I found this quiz over at M's Musings, and i've got to see what comes up.

1. Go to Wikipedia and enter your birthday without the year:
May 4

2. List 3 events that occurred that day:

1415 - Religious reformers John Wycliffe and Jan Hus were condemned as heretics at the Council of Constance.
1471 - Wars of the Roses: The Battle of Tewkesbury – Edward IV defeats a Lancastrian Army and kills Edward, Prince of Wales.
1930 - British police arrest Mahatma Gandhi and place him in Yeravda Central Prison.

3. List 2 important birthdays.

1852 - Alice Pleasance Liddell, English schoolgirl model for Alice in Wonderland (d. 1934)

1008 - King Henry I of France (d. 1060)

4. List 1 death:

• 1970 - Kent State victims:
  • Allison Krause (b. 1951)
  • Jeffrey Miller (b. 1950)
  • Sandra Scheuer (b. 1949)
  • William Schroeder (b. 1950)

5 List one holiday or observance
International No Pants Day

I married a BOY

Yes, this was apparent before the honeymoon. Proper equipment and all. But sometimes I get reminded that he is indeed a boy. Like this week...

Me (after my meeting, before going to bed): Did you eat?
Him: Yeah, I ate the last of the ham.
Me: The stuff I bought 5 days ago?
Him: Yeah, but it tasted like butter. (confused tone)
Me: Well, of course it did. It's 5 days old. My rule is 3 days in the fridge, just 3 days. (giggling)
Him: That explains the upset stomach.
Me: You did it again, didn't you? Food poisoning. (tittering)
Him: Well, I ran out last weekend, so I rationed it this time.
Me: I bought extra because you ran out. (laughing)
Him: Well, that explains why it lasted so long.

This is not the first time, nor will it be the last. Twenty-four hours of tummy funk, followed by another 24-48 of random gas clouds. As a nurse I should be a bit more compassionate. But that's hard to do when your married to someone who does this not once, not twice, but at least annually.

I definitely married a boy.

Sigh...

This is the foot,



For which the yarn was bought (Knitpicks Gloss in Dusk)


To knit the sock (Almost Argyle)



This is the foot that the sock fit (the colorful one - smartly dressed in Horcrux socks out of STR Fire on the Mountain)


That were to be frogged and wound by hand using my nostepinne,



Until I remembered the 'Auto-Frogger' recently purchased


To produce this ball of yarn, ready to be knit again.

Cry with me people, that sock represents a vacation's work and dedication. Good thing I'm a process knitter. Of course, this means war - or at least starting with a different pair of socks in a different yarn.

Sigh.

It's been a long weekend

Friday, my Waterlilies yarn showed up. What pretty colors!!! I'd post a picture, but my camera and I aren't exactly speaking right now. I found my package when I woke up with a fever. Bad enough to make my muscles ache from rigors. Needless to say, I called in sick to work. Night shift on the cardiac floor on the weekend is always hard to fill. But I was definitely sick.

Presently, I am knitting two pairs of socks. First is my socks out of Nodding Violets from STR. The second is my husbands Horcrux socks out of Chapman Springs from STR. Tooo loud for me, perfect for him!

I'm working on my package for my Hogwart's pal. The yarn and dye should arrive tomorrow, then I get to color my fingers before I can knit. Now to just pick a pattern....

Hogwarts Sock Swap Questionnaire

1. What Hogwarts house have you been sorted into?
Ravenclaw
2. Shoe size?
7-1/2 US
3. Foot Length?
9-1/4 inches
4. Foot Circumference?
9 inches
5. List your three favorite double-point needle brands, including size and length.
a.Clover #1 short
b. Britanny #1 short
c. Knitpicks classics #0 (okay, not circular, but what I adore)
6. Would you like to try a new brand needle? If so, which brand? Size? Length?

I would like to find a wooden set of size 0's shorter is better (I have small fat paws and large breastie-beasties)

7. If you are a RAVENCLAW, do you prefer the colors in the film or the book? Do you have a strong preference?

Book colors, please, although film colors would not be amiss.

8. Are you willing to have an international Hogwarts Sock Pal?

Yes

I've been busy lately

First I finished Little Bunny Doom-Doom (socks knit with the International Sock of Doom Pattern in BMFA Little Bunny Foo-Foo)



I finished my February RSC pattern, although I did it in Titania instead of Monsoon. Unfortuantely, they fit my hubby. He loves them!


I will do this pattern again, but I will resize it to fit me. How do people manage to get 8st/in?

I knit a pair of Embossed Leaf Socks (again reengineered) in BMFA Puck's Mischeif.


