Ahhh, it was so nice to have some nice weather for a while! All of my knitting mojo came flooding back as soon as the temperature dropped below 85. I want to knit, but as usual, I'm more inspired to start new projects than finish those already in the works. I've got ideas for a couple of bags, and I want to do some mittens and scarves for this winter, and there are cardigans and pullovers and hats and socks and maybe a cozy for Scott's french press... You can see my conundrum.
Right now I am trying to stay up to date with the mystery shawl, and mostly succeeding. I think I'm halfway through Clue 5, and this Wednesday will bring Clue 7. That's not too far behind. I'm also chugging along on a pair of socks for my brother-in-law that are going well so far. I'm past the heels, so it shouldn't be too much longer before they're done. Then I'll start another pair for his wife, which will probably be more interesting (hooray lace!), and I love the light green color I picked for her.
Work was okay the past week. The new guy started, and he seems nice. Now we just have to see if he can wind. Next week we have some sort of audit going on, and I'm sure it will be a total nightmare. It's only two days long though, so that's what I keep repeating in my head. Two days. Just two days and then it's over.
I may have come up with a great idea for my knitty tattoo, but I can't tell you about it because I'll jinx it. I've had quite a few ideas, but the real trouble is where to put them. Scott is picky because he has to look at them all the time, and we both want them to be in flattering places. Plus I'm trying to consider future tattoos at the same time, though that might be futile. I'd like to do a sleeve and a big back piece, but I don't think Scott wants to do them. He seems much more keen on doing large pieces on other people, and I don't know if it's because he doesn't like the way it will look on me, or that he thinks I won't sit well for it, or what. Part of me thinks I could just save my pennies and have it done by someone else, but I don't want anyone else to do it. And I'm sure doing that would make Scott feel shitty- if he asked some other knitter to make him a pair of socks, it would probably bum me out. But if he asked the other knitter after asking me for several years and getting nowhere, would that then be okay? I don't know. It still feels like cheating to me. I think I'm just stuck, which is a little disappointing, but it's not the end of the world.
I did a phenomenal job cleaning out the closet in my knitty room last weekend. Scott has sold (or is selling) all his bikes and replaced them with one monster motorcycle (2008 BMW R1200GS). With only one bike, we won't need the storage space anymore, so everything in storage will be moving back in the house. This means reorganizing, and my closet was first on the list. I dropped off a big bag of yarn remnants at a local retirement home, and I have a small pile of things to drop off at Goodwill. Mostly the closet just needed to be rearranged to use the space more efficiently.
Once that was done, I had room to stick the Jeep's backseat in there. I find the backseat is a cumbersome pain in the ass, more than anything, and prefer to not have it in the Jeep. When it's in the normal position, there is hardly any storage space; and if you tumble it forward (to get the storage space), it forms a little wall behind the front seats. That makes it awkward for two adults to get into the front seats and put their bags into the back without beaning each other in the head. It's also loads easier to get the top up and down without it, and you can keep all the windows in back and still have room for groceries. All I had to do was get the sucker out of the Jeep and upstairs into the house. Which I did. Eventually.
It turns out that it's a lot easier to move the backseat about 15 feet into a ground-level storage space, than it is to get it up a full flight of stairs 30 feet away. And that just gets it into the house. Getting to the knitty closet means another set of stairs. Well, I managed to haul the backseat up to the front door, one step at a time, with only minor injuries (mostly a hand chewed up by a metal bracket). It stayed there overnight, and today I dragged it (literally) inside and upstairs to the knitty room. I don't think I pulled anything, and I have that super invincible feeling that comes from proving someone wrong (*coughScottcough*). Nyah!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Two Weeks
It's been an unusually eventful two weeks! It started two Fridays ago (July 30th), when I came home to find Marlowe limping about. We rushed to the vet to find out that it wasn't anything serious- probably a sprain or other soft tissue damage. Once kitty was loaded with painkillers and steroids, I made my way to Sewing With Jen At Sandy's. Jen from the local knitting meet-up showed a handful of us how to make these very cute and handy project bags. I loves them.
The next day was my friend Katie's baby shower, which was lovely. I especially liked the parts where I did not have to guess how many squares of toilet paper would wrap around her belly, and how most of the gifts were knit or otherwise handmade (all the guests were from her knitting groups). But let me tell you... that Rio group is freaking prolific. Downright intimidating, even. Part of me thinks I should start showing up there in hopes that their mad skillz can be transferred through some sort of osmosis, but part of me is much too afraid of failure. And most of me is too lazy to drive that far. Anyhoo, I made this for her from the softest cotton I have ever felt (Universal Yarns Cotton Supreme Batik in Watermelon Patch):
The work week was typical (dull yet frustrating), and then last weekend Cass came out for a visit. I drove out Saturday morning to pick her up at BWI, only to discover that she flew into Dulles. That was super. Chalk that up as another reason that I should not be allowed to procreate. An hour later, I collected her at the correct airport, and we made our way back to Frederick.
Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon we hung out while Scott was at work. We watched Netflix stuff, drove through my favorite creek, and sewed bags (I'm a sewer!). Sunday we had dinner (with Scott, off work by that time) at the Mediterranean place in town. Monday we all drove down to Skyline Drive in VA where we saw a black bear dart across the road! Sadly, we were too slow to get a picture of him. Then we went to Chick-Fil-A (Cass never had it before)(omg waffle fries!). Tuesday we hung out in Baltimore. We went through the National Aquarium, Cass had Maryland crab at J. Paul's, and we saw a big military ship in the harbour. It was a really great visit!
Wednesday, Scott dropped her at the (correct) airport, and I met up with him later at the tattoo shop. We finished my second rose- finally! And I think there are going to be discussions about what's next- probably the Husband Tattoo, possibly also a knitty sort of tattoo. Decisions, decisions...
On the way home, we stopped at Windy City Red Hots in Leesburg. We were skeptical, but you can, in fact, get decent Chicago food there! They are totally legit- according to their website, a couple from Chicago opened the place after not being able to find any Chicago food in the DC area. Scott and I agreed that the hot dogs are good, and Scott says the Italian Beef is good too- just be sure to order it with extra gravy. I think I'm going to try the chili cheese dog next time. We will probably eat there at least once a week until we move or die.
I've also been working on the Ludivine Mystery Knit-a-long. It's going well so far I think. I wasn't happy with the way I started it, so I ripped it and started again. The second time, I wanted the edge of the garter stitch bit to match the slipped-stitch edge of the shawl, so I slipped the first stitches on just that one side as I knit it. It's not perfect, but I think it looks neater.
So that's the past two weeks in a nutshell. Oh, and Marlowe is fine now, by the way. The poor little guy is like Bill the Cat- it seems like there's always something wrong with him!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
So Very Much
In the last post, I had dropped off my sewing machine for repairs. Well, that didn't go so great. The repair guy wanted $150 to fix it (understandable seeing as how he'd need to completely disassemble the machine), and that was a bit much for me. I said "Thanks, but no thanks," let him keep it, and bought a new one- for almost exactly $150. Practicality beats sentimentality every time at our house.
I bought a Brother CS6000i from Amazon, and finally tried it out today. I loves it. It features 60 stitches, a drop-in bobbin, and automatic buttonholes; and it came with almost every available accessory. This afternoon I pulled out some junk fabric and thread, and played around a bit. It was ridiculously easy to use. Apologies for the lack of contrast- I just grabbed the first thread I saw, and didn't think about photo quality. The sketchy bit in the center is a buttonhole.
I bought a Brother CS6000i from Amazon, and finally tried it out today. I loves it. It features 60 stitches, a drop-in bobbin, and automatic buttonholes; and it came with almost every available accessory. This afternoon I pulled out some junk fabric and thread, and played around a bit. It was ridiculously easy to use. Apologies for the lack of contrast- I just grabbed the first thread I saw, and didn't think about photo quality. The sketchy bit in the center is a buttonhole.
Two knit-nights ago, I learned about the Shalimar Yarns mystery knit-a-long... with mystery yarn! Naturally, I signed up and bought my mystery yarn kit. It arrived yesterday, and it is very lovely- I will refrain from saying anything else about it, to protect those who haven't seen it yet. Mystery!
Yesterday, my friend Maria and I had an awesome mini yarn crawl in Virginia. We first stopped at Needles in the Haymarket. It's a nice store, with a table to sit and knit at, and the ladies there were super friendly. Next we swung by Hunt Country Yarns in The Plains, where it took every ounce of self-restraint to not buy the qiviut or cashmere. Another nice store with a nice selection, and Maria and I agreed the The Plains is a super cute little town. Then it was back in the Jeep for a two hour trek to the next store on our list: the Massanutten Hookery.
Admittedly, we felt we had to visit the Massanutten Hookery mostly because it is called the Massanutten Hookery. I think we were both picturing a much larger shop, but the owner was nice and they had a decent selection for the space. It's part of Skyline Cafe and Art, so you can also browse jewelery, pottery, candles, and other things that may or may not have the Confederate flag emblazoned on them. The coffee at the cafe is awesome. At the Hookery, I got some hemp yarn from Plymouth Yarn called Grass. I really wish I had a shirt that said, "I bought Grass at the Massanutten Hookery."
Later, back in Frederick, I went solo to the big sale at Eleganza. I picked up some Shalimar Zoe Sock in two colors that seemed Christmasy to me. Maybe I'll stripe them together and make Christmas socks or a stocking.
