i made it through christmas, but...

I'm not so sure about new year's! So everything worked it's way out to have one of the better Christmas days, ever! Christmas Eve was spent at my BF's sister's place. That was nice, and mostly quiet. Then I got up Saturday, and made food to bring to my parents' house...some last minute cookies and a rice pilaf.

My Mom's lunch was good, as usual. But late...as usual. She was still in her sweats when we got there. Needless to say, that's not how she wanted to be seen. Everyone loved their gifts, especially the hand knits stuff. I also got some great stuff...to tell you the truth, my family puts up wish lists, so I got exactly what I wanted.

Next was a quick stop by my grandmother's house. This was the low point of the day. Unfortunately, there is still some feuding going on between my dad's siblings. To accentuate the positive, I did get to see a few of my cousins that I haven't seen in a while. And, my grandmother really like the flowers that I brought her.

After that, I dropped my home to get rid of some leftovers and some excess baggage. Then, it was back to the sister's house. By the time I go there, my BF's family was pretty much drunk and in rare form. My family rarely serves drinks, not even wine with dinner. His family is as close the other end of the spectrum as you can get. We stayed up til about 2 am then passed out watching Space Ghost. The next morning I made the mistake of going shopping with BF's sister and mother. I've shopped with the sister before and that can be pretty enjoyable, but the two of them together was much too much.

To make a long story short, we went to the sister's on Friday and got conned into meeting for breakfast on Saturday morning. Got very little sleep that night. Had a great time Saturday night, when we saw the Carlsonics at the Black Cat. This was a super cool show. Not only is the band really good, but I got to hang out with on of my good friends from high school.

Finally, after spending much of Sunday recovering from the rolling hangover of the last 3 days, we had both families over to our apartment for dinner. Woohoo! I made it!

Almost ready...

Christmas is so close it hurts! I can feel it...of course, it could just be the sleep deprivation setting in. Yesterday I stopped on the way home and picked up a few things for my BF. We usually celebrate in February, combining Christmas anniversary and valentine's day. This year, since we're actually in town at the same time, I got him some things to open on Christmas.

I'm also coming to the end of my to-do list! We're heading to trader joe's this evening to pick up stuff for my dad. He's getting cheese and nuts...I'm not kidding and it's just what he asked for. We're also going to try to get some wine to bring to my parent's house. TJ's just happens to have the best prices on wine (and everything else). So, it looks like I'm gonna have another long day.

frenzy!

I'm trying to get everything done in time...really, I am! But I think I'm going to have to go into frenzy mode pretty soon. I tried to work really hard this weekend but after a point I just couldn't take it anymore. Yesterday, I realized that I had been working my fingers to the bone for everyone else in my life. I just needed to do something for me! So, I took a long luxury shower and did a number on my hair. An hour and a half later, I was ready to face the world again...and will have good hair all week!

Once I was refreshed, I went to the grocery store and got everything I needed to make cookies. This year I'm making 5 kinds:
-chocolate chip
-oatmeal w/ cranberries (a request from my BF)
-chocolate toffee blondies
-sugar cookies
-butter cookies w/ milky centers

I was able to squeeze out 3 of the 5 last night and I'll be back in the kitchen tonight making the rest.

1. List your five favorite beverages.
marker's mark on the rocks, iced tea w/ lemon, vanilla stoli w/ ginger, revive vitaminwater, and chai

2. List your five favorite websites.
digsmagazine, chicknits, craigslist.org, readymademag, and knitty

3. List your five favorite snack foods.
chips&salsa, popsecret homestyle, cinnamon graham crackers, pocky, and grapes

4. List your five favorite board and/or card games.
scrabble, boggle, monopoly, life, and shoots&ladders

5. List your five favorite computer and/or game system games.
solitaire, tetris, ddr, the sims, and minesweeper

One more week!

Just 7 days! I've been working overtime trying to get my cousin's gifts finished. Would you believe I finished a hat in about a day? I had cast on for the thing on Monday night, and got about 2 inches into it when I realized it looked way to small for an adult head. So, Tuesday morning I frogged the honeycomb band and started over. I added a knitting session at lunch yesterday and was able to finish it that night on the bus ride home! (I hope to get a picture of the finished hat tonight).

Once the hat was finished, I cast on for the first of the arm warmers. I'm going to used the general pattern form the latest Interweave, adding the honeycomb pattern to the openings. I've already worked about 4 inches. I'm going to make them slightly longer than suggested in the pattern, maybe 8 inches instead of 6.

I now know what I want my BF to give me for Christmas...at least one part. I want to get a manicure! Maybe on the 30th, so my tips will still be nice for New Year's Eve. And, that way maybe I'll be able to resist knitting and give my poor hands a rest. The drawback to this plan is that I wouldn't be able to knit on the bus trip to NYC.

Crafty Beast

There are just 10 knitting days until Christmas. (yeah, I'm a little worried). I'm inches away from finishing my cousin's scarf. I'm hoping to finish that on the us this evening. Just in time to cast on for the hat. It may seem very ambitious, but I hope to have the hat done by Thursday, leaving a week to knit up the two wrist warmers. The only reason I'm setting such a close goal is that I usually knit a lot faster in the round.

new yarn!

I got my shipment from Smiley's! They delivery rate is so quick, it's sick. So, I got some Patons wool to finish my cousin's hat and warmers. And, I couldn't resist getting some yarn for me. So, I ordered yarn to make Marsha.



I've been looking in my closet every morning for a black cardigan that goes well with slacks...you know something good to wear to work. But, I keep realizing that I don't own such an article of clothing! I figure this will do nicely...and it's just a little funky so I can wear it on the weekends too!

1. Do you enjoy the cold weather and snow for the holidays?
Yes, Yes, and Yes! It's been nearly 20 years since there has been snow here on Christmas.

2. What is your ideal holiday celebration? How, where, with whom would you celebrate to make things perfect?
Quiet day at home with family. This year is the first time my BF will be in town for the holiday, so I couldn't ask for more

3. Do you do have any holiday traditions?
My family doesn't have any unusual traditions.

4. Do you do anything to help the needy?
Hate to admit it, but no.

5. What one gift would you like for yourself?
I want to get a good blocking surface to finish my knitting projects. Something that folds up when not in use...I know, I know...I'm a dork!

everything's coming up...paperwhites

That's right...All of a sudden things seem to be taking off. The first two sets of bulbs that I set up have nice sized shoots coming out of the bulbs. They look to be about 2 inches tall as of yesterday afternoon. I think the little desk lamp that I set up above them is really helping. The lamp doesn't give off very good light, but I think it probably helps to keep the area a little warmer. For now, I'm leaving it on from the time I get up in the morning until I go to sleep at night. I'll be happy as long as the plants I want to give my Mom and Aunt are close to blooming at Christmas.

