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!

Don't Vote

Don't Vote! from URBNMKT on Vimeo.

'Nuff said.

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.

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.

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. :)

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!)

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!

Drumroll Please...

I have finished all four of the Twilight novels. I have to say, Breaking Dawn was a bit of a stretch for me. But I truly enjoyed them, and was glad for the happy ending. Now, on to The Host.

I'm so doing this...

I found this on Ariel's blog - knitting scarves for the Special Olympics 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!

Dang 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.

In other news, Gina 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!

And 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!"

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.

I 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?????

Pictures coming

Someday. 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.

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...

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...

Stick a fork in it....

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.

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.

Update

So, 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.

Anywhoo, to while away my hours as the nurse maid, I've been perusing all my favorite blogs. Rhi 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....

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
Or: Read This, You Will Not Be Sorry

1. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Rebecca Wells
2. East of Eden, John Steinbeck
3. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, David Sedaris
4. The New Kings of Nonfiction, Ira Glass
5. Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him, Danielle Ganek
6. White Teeth, Zadie Smith
7. Then We Came to the End, Joshua Ferris
8. Prodigal Summer, Barbara Kinglosver
9. The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd
10. A Girl Named Zippy, Haven Kimmel
11. Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!, Fannie Flagg
12. Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters, Mark Dunn
13. Stupid and Contagious, Caprice Crane
14. Running with Scissors, Augusten Burroughs
15. Bitter is the New Black, Jen Lancaster
16. Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, Lois P. Frankel
17. I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies), Laurie Notaro
18. Running in Heels, Anna Maxted
19. She’s Come Undone, Wally Lamb
20. Sushi for Beginners, Marian Keyes
21. Jemima J, Jane Green
22. Something Borrowed, Emily Giffin
23. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
24. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith
25. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Judy Blume
26. The Gift of Fear, Gavin De Becker
27. Emma, Jane Austen
28. The Hours, Michael Cunningham
29. Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf
30. The Romance Reader, Pearl Abraham
31. Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
32. Blink, Malcolm Gladwell
33. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, Lynne Truss
34. A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn
35. Manufacturing Consent, Noam Chomsky
36. Swell: A Girl’s Guide to the Good Life, Ilene Rosenzweig
37. I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, Amy Sedaris
38. Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future, Jennifer Baumgardner
39. The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks
40. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search…, Elizabeth Gilbert
41. Bloodsucking Fiends, Christopher Moore
42. The World According to Mimi Smartypants, Mimi Smartypants
43. The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing, Melissa Bank
44. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, Barbara Kingsolver
45. Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides
46. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan
47. The Singing Creek where the Willows Grow, Opal Stanley Whitely
48. I Am America (And So Can You), Stephen Colbert
49. No One Belongs Here More Than You: Stories, Miranda July
50. Shopgirl, Steve Martin
51. Marley and Me, John Grogan
52. The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenides
53. Into the Wild, John Krakauer
54. Nanny Diaries, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
55. Watermelon, Marian Keyes
56. Summer at Tiffany, Marjorie Hart
57. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer
58. Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, James Patterson
59. The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger
60. Remember Me? , Sophie Kinsella
61. Good in Bed, Jennifer Weiner
62. My Sister’s Keeper, Jodi Picoult
63. Everyone Worth Knowing, Lauren Weisenberger
64. A Season in Purgatory, Dominick Dunne
65. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCullough
66. See Jane Date, Melissa Senate
67. Prep, Curtis Sittenfeld
68. Traveling Mercies, Anne Lamott
69. Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel
70. He’s Just Not That Into You, Greg Behrendt
71. I Was Told There’d Be Cake, Sloane Crosley
72. The Department of Lost & Found, Alison Winn Scotch
73. Straight Up and Dirty, Stephanie Klein
74. The Curious Incident of the Dog in Nighttime, Mark Haddon
75. Bel Canto, Ann Patchett

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.

Sick kiddo

so 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.

But, on a brighter note, I WILL finish the corner-to-corner baby blanket from hell today - woo hoo! Pictures forthcoming....

Wish me a feverless afternoon, please!

Dish 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 Yarn Miracle and sign up! It caps at 300, so hurry!

Bor-ing!

I really have nothing to write about. I just figured I'd get one more post in before the end of July.

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.

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.

I've been tagged

by Gina - 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.
Nosy Meme
“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.”
Ok here goes:
1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
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!

2. What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):
Since it's 11:15pm, I'll share for tomorrow...
1. Take the little one to ballet class.
2. Unload the dishwasher.
3. Rewash the laundry I started yesterday - gross...
4. Take DVDs back to the library... late, as usual
5. Work on the never ending baby blanket.

3. Snacks I enjoy:
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 lurve Hot Tamales. Yummy! And fat free, as well! :)

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
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.

5. Places I have lived:
Okay, ready for the excitement?!?!?
Columbus, Ohio
Gahanna, Ohio
Westerville, Ohio
Worthington, Ohio
Woo - I'm a crazy moving kind of girl!

6. Peeps I want to know more about aka, the "tagees":
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! :)

The gorgeousness

Check out the quilt on the sidebar. Wow. I was at Ariel's 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?

must. 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.

Yep, still here....

So the best laid plans and all... here are the pics of the fabulous stuff Gina sent to me!

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.

(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!

I HATE PUTTING PICTURES IN BLOGGER!!!!!

