Cats with Socks

IMG_0561
Originally uploaded by fumblerette1

I sent Nichole a package (it started out as sending some tea that wasn't to my taste...) and included some catnip socks that I made around Christmas time. I'm glad that her kitties are enjoying them.

We are the Ones

I am becoming more of an Obama girl every time I hear him speak, and this video seems like a good one to pass on. Yay for Adrienne Palicki being in it.

Daffodils, Day 1

Day 1 Blooms
Originally uploaded by tdgirl

Yesterday, as yet another winter storm rolled in, I bought $8 worth of daffodils at the grocery store. I'm going to try to take pictures of them every day, since I bought almost entirely closed buds. I love watching them open, why wouldn't you?

I have places in my apartment that are prettier to photograph than the kitchen, but the state of our lighting means that the only place to get a decent photo is on the table in the kitchen. I need to get some more bulbs for the dining room track lighting.

Sarah Louise visits the Bean...

Sarah Louise visits the Bean
Originally uploaded by tdgirl

and other points in the city of Chicago! She brought beautiful, relatively warm weather with :gasp: sunshine and clear, blue skies. We've had a lovely time so far, and I've worn her out (with the help of her cold).

The Mean Kitty Song

So, I know that I'm not a big fan of internet videos, but the Saira over at Ravelry posted this link with the message, "Heres a rather cute kitty, and the bloke is quite cute too!" I entirely agree with her and you should go and watch the cute kitty and cute bloke. Who can resist a kitten?

Open Letters

I haven't posted since Christmas, apparently. But we're ignoring that here at the Inconsistent Mixer and just moving on.

Dear People Behind Me In Line at Jewel Yesterday,

I realize that we were in the Express Line. I had only 4 items, and it is not my fault that the store-brand deep dish plastic containers did not scan. Nor that the person called to find the price was unable to locate the ENTIRE DISPLAY of Glad-Ware, ZipLoc Boxes and the Store Brand stuff, right next to the plastic bags. I realize that we all waited what seemed like an eternity for the price and then I just abandoned them and went on my way with butter and eggs and peanut butter cookie mix. Thank you for not yelling and screaming and freaking out. That is why I like going to the fancy-pants suburban-style grocery store that is still in the city. Thanks again for your patience. I hope that the rest of your weekend was better than that line.

Sincerely,
the girl who held up the line for a really long time

********************

Dear Price Finder who FAILED,

You suck. I don't know how you missed the huge display of plastic boxes with lids.

You're Fired,
The girl who held up the line for a really long time and still doesn't have boxes the right size for the ice cream made by the ice cream maker

********************

Dear Lorna's Laces,

Why do you have to have such nice new yarn in your Green Line? And with lovely semi-solid colors at that. I was totally ready to not pay for my WCKG membership this year, skip the studio tour/mill-ends sale and save myself from buying yarn that I didn't need. But now, you come out with such beautiful new yarn that will probably have mill-ends and screw ups from the figuring-it-out process, and I want it. Also, I am excited to hear about the new line's dying process, which will surely change up the tour. Darn you.

Love,
The WoolPig

********************

Dear Babies,

Please be more exciting next week. I promise not to be so grumpy.

Love,
Your Nanny

Quick Netflix Update

I have completed the Netflix race. Quick conclusion: It doesn't matter where I mail it from, they all process at pretty much the same time.

More To Come.

A Chicago Post Office Test

I happen to have finished all three discs from Netflix this weekend, and I'm going to send them on a race back to Netflix through the USPS.

