Short-lived

That chocolate thing on Friday didn't last long. Once I remembered I'd forgotten it, I realized that those two sad little voices were the remaining two chocolates, feeling unloved. I couldn't have that.
This weekend was a really nice one. Lots of running around and errands done, but also coffee on the deck and homemade pancakes for breakfast. Coffee on the deck (after the Bug begged my first latte, I poured it in his sippy and fixed myself another one) with knitting.


Where's my latte?


Mad Weave sock, A Piece of Vermont superwash in Blue Columbine

Saturday we had a midafternoon thunderstorm, months earlier than we usually get them. It cooled everything off, knocked the dust out of the air, washed the leaves of the trees and plants, and scented everything wonderfully. There was even some spinning of the neon egg-dyed fiber, but I only have a picture pre-spin.


I wear my sunglasses at night

The purple/blue/green/yellow one makes me think of tie-dye, and I am deeply entertained by it all. I feel like plying it with something, so I need to think about what to use. I managed to dye up quite a bit of roving in that "colorway".

Sunday the Bug practiced his dirt-kicking:



And he practiced his hissy-fitting:



I grocery-shopped, grocery-shopped, and grocery-shopped. And shoe-shopped. And knitted a little. (Picture the mad-weave sock with a few more rounds.) This week, starting on the Hogwarts swap, thinking about the Sockapalooza swap, and spinning some more, I hope...

OMG y'all

Something happened that has never in my conscious memory happened before. Civilians will have no idea why this is important, but I know some of you do.

Ready?

This afternoon, I bought a package of six Belgian chocolates. (With a roll and a juice, lunch of champions.) Anyway, I opened them up, savored four of them, and then I decided I wasn't hungry anymore, and I put the lid on the box and put them in my desk and didn't think about them again until just now. And get this, I don't even want to eat the other two right now. It's so odd I don't know whether to call the doctor or the authorities.

Short and pathetic

That's how this post will be. I am feeling MUCH better - I could probably use another adjustment from the chiropractor, but I'll wait for my bone bruises to go away first! As for the rest of it, I've slipped into that spring ennui, that feeling that everything is so beautiful, all I want to do is lay around and look at it. So, my startitis was short lived and now I have a ton of WIPs that have no P.
I got my Hogwarts yarn in the mail though. Gryffindor yarn (actually Lorna's in cranberry and sunshine, from emtnestr), atop the unfinished deck railing.


MMmmmm, cakes.

I can't wait to start these. I've picked a pattern that's a little ambitious for me, but I think I can do it. Fingers crossed it won't take too much time, because Sockapalooza 4 is gearing up to start! YAY!

All beat up

This weekend was one of work and toddler wrangling. DH spent most of the day Sunday building the railing around the deck to keep The Bug from flinging himself headlong into the pool. I spent the day doing laundry, endless dishes, and entertaining The Bug. He got his very first crayons on Sunday. Did you know that putting crayons in the box and taking them out again is infinitely more exciting than drawing with them?
I also got a case of Startitis. Even though my Hogwarts yarn is due any day, and I have Faina on the needles, I couldn't help starting the eyelet cardigan from Classic Elite and the round 4 sock from Sock Madness. (Mad Weave, I think) I also played with my wheel and practiced treadling. It helped me to get a slow rhythm going before I tried to spin anything, and I felt like things were much more even once I got warmed up. I spun all the koolaid roving I had, so I attacked the egg dye kit.


Purple, blue, green, yellow.


Red and orange, with some extra food coloring drops added.

They look even neater dry - very bright and happy and summery. Just what you want from your wool.

Yesterday I went to the chiropractor for a long-overdue adjustment. He beat the crap out of me. Last night I was freezing, achy, tired, and sore. I felt like either the onset of a cold or the end of one, where you're all wiped out from the effort of blowing your nose or walking to the toilet. All I could think was, "Wow, I had some bad stuff pent up in my shoulders." I don't think I'm getting sick again, I just think my body is using all its energy to get used to being aligned again. Here at work, the coldness has returned and I'm a little achy, but less so than yesterday. I think maybe tomorrow's chair massage will be more beneficial than usual, and maybe I won't wait so long to see the chiropractor next time.


I do love me some kibble.

Some questions

The ever-brilliant GayProf sent me some questions to answer, as part of a sort of personally-tailored meme. (It's personally tailored in that he got to pick different questions for everyone who wanted them.) My answers follow.


1. What is the earliest memory that you have of your life that you know for sure is accurate?

My memory is stunningly awful. Years of asthma as a kid restricted the oxygen to my brain, and well...
Anyway, I clearly remember one day playing in the entry of our home in Livermore CA. I was the eighth castaway on Gilligan's Island. The volcano was erupting and I was leading the rest of the group to safety by climbing the "vines", which were actually 2X2 decorative slats that screened the view of the front door from the street. I was trying to get up on top of the crossbeam, and the nails in the slats gave way, and I fell straight back, cartoon-style, and landed on my back on the concrete walk, slats still in my hand. I didn't go tell my mom right away because I thought I'd get in trouble for breaking the house. I thought Gilligan's Island was dumb after that. I don't know exactly how old I was at the time, but as we only lived in that house for a short while, I was 5 or 6.

