Tuesday, July 3, 2007

My Kingdom for a DPN

Tippa Tuesday is brought to you today by the ever lovely and brilliant Elizabeth Zimmerman and by my boys.


My boys are squirrels. They take things that catch their interest for a few seconds, then they move them around and then the things are lost. Yesterday, they lost a US 2 (2.75mm) DPN
I was using in a sock. I have the yarn on 4 needles and I stick the 5th needle through the ball of yarn I'm working from. The 5th is missing.


Elizabeth Zimmerman (EZ) says you can use a different sized needle (one size up or down, doesn't matter) when knitting in the round. She says the gauge difference is evenly distributed throughout the knitting because the needles rotate. She's right! And she's amazing. As usual!

Wonder of wonders - I have an FO!!!! OK, it's only a washcloth but I'm still counting it. And it's crocheted and it's all wonky but here it is....

Sugar and Cream Summer Splash color

It's this really obnoxious color. I was making bath mats for people last Xmas and Trev wanted one. I let him pick the color and since he was 5 (at the time) he picks the loudest color available! I double stranded the mat with some white and that toned it down nicely but I have a couple skeins left over and am making washcloths for our kitchen with it. The first cloth I made was too small and so I made this one much bigger.

You can see here where I accidentally started widening it...



It's single crocheted through the back loop, about 23 (then 25?) stitches wide. I added a coupla rows of double crochet around the edges to make it bigger. The crochet through the back loop makes it nice and tight and scrubby. I used a size G hook, about a size smaller then the ball band recommends. I like my washcloths to be a tight stitch. Too many holes and it's not scrubby enough!

Off to do dishes, Ruth!

Monday, July 2, 2007

Walmart Ways and Target Tales

We'll start with Massage Monday:

Get two tennis balls and put them in a sock (not a handknit one, of course!). Tie the sock in a knot. You don't want to tie it too tight or so close to the balls that they can't move but you don't want them too far away from each other either. Now, lay on the floor with this new gadget under your head, at the base of your skull. (It should be east/west and your spine should be north/south.) The base of your spine is where a lot of headaches, neck and jaw pain stems from. Your skull and brain sit on a small bit of bone in the neck (think bowling ball balancing on a pencil eraser) and the only thing holding your head on is all the soft tissue (muscle, ligaments, etc.).

So lay on the gadget and s-l-o-w-l-y roll your head from left to right, up and down. You should be moving so slowly that if someone were watching, they'd be hard pressed to see movement. This is an amazing exercise. I feel like a new person after I do this. If the pressure is too much, start on the bed. The softness of the bed will let the gadget sink into the bed as much as into your muscle tissue. This is also another exercise that can be carried all the way down the back. You just want to make sure there's a ball on either side of your spine, never on it.


I'm sure everyone has seen this next bit somewhere online already. My friend emailed it to me and I laughed my ass off!

I think this has been around before but some of them are funny.

To all husbands: If you hate to shop with your wife here is one man's solution to the problem.

This is a letter from Walmart in Henderson, NV to a customer:
Mrs. Fenton, our store is considering banning your family from ever shopping with us unless your husband stops his antics. Below is a list of offences over the past few months all verified by our surveillance cameras.

MEMO RE: Mr. Bill Fenton - Complaints - 15 Things Mr. Bill Fenton has done while his spouse is shopping:
1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they weren't looking.
2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in House wares to go off at 5 minute intervals.
3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the restrooms.
4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official tone, 'Code 3' in house wares..... and watched what happened.
5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and asked to put a bag of M&M's on lay away.
6. September 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.
7. September 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers he'd invite them in if they'll bring pillows from the bedding department.
8. September 23: When a clerk asks if they can help him, he begins to cry and asks "Why can't you people just leave me alone?"
9. October 4: Looked right into the security camera; used it as a mirror, and picked his nose.
10. November 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, asked the clerk if he knows where the antidepressants are.
11. December 3: Darted around the store suspiciously loudly humming the "Mission Impossible" theme.
12. December 6: In the auto department, practiced his "Madonna look" using different size funnels.
13. December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browse through, yelled PICK ME!" "PICK ME!"
14. December 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumes the fetal position and screams "NO! NO! It's those voices again!!!!"
And, last, but not least! December 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door and waited a while; then, yelled, very loudly, "There is no toilet paper in here!"

