Friday Fun

Hello! Here is part of a typical dog walk of Lucky's and me.
First off, Lucky grabs the leash as if to say, "Let's go!"

Was the tree dead, or just in the way? Either way, the bottom cut of the trunk is big enough for an end table. I'm temped to load them up, but what would I do with them?

Since I feel somewhat odd taking pictures of other people's flowers, I'm just posting the ones of my own. Here's a part of the honeysuckle growing in the back.

Here's a terribly washed out picture of snapdragons, a rose moss-like flower, and Lantana (Jacob's Coat), with water hyath... hyaththan... plant in the background. The colors are as vivid as the honeysuckle above. Stupid camera.


The best thing about the ponds? The swimming for the smaller ones around here! A few rocks get knocked around. No biggie.

Lucky wants to rest under the tree, where he hasn't trampled all the grass, yet.


After the walk, I ran off to the neurologist, Knitwit, and then home. I managed to resist the urge for cheesecake, even if I didn't resist Alp on sale half price.


Something to read and think about...

Are Firstborns Smarter?
A new study suggests that older children tend to have higher IQs than their younger siblings. Now scientists just have to figure out why.

I'm sure a lot of people are surprised by this. We call them "latter borns." All the people in this house are firsts. It explains the heavy fog of smug hanging around here during arguments. ;)

I'm bored.

When I said this as a kid, my Mom always said, "Go clean your room, then."

Bleh. My room has turned into a house.

I've walked the dog already. Other than that and changing up my blog page a bit, there's not been a lot done today. It's too hot!

Something that's been eating up my time today is this website. Yikes! If you don't use sunscreen, you get skin cancer. If you do use sunscreen, you damage your DNA and still get skin cancer from not using the stuff effectively. Oh yay!

Might as well eat some burned beef, too. Although, I'm hungry for Chinese food. The bad thing is, I'm too lazy to change out of my play clothes (shorts and a white t-shirt) and too cheap to order for delivery (less for yarn money).

Ok, maybe I'm not that lazy. The lawn needs mowing anyway, so I might as well stock up on Diet Pepsies and maybe Fresca. A good excuse to visit Hyvee's chinese deli, right? Store, dinner, pay fetch, mow, clean while watching TV, knit. Sounds like a plan to me! I'll have to post flower pictures tomorrow, they're so pretty!

RIP New computer, RIP

Yes, the new computer is on its way to, oh gaw, somewhere for fixing. It died. Of course, my technical knowledge is so great, I told the Best Buy Geek Squad, "It broke." Well, later I put in a "cascading failure" phrase, which let the guy know my IQ really IS above broccoli.

It started at 8:00am. The day dawned bright and cheery, judging what I could see from the closed blinds and the food-begging cat. Singing birds, barking dogs, waking coffee never hinted of the horrible quagmire of crappiness that followed. Internet Explorer would halt, no reason other than, "Internet Explorer has stopped working, press continue to report error and close application." I'd restart, get a chance to read an email, then the error would repeat. As if lonely, MSN then joined the error bandwagon. Did I check for program updates? Did I troubleshoot? Did I reboot? Yes, yes, yes both warm and cold. The only boots I didn't give it was combat or cowboy, despite being very tempted.

Those who know me way too well for my own comfort sometimes, will be thrilled to read no curse words were said. Not the first time I went to Best Buy, not the second time, and not the time I called Emachines and found out it will cost me $20 for a restore disk for the new computer I don't have here.

In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter my Sims 2 family genetic experiments are wiped out. Nor does it mean anything that my knit pattern PDFs from Knitting Daily are all gone. These were sacrificed for a system restore. Like getting a whole new computer, right?

No. The restore didn't work. Eventually, booting in a prior known working version of Windows, and then three different types of Safe Boot all failed miserably.

Poor computer. We'd only had it since April 14th. Too young to die.

In other news, I sort of defied my Mom. Hee hee. She's reading this tomorrow morning. Ok, but here's the deal. Lucky DID get out, stupid dog. He'd wanted to keep smelling a place I'd pulled him from earlier today. I suppose if he can't smell something to death on walkies, he MUST go back. That's what he's done every time so far. So, he runs off, I'd finally figured out why, and the place is very close to home, just beyond our next door neighboor's back yard. It's as far as I went, because I'm not chasing him all over creation. I couldn't, I'd promised Mom I wouldn't roam the streets after dark. How did I lure him in? With a secret weapon, his squeeky toy. He knew I was going to catch him, he wouldn't grab the toy, but grab at it and then run away again. Lucky may be young and fast, but I'm old and wiley.

