Happy New Year?!

Happy New Year! Bring on 2010! I'm not doing the recap look back kind of post here.  Although the thought that Angie was only in 2nd grade at the beginning of this decade is kinda scary!  2009, while not the worst year ever, really hasn't been the greatest year, for myself or my friends.  It's been a pretty tough year to be one of my friends.  So here's to leaving all the negative in 2009 and starting 2010 fresh and with no more bad news! You Should Celebrate Friendship

It may have been a good year or a bad year, but no matter what, your friends helped get you through it. And you can't imagine celebrating New Year's Eve without your closest friends around. You are always happy to catch up with old friends on this night, and you're hoping to make some new ones too. So this year, raise a toast to old and new friends. They make every day of the year a little brighter.

What Should You Celebrate?

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

      

Silly Haiku Wednesday

Silly Haiku Wednesday

Welcome to “Silly Haiku Wednesday!”

Click here for info and background on this weekly event!

The basics:
Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)

This week’s theme is: Aftermat

yes, you are being subjected to more of my attempts at poetry.  Send all complaints to my friend Thom at Thom's Place for Well Whatever as he got me started on this.

AFTERMATH

Wrapping and tissue

paper rainbows on the floor

Christmas aftermath.

Carribeano Dream

Sorry for the separate posts but blogger is not co-operating with the picture thing.

 

And finally my colonnade:

 

 

 

Finished knitting pics

If you're on Ravelry, you may have seen these as I finally got around to posting finished pictures on my project page but for everyone else who's interested:

My EveryWay Wrap

 

hugs!!

Your Love is Based on Affection

Your need for love is very primal and basic. You can't imagine living without love. And for you, love is something that's best expressed through touch. You're always up for a hug or a cuddle. And you feel a bit rejected when you don't get enough affection. Whether you're sharing a blanket or sharing an order of fries, you thrive when you're close to the person you love. Why your love can last: You express your love freely and frequently Why your love can fail: You can come off as clingy, and this freaks people out

What Is Your Love Based On?

I need some instant gratification!

My mom opening her pressie.

 

She likes it! ( can't wait to show it off to the ladies at church)

I've been making a lot of larger ( read: takes longer) at least for me projects lately.  So I needed some quick and easy instant gratification projects.  So I used the leftover Malabrigo from my colonnade to make mitts:

 

I also used some of my leftover cybelle from my kerchief to make a pair of thumbless warmers.

 

Angie's 1st meet!

With all the Christmas going on this week, I neglected to tell you about Angie's first fencing meet.  Both the girl's and the boys lost, but against a team that practices all year around.  Angie gained a lot of respect and fans from the parents on both sides.  She had been frustrated in past year's by captains unwilling to make substitutions once the team won or lost.  Since there are 27 bouts in a meet, 14 wins.  She had always felt that once either team hit 14, the starters should be subbed out so other fencers can get some experience.  Some schools have teams that are comprised of fencers that pretty much all take outside lessons and compete in outside tournaments.  Her school that is only about 30%, so the experience is especially important.  Other captains have kept themselves in, or been swayed by fencers who were 0-2 and wanted a shot at one win.  Angie subbed out herself and the C-strip fencer for 2 freshmen, for both their first night with electric.  One of them won, the other lost 4-5  - but started her bout losing 0-4.  So they both are showing serious potential.  

Angie went 2-0 winning both her  bouts.  Her second bout she won 5-0 in a total of 8 seconds.  Here is a picture of her after her first point in one second.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Have a happy, holy and safe day 

with your family and friends!  

I'm on Vacation!

A nod to the best Christmas movie ever!

I finally got everything done at work ( did 31 hours in 3 days to do it - working around my airport adventures to get Curt back)  so I am officially on vacation!!  I do not have to go back to work until 01.04.10 ( it's so cool putting that 10 in for the year for going back to work!) My shopping has all been done for 2 weeks now, although Angie needed a new glove for fencing as her's had a short in it, and we did pick her up a surprise when we went down to saddle brook to get it.  I still have a lot of wrapping to do.  My plan for today is to do my wrapping, finish my malabrigo mitts. block my colonnade and not leave the house!!  Hopefully finishing my wrapping will help get me in a more holiday mood.  

