I Am Sooooo Glad

that it's Friday! It's really been one of 'those' weeks.

Monday and Tuesday were spent at home being up close and personal with a heating pad. Sunday I was on the step ladder hanging curtains back up in the living room. Stepped off the bottom step so that I could see a football replay. Oh, but oops. I was on the next step up. Big step down in which I really tried hard to drive my right hip up through the top of my head. Dang...I just can't get rid of my klutz reputation.
But once I got enough drugs in my system it wasn't all a bad thing. Lots of Cold Case Files and knitting and napping.
So I go back to work on Wednesday and discover that all sorts of bad things are happening at my place of employment. All quite complicated and probably not appropriate for blogging...and very scary. My dept. director keeps trying to give us the sense that this isn't really total disaster. But he's talking to us with tears in his eyes? We shall see. Please great employment office in the sky...I really need one more year. Please? Pretty please?
In an attempt to bring calmness and contentedness into my life, my evenings have been spent with eggnog (alcohol free) and yarn. Two of my most favorite things in the world. Apparently though, I'm somehow transmitting my inner thoughts to the animals who can't decide whether they need to race around madly or pile up on me until moving is difficult :-)


So I decided on the way home tonight that other than changing my sheets and doing laundry, I wasn't going to do anything that NEEDED to be done this weekend. Just knit and spin and nap and catch up on blogs.
Hmmm, when I booted up the computer I got this message that a problem had been discovered on my hard drive. Like I know what I'm supposed to do about that. I clicked on through and got on line without difficulty but who knows how long that will last?
Is this some sort of cosmic glitch?
I guess I'd better hurry up and look up a recipe for chai tea. So I'll have something to do if I become unemployed and without a computer.
Hopefully see you later this weekend. What have you got planned?

Weird...

Saturday after a rudimentary bit of housework, I set off for the near west side of the City with specific shopping goals in mind.
There was hopefully going to be new nail polish for my toes, possibly and MP3 player and some cotton yarn for a dishcloth.
First stop was Ulta for a little set of OPI nail polish that was in the previous Sunday paper. I love OPI but it's rather expensive for my budget so the chance to get 3 tiny bottles for $4.95 sounded like a mood brightener. I enter the bright store populated with a lot of staff, all young, thin, and dressed in black. I didn't see the product at the front of the store and when I asked, I was told they'd sold out. At which time, the associate turned back to her coworker to continue their conversation. Now, I really hate to be smothered by sales people, but I would have thought a good thing to say was something like, "I'm sorry, we've sold out. We do, however, have these whatevers that are also really cool and a good buy." Or perhaps, "Would you like to see our other OPI polishes?" But nada. I wandered around a bit, finally found a little set of red and green polish, paid and left. I felt rather invisible. Was I just not dressed appropriately for such a spiffy store? Did it not appear that I had any money to spend? Or did they just not care? Since there were very few shoppers in the store I would have thought there would have been more effort.
Next, to the Best Buy next door. I know that I can't afford an iPod. But there are other options, and I wanted to talk to someone who could tell me the differences and help me come up with a solution. I also really want a new camera, mine is sooo heavy.
There were a few more shoppers in here, but not nearly what I'm used to seeing. I first went to the camera section, zeroed in on some I'd read about. Lifted them up and played a bit. I counted...I picked up 10 different cameras, reading the info posted and peering through the view finder. After probably 15 minutes, I then went to the MP3 section. I gazed longingly at the iPods, moved on to the other kinds and tried to determine what made each special. Probably 15 minutes there too. And in that 30 minutes, NOBODY said "Can I help you?" I thought perhaps they were all busy selling Wii-s (how do you type that plural?). Or some other big gaming thing. Or the latest in computers. But the associates there are fairly visible in their blue shirts, and there just weren't any around. Well, except for the checkers (there were NO lines) and the guy at the door. As I left, he asked me if I'd found what I was looking for. And I honestly said "No, I was looking for a sales associate".
And then off to Hobby Lobby. That place was packed!! I got my yarn and got in line to check out. All the checkout lines were staffed. Most people had lots of purchases and I'm nosy. I love to see what other folks are buying. Seemed to be fabric, yarn, paint, paper, glues and beads along with some decorations. Everyone skipping Ulta and making necklaces for their girlfriends? Or skipping Best Buy and their non-existent staff and knitting iPod cozies?
On the way back to the vehicle, I did make another quick stop at Petsmart so Zoey could have a weekend treat. And once again, it was packed. Pets WILL have their treats and food.
I read all about the poor economy and how it's going to affect holiday spending. But guys, if on the off chance someone comes in to spend, it would be really nice to have a bit of help.

