August... we are hardly getting to know you

That's my new hair. It's not the best shot (but check out that rack!) of how I tend to style it but yeah.

I'm very grumpy tonight. Not having the best evening. I'm a little sad. But it's okay. I'm just self-indulgent and mopey.

And yeah. About the blogging. It's half laziness and half my computer is slowly but surely starting to die. Could be the heat. It takes me about 20 minutes to load up photos just off of my camera and even longer to get them onto blogger. And I love photos so my blogging has been hurting.

So I'm doing another photo documentary that I so love to do. If you are new to this blog you would think I'm freakishly egotastic since I'm in about four of the photos but if you know me you know I am egotastic so it's all good.


Here is Jubbers and I hanging out at the airport before she took off for Papua New Guinea (she's very selfish like that, jetsetting off to exotic locations for year long vacations- I tell you- that girl!). But seriously, both my sisters rock so much. I'm very blessed.

This is Spike in a very 'Spike' pose. His head is resting on the windowsill and his back legs are all splayed out. Spike has been a little worrisome of late due to our crazy heat and my sauna of an apartment. He's only eating about half as much as he use to but I make sure he drinks a lot of water and am keeping a very close eye on him. He's still active and crazy (well, except when it's boiling in the apartment and we are both lying comatose on the floor in front of the fan). When it was crazy hot the other day I decided to douse him in cool water. I have the scratches to prove it.
This is me doing something I have been unable to do for five years. I am using a biore nose strip without cutting it into pieces with scissors so it works around my nose ring. I have no idea what possessed me to take a picture but here you go.

7am this morning I started my Zetor shawl for the Ravelympics (link only works for members) (and here is the site if you wanna sign up). Basically you pick a project and start on the first day of the summer olympics and have to finish by the end of the closing ceremonies. I hope to keep you updated. That's seasilk by Fleece Artist by the way. Yummy.

This is a present from Sheena (Sheena= awesome) for getting hired by the VSB. It's a skull cookie cutter and a skull icecube tray. My first attempt at cookies were with pillsbury which according to one of my friends who knows the first thing about baking said they were too fatty to keep the shape.
And to end of a happy note... this is me biting my first paycheck in over a year.
Oh yeah.

And yes, the title refers to me freaking out yesterday when I realized it was the seventh of August already and I had barely realized it was August at all. Trying to explain to ESL students the concept of 'time flies' is really challenging fyi. And oh yeah, my job was extended for three extra weeks so if I ever blog in jibberish you know why. It's good, don't get me wrong, just by the time Friday rolls around I'm a little, you know, crazy.

So yeah...

We won't talk about this absence. Moving on.

AUGH facts:
ripped my nose ring out last night! Now, no nose ring just a bruised bloody spot on my nose :( Will get it re-pierced as soon as it heals. And yes- it hurt and yes- I tried to get the stud back in but I just couldn't. It was 1:30 at night and between the pain and the blood I probably gave up too soon but alas.

saw a man holding a double barreled shotgun while getting a money shipment from a bank. This isn't a gun-rights/control AUGH... this is a 'oh my god that man over there is holding a double barreled shotgun!' augh. It was very late at night and all I could think (besides AUGH) was if it is so dangerous to get the money that you need to carry in your hands a massive shotgun, why do it in the middle of the night? I'm sure there is some reason but still.

so this dude who seemed new to Vancouver asked me on the bus about one of the stops and since I'm a nice person I kindly told him it was the next stop. He started chatting and I was like, whatever- he's getting off on the next stop and I'm a nice person so I'll chat back. Then the stop came and I was like 'oh, here's your stop' and he said 'oh- I'm going downtown'. Jerk. So that was just a line to start talking and you know your way around Vancouver. Double jerk. And one thing I've noticed that I won't go into here cause it's a difficult issue to talk about but there is a type of guy who has pick up lines and will very quickly start asking inappropriate questions and will come into your personal space bubble and I realized he was one of them. Than he continues to talk and I'm pissed but I'm a nice person so I wasn't rude. Than he started asking questions like 'do you like to shop downtown' (in which I answered 'no') and do I like live music (again-no, I don't like anything. Ever. Leave me alone) and do I like Paul McCartney? Again- no. Can't he see I'm disagreeable? But then he started singing to me. Yes- singing. On the bus. PUBLIC TRANSPORT! And there was a line on the song to do with 'kissing girls' in which he leaned into my personal space bubble and made a kissy face at me. And imagine that but right then my cell phone went off (nobody else could hear it but believe me, it went off) and I had to reach into my purse and answer it (all along polietly apologizing about answering my phone) and lo and behold, it was my friend Sheena (amazing since she was in Seattle and not on her cell phone) and yeah, had to take that call. So I had an imaginary conversation with my friend Sheena for about 15 minutes until my stop at which point I got off and DID NOT say goodbye. That's right. I'm mean when I need to be. Still. AUGH.