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 (http://gudonyatoo.etsy.com/) and the smell is Tahitian Vanilla. Wow. All I can say is that Gina totally rocks.

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.

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!

Where did my time go?

The little one is home, and now my blog time is so severly limited. Just sad.

Anyway, received an AWESOME swap package from Gina at The Mirthful Menagerie. 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.

Tomorrow

The 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. :)

Waiting for the next round of storms to come in tonight. I think I'll unplug before my power goes out...

Dishcloth Swap Topic #3

Need to do this....
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?

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!

Woo Hoo!

I'm finished with the NBPTS test, and it went pretty well! Kat, thanks for checking on me, along with my dishcloth swap partner! There were 2 of 6 sections that I don't think I totally rocked on, but overall, I think it was good. Most importantly, I'm DONE! I don't find out how I did until the end of November - blah - but I'll be sure to let everyone know.

The DD is still in Michigan with my parents. She's having a ball and doesn't want to talk about coming home. I'm enjoying quiet days and a freedom like I haven't had in four and a half years. But, I miss her sooooo much - I can't wait for her to come home so I can smooch on her! I do not, however, miss the constant mess of toys and craft projects and stuff - but it's a small price to pay for that sweet smile and those funny comments.

My plan for today is to get through about a million and one loads of laundry, with lots of knitting in between. If not for the laundry, it would be ideal...

Home again, home again

Back from three days with the parents and sister. The DD is staying there by herself for a while. According to her, she wants to stay "five days by herself". Tonight, when I told her I missed her already, she told me she would see me on the sixth day. Thanks, kid.

Thank you for the kind comments on my hair. I'm getting kind of used to it, and have decided that it's actually going to work out for the best. I got the damaged, colored hair cut off and what's left is curly and healthy and cute. Or at least that's what I'm going to tell everyone!

I'm taking my NBPTS test on Tuesday at 3:oo - wish me luck! I'm going to be studying my booty off for the next two days, so if I'm not around here, that's why. I'll probably still check in, though. Everyone needs a study break, right? :)

And strikes yet again...

Didn't get my swap-bot stuff mailed today like I said I would. In checking the swap page, it looks like I'm not the only one, but I feel rotten about it. I have the dishcloths ready, I just need to put together the rest of the stuff I want to send and actually mail it.

And, also, I got what I think is the worst haircut I've ever had in my life today. When asked if she liked it, the DD said, "no", and when asked what she didn't like about it specifically, she said, "everything". Excellent. I look like Kevin Jonas, only my hair is shorter. Lovely... (btw, for those of you without daughters, Kevin Jonas is one of the ubiquitous Jonas Brothers, and even though my daughter is really too young, we will be watching our DVR'd copy of Camp Rock tomorrow - try not to be jealous.) Can't wait to hear what the DH has to say about it. He wants me to send him a phone pic so he can be prepared. I love my life.

The Queen of Procrastination Strikes Again

Apparently, I overestimated - there are only 2 of you who read this blog. :)

So, my procrastination has finally caught up to me in a really crappy way. Those of you who read regularly might remember me complaining about completing my National Board Certification portfolio. I had to have it finished at the end of March, and put off doing it right until the deadline. Anyway, I pulled it off, am waiting for my results which will come in November, and just needed to take the test on the content standards. I kept thinking, "Hey, Michelle, you really need to call and get that test scheduled. Ah, but why now? You have until June 15!" Guess what came and went without me scheduling my test? And I'm not even going to give you three tries.

So, I had to pay $175 to have my testing candidacy reinstated, and now I have about a four day window to retest. Sucks.... DH was pretty good about the money, but now is not happy that I want to spend on other things, too. I seem to have incredibly bad timing, and an exceptionally bad memory. And, a bunch of gray hair that needs colored and cut to the tune of $100. And, a purse I just bought from QVC for $100. I may just lose my happy home.

I'll be mailing out my dishcloth swap stuff tomorrow for the Swap-bot swap I'm doing. I'll actually be on time for it... I guess there's a first for everything!

KC Stuff

(Okay, I can't get Blogger to put the pictures where I want them to go - shocker - so the first picture is the swag and the other one
is what I bought.....)









This is my swag bag from KC. So much fun stuff! Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light and Pure Merino Heather, both in purple, Kraemer Yarns brushed mohair (with some sparkly stuff in it - not too sure about it), Lang Yarns West wool/acrylic blend, Claudia Hand Painted merino wool in Strawberry Latte, and Univeral Summer Linen in a green apple color. Awesome.

Next up is what I bought at the yarn market, where I brought the little girl, who did not exactly enjoy herself. Although, it may have been a good thing because I probably would have spent WAY too much money. Anyway, this is Blue Ridge Yarns, and the colorway is Mossy Hollow. Gor-gee-ous! Don't know what I'll make with it - maybe socks, maybe not. What else can you knit with sock weight merino? I don't really know, and feel like a dork because I don't, but I just don't. Any suggestions from the like, four of you who read this? I'd appreciate it.

Dishcloth Swap Topic #2

Living in Atlanta, I know Summer has truly 'arrived' when it begins to get humid. Blech. When I was a kid, I knew Summer was starting the easy way - School was out!! Share with us how you know that summer has truly 'arrived', or something that signifies the start of Summer in your world.