And I finished the baby blanket for the impending grandson, Jacob Nathaniel, who is due to make his appearance sometime in June.



I also sent his mother a Baby Viking Hat (we are of Nordic heritage, afterall)



I've also had two cortisone injections in my toes for Morton's neuroma. I do not reccommend this. Not at all happy.

Knitting Rules!!

DIY Network, April 17, 2pm, Knitty Gritty - Knitting Rules!! with our favorite Yarn Harlot. Be there. I will be.

Oh WOW!!! We Won

there was a problem on the STR site (still is, I think). W's in the subject line lead to issues with posting and replies. There was a contest to write something funny about it. My hubby helped me, along with a couple of thesauri, to write an involved couple of statements overflowing with w's. For this I win a skein of STR in Waterlilies. YIPEE!!!! Below is the post:

We wouldn’t want the waspish wights of wacky worldwide weirdness to wantonly get in the way of our wooly whistfulness by watching it wander willy-nilly into the wastelands of wayward wasted words, would we? And wheresofor as we, the wisened wordsmiths, were wondering if we could withstand the worn-out whoop-de-doo of would-be wicked whelps by writing as many W’s as we could get away with, we wound our way through the weary world of tongue-wagging warriors of technological weakness to work our way to well-being through the sheer willpower of words.

Wilhelmina, the willful wonder wallaby

Thank you BMFA. It was fun!!!

Book Rant

Dear Mssrs. Blargs and Nobodys,
When I moved to this small town in Northern California, I did not realize that you had cornered, nay seized, the market on new books. I had become spoiled by my favorite bookstores in Sonoma County, who worked diligently to provide me with my coveted reads on the day they were released. To my disapppointment, you seem to not be quite so interested in my needs/desires. Perhaps it is because you are, in fact, the only game in town. This seems to be a theme in this town. I am not enthralled by your decor, or you snobbish choices in offerings. You don't even carry the New Yorker for heaven's sake.
All I wanted was the Yarn Harlot's new book, Casts Off. I had hoped for it to be available on the day it was released. I was even willing to wait for another day if need be, seeing that we are in the sticks. Your staff informs me that they don't know when it will arrive, maybe Monday. Sadly disappointing for a national chain, don't you think? Perhaps you don't consider knitters a force to be reconned with. Perhaps you consider us a passing fad.
If I had another choice, I would purchase my books elsewhere. Maybe I should consider online from perhaps Amazing books?
Signed,
Frustrated with needles poised.

Where did you go today?

Yesterday, we rented a car and a hotel room and went to Santa Rosa.

We saw some friends who are moving to Utah.



Today, I was part of the lecture for the graduating nursing class called 'Graduate Panel'. This is where last year's grads get to pass on their pearls of wisdom to this year's bunch. I spoke for about 5 minutes about: compassion for self, help is not just a 4-letter word, you will never be alone again (except for NCLEX), and the miracle that is computerized charting. It went well. It was fun.

Then we drove home.

Before we left, I washed some socks and laid them out to dry. They were loosely blocked and lying neatly on the screen. Upon arriving home, I found that some were flat, some askew,


and someone looking fairly smug.


I forgot, she loves wool and hates us to leave. I just hope she didn't drool this time.

Mug Huggers!!!! (my first pattern)

I have figured out what to do with left over yarn. I make Mug Huggers. Sometimes I even try to make them match my socks. Here is the pattern. If you want me to email you a copy in Word format, just let me know. Sorry about the chart, apparently Blogger doesn't handle my knitting fonts. (I'll work on that)

Mug Hugger

<The Mug Hugger is a great way to use up bits of yarn left over from sock knitting. They replace the cardboard wrapper that we use on our cups of coffee from our favorite source (therefore saving trees) and help elminate the question of ‘which one is mine?’. The Mug Hugger is knit in two parts worked at the same time (the Body, and the Wedge). The wedge is the increase portion and provides a visually interesting increase pattern as well as a form hugging rib to give a bit more hug to your cup. The Body is knit in a pattern section consisting of approximately 40 stitches in a rib pattern of your choosing. The body may be knit in stockinette, but the result may not hold the cup as tightly as a rib pattern.

I use these as quick ‘Thank You’s’ and small gifts throughout the year, as well as having a basket of them wrapped on the doorside table for Holiday gifts for people who drop in around the holidays.

