Hope everyone had a Happy Gobble Gobble Day

Thanksgiving was wonderful. It was so nice to finally have everyone together again, It has been way too many years. Nephew Mike made the best pumpkin pie ever!! Of course the turkey was excellant as always. Every year Sarah brings me a plate of food since I always work on Thanksgiving, and I always tell her make sure you bring me some of Allie's cranberry sauce. This year as the cranberry dish was being passed, I looked at my niece Allie and said " Al..did you make the sauce?" She gives me this stunned look then quicky masked it and "yes!"... Hmmm Methinks she tells Auntie a big fat fib! Of course her brother immediately rats her out to say Allie hasn't made the cranberry sauce in four years. WHAT!!! I have bamboozeled??  Well Ocean Spray was tastey but just not the same.  Cheeky kids!

Naturally I took some fantastic grainy pictures with my wonderful camera phone.

Why my camera phone you ask?? Well because I charged my camera battery, cleared the memory card and promptly left it sitting on the desk. And it seems I was not the only one who forgot their camera. Sarah forgot hers too. Infact no-one took pictures. 

Yup... that was it... I got one of Raine, everyone sitting and the dark family room watching a movie, and nephew Bill looking very thirsty at the table.  I only had enough room on my phone for those three pictures because the memory was too full...Oh yah! I was sooo prepared!

I know-I know I was the one that said  don't forget to charge your camera batteries...well I didn't forget to charge it, just take the damn thing with me.

I had plenty of battery to take this picture of my finished boot socks today. Washed-dried and ready for the snow fall we are supposed to have on Sunday.

And doesn't Baby Brodie look cute in Mark's Mossy Muffler???  (I just loved all those M's)

I finished this tonite while I sat at Kelps  house watching them decorate the Christmas tree. I now have it washed and laid out to dry.

I don't plan on having a tree this year, Brodie is too young and since I gave my big ass tree to the Kelp n Twig, I decided to give my big ornaments to Sarah, so No Black Friday crap for me...nuh huh... no way, no how! Sarah and I went through Christmas decorations instead and I got to make more room in my closets :) 

I could sure go for some Taco Bell right about now, I think it might be safe to go out now.

My Boss is a Funny Guy!

Ya'll know I was rip roaring pissed the other day about my ignorant neighbor ( they refer to him as the meat thrower at work), so yesterday when I came into to work my Deputy Chief asked me what I drove? Huh?? I only have the one choice..."I say my truck" He says "Really? I thought you drove something else? " and takes me into the parking lot to show me....


Special Parking granted by DC Dave!!! Ok- so I did fly my broom to work the day before but I would have sworn I left it home yesterday!


We decided it was taking up too much space in the parking lot and moved it into dispatch.


Mossy Muffler is making slow progress but I did get to work on it for a while when I was at the Endo Doctor this morning. I am getting to the point where I will have to frog some more of that sweater.

Boot sock number 2 is almost done. I should be able to finish this either tonite after work or tomorrow before I high tail it to my brothers for some Turkey Day vittles! (I'll be taking that muffler with me).

I am pretty excited about it. This is the first Thanksgiving I have had off in about 5 years. This year we are going to have a full house besides, it seems the whole clan, what little there are left of us, will all be there. My poor sister-in-law (bless her sainted soul for putting up with all of us) does all the heavy work and hosts every year. This year her birthday happens to fall on Thanksgiving so she gets screwed with all the cooking. I figure the least we can do is the clean up. She will probably threaten us with pizza again.

I hope everyone has the camera batteries charged and ready for tomorrow. I expect to see some great holiday pictures!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Gobble Gobble!

Can I Say Dirtbag Over The Air??

The Word of the Day is Dirtbag!

Wikipedia's definition of a dirtbag:


"Dirtbag is a general term for an uncouth person who lacks class. A dirtbag is one who continually disregards others and humanity in general."




I know it is not the "PC " way of things, but let us call a spade a spade shall we?




My day started out with opening my door to my apartment to take Brodie out and there is a white something all over the door mat. Of course having worked a 12 the night before my eyes are more than bleary and my dog is sniffing frantically at what ever it is on my door mat. I bend over to take a closer look....CRUMBS....VERY LARGE BREAD CRUMBS were on the mat and in the bushes next to my door. G#$*D&$# MF-ING DIRTBAG!!! Those were the nice words.


So I go around to the front of my apartment and there must have been an entire loaf of bread in the front yard...all leading up to my front door. Like MF-ing Hansel and Gretel lead a mf-ing trail to my front door this morning!