I know summer has truly "arrived" when I don't have to go to work any more!!! Being a teacher has the best perks in the world. Humidity is also a big, bad signal - hate it. Thankfully, things are cooling off here in the midwest. I actually turned my air off and opened the windows tonight. It's supposed to go down to 53, which is dang near perfect in my opinion.

Yipee!

Knitter's Connection class today! I'm really geeked up, and I'm such a nerd! I'll post pics later tonight of what I accomplish. I'm hoping this will kick me in the booty to actually pick up the needles. I've done plenty of reading about knitting, and pattern picking, but not much actual knitting lately. In all fairness, I got sick this week and haven't really felt like doing much. Should make for a decent first WW week, though! :) Isn't it interesting that everyone in the family can get sick except the mom? You moms out there know what I mean... who exactly takes care of us? Anyway, off to meet my friend for lunch and then to an afternoon of bliss!

So for this week's topic, make a post on your own blog sharing YOUR favorite pattern(s) with us! Don't have a favorite site? That's fine! Show us a photo of one of the cloths you have made and really loved, even if it was just a made up pattern!

I stumbled across this website: http://freepatterns.k1p1keepingyouinstitchesstudio.com/pll.html where there are about a bajillion free patterns for dishcloths. The last one I knit is the one the link brings up - the Puffalump Limbo Line, which is a REALLY cute pattern. I definitely intend to make it again. It's a little more washcloth looking than dishcloth looking, in my opinion, but is still really cute! After the swap is over, I'll post a picture, just in case my partner figures me out. Don't want her knowing what she's getting! ;)

I am also a big fan of the corner-to-corner cloth. Super easy, don't have to think, really useful and durable. Big fan, big fan.

In non-knitting news, I blew my first offical day on WW, due to being at a 12 hour scrapbooking crop and having no control over what was served, and also a serious lack of self control about eating what was served. However, today I have done a bang-up job, if I do say so myself. And, I walked three miles this morning. I pretty much rock. Can't wait to start feeling better about myself, but I think I'm already noticing a change in how I'm thinking. Of course, my stomach is growling right now. I think I have about 3 points left, so I'll need to find a snack! :)

Today was just an all around good day. Walked this morning, took the DD to the park, took a nice nap, took the DD to a water park where she got to run around with a friend, and a nice dinner with all three of us. Not too shabby. I'll have another, please! Without the sunburn, though - brilliant me was hanging out in 94 degree sunshine with no sunscreen. I said it was a good day, not a smart day.

School's out for summer!

I'm just a tiny bit excited. Really.

Alright, I'm super freakin excited. I'm soooo glad to be finished. I still have a couple of random meetings to attend, but nothing big, and the distraction will be fine. I am free until August 25. Wow, that's a long time. :)

Check out the cute purse I could win on Carly's blog . It's awesome. I hope I win. I'm not exactly sure what the criteria is, so we'll see.

Speaking of purses, I've been on the waiting list for this incredible raffia purse on QVC since April. I went to look at it again yesterday, and it's not on the website anymore. I'm supposed to find out on the 7th if it's coming, or if I still have to wait, or if I'm not going to get it at all. I may cry if I don't get it. Not really. But it is really awesome. If it comes, I'll post a pic. It's a Maxx New York, and I haven't seen it anywhere else on the internet. And trust me, I've looked.

Have to go visit my friend's new baby boy tomorrow - blanket not finished, of course, so I'll have some other gift in hand. Then I get to get my boobies smashed - mammogram time! Woo hoo!

By the way, anyone else having a huge heat wave? We're supposed to be in the 90s for about the next week. Hello, Weather Gods? This is Columbus, Ohio, not Los Angeles. A little cooler, please? I have a four year old who doesn't care that I get visible sweat stains at the park. I'm just saying, a drop into more normal temps would not be a bad thing. Thanks.

Someday we'll find it, the Knitter's Connection...

and I'm going! Woo hoo! I've never been to a knitting conference before, and I was talking with my friend Sandy at work (who, by the way, is my role model knitter with mad skills) and she said she was going and I should, too. So, not being one to ignore good knitting advice, I signed up for one class. That also lets me shop the expo, which is the really cool part. The class is knitting quilt squares, which I think is going to be really cool. I have a major goal of making a blanket for DD's bed or for my own bed. Sandy, also by the way, just finished the Mason-Dixon mitered square blanket. It's way cool.

In other news, I am so incredibly fat right now that I have decided I must absolutely do something about it. So WW, here I come. Again. Not that anyone's counting or anything. Just me. And please, let me wrap my head around it this time and make it work. I so need it to, for many, many reasons. Wish me luck.

A new dishcloth swap!!!

1. Do you Knit or Crochet? For how long? I knit, and for about 3 years

2. Do you enjoy using metal, wooden, or some other kind of needle\hook? I use wood needles - love how they feel, and that they don't make noise :)

3. What are your favorite types of yarn? Any you just can't stand? I like pretty much anything except icky acryllic

4. When it comes to cotton, are there any brands you'd love to try and haven't? Nope

5. When you make Dishcloths, do you use them yourself, or tend to give them as gifts? Both

6. Do you have a favorite color? Any that you dislike? I'm not a big fan of primary colors - anything else is good

7. What color(s) (if any!) are your kitchen and bath decorated in? Kitchen is sage green, khaki, and white; bathroom is teal blue/green and white

8. What are your favorite scents around the house? Cinnamon and vanilla

9. What is your very favorite thing about summer? I'm a teacher, so SUMMER BREAK!

10. What is your least favorite thing about summer? The heat - can't stand it

11. Do you use soap or body wash in the shower? Body wash

12. What scents do you enjoy in the bath? Vanilla, lavender

13. What is your favorite dishcloth pattern? I actually don't have a favorite - I'll use them all!

14. What sort of treats do you enjoy? Sweet or Salty? Salty - almonds, cashews, pretzels... but chocolate is pretty high on the list, too!

