Meet Steve and Bob.
They are cats.
Cats of a different fur (or feather, if you will.)
That’s Bob the Cat. He has pretty blue eyes.
And this is Steve the Cat.
They are two cool kitties.
You, too, can win yourself your own customized kitty by leaving a comment on this post. I will leave pick a winner on Thursday, January 28th. (Which, coincidentally, is Shawn’s 30th birthday!) Good luck!
The past couple of days I’ve been at a loss for words. I’ve been waking up with these hideous headaches and absolutely no motivation to do anything. Of course, the dishes get washed and the laundry gets folded. But for the most part the wonderful wet rain has gotten me in a lazy mood.
It takes a little bit longer to wake up in the morning. I lay in bed, under cover, and listen to the drip, drip, drip of the rain as it hits the puddles outside our bedroom window.
I find that my afternoons have been filled with warming up in an oversized blanket and laying around the couch. I’ve even been known to fall asleep with Scout laying in my arms. Her light snoring is like a metronome. Spellbinding. Rythmic.
In the evenings I tend to come to life. It’s dinner time and the household is on edge. What will it be tonight? Chicken Parmigiano Strips with Spaghetti. Brown Butter and Balsamic Tortellini. Or maybe some Navy Bean Soup. It all depends.
And then for no known reason I’m off to bed at 8:30. I get back under cover and flick on the table lamp and I begin reading. Right now it’s Daphne. I slowly fall asleep thinking of Morgan and Luna, characters in a short story that I’ve been formulating.
Next thing I know it’s morning all over again.
But with this laziness comes a bit of a hidden depression. Maybe because the rain inhibits me from getting all the things done that I need to do. Like walk Rogue. She’s completely and utterly afraid of falling water. Or getting to the library to pick up some books for Scout (we read two to three at nap time and I’d completely ran out for three days straight). Or even getting to the grocery store because I completely forgot to buy some flat parsley.
Whatever it is I believe Shawn saw through it. So he treated me to a drive in the rain and I small shopping spree at the not so local LYS.
I’d decided to get some yarn for the Cedar Leaf Shawlette that I fell in love with. I mean, look at those little leaves!
{Manos Del Uruguay Silk Blend}
I’d also perused the shop to see if there was anything I could do about substituting yarn for the Sabbatical Cardigan in this issue of Twist Collective. I didn’t quite find what I was looking for so I’m going to keep searching until I find the most perfect yarn for this gorgeous sweater. So instead, I decided on just one more skein of SweetGeorgia Tough Love Sock because…well, because. I also snuck in a copy of the new KnitScene and the new Debbie Bliss Magazine because…well, again, because.
{SweetGeorgia Tough Love Sock in Mist}
And just to prove to you that I haven’t been completely lazy, I have been using my sewing machine.
You’ll just have to wait to see what this is all about.
Til then: Stay Dry and Stay Warm.
As the dark clouds ominously rolled over the mountains we began our journey to the Country Fair Antique Shop. The boast 100 shops for all your shopping needs. I’ve gone there a few times and I’ve never left empty handed. Too many treasures to be found in the dusty corners of each booth.
Today was no different.
Isn’t it gorgeous?
This twin sized crocheted afghan was just sitting on top of a bureau. The booth was pretty empty, I assume they were either setting up or closing business.
And this is the kicker…
Yes, it really does say $3.00.
So Shawn bought it for me. And $3.29 I was a much happier woman. Especially walking out into the rain and thinking about what other treasures my day would bring.
Mainly it’s consisted of sitting on the couch under my blankets and knitting a new Minimalist Cardigan.
Two treasures in one day. I’m lucky.
Yesterday, before the dove gray clouds slowly approached, Scout and I took a trip to the toddler park for some student driving lessons. Shawn and I bought her a bedecked pink and purple bike with white tires for Christmas and a matching Barbie helmet. Because really, what girl shouldn’t have a matching Barbie helmet?
But I think the ride to the park (maybe 50 feet) tired her out and she gave up. Not that I mind.
Instead she did some excavating.
But then she caught me peering at her through a lens.
So she chased a blue bird and a few sparrows. When she did not succeed in actually catching said birds she decided to play with a tree. Kinda of ring around the maypole if you will.
There was a little romp on the jungle gym. We (yes, me too) slid down a the straight slides and then the twirly one where I was convinced I’d get stuck. (Those openings are not meant for adults.)
There was a little drawing, followed by “Mom, I lost your pen!”
