OCD

I've been out of touch with pretty much everyone lately, and I just wanted to send out a signal letting those who were wondering about me that I am okay.

I was recently diagnosed with a psychiatric condition (OCD), and I am receiving medication and therapy. For those unfamiliar with OCD, it stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and much to my surprise, there's much more to it than compulsive hand washing. I'll of course spare you the details since they are both embarrassing to me (and probably repulsive to you), but I'm proud to report that my brain has finally started to quiet, and it's a feeling I've never felt. You normal people have no idea how lucky you are!

I look forward to subjecting all of you to my ranting and raving (and over-sharing) once I have recovered. Good day!

Branching Out

FYI - I've started a "crafting only" blog over at WordPress. Click here to check it out!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.9

New Phone = Less Blogging

I’ve wanted a smartphone for a really long time. I pretty much need internet like I need air, and I definitely wasn’t getting enough of it at home. I wanted internet on-the-go. I didn’t want to have to wait for my ancient computer to restart a million times before allowing me to partake in the internet experience. It was inevitable. I had to get a smartphone.

Unfortunately, smartphones (and their data plans) are very expensive. I wasn’t sure if such a device would be worth the cost, so I spent many months talking myself into getting one and then talking myself back out of such a “silly” expenditure. Up until the Wednesday before last, I had been using a Razor – the same Razor I'd been using for the past five years. It was definitely time for an upgrade, so I went with my mom to the T-Mobile store to have a looksie at the recently advertised free phones. It wasn’t long before I wandered from the free phone section to the Blackberry section. T-Mobile had two versions of the Blackberry in stock – the 8520 Curve and something else that was newer and more expensive. I consulted with myself and decided that I had to have a Blackberry. There was no turning back. I chose the 8520 Curve purely based on price. The customer service rep told me that the 8520 ran on the slower “Edge” network (as opposed to 3G), but that there wasn’t much difference between the two. I left the store in a great mood and ready to play with my new toy. That lasted about 30 minutes, at which point the internet inexplicably left my phone. I’ll save you the details, but apparently customer service added my data plan to another phone in our family plan. It was one of the free phones, no less, and that didn’t explain how I was able to access the internet for half an hour, but okay. Customer service turned the internet back on, but I soon realized that it didn’t work so well when separated by many miles from the T-Mobile store. How disappointing!!! Web pages took 5 to 7 minutes to load, and they only fully loaded when the phone was feeling generous. Pictures pretty much never came up, and Ravelry (my favorite site) was nearly impossible to access. On top of that, the keyboard was incredibly small, and the keys were poorly positioned. I spent more time deleting than actually typing! By the second day of owning the 8520, I had become so frustrated and upset that I asked my mom to return it. I wanted one of the free phones instead. I couldn’t justify spending $30 a month on a data plan for a phone that worked (to my liking) approximately 5% of the time, and I figured that everyone else with mobile web must be more patient and forgiving than me. (And I also wondered why the heck they were paying so much money to watch a progress bar load.) I didn’t expect the phone to work at the speed of light, but I expected a decent web browsing experience.

My mom took my Crapberry back to the store last Saturday with instructions to procure a (free) green Gravity slide phone. I received a phone call from her that afternoon. She wanted me to know that the customer service rep (a different one) had shown her one of those new android phones, and that it worked really well. She said she’d get it for me for Christmas if I wanted it. I was skeptical, of course. I asked about all of its workings and made the customer service rep log into my Ravelry account and name to me all the projects she saw. I also made her navigate to multiple sections and quizzed her on the page layout, how many pictures were shown, etc. My mom told me that the customer service rep said this particular phone ran on the 3G network, and that I shouldn’t experience any of the issues I had with the Crapberry. After confirming that I could indeed return the phone if it did not operate to my satisfaction, I gave her the go-ahead to buy it.

I am now the proud owner of a black MyTouch 3G Slide. (It comes in black, white, and red.) My mom called me boring (in regard to my color selection), but I wanted my phone to match everything! It’s a touch screen phone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. I think it’s T-Mobile’s version of the iPhone. The good news is it works much better than the Crapberry. Internet surfing is comparable to using a computer. The phone is pretty much a teeny laptop, and it came with lots of free apps and awesome features.

My MyTouch seems a little glitchy, but that’s to be expected with just about every newly released gadget. I hear T-Mobile will be releasing some sort of update in a little while that should iron everything out. The worst thing about it is the battery life. Mine only lasts a few hours before needing to be charged, and I will be returning to the store tomorrow to see if I can’t get myself a new battery. Other than that, though, it’s great!

Double Knitting

I think it’s safe to say that I stay within my comfort zone when selecting knitting projects. I avoid patterns that utilize techniques other than plain stockinette, cabling, and lace. I am terrified of colorwork, and I will never steek. (I can’t imagine cutting something that I’ve spent months knitting.) So it may come as a surprise that I’ve decided to try something new.

I really want to double knit. In fact, I want to double knit so much that I’ve written quite a few double knitting patterns for scarves and blankets. I know that it’s kind of strange to write double knitting patterns without having double knit before, but I’m very good at creating mirror images! (Technically anyone who can color in boxes can create a double knitting chart.) I’ve done a bit of research on double knitting, and I believe I have a fair understanding of how the process works. However, understanding it and doing it are two different things. I’m sure my first swatch will look horrendous.

I will definitely release my patterns if I (or someone else) make some sample objects from them. I hate when people release patterns without a sample photo. I will offer my designs for free, of course, since I’ve taken advantage of so many free patterns over my knitting career. My copyright blurb will go something like, “You may use this pattern however you please. Usage includes but is not limited to knitting the pattern, folding the pattern into an airplane, using the pattern as a coaster, showing the pattern the Siberian landscape, eating the pattern with a glass of milk, and substituting the pattern for toilet paper. You are free to do whatever you want with objects made from this pattern, as I do not own your projects and cannot police whatever action you choose to take in regard to your finished objects. Please do not attempt to sell this pattern. I will hunt you down and destroy your operation. Thank you.” Yes, I do have a bit of an issue with some of the copyright blurbs I’ve seen. Some people may disagree with me, but I find designers who specify what knitters can do with objects knit from their patterns to be pompous. If you’re so uptight about people selling objects made from your pattern, don’t sell them the instructions! Sometimes I find patterns similar to the following:

Knit Scarf

1.) Cast on 25 stitches
2.) Knit row 1
3.) Knit row 2
4.) Repeat steps 2 and 3 until desired length is reached.
5.) Bind off.

…with copyright blurbs like this:

“This is my pattern. Do not sell any objects made from this pattern. Do not sell any objects that look like my design. Do not sell objects made from an altered version of my pattern. I work hard to provide you with free patterns, and I would like my intellectual property to be respected. If I find that my patterns are being abused, I will have to start charging people to use them. Thank you.”

El – Oh – El. That’s all I have to say. I completely understand why designers wouldn’t want unscrupulous people to sell or claim authorship of their patterns, but this crap about copyrighting the knit stitch? Puleeeeze.

Anyway, I’ve already told myself that this weekend will be dedicated to knitting my Thermal, but I might be able to throw a little swatching into the mix. You know, just to make sure the charts work. ;)

12-Point Baby Blanket

Well folks, I’ve started yet another project. This one should go fast, though. I anticipate that I’ll have it done by the end of this month. I am using this pattern, but I’ve modified it slightly. Instead of doing two rounds of big shells and two rounds of small shells per repeat, I’m doing two rounds of big shells and one round of small shells. Many of the Ravelry users who have already completed this project say that the blanket lays better if a 2-to-1 ratio is used. I am not terribly experienced at crocheting, so we’ll see how this goes. I’m already confused about where the increases take place on the small shell rounds, if they do at all.

