might make up for some of that. But the whole goal was to at least knit down the stash a little, and that did not happen. I still have more yarn than will fit in my stash cabinet. But maybe if I try again... oh, who am I kidding? I'm just going to say "fuck it" and go with the excuse that I'm saving for retirement. It's not like wool has an expiration date.
For next year, I think my resolutions will be project-oriented only. That seemed to work out pretty well, and will help keep the stash manageable. And I'd really like to knit up some of the sweaters I had planned in my head. That's my biggest stash problem- several sweaters' worth of yarn and no sweaters getting made.
On an unrelated note, it seems my fascination with journals has been rekindled by Etsy. There is something about a blank book that just makes me feel all fuzzy inside. Maybe it's the endless possibilities, I don't know. I just love it. I don't even write in a journal of any kind- I don't want to ruin the lovely blank pages. But I like having them. Anyway, these are pretty awesome, and so are these. These are cool too, although some are a little too "Ren Fair" for my taste. I feel a new obsession coming on, better start saving my pennies.
Speaking of saving pennies, let me tell you how I saved approximately $10,950... I quit smoking 5 years ago! Well, about 5 years ago anyway- it was somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So yay me! And that doesn't include the money I saved by not having several sinus infections each year, prolonged colds and the such (and avoiding infections and the antibiotics that come with them saves a lot of money when you're allergic to penicillin and have to take fancy-pants designer antibiotics). While knitting did sort of replace smoking, I'm pretty sure I don't spend anywhere near $2,000 on knitting stuff per year- even if you add in all the extras like needles, books, magazines, Advil, etc. I rewarded myself by buying more yarn.
Well, I better get to work on those last two Christmas gifts. We recently got an Xbox Live Gold account, so now we can stream Netflix to the TV- which is pretty great. Yesterday I knit while watching Ghostbusters for the first time in at least a decade, and let me tell you- it was just as awesome as the first time I saw it in 2nd grade.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
It's Not Very Novembery Out...
I could not be a more beautiful day today. The sun is shining, it's about 70 deg outside, and there is a light breeze- just enough to move a little air through the house without blowing papers all over the place. Perfect. It is a little odd to shop in stores decked out for Christmas- it just feels wrong to be staring at Christmas crap when it's so warm out. But anyway, it was nice enough to drive around with the windows off the Jeep! Wheee!
I wonder if there is going to be a big cold snap soon. Our first year in MD, there was a week or so of temps in the 20s during November. And I remember freezing my ass off the next year, standing in line on Black Friday (I claim temporary insanity, and won't be doing that ever again)(unless some retail genius includes warm breakfast)(for free). Then again, last year I don't think we turned on the heat until December... So who knows. In any case, I just hope the rain backs off for a while- there's nothing more miserable than cold rain.
Last week Scott bought me a backpack for the Jeep, because if the windows are out or if the top is down, you can't leave anything in it. It definitely came in handy today as I ran errands, plus I can put my knitting in it! It's a Timbuk2 Q, which will probably last forever. It's got a crapload of pockets, and I loves me some pockets! I forgot how much I love using a backpack instead of a purse. That husband of mine sure knows how to treat a girl right.
As for knitting, I've finished all but two Christmas gifts. And yes, that is pretty awesome. The last two are the most time-consuming, but I have nearly a month left so it shouldn't be a problem. And I ordered a small amount of yarn to make myself a Jeep hat, and possibly also some matching mittens. Now if only the cold weather would get here so that the holiday season will feel a little more normal, and so we can all enjoy our knitwear!
I wonder if there is going to be a big cold snap soon. Our first year in MD, there was a week or so of temps in the 20s during November. And I remember freezing my ass off the next year, standing in line on Black Friday (I claim temporary insanity, and won't be doing that ever again)(unless some retail genius includes warm breakfast)(for free). Then again, last year I don't think we turned on the heat until December... So who knows. In any case, I just hope the rain backs off for a while- there's nothing more miserable than cold rain.
Last week Scott bought me a backpack for the Jeep, because if the windows are out or if the top is down, you can't leave anything in it. It definitely came in handy today as I ran errands, plus I can put my knitting in it! It's a Timbuk2 Q, which will probably last forever. It's got a crapload of pockets, and I loves me some pockets! I forgot how much I love using a backpack instead of a purse. That husband of mine sure knows how to treat a girl right.
As for knitting, I've finished all but two Christmas gifts. And yes, that is pretty awesome. The last two are the most time-consuming, but I have nearly a month left so it shouldn't be a problem. And I ordered a small amount of yarn to make myself a Jeep hat, and possibly also some matching mittens. Now if only the cold weather would get here so that the holiday season will feel a little more normal, and so we can all enjoy our knitwear!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Jeeeeeep!
Let me preface this by stating that Scott and I have, on more than one occasion, made fun of all those car commercials that show a husband buying his wife a car for Christmas. "Oh how romantic! A vehicle!" ...Yeah. Also, no matter how financially well off one is, it doesn't seem like a prudent idea to spend tens of thousands of dollars without consulting one's spouse. So when Scott came to me a couple months ago and said that he wanted to buy me a new car for our anniversary, I thought it was sort of hilarious, in an ironic way. But also very sweet, because (as I am the queen of qualifiers and justifications) our situation is different- making it okay for us, but still ridiculous in those car commercials.
First of all, we did need to get another car of some sort. We didn't NEED a shiny new one, but we needed something for the winter because Scott can't ride a motorcycle on snow or ice. There is a practical reason in there.
Second, he consulted me. He said, "This is what I'd like to do for you, what do you think?" which is good because a new car is a bit more of an investment than, say, an awesome stand mixer or oodles of yarn. Also, this brings me into the decision process. I wonder how many people secretly don't like the car given to them. Steering 2000 lbs of metal and glass at high speeds is something that should only be done in a vehicle you're comfortable with. And you can't really trick someone into test driving a car without them getting suspicious of your motives.
And third, the reason this is a good gift is that I never got to have a fun car. My first car was a '89 Camry- the family sedan. I totalled it in 2001, leading to my next car, a '99 Corolla- a smaller family sedan. Then in '03, I bought my first new car, another Camry. I chose the Camry because, well, it was a good car for the money, and at the time Scott and I assumed we'd eventually have kids. Little did I know that over the next couple years, we would decide that kids just aren't for us the whole idea of owning a family sedan would be moot. Scott's gift to me is about learning to let go of practicality, and getting something fun.
First we test drove the Volvo C30, and at first that's the car I thought I wanted. It was the right price, and size, and had a turbocharger for a little extra kick. But Scott insisted (wisely) that I try more cars out. Second we drove the Mini Cooper. I hated it. I hated driving it so much that I wonder what the hell is wrong with people who claim to like it. Weirdos. Then we drove a Subaru Impreza, which was okay. Not awesome, not sucky. A little on the too small side, but I don't really need a lot of space anyway. Last, I drove the Jeep Wrangler, and fell in love with it right away...
I had to drive a Sahara, instead of the Sport I planned on getting, because it was all they had on the lot. The sales guy said the drive would be the same- the differences were all cosmetic, so off we went. We drove around some back roads to get a feel for the handling, and came back through town during rush hour. It was the most fun I ever had in a car. Ever. I got home and told Scott that I had made my decision. I wanted the Wrangler.
It was hard to find one that came with the options I wanted, but they found one just outside Philadelphia. Once we settled on price, they drove it down the next day. And now she's mine!
That's my 2010 Wrangler Sport with the Preferred Package, which gives it fog lights, 17" wheels, AC, and a few other amenities. It's also got a soft top, half doors, and SIRIUS radio. I'm hoping it warms up a little bit today so I can try taking out the windows. It's funny that this is the first car I've owned without power windows and locks.
I've woken up early every day since getting it, anxious to drive to work. On the way home yesterday I drove through a stream! It was about 10 feet wide and a foot or so deep- definitely not manageable in a car! So awesome. I drove down some gravely roads too, so I could try out the 4WD. The only thing that sucks is the timing- it's too chilly to put the top down, so that will have to wait until Spring. But I love everything about the Jeep. I love driving it, and look for excuses to do so. Although, I do sort of hope that wears off a little bit, or else I'll spend a fortune in gas, and feel like a wasteful douche.
Thank you, husband, for a wonderful anniversary gift. My 7-8 hours of commuting each week will be so much more enjoyable over the coming years. I don't know that I can get you an equally amazing gift, but I promise to knit you a cozy hat and sweater to wear while I drive you around in my new Jeep. I love you.
