Please refrain from answering or placing cell phone calls from public bathrooms. It compels people like me to flush the toilet repeatedly to let the person on the other end of the phone know exactly where you are. ;)
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Love Is
Using your long-hoarded Socks That Rock yarn for socks for your beloved. What, you didn't expect me to say something profound, did you?
Tonight, I'll cast on a bigger version of the Madder Ribbed Socks for Hubs from STR "Beryl". I love the colors of this yarn, but they're manly enough for man socks. Means I'll get to buy more Socks That Rock to replace this skein, right?
Also actively on the needles is an Elegant Ribbed Stocking from "Favorite Socks" that my SP sent me. I'm using Dale of Norway Heilo in navy blue. I only have one of the three sets of DPNs required to make these socks, and I got to the point where I'll need the size 7 DPNs. Cheap excuse to go to the yarn store this week. My attempts to photograph my progress thus far were really poor, so no pics tonight.
Should I be concerned that all my finished objects so far this year have been socks?
Labels: Socks
Monday, February 26, 2007
Movie Musings Monday: The Prestige
"The Prestige" popped out of the DVD player just in time to make my Movie Musings Monday post.
If you like twists and turns and intrigue, GO RENT THIS MOVIE. I love movies that make me audibly gasp, and oh, how this one did. Plus, it has a killer line-up: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, David Bowie, Scarlett Johansson, and Michael Caine. I fully plan on purchasing a copy of this movie on DVD.
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Gobsmacked Stars. Really, go rent it!
Knitting Rating: 3 out of 5 Skeins. While very visual in nature, stockinette or ribbing in the round is appropriate. Lends itself particularly well to knitting vintage Victorian era patterns. Be on the lookout for beautiful lace knits!
Labels: Movie Musings Monday
My Socks
See how well they match!
Pattern: Oak Ribbed Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks
Needles: US 1 Lantern Moon DPNs
Yarn: Opal's Rainforest Line in "Fish"
I enjoyed this pattern, even though I did screw up the heels. The Opal yarn didn't seem splitty and was pretty easy to match to each other. I was pretty paranoid about breaking another Lantern Moon DPN, but they all stayed in one piece. I liked the way this toe was worked over 28 rows with a series of K2TOGs. No sloppy SSKs on the toe of my socks :) They kept my feet nice and toasty today, too!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Words of Wisdom Wednesday
or, "How I Plan to Take Over the World".
Simple plan using a simple tool, really.
Surely, this makes me a candidate for world domination, no?
Labels: Words of Wisdom Wednesday
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
I Me Me Mine
Knitting progress this past weekend was all about me. I did brave the snowfall Saturday morning to mail Grandmom's backup socks. Other than that, my knitting time was all about me, for me.
Hubs put the brakes on my late night shopping spree for solid color sock yarn from Knitpicks. Instead, I'm working through some of my stashed sock yarn which happens to be mainly earmarked for projects for myself. First up is a pair of Oak Rib socks from Knitting Vintage Socks. It's Opal Rain Forest yarn in "Fish". My attention was pretty lacking when I knitted the heel and heel turn and was 4 stitches shy of the pattern. Eh, design feature as long as I can duplicate it on the second sock.
Apparently, there's a mispring in the pattern. It calls for 3 75 row repeats, but it needs 4. *sigh* That means I'm only 13% completed on the cabled section. I could really have used a bulky weight wool/alpaca blanket this winter. I think I've opened another cream-colored blackhole!
Tonight's Bandit cuteness!
Labels: Saffron Cables, Socks
Monday, February 19, 2007
A Moment of Silence
Stunned silence, then overwhelming anger. The fake DVR which held countless hours of TV shows deleted everything on its hard drive sometime between last Tuesday night and tonight. Gone is the second season of the new Dr Who, the only once shown Gencon special on X Play, scads of Battlestar Galactica episodes, and the brand spanking new episodes of Rome for which we actually bought HBO to see. Some of them were well past their prime while others were much too young to go. A pox on DishNetwork's crappy DVR. Tonight, my head hangs in sadness of the loss of those precious hours of TV gems. *sniff*
Labels: Boob Tube
Movie Musings Monday: "The Marine"
Because everyone chooses a bad movie rental every once and awhile - even Hubs. Historically speaking, the title of "Worst Movie Chooser" has been mine since Hubs and I started dating. I take full responsibility for "Nacho Libre", Dean Koontz's "Phantoms" (which was NOTHING like the book!), and a slew of bad Christopher Lambert movies. With his recent selection of "The Marine", Hubs now is the holder of that dubious title.
Before the movie began, I had it pegged as a bad movie when the WWE studios logo was shown. And HOW did this movie deliver the cheesy badness. Ridiculously large explosions, horrible acting, and random chick fights were de rigeur. Highlight of this movie is its relatively short duration - long enough to finish 4 rows of my Saffron Cable afghan.
Overall Rating: No stars for you! It was that bad.
Knitting Rating: 2 out of 5 skeins.
Labels: Movie Musings Monday
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Ah, yes.
Proof I am still knitting.
Surprise, surprise. As soon as I finished my first pair of Madder Ribbed Socks, I started another. This pair was completed using Lucy Neatby's Celestial Dream Merino on US1's (back to my trusty Crystal Palace DPNs). These are destined for Pennsylvania for my grandma. They were started as a back-up pair in case her first pair were lost in the mail. :) All the packages that I send will have tracking on them from now on. Can't be too cautious with handknits!
