tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85145689322575064722024-02-06T22:52:33.205-05:00Can I get paid to knit?random thoughts from a busy girlmichelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-3776590723912558012008-11-16T23:43:00.002-05:002008-11-16T23:46:23.072-05:00Um, 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...<br /><br />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!michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-72379248560089774442008-10-11T22:20:00.001-04:002008-10-11T22:20:54.669-04:00Don't Vote<object width="400" height="225"> <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> <param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1867558&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /> <embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1867558&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="225"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/1867558?pg=embed&sec=1867558">Don't Vote!</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/urbnmkt?pg=embed&sec=1867558">URBNMKT</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com?pg=embed&sec=1867558">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br />'Nuff said.michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-88769172350298743432008-10-09T14:07:00.002-04:002008-10-09T14:22:15.171-04:00This 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Goodbye, Mr. Logan - I love you so much and I will always miss you.michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-73505329210955794512008-09-30T12:12:00.002-04:002008-09-30T12:20:21.052-04:00Happy 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!<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-30905038173484436822008-09-23T21:39:00.002-04:002008-09-23T21:41:52.800-04:00Life 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. :)michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-30641890954699767462008-09-16T16:25:00.003-04:002008-09-16T16:30:16.402-04:00Well, well, well...how we take small things for granted. Say, for instance, ELECTRICITY!!!<br /><br />The remnants of Hurrican Ike roared through central Ohio on Sunday afternoon, and we have been without power since. I have <strong>never </strong>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.)<br /><br />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...<br /><br />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!)michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-66156343413289883082008-09-11T21:35:00.002-04:002008-09-11T21:58:47.812-04:00All Hallows Eve Dishcloth ExchangeWoo hoo! Anne is at it again. And, since I absolutely LOVE Halloween, I had to sign up. Here's the newest questionnaire...<br /><br />Knotting Yarn<br />1. Do you knit or crochet? For how long?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">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.</span><br /><br />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?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">I use bamboo needles from Jo Ann's or Michael's. I would love to try KnitPics Harmony needles.</span><br /><br />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?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">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.</span><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">I love <a href="http://freepatterns.k1p1keepingyouinstitchesstudio.com/pll.html">this one</a>, but after seeing <a href="http://www.jimsyldesign.com/dishbout/kpatterns/lacymockcable.html">this one </a>on <a href="http://mirthful-menagerie.blogspot.com/">Gina's blog</a>, it might be my new favorite, even though I've never made it!</span><br /><br />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?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">Stitch markers - never seem to have enough.</span><br /><br />Petting Yarn<br />6. What are your favorite yarns to work with? Any you hate or are allergic to?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">I love baby alpaca, and merino wool is nice as well. But I really love cotton. I do not enjoy acrylic. No allergies.</span><br /><br />7. What colors do you like to use in projects? Any we'd never catch on your needles?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">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.</span><br /><span style="color:#000066;"></span><br />8. Any cottons you'd like to try you can't find by you, or just haven't gotten around to getting?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">I really like mercerized cottons, and apparently Peaches and Cream makes one? But really, I enjoy any kind of cotton. </span><br /><br />Halloween, Fall, and General Stuff<br />9. Do you like to use bar soap or shower gel more? What kinds of scents do you love? What kind do you hate?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">I'm a shower gel girl. I love clean scents, vanilla, lavender, and amber. I do not like rose or other floraly scents.