Black Friday

Its Black Friday and I got to sleep in. Did a little shopping...and now I'll spend the rest of the day watching movies, knitting, decorating, making holiday cards and wrapping presents. To think this time last year I was in a stupid red apron at 5am sucking down coffee, red bull and chocolate covered espresso beans attempting to be perky and helpful to idiots who didn't deserve it. *sigh*

One thing I'm completely thankful for this year is my new job.

Now to liberate a few loved ones from their occupational hell and all will be well.

Happy Turkey Day!

It has been a lovely day here. We slept in. We made a delicious breakfast of stuffed French toast (stuffed with black cherry jam and cream cheese) and bacon. Then we raked the leaves as they are coming next week to suck them up. The weather is perfect for it, warm and sunny. It didn't go so bad considered how wet the leaves actually were. Now the turkey is roasting and the rest is waiting to start cooking. I'll do a quick mop in the kitchen, take a shower and sit and knit on the mittens.

Hope your day is going as well.

First snow

This is what I woke up to


And I'm not pleased. Its too early for snow...(at least it gets me out of raking today)

Slow start today, I awoke with a headache. Oh yeah....I'm off all the rest of this week. The boss dangled a huge carrot in front of us yesterday. Long story short it was do this, this and this and we get the rest of the week off. Have I mentioned that I love my new job? Not quite sure what to do with myself. I do have some holiday knitting to tackle. We're not having anyone over for Thanksgiving so I don't need to worry about that; though there is some cleaning that didn't get done this weekend. I need to make our holiday cards as well. I think I'll be busy enough. Maybe I'll hit the library for some old movies too. BB can't seem to keep up with me these days. I've got two DVDs sitting there waiting for Love to watch them as well. Speaking of watching...Heroes last night...Holy crap! and the best part was no goo twins the whole episode.

Monday news

Not really what one hopes to hear when one gets up on Monday...

for one talks fell through on the Local 1 Stagehands strike.

and then this: Student dies at Yale Rep.
Update article.

Theatrical accidents are never good, but do bring to light many sketchy things that we do. How many of us have done something risky and nowhere near OSHA approved thinking "oh I'll be fine." I have a friend who broke his back falling from a ladder while hanging lights. Too many times a cavalier attitude is taken towards safety. We've all done it, some sporatically, some with frightening consistency. I use to get mocked for wearing my respirator, and scoffed at when I told others (mainly carpenters) to put on theirs. I'm forever yelling at love to put his on. I don't know where this attitude comes from....well I know where mine comes from. I'm ashamed to say much of mine comes from the fact that I'm a 5'2" petite female in a male dominated business. For some reason toughness and lack of safety sense have been linked and I was sucked into that mindset while fighting to prove myself. Thankfully I've learned (for the most part) since then. Robb's accident really shook me up, as did meeting and learning from Monona Rossol (who totally rocks by the way). Pregnancy is a huge wake up call. I can tell you that I don't plan on losing another baby by doing something irresponsible and stupid to prove how tough I am; or how hard core old school I am either. It's not worth it.

Ok enough of my early morning soap box rant. Happy Monday.

Title goes here

Wow I've not written for a while. I've been doing a fair amount but I've not really been in the mood for the computer. Speaking of computers, Love has agreed that with the next system we can do something like this. I'm so excited. This sort of stuff makes me want to learn how to solder. They usually keep me away from toys like that since I electrocuted myself with the electro-pounce.

We're currently in load in at work so knitting at lunch is not happening right now. I was making progress before the hiatus. I did hit a pattern snag though. Since I reduced the number of stitches in the shrug sleeve the decreases ended up like this ugly mess. I know it's not that bad but I didn't like it. So I ripped back and spread out the decreases in the purl sections to keep the same look in the ribbing. I don't have a picture of that yet. I've only been working on this during SnB.

I've been sewing during my lonely nights at home instead. The sewing bug has really gotten me lately. I'm working on some period costumes as to not be caught unawares next Renn Faire season. Plus I'm toying with getting involved with some reenacting groups. Besides I love the clothes. I'd dress in costume everyday if I could. I am starting with a basic chemise pattern (McCalls M4091) to wear under the other pieces. This pattern isn't exactly period but it's a good place to start. I'm doing a modified version of A/B; adjusting the length to fall mid-calf which is more accurate and eliminated the lace . The fabric is just an unbleached muslin, again not period but something I had on hand. I'm actually taking my time (for most of it) and trying to do it right. I'm hand finishing the seams so it takes far longer. I hand gathered the sleeves as well. I could have banged this project out on the first night but I'm attempting to elevate my sewing skills. Sewing, like knitting, is an addiction; I collect sewing patterns much the way I do knitting books.

Otherwise I've been busy with the house and foodstuffs. Much of yesterday was spent running around. Today I baked a cheesecake, a loaf of whole wheat bread and dehydrated a batch of apples. Laundry is also been a monumental task this weekend. I don't know how we go through so much laundry during load-ins but we do.
The other night Love got home fairly early (7:30ish) and we had dinner and then just sat on the couch, leaning on each other whimpering with pain. I've not done a 'real' load in for years. However I've been impressing the pants off of everyone lifting and carrying and working hard and being just as foul mouthed and dirty minded as them. Love is in Christmas Carol hell. He was put in charge of it a few years ago so that it ruins his holiday and not other people's. Normally it's not an issue since I was either involved in it as well, or having to work Black Friday. But now I've got time off and he's trapped at the theatre. Oh yeah...I don't have to work Black Friday anymore. hehe. I might stop by the store at 10 or 11 and tell them how I just woke up. Yeah, I'm evil.

I've caught the girls together like this the last few days. Yesterday bathing of one by the other was involved.