2. You have a child. I seemingly lack any maternal or paternal instincts and therefore don’t fully understand this desire in others (though I respect it). Did you always assume that you would have children? Were there different points in your life when you did *not* think that you would have children?

I always wanted kids when I was younger. It was a running joke with me - every time I saw a cute baby while I was out and about, I'd up the total by two. I quit that when I started suggesting I might have 68 or so children.
Later, I met my husband and was introduced very suddenly to his 9 yr old daughter. We met on the internet and he moved here with me and brought her for a visit very shortly afterwards. I was unprepared for that, not having remembered how annoying 9 yr olds are. Based on that experience, and subsequent visits, I decided I in no way wanted kids. Later, after she and I both grew up a little, we got along and I find her to be a pleasant and interesting kid now (she's almost 16). I didn't change my mind on having my own until I had a "scare". When that little pink line didn't show up in the window, I was heartbroken and realized maybe I needed to rethink my position on babies. I'm still considering sending my boy away from age 8 to about, oh, age 30.


Don't let the cuteness fool you.

3. From your vantage point, how would you compare and contrast Phoenix and Tucson? Do you live in Tucson because of a preference or because of another reason (such as job, school, etc)? If another reason, is there somewhere else that you would like to live? If a preference, how did you develop this inclination?

Hmmm. Phoenix is hot, big, soulless and urban. Tucson is less hot, greener, dustier, and run by idiots. (Well, I guess that last one is something the cities share.) I hated Tucson when I came here for school, but grew into it, and when I went back to Phoenix for visits and school breaks, I started to notice how little character showed up in the neighborhoods and areas I knew. I know there are cool areas of Phoenix, and soulless, stucco-and-tile cookie cutter areas of Tucson, but on the whole, Tucson feels like it has personality. I am getting tired of the heat, though, and consider moving away to someplace picturesque with actual seasons, but so far, I have yet to find anyone to pay me to live on a quaint farm in Vermont and knit. I have no intention to ever live in Phoenix again, although the majority of my family lives there.

4. Which television/film/fictional character were you mostly likely to pretend to be when you were a child? Do you think that any of the traits that attracted you to that character as a child are still with you today?

I didn't watch a lot of TV as a little kid, but I do clearly remember watching Star Trek and The Wild Wild West obsessively and having a big crush on MacGuyver. My cousins and I never really pretended to be existing characters (though as a small child, I DID have Wonder Woman Underoos), but just gave ourselves professions based on our shows. Mostly we were spies. We would climb up to the roof, hang off the eave and report on our parents playing bridge. We thought they had no idea we were there. Now I wonder, having drunk all the wine they did while playing bridge, how they managed to keep a straight face as we were thundering around on the roof. In today's society, spying on folks by climbing on their roofs is generally frowned upon, so I don't do that anymore. And they don't make Wonder Woman underoos in my size.

5. Why do you adore and/or worship GayProf?

GayProf is all that is good and clean and hot and sexy in this world. What a silly question! He also looks much better in a red and gold bustier with star spangled undies than I do. Then there's that whole thing about his excellent writing and brilliant presentation of points of view I have not always been exposed to.

Pseudo-tweed

I have completed a knit! I know, it's incredible.


Bug hat.

One standard roll brim hat with pompom. Anyone know how to make the pompom stay tighter to the hat? I can never get it snug enough.
Anyway.
Roll brim hat in Elann Peruvian Highland Wool, held double, in red and orange. Colors changed at random when I got bored. Some stitch number I don't remember, since I stopped casting on when I got bored. I call it pseudo-tweed because the middle band looks tweedy to me, even though it's only just a strand of red and a strand of orange held together.




What IS this?

One for the Dulaan box, at least four more to go!

Okay, fine!

Jen and La don't take my chronic illness* as an excuse for not showing spinning or knitting pictures. Alas, I have no knitting pictures, because I have not been knitting. I did dye up a little strip of roving with some koolaid:


Black Cherry, Grape, Something freaky with blue lemonade.

Last night I took a few minutes to attempt to spin it up.


I am Not. Good.

I do believe I know enough about what I'm doing to know what I'm doing wrong, but it's a matter of making my right foot and both hands work the way they should, doing different things. Practice practice.

Do you think my socks shrank a little in the dryer?


They still fit fine.

My son, the ham. Smiling for the camera:


He posed and smiled when I pointed the camera at him. I'm not sure what's up with his eyebrows.



