just cuz i forgot

i know, i know, i forgot the rednecks.

you might be a redneck if you've ever lit a cigarette with an arc welder.
. . . a screwdriver is required to open the trunk of your car.
. . . you got your picture taken sitting on Santa's knee, but your kids didn't.
. . . directions to your house include "turn off the paved road."
. . . the Santa Claus at your mall smokes while he's working.
. . . your cousin stood up at Christmas dinner and shouted "All y'all can kiss my #$%^&*!!"
. . . your pastor had to deliver a sermon titled "Stealing the donkey from the church nativity scene is wrong."
. . . you'd taken three pregnancy tests before you ever took a driving test (um, ok, i went to an entire redneck school, in that case! (4 pregnant girls in my senior class, lol))
. . . you were married in a Laundromat.
. . . you have more than two brothers named Bubba or Junior (how about uncles/dads, etc?)

Pattern of the Day:
12/19: Angel Scarf. originially, i just thought this was another non-pattern, with alternating yarns, but when you look, it's got yo's, and slips, and actually looks kinda cute, and woven. will have to try this (i think i'll find something other than eyelash though, ick)
12/20: Waves at the Top Bookmark. this looks interesting, and could possibly be someting to use for a blanket, or sweater.
12/21-22: Christmas Stocking. a very classic looking stocking, with space at the top to put a name. i like
12/23: Christmas Eve Triangular Schawl. This comes close to a non-pattern, but it does have several yo's. the big draw here is THIRTEEN differently textured yarns. the sample is done in one color, and different textures, but i could see doing this in shades of blue or purple, or even green, or a mix. could be very nice.
12/24-25: Tina's Knit Dishcloth Angel. this is very pretty, but should probably not be done with variegated yarns. a solid, or a speckled, at most. would make a nice christmas gift, particularly if given with soaps, etc. it says dishcloth, but the worsted cotton i've used would make a nice facecloth as well.
12/26: Subtle Socks. these are very understated, with an interesting pattern, in the example, but i could see jazzing it up with a color combo that would be unexpected. these are touted as men's socks.
12/27-28: Esperanza Long Cardigan. named fro the yarn. looks to be a v ery simple sweater, although the collar looks interesting, and the bottom rib is a 2x3 version.
12/29: Mittens Easy as 1-2-3. This is a bond pattern. i have a machine, but it's at mark's. might be a thought for the charity project for january @ AC4C. it's the Knitting Train, and they're doing a mitten drive. hmmmm.

Ta for now!

Potter is NOT a rotter

i know, i know, i haven't posted in over a week. at least not here, lol. and i'm not telling you where until the last gift wings its way southeast.

however, and yes, i know, i'm late to the party, but the boys and i saw harry potter this morning/afternoon.

DRAGONS ROCK!

holy cow! i think that was the best scene in the whole movie! (gee, ya think, considering the name of this blog?) and the maze was truly frightening. really creepy the way the walls just merged with each other. i don't recall that from the book, but it definitely helps the content of the movie. and i do believe that neville is blossoming! in a rabbity bucktoothed kind of way, lol. and yes, i cried at the part where cedric's father is crying over his body. and ralph fiennes makes a fandamntastic voldemort! you can just see the evil roll off him!

i suppose my one complaint is that they didn't touch enough on the second trial. fleur was much more distraught in the book, and they all thought (and these thoughts were stated as such) that there would be no rescue if they didn't do it. go figger.


now, i suppose all of y'all want to know what i got for the big day. well, i got this and this and this and this. amazing, huh?

and stephanie, the little shit, got me this. i had asked her for it, and she said there was no way she could afford it. well, apparently, since it hit a major sale at target, she could afford it, lol.

and the two biggies? i got 2 gift certificates at my favorite LYS, string of purls. woot! that means i have $60 worth of GC to spend tomorrow night (if i'm not sick, sigh), and erin made me the tastiest crocheted dragon, as well as some nice fingerless mitts. the mitts are a tiny bit big, but work well over my stretchy gloves, so i'll wear them like that. and actually, i've worn them every day. thanks, erin!

i will post pics of my goodies later, i'm sick right now. i have a hideous sore throat, and my nose hasn't stopped running since i got up (no, i'm not going to catch it, vi), and i slept for 2 hours this afternoon (and i NEVER take long naps like that).

and as of right now 931 pm central time, nebraska and michigan are tied, 14-14 with 13 minutes left in the 3rd quarter

have a nice day (happy, now, vi?)

