I Survived Russian Xmas!!!

I made it! 3 days trapped inside a small house with too many adults and screaming children to count and standing-room-only moments. One bathroom with a toilet that could only be flushed after 2-3 uses in an effort to "conserve well water." 3 days of solid dreary cold rain. Adults giving me a crying child to hold and making comments about how I need to have one even though the child continues to cry and I obviously lack in the maternal sense.

It wasn't all bad though; I learned a great deal about their family customs, history and how to really make pierogi. Here is a photo of my newly-acquired Polish skillz::



I made them last night and they were pretty tasty AND vegan! So the next clan gathering is in the summer and I can forget about the mess of it all until then.

In KNITTING NEWS--here is the pic of my wash cloth and bath stuff gift for Kay


It's positioned on the shelves my guy finally finished in our bathroom along with our sea glass collection from the 4 years we lived on the beach.

I made a scarf for a sister (per her request) but don't like it. I'll post the pic later but while weaving in the minions of loose ends, thought of a way to make it much better. So back to the needles for me, will post some pics when I've gotten it going.

Not much else, trying to continue to sort through career options/job change. I finally mailed in my last student loan payment over the weekend after 10 years of monthly payments and am reluctant to go back to school again and start the whole student loan thing over again. I just want to do something creative and be able to enjoy my work, which is something I am struggling with of late. So back to the classifieds for me, my friends! Enjoy your evening and hey, it's snowing here!!

Mucho Busy...

I feel like I haven't updated all my fans in forever. I'm sure the masses must be wondering what fantastic adventures I've been so absorbed by that I am unable to blog. I could say anything here, really give you something imaginative and awe-inspiring. But you will get the truth.

I've been working and worrying and cleaning and watching very bad TV. That will pretty much sum up my life of late. Oh, and some shopping was in there too.

My job has been on my mind a lot recently. Sleep has proven difficult due to this as well. I stopped into Moonstones this past weekend for some assorted incense and found some soap and body lotion for Kay, called Hot & Flashy, which has lemongrass which is said to help with menopause. Anyway, on a whim I went ahead and had a reading done. I asked about my job/career and was given some guidance. I was also told I would have a male child who would prefer to drink a lot of liquids and would be an atheist (???). I'll keep you posted as to the accuracy of the reading as time goes by. I also had an interview today which I almost cancelled after the reading, but decided to go ahead and give it a shot. Now I seem even more confused than ever!

I will have a picture of my latest design, a small gift for Kay to go with the bath goodies. I'll post it after she retrieves the gift so as not to spoil the suprise, though I doubt she reads this or knows of its existance.

Anyway, I am headed out of town to the Icebox of PA tomorrow with the guy for Russian Xmas with his huge extended family. In the 13 years we've been together, I only made it to one giant extended family event. I'm a bit apprehensive, but will take along the knitting and Sudoku and will make the best of it all. Luckily, we also have a long weekend (Monday off) and I will be able to stay an extra night--yippee! Have a great knitterly weekend kids and drink something wicked for me!!!

Booty

So here it is, some of the holiday booty I acquired. From sister: Southern Culture on the Skids tote, home of the future travel knitting by me. From guy: Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughn and the most kick-ass knitting needles a girl could want. The needles are from kiku, in size 13. I can't wait to knit with them and am thinking up a pattern as we speak.

This is Madison Penelope asleep on our new couch. She's a monkey!

Oh--I was NOT in fact able to mail out my sissy's package due to the closure of federal offices following the death of President Ford. Thankfully, my dad warned me of this development last night so I did not waste a quarter in the parking meter this AM to find the post office closed and arrive late to work for no reason at all. Today was actually a pretty good day all in all.

Oh, and last, I would like to thank The Sun for making an appearance today, you brightened up the hood like no one can. Peace!!

So my hibernation is about over. Tomorrow I return to work. I wish I had a few more days to organize, clean and KNIT!

So this was a gift I made for a certain sister. It was not completed in time for the 25th, so it will be mailed to her tomorrow. Along with the un-dented replacement cannister I had ordered online (the original arrived dented and the replacement did not arrive until after the big day, despite the site owner's claims to the contrary). GRRRR!!!!