My landlady got a stinging message left on her voice mail. Not that she will do anything about it or even call me back- she has no spine and is all lip service ( I hate lip service).




Then I come to work expecting a nice "q" day...it is Sunday after all. The new kid seems to feel the need to pull over a car full of...yup you guessed it...more Dirtbags driving a car with windows he can't see into. He says "27-29 by file" I say "10-4" and I run his history-then I say
"Code 7 on your 27"

This is where I get to tell him in police speak that the guy behind the wheel is a dirtbag...but what I really want to say is "your driver is a FREAKIN' DIRTBAG!" I wonder if the FCC would be upset if I did that. I would probably end up with a bad girl letter in my file from the Chief.



Ok -I know I shouldn't bitch, and yes I know I work for 'dirtbags are us' and they are my job security - but Geez Louise...it is Sunday for Pete's Sake! Can't they stay in their own towns today??? What's wrong with a nice dog at large call? Obviously I forgot to raise the shields when I came into work.







The new kid shamed me into polishing my boots today. He was sitting in the back putting a nice shine on his and I look down and realized that if my Drill Sergeant had seen these boots he would have made me drop for a 100!

Now after a little sit down with them - they are not shiny enough to see what color underwear I have on but they are passable.



This is what a Sunday is supposed to be like... spit shinin' your boots while watching the Bears game and follow that up with a little KIW ( knit- at- work).





Oh and Dawn... I did remember to take a picture of Brodie's new baby. Walgreen's Sista.





Now that I have all that off my chest I can get back to the important things - like ermm Knitting!

Double The Fun

My boot socks are almost done. I finished the first one the other night and even managed to talk myself through the kitchener stitch with out help from the book. It only took me a dozen pairs of socks to make it stick in my head. Yes that firs sock is a little stretched out from my fat foot, and yes it is a little on the big side. I am thinking maybe the next pair I might have to use fewer stitches. This one was 52 on size 3's, but I think 48 would be a better fit since the yarn is a much bigger gauge than I usually use for socks. (Gauge??? Who checks gauge???)

And since I have sooo much of this yarn, and since the boy asked me if I had his scarf, which I probably do and can't find, I decided to make him a new scarf - apparently he now sees the wisdom in scarf wearing after all these years. This one should make for a nice toasty scarf for Bingo walking.

Simple moss stitch with double stranded Andean Treasure

Size 10 1/2 needles
Last year I weeded out my closet and gave my winter coats to the homeless shelter intending to buy a new coat this year. I found myself freezing my patutie off these last couple of weeks walking Brodie. Yesterday I was on a quest to find a super warm coat. I finally found one at Kohls last night, 50% off plus another 10% off that...Life is good!!! Unfortunately they did not have any warm coats that covered my butt, but at least the wind doesn't go through it (the coat not my butt) and it sure beats that little windbreaker thing I've been wearing.  Brodie however seems to think the hood is some kind of new toy because he keeps trying to grab the fur.

Oh yeah... and I did finally find Kelpy's birthday present. I started with the unlikely places and found it in the linen closet...of all places. I must have hid it there when she was coming over...LOL

I bought this at an Esty shop and it is absolutely even more beautiful in person. The wood is so smooth it is like glass. I think I am going to get one for myself too.

Brodie got a new toy too yesterday. Auntie Kelpy and Uncle Twiggy bought him a new stuffy to play with and it's not even Christmas yet. A little white wooly puppy dog from Milkbone. These things are so well made that their dogs haven't unstuffed them yet and they've had them for a year. Right now his running all over the house with his new baby in his mouth.

See... I am not the only one that spoils him.

My Feet Are Cold!

Wanna guess why my feet are cold?? We had our first snow fall! Woo Hoo! I'm an not sure if this counts as a first measurable snow fall but there is still some white stuff on the grass this morning.

It sucked that I had to be at work while the big flakes were falling. I really wanted to see Brodies reaction to it as it was falling but it quit snowing before I was done working. I think last night he thought it was just very cold leaves when I took him out after I got home.

In celebration of winter I decided to make some boot socks. I can never have enough of those. Since I have an over abundance of this Heather Gray Baby Alpaca from Knitpicks (see Ivy that I abandoned) I decided it was the perfect yarn to keep my tootsies warm this winter. Since somebody thinks he needs to go out every hour no matter what the weather.