And these four colors are going to become my new lunch bag. I'm thinking I'll do wide stripes with the yellow, blue and pink; then thin stripes of the green in between. I bought some bright green Pleather to line it with, and I think it'll be awesome.
Now the fun weekend is over, and I have to go back to work tomorrow. I hate work more and more with each day. I liked it better when I just did the same stupid thing every day, and the boss asked and answered all the questions. Now I have to think and do stuff and be challenged and it sucks. My hand and brain hurt from straining to figure out new patterns, people are always in the lab messing stuff up, and it keeps getting worse. I think I found that point where money ceases to buy happiness. Blargh. I keep wondering when we'll be able to move to Virginia so that I can quit my job to become a crazy survivalist housewife.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Super Un-Genius
A few weeks ago I tried to sew a simple pocket for my Jeep windows. I had some denim fabric, heavy-duty thread, a sewing machine, and a small amount of sewing knowledge retained from a junior high home economics class. I gathered these things in our spare bedroom, away from the dog and cats, and set to work. The fabric was long enough that I could just cut it to the width of the windows (plus a bit for ease), fold it, and sew up each side, leaving a little flap at the top. I even thought I might add a button closure so the windows wouldn’t slide out.
I cut the fabric, pinned the first edge, and set up the machine. The thread was too thick for the needle, so I changed it and moved on. As soon as I started sewing, everything went awry. The machine kept eating the bobbin thread, and the tension seemed to be off no matter what I set it to. I would go 6 inches, and the needle thread would break. I would finish a seam, only to find out the bobbin thread was nowhere to be found. It seemed like I tried everything, and nothing helped. In the end, I was so frustrated that I actually sewed the edges wrong- I had created the flap on opposite sides (creating two triangular flaps- front left and rear right). Awesome. Too irritated to rip it out and do it right, I just said, “Fuck it.” and stuck my windows in it anyway.
Adding to my woe, I was convinced that I had destroyed my sewing machine with a combination of poor maintenance and heavy duty thread. Normally this wouldn’t be all that distressing- I’d just chuck it and buy a new one. It’s my way. Except that this particular machine was Scott’s first Christmas gift to me. I didn’t want to let it go that easily. Naturally, I turned to the internet for help.
First I found a few places nearby that offered sewing machine repair services. The one shop that listed a price wanted $90. I could only assume that covered labor only, and it seemed a little steep. My next Google search was (and this is where things get really interesting): “how to fix your own sewing machine.”
The first result I read warned to check your needle- that 9 out of 10 times, sewing machine malfunction is due to an improperly inserted needle. Pssht. As if that applied to me. I clicked on. The next result was from eHow, and it was so deliciously simple that it HAD to be right. It instructed me to remove the plastic bits, vacuum out the lint and any wayward thread, oil some bits, and grease others. Replace plastic bits. I cackled manically to myself as I thought about how I was going to save tens of dollars with my brilliant plan!
Yesterday, I went to the hardware store to get the oil and white lithium grease I’d need. “This is so freaking awesome,” I thought on the way home. “I’m going to fix my own machine for less than $7!” My next thought was that I HAD to blog this. I would stun a very small group of family and fellow knitters with my mechanical prowess, and the prideful high would last for weeks. Maybe even months! Well, I will amaze you… but mostly with my vast stupidity.
I gathered all the items necessary for my little project, and took a photo. It’s rare that I realize a golden blogging opportunity before it actually happens, and I wanted to document it well. But before I started, I wanted to test the machine. I had some cotton fabric and standard thread- I wondered if maybe it was just the heavier fabric and thread that had been a problem. As I changed needles once again, I thought back to that first website. A quick glance in the manual told me that I was, in fact, an idiot. The needle was in backwards. After putting it in correctly, the machine ran without breaking either thread. The tension still seemed a bit wonky, though, and that was the only nudge I needed to continue on my quest to crack that sucker open. It turns out I had grown highly curious of how a sewing machine works, and really wanted to open it up.
On I went, taking photos along the way. Not knowing how exactly all these plastic parts come off, and not having a manual that goes much beyond needle insertion and bobbin winding, I guessed. I took out screws where it seemed like it might do something. Eventually I got a panel off the bottom, and one off the side. Something in the back of my mind told me to stop before I got into trouble, but I ignored it. 30 seconds later, I was unscrewing the bit that apparently holds the tension wheel in place when shit hit the fan.