Can Nutmeg Make You Sleepy?

Came home from work on a blustery, damp and very cool day and once the kids were fed I made nutmeg sauce for my pound cake. Ate a bit of supper and topped it off with warmed pound cake with nutmeg sauce. Ummmmmmmmmmm yum! Granted, I ate way too much but oh how good it tasted.

Then settled down with some knitting and Keith Olbermann. I was especially interested to hear his comment on Proposition 8 in California. I wish he'd done this before the vote. But, in my experience, those who believe that gays are the spawn of Satan aren't likely to change their minds. Here in my state, I've heard all the sanctity of marraige arguments, but considering the divorce rate here I find them comical. Which doesn't win me any popularity comments.



Then it was time to watch football. I do remember reaching for the remote to change channels. Listened a bit to Maddow. And the next thing I remember was waking up at 0100 or 1:10 AM. I was halfway sitting up and halfway leaning over on the pillows at the end of the loveseat. My knitting was in my lap with a cat sleeping on top of it.

Up long enough to turn out the lights, take my PM meds and put in my eye drops. I guess I was tired? Woke up with the alarm this morning at 5 and now it's time to get all spiffed up for another day!

Hope yours goes well. Any fun things to do today?

Christmas Past

One of my holiday traditions is a trip to the mall so I can go into Williams-Sonoma and buy myself a Christmas treat. For someone who isn't all that into cooking, I am just fascinated by all the kitchen things they have and they always have mixes for something good to bake. To my budget, they're expensive but it's a once a year treat.

For some reason, last year's purchase never got made. And on Saturday, when I got the bread flour canister down, I discovered it behind hiding back there.

So on Sunday, almost a year later, I baked it. I think I'm glad it was postponed because it was just the perfect treat.



I got all involved in football and knitting yesterday, but tonight, I'll make some nutmeg sauce to go with it and have a totally calorie laden Monday night.

On the knitting front, I finished the houseshoe but it looks like crap so you aren't going to see it. I'm thinking that the ribbing is going to be completely frogged and done over. We shall see.

Yum!

Lots of scrubbing and laundry and sweeping and mopping happened here today. And, I put that fuse back in the car and now the lights work properly. A strange noise that has kept me company on the way to work and back is still there. I thought it was the antenna trying to go up, but apparently that's not it. Oh well, so far it's just annoying and everything major is working. I'll have to try and see my mechanic sometime this week.

But the highlight of the day was this..



It's been forever since I've made bread. I had a bread machine for a long time and initially I used it a lot. But when the new wore off it just gathered dust so I traded it for a dust buster and something else that I can't remember now. I really prefer doing it by hand but I wasn't sure I remembered how. Well, I can read a recipe, but the part I was concerned about was just knowing when the dough felt right. It was soooooooo good to knead that dough. And you know what was even better?

Having a warm bread/butter/honey supper. A cold glass of milk just made it perfect.

All Hail!

Wednesday afternoon my secret grins and thumbs up were temporarily suspended. I was minding my own business, standing at the copier when the most horrendous noise occured. Our building is really a metal building wrapped in brick but the metal roof was reverberating with a monstrous pounding noise. We all ran to the only view of the outside..the door. And beheld amazing pouring rain, vicious wind and a ton of hail. In places the ground was white. The road that runs by the building looked like a path through a pasture from all the leaves and dirt and such that had been carried by the rain that ran across it. All quite tremendous and exciting!

But, alas, my camera was at home. And an even greater alas....all my car windows were down! Hey, just 30 minutes before I'd been out doing work errands and the sun was shining. There were some clouds in the west but nothing looking too grim.

OMG! There was enough water on the floorboards to splash in. Hail covered the seats. A folder that had been lying quietly on the front seat was now draped across the back of a seat and the paper that had been in it was soaked and scattered about including one that was plastered to the headliner.

Using a trashbag as an underpad, I headed to the car wash to avail myself of their super vacuum. Swish, gurgle...much of it was sucked up but the car was still super wet. And the LIGHTS WERE ON. They were on when I approached the car. They were on at the carwash and they were still on when I got back to work. I turned off the delay and they stayed on. I moved the light switch and they stayed on.

I have a good battery but I don't think it's going to last through the night with the light on. So off to the gas station.

I'm sure that the guy thought I was some ditzy old woman. After all, it was overcast and my lights are supposed to come on when it gets dim. Eventually, he agreed to perhaps remove a fuse. So he sticks his arm up under the dash and his arm was immediately soaked from draining water. Uh oh.