Everyone and their dog has asked about Lucky being out of the fence. Literally, everyone AND their dog. People who walk their dogs behind our house have asked me if it's ok that he's outside the fence. Well, no, it's not ok, but what can I do without barb wire? He's getting bigger and now has started digging under to get out. Yay. So you know those little purses socialites carry toy dogs in? I've stuffed him into one of those. I'm sure he'd chew his way out if he could open his mouth.

No I didn't, but it's a great mental image, right? I just moved his stake to have him just reach but not be able to go under the fence. He can not only still get into his huge dog house, he can also rest under the shade of three different trees. Lucky has new grass to trample and destroy, lucky dog!

Lastly, knitting news! Other than thanking Chelle for the shawl kudos, there's not a lot. I was thrilled to hang out at Honkerbeans tonight with the girls. Everyone likes the purple cardigan and Flower Basket Shawl. Considering how well they knit, their approval is high praise. I love Mary's Charlotte's Web shawl, Carolyn has started what will be gorgeous socks, Chelle ripped to the toe of her socks, and Carol is amazing. She can knit without looking at her work. Absolutely amazing. For me, knitting is like going down stairs. I could probably do it without looking, but why tempt fate?

Wednesday's anti-procrastination task? Cleaning off the kitchen island. It's piled with all sorts of papers and magazines. Some of these are actually useful. At any rate, I need to get to the bottom of it for possible due bills. That, and I need to add Mary to the list of people in my room at Stitches. I know. I should have added her when I'd added the seventh fleet and that group of cabana boys. Oh well! That's what Wednesdays are for, catching up on the need-to-dos. ;)

Done!

Ta da! The Flower Basket Shawl in Lorna's Laces Child's Play. Gorgeous, no? I'm wearing this with black to better show off all the perfect stitches.
If anyone sees a mistake, don't tell me. Let me live in my own little fantasy world, mmmkay?
I did the bindoff a bit wrong, but like this anyway. I was supposed to knit two together, move the one stitch to the former needle, then knit two together again. Do the move back over and repeat. What I did instead was after knitting two together, I knit another, then put the left needle in purlwise and knit the two on the right needle together. If I had three hands, I'd take a picture to show. Ha!

I like it a lot, and not moving the stitch back to the prior needle saves time. I mean, come on, it's a bind off. Who can be patient during a bind off? Not me, for sure.

Of course, Claude can be patient about everything. Especially after a can of cat food has been opened. I'd have snapped a pic of Lucky, but the door beep would have woke him up. He's napping on his blankie in his house. Resting up, of course, to be a holy terror at tonight's class.

Fry has been doing well at Gran and Pop's. I had to call my Dad for Father's Day (of course!), and it seems she and my dad are in a mutual fan club. Not a surprise to me, I think they're both great. Hubs and I were talking on Friday night's dog walk about Father's Day. I'd told him that no matter where my Dad was for work, we all knew he'd rather be home with us. He's taught us about honesty, persistence, and continually learning in life, all by example. All three, and now four with Fry, of us girls are his favorite (grand)daughter. He treats each one of us like we are. :)

This being on my own is business as usual until around 4:30pm. That's when Fry is usually home from school, and it's worse at 6:00pm, when Hubs is supposed to be home from work. I tend to wander around the house then, wondering what to do? Fix dinner? Drive Fry somewhere? Talk someone's ear off? There's nothing better than chatting with one of them on the phone, I love hearing their voices. Little Fry called me about an earache last night. I'm sure she'll be fine, she IS with Gran-the-medical-genius. Still, I did have the thought that 9 hours isn't THAT far to drive for a hug. She's better this morning, and if her ear hurts as bad or worse tonight, I'm calling the doc for a phone in antibiotic. Poor baby. Tylenol or a knock-off will help, I'm sure.

Oh yay! The dryer is done and it's towel folding time. Yes, action and adventure all day, all the time. But, think of it, towels versus matching a billion white socks. I choose towels.

Pictures: The Escape

It all started innocently enough. Yesterday, I pruned trees, weeded flowerbeds, and installed the ponds' pump. Here, we can see Lucky's doghouse in the far background. He was resting, but not asleep. As you can see, this isn't a good view of the pond system.

So, I slithered down here to take a shot looking up at the falls and streams. It's very nice, but...
Some people saw me. Who could resist a face like that?

But wait! Lucky thinks of something and runs away. Where did he go...?
Fry will notice, I'm still on the outside of the fence. Alas, so is Lucky. He has an escape hatch and goes freely to and fro.