The best looking ones are the second sets that I put together. I did one in a small glass vase...probably the one I'll keep for myself. This is the only one I did in a clear container and what I like is the fact that you can see the roots growing. If only there was a way to get more vases like these and transfer some of the other ones over. My second favorite is a group of 4 that I put into a small ceramic planter. That on has soil at the bottom with some decorative glass pebbles on top. I will most likely decorate the planter with ribbon and give this one to my BF's sister.

2 down, 2 to go

I finished the second washcloth this morning over a cup of coffee. I'm going to be knitting morning noon and night until the 23rd (at least). I'm hoping to have the 4 washcloths done by the time I get my yarn order from Smiley's. I had to get some more yarn to make the hat and arm warmers for my other cousin. I'm hoping to pull off those two items within a week. I know I'm cutting it close, but I've gotta give it the ol' college try.

I also made a promise to BF that I would take a break from knitting once Christmas is over. By then I'm sure my little fingers will need a break. Of course I don't mean a full knitting shut down...I'm thinking more like a slow down. I'll probably just pick a couple of projects that I can work on the bus in the morning. I'm also thinking about joining the DC stitch 'n bitch. I recently found out that a group has started at a cafe close to my apartment on Sunday afternoons. The other knitting groups in the area meet in the suburbs on weekday nights. And, as a bonus the cafe that they go to is a place that BF likes to hang out at already so maybe we could turn it into a Sunday afternoon outing for both of us.

deck the halls...FaLaLaLaLa La-La La-La

The lights are up in the hallway. It's actually something that I've been wanting to do since we moved in, but I've been too lazy. Now that they're up, I expect that they will stay there until we more out.

We also got our tree. It's smaller than I wanted but it was free! We went to Ikea on Sunday and they were selling trees. It was the last day they were available at the store, so they were free if you spent $50 or more...and as we all know, it's super easy to spend $50 at Ikea. Last night I bought a tree stand, put the tree up and put lights on. I'll post some pictures once there are ornaments on the tree.

dentist visit

There's one thing that you should know about me...most things are all-or-nothing in my eyes. I've neglected my teeth for the last few years. I either didn't have dental insurance, or the time off of work to go to the dentist. Well, for the first time in a long time, I have both. And, ever since the accident, I've been really focused on my teeth. Nothing else matters as much as becoming comfortable with my smile again.

So, yesterday I had a good ol' fashioned dental check up. Most people hate going to the dentist. Me, I'm kind of indifferent. I kind of like the feeling of someone cleaning my teeth and reaching all of the spots that I just can't get at very well. I had a few spots of really bad tartar build up between my lower front teeth -- they call it calculus for some reason. Anyway, this isn't the first time I've had this build up even though I brush and floss daily. For some reason I just can't take care of this myself. But, in a matter of minutes, the dentist had it out.

They only bad news is that my dentist says I need 3 fillings. She wants to take out 2 that I've had since high school and re-fill them. And, she wants fill a hole in a cracked tooth...cracked by the tongue ring I used to wear, not the bike accident. So, I'm going back on Saturday so I can get it in before the end of the year.

no doubt

My fear from yesterday is gone! I finished the first of the four washcloths that I'm making my cousin. I even haves some scraps of yarn to spare! Once, I joined the petals, the inside of the flower goes very quickly.



I'm also making her one in red, white, and black. I already cast on for the black on this morning and managed to eke out 2 petals!

shadow of doubt

I started working on one of the washcloths that I hope to make for my cousin's gift. She's going to be moving out of her parents' house in January and I want her to have something different. So, I'm making her 4 flower shaped washcloths, the ones that are featured in the new Interweave. I'm done with the petals, and just joined the five this morning. But, I'm watching the yarn ball get smaller and smaller...to the point where I doubt that there will be enough to finish. I've got my fingers crossed, 'cos at this point in the game I don't want to have to order more yarn. I'm also going to make some cute soaps to go with it. So, this a gift idea that I don't want to ditch.

just a block away...

Mom's SSC is done! I set it up to block last night, and it should be ready for ready once I get home. It turned out even better than the one that I knit for myself. I guess I really did work of out all of the kinks. Instead of the garter stitch and eyelet rows, I did a seed stitch. The same for the ribbing at the bottom and the facings. It made a big difference...as the edges are less likely to roll. Also, instead of the single button, I'm going to put a ribbon facing on the fronts and put snaps for closure. Now all I need is some coordinating ribbon!

no snow day :(

bread, milk, toilet paper!

There's a possibility of snow tonight and through Saturday. That means that an unscheduled run to the grocery store might be needed to get through the weekend!

On the bright side, if they close the government (as they are prone to do during snow) I might get the day off. And that means I'll have plenty of time to get crafty with my Christmas gifts!

a late arrival

I finally got my paperwhites yesterday! From all accounts, it take about 4-5 weeks for them to bloom. I was hoping to have them close to that stage by Christmas. But, now that it's exactly 3 weeks before the big day I have some doubts. I'm going to go out after work and look for a few nice vases. With any luck, they'll be set up this evening.

I'm going to give groups of these flowers to my mom, aunt, probably my BF's sister. Oh, and don't forget about a set for myself!

home alone

I've had the whole apartment to myself since last Wednesday and it's been great! BF went home to visit his dad for Thanksgiving and I've been on my own. I got so much done too. I was able to finish hanging the icicle christmas lights in our hallway. It's a lot longer than I thought it was. I even had to go out and buy another string to finish the job. We've been in the apartment for about 6 months now and this is the first real decoration that has been put up. I'm going to leave these up year-round. I also went and bought more stuff for our tree...The thought right now is to buy as much stuff as possible so BF can't say no to getting one!

It was also a great week. I started the scarf for my cousin. Since I was going over to my parents' house I couldn't bring the sweater that I'm making for mom. So, I whipped out the black wool yarn from my stash (inherited from a co-worker whose mother had been hoarding the stuff since he was a boy). I looks like I'm going to have enough for the scarf, hopefully about 7-feet long. Then I'm going to buy more yarn to make the hat and warmers. I chose a Honeycomb stitch that looks kind of like this:



And, I think that I'm going to design the hat to have the same detail that the brim then stockinette for the rest. The arm warmers, I'm going to make using the latest Interweave article with the Honeycomb detail at the openings.

Last night I joined my Mom's SSC. I know it won't be long now. This will be my project to work on at home...I'm aiming to have it done before this weekend!

thankful?

For the most part, yes. I am very thankful. I know that I am living very comfortably at this time in my life and that the future is more hopeful than not.