First of all, we did need to get another car of some sort. We didn't NEED a shiny new one, but we needed something for the winter because Scott can't ride a motorcycle on snow or ice. There is a practical reason in there.
Second, he consulted me. He said, "This is what I'd like to do for you, what do you think?" which is good because a new car is a bit more of an investment than, say, an awesome stand mixer or oodles of yarn. Also, this brings me into the decision process. I wonder how many people secretly don't like the car given to them. Steering 2000 lbs of metal and glass at high speeds is something that should only be done in a vehicle you're comfortable with. And you can't really trick someone into test driving a car without them getting suspicious of your motives.
And third, the reason this is a good gift is that I never got to have a fun car. My first car was a '89 Camry- the family sedan. I totalled it in 2001, leading to my next car, a '99 Corolla- a smaller family sedan. Then in '03, I bought my first new car, another Camry. I chose the Camry because, well, it was a good car for the money, and at the time Scott and I assumed we'd eventually have kids. Little did I know that over the next couple years, we would decide that kids just aren't for us the whole idea of owning a family sedan would be moot. Scott's gift to me is about learning to let go of practicality, and getting something fun.
First we test drove the Volvo C30, and at first that's the car I thought I wanted. It was the right price, and size, and had a turbocharger for a little extra kick. But Scott insisted (wisely) that I try more cars out. Second we drove the Mini Cooper. I hated it. I hated driving it so much that I wonder what the hell is wrong with people who claim to like it. Weirdos. Then we drove a Subaru Impreza, which was okay. Not awesome, not sucky. A little on the too small side, but I don't really need a lot of space anyway. Last, I drove the Jeep Wrangler, and fell in love with it right away...
I had to drive a Sahara, instead of the Sport I planned on getting, because it was all they had on the lot. The sales guy said the drive would be the same- the differences were all cosmetic, so off we went. We drove around some back roads to get a feel for the handling, and came back through town during rush hour. It was the most fun I ever had in a car. Ever. I got home and told Scott that I had made my decision. I wanted the Wrangler.
It was hard to find one that came with the options I wanted, but they found one just outside Philadelphia. Once we settled on price, they drove it down the next day. And now she's mine!
That's my 2010 Wrangler Sport with the Preferred Package, which gives it fog lights, 17" wheels, AC, and a few other amenities. It's also got a soft top, half doors, and SIRIUS radio. I'm hoping it warms up a little bit today so I can try taking out the windows. It's funny that this is the first car I've owned without power windows and locks.
I've woken up early every day since getting it, anxious to drive to work. On the way home yesterday I drove through a stream! It was about 10 feet wide and a foot or so deep- definitely not manageable in a car! So awesome. I drove down some gravely roads too, so I could try out the 4WD. The only thing that sucks is the timing- it's too chilly to put the top down, so that will have to wait until Spring. But I love everything about the Jeep. I love driving it, and look for excuses to do so. Although, I do sort of hope that wears off a little bit, or else I'll spend a fortune in gas, and feel like a wasteful douche.
Thank you, husband, for a wonderful anniversary gift. My 7-8 hours of commuting each week will be so much more enjoyable over the coming years. I don't know that I can get you an equally amazing gift, but I promise to knit you a cozy hat and sweater to wear while I drive you around in my new Jeep. I love you.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Sick Day
Last night a wave of ickiness hit me at about 8pm, and by the time my alarm went off this morning, it was still there. So I called in sick, took a loooong shower, and made a quick trip to Giant to get some cider and blueberry muffins- which I am eating right now (warm cider can cure anything). And little Spencer has been doing his best to comfort me by sitting on me as much as possible.
As much as I loathe feeling like crap, I could use the extra knitting time. I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I knit, and who I knit for, and have come to some conclusions. I've been knitting since 2000, but admittedly I didn't really get going until 2005. In the past four years I have knit the following for myself: a few dishrags, one scarf, one short-sleeved top, one sweater, three pairs of socks, a shawl, a hat, and few other small items (trinket-type bags/cozies/etc.). I think the ratio of items knit for myself to items knit for others is something like 1:3, which sort of bums me out. So this is my plan- I am doing Christmas knitting this year. Small things only- no sweaters! And then that's it. 2010 will be the year of knitting for me (and Scott- he gets neglected knit-wise).
So I've been really cracking down and working on the knit goods. So far I'm on schedule (about halfway done) and this feels infinitely better than the last time I tried Christmas knitting- which ended with IOUs and some people getting shafted a bit. Those that got shafted last time are getting priority this year. Kids will also get a small gift card, which is what we usually send them, because I don't want to be the crazy aunt that sends Ralphie a pink bunny suit. Unfortunately, since some of the knitting recipients read this blog, that means that there won't be many knit-related posts in the next month or so. Or if there are, they will be super vague, and definitely no pictures.
That's all for now, I should get back to knitting. Wish me luck- I might need it!
As much as I loathe feeling like crap, I could use the extra knitting time. I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I knit, and who I knit for, and have come to some conclusions. I've been knitting since 2000, but admittedly I didn't really get going until 2005. In the past four years I have knit the following for myself: a few dishrags, one scarf, one short-sleeved top, one sweater, three pairs of socks, a shawl, a hat, and few other small items (trinket-type bags/cozies/etc.). I think the ratio of items knit for myself to items knit for others is something like 1:3, which sort of bums me out. So this is my plan- I am doing Christmas knitting this year. Small things only- no sweaters! And then that's it. 2010 will be the year of knitting for me (and Scott- he gets neglected knit-wise).
So I've been really cracking down and working on the knit goods. So far I'm on schedule (about halfway done) and this feels infinitely better than the last time I tried Christmas knitting- which ended with IOUs and some people getting shafted a bit. Those that got shafted last time are getting priority this year. Kids will also get a small gift card, which is what we usually send them, because I don't want to be the crazy aunt that sends Ralphie a pink bunny suit. Unfortunately, since some of the knitting recipients read this blog, that means that there won't be many knit-related posts in the next month or so. Or if there are, they will be super vague, and definitely no pictures.
That's all for now, I should get back to knitting. Wish me luck- I might need it!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
My Own Private Little Hell
Last night, I decided to give Spencer a bath this weekend. We have three towels that are deemed appropriate for "Spencer use" as it's difficult to wash all the hair out, and I don't so much enjoy using furry towels on myself. So we have these three particular towels, and all three were dirty. Spencer had been dragging one around the house, and the other two were left in a heap on the front steps after Scott used them, presumably to dry off motorcycles or some such thing. No biggie, I'll just throw them in the wash, right?
So I stepped outside the front door, picked up each towel, still wet from the recent rain, and gave it a good shake. Included in this pile, I found several microfiber cloths that Scott also uses to dry and/or clean bikes. I shook them out a bit as well, scooped everything up, and put it all in the washer with the detergent and Borax (for an added KICK! just like the box says).
About an hour later, I opened the washer and pulled out the towels, one by one, tossing them into the dryer. As the bottom of the washer was slowly uncovered, I discovered the legless corpse of a large stinkbug, resting on its back in the bottom of the machine. I shuddered at the sight of it, then it slowly dawned on me that it probably wasn't the only one. Every fall these bugs descend on our home in near biblical quantities, desperate to escape the approaching cold weather. They come in through doors, windows, vents, and now apparently, towels. I slowly pulled the towels out of the dryer, and piled them on the floor. I picked one of the microfiber cloths out of the pile, and looked it over. Stuck in the nap were no less than three dismembered bug legs. I nearly wept.
As some of you may know, I have a thing about bugs. I can't touch them. They squick me right out. I can't even bear the thought of feeling them through a tissue, and so refuse to squish them. The thought of picking little bug parts off the towels nearly sent me over the edge. But somehow the shame of throwing all those towels away and replacing them felt even worse, so I got a paper towel and started picking... I think I may have actually constructed a second personality in order to cope with this.
Once all the towels had been scrutinized and transferred from either the washing machine or the "Possibly Horrific" pile, and placed into a new "Bug Free" pile, I had to deal with the washer itself. Inside there were four stinkbugs, all belly up and limbless, and a few legs. Seeing as how I adamantly refuse to touch or even feel bugs- especially big ones- this presented a challenge. Fortunately, I was able to use one of those large postcard-type ads from the mail to sort of scoop the suckers out and into the garbage. All the towels went back in the wash, with a little extra detergent and Borax to put my mind at ease.