So last night (bear with me on this one) I madea hot chocolate and when I picked it up the handle of the cup was really hot so I jerked my hand a little causing the hot chocolate to spill on my cellphone and jeans. My cellphone is mostly okay, the side thingies are sticky but it works, but I took the jeans off right away cause, you know, hot. I ran them under some water in the sink so the hot chocolate wouldn't fester and then...*** and this requires a back story. I had a bath yesterday after a very long walk around the sea wall and had a glass of orange juice which I did not finish while in said bath, so you can go ahead and guess what will happen here*** and then I threw my jeans into the bath tub cause they were wet and I would wash them in the morning and yes. When I threw them into the bath tub hitting the orange juice getting it everywhere. So I just turned the shower on for a couple of seconds and did the laundry in the morning.

WHEEEE facts: (which will be quick cause Jason is here)

I have a two week job teaching ESL so I can buy groceries next month when I get paid!

I was hired with the Vancouver School Board! This requires its own post cause it was amazing- I have a job I don't have to move I have a job but yeah. More on this later.

I'm going to get a kitten! Soon! When I can get one for free!

I'm going to The Dark Knight tonight with my parents!

I was able to hang out with Jubbers for an awesome amount of time beore PNG and she did this awesome post that I would like you all to read. She's cool.

And also... I do have the coolest family ever. Evidence.

I have an uber haircut. I need to get some good photos. Its got some long pieces in the front and growing shorter till the back which is really short. So it's weird because when I look in the mirror it is like I still have a lot of hair but it's all an illusion cause there's none in the back. But it's all good.

Introduction to my Return

Um.... yeah. So I've been kinda busy.





Sorry.


I've decided to make it a four part comeback. This is the intro post. Seriously cause I have so much to write about I could go on for hours and hours and hours and it would be the longest post and everyone would be all 'wtf' and then I'd just get silly and eventually end up offending everyone somehow or something.

So anyhoo, here is the gameplan!

Blog One of Comeback: Family Family Family
Blog Two of Comeback: Hey I Graduated... huh.
Blog Three of Comeback: Knitting Again
Blog Four of Comeback: My Summer Intentions/Anything I missed

My goal is to have this all done in the next two weeks. Until then... I shower you with photos!
What I have been doing for the past two weeks.


Yarn... cause it's purrrrty!


A lovely gift from a student (filled with Purdy's chocolate too!).


The cutest you ever did see.


I still spin. On occasion. Yeah.


Knitting at hospitals.

My sister is a spaz monkey (but I staged the shot so).


Lanterns from Jenn and a Spike.

All the Cheezy Song Titles Here

Welcome little man! This insane-cutie here is my nephew! Jenn and Jim brought him into the world on May 13th, 9:16pm. For now his blogger name is Beeb still. He is the most wonderful Beeb you ever did see! He's a little preemie (a month early but at 6 pounds 10 ounces, he ain't your regular preemie!) but he's growing and learning wonderfully! Do you see that hair? It is soooo soft and long~ and those lips? He's got his daddy's lips. He always sucks him bottom lip into his mouth or sticks it waaaaaaay out and makes cute faces. I won't post tooooo much because well, he isn't my baby, and I know Jenn will want to fill you in with the rest of the details and all the good pictures and the hand pictures and the feet pictures and the belly pictures and the sweeeeeet face baby. They will be home soon hopefully and all is good. I've managed to only start crying twice in his presence.

I love him so! Thanks Jim and Jenn! Thank you soooooo much! (cause you know, you did it all for me I'm sure). Love love love love.
PS- Auntie Jubbers? I was telling Beeb all about you yesterday and he's very excited to meet you! (I'm sure that's what the stretching meant)

This one is different

So I know I haven't been blogging much, been too busy checking Jenn's blog eighteen times a day for pictures of her beebinbelly. Well now, as some of you already know, Beeb is ready to make a scene!

