Wrapped Around My Finger

Stella, Ginger and Maud

2012-01-02T08:09:00.013-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! I trust everyone had a good Christmas and that Santa Yarn was generous this year?

Here's to a happy, safe and prosperous 2012! I have only good vibes about this upcoming year. After all, 2011 won't be going down in the books as my most stellar year...2012 can only be better and brighter!!!

"Are we going to wish everyone a happy 2012?"

"Gandalf's in my spot."

"Yeah, well Malcolm's in mine."

"I'm just trying to exit gracefully...boys are such dweebs..."

"...they be hatin'..."

I actually made it to midnight this year. Probably because I had company.

Ms. Sasha!

And Little Miss Bella!

Mr. Gandalf was a rather ungracious host. Hissing at poor Bella...

"What? I can't come on too strong with Bella just yet."

Malcolm kind of growled at her, but when she'd get closer to investigate, he'd take off and hide. Mae was completely disinterested. Too many people, too many animals, and the girl needed her beauty sleep. Atticus couldn't have cared less, as long as the young whippersnapper didn't play with his tail, call him Mr. Poppin' Fresh (which Sasha's Dad did...hee hee), or otherwise be too loud and excitable.

So! As the title suggests, I have a few introductions to make!

(No. Not a kitten. Why do I always feel I have to include that statement? Oh right. My past history with homeless kittens.)

First of all, meet Stella!

Stella is my second hand "Leclerc Bergere" hybrid loom! Yay! I bought her second hand off of Kijiji. I've been wanting to learn how to weave for a long, long time now. I was actually looking for a second hand sewing machine when I came across Stella. It's missing one or two accessories - nothing too costly - but all of the main parts are there. The woman who owned it before tweaked the original Bergere loom to suit her needs, but it works perfectly. It suits my needs - I'm not going to be weaving reproductions of 12th century tapestries after all.

I now understand and better appreciate anyone who takes up knitting or any other craft, and how daunting it must be when faced with a slew of new terms, charts and equipment. I did pick up a good book on learning to weave, and just reading the section on loom terms gave me a headache. I haven't been able to sit down and put some of the basics into practice yet (like threading the warp...don't ask), but now that the holidays are over, I should be able to soon! I'm so excited!

And meet Ginger!

Ginger is my new cane! Sad? NO! It's actually making my life much easier. My right hip/groin/lower back area were always aching because of my limping and hobbling. Using the cane has pretty much eliminated those pains, and my right arthritic knee isn't as sore by the end of the day. I found out from the Orthopedic Surgeon that most of that secondary pain is due to my leg not being able to straighten out properly because of the arthritis in the knee. In effect, my whole right side is shorter than the left. Limping made it worse. I never realized that my leg no longer straightened out while standing to the same degree as my left one until he explained it to me.

I'm guessing this was clincher in his decision to perform TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY ON MY RIGHT KNEE!!!! (Yes, I'm yelling! Because this makes me so happy!!!!!) Finally. Some GOOD news. I saw him just before Christmas. My x-rays showed more growths and that my knee cap was just floating in a mass of messy ick, and that it had shifted over to the left and had somehow managed to turn itself almost completely on its side. Fun!

Can you tell how happy this makes me?!! Sure. They're going to saw my bones apart, stuff screws and glue in my leg bones, leave me with an 8" scar, and I'll be using a walker/crutches/then a cane for weeks afterwards, but I don't care! I'm just so stoked at the prospect of being pain-free, and getting my mobility (and life) back. It was the perfect Christmas present.

As for the when, I don't know yet. The office is closed until later this week, so I should find out soon. I'm also going to put myself on the cancellation list, so if someone cancels their surgery, I could get in sooner.

*wiping away tears of joy*

With all of these going-ons of late, I'm amazed I've been able to concentrate long enough to knit anything! But, since finding out that I will be having the surgery, a big weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, and I'm finding that my ability to focus has returned.

Meet Maud!

Maud is one of the newest designs offered by my beloved Virtual Yarns. I've started the cowl, and once that has been completed, I'll move on to the gloves. Which should be interesting for a few reasons:

1. Although I've knit quite a few pairs of mittens in my time, I've never knit gloves.
2. Gloves + Canadian Winter = Stupid
3. ((((2 colours + small DP needles) x 5 per glove) + (Brigitte + low patience)) x 4 curious cats) x 2 = Should be really interesting...

Maybe I'll just move on to the hat once the cowl's been completed.

That I get any knitting done some days is pretty amazing. Good thing I have another comfortable chair in the living room...

Winthrop and Bella

2011-11-27T05:15:00.016-05:00

Malcolm sure does love his box.

Dozens of soft, comfy places around the apartment, yet he gravitates towards his Grocery Gateway delivery box, that sits on a hard table. I tried putting in a liner from one of the cat beds? He was having none of it, and was seriously offended. I removed it, and he resumed napping in his happy place.

I knit precious little over the summer. As you can well imagine. Most of what I did consisted of small, mindless projects. To be honest with you, I don't think anything I may have started during that time survived the wrecking ball. Either too ambitious, or not ambitious enough... Everything was in fits and starts.

I'd decided to do a little yarn stash re-org, which was very therapeutic. I thrive on organizing, reorganizing, and making things look organized. I'm weird that way. I figure it's a bit like Christmas, rediscovering yarn you'd forgotten about, and neglected projects you'd hidden away. A few of those neglected projects found their way back into my WIP bin. I was quickly reminded why I'd hidden them away in the first place. *sigh*

One of the forgotten yarn stashes I'd found was a bunch of "Felted Tweed Aran" from Rowan. Nice stuff - soft enough, good colours, and just enough of a wool content to keep my inner yarn snob satisfied. Of course - no clue why I'd purchased it in the first place. May have even been a gift, who knows?

So, I made this!

Cute, huh?! A pretty simple and easy knit, it's call "Winthrop". Interesting construction, knit in one piece from the bottom up. The sleeves are knit separately, then attached as you reach the underarm. From there, decreases are made at regular intervals by simple k2tog's until you reach the neckline. It makes a lovely A-line, swing jacket that fits very nicely! The neckline's a bit large for my liking, so I'll be adding a button or two up top to keep it from riding down my shoulders. It was a quick knit, I think I'd whipped it up in a couple weeks, give or take.

But that Felted Tweed Aran? One slippery yarn, let me tell you. Probably because of all of the (*gasp*!) viscose in it. Oh. And the other, uh, issue I have with this yarn? The 25-freakin' % angora. God love the little bunnies, but man oh man - never will I use a yarn with angora in it again, unless it's a yarn that has pictures of angora bunnies hopping around on the label. Sheds ridiculously.

But yay for a finished piece of knitting!

It's been exciting these past few weeks! Sasha, my neighbour Brian's dog, has a new baby sister!

Her name is Bella.

"Hi Bella, well aren't you just the cutest little ki..."

"STRANGER DANGER!! STRANGER DANGER!!"

"No Bella, I'm your Auntie Brigitte!"

"I need an adult!"

"Don't mind her, she's a bit...um...high-strung. And slow. No Bella, this is our Auntie Brigitte! She comes over in the evenings when Dad's at work to let me outside."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Now say hello, and be nice."

"OK, Sasha. Hi Nice Lady! Don't mind the mess around here, Daddy's renovating!"

"Much better Bella. Now, Auntie Brigitte and I are going outside for a bit."

"You don't want to use my box, Sasha?"

"No. No...I'm good, kid."

"She's right behind me, isn't she? Going after my tail? Can we go now?"

"...eeeeeeeeheehee...!"

Now that she's used to me, she's a little cuddle-muffin, that Bella. She'll run up to the door when I come down in the evenings, and purr like a machine. She's so cute! And she'll

"Hey! Remember us?? HEY!! Mom! MOM! Dammit... Hey Brigitte!!"

Sasha, who had a few litters of puppies at a puppy-mill before being rescued, is very patient and gentle with Bella. And Bella? She sure loves her some Sasha! Sleeps with her, follows her around, plays with her tail. And Sasha just lets her. Once she gets tired of it, she'll put her in her place, much like she would have with her puppies. It's really something to see.

"I for one would like to meet this Bella. She sounds cute."

"You're not helping, Gandalf!"

"So, can I come up and hang out with you and the dudes for awhile, Auntie Brigitte? You know...at least until Bella's finished running around and falls asleep?"

I have some major cleaning to do today. Brian ripped out some walls yesterday, and I now have a fine layer of dust in my kitchen and living room. Ugh. Time to bring out Mr. Scary (the vacuum), and Mrs. Less-Scary-But-Not-By-Much (the steam mop). The guys are gonna love that.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Presenting...

2011-10-26T06:55:00.017-05:00

The Super-Friends!

"...Heeeere we are! Born to be kings, we're ...nananana... the Universe!..."

"No Malcolm! We're not playing Highlander! This is the first meeting of the Super-Friends, Operation No More Crappy Food!"

"But Atticus, I want to be Immortal! I have inside me blood of kings! HEY!"

"Dibs on Wonder Woman."

"Yeah yeah Gandalf, you can be Wonder Woman. Now where's Mae?? We can't have a meeting of the Super Friends without Mae!! MAE!"

"Waddup, Ladies?"

"C'mon, it's time for our Super Friends meeting. We have to figure out a way to get Mom to stop buying that crummy low-calorie food."

"Really. "Super Friends"? What are we, 5? And are those...cankles...you have there, Atticus?"

"Ha ha Atticus! You have cankles! Hee hee..."

"You're not helping, Wonder Woman. I do not have cankles!"

"...I have no rival, no man can be my equal...nananana...future of your world..."

"You guys are lame. Fine. Eat the crummy low-calorie food then. I'm going for a nap."

"...I am Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod...and I am Immortal!! *snore*..."

"...you're a wonder, Wonder Womaaan..."

And in the end, the Super Friends decided that there best bet would be the tried and tested method.

Ignore it in the hopes it will go away. It hasn't.

"So, you doing better, Mom?"

"I am Mae, thanks. Things worked out for the best."

"So, you're not going to court?"

"Nope! Remember? My ex-company settled at the 11th hour."

"Oh right. I'm supposed to remember that. Geez lady, I sleep 20 hours a day. Anyway, well you have really good friends you know."

"I do, and I'm very fortunate."

"Say thank you."

"Yes Mae, you're right. I do want to thank all of my wonderful friends who were so supportive of me during that time."

"So, what now? You gonna stay at home with us?"

"Next post, Mae. Next post."

"Oh. And uh, Mom?"

"Yes Gandalf?"

"Um, I say this with nothing but love and respect, but really. You need to get out more."

"...patience, Highlander. You have done well..."

What Do Lawyers, Seizures, and Streakers Have in Common?

2011-08-14T03:31:00.012-05:00

They've all been part of my summer so far.

"Do you think they missed us?"

WOW. Where to start?

Lawyers. Or, lawyer, to be precise.

Here's a rundown of what's been going on. I think most of you are aware of the condition of my right knee - extensive arthritis, and needing a knee replacement. Sometime in late April, I went to my doctor for my yearly checkup, and she was a tad concerned. My blood pressure was very high, I was in a lot of pain, I'd gained a lot of weight from the previous year; really, I wasn't doing too well. I had just started going into the office 3 days a week per my manager's request, and it was taking a toll on me (normally I work full-time at home). Because of the location of my arthritis, I have a hard time sitting for any length of time with my knee bent. So, the simple act of sitting on the streetcar to go into the office was difficult. Then add in sitting at a desk with my knee bent (I have a pretty sweet setup here at home to elevate my knee), coming home on the streetcar, and then having to do it all over again the next day? It wasn't long before I was exhausted, in constant pain, and stressed beyond normal limits.

So, my doctor sent me home, armed with a prescription for Naproxen (an anti-inflammatory), a referral for physiotherapy and a strict warning about my blood pressure.

"Should we wake him up and tell him he looks like an upside down pineapple cake lying like that? And that Mom's taking his picture??"

"Shhh Mae! Why?"

I booked my first appointment for physiotherapy, and started taking the Naproxen (an anti-inflammatory) to help with my arthritis pain. And I still continued going into the office downtown 3 days a week. And finding it very hard.

At what point did this all go down the toilet? Around this time. I developed an allergy to the Naproxen, leaving me with no form of pain control for my arthritis. I'd started the physio (which was a good thing), but found it very hard coupled with work. So I made the decision to take a Short Term Disability leave of absence from work. That way I could concentrate on my health for a bit, and try to at least learn how to better live with my arthritis through the physio. Doing both (work and physio) was almost counter-productive.

To say my manager was none too pleased about me going off for 4 months is an understatement. Once he'd found out, he made it his mission in life to make my life miserable. In the space of 5 days, he made things so difficult for me that I had to go on my short-term disability 2 weeks early.

I was a mess.

Things didn't go quite as planned with the short-term disability; I'll spare you the details. Once I'd decided to come back, I figured I'd be able to at least return back to the way things were - working full-time at home. I would not be able to continue physiotherapy, but at least working at home would save me from the pain of having to commute. I could still do some physio exercises at home. But, my manager had other ideas.

He decided that nope, he would not honour my Teleworking Agreement. He still insisted that once I returned to work, I should come into the office 3 days a week. I reached out to our Human Resources department to have them intervene and help out with this, but. They were no help at all. Despite knowing my history, and the fact I had a signed agreement to work at home, they still sided with my manager. I felt backed into a corner. How could I possibly go back to working downtown for 3 days a week, when doing so previously made me sicker than ever?? I would not be able to work at that pace, and I'd probably end up having to quit. I had no one on my side.

So, I hired someone. I decided to engage a lawyer. I explained the situation, and that I felt I was being forced out of a job because I had a disability. And he agreed. For once, I didn't feel like an idiot, wondering if it was just me who was feeling as though I was being singled out, or even if I was overblowing the whole situation. Not only was he on my side, so was the law.

I do have to mention one thing here. Did my manager do everything he could to wield his over-blown sense of power over me, and make my life miserable? Well. I couldn't help but wonder why, of the 4 or so other Teleworkers that report to him, he chose to single me out for this treatment. I was the only one who had a medical reason for teleworking. I do believe he relished kicking me when I was down. I guess he never expected me to kick back.

I have to skip through the details, but what I can say is that my company will need to agree to terms of my employment severance, or we will commence litigation in the courts against them.

To say it's been a difficult summer for me... I'm constantly stressed, I had to quit physiotherapy, I'm not sleeping well, and I'm broke. And I cannot wrap my head around how a loyal employee of 18 years with an excellent work record can be so backed into a corner and forced out of her job by a new manager who'd not even been with the company 5 minutes. How does that happen? I still can't fully grasp that one. Call me naive. But I really thought loyalty counted for something.

"I for one love that Mom's here ALL THE TIME!! (Oh, and am I pretty, or what?!)"

All I can do is take it one day at a time. Some days are good, others not so much. I still wonder at how things can go from bad, to worse, to the shit-pile (pardon my french) in such a short period of time. I'm fortunate to have good friends who are there for me, help however they can, and listen to me yammer on about the good, and the bad. And that will help see me through this, right to the end and after. The end is in site - the deadline for my company's final offer is this week. If they miss the deadline, or if it's not acceptable, then we proceed with litigation.

Oy. My head hurts.

And as if that weren't enough stress and drama.

A month or so ago, I was in the kitchen when I heard someone heaving in the living room. I went to have a look at who it was, and thought - I'll let them finish, then clean up the inevitable mess. It was Gandalf. I went back into the kitchen, and heard a bang as he somehow rammed himself into the bathroom door (scaring the bejeesus out of poor Malcolm). Just as I went over to see what was going on, he got up, stumbled a few feet, and fell onto his side.

He then lay there for at least 30 seconds - his head bobbing, his legs flopping around, and drooling. Before I could react, he got up, and somehow managed to make his way through the kitchen, to the back door. I say "somehow" because he could barely walk - his back legs were giving out, and he was wobbly. Once there, he plopped down next to the door, drooling and hissing and growling.

Gandalf. Growling.

I knew something was seriously wrong. I had to close the kitchen door leading to the back door entrance; I was afraid he'd lash out at one of the Mr. Curious' that were hanging around, or me. I checked on him every minute or so, and each time I did he'd hiss and growl, and he was still puffed up and drooling. This went on for about 10 minutes. I was about to look up what to do in this situation when I peeked in again, and saw a perfectly normal, laid back Gandalf, looking a me and meowing. I cleaned him up, gave him a drink of water, and he went on his merry way as though nothing had just happened.

I spoke to the Emergency Veterinary Clinic (this happened on Sunday), and they told me that it sounded like Gandalf had had a seizure. I took him to see his vet the next week, and she said the same thing. Without further testing (which I couldn't afford due to this whole legal mess with my workplace), she couldn't tell if there was anything physically causing the epilepsy. They did take blood and urine (he LOVED that, let me tell you), both of which came back normal, and her physical exam didn't reveal anything. If he should have another grand mal episode, to just let him be, keep the other guys away from him, and monitor him afterwards. Fortunately, there hasn't been another one.

Gandalf is the most laid-back and loving of all the guys. And to see this happen to him was heart-breaking and very scary. Poor little man...

"My brain misfired."

"...there's an understatement..."

"What was that, Atticus?"

"Nothin', nothin'. Just saying that yeah, it was your brain. Overloaded. Like Malcolm gets when he sees too many squirrels at once outside the window."

"No! It wasn't like that! Malcolm's a weenie. I am NOT a weenie. I have a condition. So you must be nice to me at all times. Or I'll tell Mom."

"Uh huh. I see your mouth move but I'll I'm hearing is wah wah wah. Let me sleep."

"I am not a weenie! MOM!!"

Enough with the drama! All I want is a calm, peaceful day without the burden of the looming possibility of a long, drawn out court case, or worrying about not having any money coming in, or sick cats, or the ever-present pain of arthritis, and the lying awake at night thinking about my future. How 18 years with a company has been flushed down the toilet.

I would say to myself - you know, things could be much worse. And there are people who have to deal with a day to day reality that sucks even more than yours does right now. But you know what? This is my reality. And it's the only one I have to deal with. And it does suck.

Let me end on a lighter note.

