Friday, February 1, 2008

February 2008 (BC)

The snow day that wasn't

7"-10", they said. Some areas could see up to a foot, they said. They lied.

Instead, we got freezing rain and a mere dusting of snow.

See, I was banking on getting a whole bunch of snow, so I wouldn't look pathetic when I didn't go into work. That, and I really wanted snow ice cream. (Yes, I know it can kill you. Don't care.)

But clearly I don't have a problem with looking pathetic, because home, I am. Snugged up in the recliner, drinking Starbucks Christmas Blend coffee, wondering why the cats aren't passed out in front of the heater, and thinking this probably means they've found some trouble to get into.

Today will also most likely contain a great deal of knitting. Here's a sampling of the knitting I have been doing.

That's the fronts of the Must Have Cardigan attached to the back. Once I finally picked this back up, I have been truckin' on it.

Those are Dashing, from Knitty made of Artyarns Supermerino, color 106. Look at the neat in progress shot.

And finally, the Madtinis for me are done.

This is a pattern from the first Sock Madness (that I won, if you all will recall the sleep-starved nights) in STR Mediumweight Love in Idleness. When I knit this for competition, I timed the actual knitting time spent on them (yes, it was one of those releases that was snargled up by work) was 11 1/2 hours. I smoked them. This time, I extended the pattern onto the foot, and was knitting Dashing and on the Must Have, but it felt like they took For. Ever. Relatively speaking, of course.

Okay, time to go surf the 'Nets and play some Mahjong. A girl could get used to this.

Comments

'A visitor' left this comment on 3 Feb 08
I fear I shall never have toxic snow cream again.
'A visitor' left this comment on 1 Feb 08
Ha ha! We got 7 inches and I got a snow day. :)
'A visitor' left this comment on 1 Feb 08
I was hoping for a snow day (7 inches forecasted) and we got zilch. Not even a dusting. I'm glad you stayed home anyway.
'A visitor' left this comment on 1 Feb 08
Love the Must Have. I enjoyed knitting mine with all the interesting cables. Looking good.

I hate it when that happens

Patience, I will explain.

I was knitting on my sleeves for the Must Have, gamely following the pattern. I began to suspect there might be a problem, but I soldiered on.

Those are way too narrow. My gauge was a little on the small side, so I made the size (XL, btw) that would accommodate that (yup, I did the maths and everything) and the problem lies in the fact it's designed to only be 13 1/2" at the widest part of the sleeve. These sleeves are not going to work. It's going to require ripping out.

My response? Sleeves? What sleeves? I don't have any sleeves. No sleeves -poof!- no problem, so let's start the Keepsake Shawl!

Don't you like how I narrowly avoided having a real problem?

Mmmm, Koi-gooey goodness. Much better than sleeves. Not that I have any sleeves.

This is the tentative plan, which has already had a switch, and may have more, depending on if the Koigu I erm, may or may not have won on eBay today proves to be a good fit in it.

I've already swapped the third skein from the left (the dark purple) with the sixth lighter skein. Of course, it's all I want to do. Homework? Meh. Blah. I don't wanna work, I just want to knit with the yarn all day; I don't wanna play, I just want to knit with the yarn all day. (Five points if you get that reference)

Comments

'Chris' left this comment on 11 Feb 08
I don't wanna work, I just wanna bang on the drums all day!
'A visitor' left this comment on 11 Feb 08
Umm...Debbie Gibson's Only In My Dreams?
'A visitor' left this comment on 11 Feb 08
I can never pass up a good music challenge: Todd Rundgren - Bang on the Drum All Day.

Stick-to-it-tive-ness, I has it.

Okay, so I had this great plan that I was going to blog more. Well, Ravelry tends to make one forget. But, not everyone is on Ravelry, and not everything I have to say is knitting-related. (although, it's less controversial if I stick to knitting) Then there's the class. I have an AB due Feb. 29, and my instructor said I needed to narrow my scope of research. Don' wanna. Wanna knit.

Still in love with it. More amazing, have not started a pair of socks since I started the shawl. Read that last statement again, to get the full effect. Behold the Power of Koigu.

And, I'm pleased to report, one of the skeins I won last weekend matches in with the other shades perfectly.

The upper one is going in the shawl, in place of the more pinky-skein in the lineup shot below, with a minor bit of rearranging. The bottom one is lovely in its own right, and may be part of a Charlotte's Web in the future.

In the non-knitting arena, the time had finally come to part with my beloved Red Truck. I had Red Truck over 12 years, but it was time to allow someone else to hopefully restore her to some of her former glory. Now, staying in the all-Chrysler product household tradition, we will be searching for a Dodge Charger. preferably in the gray range. I have always wanted a gray vehicle, you know, other than wanting the purple truck, which never fear, is staying in the family.