I just think everyone should stop what they are doing and run around screaming 'Jenn and Jim are having a baby!' cause it's that important! I know babies are born every second but not this baby. I think I should be able to stop people in the street and tell them and they should hug me and say congratulations and buy Jenn and Jim a present. I mean, they are having a BABY!!!

Okay, I need to go finish knitting the baby bootees and matching hat. The Beeb will be here so soon!!!!

ETA: BEEB IS HERE!!!! WHOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!

Happy Earth Day!

I spent the day at Granville Island with ten of my students, buying caaaaandy, playing games, looking through stores, and, very literally, being dragged away from the weaving store window because there was yarn being sold in there and for some reason, my students didn't want to go in. *pout* We had an awesome time. Then we went to see The Hobbit put on a theatre company (find the link later- tired) which was just great! They did an awesome job. The woman who played Gollum was perfect!

It reminded me of a conversation I had with other student teachers in the staffroom at lunch on Monday.
Person 1: I've never watched Lord of the Rings. It's not my type of movie.
Person 2: It's not mine either but you see, there is this character named Legolas.
Me: Yeah.
Person 2: Yeah, and that scene with the jumping on the horse?
Person 1: What?
Me: Yeah.
Person 3: Oh yeah.

But it is past my bedtime and I am tired. So I leave you with a picture of my cat being friendly with my cloth grocery bags. He is very very sneaky.

sickie reporting in

So yeah. Just a little sick this week. You know, a virus. And, oh yeah, hayfever. Yeah that was fun. And right! Can't forget about the asthma! A nice little combination of all three of those meant I spent a majority of this past week on my daybed; watching Buffy, eating soup, and sleeping. I know that sounds like fun, but in actuality it really wasn't. I got some knitting done, and some marking done, but between the hayfever and the coughing I was kinda a mess. Not even a hot mess. Just a mess.

The silver lining? Firstly, I went to the doctor and he diagnosed the asthma, which is very good. Second of all, watching so much Buffy means I notice random things. In Lover's Walk (3:8) there is this mask/booby thing on the Magic store owners wall, and in Halloween (2:6) it is on Ethan Rayne's store wall as well. See I got smarter while I was sick!

And thank goodness for visits from Mom where she makes a tonne of vegetable soup and freezes it. Seriously, I have survived because of that.

In knitting news we have some upsets to discuss. You know how I put you all through the mass toy voting 08? Um... I have discovered I'm not one for knitting toys. I don't know why. I may yet knit some of them but I just couldn't start. However I did randomly pick up some needles and yarn and knit this guy.
Why him and not the others, I don't know. He is nephew bound. I may knit more toys, maybe I just need to give them a chance.

Oh and I knit this hat last weekend. Super easy and fast. Knit him while watching some Bollywood. I'm sure it will look less dorky on a beeb head. Beeb!
AndI finished a soaker! It's a lame photo but it is super cute.
And started some leggies. Tell me honestly Jenn and Jim and Bears, is this colour combo okay? I don't remember where I got the yarn but I'm not loving the colours. Is it okay? Will you put the baby in this?

And finally, this is the only good picture I have of my new duvet cover. I love it beyond reckoning. All blue and brown and giant flowers. Back to the unit planning! Away!

Wait... what day is it?

It's Thursday. Not Friday. So I cannot stay up until 1am doing whatever. I must remember that.

Not knitting a whole lot, started a new phiaro scarf... Could it be any prettier? Have finished the first soaker, need to cast on for the next one, cause you know... Jenn's just getting more and more pregnant. Doing some bigger projects that I haven't taken photos of yet, so that's about it for right now.

I need to clean this week. I'm thinking of getting a new CD on Friday to inspire me to clean. I was suppose to clean last week. Instead I bought a book on Friday night, Sunshine by Robin McKinley and finished it Saturday night (second time I've read it). Seriously, best book ever. And I learned don't go online to try to find out if there is a sequel coming- you will just run across the most inane review of the book ever. This person was criticizing the book for things like... how the librarian didn't spend enough time at school, or that Johnny Appleseed isn't a myth- and you are like... IT'S AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE!!!!! Augh! My only criticism in that the mother was so important, but so silent- I don't know if she spoke more than once throughout the book. That's why I want to know if there is a sequel or something- the character is so built up but never explored. Awesome book. I may read it again soon. PS- did find the info about the sequel- no ideas yet :( but hey... new book!