7

i know, i know, nobody wants to know there's 7 days til christmas. tough cookies, i'm as behind as everyone else, lol. i found out the LYS i got steph's yarn from isn't open til tuesday, andi ran out of yarn. meh. so, let's do this instead.

i still don't have my tree up. the living room is slowly getting cleaner (i'm a slacker, i've been kinda down since thanksgiving), but i don't know if we'll get it up tonight or not. stephanie (who is home early, damn her soul!) has threatened to put it up tomorrow, and i think i'm gonna let her.

anyway, on to interesting bits, since i can't show you my knitting.

you might be a redneck if you've ever been arrested for loitering.
. . . you move to another state so you can buy beer on Sundays. (or another city, lol, i've been there)

Patterns of the Day:
12/10-11:The Mini Best Hat. this is supposed to fit an 18" doll. makes me wonder if it would fit a preemie?
12/12: "Antique" Satin & Lace Ornament. this is very pretty, and according to the directions, you can either use a commercial satin ball, or use the edging for something else. hmm, interesting.
12/13: Rabbit Tracks. this is a variation on feather & fan (old shale). looks pretty as a scarf
12/14: Felted Christmas Stockings. these are cool, but i would most definitely use different colors, lol (i hate army green, lol)
12/15-16: Sitting Santa Shelf Doll. um. this is frightening. Stitchy, or punk knitter, i think this is a candidate for you!
12/17-18: Splash & Cotton Chenille Hat with Pom Pom. it's a santa hat. need i say more?

goodness, that mean's i'm caught up!

oh, and the baby blanket i'm making ahs been revised slightly. the baby was 9#12 oz, so the delicate little blanket i had in mind will be outgrown in weeks. so i'm adding at least one more section, and maybe 2, if my yarn holds out.

What i'm reading:
Dune: Battle for Corrin by Brian Herbert(booktape i'm listening to int he house)
Dragonfly in Amber By Diana Gabaldon(booktape i'm listening to in the car, and yes, i'm addicted to Diana Gabaldon)
and some award winning sci fi anthology (sorry, i don't wanna get up and look, you can wait til tomorrow, lol)

Have a happy holiday season

9

days left. are you ready? i'm not. sigh. still don't have the tree up (gonna shoot for this weekend). meanwhile another goody from ann to distract you from your goodly holiday endeavors (i don't say christmas, cuz i know lots of people who celebrate other things than christmas (check out rabbitch, she's celebrating xmass (not the same thing, lol))).

ok, do i get to drown younglings. sean was emptying the kitchen sink, and decided he needed to spray down the sinks. now, in any other child, this would be a good, kindly thought. however, sean has been banned from sink hand sprayers, and for good reason. my knitting bag was sitting in the kitchen, and a christmas present i'm working on got a good pre-blocking soak! too bad the damned thing wasn't done yet! sigh.

and liam is still annoyingly 13. at last count, i think he lied was wednesday night. gee, a record! and yes, they both have holiday homework (yes! their teachers rock! something for them to do during the holiday season!)