15. Imagine today is one of the hottest days of the year - what do you do to keep cool? Or are you one of those folks who loves the hot weather? Hate hot weather - my ideal would be to stay in the A/C with good music and some knitting, with a good book thrown in for when my hands get too tired

16. What sorts of hobbies do you enjoy besides knitting or crocheting? Reading, scrapbooking, jewelry making

17. Do you collect anything (besides yarn!) Longaberger baskets

18. Are you on Ravelry? If so, share your ID! Yep - I think I'm knitcurl71, but I'm pretty new to it, so I'm not sure how the whole ID thing works

19. Do you have any allergies? Nope

20. Do you have any pets? Two cats - Logan and Sadie - and a dog, Chuck

Not much to write about tonight. I'm feeling sort of blah right now. I have many, many things to do at work, and I'm in that paralyzed state where I just can't get myself to even start any of them. Not so good. I have an 8am IEP meeting, and the IEP isn't even finished, and I don't even have a room reserved for the meeting. Just a small problem. Guess who will be going in early tomorrow.... Need to work on the corner to corner baby blanket. I met with my friend who is having the baby - her c-section is scheduled for June 3, so I am rapidly running out of time. I need to have fingers like the wind. I think I'll go to bed early - tomorrow is another day.

13 days

until I am on summer vacation. Not that I'm counting or anything, since I really love my job. I do. Really.

In knitting news, I am hoping to finish the corner-to-corner blanket in time for the bambino to arrive. I am not so much enjoying knitting it. I think part of it is because it's such a lot of stockinette over such a large piece. And also I don't like how the yarn feels. I bought one of those Pound of Love cheapo humongus skeins of yarn, and it just doesn't feel nice or move nicely on my needles. Lesson learned.

I signed up for a pink and orange knitting swap on Swap-bot - I need some good ideas of things to make, and I don't really want to make socks. I'm not very good at them, and I'd rather not be stressed out about making something for a swap partner. Any suggestions? Pass them on....

A bit of background for you...
My DD has decided that she would like a sister and a brother, and she would like them to be named Emily and Kyle, and she would like them to be in my belly right now and to come out soon. She's four, you know, not a lot of patience. Here is a snippet of our bedtime conversation last night...

DD: I think I want Emily and Kyle to be two girls instead, so I will have two sisters.
Me: That's fine.
DD: I will name them Samantha Punny and Allison Ellie.
Me: Great names.
DD: Mommy, how do babies get in a mommy's belly?
Me: (So not prepared to have this conversation!) Well, mommies and daddies can be together when they love each other and make a baby.
DD: I want to do it.
Me: No, sweetie, it has to be a mommy and a daddy.
DD: Well then can I watch when you do it?
Me: ?????????

Heaven help me.

By some small stroke of luck, I did purchase the tire warranty, and had my tire replaced for free - I rock! And no monkeys were even involved!

It's the worst kind of rainy, gray Friday here, and I wish more than anything that I was cozied up in my house, knitting, of course. I need to get busy on finishing the Corner to Corner baby blanket. It's just so boring... endless stockinette. Good TV knitting, I guess, and the baby isn't going to wait for me to finish, I'm sure. I'll post a picture when I'm finished with it. Actually, I should post quite a few pictures. I need to show you the dishcloths I've made for the two swaps I'm in. They turned out really cute. Can't wait to get mine in the mail.

I have to decide what I want to do for Mother's Day. It's always hard, because I know that we should spend time with my husband's mother, since she's here in town, but I kind of want to be selfish and just hang out by ourselves. Bummer. Still don't know what I want to do, though. I guess asking the hubby to take the reason I get to celebrate Mother's Day out of my hair is kind of contrary to the whole purpose of the day....

How is it that when you're finally having a good day, after being in a crappy mood for the past week, something totally stupid happens to ruin it? I hit some major curbage on the way home from taking my daughter to ballet. When I got out of the car in the driveway, all I could hear was "sssssssssss". Not a good sign. And, I can not for the life of me find the receipt for the beautiful new tires I just purchased in November 2007. So I have to spend time on the phone tomorrow, hoping Discount Tire has me in their system and that magically I bought some kind of tire protection and they will give me a beautiful new tire for free. Right. And monkeys are probably going to fly out of my nether-regions....

Anyone else out there just dragging lately? Is it just me? Somehow I think pollen must have something to do with it. My eyeballs are so itchy it's hardly worth it to put mascara on my invisible eyelashes. Jeez... Anyway, I need to start my end of the year countdown. Almost summer, not that I'm excited or anything. My daughter can't wait to stay in school for the summer - they have a pool at her daycare, and she loves, loves, loves to swim. She told me the other day that she would like to go to school for six days a week and stay home with me for two days of the week, so I won't get lonely. Have to love that four year old. :)

And it's the weekend.