A couple of weeks ago, I went out onto my deck to check on my laundry drying, when I heard a bit of shouting in the distance. I looked over, just in time to see a guy running through our backyard - naked. I watched as he sprinted across the yard, hop the fence to my neighbour's backyard, run through theirs, hop the next fence, and so on. My neighbour Rhonda, who had just come home from work, was standing by her car with the same confused look on her face that I must have had. (She would have been about 2 minutes away from letting Leika, their German Shepherd, outside. Had she been in the yard, it would have been game over for this guy. In so.many.ways.). I went down to ask her if she'd just seen what I'd seen, and as we were talking, 2 police officers and a man came running up the drive asking if we'd seen the naked runner. We pointed them off in his direction.

We later heard what had happened. Apparently, this guy broke into his girlfriend's house, to uh, wait for her to come home. Only the father came home first. They eventually caught up with him an hour or so later.

Whoops. Now there's someone you want to bring home to meet Mom and Dad.

Believe me when I tell you that this summer? Less than stellar for me.

Before I go, I'd like to introduce you to someone.

This is Minou (which is french for "Kitty"). She's my neighbour Diane's cat (Diane moved into my old apartment). Minou, an indoor cat, had the bad habit of bolting out the door every time it opened, and roaming the backyard. She'd put up such a fuss about wanting to be outside (she has the cutest little mew!), that Diane decided to buy her a little harness, and a leash.

And she's as happy as a clam. She's so funny, batting at the bugs, sniffing everything, and whacking Sasha on the nose if she gets to close.

I try to imagine trying to put any of my guys in a harness and on a leash. I doubt it would end well for me. They're content to be out on the deck with me when I brush them, and that's about it.

So my friends, there you have it. A long post explaining what I did with my summer vacation. I've learned that I'm much more resilient and stronger than I ever thought I was. And that counts for something.

Unfortunately, my knitting has taken a bit of a hit during all of this. My concentration has been lacking, and I haven't managed as much as you'd think. But! There are things to show, and I will get back to showing it off next time around.

In the meantime - thanks for reading!

So It's Really Been Awhile...Whoops

2011-04-10T07:14:00.015-05:00

I really had no intention of letting my blogging go for as long as I have.

What can I say? I've been having a tough time focusing lately. There's been a lot on my plate, and a lot I've had to deal with. Sometimes I find myself a bit overwhelmed by it all, and I shut down. Which means to say I keep to myself, mopping and being unproductive and anti-social. Probably not the best way of dealing with things, but it doesn't happen often. It's not a state of depression, it's more that my brain can't cope with the overload, and decides that instead of playing 52-pickup, it's going to just work it out in time. Like unraveling a tangled skein of yarn.

I think what triggered it was my visit to an Orthopedic Surgeon in late January. I have developed extensive inflammatory osteoarthritis in my knees, and it's particularly bad in my right one. So bad in fact I need to have knee replacement surgery. The surgeon was very surprised to see such extensive wear and tear on someone as young as I am. But there are 2 problems.

Firstly - because I'm only 42, they're reluctant to perform the surgery. I'm too young, and the replacement joint will only wear out and need replacing in x-amount of years. OK. So, how bad does it have to be before my age is no longer an issue, I asked.

"So bad that your quality of life is impacted to the point you have difficulty or cannot perform everyday tasks."

REALLY??? And right now, my life is so hoppin' that I can barely keep up??? I left, shaking my head thinking - wow, this is nuts. I face not being able to do the things I love to do in the summer - long walks, cycling - because as it is now, I'm not in enough pain to justify surgery??

I have to say, that did not make me happy. Enter brain, not being able to wrap itself around this.

And secondly? All that doesn't matter because of my polycythemia. The lovely bone marrow disorder I have that wreaks havoc on everything. Because I'm at an increased risk of hemorrhage, and my hematocrit is too high, I'm not a candidate for surgery anyway.

Win-win.

Brain mush.

So, needless to say, this put me in somewhat of a funk. I absolutely hated the feeling of having no control over my life. It just didn't make any sense to me. Yes, it could be a lot worse. But for the first time in my life, that thought meant nothing to me.

"Mom was bummed."

But, little by little I worked it out as best I could. Enter my GP doctor to the rescue. She's sending me to a sports medicine clinic, and to physiotherapy. At least I can try and get some mobility. At least I'm doing something. The damage to my knee is irreversible, but I can at least try to make it easier to live with.

And, to help my health along - I did do something good! (See? It's not all bad!)

Lookie!

Wow Brigitte, fruits and vegetables?

No sillies! They're the raw ingredients for my new toy.

My Omega Juicer, the Cadillac of juicers. Mmmm...green juice...

I was having a hard time with my appetite, and as a result, I wasn't eating properly. Some days, my stomach wants nothing to do with solid food. So, I scraped together my pennies, and bought this lovely model. And it is without a doubt some of the best money I've ever spent (next to yarn, of course). It's quick, quiet, and easy to clean. And - it gives me the nutrients I need.

This morning? I had an apple, pear, carrot, swiss chard, collard greens and parsley cocktail.

Mmmmm...appetizing green juice...

It may not look all that appealing, but trust me - once you've tried it, you'll love the difference it makes.

And that's a good thing!

So, did I knit while I was contemplating the meaning of life these last few months? I made some hats for my neighbours who both work for Canada Post. And I plugged away on Fulmar (I know! Can you believe it??!), socks, and other stuff that got started and then frogged. Lots of that stuff... And I made this too -

Oooo, pretty lace scarf! It's a pattern from Fiddlesticks Knitting, one of the 3 Necks-to-You designs. I used 2 balls of Fiddlesticks Knitting Silken Merino in Twilight.

And something else as well, which I'll show you next time.

Good things always come in the mail.

Meet Mavis the Monster, knit just for me by the wonderful Michele. She's a hit with the Little Dudes, although I think they're running her ragged.

"So anyway, I was all - you do that Gandalf and I'm gonna tell Mom! - and he just turned his back on me! ME! It kinda made me sad that he'd diss me that way, but being that I have hopes of one day being a Manly Dude like Atticus, I didn't let my emotions show. But it's hard you know. Is it OK for a boy kitty to cry? Mavis? Are you listening to me?"

"Oh yeah...the ladies always come over to Gan... Whoa, getting a little fresh there, Mavis."

"Let me tell you, it's sooo nice having another girl around here. We can gossip and play with Mom's makeup, and do each other's hair, and...hey, I hope you're not my friend just 'cause of my brothers!"

"Wow Mavis, I'm flattered! It's been awhile since a young lady has asked me out on a date. So...do we hold hands? I think I should ask my Mom first though."

Thanks for listening everyone. And rest assured I'm dealing with things now. Not to say I won't have my funky days, but I now believe that in time, it will get better, and things will work themselves out.

So It's Been Awhile...

2011-03-27T07:57:00.004-05:00

And I'll be back soon!

Promise.

Just working some stuff out.

I would have posted today, but I learned this morning that you need batteries in the camera in order to upload the contents to your computer.

Who knew?

Things Are Starting to Look Normal Again

2011-01-30T08:50:00.010-05:00

Now. Where was I?

I think I was in the middle of knitting something a month or so ago, then stopped for some reason. Oh right. I moved. Again. (Have I mentioned I'm never moving again? Ever?)

Last weekend, I was finally able to do something I haven't been able to do since well before Christmas.

I brewed a pot.

3 teabags of Tetley Bold.

And pulled out a project that would require some amount of concentration on my part.

Donegal.

I scooched Atticus further down the couch.

Scooch, Atticus.

"Hey!"

Sleeping kitties?

Check.

And check.

(That's Malcolm's new favourite spot, on the window sill right behind the couch. He can watch the squirrels without too much exertion.)

And so I parked myself on the couch, kept the remote close by, watched TV and knit.

It was wonderful.

Wonderful, because being the creature of habit that I am, I was able to reassure myself that everything is as it should be. I missed being able to work on my knitting, in particular the more involved projects.

Not to say I've been doing nothing. I've managed to work on some socks, and some stocking stitch stuff. As I was unpacking things, I realized that I have approx. 592 winter hats, and only 4 pairs of mitts. What's more, I seem to have lost a pair of "everyday" mittens that I'd made a few years back that I could wear with 2 of my winter coats. I'm sure they'll turn up in a cupboard or buried in a snowbank in the back yard at some point.

So, I whipped up these guys:

Using some Blue Face Leicester Aran wool from Fleece Artist that I picked up dirt-cheap from The Naked Sheep before it closed down. It was actually a thrum kit for mittens, but thruming is probably only second to intarsia for knitting techniques that make we want to vomit. I used my standard mitten pattern, and decided to do a flare cuff instead of a ribbed one.

I'm very happy with the results. And the colour! I don't know if I would have necessarily even looked at that particular skein had it not been on sale, but I'm glad I did. I love the finished product.

Yay me! And yay for getting back to normal.

Rome Wasn't Built In A Day

2011-01-16T08:40:00.010-05:00

And neither will this place.

Hey! Did you know that nail polish bottles break?

They do!

And what's more?! Only your MAC nail polish bottles, the limited edition colours, to be specific, will break.

So, I've already broken my 3 items for this move (my last move ever. EVER.), so it should be all gravy from here on.

First, let's try to move a shelf with a big plant still sitting on top of it.
Then, let's get really gung-ho about organizing and putting stuff away at 11:30pm, and knock over the basket with all of your nail polish bottles in it. It's right there, sitting on that precarious spot on top of the toilet tank. Oooo, look at the pretty colours! Can't blame that one on the cats!
And lastly, for poops and giggles, let's take an 80-year old mirror out in -14C weather! Neat! Can you hear the crack it makes as you accidentally knock it against your foot?

I am never moving again. Ever. It's done. I was so disorganized, I couldn't go into the office last Thursday (I work at home, and go downtown one day a week), because I couldn't find my laptop bag, or decent non-sweatpants/jammies to wear.

This is my office/yarn storage room a week ago.

And this.

Malcolm's somewhere in that picture.

On the one hand, moving next door is great. You can bring stuff over at your leisure, and you don't have to put too much thought in how you pack things. On the other hand - you get lazy, complacent and disorganized.

This is the same room today.

Considerably better. Although why I have a roll of electrical tape (look on top of the cat thingy) is beyond me. Just one of the interesting things I found.

Right, Gandalf?

"Yup. Got my Snuggi Bear and my bed. I'm good."

I was quite pleased - the Little Dudes adjusted just fine. They slept with me on the couch that first night. 4 cats. 1 human. 1 couch. Guess who got all of the sleep.

But, it's done now. All of my stuff has been moved over. Now it just needs to be organized and put into place.

"You guys OK?"

"Yeah yeah. We're going to explore. Malcolm!"

"MALCOLM!!"

"I'm right here! Stop yelling. What's up?"

"C'mon, we're going to explore stuff."

"OK, cool! Let's knock stuff over too!"

"Well, durr. Of course we're gonna knock stuff over. Gandalf is going to wedge himself in a tight spot and won't be able to get out. Mae says she's gonna just lie there in the middle of the room in the only spot Mom has to maneuver around in. I've got my eye on that container of Mom's straight knitting needles. I'm wondering about the sound it'll make... "

"This is gonna be awesome!!"

OK. Off to try and organize my bedroom. "Try" being the operative word here.

Have a great week everyone!

On Saying No

2010-12-26T08:05:00.011-05:00

Happy Day After Christmas! Did everyone have a good holiday? I did, spending it with my neighbour Brian, his Mom, her dog Rainey, and of course, Sasha.

"Really Sasha."

"Oh, look at this. Honest Atticus, I didn't mean to do it! I just get so relaxed and comfortable here..."

She loves coming over, and the guys are getting used to her being around. Although they draw the line at her scarfing back their food.

It was a good time yesterday. We watched movies ("Red", and "Hot Tub Time-Machine", which despite the name was a very funny movie and a great blast from the past for those of us who were in high school in the '80's), played board games, and ate a lot. Brian deep-fried the turkey, which - gross as it may sound - was outstanding. It took 45 minutes (yes, you read that right) to cook an 9lbs turkey. The scalloped potatoes took longer. Deep-frying the turkey leaves it moist on the inside, and as long as you're not eating the skin, it's not greasy at all. I was so.good. So yeah, I didn't say no to seconds.

I donate monthly to the Toronto Humane Society. Every year around this time, they send me a little package, asking for donations, or to increase my monthly donation amount.

Now, I ask you. If you received this envelope in the mail, as I did, would you not increase your monthly donation amount? The only surprise here is that I didn't sign away my entire paycheck. The THS sure know how to make the most of their marketing dollars. Again I fail at saying no.

Who else has issues with "no"?

"What? 17.8lbs? No, that's not right! I mean, I can't be...really? 17.8lbs?? That's just me on a bad day! Retaining water or something. I mean, c'mon. It's not that I...really? 17.8lbs. Huh."

Yup. Little wee baby Malcolm is now a whopping 17.8lbs. I about fell over at the vet's office when she told me the weight. It's not easy putting one of four cats on a "diet", so I'm trying to do it in such a way that I reduce the amount they're eating, without compromising the weight of the others. Although Atticus could stand to lose a pound or two.

"I beg to differ."

They all get a mix of the old food and the low-calorie one, and a bit less of it too. Some days it's gobbled up, other days they leave some in their dish. So, little by little, I suppose. Unlike Atticus, Malcolm doesn't get crabby when you mess with his food. He may be a bit of drama-queen, but he's pretty easy going.

But. The most monumental example of not being able to say "no" of the last couple of weeks?

No. I didn't get another cat.

No. I didn't get another job.

No. I didn't start spinning (unlike another knitter, who I shall just call Labrain...)

Instead. I decided to swap apartments! AGAIN!

I KNOW!

Yay me!

Yes, that's right. I'm moving, well, swapping apartments really (sounds so much less work), within the next week. This time, it's the upper apartment of the other section of the house. It's an add-on to the original farmhouse which I live in now (which was built in 1892), and was built around 1912. It'll be my second time living in that apartment - I was there from 2003 until late 2005, before I moved into the apartment directly upstairs from where I am now.

Confused?! Don't worry chickens. I am too...

See, here's why. Firstly - it's $100 cheaper a month. Secondly - I loved that apartment while I was there. Of the 3 out of 4 units I've lived in here, it is my favourite. I moved out because of the renovations. Which brings me to the third reason - new bathroom, new kitchen, new mud room leading out to the deck, which is also new. There was no deck when I lived there. And the bathtub? The original, old claw-foot bathtub with one of those nifty rain shower heads. I'm actually not sure what enticed me more - the cheaper rent, or the bathtub.

It has the same square footage as this one does, however the layout of the rooms is different. Here, my office is smaller than my bedroom, at the new place it's the reverse. I don't need such a large bedroom, however I do need a larger office/stash room.

So, have I started packing yet? Not so much as a shred of paper. I have the next couple of weeks to move in slowly, and if I've learned anything from my past 3 apartment swaps, it's that I don't need to pack everything up. And even what will end up going in boxes will not need to be wrapped and ready to go. I want to be in there by next weekend. Mainly because my main moving help will either be away the week after (Brian), or back in school (neighbour James).

As happy as I am, the guys could care less.

These two lumps have lived in that apartment before.

"You like this moving thing, don't you? I guess this way we'll be able to find all of those missing crinkly balls Auntie Chris brought us last year when she came for a visit."

I'm bracing myself - as I move stuff out of here, I'm sure to find not only the missing crinkly balls, but also a quantity of pooplets that Malcolm has batted in spots I wouldn't have suspected.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

After 6 months or so of me thinking he'd grown out of that most annoying of habits, he has started up with digging pooplets out of the litter box again, and playing with them like it's the World Cup.

I'll have a lot of help so that I don't wear myself down. Wish me luck! And next time around, I'll post some pictures of the new digs, and let you see for yourself why I just love that apartment.

Oh! And knitting too!

Always Learning Something New

2010-12-05T18:24:00.010-05:00

"Um, yeah hi. Uh, is this where the Crazy Cat Lady lives? I was uh, talking to Mimi? Anyway, she said I could come here and crash, maybe get some grub..."

"What?? NO! Go.Away. You can't just show up here like that. Crazy Cat Lady, pffft. She's no Lady! She's Mom. Shoo!"

You know, at first I thought that was Mae outside the door. And later on that day? I came pretty close to getting another picture of a handsome tuxedo cat sniffing at the door. It would seem word has gotten out - here be the neighbourhood kitty flop house! LOL. I guess...

It's been a few weeks of new things around here!

A new desk! Well, I actually bought it from my neighbours next door. And I LOVE it. It's got all sorts of neat nooks and crannies to organize things, and it takes up a lot less room. I also get to indulge in another secret love - reorganizing stuff! It's like unpacking after a move, without the move! Yes! I'm weird!!

The other new tidbit I learned? Well, I wouldn't call it a tidbit, because I was so fascinated. See that lavender blob on the desk? It was the start of an outdoor coat I was making - "Tenley", from the latest issue of the Twist Collective. The awesome neato of this pattern? It uses tubular cast on for the ribbing.

Which has to be the coolest cast on. Ever.

I was so enthralled by the process and the seamless results, that even though I ended up frogging it (only because I wasn't too keen on the stitch pattern), I had to photograph it. Only the picture came out blurry, so I'll have to work on getting another.

Regardless. Yeah, it takes a bit longer to do. But it is worth it! Amazing, beautiful results, and well worth the effort.

Who are these people who figure these things out?! Well, who ever did? Really, really awesome job.

What else is new - Atticus?

"Hi, I'm Atticus. I'm a Gemini, and I'm 12 years old. I'm big-boned, not fat; and my likes are long walks to the litter box, curry and tandoori."

And Mae? How about you?

"Hi, I'm Mae. I'm an Aries, and I'm 11 years old. I snore and act out in my sleep; my likes are yogourt and pulling tablecloths off of tables."

Gandalf?

"Hi, I'm Gandalf. I'm a Taurus, and I'm 4 years old. I'm a lover, not a fighter, baby. My likes are kisses and and my Snuggi Bear."

"Oh, and I'm also king. But you knew that already. Again - I'm big-boned, not fat."

He's a mellow man now, our Gandalf. Not the hellion he once was.

