Monday, December 29, 2008

photos now!




I am so tired I can hardly see straight. Today, tomorrow, and Wed are hell in billing world, as it is not only month end, but year end. I amhauling butt to get as much $ in as possible, and I am tired.


So here are a few photos to keep you happy. I made a complete set of hat, mittens, and scarf from Malabrigo in colorway Mariposa, and the bag is my Jordainna Paige knitting satchel from Eric.


Seriously done typing now.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Best Christmas Ever











This is so far the best Xmas ever. Just me and Eric and the cats, sleeping in, eating, drinking, presents, lots of free time. All of my favorite things.

I did get the Jordanna Paige knitting bag, will take pics later. Other wonderful goodies include a knitting help book from mom and a lovely sweater, a gorgeous window ornament, some books, a page a day calender of knitting stitches, a brand new Wally Lamb book a hand tied blanket from Leo, hand knit mittens from grandma for me and hand knit slippers for eric. I know I'm forgetting, but I got lots of wonderful presents from my favorite people. Except the cats. Cuz they don't have thumbs. They did help unwrap though, which was a hoot.
The next four days are just for me. Video store, liquor store, yarn store, knitting and sitting. Maybe even in that order. I am so happy right now I could implode.

Posting my favorite pics from this year, cuz I'm too lazy to take a new one.

Happy Holidays!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

I just want to know what happened

What the heck happened to the world I live in and operate in and deal with people in from yesterday to today that has made everyone either wacked out crazy batshit or angrier than me with pms or stupider than Itchy? I just want to know so that I can be prepared come tomorrow when things continue on this way.
yesterday. driving. Now people, I understand that we got snowed on and that it took you 2 or more hours to get home the night before. And I understand that yesterday the sun came out and it was about 5 degrees outside which felt like a heat wave. But seriously people. This is Minnesota. We do this EVERY YEAR. Every one. Why do you have to pretend it's summer and do your hair in your rear view mirror while simultaneously trying to drive everyone off the road? and why do bus drivers not see me? Am I invisible at 5 degrees and sunny? Never mind the parking lot at the store where everyone pretended they couldn't see the little yellow lines or my big green car and started weaving in and out of lanes at an alarming rate. And that was just yesterday.
Today.
mr phone call: why do i have a bill
me: can i get your account number
mr phone: i don't understand this (angry)
me: it seems that you were seen in the emergency room on blah date
(inside head starting to scream)
mr phone: no i wasn't
me: you weren't in the emergency room on blah date?
mr phone: well maybe but i didn't see a doctor
(emergency room without a doctor? is this possible?)
me: that's what the bill is for.
mr phone: well you already got money. why do i owe you
me: you have a copay.
mr phone: well, that's all your getting. don't bill me again
me in head: and you were seen in the emergency room or weren't seen by an imaginary doctor and you don't need therapy?????
me: have a nice day.

mrs phone call: I got a check in the mail. what are the dates on it for?
me: those are for the dates of service the patient saw you
mrs phone: so I saw her on blah date?
me: um..... that's what the bill was for....
mrs phone: and the other dates?
me: umm....... that's what was billed...
mrs phone: so was I paid for all of them?
me: um... have you billed for all of them?
mrs phone: i don't know.
me: um... (screaming inside head)
mrs phone: i just want to know if i can cash this check.
me: um.. go right ahead.

you see? what the heck is going on??????

Friday, December 12, 2008

Lessons Learned


Sometimes you just need to sleep on it. Vent, then sleep. I realize that my previous vent about Karma was unreasonable. Really, I think it is the universe trying to tell me to give in and be nicer and accept people and blah blah blah. So I have decided to give in to my usual advice to others and listen to the universe. Seriously. I'm not kidding.

The reason I came to this conclusion is that I spent 3 labourious days on a baby sweater, not to mention the 2 weeks prior on a lacy baby blanket for a person's baby shower. The blanket was no big deal, but the sweater was a torment from above. Someone wanted me to labor on that sweater, so I did. I ended up with about 3 feet of yarn left over, knotting ends together to make more yarn. I finished in the knick of time. I really thought that the woman would like this sweater and blanket, as she frequently comments nicely on all of my stuff. I don't think she did. She treated my handknits at the shower as if they were hand me downs. But she beamed ferociously at all of the name brands that everyone else bought her. I went to my office and nearly cried. I really did spend a lot of time on that sweater, and I thought it was great. DH was way supportive when I wah wah'd at home, saying she just didn't have good taste. I appreciate that, but still wanted to cry.