I am thankful that my grandmother will be with us to celebrate this upcoming holiday season. See, she fell and broke her hip this spring and went through a very long, frustrating recovery. I had never seen my grandmother cry before...I don't even remember her crying at my grandfather's funeral. She was a very strong, independent woman who had been living on her own for over a decade. But, after the fall, she wasn't able to take care of herself...and she cried because of the way the nurses were treating her at the rehab facility. I'm thankful that she found the will to get over her injury and that she is able to rest comfortably in her own home (where she has lived for over 50 years).

I'm also thankful for my BF...he's honestly the highlight of my day (everyday). He has supported me whenever I needed it and I love him for it. He has also become my best friend, sharing many of my thoughts and dreams.

At the same time, there are a few things that have happened to me this year that have left a chip on my shoulder...#1 on that list is the chip that was in my tooth. See, I am very thankful that the accident had not been worse. And, I realize that my good health will now continue into the new year and for years to come. But I can't help but still feel slighted by the police failings and some anger toward the woman who left me there to pay for this damage. My ego is also bruised every time I look at my new crown. It looks fine (very convincing even) but I know that it's something I'll have to think about for the rest of my life.

I am also left a little more pessimistic about the future of our country. I have a younger cousin who is in the Navy and fear that he might have to see the front line in the Gulf. I don't like the fact that the men and women who volunteered to defend our country are being used to establish a new government in a land where they are unwelcome.

where, oh where, are my paperwhites!?

so, one of my ideas for christmas gifts this year was to force paperwhites for my mom, my aunt and perhaps a few other people. So, I finally found a place where I could order them online for a reasonable price. I put my order in last week and have yet to receive them. I was very hopeful because this website said that they only ship Monday - Wednesday so that their plant products don't end up sitting in warehouses over weekends. Well it's Tuesday now...and if i don't get them this weekend, I'll end up with a pile of bulbs that won't bloom in time to give as gifts!

a ripping good time

I've decided that Miss Cleo will meet her end. I never got around to finishing this halter and now that winter is setting in there probably is no reason. So I'm going to reclaim the yarn and see if there is something more weather-friendly that can be made. I'm not at all sure what to do with it, but it just doesn't make any sense to pretend that I'm going to finish her.

happiness is...

a triple-grande-no-whip-gingerbread-latte! In general, I dislike Starbucks...but, a few years back they developed this holiday time drink that tastes great. I'm like an addict! I wait all year for them to bring it back into their line up and for a period of about 6 weeks (or until the stores in my area run out of the syrup) I waste my hard-earned money on these things. At the height of the shopping season I will probably take in about three of them a week. I love the flavor so much that last year I had a friend of mine who works at "the buck" get me a bottle of the syrup so I can make them at home!

And, they're back again this year. I had my first on this morning...So cheers and greetings for the holiday season!

monday morning...blah

Today is the most typical of all Monday mornings. I didn't want to get out of bed, but I did. I don't want to be at work, but here I am. I don't want to concentrate on things at work, so I blog.

The two sleeves for mom's SCC are done and I started the body yesterday afternoon. I know it's ambitious, but I'd like to have this one wrapped up by the middle of next week. I still have other gifts to get sorted out and made. At the same time, I might extend that "deadline" once I join the body and sleeves. I could start the scarf for a bus project.

1. Using one adjective, describe your current living space.
modest.

2. Using two adjectives, describe your current employer.
worldly & all American...I work for the Smithsonian.

3. Using three adjectives, describe your favorite hobby/pasttime.
knitting is (a) calming, (b) creative, & (c) kickass!

4. Using four adjectives, describe your typical day.
My days are usually long and arduous, sometimes boring, but usually fulfilling.

5. Using five adjectives, describe your ideal life.
My ideal life would be footloose & fancy-free! It would also be a neverending, highrolling, laugh-outloud good time!

Already half way

So it's Wednesday and I realized that I haven't been to my blog since last week! Well, it's been kind of a weird week. I had the day off yesterday...Veteran's Day. It was very odd going to work for one day then having a day off.

I made some progress on Mom's SSC...I'm done with the 1st sleeve and just cast on the second last night. The sleeves are perfect for taking on the bus. They aren't big and bulky and I don't have to worry about whether I keep elbowing the person next to me. The first one only took three weeks to finish. I'm hoping to make the same speed, if not better. If I can get SSC done by thanksgiving weekend, I should have enough time to concentrate on the rest of the gifts I want to make for Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas gifts. The one thing I want to make is a hat/scarf/ armwarmer set for my cousin. She's a freshman in State College and I want to make her something different...you know, not too gap/urban outfitters. So, I'm planning on going into my stash. I have some wool (inherited from a coworker) and some mohair (left over from a scarf I made last year), which I'm going to knit together. The only problem is that I don't really know how much of each I have. I might not have enough to make all three pieces. So the question is, where do I start. I'm certain I could squeeze out the hat & warmers...but I don't know if I can make all three. Or, so I start with the scarf since it's the longest piece? I would just hat to start making one of the warmers and run out then try to match the black! at the same time I want to buy as little new yarn as possible.

done and done!

That's right Sitcom Chic has been completed. I finished the knitting Monday. Then I blocked it and wove in the loose ends Wednesday. I'm even giving it a Friday debut...

I had a few parts where it got hard, but I was able to recover. (1) I had to rip about 10 rows after joining the sleeves to the body after I noticed that I had somehow "created" an extra stitch. I tried to go back and just fix the area around the problem but every row I unraveled to fix the stitch made the problem worse. The only thing I could think was that I had somehow picked SSC up and started knitting in the wrong direction. (2) My decreases after the 2nd set of garter stitch ridges wasn't the same. So, one sleeve left more stitches than the other once I finished the neck shaping. No would ever notice unless I mentioned it, so I decided to just leave it.

1. What food do you like that most people hate?
Anchovies! They get a bad wrap. And, I've got a sneaky suspicion that people only dislike them because they've never tried them.

2. What food do you hate that most people love?
Sweet potato.

3. What famous person, whom many people may find attractive, is most unappealing to you?
Penelope Cruz...I think she's kind of funny looking.

4. What famous person, whom many people may find unappealing, do you find attractive?
hmm...William H Macy oddly attractive.

5. What popular trend baffles you?
This one is easy...The short wannabe-old-school gym shorts that have stuff written across the butt.

Woohoo!

Today started out grumpy. I just hated getting up this morning. BF came home from work 2 minutes before my alarm went off so I greeted by a chilly blast of air. Then he forgot to shut the bedroom door was he went for the shower. Leaving streaks of harsh light in my face. And, to top it off, he decided to have smoothies for breakfast. And, let me tell you, there's nothing worse than a blender running at 6:30 in the morning! But things are looking up. The sun is out and it's really warm...especially for November. Let's just say I'm in a good mood. I know the weather won't last, so I've got to enjoy it for now!

knitting right along...