School is good. Teaching is just awesome. I'm learning a lot in my practicum, not only about how to teach! I have learned so much about fractions and probability in these past two weeks! At one point I was on the phone with Jenn going 'how do tree fractions work again?' and going a little bit mad. But it's okay- I got it and the lessons went really well! I used my collection of shoes I have at school as an example (if I am wearing my turquoise shoes on Wednesday, what are the chances I'll be wearing them on Thursday and Friday if I have two other pairs of shoes at school and randomly grab them?) Today as a closure for the week I did a read aloud (I read out loud) of a picture book called Math Curse. It was great! And they totally got the math connections in the book. I also teach science (with my team teacher) and team teach with all the teachers for gym. We are going to be starting language arts next week, doing a mini poetry blitz for April 17th Nat. Poem in your Pocket Day, and then French and Art in the following weeks. It'll be busy but I'm looking forward to it.

Okay- I'm off to clean or write lesson plans or knit or something. Probably not clean. I'm predictable like that.

Pantyhose is dumb

I wore a dress today. I was ooooohhh so pretty. Now if my stupid pantyhose could have stopped falling down and my stupid slip stopped sliding up it would have been a more peaceful day.

That's right. I'm blaming today on my pantyhose.

Holy Photos! (as in an exclamation- not as in a religious sense)

So yeah. I'm a bad blogger. Started my twelve week practicum on Wednesday (so actually, one 11.5 weeks) which is good- really good. My class, team teacher, and both my sponsor teachers are awesome. My team teacher and I (he's another student in the program- my school does blended grades and team teaching so there's actually four of us altogether for 52 students) spend a lot of time making jokes and laughing so I'm really happy he's my team teacher. I'll keep you updated as much as I can. Next week I start teaching math (probability) and science (starting with scientific language introduction lesson but will be getting into magnetism and eventually extreme environments (I can't wait to teach that)).

So there has been knitting. I had some angst last night and decided to buy yarn again but as of this morning have decided to try to stay on the diet. My problem is that I'm really getting into sweaters and I don't have enough of one yarn to knit any but it's okay. I'm going to start some baby sweaters soon and I'm knitting a tee right now. Part of the reason I went on the diet is so I could use up some of my single skeins. I'm also going to go mitten happy for Christmas so I should start on those.

I kinda went yarn shopping last week. I went home for Easter and raided my stash at my parent's house (I had to put some in storage when I moved). So I got the rest of my Ella Rae from the Skully sweater....


The leftover skeins of 'DK' yarn from Lewiscraft (closing out sale) that are NOT double knitting weight which I didn't know at the time. Liars. And my assorted wooly goodness from up north.
I finished a lot of projects the past month. My Grandma's cardigan, the Clapotis scarf, the crocheted baby blanket, the happy baby blanket, and the chocolate cherry scarf (see below for the scarf). More pictures of some of the other ones when I remember to put more batteries in the camera. So now I've started some more projects. This is a swatch for a tank top or something that I am going to knit. It was going to be two pictures to show the difference made by washing swatches but it became the difference between taking a picture at night with lamps and such:
And taking a picture in the morning with daylight (and post wash):


I only have five skeins of the bamboo so I hope it last for the whole tank. The dark blue is my soy which I do love so.

My other project is a second Phiaro scarf requested by my Mom. Isn't it yummy? I just started today and it took me about 30 minutes to wind that skein. I really need to look into purchasing a swift. The first Phiaro scarf I knit is below. It's some awesome yarn from Claudia's Handpainted yarns that I got in Kelowna.

I've received a lot of compliments on it so I'm pretty happy with it. Oh, and I'm also knitting soakers for ze Beeb out of the Ella Rae I brought home. Though they look like fleur-de-lis they are actually hearts all over the bum. Now that I know the row count I'm going to do some fun designs for the bum area- it's actually a really good idea, the designer was smart when she put those in there- it's for extra padding. She did stripes on her pattern. I'm thinking of making some with skulls, maybe sushi images, possibly his name if I get one done soon enough to be used, words like 'My Aunts Rock!', and the such. Any suggestions? Okay, now I'm going to go clean a little and then possibly go for a walk. And oh yeah, my new favorite picture! Mom took it while she was visiting.

Quirky you say?

Since I tagged Tammy with a meme, she went and tagged me with one too. It's the 6 quirky non-important meme. You'd think in her meme she would include the giant thong she knit. I sometimes have a hard time with these memes. Hm.