So the lesson learned that will be applied is get people what they want. Not what you think they want or even what you think they SHOULD want. My secret santa gal likes candles and knick knacks and such. I found a very pretty candle set at a discount store, I hope she likes it. I'm going into this thing just hoping that I can make someone happy.

And forever on, you only get handknits if you are my mom, my grandma, or my cat. Enough said.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Tis the season for Karma

Karma has kicked my ass this year. And it's pissed me off. Which is probably not the right reaction to have towards Karma, cuz, you know, it's KARMA, but still. I'm pretty ticked.
Every year at work we have secret santa. I usually don't participate, but this year I thought I would. Don't ask why. Bad things happen when I decide to participate in things, which is why I don't, but heck, let's throw all that aside and see what happens. Well, bad things, let me tell you.
Let's start by saying I like the people I work with. Most of them I like all the time, and some of them I like part of the time. Maybe 2 of them I hardly ever like. And I have a thing with grammar and spelling and correct speech. Which means I usually don't like the people that can't do any of them. I try to overlook it. Really. I try. But one can only try so much. I used to have a coworker that used the improper tense of the word saw for everything. "I seen that movie last night". ALL THE TIME. She never used the correct past tense. She never said the word "Saw". Ever. (this apparently still drives me crazy). I have given in and decided it is a midwest thing, because almost all of the people I work with use the word "seen" this way. Fine.
But I draw the line at calling a freaking votive candle a "votem". It's not a votem. there is no such thing as a votem. If there is such a thing as a votem, I'm quite sure it wouldn't smell good when you lit it.
So this is the person I got for secret santa. The person who seen a votem yesterday. I had a brilliant idea to get her a bunch of VOTIVE candles and cross out the ive and write in em. But that might start a work war. Which would be amusing, but not worth it.

Monday, December 8, 2008

holy buckets!


That picture, is my neighbors. Eric said if I decided to do the same thing, "those bratty neighbor kids" would steal everything in the night. I dunno, kinda like it for this neighborhood. Shows that people are outside and care about their houses.

Still working on the Malabrigo version of test knit sweater. I just have to get the mojo going to finish those sleeves!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Great weekend for finishing things




This weekend I finished many things. So many that I am high on myself. Dancing in my pants happy.


I knitted Charlie's sweater (Sarahs' baby to be) in only 3 days and finished with about 3 feet of yarn to go. I only had one skein of this particular discontinued bought at a thrift store yarn, and prayed to the yarn goddess to let me finish. I had to knot a few strands together to get the seaming done, but it's done. And it's darn cute. It's the baby yoda pattern on ravelry.com.


I finished 2 mug cozies, one for grandpa and one for enrique. They are wrapped and ready to mail.


I finished moms shopping and all of that is wrapped and ready to mail.


Biggest thing of all I finished a pair of flannell pajama bottoms 3 years in the making for Eric. He's wearing them now. They fit. They were 3 years in the making because the first go round I seamed up the crotch instead of the legs. Had to sit and patiently rip seams. That got done today and after about an hour at the machine, he has pants.

Monday, December 1, 2008

I won something!

remember all those mini socks? Well, turns out that lovely Momwolf decided to put all the knitters that knit on them into a drawing for a knitpicks.com gift certificate and I won! I never win anything! I ordered a book, an extra needle set for my Options, some yarn for a sweater and an alpaca sampler. Yes, it was over the gift card amount, but heck, already placing the order!
I can't tell you how exciting this is for me. I love doing things for other people, but like the rest of you I'm sure that sometimes you feel like your generosity of time is not quite as appreciated as you were hoping. That isn't meant to be snarky, it just is what it is. A lot of people do a lot of stuff for other people and we really aren't always recognized. Sometimes even the "thank you" is missing. Not always. but sometimes. This small recognition has really meant a lot to me. It's not the $. It could have been a thank you card. It's the recognition.
Thank you again, knittinghelp.com knitters and momwolf.