Once the second wash finished, the towels were once again inspected (just to be sure) and are now in the dryer. I will have to remember to wear gloves or something when emptying the lint trap... one can never be too careful. Scott has been officially banned from leaving towels outside, and I had a much needed drink- a big one.
P.S. Is it weird that in my mind, the card used to scoop the bugs is no longer recyclable? It touched dead bugs, so now it has to go in the garbage... That seems reasonable to me, but at the same time it seems like something other people would mock me over.
So I stepped outside the front door, picked up each towel, still wet from the recent rain, and gave it a good shake. Included in this pile, I found several microfiber cloths that Scott also uses to dry and/or clean bikes. I shook them out a bit as well, scooped everything up, and put it all in the washer with the detergent and Borax (for an added KICK! just like the box says).
About an hour later, I opened the washer and pulled out the towels, one by one, tossing them into the dryer. As the bottom of the washer was slowly uncovered, I discovered the legless corpse of a large stinkbug, resting on its back in the bottom of the machine. I shuddered at the sight of it, then it slowly dawned on me that it probably wasn't the only one. Every fall these bugs descend on our home in near biblical quantities, desperate to escape the approaching cold weather. They come in through doors, windows, vents, and now apparently, towels. I slowly pulled the towels out of the dryer, and piled them on the floor. I picked one of the microfiber cloths out of the pile, and looked it over. Stuck in the nap were no less than three dismembered bug legs. I nearly wept.
As some of you may know, I have a thing about bugs. I can't touch them. They squick me right out. I can't even bear the thought of feeling them through a tissue, and so refuse to squish them. The thought of picking little bug parts off the towels nearly sent me over the edge. But somehow the shame of throwing all those towels away and replacing them felt even worse, so I got a paper towel and started picking... I think I may have actually constructed a second personality in order to cope with this.
Once all the towels had been scrutinized and transferred from either the washing machine or the "Possibly Horrific" pile, and placed into a new "Bug Free" pile, I had to deal with the washer itself. Inside there were four stinkbugs, all belly up and limbless, and a few legs. Seeing as how I adamantly refuse to touch or even feel bugs- especially big ones- this presented a challenge. Fortunately, I was able to use one of those large postcard-type ads from the mail to sort of scoop the suckers out and into the garbage. All the towels went back in the wash, with a little extra detergent and Borax to put my mind at ease.
Once the second wash finished, the towels were once again inspected (just to be sure) and are now in the dryer. I will have to remember to wear gloves or something when emptying the lint trap... one can never be too careful. Scott has been officially banned from leaving towels outside, and I had a much needed drink- a big one.
P.S. Is it weird that in my mind, the card used to scoop the bugs is no longer recyclable? It touched dead bugs, so now it has to go in the garbage... That seems reasonable to me, but at the same time it seems like something other people would mock me over.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The Socks of Doom were a success!
Joe really likes them and they fit, and when he saw me later (I wasn't there when he received them), he greeted me with a big hug and a "thank you." Pure awesome.
I also finished a pair of socks for Cass, which she should get this week.
I still have 85g of the yarn left, and I bet I could get another pair of socks out of that. If I try it, they'll probably be toe-up just in case... and I've never done toe-up socks, so that might be interesting.
On Friday I received my Venture Swap package! Enclosed were some sweet goodies, including a mini Brock Samson and Molotov Cocktease, squishy sock yarn, stitch markers, tiny gun, Monarch-orange hat, and tarot deck. The tarot deck really struck me, because a couple months ago Claudia from Eleganza told me that you're supposed to learn on a deck that somebody has given you... Is the universe trying to tell me something? Spooooky! Anyways, I'm stoked, and extra revved up about the 4th season premier.
It finally stopped raining today! The sun is even peeking out a bit, which will make the plants happy. It rained here pretty much nonstop since Wednesday night. When it's wet and icky out, I like to wear my boots. The slight heel keeps the cuffs of my jeans out of the puddles for the most part, and they keep my feet dry. Except when I neglect to oil them up regularly and water seeps in through the seams. Fail! I spent the better part of Thursday with damp toes, freaking out that I or my shoes would develop some sort of fungus or mold or something (perhaps a slight overreaction). So today I am giving my favorite boots some love. They have been wiped down and rinsed off, and are now drying thoroughly before I lovingly rub mink oil into every nook and cranny, ensuring their water-resistance once again.
Unfortunately, I noticed that one of the heels is getting pretty worn down. I wonder if it would be worth it to have them resoled one day? It might cost just as much as another pair of boots, but holy hell I really love these boots. They kept my feet dry and comfy while I stomped around in the rain and mud at Maryland Sheep in Wool for upwards of 4 hours, they're perfect for motorcycle rides, and are just all around awesome. The leather is super thick and rugged, and has slowly conformed to my feet over time. Do I really want to have to start over again with a new pair? I don't know.
No new car yet. In true Amanda form, I've been flip-flopping all over the place. One of Scott's mechanic friends had some helpful advice, and I've got some more test-driving to do. For a short while, one of the front-runners was a Jeep Wrangler- until the mechanic friend let me know that I'd probably be replacing the transmission in just a couple years. But now I wonder if that would be covered by their lifetime powertrain warranty? But even if it is, would it be worth the hassle? And there's still the super crappy gas mileage to consider... I don't think all that is worth it just for the fun of driving a Jeep. Yeah. I think the Jeep is out.
I think my boots are dry now. Time for some greasy mink oil!
Joe really likes them and they fit, and when he saw me later (I wasn't there when he received them), he greeted me with a big hug and a "thank you." Pure awesome.
I also finished a pair of socks for Cass, which she should get this week.
I still have 85g of the yarn left, and I bet I could get another pair of socks out of that. If I try it, they'll probably be toe-up just in case... and I've never done toe-up socks, so that might be interesting.
On Friday I received my Venture Swap package! Enclosed were some sweet goodies, including a mini Brock Samson and Molotov Cocktease, squishy sock yarn, stitch markers, tiny gun, Monarch-orange hat, and tarot deck. The tarot deck really struck me, because a couple months ago Claudia from Eleganza told me that you're supposed to learn on a deck that somebody has given you... Is the universe trying to tell me something? Spooooky! Anyways, I'm stoked, and extra revved up about the 4th season premier.
It finally stopped raining today! The sun is even peeking out a bit, which will make the plants happy. It rained here pretty much nonstop since Wednesday night. When it's wet and icky out, I like to wear my boots. The slight heel keeps the cuffs of my jeans out of the puddles for the most part, and they keep my feet dry. Except when I neglect to oil them up regularly and water seeps in through the seams. Fail! I spent the better part of Thursday with damp toes, freaking out that I or my shoes would develop some sort of fungus or mold or something (perhaps a slight overreaction). So today I am giving my favorite boots some love. They have been wiped down and rinsed off, and are now drying thoroughly before I lovingly rub mink oil into every nook and cranny, ensuring their water-resistance once again.
Unfortunately, I noticed that one of the heels is getting pretty worn down. I wonder if it would be worth it to have them resoled one day? It might cost just as much as another pair of boots, but holy hell I really love these boots. They kept my feet dry and comfy while I stomped around in the rain and mud at Maryland Sheep in Wool for upwards of 4 hours, they're perfect for motorcycle rides, and are just all around awesome. The leather is super thick and rugged, and has slowly conformed to my feet over time. Do I really want to have to start over again with a new pair? I don't know.
No new car yet. In true Amanda form, I've been flip-flopping all over the place. One of Scott's mechanic friends had some helpful advice, and I've got some more test-driving to do. For a short while, one of the front-runners was a Jeep Wrangler- until the mechanic friend let me know that I'd probably be replacing the transmission in just a couple years. But now I wonder if that would be covered by their lifetime powertrain warranty? But even if it is, would it be worth the hassle? And there's still the super crappy gas mileage to consider... I don't think all that is worth it just for the fun of driving a Jeep. Yeah. I think the Jeep is out.
I think my boots are dry now. Time for some greasy mink oil!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Not Dead Part Deux
So what’s it been? Two months or so? That’s a lot of time to cover in one post, so I’ll quickly sum up.
Cass came out in August, and we had a great time. She got to shoot the shotgun, and she took us for a spin around the block. Way back on the day that Cass and I first met, she learned how to ride a bike without training wheels. Now she's driving a car. Freaky.
Scott wants to get me new car for our anniversary, so I’ve been researching and test driving a couple cars. I’ve pretty much settled on one, but I’m not telling what it is lest I jinx myself (I am very prone to jinxing).