Last night I joined the sleeves to the body of SSC. It's the only thing I dislike about knitting sweaters with raglan sleeves. For about the first four rows I always struggle to knit the stitches of the sleeves. But, it should be smooth sailing from now on. I think I'll be able to have a quite morning tomorrow and work the rest of the yoke...ah, wishful thinking!

I need to give huge props to Denise! I got these a few months ago and I think they've already paid form themselves. They've especially been a help with SSC. I haven't had to fumble around with stitch holders or try to figure out how to move one set of stitches from one circular to another...I just move the needle point from one cable to another. A godsend in the joining process last night. It also saved me having to go out an buy more double point needles as well. The patter says that you should knit the entire sleeve using dpns...Instead I used the magic loop technique. The only drawback is that the cable for the Denise system is much thicker than traditional circular needles so it takes a little more effort to keep stitches spread out. And, like I said, the best part was that one I had finished on sleeve, I didn't have to move it to stitch holders. I just exchanged the needles for the round holder ends and then started the 2nd sleeve with another cable!

1. What was your first Halloween costume?
The first costume that I remember having was a princess. I was about 5/6 and it was on the kind that came in a box. It had a plastic mask and plastic "dress" that you're supposed to wear over your regular clothes

2. What was your best costume and why?
The best one I had was Wonder Woman...'cos she rocks.

3. Did you ever play a trick on someone who didn't give you a treat?
No

4. Do you have any Halloween traditions? (ie: Family pumpkin carving, special dinner before trick or treating, etc.)
No...I guess we were fairly boring.

5. Share your favorite scary story...real or legend!
I've always been a fan of Poe's The Tell Tale Heart. There's just something creepy about it.

knitting gets more hip everyday!

Loop NYC -- the maker of super cool accessories and home goods -- have done their magic again. This time with what looks like it might be the perfect christmas gift for a crafty girl. It's so cool they're selling it at girlshop. It almost makes me wish I didn't already know how to knit.

I've got the monday blahs!

Today blows...After enjoying a great weekend I woke up this morning to overcast skies and pouring ran. Now, it's about 4 pm and looking outside it's super depressing and it will be getting dark soon. Usually I have a hard time adjusting to the time change so this weather isn't helping.

On the bright side, my old roommate Brent and his wife came for a short visit this weekend. We went down to the Mall...something I don't usually do since I work there everyday. But, I was super cool hanging with the two of them and making a quick trip through the American History Museum and NASM. Kim seemed excited about maybe coming back to see the cherry blossoms in Spring.

to the end...

Well, it looks like I made it through another week. No more creepy crawlies Wednesday! I'm in a state of cautious optimism...and I still turn the light on in the bathroom before entering in the middle of the night.

BF is almost done with the tiling...unfortunately, it's driving him mad. If he has learned one lesson from this project, it's that he doesn't want to do any more work for our landlord. Mr. Landlord has turned out to be one of those "give him an inch and he'll take a mile" kind of people. So, the only other improvements that will be done in our apartment are those that we can take with us.

On the knitting front, I'm making a ton of headway on the Sitcom Chic. I'm hoping to finish sleeve #1 tomorrow morning and cast on for #2 in time for bus knitting Monday morning. The green that I chose is turning out to be awesome. My goal is to have the whole thing finished by the first week of November. That should give me plenty of time to make my mom's and decide what gifts I can still knit in time for christmas.

Poncho power...

So, I'm on the verge of turning into that girl likes to copy items that they see in stores. Sometimes I can't imagine an item costs what it does...Some times I just think I want to make things just to see if I can figure it out. This weekend, I went shopping and couldn't find anything in the right price range. What I did see? Another poncho... they're everywhere! This time it's one that's at Benetton. I looks really fast and simple.

I might have to join the Poncho-along!

Bugs moving in? I'm moving out!

Last night, right before BF was leaving for work and I was going to bed I spotted a yucky roach in our bathtub. I whimpered and cried like a girl and had BF go in to perform a removal ritual. Well, you know it's serious when your boyfriend who has been working in the subway system for the last 2 months gasps at the sight whatever is in your tub! Well he killed it (thankfully) but I was so freaked out that it took me a while before I could go back in the bathroom and even longer before I was ready to turn out the lights. I even left the bathroom light on overnight in case I had to go in the middle of the night. So we now have another problem to deal with.

We've pretty much decided that we'll be moving out in May...not what we expected. We had been hoping to find a place we could see ourselves living in for a couple of years. Last night and this morning we were even liking the idea of trying to break our lease! Argh

its that time again...friday five

1. Name five things in your refrigerator.
milk, eggs, broccoli, water, bacon

2. Name five things in your freezer.
ravioli, ice, strawberries, peas, spinach

3. Name five things under your kitchen sink.
detergent for dishwasher, extra sponges, glass cleaner, trash bags, lysol

4. Name five things around your computer.
mouse, printer, paper, pens, vertical files

5. Name five things in your medicine cabinet.
nail clippers, deodorant, advil, lotion, razor

anybody out there?

Well, it's not like I'm a shameless self promotor...I added comments to my blog. Just in case there's anyone skulking in the background that wants to say hi!

asleep @ the wheel

There's just one thing I hate about weeks when you get Monday off...It throws the whole week off. I woke up this morning thinking it was wednesday. And, of course, it's not! Somehow, I've gone through most of the week on autopilot. I've gotten very little done and need to fix the situation quickly.

So, let's get the ball rolling...I am done with all ribbed up. I turned out pretty well, but it feels a little loose. I was expecting it to be a little more fitted, but I think the vertical ribs make it too heavy. I'm going to give it a few wearings and then decide whether it would be worth my while to send it to the pond, the frog pond that is. The ribbon yarn that it's made of is very nice but snags a lot. I will probably just live with it as is.

I'm well on my way with SSC. The design is simple and great taking with you. I've been able to get a good amount done while riding the bus to and from work. I know I'll be able to work the body and the sleeves on the bus, but once I join all the pieces, I'll probably do the yoke at home. Carrying a whole sweater get cumbersome after a while. If this one comes out well, I already have the yarn to make one for my mom and that will become her x-mas present.

back to the friday five

1. Do you watch sports? If so, which ones?
Yes, soccer

2. What/who are your favorite sports teams and/or favorite athletes?
DC United!

3. Are there any sports you hate?
NASCAR

4. Have you ever been to a sports event?
Yes, I've been to soccer games and a couple of college football games

5. Do/did you play any sports (in school or other)? How long did you play?
I've never really played any sports...there was a period of time in college that I would play soccer with friends and sometimes ultimate frisbee.

thank goodness for knits

Yup, that's right...I'm very glad that in this ordeal, I have something to keep my hands busy. I can keep myself from obsessing over the way my tooth looks by obsessively knitting. I'm just about done with the "all ribbed up." I should be able to finish it on the daily bus rides this week.