Originally I wanted to make the blanket in black, white, and varying shades of pink. Unfortunately, I could not find varying shades of pink at Michaels, and I had only $12 to spend. I ended up with one skein of Red Heart Soft in “Black,” two skeins of Vanna’s Choice Baby in “Pink Poodle,” and one skein each of Vanna’s Choice Baby in “Angel White” and “Sweet Pea.” The Red Heart Soft feels very nice, but the Vanna’s Choice Baby leaves much to be desired. I’m surprised that it feels so rough – being a baby yarn and all. I hope a run through the washer and dryer will soften it.

Here’s a picture of my progress as of a few days ago:

I didn’t realize until after crocheting this far that I chose watermelon colors.
I have a particular stripe sequence in mind, but I’m not sure how far I’ll get with the small amount of yarn I purchased. I will be switching back and forth between this and my Thermal. I have less than three inches to go on the body before splitting for the neck placket. That’s when things will get hairy. Yikes!

And now for a bit of sad news – I’m considering throwing away my Palindrome. Yes, you read that right. I would very much like to take what I’ve done, snip it from the skein, and throw it in the trash. I hate the way it looks, and I would be embarrassed to give it to anyone. Some of the cables are messed up, it’s fuzzy and worn looking, and I doubt it’ll be useful in actual winter weather. The yarn isn’t worth frogging. It’s already nasty looking, and it’s just Caron Simply Soft. I think I need to be honest with myself and frog all of the projects that I know I’ll never finish. I have some projects that have been hibernating for so long that I didn’t mention them in my list. Most of those need to go. And I should photograph the ones I can’t part with, so that I can put them on Ravelry and hold myself accountable.

Ruffled Top

...had been resurrected. Hooray!

Works in Progress – Updated 7/30/2010

-Short Sleeved Cardigan (Now going to Rae.)
-Palindrome Scarf (Currently my at-work project.)
-Houndstooth Scarf
-Owl Sweater (On hold until yarn is bought.)
-Lace Panelled Baby Blanket (On hold for next shower – whenever that is.)
-Dalmatian Cross Stitch
-Ruffled Top
-Thermal

My list is getting longer! How did that happen?

A Teeny Rant

I am hardly a perfect writer (or speaker for that matter). I make mistakes. I’m sure my posts are littered with grammatical errors, spelling errors, punctuation errors, etc. I can’t diagram a sentence. I don’t know when to use “who” and when to use “whom.” I don’t even know what an adverb is. (Although I’ll be looking that up after finishing this post.) I doubt there is a person on this planet who knows anything and everything there is to know about the written English language. However, I’ve seen (and heard) some pretty atrocious things written (and spoken) by otherwise intelligent people. Here are three of my biggest peeves:

The I-Me Complex

I don’t know who deserves the blame for this I-Me problem. Maybe the schools? Parents? TV? In any case, it is blatantly apparent to me that a large portion of the American people see the use of “I” instead of “me” in any context as an easy way to sound “smart” and proper. Oh no, no, no. There are many situations for which the use of “me” is necessary, and people who omit “me” in attempt to sound smart ending up sounding, well, stooopid. I know that someone who majored in English (or perhaps paid more attention in English class) could explain the following in much more detail with fancy terms and diagrams, but you’re stuck with me. Deal with it!

Mom took Tracey and I to the store.
Greg asked Michael and I to help him move.
This is a picture of Jackie and I on the beach.

All three of these sentences are incorrect. Think about it. Once the person partaking in the activity with you is removed (And I’m sure there’s a special term for that person, but I don’t know it.), you’re left sounding like this:

Mom took I to the store.
Greg asked I to help him move.
This is a picture of I on the beach.

Perform this test next time you’re thinking about using “I” instead of “me.” If the “I” can’t stand alone, then the “I” should not be used.

Here’s the same situation from the opposite direction:

Tracey and me went to the store.
Greg and me asked Michael to help Bob move.

WRONG!

Here are the sentences post-test:

Me went to the store.
Me asked Michael to help Bob move.

Obviously the “me” cannot stand alone, so “I” should be used.

Apostrophes

I hate it when I see something like, “I brought my cat’s inside.” I always want to ask, “Your cat’s what?” or “Oh my God you gutted your cat!” An apostrophe never makes something plural! Apostrophes are used to show possession or to signify a contraction. (i.e. Meghan’s book, it’s = it is) (There are other uses – like for quotes in research papers – but I’m not going to get into that.) Interestingly enough, I discovered fairly recently that “hers” and “yours” should not include apostrophes. Go figure!

You’re, Your, Their, They’re, There

These are pretty self-explanatory. Obviously these words have different meanings and are not interchangeable.

You’re = contraction – you are
Your = possessive

Their = possessive
They’re = contraction – they are
There = a position in space

Thermal Progress

I didn’t get much crafting done over the weekend. I battled a case of strep throat instead. I managed to sneak in some Thermal knitting, and I’ve completed about 7 inches on the body. I believe my risk taking has paid off, as I can now see that the waffle stitch is very stretchy, and the 32” size should fit me just fine. I’m going to try to knit 13 inches worth of body (instead of 12) to account for the negative ease ride-up phenomenon. I may vote against that as time passes by, though. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to make the sleeves longer. I have freakishly long arms. And I see that there’s some short row action further along in the pattern. ::shudder:: If I do finish this project, I think I will feel invincible.

I have been tasked with the unfortunate (haha!) job of finding a new “at-work” project. My latest at-work project (a cross-stitch Christmas ornament) is pretty much done (…except for the french knots, which are driving me bonkers.). Let’s see…I could do something from my Ravelry queue…or I could try to get a head start on my cousin’s baby stuff…or I could resurrect one of my hibernating works in progress. Which will I choose? It’s a mystery!

Pink Slouch

Last week I finished a pink slouchy hat. If you’re interested in knitting it for yourself, it’s called ETTA on Ravelry.

Getting a good picture of this hat in action was pretty near impossible.

I took a risk and did the ribbed brim with size 5 needles. The sample pictured on the pattern appeared to have a very loose brim (done with size 6 needles), and I knew I wouldn’t wear it if it kept sliding off my head. However, I’m not sure what convinced me that I’d get gauge. Of course my gauge was much tighter, and the brim turned out a little snug. Some serious blocking widened the brim a bit, and I can fit the hat on my head, so I guess I can call the project a success. Besides changing the needle size for the brim, my only other modification was to knit 4 pattern repeats (instead of 3 like the pattern said) because the hat wasn’t slouching to my satisfaction.

So as of now, I have two knitting projects that I’m working on regularly. There’s the pink cardigan that needs about an inch or two on the body, both sleeves, and button bands. I’m going to give the cardigan to my sister because I am absolutely certain it will not fit me. I hope this change of recipient will make the cardigan easier to finish. (Less mods!) The other project I’ve got going is Thermal. A while back I mentioned that I bought yarn for some fingering weight sweaters, and Thermal was one of them. I’m doing this sweater as part of a knit-a-long with my friend, Sara. I’m hoping the knit-a-long aspect motivates me to finish the sweater in a decent amount of time, but I’m positive many new projects will be started and finished before Thermal leaves the needles. In fact, I’ve received word that one of my family members is expecting a new baby (Not my immediate family! I don’t want to start rumors.), so I’m already thinking about what I’d like to knit/crochet for her. Anyway, I’m doing Thermal with size 3.0mm needles and Knit Picks Comfy Fingering yarn in “Lilac.” I chose to knit the 32” size because I’m crazy. I really want this sweater to be both form fitting and flattering, but my bust measurement changes so dramatically from month to month that selecting the right size is hit or miss for me. (I go between 34” and 37”...and I mostly miss.) I’m hoping I get gauge. I didn’t swatch, though, because that’s how I roll. :)

There’s really nothing else of interest to report. I’d like to finish up that sewing project I started. Weekends have been kind of busy around here, but I think this coming weekend will be pretty slow. If I’m not feeling too lazy, I might take a stab at finishing it. I'll probably have to re-iron everything. ::groan::

You Won't Believe It

…but I did it! The Gentleman’s Shooting Stockings with Fluted Pattern are finished!