What about you Malcolm? What new stuff can we learn about you?

"Hi, I'm Malcolm. I'm a Leo, and I'm 1 year old! I'm awfully cute; and my likes are my Mom, eating and jumping really high in the air for no reason. Oh! And I'm a drama queen."

See? Something new all the time!

"Yeah, forget it. You guys are weird. One of you eats tandoori BBQ, and another one is probably gonna paw me in my sleep and get fresh. I'll take my chances out here. Man, that Mimi is such a liar..."

And next time?! Something else new that I couldn't really properly photograph, but that will be shown off... Ooooo, mysterious...

It's The Little Things

2010-11-14T08:04:00.015-05:00

Has it been that long? I hadn't thought so. It seems at times that the weeks just zip by, and at other times the days drag. Remember when you were a kid, and the time between now and Christmas, or your birthday seemed to take forever?

I've been keeping a low profile of late mainly because I just haven't been feeling that great. I haven't had a reoccurance of the gout (thankfully, oy), but the fatigue is taking it's toll. Plus, it seems my liver is now causing me problems, so it's been an endless round of biopsies, blood tests, doctor visits and the inevitable stress that I really can't afford to allow myself to be under. It's all just a bit overwhelming at times. I'm rarely able to handle a full day without going through a lot of fatigue, usually I have to have a nap at least every 6 hours or so. Some days are better than others; and I'm really hoping that they can figure out how to treat this now that I'm having liver problems. Because I can't imagine that at 42, this is going to be the rest of my life. Work is also a huge stress, due to the push to get things done by the end of the calendar year. Which is nothing new - I've been doing IT stuff for years now - the work stress is a good 90% generated from my wingnut boss, who's trying to change the world by alienating everyone in the process. But - fortunately for me, I work at home 4 days out of 5, and she's easy enough to avoid.

So - one day at a time. I remember all the good in my life, and remind myself that I do have so much to be thankful for. I just need to be patient (not my strongest asset).

Hey! Speaking of kids. For the first time, Malcolm got a reminder in the mail for his annual checkup. I guess that means he's somewhere in the kitty teenaged years now.

"Go 'way, I'm EMO today...my life sucks...hate school...just gonna lie here, and listen to EMO music and read EMO books about vampires. At least they understand me."

Who needs PetSmart when you have really cool boxes to lie around in. The highly coveted item made its debut when I decided to work on this -

That somewhat blurry picture is Donegal. (I'm not one to deny myself the pleasure of something new.) Before I finally settled on this project, I'd gone through a yarn shop's worth of startitis, abandoning projects sometimes after just one evening. *sigh* When I did find something I liked, I'd end up not having enough yarn, or not liking the colours, etc. Or, being disheartened because I'd made a mistake, and just not liking it enough to rip back. I even messed up a pair of Noro Kureyon socks because it seems that a) I forget at times how to read, and b) I'm a weenie. *sigh*

So, Donegal it is. And I'm happy! Happy enough that I picked out/ripped back 8 rounds when I noticed I'd messed up the pattern in the ribbing section. I'm also working on "Stornoway", from Fisherman's Sweaters. There's not much to show for that right now, I'm still working on 3" of ribbing on 2.75mm needles. It could be awhile. But, at least it keeps me happy. And when I'm too tired or feeling clumsy, I just work on socks. I have enough of that kind of yarn to last me a few life times...

And! Just because -

I'm making a pair of those flappy top mittens for my friend Brian (Sasha's Dad). He works outside a lot, and he'd mentioned awhile back that he used to have a pair that he loved. Plus he uh, plays for the other team, so he'll actually notice the quality of the yarn (I'm using leftover 3-ply Hebridean from VY), the variations in colour, will hand wash them when I tell him too, AND make me a cup of tea when I bring them over to him. Can't go wrong there.

Sasha often creeps at my door, wanting to come in for a visit.

"Cats aren't so bad! They sniff butt just like dogs do."

"Don't appreciate you gettin' fresh, Sasha, you're taking liberties and it's not cool!"

The guys are getting used to it. They're not too sure about Sasha's sister Roxy though.

"I smell kitties! I wanna play with the kitties! Kitties kitties kitties!!! KITTIES!!"

They're really not impressed with Roxy scarfing back they're food.

"Talk about bad manners..."

And as if having 2 dogs invade their space wasn't enough.

"Who the hell are you?"

That would be Mimi. Well, that's what I've christened her anyway. No, I haven't gone and adopted a 5th cat. One night, I was getting ready for bed, and I opened the back door to go and unplug my outside string of lights. As soon as I opened the door, this little grey cat came tearing into the house before I even realized she was there (note to self - may be a good idea to look before opening door). She must belong to someone, as she was perfectly comfortable around me, and the guys. She headed straight for their bedtime snack, much to Malcolm's dismay.

"Who the hell are you?"

She then eyed "the box".

"Whoa, whoa there missy. You just keep on eating over there...just keep on eating."

And when I opened the door, she walked out. I've seen her a few more times at the back door. She wasn't scruffy or wild looking at all, which leads me to believe she belongs to someone.

"We shouldn't have let her leave, Malcolm."

"Well, she was eating our food and stuff."

"Yeah well, what do you think's gonna happen now, huh? She's gonna tell all the outdoor cats that some Crazy Cat Lady lives here, and that she's a sucker for any hungry outdoor kitty with a hard luck story. Man, now they're all gonna show up at the door. If it's not dogs, it's cats. What's next? Elephants escape from the zoo and show up here? Geez..."

"That'd be awesome!"

So, despite everything else, things always do manage to remain interesting around here. I will get a picture of Brian's mittens before I pass them on to him, and who knows - by next week, I may have progress to show you. I'm crossing my fingers that the progress I do end up showing you is of the WIPs I've mentioned today. You never know (neither do I, for that matter).

Hi Everybody!

2010-10-10T06:40:00.010-05:00

It's me!

Malcolm, silly.

"Hi!"

I'm hijacking Mom's blog! She's not feeling well today; something about gout in her big toe. I'm not sure what that is, but it's making her crabby! And she's limping and swearing and stuff. I think it has something to do with her polycythemia. Just something she has to get used to now, I guess. I said to her - Mom, why don't you go lie down, put your foot up, pop some pills and let me take over! She just kept dragging her foot and swearing so I figured, why not. I'll take it as a yes.

Guess who came over for a visit this week!?

Sasha! She came over with her Dad Brian, and Leika's big brother James. Leika's this big honkin' German Sheppard who lives next door. But she's really nice and sweet and all, and Gandalf has a crush on her.

"Hi Sasha!"

"Hi Gandalf! Hi Malcolm! Thanks for having me over! It's really raining outside."

"You wanna stay for some noms?"

"OK! Oh, wait, I think my Dad is gonna give me noms when we get home."

"How's your little sister doing?!"

"Roxy? Oh, she's a big pain in the butt. But, she's OK I guess."

Oh! I didn't tell you! One day, a couple of weeks ago, Sasha and her Dad were coming home from the park when this puppy just came out of nowhere, and followed them home! She didn't have a collar, or a microchip either (whatever that is). Mom says it's probably because she has some pitbull in her, and you're not allowed to breed pitbulls in the city of Toronto. So, whoever got her got her off of someone who bred them, and that's not supposed to happen. No one came looking for her, and no one put signs up or anything. But, that's OK. She's also got some Lab in her, and boy, does Mom ever think she's cute! Everyone does! I mean, I look at her from my side of the window, and she's always wagging her tail. Sasha says she's a spaz and a 'tard, but I think she really likes having a little sister. Anyway. Her name is Roxy now. I'll try to get a picture next time. But she's always running around, so sometimes it's hard you know. Everytime I see her outside, I have to remember to go and get the camera and that's kinda hard with no opposable thumbs.

"What did you buy at the store, Sasha?"

"Oh, I don't know. My Dad bought some people food. Is that your food? Kitty food?"

"Uh huh. I think it's Salmon. Help yourself!"

Mae's all - whatever. I think she secretly likes having Sasha over because it means there's another girl around. Ew.

"Don't you be eating my food, dog. I didn't invite you over. Dweeb brothers..."

Mom has been knitting. Honest! I mean, she'd start stuff, and then be all - meh. Then she'd unravel it and start again. But, now she's making these Fair Isle mittens from some Fair Isle book by some lady in Scotland. It's supposed to be the be all to end all! She's liking them. I think she's going to rip them out though, and start over again, because she doesn't like the way the ribbing looks. Humans are so weird. Something about the purl bumps looking messy because of the colour changes. It's not like she has a lot to rip back, she only just started them. And, she's going to use up a bunch of leftover Hebridean 2 ply yarn from that same lady in Scotland! Coooool... And she's also making this red sweater with some Fleece Artist yarn she forgot she even had. I dunno. I remember ALL my toys, so I really don't get how she can forget some yarn she has. Anyway, it's really nice and stuff, so she's making this easy sweater. She's doing it in one big circle, and then when she gets to the underarm, she's gonna slip some stitches on a holder or something, and then go do the sleeves later. Oh, but before she makes the sleeves, she makes the upper part of the sweater. I dunno. I guess I've been watching Mom knit for way too long now. Don't ask how I even know that! She works on that when she's watching stuff on TV.

Guess what else Mom's been doing? And it's been keeping her really busy too. She's been reading these books by some guy named Stieg Larsson. One's about a girl with a dragon tattoo, and in the other one Mom's reading now the girl plays with fire. Oh, and there's another one too that Mom hasn't starting reading yet about the same girl who kicks a hornet's nest. I dunno. Sounds pretty meh to me. But Mom can't get over how good they are. And she reads a lot of books. Whatever. I don't read.

"...stupid books...cuttin' back on my Mom time...bad enough with the knitting all the time...oh, and that work thing..."

OK, I think I'm gonna go now. I'm kinda tired, and I think Mom's gonna go take some Aleve or something for her gout. She's still kinda crabby.

"Take care of Mom, entertain guests when they come over... Eat your dinner Gandalf! Sit on my lap Gandalf! Have a snack Gandalf! It never ends! I'm so busy all the time! I need some me time."

Hey! Wait a sec! Who put that picture up there! (That's my new favourite nap spot. It's the top part from a big paper box! Neat, huh?!)

Anyways! Bye everyone! Thanks for dropping by! And Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends out there. Today is Thanksgiving in Canada, and I know I'm thankful for a lot of things.

Atticus is gonna show Gandalf and I how to get the ice pack out of the freezer for Mom now. Bye! Again!

In Which Malcolm Files A Complaint

2010-09-12T07:06:00.014-05:00

Well, whoops. I hadn't realized it had been so long since I'd last posted.

Malcolm would like to thank everyone for his birthday wishes!

"....mmmffffmphhh...*snore* *snort*...mmmmm...pillows...soft...aahhhhh..."

Besides receiving some toys, Party Mix treats, and a Furminator (ok, that's maybe not just for him), he also received another gift. A coupon for a 10lb, free bag of adult cat food. And not just any kind of cat food - the premium stuff! Worth $45 at the pet store! Must be some pretty awesome stuff! Because he'd been eating their kitten food, once he turned one, the coupon arrived in the mail. Hmmm...let's just call this stuff..."Gym Class Diet". Yeah.

Just because it's premium, doesn't mean it's tasty.

"Well, this sucks ass."

I couldn't even disguise it. Even mixing it with something they liked didn't mask it for them. They wouldn't touch it. Mae ate the odd helping, but eventually peer pressure won over, and soon she was snubbing it too.

"Hello. And thank you for calling Gym Class Diet, makers of premium, high quality cat and dog food! Your call is important to us. Please hold."

"Um, sure. OK."

"...what's up pussy cat, whoaohwhoawhoawhoa, what's up pussy cat, whoaohwhoawhoawhoawhoa..."

"...pussy cat, pussy cat, lalala lalala I do..."

"What are they saying?!"

"...lalalalalalala...Huh? Oh, nothing yet. I'm on hold, listening to some rabbits sing Tom Jones tunes."

"Hello. And thank you for calling Gym Class Diet, makers of premium, high quality cat and dog food! Please state your name."

"Um, Malcolm."

"Hello UmMalcolm. How may I direct your call?"

"No, it's just Malcolm."

"I'm sorry, I did not get that. I heard: JustMalcolm. So, please tell me - how may I direct your call, JustMalcolm?"

"No Dummy! MALCOLM! MAL-COLM!!!"

"I heard: NoDummyMalcolm. If this is correct, press 1, followed by the pound key."

"Fine. *beep beep*."

"OK, NoDummyMalcolm. How can I help you? For example, please say "Spay & Neutering", or "Specialty Items" clearly so I may direct your call."

"...*sigh*...Well, see, for my first birthday you guys sent my Mom a coupon for a big bag of big kitty cat food which was really nice and all and my older brother Gandalf said I had to share it when I got it because they were big kitties and ate big kitty cat food so when Mom went to the store to pick it up and she brought it home I was all like cool! and stuff because I thought, wow, this is like puberty with 'nads and then she opened the bag and put some out for us and really it tastes awful I don't like it and Atticus and Mae and Gandalf don't like it either and who are the kitties you mention on the bag that love the taste that's false advertising..."

"OK. I think you said "Dog Food". If this is correct, press 2, followed by the pound key."

"What?!! No! Not "Dog Food"!! Are you even listening to me?? I said YOUR CAT FOOD TASTES LIKE BUTT."

"And then she just sent me to this department that was all about dog food and collars and Kongs. You know, I don't even think I was talking to a real person! I got nowhere. Guess we'll have to go to Plan B."

Plan B? Well, that consisted of whining non.stop. and trying to trip me any time I walked towards the kitchen.

And this lady?

"Yep, that would be me."

Scratching at my bedroom door. Every morning. Starting at around 3:30am. Give or take a few. And she wouldn't stop. Ever. Until I got up.

So, then I'd get up. Feed them the expensive, but free, food. And then it would start up all over again. The whining. The tripping.

The looks. Or non-looks, if you will.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm ignoring you. However, please feel free to furminate me. I just won't acknowledge your presence. And if I purr, it has nothing to do with you. Because you disappoint me."

In the end, they won. They are back to eating their old, less expensive, probably less healthy, food.

"Aw yeah! 4 against 1! We beat you! We beat you! We wore you down and beat you!"

Happy cats = happy home. Who needs a husband.

And seriously? Knitting? Next week. Really.

It's Been a Year?!!

2010-08-15T07:47:00.010-05:00

Hi Everyone!!!! Guess what?!! IT WAS MY FIRST BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY!!!!!!

Look at how small I was! And cute! Boy, was I ever an adorable little gaffer. Still am, really.

My first year was fun! And confusing too. At times, I thought my name was "ow, dammit Malcolm!", and "Nerf-Ball cut it out!", but I soon learned. I have awesome big brothers and sister. They taught me how to be a big grown up kitty. Not sure why, being a little kitty is a whole lot of fun! Just look at what I got into!

"WHEEEEEEEEEEHEEEEHEEEEE! Look at me Mom!"

And then I found this really cool thing called a "sink". Sometimes there's stuff in there, and I can play around with it and it makes all kinds of neat noises!

"I wonder what this does...?"

After Mom saw me there, I thought my name was "WTF! Malcolm!". It's confusing when you're little, you know.

Anyhoo. Then, I figured out how to jump up on to the table! Mae wasn't too impressed at first, she's was all - stay on your side, dweeb - but I won her over. I'd lie like this, and make googly eyes at her.

"...*plink plink plink*...hi Mae..."

But, when I'd have a bad dream, or sometimes just because, I'd go find my big brother Gandalf, and he'd make it all better! Not like Mom-all-better, but like, just well, better.

Of course, Atticus is pretty awesome too.

And Mae too, when she thinks no one is looking.

So you see, I'm pretty lucky. And happy! Everyone says I'm cute and funny and sweet and stuff, I have a cool Mom who loves me, brothers and a sister who love me, lots of friends, I get to eat yummy food, and I get a bedtime snack too! I get to snuggle on my Mom's tummy, usually when she's knitting. Even though I have toys, I used to play with poop. But I don't any more! And Mom seems to like that I don't. But I still think spiders and toilet paper are pretty neat to play with!

OK! So, yay me! I'm one!

I kinda need a nap now. This is my favourite spot to sleep! Mae says I snore, but I say she's a gassy McFartysons. Hee hee...

Bye everyone! Thanks for stopping by, and being so nice to me all year! I promise I'm gonna have lots more pictures for you.

Love,

Malcolm

Could It Be?!!

2010-08-01T06:54:00.009-05:00

What? A FINISHED project?!!

OK. So it's a hat. But I think this probably marks only the 2nd finished project for 2010.

But it's a mighty fine hat. (Well, I think so anyway.)

Malcolm graciously agreed to model the finished piece.

"No, not really. I'm just to tired to protest."

I finished "Dahlia", one of three designs included in "Hattrick" from Virtual Yarns. I haven't blocked it yet; I'm still looking for a right-sized plate to form it on.

So happy! Love love love! The colours are just beautiful, and work so well together. It satisfied my urge to work on a stranded project, and should keep any more stranded urges at bay until the weather cools a bit. Or so I say. I've been itching to start work on "Donegal", and after all, when it comes to casting on something new, I'm not one to deny myself. I've made that quite clear in the past. *sigh*

"Wow Malcolm, that hat really suits you."

"Really? Oh, thanks Gandalf! Do you think Mom will let me wear it? It's so soft."

"I can't see why not."

I really want to thank everyone for their kind words and wishes re. my polycythemia. I appreciate it so much! It's been a confusing and demoralizing time for me, but having so many friends wish me well means a lot. I had some blood work last week, and my blood counts are starting to come down, which is a positive sign! I have to continue going every 2 weeks until he's satisfied I'm on the right dose, and the medication is working. So far, so good...

"Hi Sasha!"

"Hi Gandalf! Hi Atticus!"

"Do you want to come in and play for a bit? I'll ask my Mom."

"No, I can't, I'm waiting for my Dad. I think we're going for a car ride!"

"The car?!! Oh wow! That's so cool!"

"Sasha, you need to play with your girlfriends, not those dweebs. I'll show you how to groom your paws! It'll be awesome! And we can have a snack too. And then watch Animal Planet, and have a nap! Yay! OK!"

