A Taste...

Here's a lil' taste. This is a sample, a tiny speck of a sample, of a day in the life of me, a Customer Service Specialist at an esteemed ER animal clinic.

"__ Vet, this is Ms. Knitsburgh, can I help you?"

"Yeah, I was told by my doctors to call you, even they can't help me. I got bit by my friend's ball python. They told me to call you, what should I do?"

"Ma'am, we don't treat humans here, I would recommend you make an appointment with your doctor or go to the ER."

"Well, the bite is little and clean."

"Again, I would recommend you be seen by a doctor. The fangs can puch bateria deep into the skin and it could get infected even if it looks clean..."

"Well I don't think it is going to be a big deal, it looks fine..."

"Well, you can do whatever you like. Goodbye."

That's just a sample. Never mind the man who called me just to ask how to calculate sales tax. Or the man who wanted a family special. It's all special, all day long, all the time.

Something Wicked This Way Comes...

Crystal water turns to dark
Where ere it's presence leaves it's mark
And boiling currents pound like drums
When something wicked this way comes...

A presence dark invades the fair
And gives the horses ample scare
Chaos rains and panic fills the air
When something wicked this way comes...

Ill winds mark it's fearsome flight,
And autumn branches creak with fright.
The landscape turns to ashen crumbs,
When something wicked this way comes...

Flowers bloom as black as night
Removing color from your sight
Nightmarish vines block your way
Thorns reach out to catch their prey

And by the pricking of your thumbs
Realize that their poison numbs
From frightful blooms, rank odors seep
Bats & beasties fly & creep

'Cross this evil land, ill winds blow
Despite the darkness, mushrooms glow
All will rot & decompose
For something wicked this way grows...

I am reading. Reading in the kitchen while my teakettle heats. Reading at the table waiting for Nature Boy to serve up the dinner. Reading when I should be sleeping, even reading while knitting.


Why, you ask?


Well, I am going to see a musical this weekend. And in my mind I need to read the book first, or it will all be ruined. I'm one of the breed who usually like the book better than the movie, play, what-have-you. If I see it, then I will never go back and read the book which would have been infinitely better. So I am reading because of that.

Plus this came in the mail today:

A double whammy. So torn about which to read! I am still working on Sock #1 of Pair O'Sox. I hope to return to knitting full force once this reading jag is through.

Speaking of, I recently tore through three novels by Jules Watson. They take place in Scotland during the time of the Roman invasions and I could not put them down or read them fast enough. My local library is so sick of me, seems I'm requesting book after book from them of late!

I have been checking out some knitting and sewing books to see if they are worth the purchase and so far nary a one is looking like something I'd want taking up precious space on my bookshelf.

My sleep has been fretful, eluding me and then driving me mad with strange dreams. I am very frustrated of late in one area of my life and am trying to figure it out. It still amazes me, a former student of psychology, how the mind can irritate, aggravate and unnerve every inch of one's bodily systems, from digestion to immune system, circulatory to muscular/skeletal.

Oh well--off to read a little more and then try for some sleep, I work a dreaded 12-hour shift tomorrow and will be alone all morning to boot. No wonder a girl can't sleep!

Out of the Trees

Back from a recent camping trip with Nature Boy, Ms. Knitsburgh feels rested and re-connected with the universe. Here are some highlights of the trip:
The lake:
Spores!
Little hop-toad:
No balloon but found the note:
Fuzzy caterpillar:
Salamander!

As you can see, some knitting was accomplished. I turned the heel of Sock #1 in Pair O'Sox. Now on to the toe...at this rate, I hope they are finished before flip flop season begins anew!

So I recently joined up with Ravelry. I "applied" back in March but never responded to the invite and decided to finally get in the door and see what the fuss is all about. Holy crikey! I've been in Ravelry almost non-stop. Why did I not listen to the whispers and rumors about the super goodness of it all? The patterns, the patterns, the patterns! Seems someone there stole my name from me. If you are on Ravelry, you can find me listed under "Knitsburgher." Friend me up!

In other news, I've been gathering flower seeds and tomato seeds in preparation for the Spring. It's been getting much colder here and is much darker in the morning when I wake up. It can only mean one thing...winter is at the doorstep. I like the turning of the wheel and the seasons changing and all that, but I'm sorry, I much prefer warm and hot weather than cold. And if it's gonnna be cold there better be snow covering everything.

Merry Harvest Moon!

To learn more, click http://www.earthsky.org/.
Go outside and look up already!!!

Bad Vegan!!!

Being a vegan isn't as hard as one might think. On most days. Here is my sordid confession of my downfall.

It all happened at Irish Fest. I was happily enjoying a plain baked potato. No butter, no sour cream for this staunch vegan. I was walking across the lawn to join Nature Boy who was eating lots of different animals in a bowl. And then I saw it.

My clan's tie. Hanging on a display in the back of a vendor booth. It called my name, I swear it.

I walked closer, fingered the fabric and shuddered. I knew it but had to look. Damn it was wool! I swear my ancestors whispered in my ear, get this, wear this, be proud of this. And so I faltered, purchasing this tie of wool. I tell myself, I will wear it and pass it down and if my sisters don't have kids, I'll ask them to tie it 'round my neck for the wake.

