Holy Crap!!!

Has it really been so long? Geeze… I’m sorry guys, my life took a HUGE about face.

I know I put little posts up but I can’t believe I’ve left this poor little blog tosit for so long.

So, I don’t have pictures for you right now, I will hopefully get them up and going in the next few days, I do however have quite a bit of news.

For starters, the main new thing that has been taking over my time is that I got the full time office job that I was looking for. It’s with the same company that I did my placement for, and I am loving every minute of it. Honestly, I can totally see myself being here in 20 years, the benefits and the department that I work with are that good.

So yay!

C and I also almost bought ourselves a house. We were about half a day from signing, we talked with my family, discussed it between us, and in the end, decided that we would be better off if we waited for a bit. That way it would allow us to get rid of the last of my school debt and get a bit of a buffer saved up.

The good news from this is that we now know what we’re looking for in a house, since we want to hopefully move into one in the next few years.

Thanks to this new job, we were able to buy a gift for ourselves (this was a personal present for making it through the last year without going further into debt, essentially we blew what we could of my first paycheck on a toy). We got a Wii!

I love this thing! The exercize ability of it with Wii Sports and Wii Fit is perfect for me (since I’m not doing dance this year), and it has a bunch of games that are just plain fun! (I don’t do very well at video games, I don’t have the hand-eye coordination for it, but I’ve actually beat a couple).

Peri the wonder cat is doing fantastic, she’s become enough of a cuddle cat for me, and enough of a play cat for C. I’m not sure what caused her to be removed from the home she was in previously, but it wasn’t physical abuse. She even lets me clip her claws with my nail clippers!

On the knitting front, my stash has exploded all over the back room and I have to get that cleaned up. I’m working on actually finishing up some of my WIP’s and UFO’s. I’m hoping that when I clean up the stash I’ll uncover everything that is currently on the needles and take pictures to put into Ravelry. That list of WIP’s on there is my hall of shame and hopefully that will get me to actually finish stuff.

I’ve still been doing my voice acting for Quirky Nomads which is now just QN. It’s my favourite podcast and if you like little skits and funny stories, you’ll probably enjoy it too, plus it updates about twice a week at least.

Let’s see, thanks to Lime and Violet, I’ve started Letterboxing (you can find more info on it here) and I’m now an F2 with C. It’s a nice little hunt that gets you out of the house and seeing new things, plus it has creativity with making stamps. I’ll have a post or two about that in a bit too.

I think that’s about it on the general news thing from me. I’m hoping to get more time on the net and be able to write in here more often. I’m just finding that when I’ve stared at the computer screen all day, I don’t really want to look at it anymore when I get home. Maybe I’ll become a weekend poster.

We’ll see.

Till next time.

Back from the dead… with a warning

Guess what I found…

Oh noes! You found it! I’ll have to hide the computer cord better next time….

Yup, I finally found the camera cord so now I can show you some of the wonderful things I’ve been holding in reserve.

Before I get to that though, I just want to take a moment to give a warning.

I recently started a new job in an office, and I needed a wardrobe to go with this change. Usually when I buy new clothes I’ll wash them before I wear them, but this time I just wore them pretty well right out of the bag.

I am never

Ever

Doing

That

Again.

Excuse the really bad pictures of me, these shorts don’t do me any favours but I wanted to show the extent of it. And if you think this is bad, double it, and then add on crazy amounts of irritation. It feels worse than my worst sunburn.

There was something in the manufacturing that I reacted badly with. I have a rash that seems almost like a burn on my skin in places where the fabric rubbed. It’s all up the inside of my thighs (and I think the only reason it’s not down each calf is because I was wearing knee highs), on the back of my thighs where I sit on the pants, and all around my hips where the waistline sits.

It’s not just one pair of pants either, but a couple different pairs that have been causing this. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a lubricant or oil from the sewing machines because it seems to be worst by the seams.

I just wanted to mention this in hopes of saving someone else the irritation and pain I’m going through right now. I tried one of my moisturizers (it’s what I use on sunburns) and that just made it burn more, so I think there’s nothing much to do but wait it out and if it’s not gone by the weekend, call my doctor.

These pictures are also for proof for if it’s not just a manufacturing thing but is just one pair of pants (the ones that started it) and that the other pants just irritated it a bit more. If those pants cause this issue even after I wash them, I’m contacting the company because there’s something definitely wrong here.

Till next time (with knitting content!)

Not Quite back from the dead…

So I have some good news and I have some bad new and I have some meh news.

The Meh news is that I still haven’t found the cord to my camera, so there’s not a lot to talk about knitting wise when I can’t show you! So I’m not quite back from the dead yet, but I’m still here.

The good news is that I start a new job on Monday. This is an Office Administration position (in my field) and is going to bring in a much bigger paycheque with benefits than my waitressing job did. So it’s a bit of a relief now to know that we’re on our way out of debt and that things are looking better.