Yesterday was Kelpy's birthday. Since both of us were working I felt it was acceptable to wait until tomorrow when I am off to give her present to her.
Just when I think I am starting to get semi organized - something happens to make me slide right back to the bottom! I bought her present in September, secreted it away so she would not see it when she came over. Well obviously I secreted it away a little too good! I can't find the damn thing! I go to wrap it today and I cannot remember where I put it. I have looked in all the obvious places, tomorrow I will have to tear the house apart to find it- I have until she gets home from work tomorrow to locate the damn thing. I know I will have the Ah-Ha moment as soon as I find it, but in the meantime - Do I give her this empty bag???

Every so often I remember I have this. Antique silver from my aunt that I have been storing for the last 20 years. Anyone have an idea of where I can unload this mess? Clearly I will never use it, and I am tired of having it lay around the house taking up valuable stash space!
Anyone-anyone? I know nothing about it other than it is really really old. It was really old when I was a kid.
Let me know your thoughts.

It's ALIVE !

Ok, now I've been gone so long Dawn asks if I'm ok....LOL I knew that was coming. I actually don't think I have knit one solitary stitch in the last week. I have been busy at work, but that is usual. The reason here is because I have gotten lost in the Ancient Quest of Saqqarah. I am totally addicted to this game. 

The other night I was up until 5 am playing ...stupid I know, because I had work the next day and I was dragging a$$! 

There are over 500 puzzles, so it is not like I am getting close to the finish or anything, but I can't seem to turn it off.

I did was and block all of my scarves this week and did hold my knitting while I watched the Bridge to Terabithia... but that was the extent of any fiber related activities.

I checked out Match.com which I find to be very creepy when strange guys start winking at you. 

Went to the library and got my weeks worth of books that did not last the week.

Oh - and I replaced the 4 panels on my vertical blinds where Brodie made "memories" for me.

So see? Nothing to show for my week plus of absence. Shame on me, I think the is the least productive I have ever been. And I'm pretty sure my butt got bigger this week too!

I would have worked on my sweater but Brodie made some memories for me there too. One by one the little darling started snagging each needle out and chewed them without me even realizing it, sitting right by my feet I might add. 

Cost of replacement? $22.95, because Hobby Lobby was the only place I could get wooden dpn's and they just happened to be rosewood...oh darn. 

He is so good most of the time that I forget he is still a p-u-p-p-y. 

I wasn't liking the color scheme any way-do over! I decided to try to dissect the photo of the sweater and see if I can follow the order of the colors they used. 

I am not going to play that game tonite when I get home from work... (I am going to keep telling myself that all night!).  I hate wasting my day hours sleeping!!

Did you know...

That Doctor Oz says dark chocolate is good for you skin? So I looked it up on Web MD and they didn't say anything about making your skin look good but they did say that dark chocolate can reduce high blood pressure (ya know - one of those double blind study things). And not to leave it at that I also checked Diabetes Heath and they said it helps control blood glucose levels as well as reducing cholesterol! SWEET! Guilt free chocolate!!! Diabetics Rejoice!

I did wonder why it was that I could have a piece of dark chocolate and have no ill effects from it but any other candy (like my favorite gummy bears) make me want to crawl right back into bed. 

...just thought I'd share that.

Brodie tried to help me with this scarf and I had to re-weave the whole thing! Since I had been procrastinating on the sewing segment of this project, I guess I deserved that one. Once I had it woven again, I sewed elastic thread through the cords to hold it together. This one is now in the hand wash pile!

I finished my Alien Scarf too while I was off. It isn't a very long one like I usually make, but since I bought the yarn over a year ago I figured getting the same dye lot would be impossible. Especially since a Raveler contacted me about buying what I had in my stash. it is wide enough and long enough to tie around my neck so allgood. 

Having finished that alien was enough to give me leave to finally start my jacket kit that I bought from Philosophers Wool. I have to say, their directions leave a lot to be desired. They give you this great photo of a completed set, you buy it because you really like the colors, then they give you bare basic directions and no color schematics! WHAT THE HELL! 

So here I am with 8 different colors and have to figure out my own color scheme. I am not what you'd call a math wizard. but I am opting for the Fibonacci method of striping and hoping it works out ok. 

Down to 4

Ok- so it is actually 5 WIP's but one of them doesn't count.
I have been trying to discipline myself into finishing some of my WIP's before the year is over. I think I did a darn good job depleting my stash, so now I want these WIP's done before they become UFO's...not that there is much difference. My biggest excuse so far is "I can't keep track my place on the chart" Sounds good right? So I bought that cool magnetic board for charts from Knit Picks so that I don't have to worry about the stickum getting unsticky on my sticky note and knitting the wrong row.

I am ever- so- close to being finished with the Alien scarf. Too bad I did not have it for yesterdays Hot Dog Roast at the PD! Not that I needed a scarf yesterday, it was a gerogeous day out. Perfect for all the adorable little fairies and witches and ghouls. This year we could actually see their costumes since no one needed a coat.