Brian, Sasha's Dad, says that Sasha must have some cat in her, because she's always grooming herself like one. The funniest thing is watching her clean her face - by licking her paw, and rubbing her face with it.

"I'm just a one man wolfpack. Yup. That's me."

(If you haven't seen the movie The Hangover, do yourself a favour, and watch it.)

Have a great week everyone!

"Yeah! Have a great week! I'm just gonna be chillaxing, looking out the window, tryin' to catch bugs and stuff."

Well Hello Again!

2010-07-18T06:50:00.009-05:00

It's been awhile! And I hadn't planned on being absent from the blogging world for a few weeks. But, such is life.

It's not that I've been terribly busy, just preoccupied. I've had a lot to deal with - work, for one (ick). And my health. I've had to come to grips with a diagnosis I was given a few weeks ago; and dealing with the heavy-duty meds I'm now on for life.

For years (well, since at least 2006), my doctor has been a tad concerned about some of my blood results. Namely, my red blood cells have been high, and showing increases every 6 months. When my white blood cells and platelets started inching up, she decided to send me to see a haematologist to figure out what was going on. A few weeks ago, he diagnosed me with a bone marrow disorder called polycythemia vera. What it means is that my bone marrow has gone a bit spazy, and is producing too many red and white blood cells, and platelets. As a result, my blood is thicker, which could lead to blood clots (thrombosis), heart attack, and stroke. There are a host of other lovely symptoms as well - fatigue, itching (which is, let me tell you, pretty annoying...), dizziness, headaches, and in my case - vision disturbances, sensitivity to heat and light, and numbness in the extremities. It's a rare genetic mutation apparently. So, in my case, the only way to control the over-production is to take some pretty strong chemotherapy drugs, which I'll be on the rest of my life. Even if my levels go back to normal, I'll still need to take them, otherwise my levels will start increasing. It's a chronic disorder, so it's not something that can be "cured".

Anyway, the medication - called Hydroxyurea - has it's own set of side effects. Nausea, other gastro issues, fatigue in the early stages, loss of appetite, hair loss (it is a chemo drug, after all), and other less pleasant ones I won't get into. I also have to take one low-dose aspirin a day to help with the blood clotting.

So, I'm just trying to wrap my head around it all. I'm lucky that I have an excellent haematologist. He tells me things as they are, and doesn't sugar-coat anything. He thinks I've been dealing with this for at least 6 years, and had I not been diagnosed when I was, the chances would have been pretty good that I would have had a stroke or heart attack within the next couple of years. He doesn't deny either that I could develop leukemia later in life, but also said that it's just a few %'s higher than other high risk groups. But - the good thing is they caught it when they did, and I'm being treated.

I'm going to try not to dwell on it too much. One day at a time. Besides. One positive from all of this? Mosquitoes stay clear of me. They just don't seem to like my blood.

"You know, I was going to start wearing a nurse's uniform so I could make sure Mom took her meds, but then I thought - nah, I'd have to be all nice and have a good bed-side manner and stuff and really. I'm not about to change at my age."

Well, it hasn't all been doom and gloom around here. There has been knitting! Yay!

"...about time she sticks to one project...geez. If I had a bowl of food for everything she started and ripped out in the past few weeks, I'd look like Atticus..."

"I heard that!"

Look!

I purchased "Hat Trick" from Virtual Yarns awhile ago, and decided it would be the perfect little project. I've been itching to do some stranded work. I've started working on Dahlia, and it's moving along quite nicely. Once you get past the corrugated rib on DPN's, that is *grumble*. But, the effect is worth it. There's enough yarn to work all 3 hats in the pattern card. I haven't decided which one I'll work next.

I don't know why I keep starting projects that I know just aren't "me". After all these years, I know the type of knitting I like - traditional - and I always end up ditching those projects that don't fall into that category. I'm not saying it's the only type I'll knit, but it is a hard sell to get me to work on something that doesn't use those techniques. Oh, c'mon. Let's face it. I'm a knitting snob, and I know it. So be it.

Hey! Look who also have come out to say hi!

"Thanks for the salad bar, Nice Human Girl. If your Human Friend Who Likes Rabbits comes for a visit, make sure she brings us some vegetables. Or apples. Those are good too."

They're getting so big! And, they no longer run and hide from me. They'll actually come and greet me when I approach their pen. Or, it could just be they think I'll have food for them. And man - can those bunnies EAT. They can go through a whole head of lettuce in 30 minutes flat. And chow down a carrot or two for good measure while they're at it.

I keep wanting to get a picture of Sasha (my neighbour Brian's dog), but I usually remember when I'm back inside the house. The guys no longer seem bothered by her staring at them through the french doors. Gandalf in particular seems intrigued by her. He was after all the one who napped with his cousin Finnegan once, and loves the long, lingering looks he shares with Leika, my other neighbour's (the house next to ours) German Sheppard. Leika will sit on their deck, and watch Gandalf. And he'll look through the glass at her...

"You like Girl Dogs!"

"I do not, shut up."

"Yes you do, I've seen you looking at Leika. AND Sasha."

"I do not like girls, OK! Stop it, or I'll punch you out!"

"...Gandalf likes girls...Gandalf likes girls...Gandalf and Leika, sitting in tree..."

"Really Malcolm."

OK, off to get some breakfast. I have to keep my meals regular, and healthy. So what I'd like to have (waffles with oodles of butter and syrup) will probably end up being a blueberry/banana smoothie with probiotics. *sigh*

Have a great week everyone!

What A Shame

2010-06-28T04:08:00.009-05:00

"Uh oh, Mom's not happy."

No. I'm not.

Let me just say that if you have a cause you believe in, and are passionate about - good for you. Greenpeace? Excellent. Amnesty International? Awesome. Plight of women and children in 3rd World countries? I support you, too. Aboriginal issues? Got my vote.

Vandalizing, setting cars on fire, looting and rioting? Get the hell out of my city.

No one I'd spoken to thought that holding the G20 summit in Toronto was a good idea. Not a single person. Certainly not in core of the city. Nevertheless, the choice was made, and the price tag to protect the delegates insanely high ($1 billion). You knew there would be protests. It goes hand in hand with these types of meetings.

"Gandalf, what are you doing??"

"Nothing. Don't mind me. Continue."

What took me by surprise was the senseless tactics of these self-proclaimed anarchists. And it angers me that they would come into this city - my home - for the sole purpose of destruction and violence. Drowning out the voices of those peaceful protesters, and their causes. What's more, it's said that the majority of these thugs aren't even from the city of Toronto. This is what they do - go to major meetings or summits to cause chaos.

So you come to my city, take over the streets, think nothing of destroying and vandalizing property, terrorizing the peaceful protesters and antagonizing the police - and you can't show your face?

"Gandalf. What are you doing???!"

"I'm good, really. Keep going."

What the hell is wrong with you? What was your message? You don't like large corporations, so you smash up a bunch of Starbucks. What's your point?? If you don't approve or even like the spread of large corporations - don't frequent their outlets. I buy my coffee at independant coffee shops as much as I can. Don't like the way big banks handle their profits? Put your money in a Credit Union. I do. But smashing the windows of a little convenience store does nothing to further your cause. Whatever that may be. Bet you don't even know yourselves.

Don't come to my city. You have no message. And don't come here and call Canada a "fascist police state", you retarded little shit.

I think they really should be given a chance to promote their brand of "protests" in a place where they probably will not get a 5-minute warning. Yeah, that would be good. Where the police have no hesitation in using water and sound cannons and rubber bullets at the first sign of dissent. But, that won't happen, will it? You would need to fully understand and believe in a relevant social issue to even be in a country that has a legitimate cause to fight for. And most of those countries would kick you in the nuts faster than you can change your clothes behind a crowd of real protesters, you chicken shit.

"Gandalf! Enough already!"

"Yeah, I'm stuck. I may need a hand..."

Pardon my French, kids. It was much worse when I first saw what was going on downtown. Most of what went on took place around the area I work downtown. It was not a pleasant sight to see.

I'm glad it's over, but Toronto did not need the black eye given to it by these professional anarchists. And the real protesters, the peaceful ones who actually had a message to get across never got a chance. I don't think I saw or read a single story on their issues.

What a waste.

"It just wasn't cool. At all...harshing my mellow..."

Well, under any other circumstance, telling you that we had an earthquake here last Wednesday would be big news (well, for us anyway).

"I didn't like that earthquake. I was scared! And it woke me up! Then there was all that rioting and stuff downtown. Mom swearing. It really hasn't been a fun time. But it's ok now. Mom has the week off! Yay!"

That's right. And I just want some peace and quiet...

Really, This No Knitting Content Is Getting Old

2010-06-20T07:00:00.014-05:00

You would think that after a 2 week blogging absence, I'd have some knitting to show you. You'd be wrong.

Truth is, I'm embarassed, and a bit ashamed. But just a scooch. Because if I were to show you my work, you'd say - "hey, that's new". And you'd be right. My attention-deficiency of late continues, and I had to start something new. The good news is that I don't feel like straying much from these 2 particular projects. The bad news is that Lorraine will be putting out her latest pattern soon.

Atticus would like to thank all of his friends for the birthday wishes! He'd also like you to know that his Mom is a complete weenie.

See. This is how I remember Atticus' birthday. In 1995, 2 friends were married on June 10th. In 1997, another 2 friends were married on June 14th (and I was a bridesmaid, which is neither here nor there, but I thought I'd mention it). It just so happened that in 1997, June 14th landed on the same Saturday that June 10th did in 1995. (My logic astounds me sometimes.)

Bear with me here.

So. I remember 1997 couple's 1st wedding anniversary in 1998, as I later found out that that was the day Atticus was born. But, my brain being what it is, I often confuse couple 1995 with couple 1997's wedding anniversaries. Therefore. I confuse Atticus' birthday. I remember he was born in 1998. I just mix up the two anniversaries...

All that to say his 12th birthday was on June 14th. Not June 10th.

"What a load of crap, lady."

Right. Moving on.

I have to introduce you to 2 new tenants in the house!

Meet Lucky and Cinders. No no. They're not mine (oh, c'mon). They belong to my new neighbour Brian, who moved into one of the apartments one the other side of the house.

"Hi!"

They were found motherless by Brian's dog Sasha, and he took them in. Lucky was given that name as he survived Sasha thinking they were her puppies, and a racoon who thought he'd make a nice snack.

They are the funniest little guys. And they have an awesome condo too. Brian's a contractor, and he put together quite the pen for them.

It's funny. Sasha is pretty sure they're her puppies. She had quite a few litters before she was rescued, and I'm sure she looks at them and thinks - "huh? More of them? Again?? Man...".

Gandalf seems to like Sasha. He's the only one who doesn't hiss and act tough when she comes to the back door.

"...cleaning myself...to look studly...cleaning myself...to look suave..."

Malcolm on the other hand.

Sleeps through it all.

These 2 pictures were takenin sequenc. In other words - that's how the little contortionist sleeps. As you can imagine, opening the fridge can be a little difficult at times. And when I do, he doesn't wake even wake up. Malcolm loves being behind that curtain next to the back doors, as you can see by the the raggedy look to the curtain.

"Is she back again? This is getting really annoying..."

And another backyard feature - the pond. It's looking really nice, and the waterfall at the back is quite soothing. There are quite a few fish now as well. So, it's turning out to be quite a nice backyard.

"Without a doubt, I am the only "normal" sleeper here. They say I "snore", but I say they're just jealous because "beauty sleep" actually does something for me. Unlike my dorky brothers, who drool, mumble and toot ::cough:: Malcolm ::cough:: in their sleep."

"Watcha doing, Malcolm?"

"Nothing. Just hangin'. I'm kinda sleepy."

"Gonna nap now."

One minute he's climping up on top of his Noro perch, the next...he's dozed off. Half on, half off. Atta boy!

Have a great week!

Happy Birthday Old Man!

2010-06-06T07:44:00.009-05:00

Yes, my beloved Old Man Atticus will be 12 years old on Thursday, June 10th.

Hard to believe...

"Wheeeee! I'm a little hellion!"

...that this little squirt, would turn into this big boy.

"That is not me. I was never that small."

He came to live with me when he was a few days shy of 6 weeks old. A tiny little guy that weighed in at around 2 lbs, if that.

He's always been my shadow, always making sure he knew where I was and taking care of me in his own way. He knows when I'm sick, when I'm feeling a bit down, and will always make sure I'm OK. He's woken me out of bad dreams, and looks after his younger siblings. He stepped in to show Mae the ropes when she came to live with us, even though at the time, I thought he was being a bit rough with her! Well, that wasn't really the case as it wasn't long before she was sending him packing.

People always marvel at how well my guys get along, and how quickly they adjust when they come into their new home. I think a lot of it has to do with Atticus' even-temperament, and "it's-all-good" attitude. Although he is the Cat of the House, and takes his role very seriously, when it came to other cats coming into the home (Mae, Gandalf and Malcolm), he had no issues with any of them. He's pretty confident in his position in the household. As for people! Well, as soon as he checks them out to make sure he passes The Atticus test, he'll keep an eye on them, whacking them with his paw to make sure they keep in line. Heh... Lorraine knows allll about that. :D

Despite the gruff exterior, he's a sweetheart. I will never forget how, during Malcolm's first night here, he pawed my face to wake me up because Malcolm was hungry and mewling. Awww... Malcolm may love playing with Gandalf, but when it comes to snuggling and comfort, he'll always go to Atticus.

He's a special one!

"Happy Birthday Atticus! I hope you appreciate that I woke up just to wish you that."

"Thanks Mae!"

"Happy Birthday Bro! I hope you appreciate it too that I woke up just for you. I love you, man!"

"Thanks Gandalf...love you too, I guess..."

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY ATTICUS!! YOU'RE THE BESTEST BIG BROTHER EVER!!"

"Wow, thanks Malcolm. I'll protect you when Gandalf beats you up for saying that."

"Thanks Atticus!"

Yes, Happy Birthday Darling Atticus. You're my best friend, and I love you too. Here's to many more years!

Summertime Fun

2010-05-30T07:08:00.014-05:00

"The last time Mom took the fan out, Auntie Chris was visiting. And I was a little squirt. So, we all got our hopes up that maybe this meant that she was coming for a visit again!"

"But, that wasn't the case. Which really bummed me out! And then Mom put the fan away, which I didn't understand 'cause it was really, really hot out. Instead, she put this funny box in the window."

"And it's awesome! I'm not hot! I'm...cool...and Mom is too, which is good. Because Atticus 'n' Mae 'n' Gandalf all say that Mom is really crabby when it's hot out. I may not be able to look out the window as much, but that's OK. This thing is neat-O."

"Dude... this is how I should live all the time. Oh wait. I do."

"Gandalf, do you want to play Star Trek? You can be Kirk, and I'll be Scotty."

"OK. What about Mae?"

"Um, she can be...how 'bout Chekov?"

"No, she's a girl! She can't be Chekov! She can be Uhura."

"Cool, ok! And Atticus can be Spock!"

"Yeah, I'll be Spock! Right on!"

"...so not playing with you geeks...I need a sister."

Once the air conditioner went in, and the place started cooling down, the guys would returned to their crazy selves. The heat had a way of weighing even Malcolm down. And of course, once I turned the unit on, the wrestling and running at top speeds resumed. It also seemed to quiet them down that much quicker as well. I think it's the "white noise" of the unit running. Regardless, having the A/C in makes for a content bunch of cats, and makes me all the more happy.

I have never claimed to be a "summer" person. To be blunt, I hate the heat. Yes. LOATHE. I usually break out in a heat rash, I sweat, my sunglasses bother me, and I burn in record time. *sigh* I know, bitch bitch bitch. But! With the A/C in? I'm not so cranky. Knowing that once I'm inside I don't have to be uncomfortable makes all the difference, and I can actually enjoy the blistering heat and humidity. (Yes, bitch bitch bitch.)

AND, best of all? I can actually knit with wool, without it felting in my hands from the heat.

My Dunadd throw. I'm on the 3rd of 5 cable sections. And I just love it. Having the air conditioner on means that I'll actually be able to work on this throughout the summer, and maybe be able to finish it. Unlike most of the other WIPs huddling in my office.

We had a great week off. And, the guys were especially happy to see their Auntie Lorraine last Thursday.

"It's always a good day when Auntie Lorraine comes for a visit. She always brings me treats..."

"They're for all of us, tubby!"

"Well, I share with the others, even though they have way too much sass and really don't deserve them. And I'm not tubby Gandalf!"

She also brought along some treats for me, including an amazing pair of Alice in Wonderland earrings - one with a picture of Alice, and the other the Cheshire Cat. They are just so beautiful! But, I cannot for the life of me remember how to take close ups with my camera, so I'll have to try again for next week. >:(

"Are you a girl cat? 'Cause if you are, you can come on in. My brothers are dorks."

While the outside cat has his ears flattened and looks annoyed, Mae doesn't seem to be the least bit bothered by the fact a strange cat is on her deck. Right after I snapped this picture, she turned around and went to lie down.

Well, it's back to work tomorrow, *sigh*. It was nice having a week off to rest and relax, but back to business tomorrow... It's supposed to be hot, in the upper 30C range, but that's just fine, I have my air conditioner now and it's all good.

"Let's watch Animal Planet, Gandalf. They've got a show on sharks! Which is what I think I want to be when I grow up. Or a whale. I haven't decided."

WIPs Gone Wild!

2010-05-16T07:20:00.013-05:00

Never underestimate the power of caffeine.

Oh coffee. How I love you...

For the past few months, a certain black kitty has learned to tell the time. He knows exactly when it is 3:02am, and he's so proud of himself, he insists on telling me.

"Not just another pretty face, you know."

Not only does he sit outside my bedroom door meowing while the others egg him on in the background, he actually will fiddle with the door handle, and has succeeded in opening the door on a few occasions.

"You'd think she'd be happy to see me. It was kind of a letdown, let me tell you."

"I would have thought she'd be happy to see us too. And she wonders where Malcolm gets his potty mouth from..."

So, as the title suggests, I've been suffering from a serious lack of focus these days.

I'll admit to the following:

A great big mess.