There has been some knitting, but I don’t think I’ve really finished anything. I am working on a pair of socks for one of Scott’s friends, Joe. He was in a motorcycle accident this summer, and burned up one of his feet pretty badly, so one sock is plain black and the other has flames on the cuff. Lolz. I am promised that he won’t find this horrifically offensive.
I finally got tattooed again. A rose that was started back in like 2002 or 2003 was finished, and once it’s healed up its twin will be done as well. I was a total whiny griper last time, but this time I was a good little customer and sat still and whine-free through the whole thing. Apparently, at 21 it didn’t occur to me that being a pain in the ass would make Scott less likely to want to tattoo me further. Hopefully he now thinks otherwise.
Scott wants to open his own shop in the next few years. As a tattoo artist, it’s really the logical thing to do business-wise. You can only get so far working for someone else, you know? Of course, this means a lot of planning, changes, and work for both of us. As with any small business, the first year can be tough, and we’ll definitely still need my income, but after the shop is established I get to quit my job and become a full time Shop Wife. That is, I'd take care of whatever stuff Scott doesn't have time to do- mostly office type work, taxes, etc. I both love and deeply fear this idea. It’s sort of scary to think of how badly it could affect the business (and possibly our marriage) if I fuck it up in some epic way. But if I do a decent job, I will have a job I love, no boss, and never have to worry about whether my tattoos will be a problem at work ever again. And I DO hope to get a lot more work done (hence the importance of not being a whiner). And did I mention I get to quit my job? Mwah hahahaha!
Well, I get to quit my job assuming that I still have one. There were more layoffs at work a couple weeks ago, and things are pretty much at a standstill. Not to mention we have a new CEO who knows nothing about what it is we do in our little department. He’s been at the company since March, and has yet to even step foot in the lab. The old CEO is still hanging around and helping with the transition, but it wouldn’t surprise me if we got cut loose shortly after he leaves for good... if not right away, then as soon as we become any sort of hassle for him.
I've been attempting to learn the Tarot, which is actually pretty challenging. Oh! But there's a finished knitting project involved! I knit a little Tarot Card Sack to keep my deck nice and cozy...
Tarot bags are supposed to help keep the metaphysical mojo from escaping your deck while it's not in use. Mine is knit with SWTC Therapi, which is a wool, silk, and jadeite (aka jade)(yes, the mineral)(I don't how they do it either) blend, and I used the skull chart from Son of Stitch and Bitch by Debbie Stoller, with a 2 stitch i-cord for the drawstring.
My deck is the Deviant Moon deck, designed by Patrick Valenza. His artwork is freaking awesome. You can get it from his site, or from a zillion other places online- but if you get it directly from him, he will sign the cover card. Anywho, learning the cards is going to take a long time, but I'm not really in any hurry.
So that’s about it. Not terribly exciting, but there it is.
Cass came out in August, and we had a great time. She got to shoot the shotgun, and she took us for a spin around the block. Way back on the day that Cass and I first met, she learned how to ride a bike without training wheels. Now she's driving a car. Freaky.
Scott wants to get me new car for our anniversary, so I’ve been researching and test driving a couple cars. I’ve pretty much settled on one, but I’m not telling what it is lest I jinx myself (I am very prone to jinxing).
There has been some knitting, but I don’t think I’ve really finished anything. I am working on a pair of socks for one of Scott’s friends, Joe. He was in a motorcycle accident this summer, and burned up one of his feet pretty badly, so one sock is plain black and the other has flames on the cuff. Lolz. I am promised that he won’t find this horrifically offensive.
I finally got tattooed again. A rose that was started back in like 2002 or 2003 was finished, and once it’s healed up its twin will be done as well. I was a total whiny griper last time, but this time I was a good little customer and sat still and whine-free through the whole thing. Apparently, at 21 it didn’t occur to me that being a pain in the ass would make Scott less likely to want to tattoo me further. Hopefully he now thinks otherwise.
Scott wants to open his own shop in the next few years. As a tattoo artist, it’s really the logical thing to do business-wise. You can only get so far working for someone else, you know? Of course, this means a lot of planning, changes, and work for both of us. As with any small business, the first year can be tough, and we’ll definitely still need my income, but after the shop is established I get to quit my job and become a full time Shop Wife. That is, I'd take care of whatever stuff Scott doesn't have time to do- mostly office type work, taxes, etc. I both love and deeply fear this idea. It’s sort of scary to think of how badly it could affect the business (and possibly our marriage) if I fuck it up in some epic way. But if I do a decent job, I will have a job I love, no boss, and never have to worry about whether my tattoos will be a problem at work ever again. And I DO hope to get a lot more work done (hence the importance of not being a whiner). And did I mention I get to quit my job? Mwah hahahaha!
Well, I get to quit my job assuming that I still have one. There were more layoffs at work a couple weeks ago, and things are pretty much at a standstill. Not to mention we have a new CEO who knows nothing about what it is we do in our little department. He’s been at the company since March, and has yet to even step foot in the lab. The old CEO is still hanging around and helping with the transition, but it wouldn’t surprise me if we got cut loose shortly after he leaves for good... if not right away, then as soon as we become any sort of hassle for him.
I've been attempting to learn the Tarot, which is actually pretty challenging. Oh! But there's a finished knitting project involved! I knit a little Tarot Card Sack to keep my deck nice and cozy...
Tarot bags are supposed to help keep the metaphysical mojo from escaping your deck while it's not in use. Mine is knit with SWTC Therapi, which is a wool, silk, and jadeite (aka jade)(yes, the mineral)(I don't how they do it either) blend, and I used the skull chart from Son of Stitch and Bitch by Debbie Stoller, with a 2 stitch i-cord for the drawstring.
My deck is the Deviant Moon deck, designed by Patrick Valenza. His artwork is freaking awesome. You can get it from his site, or from a zillion other places online- but if you get it directly from him, he will sign the cover card. Anywho, learning the cards is going to take a long time, but I'm not really in any hurry.
So that’s about it. Not terribly exciting, but there it is.
Not Dead
I’ve decided to merge my two blogs, mostly because I’m too lazy to update both, so now there is only Indiscriminate Postings. I will leave Knitty Ripper up, but any future knitting posts will be made to this blog instead, since knitty things could be considered indiscriminate, but not all indiscriminate things are knitty. Make sense?
So anyway, I'm still around. Stay tuned for more posts...
So anyway, I'm still around. Stay tuned for more posts...
Saturday, July 25, 2009
What I've Been Doing Lately
1. Surprisingly little knitting (see other blog). It's too hot, and I'm too lazy.
2. Complaining (rather profusely) about work. I hate my job the past couple weeks. But it's not the first time that's happened, and in the past it has eventually gotten less sucktastic. The problem seems to be that when it does get better, it doesn't go back to 100%, so there is still, overall, a downward trend in occupational happiness.
3. I shot my shotgun for the first time a while ago. It was the most awesome thing I've ever done. My shoulder hurt for three days afterward, but it was totally worth it. I'd really like to shoot some other guns to see what they're like (handgun, rifle, etc.). I also want to acquire more guns, and build my own little arsenal. Not like the crazy-militia-hiding-in-a-bunker sort of arsenal, but just a nice, well-rounded collection.
4. Watching American Gothic on Hulu. It's a TV series from the mid-90s, which only lasted one season. It's sort of difficult to sum up, but mostly it's about a boy whose family dies, and the creepy sheriff that takes a special interest in him (but not in a pedophile kind of way). There are some sort of supernatural happenings going on, but I'm only a few shows in, and don't have that figured out yet. In any case, the show takes place in the South (one of the Carolinas, I think), and it TOTALLY makes me want to run away to the South. Unfortunately, my strong distaste for hot weather leaves me with conflicted feelings. But I've been trying to pick up some lingo (like "thank you kindly" and "I reckon") and may insist that people call me by both my first and middle names. The fact that Scott now works in Virginia is promising, as Virginia is undoubtedly part of The South.
5. Thinking about cars. Scott needs a car this winter (we won't be able to carpool on days too nasty for the motorcycle), so we're going to have to get something. Our options are to either buy a cheap beater for Scott to drive once in a while, or buy something nice (sort of making our current car the beater). Part of me wants to buy something that is new, practical, safe, and that gets good gas mileage. Another part of me just wants to buy something new, but totally impractical and fun, because I've only ever driven family sedans. And yet another part of me says, "Oh, just buy a used Civic or something!" Decisions, decisions.
