Dear Neighbor...

The post in my LJ is:

Much swearing to follow. Please avoid if you aren't one prone to the taste of swearing.

As much as I like the Eagles...which I don't...I especially don't like being woken up to them blaring through my fucking wall at 11:45 pm.

HATE SHARED WALLS

HATE THIS FUCKING NEIGHBOR

This has been a problem since elephant feet and her kid moved in with their little dog.

Yes, I am the fucking wicked witch of the west. Note to self. Do not live on 1st floor under stupid neighbor.

Bitter. Bitter.

Get this out before I go insane. Please Mr. Sandman fucking whap me in the head.Oh and you know what's super cool. My apartment doesn't...um what's the word? Oh yea, give a flying fuck. Okay whatever. Their courtesy patrol doesn't cover this property anymore. Great.

Note to self. Wake up at 5:00 AM and slam doors, and make children scream. Maybe karma could help me out and thirtysomething, party animal, with child, could wake up with a big hangover or something. Maybe her hand could be glued to her forehead. Maybe her dog will pee in her shoe.

I've already written my complaint to my worthless management company. Again.

I cuss like a sailor. Screw it. I'm tired. I'm cranky. I hate being woken up. The thing that bothers me the most is that I can't figure out if I am a light sleeper or if my neighbor is an ass. Right now I think it's the latter. On the off chance that she's a knitter and surfing the knitting blogs...it's 12:19 am on Wednesday March 5, 2008...please turn it down...

I always thought that when I grew up I was going to party all night and be loud an obnoxious. What I'm finding out is that my party animal ways and opinions are becoming more and more conservative the older I get. I don't know if this is good or bothersome. Frankly, my one brain cell is having enough problems typing in the dark rather than puzzling this out. Oh, how pissed I'm going to be if one of the kids wakes up...try me...

On to a better topic. Yes, so my sleepy brain can go back to happy dreams of Star Trek and yarn. Yay.

I found more Noro sock yarn, in less circus like colors. Yay!

My 4th plastic yarn box is becoming crazily smaller than I thought...rats. Not sure where I'll stash a 5th stash box.

Stupid addiction to randomly buying squooshy yarn. Now...all I need to do it knit some socks up. It amazes me the lack of knitting items I've done, even though I've knitting for about 8 years now. I'm pretty sure I can knit anything, but all I ever seem to knit are scarves and socks for other people.

My current project is the project of stealth. One day I'll post pictures of it, but not today. :)
I bought books.

Another annoying habit of mine. I'm suspecting that if I didn't have this nasty tendancy of picking up books, yarn, card/board games, and kitchen appliances, I might actually buy a house.

Nights like this should remind me of this. Although the one little hang up I have is this overwhelming stress I have from the X over a lousy property owned between us that we just could...wait...that he just lazily dealt with and now is going belly up because of it.

Ever have moments in your life where you are being dragged under because you were too close to the edge of the whirlpool? I'd like off of this ride now. One day...one day...all of the crap I've got to deal with from my divorce will stop.

Right? o_O

I broke my ball winder. I'm not sure when it happened, but one of the little feet snapped off. The worst part is that I think I found it at one point in time and I threw it away because I thought it was part of some toy wandering around the house.

I made a sort of hopeful replacement from Fimo. I tried super glue...to stick it on. I think I need epoxy. Eventually I'll remember this from the hardware store.

It seems a shame to throw the whole thing away for a tiny foot. However, I found that tiny missing foot to be so important.

I finished the Crosspatch fiber batt. I have another one I just started spinning.

The new one has a pretty high silk content and is spinning almost threadlike. I was going to spin it on the Golding spindle I've never used. However, either I've forgotten how to use a drop spindle or at least I'm not sure how to use this one. It would wildly spin, and it annoyed me, so on the wheel it goes.

The spindle seemed as though it was going to be beautifully balanced. Top whorl, but it seems to spin the bottom half wildly...going to try again at a later date.

This batch however, made a lot more yarn than I expected. I'm not sure that I spun it tight enough. That sadly didn't make itself apparent until after I plyed it. 2 ply. Seems sort of wispy here and there.