I could not be more ready. Except for the fact that we have houseguests all weekend long (my husband's sister, her hubby, and their son) and all, and I do mean all, of my husband's family is coming over for dinner tomorrow night. I think I'm going to need a weekend to recover from my weekend.

I really have no news to share. I haven't been knitting very much. I was so gung-ho on the socks for a while, but used more than one skein on the first one, had only bought two, and now can't find the same color anywhere. So they've kind of lost their appeal. I'm signed up for another dishcloth swap, and I've been working on the flower pattern one from Creative Knitting. It's super cute, but I keep messing up the chart and needing to start over. Dork.

Off to bed with me. Have to gear up for the big family-o-thon tomorrow. Woo. hoo.

I'm speedy!

75 words

Speedtest

Pretty fun little test. Read the text afterward, too. I promise it's entertaining. Reminds me of the box from the "Echo Mic" that I bought at the dollar store back in the early 90s. It was translated from an Asian language, and it was a hoot - I wish I could remember exact quotes now, because it made me almost pee my pants. Something about entertaining "father and the lady friends" with the echo mic. Good times, good times....

Woo hoo!

I'm finished with my NBPTS portfolio! *sigh of relief* I feel like a million pound weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Still have to take the test on the other standards not measured in my portfolio, but at least I freakin' know how to study for a test. Portfolios, on the other hand... not so much. I've never been so glad to be finished with something in my life. I spent my entire. spring. break. working in the library. Wow. I know, I know, I should be grateful I even get a spring break. But come on now people.

In knitting news, I received my package from the April Showers Sock Yarn swap. Awesome beautiful rainbow yarn - I'll post a picture soon - and some other fun goodies. I sent my package out yesterday, and I'm perusing the swap-bot site to find my next fun thing to do. You should check it out. Really. Lots of fun swaps, and most of them don't even involve yarn, if you're not into that kind of thing. Of course, I don't know why you wouldn't be, but if you're one of those crazy people that doesn't appreciate knitting, I'm sure you can find something you'd like.

I just finished watching Biggest Loser tonight. I need to be on there. Except for the fact that I think I would DIE of embarrassment from showing off my belly belly belly in a sports bra and biking shorts! That's just cruel. I'm going to check out how to sign up, just for the hell of it. Why not?

Anyone besides me noticed that I broke my 7 posts a month streak?

Alive...

and sort of kickin... Working like crazy on my national board stuff. My daughter and I are staying with my parents while I'm on spring break, but I'm spending my days at the library tippy typing away. I think I just may finish the thing. Then I have to wait until November to find out how I scored. Sucks. In knitting news, I haven't been doing any. At all. No time. But right before we left on Saturday to come up here, I received my April Showers swap pack. Nice stuff. I'll post the picture when I get home. Thankfully, I have until the 31st to send mine out. The 31st - a magic day. I'll kill two birds with one stone at the post office - send my partner her swap stuff, and mail the damn box to NBPTS, thank goodness!

Help

I have dug myself a hole of procrastination that there may be no rescue from. National Board Certification sucks.
In other news, I told my hubby tonight that I was done with the whole dieting thing. All of it. Every bit. No more nutritionist, no more calorie counting, no points, no weight watchers, nothing, nada, zilch, zip. I am sick and tired of worrying about what I eat and the numbers that go with it. So I have decided to embrace myself (my fat self) and love me as I am. And maybe, just maybe, I'll finally figure this whole food thing out if I just let myself be.

So there.

The best laid plans

My daughter didn't cooperate with my plan for a fantastic snow day to myself. Shocker. So she stayed home all day with me, and needless to say, I did no knitting. She thinks she wants to knit, then gets frustrated when she can't make something with the yarn and needles I give her and makes me knit with them, so I accomplish nothing. Oh well. I have managed to work in some time since then, and have turned the heel on my sock!! Woo hoo! The gusset is pretty ugly - have some work to do in that area, but all in all I'm pretty pleased. I'll post pictures when the first one is done. Saturday is my birthday - I'll be half of 74... not cool...

Lucky day

Got my snow day, as wished for. The best part is that I knew last night, so I didn't even have to set my alarm! The sun is shining today, so I'm hoping more snow will melt off and life can get back to normal. My daughter still wants to go to school today, which is so fine with me, because I can have a day totally to myself. Waaaay too much family time closed in the house this weekend! Not that I don't love them dearly, but....

I plan to keep knitting on my socks today. Just following the basic pattern from Ann Budd, and I'm loving how they are turning out. But I can definitely see how people become addicted to sock knitting - I'm already looking at other patterns, and may try the purless Monkey with the yarn Kat sent me. Of course, I should probably finish my first pair before I cast on for another, lest I fall victim to the dreaded "second sock syndrome", also known as finishing one sock and never ever casting on for the second.

I promised pictures, didn't I?

Here are my goodies from Kat - awesome, huh? Conspicuously missing from the picture are the can of almonds and the bag of honey mustard/onion pretzel nuggets. Yummmmy!

I had to hide the soap from my daughter until I could take the picture, but no fear - she has made up for lost time and the bunny's ears will soon be worn away. She is a very, very clean child now, too! Kat, you're amazing, and I can't wait to find the perfect projects for the yarn! You're the best, and you made my first swap really great.