Finally, a big fuse under the hood was removed and the lights went out. But so did the speedometer and all the other dash lights. It's odd to drive down the street and not be able to see if you're in danger of being ticketed.

He says that it should dry out in a day or two and then I can put the fuse back. :::crossing fingers::: Fortunately yesterday was quite windy so much of the upholstery is much drier and we are to have nice weather on through the weekend.

Oh, and this morning I'm thinking the wind blew out the pilot on the furnace. At least it won't turn on. Off to check on that now.

UPDATE: Just as I hit "publish", the heat turned on. Yay! It's gonna be a great day!

So, what exciting things are going on in your life??

Ooops!

This rather obscene looking project is really going to be a houseshoe. I'd finished the foot and started on the ribbing for the cuff. Alas, apparently I shouldn't knit and watch election returns at the same time. I was to pick up 44 stitches around the opening to the foot. I picked up 14 and knitted happily along, holding my breath at times as I watched the results come in. That cuff wouldn't even go over a flashlight!
Frogged that and decided that now I had these great big lumpy holes where the stitches and been pulled tight as I added the cuff yarn. So frog some more.

It's a new day. And it will be a better houseshoe.

Mystery Solved!

The strangest thing happened repeatedly last week. From Wednesday on, every morning when I got to work I'd have a piece of something in my eye. Well, not really IN it but around it. A fuzz that would just drive me crazy. Nothing I could see. I'd rub my eye, spend time looking in the mirror trying to find it all to no avail. Eventually, by mid morning, it would be gone and all was well.
Curiously, before I left for work, all would be fine. I thought of a couple of possibilites.
A cat hair that somehow found it's way to my eyes as I told everyone goodbye.
A piece of spinning fiber that somehow found it's way to my eyes as I walked out the door.
So, I quit spinning in the morning. I told the cats good bye from a distance and still....a very annoying something in my eyes.
But then, on Sunday afternoon, the mystery was solved. I'd decided to go to Sonic for a half price drink and as I approached my vehicle I saw the culprit. The sun was coming from the west and highlighting my driver's window. And gracefully arranged there were gossamer strands of a spider web. It wasn't a big beautiful web, but rather infintesimal strands going here and there. Most importantly, it reached from the front side of the window area to the seat belt bracket on the side. And the spider, a teensy weensy one. I went back in the house and got a cup and relocated her to a more appropriate area. For me anyway, she perhaps wasn't as thrilled. I guess she'd been living there for awhile and every night she practiced her weaving skills only to have me tear things up. And at work, the window was down and perhaps the wind kept her from restoring things during the day. As I cleared out the web, I was amazed at how fine it was. Not like the usual ones that I walk through and then feel all over myself. I couldn't feel it at all on my arms and hands. But when it would get to my eyes, it became an invisible annoyance.
And yesterday? No itchy, cranky eyes. Sorry spider. I hope you found a new place to spin so fine.

Sock That Vote!

Yes, I got to vote early yesterday. Our early voting only started on Friday but there was a really long line. And I was running work errands and didn't think I'd better stop. So up early yesterday as usual and was there at 7:30 with about 50 people ahead of me and they didn't open for actual voting until 8. I had my sock-in-progress in my GoKnit bag hooked onto my belt loop so I happily stood in line and visited and knit. Pretty much had it done by the time we started moving much. I know that I cancelled out the vote of the guy in front of me, and I also know that probably my vote was cancelled numerous times. But still I think it's very exciting that this election is bringing in so many new voters. I was told that in my county there have been thousands of new voters registering and the election board folks have been working really late hours getting all of them in the computer.

Anyway, so here are the sockies. They're fraternal twins..my first. I'm not sure why as the ball bands had the same lot number on them. But ohhhhhhhh they are lovely squishy and soft. The yarn is one of my prizes from Knitty Otter's contest.



Yarn: Ditto Color 4807
Needles: 2.75 and Size 1 dpns
Time spent: uhhh maybe a couple of weeks off and on.

I came home..finished the toe and grafted it. Took their picture and headed off to the next town to take part in the Grand Opening of the new



in the next town over, 10 miles away! It's so nice to not have to drive 30 miles to buy catfood. It's not that they use some bizarre brand, it's just that here there is not much choice. The parking lot was almost FULL and it's a big lot. And there were at least a bazillion dogs and their people inside. And a lot of doggie noise. I got some food (and used my $5 off coupon) and picked up all the freebies and headed home.

Almost too much excitement ;-)