They are a tad baggy on me, but I suspect they’ll tighten up when they accidentally go through the wash one of these days. Is it silly that I’m scared to use them? I spent so much time knitting them that I’m afraid I’ll wear a hole in them. I can already tell that felting will occur. Nonetheless, I love them. I can count my first attempt at adult socks as a success!

I need to amend my Works in Progress list a little bit. Obviously the Shooting Stockings have graduated. I frogged the WWII socks. (??!!) Apparently I still lack the ability to judge gauge, and as such they were coming out way too big. I’ll probably try them again sometime towards winter. Grandpop might get a hat instead. The Baker’s Kitchen dishcloth will be heading to the frog pond next time I dig it out. A couple of weeks ago I tried working on it, and progress didn’t go very well.

Works in Progress – Updated 7/6/2010

-Short Sleeved Cardigan
-Palindrome Scarf
-Houndstooth Scarf
-Owl Sweater (on hold until yarn is bought – Septemberish. Actually, I haven’t even started this project. It’s more like a planned project.)
-Lace Panelled Baby Blanket (on hold for next shower – whenever that is)
-Dalmatian Cross Stitch
-Ruffled Top

Oh? Did you see that I snuck in something at the bottom of the list? The pattern is here. It looks simple enough, and I’ve already cut out all of the pieces. I managed to do some damage with my handy dandy seam ripper, so I’ve been scared to continue working on it. I hope to finish the top this weekend. I should work on it tonight, but I’m much too exhausted to play with a machine that pokes stuff. Plus I have to make sure Xerxes isn’t in the immediate area while I’m sewing, and that’s no easy feat. He finds the pedal to the machine absolutely delightful and steps on it every chance he gets. Anyway, I’ve chosen a royal blue fabric for the chest band and straps and an Asian inspired blue bird print for the rest of the top. I think it has potential. Mine isn’t going to be as “billowy” as the sample. I’m going for a non-maternity look.

In other news, I visited the dog park with my posse last Sunday. Darby and Xerxes overdid themselves in swimming hole, so they slept pretty much straight through to this morning.


Darby injured herself doing who knows what. One of her foot pads is peeling. When I first saw the damage I was pretty upset, but it isn’t bleeding, and it doesn’t look infected, so I’m just going to let her take care of it. She’s really milking her situation, though. She now stops mid climb (stairs, hills, etc) and demands a boost.


The scenery was exceptionally nice during our visit. (The water was pretty muddy, but usually it isn't like that.) If you’re ever in the area, you should definitely go! The park is called Freedom Dog Park, and it’s located in Medford, NJ. It’s attached to a large people park, so you could make a day out of it!

Sewing

Last weekend I broke down and opened my sewing machine. I convinced myself that everything would be okay, and that nothing would get lost. It comes with a handy drawer for all of the miscellaneous pieces, so I don’t think anything too terrible will happen. Also included was a free subscription for Martha Stewart’s Living Magazine, although I’m pretty sure the offer has expired by now. I couldn’t find a date anywhere on the offer envelope, so I’m going to send for it anyway. I wonder what's in the magazine...

I got the machine last year for Christmas. It’s a Singer 2263 Simple. I’ll be the judge of just how simple it really is, though. I read through the entire manual, and I think I’ll be able to thread it successfully. Since I know next to nothing about sewing, I’m going to have to do some serious research regarding sewing stitches and techniques. And I should probably educate myself about textiles as well. P.S. – I’ve already started a “sewing” tub in my closet.

I have a few sewing projects lined up for this year. (What? Did you expect anything less of me?) There’s the quilt I’ve mentioned before, a (hopefully) simple dress, some doggie diapers, and a couple of purses. I’d like to try the doggie diapers first. I think they’ll be the easiest for me to accomplish. As it stands now, I’ll be buying the materials on Saturday in Vineland. I hope to find some hot pink fabric and maybe an animal print. Xerxes likes to be the center of attention, and I doubt he’ll experience any lack of it while strutting around in his hot pink wee-wee holder!

I already bought most of the required materials for the dress. I’ll be using a free pattern from BurdaStyle called Coffee Date Dress. (If you’d like to access the pattern, you’ll have to sign up for BurdaStyle. It’s free!) After a little bit of struggling and some deep thought, I finally printed out the pattern correctly. (100%, no scaling) Much to my dismay, a portion of the pattern lies outside of the printable area on the page, so I’ll have to measure and draw a little. Since the pattern doesn’t include the seam allowance, I’ll have to get myself a marking device while I’m out on Saturday. In addition, I need a zipper foot for my machine. In case you were curious, I picked a royal blue cotton fabric for the dress. At first I wanted a print, but then I decided I’d rather not have to worry about lining up everything and making sure the pieces are cut straight. If, by some miracle, I actually finish the dress and it’s wearable, I’d like to put a thick black ribbon around the waist for interest. I’m on the fence about the ruffle. Unfortunately, it’s walking that very fine line between looking stylish and looking like a waddle.

Last Sunday I spent some time looking up purse patterns. At some point I’d like to make a knit purse, but sewn purses seem so much faster. I chose two patterns that I think I can manage: the Buttercup Bag and the Phoebe Bag. Neither calls for more than a yard of fabric, so they should be pretty cheap to make. Plus, I’m in need of a cute little purse. Who isn’t?

And there you have it. I’ve officially entered yet another realm of the craft world. Goodness gracious.

Before I sign off, I have a bit of good news to share. I have been working on one of my works in progress, and I’m happy to report that I’ll be starting the heel of the second Shooting Stocking tonight. Maybe I’ll be finished with the pair this weekend!

Kiwi Jam

Last night I made a batch of kiwi jam. The process was much quicker this time. (I didn’t have to pit anything!) I sort of made up the recipe as I went, so I’ll share it here for anyone who is interested.

Supplies:

• 5 half pint canning jars with lids and rings
  
• Large pot for sterilizing/processing (the pot must be tall enough to cover the jars by an inch or more of water!)
  
• Saucepan
  
• Stirring Utensil
  
• Ladle
  
• Tongs (or whatever you want to use to handle the jars when hot)
  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups mashed kiwis (about 7 whole kiwis)
  
• 4.5 cups of sugar*
  
• 1 box of Sure-Jell
  
• 2 tsp. Lemon Juice
  
• 1 tsp. butter or margarine to prevent foaming (optional)
  

Preparations:

The packaging around the canning jars should have instructions for sterilizing the jars. You can either follow those instructions or use my method:

1. Thoroughly clean your hands and all surfaces you will be using.

2. Set a freshly laundered towel on your countertop/table to protect it from the heat of the cooling jars.

3. Fill a large pot with water (enough to cover the jars by an inch or more) and turn on the heat.

4. Remove the lids and rings from the jars and set aside. (VERY IMPORTANT! If you leave the rings and lids on during sterilization, the jars will seal.)

5. Place the jars into the pot using tongs or whatever is most convenient for you.

6. Boil the jars for 10 minutes to ensure that anything lurking inside is dead.

7. Carefully remove jars from pot without touching the insides/rims and place them right side up on the towel.


Method for Jam:

Peel, rinse, and chop kiwis into small pieces. Lightly mash kiwis until they become a chunky, pulpy blend. Place mashed kiwis, lemon juice, Sure-Jell, and butter into saucepan. Turn on heat and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. (From now on, you’re going to have to keep stirring.) Add the sugar. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, and let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and ladle into jars.



Kiwi jam on the stovetop!

Processing:

1. Wipe down the rims of the jars with a clean, wet paper towel to ensure a tight seal.

2. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings “finger tip tight.”

3. Place the lidded jars into a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

4. Remove jars and allow them to cool.

5. Check to make sure your jars have sealed about an hour or so after they’ve left the boiling water bath. Usually you can hear them seal as they cool. Any unsealed jars must be put into the refrigerator immediately.



My kiwi jam!


*I know that it sounds like an awful lot of sugar, but if you mess with the amount of added sugar, the jam will not set. If you want to try making jam with less sugar, or a sugar substitute, you’ll have to get special pectin.