The bad news is that we may have to move at the end of May. In fact, it’s very likely we will. This is because C’s mother is moving back into our apartment building, one apartment over and a floor up from us. She’s a lovely woman and the one who raised C, so while she’s difficult to deal with at times, I still like her. However, C does not want to live in the same building as her.

She tends to be… nosey, pushy, needy. We would have her calling and coming down and knocking on the door on a daily basis asking for things or needing people to talk to or wanting to complain about her SO.

So now, just as we’re finally getting settled and I finally get a good job, we have to uproot and find a new place to live. Otherwise our lives will probably go to hell in a hand basket.

*sigh*

-Till next time.

My Booklist for 2008

Since this blog has gone into quiet and boring mode due to my lack of USB cable, I figured I would write a little about another hobby that I have and quite enjoy. Reading!

I have recently added a page to my side bar all about the books I’ve read so far this year. As you can guess, I love reading. I will admit though, I’m not a very studious reader. I don’t really read true biographies, or non fiction books, you’ll most likely find me reading a Fantasy novel or romance before anything else.

I’ve recently gotten into historical fiction, and I’m finding that I really like it (if it’s written well), but that I find more enjoyment in books that are written about nobodies, or fictional people, than books written about actual historical figures, merely because my family is all about history and I’ve studied it a lot. With that knowledge, when the fiction and the facts don’t match, my brain tends to pull out of the story and go “that didn’t happen that way!!!”

Maybe I’m a little too up tight with that.

Anyway, as far as favourite books go, I love Polgara the Sorceress by David and Leigh Eddings, as well as the series that came before it that has her character in it as well. My most read book (I’m on the third copy of it right now) is The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery. I actually did NOT like Anne of Green Gables, but I quite enjoyed this little stand alone.

Maybe it’s because I had my own fantasy that I went to when times were tough or boring.

Probably the only books that I really dislike are Horror books. I don’t like scary movies and I have a very active imagination and the imagery from horror books can keep me away for days. I didn’t even like Goosebumps when I was a kid.

So, what types of stories do you like? What don’t you like? Do you have a guilty pleasure? A favourite author?

Just curious is all…

Till next time.

So…. boring

I know, it’s been horrible and quiet around here. I have an excuse.

I don’t like my blog to be just typing and words. Some bloggers do, but I know my words are usually not that interesting, funny or entertaining and I like to break it up with at least a picture or two. I’m not an author, I just write what I think… and that’s not much sometimes.

So, the reason I haven’t been posting with lovely pictures… Peari, my wonder kitty, has run off with the cord to my camera. This wouldn’t be a problem as normally she just moves these things to another room, but this time she has hidden it. Hidden it quite well actually. Which isn’t saying much due to the state of my apartment right now.

Which means I have some major cleaning to do, but I’m also deadline knitting right now.. so rest assured, I will be returning with my posting (I actually have my Christmas post begun but it stalled when I realized I couldn’t access my pictures).

I just need to find my $*(&(*&*( cord.

Till next time.

A quick Meme

It has been crazy busy lately with the Christmas rush over and work scheduling different shifts and such. I’ve been very bad at posting in here.

I have a draft written up on what I got for Christmas etc, and I have been knitting so I have some FO’s to show you.. I just need to find out where Peri hid the camera cord so I can upload the pics.

However, in an effort to keep this blog posted in, I was reading Turtlegirl’s blog today and while she didn’t tag me (she didn’t tag anyone really) she said if we wanted to we could pretend that she tagged us, so that’s what I’m doing.

What this is is to take a book, open to a random page and write down the fifth sentence that’s on the page. This isn’t going to be as racy as Turtlegirl’s because the book is actually First Test by Tamora Pierce, and it’s a book for preteen-teenage girls. If you’re into fantasy though, and you like books with strong heroine’s you’ll probably enjoy Tamora Pierce’s Tortall series.

Anyway on to the sentence:

“My mother cracked us on the head with her fan when we fought healers,” Kel admitted.

So that’s that. I’ll hopefully get more time to finish the Christmas post and then show you some of my FO’s really soon.

It sucks being busy.

-Till next time.

Info on the awesome knitting bag

So I asked my step-mom about the wonderful knitting bag that I posted about here. She couldn’t remember all the info, just that she’d got it at Regal.

She sent me an email today with all the info so here it is:

Had to find my last Regal book….but ya I found it…..so for your next show and tell you can give them this info….

Yarn Tote number 6362  $15.98

You can mabe call Regal Customer Care Centre 1-800-565 3130 or go on web site www.regal.ca

its still in the book til Feb 15/08

Hope that helps……

So there you go! Hope you guys can find it if you’re looking for it.

Happy knitting!

