Monday, February 28, 2005

possum...doing what possums do

This is a totally unknitting story:

We live out in the sticks, and have quite a few wildlife guests through the year. Recently we have a possum that can be seen frequently strolling through our yard, as well as our neighbors. *And according to animal control, possums rarely get rabies, and there is no known case of them spreading it to a person, I know this because I've called. Possums are supposed to be noctornal. So a daytime strolling possum was cause for alarm from us with dogs*


Saturday we let the dogs out to run while Mr. Drake and I lounged on the porch. As our crazies are wont to do, they bolted around the side of the house. I decided to check out their adventures. When I came around the corner, I saw two dogs crowding around a grey fuzzy thing on the ground. I called the mutts back (many times, they were really really interested in the fuzzy lump!), and then went over to investigate. There in the grass was our possum...dead as a doornail. Oh gross! I called Mr. Drake over, and informed him he would have to dispose of said dead creature and please do it soon so it's not too disgusting. He agreed to rid the yard of the fuzzy thing when dusk came (so he could just sling it back into the woods).

Dusk came and Mr. Drake grabbed a work glove (for grasping the tail) and I grabbed a flashlight so we could find the thing. We walked to the back and I swung the light around the ground in the approximate area I had seen the fuzz earlier. We walked back and forth, and saw nothing. Our first though was that something big had come to dispose of the possums body before we got there. Ah well. Atleast it's not in our yard. And then something accurred to me! To Mr. Drake I asked, "Hey, don't possums play dead?" Well they certainly do! And they have a very convincing act! It certainly fooled me! The dogs probably came upon it while it was strolling, and dead it played until we and the dogs were away...then I'm sure it hopped right back up and resumed it's strolling! What I would give to have been there to see that happen! I'm just glad I was able to restrain my urge to poke it with a stick!

Now for the knitting
I don't have any pictures. I hate my dialup at home, it frustrates me, and so while I take pictures, I just don't upload them. I will post more pictures soon, I have many. I just need to face the monster that is our slow as molassess dialup connection.

Saturday I went thrifing for sweaters to recycle. I have a few goals in mind. I was shocked to see that Burlington had about 13 thrift stores in the phone book. I jotted the addresses down and set out. At about the third store, a thrift shop that benefits battered women, I bought two sweaters both shades of blue. One was a cotton acrylic mix, the other a cotton, angora, acrylic mix. Both will be used for summer tank knits. One honeymoon Cardi, and one that I just might design myself (we'll see). My other goal was to find a natural colored 100% wool sweater to frog and dye with kool aid. That I did not find. But I also did not hit 4 thrift stores that were on 4 random streets. So in a few months maybe I'll try again. I did find one store with tons of what looked like old dorm room furniture and lots of housewears. Another was more of a "this box fell off the delivery truck, we picked it up and now are selling it to you" type place. I bought Mr. Drake two pair of work gloves for a buck each. I'll be checking back on that place too!

I've just started the cream hearts on my CheesyLove sweater, and it's looking pretty decent. I'll take a picture of that once I'm a bit further into the hearts. I've not decided if I'll do it with sleeves or not...it might depend on how well I estimated my yarn yardage!

And in a couple of weeks I'll be going to the spinning class, and I'm really excited...the walnut husk dyed wool is seriously calling to me!

Now, March starts tomorrow. And hopefully March will be the month I find out I'm accepted to nursing school. At the latest it will be mid April (UNC says end of March, beginning of April, which means mid April in translation).
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Thursday, February 24, 2005

Auntie X3!

I love being an Aunt. It's so much fun! This is my first neice Juliet.

Isn't she beautiful! She'll be one in April.

My younger sister is also expecting her first baby in August. I can't wait to become an Aunt again! They won't be finding out if it's a boy or girl, so I have no idea if I'll be getting another neice or my first nephew.

And last night we got a call from my husband's brother. They are expecting again. So little Miss Juliet will have a brother or sister come September! It's fabulous news!

It makes me a little sad though too, because we are all so spread apart. Juliet and her parents are all the way on the West Coast! My sister is in PA, and I'm here in NC. I really do wish for all of us to be closer geographically soon. Of course if I get accepted to nursing school, we'll be heading back to PA once I finish, so that gets me close to my sister atleast. Her baby will be atleast 2 by that time.