So, I'm going to start on Sitcom Chic this Saturday morning. I went with a hunter green. I'm very happy with the color I chose. I had bought the yarn in the middle last week and over the weekend, I pulled all of my sweaters out of storage...Guess what? Not a lick of green. The color isn't too "christmas", if you know what I mean. And, It should go nicely with the absurd green sneakers that I bought earlier this summer.

weeping wednesday

So new tooth tuesday became tortured tuesday. I like the dentist who I'm going to to fix my tooth, but I have just one problem with her. She doesn't explain procedures to me. I'm not sure if she assumes that I already know what it takes to get to the final goal (having new tooth that looks real and natural) but she doesn't tell me what I'm in for. Last time I left her office I scheduled the appointment that was yesterday...She said "Next time we should be able to do your crown." and I thought she had taken a partial impression of my front tooth. So, I thought yesterday was going to just involve some bonding and shaping and there you have it, done! Shows what I know about dentistry. Yesterday ended up being the day they drill a post into the remaining portion of tooth and then grind off the rest to a frightening nub that will later be used to attach my porcelain crown.

And, boys and girls, it's even worse than the root canal. Now in terms of physical pain, but emotional trauma! I thought looking at the chip in the tooth was painful. I was wrong! This was the worst thing a girl could ever have to see. And, then to make things worse, I had to pick the color that I want my fake tooth to be. I just about lost it right there. Well, now it's going to be al least two more weeks before the fake tooth comes in, then i *hope* that's it.

The dentist sent me home with a temporary cap that just covers the little nub. It's roughly shaped from prefabricated caps. It looks better than walking around with a gaping whole, but it looks and feels like there's a big white tictac stuck where my tooth used to be. And, since my front teeth weren't perfectly straight to begin with, it just kind of sticks out because it is put on "straight." And just like a little girl, the second I got home I bawled like a little baby. I really can't bear this anymore...

new books for the weekend

I have been holding onto a gift card that the director of my department had given me last year as a Christmas gift...As a temp (which I was at the time) it really meant a lot. So, I decided to put it to some use. I went straight to amazon and ordered these two:





Hopefully once I get these I'll be able make a reasonable list of gifts to start making for Christmas. I know it's only October, but if I don't get started soon, there's no way I'm going to be able to do knitting for the whole family.

New tooth Tuesday!

I've got a dentist appointment this afternoon, and assuming there's nothing wrong with my root canal, I should be able to get my crown put on. Oh, happy day! It's been a month since the accident and I've come to terms with what happened, but I still can't stand the look of it. I still feel really self-conscious when I smile or laugh around anyone who I don't know well.

Now, my one and only fear is that the crown won't match the other teeth and people will notice that. So, I almost feel a pressure to become one of those people who compulsively brush their teeth after every meal. My teeth aren't freakishly white, but they're not really yellow either. Surprisingly, I don't think it's from smoking as much as coffee...I gave up the cigs, but don't try to take my coffee!

Thrift heaven!

I had a very cool trip the Value Village this weekend. It was a madhouse by the time we got there on Saturday afternoon...and that means competition. I wasn't really looking to spend a lot, so I wasn't bothered by the crowd. I ended up with a few good items and only spent $15. I got a *super* cool vintage Aigner raincoat...and the best part...it's reversible. I also picked up a velvet blazer, a vest, and a skirt.

I then went home and went through my closet. I came up with a bag full of clothes that I can get rid of. I'm going to try to update what I have in my wardrobe and also cut the fat. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll have 2nd bag of clothing put together. I'll drop that stuff off at the thrift and pick up some "new" goodies.

monday morning

It's another Monday and I'm super tired. With Andrew working nights, he stays up on Sunday nights to get back on schedule for the coming work week. Unfortunately, this means that I get a really bad night's sleep. For some reason I don't sleep well when he stays up, and I'm not really sure why. Then he comes to bed (today at 5:15) and things go further downhill. Today I had to decide whether to wake up 45 minute earlier than I want to or lay there waiting for the alarm to go off. I did option #2. So today I'm dragging.

blur!

You are Parklife.


Which Blur Album Are You?
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i've been bad

I'm not all that good at keeping up with the blog...especially getting pictures put up! It's been close to a week since I've even thought about my blog. Argh...

Well since I'm here, I may as well tell you something...It finally got cold here in DC. Over the weekend I'm planning on breaking out all of my sweaters. Hopefully they still fit. I'm also going to be deciding on a sweater to knit for myself. I'm torn between Marsha from this Fall's Rowan magazine and the SitCom Chic (SCC) made in a wool blend. I think i'm going to end up going with the SCC unless I can find an affordable mohair blend. Heaven knows I can't afford 11 skeins at $9 a pop!

And I'm definitely going to make my mother the SCC so I might make mine first so I can work the kinks out of the pattern.

Knitting update...

Yeah me...finished red, red wine! I'm gonna get a picture up over the weekend.

I have started the ribbed shell from Rebecca...It's going surprisingly fast but the yarn is still weird to me. It's my first time working with a ribbon yarn and this one is especially tricky. One sit comes out smooth and the other show little loops. Unfortnately, these loops snag on just about everything. So, I've been trying to make sure that only the smooth side show...but it slows everything down.

I'm in love with the new issue of Rebecca! I'm also going to start in on that poncho...again.

I want it!

Better yet, I want to knit it! Couldn't be too hard, right?

Back to the dentist I go

I have another appointment tomorrow. I'm going to get the canal in my tooth filled and the dentist is going to start the "build up" for my crown. I will be so happy if I can look at myself without judging once this is over. It's been a little over 2 weeks since the accident and everytime I look in the mirror I get a little more bummed. I'm starting to notice all of the imperfections of my teeth. And, to make it worse, my mother has suggested that I get braces. This from the woman that wouldn't pay for them while I was in high school! Argh! I'll think about that expense once I see how much this ordeal puts me back.

Excuse me...

I haven't written in over a week and I only have 2 excuses:

1) I was in a class last week...away from the constant link to the internet. I'm the kind of person that gets home and has no inclination to log onto the internet. I would probably feel different if I had a high speed connection but I still dial up...how stone age!

2) Hurricane Isabel ruined my weekend. I was supposed to go to Florida to visit Andrew's parents but instead I got stuck in DC. We never lost power and had a mostly uneventful weekend.

It's friday...

1. Is the name you have now the same name that's on your birth certificate? If not, what's changed?
Yes

2. If you could change your name (first, middle and/or last), what would it be?
I'm happy with my name just the way it is.

3. Why were you named what you were? (Is there a story behind it? Who specifically was responsible for naming you?)
There no story behind my name.