</span><br /><span style="color:#000066;"></span><br />10. What's more 'Halloweeny' - Ghosts, Pumpkins, or Witches?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">Definitely pumpkins.</span><br /><br />11. What's your favorite Treat to get? Sweet or Salty? Anything you're allergic to or just hate?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">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!</span><br /><br />12. What was your favorite Halloween Costume as a kid? As an adult??<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">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.</span><br /><span style="color:#000066;"></span><br />13. Are you on Ravelry? What's your ID?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">Heck yes - knitcurl71</span><br /><span style="color:#000066;"></span><br />14. Anything else you'd like to be sure your pal knows?<br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">I'm easy to please - I get so excited when swap packages come!</span>michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-63854828703237469952008-09-08T21:19:00.002-04:002008-09-08T21:21:24.871-04:00Drumroll Please...I have finished all four of the <em>Twilight</em> novels. I have to say, <em>Breaking Dawn</em> was a bit of a stretch for me. But I truly enjoyed them, and was glad for the happy ending. Now, on to <em>The Host.</em>michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-70480769539459819482008-09-02T22:14:00.001-04:002008-09-02T22:19:26.694-04:00I'm so doing this...I found this on <a href="http://arielzoe.blogspot.com/">Ariel's blog </a>- knitting scarves for the <a href="http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Features/Special+Olympics.htm">Special Olympics</a> winter games. How awesome is this? First of all, Red Heart is CHEAP, and second of all, what a fantastic cause. I've had many of my students through the years participate in this awesome organization. If you have a little extra time, join in and send in a few!michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-51946028678170702392008-08-27T22:01:00.002-04:002008-08-27T22:05:30.777-04:00Dang I'm tired...School's in, and I am certainly not getting enough sleep. Also, I have a student that farts a LOT, and I may have to resort to Vick's Vapo-Rub in my nostrils in order to survive. I'm not kidding.<br /><br />In other news, <a href="http://mirthful-menagerie.blogspot.com/">Gina</a> is having one fantastic contest in honor of two years of blogging. I don't really want to send you there, because I want to win. But if you go there and tell her I sent you, I have better chances of winning! :) Go Me!michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-33301440125847757232008-08-24T21:56:00.002-04:002008-08-24T21:57:57.481-04:00And so it begins...Tonight, my four and a half year old daughter screamed at me, at the top of her little lungs, "I hate you, Mommy, I really, really hate you!"<br /><br />I knew these days were coming, I just didn't think they would be here so soon. I also know that this was the first time of many. I just didn't know how much it would actually hurt to hear it. Maybe time numbs the feeling.michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-46524465498062003822008-08-19T22:42:00.001-04:002008-08-19T22:43:27.715-04:00I am a woman obsessed.I finished New Moon this evening. I can't stop reading these books. I'm contemplating a run to Wal-Mart right this very minute to pick up Eclipse. What is wrong with me?????michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-53114886224448635272008-08-18T22:07:00.002-04:002008-08-18T22:12:44.154-04:00Pictures comingSomeday. I actually was planning to put up a picture of the blanket I will never speak of again, but haven't been able to convince myself to actually photograph it.<br /><br />The little one is at my parents' house this week - I'm free! I go back to work one week from today. Trying not to be sad about it. It will be good to be back to a scheduled kind of day. But I really, really hate getting up at 5:00am, and I really hate not being able to do what I like with my days. I need to win the lottery something serious...<br /><br />In other news, I have now been bitten by the Twilight bug... I finished it Sunday afternoon, promptly went out and bought New Moon, and am on page 259. I never in my life thought I would enjoy these books, but after reading so much about them on other blogs, I thought I'd at least give the first one a try. Slurp - I'm sucked right in. Off to find out when exactly Edward is coming back to Bella...michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-12099756353546704342008-08-08T12:32:00.003-04:002008-08-18T22:07:32.855-04:00Stick a fork in it....