*chronic illness in this case being a series of head colds that make me whiny

Enough is as good as a feast

I am TIRED OF BEING SICK. I've had enough, not going to happen anymore. Germs, you can shove it.

That is all.

Bad bad blogger

I posted my Hogwarts swap info, and I joined Sockapalooza 4 (YAY), but I have been sadly neglecting my Project Spectrum duties. To that end, I present:

My Walk Home From Work, a picture-heavy post.

From the office park:





Weeds in the Barnes and Noble parking lot




Tree-lined sidewalk


Yellow puffballs


Blooming Ocotillo








Cascades of palo verde blooms (achoo)


Blooming prickly pear


Neighbor's roses




My sweet little geranium

Hogwarts Sock Swap

I am a socking fiend. Ever since the first round of Sock Madness, when I discovered that I can indeed knit socks very quickly, I want socks socks all the time. I saw this new sock swap at Sandy's and decided to play. Cuz I am mostly a geek, and that is how I roll.

If you are not interested in the answers to my questionnaire (and really, why would you be?) feel free to stop reading at this time.

Hogwarts Sock Swap Questionnaire

1. What Hogwarts house have you been sorted into? Ravenclaw

2. Shoe size? US10

3. Foot Length? ~9.5 inches

4. Foot Circumference? ~9.25 inches (but I usually knit my socks to be about 8 inches around, I like 'em snug)

5. List your three favorite double-point needle brands, including size and length.
a. Susan Bates? I almost never use double points. (Magic loop, baby! Addi Turbos, size 1, 40")
b.
c.
6. Would you like to try a new brand needle? If so, which brand? Size? Length?
I would like to try a nice wood, maybe something short for glove fingers or something, but I live for my circs most of the time.
7. If you are a RAVENCLAW, do you prefer the colors in the film or the book? Do you have a strong preference? Either. I would pick book colors for more "authenticity", but I like silver better than brown, so I'm good either way.

8. Are you willing to have an international Hogwarts Sock Pal? Yes, that would be excellent.

Some fun things

Last post I said I had fun things to post about. Blogless Lynn (GAWD that woman needs a blog) thought I was being coy. She knows the secret fun thing.
First, I will show you my Mad-tini socks. I figured they look like Easter stripes so I will wear them tomorrow.


Fini.

My sister is having a dinner, and DH feels good enough to go and is no longer contagious, so we're going to go and The Bug will get to see his aunts and uncles, and Grampa! YAY.
Next, I'll show you the fun little thing I got from Grafton Fibers. Yummy yummy roving. Corriedale, some color I don't remember that didn't look like that on the monitor. (They're uploading new fibers, so I can't even look it up.) So soft.


Yum.

And now, my new toy.


Oh. My. Gawd.

Ashford Traditional, probably about 25 years old, brought home today. It needs oil and love, but I am equipped to provide those. The Bug loves it. Climbed up on the seat and played with all the knobs. I can't make the wheel go in a full circle - I think that's the lack of oil. I am thrilled, and a little intimidated, but YEEHAW, y'all.
(I added oil where it said to add oil, and it runs like a dream. YEE. HAW.)

Hanging in there

I am mostly recovered from the strep, but DH has been flattened by it. (That stuff comes on right fast.) This means that we will be staying home for Easter. On one hand, that's cool because we won't have to do yardwork at Dad's house. On the other hand, The Bug doesn't get to spend Easter with his grampa. Oh well, I'm not entirely sure he will notice the difference between this Sunday and any other. Except that I will now have to run out and get a tiny Easter basket and a few treats for him, and maybe I will color some eggs.
I do have some fun things to post about, but I haven't had the time or the energy to do so yet. I did manage to do a few rounds on my sock last night. They're very springy colors - I should try to finish them for wearing on Easter.
This also means that, since I will not be travelling, I will have to MAIL THE DAMN CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. I am so ashamed that I haven't delivered those yet. I entirely suck.

Thank you!

Thanks so much for all the well-wishes. I have been too wiped to answer them all individually, but I hope to get there soon. I finally dragged myself to the ER yesterday, on the advice of the triage line at my doctor's office, and it turns out I have strep throat. I haven't had it in years, but as a child I had it multiple times on Easter. It's just a thing, I guess.
Anyway, penicillin, motrin and tylenol are making a bigger dent, and in front of me at this time is a BLT, made for me by my husband, the most food I've eaten in three days. So, in order to get at my food sooner, I give you the pictures I meant to last time.


Classic Elite Four Seasons, plus some new pattern booklets


Delicious Posh sock yarn in the Scuffle colorway

The above yarn was generously provided by Ms Etherknitter and her lovely random number generator. YUM!

Finally, skeinlets! These are the bits of sock yarn left from my sock surgery a few weeks ago. These entertain me to no end. Car keys included for scale.


Baby yarns