First, the tension wheel sprang out before I could get a good look at how it was in there, so that I could put it back correctly. I knew that was a problem, but kept going anyway. Still trying to figure out how to get the main plastic cover off, I sighted a screw near the bobbin winder. It was the auto-cutoff bit, and it looked to me like it might hold a secret… Unfortunately it’s secret was a bolt on the end of the nut I removed, which dropped into the shadowy world inside the machine (which I was still so desperate to expose) as I unscrewed it. I shook the machine, and heard it rattle around a bit. Idea! I could just shake it out! I shook the machine feverishly over the kitchen table, straining to hear a sound that might be a small nut hitting the table. Nothing. I shook it at every angle, until eventually it lodged itself into a cozy corner of the machine never to be heard again.
That’s when I realized I was in way over my head. The little nut was probably stuck in a gear somewhere, ready to do some serious damage in retaliation for all that shaking about. Not wanting to risk unscrewing anything more, and having no other options, I began to put the machine together as best I could. Most of it went fine- I had smartly labeled all the pieces. But that damned little tension wheel gave me a lot of grief. It probably took me 45 minutes to get that sucker back in, and it still didn’t go in right. Something like 27 little pieces need to be coordinated just so in order to screw it back in place. Freaking impossible.
Today I called a couple places about repairs. I asked about their prices and turnaround time, and the cheapest and fastest was a place in Gaithersburg on East Diamond. I had the address from the innerwebs, and at lunch I headed over. Except when I got to the address, I saw only auto shops. Confused and thinking maybe they had moved, I called from a nearby parking lot. It turns out the guy who fixes sewing machines is an auto mechanic. The garage is the right place. Okay then! A couple of minutes later, a very nice man covered in motor oil took my machine, and tried not to laugh at me when I explained my situation. He said he’ll call when it’s done. I’m crossing my fingers.
I cut the fabric, pinned the first edge, and set up the machine. The thread was too thick for the needle, so I changed it and moved on. As soon as I started sewing, everything went awry. The machine kept eating the bobbin thread, and the tension seemed to be off no matter what I set it to. I would go 6 inches, and the needle thread would break. I would finish a seam, only to find out the bobbin thread was nowhere to be found. It seemed like I tried everything, and nothing helped. In the end, I was so frustrated that I actually sewed the edges wrong- I had created the flap on opposite sides (creating two triangular flaps- front left and rear right). Awesome. Too irritated to rip it out and do it right, I just said, “Fuck it.” and stuck my windows in it anyway.
Adding to my woe, I was convinced that I had destroyed my sewing machine with a combination of poor maintenance and heavy duty thread. Normally this wouldn’t be all that distressing- I’d just chuck it and buy a new one. It’s my way. Except that this particular machine was Scott’s first Christmas gift to me. I didn’t want to let it go that easily. Naturally, I turned to the internet for help.
First I found a few places nearby that offered sewing machine repair services. The one shop that listed a price wanted $90. I could only assume that covered labor only, and it seemed a little steep. My next Google search was (and this is where things get really interesting): “how to fix your own sewing machine.”
The first result I read warned to check your needle- that 9 out of 10 times, sewing machine malfunction is due to an improperly inserted needle. Pssht. As if that applied to me. I clicked on. The next result was from eHow, and it was so deliciously simple that it HAD to be right. It instructed me to remove the plastic bits, vacuum out the lint and any wayward thread, oil some bits, and grease others. Replace plastic bits. I cackled manically to myself as I thought about how I was going to save tens of dollars with my brilliant plan!
Yesterday, I went to the hardware store to get the oil and white lithium grease I’d need. “This is so freaking awesome,” I thought on the way home. “I’m going to fix my own machine for less than $7!” My next thought was that I HAD to blog this. I would stun a very small group of family and fellow knitters with my mechanical prowess, and the prideful high would last for weeks. Maybe even months! Well, I will amaze you… but mostly with my vast stupidity.
I gathered all the items necessary for my little project, and took a photo. It’s rare that I realize a golden blogging opportunity before it actually happens, and I wanted to document it well. But before I started, I wanted to test the machine. I had some cotton fabric and standard thread- I wondered if maybe it was just the heavier fabric and thread that had been a problem. As I changed needles once again, I thought back to that first website. A quick glance in the manual told me that I was, in fact, an idiot. The needle was in backwards. After putting it in correctly, the machine ran without breaking either thread. The tension still seemed a bit wonky, though, and that was the only nudge I needed to continue on my quest to crack that sucker open. It turns out I had grown highly curious of how a sewing machine works, and really wanted to open it up.
On I went, taking photos along the way. Not knowing how exactly all these plastic parts come off, and not having a manual that goes much beyond needle insertion and bobbin winding, I guessed. I took out screws where it seemed like it might do something. Eventually I got a panel off the bottom, and one off the side. Something in the back of my mind told me to stop before I got into trouble, but I ignored it. 30 seconds later, I was unscrewing the bit that apparently holds the tension wheel in place when shit hit the fan.