So how do I tie this all up to knitting? Well 2 new babies means baby sweaters, and booties, and bonnets! So much potential! I have to finish some of the projects I have currently, but I'm always on the lookout for a nice soft sweater to frog or a sale on lovely baby yarns!
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Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Live to knit....

A while back I said to my husband (and to several others since then) that being a knitter is very much like being a Harley owner. When you own a Harley (and we did for about 3 years) you are part of a great big family. Sure there are the ones that look down on you for having a bike that's "smaller" than theirs, or that you couldn't buy the most expensive brand of exhaust pipes, but overall they are a bunch who will bend over backwards for their own little (huge?) family.

I see the same bond since I've become a knitter and gotten more involved in knitting communities, online and in real life. From the Knitty board, there is Random Act of Kindness thread. I've sent out a few of my own, with more on the way. And it's so much fun to know that you get to make someone smile, even if it's just with a bit of left over yarn or some small thing like that. But then I was RAoKed myself! The first one I mentioned a few days back, from Greymalk. And just yesterday I got two more packages. I was floored at what I found in them. Both contained wool for me to spin. One was a corriedale wool that was practically straight from the sheep! It was died with walnut hulls and just absolutely beautiful. I couldn't stop touching it! It made me feel giddy and just so happy! Then I opened the second package! Another good bit of wool and a drop spindle! Oh yah, and chocolates! Mmmmmmm. Just absolutely amazing! The corriedale wool was from CMTigger, and the wool and spindle from Kathy. And if they read my blog by chance, Thank you both again so very very much!

But it's an amazing cycle, because I feel so good recieving, I want to pass a long that feeling, so I've been looking through the lists to see what else I can send along for someone else.

Now, I'm sure there are very few Harley owners who will just give away an extra fatbob tank or double seat they have laying around. Maybe the knitter family is even better than being part of the Harley family!

Live to Knit...Knit to Live!
Knit on man!


*Lisa, muahahaha, you have stumbled onto my evil plan to force you to purchase more yarn then you need, start more projects than you can count, and have to learn to knit with your feet to keep up!*
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Friday, February 18, 2005

Blah Blah Blah

I have been so blah these past couple of days. I'm still knitting my fingers off, but I'm just in a funk. It's mostly job related, and I hate that it spills over into my personal space. Thankfully it's Friday, and I'm feeling a bit rejuvenated already!

Here are some pictures for you.

First, Yarn pOrn!




This is the Knitpicks yarn I ordered.

And this is some roving I bought Saturday after the SnB.




I still need to take pictures of the lovely roving that came with my drop spindle.

And finally, the finished, but not yet felted Fuzzy Feet from Knitty.com



And a close-up




I also took some really lovely pictures of my clapotis, but I don't think I've uploaded them to my server yet. I will though, because I'm quite proud of how they turned out. I'm not a real photographer, but sometimes I get lucky. You can see a little preview in my button (that you are all welcome to take and link to me!).
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Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Ahhhh....good days

First, I promise I took many pictures this weekend of my new yarn. Saturday I also bought some roving, in preparation of my drop spindle arriving, and I took piccies of that too. Some of the yarn pics turned into my wonderful brand-spanking-new banner up there at the top *points up* see? Nice huh? I made it all by myself, with only a few annoying questions to my computer guru husband. And I also made a new button *points to the right* See? You can take it if you like. Link to me! It would make me very happy! And yes, that is my clapotis! Thank you for noticing, even though it is quite small. I'll post the original full sized foto soon, and you'll see it's a really lovely pic. I used this wonderful old rocking chair as a prop, and well, I have to say it looks rather artistic! Something I'm usually not!

On Saturday I also went to the SnB at Tyler's in Carrboro. Much fun with Lisa and Bronwyn! Lisa remembered her camera, and she took some pics you can see on her lovely blog. Bronwyn and I then went to Yarn's Etc, where I picked up the roving. Then off to one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, Feista Grill! Bronwyn and I brought take out home to the hubbies and we feasted! Some more knitting, and then we made Bronwyn and Ian watch The Forgotten. One of the best suspense/horror movies I've seen in a long time. It made me scream 4 or 5 times, and I even screamed the second time around too. It's just that good!

Sunday was Birthday Feast Day. Breakfast was eggs benedict. Then while I played on the computer making my banners, I snacked on crackers with cream cheese and caviar (black lumpfish) and goat cheese. Sooooo spoiled. Then for dinner it was sirloin steak (wrapped in bacon), scallops (wrapped in bacon), asperagus, and roasted garlic mashed red potatoes. Oh so yummy! I picked out all the foods I adore.