Enjoy the freedom while you can, little man. I have a hammer and nails, and know how to use them. No fretting by Fry allowed. He and I played for 45 minutes, he's napping right now. Little booger doesn't want a toy if I don't want it. If I ignore him while he's running around with his toy, he'll come over and tease me with it. Since today is grocery day, he has a new toy. It squeeks, of course, since squeekies are his favorites.


Meanwhile, in the front yard, a few pictures were taken of things less playful.
Voila'! The quasi-tank made out of Berroco's Love It! Colors. The color is Monday Monday, the pattern is a tangent from the Winter 06/07 Vogue. The circles at the bottom lay flat, thanks to my stomach not being flat itself. Also, I think it makes me look slim, but that may be my own wishful thinking. It was a blast to make, plus, I love knitting up this yarn. Berroco has very few patterns in this yarn, which is a shame. It's lovely to use and wear.
Here's a better representation of the colors the photo above should have shown.


The Flower Basket Shawl in Lorna's Laces Child's Play is slowly growing. I've started a small bolero jacket in Rowan's Summer Tweed, as well. One is a focus project, the other is TV knitting. Even non-knitters can tell which is which.

This one is for Mom. See how small my wild four-o-clocks are? Bummer. Still, they are growing. I've yet to plant the camomile and friends, but that'll have to happen before our next rain. :)

For my Father...

For Father's Day, I'm NOT making this for the dads in my life. There may be fathers that will love this, however, I'm not married or related to any of them. :D

How about a quickie?

If I open the shades, the dog will know I'm awake and will want walkies.

Thus, I sit in darkness...

At least, until I finish my coffee and change out of my jammies.

Lucky and I went to a mini obedience class yesterday. The little booger is extremely smart, learns things quickly, then does whatever he wants. Typical of the people around here, so he fits in just fine. I don't know about him, but after walking, class time, and housecleaning, I'm pooped.

There needs to be pictures, and will be later today. The Love It! sweater is done, and while it isn't a typical sweater, I think it's cute. I'm on the cusp of being done with the Flower Basket Shawl in Lorna's Laces Child's Play, and have started a little jacket in a brown Rowan's Summer Tweed.

After I see the bottom of my coffee cup, get dressed, walk and train the dog a little, get groceries (out of diet Pepsi AND instant tea, I'm doomed), I'll get a few pictures to post here. There's a weekend recap, Stitches Midwest news, and other drivel I need to write.

Too pooped to post properly.

Mostly.

Ok, I did a little ruffly sleeve on the Love It! sweater, and am almost done with the second ruffly sleeve. I already love the sweater, it makes me look thinner. Always a good thing, right? After posting this, I'm finishing up on it just to call it DONE. I love DONE. Mainly because there are so many undone things around here. Like everyone else's home, right?

Why so pooped? Fry and I went to the KC Zoo. After going to the Oklahoma City Zoo, KC's is a bit of a let down. Still, the tigers were fun. It seems every cat goes bonkers at feeding time. I joked with Fry that the keepers must have opened a can of cat food, something that gets Claude running amok. There were baby baboons and supposedly baby kangaroos, but we didn't see the joeys. The fun thing about the Australian section is the kangas run wild. Amazing. The zoo here is bird-heavy, nice if you love birds. I like them all right. I'd like to have seen penguins, but did get to see emus, ostriches, and parrots. They're always fun.

I wore a pedometer the whole day. Between the zoo and walking Lucky, Fry and I walked 6.33 miles today. There could be a whole rant about how I eat half what she does, have a bit more of an active lifestyle, and yet gained 5-7lbs to her 8 lb loss. Instead, I'll just say that I'm in a grudge match with my fat. I was having around 1500 calories and walking 30 minutes. This obviously keeps a person at a healthy 170lbs. I'd love to lose even a couple of pounds a week, so I've dropped the calories to 1000 a day or less and added in three workouts a week to the walking. I'm hoping this does some good, because eating less and doing more after that will be tough.

The alllmost done sleeve and undone workout is calling me. A few rows, a few triceps rows and I'm in bed for the night.

Photos are good!

Here's the Flower Basket Shawl in Lorna's Laces Childs Play, or it so far:


















Then, the front, then back, of a tank top I'm making from Berocco's Love It! Colors in Monday Monday.















Instant gratification in the flowerbed, a geranium NOT grown from seed. At this rate, I'll never have flowers. See the Flower Basket Shawl for proof. I planted those as soon as the last freeze was over.


















Yes, there is supposed to be a yarn diet going on, but... This followed me home.

It's silk and alpaca. I had to welcome it in, it was marked down 50%.