Wii've been enjoying the we. :) Some of the mini games can give you a hell of a workout!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Words of Wisdom Wednesday
Heed your own advice. For example, the Words of Wisdom Wednesday post I made last week, clogs aren't good foot apparrel in the snow. I slipped on a pair of clogs this evening to check the mail. Completely forgetting the several feet tall drifts in our driveway and yard. I'm sure my neighbors think I'm an idiot now after fishing out a clog that slipped off and got stuck in a snowdrift.
Labels: Words of Wisdom Wednesday
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Blizzard of Aught Seven
No way in Hades will I go out in today's weather. The fact that we're under a BLIZZARD warning in central Indiana sealed the deal for me. Weather.com is listing the Indianapolis area as having "Unknown Precipiation". That roughly translates to "Shit-pile of snow and toss in some ice, too just for fun".
Stay safe and warm!
Labels: Local Yokel
Monday, February 12, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
From the Book Friday
Today's excerpt for From the Book Friday is sharing my LibraryThing. With my goals of organizaation this year, I decided I better get a handle on my bookshelves, piles, boxes, and general mess of books. More fiction will be added; however, all my knitting books are represented for your perusal. :) See random books from my shelves on the widget to the ummm....right side of the screen.
Labels: From the Book Friday
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Good Mail Day
I received a call from my grandma this afternoon; her surprise birthday socks I mailed last Tuesday arrived safely at her house today. Both of us and my mom were convinced that their vile neighbors nabbed her socks and were wearing them. I even started an emergency back-up pair of socks to send to her if the first pair were lost in transit.
I returned home to a big surprise sitting on our snowy front porch, a package from my Knitty Secret Pal. My SP is fabulous!!! Look at the pretties!
A very cute card, Spring '06 issue of IW Knits magazine, Favorite Socks with 25 sock patterns from IW Knits, a chocolate/mocha bar, Gold Mine bubblegum, bath fizzies (I love bath fizzies!!), and a wee pack of Nutella. (Which as I was writing this post, Bandit STOLE and ATE my Nutella, the little ass!)
Look Bandit, this is for you, but not my Nutella!
Bandit decimating his cookie; he LOVED it!
Oh, and what's this?
Wildfoote Sock Yarn in "Symphony" Very soft and beautiful colors!
Labels: Secret Pal
Words of Wisdom Wednesday
When the forecast calls for snow, be prepared. Not prepared in a raid the grocery store for canned goods, bread, and toilet paper way. Prepared as in wear appropriate shoes for walking in show. Unexpected treks in through 5 inches of snow happen. For example, after a rough day, the battery in the garage door opener dies and you have to walk through snow drifts in sub-zero wind chills wearing CLOGS. >.<>still cold.
Labels: Words of Wisdom Wednesday
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Feeding the Stash
Blech! Today sucked. Here's some pics of new fodder for my quickly dwindling sock yarn stash.
Labels: Yarn
Monday, February 05, 2007
Movie Musings Monday: Flyboys
Up for review this week is Flyboys. A movie about a squad of American volunteer WW1 fighter pilots who flew for France. There's also a rather weak love story that's half in mumbled French with no subtitles and typical male buddy movie themes. The highlight of the movie by far were the dogfight scenes. Well filmed and excellent effects.
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars. I'd recommend it to fans of other war movies.
Knitting Rating: 2 out of 5 Skeins. I kept bugging Hubs with questions on which character was on the screen as it was really hard to knit and keep track of character faces with aviator goggles and helmets on.
Labels: Movie Musings Monday
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Cut that Meat!
Big ol' congrats to the Colts for winning the Super Bowl. Wonder what Indy will be like tomorrow; it's been a mad house for the past few weeks. (Just as I typed that someone blasted down our quiet subdivision road honking their horn. Bandit's doing his celebratory barking now, too.) I finished up a pair of socks during the third quarter.
I tried to match the striping, but these are fraternal twins. One of my fancy Lantern Moon DPN was sidelined permanently after a snap late in the toe. Damned SSKs were too tough for rosewood. I've heard that Lantern Moon has very good customer service and should send a second string replacement. I really liked the simple ribbing used in this pattern almost as much as I like the wide heelflap. The swoopy, pointy toe, not so much love. I think my next pair of socks will be for Hubs or myself, but don't quote me on that. :)
Labels: Local Yokel, Socks
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Definition of Lame
Hubs and I rented Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom a co-op RPG for the PS3 this week. Last night, we sat down to create our characters and start the game. First, I was miffed that the warrior class only had a male character available, so expressing my inner crabbiness at the lack of female characters, I named him "Bitch Tits". However, anytime my character's name was on screen it was a censored out garble of symbols. Censoring mild curse words on a game rated "T" for ages 13 and up. *insert eyeroll here*
However, on Viva Pinata, a game approved for all ages for the Xbox 360, has allowed me to name my pinatas and stupid helpers very colorful names - Dipshit the Watering Helper, Dumbass the Harvesting Helper, and a herd of horse pinatas all named a variant of "ass".
Clearly, XBox 360 is winning the next-gen console war in the "No Lame Censoring" category.
Labels: Gaming