First, the tension wheel sprang out before I could get a good look at how it was in there, so that I could put it back correctly. I knew that was a problem, but kept going anyway. Still trying to figure out how to get the main plastic cover off, I sighted a screw near the bobbin winder. It was the auto-cutoff bit, and it looked to me like it might hold a secret… Unfortunately it’s secret was a bolt on the end of the nut I removed, which dropped into the shadowy world inside the machine (which I was still so desperate to expose) as I unscrewed it. I shook the machine, and heard it rattle around a bit. Idea! I could just shake it out! I shook the machine feverishly over the kitchen table, straining to hear a sound that might be a small nut hitting the table. Nothing. I shook it at every angle, until eventually it lodged itself into a cozy corner of the machine never to be heard again.
That’s when I realized I was in way over my head. The little nut was probably stuck in a gear somewhere, ready to do some serious damage in retaliation for all that shaking about. Not wanting to risk unscrewing anything more, and having no other options, I began to put the machine together as best I could. Most of it went fine- I had smartly labeled all the pieces. But that damned little tension wheel gave me a lot of grief. It probably took me 45 minutes to get that sucker back in, and it still didn’t go in right. Something like 27 little pieces need to be coordinated just so in order to screw it back in place. Freaking impossible.
Today I called a couple places about repairs. I asked about their prices and turnaround time, and the cheapest and fastest was a place in Gaithersburg on East Diamond. I had the address from the innerwebs, and at lunch I headed over. Except when I got to the address, I saw only auto shops. Confused and thinking maybe they had moved, I called from a nearby parking lot. It turns out the guy who fixes sewing machines is an auto mechanic. The garage is the right place. Okay then! A couple of minutes later, a very nice man covered in motor oil took my machine, and tried not to laugh at me when I explained my situation. He said he’ll call when it’s done. I’m crossing my fingers.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The House List
This is the list of things (some very specific, some general) that I want to have in our "forever home." Keep in mind that part of our criteria is a house on a large piece of land (at least a few acres), with the house centrally located on the property to ensure that our house doesn't wind up 10 feet away from the neighbor's house (or too close to the street, in case road noise becomes an issue in the future). We'd also like the property to be on a mountain, if possible. Ok, that said... on to the list!
1. An off-road trail (if the property is big enough)
2. Lots of mature trees, several of which shade the house- but not too old (as to fall on the house)
3. No standing water (like a pond) on the property (mosquitoes!), running water okay
4. Possibly a concrete home, or log home
5. Basement
6. Lots of storage space
7. Laundry area in basement or in out of the way area (not near bedrooms or living room)
8. Double-hung windows
9. Ceiling fans all over the place
10. Screened deck/porch with ceiling fan(s)
11. Fireplace(s)
12. 2 bedrooms- master and guest
13. 2 full bathrooms
14. 1-2 car attached garage or carport
15. Detached garage or barn
16. 2 areas for Scott and I to have our own space- a knitting area and a man cave
17. One of those instant hot water heaters (as opposed to the usual big tank type)
18. Large, eat-in/country kitchen or dining area next to kitchen, only one eating area
19. Generous counter space
20. 2 ovens
21. Pantry
22. Mud room between garage and house
23. Private well and septic system
24. Solar panels
25. Compost heap
26. Clothesline
27. Greenhouse
28. Chicken coop
29. Hidden safe, bolted in place
30. Fire pit
31. Brick BBQ
32. Giant garden
33. Metal roof
34. Bomb shelter/tornado bunker
35. Master bedroom on the North or East side of the house (afternoon sun = hot room!)
Of course, a lot of the list is negotiable; and the whole list goes out the window if we can get our hands on an old church with a cemetery on the grounds. Spooky! And there is a lot of crazy crap that I'd like to put on the list, but unless we fall into a few million bucks it's not realistic stuff (think secret passageways and moving walls).
1. An off-road trail (if the property is big enough)
2. Lots of mature trees, several of which shade the house- but not too old (as to fall on the house)
3. No standing water (like a pond) on the property (mosquitoes!), running water okay
4. Possibly a concrete home, or log home
5. Basement
6. Lots of storage space
7. Laundry area in basement or in out of the way area (not near bedrooms or living room)
8. Double-hung windows
9. Ceiling fans all over the place
10. Screened deck/porch with ceiling fan(s)
11. Fireplace(s)
12. 2 bedrooms- master and guest
13. 2 full bathrooms
14. 1-2 car attached garage or carport
15. Detached garage or barn
16. 2 areas for Scott and I to have our own space- a knitting area and a man cave