Here's some of my adventures working at Target this past weekend:

Woman is being obnoxious on cell phone while checking out. There's a few people behind her, waiting patiently while she leisurely gets things out of her cart, one. at. a. time. (other hand being occupied with said phone). I ring her through, she swipes her card. It's declined. I'm trying to discreetly tell her this and she disgustedly tells the person on her phone to "hold on, the clerk's interrupting us." Then she looks at me and snaps, "I'm on the phone." I stop being discreet and loudly (ok, LOUDLY) say, "You're credit card has been declined." She turns beet red, snaps her phone shut, and walks out of the store. Leaving all her stuff for us to put back.

Then there's the guy who buys two things. The woman behind him also has a couple of things. They both have carts. After he's rung up, he starts to walk away. I say, "Is this your cart, sir?", he looks at it and says, "Yes, but she can have it." I tell him she already has one and she points to her own cart, which she is standing behind. He says, "That's OK, she can have mine." and walks away. Not only leaving his cart in the aisle but also blocking her in the process. He has his son with him and is obviously setting a fine example for the child's future behavior. (I hate when people leave their carts for us to put back. So fuckin' lazy! They are going to pass the cart section on their way out of the store! There's no way around that! Especially when I'm working the express lanes, they are right next to the cart section!)

Oh, and I love the random coupons. We have to tell the guests that they've received a coupon and what the coupon is for. So Saturday night, right at closing, there's all the stragglers in line and the guy in the front of the line is this big, leather clad, furry biker man. His random coupon is for Kotex. He blushes like mad and asks, "What the hell am I gonna do with that?" I said, "Probably nothing, they're completely random coupons. It's nothing personal." He mutters, "Bitch" and walks away. I chirp, "Enjoy your coupon!"

Expecting to be fired soon, Ruth!

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Crack Me Up Saturday

This is for BeckyKnitsToo and her Crack Me Up Saturday series.

While rooting around in old boxes for pic's of my brother on his birthday, I found my student ID from my senior year at Clovis High (Go Cougars!).





As you can see, I was really into..... different music. The Sex Pistols, TSOL, Oingo Boingo,
The Toy Dolls (anyone remember The Toy Dolls?).

People used to ask me how I got my hair to stay that way. It was easy, really. I washed it every morning (the good old days) and while blow-drying it, I'd tip my head over for the last 30-60 seconds of drying. Then I'd flip my head up and spray with hairspray. Viola! No gel, no mousse, not even that much hairspray. Took about 5 minutes. Even back then, I always figured anything that took more then 5 minutes getting me out the door, didn't need to be fussed with.

Goood Times, Ruth!

Friday, June 29, 2007

Apparently, I ROCK!


Yarnhog nominated me as a Rockin' blogger! She rocks!


(SHIT!! This is supposed to be a button. Why can't I figure this crap out! It's not rocket science, right??)


You're supposed to name 5 blogs you love. She already named a couple I was thinking of and there are so many I love it's hard to choose, but here goes...




Stumbling Over Chaos - I met Chris and she's as cool in person as she is online. Also, she and her contest postings have been the main pipeline to most of the blogs I currently read (and I've won a couple of the contests!)






Throws Like A Girl - Like Chris, completely as cool in person! And she was kind enough to give my contest a shoutout during a podcast she was a guest on.






Knitiot Savant - Seriously, one of the coolest names for a blog. Ever! And her amazing attitude in the face of adversity (and flooding, traitorous dishwashers) was the epitome of class. I want to be her when I grow up.