Till next time

Christmas Knitting Round-up

Whee Christmas is over!! I got most of my knitting done, the only things left on the needles is one half sock for my Grandpa, and about three quarters of a scarf for my FIL.

All told, I think that makes this Christmas a successful one.

On the finished side, we have:

Specs:

Pattern: Generic sock pattern, see Yarn Harlot’s Knitting Rules, random stripes added

Yarn: Paton’s Kroy in Black and orange varigated (colour 54567)

Needles: DPN 2.25 mm

Started: December 10, 2007

Finished: December 18, 2007

Thoughts: This was the last minute socks that were requested of me from my Step-mom (she of the amazing knitting bag which apparently came from Regal online). In an email I was hinted at that a black pair of socks with stripes that weren’t too bright in a size 5 would be perfect.

So I broke out my sock stash and whipped these up. She really loved them and wore them for the next 3 days that I saw her. She lives in British Columbia so while she might not have the extreme cold of Ontario, she does have the extreme dampness.

These were top priority for me because she is the main family member who encourages my knitting habit (even more so than my Gramma). I knew she would absolutely love them and would wear and take care of them. She is definitely going to get more of these in the future.

Next up:

Specs:

Pattern: Arrrrgh-yles from Moth Heaven

Yarn: Paton’s Kroy in White and Black, Lily Chin Chelsea in Green, and Dalegarn Baby Ull in Orange

Needles: DPNs 2.25 mm

Started: August 25, 2007

Finished: December 6, 2007

Thoughts: These were made for a friend of C’s in Singapore. They play the online game Puzzle Pirates and when I found these socks I showed it to C who showed it to his friend who asked for a pair. She’s going to be heading out to BC next fall to go to school so again, see damp wet winter which wool socks are perfect for.

I really enjoyed this pattern, it was another attempt at intarsia and fairisle, this was better than some of my previous attempts. I had fewer holes to sew up, and I was really happy with my back seam on the socks, you can see it in the sock on the right in the picture. I’m really bad at finishing so I was proud that I buckled down and did it right. I also conquered Kitchener Stitch in these socks and then re-conquered it in the stripey socks… I might not have such a war with it from now on.

Can you tell this was a year of socks? :

Specs:

Pattern: Generic kid sock with short row heel and normal toe

Yarn: Lang Yarns Jawoll Cotton Jacquard

Needles: 2.25 DPNs

Started: December 5, 2007

Finished: December 10, 2007

Thoughts:This is one of two pairs of identical socks for the granddaughters of family friends. This was a bit of a struggle because I was just given the age of the girls and the approximate size of their feet. So I went and grabbed a chart of foot sizes and the corresponding stitch amounts, and away I went.

Luckily both pairs of socks fit, and I was quite proud that I managed to match up both pairs.

Hopefully the girls won’t fight over who’s socks are who’s.

Last but not least, a baby blanket that wasn’t actually a Christmas Present:

Specs:

Pattern: Snowdrop Shawl by Yarn Harlot

Yarn: Some mystery yarn that I inherited.

Needles: 5.5 mm Straights

Started: November 28, 2007

Finished: December 22, 2007

Thoughts: This was a really fun lace project. It was my first time adding an actual edging to a shawl. I was really pleased by how it ended up.

Due to the different yarn and the fact that I had absolutely no info on what this yarn is, I did fewer repeats for the bulk of the shawl because I was worried I wouldn’t have enough for the edging. In the end I had over half a ball left so I can make baby hats or whatever from it.

This poor baby girl is the first girl in the family for 13 years, she’s got way too much pink already, I need to make her something yellow or such.

So that’s my Christmas knitting. Now to get back to the unfinished boring socks for my Granpa. I got a really cool present as well that I will talk about next time.. It ties in with the end of my BC trip.

Till next time.

Of Recipe Boxes and Cheesy Crisps

Just to update on Peari, we took her to the vet yesterday and she got a completely clean bill of health. She’s a perfect weight and has no problems at all that can be seen. We’ve scheduled her booster and rabies shot for a couple of weeks from now and she’ll be getting spayed at the end of January (we want to give her a chance to get used to us and the apartment before taking her for a big surgery). So yay!

Now, Kay over at Mason-Dixon Knitting is asking people for their recipe boxes and favourite recipes. I have one recipe box, but it was inherited from my Mother-in-Law and is currently rather boring on the outside.

I’m going to have to get some stickers or something to make it a much cooler looking box. However I like the fact that I can look through the top at the dividers.. not sure why that’s so important to me, but it is. It does have a nice separator section so that you can find the type of recipes you’re looking for really quick.

This however is more of the “starting out in your own place beginner recipes” type of recipe box with a few extra recipes thrown in from magazines.

My personal recipe storage is on the fridge…

This way my most used and favourite recipes are at my fingertips when I need them. I’m thinking I need to get a binder soon like the Heathen Housewife because I’m very quickly running out of fridge space.

