Monday, August 28, 2006

Not the way to wake up




AAAAHHHH! what is this?? While digging through my sock stash last night I must have dropped a small ball of my beloved Fixation. That's just a cat toy for Micky. So I calmly poured my cup of joe and untangled the yarn from the house. Micky was found perched in the breakfast nook's window quite satisfied with himself. This yarn went thoughout the front room into the vestibule.


Sunday, August 27, 2006

Socks, so far


SOCKS!!!! Mike saw a ball of Lion Brand Wool thick and Quick and was absolutely convinced that this thick wool would make perfect hunting socks. The ball had a pattern with it so he didn't see the problem. I kept telling him,. well, the socks will be thick. No, he insisted, they would be perfect for hunting weather in November. After his first morning out, he agreed that his feet barely fit in his boots but they were nice and toasty. These would be the socks shown on the far left. The once up top are a modified slipper version that both dads, Mike, and assorted male friends love.Second from left are my first attempt at socks. They are blue berry waffle weave using hard to find Red Heart Tweed. I found the yarn in a Ben Franklin store in Gaylord, MI. Beneath those are Cascade Fixation socks and a self striping sock from Knit bits. The mate is in my purse. The Fixation socks have become quite the hit at WCC . Many have fondled my ankles all the while begging for socks for themselves. Needless to say, I am hosting sock clinics on my lunch hour and after work.Continuing along the tour, the middle socks were quite fun to make using baby cables for ribbing. The yarn used was called Marble, but I'm not sure of the manufacturer. Mike requested a light weight sweater made from it. I'll get around to it once I find more. Maybe. The last pair is another Cascade Fixation. I had to fight my 4 yr old niece Meggie for the socks once she got them on. To stop the tears, I promised I'd knot up a pair for her.







Lola just loves the socks. Lola loves to pose.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

the drama never stops

Another reason to keep a project with me at all times. As I was driving down Ann Arbor Rd on my way home from work, I spied a very attractive man at the corner gas station. Wow! and he's waving at me. Oh, it's my ever so cute husband and I'll just bet his brakes went out! So I picked him up and drove over to his break line leaking car and called AAA. 2 hours and many phone calls later, Larry the tow truck guy finally finds us. Look, I gave him precise directions including landmarks. Meanwhile I completed 2 stripes on my self-striping and self fair isle socks. They're always with me as they are just a nice mindless activity. I sat, knitted, and watched for Larry. Fortunately, this car was given to us by friend Monkeyboy's roomie John. We were able to replace the drums and brakes on the rear but John is now on his own. So we will carpool until Labor Day weekend when we pick up Dads truck.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Oh, he's fine

My favorite guy will be fine. He developed a severe infection and is being treated by antibiotics.

Here is the instructions on giving a cat, especially Groucho a pill.

Sit on sofa. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your elbow as though you were going to give a bottle to a baby. Talk softly to it.
With right hand, position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. (be patient) As cat opens mouth pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow. Drop pill into mouth. Let go of cat, noticing the direction it runs.
Pick the pill up off the floor and go get the cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process. Sit on floor in kitchen, wrap arm around cat as before, drop pill in mouth. Let go of cat, noticing the direction it runs.
Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away. Scoot across floor to pick up pill, and go find the cat. Bring it back into the kitchen. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten. Drop pill into mouth.
Pry claws from back legs out of your arm. Go get the cat, pick up half-dissolved pill from floor and drop it into garbage can.
Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of closet. Call spouse from backyard. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
Retrieve cat from curtain rod, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered Doulton figures from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
Get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with rubber band.
Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
Call fire department to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take another pill from foil wrap.
Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed, force cat's mouth open with small spanner. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour one cup of water down throat to wash pill down.
Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call at furniture shop on way home to order new table.
Get last pill from bottle. Go into bathroom and get a fluffy towel. Stay in the bathroom with the cat, and close the door.
Sit on bathroom floor, wrap towel around kitty, leaving only his head exposed. Cradle kitty in the crook of your arm, and pick up pill off of counter.
Retrieve cat from top of shower door (you didn't know that cats can jump 5 feet straight up in the air, did you?), and wrap towel around it a little tighter, making sure its paws can't come out this time. With fingers at either side of its jaw, pry it open and pop pill into mouth. Quickly close mouth (his, not yours).
Sit on floor with cat in your lap, stroking it under the chin and talking gently to it for at least a half hour, while the pill dissolves.
Unwrap towel, open bathroom door. Wash off scratches in warm soapy water, comb your hair, and go find something to occupy your time for 7-1/2 hours.
Arrange for SPCA to get cat and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

Friday, August 18, 2006

My Favorite Guy


How sad, Groucho, my favorite guy is going to the vet this afternoon as we are finding blood in his urine. He has been my feline companion for 19 happy years and I hate to say goodbye but we will see what his doctor says. He is also completely blind but knows his way around and can still get up on the furniture, the bathroom sink to keep my company as I go through my am routine, and he can still walk all over me. He also takes a well aimed wack at Lola when she passes him. He's a nuzzler and can still purr up a storm. I'll post later with news.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

It's us!!

I'm still yakking about Sunday's fun. Here we are with the incredibly funny Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Lynne is on the right; she's my guru in most areas of my life, SP-McPhee is center, and there I am, shiny face and all with her last book "Yarn Rules!" I now carry it along with my knitting everywhere I go. She understands my yarn/knit/fiber obsession and encouraged me on with her autograph. Whatta gal.
After my week of teaching union pipefitters how to use powerpoint and proctoring their tests, (need my happy place now...ah yes, there it is...Orlando Bloom holding my basket while I pile on more yarns and goodies),I plan on purchasing a digital camera strictly for my many projects. I may "borrow and give credit" her idea of snapping the pix in, say, trees, the garden.