1. I have hordes of items from all around the world but I haven't left Canada since I was 11.

2. I find piercings more painful than tattoos.

3. If I had to choose- the one dish I would eat for the rest of my days would be Swimming Rama, a thai dish with chicken, lightly sauteed spinach, and peanut sauce.

4. I have not watched season seven of Buffy and may never do so- even though I am reading season eight.

5. I don't particularly care for inspirational quotes but the one I have taped to my bookshelf (during a horrid week in November) says 'Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort' (Franklin Roosevelt). I may change that soon but yeah.

6. I HATE swatching. When I want to start projects I just want to sit down and cast on; however, I do still swatch, I just don't enjoy it one bit.

I tag Drunken Monkey and Julia. Voila!

Longest knitting meme ever (maybe- in my experience)

Seriously, if you don't knit. Just ignore this. As for the other knitters, I tag Tammy and Brooke! And Jess! (but she just rolled her eyes at me) As with all my memes, you don't actually have to complete it. Just saying hi.

Have you knit....

Afghan - No

I-cord - Yes, painfully with small bamboo yarn and tiny needles for ages and ages and ages!

Garter stitch - uh yeah! How can you not have knit this? Did this make any sense?

Knitting with metal wire - no but I really really want to

Shawl - Yes

Stockinette stitch - yes- more than I'd ever like to admit too.

Socks: top-down - yes- my preferred way though I don't know why

Socks: toe-up - kinda- not done them yet (but past the toe!)

Knitting with camel yarn - unfortunately not. If you see any....

Mittens: Cuff-up - yes

Mittens: Tip-down - never heard of such a thing

Hat - yes

Knitting with silk a fine strand with wool for socks - this one doesn't make much sense... but I think no is my answer here

Moebius band knitting - no

Participating in a KAL - no, though I am considering the mystic light shawl

Sweater - Yes

Drop stitch patterns - Yes

Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn - Yes

Slip stitch patterns - I think so... maybe just a swatch cause I can't think of a specific pattern- oh yeah, it was a swatch for a mosiac sweater.

Knitting with banana fiber yarn - Why have I never heard of this yarn?

Twisted stitch patterns - Yes- wait till you see my current project!

Knitting with bamboo yarn - Yes- see I-cord for more detail

Charity knitting - Yes

Knitting with soy yarn - Yes (way too expensive though)

Cardigan - Yes! Finished the Strawberry Lace cardigan! Need to post pictures.

Toy/doll clothing - No (wait- is it toy clothing or just toy? Cause wait...) Yes.

Baby items - Yes!!!!!!

Knitting with your own handspun yarn - Yes (gar)

Slippers - Yes- for my father, which like everything for my Dad, did not fit.

Designing knitted garments - I have a heavily modified skull yoke sweater that was based on a pre-existing pattern so I don't think that counts.

Cable stitch patterns - Yes (is it just me or are a lot of cables very... vaginaish?)

Lace patterns - Yes

Publishing a knitting book - Loads. Oh, did I forget to tell you about all that? Silly me.

Scarf - Yes

Teaching a child to knit - Yes (and getting ready to teach a toddler- my nephew shall be a knitter unlike no other. Ah Balthazar, the plans I have for you.)

Knitting to make money - No

Buttonholes - Yes

Knitting with alpaca - Yes, though I have a slight allergy to alpaca so my hands get red after awhile

Fair Isle knitting - Yes and I want to do it again!

Dying with plant colors - No

Knitting items for a wedding - Yes, but it got frogged

Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…) - Yes

Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) - Yes

Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn - .... um.... no. Huh. That's lame.

Holiday related knitting - what does this mean? Do Xmas presents count?

Teaching a male how to knit - Yup! And now he's knitting an afghan! I couldn't be more proud!

Bobbles - Yes

Knitting for a living - HA!

Knitting with cotton - Yes

Knitting smocking - No idea what this is.

Dying yarn - Soooo much fun. Microwave it, slow cook it- it's all good.

Knitting art - I think my skeleton art cover counts here

Fulling/felting - Yes- with natural fibres even! (we'll see if Julia is reading this or not)

Knitting with wool - Yes

Textured knitting - I don't get this one either.

Kitchener stitch - Yes and it pleases me to no end.

Purses/bags - Yes, though I've got nothing on my Mom- the felted bag goddess!

