Happy Birthday Scout!

Today is Scoutie's first birthday.

What a year it's been. I've had cats all my life, and they have each been unique and special to me in their own way, but I've never seen anything like Scout. She's a stinker, a total monster, but she's my girl. She is the most determined cat I've ever seen ( I should take a lesson from her) nothing in the world will keep her from what she wants, or induce her into doing something she doesn't feel like doing (like looking at me for a birthday picture) She's clever too, which is why she is so successful in driving us crazy, when we try to keep her from doing whatever she wants.

Like the time she really really wanted to get on the dining room table and play with the digital camera. She would jump up, DH or I would tell her no and put her back on the floor. She would jump up and we'd put her down. Repeat, until finally she walked away. 'Success! She gets it!' we thought, until we turned around and found her on the table patting the camera with her paw. As I made a step toward the table, she looked me right in the eye and pushed the camera over the edge of the table on to the floor. Bad kitty (but smart) if she can't play with the camera on the table, she'll play with it on the floor.

My pretty Fannie Pie also has trouble getting through to Scout. No matter how she hisses, growls or pats her, when Scout wants to play, Fannie is often the target of a sneak attack. Since Fannie doesn't willingly play with Scout, Scout makes a game of chasing her around the house until Fannie finds refuge somewhere high enough to be defended. Fannie, not being fond of this unpredictable housemates' games, also decided she wasn't fond of Scout, at first. Lately though there has been progress. Scout is getting older and less rambuncious, and she is finally getting the idea that Fannie really doesn't like her games, and well, sometimes it's really cold outside and Scout needs someone to snuggle with. Luckily, Fannie doesn't hold a grudge.

In knitting news, the most boring socks ever are about finished, Rogue is coming along, nearing the dividing of front and back (also known as the armpits), and yesterday I got this in the mail.

That's three skeins of Kureyon (#95) and 12 skeins of Jaeger Charmonix! It's the softest yarn ever ( angora and extra fine merino wool... I've swatched it already and it is probably going to be next on the needles if I can find a great sweater pattern I like.

one of those days

Yesterday was one of those days. Not one of THOSE days, those craptastic days that make you want to scream. But one of those days where everything was a little off. I just wasn't all there, and wasn't quite connecting with the world around me. I was feeling a little puny and just needed to be horizontal. Since my being in the upright position was of little use to anyone, I took off work a little early, and drove mindlessly home, managed to pay enough attention to arrive in my driveway without incident or injury to anyone.

I gathered up my big bag o' junk and made my way to the door of the house and felt like I was really dragging. I knew I really needed to take a nap as I could hardly make it through the front door. As I got into the house, the wonderful smell of dinner cooking hit me and I perked up a bit as I attempted to make my way to the kitchen. I say attempted because on the second step in the door, as the door slammed shut behind me, I was rudely halted. Confused, I plopped down my bag o' junk and looked around me and quickly discovered the problem.

It's difficult to see in this picture... I was having difficulty focusing throught the laughter induced tears and couldn't hold still because I was shaking with a stupid abandon that comes from having an off day that ends like mine did.

Here is an 'enhanced' view of what I saw... note the boring sock sticking out of my bag ( big arrow) and then look at the series of arrows and what they are following.... even Scout has discovered my idiocy. Click for bigger pic, you might be able to see.


Yup, the sock was in my bag.... but after following the long string out of my bag.....

out the door and through the yard......

over a car.......

inside my car, on the front seat, I found the connected skein of yarn!!!

After a good nights sleep I feel a little better, I woke up thinking spring is here the flowers are blooming and things are bound to be better today than yesterday. I looked outside and saw this.....

Yup, that's snow.

You asked for it.....

Pictures of my finished lace leaf socks, with tiny Scout feet. It's really hard to get pictures of stuff with her around. She's fascinatied with the sounds the camera makes.... add failing light and.. well.. me trying to take pictures of my own feet, and you get some interesting pictures. Here are the two best photos.

I love this sock pattern and will make it again. I started on some simple stockinette socks at the same time, and they are still not finished. Too boring. These were much more fun. Click for big.

I also started on my next big thing... I went with your votes, and started Rogue. I am loving this pattern too. It was a little intimidating at first because the instructions say for those 'experienced' with 'advanced cables' . While I've had lots of experiences, the vast majority of them had nothing to do with cables. However, once I started it became clear that this pattern was written by someone who is experienced with advanced cables and also with communicating clearly. Very clever pattern, very clearly written. I was not sure I wanted to deal with the optional pocket on the front, (just because I wasn't sure I wanted to deal with figuring it out) but I finally decided that I would really like to have a pocket on the sweater, so I decided to just try it. It turned out to be as simple as the rest of the pattern and kinda fun too. So far, so good. Here's my progress so far....