Disc #1
Title: Smallville Season 3, Disc #2
Zip Code Sent from: 60640
Outgoing Location: Corner mailbox at Carmen and Broadway (Aon Building)
Mailed on: Sunday night (approximately 11pm)
Netflix "arrival" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Netflix "sending a new disc" confirmation email date/time: TBD

Disc #2
Title: Smallville Season 3, Disc #3
Zip Code Sent from: 60625
Outgoing Location: either Pytel's residential mailbox via the mailman or corner mailbox at Spaulding and Lawrence. If that corner mailbox only has one pick-up per day, I will drop at the 60625 post office before 5pm.
Mailed on: Monday late afternoon
Netflix "arrival" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Netflix "sending a new disc" confirmation email date/time: TBD

Disc #3
Title: Friday Night Lights, Season 1, Disc 2
Zip Code Sent from: 60601
Outgoing Location: Eve's work office building's mailbox
Mailed on: Monday morning
Netflix "arrival" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Netflix "sending a new disc" confirmation email date/time: TBD

My Predictions:
Logic says that the discs should arrive #1, #3 then #2. Disc #1 will be on the first mailbox emptying pick-up of the day tomorrow (and is a mailbox fairly close to the actual post office), and then will be sorted and sent to the Netflix facility at 60680-4117, theoretically arriving in the first batch Monday morning. Disc #3 will be in the mail before the first mail pick-up of the day, and has less distance to travel because it will already be downtown. Disc #2 should theoretically not be logged in at Netflix until Tuesday because it won't be picked up
until later in the afternoon by the individual mail carrier or will get into a blue mailbox to be picked up in the 5pm or later pick-up.

My experience tells me that the discs will actually log in #2, #3 then #1. Disc #2, if it goes with the mail carrier, is in a more efficient post office (60625) than Disc #1 (60640) by my experience mailing discs. Also, with the mail carrier, I think that the discs are hand sorted immediately into the bin to go to Netflix, so that it gets there quicker. The morning/first run discs will be buried at Netflix receiving on account of all the end-of-weekend (exacerbated by the snowy weather) disc watching and returning, slowing down their check-in. The late afternoon disc, on the other hand, will hit Netflix in a smaller batch, theoretically helping it to be processed faster.

All of my disc mailing experience has been wholly unscientific, and this isn't much better, except that I am going to document the experience, mostly to figure out which is the best way to send back my discs, since all three options are viable in my regular routine. All discs will be packed into the mailing envelopes with the disc sleeve barcode visible in the little cut-out window in the mailing envelope, in case that helps with processing time. My queue is plenty full of available discs, so everything being returned should be able to trigger a new disc to mail immediately.

I will edit this post with updates as discs make their way through the system.

Yes, these are the sorts of things that I think about now that my job doesn't involve major problem solving. I am enjoying the break, but if anyone needs a problem solver on the side, I am clearly available.

Ten Gifts for Knitters

I am a knitter, I like knitting, I think about knitting a lot, and Clara Parkes has written up this year's list of 10 great gifts for knitters. As though I didn't put enough choices on my Christmas List already.

Oh, you know what else is super? I donated to Heifer International, and today I got address labels and holiday gift tags with livestock on them, including sheep. I was very excited, especially because my MSF/DWB ones are almost used up. I recently gave them money too, though, so I should eventually get a re-stock on their address labels.

All Done!

I took lousy pictures (that are up on flikr! if you care) of my sockapalooza 4 sock pal socks, so I'm not torturing you with any here. Instead, go on over to Lindsey's blog and check them out here.

And now, back to the baby pants that I'm test knitting.

A Wardrobe Change?

I think that it is time for a wardrobe update, and the only things that I found at Marshall's recently that I found acceptable were a pair of brown corduroy pants and a made-in-China fair isle-style cardigan sweater. What I really want to be wearing is a wintry update to my new-to-me summer style.

What do I want to find? I want to be wearing jumper-style dresses (pinafores across the pond, apparently) over long sleeve t-shirts with cardigan sweaters over top, with thick warm tights and chunky mary janes. I've got the t-shirts. And some black Keen mary janes. But the dresses? And tights? I'm at a loss. Send links! Or hand-me-down clothes would be fine too.

