Sunday, October 22, 2006

"Eat slugs, Malfoy!"

ahhhhhh.....this is a picture of me, tonight:

comfy robe, slippers, ginger ale, and Pepto Bismol.

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and I'm watching the Chamber of Secrets. So when Ron said "Eat slugs, Malfoy!" my insides heaved along....yikes. I do have the tummywumbles... up all last night {sigh}... and on a diet, as you see, of ginger and pep.

a friend did a little errand for me though, to the LYS and came back with this!

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My LYS, thinking their order of Koigu would never come (its been 6 months), ordered a similar hand-dyed yarn based on Louet Gems Merino Pearl from Claudia Co (www.claudiaco.com). I got Black Walnut - a very bloody red and black - and Jungle, a verdant shade, as you can see. Also new for me today is One Skein Wonders, a new book that will help me use those single skeins I've been hoarding... {grin}.

All day I've been resting and knitting, knitting and resting, (ok, I've watched TV too and am dying to tell you who won Project Runway, but I won't in case you haven't seen it. But I did cry throughout the last episode!) and have some fine results! Here are two secret surprises that I won't reveal until later! But both are my own original designs... (sorry, deliberately fuzzy to protect the suspense!)

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Next knitting project for me: Christmas Stockings a la Dr. Suess!

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...along with the Professor's Shawl and Holly's gloves of course, and the Hedwig Owl Gloves for the Leaky Crafts....I've already done all the designing and planning for each of these projects, and have the yarn...it just takes a while to actually knit them...

oh dear. more slugs. must go and lie down more...no playing on the computer tonight, I'm afraid.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

doing the bills...

How To Do The Bills
An Instructive and Amusing Tale

“To calculate your routine household finances, you must set up a regular time and a regular place. It is imperative that you will not be interrupted. This place should be congenial and, if possible, have a window with good light and a pleasing aspect. Morning is more beneficial than afternoon or evening.”
~from A Gentlewoman’s Guide to an Orderly Household, 1865


Sounds like good advice. I will try this and perhaps it will help me through my bill-paying-block this morning!

Set up special place:
Check out bill-paying desk especially set up for this purpose; hmmmm, Over-flowing with old bills and receipts.

Coffee table in front room will have to do – is only surface not covered by knitting projects & artwork.

Set up coffee table with checkbook, pen, calculator.

Oops – forgot bills. Go sort current bills from old bills on bill-paying desk.

Check for pleasing aspect in window…. Ooooo the neighbours are adding a second storey screened porch! That’s interesting – I wonder where they are; they’re obviously not at home while all this building is going on…what’s that? Is the workman not wearing a shirt? In this weather? Hmmm, wonder if the view is better from upstairs window?

Oops. Go back to coffee table and bills. Sit down.

Must have tea.

Set up tea things on coffee table.

Put tea kettle on to boil.

Notice cat has no food (by tripping over cat as she frantically tried to call attention to empty bowl).

Fill cat bowl.

Settle back at coffee table.

Hmmm decide on International Decaf Coffee instead of tea. French Vanilla. No, Hazelnut. No Vanilla, No Mocha. No, definitely Vanilla.

Go get special cup for International French coffee, Oui! Oui!

Sit down at table.

Open checkbook.

Remember that checkbook hasn’t been balanced since March. Is there enough money in there for the bills? It seems so, but… what about all those debits that haven’t been recorded?

Must have congenial music.

Enya.

No, Steve Halpern.

No, Sting.

No, definitely Enya.

Where's my Enya CD? Go look in pile of CDs. Find Enya under wing chair.

Go rescue huffy tea kettle and fill cup.

Sit down at coffee table.

Get up and look for un-recorded debit slips. Find pile on kitchen table. Find another pile on dining room table. Search through purse. Yup – more there. Oh, there’s one squished into pocket of rain coat. Search through purse used before this purse. Find third pile.

Gather all debit slips and bring to coffee table.

Sip coffee. Listen to music.

Decide to write witty story of bill paying for amusement of lj friends.

Set up typewriter in front of window.

Look out window. Watch workmen. What? 30 minutes have passed? Must go back to hard work of paying bills.

Go back to coffee table. Sort debit slips by month.

Oh! I didn’t know I spent so much on yarn this summer. Go find yarn in question. Oh, yes, lovely yarn! Sort yarn. Put in plastic bags (where are those bags?) Label each one with name and description of project I might make with said yarn. Hmmmm. Can’t remember what I wanted this one for. May just thumb quickly though a couple of knitting magazines to refresh my memory. Will just put this yarn in order.

Oh. Coffee is cold.

Will just heat up water and warm cup.

There ready now. Sit back at coffee table.

Write out bills due this week. There must be enough money in there for these, at least!

Remember Project Runway marathon starts at 10 am.

Check watch. 9:45.

Must get this done!

Feel very virtuous about new determination.

Start on debit slips with marvelous new plan.

Add all debit slips up on calculator to obtain one grand sum.

Record this in checkbook as “Past Debits – March thru Sept.

Subtract grand sum from current balance.

There! That job’s done!

This book was right – a special time and place makes all the difference!

Saturday, October 7, 2006

pretty visions

My online friend, Carina, sent me a gift of beauty. These are precious: her grandmother’s knitting needles, wrapped with ribbon and roses. Look how wonderful! See the tips? Her grandmother knit so much that the tips are lighter than the rest…that’s so unbelievably great! I’m honored beyond belief to be the recipient of such a family treasure, and will cherish these and remember their story every time I use them. And, as you can see, Catherine also approved and tried to claim them as her own….

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I had another gift this week: my friend Marky sent me some Australian knitting mags! Four of them! Look at the inspiration:

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Now here is something interesting – even the ads in these magazines have must-knit projects in them! like this Little yarn monkey:

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Isn’t he cute? I think I could make him, just from looking at the picture…

And the articles: this one on Op Shops (Charity or thrift shops to us Yanks) – its right up my street! And I got a particular kick out of the bluebird picture, because I think I’ve found most of the items in it right in our own Goodwill shop!

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Lots of projects to keep me busy here…one of the mags is all sock patterns! Marky – you’re the best!

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The Vet’s called me yesterday to pick up Sausage’s ashes. I cried all the way up and all the way back. They are in a big flowered tin, like a tea tin, and I think they weigh as much as he did in life. I am trying to decide whether to keep them or to scatter them around the peach tree in the back yard… maybe I need to let some time pass to decide.