Etiquette - For Grocery Shoppers

1. Do NOT double park in the spaces closest to the store. It is difficult enough to find a spot closer than half a mile away from the front doors due to the 40 or 50 handicapped parking spots each store provides. Don’t aggravate the problem by bringing your fancy sports car grocery shopping. Same goes for crooked parkers.

2. Do NOT spend an eternity traveling the crosswalk that runs from the store to the parking lot. Navigating a crowded parking lot can be tricky, and the last thing you should be doing is causing a traffic jam.

3. Do NOT park your cart in the middle of the aisle while you look for an item, have a conversation, read your list, zone out, etcetera. I should not have to move your cart for you as I struggle to pass through to the next section.

4. Do NOT walk down the middle of any aisles, pathways, etc. at Mach-Slug.

5. When experiencing “chooser’s remorse,” do NOT plop any refrigerated/frozen items onto the room temperature shelves closest to you. Walk all perishables back to where you found them – or at least to another refrigerated/frozen case.

6. Do NOT open any boxes and take one snack cake, tampon, twizzler, etcetera. Either some unfortunate soul will purchase that box and not realize until they get home that it’s been tampered with, or the store will add it to the damages pile, resulting in a slow and steady rise in prices for all.

7. Do NOT allow your children to run hog-wild through the store. Who will be the bad guy when I accidentally clobber them with my cart?

8. Do NOT take an entire cartful of items to the 10 or less register. Bringing 11 or 12 items is fine. Anything more and I can assure you that you’ll get plenty of nasty looks. There is a reason those lanes are labeled “express.”

9. Do NOT load all of your stuff onto the check out belt and flee the scene for 10 minutes in search of something you forgot. If you can’t return with the item in less than 20 seconds, get it next time, or check out and get back in line. Making others wait while you continue to shop is rude.

10. And please, do NOT berate the cashier when something doesn’t ring up correctly. The cashiers don’t set the prices or have them memorized. They aren’t responsible for misplaced signs, tags, or items. Screaming at the cashier will accomplish absolutely nothing. Just ask for a price check. Politely.

Need...More...Time

I haven’t done much crafting in the past couple of days (well, except the cup cozy thing) due to lack of time. I spent Tuesday shopping, Wednesday sleeping, and tonight I went to get a haircut. (It looks great by the way. I hadn't had it cut in over two years, so it sure was needing it!) Sometimes I feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. My weekdays usually go like this:

-Wake up (between 5am and 6am)
-Prepare for work (6am – 7am)
-Commute to work (7:15am – 8am)
-Work (8am – 4pm)
-Commute home (4:15pm – 5pm)
-Make dinner and do any cleaning/errands that I (rather Kai) can no longer put off. What can I say? I HATE doing chores after spending an entire day at the office. (5pm – 7:30pm)
-Savor a little bit of free time, unless something in the prior bullet spills over. (7:30pm – 8:30pm)
-Randomly visit the computer while winding down and getting ready for bed. (8:30pm – 9:30pm)

Occasionally I’ll stay up later for that "there's a couple extra hours in the day" feeling. But in the end, I always regret doing that. I have a very hard time getting up in the morning - even when I go to bed early. I know it sounds pathetic, but I’m already looking forward to retirement. Though I’m not sure what funds I’ll have for retirement. My student loan payments have swallowed up all of my retirement contributions and will be doing so for the next 29 years. Gotta love that expensive (and practically worthless) education!

A Full Plate

I’ve been hoarding again. I bought more yarn and needles from Knit Picks a while back, and just last Sunday I visited Joann (the store) for an all out shopping spree. I’ve wanted to make a quilt for a while, and on a whim I decided I needed all of the supplies immediately. I chose four different fabrics: tan, gray, reddish brown, and a patterned one with a black background and paw prints in the aforementioned (non-black) colors. I know it sounds like it’ll be a dreary quilt, but the shades don’t look bad at all, and Kai can identify each color with confidence. (He’s colorblind. Did I mention the time he swooned over a pair of pink fingerless gloves I made? He wanted to keep them…until I told him they were pink. I made him his own set in green– which he calls tan. Go figure.) I also bought some black thread, black binding, and the batting for the inside of the quilt. I need to get a sheet for the bottom and some pins, and hopefully I’ll be doing that tonight. I want the sheet to be black, and now that I think about it, I might have a black sheet somewhere around here. I’ll have to try to find it before heading out.

I’ve come up with a new rule for myself, although I may have difficulty enforcing it. I want to finish all of my works in progress before moving on to anything else. I want to finish everything that’s hibernating on Ravelry before starting any new knit/crochet projects, and I want to finish the large cross stitch project I started ages ago before starting anything embroidery floss - related. (That won’t stop me from attempting to buy floss and aida cloth at Walmart tonight!) And I’m not allowed to start my quilt until EVERYTHING is finished. I hope this serves as a hefty dose of motivation.

In an attempt to shame myself, I will list my works in progress here:

-Shooting Stockings
-WWII Socks
-Short Sleeved Cardigan
-Palindrome Scarf
-Houndstooth Scarf
-Baker’s Kitchen Dishcloth (I put a dishcloth in hibernation?! Well, it was hurting my hands.)
-Lace Panelled Baby Blanket (I might let this one slide considering it’ll be a while before I need to give it away.)
-Owl Sweater (For my mom. I can’t start it until I get the yarn – which will probably be around September.)
-Dalmatian Cross Stitch Project

Oh! And I have one more project in the works: a cup cozy for my dad’s water glass. My mom caught him shirtless - sitting in front of the TV - wearing one winter glove. When asked why on Earth he chose to clothe himself in the style of Michael Jackson, he said that his cup was cold. When I offered to make a knitted cup cozy for Father’s Day, my mom said that wouldn’t do. She wanted me to make something waterproof. So, she took a trip to the fabric store and picked up some fabric that has foam attached to its underside. (I’m sure there’s a fancier name for it, but obviously I don’t know it.) I started the cozy last night with no pattern and a very rough idea of what I’d like to accomplish. And of course, I’m sewing it by hand. I still refuse to break out my sewing machine. I’d like to make two: one straight and one tapered. Perhaps I’m a bit ambitious.

Before I wrap this post up, there’s one more thing I’d like to add. I finished that teeny welcome sign last weekend. It’s cute, and I managed to crudely “mount” it on some cardboard. I shoved it in the provided frame, and it’s sort of staying, but I wouldn’t trust it if I were to hang it somewhere. And so, without further ado, here is my first completed cross stitch project.

The picture is a little blurry!

I Can, and So Can You!

True to my word in my previous post, I spent last night canning. The process was a bit lengthy, and I would have preferred to do it on a weekend. Unfortunately, cherries don’t last very long, and I had to can/process all of them last night before they turned. Since last night was my first time canning, I documented my experience with pictures.

A big bowl of cherries just waiting to be pitted!


One of those manual hand-pitter things. I borrowed it from Kai’s mom.


A bowl of pitted cherries. The pitter was very effective, but it sure did hurt my thumb!


Canning jars undergoing the sterilization process.


Some cherry jam on the stovetop. I “chopped” the cherries in the blender. I’m not much for extra chunky jam.


A jar of cherry jam – all sealed up and ready to store!


How could I resist constructing a jam tower?

In addition to cherry jam, I canned some whole cherries for kicks. I’m hoping that they taste kind of like maraschino cherries (only better) when the time comes to eat them. Canning whole cherries was VERY simple. All I had to do was pit the cherries, shove them in the jar, pour a boiling sugar/water mixture into the jar, slap on the lids, and place the jars in a boiling water bath. Ta da!


Canned whole cherries! They sort of look artifical in this picture, but I swear I added nothing but sugar and water.
I thought I packed the cherries in pretty tight, but evidently that was not the case. They probably lost some of their juices during the canning process - which caused them to become smaller and more likely to float. I hope they relax once they’ve soaked up all the sugary goodness.

Anywho, I’ve decided I like this whole canning thing, and I’m thinking about all of the other stuff I can preserve. I’d love to make some kiwi jam, and I found a recipe for dandelion jelly that looks interesting. Now if I could just find a field full of dandelions…

Double Pineapple Doily

I finished a vintage monstrosity last weekend. I think it could double as a cape.