The recipe I’m going to share is one of my favourites. It’s a recipe I got from my Step-mother (she of the nifty knitting bag), and she makes it every time I go over to visit her. These Easy Peasy Cheese Crisps are a wonderful way to use up Rice Krispies when you get sick of making the dessert snacks. These are delicious and perfect for entertaining.

I made a half batch of these today and got about 30 crisps, when my Step-Mom makes it she gets close to 90.

Easy Peasy Cheese Crisps

1 tub Imperial Cheese (like margarine only it’s spreadable cheese)
1 C Butter
Dash Salt
1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 C Flour
4 C Rice Krispies

Preheat oven to 350 F

Allow butter and cheese to reach room temperature (or put them in the microwave on defrost for about 45 seconds). Mix together with a fork. Add Salt and Worcestershire Sauce, then slowly add flour and Rice Krispies.

When well mixed, put a small dollop on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Press down with a fork. Repeat until all of the mixture is used. (These crisps don’t rise or grow so you can place them fairly close together).

Bake in the oven for up to 15 minutes. (Ovens may vary, I usually start with 8 minutes, then go 11, then up to 15. You want the crisps to start looking a tiny bit brown around the edges).

Pull out of oven and let cool, they’re really delicious while warm with a bit of red pepper jelly.

It almost sounds harder than it is. These seriously take about 5 minutes to mix up and the 15 to cook. Totally a last minute entertaining specialty for me.

Peari however is a bit miffed with me.

“Mom won’t let me on the counter when she’s baking.”

Till next time.

Meet Peari the new star of the Blog

I hope everyone had a good holiday, Christmas was great for us (all 7 of them >.<), I’ll get to a post about that some other day, but right now we will interrupt the knitting fun with the tale of how Peari came home.

C’s mom recently had to put down her dog (about a month ago), and had gotten lonely without him around. She went to the SPCA, wanting to adopt an adult cat (knowing that kittens get adopted really easily), and was playing with a lovely orange tabby named Alicia. However when she mentioned that she travels up north 3 hours and back once a week, the adoption agency said it’d be too hard on Alicia and that she’d be better to go with a kitten instead so that the kitten could get used to the traveling.

For the next week or so, C’s mom was trying to get someone, anyone to adopt Alicia, seeing as the cat had been there for 4 months. We went and checked Alicia out on Boxing Day, and she was a wonderful cat, she was quite fat, but really affectionate and lovely. However, our apartment was still in a state of Christmas chaos and we wanted to have a chance to clean it up before bringing the cat home.

When we went into the adoption center the next day, Alicia was gone. The poor cat was sitting at the adoption agency for 4 months, and then on the same day, 3 different families (us included) all wanted her. At least she’s in a loving home.

The next day we decided we wanted to go back to check out the other cats, and I checked online to see what cats were available. My first view of Peari was her picture on the website, it wasn’t exactly the best pic.

It’s kind of a little kitty mugshot.

When we went into the adoption agency, there were two cats, Pear, and Banana. When I went up to the cages, Pear (who is 2.5-3 years old) hopped up and was right at the edge to come see me and get pet, while Banana hid. They were both from the same home. This home had 3 cats and a dog all taken from it. Pear and Banana were both really skinny. Pear however had decided that she wanted to come home with us and pretty much latched onto me. (She’s still got her claws which is fine).

When we got her home (complete with toys, carrying case, food, and treats) and let her out of her carrying case. Now the adoption agency told us that most cats hide for a good couple of hours until they get comfortable. Pear however (who was still Pear at this point) pretty much made herself at home.

“This carpet is mine.. and isn’t my tummy oh so soft and pettable?”

After a little while, we were trying to decide on names, C kept throwing out ideas and when he said “Peariwinkle” because she’s been “Pear” for a bit and we can call her “Peari”, it stuck.

“I love my people and I’m totally a Daddy’s girl”

She is very people oriented, she checks things out and likes to lie beneath the futon and the bed but especially likes to make sure we’re here. If she hasn’t seen us for a while she will meowl for us until we call her and she finds us.

However we both agree that we think in her other home she had to fight the other cats and maybe the dog for her food because she doesn’t really eat unless we’re sitting by her, and actually likes us to have our hands by the food bowl to protect it, and even then she’s looks around for any other animals. She gets distracted by any noise and needs to check it out before she comes back to eat. We’re hoping she calms down and realizes all her food and toys are hers and hers alone.

At least in our home she’s going to get tons of love, and all the petting she needs.

Now I need to get started on a Wendyknits cat bed and some Feline Dim Sum from knitty. We also need to get her a bigger cat toy, she can totally stretch to the top of the one we got her without even trying.

“Give me a few hours and I’ll have these humans in the palms of my paws.. next up.. THE WORLD!”

Till next time.