For the week, Angie has practice Mon and Tue.  I am hoping to meet up with  Grace for lunch on one of those two days, since I had to cancel this past Tuesday so I could get my Curtis back.  I want to go skiing the tail end of the week.

 
I do have a blog post scheduled to pop up tomorrow, but since most people won't be blog surfing, I'd like to wish ALL of my internet friends, their families and friends a Very Merry Christmas from me and my family!

Silly Haiku Wednesday

Silly Haiku Wednesday is hosted by Jenn at You know… that Blog?. Mahalo Jenn for hosting.
The basics: Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)
This week’s theme is: CRUNCH TIME!

You want me to do

crunches and push ups galore

Too bad I love food!

 

I missed the Solstice!!

I can't believe I forgot to post the Solstice.  I love winter!  Really ( and I know I'm pretty much alone here) I love the cold crisp air, love the feel of the air on my skin, the invigoration of a deep breath, seeing your exhale floating out of your mouth.  I love winter sunlight.  I love how clear the stars are at night. (Seeing Orion always makes me smile)   Some people see, the solstice as the shortest day, implying that as the days grow longer, spring is following behind.  I see it as bringing in the winter, the season in which I really feel alive.  Having snow on the ground makes it even better.

 

This season though, I'm feeling blah.  I usually really liven up as the cold comes in, and Christmas brings out the best in me.   I just can't find the spirit inside though.  Shopping and planning is more a chore than an anticipation this year.  I barely found the inner energy to decorate- and I only did maybe 10% of my usual holiday decorating.  I didn't make a single cookie, haven't done my cards - I guess they'll be New Year's cards.  This week, I've been wearing my hat, my bells, using my candy cane pens,  playing the Country Christmas channel on XM.  SO if you've seen my Christmas spirit - or even just my winter happiness, please send it back my waY...

Knitting Updates

In an unusual turn of events, I actually finished 2 projects. ( Ok one still needs blocking)  I can actually show you both because one is for me and the other is a present for my mom, who doesn't know blogs exist much less that I have one.


Beach Glass unblocked, fresh off the needles.


Unblocked edge


Beach Glass blocking.


It's for my mom.  I bought a glass shawl pin when I was at Rhinebeck to go with it.  The yarn is hand dyed by Brook of Twisted Fiber - she does great work doesn't she?  And the best part was I got to go through her totes and pick out the yarn I wanted in August, cause she's really good friends with my friend Min.




This is colonnade.   It's actually for me!  I used Manos on the solid part and Malabrigo on the bottom section.  I will probably block it on Thursday morning.  I just cast on to make matching fingerless mitts with the Malabrigo.

I want Curt back!

After being in the "hole" on the radar for 10 + hours, it finally started snowing.
But being 10 hours behind we only got maybe 7 or 8 inches, by my best guess.

It did snow pretty heavily once it did start snowing, but we got nowhere near my friend in central Jersey who could only see the very tip of his 24" fence.  It did apparently snow hard enough that all flights to Newark from Atlanta for this morning were cancelled, along with Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and Boston.  (but they could make it to Providence  and Albany - explain that!)  Curt found out by text that his atl -ewr flight was cancelled, and flew to Atlanta anyway.  He has been on standby for 4 different flights now.  With standby lists of 60, 112 and 132..  He is now #32 on a standby list for 7pm.  If he can't get on a flight today. he does have a confirmation for TUESDAY morning!!  he can't go on standby for tomorrow morning before 11, because if he's not delayed 24 hours, travellers insurance won't pay for the hotel.