and, since i've been extremely remiss on my pattern a day calendar, here we go:
11/28-29: Baroo, an Irish Holiday Stocking. This is darling, except the foot on this is, well, a bit forshortend.
11/30: Slip Stitch Cable. this is not a true cable, but it sure looks good. a definite try for my simple cable-rimmed hats.
12/1: Snowflake Star. this is pretty, and even though it's predominantly stocking stitch, it's still lacy enough.
12/2: Baby Kid Mohair Shawl. this is a VERY simple lace pattern, but nice enough. the kicker is (once again) the yarn.
12/3-4: Santa Hat. this is actually one of those long ski hats you used to see ( i had one that was bright orange (my school colors, god help me!). it's cute!
12/5: Ruffled Mitts. These are cute, but i liked Mrs. Beaton from Knitty better. just my take.
12/6: Allison Kelsey's Scarf. this one dangerously approaches the non-pattern status, except for one simple thing. you knit a narrow strip, then when you bind off, you don't finish off the last stitch, and you pick up all along the edge, and knit it width wise to suit. interesting!
12/7-8: Santa Christmas Stocking. imagine that! it is a new graphic, for sure, and also has a space for a name. very cute.
12/9: Bottle Cover & Gift Bag. this is a bond knitting machine pattern, very simple. meh.

and i'll stop there for now, because my eyes are crossing from exhaustion. sigh

have a happy holiday season (i've been saying it so much at work it's become reflex!)

blah blah blah

ok, i know, not much of a title, but hey, i'm tapped. my brain is fried (i have a migraine, and it's 10 days til xmas, sigh)

this is bizarre, but cute, and kinda funny. go check it out. i got it from anne. thanks, hon, this is great!

you might be a redneck if there's a 4-wheeler parked in your bedroom.
. . . you and six of your neighbors split a cable bill.
. . . your voice changed while you were still in second grade (is that along the same lines as the retirement one earlier today?)
. . . you pawned your grandfather's pocketwatch because you needed beer money for the weekend (that's not just redneck, that's crass! and majorly alcoholic, lol)
. . . you've ever made a cup of coffee with a welding torch.
. . . you've ever framed an Auto Trader cover.
. . . your father-in-law said you had no class so you spit at him.
. . . more than one person at your class reunion was on a weekend pass.
. . . you eat cotton candy more than 3 times a week.
. . . your idea of water conservation is mvoing your saturday night bath to every other saturday (and you mow your pits weekly, ugh)
. . . you've ever worn anythign tie-dyed to a job interview (that sounds hippy to me, not rednecked, but hey)

patterns will come back tomorrow, i promise.

sigh

ok, i haven't died yet, just too tired at night to post. i shouldn't be posting now, lol, but meh.

you might be a redneck if you're using your kid's swing set as an engine hoist
. . . the air freshener in your truck smells better than your spouse (ouch!)
. . . your retirement plans include getting your own place.
. . .you've ever had a romantic encounter on a riding lawnmower.
more later, lol

WOOT!

i have splendiferous news! i was supposed to go to court today (they had it at 10 am, which they never have it that early, so i put in for off at 1, but it's ok, the Guardian Ad Litem told the judge i was working), and they've given custody of liam back to me!!!!! now, if we can get sean in gear, and get him back as well, we can tell the state (douglas county in general) to stick it where the sun don't shine! the funny part is my caseworker was AWOL as well. (actually, i had leave, lol). big surprise there.

would it surprise you if she was the caseworker for the boy who ended up killed last week here in omaha? here's the story. waht it doesn't say, is that this kid was in foster care, until he turned 18 (age of majority in nebraska is 19), and they turned him loose. he'd attempted suicide 3 weeks before this incident. ok, if this kid was still a minor in the eyes of nebraska law, WHO THE FUCK WAS HIS GUARDIAN? why didn't this kid get help when he needed it? ok, rant over. just the fact that this county is the same one who keeps trying to close my son's case, when he's not ready by a longshot, is just a sample of the abuse running in this county. remind me if i need any state help, to move.

for those of you who checked out the amazing christmas lights, look what's happened. people are nuts. i guess his 15 minutes of fame cost him.