I'm not going to give a count. Let's just say, there are...a few. A lot of what I end up doing is trying something out. Curiosity. But at the end of the day, I do know a few things. I always go back to the stuff I love working on - colourwork, and cables. And there's very little in between. I will knit some lace, and yes, I'm getting better at it. But, any time I venture into a different knitting territory, I usually end up getting bored, and lose interest very quickly. I guess I've earned the right to be one-track minded when it comes to my knitting.

I'm slow getting to some parties sometimes. I do work on socks a couple times a week, and I've determined that top down work best for me. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get the toe on the toe-ups right, and I had a hard time casting off the leg loosely enough.

I like what I have on the go right now. The old faithfuls - Fulmar, Delores, Lorraine's Dorset Down, Dunadd and Princess Line. I have a pair of socks, and I work on the endless stocking stitch body of Norfolk when I can't focus. So, I guess it'll all get done when it gets done.

It makes for some yawn pictures, but hey. It's my knitting.

Meanwhile...

Comfy Atticus?

"I'm good, thanks."

The Old Man has received a reprieve of sorts. His regular vet is away, so he's not booked for another few weeks for his yearly exam. I don't know if you can tell, but the King has his head resting on the side of the little swing table, while reclining on a pillow. It's all good to him.

But, we did have our first thunderstorm of the year a couple weeks ago.

At nearly 12 years old, Atticus is still a bit scared of the thunder and heavy rain.

"A bit?? I'm hiding behind girly baskets in shelving unit. It's more than a bit, Einstein."

And this is what Gandalf and Malcolm think of storms.

"No, I wanna be Batman!"

"No way! You're Robin! I'm Batman."

"You're always Batman! That's not fair!"

"Yeah, well I'm older than you!"

"Fine, but next time I'm going to be Superman, and YOU can be Supergirl for once."

And in "This Week in What's New Malcolm?".

Bumblebees.

"Awesome! They're like, huge! Not bird huge, or Atticus huge, but...wow. Hmmm... I wonder if Mom would mind if one came into the house so I could chase it around?"

He is fascinated by them. Last week was the orange tuxie from a few doors down that loves coming right up to the back door to harass them. This week it's bumblebees. Next week? Who knows.

"I'm watching you, lady. If need be, I can be lightning fast. Ninja Atticus! I can strike hard and fast, you won't even see me coming. So, don't try any funny business with the carrier and stuff. The others are weak, and I know your plan. So I hope I instill fear into you. Oh yeah."

A Crack in the Armour

2010-05-02T04:53:00.013-05:00

"The first rule of Kovert Kitty Club training is that you don't talk about Kovert Kitty Club training, Gandalf! I'm telling Mom you squealed to Atticus!"

"...but...he bribed me...and I have a weakness for snuggles...and he sat on me. He's pretty strong for an old guy."

"You're Fredo'ed, Gandalf!"

"Huh?? Oh, c'mon! Stop being so dramatic."

"FREDO'ED!"

"I'm on to you."

"Why are you looking at me like that? Aren't we training for Atticus? "Ma'am yes Ma'am!" and all that stuff!?? Huh!?! You're still looking at me."

"Boy, you're really close now."

"...*sigh*...Guys! Uh, training! *ahem*...aren't you supposed to be with Atticus right now?? Remember? Your training??? Malcolm! What are you doing?? *sigh*... You guys are dweebs."

"You guys suck."

"Hi Mae!!"

"All that training... And for what? So those 2 clowns can give it up to the Old Man? I ended up going to the vet. Stupid carrier. How does that help Atticus? Me going... Stick needles in me, take my temperature... Oh I'll take your temperature Mr. Vet, see how you like that. Training...ha!"

"Oooo, Gandalf! Come look!"

"...Am I still Fredo'ed...?"

"Huh? No no! Of course not. Get over here, you!"

"I understand we have a little issue here, Brigitte. Can I call you Brigitte? Oh well. See, at my age, I don't see the point of leaving the house for any reason. Or sleeping less than 20 hours a day. So, planning a visit to the vet's office without my knowledge? Not cool. We'll talk later. And I'll react later. When you're not expecting it. That's all. Shouldn't you be knitting? Oh, and I'd like a snack please. I'm feeling rather peckish."

In Training, Part Deux

2010-04-25T06:54:00.015-05:00

When we last left our recruits, they were dealing with the fallout of a less than satisfactory drill session.

They must train for the inevitable day when their big brother, tormentor, and yes - even mentor - will make his annual trip to the vet.

There were periods of peace.

"...la la la...happy happy happy...la la la...my Mom rocks...la la la..."

And a quiet, content calm had settled down over the household.

"Your awesomeness is just awesome, Awesome Big Brother."

But, as covert training drills go...

"OK RECRUITS! I WANT TO SEE SOME FUR FLYING! THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE A DRILL!"

"...oh not again..."

"Private Gandalf! Private Malcolm! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? We are not practising our hand to hand combat!"

"Private Mae! THIS IS NO TIME FOR A BELLY RUB!"

"It's not??"

Intermission while Privates Mae, Gandalf and Malcolm clean the latrine with toothbrushes.

*Muzak featuring the Tijuana Brass*

Stand-ins for Private Gandalf and Private Malcolm.

*cheery mariachi band plays in the background*

End of Intermission.

"What's going on? Why are the guys cleaning the bathroom? KEEP IT DOWN WILL YA?!!"

"I'm done for the day! That's it! I'm not training any more, and you can't make me! Well, today anyway...just gonna sit here where no one can find me..."

"OK Recruits! There will be no more training today! You'd better hope that come Atticus' V-Day you are all ready and able to play your roles!"

"Um, excuse me. Yeah, hi. Um, yeah, I uh, read that as part of the training, we would be doing a "dry run" of sorts, that would involve me going to the vet before Atticus does? Is that true? So uh, can I ask how me going for a checkup helps Atticus' plight in any way? You know...because, uh...I'm not seeing it."

"OK, you guys are weird. AND LOUD! And I don't know what you're up to, but you're seriously keeping me and my elephant Stampy here from napping on my box... harshing my mellow, dammit."

*Nice pond, huh?! My neighbours upstairs built it. He just finished it last week, and there are no fish in it yet. But there will be, and lily pads as well. There's even a waterfall!"

...to be continued...!

Old Friends

2010-04-18T05:43:00.014-05:00

When I took Delores out this past week, I thought I was close to starting on the armhole steeks. I had quite a bit more done than I thought.

I'm actually just a few rows from the neckline decreases! It had been awhile since I'd picked her up; primarily due to Malcolm. He was so excitable around yarn, I could only imagine the havoc he would have created around multiple yarns. And scissors. You know, everytime I pick up a Fair Isle or colourwork project, I marvel at how much I'd missed it. I just love the way the pattern develops, and watching the colours mesh together. So, once the shoulders are seemed, it's on to the sleeves.

Ick. Do you know when I started her? 2006. *hanging head in shame*

Another project I'm just in love with is Dunadd.

It is a lot of work. Although the cabling method is fairly simple, and consistent across the chart, it does add up to long rows, especially when you hit the centre of the motifs. But, it's just fascinating to watch how the designs come together. I'm about half way through the 2nd of 5 sections. I don't expect to finish it anytime soon. I manage about 2 nights a week working on it. I'm working on finishing up Dorset Down.

We have been training and planning for Atticus' upcoming vet visit. He's still oblivious.

"...*sniff sniff* I smell food..."

"Be cool Gandalf, remember your training..."

"OK RECRUITS!!! WE'RE GONNA RUN THROUGH SOME SCENARIOS!"

"MA'AM YES MA'AM!!"

"Listen up! It's Saturday morning. Atticus senses something is up and is cowering in a corner! WHAT DO YOU DO?!! Private Malcolm!"

"MA'AM! Throw myself on the floor and have a meltdown! MA'AM!"

"Wha'...? NO! Private Gandalf!"

"MA'AM! I tell him to stop being such a nancy-boy, and go back to sleep! MA'AM!"

"What the...?! NO!! Private Mae!"

"MA'AM! I snuggle up next to him, and clean his ears and head! MA'AM!"

"Exactly Private Mae! You 2 clowns can learn something from this recruit! Now drop to the floor, and give me 25 pushups each! And I want to hear you say you're poodles! NOW!"

"Huh? Seriously Mom??"

"...poodle...I don't think so..."

"QUIET EVERYONE! I'm trying to nap here...geez..."

Will Atticus put 2 and 2 together, and get 4?? Will the neckline prove to be Delores' undoing?? Will Privates Malcolm and Gandalf admit to being poodles?? And will Mae continue to be an A+ recruit, or is she hiding a dark secret...??

Tune in next time...

A Handsome Model

2010-04-04T05:06:00.010-05:00

The life of Atticus...

Used as backdrop...

"...*sigh*..."

(Amazing product, especially if you're like me, and manage to cut the most difficult part of the hand to heal - a knuckle. And - if, like me - you keep repeatedly hitting it against something after it's closed and started to heal, well, it's pretty forgiving. You can get it wet, knit with it, and it doesn't leave a sticky trail like some bandages do.)

Anyway, back to Atticus.

A handsome model...

"Dark flatters my physique."

That would be the back of Dorset Down. The colour is a bit hard to photograph, but you can see the lovely flecks of the deep purple tweed. Dorset Down is Lorraine's latest offering from Twisted Traditions. It's a lattice cable design, and you would be able to see that had I been able to take a better picture. I may have to photograph it outside for you to make them out.

Gandalf ignores him. Mae runs away.

"Atticus is rambling about the "olden" days again..."

"I'm gonna pretend to be asleep."

And Malcolm still tries to nurse off of him. And makes biscuits.

"...*sigh*..."

"...*knead knead knead*..."

All of which means he's very much loved. And in demand. Even if Mae runs away, and Gandalf ignores him.

"I get the sense I'm being buttered up for something."

"What is it? I can't read it..."

It reads: Dear Atticus, It's time for your annual check up...

His appointment may be still a month or so away, but pre-planning, calisthenics and strength training start NOW. We'll be running through some "what-if" scenarios as well (such as - what if he pees on me before leaving the house?). Atticus does not go lightly.

"I wanna play the role of Atticus!"

Heh. My favourite time of year...

The Insanity!

2010-03-28T05:17:00.013-05:00

Before I took Malcolm in to the vet because of his vomiting, I really had no indication he was sick. Or did I...? Now that I think back, he thought he was a pretty calm kitten.

In the last week or so, he's been on a path to recovery, AND discovery.

I walked into the kitchen last week, and I *thought* I saw from the corner of my eye, a little orange blur jump off of the kitchen counter. But, I wasn't sure, and didn't pay much attention to it.

Then.

"HEY!!"

"Hay is for horses, Mom! Oh. Am I not supposed to be up here...?"

"Just a quick jump from the top of the stereo, to the counter, and here I am! At the sink, and oooo! I bet if I knock this fork around the sink it'll be really annoying! Yay!"

Not Atticus, not Mae, and not even goofball Gandalf ever jumped and climbed like this guy can.

"I'm a Mountain Lion! Aren't I fierce?!"

He gets into EVERYTHING that he shouldn't.

"...Who's that Kitty?...Sexy Kitty... Who's that Kitty?...*"

*with apologies to the Swiffer people and the Isley Brothers!*

"Man, why didn't I ever think of doing that..."

"I just can't keep up with him. Hey...I wonder if I could jump up there...?"

See the Mountain Lion at rest, his prey discarded.

And let's watch him as he approaches the watering hole.

"Enough with the lame and annoying commentary. Sheesh..."

He did stop long enough to wish his big sister Mae a happy 11th birthday on March 24th.

"Happy Birthday Big Sister Mae!!!!"

"Oh. He's still here. Didn't get my wish."

I still remember Mae's first day here. She jumped on my shoulder while I was sitting down by crawling on my back. And she bonded with Atticus almost immediately, and he is still the only cat in the house she'll differ to. She was just the sweetest little fluff ball. And she still is! Happy Birthday, Baby Mae!

"What?? She never bonded with me like that! Well, at least not right away. Fine then."

So. What else besides Malcolm doing taibo?

Well... I was kind of hesitant to mention this. But, seeing how I'm fine - I will.

I was coming home from work last week, and I got dinged by a car walking through the intersection. Nothing major, just enough to knock me over. I was crossing on a green light, and a lady made a right in front of me, and didn't stop. Oh! Did I mention she was on her cellphone?? Once she saw me, it was too late, and she didn't put on her brakes quickly enough. So, she hit me. Luckily, I fell on my butt, leaning towards my left side. I didn't hit my head, and right now I'm bruised (am I!) and very, very sore. And feeling better today than yesterday. My friend Dave came over yesterday, and helped me with my shopping. It took less than 2 hours, and tired me out for the rest of the day!

As this was rush hour, and at a modestly busy intersection in my neighbourhood, there were a lot of witnesses, including a streetcar full of people, cars waiting at the light, and another person crossing the street behind me. It's not like she could deny it. I was really quite gratifying to see how many people came out to help me, including the streetcar driver. The police arrived, and she was very cooperative with them and me, and didn't deny anything.

Good times.

Oh! I just realized I didn't take any knitting pictures. Not that I have a whole lot to show for myself.

Anyway - that's it for me. I'm tired just reading this! Have a great, and SAFE, week!

Just Stuff

2010-03-14T07:50:00.009-05:00

I've decided I need a break. From Sapporo, that is. Although I don't think I'll end up quite as nauseated with my Dale as Lorraine was with hers, I do feel that if I don't take a break from Sapporo, I will end up beating myself about the head.

I'm not sure why. And no, this doesn't apply to Princess Line. It'll just take me...longer...to finish it up.

So, in need of something to keep me interested, and that will not keep me glued to a chart, I decided to give in, and start working on something new.

Behold a crappy picture...
...of a very lovely "Dorset Down". This is Lorraine's latest Twisted Traditions offering (although I don't see it up on her site)! I'm using Kilcarra of Donegal "Aran Tweed" in Purple. It doesn't look like much now, but it will. It's a thoroughly enjoyable pattern, and just what I need right now. Maximum results with minimum effort!

OK.

How long have I lived in this neighbourhood?? 12 years. And you know what? I never noticed (EVER) the shop in the middle in the picture above (that's from my camera phone, not bad...). Anyway. I was walking to the vet's office to pick up some meds for Malcolm (more on that later), in what had to be the worst weather so far this year (for me anyway - wind, cold and rain all mixed together. Fun!), when I happened to glance across the street. It's a yarn shop. Yes. A yarn shop. In my area. That I didn't know about - "The Wool Mill". And it's probably closer to me than "The Naked Sheep" is. Now, I don't think it's new, looked pretty established to me. But, how I didn't know it was there until now is beyond me. *hanging head in shame*

I didn't stop in because it was still early and closed. And the weather SUCKED. Walking home from the vet's office, I was walking into the wind, I was wet, cold, pissed off, and I had to pee. Therefore, I wasn't about to cross a busy street to find out it was still closed. Besides, I didn't have enough money on me. And usually "browsing" and "yarn shop" don't go together.

Anyhoo.

OK. So, the reason I was out on such an icky day.

"Geez, I'm really getting to know everyone at the vet's office by first name..."

Well, I probably wouldn't have ventured out otherwise.

I took Malcolm into the vet's office last week, because he'd been vomiting. Not such a big deal with cats normally, but he would vomit not once, but several times in a row. And it wasn't caused by hairballs either. It had happened before, and he had been sick 8 times in one evening. So, I packed him into the carrier, and had him checked out. The took some blood, amongst other things, and it came back that his white blood cell count was twice what it should be. They prescribed some antibiotics for him, so off I went to pick it up. It's in liquid form, and he's had 3 doses already. As have Atticus and Gandalf. I'm not sure how much is getting into him. I picked up some cat milk, so hopefully he'll take it that way, without getting too distracted by lint or poop.

You wouldn't know he was sick though. He's his usual kitten self - giving Gandalf his regular morning/afternoon/evening smack down, power-napping, and whining for his mid-morning snack.

"...lalalala...I'msocute...lalalalala...I'msocute..."

"...he never shuts up..."

It's been another one of those weeks at the gulag...I mean work. Whoops. I don't know what it is, but everyone seems to believe that their project is the most important one EVER EVER EVER! And they want it NOW NOW NOW! And it's not just me; there are 3 of us in my work group, and we're all working on saving the world as the Project Managers we're working with believe they are doing.

OK, I need some distraction.

Bridget tagged me! So here goes:

1. Where is your cell phone? Kitchen. I think...

2. Your hair? Curly
3. Your mother? Dead.
4. Your father? Yeah, don't ask.
5. Your favourite food? Potatoes (which is what Bridget said as well)
6. Your dream last night? Watched a Band of Brothers marathon on TV yesterday, so dreamed I was in the Ardennes forest. Uh huh...

7. Your favourite drink? Mmmm...coffee...

8. Your dream/goal? To have a home in the country.
9. What room are you in? Spare /computer/yarn room

10. Your hobby? Knitting and reading.

11. Your fear? Snakes

12. Where do you want to be in six years? See #8

13. Where were you last night? Home.

14. Something that you aren’t? Rich.

15. Muffins? No thank you, I'm good.

16. Wish list item? Dyson vacuum cleaner. I know. I aim high.
17. Where did you grow up? Mainly in Ottawa, Ontario, but I was born in Montreal.
18. Last thing you did? Tried to force feed Malcolm some antibiotics while trying to keep the vultures at bay.

19. What are you wearing? Jam jams.

20. Your TV? I love you, man.

21. Your pets? The Little Dudes - Atticus, 11; Mae, 10; Gandalf, 3; and Malcolm, 7 months.

22. Friends? Not a whole lot, but they are the best of the best.
23. Your life? Rocks.

24. Your mood? Pretty good. Thanks for asking.

25. Missing someone? Sure.

26, Vehicle? Um, does my Trek 7100 bike count?
27. Something you’re not wearing? Um...oh, socks!

28. Your favourite store? I don't really have one...oh wait! Canadian Tire! I love that place!

29. Your favourite colour? Blue

30. When was the last time you laughed? This morning, as Atticus whacked Malcolm on the tusch.
31. Last time you cried? Hmmm. Oh! Last week, watching a particularly sad episode of "Cold Case".
32. Your best friend? Joanne, for over 30 years.

