Sunday, November 16, 2008

Um, yeah.

So it's about my blogging habits. Or rather, my lack of blogging habits. Wow. I'm really horrible at this lately. To the four of you who read this, sorry about the big gap in writing. I just really haven't had all that much to talk about, or really that I felt like talking about. I'm leaving in the morning for Portland to go to a conference for work. I'm really excited, but will be MIA all week. Not that anyone will notice a difference...

I have pictures to post from the All Hallow's Eve swap - got some fantastic stuff from my spoiler! I PROMISE I will post when I get back. I've missed you, innernets!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Thursday, October 9, 2008

This time of year 15 years ago, I was living in an apartment with my then-boyfriend, in my senior year of college, and pretending I was all grown up. My then-boyfriend was this big, Italian New Yorker who had a soft spot for kitties. Never would have thought it to look at him, but it was true. In May of our year of living together, we decided to get a kitten. A friend of my mom's had a daugther who had a cat who had some kittens - you know the drill.

We ended up with a teeney tiny black furball that we named Delta. From the get-go, Delta was a little spitfire. She liked to climb you from your ankles to your shoulder when you least expected it, like, oh, when you were frying something at the stove, or brushing your teeth. Fun times like that. Then she would perch on your shoulder and let you carry her around the house, I think so she could see life from a different perspective.

I took Delta for her first vet visit to get all the shots and to make an appointment to have her declawed and spayed. Only, it turned out, that the spaying would have to be neutering, because Delta was actually a boy.

We had a small identity crisis for a while deciding whether to keep the name Delta. In the end, I couldn't do it. Delta just seemed girly to me. So Delta became Logan. Logan liked to sleep curled up in my hair on my pillow, and came to greet me every day at the door, meowing at me until I picked him up and carted him around on my shoulder.

College ended, the relationship with the big Italian guy did, too, and I kept the cat. Logan never was what you would call warm and cuddly. He liked you to pet him, but only as long as he felt like it, and then he would bite you. He had a fondness for all things dairy - milk, ice cream, pudding, yogurt... if you finished it, he'd be there to lick the bowl. He also had a tendency toward bladder infections, which led to some cat mistakes in areas outside the litter box, such as in the bathtub, on a friend's pillow, and inside my sister's new down winter coat. My dad helped me take him to the vet on one such occasion, and ended up in the ER with an antibiotic IV for the infection from the bite Logan gave him.

The years passed, and Logan and I grew older together. We survived the roommate from hell, moving a million times, good boyfriends, bad boyfriends, finally finding The One, getting married, adding to our animal family, and bringing a little girl into the mix. Through it all, he'd still perch on my shoulder from time to time, and always, always would he be there when I finished my cereal.

About six months ago, I noticed that Logan wasn't his usual rotund self (no animal in my house is skinny - shocker, I know). He got thinner and thinner, and moved less and less quickly. About two weeks ago, he began to get very tentative about his movements, and I discovered that he could no longer see. Over the past few days, he ate less and less and slept more and more. Today was the day that I finally took him to the vet. He bit me, for old times sake I'd like to think, and gave the vet techs a run for their money when they tried to sedate him. But in the end, he just let go. And I guess I have to as well.

Goodbye, Mr. Logan - I love you so much and I will always miss you.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Happy Jewish Holidays!

Hope that's not offensive to anyone. It's just that today is Rosh Hashanna (or actually, it started last night) and being that I teach in a largely Jewish school district, I get Jewish holidays off. Go me! I'll also be hanging at home next Thursday, which would be Yom Kippur, for those of you who are not up on Jewish holidays. I love October!

I'm not feeling so hot today. It's nothing major, just this all-around blah kind of feeling. I think I'm starting to feel better, and then I get up and do something, and then I realize I'm not really feeling better. It's really not that much fun.

I really don't have much to post about, or much that's exciting, anyway. While the lights were out ALL WEEK a couple weeks ago, my old man cat decided to use my living room area rug as his litter box. I tried the whole Nature's Miracle thing, alas, to no avail. So the area rug is now in the garage and I'm getting used to the whole zen-like, simple nature of my bare hardwood living room floor. I might like it, we'll see.

I need to go grocery shopping today. I'm still trying to restock my fridge and freezer. Did I mention the electricity was out for ONE WHOLE WEEK?!?!? So I think I have about 4 things in my freezer, which I know doesn't do much for efficiency... wow, this is really turning into a very lame post. I think I'll go lie down now - perhaps it's the virus talking.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Life is normal again...