4. Are there any names you really hate or love? What are they and why?
None, I guess I don't give much thought to names

5. Is the analysis of your name at kabalarians.com accurate? How or how isn't it?
Seems pretty accurate to me!

But, I did get some knittin' done!

Once I got home from my root canal yesterday, I realized that I had a whole day to myself. So, of course, I was able to work on a lot of stuff. I finished knitting the lacey scarf...now all I have to do is block it. So this weekend when I wash towels, this baby is getting the pin-down.

I was also able to finish half (I guess it's the back) of red, red wine. It looks a lot better than the first one that I had done, so I'm going to rip that one out and re-knit it with Denise so that the two match. So, that project is still hoovering at the 50% mark. Depending on how stressful this weekend is, I might have the tank done in time to take her for a spin in Florida. It goes very quickly once you get the hang of the pattern. (I promise, I'll take a picture of this one and put it up over the weekend).
I'll probably go ahead and block the half that's done since the other half shouldn't take too long to kick out.

Miss Cleo is going nowhere. I haven't taken the time to go buy elastic, so I can't do the final piecing together.

And, I'm already looking forward to the next project. Once I'm done blocking the lacey scarf, I'm going to start a guage swatch for this ribbed shell...



This is the one that I'll probably try to take with me on the trip to Florida.

Root Canal

Since it seems that I'm going to have to suffer the cost of fixing my tooth on my own, I have decided to go ahead and get it done as soon as possible. So, yesterday I went in for the next phase of my root canal. There wasn't too much drilling since the emergency visit that I had on Saturday already started the process. But, the feeling of having the nerve tissue out was really weird (and gross to think of). I wouldn't really feel pain, but I could feel the pressure and tugging going on.

I never considered myself a vain person, but i might from now on. I can't wait to get the crown. I feel silly saying it, but I hate to speak in public. It's only been a week and I already find myself looking for ways to hide my tooth from people. Yesterday before my appointment I went to Tryst and got a "Strawberry C Monster" except it came out more like "Sthwaberrwe thee Mon-ther." Needless to say the cashier did a doubletake...very politely, but I noticed. I have become very conscious of my teeth...and the crack isn't even that bad!

Always put your faith in friends!

I've got this friend Maya how is very adamant when it comes to injustices of kinds. She's also a true Leo especially when it comes to being a loyal friend. I just told her about my accident and she has featured me as her daily rant...Please visit her site!

The beginning of a great relationship!

So, now it's time to turn all thought toward the positive. Yesterday Denise came. She's small, neat and comes in a great package. Setting up was a snap (oh, and a twist). I even decided to take her for a spin. I know that it's going to take some getting used to but so far I'm pretty happy with my decision. The taper for size 6/7 is very different that the metal circulars that I'm used to using. I haven't dropped any stiches so I can't complain. I even decided to start the second half of red, red wine...of this might mean that I have decided to restart the whole thing.

So you wanna see what they look like?

Cracked up & lacking faith...

The weekend started out innocently enough...sunshine, friends. Unfortunately, I was quickly ended when I got in a traffic accident. Me, on bike, her in car! I was riding my bike. Saw a car coming from an alleyway; all traffic stopped; the car stopped (so I assumed she saw me) and I proceeded. This woman then tried to pull into traffic, moving right into me, forcing me into a traffic lane. I pressed my breaks, but too late, I hit the back of a mini van with my face!

Lucky, I only have a cracked tooth. But, of course I started crying like a little girl. Andrew was there with me and kept me as clam as possible. (Yeah, I know I'm the luckiest girl in the world). At that moment all I saw was blood and I couldn't stand the thought of him not being by my side. I was taken to the emergency room by ambulance (w/ Andrew at my side) with the assurance that an officer would come to the hospital. And, since the police showed up before I left I was mildly comforted. From the emergency room I went home and frantically looked for an emergency dentist to look at my tooth. Saturday, evening I got to go through the first step of a root canal. Do I know how to party, or what!?

Well, now it's Tuesday and I want some satisfaction/closure and it's nowhere to be found. No officer came to the hospital... So, Sunday morning was spent trying to find a police report, to no avail. Monday morning, I stayed home from work and tried to find a police report...also to no avail. Andrew even went with me to the police station to make sure my emotions stayed in check. I got a little comfort from one officer who basically told me that a report had to be made if I was taken to the hospital. So, you can only imagine my dismay when I got a call today from an Officer Davis...the officer who was on the scene. She "regretfully" told me that while she was in the ambulance getting some of my information, the woman who hit me somehow "left the scene." That's right boys and girls...The woman who hit me managed to get in her car and back her way down an alley avoiding a police cruiser and an ambulance that was sitting right in front of her!

So, now my case is a hit and run. Nothing I can do but suffer...both emotionally and financially. My faith in the Washington DC Metropolitan Police is completely erased.

It's friday

1. What housekeeping chore(s) do you hate doing the most?
I hate cleaning out the inside of trashcans…You know, like when your garbage liner breaks and you’re left to clean what spilled out.

2. Are there any that you like or don't mind doing?
I’m kind of partial to vacuuming. I just like the noise for some reason.

3. Do you have a routine throughout the week or just clean as it's needed?
I’m a clean-as-you-go kinda girl.

4. Do you have any odd cleaning/housekeeping quirks or rules?
I don’t think so, but then who am I to judge?

5. What was the last thing you cleaned?
Two nights ago I cleaned the top of my stove to get the gunk off.

Playing the waiting game

For some reason, I decided that this week I was going to be a good consumer. As I mentioned, I ordered more yarn and the Denise needles. Then, yesterday, I also ordered stuff from Amazon. So, I'm also waiting for a USB CompactFlash card reader. This should make it easier to download pictures and not run my camera batteries into the ground as often. And finally, I ordered the new Black Rebel Motorcyle Club CD. Now the game begins...

I generally hate waiting. I'm willing to extend my patience bacause (1) these things will be coming to me, and (2) it will save me the hassle of taking the Metro/bus out to three or four stores to pick that things up. Also, that Amazon stuff is free thanks to a gift certificate that I was given for my b-day back in April. If all goes well, I could have all of these items in my grubby little hands by Monday!

Giving Denise a try...

Today I ordered the Denise Interchangeable Needle system in response to the "mishap" I had over the weekend. Realizing that no work can be done until I buy the needles I had set out for, but failed to procure...I figured I'd take this item off of my "stuff I want" list. I found someone on eBay who is selling the kit for $42 w/ free shipping. Figuring that the four sizes of circular needles I would have bought would average $6 a piece, that's $24...already half the cost of Denise. Not to mention, I may never have to schlep to suburbia just to buy needles.

I have also ordered an extra skein of ggh Capri so I can finish Red, Red Wine. I am already finished with the front and have used more than half of the yarn. Thankfully, The Knitting Garden still had a few skeins available. With these two purchases, hopefully I'll be back in business early next week.