I know I've not been responding to comments...for some reason I can't seem to get to you people's email addresses easily to do so. If I'm doing this the idiot way, please tell me the easy way. Or suffer my late replies.

Brrrrrr

I should be used to the cold by now but I am freezing. I can't seem to warm up at all. It makes it al the harder to get out of bed when I am this cold. But onto the knitting pictures

These are the Flame Foliage boot socks. I finished them ages ago but never got a picture of them. With the chill in the air these will be on my feet often. Actually I have been wearing two pairs of sock everyday; knee highs and then another pair. I think I will move onto tights this week.

This is the Teva Durham Turtleneck Shrug that I've dubbed Wicked shrug. The colors remind me of the Wicked Witch of the West. I'm now in the decreasing for the top of the shoulder. I had to put it down last night. It was difficult to pay attention to the pattern and watch Donnie Darko at the same time.
I'm still debating on the turtleneck aspect of this project. I might make it a cowl neck; I might do a mock turtleneck. I'll see when I get that far. I did shorten the sleeves from the pattern, though I did keep the cuff. I didn't like the look without it. Plus I can pull it down if my hands are too cold and roll them up when mixing paint.

Other than that I'm still clearing out the house. I've got quite the pile of things to get rid of. Wait until I hit the studio. I told love I'm not touching that until the damn cats are gone. Yes, we still have the foster cats. They need to go soon.

I'm in love

I'm riding a total high at the moment. I love my job. (did you ever think you would hear me say that). I phucking love my job. I get paid to do what I love to do. I'm the happiest I've been in a long time. What set this off today was talking to one of my old co-workers and the total disaster that I left behind paired with a really successful faux oak I am painting. I kept looking at it thinking "omg! that looks like oak. my job is so cool!"

Ok enough gushing for now...off to snb

Duck feet, cleaning and cats

I've not been idle while not blogging. These little beauties were knit during my lunches and a few stolen moments at home during the last month.



They are from Zoe Mellor's 50 Baby Bootees to Knit. I actually bought the book for this pattern. I knit mine from Patons Grace and alter the pattern some. I bind off the back seam together, sew up the foot, and knit the cuff in the round. Why seam if you don't have to. This was a stash busting project. I knit as many as the yarn I had would make. I believe it works out to one set per skein of Grace. It was something I could do at work as well.

I've started on the Teva Durham shrug thing from Scarf Style. I'm making it out of crap yarn from my stash to wear while painting at work. I think the yarn is Lionbrand's Jiffy. I had two balls of it in the stash in an olive green shade. I need one more ball and I'll probably get black. Even if they still make the green I don't think I can get a good match, I'd rather go for contrast. Plus I could use any leftover black more readily than the green. Again I am altering the pattern some. The 66 stitches was just too big a sleeve so I dropped it down to 60 to keep in the K3, P3 pattern. I've done as far as I can on one sleeve in the green and are about 5 inches in on the second. I got a ton done the other day since I am so far ahead (read bored out of my ever lovin' mind) at work. I'll pick up some black later this week to continue. I don't think I'll go full turtle neck on the neck. I don't know yet. I have a great turtle neck sweater that I love but the neck kinda chokes me. (I'll probably rip that out and reknit it. Its a goodwill sweater). Once I finish tweaking the pattern I'll make a better one for regular wear. My paint clothes are becoming a sort of test kitchen for my work (or so I plan) especially with some of my sewing.

The weekend has been lovely. My first real free weekend since sometime in September. I've posted Macbeth pictures over on Footprints. Yesterday was spent cleaning the house (we finally got bags for the vacuum cleaner) and putting away the Halloween decorations after a lovely breakfast out. I also picked up a digital food scale for my spinning. The big project of the day was sorting stuff in the house. We're doing a big clean out of stuff. After love went and helped pack up his grandmother's house he vowed to come home and throw out half his stuff. We had already gotten into this mindset with the pregnancy, and now we have more time. Bit by bit we are going through everything and tossing what we don't want/need into boxes. Then we will sort the boxes into things to sell on ebay, things to tag sale, and things to donate. I'm taking a new policy on my stuff, just as I am blogging without obligation, I am cleaning out without guilt. No more keeping stuff because it was a gift. If I don't use it or don't like it, out it goes. I can't keep holding on to all this crap.

As for today, that project will continue. We raked our yard this morning as this is the week they come and vacuum them up. The town comes by twice in the fall, sucks them up, and mulches them.

And for fun here's a picture of Loki defending our home from a 'vicious' young squirrel. The rodent was desperately trying to get in through the window and my girl smacked the crap out of him. Granted the glass was there the whole time keeping either party safe, but she was valiant and fought like a demon. I gave her a treat and tons of praise after the squirrel took off in fear. Mind you, this is my pretty one, not the evil genius. She was off sleeping somewhere. I think she's training the younger one to do her work for her.

Speaking of training, I think Loki is training Isis to cuddle up with her. It isn't totally there yet but she's making great progress. One night in bed Isis settled in her spot next to me, and then Loki came and settled in next to her. Disgruntled by this shameless attempt to curl up with her, Isis got up and moved. And Loki did too. About 5 times this happened (can't say I slept very well that night) until Isis left the bed completely. Hopeless it would seem. But they have been found on the cat bed together. And now every morning they are together nested on the down blanket on the couch. You can tell Isis isn't totally into it or quite comfortable. I think she's just tolerating it for now, but I also think she starting to notice the warm and toasty benefits of such and arrangement. She stays there for a while and then will move on. It is as if she's letting Loki have her way for a little bit each day just to get her to leave her alone later. Can't say it always works. My little Loki can be a persistent one, bless her little addled brain. It will be interesting to see how far this goes once the snow flies. But it has answered one of the kitty mysteries...Loki's inability to lay in the middle of the cat bed. She's leaving room for Isis.