In other news, check out the snow! This picture was taken around 8am, and we probably got 3 more inches after this. They are calling it a blizzard, and the official total at the airport was 20.3 inches. The last time we received this much snow in central Ohio was the blizzard of 1978, so this is quite the shock to the system. DH tried valiantly to shovel the driveway today, and did a fairly decent job, but I'm still not sure we'll be able to get out any time soon. I'm certainly not going to hold my breath, but maybe I'll get a snow day Monday? One can only hope....

I'm in a new swap now - the April Showers Sock Yarn swap on Swap-bot. I'm really enjoying that site - there are some really interesting swaps that I think would be a bunch of fun, but I'm not going to sign up for anything else until I finish my National Board Certification stuff, which is due by the END OF THE MONTH!!!! I think, just maybe, my procrastination may have done me in this time....

Pictures coming soon. Really. I promise.

But in the meantime, suffice it to say... WOW!!!!! I received my Defeat the Winter Doldrums swap package, and I was amazed! My spoiler was Kat G (Grammy Kat) and she was incredible! Beautiful yarn, yummy treats, and awesome dishcloths. She even included really cute Easter soap for my little one. What a fantastic spoiler! If you're ever in a swap with her, cross your fingers that she gets paired with you! :)

Defeat the Winter Doldrums final post!

For this week, go through those who've commented on last week's topic - find someone who had an idea on their day that sounded appealing to you, as well, and tell us why, or what appealed to you, and link to their blog! If you can't find someone who has a day you think you'd enjoy, find one that you thought was interesting, odd, or funny in some way, and talk about it!

I read every post, which was pretty fun, and the one that sounded most appealing to me was on Dorothy's blog . I too would like to run my daughter around until the point of exhaustion, guaranteeing me a nice, long nap. Some days, there is nothing finer than a nap on my couch. In fact, I try to nap as often as I am able, which I sometimes feel a little pathetic about, buy mostly I love!

I mailed my swap partner's goodies yesterday, and am anxious to find out when she receives them. I hope she likes them. Does anyone know of any other fun swaps going on? I'd like to sign up for another!

Oh yeah...

I had a snow day... woo hoo! Trying (unsuccessfully) not to gloat about it, but oh how I love those unplanned days off! It would have been a fantastic day, except that as I was helping my daughter get dressed and helping her fix her hair, I suddenly and unexpectedly RUINED her HAIR and I needed to say I was SORRY right NOW or she was going to scream bloody murder at me until I did. She'd still be screaming right now, except she gave up, because I damn well wasn't going to say I was sorry just because I was being told to by a FOUR YEAR OLD! So that was a lot of fun. I did work in a trip to my LYS where I used my gift certificate from Christmas. How did I hold out so long, you ask? Beats me...

I was supposed to go visit my parents in Michigan this weekend, but with the nasty weather around here, I'm postponing until next weekend. I now have two days in front of me with no real plans. In many ways, this is a good thing, but for whatever reason, I'm feeling a little confined and anxious and needing to be alone right now. I think I was really looking forward to the break from my daughter that comes when I visit my parents. My sister still lives at home, and my daughter worships the ground she walks on, so I'm basically nonexistent when we go visit. Which really is fine with me - the break is always appreciated. I really do love my child. It's just that I am. so. tired. all. the. time. And she is very needy and clingy and very much all about mommy right now. I imagine that someday I'll wish I had that kind of attention from her, when she won't talk to me anymore and intensely dislikes me just because I'm her mom. But right now, sometimes that doesn't sound so bad. I don't know how single parents do it. I think I would lose even more of my mind than I already have.

Here I Am!

Whoa - too long since I last posted! Here's the latest dishcloth swap post...

If money were no object, and the day was just perfect - not to hot, not too cold, sun shining, slight breeze - how would you spend a perfect day out that had been given to you in the middle of a cold and blustery winter?

I would start the day with coffee and the crossword puzzle on my back patio. Then, after a long shower and taking all the time I want to get ready (remember, I have a four year old!), I would head to my LYS and pick out some new sock yarn and the dpns I would need. I have never knitted a pair of socks, mind you, so I would be choosing purely on touch and color. I'd take my yarn, and Ann Budd's book, to Sharon Woods, where I would sit by the pond and start making my first socks! When I got hungry, I'd go to Grinder's and have a turkey ruben (because if we're fantasizing about a perfect day, calories would not count, of course) and then to Graeter's for some Strawberry Chip ice cream. No matter that it's only available in the summer - this is my dream day! Then, I'd head for home, where I would take up residence on the back patio with a good book, a good wine, and good music on my ipod. I'd probably fall asleep in my comfy chair and stay there until someone made me move!

Wow, that day would be phenomenal... I should try really hard to make that all happen for myself one of these days. When I do actually get a day off, I get so caught up in the things I think I need or have to do, and I never get around to doing much fun stuff. That kind of day would really feed my soul. It's probably really insightful (to someone) that my perfect day doesn't include other people...

In other news, it's snowed pretty much all day here, just a really light powdery kind, and it's so pretty. No hope of a snow day tomorrow or anything, but it's nice to look at. It's almost time to mail my things to my dishcloth swap spoilee! I just need to pick up 2 more small things and I'll be ready to package and mail! Woo hoo! I hope she likes it - she doesn't often post on her blog, so I'm kind of flying blind. But I think she'll be happy. Also, selfishly, I'm so excited to get my package!!! :)

Sunday night

and I really, really don't want to go to work tomorrow. After only working 2 days last week, I'm not looking forward to a real week for this one. Although, I do get Friday off, so at least I have that going for me. I'm secretly hoping for a wind chill day - it's so cold here right now, and the wind chill is vicious - it's 7, with a wind chill of -11. Holy poo.