17. One of those instant hot water heaters (as opposed to the usual big tank type)
18. Large, eat-in/country kitchen or dining area next to kitchen, only one eating area
19. Generous counter space
20. 2 ovens
21. Pantry
22. Mud room between garage and house
23. Private well and septic system
24. Solar panels
25. Compost heap
26. Clothesline
27. Greenhouse
28. Chicken coop
29. Hidden safe, bolted in place
30. Fire pit
31. Brick BBQ
32. Giant garden
33. Metal roof
34. Bomb shelter/tornado bunker
35. Master bedroom on the North or East side of the house (afternoon sun = hot room!)
Of course, a lot of the list is negotiable; and the whole list goes out the window if we can get our hands on an old church with a cemetery on the grounds. Spooky! And there is a lot of crazy crap that I'd like to put on the list, but unless we fall into a few million bucks it's not realistic stuff (think secret passageways and moving walls).
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Oddities
I was reviewing the blog and noticed that my links are all bad. I don't know why, and I'm sorry if it created any confusion or inconvenience. It looks like my old way of editing HTML no longer works. What a pain in the ass. From now on I'll just use the special little hyperlink button Blogger provides. Truth be told, I'm not completely happy with Blogger- I'm considering changes! Maybe my own website? It will depend on how nutty I want to get with my little blog. Perhaps that's something I will look into once I go back to housewifery and have more time on my hands.
I have a funny little anecdote: The cats kept scratching at the door early this morning, so I got up and placed our two laundry baskets in front of our door to block them, in hopes that I could get a little more sleep. Later, the (undeterred) cats were back to scratching at the door. Scott walks over, opens the door, but sees only two laundry baskets. He looks at me and says, "I think the laundry baskets are hungry." Lolz.
Friday night after knitting, I put all the windows back on the Jeep, in preparation for a much-needed rain. Once the rain cleared up Saturday morning, I went out to run some errands. I got in the Jeep and noticed quite a bit of rain had gotten in on the passenger side. I walked around for a better look, and I might as well have not put the window in at all on that side. Water, water, everywhere! I think that I didn't seat the upper door/window all the way into the lower door, which caused it to not seal. I have rubber tray-style floor mats, which caught a good amount of the rain, but I still had to pull up the carpet and pull the two plugs to drain the rest of the water.
I toweled of the floor, carpet, door, dash, and console as best I could, then ran my errands with the carpet still pulled up in hopes that it would dry a bit. After a few hours, it was dry enough that I felt okay about putting the plugs back and refitting the carpet. This morning the carpet was still a bit damp in a couple spots, so the Jeep is now opened up- hopefully the fresh air and heat will finish drying it out.
When I went out to put the top down, I decided to try out the Sunrider sunroof. For those not in the know, the newer Jeep soft tops have the option to only partially fold the top back, creating a sort of sunroof. I never did it before because I didn't really see the point. And now that I've tried it, I still don't really see the point. I guess it's a nice option if there's a lot of rain off and on in the forecast, and you don't want to keep taking the top down and/or windows off; but it sort of feels like I'm just half-assing it.
This past week Scott and I did a bit of planning for emergencies. Scott gets very excited about the idea of surviving epic disasters and living in a post-apocalyptic world, and loves planning for such an event. He gathered everything we would need for a "Go Kit." This is the kit we would take if a bomb hit DC. It assumes we will need to leave in a matter of minutes, and may never be able to come back. I also made a little emergency kit for my Jeep. We are nearly adequately prepared for almost any sort of disaster.
By the way, fellow Fredneckians... If a nuclear bomb hits the DC area, we're totally screwed. Don't bother running. You'd have to be at least 160 miles or so away for the fallout not to kill you, and 250 miles away before you'd only feel mild effects. At only 30 miles from the beltway, we'll be dead in hours. Sorry!
Once we move to our dream house, we plan on becoming as self-sufficient as possible. I've been adding to that whole list of insane things we want to do/make/have. It's insane enough to make me worry about getting raided by the ATF or FBI, with our property being referred to as a "compound" on the news. Ha. I'll put the list in another post-it's too long to put here. While a nuclear blast will still kill us in the area we'd be in (an hour or less from Manassas), I think we could be ready for something like a small (non-nuclear) electromagnetic pulse event, or even just really severe weather. Yeah, I know. Scott's crazy is rubbing off on me.
Finally (on a non-crazy note), I'm working on that sweater from the last post, and so far so good. I'm into the main body now, and it should go relatively quickly with the worsted yarn. I'm also thinking 3/4 sleeves. It will be a nice transitional top for the Spring and Fall. Pictures later, when it's more identifiable.
I have a funny little anecdote: The cats kept scratching at the door early this morning, so I got up and placed our two laundry baskets in front of our door to block them, in hopes that I could get a little more sleep. Later, the (undeterred) cats were back to scratching at the door. Scott walks over, opens the door, but sees only two laundry baskets. He looks at me and says, "I think the laundry baskets are hungry." Lolz.