KnitNZu - She and I have had some exceptional and commiseratory (OK, not really a word) email conversations. And she seems to work in an old and creeeeepy asylum! I'm jealous!






Tammy Knits - More intelligent and open email conversations, even though we have some opposing views. But then, turns out, maybe not so opposing after all!






Uberstrickenfrau - Cracks. Me. UP!!






The Panopticon - OK, he's not technically a girl, but Dolores seems to have as much control over that blog as he does. Another one that's just too funny!






The Yarn Harlot - We all know she's the queen of rocking, but wouldn't want her to be the pretty girl who doesn't get asked out!






OK, so I can't count. Sue me. There's, like, 50 others I want to nominate! Not fair.






Now for a song...






If you're knitting stumped and you know it,


Go Crochet (clap, clap)





If you're knitting blocked and you know it,


Go Crochet (clap, clap)





If you're knitting is all stalled,


Go Crochet a kitchen cotton ball





If you're knitting's halted and you know it


Go Crochet (hook, hook)



(This is the bath mat from One Skein. I'm making it to replace the disgusting, unwashable rug that's currently in front of our kitchen sink. Seriously, it's so gross, I won't even show you a picture of it. I'm using Lion Brand Cotton)




OK, one last random thing. A woman just bought some yarn from my shop and she emailed to tell me she uses it in her "art knitting". Her site is here and the knitting is the third button on the right. But check out all her stuff, it's really cool! (How many times can one say, "cool" in a single post without being stoned for banality?)




Off to thesaurus.com, Ruth!

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Self-Pity and Gratitude

Thanks to everyone for their birthday wishes to my brother. You guys are great!

Have you ever had a crappy day and your life may not be where you want it to be and your feeling all sorry for yourself and then you see something that makes you realize you're just a big, stupid baby and you've actually got it really good?

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Rachel was having a really shitty day, car was giving out (again), big fight with husband, car died and because of big fight she calls friend to help her instead. I showed up with caffeine and chocolate (I used to have a car that never worked and always chose the worst moments to break hard, so I knew how she was feeling) and it took a couple hours but we got her car where it needed to be (mechanic). On the way there, following her, we were at a stop sign and next to my van was a big truck. Driving the truck was a woman with a bald head and two shunts (one in her neck and one behind her ear). I thought, "This is a shitty day but DAMN this is a good day!" (By the way, Rachel was not being a big, stupid baby that day, I'm talking about me and my mood yesterday.)

So my mood yesterday. And lately. Poor pitiful me. blah,blah,blah. Then I read Cara's blog today and some links. Annie Modesitt's husband has been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma . I'm a baby. Things here are just fine. She's come up with a beautiful pattern (does she have any other kind?) to raise money to help with expenses. Give and give big.


My husband worked on golf courses for 15 years. Since we married, he goes to the dermatologist every 6 months to get sketchy things burned off. I live in fear of the day when they find one that a little burn-off won't fix. His dermatologist told him he needed to change careers. That's what started our quest for a new location/job. (Not that FedEx driver has him in the sun any less!)


About ten years ago, I was really bummed with my life. I had no plan and had just moved to Tucson from Ft. Huachuca, so all my friends were an hour and a half away. I had a job that was fun, was too easy, made tons of cash (legally), and yet wasn't really something you told people you did when first meeting them (lots of misconceptions). (We'll talk about that job another day.) I hated Tucson, hated the area of town I'd moved to and was really depressed.


Then I read a book. The book was called "Children of the Flames". It's about the twins at Auschwitz and the experiments done on them by Josef Mengele. It's non-fiction, told by the actual survivors. I realized how easy I had things and I pulled my head out of my ass and started making a plan. I still have that book. Whenever I get like I've been feeling I go and look at it. Especially the part where two of the boys (brothers) finally make it home after Liberation and there's no home left. They were the only survivors in their entire city.


I'm grateful. I'm grateful for my family (my mom and my brother and my dad) and I'm even more grateful for my family...