Vintage Double Pineapple Doily


Artsy shot!

This carpal tunnel – causing gem measures 19 inches in diameter. I crocheted it using a size 7 hook (1.65mm) and black cotton crochet thread. It took me about a month to make, which isn’t too shabby considering my track record. Anything large usually takes me many months to finish, but that’s because I have severe project ADD.

Speaking of project ADD, I have ceased work on my cardigan and the two pairs of socks I started in favor of a little cross stitching project. I figured I should give my wrists a rest before I lose the ability to perform any and all handcrafting. A while back I raided my mother’s craft box, and I brought home a bunch of little cross stitch ornaments and doodads. I’ve chosen to do a teeny welcome sign since I’m not really in the mood to make Christmas ornaments at this point in time. I’m about a third of the way done, and it’s really simple. I am, however, very confused about how I’m supposed to get the finished product inside the provided frame. I foresee the use of glue…and cursing.

In other news, I went cherry picking last Sunday with Kai and his family. It was quite an experience! I had never actually seen a cherry tree until last Sunday, and I had no idea that cherries grew in clusters. Picking cherries was so much easier than picking strawberries. After 30 minutes or so, Kai and I had picked approximately 17 pounds. We gave about half of them to my mom and kept the other half for a jam-making extravaganza. In fact, as soon as I post this, I’ll be heading to the kitchen to begin the process. This will be my first time canning, and I hope I don’t mess up or hurt myself. I’ve been begging Kai to take me on a return trip to the farm. He isn’t very sympathetic towards my cherry-pickin’ needs. Sad face.

Etiquette - For Moviegoers

Last Sunday I went to see Iron Man 2. While the movie was awesome, my fellow patrons were not. Inspiration struck once again, so here are my rules regarding movie theater etiquette.

1. If you have a big head, big hair, a big hat, or prefer to stand while watching the movie, please choose a seat that is NOT in front of people who are already seated (when available).

2. If you decide to sit in the end seat, do NOT shoot people dirty looks when they ask to get by you. If you don’t want to move out of the way, don’t sit at the end of the row.

3. Do NOT rest your feet on top of the seat in front of you if it is occupied.

4. If you have brought an infant into, say, Iron Man 2, and that infant begins to cry, TAKE HIM OR HER OUT OF THE THEATER! No one wants to listen to your kid scream. And besides, is a movie theater the best place for a baby?

5. School your young children on proper behavior BEFORE visiting the theater. Let them know that it is NOT ok to talk, yell wrestle, throw food, or kick the back of the seat that is in front of them.

6. Regardless of whether you have or haven’t talked to your children about proper movie theater etiquette, you should still supervise them. I don’t believe that you are so engrossed in the movie that you cannot hear your kid(s) misbehaving.

7. Do NOT accept phone calls once the movie has started. (Yes, I’ve seen this happen more than once!)

8. Do NOT throw anything into the audience. (Yeah – I’m talking to you, teenagers.) It’s not funny.

9. Do NOT make out (or worse) during the movie. It’s disgusting, and I bet you have a perfectly good car waiting outside in the parking lot.

A Whole Bunch of Nothing

There’s not too much to report on the crafting front. I did finish the sock I was knitting. (Gentleman’s Shooting Stockings with Fluted Pattern) As it turns out, my mother reported my grandfather’s shoe size to me incorrectly, so I ended up shortening the foot a bit so that the sock would fit me. I have yet to start the second sock, but that’s probably because I’ve been working feverishly on the Double Pineapple Doily. I’m past the first set of pineapples and about 3 rounds from starting the second set. I thought for sure this doily would be huge. I am, after all, using a bigger hook and bigger thread than called for in the pattern. Presently, it’s not big at all. I bet it’s fooling with my mind and will grow considerably towards the end.

Last Sunday I placed an order with Knit Picks. (I know, again?!) I wanted more sock yarn, bigger double pointed needles, and yarn for two fingering weight sweaters I’d like to attempt. While I’d like to start knitting one of the sweaters right away, I know I should finish my sock and start my grandfather’s pair. (His birthday is July 12th…I think.) And I’ve begun to think about Christmas knitting, though I’m not sure I want to go there. Last Christmas was pretty stressful with all of the deadlines. I think I might make some ornaments, perhaps some doilies, and possibly something bigger for my mother. (Can you say Trilobite Hat?) I’d like to start concentrating on “home items” a little more. I want to be able to decorate the instant I move, not months or years later. I’m slowly but surely filling my craft drawers with decorative objects.

Oh wait! I did have something to report! Tuesday morning I awoke to a strange sensation. Something was crawling on my legs. I got out of bed and inspected the sheets. Lo and behold, a freaking SILVERFISH was in the bed. Gross! I did a little research and discovered that they like to eat pretty much anything including all kinds of yarn. Thank goodness I moved all of my yarn into tubs a while ago. I bagged everything I own in a panic, and I can only hope that no damage has been done. I alerted the apartment complex, and supposedly they are sending out an exterminator tomorrow. Here’s to a successful extermination!

NJ Politics

In most instances, I side with the Democrats when it comes to politics. And while I don’t agree with a great many of Chris Christie’s (NJ Governor – R) policies, there is one that I do agree with, and I feel it’s been a long time coming. A while back Christie asked the members of the NJ teachers union to forego their scheduled 2010-2011 school year raises and contribute 1.5% of their salaries toward their benefits in order to close a budget gap. To put this in perspective for any out-of-staters who might be reading this post, most teachers in NJ are covered by (all-expenses-paid) Cadillac health insurance plans, receive paid holidays and a summer vacation, enjoy extremely generous pensions, and are entitled to free health insurance even after retiring. All of these benefits are compliments of the NJ taxpayers. Of course, when asked if they’d be willing to give up their raises for ONE YEAR and contribute a measly 1.5% of their salary towards their OUTRAGEOUSLY GENEROUS benefits (you know - in light of the current state of our economy), the union shot back a haughty “no.” In response, Christie didn’t budge, and massive layoffs ensued.

The union cried to the public through commercials, which by the way I grew very tired of watching. They claimed that Christie was a kid-hater and didn’t care about education. Boo hoo. The only kid-hating I’ve seen has come from the selfish teachers union. If the union members were truly in the profession to educate, they would have given up the little that Christie had asked. Had they done that, the kids would not have been affected. After all, what do they think the rest of us have done? Give up nothing? I am afraid the teachers have lost touch. When you are employed in one of the few remaining professions that offers benefits, YOU SHOULD NOT COMPLAIN. I would LOVE to collect a teacher’s salary and benefits. Heck, I’d contribute 5% of my salary to my benefits. The NJ taxpayers are tired of watching their hard earned tax dollars go toward educators’ extremely generous salary+benefit packages. The NJ taxpayers are struggling. Most of us can only DREAM of enjoying the same salary+benefit packages that the union has obviously taken for granted.

I could go on and on about this topic, but it’s probably best that I don’t. I will part with this: The teachers union deserved this big, fat reality check. I truly hope more is to come, and that the public schools’ priorities return to educating children, not fattening the wallets of redundant administrators.

Etiquette - For Train Commuters

The musings in this post are the end result of a series of events that took place this morning in the train station. Perhaps it would be more appropriate of me to write that it was a series of unfortunate events. For the sake of brevity, all I will say is that an extraordinarily inconsiderate person caused me to become incredibly enraged…and late for work. The following is a list of rules that all who ride trains/subways/etc should follow:

1. If you are in the station or on the platform to take in the scenery, please be aware that you are, without a doubt, the only person who wishes to do so. The rest of us would prefer to NOT be stuck behind you while you meander through the walkways at the speed of darkness. (Haha, get it? The opposite of the speed of light!) If you insist on walking slowly through the station, please move to the side and let others pass. Or, better yet, go sight-seeing in a park or something.