Now that I've spun other fiber brands than Crosspatch, I'm not sure I'm so excited about it anymore. I enjoy the colors and especially the tubes for some reason, but...

I am going to some how figure a way up to the Estes Park festival this year so I can stock up on some fiber. I've got to remember this this year. Mostly because I don't want to develop a habit of buying fiber online. Way too tempting to do it all the time. :)

Kay...time for bed again I suppose. Pillow over head.

Pigeon-holed

As a verb. I've become a little obsessed. This was how my laughable "career" was described to me by a hiring manager at the corporation I work for.

I'm a little bitter.

I'll deal.

So, half ass-ed job hunting now. Why half assed? Well because part of me thinks that I could be chucked to the side any day. Although that would put a serious damper in their soul-sucking demeanor every day. I'd hate to put a kink in their quirk. The other part is because when I finally get home, I've got my other job, "mom," to complete in 3 hours or less. I am a tired tired person.

But I've realized a few things in the past month...

1) I don't think that that hiring manager wants to work with me really. It's the second/third time I've posted for the job.

2) It's not that I don't know enough. The first time she sent me away with stuff to improve on, this time she did it again. The guy who had a work history similar to mine is still there 2 years later. If she had hired me in the first place she wouldn't have gone through at least 4 other people since that point.

3) I do need a change from the evil window cube they've stuck me in, as well as the job, but I hate that window more. Worst thing to do to someone with crappy eyesight...stick them next to a window.

4) I am really freakin' busy with the kids. Mostly worrying over them. Which is what I'm doing now. I think my son is coming down with the croup again...or the plague, we'll see what the temperature is tomorrow morning.

5) This job is hindering my "career" goals.

6) I can't do it all. I really can't. I'm good at trying, but I can't. I'm tired

7) I think people at work, at least those around me to some extent, think I'm stupid. I'm not sure how I've given them this impression, but somehow I think I have. I think because I'm distracted at times...because I have a lot to remember. Work things, kids things, my life things...oh yea...bills...

Anyway, knitting.

Isn't it beautiful?

It is, and it's soft to touch. Silk and Romney, I think...label too far away, don't want to get up from chair.

I've learned one thing about this beautiful lump of fluff.

I hate batts.

This sucker just sheds all over me. I think I've gotten it down to a teeny trickle now, but it's irratating.

Even when I split up the batt and prepare it. I dunno...I did happen to run into another batt online that I think I like, but...well, we'll see.


It's spinning up nicely though. My wheel is not squeaking right now. I still can't figure out what is causing that by the treadle. I've oiled everything but the plastic. Kind of hesitant to do that.

I'm interested to see how this will ply. It may be a scarf or hat for my kid. She helped me pick the next spinning project from my plastic box collection.

Speaking of...the lace yarn I bought the other day...because I'm not quite sure how to reply to posts...I've forgotten the name of the yarn, but it's super super soft and just the right sort of gray for something. I haven't knitted lace and my needles have not yet arrived in the mail. I think it's enough for a scarf or something. I just need to find a pattern. I have a few books on lace, but I'm not quite sure I like any of the patterns.

I want to make a shawl or stole, but I'm not sure I want to wear one. Just like the Kauni yarn. Beautiful, but I don't know if I can wear that much rainbow. I'm not convinced I want to make a Fair Isle for the kids either. They grow so quickly and I knit kind of slowly.

The Koigu, I've never knitted with. I liked the colors though.


Here's the scarf so far. I'm almost done. I think I can complete it by Thursday. The skein had much more pink in it then it lead on. Oh well. Still nice.

I can't wait until I figure out if there are any LYS that carry Noro sock yarn. I know one will in March. But

March is SO far off.

When I'm rich, I'll open up a yarn store or something. Haha, better yet, when I have time to look into business requirements again.

Pretty sexy lookin' scarf too where I joined the pink end of a skein to the gray part of a new skein. Ah yes, lack of perfectionism at it's finest.

