My Leg Muscles Atrophied

Apparently. And here's why:



But to be fair, OH joined in my insanity:



I'm thinking that if I work my endurance level up and time frame down, I can ride mine to and from work some in the spring/summer/fall. Like I said, INSANITY!

And they don't quite fit in the downstairs closet like we'd hoped. So now I need to do another round of Spring Fling Frenzy, apparently.

I'm Slipping...

I'm starting to slack on my posts. I try to post at least once a week, but some weeks I've got nothing interesting to say. So, I wait. Then I forget when something noteworthy happens. My apologies, my dear three readers.

OH and I went through a Spring Cleaning Frenzy today. Yes, it deserves the capital letters. He'd already started by the time I got home from vising Mom. We'd been planning to get rid of the short couch (loveseat) and clear out the downstairs closet so we'd have room for the bicycles we're planning on buying in the next few weeks. He had the area cleared between the short couch and the door, had cleaned out (mostly) under the cushions, and swept the floors. I came home, finished up under the cushions and we carted it over to the dumpster (which luckily is close enough for us to drag stuff to, but far enough away if someone throws out the smelly stuff). Less than 3 hours later, when we were carting out (yet) another load of junk, the couch was gone. Dumpster divers to the rescue, I presume.

It's a little bit creepy when said divers practically accost you on the way there, though. I shudder to think what the inside of their home looks like....

So now we have more walking space in the living room and the crack room. And two functional closets again!

Karma's Bitch

That was me Friday evening.

It all started with me having nothing to do at work wanting to go home early. I managed to talk my boss into letting me go home. It would boost our daily efficiency (which the higher-ups are really really keen on right now, even though their program/s to track this is so fubar-ed, it's not funny) by having less man-hours for the shift. And I'd been doing my job so well that no one was even making eye contact with me lest I point out something else for them to clean (ha).

So, anyway, he said yes and I danced a little happy dance (in my head). I ran an errand, off-the-clock, and then headed home. Insert Karma's bitch-slapping of me here.

I had a little accident.

Seriously, I had a minor traffic accident less than two blocks from work.

I had nothing on in the car to distract me. Radio was off. Cell phone was ... ok, cell phone was on my leg, but I wasn't talking on it. Or texting. I had it on my leg because it was gouging a hole in my hip pocket. Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, seat belt on (always), etc. I was even doing the posted speed limit (30 mph).

Then this big red Dodge pickup truck appears in the oncoming lane. And decides he needs to turn left. In front of me! Without signaling!

My thought process went like this: OMIGOD! While my foot automatically slams the brakes (thank the powers that be that I changed them just a few weekends ago. Yes, I changed my own front brakes, with some help from my uncle.) and my hands yank the wheel as far left as it will go. The next semi-coherent thought while I'm swerving like hell is Don'tletmehititdon'tletmehiDAMMIT!

Then there's the sound we all know and dread. Screech/crunch! Accompanied by a bit of a jarring. Luckily, no one was hurt. It was a minor fender bender.

I got out of the car to check out the damage. My front bumper is cracked a bit, the hood has some denting, the front fender? (right over the wheel) is pretty banged up, and the passenger door won't open. Thought: SHIT! I was thinking about a new car, but NOT YET!

The other driver admitted fault (and it's in the police report) so my insurance won't go up. Did I mention that no one was injured?

Moral of the story: If you're going to worm your way out of work early on a Friday evening, think twice because Karma is there playing hi-lo with Fate as to whether or not to smack you down a peg.

(ETA: And I gained 3 years of age, thanks to the local paper....)

Rewarding

Sometimes, I hate my job. Most of the time, it's just a means to an end. And then there's the occasional highlight.

Two of my coworkers are returning to their home country. They'd been at the plant for a few years (I'm ashamed to say I don't know how many for sure) and, as far as I could see, were liked by everyone. They always came in on time, rarely missed, did the job, and didn't have a problem with anyone.

Yesterday (Friday) was their last day of work. My boss stopped me early-ish in the shift and gave me a 'side project'. Now, this phrase can be anything from walking the department and pointing out all the housekeeping things we all just don't see to helping word an email. This time the project was to collect a dollar from everyone willing, then go to the store and buy cupcakes and soda so we could have a miniature going-away party for the couple. It was so sweet! And I'm not just talking about the cupcakes.

Here's a helpful hint. If you want to see fully grown adults look like they're five again, hand them a cupcake with fluorescent icing. It's kind of hilarious.

One year later

Okay, here I am, one year since starting this blog. We've seen lots of evidence of insanity. And some new experiences. Some memorable events. And, hopefully, I've given my three readers some good chuckles when they needed it and sometimes when they didn't.

The following photos detail a trip I made yesterday. To the land of "What-the-hell-were-we-smoking?!"


Ames and I wanted to try out something we'd seen/read about a long time ago. Duct tape dressforms! Since buying a 'real' dressform is slightly out of our budgets. Plus, do you actually know anyone who is the same shape as one of those things without some heavy duty corsetry??


These photos are of the making of Beige Babe (har. My superhero name.)

Needless to say, for our first try, these suckers weren't too bad. Mine still needs a bit of tweaking, like getting it onto the stand so it isn't sitting on the floor confusing the cat.

You can also see some of the goofy entering the hilarity that was us. Did I mention that we were stone sober at the time?


Oh, and how often can you fondle your own boobs when they aren't attached to your body? I couldn't resist.

Ames might or might not share her photos and it isn't my place to share what's hers, so hold your breath (heavens know we did in process).