Well, as normal as it ever is. I'll update more later, but electric came back on Saturday night - a mere 6 full days without it. All blogs are blocked at work, so I suffer withdrawal so badly by the time I hit the computer at night. It's just sad. I will catch up soon. I have two posts for the Halloween dishcloth swap that I need to do. Soon, I promise. :)

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Well, well, well...

how we take small things for granted. Say, for instance, ELECTRICITY!!!

The remnants of Hurrican Ike roared through central Ohio on Sunday afternoon, and we have been without power since. I have never felt wind like that before. So many beautiful, huge old trees in my neighborhood were destroyed. It really stinks. I am counting my blessings, however, that I am not in Texas. No idea when the electricity is coming back on. Someone said Saturday. Fan-tas-tic... We have an electric hot water heater. We've been in a hotel since last night. So, I'll be here sporadically, and can't do much checking of others' blogs, because I'm doing this from work. (Which, by the way, I have not had to attend for the past two days! We'll see what tomorrow has in store.)

The little one's school has also been powerless for the past two days. I now really, REALLY know why I am not a stay-at-home mom. For those of you who are, bless your hearts. You are stronger women than I...

Until I meet with modern conveniences again, toodles! Happy knitting, y'all! (Speaking of which, my sticks have been flying! It's amazing how productive I can be when I'm not distracted by this internet business!)

Thursday, September 11, 2008

All Hallows Eve Dishcloth Exchange

Woo hoo! Anne is at it again. And, since I absolutely LOVE Halloween, I had to sign up. Here's the newest questionnaire...

Knotting Yarn
1. Do you knit or crochet? For how long?

I knit, and I think it's been about 4 years now. I crocheted first, but I don't think I would remember how to do it now.

2. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using the most? Are there some you've been dying to try out and haven't?

I use bamboo needles from Jo Ann's or Michael's. I would love to try KnitPics Harmony needles.

3. What kind of projects do you most enjoy? Small things you can take with you, or big complex ones that are just gorgeous when they're done?

I have to say that I enjoy small things more. They are portable, and they are typically finished quickly. I jump into the occasional large project, and then hate every minute until I'm finished. I'm a dish/wash cloth addict right now.

4. List one pattern for a dishcloth that you love to make, or just tell us about one you've made or received that you loved.

I love this one, but after seeing this one on Gina's blog, it might be my new favorite, even though I've never made it!

5. What are your 'must have' notions? Are there any notions you need or can never have enough of? Any that might make you cry if you owned more?

Stitch markers - never seem to have enough.

Petting Yarn
6. What are your favorite yarns to work with? Any you hate or are allergic to?

I love baby alpaca, and merino wool is nice as well. But I really love cotton. I do not enjoy acrylic. No allergies.

7. What colors do you like to use in projects? Any we'd never catch on your needles?

I try to match my projects to the person I'm knitting for. For myself, I like sage green, plum, natural earth tones, and pink is my favorite fun, girly color. I'm not big into really bright, unnatural shades.

8. Any cottons you'd like to try you can't find by you, or just haven't gotten around to getting?

I really like mercerized cottons, and apparently Peaches and Cream makes one? But really, I enjoy any kind of cotton.

Halloween, Fall, and General Stuff
9. Do you like to use bar soap or shower gel more? What kinds of scents do you love? What kind do you hate?

I'm a shower gel girl. I love clean scents, vanilla, lavender, and amber. I do not like rose or other floraly scents.

10. What's more 'Halloweeny' - Ghosts, Pumpkins, or Witches?

Definitely pumpkins.

11. What's your favorite Treat to get? Sweet or Salty? Anything you're allergic to or just hate?

I love sweet and salty. You name it, I'll probably eat it. I absolutely adore Hot Tamales, chocolate is always good, love almonds and cashews, and I've been on a bit of a Good 'n Plenty kick lately. Can't explain it... Oh! And a really yummy fall-ish treat is candy corn mixed with salted peanuts. Oh so good!

12. What was your favorite Halloween Costume as a kid? As an adult??

As a kid, I loved the year I got to be a punk rocker. Yep, I'm a child of the 80s. And sadly enough, I don't typically dress for Halloween as an adult.

13. Are you on Ravelry? What's your ID?

Heck yes - knitcurl71

14. Anything else you'd like to be sure your pal knows?

I'm easy to please - I get so excited when swap packages come!