The curly part on the bottom is the hem and will be turned under when the sweater's finished. That's the completed pocket in the front, with the sweater progressing up behind it. As soon as the sweater is up to the top of the pocket you knit it into the front. I'm describing it badly, but it's just the best way to do it without having to sew it on later... I hate sewing seams, so this sweater in the round with minimal finishing seems delightful to me! ( I still haven't sewn up the Manos sweater I completed in Jan.!)

I also like that the shaping is happening in the cable panels up the side, so no boring shaping to deal with every 8 or 10 or 12 rows, which I almost always cruise through a couple times and have to tink back to fix. Cables require a little attention so I haven't just knit past anything, yet. There's a bit left to do, but again so far, so good.

And then there's the yarn... Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed. I just love this yarn, it just feels great while you're knitting it. So all in all, I'm enjoying this project. There's a reason tons of knit bloggers have made this sweater. If you'd like to join the Rogue knitting throngs go see the GirlfromAuntie and get a copy of this pattern.

*WARNING* long Librarian rant ahead....

In other, not so great news, the Oklahoma House passed HB2158 last night. This thing is going to give me a stroke. I really didn't think it could get this far. Intellectual freedom is a good thing, really, it is! Censorship bad. Isn't that how it is where you are? Information and ideas are good, choice is good, segregation and censorship bad. Are you with me?

I'm having a difficult time believing that the state government believes that they, not a childs parents, should decide what children in Oklahoma read. State censored reading lists, in America. Aren't we the ones going around dropping bombs on people to promote this thing called Freedom? Ok, bad example, but isn't that one of the things the US is supposed to be fighting against? Taliban-like control over human rights and freedoms?

Maybe my husband is right, if this bill becomes law libraries should just not comply and let the state close the doors. People would be appalled and horrified and pissed. But I think people should be appalled and horrified and pissed now, at the mere suggestion of this measure. grrr.

If I bang my head on my desk again my nose is going to be completely flat. I'm running out of aspirin, I know many of the house reps email by heart and the state house switchboard lady is starting to recognize my voice. Sorry for the rant, but Librarians are a little touchy about intellectual freedom and the bill of rights and all those silly things that are the basis of democracy. I swear Canada looks better to me every day.

So to help with the blood pressure I'm going to have a little drink, work on my lovely sweater and see if Turner Classic Movies has anymore Busby Berkeley movies on tonight. That should just about drown out any thoughts of backwards ass Oklahoma government.

Excuse me, I'm using those.

It would seem that the Oklahoma legislature would like to *protect* me from my intellectual freedoms.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Be sure to tell your legislator what you think of this measure. The vote on this Wednesday, so hurry.

What's next?

Since finishing my Olympic sweater I've been working on several small projects. I've finished the Olympic socks, the embossed leaves socks, started on two more pairs of socks and worked a bit on several small stalled projects. While I love the socks, especially the embossed leaves socks... they feel wonderful and I just love them, I feel like I should be taking on the next large project.

I have several sweaters worth of yarn burning a hole in my stash, lots of lovely patterns on hand, but I can't decide. Nothing really jumps out at me right now, so I've been waiting and knitting on the little things. I've resisted just starting something, because most of the unfinished projects I have on the needles started just that way.... just to start something. So I'm going to ask your help. I'm going to poll the readers and see what you think I should knit next. I have to finish with the disclaimer that if for some reason when the poll is over I feel compelled to knit something else, that's what I'll do. I'm not tying myself down here, just looking for some input.

The three choices are....

A. Anya~ Jo Sharp's Gathering B. Rogue ~ Girl from Auntie C. Urchin~ RYC classic beach

I would knit A from the lavender Jo Sharp Aran Tweed shown a couple posts down. Sweater B would be knit in same yarn but pretty brown color called 'brindle', better pictures of it here. The third could be knit out of the lavendar Jo Sharp, but I think it would require purchasing something summery, a silk/cotton/linen blend? or possibly even the yarn called for in the pattern,what a concept!

** edited to add....

scroll way down to vote... (keep in mind I'm a low tech nellie, and sometimes the blog with all it's fancy codes and such just don't take kindly to my simple ways!) Also for my library friends, it appears that the library computers all broadcast one IP address so only one person per day can vote! ( and the lucky one today is Kathy, which is as it should be, dontcha think?) Feel free to vote in the comments if ya want!

Free polls from Pollhost.com

What's next on my needles

Sweater A. Anya Sweater B. Rogue Sweater c. Urchin