 

If Curt can't get home, the least we could have gotten was the fun snow!  Angie and I had a "girls day" starting on Friday night. We went out for sushi - place by us has 50% off if you buy more than $20 of sushi (not counting drinks or other food)  So it's a good deal since we split a pot of tea, get 2 glasses of water and each order 2-3 rolls and 2-3 types of pieces (4-6 pieces) and spend 25 including a nice tip.  Saturday we got pizza for lunch and made shrimp risotto for dinner, watched  New In Town, with Renee Zellwigger and Harry Connick Jr.  and played video games and board games.  I even got some knitting in.  Today we shoveled out the cars and watched tv, and played some more games and basically waited for curt's next text.

 

It finally started snowing around 315 pm - almost 12 hours late!

The Land that Snow Forgot

It was supposed to start snowing here at 4am this morning.  It's supposed to snow until sometime tomorrow.  Now as much as I love snow, I do want it to end early tomorrow.  Curt's uncle passed earlier in the week, and Curt flew down to Louisiana for the wake and funeral.   (He flew through Atlanta yesterday and sent me a text that is NASCAR would switch it's jet dryers to 737 engines, the tracks would be cleared much faster.... more debris as the trucks hit the wall... but dry)  His return flight is scheduled to land at 1206 tomorrow afternoon.  We are about 30 miles from the airport - 40 minutes on a good day.  But if the roads are crappy, I'm going to have to leave way earlier than that.  Which puts me leaving the house 30 minutes after the flight takes off. 

But while I want it to end early so the roads can get plowed, I want it to snow now!!  it was supposed to start 8 1/2 hours ago!  I was talking to a friend in Central jersey, where it is snowing.... He started laughing ( he knows how I turn into a little kid in snow) and told me to look at the radar.  See the big hole of no snow to the left of New York City?  I am in that hole!!!  :(

hey- that's my default

You Are Samuel Adams

You're fairly easy to please when it comes to beer - as long as it's not too cheap. You tend to change favorite beers frequently, and you're the type most likely to take a "beers of the world" tour. When you get drunk, you're fearless. You lose all your inhibitions. You're just as likely to party with a group of strangers as you are to wake up in a very foreign place.

What's Your Beer Personality?

Silly Haiku Wednesday

Welcome to “Silly Haiku Wednesday!”

Click here for info and background on this weekly event!

The basics:
Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)

This week’s theme is: Guilty Pleasure?

Espresso Ice Cream

Starbucks only will I eat

Perfect to Destress 

Hey!  I'm a poet LOL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weird Weather Sunday.

I love winter!  We all know how much I live winter!  However, as much as I don't complain about winter weather, freezing rain sucks.  Give me snow, I'll even deal with sleet, but freezing rain ( especially considering I don't use umbrellas) sucks.  That's what we had yesterday.  Two bridges ( that I know of) were closed because of the ice. ( Angie didn't know there was a bridge in one spot... sigh)  I however, never changed out of my lounge pants.  Yup.  I stayed in all day!  Curt and Angie had to make 2 trips to storage so she could decorate the tree.  ( No comment)  I started sifting throught the disaster that my stash had become.. Started.......

I then broke out the sewing machine.  Yes, I own a seldom used sewing machine.  Sewing really isn't my thing.  But, When Angie had painted her room, I promised her I'd make curtains.  Well, Not exactly make.  I shortened some very bright, very pink sheers yesterday.  And I'm going to attempt to make curtains from orange, pink and yellow striped table cloths she had purchased.  And maybe toppers too.  Just the sheers made my back hurt.  Of course I'm sure my couch is not really ergodynamically correct for the task, and the machine was on a tray table.  Y es that is a freshmade oatmeal cookie and ahem, spiked spiced cider in the foreground!

 

Second quiz to put me in Jupiter..lhmmm

Your Name Comes From Jupiter

You are an open-minded, adventurous person who has an expansive view of the world. You are quite cosmopolitan, and inflexibility of any wort really turns you off. You're outgoing, warm, and jovial. You are willing to welcome all newcomers into your life. You celebrate life every single day. There's so much to learn and do. You love to take it all in.

What Planet Does Your Name Come From?

I bought a hand!