33. One place that I go to over and over? The bathroom. Damn bladder...

34. One person who emails me regularly? Pfizer Sales Reps with AWESOME deals on ED drugs.

35. Favourite place to eat? In front of the TV. (What??! My house, my rules.)

"Why does it keep staring at me! It's creepy..."

This Is What Happens

2010-02-28T06:03:00.008-05:00

When you don't pay attention to what you're throwing in the washing machine.

Very bad things.

I don't know how this one got past me. But it did.

"...I wonder if that would fit me..."

It's been another busy week here. Not so much work, but at home too. Malcolm seems to have recovered nicely from his surgery, although he did have a bit of a stomach thing last week - much to the delight of the paper towel people. Now. Not to jinx anything but a surgery bonus? He no longer seems interested in playing with doo-doo.

I've only been waiting 3 months for him to grow out of that most annoying habit.

"I'm a slow learner, Atticus. But I now realize that playing with poop is really gross."

"...uh huh..."

"Not to mention Mom really didn't like it."

"...uh huh..."

"Instead, I'm on the hunt for something new! Snowflakes! If it's the last thing I do, I will catch some. I mean, how hard can it be?"

"...*sigh*..."

We have had quite a bit of mixed weather here this past week. Snow, rain, snow, rain, then a lot of snow, then freezing rain, now a thaw, and more snow this up coming week. I have no issues with the snow, or the cold for that matter - it's the temperatures hovering at freezing level that I have an issue with (listening, Mother Nature??). The dampness aggravates my arthritic knees, and makes me feel sluggish. And this has been a very damp winter.

I know. Bitch bitch bitch. I'll stop now.

Good news! I did finish up Sapporo's motif!

Bad news! I now have 4" of plain stocking stitch to do in order to complete the body!

YAY.

I'll be happy when it's done. What more can I say.

"Good thing you dusted yesterday, seeing how there are shiny things in this picture."

I'm hoping this week will be more productive knit-ways. I have, as always, quite a bit on the go.

Sapporo
Dunadd (which is a really fascinating piece)
Princess Line (she hasn't been abandoned)
Norfolk (what?!! Did I start that?!!) I am obsessed with using up my navy blue Scottish Fleet that is still in my stash after frogging Western Seas. Don't hold your breath on this one though. I have about 8" of plain stocking stitch on 2.5mm needles. This may take awhile.
Fulmar (which I did fix, and it wasn't as painful as I anticipated. Restarting those 30+ rows was though...)
Delores (not forgotten...)
and Stealth Project Shhhh.

I don't think I forgot anything. Oh, right! Socks. Remember when I found one sock, knit up but without a mate? Well, I did knit the second one. And for some reason, it feels much more snug on my foot than the original one. So, note to self. Don't abandon socks. Because you'll just forget what size needles you used. Either that, or what I think are my current 2.5mm really aren't. Well. That's why they're socks. They go on your feet, and so what if one is higher than the other?

Yeah. They're in the laundry bin right now, so no. No picture.

I might (I said *maybe*...) be inclined to show you Stealth Picture Shhhh next week. The only reason it's been named "Stealth Project Shhhh" is because I started it after the Knit a Norwegian KAL started, and you know. I really should just have been working on the KAL project...and not something new...

OK then! Have a great week everyone!

Remember When...

2010-02-21T09:02:00.009-05:00

...Malcolm was this tiny?!

"I'll hug him and squeeze him and call him George! Wait, no. Malcolm. I'll call him Malcolm."

At his first vet visit, he weighed in at all of 1.7 lbs.

And now? The boy went in last Friday for his neutering, and weighed in at 10.4 lbs.

"I'm a bruiser!"

But he's still a doll, and such a sweet little boy. When he's not body slamming Atticus or playing with doo-doo and/or harassing Mae that is.

Gandalf was a bit concerned most of the day.

"Where's my Malcolm??"

"You're leaving him there, right? Right? RIGHT???"

He came home, no worse for the experience.

"That was trippy, Atticus. But I feel...funny...now. Like I want to arrange flowers and redecorate Mom's bedroom."

The henna is a keeper! I LOVE it. It worked out beautifully, and I'm so pleased with the results. It did a great job covering up my grey hairs - at the temples, it turned gold/red, and everwhere else, it turned it a darker shade of red. Overall, it's an auburn colour, and it's the perfect shade for me. I ended up doing it twice - the first time I made the mixture too thick, and I missed some spots as a result. And I didn't leave it on long enough. So, a week later (that's the beauty of henna - you won't fry your hair) I did it again. I made the paste much thinner, and left it on a lot longer (nearly 4 hours). I also put the henna is a squeeze bottle (an old, clean mustard container) for easier application, and used a toothbrush to get at the little hairs around my ears. As a result - perfect application!

Now. It does smell. And yes. It's messy. But it works, and it does a great job. I will be doing it again. The henna I bought came from LUSH, and I used the Caca Marron (yes, you read that right) shade. They have a few other shades as well.

Don't let the name put you off - if you've wanted to try henna, I highly recommend it.

Oh! Right! Knitting.

Well, here's what I've accomplished on Sapporo in the last week or so.

OK, it doesn't look like much, but I have completed the bulk of the motif. It's...different, that's for sure. At this point, I'm more curious than anything to see how it will look once completed. It takes some getting used to. Once it's done, I know I'll be thrilled with it. Just takes some getting used to (why do I keep saying that?). I've never knit a ski sweater before, and I suppose if I'd cut my knitting teeth on ski sweaters and other Dale of Norway designs and was making a Fair Isle design for the first time, I might feel the same way.

This is the time of year when my hands and feet develop eczema, which can make knitting with certain fibers a little difficult. So, I've been knitting small things - socks mainly, as the yarn tends to be a bit softer. I went a week without touching Sapporo, mainly because the yarn was irritating my small girly hands. Things are clearing up now - now they just look red and really, really angry (my hands, that is). When I was a kid? I used to have to wear heavy socks and plastic bags around my feet, and use this smelly cream on them too nearly the whole year. What can I say? I was real popular.

"Oh yay. He's back."

Despite the sarcasm, I'm pretty sure Mae's relieved to have Malcolm home.

The Things I Do.

2010-02-07T07:35:00.009-05:00

Like try something new. Well, sort of.

I've done a Norwegian design before, but I've never done a Dale of Norway design before. Above is my Sapporo (if you click on the link - I'm making the same design as shown in the last picture)! I've only been labouring on the black stocking stitch part for 2 years (ok, to be fair to me, I did go months without even thinking about it, let alone work on it), but I brushed off my Continental knitting skills, and zipped through the last 4" or so, and *finally* reached the chart. Yay...! At first, I wasn't too sure if I like how it was looking. Probably because the colours of the lice design at the start of the chart looked a bit too confetti-ish to me. I like all of the colours - deep red, burnt orange and yellow, but together, they just looked...funny (and not ha ha either)... against the black. But, now that I'm working the chart, and the snowflake design is starting to show up, I'm liking it much more. And you know what? I guess I'm used to the very symmetrical motifs of Fair Isle, where it begins and ends quite sensibly. Norwegian designs? Free for all. The front ends where it ends, and the back starts where it starts. And if it doesn't match up at the sides? Oh well. I have my magic centre stitches marked, and that is apparently as important as your future retirement plan.

Oh. And the yarn I'm using (Dalegarn "Falk")? All I can say is that this sucker better block out and nicely. If not (to quote Lorraine), you may just read about a giant fireball seen in the east end of Toronto.

Look what I've got goin' on this morning!

No. Not cooking with chocolate. That ain't chocolate, let me tell you. It's a big hunk of henna for my hair. I haven't henna'ed my hair in years; I've been a slave to the caustic chemical stuff for awhile now. Lorraine told me about the Herbatint she started using, and that started me thinking on using something different to cover my greys. My many, many greys.

So, auburn henna it is.

"Oy, that stuff smells funky..."

She's got that right. I have another hour and a half to go with this stuff on my head. And it is no exaggeration when I say that I smell like a latrine.

The things I do to cover those greys...

"Why do you have cling film on your head? You'd better not be going outside like that."

"So anyway, I told Guido that no way was I going out with him if he didn't at least brush himself and that he'd better not be thinking of getting fresh with me because I have 3 brothers who would not hesitate to give him the beat down of all beat downs if he even tried getting frisky with me and even though there are times when it seems that I don't like being around Gandalf and Malcolm I really do it's just that you know. They annoy me."

"...uh huh..."

And in other knitting news. The things you go through to give an Aran the justice it deserves.

I was so happy, and all ready and psyched to report on a finished back, but when I put Fulmar down on Friday night, I saw that a couple repeats down - I'd messed up the centre cable. I might have vomited just a tiny bit. You can see it, on the left side of the middle portion of the centre panel. *sigh* So. Looks like it's one step forward and two steps back for Fulmar, as I remove the needle and painfully frog until I reach that row (should be oh, about 25 rows, but really, who's counting). And it's not just the centre panel. There are a total of 3 of those panels along the back, and I messed up all 3 of them on that row.

Ouch.

At least Malcolm isn't bothered by it.

"What is this "Fulmar"? Do I know this project? OK, later. Sleepies now... *yawn*"

Crazy Crazy

2010-01-31T16:06:00.009-05:00

See Malcolm.

"Hi!"

See Malcolm climb window.

"Wheeeeeeeeheeheeheehee! Lookatme!!!!"

"MALCOLM! Get DOWN!"

See Malcolm realize he's busted.

"Uh oh."

"Sorry Mom."

"Wow, even I didn't pull that, and I was THE puller of all things pulled in my time. Good one kiddo!"

"Gandalf! Don't encourage him!"

"So you see Mae, all you need is a really good head start, a big jump, watch that you don't smack your head on the blinds, and BING! You're up there! Easy peasy lemon squeezy."

It's been such a crazy week, filled with bouncing kittens (yes, I've removed the screen from the window...), and crazy work deadlines. I have to say - that's what has kept me busy most of the week. There was knitting. Oh yes. But most of it was of the "...not again...!" variety. Where you end up re-doing the same row/round/cable twist over and over and over again. So, I decided to keep it simple. I pulled out Sapporo, my long suffering (I seem to have a lot of those) Dale from eons ago, and just work on plain ol' stocking stitch. Lots of it. Not enough to start the patterning, but enough to keep me out of trouble. It's about all my frazzled brain could manage.

By next week...well, we'll see. I think I may have something of interest to show you. I just hope I can manage more than just plain stocking stitch this next week. :D

"Those people Mom works with are just not cool at all. Not cool. I oughta go straight over there and really give them a piece of my mind. Or not. I'm good here."

Princess Line

2010-01-24T06:08:00.006-05:00

It's starting to look more Princessy.

It's not a particularly difficult pattern. Although ask me when I'm duplicate stitching whether I still think so...

(Question: Do I do the duplicate stitching before or after blocking?)

I like that you can look up from your knitting and realize - hey! I've completed over 40 rows! That's one quarter of the chart! It's actually starting to look like something now. And it's much more interesting. I'm starting to feel more comfortable with the charts. The secret really is making sure you're lining up your current row with the previous one. Also, there are areas that duplicate the same stitch pattern as the row below. So, it's not been too bad. The jury is still out on the yarn though. I certainly has a lot of pop, but it's pretty springy. I'm used to good 2-ply Shetland wool. This seems a bit more "processed", and has more bounce back than I'd like. Anyway, I guess what matters is the final product, and I'm very intrigued at how it's turning out.

I'm only getting a couple of days or so a week in though, and that's usually on the weekends. At the end of the work day (at least these past couple of weeks), I've been too tired to concentrate on the chart. And of course, if Malcolm is extending the Kitty Post-Dinner Witching Hour, I tend to not be able to get much in.

"Uh huh. So what else did the vet say?"

"Um, something about how I have to drop these baby teeth first, then she told Mom I'd be good to go. But I don't know where. And that they're definitely there. Whatever they are."

"Oh. Well. Looks like you'll being singing soprano soon."

"Really?!! Is that fun? Will I like singing soprano, Gandalf?!!"

"It's a gas, kid."

The boy had his last booster shot on Friday. He wasn't able to get them all at once - when they gave him his first round in November, he was so tired afterwards for 24 hours that he barely ate. So, we decided that for his boosters, he'd get them one at a time. Much like Gandalf, he's not phased by the vet's office. He doesn't much like getting poked at, but he doesn't mind being in the carrier, or in the office. He'll be going in for his neutering in February, but first, his baby teeth need to fall out. His adult teeth are already in, and the baby ones are about to fall out. Once they do, he's good to go.

"Guess it's about time I have the Talk with the boy."

"What we gonna talk about, Big Daddy?!!"

"Girls and stuff."

"Oooo, girls are groooooooss!! Except Mae! They have cooties and Gandalf says they can be really moody and stuff."

When Chris was visiting last September, she commented that Malcolm is a bit of a drama queen. That he is. He will whine and whine until one of the other guys gives in to him - usually it's to take over a sleeping spot. Mae is the only one who rarely gives in. He doesn't seem to mind. She can be so crabby with him, it amazes me when I turn around and see scenes like this.

"Well. I suppose it could be worse. Don't know how, but it could."

"...zzzzzzzzzz...love...my...big...sister...mmphhh...zzzzzzzz..."

Deep down, WAY deep down, Mae knows he's a sweet boy.

Well Hello There!

2010-01-10T07:33:00.007-05:00

What do we have here??!

Why, it's a COMPLETED St. Aula! Finished yesterday, and blocking in the photo above. I will take a nicer picture once it's dry, but I really wanted to show her off. I couldn't be happier!

Those familiar with the design will probably wonder about a missing piece - the hood. I was never 100% sure I would add the hood. Luckily, it's the last piece to be worked, and I had already completed the neckline when I decided to give it a go. I worked a few inches of it, and then pinned it to the neckline. It fit fine, however I found it to be a bit bulky around the neck. As I was not blessed with a long, graceful neck, I decided that having the bulk of the hood under my chin would not look particularly flattering. Not to mention how hot it would end up being. So, hoodless it is.

So, here are some of the details - St. Aula from Virtual Yarns, size Small, knit on 4mm needles. I used Mara as my primary colour, and Machair as the pattern colour. This was not a difficult project at all. Only 2 colours were used throughout, and the chart was only 12 stitches. The one thing I did not like, and really, it's my own issue, was knitting the sleeves on DPNs. It made for a cumbersome knit, and made the whole sweater far too attractive to the Little Dudes. They just loved all these flying parts and needles... Anyway, as I said, that was just my own pet peeve. But, if you do your colourwork sleeves on DPNs, and plan on knitting St. Aula, you may want to learn the 2 circular or magic loop method for them. Just sayin'.

And! That's not all I've been working on.

Doesn't look like much now... It's my selection for the "Knit a Norwegian" KAL that Lorraine and Jewel are hosting in Ravelry. The guidelines are - knit a Norwegian-designed sweater, with traditional Norwegian methods (so, knitting without add-in steeks, for example). I've chosen to knit the "Princess Line" sweater from the book Norsstrikkedesign, mainly because this KAL was not limited to just Dale of Norway designs, and I had the yarn in my stash. This Norwegian (because I just can't give myself a break), is a doosy, and I don't anticipate a quick finish on this one. A thing I like about working from this book? They don't sugar-coat the instructions. It's simply "cast on X, work this sequence, decrease Y on your last round, and then work the chart for your size. Oh, and don't forget to decrease and increase as indicated on the chart." Which is the way I like my patterns to be. A thing I don't like about this book? The charts are TORTURE. This particular design features all-over patterning, and unlike Fair Isle, it does not repeat every X stitches. So, the entire chart for the entire sweater (back and front are alike) fits on less than one page. Enlarge it you say? I've tried, and it's not really working out. Not to mention that the charts are in colour. So. Whatever. I'll figure something out as I go along.

"Hey Mae? You awake?"

"*sigh* I am. I wasn't, but I am now."

"Mom sure gets chatty when it comes to knitting! Do you think she'll teach me to knit?!"

"I thought you wanted to do taekwondo?"

"Yeah. That too, but knitting looks cool! It's all pointy sticks and swearing!!!"

There was a brief incident when I turned my back for 15 seconds, and came back to Malcolm going to town on poor Princess Line. Fortunately, it was early on, but I still had to rip back around 5 rounds of ribbing (or 1500 stitches, as Carrie pointed out...) in order to get all the pulled stitches back in line.

One thing I can absolutely guarantee you though. Atticus will not be using Princess Line as a blanket should it happen to fall to the floor.

"I hear a buzzing. Or is that a voice? You want me to what? Move? I don't think so."

My poor Central Park Hoodie fell off it's hook. If a sweater falls in the hall - Atticus will definitely hear it.

If it weren't for the ear sticking out at the bottom of the picture, you'd probably have no clue what the picture is of.

Have a great week everyone!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T06:27:00.004-05:00

Here's to happy, healthy and successful 2010!

The Little Dudes want you to be as relaxed and happy as they are, and as content in your home as they are in theirs.

I'm looking forward to a year full of new knitting experiences, and plenty of finished pieces... More on that next week.

In the meantime - we here wish all our friends everywhere the best year ever in 2010!

"Happy New Year everybody! Thanks for making me feel so welcome!"

"What's your resolution, kiddo?"

"Atticus, I'm gonna do my best to try and not play with poop. I don't think Mom likes it very much."

"I don't think anyone does. Dude, that's just gross."

"Well, what's your resolution then, Big Daddy?"

"I have none. You know, at 11, I'm pretty happy with my life, so it's all good. I thought about maybe exercising more, but nah. I'm good."

The Holidays with the Little Dudes

2009-12-27T06:05:00.012-05:00

In past years, I've spent Christmas with my sister and sister-in-law, but this year was different. They live in Nova Scotia now, and are building their new house, so Christmas this year was spent quietly and quite happily at home with my little family. We didn't get a chance to wish all our friends a Merry Christmas last week, but you know they were thinking it.

It was Malcolm's first Christmas.