In knitting news, my long-past-due Sockapalooza 4 socks are complete. The box will be going out in the mail later on today (its just past midnight here, so its technically the same day). I am so glad to have this monkey off my back. Next up on the queue? Test knitting some baby pants for Shelly Kang. I should go and pack those up for the trip to MSP tomorrow. I expect to be waiting out craptastic weather for a long time at MDW late tomorrow evening, but at least I'm checked in, and seated in row 9 instead of 17, and not in a middle seat. It'll be fine. As its the last flight to MSP on NWA tomorrow, I'm pretty sure that it will go, but probably not on-time. I've got knitting and reading, so I'll be fine and dandy as long as we get there.

53 balls of wool on the bed, 53 balls of wool

Dalegarn Baby Ull 002
Originally uploaded by tdgirl

Take one down, pass it around, now give it back, its my wool on the bed!

This is all the Dale of Norway/Dalegarn Baby Ull that was hanging out in the stash cubes in the corner of my room. All of this yarn, except for the frog kit, was apparently hiding in half a cube. It was like unloading a clown car to catalog it all on the bed. No, I don't have any idea how I'm going to get it all back in.

A word problem about knitting

I may be in a funk, and generally cranky, but I've decided to knit the Sweet Baby Hat (Ravelry) for a small, related child. The question is, which size to knit that will give me the best chance of a hat that fits someone at Thanksgiving.

I have babies of cousins who are 19 months, 5 months and in utero. if my hat size choices are 6months, 1 year and 2 year, and i have no idea, nor do I particularly care about my gauge (there is hope of hitting it, so I'll be in the size ballpark), which size should I make to maximize the possibility that it will fit a small child at Thanksgiving?

I currently think that the 1 year size is where I'm going to head.

Christmas List

Edited 11-15-07 and 11-23-07

Mom has asked what I want for Christmas, so here's a link list. Yes, I know that its huge and extravagant, but it wouldn't be a surprise if gift-givers didn't have lots of choices.

I would like someone to plan and cook healthy, yummy meals for me. There is no link for that. Sorry. If I knew where to get it, I already would have taken care of it.

A new laptop battery. It would be really exciting to really be unplugged for more than 20 minutes. Also, I haven't found a pocket or purse-sized WiFi internet device that I desire, so improving the current laptop would be a better move.

Danskos? New Clarks? Good sneakers? I need some new shoes.

A seltzer water maker

Knitting Camp for 2008

Yarn School for 2008 (no info yet online... maybe I should ask for my birthday?)

Schoolhouse Press has nice things. So does Levenger.

A Craft Zine Subscription

Books to read! I am lousy at choosing, but mysteries, feminist sci-fi, regular SF/F, good adventures are all good. If its marketed as chick lit, please put it in someone else's stocking or package.

I'd like a teapot. Travel abroad has spoiled me for a tea bag hanging out in my mug.

If you wanted to get me yarn, and were somehow unable to find some clever self-striping sock yarn or something generally pleasant, smooth and made of wool, here is a specific hint: sock-weight yarn with silver in it. Any number of skeins will do, I think that it would make a heavenly Clapotis with many skeins (4), or a pair of socks, hat or small neckwarmer with one.

Etsy Shops I like:
The Interimaginational Institute
Piddleloop Sewing Team
Entrelac Stitch Markers
Shelly Kang's shop
Laurenn McCubbin


The little things, like for my stocking? Chapstick, Cadbury's Drinking Chocolate, Walker's Shortbreads, 3 Musketeers Reindeer, hand cream (I really like the little blue Nivea tins from Walgreens for a dollar)

Some wishlists:

The Loopy Ewe




Things I love, in no particular order

• cream cheese on toasted ciabatta bread
  
• TV shows streaming online
• peanut butter fudge ice cream from Archer Farms
• bank branches in the grocery store
  
• risotto (who would have ever thought I would say that?)
  