Friday night after knitting, I put all the windows back on the Jeep, in preparation for a much-needed rain. Once the rain cleared up Saturday morning, I went out to run some errands. I got in the Jeep and noticed quite a bit of rain had gotten in on the passenger side. I walked around for a better look, and I might as well have not put the window in at all on that side. Water, water, everywhere! I think that I didn't seat the upper door/window all the way into the lower door, which caused it to not seal. I have rubber tray-style floor mats, which caught a good amount of the rain, but I still had to pull up the carpet and pull the two plugs to drain the rest of the water.
I toweled of the floor, carpet, door, dash, and console as best I could, then ran my errands with the carpet still pulled up in hopes that it would dry a bit. After a few hours, it was dry enough that I felt okay about putting the plugs back and refitting the carpet. This morning the carpet was still a bit damp in a couple spots, so the Jeep is now opened up- hopefully the fresh air and heat will finish drying it out.
When I went out to put the top down, I decided to try out the Sunrider sunroof. For those not in the know, the newer Jeep soft tops have the option to only partially fold the top back, creating a sort of sunroof. I never did it before because I didn't really see the point. And now that I've tried it, I still don't really see the point. I guess it's a nice option if there's a lot of rain off and on in the forecast, and you don't want to keep taking the top down and/or windows off; but it sort of feels like I'm just half-assing it.
This past week Scott and I did a bit of planning for emergencies. Scott gets very excited about the idea of surviving epic disasters and living in a post-apocalyptic world, and loves planning for such an event. He gathered everything we would need for a "Go Kit." This is the kit we would take if a bomb hit DC. It assumes we will need to leave in a matter of minutes, and may never be able to come back. I also made a little emergency kit for my Jeep. We are nearly adequately prepared for almost any sort of disaster.
By the way, fellow Fredneckians... If a nuclear bomb hits the DC area, we're totally screwed. Don't bother running. You'd have to be at least 160 miles or so away for the fallout not to kill you, and 250 miles away before you'd only feel mild effects. At only 30 miles from the beltway, we'll be dead in hours. Sorry!
Once we move to our dream house, we plan on becoming as self-sufficient as possible. I've been adding to that whole list of insane things we want to do/make/have. It's insane enough to make me worry about getting raided by the ATF or FBI, with our property being referred to as a "compound" on the news. Ha. I'll put the list in another post-it's too long to put here. While a nuclear blast will still kill us in the area we'd be in (an hour or less from Manassas), I think we could be ready for something like a small (non-nuclear) electromagnetic pulse event, or even just really severe weather. Yeah, I know. Scott's crazy is rubbing off on me.
Finally (on a non-crazy note), I'm working on that sweater from the last post, and so far so good. I'm into the main body now, and it should go relatively quickly with the worsted yarn. I'm also thinking 3/4 sleeves. It will be a nice transitional top for the Spring and Fall. Pictures later, when it's more identifiable.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
One Month Later...
First off, I want to say FUCK HEAT. No really- heat can go screw. I hate it. It's heavy and oppressive, and there's nothing you can do about it. Scott says that if we moved somewhere cold, I'd just start bitching about the cold... the grass is always greener and all that. I'm not sure he's right. Perhaps if we lived where it was cold all the time, but I think I'd be pretty happy in a place that was always just about 10 degrees cooler than Frederick.
But it seems more likely that in a couple of years we'll be living in Virginia, closer to the tattoo shop. Hopefully we can find a piece of property on a mountain, in the woods, where it might be a bit cooler. With my job becoming more and more of a pain in my ass, I've been daydreaming a lot about the day when I get to quit my job and be a housewife again (in an actual house with a yard). I've been keeping a list of things I'll do- garden, bake, etc. Granted, there's no guarantee that I'll change my lazy ways, but it's fun to think about.
I've also been keeping a list of things I'd like to have in our "forever house." I think Scott and I are both hoping that the next house we buy will be the last house we buy (at least until retirement). We're hoping to get a small to medium sized house on a huge chunk of land- with the house right in the middle so the neighbors are all far away! My list includes some things that will need to exist on whatever property we purchase (mature trees, basement), and some things that we can add on later (greenhouse, chicken coop, solar panels). I also keep meaning to start a scrapbook of sorts containing photos and pressed leaves of plants I want on the property. And that is something I really should get started on, because it will take a full year to see what looks good during each season.
In the meantime, it's life as usual. Scott and I started watching the first season of X-files on Netflix recently. It's strange to think that it's almost 20 years old. I remember watching it as a kid, on the TV in the basement for full spooky effect. Back then I had a crush on Mulder/David Duchovny... Not so much anymore.