2. If an entire train’s worth of people is exiting the platform, and there is only one staircase available for leaving the platform and entering the platform, do NOT attempt to push your way through the masses of people who are trying to exit. The flow of people ceases completely as you try to climb over everyone. Believe me, the mere fact that you’re going against the grain will ensure that you will not make it to the platform in time to catch the train from which everyone is unloading. The only thing you will accomplish is infuriating the people who are trying desperately to get out of the station. Be polite and allow everyone to get out of the way.

3. Speaking of allowing everyone to get out of the way – do NOT push through people who are exiting the train in an attempt to procure a prime seat. Doing so slows down the loading/unloading process. However, this rule goes both ways. If you are taking your sweet time exiting the train, I will be the first in line to push you over.

4. Once you have boarded the train and are looking for a place to sit, do NOT, as a first choice, pick the seat next to the person carrying the most baggage. While I fully agree that people should take precedence over baggage when it comes to seating, it is highly uncomfortable to sit underneath all of your belongings for the entire ride – especially when there are plenty of open seats next to people who are carrying nothing.

5. Most trains have certain seats set aside for the elderly and people with disabilities. Usually these seats are clearly marked. I am all for sitting in these seats when there are no elderly or disabled people in the car, but if you are sitting in one of these seats and an old man with a cane boards the car, offer him your seat! Don’t wait for him to ask. Most likely he won’t, and he’ll struggle with his balance for the entire ride.

6. If you are going to eat and/or drink on the train (which is against the rules), do NOT leave your trash on the seat. There are trash receptacles inside the station and on the platform. There is no excuse, you tactless slob.

7. If you cannot find an open seat (or you just feel like standing), do NOT huddle around the doors. People who huddle around the doors are so in the way and a great annoyance to anyone trying to enter or exit the car. Plus, people who hang around the doors make the car look as though it is full to the max, and that deters polite people (who don’t want to squish everyone) from boarding. Either sit down or move to the center of the car.

8. Please refrain from entering a different car while the train is in motion. Not only is partaking in this activity detrimental to your well-being, the door you carelessly left open that is now swinging back and forth came this close to smacking me in the face.

9. When passing through the ticket gates, do NOT wait for the gates to close completely (after the person in front of you has completed their transaction) before presenting the machine with your chosen method of payment (paper ticket, card, etc.). It is completely unnecessary to do so, and the 500+ people behind you do not have the time to wait around while you watch the gates flap.

10. And finally, when leaving the platform to venture out into less than perfect weather conditions, DO NOT OPEN YOUR UMBRELLA IN THE STAIRWELL. Not only does this present an incredibly dangerous situation for the eyes of everyone lucky enough to be standing near you, it makes the mass exodus take ten times longer.

Fitted Cardigan

Last Saturday I started knitting the Short-Sleeved Cardigan with Ribbing from Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel. I asked for the book based on my love of this cardigan. It’s an incredibly quick knit, but I ran into some issues with the pattern and my gauge. First, my gauge was a little larger stitch-wise (row-wise it was spot on), so I decided to knit the 34” size. I was looking for something fitted, but not so tight that I couldn’t wear a shirt underneath it. I knit the yoke as specified in the pattern, but when I tried it on, it was way too short. (That’s definitely the pattern’s fault because my row gauge was fine. Personally, I think the raglan shaping should have started with more stitches for the sleeves and less for the fronts and back.) I ended up having to knit 4 additional increase rows (and each increase row’s corresponding plain rows) to get the required length. In retrospect, I probably should have knit those extra rows without increasing. Hindsight is 20/20. Anyway, all of that increasing resulted in sleeves that fit nicely, but the bust turned out elephant-sized. (Interestingly enough, the back fit fine - it was the fronts that were too big) I started to panic. I didn’t want to rip out the whole thing, and even if I did, I’d still end up with the same problem. According to the pattern, some decreasing was to take place on the back part of the cardigan, so I figured I could salvage it by decreasing 5 times instead of 3. (5 decreases = 10 stitches = 3ish inches) Content with this plan of action, I knitted along and decreased 5 times on the back. I tried the cardigan on again, and it was still too big. Ugh! It was then that I realized the culprit might be my choice of yarn. I am using Peaches and Creme Double Worsted Cotton in Persimmon. I wanted to use a yarn that wouldn’t cause me to break out in hives – hence the cotton. Apparently this particular brand is quite stretchy. I’d like to think that a hot wash will tighten the garment back up, but it could also cause it to become short and fat - not a good look.

After much thought, I decided that before I do the button bands, I’m going to fold back both fronts and tack the excess to the inside of the cardigan. Hopefully doing so will produce a fitted knit. I’m a bit worried that my tacking will be noticeable. I am a horrible at sewing, and the fabric is so thick that it might produce a visible “line” along the button bands. Maybe I can call it a design element? Whatever the case, adjustments will be necessary. I doubt I’ll wear it without them.

Works in Progress Update:

Gentleman’s Shooting Stockings with Fluted Pattern – Turned heel of first sock, working on the gussets.

Double Pineapple Doily – Completed the bottoms of the first round of pineapples.

Snailmania

I thought it might be time for a snail update. My little buddies are doing great. They grow a little more each day, and I’ve been doing everything in my power to help them grow faster. I’m thinking about feeding them fish pellets, which probably are a bit more nutritious than the random lettuce I’ve been throwing into the jar.

I am going to try to move some of the bigger snails into the critter keeper I bought a while ago. The jar is kind of crowded. I’m still concerned they’ll get out through the slits in the top, though.

Here are my babies approximately one month since hatching:

The green bits are lettuce

I’ve been semi-productive on the knitting front. I finished my cousin’s Baroness Beret last week. Overall I’m pleased with how it turned out, although I wish my dinner plates were just a tad smaller. Jacqueline may have to wet this one and throw it in the dryer, because the brim grew mucho after blocking.


1 skein Sugar n' Cream in "Ecru," size 5 and 7 needles

I started the Gentleman’s Shooting Stockings with Fluted Pattern last Saturday. The going is slow, but I expected that. The pattern calls for size 0 (2mm) needles for the entire sock. Unfortunately, my row gauge is way off, so I decided to do the ribbing on size 0 needles (so the socks don’t fall down) and the rest of the sock on size 1 (2.5mm) needles. When adding my needle stats into Ravelry for this project, I noticed that Ravelry dubs 2.5mm needles as size 1.5 and 2.25mm needles as size 1. However, both Knit Picks AND Nancy Bush say my 2.5mm needles are size 1. Ah! So confusing! Next time I place an order through Knit Picks, I’m going to buy the 2.25mm needles. I bet that with my unique tension, they’re just the right size for all of these size 0 vintage sock projects.


Once again Darby's in the picture!
I decided to use Knit Pick’s Stroll Sock yarn in “Forest Heather.” I found the yarn to be a bit splitty when casting on, but after that it seemed to behave better.

Well, that’s all folks. I’m going to go scrub the toilet now. Ciao!

Works in Progress, Finished Objects, and Future Projects

Cool post title, eh? As it suggests, I have some crafty things to share. First – some finished objects. I finished the Lace Tam last Monday. I LOVE how it turned out. I should have added an extra repeat to the bottom since I used thinner yarn, but I think it’ll be fine. I’m contemplating making another for myself, but I’m scared that if I start another, I’ll never finish it. It was kind of boring to knit, and the thin yarn didn’t help.

I put it on a dinner plate to block. The thin yarn dried really fast!

I also completed the Two-Tone Doily.