6. Rediscovering why I don't really eat ice-cream cones anymore. In a fit of whimsy, I bought some cones at the grocery store today. Unfortunately, the Breyer's Mint Chocolate Chip I got to put in the cones has some cohesion issues. I can't get it to form a rounded scoop. It just keeps sort of breaking apart, which is really quite frustrating. Or when I finally get a nice scoop, it sticks rather stubbornly to the inside of the scooper. I'm going back to the bowl, thankyouverymuch.
2. Complaining (rather profusely) about work. I hate my job the past couple weeks. But it's not the first time that's happened, and in the past it has eventually gotten less sucktastic. The problem seems to be that when it does get better, it doesn't go back to 100%, so there is still, overall, a downward trend in occupational happiness.
3. I shot my shotgun for the first time a while ago. It was the most awesome thing I've ever done. My shoulder hurt for three days afterward, but it was totally worth it. I'd really like to shoot some other guns to see what they're like (handgun, rifle, etc.). I also want to acquire more guns, and build my own little arsenal. Not like the crazy-militia-hiding-in-a-bunker sort of arsenal, but just a nice, well-rounded collection.
4. Watching American Gothic on Hulu. It's a TV series from the mid-90s, which only lasted one season. It's sort of difficult to sum up, but mostly it's about a boy whose family dies, and the creepy sheriff that takes a special interest in him (but not in a pedophile kind of way). There are some sort of supernatural happenings going on, but I'm only a few shows in, and don't have that figured out yet. In any case, the show takes place in the South (one of the Carolinas, I think), and it TOTALLY makes me want to run away to the South. Unfortunately, my strong distaste for hot weather leaves me with conflicted feelings. But I've been trying to pick up some lingo (like "thank you kindly" and "I reckon") and may insist that people call me by both my first and middle names. The fact that Scott now works in Virginia is promising, as Virginia is undoubtedly part of The South.
5. Thinking about cars. Scott needs a car this winter (we won't be able to carpool on days too nasty for the motorcycle), so we're going to have to get something. Our options are to either buy a cheap beater for Scott to drive once in a while, or buy something nice (sort of making our current car the beater). Part of me wants to buy something that is new, practical, safe, and that gets good gas mileage. Another part of me just wants to buy something new, but totally impractical and fun, because I've only ever driven family sedans. And yet another part of me says, "Oh, just buy a used Civic or something!" Decisions, decisions.
6. Rediscovering why I don't really eat ice-cream cones anymore. In a fit of whimsy, I bought some cones at the grocery store today. Unfortunately, the Breyer's Mint Chocolate Chip I got to put in the cones has some cohesion issues. I can't get it to form a rounded scoop. It just keeps sort of breaking apart, which is really quite frustrating. Or when I finally get a nice scoop, it sticks rather stubbornly to the inside of the scooper. I'm going back to the bowl, thankyouverymuch.
Monday, July 13, 2009
A Good Enough Reason For Me
Many times, when people learn that I don't want babies, they ask why. Honestly there are a myriad of reasons, but in the future I might just point them to this post...
Keep in mind, I only had one of each letter. Just imagine what I could do with a couple of those alphabet magnet sets!
Keep in mind, I only had one of each letter. Just imagine what I could do with a couple of those alphabet magnet sets!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Time really flies on by me these days. I think it has something to do with the new schedule... Monday sucks, but then Tuesday and Wednesday are interesting since they're Scott's days off, and then suddenly it's Thursday which is almost the end of the week. Fridays are my favorite day, even at work, because you have the whole weekend in front of you. And knit night is Friday! Then the weekend always goes by too fast, and it all starts over again. Crazy! So here it is, Thursday again.
Scott finally got his bike back this week, and they never could figure out what was wrong with it. Everyone is leaning towards an oil overfill, done by a shady tech that has since been fired. In any case, Scott is happy to have his Ducati back and probably extra happy that there was no real damage. Oh, and funny thing: the ring from the last post fit him perfectly. The woman at the store just boxed up the one from the display case, and it fits. Perfectly. Weird!
Summer is in full swing, with temperatures in the nineties all week. Gah. I sometimes wonder if I am just not genetically suited to this weather. My mother was German, 100%. My father was German, Swedish and English. Perhaps I would be better off in a Northern European setting. I understand that Swedish summers are short, and a quick check of Stockholm's average temperature in July reveals a comfortable 73 degrees! And the lows in January are 28 degrees. I think this is perfect. It's settled then... First I learn Swedish, then I run away. Maybe I can become a reindeer herder or something.
For now, I'll just think snowy thoughts and hide in air conditioned buildings. Only 89 days until Fall!
Scott finally got his bike back this week, and they never could figure out what was wrong with it. Everyone is leaning towards an oil overfill, done by a shady tech that has since been fired. In any case, Scott is happy to have his Ducati back and probably extra happy that there was no real damage. Oh, and funny thing: the ring from the last post fit him perfectly. The woman at the store just boxed up the one from the display case, and it fits. Perfectly. Weird!
Summer is in full swing, with temperatures in the nineties all week. Gah. I sometimes wonder if I am just not genetically suited to this weather. My mother was German, 100%. My father was German, Swedish and English. Perhaps I would be better off in a Northern European setting. I understand that Swedish summers are short, and a quick check of Stockholm's average temperature in July reveals a comfortable 73 degrees! And the lows in January are 28 degrees. I think this is perfect. It's settled then... First I learn Swedish, then I run away. Maybe I can become a reindeer herder or something.
For now, I'll just think snowy thoughts and hide in air conditioned buildings. Only 89 days until Fall!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
My Love For You Is Borderline Pathological...
Poor Scott. He had a rough week. On Tuesday, his day off, the Ducati blew up. There was blue smoke, oil, and frustration. He looked like this:
Many beers were had by Scott and friends, as is evidenced by our unusually full recycling bin:
There are Ducati fairings in the spare room:
Scott can only wait for the prognosis. By Friday, the technicians still aren't sure what happened. They need more time, more tests. I start thinking...
Scott lost his wedding ring a couple weeks ago. He was pretty bummed about it. Maybe a new ring would cheer him up? I looked online, and found something perfect. I went to the store near our house, and asked if they had one in stock. They did! They put the new ring in a handsome box. It might not fit (I don't know his ring size) but he could exchange it for the right size later. When should I give it to him? After work, we ate pizza, and watched an old movie. We were about to go to bed, but I didn't want to wait until tomorrow, so I pulled it out from behind a pillow on the couch. "Will you marry me? Again?"
He was surprised, and he says he loves it. The ring is black titanium, and will last forever. He is happy, and I am happy. We agree that we would marry each other a million billion times over again.
Many beers were had by Scott and friends, as is evidenced by our unusually full recycling bin:
There are Ducati fairings in the spare room:
Scott can only wait for the prognosis. By Friday, the technicians still aren't sure what happened. They need more time, more tests. I start thinking...
Scott lost his wedding ring a couple weeks ago. He was pretty bummed about it. Maybe a new ring would cheer him up? I looked online, and found something perfect. I went to the store near our house, and asked if they had one in stock. They did! They put the new ring in a handsome box. It might not fit (I don't know his ring size) but he could exchange it for the right size later. When should I give it to him? After work, we ate pizza, and watched an old movie. We were about to go to bed, but I didn't want to wait until tomorrow, so I pulled it out from behind a pillow on the couch. "Will you marry me? Again?"
He was surprised, and he says he loves it. The ring is black titanium, and will last forever. He is happy, and I am happy. We agree that we would marry each other a million billion times over again.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
iPhone Posting
This is my first attempt at blogging from the iPhone! It's sort of a pain, honestly, but work is incredibly slow and I'm bored and the Internet connection at the office is incredibly slow today.
Anywho, things are much less hectic and Scott is settling into his new job nicely. Our schedules conflict, which is sort of a good and bad thing. The bad part is that we have less time together, since we don't have the same days off. I estimate that there are about 24 hours during the week that we can spend together- meaning time when neither of us is working, commuting, or sleeping. On the plus side, I rather enjoy solitude, and not having to cook dinner (or feeling like I have to).
Life without the tv is actually less productive than it was with the tv. I seem to remember this happening last time too, but it went away after an adjustment period. But right now, I spend a ridiculous amount of time on the computer. Hopefully that won't last too much longer.
That's all for now. Typing too much on this thing makes me nutty. :P
Anywho, things are much less hectic and Scott is settling into his new job nicely. Our schedules conflict, which is sort of a good and bad thing. The bad part is that we have less time together, since we don't have the same days off. I estimate that there are about 24 hours during the week that we can spend together- meaning time when neither of us is working, commuting, or sleeping. On the plus side, I rather enjoy solitude, and not having to cook dinner (or feeling like I have to).