Motivation

This is my latest spinning project. I bought this batt a few years ago. Needless to say I have another one in a different color in the closet.

It seemed like a good idea when I bought this for the drop spindle.

Now that I'm using the wheel to do this...

I don't like dealing with batts. Roving is SO much easier. This is just shedding all over me. Anyone, suggestions?

I don't have carders and I'm thinking that it would ruin the color if I just mixed it up more.

On the knitting front, I'm not up to much. Sort of due to 1) a lack of inspiration, 2) a great amount of stress.

However, I have been working on yet another Noro scarf. I heart Noro.
The scarf I made last year is currently falling to pieces. I can't even figure out where it came apart, but there's a gaping run in it.

Me: What if it's pink?
D: Did you make it?
Me: Yes.
D: Then I bet it will be warm and I'll wear it.
Me: What if your friends giggle.
D: Then I'll tell 'em they're jealous 'cause they don't have a girlfriend who'll make 'em one.

Ah, how can I not like the guy? He just makes me smile so. There's no hour long argument. No questioning my thoughts for being my thoughts. No snide remarks. He's taking me to dinner on Saturday. I hope I like it. ^_^

Maybe some could explain to me...

...why I pay my taxes every year. I think a part goes to public eduation. I think. Not sure really, I've never seen the check.



Why do I get letters for please donate $5.00 to our silent auction. Yes, $5.00 isn't much, but what about the people who have 3 kids? Please buy books from our book club...I now get 5 pamphlets, almost every other month. They sell DS and gameboy games. This is beyond stupid. What happened to the $0.99 books? Why are they selling entire 29 book series now for just $29.99!


So, please, someone explain what happened to the ability to knit a potholder and donate it to your kid's class silent auction basket? My kid's basket last year...consisted of and i-pod!!!

WTF??!!!


An i-pod AND a $75.00 itunes certificate...it may have been $50.00...am I the only one who thinks that that is COMPLETELY insane???


I'll make a scarf, I'll make a dishrag...I'll teach someone how to knit. But buy an ipod??? I can't afford to get one for my kid. Oh, and last year she was only in the first grade people. Yes, I believe that a bunch of 7 year old kids thought of an ipod. What kind of fool does this overpresumptious, popularity contest, mom think?!


(apology to the presumptious...well, sort of)


Oh not to mention the 2 snacks a day my kid gets. America is overweight...I wonder why...is it possible because we're feeding our children snack stuff from a box twice a day so that by the time I get them home and put some veggies into them they turn their noses and make gagging sounds? Yea, super.


My ex mother-in-law sent me roving. For fixing her computer that either of her sons are too lazy to help her fix.

My *boyfriend* and I have assisted her with fixes around her house. This boggles my mind...



My EX mother-in-law...sends me items because I help and I keep in touch. Fascinating when families fall apart. Sad really. I don't understand why people do this to themselves really.

I have friends doing this to each other right now, and I just can't figure out the motivation.

It's beautiful though. I was totally surprised. It's a complicated story. But it was a very sweet thought.

I've finished the roving from Pagosa Springs. Turned out pretty good I must say. But it bleeds a lot when washed. I added vinegar and let soak, but it still ran.

(heh, the gloves remind me of Dexter's Laboratory.)

It's still drying. 10oz of fluff!



Not too bad eh? I <3>

I'm starting to understand...

...I have a weakness.


A weakness for kitchen gadgets and food, card/board games, yarn, hello kitty, scrapbook supplies, fimo. This is the latest one in my collection. A rice cooker yay. I don't eat rice really. My daughter loves it though.


The issue, my apartment stove. The stove I used to own cooked many a thing wonderfully. This stove...not so much. I figured out that the oven cooks at least 25 degrees higher than what it is set to, and the burners...I'm not so sure.

Rice...I just don't like babysitting it. I never seem to get the proportions correctly either and I hate cleaning the pot.


But I try.


This however is the solution...at least for me. I had a friend who owned one and he just loved it. That and the ice tea maker...but I don't think I'll acquire one of those.