Everything is A-ok.
Going to go pull my head out, Ruth!

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

It's Backwards Day!!

I hate Backwards Day.

So far today:

In the shower, I put the conditioner in my hair before the shampoo.

I put the tea bags in the sun tea jar and then put it in the fridge instead of out in the sun.

I couldn't find my car keys until I got in the car (which is in our driveway, not in the garage) and there they were, in the ignition from yesterday's adventures.

I tried to put both my contact lenses in one eye.

I put T's clothes in D2's drawers and D2's clothes in T's.

I had to rip out the sock I started yesterday (don't talk and read charts).

This is what happens when I actually get a good night's sleep!

Off to fumble through the rest of my day, Ruth!

P. S. This blogger has a bunch of links to chevron socks.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Dear John Letter

warning: this is a picture heavy post. They're really embarrassing pic's, too!
Dear John,

Look how sweet you were!


Then as you got a little older, you turned into this mean bastard that used to beat the shit out of me on a daily basis. You’d punch me if you didn’t get the first bowl of the sugary cereal our parents rarely bought. You’d punch me if you didn’t get the last bowl. You’d hit me for not waking you on Sat. mornings and you’d miss Scooby Doo. You’d hit me if I did wake you because you wanted to sleep. You once hit me out of the blue and when I asked why, you said it was because I was your sister and not your brother. You’d make me touch the hot-wire in the pasture to see if it was on or not.

(see me leaning away from you! haha)

BUT, you were always, always, ALWAYS there for me when I needed you. You never let anyone else lay a finger on me, talk bad about or to me. You taught me to be tough. To never take shit from anyone (including you). To never give up. To never, Never say “Uncle”. (If I did, you’d hit me for being a pussy.)


Remember the endless hours of games we’d play? Life, Sorry, Backgammon, and (my two least favorite, your top two picks) Parcheesi and Uncle Wiggly. You taught me to play football and to skateboard. Dad and mom taught me to ride a bike but you made me brave the scary vertical dirt hills across the street. You were always pushing me to try new things that scared the crap out of me. You’d say, “So you fall, so what. You get back up and try again.” Pretty wise for a 10 year old.



Remember when we almost set the back field on fire? We’d found those black worm fireworks in the kitchen junk drawer and went out back to set them off. They wouldn’t go (we didn’t realize they were probably duds) and we put some dry grass on top of them and lit it. They still didn’t work but the fire we set went racing down the hill towards that field. That 50 acre field of tall summer-dried grass. I looked at you , you looked at me, we both looked past the spreading fire to that field. You yelled, “HOSE” and went racing after the fire. I ran to turn the hose on but the damn thing wasn’t attached to the spigot. I yelled, “NOT ATTACHED!” You were stomping on the fire, we switched places. You got the hose attached and doused me and the flames. We spent about an hour kicking dirt and other grass onto the blackened ground. Breathing hard and laughing nervously at our stupidity. If our parents knew, they never said anything!
You could always make me laugh. Still! With your, “What’s the dill, pickle?” Or when you’d call me “dut-butter”. What does that MEAN? I still don't know!
You literally saved my life at least 3 times. You saved my ass more times then I can count. I saved yours plenty, too!

In high school, you became a long-haired, metal head/stoner. In every sense of the word. We drifted apart then. You had your friends, I had mine. We didn’t really have anything in common except growing up in our crazy family.




With that long blonde hair and your steel blue eyes, you got all the chicks! You were quite a dog but when you settled on the one you wanted, you were done with all that.

But, again, you were always there for me. I loved when you walked me down the aisle, you on one side, dad on the other. It was perfect.

You lived hard and drove fast. I never thought you’d see 30. I was even skeptical about 25! You did, though. And then some! You’ve made a great career as an electrician and you’ve been there for mom when I couldn’t. And you NEVER age, what's up with that?? You’re a compassionate, loving, loyal man and I’m proud of you!


Happy 40th Birthday!