Yesterday was a super great day! First I won two balls of Paton's Cha-Cha in purple from Rothane on the Knitty boards. Yea! I was dancing in my office! And then yesterday my drop spindle came! And the lovely purple roving! I was dancing some more. The spindle and roving are from Annie Mays Ebay store and I highly recommend her. Like I said the roving was beautiful, and she included some samples of other rovings she offers. The alpaca made me want to drool. I couldn't stop rubbing it on my cheeks (does that make me odd?).

And to top if off I got a RAOK from greymalk, again from the Knitty boards. I'll take pictures tonight, but I got a lot of great stickers! Plus FUNDIP! I love FunDip! Willy Wonka Rocks! And two lonely size 10 dpns, that survived a dog chew! I'm so lucky. And I have to say I've never met any other group of people, beside Harley owners, who feel so much like family even when you've never met them in person.
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Friday, February 11, 2005

It came! It came! *weeeee*

My knitpicks yarn came last night! Perfect timing for the birthday girl! It is beautiful yarn. And it's my first huge yarn purchase! I'll be offering up the yarn pOrn after this weekend, when I can take some outside pictures in the sunshine! I actually made myself go do my evening *chores* before I allowed myself to open the package, and by the time I was done I was practically drooling over the bag! I danced around a bit while opening (carefully though, since I was using sissors). After it was open I piled each color of yarn together and just stared at it for awhile. I did rub a few skeins on my cheek too. Mmmmmm....decadence!

Plus, yesterday I ordered a drop spindle and some roving, that should ship today. I can't wait to try my hand at spinning!

And finally, Saturday is the SnB group at Tyler's in Carrboro. As long as my feeble mind remembers I will take my digi camera and get a real, non-blurry picture of Lisa and I!

I promise pictures of it all as soon as possible!
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Thursday, February 10, 2005

Do do do....it's birthday day!

For me!
What a birthday though! I'm at work...and hungry. I'm fasting for a research study. I'll actually be doing my celebrating Saturday though. With feasts! Special ritzy foods all day long, including my absolutely favorite indulgence...Caviar!

Since the Chinese New Year was just yesterday, and 2005 is the year of the Chicken, I thought I'd go find what the year was I was born in. And wouldn't you know it, I was born in the year of the DRAGON!

I'm still waiting for my Knitpicks order to arrive. It shipped Monday. I'm so itching to start a new project! I've been working on finishing the sweater I started in the recycled yarn from the college sweater. Only I've lost all interest in it, for some reason. I just need to finish it and get it out of the way.

So not a very exciting post from the birthday girl! No new knitting, no fun parties. That's fine though, because Saturday will be great! I can't wait.
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Saturday, February 05, 2005

Oooooo, free publicity!

Sooooooo.
I just listed a ton of ju...er...really great stuff on ebay!
My ebay sales

I'm cleaning house, so go check it out! You know what they say!
On person's trash is another person's treasure!

And I didn't think I'd have anything to blog about on the weekend without any real knitting projects!

Silly me!
Now go buy my crap!
Evil Nasty cat says so!




*smile*
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Friday, February 04, 2005

It's fun to show off!

I am so lucky to have a very cool knitter friend who works a block away from where I work! Lisa wanted to see my finished Clapotis, so I took it over to her office to show off.

Here's a blurry picture one of her office-mates took with my not-so-great camera phone.



Come on.
Wave to the pretty knitters.
WAVE!


Thank you. *grin*

Okay, it is blurry, but it will have to do until one of us has our real digi camera.

Hope you all have a great weekend!
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Thursday, February 03, 2005

Knitty for a bagel

I went to show a coworker the knitty site, and she gave me a bagel. And not just any old bagel, a bagel straight from New York! Yum!

Apparently my Clapotis is the talk of the office! There are a few knitters around, and they all wanted to know where I got the pattern. I've even had two people ask me to knit one for them!

Oh, and did I mention I recently purchased what is probably going to be the largest amount of yarn I've ever had in my possession recently? Oh, I hope it ships soon! I want it!


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Clapotis, she is finished!

I finished it last night and I love love love her!