• sheepskin slippers
• pajamas
• chapstick
• Belle and Sebastian's The Life Pursuit

I still think that they are cute

I started a new, full-time job today. I am now a nanny for a pair of fraternal, boy-girl infant twins. They are cute and keep me busy and even in my first day, with both parents still around, I have learned a lot. Oh, and I didn't break the baby and plan to stick with it, so I think that the first nine hours were pretty darn successful.

A list of ten things about today:

1. Babies smell very similar to the way cheese does when you are making it.
2. Cloth diapers (with a service) are easy and nice when you have the little plastic-elastic-velcro wrappers for them. With twins the service is even less expensive than disposable. And where are you supposed to put all those used, disposable diapers?
   
3. Apparently, baby formula can be any temperature between (but excluding) so-cold-the-baby-rejects-it and hotter-than-human-body-temperature. There is no particular scientific reason for a warm bottle.
   
4. It only takes one mistake to reinforce the need to put the lid on the bottle before you shake it up.
5. You'd have to be a masochistic idiot to wake a sleeping baby.
6. The baby carrier will be saving my arms.
7. Its way too hot for October.
8. Baby bottles have come a long way in the last 15 years.
9. It's hard to wait the full five minutes to see if a soothing method will work.
10. The bird swing is magic. Its creepy how well it works, but definitely magic.

I also got into reading my newest issue of The Economist and got some knitting done on a swatch/potholder. I'll definitely be back tomorrow!

No longer lost!

The keys have been found! There is a little shelf unit by the door that holds the record bowl tray where keys go, and apparently, they escaped over the edge and onto the floor. This morning, when grabbing the keys I've been using, something else flipped over the edge, and when I pulled back the shelf to pick it up, there were my keys! (amongst a pair of shoes and a lot of dust balls) I didn't figure out what it was the actually fell, but I'll deal with that tonight. =)

I'll figure out who had the suggestion (here and/or on Ravelry) that would have led to this location, if I wasn't just generally clumsy in the morning, to arrange the yarn. Thanks for all your help!

Help Wanted - there is a prize

I have lost my keys in my apartment. They have been missing for a few days now, since Tuesday morning maybe? I am currently using the spares, and relying on my roommate to check the mail. But this is annoying. I got into my apartment, with the mail, so they are in there somewhere.

Leave me any and all suggestions in the comments. I have looked "everywhere" but obviously not, because the keys are still missing. There is a prize equal to 100g of sock yarn from my stash when I find my keys. The basis of who wins will be, the suggestion that leads to finding the keys wins. If you don't knit, or don't like sock yarn, I promise that we will work something out.

Help!

P.S. tell your friends, and feel free to suggest more than one spot.

Sheep Race!

Sheep in Spandex
Originally uploaded by jodiwilldare

Thanks to Adrian of Hello Yarn on the Ravelry Forums for leading me to this hilarious picture of newly shorn sheep. While they are really just wearing these little outfits to stay warm, I prefer to think that the MN State Fair has added a sheep running race to the Great Minnesota Get Together.

"...never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her..."

So, today I was in my LYS, sitting at the table, knitting on my sock. A woman who I've seen around there and had conversations with previously came in to buy a crochet hook. After announcing what she needs, she turns to me, and says, "Oh! I didn't know that you were pregnant. I always thought you were so young, 16 or so. But on Saturday, you were behind the counter, and you had that belly."

There was nothing that I could really say to that to express my confusion at the situation. I said to her, "its physically impossible for me to be pregnant right now."

My blank stare of confusion must have communicated something to her, because she said, "I'm socially awkward."

To which I responded, "So am I. That's why I knit socks."

I was baffled, though after she left, I did comment that apparently, its time for me to actually sign up for Weight Watchers.

Many thoughts have come to mind since this conversation.

1. How does being 16 prevent pregnancy?
2. Who says this sort of thing out of the blue?
3. Do I really look 16? I'm quite certain that I look more grown-up than 16.
4. Um, yeah, who says that sort of thing? And anyone got any tips on Weight Watchers or something else that worked for them?

and now, your PSA for the day. Think before you speak.

*Quote from Dave Barry