Sometimes I have the greatest job in the world!!! I get to save lives sometimes, and sometimes I get paid to take pictures and play with children and socialize... Doesn't get any better than that! I even got to spend some time with my family even though I was on the clock. How many of you have jobs like that?? The only real bummer was that Brodie could not be there :(
That and the fact there were about a thousand unruly teens on the street intent on creating mayhem and damage.

The kids with their kids

Raine as a witch (again)...I couldn't seem to catch Ethan without his mask.


My co-worker with his little guy Jackson, along with almost all of the PD staff and their families participated at our Hot Dog Roast.

Prior to all that mayhem- I did manage to start my Special Olympic Scarf Project... (Rav Link) I got a whole two rows done...woo-wee. This one will be crocheted (obviously) in a wavey pattern. I will probably have enough for a couple more scarves so I will have to figure out another pattern. I noticed that many Ravelers are doing multiple scarves, probably for the mere fact that there is so much yarn in these skeins. There are some pretty cool looking scarves on the Rav link.

I had one and half balls of this chunky stuff from a hat that I made for Mark (one he never wore of course). Since there was only about 75 yards left there really wasn't much I could make from it. I modified the Fidget to make the yardage work out. I'll probably make another one of these since it was such a quick and easy project. It is done in a twisted moss stitch which was mindless and interesting at the same time.

Yarn: Valley Yarns Shelburne Chunky weight
Size 10 needles
Time took? completed in just over a day. Quick and sleezy ;)

I also made a big mess of my office this week trying to re-arrange it. I broke my tall book shelf and had to have a repair job done on it (thank goodness for male friends with tools). I been doing the whole fall clean up thing in there. The Throw-out- stuff -that -I- have- been- hanging- onto- for- years- and- not- using kinda of thing. I think I am making some head way, and at least I can see my desk and the floor again! Now to start attacking all those bins I have in the closet!!

My new Green Hat!

Ya'll know I am a Doctor Who fan, so the fact that I have been looking for a pattern of a hat I saw on one of the episodes should not be too much of a surprise. Freeya Agyeman wore in the Human Nature episode, not much out there in the way of patterns anymore thanks to BBC yanking them due to some supposed copy write infringements. One of the Who-ites from Ravelry found this one for me. It is not the same as the tam Freeya wore but close enough to satisfy me.

Now you're thinking... "she must be color blind, that hat is red!" True enough, it the color is red, but the yarn is green.
I was at Wal-Mart (which fairly sucks) yesterday to pick up some odds and ends plus some yarn I needed for the Special Olympic Scarf Project, when I decided to grab some Caron for this hat. This happens to be a Caron Soft Eco which is made from 100% recycled post consumer plastic bottles! I did not even know they made a green yarn... very exciting to me!

Now for the sucky part...Apparently Wal-Mart is discontinuing their yarn. Almost all of the yarn was discounted in shopping carts and what little was left on the shelf was all marked down to 2 dollars. Good for my pocket book but not so good for my crafting urges. They barely have any material left either.

Here is the specs on the hat:
Yarn-Caron Soft Eco - Wine country
Sizes J and H hooks
Pattern -Human Nature Tam by Melissa Hart

This pattern was easy enough to finish in one day. I found it had an interesting way of decreasing. Instead of skipping a stitch, she as a crochet 2 together, like a knit decrease. Obviously written by a knitter...LOL



I also finished my Tilted Blocks scarf Saturday night while I hung out with Kelpy. I suppose I will have to find another take-a-long project.


See here.. I told you Brodie this this is his blankie. He has begun sitting in my little antique rocker when I leave the house. I have caught him sitting here on a few occasions when I came back in. I think he is going to be said when this one goes out the door.


So what else did I do this weekend? Well Brodie had a bath on Saturday which highly entertaining for me.
I tried to upload the video of him drying himself off but I couldn't get it in the right spot.

Sunday I tore my new contact so it was back to glasses till I can go to the eye doc again today (bummers).
We also went to the old house so Brodie could run around off leash. The two house's sit on 4 acres so it is lots of doggie yard to play in.
I had to buy him another frisbee yesterday because his other one is lost. At first he did not want to touch the new one but I managed to coax him into it. I can't imagine where is old one is. It is his favorite toy, and I searched under every piece of furniture for it.


Here he is lightening fast running away from me with the Frisbee.

Both of us got a work out yesterday, especially after I let him off leash at home last night and I had to chase him a full block after he snagged a piece of unknown type meat the ignorant S.O.B. upstairs threw out on the lawn. Little man was sent to his room after that one!