To hold me over, I'm going to try to finish a scarf that I've had on my needles for the past month. It's a pattern from last winter's Vogue Knitting. Instead of mohair, I'm making it in a cotton blend. It's not really going to be to keep the neck warm...I'm making it more as another random accessory to wear.

This weekend, I'm working on pictures. (I mean it this time.)

Unofficial Fall

It's the day after Labor Day and I'm supposed to believe that Summer is over. The only problem is that I woke up this morning and it was already 78 degrees when I left for work. And it was so humid, I could feel my hair take on volume the second I left the fron door...I think I've got another month before it starts feeling like fall in DC.

Well, the weekend was kind of weird. I rode my bike more this past weekend than I have in the past year. On Saturday, Andrew and I went tooling around the city. Then Sunday, I put my bike on the Metro and went up to Rockville to try to buy some new knitting needles. Unfortunately, I got all the way up there and realized that I didn't have the key to my bike lock. And, service people at AC Moore wouldn't let me leave it up front while I ran to get what I needed. I rode home empty handed and still need needles to move onto my next project. (I had planned on buying 4 sets of needles and that's the closest store to get them at without paying an arm and a leg...) Argh!

time for the friday 5

1. Are you going to school this year?
No...

2. If yes, where are you going (high school, college, etc.)? If no, when did you graduate?
I graduated college in 1998.

3. What are/were your favorite school subjects?
I always enjoyed Math and sometimes wish that I had taken more classes (or majored in it). I also liked science, but after a certain point, my brain just stopped absorbing it.

4. What are/were your least favorite school subjects?
English/Literature were always a little hard for me. I hated having to keep up with the idea of reading a text in 2 weeks. I usually like to read novels at my own pace.

5. Have you ever had a favorite teacher? Why was he/she a favorite?
Never really had a "favoroite" teacher.

Alright, so I got my package from The Knitting Garden. After getting my copy of Rebecca #25, I felt a compelling urge to do some late summer knitting. So, I have yarn to make three tops...two of which I'm pretty sure I'll be able to wear even in the early fall. I'm starting with the one below.



I'm going to cast on for this top during lunch today...check status on the right. God, I love the free tools you can get on the internet! This on is thanks to Anna Knits

She's Renton...I'm Diane.

My friend Maya found this one...


Which Trainspotting Character Are You?

Alright, I'm going to make a second attempt at updating keeping a blog. Unfortunately, I find it exceedingly hard to do while I'm at work...And, the thought of dialing in once I get home is quickly pushed from my brain. So, I'm going to try to post 3 weekdays plus either Saturday or Sunday. We'll see how it goes!

One more thing...I'm living in a neighborhood that is "up and coming." Over half of the houses on my block are currently being renovated. But, around the corner and down a block things look a little different. When Andrew and I first looked at our place the biggest concern was whether I feel safe or not. We decided to take the place even though we knew that there are often people hanging out in the streets by the Section 8 housing units.

Well, things were just dandy until yesterday. Just after I got home we heard sirens screaming close by and saw emergency vehicles tearing up our block. Later, I came to find out that 4 men were shot in a drive by. One of them died. So, just as I was getting comfortable, I've got a wake up call. My neighborhood isn't perfect...I'm not moving anywhere, but I will have to keep my wits about me.

It's shaping up to be a really unmotivated week. I got back from new york completely deprived of sleep and I still feel tired 2 days later. I had a blast over the weekend when, in reality, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary. I just did it in a different city.

Andrew and I are still trying to get our dryer fixed. Our landlord called 2 times Friday night and 2 times Saturday morning while we were away. He kept calling Andrew's cell phone, so I decided to answer the damn thing and put us out of our misery. Turns out he wants us to try a different company to get the thing repaired. As long as I can get Bounce-fresh clothes this weekend, I don't care who cleans the god-forsaken thing.

I have also been trying to figure out the poncho idea. I have the yarn already. I just need to decide on whether to knit it as a single strand (22 st = 4") or double it (16 st = 4"). That might not seem like a big deal, but the number of rows per inch is very different. The pattern I'm kicking around in my head right now is from lacy scarf pattern that I have. I'm thinking of using that stitch pattern as a motif for the poncho. I tried casting on last night but had to rip it out this morning once I realized that I was supposed to start on a wrong side row. I'll give it another whirl tonight.

Busy, busy...I've been doing a lot of busy work. Last week I was in training...this week I just can't focus.

So, here's my only thought for the entire week.



I know this strip is a few days old, but it still tickles my fancy. Okay, I'm off to New York for a long weekend.

You wanna something else that's pretty cool...how 'bout another article about celebrity knitters.

Oh, those crazy brits! Here's a good laugh to start your day. It seems that the marketers of The Hulk are resorting to dirty tactics in the UK.

Day 3 without a dryer. I was able to do a load of laudry yesterday, but my apartment doesn't allow too much space to hang things to dry. The heavier items were still wet this morning but hopefully by the time I get home tonight they'll be dry...Then, shampoo, rince, repeat.

So, I'm going to joint a new knitAlong...I'm becoming obsessed with knitting even more. Especially since I have what one might call a stash growing in my closet. The mercerized cotton that I had bought to make the Straight Neck Pullover can't be made to fit the desired guage so it looks like I'm going to have to pick another project. I'm going to join the Cleo knit along...assuming I can make the yarn bend to my will. I'm going to do a quick swatch tonight and hopefully start by the end of this week.

Okay, so I've determined where I can host some pictures without spending an arm and a leg. So, I should be ready to post some pix this week...of course that's if I can get my washer fixed and finish Eyelet...Here's the story:

Andrew had left a pen in his laundry a little over a week ago. It got all over the inside of my dryer...causing me to "loose my shit" and get into a fight. After the happy resolution, Andrew told me that he would clean the inside of the dryer and always check his pockets before doing laundry. So, Sunday afternoon he went to work cleaning the dryer. (In case this happens to you, nail polish remover is the best cleaner for the job). Once he was done, we got to work on minimizing the laundry pile. Well, once it was time to put the first load in the dryer we found that the dryer was not working. It seems that maybe Andrew had been turning it the opposite direction that it usually spins in and the belt that cuases it to spin had somehow come undone. The damn thing wouldn't spin...it got super hot...but no spin.

Andrew, being the guyly-guy that he is decided to take it into his own hands and fix the machine. He pulled it out and took the sides/back off and went to work trying to fix the errant belt. After about 2 hours or cussing and banging, he said uncle and put everything back together and called our landlord (LL). LL told told us to call Sears and get an estimate. Depending on how much it would cost to fix the old washer/dryer, he might consider buying a new one. Yesterday, when I got home Andrew told me that LL had given him the wrong number so couldn't schedule someone to look at the dryer. He told me he was worried that we'd have to pay for the repairman so decided that he wanted to try one more time at fixing the damn thing himself...two hours later, still no dryer. Andrew calls LL again. LL says he will come by and take a look at the washer/dryer. Hope I can do laundry soon!