I found a hand!  While I was out Christmas shopping!  I actually wandered through Marshall's for the hell of it, and I found hands!!   For my non-knitting friends, I love to make fingerless gloves but it's always an awkward shot trying to take a picture on one's own hand.  I've seen people on Ravelry who have different hands and I've wanted one for a long time.  I actually saw a booth that was using this exact hand for display at Stitches in October, but she wasn't selling her hand.

see how well it works!!

Dating Profiles

Welcome to The Dating Profiles Meme . This meme is based on a feature from WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. This is a bit different than an "answer this question" meme. Either you have used sites such as Match.com or Yahoo Personals or you’ve read them. Weekly, we scour those on-line dating sites to respond either a person's profile or often their headlines as most of us would really like to do. We use only "lines" that are gender-neutral. So, your mission is to respond to ten we choose each week. Seriously or with humor is your choice! The spelling or grammar errors were in the original profiles. Join us each and every Friday!

The Dating Profiles Meme: Pride and Joy

1. My pride and joy is my cat Spike.  I've always considered Spike to be  a dog's name, but if that's the best you can come up with maybe you should get a few more and be the crazy cat lady.  

2. I run, do pilates, zumba, and can dance anywhere.  I have a driver's License.  I really prefer driving a car to get from point A to point B ( or a Harley) but not a zumba!

3. I'm into to going to Home Depot for house projects that I think I can master but never do.  Do me a favor, stay out!  I have a lot of work to get done in my day, and "non-customers"  asking a lot of questions take up a lot of time.  If you are that much of a clutz , we do install over 30 categories,  I'll pass you on to the install specialist.  "cause I am not fixing your house for dinner and a glass of wine.

4. I joined this dating site to meet new people and see what happens!  Are you aware of a place called "outside of your house"?  There are real people out there, you can meet them!

5. I was married for 5 years from 1990 to 1995. We had a nasty divorce but now are the best of friends.  Too much drama.  Some people are meant to be friends.  And/or you really don't need to marry everyone you sleep with!

6. I'm looking forward to a meeting of the minds, to fun and arm wrestling.  Arm wrestling?? Seriously??  I always thought that was something teenagers did, because they weren't having sex!

 7. My match would be someone who is emotionally available. One that believes 1+1=Love.  I firmly believe that if you don't love yourself, no one else can truly love you and you become a needy whiny pain in the ass.

8. I wanted to win my son when we play video games together, back then he was 14 years old, and I did practice while he is not at home, but was never able to win him.  I've heard of a trophy wife, but a trophy kid?  You need therapy. 

9. How do you sum up a full life into a little box without sounding like everyone else?  Well you don't use up space asking dumb questions!

10. There are as many ways of falling in love as there are snowflakes in a snowstorm.  Hmm, I have some salt around here somewhere....

Thank you for playing this week on The Dating Profiles Meme . Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. Join us for Sunday Stealing. See you next Friday!

I was doing so well..... I made it all the way through NaBloPoMo ( National Blog Posting Month) although I did cheat with some quizes.  And then I miss THursday. Sigh.

D-day!

Today was D-day.  Of course, for me the next two days are just as crazy.  I have to be at work at 230 am tomorrow.  I already told them not to count on me until 3.  I mean I was on time this morning despite a really serious snow storm.  I've got over 41 hours in already.

 

Swap Goodies

While I'm doing my best not to kill someone today, finishing prep and starting inventory ( worked 11 hours Monday)  I thought I'd entertain my yarnie friends ( non- knitters - my apologies, my brain is fried, yarn is destressful) with my recent swap goodies I've gotten but haven't posted about yet.

Jaime sent me a Scarlet Knight for my Creepy Cute Crochet Swap.  ( another New Jerseyan - our State U's mascot - but more importantly my daughter's high school mascot)



From my dancing dishcloth swap I got these three packages




This one also came with 2 skeins of yarn that were apparently put away before I took the pic.



I am mailing out 2 swap packages this week - depending on which day I can run out to the PO on lunch( The PO will definitely be closed when I get home the next 3 days) to mail them out.  Fortunately the deadline for one is the 15th, the other is the 25th.  Pics to come when the recipients get theirs.