Now off to the eye doc so I can loose the spectacles again.

A Finished Weave!

Finally it is done!!!! I told you if I picked it up off of the floor I would forget about it and that is exactly what happened. I folded it up because company came over, then it was several more days before I forced myself to take it out again.

Sunday after Brodie and I drove around looking at townhome subdivisions in the area, I stood and looked at it all folded up on the chair for a few minutes then resolved to finish it that day. 

You know how when you like a pattern alot ( or at least the result if not the process) and you make several of the same kind, but by the time your on your 3 or 4th one you hate making them?? Well that is what happened here, I burned out on it. But now it is done and I can admire my handiwork.

Brodie seems to think Momma made it for him. He has laid on it every time I tried to work on it. I had to keep moving him out of the way several times while I wove. I keep telling him this one is not his but he isn't buying it.

Necessary purchases: This book - I can't believe I'm Lace Knitting and 4 skeins of yarn from Knitpicks. This does not fall under the heading of taboo shopping, simply because I say so. I have had this book on my wish list for a while, plus it was on sale for 40% off, and they yarn I bought for specific hat projects I have been wanting to make. The $130 I just spent at Ulta on a new make up line (Garden Botanika)  was necessary too ;) ( a girl has to look good -right?).

These gorgeous trees are right across the street from my station at our Village Hall. I just had to have a picture for the computer. I just love fall! The trees  of my apartment are practically bare already, it is kinda sad but I still have plenty of beautify scenery to look at on my way to work. 

Brodie is loving fall too, he gets so distracted outside chasing the leaves in the breeze he sometimes forgets to go potty. It is hysterical watching him. I can hardly wait til the snow flies so I can watch him play in it. (hence the reason I need to make more hats)

Autumn is the cooking season!! I am not real big on the kitchen aspect of homemaking but I do occasionally cook...and here is the proof!! Last weekend was crying out for Hamburger Soup to soothe the bite in the air. That seems to be my first kitchen task of the season, since apple picking did not happen this year for me. I'm thinking of a making a batch of chicken soup this weekend and freezing some to take to work. I actually cook more now than when I was with Mark, probably because I appreciate my efforts, even when it doesn't turn out...LOL 

 

Woven Plaid Afghan Pattern

This has been a horrendous week, more family tragedies that I won't go into, nor can I handle writing about. Suffice it to say, all that I have accomplished are these pictures TN Dawn requested of the woven plaid.

Super Duper Easy pattern for you crocheting gals out there. One thing you'll learn about me is that I improvise alot!  No clue where the original pattern came from, I only remember Kelp had the pattern and it had more colors than I wanted to use. My personal preference is for only three colors. It makes a good solid plaid, and this, like I said is my third big blankie. Kelpy has made several baby sized ones that turn out absolutely beautiful. 

I am not much of a pattern writer - but here goes.

It starts out with a chain, however wide you want it to be ( I think this one is 54x70 ish if I remember right). Double crochet in the 5th chain from hook then in every other chain to the end of the row with one chain inbetween. Chain 4 and turn, Double Crochet in each DC and CH in between each stitch. This makes the holes you weave through. 

Work 6 rows of your main color, 4 rows of a contrasting color, 2 rows of an accent color.

Repeat this pattern till your desired length- it should look something like this.

To weave the cross threads (when your finished crocheting of course) Begin by cutting your yarn to the length of the afghan plus about 12 inches. Each cross row is made using 3 strands of each color, begining with the main color, and follow the crocheted pattern of 6 rows of main color, 4 rows contrast color, 2 rows of accent color.

Thread three strands (same color yarn) on a tapestry needle, weave lengthwise through the holes in and out through alternating holes to the end of the afghan leaving about 6 inches on each end for the fringe. The following row, weave in the opposite holes from the previous row. 

Once you have a couple of colors done you will begin to see the plaid pattern start to form. The final step once you have woven the entire blanket is to knot your ends. I knot every two rows together and only on one end of the blanket. Once you have finished knotting one entire side, spread your blanket out and give it a good tug to make sure it is evened out at the other end, then proceed to finish knotting. Trim your fringe to desires length and Viola! Easy plaid!

Like this one ;) Color possiblities are endless!

Other than those pictures, very little else was accomplished week. A trip to the dentist today for a root canal (which hurts like hell now) and I got the bad news, of needing another one in the near future, must be the season for them hey Dawn? New eyeballs, which were another challenge for me today, multi vision contacts. I hope that works out because I detest wearing glasses! and now to take more pain killers.