In the meanwhile, I'm trying to work out a concept for a poncho. In the Spring I had gone to NYC and saw a Brooklyn Handknits poncho in Williamsburg. It was super-soft and very cool looking. Unfortunately, I couldn't handle the pricetag. Well, ever since I've wanted that poncho...not that I'm 100% confident that I could pull the look off. So, I've bought some really soft merino wool in a Plum color. The yarn is very light so I'm going to be doubling it. All I'm trying to decide now is how to make the poncho either in 2 rectangles sewn together, or as one piece done in the round. I'm leaning toward option 1 because that's how the Brooklyn Handknits piece was made.

Fuckin' fuck fuck! I picked a fight with Andrew this morning and have been in a funk all day. Usually I would never do anything like this...but I actually pulled him out of bed and demanded that he hear my rants and displeasures. This or course might backfire in the long run (aka when I get home this afternoon). I got up this morning and couldn't stand the fact that a pen that he left in his laundry had ruined a load of mine...including the pair of pants that I was going to wear to work today. The whole situation fuckin' blew and now we'll both suffer the consequences.

Also, I seem to have caught a yucky summer cold. In my opinion they're the worst. But, it give me the occasion to introduce the cool mood indicator that I picke up from imood.com

Alright...for all you local kids who have been here for a while. You may already know about Fort Reno and their free shows on Monday and Thursday nights during summer. But for those who don't check it out. Last night I went to my first show of this season. I saw Antelope, Dame Fate and Trans Am...a true crowd pleaser! Now they had mentioned that this was the 10th anniversary of them playing Fort Reno. Gee, I remember their first show there.

And, that brings me to my point. Somehow, this hangout that is associated with my immature high school days is still, by far one of best places to see a free show in DC. The crowd usually gets into the band...whether they've heard of them or not. Unfortunately, every year there's a threat to discontinue this concert series. So, check out their schedule, go to a show, and buy a shirt! It helps them raise money and they're pretty cool.

On the knitting front...I'm half way down the 2nd piece of the skirt. I'm going to make a point of getting the picture situation worked out this weekend. And I think I'm going to start on the Straight Neck Pullover from Hollywood Knits.

Friday...and I'm ready for the weekend. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival started this week and so far, it's the coolest thing happening in this town. I'll probably be hanging out on the mall this weekend. The best part is the music...and it's all FREE! That means that I can continue to live on my meager gov't wages and be highly entertained!

I'm trying to make plans for the 4th...a holiday that I feel is almost as disappointing as New Year's Eve. It's usually really fucking hot here. So the day goes like this: Get up to an oppressive heat; Stuff your face full of greasy hamburger/hot dogs/whatever you can throw on the grill; go down to the mall, where there are more people than you care to see; wait for fireworks under oppressive heat; watch fireworks; 15 minutes later fight with crowd to get of the mall as fast as possible. This year was supposed to be different...but the cabin I was supposed to go out to was flooded out due to all of the rain that we had been getting up until this week. Oh well...I'll figure something out.

And for a knitting update. I have started the 2nd half and there's a chance that I'll be wearing the skirt by next week. I have been super lazy when it comes to putting up some pix. I will at very least put up pix of the final product.

Oh...and I got a call from my bank. I have been credited my money. That's right, the machine was wrong. Thank goodness, 'cos I was gonna have to start figuring out how to pay next month's rent if I didn't be it back.

Oh happy day...It finally stopped raining here. It was super nice yesterday and now we're on to the 90 degree days that I've been waiting for. You've got to understand something...I grew up in DC. I look forward to the "dog days". It makes me really feel alive. (ever wonder why the things that make you miserable make you feel alive?)

So, my weekend was pretty cool. The bus segments of the trip sucked. 1) It ended up taking 3 and a half hours to make it Philly on Friday night. 2) The bus coming back was over an hour late leaving and 2) drag-queen-looking-ghetto-ho's got on in B'more...No, I was not shocked.

I've completed the first half of my skirt. The "picot point" edge was really hard to figure out at first. Once I got the hang of it things went faster...but now, I'm not so sure how much I like the points. Maybe once I get a chance to steam the thing they will hang a little better. I'm going to start the other half tonight while I watch City of Lost Children.

Alright, have you ever gone to an ATM and had it not give you money but still debit your account? Well, up until today neither had I! Today at lunch I went to get cash...and since I know I'm going out of town this weekend I wanted to take out some extra. Unfortunately, the ATM didn't hold up its end of the bargain! I got a receipt but no money.

I quickly went inside (very glad that the branch was open). I was told that the machine wouldn't be counted/audited until next Tuesday! That's right I get to wait all weekend to see if the machine has a record of shorting me my money! The branch manager tried to be as nice as possible, but there's really nothing that you can say to someone who just had $160 bucks *taken* from them by a stupid machine. And, he couldn't even tell me what would happen if the machine thought that there was no error!

So, now I'm left to wait...and I hate waiting!

In case you've got time to waste...

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Third Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Very Low
Level 2 (Lustful)	Low
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	High
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	High
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	High
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Moderate
Level 7 (Violent)	High
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	High
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Moderate

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

Just goes to show, I'm not as evil as everyone thought!

So, the week is half over. If only this rain were over...it seems like it's been raining for the last month, straight. And, the ceiling in my livingroom sprang a leak again, even though my landlord was just out last weekend working on it. I guess I'll have to live a few more days with buckets all over the place.

I'm looking forward to this weekend because I'm getting out of DC...at least for a couple of days. I recently got back in touch with a friend from college and I'm dashing up to Philly so I can see her before she moves to Chicago. Complicated, huh?

I'm almost done with the first half of the skirt. I should have time this weekend to put up some pix. And, with all the time I'll have riding the bus, I should be able to kick out the second half. Finishing an item in little over a week will be a record for me...especially if I finish it and really like wearing it.

Day one...I'm not really sure what random thoughts this blog will attempt to chronicle. For now I'll just say that it will include anything that tickles my fancy. It's a Monday, so bare with me.

On friday I started "eyelet" from the new issue of knitty. So far so good...I've gotten as far as the eyelet section of the front. Hopefully I'll get a chance to take some pix of it.

Also, this weekend, I bought tickets to see blur...they're just about my most favorite band ever. I was ready to pay anything to see them, but I wasn't quite ready for the $65 price tag for 2 tix! I haven't spent that much on a ticket in many, many moons. I could go off on a tirade about how much ticket sellers are extorting from me just for the right to buy a ticket, but I'll let that go for now.