<blockquote></blockquote><p>It's DONE!!! I am FINALLY finished with the corner-to-corner baby blanket from hell! I can not believe how long this thing took me. But when I look at all the teeney tiny stitches, I guess it makes sense. I don't even love how it turned out. Hopefully, my friend will, and I do believe it will serve its purpose in the colder weather. </p><p>In other news at Chez Sickbed, the little one has strep throat. When we got to the pediatrician's office this morning, she made a weird noise, and I looked over and she had both hands clamped over her little mouth. Luckily, there was a trash can RIGHT THERE and it came in quite handy. So we left with a prescription for amoxicillan, and hopefully she will be on the mend by this evening. Wish me luck. The drs parting advice for her was "don't breathe on mommy and daddy". Thanks, Doc - a little late for that.</p>michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-27794261835089774552008-08-07T18:54:00.002-04:002008-08-07T19:08:52.436-04:00UpdateSo, kid is still feverish. Probably making a trip to the doctor tomorrow, which means she won't go to school, which means no free day for me. Selfish mom that I am.<br /><br />Anywhoo, to while away my hours as the nurse maid, I've been perusing all my favorite blogs. <a href="http://rhiinpink.com/blog/">Rhi </a>is having a contest - head on over if you want to. She's compiled a list of 75 books that all women should read, and I'm reposting it here. I'm bolding the ones I've read, italicizing the ones I intend to, and crossing out the ones I have no interest in. Here goes....<br /><br /><strong>The Official List For the Rest of Us: Must Read Books for the Twenty or Thirty-Something Career Girl With an Active Social Life and Reality TV to Watch<br /></strong>Or: <strong>Read This, You Will Not Be Sorry</strong><br /><p>1. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Rebecca Wells<br />2. <strong>East of Eden</strong>, John Steinbeck<br />3. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, David Sedaris<br />4. The New Kings of Nonfiction, Ira Glass<br />5. Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him, Danielle Ganek<br />6. White Teeth, Zadie Smith<br />7. <em>Then We Came to the End</em>, Joshua Ferris<br />8. Prodigal Summer, Barbara Kinglosver<br />9. <strong>The Secret Life of Bees</strong>, Sue Monk Kidd<br />10. A Girl Named Zippy, Haven Kimmel<br />11. Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!, Fannie Flagg<br />12. Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters, Mark Dunn<br />13. Stupid and Contagious, Caprice Crane<br />14. Running with Scissors, Augusten Burroughs<br />15. <em>Bitter is the New Black</em>, Jen Lancaster<br />16. Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, Lois P. Frankel<br />17. I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies), Laurie Notaro<br />18. Running in Heels, Anna Maxted<br />19. <strong>She’s Come Undone</strong>, Wally Lamb<br />20. <strong>Sushi for Beginners</strong>, Marian Keyes<br />21. <strong>Jemima J</strong>, Jane Green<br />22. <strong>Something Borrowed</strong>, Emily Giffin<br />23. <em>The Alchemist</em>, Paulo Coelho<br />24. <em>A Tree Grows in Brooklyn</em>, Betty Smith<br />25. <strong>Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret</strong>, Judy Blume<br />26. The Gift of Fear, Gavin De Becker<br />27. <strong>Emma</strong>, Jane Austen<br />28. The Hours, Michael Cunningham<br />29. Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf<br />30. The Romance Reader, Pearl Abraham<br />31. <em>Twilight</em>, Stephenie Meyer<br />32. Blink, Malcolm Gladwell<br />33. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, Lynne Truss<br />34. A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn<br />35. Manufacturing Consent, Noam Chomsky<br />36. Swell: A Girl’s Guide to the Good Life, Ilene Rosenzweig<br />37. I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, Amy Sedaris<br />38. Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future, Jennifer Baumgardner<br />39. The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks<br />40. <em>Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search</em>…, Elizabeth Gilbert<br />41. Bloodsucking Fiends, Christopher Moore<br />42. The World According to Mimi Smartypants, Mimi Smartypants<br />43. <strong>The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing</strong>, Melissa Bank<br />44. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, Barbara Kingsolver<br />45. <em>Middlesex</em>, Jeffrey Eugenides<br />46. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan<br />47. The Singing Creek where the Willows Grow, Opal Stanley Whitely<br />48. I Am America (And So Can You), Stephen Colbert<br />49. No One Belongs Here More Than You: Stories, Miranda July<br />50. <em>Shopgirl</em>, Steve Martin<br />51. <em>Marley and Me</em>, John Grogan<br />52. <em>The Virgin Suicides</em>, Jeffrey Eugenides<br />53. Into the Wild, John Krakauer<br />54. <strong>Nanny Diaries</strong>, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus<br />55. <strong>Watermelon</strong>, Marian Keyes<br />56. Summer at Tiffany, Marjorie Hart<br />57. <strong>Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close</strong>, Jonathan Safran Foer<br />58. Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, James Patterson<br />59. <em>The Time Traveler’s Wife</em>, Audrey Niffenegger<br />60. Remember Me? , Sophie Kinsella<br />61. <strong>Good in Bed</strong>, Jennifer Weiner<br />62. <strong>My Sister’s Keeper</strong>, Jodi Picoult<br />63. Everyone Worth Knowing, Lauren Weisenberger<br />64. A Season in Purgatory, Dominick Dunne<br />65. <strong>The Thorn Birds</strong>, Colleen McCullough<br />66. See Jane Date, Melissa Senate<br />67. Prep, Curtis Sittenfeld<br />68. Traveling Mercies, Anne Lamott<br />69. Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel<br />70. He’s Just Not That Into You, Greg Behrendt<br />71. I Was Told There’d Be Cake, Sloane Crosley<br />72. The Department of Lost & Found, Alison Winn Scotch<br />73. <em>Straight Up and Dirty</em>, Stephanie Klein<br />74. <strong>The Curious Incident of the Dog in Nighttime</strong>, Mark Haddon<br />75. <strong>Bel Canto</strong>, Ann Patchett </p><p>I didn't cross any off, because you never know what I'll feel like reading next, even if I think I won't want to read it. And yes, I truly intend to read all that I have italicized. I love to read almost as much, if not more, than I love to knit. </p>michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-55181832378586004942008-08-07T10:37:00.002-04:002008-08-07T10:39:33.482-04:00Sick kiddoso we're home today. Pretty much stinks, because it's a beautiful day here and the humidity finally broke. But we're stuck inside. Bummer. Sometimes it's really hard to be the mom.<br /><br />But, on a brighter note, I WILL finish the corner-to-corner baby blanket from hell today - woo hoo! Pictures forthcoming....<br /><br />Wish me a feverless afternoon, please!michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-43945809686418050622008-08-02T00:11:00.002-04:002008-08-02T00:12:55.407-04:00Dish Rag Tag!I just signed up - I think it sounds oh-so-fun. I just hope that I get my box early, so I can whip it out quick before school starts. If not, I'll just have to make do. Anyway, go visit <a href="http://yarnmiracle.com/">Yarn Miracle</a> and sign up! It caps at 300, so hurry!michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-76607416361698488222008-07-31T23:26:00.002-04:002008-07-31T23:34:03.679-04:00Bor-ing!I really have nothing to write about. I just figured I'd get one more post in before the end of July.<br /><br />Still knitting away on the dang baby blanket, and have another friend who is due in 6 weeks. Although this time around, I found a much quicker pattern, thank goodness. Finished two dishcloths for a swap on Swap-bot - one is a bunch of grapes and the other is two cherries. I'm not so happy with them, but the theme was food, so whatever. I'll try to photograph them before I mail them out tomorrow, but I don't know if you'll be able to see the pattern work. I also cast on for Clapotis with the sock yarn I bought at KC. Haven't decided yet if it will be frogged. I think I need to get to the straight rows before I can tell if I'm going to like it.<br /><br />I have about three weeks left before I go back to work. I somehow feel like I accomplished nothing this summer. I was going to clean and organize both my and my daughter's closets, but have yet to do either. And let me tell ya, I don't exactly have a fire lit under my ass to start on either one. I have to go do a sleep study next week - I have had two mental health professionals tell me that they think I may have sleep apnea. Once that's tested and taken care of (I'll probably end up with one of those really sexy machines that goes up my nose - nice...) then I start treatment for ADHD. Long story, and I never would have believed it in a million years, but apparently I have it. Hopefully, medication will help me be better organized and actually get a start on those projects around the house that I just don't want to do. At the very least, hopefully it'll take away my appetite and I lose some weight! :) Gotta look at the bright side of this thing.michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-79987614427187404992008-07-18T23:13:00.004-04:002008-07-18T23:25:48.429-04:00I've been taggedby <a href="http://mirthful-menagerie.blogspot.com/">Gina</a> - I've never been tagged before, and I'm not sure I know 5 people with blogs to tag back. Hmm.... anyway, here are my answers.<br /><strong>Nosy Meme<br /></strong>“The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.”<br />Ok here goes:<br /><strong>1. What was I doing 10 years ago?<br /></strong>In the summer of 1998, I was getting ready to start my 6th year of teaching and thinking I was so old... Ha! I bought my first computer that summer, and I was doing the whole internet dating thing. Eeek! However, I actually met my husband that way in Sept. 1998!<br /><br /><strong>2. What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):</strong><br />Since it's 11:15pm, I'll share for tomorrow...