Here's the knitalong topic for this week...
" Defeat the Winter Doldrums" for some of us we get the doldrums and others don't. For the ones who get doldrums what helps you get rid of them? For the ones who don't get the doldrums, what helps you keep them away?
I do tend to get the doldrums, but I've only started to realize it over the past few years. Medication helps! Yep, I'm on the good old happy pills! And therapy works well for me. I have found, though, that when it gets to be too much, I need to make myself get out and do something, like take a walk or go to the gym to walk on the treadmill. I think a change of scenery works for me. I also like to take the occasional mental health day, send my daughter to day care, and veg out on my couch all day. Retail therapy is also effective, though not so good for my wallet. And trying to find time with my friends is also good for me. When the sunny days do come, which isn't too often around here, I throw open all the blinds in the house and try to soak it up.

Off to finish watching the Grammy's - so far, the Foo Fighters have been my favorite act. Love them! Send wishes my way for a day off tomorow!

Life is just really so not fair...

I have a dear friend, M, that I met in birthing class when I was pregnant with my daughter. She had a little boy, T, and another woman from the class also had a little boy, C. We three moms have become incredibly good friends. My daughter, T, and C have grown up together and enjoy one another's company. It's so fun to see them play and interact with each other. Unfortunately, T has cerebral palsy. It affects his movements, although he is walking, and has cause some cognitive delays. He is non-verbal but has learned some signs and communicates well. He has the most beautiful smile I have ever seen and he is a joy to be with.

M and her husband had twins in October, a boy and a girl, J and J. They were a little early, but both were fine and beautiful and wonderful. When the twins were born, some med students from Ohio State were offering to run extra blood tests on newborns that the state of Ohio doesn't typically run. M and her husband just got the results back earlier this week, and their son J has tested positive for Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy. Now I ask you - how much is one family supposed to have to handle? How can this be fair?

M has such strong faith and such an incredible attitude. She believes God doesn't give us any more than we can handle. I am having to believe this right now, too, because I do believe that M is the most special woman I know, and if anyone can handle this, she can. I certainly don't think I could. She is amazing to me, as is her husband, and I know her family will be fine. But I'm angry, and I'm sad, and I just don't think it's fair.

Ugh...

Just saw some pictures of myself from my daughter's b-day party. Wow, am I fat... to be fair, I wasn't at all ready for being photographed and didn't get to position myself very well. But holy crap, it really sucks to see yourself in horrible positions looking probably like you look to the rest of the world all the time. Poop.... less eating, more knitting.

Yikes!

So I've been gone for a while. Oooops! Life has been a little crazy. My daughter turned 4, my husband was out of town, and then when he got back, we had a b-day party for her. About 30 people in my tiny house - it was cozy, to say the least. And, of course, during it all I managed to get sick. It's the nasty cold/flu thing that's going around. I'm home from work today because I have no voice at all. Not very conducive to effective teaching. Anyway, I haven't been keeping up with the posts on my dishcloth swap, so here's the latest one.

I'm not going to take pictures, because I don't really have a dishcloth yarn stash. I usually just buy what I need and then knit it up. I always use my size 7 or 8 bamboo needles. I don't have any pretty stitch markers, just the cheapo plastic ones from JoAnn Etc. That's it!

Hope everyone is having a great Monday, and that you all enjoyed the Super Bowl last night - or at least the commercials!

Yipee!

I've started my swap knitting - woo hoo! It's really fun to know the things I make are going to go to someone who will be looking forward to receiving them. Kind of adds a little pressure, too. Eeek! I'm also very excited to see what I end up getting from my spoiler, who emailed me yesterday! I kind of feel like it's Christmas all over again. :)

It's official...

I AM the world's largest dork. Somehow, in all my infinite wisdom, I thought that if I signed up for email through Yahoo, my pal would never know who I was. So I wrote to her, and told her how excited I was, and asked her questions, and also sent along my NAME!!! I hate you, Yahoo! Anyway, now I just can't write about what I'm doing for her on here until the swap is done. Go me - I rock! Loser....

Weekly Topic

Weekly Topic: Dishrag. Dishcloth. Face cloth. I've seen folks get all fired up in forums when someone refers to their knit or crochet creation as a dishrag, as that's somehow offensive to them! When you're working on yours, what do you call them? Also, is there a difference between a dishrag and a dishcloth? How bout a facecloth? Are they all really the same thing?

Hmmm... I always seem to call it a dishcloth. Dishrag sounds like it's an old, throw-away kind of thing. But I suppose that if you get right down to it, they are the same thing. As for a facecloth, I usually think of those as something knit out of softer fiber than good old dishcloth cotton. But that's just me.

Anywhoo, it's FAH-REE-ZING at my house today. It was 6 degrees when I got up this morning, and yep, I went out and walked in it. I think I may be insane. I belong to a walking club that meets every Sunday morning. This morning, there were 4 of us, and that included the guy who organizes the thing. My coat froze up around my mouth and head. I probably could have used an ice scraper on the frost! But, the sun is actually shining, which makes it feel not quite so cold.