Project requirements:

yarn: approximately 40 yards of fingering weight sock yarn

needles: size 0 (I knit loose) or whatever size you need to get gage

gage: 6 stitches/inch, 8 rows/inch in stockinette stitch

stitch marker, scissors, tapestry needle (for hiding ends)

Wedge Instructions: (increases from 3 to 17 stiches over 32 rows)

row 1 – 4 : knit 3

row 5: k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 (5 stitches between markers)

row 6-8: k1, (p1,k1) X2

row 9: k1, p1, yo, k1, yo, p1, k1 (7 stitches between markers)

row 10-12 : k1, p1, k3, p1, k1

row 13: k1, p1, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, p1, k1 (9 stitches between markers)

row 14-16: k1, (p1, k1) to end

row 17: (k1, p1) X2, yo, k1, yo, (p1, k1) X2 (1stitches between markers)

row 18-20: (k1,p1) X2, k3, (p1,k1) x2

row 21: (k1, p1) X2, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, (p1, k1) X2 (13 stitches between markers)

row 22-24: k1, (p1,k1) to end

row 25: (k1, p1) X3, yo, k1, yo, (p1, k1) X3 (15 stitches between markers)

row 26-28: (k1, p1) X3, k3, (p1, k1) X3

row 29: (k1, p1) X3, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, (p1, k1) X3 (17 stitches between markers)

row 30-32: k1, (p1,k1) to end

Body instructions:

Choose a pattern stitch and work it over 40 stitches. The more interesting the stitch, the more interesting the hugger. Complicated cables may require a few additional stitches in the body section, just make sure that there is a ribbing involved in the stitch to pull in the excess. This can be worked in stockinette stitch for a softer effect.

To work the Mug Hugger:

Cast on 3 stiches, pm, cast on 41 stitches. Join without twisting and work in the round.

Work the Wedge pattern before the marker, and the body pattern on the rest of the stitches. Work through end of wedge pattern. Work in pattern to middle of wedge pattern and begin binding off all stitches. If no handle is desired, bind off all stitches and hide tails.

To make handle (optional):

Without breaking yarn from bind off, loop cast on 15 stitches. Pick up one stitch in the wedge at that last increase row, and knit together with last loop cast on. Turn work and purl to last stitch, pick up one stitch in bind off row and knit with last stitch. Turn work and knit to last stitch, pick up one stitch in the wedge at that last increase row and knit it with last stitch. Repeat purl and knit rows 2 more times. Bind off all stitches and hide tails

Cabled Mug Hugger: (shown in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Sock that Rock Carbon Dioxide)

cast on 3 stitches, pm, cast on 41 stitches. Join in without twisting. Work in round using wedge instructions before marker and Cabled Rib Stitch after marker.

Cabled Rib Stitch: Worked over 5 stitches plus one

row 1-3: (p1, k4) to within one stitch of end, p1

row 4: p1, right cable cross 2X2 (slip first two stiches to the back with a cable needle, knit next two stitch from left needle, return slipped stitches to left needle and knit), repeat to end of row, p1

repeat rows 1-4 for lenght of Hugger

Seeded Rib Mug Hugger: (shown in Knitpicks Memories Rocky Mountain)

cast on 3 stitches, pm, cast on 42 stitches. Join in without twisting. Work in round using wedge instructions before marker and Seeded Rib Stitch after marker.

Seeded Rib Stitch: worked over 6 stitches

row 1 : (k3, p3) to end

row 2 : (k1, p1) to end

repeat rows 1-2 for length of Hugger.

Wedge Chart (removed for sanity - will post again later)

Deconstuction of a Procrastinator

I've just been informed/reminded that the impending grandbaby arrives in 14 weeks. I thought I had a couple of months to got. OOPS - I do in fact have only 3 months to go. 2 1/2 if you consider the need to deliver the blanket in May for the shower. I'd best get cracking.

First, I need to finish my sweate to wear next week. And I need to make socks, lots of socks (it's a security blanket kind of thing).

Having too much fun tonight

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Got a Life??

It’s been alleged that if you’ve seen over 85 movies you have no life. Mark the ones you’ve seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own blog, paste it in and put x’s by the ones that you have seen. Add them up, figure out whether you’ve got a life or not, and post it.