*Please pay no mind to the red eye demon modeling the Clapotis*

And now I will be observing a project fast. I need to focus on an upcoming test in my Medical Nutrition class, so I won't be working on any knitting for the time being. Or at least until the large order I just placed at Knitpicks arrives!



And for the obligatory Public Service Announcement!
Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

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Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Oh! My first tag! Wheeee....

Happy Ground Hog's Day!

So Lisa tagged me today, and being that it's my first, I'm not too upset about it. *grin*

1. Total amount of music files on your computer?
179 songs, 1.6 days worth. And that's only up to the start of G artists

2. The CD you last bought is?
er....well....um...I'd say it was probably Chumbawamba when I was still in college. Yah, it's been a while

3. What is the song you last listened to before reading this message?
No clue, some radio song from WBBB, the Buzz, from Philipsburg PA. I have their web radio on all day at work.

4. Write down 5 songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you
Sistinas by Danzig, I love the haunting-ness to it.
Coattails of a Deadman by Primus, a super fun song, made even funner when you listen to the lyrics!
Just a Man by Faith no More, Mike Patton is awesome.
Easy Like Sunday Morning, again Faith no More, it's our Sunday Football ritual song.
Hey Ya by Outkast, it's my fun work out song.

5. Who are you going to pass this stick to? (3 persons) and why?
Wow. I'm so new to the blog community that I don't really know many people!
So I first passed it on to Holly because I noticed she hadn't posted to her blog for a while (and she's one of the few people I recognize from the knitty board, and she seems like a fun person.
Then it was Jen because she was the most recent person on the knitty board to post about her new blog.
Now, for the third person, I'm stupped...so if anyone has any suggestions for people who should be targeted for this tortu....er...fun! Just let me know!

Okay, and now for today's adventure. You know how in the morning when you get up, you never think that the day might hold some oddly sick twist for you? That was this morning. Now, we know our Subaru is not long for this world....or atleast won't be without new clutch plates. We're sort of babying her since she's our low-gas car, and it's just nice to have two vehicles too. But she's been showing her distress more often, and this morning was no exception. So you'd think if something were going to go wrong with the car, it'd be that, right. Nope! Coming up an on ramp all of a sudden there was a clumpish sound coming from the front left of the car. We pull over and Nate walks around the car looking for the source. The tires look fine, so we pull a bit further up, for more light (because it's not even 6:30 yet, and very dark out). Ah ha! A stupid bungy cord had found it's way into our front wheel well! Silly bungy cord. Nate pulls it out and we both hear *pffffffff*. Yes folks, that was from the hole where the hoke of the bungy had embedded itself into our tire. So onto the task of gathering the tools to change to the spare tire. After a very dirty fight with the jack, it was all ready, and the tire was changed, and the spare was on. We started off, giggling at the way the car leaned a bit to the front left. And then it happened. Another clunkish sound. We pulled over AGAIN, and would you believe that the spare tire had gone flat! In a matter of 100 yards, flat.

Long story longer, we got a friend up out of bed and while I went to catch a bus into my office, friend came to take Nate and the tires back to our house to hopefully be repaired.

Now, the part where you look back at the morning. "Yes, Nate you should where your (much warmer) pea coat" "Nate do you have your gloves?" Those are just a few of the things that should have been said, but weren't, because why would either of us even think we'd be on the side of the road twice in the span of 20 minutes!

Oh, knitting news? Well, I am so very close to finishing the Clapotis. I'm really anxious to get it done, to the point where I've blown off all studying for the only class I'm taking this semester! Oooops. I just want it all done! I love it already! I want to wear it!

And I'm waiting for the next round of guinea pig money to come in, because I've got myself a yarn order all ready, and it's a doozy! I promise to take pics when I finally get it.
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Tuesday, February 01, 2005

No knitty, just pretty!

Pretty puppies that is!
I've added myself to the Purling Puppies blog ring, so in honor of that, I am presenting my two lovely puppies!

Meet Obi and Inca!



Obi is the big white wonder, and Inca is our meek black and tan. And yes, they are both German Shepherds. They are my sweeties and they are quite spoilt, as you can see. On a knitting related note, I am trying to collect enough of their fur to try and spin into yarn. I'm keeping them seperate too, as I hope to dye the yarn I may get from white Obi.

I'm also collecting fur from the evil cat Meteor, or Meat for short.



We have many turtles as well, but putting pictures of them up would take way too long, since we have over 30.

So those are the creatures I share my life with, aside from the husband.



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