Peach and white size 10 cotton crochet thread, size 7 hook.
Second – works in progress. I’ve got the Baroness Beret (available on Ravelry) on the needles at the moment, and I’m working on the Double Pineapple Doily here and there. The beret is for my cousin, Jacqueline, and the doily is for me! I’m tired of working with basic black and white (Double Pineapple Doily - black, Lace Tam - black, Baroness Beret - ecru, Spring Beret - cream) and want to add a little color to my knitting – which brings me to future project ideas. I’d like to make a pair of socks for my grandfather and a pair for me. I’m a little nervous since these will be my first adult socks. I want to do some basic ribbed ones for me (I’ve got some rainbow–colored self-striping sock yarn), but I need to do something a little more adventurous for my grandfather. I flipped through Knitting Vintage Socks in search of something understated, but classy. First I thought about the Gentleman’s Sock in Railway Stitch, but I figured that wouldn’t be a good choice since I already have yarn picked out for that pattern, and chances are I won’t want to knit it twice. Then I considered the Gentleman’s Half Hose in Ringwood Pattern, but it just wasn’t calling to me. I finally decided on the Gentleman’s Shooting Stockings with Fluted Pattern. Why? Because I’m a copycat (Sara’s making them)…and I think the pattern would show up nicely on a dark-colored yarn. I need to root through my stash and pick a manly yarn. I’m leaning towards green, but we’ll see.

On another note – I received yet another shipment of Knit Picks goodies. This time I ordered a pattern book, Pure Knits, solely based on my love of the Orchid Sweater. I also ordered some size 13 needle tips for my Harmony Wood Set and a bunch of sock yarn. Here’s the yarn:


That's Darby's nose in the picture. Something/someone other than her was getting attention, so she had to investigate. Starting with the brown yarn and going clockwise we have Stroll Tonal in "Kindling," Stroll Tonal in "Blue Yonder," Felici in "Rainbow," Felici in "Positively Pink," and Felici in "Green Veggies."

I fell head-over-heels for the Kindling the first time I saw it. It reminds me of a tree trunk. The Blue Yonder didn’t look too great on the computer screen, but once I saw it in Knit Picks magazine, I knew I had to have it. It’s very attractive, and I think it’ll make for an interesting pair of socks. Since the Felici yarns are limited edition, I chose to splurge a little and buy three colorways before they are gone forever. I don’t know what it is about that Rainbow Felici, but I freaking love it! I am intrigued by Knit Picks’ blurb on the Felici Sock Yarn page that says Felici yarns will be replaced with new ones once the current colorways sell out. Does that mean there will be new colors??? I should start saving immediately!

Maine

Last weekend I traveled to Maine with Kai and had a lovely 48 hours worth of vacation. The weekend was jam packed with activity (thanks to Maija’s ingenious scheduling skills), so I’ll have to share the abbreviated version here on my blog.

Day 1 (Technically Friday night)

-Maija and Jared picked us up from the Boston Airport. We headed to Applebee’s where Kai ordered spicy food and threatened to destroy Maija’s new sheets with explosive diarrhea. It’s a wonder they took us to their apartment.

-Watched Iron Man in HD on a huge TV.

-Went to bed. Kai didn’t stain the sheets.


Day 2 (Saturday)

-Had breakfast at a local diner.

-Went 4-wheeling. (I drove for a bit!)

-Went shooting. (I refused to use any of the guns save for one – the one that made the least noise.)

-Went to Uno’s.

-Went to bed.


Day 3 (Sunday)

-Had breakfast at another diner with Kai’s dad.

-Visited the zoo. (Kai’s dad is the director of the York's Wild Kingdom Zoo.)

-Had lunch from a local convenience store.

-Played Scene It!

-Hopped onto a plane.

-Returned to NJ.


I took lots of pictures and videos. I should probably set everything up on Webshots for easier viewing. Here are some highlights:

Leaving Philly!

Kai and Maija pose with a statue in Kittery

Shooting at some targets

Kai shooting a rifle!
Kai’s dad said we should return sometime in the summer when the zoo’s in full swing. I’d love to go back, especially when all the animals are present. Plus, we’d get the backstage tour. Kai’s going to look into getting some time off for another trip. I hope he can work something out. Maine is SO much nicer than NJ.

A Finished Doily!

Well friends, I’ve completed my first doily. Overall I’m happy with the finished project. It’s not perfect, but I think it’s pretty darn good for a first try! I was able to block and dry the doily in less than 12 hours – a nice change from blocking sweaters which take 36+ hours to dry completely. It’s now tucked away in one of my craft drawers where it will be safe from my ravenous dogs. I’ll use it once I move to a house…and buy some new furniture. My plan is to slowly build up a stash of home decor items. That way when I do move, I’ll be able to decorate with handmade things!

My lovely Vintage Crochet Pineapple Doily:

It measures 9 inches across.
I started a doily for my mom, and it’s not any of the doilies I had previously picked. I decided on the Two-Tone Doily. I’m doing it in light peach and white, and it’s about 80% done. The pattern isn’t difficult, but it includes a technique that was (and still is) foreign to me: the double crochet join. I couldn’t find any information about this technique on-line, but I must admit that I didn’t search too hard. In the end I followed what the pattern said to do to the best of my ability, and I guess it looks alright. It would be nice to see a demonstration, though. In an effort to present a more detailed description of my attempt at the mysterious double crochet join, I present you with the following:

The pattern says to leave the last loop of two double crochets on the hook, yarn over, and then pull through all loops on the hook. Here’s what I did starting with the first double crochet: Yarn over, hook through stitch from row below, pull loop up, yarn over, pull through two loops on hook, yarn over, pull through one loop on hook (first double crochet done with last loop left on hook), yarn over, hook through stitch from row below, pull loop up, yarn over, pull through two loops on hook, yarn over, pull through one loop on hook (second double crochet done with last loop on hook), yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook. Geez! It looks kind of messy once it’s all typed out, doesn’t it?

I think my next doily will be the Double Pineapple Doily in black. I’m going to finish some knitting projects before I start it, though.

Vet Visit

Last Saturday I was in Newfield to take my pooches to the vet. I’ve been hopping from vet to vet since adopting Darby and Xerxes, and I finally settled on East Oak Veterinary hospital in Vineland. It’s MUCH cheaper than any of the other vets I’ve taken them to see. My bill for two check-ups and four shots: $161. To put it in perspective, Darby’s ear issue cost me $118.50 at the vet in Clementon – and that was for a quick look and swab. East Oak also offers generic heartworm medicine at a fraction of the cost of the name brand. Originally I thought I‘d have to set aside $200 for a year’s worth of heartworm medicine, but now it looks like I’ll only have to spend around $115. Too bad Darby doesn’t weigh 4 lbs less - the cutoff is 51 lbs for the larger, more expensive heartworm medication.

Anywho, the ride to the vet’s office was quite an event. Darby and Xerxes sat nicely for the whole trip, but Madie cried and farted the whole way there. Once we were inside the office, Madie began to panic even more. Unfortunately her attitude was contagious, because it quickly spread to Darby and Xerxes. Holding onto 200 lbs worth of nervous dog wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.

Here’s a rundown of the visit: Both are healthy. Darby weighs 55.4 lbs and Xerxes weighs 41 lbs. The vet said Darby isn’t that fat, and that if I wanted her to lose weight, I should cut back her food intake by 25% since spayed females need less food than their intact counterparts. I think I’m going to leave her diet as is. He said Xerxes is underweight, but it’s nothing to be concerned about. Each dog got two shots (rabies and distemper). Xerxes got both in his butt while Darby got one in the butt and one in the neck. I’m not sure why Xerxes didn’t get one in his neck. Maybe there wasn’t enough fat? He was none too pleased with getting shots. Darby didn’t even notice. On an interesting note, dogs’ temperatures are now taken via the ear with the same sort of contraption used on humans.

I spoke to the vet about Xerxes’ mental issues. He told me that I should start whacking Xerxes with a newspaper every time he barks. I know it sounds awful, but I’m going to do it. Nothing else has worked, and he needs to learn how to behave.

Remember that bump on Xerxes’ leg that I was talking about before? Well, the vet said it’s a tumor. I was immediately taken aback upon hearing this news, but he quickly followed his diagnosis with, “That’s what we call all growths. Most likely this one is benign.” Well thanks, Mr. Vet. I think he originally called it a tumor to scare the crap out of me and watch my reaction. To be more precise, it’s a "button tumor," and it should go away in 6 months or so. He said that if it gets bigger, or if Xerxes becomes bothered by it, he’ll remove it. I’m relieved that it’s no big deal, but I’m still grossed out by its appearance. At least it’s not on his face.