So today, as a first try...white rice and forbidden rice. As I was reading reviews yesterday...I ended up taking back the first rice maker I bought yesterday and purchased this one about 6 hours later...someone was talking about forbidden rice. Purple rice! What better to go with the purple potatoes...oh wait...those freaked out the daughter...well, colorful food...why not.

They'll eat pho, and asparagus, but they won't eat cheese in eggs.


On the knitting front...nothing really. I frogged a scarf and restarted it because it wasn't wide enough after suggestion by the person it's for. They said it was fine and not to frog it but...after the suggestion I just wasn't satisfied with it any longer.

I finished spinning the roving from Pagosa Springs. Now I'm starting to ply.

My wheel is squeaking a little, I'm not sure where it's coming from. It's driving me quite crazy. I've oiled everything I could think of. Argh. Suggestions? Anyone?

First time as a 2 ply. Not too bad.

A test...

Boy child has a concert this week. I felt compelled to find a camera that takes super pictures plus video with sound. Mostly video with sound. I am an impulse buyer. Bad bad habit. So one of my big tests with the new camera is to see how it compares to close up shots.

Here's the old camera. 3.2 MP bought 6 years ago or so. It's served me well. The videos are tiny and there isn't any sound. The pictures look pretty good.



Here's the new camera. 8.0 MP bought yesterday.

It's closer. It's pretty much in focus. I like it. It makes videos with sound. Supposedly it eats batteries like it's going out of style, but the smaller cameras kind of scared me...tiny and so...well, tiny.

Oh yea, this is my second bobbin on the fleece from Pagosa Springs. Not too bad eh?

Life Is A Pain

...but I won't get into that and this will be short, but my advice is that getting married is worthless if you end up getting divorced. Why oh why won't this divorce ever end?


On my wheel...a little slow in the works. The dye sometimes gets on your hands. Not exactly sure what to do about that. I've never experienced that before. I am still enjoying the wheel spinning though. Just as much as I thought I would.


However, convincing some small boy that a spinning wheel is not the niftiest device to spin and use is a bit difficult. After all, mama does it, so how come I can't? I'm just as good at making it go fast as she is.


I want a new digital camera, any suggestions? I have an old Sony that has 3.2 megapixels, which may be a lot to some, but makes a fuzzy close up spinning pictures.


In the works...Christmas presents for the kids. This will be a dinosaur, and mice, and if I'm really awesome I'll squeeze out a pair of felted clogs and a pair of socks. Not sure if that's going to happen.


I got to go to a KPH that Nachaele organizes last Saturday which was cool. I think it's good for my well being right now to meet new people. This sort of odd funk is/has been making me an awfully odd duck to be around at work. I'm not sure what people think of me anymore.


Anyway, I got to sew up a few of the mice, which was super because I hate sewing, unless it's with a machine. This is the reason I make small things...like for children. I have yet to make anything for myself and I've knitted for about 6 years or so. Imbrium thinks I should change that.

And looky what I found...heck yes! In town even. I got the last two skeins, eat your hearts out! Although, as I drove to the LYS I thought to myself, I should have called first, just in case, but I lucked out. Apparently they will be receiving more. I may have to acquire more, although what I will do with this yean, I have no idea. They're only ordering the rainbow colorway which is somewhat of a bummer, but I saw the swatches of the others and there wasn't much colorways on them, but still it would be fun. They do have some solid fingering weight yarns in solid and semi-solid colors, so maybe I can figure out something with that.


However, I just got onto Ravelry, although when I will have time to take pictures of my yarn stash, myself, my FOs, my WIPs...etc I have no idea. This will also involve me trying to recall my password to Flickr...yeaah...



So, besides the stress with the X, which believe me is taking up way more time that I prefer it to, not to mention asking for lots of patience and understanding from my work, is this...



To be honest, I haven't even taken the progress Santa I did last weekend, and this is just the primer. I found furniture, but then I took it all back. I hope she likes this. I really really hope she likes this. I found a doll family...wooden and ethnic. Kind of cute.