Life without the tv is actually less productive than it was with the tv. I seem to remember this happening last time too, but it went away after an adjustment period. But right now, I spend a ridiculous amount of time on the computer. Hopefully that won't last too much longer.
That's all for now. Typing too much on this thing makes me nutty. :P
Thursday, June 11, 2009
My New Friend
Now that Scott has left his job, we had to go out and get phones like normal people. Scott used to work for T-Mobile, so he had several employee lines, and paid next to nothing for 'em. This was especially nice for my stepdaughter, I think. I bet not many of her friends had a Sidekick in junior high, and never once had to worry about going over minutes or texts or anything. Frankly, I was a little worried about what our cell phone bill was about to entail, but as it turns out, I was pleasantly surprised.
I knew right off that we would need unlimited texting. I'm not sure how, but Cass sends over 1500 texts steadily each month, and receives about the same. That's a lot. Or maybe it's not. I don't really hang out with any high school chicks, so maybe it's par for the course. Anyway, that was a priority- texting. Luckily, (I assume because of all the texts) she uses about the same amount of minutes as Scott and I each do. With these things in mind, I started shopping around a bit.
I won't lie. I chose our new carrier for one reason, and here it is:
Yup. The iPhone. I had been nudging Scott for a Google phone, but in my heart I always really wanted the iPhone. And I'm so glad fate landed us in this situation, because it really is freaking awesome. All three of us got one, each with our own snazzy case. I went with orange. I'm thinking about naming mine The Viceroy.
Three iPhones on a plan with unlimited text and 700 minutes will run you about $200/month. Plus AT&T has those great rollover minutes, so if there is some sort of crisis, we hopefully won't have to worry about some extra phone usage. But the ability to not only check email, but tweet, blog, check any website, get directions, and always having my iPod on me? Priceless.
My Blackberry Pearl looks like a worthless POS next to this sweet thing. My HTML emails are readable, the camera is better, no more phone delay, internet is nearly flawless, and it's way faster. Hooray for 3G! And I hate to break it to T-Mobile, but AT&T is killing them with better 3G coverage.
So far I've only found two things I don't like about it.
1)It's not compatible with the iPod-through-the-car-radio cord we have. Scott's iPod touch worked with it, but not the iPhone. Which also means not having a car charger. So we have to get a new one of those, or a new car stereo with a MP3 jack, or something.
2)Email isn't automatically updated. To see if I have new email, I have to physically go in and look.
Neither of these is a big deal by any means. And my god, the applications! There are more than you could possibly go through in a lifetime. So far I've only gotten a few freebies, but I see more in my future.
Now if I could just put it down long enough to get some knitting done...
I knew right off that we would need unlimited texting. I'm not sure how, but Cass sends over 1500 texts steadily each month, and receives about the same. That's a lot. Or maybe it's not. I don't really hang out with any high school chicks, so maybe it's par for the course. Anyway, that was a priority- texting. Luckily, (I assume because of all the texts) she uses about the same amount of minutes as Scott and I each do. With these things in mind, I started shopping around a bit.
I won't lie. I chose our new carrier for one reason, and here it is:
Yup. The iPhone. I had been nudging Scott for a Google phone, but in my heart I always really wanted the iPhone. And I'm so glad fate landed us in this situation, because it really is freaking awesome. All three of us got one, each with our own snazzy case. I went with orange. I'm thinking about naming mine The Viceroy.
Three iPhones on a plan with unlimited text and 700 minutes will run you about $200/month. Plus AT&T has those great rollover minutes, so if there is some sort of crisis, we hopefully won't have to worry about some extra phone usage. But the ability to not only check email, but tweet, blog, check any website, get directions, and always having my iPod on me? Priceless.
My Blackberry Pearl looks like a worthless POS next to this sweet thing. My HTML emails are readable, the camera is better, no more phone delay, internet is nearly flawless, and it's way faster. Hooray for 3G! And I hate to break it to T-Mobile, but AT&T is killing them with better 3G coverage.
So far I've only found two things I don't like about it.
1)It's not compatible with the iPod-through-the-car-radio cord we have. Scott's iPod touch worked with it, but not the iPhone. Which also means not having a car charger. So we have to get a new one of those, or a new car stereo with a MP3 jack, or something.
2)Email isn't automatically updated. To see if I have new email, I have to physically go in and look.
Neither of these is a big deal by any means. And my god, the applications! There are more than you could possibly go through in a lifetime. So far I've only gotten a few freebies, but I see more in my future.
Now if I could just put it down long enough to get some knitting done...
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Tricksy Comcast and Some News
Scott and I decided to get rid our cable last week. We generally hate Comcast and the TV sucks up a lot of time so we just cancelled it. Some might remember that we tried this a couple years ago- we went about a year without it, and it was mostly good. There are some downsides (like a major feeling of detachment from society, and never knowing what movies are out) but mostly it's pretty great.
Unfortunately, when the Comcast guy came to disconnect our service, he wiped out our internet. It's partly my own fault for letting the guy leave before making sure all was well, but mostly I blame the Comcast guy. My rage really boiled over when I called them- not 5 minutes after the guy left- and they said nobody could come fix it for four days. Doucheknockers. I swear my hatred for Comcast grew exponentially each day. The worst part is that they have a total monopoly on high speed internet in our area. I'm hoping weekly calls to Verizon, begging them to expand their service, will change this.
But for now, my bubbling anger has been reduced to a simmer as the internet has been restored. And those tricky bastards sent out the nicest, most competent men (yes, two men!) to fix the problem, nullifying my plan to shoot the messenger. Nonetheless, I still despise Comcast and plan on dropping them as soon as possible.
Now for the news: Scott is back to tattooing. He had enough of the office scene, and an opportunity presented itself, so that was it. The next few weeks will be hectic as we adjust, but all in all it will be much better.
Honestly, I was debating holding that little tidbit back, but it would probably have come out sooner or later. My hesitation was purely due to the fact that now nearly every conversation with every person I meet is going to be about tattoos. I mean, when someone asks what my husband does for a living, and I respond with "He works at (insert telecom company here)," that's it. Sometimes there's a follow up question, but rarely an entire discussion. But if I say, "He's a tattooist," it's inevitably followed by a discussion about tattoos. I won't lie- it gets old fast.
Perhaps it's the anti-socialist in me, but I just don't care. I don't care what you want, or what you have. I don't care to show you all of mine. None of mine have any meaning whatsoever- really. It really doesn't matter if you like mine, or if I like yours. If you ask me more about my tattoos than you'd ask about a haircut, I'm going to start looking for escape routes. I can't tell you how much "something like that" would cost, and I definitely can't tell you how much it will hurt you. Them's the breaks.
BUT if you want to talk tattoos, go talk to Scott. He's at Exposed Temptations in Manassas. He's really quite awesome, and can answer all your questions (except the pain one- seriously, how can anyone else know your pain tolerance?).
Unfortunately, when the Comcast guy came to disconnect our service, he wiped out our internet. It's partly my own fault for letting the guy leave before making sure all was well, but mostly I blame the Comcast guy. My rage really boiled over when I called them- not 5 minutes after the guy left- and they said nobody could come fix it for four days. Doucheknockers. I swear my hatred for Comcast grew exponentially each day. The worst part is that they have a total monopoly on high speed internet in our area. I'm hoping weekly calls to Verizon, begging them to expand their service, will change this.
But for now, my bubbling anger has been reduced to a simmer as the internet has been restored. And those tricky bastards sent out the nicest, most competent men (yes, two men!) to fix the problem, nullifying my plan to shoot the messenger. Nonetheless, I still despise Comcast and plan on dropping them as soon as possible.
Now for the news: Scott is back to tattooing. He had enough of the office scene, and an opportunity presented itself, so that was it. The next few weeks will be hectic as we adjust, but all in all it will be much better.
Honestly, I was debating holding that little tidbit back, but it would probably have come out sooner or later. My hesitation was purely due to the fact that now nearly every conversation with every person I meet is going to be about tattoos. I mean, when someone asks what my husband does for a living, and I respond with "He works at (insert telecom company here)," that's it. Sometimes there's a follow up question, but rarely an entire discussion. But if I say, "He's a tattooist," it's inevitably followed by a discussion about tattoos. I won't lie- it gets old fast.