Doily Shmoily

I've officially entered a thread crochet phase. I am now into all things dainty. I found a treasure trove of vintage doily patterns, and I've been printing them out in excess. I thought I'd try a vintage (1918) circular doily as my next thread crochet project, but now I'm thinking I'll do either the Oblong Pineapple Doily or the Double Pineapple Doily as a gift for my mom. She expressed interest in seeing the doily I've put on hold due to lack-of-needle-threader (it's an awful affliction), so I figured I might as well make her one of her own.

I wish the patterns gave yardage amounts instead of x many balls. At one point I tried to look up the yardage in each ball, but I quickly found that doing so was futile. The information isn't readily available, and most of the threads that are called for are either discontinued or come in many different sized balls. I'll have to wing it, I guess. I'm still debating the color I should use. My choices are white, off white, pink, yellow, dark red, black, peach, or light lavender. I'm leaning towards black. Or maybe plain white? Oh, I don't know...

I think that concentrating on doily-making will be a nice change of pace for me. It's a whole lot cheaper than knitting sweaters, which is an unfortunate habit that I've developed over time. Large projects start to feel like homework assignments after they've been on the needles for so long. I never liked homework, and as such I don't much like projects that drag on for months. I'm hoping to move back to socks in the near future. They're small, compact, and reasonably quick. You saw my stash. I need to start using it.

Remember that cardigan I was knitting for my grandmother? It's finito! I thought the torture was never going to end. It didn't take me nearly as long to complete as my mother's cardigan, but it sure felt like it. So, without further ado, here is Grammy's cardigan in all of its glory.


I will be presenting this to her tomorrow when I make the trek to Newfield. My pooches and their "Aunt Madie" have a vet appointment, so I'll be spending the day at my parents' house. I'm hoping for a drama-less wait/exam, but with these three, all bets are off. I suppose I timed the appointment perfectly - I just noticed this morning that Xerxes has developed a "growth" on the back of his leg. It's bald, red, and about the size of a dime. I couldn't get real close to it because 1 - he was pooping when I noticed it and 2 - he wouldn't hold still long enough for me to get a good look.

I'm kind of nervous about going to the vet. Xerxes looks like he hasn't eaten in well, forever, and Darby looks like she eats a tub of Crisco every five minutes. I'm almost positive that the first thing the vet will say to me is, "Are you sure the fat one isn't eating all of the skinny one's food?" Yes, I'm sure "the fat one" isn't eating all of "the skinny one's" food. I feed them in separate rooms, and Darby's on diet food! Darby has always been beefy. I think that's just the way she was made. I'd love for her to lose a few pounds so she doesn't look so threatening, but I'm not going to starve her. (I follow the directions on the food package.) Last time she was seen by a vet, I was told that she might have a thyroid condition. That sounds...expensive.

A Trip!

I guess this qualifies as exciting news - I'm going on a mini-vacation the weekend after next. I haven't done anything even slightly vacation-like since mid 2004, and I can thank my student loans for that. Maybe I'll be able to go on a real vacation in 2016, but judging by how much this mini-vacation is going to cost me, it's probably not going to happen. Anyway, I suppose I should mention where I'm going. It's Maine. Kai's sister lives there, so we are going to visit her for the weekend. We're taking a plane to cut down on travel time. Our flight departs at 7:15pm on Friday, April 30th, and we'll be back on the plane sometime Sunday night. Kai tells me that Maija's got an itinerary planned, but she won't share the details. So, I can't tell you what I'll be doing during the visit. I hope a lobster feast was squeezed in somewhere.

I can't bring my dogs, of course, so when I first learned that we'd be going to Maine, I had to look into lodging for them. After hours of research, I came to the realization that kennels are rip-offs. For the sake of brevity, I'll only go over what I learned about one, the Petsmart PetsHotel. I called for a quote and nearly fell over when I heard the price for a weekend stay - $200. I know that kenneling two dogs is more expensive than kenneling one, but in my opinion, $200 is a little steep. To make matters worse, the $200 quote applied to the barest of accommodations. The dogs would be stuck together in one cage, and they would only be let out 3 to 5 times a day for 5 minutes to potty. I don't mind the idea of putting them in a cage together, but I do mind the idea of putting two rather large dogs in a cage meant for one. What really bothered me was the thought that my dogs would have to stay cooped up in a cage all weekend. That thought led me to inquired about Petsmart's doggy daycamp, as I had read about it, and it seemed like something my dogs would enjoy. It's an all day program meant for owners who work but want their dogs to be exercised/supervised. Long story short - Petsmart collects money from each owner and then puts all of the dogs together in a room to play. The price for said program is $18/day per dog. They offer no discount if you're already paying to kennel your dog, so signing my dogs up for doggy daycamp would have added an extra $108 to my bill. Ouch! I should have known at this point to quit digging, but I continued on since my options were limited. Shortly thereafter, I came across a deal breaker - Petsmart's "breedist" rules and regulations. Apparently Petsmart does not allow certain breeds to participate in doggy daycamp, namely the "bully" breeds. In addition, any mix that looks remotely like one of the bully breeds will be excluded from the daycamp. Darby looks an awful lot like a pit bull mix, and I couldn't bear the thought of Xerxes being taken from the cage to play and her being left behind. That was it. Petsmart was crossed off my list.

What I've learned from this experience is to avoid kennels at all costs. They aren't good for your dog(s) or your wallet. Most offer all kinds of "add-ons" that cost extra, but how do you know for sure that your dog received that extra treat, or playtime, or belly rub? Nothing about kennels sits well with me. In the end, I hired my brother to watch them. Although it'll cost me a pretty penny, at least I'll know what they're eating, what they're doing, and that they're not being beaten.

Etiquette - For People Who Throw Showers

Practically everyone knows that sending a thank-you card after receiving a gift is both polite and necessary. It shows that you appreciate the giver's thoughtfulness. Unfortunately, an incredibly rude trend has started to take hold of the "shower world." Not only are there showers for nearly every event in one's life (engagement, bridal, baby, etc.), the throwers of these showers are now demanding that guests fill out their own thank-you cards/envelopes.

Excuse me?! Let me get this straight: I came to shower you with gifts, and you're asking me to thank myself for you? Nothing is more irritating than walking into a shower, having a gift swiped from your hands before you can remove your coat, and hearing someone bellow from another room that you need to fill out your card. Coming in at a close second - receiving the thank-you card weeks later and wondering why you sent yourself mail.

Now, to be fair, the guest of honor may not have know that her thrower intended to employ this rude practice. But, that doesn't make it any less bad-mannered. The thrower managed to collect all of the addresses to send out the invitations, and she should have them on file. Isn't it curious that she had all the information when she asked people to bring gifts, but not when the time came to thank people for them?

I love the excuses these throwers make. "So and so will be too busy to fill all of these out. She's got enough on her plate already." "I figured it would be so much easier for everyone to fill their own out. That way no one is forgotten!" If the guest of honor is too busy to write out her own thank-you cards/envelopes, then she is too busy to attend the shower and receive gifts. We're all busy. Guests have to take time out of their schedules and money out of their pockets to attend a shower with a gift. The least the recipient can do is thank them...personally.

Now that I've made my thoughts heard on the whole thank-you debacle, I've got something even more boorish to throw at you - the sheer size of most showers nowadays. It is NOT okay to invite your aunt's boyfriend's mother, unless of course she is a close friend of the honoree. Showers have gotten too big lately, and throwers are reaching too far in an attempt to secure more and more gifts. If a prospective guest does not know the honoree personally, they should no longer be considered a prospective guest. Showers are supposed to be intimate occasions where the honoree's close friends and relatives supply advice and necessities for a new stage in life. They are not supposed to be huge events attended by everyone who has even the slightest connection to the honoree's family.

While I can control only my own behavior, rest assured that anyone and everyone who's stuck with me as a shower thrower will be filling out their own thank-yous.