Anyhow, these are called Beachcomber Mitts by me in a pattern designed by me so she can wear them on the chilly beach and still pick up the sea glass and shells that are best found this time of year after a good nor'easter.


I did not do well in completing my holiday knits this year. I would like to also put forth the fact I was sidelined for the past 3 weeks with a cold of some sort, the likes of which I have not encountered before. First was the sore throat the some coughing. There was nasal cloggage, then nasal drippage. Feverage came next. Then more nasal drippage, then extreme sinus cavity pain. Now there is some final (I hope) drippage and my voice continues to sound very manly. I included this because I am sure if you suffer through my blogging, you must really want to know every detail.

I brought in the year 2007 in Station Square in the rain listening to Winger. We hit a neighbor's house party first and really, should have stayed there. Earlier I watched the Steelers crush the Bengal's chances of making it to the playoffs. What a fantastic end to the season! Carson Palmer, you are the whiniest little baby of a football player ever and this was karma from your Sports Illustrated article when you bashed the Steelers. Oh, and Cowher, thanks for all the years and wins and cursing on the sidelines, we'll miss you and watching a Steeler's game won't be the same without your animated facial expressions and red-flag tosses.

On the needles now: a scarf for another sister. There will be some knitting time ahead of me in the car when we travel to Lopez, PA for Russian Xmas in two weeks to see my guy's family. That's one positive way to look at that trip.

Wishing you peace and happy knitting and good vegan eats in the year 2007!

Couches of years past...

We are getting a couch tomorrow! It will be deliverd between 12PM and 2PM. My guy will be here to supervise the delivery. This is a huge milestone for us: our first ever brand-new couch! We have a futon right now. In the past, we have accumulated a couch or so per state we lived in. We bought a slightly worn blue and white striped one in Colorado from one of those furniture rental places. I bought an old "vintage" couch at a thrift store for $50 with the goal of refinishing and then re-upholstering. We moved it out to North Carolina and one of the cats peed on it and then we put it outside for large item pick up day and I watched our crazy neighbors (who almost had as many cats as I did) pull the couch from the side of the road straight into their home. I guess they weren't too particular about smells.

In North Carolina, we got another used couch, the couch of all couches, absolutely free from the owner of a home that he was refinishing. They also gave him our living room tv, it was the largest-screen tv we ever got and free, too! You could say these people were loaded. The couch was a three piece sectional in a deep dark winey red courduroy. Me, my guy and 5 cats could all stretch out and co-exist peacefully together on this thing. It was great but took up pretty much the entire room.

Then we moved to Pennsylvania and decided our new rental could not accomodate it the sectional, so my guy gave it to his bachelor friends who probably destroyed it rather quickly. The futon, we've had since Colorado as well. It's been good to us and travels well. No more moves are in our future now though. It was time.

I had to talk my guy into it. For MONTHS we have been looking for a couch and a dining table and chairs. I can't take it any more. The furniture stores are like car lots, you can't make eye contact with anyone or you are followed all over the store. I finally had to say, what are you holding out for? We've seen the same things in every store for months, we need to either made a decision here or you need to tell me what would be the right couch. He couldn't tell me so...we made a decision. I'll post a pic tomorrow, I can't wait for my new knitting spot to arrive!
Oh, the futon? It's going upstairs to my knitorium. With the women's prison foot locker thing...don't ask. I'll tell ya some other day!

Now go watch the Three Little Dwarfs HERE to put yourself in the holiday mood!! I'm Hardrock, I'm Coco, I'm Joe!!

Elvish Glee

It's been a while and I've been busy!

So I am almost finished with Secret Project Numero Uno, Part A. There will also be a part B. I designed it myself and am very excited about it! I wish I could show it to you but you will also have to wait until after the holidays.

Unfortunately, my request to knit while at work has been denied. We have a clinical consultation once a month and the group leader mentioned she would not mind if I knit during the meetings. She used to knit herself and we were talking of holidays and stress and she mentioned it would be no problem. I then talked to my supervisor and then emailed our director. The answer was no, I could not need during consultation. Oh well, doesn't hurt to try...