Thus far, I have the whole house, windows, door, stairs, the big doors to shut the back of the house (from little brother) and the back part of the shutters. This weekend I have to find the furniture I think will fit. I started looking at the calendar and realized how bad of an idea it would be to leave it until I have a free weekend again, which will be the 2nd week in December. Wish me luck!

Too Tired To Think Of A Title

...I want to take a bath. It's cold.

However, I've spent the last hour looking at amigurumi. Ah...just what I need...another to add to my crafting. I could open a craft store.


Now, instead of taking a bath, I'm writing to you, my non-existant fan base. I do appreciate you. Leave comments if you are out there. ^-^

A few weeks ago, I got to go here. I think I need to go back. I love hot springs. This place was wonderful. It was like skipping around in 15-20 different hot tubs. I could have stayed there a long time. The hardest part was that I don't think we took enough water...and by water I mean frozen bottles of water. Also, there wasn't a super selection of lunch items there. Next time I want to stay at the resort itself and nose in and out of the pools as I wish all day. On my trip I did happen to take one crochet project. I've been trying to finish it for what feels like forever.


And, I didn't that weekend, but I did this weekend...still with me? I'm not convinced that the recipient loved it too much though. Oh well, he's only 3, with a fondness of fleece. His dad liked it though and I know he was touched by the thought.


Now, back to Pagosa Springs...I found a LYS. What a good idea. I had to buy something...anything...well, not really, but it seemed the touristy thing for me to do.


I found some Noro, one of my favorites. This is destined to be a scarf, 1x1 rib, 2 rows 1 skein, 2 rows other skein. I love how Noro knits.


I also found sock yarn. Interlacements. Now mind you, I can find any of this stuff at home, but for some reason I felt the need to acquire more to my stash. I wonder if I can fit another plastic bin in my closet...


Lastly, to add to my new found spinning wheel addiction, not to be confused with my drop spindles, which are a little dusty, I had to buy this. I'm not super crazy about the colors, but the store had 3 of these and one just wanted to come home with me.


I think part of my issue was that the man I was with was so very supportive of my hobby. Encouraging even, see the sock yarn...that one was his idea...I was fondling them...he said, "Oh, this is a nice color." Sold. I'm not sure if I can take him shopping with me anymore.


That was my trip in a nutshell.


Speeding up to last weekend, again...I finished my girl child's pick of fleece from...3 years ago?


Navajo ply. 2 skeins. There was one full bobbin, and a tiny bit left over. The reason why I didn't 2 ply. Also I kind of just like the colors staying together. It's probably in between laceweight and sport weight. Either way it's pretty, I'm proud. Not too bad for my second try.

Fin

...and...

fin

Turned out pretty good. Navajo ply...not too shabby. I love looking at it.

Especially after hand spinning for about 2 years now. I wasn't sure if I'd like spinning on a wheel or not, but I have to say that I'm really enjoying it a lot. The wheel is pretty low maintenance and doesn't take a lot of work to fold down or set up.

I even twist the skein decently. I'm so proud.

Closer picture of course, but kind of fuzzy. I thought I did pretty good for my first spinning wheel project.

Le sigh...

Counter Clockwise

Actually posted on 09/25/07

Okay...now in reverse!

Plying turned out a little more challenging than somehow my brain had envisioned. My lead was technically too big, the wrong material, and too long. When the yarn caught, I had a thread like catch. It broke at least 3 times. Then Navajo plying...it's fun once you get the rhythm down, but frusterating trying to initially start. I think that the biggest problem was that some how my bobbin got tangled and there was a thread holding the thread I was drafting down, which caused breaking.
Tomorrow, hopefully, a FO.

The Mission If You Choose To Accept It...

