Thursday, March 27, 2008

THNGVBD

Raise your hand if you ever read the book "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". I had one of those yesterday. I'm glad that day is over and I hope to never have it repeat again. It was a payroll issue at work and there is nothing like explaining the same thing over and over (and over) again to 40 employees.

I splurged and spent part of my income tax refund on a new iPod. I have the cutest little Nano now - red! Very cool. I figured I can now have my music travel with me as I knit and spin and play with fiber. I also purchased a jumbo flier wheel for my spinning wheel. Yep, I'm a fiber dork.

Along those lines, one of my girl scouts sold me some raw fiber - 3 bags of wool! (yes sir, yes sir, 3 bags full). This led to the determination that Ron needed to install a utility sink for me in which to wash yarn and wool and perhaps even laundry. Did you know it is a 12 mile round trip from my house to Home Depot and that if you drive it 6 times in a 24-hour period you still don't win a prize? Yes, we spent our Easter attempting to do plumbing, which also meant we spent Easter attempting to get water back to our house. We are NOT DIY'ers. I have cold water going to my sink, but no hot water yet, and no drain attached either. Maybe in a weekend or two.

I really should post a photo but I need to take of photo of the socks I finished knitting a few weeks ago before I give them away. I started knitting a cardigan for myself but was not happy with how it was turning out and I frogged the whole thing and will re-think the pattern. I have started another pair of socks and have several projects that need to be started as well. That should keep me out of trouble.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Random Thoughts of the Day

Ron and I took the dogs to the dog park the other weekend and Lucie was running around like a crazy person, as normal. We encountered some other dog owners that had a Benji-type dog and a Bichon Frise type dog. The dogs greeted each other in the typical manner "Yep, smells like a dog". One of the women asked me if Pershing was a very large schiperkee (sp?) and I said no, he is a lab/chow mix. And then I pointed to Lucie and said she was a lab/wing-nut mix. The woman looked at me and stated "Wingnut? I haven't heard of that breed before?" Yes, she had a straight face. I just wanted Bill Engval around to do his "here's your sign" bit. Um, I cleared her confusion by claiming Lucie was an idiot, and she understood. Actually, the labnut is a new designer breed along the lines of the labradoodle.

I did some much delayed spinning last night. And no, for you excercise types it was not what you think. I used an Ashford Traditional wheel and spun some lovely wool dyed a gorgeous poppy red. Actually, I have not spun for a long time as my right leg muscles were not happy with me after several hours. I tried treadling with my left leg (managable, but not as smooth). Who knew that you should stretch and warm up before spinning. I am now trying to decide if I should ply the red wool with itself, or with a black wool (that would be sharp) or something totally off the wall and glittery.

My Girl Scout troop has been selling cookies at booth sales around town. We sold both Saturday and Sunday last weekend and we will be at it again this Saturday. Please, buy GS cookies! It is for a good cause, it helps to support the troops and the council, and the sooner I am rid of all the cookies the sooner we can get on with our lives. I do finally have my garage back as all the cookies now fit in my car. Now I want my trunk back.