<br />1. Take the little one to ballet class.<br />2. Unload the dishwasher.<br />3. Rewash the laundry I started yesterday - gross...<br />4. Take DVDs back to the library... late, as usual<br />5. Work on the never ending baby blanket.<br /><br /><strong>3. Snacks I enjoy:<br /></strong>A better question would be snacks I don't enjoy. Hence my membership in Weight Watchers! I love salty, crunchy stuff, but popcorn rarely does it for me. I also <strong>lurve</strong> Hot Tamales. Yummy! And fat free, as well! :)<br /><br /><strong>4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:<br /></strong>First, I would move my parents and sister back to Ohio and set them up in a new house. I'd build a nice addition on our house, because I have no desire to move. I'd quit my job and either go to work at my LYS or open my own - but those ladies are really nice, and I wouldn't want to go into competition. So yeah, just work for them. And buy new living room furniture - I hate ours.<br /><br /><strong>5. Places I have lived:<br /></strong>Okay, ready for the excitement?!?!?<br />Columbus, Ohio<br />Gahanna, Ohio<br />Westerville, Ohio<br />Worthington, Ohio<br />Woo - I'm a crazy moving kind of girl!<br /><br /><strong>6. Peeps I want to know more about aka, the "tagees":</strong><br />This is where it gets tough... because anyone I could tag has already completed this! I guess I'll just say that if you read my blog and want to do the meme, go for it! But leave me a comment so I can come read about you! :)michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-632463302127205052008-07-17T22:13:00.003-04:002008-07-17T22:15:49.240-04:00The gorgeousnessCheck out the quilt on the sidebar. Wow. I was at <a href="http://arielzoe.blogspot.com/">Ariel's </a>blog, and found the contest. Don't even go enter, because I really want it. I'm not making a movie, though. Okay, just kidding. You can go enter. Just click on the picture on my sidebar and it will take you to the site. But I really do want it. If any of you win, maybe it can come visit at my house?michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-14322283691889328552008-07-17T00:33:00.002-04:002008-07-17T00:36:23.422-04:00must. finish. blanket.So many things I want to be working on right now, other than the never ending blanket from hell. I am going to see the baby on Monday, so I have to knit like a fiend until then. I watched my DVR'd episode of The Closer tonight and knit my way through it. You would think that would mean that I made so much progress. Alas, this is not the case. I'll try posting pics tomorrow (which is actually later today, turns out) so you can see that I'm not lying about how insane this blanket is. Never again. There have to be about one bazillion better patterns out there.michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-85511935684384538382008-07-14T18:50:00.006-04:002008-07-14T19:07:19.316-04:00Yep, still here....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zVPRyb8N0YVRe9IlDEthBRTqot2MQPiPS_-Yr4p9Yr_eFz-hLslA5V9ItpaHM-DTmM8Upr6UyGLzeZSQbyhfKJXSYSiHLxM1Ce-3GAcwXh8UX-_S9DHQX1zVxstW3Z0oromd4XhKzG8/s1600-h/DSCF0874.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223007483844639378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zVPRyb8N0YVRe9IlDEthBRTqot2MQPiPS_-Yr4p9Yr_eFz-hLslA5V9ItpaHM-DTmM8Upr6UyGLzeZSQbyhfKJXSYSiHLxM1Ce-3GAcwXh8UX-_S9DHQX1zVxstW3Z0oromd4XhKzG8/s200/DSCF0874.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH15vWIFUUOILJdqC2ONHTCyKXJpfznvfdZKuNohQfaPBAjBEor162MDE9Bn9N0cTC5toy2Ot-JIuHG5QpSsgkjp_x3rVULRbr11g0Yvu-xC4ejJd920KFuaOtLoJAB_qxSezhot8vUqI/s1600-h/DSCF0878.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223007494724873458" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH15vWIFUUOILJdqC2ONHTCyKXJpfznvfdZKuNohQfaPBAjBEor162MDE9Bn9N0cTC5toy2Ot-JIuHG5QpSsgkjp_x3rVULRbr11g0Yvu-xC4ejJd920KFuaOtLoJAB_qxSezhot8vUqI/s200/DSCF0878.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDH9j-g1WP4p4mJMwLOv91WejnHyp3mmkRqIOXYY3BBzOp6Udzj9vucjbeVzZtHQlE2Q_ARJnPy3Wk_eajx1vpyd6cBocQS7u7pZsp8stb7bt98ysaTueLT_MIm0I1IqBtXX6kn69Wgko/s1600-h/DSCF0873.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223006824296611106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDH9j-g1WP4p4mJMwLOv91WejnHyp3mmkRqIOXYY3BBzOp6Udzj9vucjbeVzZtHQlE2Q_ARJnPy3Wk_eajx1vpyd6cBocQS7u7pZsp8stb7bt98ysaTueLT_MIm0I1IqBtXX6kn69Wgko/s200/DSCF0873.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbry6bEGRLzI0CGh6D6MH3WwONR4yKdK7poeHbC1kWC9NNXtFOFvDLO5uv3KmBWbygAMbbJ43PzXEWWtDd9LRiJh7lpEB1FdReG7ATSDTvJjAwEMAlxRP2TSib5ciGW9txchTf0EcHpGQ/s1600-h/DSCF0872.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223006429346487810" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbry6bEGRLzI0CGh6D6MH3WwONR4yKdK7poeHbC1kWC9NNXtFOFvDLO5uv3KmBWbygAMbbJ43PzXEWWtDd9LRiJh7lpEB1FdReG7ATSDTvJjAwEMAlxRP2TSib5ciGW9txchTf0EcHpGQ/s200/DSCF0872.