I got my pal for the dishcloth swap! Woo hoo! Off to the store tomorrow (I have the day off) to buy some cotton and get knitting! I'm so nerdily excited about this. What a huge dork.

One week till my little girl turns four. Where does the time go?????

Nothing much...

Life is a little blah right now. This week has been REALLY boring at work, what with exams and all, and nothing is too exciting on the home front right now. I'm super annoyed with my hubby - why is it that a 30-something year old man has the capacity to act like he's nine at the drop of a hat? Sometimes I feel like I'm taking care of two children instead of one. The daughter has been good - bedtime is still kind of an issue, I think just because she wants to be with us (me) and doesn't want the fun to stop to have to go to sleep. We have Monday off for MLK day, so it will be nice to sleep in and do some fun things with her. Looking forward to receiving my match for the dishcloth swap so I can get started on things for her (or him, I should say). I'm not so much loving the yarn I bought to make the baby blanket. I chose acrylic pretty much on purpose so the care would be easy. But this stuff is not at all soft, and I'm not loving knitting with it, therefore, I'm not moving as quickly as I would like on it. I do know how to post pictures on here now - it's called reading the directions! So I'm going to give it a try this weekend, I think. Off to grade exams and figure semester grades. Wonder if I could be fired for blogging from work? Hmmmm.....

It's a very grey (gray?) day today and it's exam week here at good old BHS and I am bored. to. death. Love exam week because I get large blocks of time without having to speak to teenagers. But hate exam week because of large blocks of time without speaking at all, since said teenagers are examing... I wish I had my dishcloth swap buddy already because I could be productively producing dishcloths. I actually do have some knitting to do - my good friend from way back in the day is having her second baby in June and I'm making the Corner to Corner blanket from Gwen Steege's Knit Baby Blankets for her. Actually, very much like a humongous dishcloth, so I guess I shouldn't be complaining. Hope wherever you are is sunnier than here!

Everybody swap!

Okay, it's official - I'm going to do the Defeat the Winter Doldrums Dishcloth Swap. Head to http://dishclothexchange.blogspot.com/ to get in on it - I think it'll be fun! Here's my first questionnaire....
1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? I knit - used to crochet, but no more
2. What types of needles do you enjoy using for making dishcloths? Bamboo or other kinds of wood needles - not a fan of metal or plastic
3. What types of cotton do you enjoy using for making dishcloths? I'm totally not picky - I've used Peaches and Cream or Sugar and Cream for most, so cheap is good! Is there any that you've been wanting to try? Some fun, pricey ones, of course! Debbie Bliss, etc.
4. What color(s) are your kitchen and bath decorated in (if any)? Kitchen is sage green, taupe, and white. Bathroom is white and dark teal-ish.
5. What are your favorite colors for yarns? Least favorite? I seem to gravitate toward the green family, and prefer subdued colors. Although my favorite color is pink. But nothing in my house is pink - I just like it for clothes and accessories. I also am a big fan of neutrals. I don't dig really bright, hurt-your-eyes kinds of colors.
6. Do you like Winter, or do you count the days until it ends? I actually like winter.
7. What's your favorite way to brighten your day when you're down in the dumps? Good music, salty snacks, chocolate, coffee, and knitting
8. What is your favorite treat to indulge in and when your down in the dumps? Salty stuff - chips, nuts, etc., followed by chocolate! And lots of it!
9. Do you drink coffee? Tea? Cocoa? All three, but I prefer coffee - I like flavored kinds, vanilla, hazelnut.
10. If you could take a vacation starting tomorrow and go anywhere for one week and money were no object, where would you go and what would you do? I would go to the Smoky Mountains and stay in the cabins I stayed in on my honeymoon. I'd bring plenty of good books and yarn and read and knit to my heart's content!
11. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should be aware of? No allergies - but I really, really hate cigarette smoke.

I'm so excited for this! I think I don't actually enter until tomorrow, so I'm the big nerd trying to be early. Oh well - what a shocker! I'm going to try to be an awesome pal!

Well...

So, long time no write, huh? Yep, still alive and kicking. Just somehow I've managed not to be on here since long, long before the holidays. Anyway, had a great Christmas. Except for the moment when my daughter opened the Island Princess Barbie she had talked about for months and asked Santa for, and wailed, "I wanted the princess head with the hair to brush and everything!" Calmy, DH and I explained that sometimes Santa makes mistakes and that we could exchange her. Later that morning, after watching the DVD, she decided to keep the Barbie and ask for the head for her b-day. Fantastic... those things creep me out.

I finished all the knitting projects for Christmas, and felt pretty good about that. As soon as I figure out how to post pictures on here, I'll put some up. I'm now working on a scarf for myself with some nubby wool I got in Oregon when I was there for work. $25 a skein - yikes! It's beautiful and I love it, and can't wait to finish it. It's the first thing I've made for me and I'm really happy about it. Also, I really think I'm worth it, of course!

I'm considering entering a swap. I've never done one before, but I think it would be good fun. I have to give it some consideration, though, because I also need to get my ass moving on completing my entries for National Board Certification. Ugh... I'm currently wondering why I ever decided to do that in the first place.

I've hit one of those extremely exhausted and overwhelmed points in my life where I am almost wishing for an illness to knock me on my butt for a few days so that I could have guilt-free resting time. Sad...