Last night I made some yummy choco chip/oatmeal/coconut/walnut cookies that also happen to be vegan. I need to buy some cookie cutters, when we moved up here from the coast, I threw out my old metal ones b/c they had rusted. The coast leads to corrosion--of cars, of cookie cutters alike. I did manage to buy some new VEGAN and CRUELTY FREE vegetable based food coloring for my baking by India Tree. It was expensive but I figure it will last for several holiday baking seasons.

Tonight is Laundry Night. YUCK! I do have to say, it's MUCH improved from last week though. You see, after washing one large load and then putting another in, the dryer stopped working. My guy went at it for a couple hours and tore it apart to discover the belt had broken. He even tried to refasten the belt with some duct tape but this did not work past three turns. I had the pleasure of hanging my dripping laundry all about the house, off of door and window frames, as well as ceiling fans once the small drying rack was filled up. My knitted sweater and shrug were left to dry on a towel on the floor and my cats had a field day lying on them for the two days it took them to fully dry! DRYER = DOMESTIC BLISS!!!


I also got a wonderful birthday gift! My birthday has officially not yet arrived but it was gifted to me by my lovely guy to help me get through the endless baking I have to do. It's a TV/DVD/CD/radio combo that fits right under my kitchen cabinets! Now I don't miss any of my important television or movie or music opportunities. It's also great when you are in the kitchen at halftime and don't have to miss any commentary...the best part by far though is the remote. It's got a magnet that makes it stick on your fridge.

Speaking of FOOTBALL, hello STEELERS! They rocked the house last Thursday. Me and my guy took the bus downtown and headed to Primanti Brothers for some libation and sustenance. Some weird lady sat down next to me at the bar and asked, amid a sea of black and gold, "Is there a game tonight or something?" I explained indeed there was. She talked of being a stranded traveler (the snow + rush hour + football game = gridlock) who had pulled over for a drink before heading out. I figured she was from somewhere in eastern PA as she seemed oblivious about the Steelers...however, she revealed she was from IRWIN! Maybe 30-45 minutes from the city. She then revealed a ton of other personal info, from her diet, to her child's name and disability and gave me a 30 minute lecture on how I should never take a job in the prison system, which I don't believe I had any inkling of doing lately. My guy then chewed through my arm to release me from her clutches and we walked over the bridge to Heinz Field. Not many folks were tailgating, we thought due to the cold. We got to the stadium and sat down in the endzone, where the open wind came straight at us. We were really high up there too, only 4 rows from the very last row. Then we froze. Our beer froze in our cups. Beer-cicles and not very good. The game was fabulous and more and more people, held up in the gridlock, kept pouring into the stadium. The fans did not let the team down, even in freezing temperatures! What a night for Willie! Ben and Charlie were fantastic! Everything clicked and Hines could be seen, cheering on his teammates, right on the sideline. After the game, we had to walk to the T station and then had to walk about 2 miles from the T station. My toes finally warmed up during the walk, but my butt was so cold, it was like an icecube! I love this city!

One parting picture:

A crocheted elf my mother's good friend, Ona, made for me (and two like it for my sisters)when we were wee ones. It had Life Savers roll candy in the arms and legs. She lived across the street and always made us such nice things. I remember the cake that looked like a bunny for Easter with coconut frosting. Her husband, Mike, made candles and my mother still has a set of nativity candles he made for her. The paint has peeled off them in places but they are still beautiful. They were such good people and I feel so lucky to have had a chance to share some space for a time on this lovely earth with them. This little elf always makes my holidays complete! He wishes you some holiday cheer too.

Let it snow...

First thing's first, way to go STEELERS!! Can't wait for the game this Thursday! Except it's awful cold around here suddenly. My thoughts are, if it's gotta be cold at least there should be snow.

I need to get working on my knitting! I've been so preoccupied of late, I yearn for a nice day by the Yule tree and fireplace with vegan hot chocolate, some pistachios and some knitting. So that's it--I've taken off Thursday, will spend my day knitting without feeling any guilt whatsoever about not moving from the couch and spending the night at the football game. My cats will be so happy!

Lately I've been all sorts of not right. I am super stressed out about my job and having weird dreams and sleep that is not restful. Please think some kind thoughts my way!

OK, on to some Super-Incognito Holiday Gifts 2006 Knitting. And why are you reading this anyway, you should be getting to work on yours, too!