"OK Santa, here's my list! Some crinkly balls, a real mouse to chase around, a red fire truck, um, tae kwon do lessons, a blankie with Batman on it, a puppy, some more crinkly balls so I always have a supply when I lose them...oh! And a role in the next James Bond movie! What? Why am I sitting in this warm thing? Mae told me too. She said that when the door closes, I'll able to see stars!"

So he didn't get a real mouse. Or a puppy. Or tae kwon do lessons... Or most of the stuff on the list, but they did get some crinkly balls! And some tasty treats from the vet's office (sssshhhhhh, don't tell them). There may or may not have been an attempt to dress Atticus up as Santa, but he was not in the spirit this year.

"How is that different from any other year?"

Did everyone have a good holiday?

"Oh yeah... Eating and playing on Christmas Day is sooo tiring..."

"Why can't Santa be a girl?"

"Santa's a dude."

"Santa could be a girl."

"Santa's a DUDE."

"Yeah, well you just don't want to think that maybe because it takes so much organizational skills and pre-planning and stuff that Santa would HAVE to be a girl. Let's see you do all of that present-making stuff!"

"I thought Mom was Santa."

"DON'T SAY THAT!!! Santa's real!"

"I didn't say Santa wasn't real. I said maybe Mom was Santa."

"Mom! Gandalf is saying you're fat!"

"I'm confused about this Santa business..."

I know quite a lot of places had a LOT of snow and cold this year - we got rain. Lots of rain and wind. Usually when the barometric pressure drops this time of year, I get a migraine. This time around it blocked my ears and gave me vertigo. I've never had that happen, but I'll take it any day over the headaches.

Oh! And I did knit.

And there's more to St. Aula's second sleeve. Gotta love the power of blocking, because that sleeve sure looks pretty crumpled. As much as I love St. Aula, I'm really not enjoying the process of stranded knitting a 2nd sleeve with 3-ply yarn. Everything is that much bulkier and harder to maneuver. But, it knits up quickly, so who knows how much I'll have done next week. I also worked on Dunadd, which I realize now I didn't photograph...whoops. Now that is some pretty impressive cable work, let me tell you.

Wow, this is my last post of 2009! Where does the time go?! And, this is my 200th post!

Thanks to everyone for reading this year. For all of your encouragement and kind words, I'm very thankful. I've learned more about knitting from my blogger friends than any book could have taught me.

Be safe on New Year's Eve!

The Week In Pictures

2009-12-13T06:13:00.011-05:00

The hazards of tomatoes (fresh and just purchased) on the counter.

The hazards of leaving a plant dangling from an accessible location.

"Do it again Big Brother, that was COOL!"

The culprit.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

So I swept up the mess, and decided to store the garbage bag in the bathroom for the time being.

I really need to pay more attention to fast moving objects before closing the bathroom door.

"I got locked in the bathroom! That was COOL!"

*sigh*

But, there were new discoveries to be made.

"Hello? Snow?! I'm Malcolm! Wanna play Bop Your Head on the Window? Over and over again? OK. You try to catch me, and I'll try to catch you! Yay!"

There was progress.

"What the hell is the squirt doing here?"

"He's fine. I'm fine. Relax, Mae. The more you run away from him, the more he thinks you want to play. Then he chases you. Then you hiss. Then he chases you. Then you whack him on the head. And he still chases you. You guys are lame."

"Yeah, well he'd better not come over to my side of the blanket..."

And there was some discipline, Big Daddy Atticus-style.

"Get off my chair."

"No!"

"Off.My.Chair."

"NO!"

"Fine. I'll just sit on you then."

"Oooof...Big Daddy! I was here first!"

"I'm bigger. And older. So move."

But in the end, you can always count on moments of peace.

"OK. Malcolm, we've been through this. I'm a dude. I do not have boobs."

Pictures shamelessly provided in hopes you'll not notice the lack of knitting pictures. There was knitting. But it feels like there has been no progress. I mean, a sleeve's a sleeve. And a sock is a sock. I'm aiming to have...oh wait. I'm not going to jinx it. Next week...

Lost and Found

2009-12-06T06:31:00.011-05:00

Usually when I start looking for one thing in my stash, I end up finding something else. Actually, I'm not the one who found it -

"That would be me!"

I was searching for some red yarn I knew I had stashed along with my sock yarn. (Don't ask why, I don't remember now...). Pulling everything out of the sock yarn bin only asks for trouble with the guys. Malcolm decided to stuff himself into a plastic bag, and managed to pull this out.

A lone burgundy sock. I'm not sure why I have just one sock sitting in a bag at the bottom of my sock yarn bin. There's nothing wrong with it - it fits, there are no dropped stitches, the yarn is Fleece Artist Merino Sock Yarn, which is soft and the colour is great. Sure, it's top down, but that's OK too. I'm not sure why it ended up in a bag at the bottom of the bin, but I decided to finish up the second one. Even though I'm already working on another pair of Fleece Artist socks right now.

So it'll almost be a 2 for 1 deal when I'm done. Both skeins of sock yarn were gifties from my sister and SIL. A few years ago they stumbled upon a yarn store in Nova Scotia (where they now live. Not in the yarn store, in Nova Scotia. That would just be weird. But not for me. For them.), and thought - "hmmm, what is this Fleece Artist yarn? Must be local. Won't Brigitte like it if we brought her some local yarn from Nova Scotia?!". For non-knitters, they made excellent choices.

"Since when do you knit socks?"

Since I discovered the right yarn to use. I've learned over the years which wool is best for working with - and maybe I've become a bit of a yarn-snob as a result - and now I'm learning about which sock yarn I prefer using, and those that produce the best results. After all, if I don't like the yarn I'm using, I'm not likely to complete the project. I'm late arriving at the sock party... So, I'm actually giving myself a break from the big projects, and working on socks a couple of nights a week. And - sometimes after a long day at work, socks are about the only thing I can concentrate on.

There's more to it now, but here's the start of St. Aula's sleeve #1. This is such a beautiful design - a perfect example of 2-colour stranded knitting producing maximum results. I've been finishing up a few stealth projects as well, so - yes, that's what I have to show for myself.

Luckily, Malcolm has gotten into napping after dinnertime, leaving me with a few hours to knit without having to peel him off the body of the sweater, or try to unclench his jaw from around the stitch markers. What is it with those things?!! There's only one other cat in the household who does that...

"I love you, man."

Now that I have the last of my stealth knitting completed, I can finish up St. Aula. Oh, and work on *cough* Dunadd *cough* when I'm not in the mood for stranded knitting. (Ooooo, how gorgeous is this!)

"If I were in California, I'd be doing this cuddle action with my Auntie Carrie. She needs cuddles right now."

Unproductive

2009-11-22T07:16:00.007-05:00

"This is my impression of Mom this week. "Oooooooo, I feel crappy! Ooooooo, I need to lie down! Oooooooo, this sucks!" She was sick with the flu."

"And this is my impression of Mom not knitting. "Ooooooo, can't concentrate!" She hardly did any knitting."

"And this is me. Really starting to worry that Mom will be too out of it to feed me. I mean us."

"And this is me, acting all tough in the face of the nasty flu virus! Stay away from my Mom, you...you...stupid flu virus! Yeah! I'm a tough guy!"

"But, mainly we did our best to make sure she took care of herself, and rested up. I think she's still a bit tired and sore, but she's getting better! Here, we're showing her how to rest up. It's important to renew your energy you know. She'll be back next week, hopefully having knit some."

Some Real Progress

2009-11-15T07:16:00.012-05:00

I really do have some real progress.

Tada!
It's the body of St. Aula - completed! I always feel that once I've finished the body of a stranded project, the rest of it is just good ol' gravy. Today I plan on cutting one of the armhole steeks, and starting with the first sleeve.

I'm really quite pleased at how nicely the shoulders lined up. So pleased, I'm going to show you a crappy, slightly out of focus picture.

Well, it's actually not as bad as I thought. Nice, huh? I really love working on this project. For awhile, it was a bit hit and miss, as the boy would get seriously into either a) chasing anything that dangled, and would get his lethal little claws caught in the floats, or b) chomp on the stitch markers.

"Who? Me?? Oh, come on. I wouldn't do that...you believe me Big Daddy, right?"

"Wanna bet?"

"Well, I would NEVER pull on your knitting. I'm too well-behaved."

"Well, I probably would because I'm not always so well-behaved."

Malcolm now passes out after their dinner, so it leaves me with a good chunk of time to work on St. Aula before he wakes up and the Witching Hour begins once again. As with most things on a kitten's brain, he loses interest as soon as he finds something new to look into.

"Gotta go."

Mostly to places he probably shouldn't be exploring.

"Ooooo, forbidden..."

By next week, it'll be a new area. I'm just crossing my fingers that he won't pick up on Gandalf's bad habit of jumping on the kitchen counter.

I have a goal of finishing St. Aula by the end of the year. In January, I'll be pulling out my beloved copy of Norsk Strikkedesign, and clicking away for the "Knit a Norwegian" KAL. You'll have to wait and see what I plan on making. So, I really want St. Aula completed by then. Oh, and another project that I didn't photograph, because it's kind of...plain...at this point.

So, it should be completely doable... *knocking wood*

And of course, come January when the KAL starts, Malcolm should *hopefully* be less into yarn and more into something else. Although I don't want to think what.

There's nothing like mealtime to bring everyone together.

"...nom nom nom..."

I have to finish up by telling you all how THRILLED I am to finally be back working on my own PC. Sometime during the summer, the harddrive failed (and boy did it ever). Well, I finally have it back, and better than new. I have Lorraine's son Alexander to thank for taking care of it for me. It works like a dream!

So happy! *sniff* What did we do before all of this technology?? Probably knit a whole lot more.

Cats In Hats

2009-11-08T06:37:00.016-05:00

When I was planning my move to this apartment, I looked for suitable curtains for the french doors in my kitchen, leading out to the deck. I didn't want something heavy or dark, just something to let in the light, and allow for a bit of privacy. I settled on some off-white "netting" type curtains. Perfect! My sister helped me pick them out, and I bought a nice curtain rod that even matched the hardware on the cupboards. It was a great look, and I was quite pleased.

However. Someone had other ideas. And it's probably not who you think.

"I have no regrets."

So, looks like that experiment failed. I have a pair of curtains I'll put up that should do the trick for now. Ones that will hopefully not shred quite so...easily. I don't want to have bare windows, I need to have something there. *sigh* I keep forgetting that my home is their castle. Not mine.

I actually have a finished piece of knitting to show off!

Kittiwake is complete. It was knit on 3mm needles, and I used a little over one ball of AS' Scottish Fleet in Navy Blue. It is much more "stretchy" than I anticipated - Scottish Fleet is like twine to knit with. Not my favourite yarn, but I have to say - the results are worth the rash on my finger from the yarn, and the stabbed index finger from the needles (the dryness from the furnace didn't help either). I haven't decided if I'm going to add the tassle or not. I think it's fine the way it is, and being such a dark colour - you can't really see where the stitches are gathered at the top.

So - did I enjoy it? Meh. It wasn't the most enjoyable of Starmore projects - primarily because I chose to use such a dark colour. But, I'm very pleased with the results, and VERY glad it's finished.

"*sigh* I'm 11 years old, and yet..."

"Hi Everybody! Sorry I missed you last weekend - apparently Mom's Internet service was down because the company she uses are tools. That's what she said anyway. Look! Here I am, with Big Daddy. You may call him Atticus, but he's Big Daddy to me. "Daddy" because I'm pretty sure if Gandalf is my Cat-Mom, then Atticus must be my Cat-Dad; and "Big" because. Well. C'mon. He's big... But he rocks! When it's night time and we're all sleeping on the couch, no one but Big Daddy will do."

"Here I am with Gandalf. I love him. He's like the coolest big brother ever. Except when he goes all Cat-Mom on me, and grabs me by the scruff of my neck. He gets all worried I'm going to hurt myself, blah blah blah... I mean really. Look at me! Aren't I getting big? Last time I went to the vet, Mom said I weighed 4.4lbs. Wow! Oh, and speaking of the vet's office. Not liking the needles. And I can do without them taking my temperature. And Gandalf told me something about going there to get my warbles removed, whatever that means..."

"And here I am cuddling up to my sister Mae. She can be crabby sometimes, and she's not much into playing with me. But, as long as I behave nicely, she lets me lie down next to her. If I get to be too much of a pill, as she calls me, she hisses at me. And boy can she ever hiss! And she can really get mad too! Phew! I guess she's just not into playing Gladiator with me. I wonder if she has warbles?"

"I really love being underneath stuff. Just like Gandalf! Mom says I can sleep through an earthquake, whatever that is. But. In case you think that I'm all about the napping and cuddling, let me remind you. I'm only 3 months old."

"See? Here I am waking up Big Daddy from his nap."

" *sigh*...how long 'til those warbles come off?"

"Mom says I can be a little pooper, but then I snuggle up on her lap, and that makes her go all "awwww" and stuff. Well, thanks for stopping by everyone! I'm glad Mom has so many friends out there. It makes me feel special all right! 'K, nap time. Bye!"

Sanity is Overrated

2009-10-25T08:45:00.008-05:00

"Take it back!!"

"NO!"

"Take.It.BACK! Say it!"

"NO! You're a big...fat...oooof...OK!!!"

"Last chance squirt!!"

"OK! OK! You don't have a crush on the dog next door!"

"That's better...and what are you?"

"I'm a poodle! GETOFFMENOWMOOOOOMMMM!!!!"

Ah yes, just another morning here with the Feline Family.

Remember when I decided to knit smallish stuff, because I just couldn't get in to knitting my larger, current projects? So, I knit socks, and squares for my Lizard Ridge blanket, and the odd piece that didn't work out... And I thought - well, may as well knit something small from my Ravelry queue. I decided the perfect "little" project would be the Kittiwake hat, from AS' "Aran Knitting".

See, it's deceptive. It's a hat, with simple cabling. But it's a Starmore hat, knit with Scottish Fleet, the coarsest, tightest yarn known to man, and small needles. AND. Just because. I decide to knit it in NAVY BLUE.

*sigh*

The ribbing just about did me in. You know, there's a reason my Fulmar gets worked on only now and then. Cabling with Scottish Fleet can be a bit rough after awhile. What made me think this would be any different?!! Well, it's coming along, and I'm more than half done the first chart.

I have been able to pick up St. Aula once again. I should have some significant progress to show you soon! The boy's interest has moved on to something else, allowing me to knit without worrying about a banzai attack from out of nowhere...

"Hello World!!"

This week, I've been keeping a low profile. It's been busy at work, and to keep my sanity somewhat intact, I've been relaxing, and not stressing myself out over the little things. This is the time of year when Project Managers suddenly realize that the end of the year is coming, and all of the stuff they've been putting off has to be done. NOW. And my group, who handle all the technical and network part of these projects, is down to half of what it was a year ago, with the work load being heavier. Not only do they want it done NOW, their project is THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.EVER. You do what you can... I'm fortunate I have a job, and that I can work from home. So, I take the small victories where I can get them, and don't sweat the small stuff.

Like Mae on the furniture.

"This isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Or getting up from the couch to find that I've lost my spot.

"Sorry lady. We're squatting here now."

Or wondering why I had to leave the leftovers out.

"Wow, human food ROCKS!"

More Malcolm, Less Knitting

2009-10-18T06:14:00.010-05:00

If you came to see some knitting updates, well, you'll be disappointed. When there is a kitten around, knitting gets done is snatches. Those green mittens I was working on a couple of weeks ago? Yeah, they're frogged. Way too big for my small hands... So let's see. What did I work on...

* St. Aula one slow round at a time. Malcolm loves flopping yarn.
* Stealth knitting. Here and there. Again with the floppy yarn.
* Delores? Probably a few stitches. Malcolm managed to bungee jump into the bag of yarn, and getting him out was an ordeal. He thought it was all in good fun.
* I'll 'fess up to having started Kittiwake. I figured small project, a lot of oomph. But in navy blue? Seriously. But it will be done.
* Socks. And only when the boy is asleep, because he thinks DPN's are excellent for grabbing at. I can't tell you how many times he's managed to pull a needle out. Many times. Many, many times.
* And one other stealth project...shhhhhh.

I have found my knitting mojo, but I will never be a one-project kind of girl. Can you tell?

Malcolm is the funniest little guy to have around. And let me tell you, he can wrestle with the best of them. Although he hasn't learned yet when to take NO for an answer.

Mae doesn't always think he's so great to have around though.

"Hi Mae! You awake?!! Wanna play?!! Let's play! Let's play! Let's play!"

"Go. Away."

Mae has never been a "morning" cat. Actually, she's always a bit grumpy when she wakes up from a nap. If she's woken up from a nap, watch out. Malcolm still has to learn that. I'm pretty sure Malcolm thinks she's the top cat. He only needs to be shown once by her that he's out of line, and he'll respect it. He's allowed to sleep next to her, as long as he doesn't try anything silly. Because Mae? Doesn't do silly.

Malcolm often picks wrestling matches with his brothers. Especially Gandalf. But, being such a good brother, Gandalf will play with him, and for the most part, it's good, harmless fun. Occasionally, when he's had enough, he'll pick Malcolm up (who will only go kicking and screaming) by the scruff, and bring over to the kitty bed. The first few times I saw that, I did panic, but I've since learned (thanks to the vet and my friend Raven), that it's harmless. Now, I've mentioned before that Gandalf has stepped in to the role of Surrogate Kitty Mom. He loves Malcolm. So much so, that when he thinks he's in trouble, or if he thinks Atticus is being too rough (which he never is, but what do I know!), he'll come to Malcolm's rescue.

So. As the boy grows, he finds new places to explore. And he's a smart one, let me tell you. Much smarter than the rest of his siblings were at that age. He figured out pretty quickly that if jumps up on the chair, he can then jump up onto the table, and get a look outside the kitchen window. He learned how to get down the hard way though.

"Look at me!"

"Atticus, how do I get down?! Oh, hi Gandalf!!! Whatcha doing?"

I'm in the other room, when I hear the Malcolm Screech of Protest. I just made it into the kitchen quickly enough to see Gandalf, with Malcolm by the scruff, on top of the table.

He then jumped off the table with Malcolm still in his mouth. I nearly had a stroke.