Knitting with beads - Yes though it sucked cause the beads were too big and pulled down the scarf. Sigh. *follow* instructions Leone.

Swatching - Yes, even though I cheat and suffer consequences

Long Tail CO - Yes- one of my favorites

Knitting and purling backwards - What?

Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn - It's like porn for knitters if you ask me

Stuffed toys - Yes

Knitting with cashmere (mmm, cashmere!) - Yes, Harry Potter mittens for Jim!

Darning - No.

Jewelry - No. Would wrist bands count? Doesn't matter- haven't knit any of those.

Knitting with synthetic yarn - Yes. Yarn snobs make me go pphhhpptt!

Writing a pattern - Kinda.

Gloves mittens are warmer! - Again, no sense. Have knit both.

Intarsia - Yes (skull after skull after skull)

Knitting with linen - no, which is also lame. Need to get me some linen!

Knitting for preemies - No

Short rows - Yes

Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers - yes

Pillows - Yes, but it remains empty. Still haven't mailed it to Regina.

Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine - All the frickin' time

Rug - Ha! No.

Knitting on a loom - No.... wait... isn't knitting on a loom weaving? I have a loom. So yes.

Knitting a gift - yes

Knitting for a pet? - yes... heh.

Shrug/bolero/poncho - No (though I want to knit the poncho that Willow wears in season... three or four, can't remember)

Knitting with dog/cat hair accidentally or on purpose? - Accidently. I have a disclaimer that anything I knit is 5% Spike.

Hair accessories - What? No.

Knitting in public - All the time! You know it!

Knitting with buffalo yarn - Yes- very warm. And bulky. As buffalo yarn should be.

Knitting with pygora - Eh?

Dyeing with food dye/drink mixes - Yes- the Kool-Aid pirate scarf! Gar!

Dyeing with chemical dyes (acid, etc) - Yes- then I slow cooked the yarn.

Done!

well

since I'm not going to get any work done tonight (which is fine, I did a lot of work this morning) figured I should blog about my revelation on Friday. I went for this uber long walk after class cause I just needed some time to think and I realized something. When I applied for the education program, I could tell you all these reasons about why I wanted to be a teacher right? And well, I had to put them down in essay after essay, and this isn't to say I didn't believe these reasons, I did, it was just I didn't have the knowledge at that point to really elaborate on them. I realized during my 2 and a half hour walk that I can now say these reasons with passion and authentic emotion, and that I truly embrace them. I even have more reasons now about why I want to be a teacher. Here are two.

I believe in the public school program. It is so important. I mean, not even touching upon what it means for Canadian identity, open mindedness, and cross cultural ties- it is the prevention to turning us into a have/ and have/not society. It is the idea that you support all children receiving a quality education. I love teaching. Is there anything better than seeing these amazing creative projects students can come up with? Seriously give them a inch and they run for miles! We have a lot of visitors in my school and getting to hear students explain their work is so neat. I did interviews at the end and asking students to tell me their thoughts and opinions just takes their work to a new level. I learn so much from my kids.

Okay- rah rah me rant over now. I am going to go have some tea and work on my knitting before I head to bed. Ugh... I am waking up at 5am tomorrow! Daylight savings is rude.

Jenn do you want any of these?

kthnxbi

And the weiner is....

Norberta!
Norberta won with a grand total of 22 points! Squiddy is a close second (sorry Jess) with 19, then we jump down to Sally (13 points), Kitty (12 points), and Pasha (11 points). My scoring system is very faulty so this isn't definite. Pasha had higher mentions but Kitty had more mentions so that's how he jumped ahead. Overall, I will be casting on for Norberta this weekend! She's pretty easy to knit but I've noticed she requires a lot of seaming. I'm starting to get the hang of seaming (read-Grandma's cardigan) so hopefully it won't be too bad.

Well, I was going to write about some fun I've had on public transportation, Spike's new picky eating, or how I am turning into a whipstitch master (it's a sewing thing- weirdo) but blogger is effed up again and doing that one letter at a time ever so slowly thing again. I'll just end on a general question: is even contemplating moving to the Yukon crazy?

Cheese begets Cheese

My post is mostly ramblings today, so I figured a short story from last night will help explain the title of the post. Last night I wanted cheese and Jim bought me a pizza while him and Jenn were here and I really wanted to eat it last night but I was like 'no!- you are going to save it for a night when you have no time to cook!' so I decided to eat little bit of feta to make up for it (no- I'm not lactose intolerant, why do you ask?). Anyhoo- as you can guess by the title that the moment I finished eating the feta I went and popped that pizza into the oven. It was sooo good. And then I got the leftover for breakfast. Mmmm.