Perhaps it's the anti-socialist in me, but I just don't care. I don't care what you want, or what you have. I don't care to show you all of mine. None of mine have any meaning whatsoever- really. It really doesn't matter if you like mine, or if I like yours. If you ask me more about my tattoos than you'd ask about a haircut, I'm going to start looking for escape routes. I can't tell you how much "something like that" would cost, and I definitely can't tell you how much it will hurt you. Them's the breaks.
BUT if you want to talk tattoos, go talk to Scott. He's at Exposed Temptations in Manassas. He's really quite awesome, and can answer all your questions (except the pain one- seriously, how can anyone else know your pain tolerance?).
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Laziest Day Ever
Scott left on a camping trip this morning, leaving me on my own for most of the weekend.* A moment ago, I reflected on my day thus far, and decided I really should not be left on my own with no direction. Apparently, this is what happens:
Around 7 I woke up and showered. The next couple hours were spent assisting in making breakfast and coffee for 6 biker friends of the Husband. Around 10 they all left on aforementioned camping trip. At that time, I whined via Facebook status about having to clean up the bacon grease splattered all over the stove. Afterwards, I may have had a drink to cope with the recent stress of having many people in the house so early, and the prospect of cleaning.** From 10:30-11:30 I cleaned said grease, did many dishes, and vacuumed the layer of dog hair Spencer unleashed at the excitement of having company. Afterward, I ate a brownie as a reward.
Around noon, I decided to check out Wonder Books. For those not local to this area, it's a bookstore that sells new and used books, DVDs, VHS, CDs, etc. I think they rent movies, too. It's supposedly a great place to go if you're looking for something out-of-print, or if you still have a functional VCR. Thinking they may have some rare knitting books, I go, only to find their knitting/crochet section is pitifully small. I guess knitters don't let go of their old books... I did find a book with some general patterns in it, and picked up a paperback copy of Red Dragon. When I got back, I more thoroughly examined my purchases while eating an apple. So far this isn't too bad, but then I rapidly sank into boredom:
I spent the better part of the afternoon taking quizzes on Facebook, wandering aimlessly around Ravelry, and watching TV. I followed a fly around the house with a spray bottle set to "mist" for a while, thinking that if I got him wet he wouldn't be able to fly around, and he'd land so I could catch him. I have a thing about smooshing bugs. And cleaning up smooshed bugs. Unfortunately, he was clever enough to go under the couch, so that was the end of that. I made an iced mocha, and went back to screwing around on the interwebs. Later I was suddenly struck with the feeling that I was developing a fever. As I put down the laptop to go get a thermometer, I realized that it was only the heat of the computer making me hot. Feeling stupid, and still bored, I went to the kitchen to procure a snack. On the way, I tripped over the abandoned spray bottle. I ate a banana while pondering compost heaps and wishing we had a backyard. By that time it was nearing 7:30 and I noticed the whole day had been a wash, due to my own laziness. Eventually, I decided to blog in an effort to redeem myself and that's where I sit now. Somewhere in there I did manage to get 4 rounds of a sock done, but that's it.
A bit of sock, a couple of books, and a clean kitchen- that's all I have to show for the day. One of these days I'm going to figure out this whole "productivity" thing. And learn how to eat like a normal person, with regular meals and all that.
*Would-be rapers and killers beware: I am alone but armed.
**I'd like to point out that I almost never drink, but have an affinity for Disaronno and a rebellious attitude toward social mores (like drinking alone in the morning).
Around 7 I woke up and showered. The next couple hours were spent assisting in making breakfast and coffee for 6 biker friends of the Husband. Around 10 they all left on aforementioned camping trip. At that time, I whined via Facebook status about having to clean up the bacon grease splattered all over the stove. Afterwards, I may have had a drink to cope with the recent stress of having many people in the house so early, and the prospect of cleaning.** From 10:30-11:30 I cleaned said grease, did many dishes, and vacuumed the layer of dog hair Spencer unleashed at the excitement of having company. Afterward, I ate a brownie as a reward.
Around noon, I decided to check out Wonder Books. For those not local to this area, it's a bookstore that sells new and used books, DVDs, VHS, CDs, etc. I think they rent movies, too. It's supposedly a great place to go if you're looking for something out-of-print, or if you still have a functional VCR. Thinking they may have some rare knitting books, I go, only to find their knitting/crochet section is pitifully small. I guess knitters don't let go of their old books... I did find a book with some general patterns in it, and picked up a paperback copy of Red Dragon. When I got back, I more thoroughly examined my purchases while eating an apple. So far this isn't too bad, but then I rapidly sank into boredom:
I spent the better part of the afternoon taking quizzes on Facebook, wandering aimlessly around Ravelry, and watching TV. I followed a fly around the house with a spray bottle set to "mist" for a while, thinking that if I got him wet he wouldn't be able to fly around, and he'd land so I could catch him. I have a thing about smooshing bugs. And cleaning up smooshed bugs. Unfortunately, he was clever enough to go under the couch, so that was the end of that. I made an iced mocha, and went back to screwing around on the interwebs. Later I was suddenly struck with the feeling that I was developing a fever. As I put down the laptop to go get a thermometer, I realized that it was only the heat of the computer making me hot. Feeling stupid, and still bored, I went to the kitchen to procure a snack. On the way, I tripped over the abandoned spray bottle. I ate a banana while pondering compost heaps and wishing we had a backyard. By that time it was nearing 7:30 and I noticed the whole day had been a wash, due to my own laziness. Eventually, I decided to blog in an effort to redeem myself and that's where I sit now. Somewhere in there I did manage to get 4 rounds of a sock done, but that's it.
A bit of sock, a couple of books, and a clean kitchen- that's all I have to show for the day. One of these days I'm going to figure out this whole "productivity" thing. And learn how to eat like a normal person, with regular meals and all that.
*Would-be rapers and killers beware: I am alone but armed.
**I'd like to point out that I almost never drink, but have an affinity for Disaronno and a rebellious attitude toward social mores (like drinking alone in the morning).
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
More Things I Like
21. Lists, apparently
22. Edamame (mostly I like picking it out of it's little pods)
23. The Venture Bros.
24. Pockets. Pockets in bags, pockets in pants, pockets everywhere.
25. Slip-on Vans
26. Skulls
27. Breakfast, especially toast
28. Snarkfests (as an observer, not an active participant)
29. Virgils Root Beer
30. TV shows about ghosts and haunted stuff
31. Cast iron skillets (we've recently acquired a second one!)
32. Little Britain
33. Space phenomenon such as shooting stars and comets
34. Thai Tanium (best Thai food ever)
35. Solitude. I really just love to be alone.
22. Edamame (mostly I like picking it out of it's little pods)
23. The Venture Bros.
24. Pockets. Pockets in bags, pockets in pants, pockets everywhere.
25. Slip-on Vans
26. Skulls
27. Breakfast, especially toast
28. Snarkfests (as an observer, not an active participant)
29. Virgils Root Beer
30. TV shows about ghosts and haunted stuff
31. Cast iron skillets (we've recently acquired a second one!)
32. Little Britain
33. Space phenomenon such as shooting stars and comets
34. Thai Tanium (best Thai food ever)
35. Solitude. I really just love to be alone.
Whew.
It's been a busy month! We made a lot of progress on the house (or at least it looks like we did):
We painted the living room a reddish-orange, with a yellow accent wall you can see in this photo:
And then we got some new curtains up, bought a better bookcase (to replace our two Ikea monstrosities), and got everything back on the walls. It's like a whole new place. I can't tell you how much I love the color we chose. In the shadows, it's a cozy, earthy, red; and when the light hits it, it's warm and bright and wonderful.
And we got all this done in time for a visit from Bryan (Scott's brother) and Celia (his wife). We had oodles of fun cavorting around DC, Frederick, and Gettysburg this past weekend.
There were many good times to be had, and of course, a filthy cake:
We painted the living room a reddish-orange, with a yellow accent wall you can see in this photo:
And then we got some new curtains up, bought a better bookcase (to replace our two Ikea monstrosities), and got everything back on the walls. It's like a whole new place. I can't tell you how much I love the color we chose. In the shadows, it's a cozy, earthy, red; and when the light hits it, it's warm and bright and wonderful.
And we got all this done in time for a visit from Bryan (Scott's brother) and Celia (his wife). We had oodles of fun cavorting around DC, Frederick, and Gettysburg this past weekend.