And now, I'll leave you with the perfect cure for a blustery day like today.

Mmm, mmm, good.

Comments

'A visitor' left this comment on 18 Feb 08
I love gray and silver vehicles.

Charge(r)!!!!!!

Buy this key fob for $17,250

Get a Charger free!!!!!

Rrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!


Yes, we found our car. The timeline on this whole thing was a whirlwind: Feb. 9 - put Red Truck our for sale; Feb 16 - sold Red Truck; Feb. 19 - bought the Charger.

We had been surfin' the Webs looking at what options there were, and we saw this car once, but wasn't in the serious hunt. Then last night, Ramblin' looked again, and there it was, in my old stomping grounds. The color we wanted, the engine we wanted, the mileage we wanted, and not too far off the price we wanted. We had planned to do some wrangling on the price after we did the test drive, but the guy didn't even give us a chance.

And by that, I mean he dropped the price over $1700 when I just called to see about scheduling a test drive, dropping it below the price we were hoping for. Wow! He had quoted me an interest rate that was very reasonable, but when I called my bank, they beat it by 1.25% Yowza!!! I didn't do the paperwork then, the bank said I could do that tomorrow. When we told him we wanted it and that we would get the loan and pick it up Saturday, he insisted we didn't need to make another trip, and told me to write a check, take the car and call when the money is in the account. Holy Moly!!!!!

This has been one of the best car-buying experiences. So, if anyone has the opportunity to do business with Lemond's Chrysler Center, they are wonderful and tell them Kristi sent you. I was absolutely dreading even having to speak to a dealer, and now I want to write him a thank you note.

Ragged and Cynical, think we can manage going to Springfield, MO in this?

And now, if you'll excuse me, spending money takes a lot out of a person. I think I need a nap.

That's all, folks!!!

Comments

'A visitor' left this comment on 24 Feb 08
Love your Charger! Can it come out and play with my Mustang? It's been lonely because off all the ice and snow.
'A visitor' left this comment on 19 Feb 08
Very nice and I love the color. Vrrooom!
'A visitor' left this comment on 19 Feb 08
It's gorgeous! Roomy?

What a trip

Today, we were scheduled to give a presentation about our Distance Education program in a town over three hours away. Yes, we were aware there was a winter storm on the way, but apparently that didn't matter.

So, I had to get up at 4:45 am (which is an hour earlier than normal, and for this girl, that's tough) and meet up with my boss and another co-worker, then head to Greensburg, IN. On the very twisty, twervy roads, my coworker, who was prepared for car-sickness, did indeed get car-sick. I'm not great with the car rides on those kind of roads either, and I am the type that if I even hear someone retching, the sound alone is enough to make me start. I was valiantly fight off the urge to join her.

We arrive, give our presentation in the space of about 1/2 hour, and are asked to stay for lunch (yes, the winter storm is still approaching). My coworker is feeling no better, and beginning to suspect it may be more than car-sickness and goes to lay down in the car while we lunch with the group. Lunch is chicken salad (another interesting note about me: I will eat nothing with mayonnaise), so I had chips. Someone at the meeting recommended we take the Interstates back, so we head out to 74 to Indy. Since my boss drove us up there, she asked me to drive back.

Hmmm, don't have an atlas, not sure where 74 comes in to Indy, should we take 465 north or south? Guess south, doesn't seem right, stop to turn around, now has become 465 East or West, ask at a gas station, find out we need West, Big Boss calls wondering where we are, telling us to hurry, there's an ice storm on the way. Get back on the road, find 70, head to Terre Haute. Coworker still feels awful, but not ready to throw up, so it's a small improvement. South of Terre Haute, the ice begins. Then becomes freezing rain. Then sleet. Then trades off or is a combination of any of the three. Oh yes, did I mention my boss asked me to drive back? My least favorite thing in the world to do is drive on snow/ice. We had to have the defroster going full blast to keep the windshield from icing up.

We finally arrive back at the school at 4:00 (3:00 CST), chisel ice off the windows of our cars, and after returning the company car, all head our separate ways.

I'm still driving the truck, so I put her in 4x4 and off I went, at the blazing speed of 30-40 mph. My windshield wipers were icing up, making visibility pretty interesting.

When I got home, Ramblin' had coffee ready. And I was more than ready for coffee, let me tell you.

Comments

'A visitor' left this comment on 22 Feb 08
That sucks. Hug some yarn.

Oh well

Post gone. Poof.

Sorry. It was good, you'll just have to trust me.

Comments

'A visitor' left this comment on 29 Feb 08
The best ones are always lost

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