And you thought I ate a steak or something, didn't you? Pshaw!!!

So here is the new McPherson clan tie, in the dress tartan. I could not bring myself to don the hunting tartan, you see. Also hanging with it is my latest sewing project, a long shirt. In the background, note the newest addition to our family, a happy fern I call Reilly. She hangs too high up for evil Madison Penelope to destroy her. She did try for some time to get to her, then ran off to forge some other evil plan of destruction.


Here is Sock #1 in the Pair O'Sox, stretched over the kittens' Oral Hygiene Solution bottle so you can see the pattern a little better. It's from a former Interweave Knits pattern.


On the knitting topic, I seem to knit things from Interweave Knits all the time. The other publication I subscribe to, Vogue Knitting, usually doesn't inspire me so much. Sadly, I can't not re-subscribe and just did so this week...I think I need more strength to resist here. Anyone else have this problem? I really think Vogue Knitting sucks but can't let it go.

I leave you with some of my last flowers and some shots from the garden, highlighting the heirloom tomatos we grow from seed each year. Nature Boy and I are off for more camping this weekend and I hope we don't spend the whole time a soggy tent while it pours out there...

Recap

So here I write as I wait for NKOTB to appear on the Today show.

Where have I been, you ask?

Everywhere!

First, we went here:




Old Home's Day with Nature Boy's Family. I had a great time, despite preparing myself for agony. A long weekend with all of his clan in a tiny home where you can't flush the toilet because you have to conserve the well water does not ordinarily make for the best of conditions. However, it was fun and I think I might even go back next year! Oh, I won a flower arrangement and a plastic shelving unit too.

Next, we went to the woods! Camping! I seem to have lost these pictures during the Great Computer Crash of 2008. We missed the blueberries by a week or two, I'd say. We hiked through the forest and saw many different birds. I startled a deer and he startled me with a loud noise, like a grunty-huffy noise, before he ran. We also got to hear and see a bajillion bullfrogs on the lake at night while a gorgeous full moon floated above in the sky with all the stars. We made yummy food over the campfire and stayed up late soaking in the night around us.

Lastly, we came here:




Back to the beach. It was good, it was bad. It was enlightening. The ocean was beautiful and on the last day, we dove down under the water with Nature's Boys Dollar Store facemask (which works suprisingly well) and peered face to face with many diffent fish, blue crabs and skates. I came back feeling closer to someone I'd felt estranged from, but newly estranged from one I have always had a bond with. We are very glad we went and got to spend a week on the shore and fling ourselves into the waves again!

So what have I been up to since my return to Knitsburgh? I've been sewing a bit, sadly, not knitting very much though. I guess I'm in a knitting slump. I'm still on Sock #1 from the Pair O'Sox. I will post some pics of my sewing perhaps tomorrow. I'm working on laundry, then shower, then grocery shopping before I go to work at noon. I am not sleeping well of late and have a bit of a cold so I am exhausted right now.

Oh, special thanks to our fantastical neighbor for spending hours fixing our old, tired computer!!! We cannot express our thanks enough (although I still yearn for that sweet little blue wireless laptop...).

I Can't Sleep!!!

Ok, since I'm awake I will update you on all the happenings in the Knitsburgh area. Especially for those out-of-towners who rely on this publication to keep track of things. I know it's hard to keep up with all of the hullabaloo here.

First off: Vegas, baby!

A great time was had, though Ms. Knitsburgh did not become any wealthier. Ms. Knitsburgh did come home with a sweet lil' fridge magnet, an exciting thimble and one hell of a tan as proof of her long jourey. Let's also add that it really is not fun to fly, ever. And people should not be walking down the street with a stroller and a baby at 2AM no matter how many neon lights are blinking. Nature Boy learned he should use sunscreen or pay the price. Also, mojitos poolside are always a good idea, but don't go down the waterslide with it, ok?

The Fourth was of course very exciting, as usual, with Kay's Birthday, the country's birthday and the greatly anticipated annual Westoreland Arts and Heritage Festival. The fireworks were grand, the beer was cold and the crafts were smokin' and not necessarily in that order. Not to mention the yumm-tacular food. I had a pita wrap, corn on the cob, spiral cut fries and watermelon. Delicious!

On to the Project Corner. Or shall we say, Finished (finally) Project Corner:
That's the Green Chemise. In all her green glory. Finished and seamed on the plane rides (that's right, had a dreaded stopover in Charlotte)back from Vegas. Took me almost two freakin' weeks to finish the 73 inch I-cord! Do you know how much I loathe I-cord now? Almost as much as sleeves---yeah, that's serious!!
Here is Nature Boy's radiator cover for the Knitsburgh dining area:
I made the cushion. It's for the cats to sit upon as they gaze out across the estate grounds. It's also to hide the radiator from sight. Except the cars do not like it and even though three of them have been forced upon it, they would not stay, not even for a full minute. They just run away and come back later and sit on the hard window sill. Ingrates!!!

Ammended entry:

Ok, so Madison Penelope likes it. On HER terms, of course!!!