Malcolm was fine; more pissed off than anything. He whacked Gandalf in the head, and ran off. I guess Gandalf figured that he needed "rescuing". Malcolm learned pretty quickly after that how to get off of the table on his own.

"Uh oh, here comes Gandalf..."

"Dude. I really don't think he liked that... He punched you good."

Kittens...Cats...

Most of the time, nothing but Gandalf will do.

*snuggle*

*snore*

Much like Gandalf at that age, he thinks it's much cooler to eat the big kitty food, and to hell with the kitten stuff. Which is fine...but I still have to watch out for Atticus.

Kitten food goes right to his hips...

So, I really hope to have some actual knitting progress for you next week! Provided I'm able to get in a few hours here and there.

Have a great week everyone!

Sock in the Dryer

2009-10-04T06:49:00.011-05:00

"...that kid... Finally, I have him parked in front of the TV, watching "Dog Whisperer". Why he likes watching it, I don't know. Must be Daddy. Whatever. If a dog can keep him settled and calm for a bit, all the better for me."

I'd forgotten how much energy a kitten has. I'm pretty sure Atticus has as well. He's stepped into the role of Really Big Brother with all 4 paws on the ground, much to the relief of the Big Brother Gandalf.

"Phew, was I that nuts when I was a kitten?!? No way. That kid doesn't stop. He's awake, he's asleep, he's awake, he's asleep... Aw, look at him though! My little kitten...that's right little boy, chase your sister's tail. Atta boy..."

"You're an ass Gandalf!"

"...Eeeeeeeeeheehee!..."

Maybe it's the distraction of Malcolm, or the time of year, but I just can't seem to get motivated to work on any of my projects. It's not that I've fallen out of love with them, I just can't seem to sit still long enough to work on them. So maybe it is Malcolm... Anyway, I don't want to add to my pile of WIPs, so I started a small, non-sock project, to keep me busy while I wait out the hum-drums.

Ta da! Mittens!

It doesn't look like much yet, I still need to make the embellishments. It's going quite quickly, and despite being moss stitch, I am enjoying them. It's just what I need right now. They are from the Mission Falls booklet "Smitten", and I'm making "Blossom" in Pistachio. They have floral accents, which may or may not be applied, depending on how convoluted the crochet turns out to be. I like the look, but whether my meagre crochet skills are up to the task remains to be seen. I'll give it a try; who knows.

I have to say though - my spare room is a MESS. I went through nearly every scrap of yarn I have in order to find something small I could do. I'd think of a pattern, but wouldn't find a suitable yarn. I'd remember some yarn I had, but wouldn't find a pattern. And on...

"...where'd that nice lady go? The one that told me how pretty and good I was all the time?"

"Mom?"

"No, not Mom. The tall lady that brought us those furry toys."

"Auntie Chris? She went home to Minneapolis. She was visiting us, but you know. Chaos and Mayhem..."

"Ah. Well. That's no good Atticus."

"I know. It blows. But, I guess they would have been lonely without her. Whatever."

Ah, the furry toys. That have, along with the crinkly balls, disappeared into the Kitty Toy Vortex. 6 toys. Nowhere to be found in the apartment. I really don't know how they manage to do it. It's like socks in the dryer, I suppose. I'm pretty sure they've been pushed under the fridge and stove. Regardless. I'll be the one to hunt them out... Malcolm can still get stuff from under the couch and other small spaces, but even he can't fish the toys out from under the fridge and stove.

"Atticus, why does she always follow us around with that thing?"

"I know. Just look cute. Maybe we'll get a snack or something."

Atticus may have NO clue what the laser pointer is all about, and also couldn't care less, but he sure loves his crinkly balls. And with the kitten food snacking he's been doing of late, he needs the exercise he gets chasing them around.

Peace Reigns

2009-09-27T07:17:00.014-05:00

It didn't take long for Malcolm to find a surrogate Kitty Mom. Gandalf stepped in to the role rather quickly. Cleaning him, sleeping next to him, making sure he's ok when he starts whimpering, playing with him...sometimes a bit too roughly, but hey. Malcolm is made of rubber. Can you tell?! He's also carried him around by the scruff of the neck as well. Funny how these instincts rise to the surface in adult (even male?) cats. I never thought I'd see the day when Gandalf would be such a soft touch.

However, it took a few more days for the others to come around.

First was Gandalf, within 24 hours.

"I love you Big Brother! You're awesome!"

Gandalf has the most patience with him, pretty much allowing Malcolm to do anything. But, when it comes to teaching the little grasshopper some manners, he can be a bit forceful. After a few days of breaking them up, Chris and I realized one thing - Malcolm is a bit of a Drama Queen. And most times, he initiates the wrestling matches. Gandalf is not hurting him, he's just teaching him how to behave. Malcolm? Hasn't quite caught on yet, at least when he's with Gandalf.

Then Atticus came around. I woke up one night to find Malcolm sleeping next to Atticus.

Atticus hotly denied this. But, I caught this moment.

"I love you Really Really Big Brother! You're awesome!"

"Yeah, I know."

Atticus will put up with Malcolm only so long. Which is no different from the other cats and people in his life. It's funny watching him trying to clean Malcolm - while Gandalf will physically hold him down to clean him, Atticus will try to get in in between Malcolm squirms. It's so funny watching his head bob up and down trying to get a clean in. He'll play with him as well, but when he's had enough, he's had ENOUGH. Malcolm is slowly getting that message, heh.

Then there's Mae.

"I love you Big Sister! You're awesome!"

"Just lie there, squirt."

She's come around, although very much on her own terms. He can sleep next to her, but there will be NO playing, NO wrestling, and NO cleaning. And he'd better not swat at her tail. She's a stern one, that Mae. But, Malcolm seems to have gotten that message, and goes to her for a nap cuddle.

So, peace reigns amongst the clan. I knew they'd be fine together, I just didn't expect it so quickly. And I certainly didn't expect Gandalf to find his inner Queen Cat, and become so motherly towards Malcolm. The boy has a good appetite, and his older siblings have taught him how to whine at just the right times for food. Mealtimes can be a bit of a challenge - keeping him out of their food, and them out of his kitten food. It's getting there.

Chris was here visiting from Minneapolis, MN for awhile, and the Little Dudes were most impressed. Two humans dishing out pets and compliments? Doesn't get better than that! And, she came bearing gifts!

"Oooo, gifties! For me?"

For me! All sorts of stuff, some of which isn't even in the picture. There's a circular needle case, some notepaper, a book on Minnesota lore, some Noro Kureyon yarn for my Lizard Ridge blanket, some black kitty pot holders (LOL!), and a Socktopus from IKEA (the ones I've seen here aren't as funky). She also had a second swift lying around at home that she gave to me - something I don't have. And some gluten-free pretzels, pasta, and the entire line of Betty Crocker gluten-free baking mixes, which are not yet available in Canada. And I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff too. There was a LOT of stuff in that bag. And of course, toys for the kitties, which are now *somewhere* in the apartment.

She's back home now, much to the relief of Chaos and Mayhem. Apparently the smell of the Little Dudes didn't linger too much, and they seem unaware of time she spent in the company of other kitties... We had such a great time together, and the time zipped by so quickly! I knew we'd get along great, and we did.

We all miss you Chris! Come back again soon!

Oh! And in case you're wondering - yes, there has been knitting.

I finished a few things, probably not what you'd think though. I started making a pair of baby socks for a friend of mine who's wife just had another baby.

How CUTE are these?!!

And I also made a little hat as well. I think I may even have enough to make a little pair of mittens. The yarn I used to for the socks was left over from a pair I was making for myself. I started making them before I moved, and then forgot about them.

I've often been laughed at for having small feet (size 6.5).

Heh. Chris was here when I completed the pair. She saw for herself that they fit. :) The ones on the top, of course!

Have a great week everyone!

Malcolm

2009-09-13T10:09:00.010-05:00

"Hi! I'm Malcolm! I'm new here. I'm still a bit confused, wondering why everyone is fussing over me. The big kitties hiss at me sometimes! But, they're being nicer this morning. At least Atticus isn't trying to whack me in the head."

"I get to eat off the fancy dishes too. I have to watch out for my big brothers though, especially Atticus. He's always trying to eat my food. Boy, is he ever big!"

There's a new little addition to the family! Meet wee little Malcolm - 6.5 weeks old. He was born to a feral Mom who "moved in" to my landlady's home. He's just the cutest, squeekiest little guy, with a lot of spunk and bravery. He's standing up to Atticus and Gandalf's hisses and is already exploring everywhere he can. A little love muffin too - loves his scritches and belly rubs. I woke up this morning to him nestled next to me under the covers. Awww!

The Little Dudes - well, they were a little confused a first, but they seem a bit more accepting this morning.

"There's a strange lady visiting. That's cool... But then this squeeky thing that keeps moving around showed up, and he's still HERE. What's going on?!!"

"That strange lady is Auntie Chris - Chaos and Mayhem's Mom, Atticus. And I keep hearing them refer to that squeeky thing as "Malcolm". And that he's our new brother..."

Yes - we have a visitor from Minnesota - Chris is here visiting with us. The guys are now pretty pleased with all the extra attention they're getting - Mae can't get enough of being told what a pretty girl she is. She's actually posing for pictures.

"Yes, I'm lovely. We know that. But I still don't know what that little orange thing is still doing here... Really."

"No Auntie Chris! I don't wanna play nice with Malcolm!"

Today though, we've made progress.

"Hi Big Kitty!"

"OK, so you've shown that you can crawl under small spaces, and find our lost toys. You may be OK after all."

After a period of adjustment, they seem to be OK with Malcolm. Gandalf still hisses, especially when Malcolm tries to go after his tail, but he was sniffing his ears and head this morning, without being melodramatic about it. Mae is the only one that's indifferent. When Gandalf arrived, it took her a few days to want to even go near him. With Malcolm, she'll get close, and even let him get close, but he'd better not try to play with her tail! Atticus actually woke me up in the middle of the night to let me know that the squeeky orange thing was awake and moving around.

There will be knitting pictures - but today, it's all about Malcolm.

Bittersweet

2009-08-30T07:37:00.008-05:00

When it's not there, it's not there.

I really, really wanted to make this lovely bag, I really did. But, after finishing that bitch of a strap, and reading that was only half of it, I decided that this fling was over.

I consulted with my peeps on Ravelry, and they all said the same thing. FROG IT. Hey, I love the fact I won this prize from Virtual Yarns. AND - I love the 3-ply Hebridean wool, and the colour. I just really don't love the knitting part of it. And I cannot stomach the thought of knitting another stitch. So, I'll unravel it. And, to make that sour taste linger just a little longer - I'll be unravelling 2 strands of knitting, as the yarn was held doubled throughout. Whatever I end up making with this yarn better be damned good...

Hey, did I ever show you this?!

My Isobel of Mar? I'm pretty sure I did show you a pre-blocked version of it. Lorraine was kind enough to re-block it for me, as it really needed a good spin in her washing machine. AND - it does fit much better. I'm still looking for some nice buttons for it, and she'll be ready to wear out in the big world.

"Wow, Cousin Finnegan sent me an e-mail?!!"

And a picture, Gandalf!

"Life's so busy these days. I live in Nova Scotia now. By the ocean! I'm pretty sure those waves are out to get me though. They keep chasing me! Here I am, tired after a walk trying to figure them out. Moving rocks! I got some new toys! OK, so it's a pink turtle - so what?? My big cousin Atticus drinks water out of a flowery bowl. And he's no less a boy cat. This does NOT in any way make me any less of a boy dog either..."

This year will be the first year since 2005 that I haven't spent my birthday in St. Catharines with my sister and sister-in-law. They moved to Nova Scotia a month ago - which is a cool thing! I'll be able to visit them out there next year, and that will be a lot of fun! I'm pretty sure Finnegan will remember his Auntie Brigitte.

My birthday is this upcoming Wednesday, and I will admit to being a bit sad about it. But only because I remember the good times I had in years past, celebrating in St. Catharines. Not about my age though - I'll be 41, and proud of it!

Anyway - the good news is that they are all settling in nicely in Nova Scotia. They will be building their new home on the shores of the Atlantic. In the meantime, they are living in a little cottage, which is right next to the plot of land that the house is being built on. And to welcome them to the area, Maritime style - Hurricane Bill showed up on their doorstep. Can you imagine Atticus in a hurricane?! Oy...

"I'd sleep through it. Hey, can I go to Nova Scotia?!"

"I may surprise you. Maybe a hurricane would not bother me at all. I mean, c'mon. I'm not that bad..."

"Yeah you are!"

OK. Next week! I'll 'fess up to something I may have started working on that I should not necessarily have started working on because of all of the, uh, other things I have on the go...

My Life, She Is Tough...

2009-08-23T05:20:00.012-05:00

"Sometimes, it's tough being me. Mom's listening to her 80's music again. Which is not a bad thing necessarily. A little Joy Division, a little Crowded House...me, I'm partial to the really cool Canadian bands like Tom Cochrane/Red Rider, and the Box..."

"No crappy pop though. But I really have to draw the line at recreating some of those videos. I'm not talking about U2 (back when they were cool and relevant) on the roof of a building. I mean like wearing a flower pot on your head like DEVO. OK. Actually, only Gandalf is doing that..."

"Are we not kitties? We are DEV-O!"

"See? Man, what a geek..."

"Now. See my face? It's the face of a slightly nervous cat. OK, maybe not so much now. But! Let me tell you, we had some pretty fierce weather last Thursday. Not like - oh, Atticus wants sympathy kind of bad weather. Like. Atticus is mush kind of bad weather. Some places had tornadoes! We just had really high winds and lighting and rain and rain and rain."

"Can you tell? No? Well, believe me. That rain was POURING down. Our power even went out! And a big tree down the street fell down. And it flooded the backyard and the basement too. And then, the next thing you know? Sun, and cooler by about 5 degrees (Celcius, of course). Crazy crazy, let me tell you."

"Right. That's it for me. As you can see, it's been a stressful week. And recounting it to you all has been tiring, *yawn*. Gonna have a snooze now. 'K, ROCK ON everyone. I think Mom wants to show some knitting stuff now."

Well, Atticus is quite chatty, isn't he? But, he's quite the guest blogger, I'll give him that. He's right when he says it was a pretty fierce storm we had last week! Although we were lucky within the city of Toronto, there were tornadoes north of the city. Pretty rough stuff. Even Gandalf was a bit nervous, and normally storms don't bother him. But, Mae slept through it all. I suppose the day she flips out over a storm is the day I really worry.

You know what? I have been knitting. Despite the icky heat and humidity of last week. It may have been the first stretch we'd had all summer, but let me tell you. That fact does no make it any less palatable to me. Knitting becomes...a bit hard. I still did manage to work on some stuff. One being Delores, my long suffering Starmore Fair Isle jacket.

I have less than one pattern repeat to go before reaching the neckline! Gandalf would like you to take note of the armhole steek.

"See? Between the red and green stitch markers? Mom alternates the steek colours each round; some knitters do it the other way. I guess at the end of the day, it's whatever floats your boat. Anyway. I thought I'd just show you that. For some reason, Mom says I wasn't supposed to be in the picture. Which. Makes no sense to me. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Are We Not Kitties, Mae?"

"Oh God shut up. Please."

"We Are DEV-O!"

Gandalf Questions Things, Part II

"What do you mean, do I want a baby brother? Why?? Why would I want a baby brother?"

Heh.

Pretty Post With Project Pictures

2009-08-09T09:01:00.010-05:00

OK, let's see if I can find where the pictures are saved.

Yay, it worked! Oh, this isn't the picture I wanted, but. Enjoy. :D

Look! Here are the projects I told you about last week.

Phew! There she is, in all her glory - Windsor Waistcoat. Pretty, huh?! The only thing I did differently was use a 3.25mm instead of the 3mm specified. By knitting the extra-small size in a larger needle, I ended up with a finished measurement of 39", which is exactly what I wanted. Doesn't Lorraine design a cool vest?! And you can get your very own pattern by following the link... Just sayin'.

And to keep things "simple" (or so I thought), I started work on my Thistle Bag, courtesy of the fine folks at Virtual Yarns:

Oooo, pretty! This represents about two-thirds of the first half. Trust me. It's a LOT of work. Those fun little Trinity Stitch bauble thingies in the centre of the thistle? Nasty. But - it will be worth it all when it's done; I try to work on it every other day, but by the end of the night, my arms are sore.

(Kitty break)

"What am I looking at?"

"The squirrel! See him?? He's...ooo...look at him go! Look Mae!"

"You're weird. He's outside. We can't catch him."

"I'm gonna get you! Squirrely...squirrel...squirrel..."

Atticus is ready to pounce on the squirrel, despite the window. And I kid you not - Mae? Just sits there, looking outside. Sometimes she'll watch the squirrel, sometimes the birds, but she doesn't get all "squirrely" (heh). Live and let live is her motto.

OK. Back to knitting stuff!

Look what else I've been working on!

Now this one really makes me happy. The colours could not be more perfect together, and it knits up like a dream. As I mentioned previously - it's quick and easy too. Can't go wrong with no colour changes and 4mm needles.

It's St. Aula, knit using stashed 3-ply Mara and Machair. I should have more than enough to knit the "standard" size, and the hood as well, although I haven't decided which colour I'll use for it. I've almost completed the 2nd go-round of the chart, so I'm more then half way to the armholes.

Now, I've also been working on Delores, and the Mystery Pressie, but no pictures this time. Next week...

I'm feeling every bit of my nearly 41 years today - I pulled a muscle in my lower back yesterday bending over to do something stupid. As a result, I have to use whatever is handy to get up from a sitting or lowered position. Ugh... It's fine when I'm sitting or standing. It's just getting from one position to the other that's a bit...problematic. And you know what? Nothing I take seems to ease the ache. I've tried Ibuprofen and Aceteminophen, but both do diddly. Guess I'll just have to wait it out. Oh! I just remembered I still have some Tylenol 3's from my ear infection/hospital stay earlier in the spring! That ought to numb pretty much all pain...heh.

"What do you mean - do I want a baby sister?? Why? Why would I want a baby sister??"

Yes...what is Gandalf talking about??!