Not bad for using vaguely-remembered blog posts and internet searches, huh.

Life, the Universe (of Yarn) and Everything

Yes, I've been gone a while. No, I don't want to rehash it. Suffice it to say that it involved my Mom, the Hospital, Scalpels, Staples, and a lot of knuckle-gnawing. Things are better now and I want to share some of the nicer things that have happened in my absence from blogging. The first photo is a progress shot, badly taken, of my Coachella tank top. I'm loving the way the yarn is feeling. 65% silk, 35% bamboo. Yum! Oh! And it's on a cone, so very few tails to weave in due to not having to join a new ball of yarn! Win!

There's two stories to this picture...

I'm telling the funnier one here. That swirly knitting thing there is a hat, knitted in the round. But wait! you say. Doesn't knitting in the round use more than 3 needles or a circular needle or something?? Well...yes. Yes, it does. Usually. Unfortunately, the 4th needle for this hat kind of ... died.




Yes. Died. See this bent and twisty sad looking piece of metal? Yeah, that was my 4th needle. It got used for some ... repair work ... and didn't quite make it through alive. No, it can't be bent back into its original straight and pointy-ness. Trust me. I tried.


Oh, but the next picture cheered me up to no end! I kind of needed some S.E.X.
No, not that kind of sex. Stash Enhancing eXperience(s). So, I went online and got lured in to some sample packs of summer yarns. And then, Ames and I went on a Yarn Spree! This photo is a melding of the two experiences. No, I'm not telling how much I spent. But I did stay within the budget I set myself (somehow). Oh and some of the yarns aren't shown, but that's because they are duplicate cakes and one is being used for a "secret project."

The last photo is, I guess, my birthday gift to myself. A drafting table (that tilts!), a stool to sit on. 3 different types of drawing tablets (only one shown, but if you look in the bottom left corner you can see just a little bit of another one), and a whole lotta pencils! Colored pencils, drawing pencils, some charcoal sticks...

And, of course, I haven't had a chance to sit down and actually use any of it yet...

So, see. I haven't fallen completely off the face of the planet! I'm still around. Just doing a little more lurking that chatting.
:D

Exhaustified

I haven't blogged in a bit due to family matters. Mostly, those are resolved, but I am exhaustified. I'm too pooped to even put up a cute kitteh photo.

Needless to say, I am currently incapable of writing anything really spectacular at the moment.

Please enjoy the peace and quiet while systems are restored.

Igor/ina Hath Arrived!

Tho, the very very awethome mithth Ganyah (who wath very brave and organithed thith thwap) then protheeded to thend me thith really, really great parthel:
The thent me not one, not three, not even five, but THEVEN kindth of yarn! Not ballth. Not hankth. KINDTH! I felt a little inadequate, having only thent her two meathley ballth of Malabrigo Lace. But that'th not the point. The point ith that the included thome really thpiffy thtuff to go with the yarn. And chocolate. And fudge!

It'th next to impoththible to get my camera to thow any kind of detail. But the big red thquare ith a dithcloth, and it thtateth "(Eye) (Heart) Igor" and the thtitch markerth almotht vithible at the bottom there thpell out "I (heart) IGORS" and altho have the great A'Tuin.

The altho included a copy of the Igor Thawl (available through the MMario yahoo group) and thome additional information about it. It ith all beautifully held together with a purple butterfly paperclip. Now, thomething funny that I'll thare with my three readerth ith that I theriouthly thought about thending thith thame pattern to her! But I wanted to include enough yarn to make it ath well, and couldn't dethide on a particular one to go with it (none were ... Igor-y enough).

You thee that cute little Klatchian Army Knife there on the right? Don't let it fool you. That little thucker ith wicked tharp! I know thith becauthe it bit me the firtht day I uthed it. Not to worry, though. Remember, you're reading the tale of thomeone who can draw blood while painting, fer cripe'th thake. But that'th a thtory for another time. And, yeth, Ameth, that ITH a pink meathuring tape you thee there.

Even the OH commented on thith parthel. He wath gobthmacked when I held all the yummy new yarnth in my armth to thow it off to him.

Love Bites Swap received!

I got my swap package Monday! Here's a phot of what she sent me! Some really great stuff in it. Great enough that I had to fight with Kitten to get to it.

There were some really cool dual-sided coasters that she made me.





And this little guy. I call him my 'date'. Unfortunately, Kitten thieved him away from me almost as I was taking this photo. There's a lot of other goodies, but these were some of the better photos.

So another big THANK YOU to my lovely swap partner! I love it all!

Love Bites Swap sent!

So, I sent out my Love Bites (aka Vampire Valentine 2009) swap package on Thursday to Knitbrit. It arrived at her home yesterday and this is what she posted (before even opening it):

Did you hear it?
Did you hear the almighty squee that emanated from my little corner of Ohio? I got my package today - just what I needed to brighten up a spectacularly dismal 24 hours. ...Thank you so much to whomever it is from - even without opening it, it’s the best thing that has happened today :)

Which made me really happy! I was glad to be able to brighten up someone's day. A few of the things I sent her included:

This tile coaster (because who wouldn't want to visit this place at least once?)
This sticker (as Drusilla was listed as one of her fave vamps)
These mitts (because it's just as cold in Ohio as it is here, at least):
There was a lot of other things in the package, but I don't want to ruin all her fun in chatting about it. I had so much fun putting all these things together! I hope that she's had a chance to open the box and find all her goodies :)