Actually posted on 09/24/07

Yes, yes Imbrium and I...shopping together we shouldn't. So D, E and get up bright and early at 8:00 am and eat breakfast, get dressed, the usual. I fuss and make panicky gestures and complain that it's 8:30 am, we leave at about 9:00 am. We arrive at Shuttles early...9:40 am. D suggests that we just drive around and look around for 20 minutes before the store opens. I fuss...what? I could be late, I could get lost. He rolls his eyes in a loving way...you know, the way that says, "My girlfriend has *completely* lost her mind." So, we drive, down the street, turn around realizing that this is highway 93 and I'm now heading out of Boulder. D jokingly says, "Yes, there may be a line" to my sort of anxious state of being. We drive into the parking lot again to which I exclaim, "OMG! There IS a line!" He laughs, "Please don't make me have to fight an old lady over a spinning wheel okay? That'll be so hard to explain, 'I'm sorry ma'am but, I really need to have this wheel, because if I don't get one, I'll have to go home with HER.'"

I park the car, jump out of the car, and throw the keys on the drivers seat, all in one smooth movement. I then race up the stairs...there's a line! We wait...all of the lovely ladies...open, open, open...the longest 4 minutes...EVER! Imbrium isn't there yet, but I know she'll show up soon. The door opens, they make noise that there is a cake somewhere in the store and welcome welcome, thanks for waiting. I enter the store and 3-4 spinning wheels stare at me. Sweet. Who works here? I can't tell. In most LYS, I can't tell the employee from the patron. I finally find a woman walking by in an apron...I stare her down and she asks me if she can help me...why YES you can! Yay!! She indicates that I'll need to talk to another woman, who just wandered off with another customer...rats...but wait, she'll go let her know. YAY!!! The right person comes walking back within a minute, and leads me to the back to open a box which happens to be sitting on the floor...was meant to be! I ask another employee who happens to be standing nearby, if they have swifts, and she fetched one for me...plastic.

The other woman is busily showing me the bits and pieces and making sure they're all fine. They are. Can I leave the box here while I go grab some other items? Yes. Super! She goes and places an oil bottle in the box while I'm gone. I'm looking at books, and sort of lost, this is a big store, when I get a tap on the shoulder. Imbrium! Made it at last. Want to see?! Of course! So I lead her to my box. I can tell she is impressed that I made her get up early on a Saturday to go to a store where she is not allowed to buy anything, just to see a box.

We nose around the store...we talk about the various rovings and how some are beautiful and must be acquired, and how some just look like clown vomit, but you can't stop staring. I offer and insist that I buy some of the beautiful roving for her dedication to coming out and supporting my emotional purchase. She says really, no need...oh yes...but...you have no choice...blah blah...those fun conversations you know? In the end...I purchased 7.5 oz. of the roving and acquired about a yard and a half of it to practice with. My drop spindle project will soon be the wheel project, but I first need to know if I can spin lace weight yarn on the wheel successfully.

I also found some lovely cashmere and wool blend yarn. It's going to be a fingerless glove pattern, once I find a pattern. I'm picky and I can't decide. Maybe I should just make a scarf.

I found more lace weight yarn for the lace I'm going to make for my mom. I wanted to make her a shawl...but I don't think she'll wear it. I'm leaning towards table runner now. I know she has tables, and she'll use them there. Imbrium keeps encouraging me that really, I ought to make something for myself.

Sadly, the store did not carry and Noro. So my need to make thousands of self striping scarves for random people, or at least myself, see there's a thing for myself, has to be put on hold. They didn't carry Malabrigo that I could find either but they did carry this, and I purchased some because C wants mama to make some toy mice.

I also found this lovely cotton, which of course can't be a solid color, it must be a varigated color because I like color movement when I'm knitting/crocheting. So this cotton is destined to be a dinosaur for J, because he too found the book of knitted toys that I was hiding in the cracks of my couch and exclaimed that mama should make him a dinosaur. Well, haha...Christmas is taken care of...if it's anything like last year, I will be knitting until 1am, freaking out. However, unlike last year, I will not be trying to see if the wet felted slippers fit on sleeping feet or if I need to quickly knit another pair.

Oh, and the swift...I ended up going with a wooden one instead. Lucky for me Imbrium noticed that after I paid, while I was waiting at the car for my keys, as D and E had wandered to the grocery store, that there was a piece missing. Luckily it was in the basket where I found the swift.