You will never believe where i got this. they were having a book fair at work (they have them about once every 6 months or so, we get a 10% discount off they're already cheap prices), and i saw this laying there, for $11.99! bliss! yarn! weaving! something to play with!

and i got this there too! i was in shock! actual crafting i'm interested in! and not scrapbooking crap! (no offense to scrap bookers, i just can't get into putting itty bits of paper in photo albums. the farthest i'll get is maybe descriptions under each pic, but that's it)

there has been knitting, i just don't have pics i can post. the christmas project continues apace, but i ahve a bad feelign about it being done in time for postage by christmas. we'll see. the baby blanket progresseth slowly (so far i only work on it in the afternoon break while i'm talking ot mark), but no word re a baby, so i guess i'm ok for now.

and the really big news? Steph moved to Missouri yesterday. her friend is staying here for a few days til her new place is ready tomove into, so it's not quite empty down there, but it's not the brooding presence, and smart-assery that i'm used to (yes, vi, she comes by it honestly, lol).

she did call yesterday and ask if we could wait to move liam, since she hadn't finished packing yet, lol. she's coming back at christmas.

i'll save the rednecks and patterns for another day, i need to go to bed, i've been up too late too many days this week, and my brain is fried like an egg. i was cracking bad jokes at work today because i was so tired. such as "call me cream, cuz i'm whipped" and "call me eggs, cuz i'm beat". see what i mean?

Have a lovely, splendiferous holiday seasonal day! (and keep your tootsies warm!)

crazy aunt purl tagged the planet

so i guess i gotta do this

TEN random things you might not know about me.
1:My hair is down to my ass
2: i used to bite my nails as a kid
3: Mark & I made enough red beans and rice after thanksgiving to feed half of the city of New Orleans.
4: i have a stepladder sitting next to my computer desk as my pattern holder
5: I am a lousy housekeeper
6:I hate raw onions
7: I have a red minivan i bought from my mom after my dad died.
8: Sorry, Laurie, i prefer pie to cake
9: I tend to twist my words when i'm talking (i.e. Trash, take sean to the curb)
10: I have 4 daily calendars for 2006, and 3 are fiber related

NINE places I’ve visited
1: Oregon coast
2: Estes Park in Colorado
3: Smokey Mountain Range in North Carolina
4:Mt. Rushmore
5: Upstate New York
6: Texas
7: The Wild side (i'm running out of unusual places, lol)
8: Fort Leavenworth Museum
9: A Coor's Plant

EIGHT ways to win my heart
1: Accept my kids and all their crazy ways
2: Accept me for who and what i am
3: Praise my cooking
4: Hold me when i ask (this is turning into a "what mark does for me" thing, sint' it?)
5: Back off when i ask you to (i've gotten much better about recognizing my stopping point)
6: Praise my knitting/spinning/crochet
7: Let me hold your baby (i've got granny lust going)
8: say "i love you" and mean it (platonic works too, lol)

SEVEN things I want to do before I die.
1: skydive
2: raise fiber animals
3: go back to the country
4: see my children grown, happy, and successful
5:go to my ancestral home in scotland
6: visit paris
7: never let go (sorry, laurie, i jsut lov emy man too much)

SIX things I’m afraid of:
1: Ladders
2: driving down steep inclines sideways
3: either ex trying to get back into mylife
4: losing my family to severe illness in the next 5 years (it could happen mark's dad & my mom are 77, and Mom is 72)
5: Bad food
6: Bad hair

FIVE things I don't like:

1: Romance novels that take themselves too seriously
2: my son playing his stereo so loud i can hear it through 2 BATHROOM doors.
3: being told there's only one proper way to so something, and then have someone (a quality control guru) show you a better and cheaper way.
4: Not Sleeping
5: not eating

FOUR ways to turn me off
1:act like you're my boss
2:tell me i don't know what i'm doing, when i do
3:have no appreciation for pie
4:whine

THREE Things I do everyday
1: knit
2: read
3: have a headache (this is a perpetual thing, my head actually feels empty when i don't have a headache)

TWO things that make me happy
1: my fiance saying "I love you."
2: sean having a good day

ONE thing on my mind right now
1: stephanie moving on monday

ok, now it's my turn! i RETAG THE PLANET! those of you who wish to do this can

i'll be back when my head has decided i can join humanity

check it out!

this is absolutely frigging amazing! i wanna know how they do it!

i'll be back later (i promise, even if it isn't tonight)