And then, finally, she hammed it up for me.
Parents, you’d better watch your boys on the playground because this girl is gonna break their hearts!
Relaxing.
Or trying to.
Yesterday I had a killer backache.
Today it’s a killer headache.
I’m hoping it’s nothing tomorrow.
I need a day off.
A day off to enjoy…
{…my brand new yellowy goodness bowls.}
{…to cuddle up next to the Stinkanator. If you were in the same vicinity as Rogue when she gets gas-y then you’d understand her nickname. Just sayin’. She’s nasty.}
{…to try and get some knitting time in. And to appreciate finishing up my first project for 2010: Ysolda Teague’s Snapdragon Tam.}
{…my newest edition to my Littlest Pet Shop Collection. A sheepdog. And to revel in the fact that I collected all 8 stickers so I can send in for a special edition Platypus. The fact that we had to buy eight sets to get eight stickers is kind of besides the point. I’m getting a Platypus people!}
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
I can’t believe it’s been one year since the last party at Unwind.This year I was invited to the “preview” party and I have to say that we had so. much. fun!
Jem and I had dinner together at Porto’s Bakery. As always it was delicious. I had a Medianoche Sandwich (slow roasted pork, ham, swiss, butter and relish on homemade bread) and an Apple Turnover. I swear that their turnover pastry has the flakiest crust I’ve ever had. It was soooo good.
The we walked down Hollywood Way with a quick detour to the sports card shop and threw the shopkeeper a measly bit of business. Slowly we walked down the street peeking through the windows of other shops. There’s a pet shop I’ve never noticed and a Jelly Bean Factory!
I can only inundate you all with some fiberlicious pictures in the end. The party was a great success but photo ops were limited by all the human traffic in the shop. I had a great time chatting it up with Kelly and Dawn from Namaste. They make it difficult to not purchase new swag. Their bags are awesome. I am still in ♥ with my peacock Malibu that I got from them last year. I also met someone I had swapped with a few years back when I was hosting the “Sock It To Me” sock swaps. Totally neat! I got some very nice compliments on my “Stella” beret (which I realized I never showed you):
And then I stocked up on yarn. Because you know I really needed to.
No, really.
My first sweater of 2010 is going to be “Elsewhere” by Amy Swenson. So I just had to buy some Manos del Uruguay Rittenhouse Merino. I bought every hank in this colorway:
And then I realized I would need some new sock yarn because they just stocked up on Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock. I knew that if I didn’t grab it now I’d be waiting a while to get my hands on it again. I am in ♥ with Riptide:
I also grabbed a skein of her Merino Silk Aran in Espresso so I could finish up my “Snapdragon Tam” by Ysolda Teague.
I hope that Ravelry, Manos del Uruguay, Namaste and all the other sponsors will come back to Southern California next year for their third year! The party was just a lot of fun. It’s been a while since I’ve had such a good, yarny, fun time now that our LYS’ have closed their doors.
So now I’m off to go pet my yarn. Ooops. My dog. I meant my dog. {Insert sneaky chuckle.}
It’s officially 2010. Two thousand ten. Or two thousand and ten. Or twenty ten. I suppose it depends on who you ask. All the same, it’s new and fresh. A new beginning. A clean blank slate.
And I have a new obsession.
It started out innocently enough. Honestly. I purchased a Littlest Pet Shop set for Scout, for Christmas. And then I learned they have “limited edition” animals. And you know what their new limited edition animal is? A platypus.
Yes. The quirky and rare platypus.
All common sense was thrown out the window when I found out about their owls, (I only had to pay $13 for a Snowy White Owl on eBay). And then they had a sheepdog, (only $8.08). And then, the ultimate and elusive hedgehog. Yes, hedgehog.
I’m in littlest toy paradise.
But the hedgehog, you see, was not a regular in stock item. In store or on eBay. Not if I wanted to be practical and pay just a few bucks.
Then today it happened.
Shawn and I just happened {insert evil laugh} to go to Wal Mart. Lo and behold I saw the one lonely box sitting on the cold metal shelves.
There he was.
I admit my greed and excitement overcame me. There was a group of giggling girls, not much older than nine or ten I’d say. And they didn’t see it. They didn’t realize the importance of this little creature. Shawn hurriedly grabbed him, threw him in the cart and we were on our way. (After I looked through every single box looking for a Siamese Cat, a Brown Owl, an Opposum, a White Ferret…)
What a way to start the year.
iKnit.iPurl 