Knitting has been slow-going. I haven't worked on much since finishing the blanket. I did finally finish a pair of socks that I started back in uh... March? They came out pretty well, but I accidentally worked the heels over a different number of stitches, so they are not exactly identical like I'd hoped. The yarn is Knitting Fever Indulgence, and it has sadly been discontinued according to Ravelry. It's a buttery soft 75% merino/25% nylon blend, and it was great to knit with. I hope the softness won't equate to wearing poorly.
I think I might start working on one of my UFOs- a top-down sweater in SWTC Therapi. I started it quite a while ago (even before the socks) and it's only about halfway through the raglan increases. Maybe I can make some decent progress this weekend.
I'm pretty stoked about this weekend. I've got Monday off, which rocks; Scott has tomorrow off, which also rocks; and I've got two slabs of ribs marinating in the fridge which rocks extra hard. I really, really hope my marinade doesn't suck. I sort of pieced it together based on two different recipes and what I had to work with. One was a fruity bourbon thing, but Scott is not really into fruity meat, so I used part of a beer-based marinade too... It's basically bourbon, honey, soy sauce, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, one garlic clove and 1/2 of a Vidalia onion. It could be awesome, or it could be horrible. Who knows? I'm going to let it sit overnight, turn the pieces in the morning, and bake them in the late afternoon- nice and slow. I'll be dumping copious amounts of BBQ sauce on them as they bake, so the marinade may not even play a huge role in this. Then a few minutes under the broiler should finish them off nicely. There will also be potato salad (made this afternoon) and corn. Yay, food!
That's it for today, kids. I hope you have (or had) a great weekend! Happy Fourth of July! Go America, and other such sentiments!
But it seems more likely that in a couple of years we'll be living in Virginia, closer to the tattoo shop. Hopefully we can find a piece of property on a mountain, in the woods, where it might be a bit cooler. With my job becoming more and more of a pain in my ass, I've been daydreaming a lot about the day when I get to quit my job and be a housewife again (in an actual house with a yard). I've been keeping a list of things I'll do- garden, bake, etc. Granted, there's no guarantee that I'll change my lazy ways, but it's fun to think about.
I've also been keeping a list of things I'd like to have in our "forever house." I think Scott and I are both hoping that the next house we buy will be the last house we buy (at least until retirement). We're hoping to get a small to medium sized house on a huge chunk of land- with the house right in the middle so the neighbors are all far away! My list includes some things that will need to exist on whatever property we purchase (mature trees, basement), and some things that we can add on later (greenhouse, chicken coop, solar panels). I also keep meaning to start a scrapbook of sorts containing photos and pressed leaves of plants I want on the property. And that is something I really should get started on, because it will take a full year to see what looks good during each season.
In the meantime, it's life as usual. Scott and I started watching the first season of X-files on Netflix recently. It's strange to think that it's almost 20 years old. I remember watching it as a kid, on the TV in the basement for full spooky effect. Back then I had a crush on Mulder/David Duchovny... Not so much anymore.
Knitting has been slow-going. I haven't worked on much since finishing the blanket. I did finally finish a pair of socks that I started back in uh... March? They came out pretty well, but I accidentally worked the heels over a different number of stitches, so they are not exactly identical like I'd hoped. The yarn is Knitting Fever Indulgence, and it has sadly been discontinued according to Ravelry. It's a buttery soft 75% merino/25% nylon blend, and it was great to knit with. I hope the softness won't equate to wearing poorly.
I think I might start working on one of my UFOs- a top-down sweater in SWTC Therapi. I started it quite a while ago (even before the socks) and it's only about halfway through the raglan increases. Maybe I can make some decent progress this weekend.
I'm pretty stoked about this weekend. I've got Monday off, which rocks; Scott has tomorrow off, which also rocks; and I've got two slabs of ribs marinating in the fridge which rocks extra hard. I really, really hope my marinade doesn't suck. I sort of pieced it together based on two different recipes and what I had to work with. One was a fruity bourbon thing, but Scott is not really into fruity meat, so I used part of a beer-based marinade too... It's basically bourbon, honey, soy sauce, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, one garlic clove and 1/2 of a Vidalia onion. It could be awesome, or it could be horrible. Who knows? I'm going to let it sit overnight, turn the pieces in the morning, and bake them in the late afternoon- nice and slow. I'll be dumping copious amounts of BBQ sauce on them as they bake, so the marinade may not even play a huge role in this. Then a few minutes under the broiler should finish them off nicely. There will also be potato salad (made this afternoon) and corn. Yay, food!
That's it for today, kids. I hope you have (or had) a great weekend! Happy Fourth of July! Go America, and other such sentiments!
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