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div>So the best laid plans and all... here are the pics of the fabulous stuff Gina sent to me!</div><br /><br /><p>First up - the gorgeous knitting!!! An awesome ballband dishcloth, a really pretty cloth knit in a sagey green, and an awesome bath mitt, which my daughter is trying to steal! I have to hide it. </p><p>(Okay, just an editorial comment - once again, the pictures are NOT going where I want them to go!!!) The pic on the right is all the yummy yarn goodness - awesome Sugar and Cream, some soft, beautiful Lion organic cotton, which I have never knit with before and am really excited about, and last, but certainly not least, some gorgeous hand-dyed wool. How lucky am I!</p>I HATE PUTTING PICTURES IN BLOGGER!!!!!<br /><br />The ones that went smack dab in the middle are the extras Gina sent - a 2009 planner, a pencil case, some really, really cute stitch markers that I couldn't get a nice picture of because my camera kept making it blurry and it would have gone in a weird place that I didn't want it to in the post anyway, and some heavenly body wash. I think it's the best thing I've ever smelled, in fact. It's from Gudonya TOO (<a href="http://gudonyatoo.etsy.com/">http://gudonyatoo.etsy.com/</a>) and the smell is Tahitian Vanilla. Wow. All I can say is that Gina totally rocks.<br /><br />In other knitting news, I am STILL knitting the corner-to-corner baby blanket that WILL. NOT. EVER. END. I keep thinking I should be finished, and then, shocker!, I'm not. I would show you a picture, but with how things are going for me tonight, the picture would probably end up in a post on someone else's blog from last Thursday. Or at the very least, in the middle of the stuff that I like from Gina. And I decidedly do not like this blanket. Poor Ayden - hopefully, it won't be all full of bad vibes from me hating knitting it. I also started a market bag, but I don't like how it looks, so that one will be frogged and I'm going to either try another pattern or make one of my own from mushing together all the ones I like. And, I think I finally found the wrap I'm going to make using the yummy yarn I bought at KC. It's the Cambria wrap on Ravelry. Thank goodness for Ravelry.<br /><br />Anyway, that's it for now. I promise I'll update a little more regularly. I know you were all dying to know about my whirlwind exciting life!michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-32314882126042222732008-07-01T00:39:00.002-04:002008-07-01T00:44:20.728-04:00Where did my time go?The little one is home, and now my blog time is so severly limited. Just sad.<br /><br />Anyway, received an AWESOME swap package from Gina at <a href="http://mirthful-menagerie.blogspot.com/">The Mirthful Menagerie</a>. Wow... just wait until you see the pics!!! Which I promise will be up soon. Life at Chez Disorganization is even more disorganized than usual. My dad is here, helping us catch up on some household projects (he's been recently laid off from work, so we're supplementing his unemployment!) and so life is not normal. But my goal for Tuesday is to take pictures and see if blogger will cooperate with me when I try to post them. One can only hope.michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-78468695390376482882008-06-28T00:19:00.002-04:002008-06-28T00:22:12.190-04:00TomorrowThe little one comes home tomorrow, and I've missed her so much! I had my first tearful call today, because she just really missed me a lot... my mom said, "she almost made it!" I can't wait to see her and give her hugs and kisses! I truly enjoyed my week of my old life, but I don't think I'd trade it for the world. One nice bonus of the time was that the hubby and I reconnected, and things were kind of like the old days - very nice. I need to figure out how to hold on to that even when the kiddo is around. Easier said than done, unfortunately. But I'm going to give it a good shot, anyway. :)<br /><br />Waiting for the next round of storms to come in tonight. I think I'll unplug before my power goes out...michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514568932257506472.post-49192953101020583572008-06-25T12:22:00.002-04:002008-06-25T12:25:30.882-04:00Dishcloth Swap Topic #3Need to do this....<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Well now that Summer has OFFICIALLY begun.. what do you do to beat the heat? A nice tall glass of lemonade? Frozen Coffee? A dip in the pool? What's your favorite way to keep cool this summer as things heat up?<br /></span><br />My favorite way to keep cool is the air conditioning. God bless whomever invented it! I'm not a big fan of hanging out in heat, so I don't like to hang out outside when it's hot. Thankfully, here in Ohio, the temperature has been fabulous lately - cool nights, and days in the 70's and 80's. I think it's coming to an end, though, sadly enough. So the a/c is going on in the morning!michelle fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13452455618863385182noreply@blogger.com2