Thursday, June 28

Chapeau et chaton

I don't know what is more surprising: seeing me post four times in as many days, or being the one doing the posting. I'm just all full of words!

I just thought I'd share a couple of photos. I took them both this morning.

Sarah and her babies, with the newly-cast on Chapeau Marnier.



One of the other babies, all wobbly and cute.


And, after the batteries in my camera died, I thought, "Oh yeah! Why didn't I photograph that new yarn?" Because I do have new yarn, dear friends. Before Dorian officially started and BAS and I were unpacking in our room, she said to me, "Okay. I have a birthday present for you. I hope it's not too lame."

And then she handed me the squooshiest hank of handspun worsted Shetland wool that she got at a local farmer's market. "Too lame?!" I exclaimed. And friends, I actually sniffed the wool. I have become that kind of Knitter. Thanks again, BAS, for the excellent birthday present. It is in no way, shape or form "lame." Now I get to plan a project for it.

This weekend, my mom and I are planning to go to the Des Moines Arts Festival (in lieu of the trip to D-corah that was going to happen). We'll also probably hit "The Other Art Show" as well, since they're both this weekend. Hooray for potential art purchases!

Wednesday, June 27

Boxes and things

Seems I have a lot to say lately.

Just before I left for Dorian, I neglected to tell you that I bought, erm, a lot of yarn from WEBS. A lot of sock yarn. A lot, in this case, means by the pound. I don't remember just now what the brand was, but I now own one pound of a light green yarn and 1.21 pounds of a blue-ish yarn. (The 1.21 pounds was a surprise, and now I owe them about $3 more. But hey, who's arguing?)

I decided I really ought to get going on my sock knitting. (Obviously.) So when I saw the Sidewinders over at nonaKnits, I thought I found a winner. Of course, I think a variegated yarn would work quite well for this, but the spoils from WEBS are just solids.

But as the newest Knitty was released, I've been thinking about Breeze, summery ankle socks, mostly because I like the cable and lace motif.

I've also been thinking about Chapeau Marnier, which isn't actually socks but uses sock-weight yarn. (Which I now have in abundance.) I wasn't going to use the WEBS yarn for this, though, because I found a gigantic ball of olive green fingering weight that was once trying to be a lace scarf. I think that that yarn is destined to be a hat. (Oh, come on! It's a Marnie MacLean pattern! I love her hats!)

In not knitting, I have a very interesting website to share with you: Box.net. It's free, it's online, it's file storage. I'm testing it out with some Dorian pictures right now. Here: check out some masked big wigs.

Tuesday, June 26

Arrrrrrgh.

I found out yesterday, shortly after I posted, that a new person has been hired here at work ... for 40 hours a week. They won't give me 40 hours — they actually complain when I happen to have more than 32, saying they don't have enough in the budget — and they hire a completely new person at 40?! What kind of crap is this? Just wait for it — the kicker is this person worked here five years ago, but moved away to pursue some other thing. So ... this is completely and utterly fair.

I think I may run away and join the circus. (Or not, after reading Water for Elephants. But I'll run away and join something. Maybe a subversive underground knitting group.)


ETA: Apparently this person has *either* 40 hours per week *or* 32-26 hours per week, depending on whom you ask. Next goal? Find out how much this person is being paid ...

Monday, June 25

Recovery, please.

And we're back!

Dorian was a blast this year. Lots of things were a little different, some were a lot different, but most remained the same. Right now I'm quite tired, having run after various junior and senior high school kids for two weeks (including one very heavily medicated, anxiety ridden Flying Squirrel — oh the stories I could tell, especially about pink and purple bunnies who ballroom dance professionally ...).

I spent an extra night in Decorah last night, owing mostly to the need to eat Mexican food with friends and the reluctance to drive 4 hours while tired. I played a lot of cribbage with the Medic, who is even good at strategy after being maimed by Dunning's Spring. I listened to people talk about lots of random stuff, including both the latest issue of Cosmo and prevalence of Dorian groups on Facebook.

Also, over Dorian I accidentally discovered a very good Greek rock band while listening to Ellinikos FM on iTunes during the art classes. The band is Gimna Kalwdia (ΓΥΜΝΑ ΚΑΛΩΔΙΑ), and they have two full albums available for download on their site. (Found this out quite by accident earlier today.)

Anyway, I'm here and I'm tired plumb tuckered out. Amazing how I always seem to need a vacation after my "vacation." But alas, I must work.

Wednesday, June 13

Woo! Dorian!

Hello, friends. Just a quick note while I'm in art class to say that I'm having a blast this year at Dorian.

Last night we had a floor social. BAS and I decided to have a crafty pirate party ... we made ARRRRt. We also decided to do a floor skit for the Thursday variety show; we're calling it Pirate Camp. To set the scene, one of our campers will be playing the flute. I'll come out to interrupt her and say, "This be not music camp! This be PIRATE camp!" (We have an inside joke among the Dorians that this is not cell phone camp. It's all good.)

Off to be a counselor. No more blogging.

Thursday, June 7

It's my birthday and I'll shower if I want to.

(I officially have a shower, and have used it twice already.)

The birthday was a blast, despite the fact that I had to work. I think my highlight of the day was when BAS called me for the second time and started the conversation, "I am such a bitch." To which I of course replied, "Why?" "Happy birthday!" Apparently she realized, toward the end of a music lesson she was giving, that despite having talked to me earlier, she had in fact forgotten the birthday wishes. That totally made me laugh.

After working, the 'rents and a brother and I went to Fuddruckers, where we all ate too much food. And do you know what they do on a birthday? They start with an announcement over the loudspeaker. And then they make you stand on a chair and hold a giant sundae on your head while they sing at you. Talk about funny yet embarrassing! (You know I loved every second of it.)

I'd have to say, it was sehr gut, the birthday. And tomorrow's going to be even more fun — Dorian officially starts! Woo!

I've got to head home and make sure I've done enough laundry and packing. I'll try to post, but you know how these things are.

Peace out!

Tuesday, June 5

Mondays are for margaritas

Last night my mom and I escaped town to celebrate my birthday, which is Wednesday. We decided to eat dinner at On the Border, a Mexican restaurant at Jordan Creek.

I'm pretty sure it was everyone's birthday. I heard them sing "Happy Happy Birthday" about 97 times (okay, maybe it was only five or six). And of course, as we're finishing our giant margaritas, my mom comments to our server about all the birthdays and that that was the reason we came, too. So I got a free song and a yummy, gooey brownie out of the deal, which was excellent.

I also got some new shades at the Lane Bryant, mostly because I needed some and they were only $10. (Not the ones with the bling, though, Dustro. I got ones with smaller lenses so's I didn't feel like a bug.)

Also, when I got home, I stuck my head in my bathroom, as I knew the LLs had been there working on the shower. Lo and behold, it's nearly done! If they work on it today and tomorrow, I might actually get to shower in my own house before I leave for Dorian! Amazing. (I took pictures of its almost-done-ness, but I left the camera on my dresser. I'll try to grab it when I'm home for lunch.)

So yes, nice birthday celebration. And I'm getting a new shower for my birthday, seems like. Woo!




Because I'm a follower (a.k.a. a sheep), I did this like the rest of the knitting blogosphere.


xamonster --

[noun]:

An immortal



'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com


Always knew there was something a bit quirky ...