Thanks for all the notes on the knitted goods for Balthazar. I'll tally them soon and present to you the order. I have to finish some projects before I can cast on for anything new- I'm drowning in UFOs right now (unfinished objects). One that I am working on like a mad woman is the Strawberry Lace Cardigan from Knitting Classic Style by Veronik Avery. I bought this book even before it was put on the shelves (my friend was the one who reached into the box and grabbed it though) and cast on for the cardigan the same day. The yarn (cascade 220) was my last yarn purchase since January 11th (oh yeah). My friend Tammy and I have a competition to see who can go for the longest without buying yarn and it runs until September or until one of us caves. This will prove to be interesting. Anyhoo- a very poorly lit photo of the cardigan. The edges roll so I can't take a good photo of it without using pins and I'm rather lazy. The two front parts and the back are done and I'm working on the first sleeve. I fell four days behind schedule on this so am trying to race through the sleeve to get back on schedule.

Baby baby baby. Jim and Jenn came and visited me for three days. It was awesome. We ate some awesome food. It's not lost on me how ironic it is that two days after they left I found out about the greatest sushi place in Vancouver, but we'll save that for the next trip! I felt Balthazar kick (and kick and kick and kick) and tried to finish the crochet star blanket but to no avail. I'm hoping to finish it soon but it is crochet so it may come out... you know.... stupid. And that's not because it's crochet, it's because it's me AND crochet. I frogged a project today and am going to cast on for a Balthazar cardigan soon. This is Ecoknit cotton and is soooo soft. Next to it is the tin that Julia got for me at Hong Kong disneyland. Too cute and it had candy in it! As I type I am chewing on a sugar coated mickey mouse head gummy.And some spinning. That I started -oh- over a month ago? Sheesh. It is beautiful though.
Seriously, I need to finish some projects cause look at all this yarn just sitting around my apartment (in this case- ontop of my fake fireplace mantle- those come in handy you know).
And then there is this guy who is so zonked out right now. And oh yeah, thar be glow in the dark dinosaurs climbing up my walls.

I'z be getting a nephew- gar!

and he shall be a pirate! Gar! Yes-the Jenn and Jim team are having a boy and so the question becomes...

which shall I knit first?!?! (the point being that I want to knit ALL of these, but I know that may not happen before the beeb is born, or even before he is, you know, 24, but whatever. If he is anything like his parents, he'll enjoy these at 80 so)

Knitted Goodness Number One: Kitty! by Judy Head.
This adorable kitty is not to be found in your local walmart. He's unique and tres fun! Can be used with a variety of funny and serious voices and is easily litter trained.


Knitted Goodness Number Two: Sally The Eco Fairy by Jennie Eveleigh Lamond Yeaaaahhh! She's an ecological fairy! Yeaaaahhhh!!!!

Knitted Goodness Number Three: Norberta by Kate Kuckro
this is the second appearance of Norberta on my blog. I should just go ahead and knit this fluffy wonder eh?

Knitted Goodness Number four: Pasha by Alexandra Virgiel
Is there anybody here who doesn't want to squish that belly? Squish it!

Knitted Goodness Number Five: A Squid by Kristi Schueler
I've seen some knitted squids with little people caught in the tentacles. How cool would that be?

So... the order you would like to see them knit, please post below. Suggestions of additional knitted goodness are acceptable, but remember this is only the big knitted looklook category. There are more to come. Thanks!

Heh

Silent Poetry Reading

So this is from Oak's annual silent poetry reading and last year I did Adrienne Rich and this year um... don't know yet- going to go look through my poetry books.

Okay, I'm still not sure. This is hard. Okay, I know now.

-4-

TO TAKE APART THE TREE BARK BY BARK AND BURN IT UP
top to keep the skin spread open to the air that
moves through the world-tree message seems
unnoticeable capable to the area over which
limbs cover all those upright configurations for
the connection between branches and roots
likewise any surface to depth genetics provides
unmentionable because invisible soundings
taken quickly re the mouthings of the trembling
body another language like French might place
elsewhere simple as tongue there is after all the
reaching for the water, reaching for the sun

-Fred Wah Music at the Heart of Thinking