There were many good times to be had, and of course, a filthy cake:
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Cast Iron Excellence
Scott and I are in love with our cast iron skillet. It keeps getting better and better with age and use, and I can't imagine breakfast without it. For me, cleaning it is akin to bathing a baby. It's our special time together. There may even be some bonding.
Because I've heard some horrible things people have done to their own skillets, I've created a little tutorial on how to properly love your skillet. Rule number one: NO FREAKIN' SOAP. A cast iron skillet will absorb the flavors of whatever goes in it, so unless you like your bacon with a side of Ivory, don't use soap and water.
Here is my skillet after a delicious breakfast of bacon and eggs this morning:
The first step is to gather the following:
Kosher salt, oil (I like olive), a dishrag (or several paper towels, if you hate the planet), and maybe a stainless steel scrubby thing or steel wool.
Step 1. Use the (dry!) rag to wipe out any food in the skillet. Don't go nuts, just get the big stuff out. Shake off the rag into the sink or garbage, refold so the icky side is on the inside, and set aside.
Step 2. Add a tablespoon or two each of salt and oil.
Step 3. Spread around the salt and oil, and use this to scrub the skillet clean. If there is any food really baked on, use the steel scrubby and elbow grease.
Step 4. Wipe out as much of the salt as you can with your hands (this makes the next step easier).
Step 5. Using the (still dry!) rag, wipe out the rest of the salt and oil.
And that's it! Yay! Clean happy skillet!
To ensure your skillet remains happy, coat in oil (inside and out) and bake it in the oven every once in a while to keep it from rusting. If you find a rust spot (check early and often) scrub it off with steel wool, coat with oil, and bake. We bake it at 300 degrees for about an hour. Watch as your skillet develops a patina over time... it's a thing of beauty. And remember: Soap tastes terrible, and water causes rust. Those two things shouldn't go on your skillet.
Because I've heard some horrible things people have done to their own skillets, I've created a little tutorial on how to properly love your skillet. Rule number one: NO FREAKIN' SOAP. A cast iron skillet will absorb the flavors of whatever goes in it, so unless you like your bacon with a side of Ivory, don't use soap and water.
Here is my skillet after a delicious breakfast of bacon and eggs this morning:
The first step is to gather the following:
Kosher salt, oil (I like olive), a dishrag (or several paper towels, if you hate the planet), and maybe a stainless steel scrubby thing or steel wool.
Step 1. Use the (dry!) rag to wipe out any food in the skillet. Don't go nuts, just get the big stuff out. Shake off the rag into the sink or garbage, refold so the icky side is on the inside, and set aside.
Step 2. Add a tablespoon or two each of salt and oil.
Step 3. Spread around the salt and oil, and use this to scrub the skillet clean. If there is any food really baked on, use the steel scrubby and elbow grease.
Step 4. Wipe out as much of the salt as you can with your hands (this makes the next step easier).
Step 5. Using the (still dry!) rag, wipe out the rest of the salt and oil.
And that's it! Yay! Clean happy skillet!
To ensure your skillet remains happy, coat in oil (inside and out) and bake it in the oven every once in a while to keep it from rusting. If you find a rust spot (check early and often) scrub it off with steel wool, coat with oil, and bake. We bake it at 300 degrees for about an hour. Watch as your skillet develops a patina over time... it's a thing of beauty. And remember: Soap tastes terrible, and water causes rust. Those two things shouldn't go on your skillet.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
A Day Without Rain
I’ve been feeling a little out of sorts the past few days. Nothing major, just a general ickyness. Today, I thought of some possible causes of my malaise:
1. It’s the flu I would have gotten had I not received a flu shot. My fatigue is due to my immune system working overtime to suppress said flu.
2. Mono. It explains why I feel so wiped out, but I've already had Mono, so probably not.
3. Spring Fever. Perhaps this is a real condition: a combination of Cabin Fever and/or Seasonal Affective Disorder and allergies, further complicated by rampant rain-induced mold spores.
Or I just need to eat better and exercise more. Le sigh.
In other news... It was a beautiful day today, and my boss let me out of work a little early. First I bought a pair of Spicolis.
I really love slip on Vans, even more than Chuck Taylors.
Then I went to the eye doctor to get some contacts (it turns out that glasses are rather difficult to fit inside a motorcycle helmet). And now I'm about to go for a walk since it's so nice out. Hooray for short work days!
By the way, I have a Twitter now. It's over there on the right sidebar thingy. >>>
1. It’s the flu I would have gotten had I not received a flu shot. My fatigue is due to my immune system working overtime to suppress said flu.
2. Mono. It explains why I feel so wiped out, but I've already had Mono, so probably not.
3. Spring Fever. Perhaps this is a real condition: a combination of Cabin Fever and/or Seasonal Affective Disorder and allergies, further complicated by rampant rain-induced mold spores.
Or I just need to eat better and exercise more. Le sigh.
In other news... It was a beautiful day today, and my boss let me out of work a little early. First I bought a pair of Spicolis.
I really love slip on Vans, even more than Chuck Taylors.
Then I went to the eye doctor to get some contacts (it turns out that glasses are rather difficult to fit inside a motorcycle helmet). And now I'm about to go for a walk since it's so nice out. Hooray for short work days!
By the way, I have a Twitter now. It's over there on the right sidebar thingy. >>>
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Finally, A House Update
The Spring air has been making us feel antsy to get stuff done around the house. Well, that coupled with the four family members we'll be housing next month. Scott and I really want to get a bunch of stuff scratched off our To Do List before they get here, so it was off to Lowes this morning to do just that. We've got three major-ish projects in mind that can be reasonably done with our time and financial constraints. Today's project: Replace the ceiling lights in the living/dining room.
The lights that came with the house are builder-grade, brass nightmares that have vexed us since the day we moved in.
We've been eyeballing replacements for a while. We don't want anything too matchy-matchy, but they shouldn't look ridiculous together either since they're all in the same area. We found three we liked, opting to replace the hideous "chandelier" with a ceiling fan. Then we spent the afternoon installing them. Or more accurately, Scott installed them while I handed him things, and held stuff.
So much better...
And I can finally get rid of that fucking chandelier. Did I mention it's held together with Scotch tape? Gross.
The lights that came with the house are builder-grade, brass nightmares that have vexed us since the day we moved in.
We've been eyeballing replacements for a while. We don't want anything too matchy-matchy, but they shouldn't look ridiculous together either since they're all in the same area. We found three we liked, opting to replace the hideous "chandelier" with a ceiling fan. Then we spent the afternoon installing them. Or more accurately, Scott installed them while I handed him things, and held stuff.
So much better...
And I can finally get rid of that fucking chandelier. Did I mention it's held together with Scotch tape? Gross.
Friday, April 10, 2009
A List of Things I Like
This list will likely be added to over time:
1. Epic thunderstorms, tornado watch/warning a plus
2. Cool, cloudy weather- I love an overcast (but not rainy) day with highs hovering in the upper 50s
3. Creepy, old trees- bonus points if it's been visibly hit by lightning and/or contains a vulture
4. Popcorn
5. Keurig coffee makers
6. Ivy growing on buildings, especially if it covers the windows (there is no substitute for the way ivy filters sunlight)
7. Apples. I eat at least one a day.
8. Papermate Flair (felt tip) pens
9. Old radio shows, especially mysteries
10. Puzzles: nonograms (hanji), logic puzzles, cryptograms, etc.
11. Movies about the supernatural
12. Robots
13. Growing three plants in one pot
14. The smell of motor oil
15. My Blackberry
16. Dumptrucks
17. Having hair long enough for a ponytail again
18. VitaBrownies
19. Braindonors (hilarious!)
20. Pizza Rolls
1. Epic thunderstorms, tornado watch/warning a plus
2. Cool, cloudy weather- I love an overcast (but not rainy) day with highs hovering in the upper 50s
3. Creepy, old trees- bonus points if it's been visibly hit by lightning and/or contains a vulture
4. Popcorn
5. Keurig coffee makers
6. Ivy growing on buildings, especially if it covers the windows (there is no substitute for the way ivy filters sunlight)
7. Apples. I eat at least one a day.
8. Papermate Flair (felt tip) pens
9. Old radio shows, especially mysteries
10. Puzzles: nonograms (hanji), logic puzzles, cryptograms, etc.
11. Movies about the supernatural
12. Robots
13. Growing three plants in one pot
14. The smell of motor oil
15. My Blackberry
16. Dumptrucks
17. Having hair long enough for a ponytail again
18. VitaBrownies
19. Braindonors (hilarious!)
20. Pizza Rolls
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