(X) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(X) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
() Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(x ) Neverending Story
(X) Blazing Saddles
(X) Airplane
(X) The Princess Bride
() AnchorMan
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
(x ) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( x) White Oleander
() Anger Management
() 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
(x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
( ) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
() Scary Movie 4
( x) American Pie
( x) American Pie 2
(x ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
(x ) Harry Potter 1
(x ) Harry Potter 2
( x) Harry Potter 3
(x ) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
() The Wedding Singer
() Little Black Book
( ) The Village
( x) Lilo & Stitch
(x) Finding Nemo
( x) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
( x) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( ) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
(x) Robots
() Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(x) Universal Soldier
(x ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
() Along Came Polly
(x ) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
( ) Never Been Kissed
() Meet The Parents
() Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
() Joe Dirt
( x) King Kong
( ) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving Christmas
( x) Flubber
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(x ) Practical Magic
(x ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
(x) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
() The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child’s Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
() Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
( x) Nightmare on Elm Street
(x ) Sixteen Candles
( x) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Sleven
(x ) Ocean’s Eleven
(x ) Ocean’s Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x ) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
(x ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
(x ) Christine
(X) E.T.
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
() Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
(x) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
( ) Best Bet
( ) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She’s All That
() Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(x ) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
( x) Big Trouble in Little China
( x) The Terminator
( ) The Terminator 2
( ) The Terminator 3
(x) X-Men
(x) X-2
(x) X3
(x ) Spider-Man
(x ) Spider-Man 2
( x) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
( x) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
() The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2
( ) Swimfan
(X) Miracle on 34th street
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
() K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf’s Tribe
() A Walk to Remember
(x) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old Virgin
(x ) Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
(x ) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(x ) Lord of the Rings: Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
( ) Base-ketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
() Elf
(x) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(X) Monsters Inc.
(X) Titanic
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
(x) Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Hook
(x ) Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
( ) Waterworld
( ) Kill Bill Vol. 1
( ) Kill Bill Vol. 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( x) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks: Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks: The Battle For Endor
(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix: Reloaded
(x) The Matrix: Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
(x ) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal

Okay, so I've seen 91 of these, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Apparently, I have no life. Does it count that I've seen most of these while knitting?

This is what happens when I get bored..

See I was trying to be patient, but it didn't work. Yes, I had plenty of yarn to play with, but that's beside the point. I'd been thinking about this for a while. So I just did it yesterday. I got inked (again)....


It is my own drawing, inspired by Goddess Knits on Cafe Press. The work was done by the legendary Bill Loika. I was lucky to get him. It is still a bit inflamed and sore, but at least it's not oozing anymore. I'll get a better photo of it in a couple of weeks, once it heals completely.

Oh and by the way, Rockin' Sock Club arrived today. I got my chores done, so now I get to play. Yipeeeee!

Still Waiting

Breathlessly waiting for STR shipment. STOP. Knitting other sox for now. STOP. Must get relief. STOP.

Yours,
Squirrel

It's going to be a long night

I woke up early today. Normally, I sleep from 8:30am to 5:00 pm on work days. It is important to me that I be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for my shift as a night cardiac nurse. Today I woke up at 3pm, dreaming of a code on one of my patients. I hate that. The whole adrenaline surge - you're not getting out of this - cold sweat dreams. Full color, full sensory, full sleep debt. I'm awake now, no chance of going back to sleep. Oh, well, I guess it's time to knit. At least until I have to get ready for work.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know...

The colors of STR in the picture in the previous post are:
Back row (L to R)
Titania - mine
Downpour - hubby's
Stormy Weather - hubby's
Tide Pool - mine
Bleeding Hearts - mine
Nodding Violets - mine
Fire on the Mountain - hubby's (yes, he chose this. I was surprised until he reminded me of some of his other fashion 'victories')
Front Row (L to Rback, R front)
Little Bunny Foo Foo - mine
Chapman Springs - mine
Midsummer Night - mine

Off in the upper corner is Lorna's Laces in Purple Club.

Not seen are the kit for the Viking Baby hat (grey/brown/white) and the kit for the Nuts About Squirrels (in dark/light pink with a purple tail).

All will be knit with Knipicks Classic circulars in size 0. I have to go down several sizes, as I am apparently a 'loose' knitter.

Yarngasm photos

Here are the book/pattern/kits I bought:
And then there is the yarn. Ten skeins of Socks that Rock.
I knit the Baby Viking Hat last night. Too cute. Little Bunny Foo Foo is ready to be knit - wound it into a ball today. I think Sock of Doom pattern will look nice, show of the colors well.

I should go get ready for work.

Yarngasm!!!!!!

I went to Stitches West today. If you live in the Bay Area, RUN - do not walk - to Santa Clara. OMG!!!! Again I could have spent over $1000 easily. Fortunately, I had a budget, and well that is plenty for now.

I bought books and patterns and kits (Oh My!!). and I bought yarn. Socks that Rock to be exact. Ten skeins. Yummy!! Now I just need to decide which one to knit first....

Photos to come later, Blogger seem be having issues.