I consider myself good at ebay. Really. I've bought and sold and gotten some great bargains. I've only once bought stolen goods and the police said I didn't have to give the NASCAR model car back since we had already put it together. I've always sighed when I heard about people who went crazy on ebay and filled up their whole houses with ebay stuff they didn't need. These people need help (I said) they need therapy or medication or self-control. I mean, FLAX clothing is my only clothing weakness and I manage to only look now and then and buy even less often...and even then only stuff that I fits my wardrobe.
And then I checked ebay for yarn. It was an innocent attempt to find a matching skein of Giotto without going back to the very expensive and very addictive LYS. I started hyperventilating and got all shaky. Oh...my...knithappyheart! There were pages and pages of Colinette yarn. Lot after Lot of beautiful colours and wonderful paragraphs of descriptions. AND almost all of them were cheaper than the LYS...even with shipping added! I brought my breathing under control and noticed the few auctions where the yarn was way higher than LYS's prices. Rare colours?
I did not buy any yarn. I did not bookmark any lots. I.do.not.need.more.yarn.
Every day I resist the impulse to check out ebay and see what is for sale. I am trying to stay away until I need yarn.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
The number one direction for the Dulaan mittens is "Make two alike". Bwahahahaha! I'm a huge failure!
It's very funny to see the difference between the two mittens. This pair would only fit a child with one lobster claw. When I finish mitten #3 and before I rip out mitten #1 and start over with it, I'll take a picture.
Bwahahaha! It looks only remotely like the pattern photo.
(shuddering laugh sigh) DPNs are a huge learning curve.
It's very funny to see the difference between the two mittens. This pair would only fit a child with one lobster claw. When I finish mitten #3 and before I rip out mitten #1 and start over with it, I'll take a picture.
Bwahahaha! It looks only remotely like the pattern photo.
(shuddering laugh sigh) DPNs are a huge learning curve.
Monday, May 23, 2005
I'm at the point on this that I either have to tell the birthday girl it is for her so that I can measure the straps or I wrap it up the way it is and she'll have to wait after she recieves the gift for me to finish it and block the piece. I'm leaning toward telling her now so that it will be ready to wear on her birthday.
In excitement that I've put it down for the moment, I have attempted my first double point needle project - this. I feel very clumsy tring to manage 4 needles at once; twice I've pulled a needle all the way out of the stitches and twice I've continued knitting with the same needle and discarded a needle. At least both are easy mistakes to rectify.
I'm also working on an alpaca shawl. It's a lovely and easy pattern of 5 rows of knit and one of purl using two sizes of needles. I love how the size changes but the shape is the same so that it could be so many things depending on when bind off is done. Right now it would be a good teddt bear shawl or a head scarf ala Sound of Music.
In excitement that I've put it down for the moment, I have attempted my first double point needle project - this. I feel very clumsy tring to manage 4 needles at once; twice I've pulled a needle all the way out of the stitches and twice I've continued knitting with the same needle and discarded a needle. At least both are easy mistakes to rectify.
I'm also working on an alpaca shawl. It's a lovely and easy pattern of 5 rows of knit and one of purl using two sizes of needles. I love how the size changes but the shape is the same so that it could be so many things depending on when bind off is done. Right now it would be a good teddt bear shawl or a head scarf ala Sound of Music.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
I went to StitchDC and I got LOTS of fun yarns and a book and it hardly cost me anything! Hard to believe? (g) I had gift certificates.
I loaded up on Colinette yarns because they are fun! And I got a Colinette book so that my daughter and I could have instructions to follow for this fun yarn. I have three skeins of Colinette 5 Point in Zebra colourway that were for my husband's moebius scarf but the knit was too heavy and tight. I may order larger gauge circular needles and try again and I may just use it for some funky project.
I didn't buy the absolutely beautiful deep purple 5 Point. I couldn't swing it with the gift certificates but I do have a birthday coming up.
Here is what I got; photos will follow.
Artyfacts a book of fun projects. I really like the Iris hat and most of the projects use one skein.
2 skeins of Shimmer 5 in Monet colourway.
1 skein of Giotto in Lapis. The Giotto in Frangipani was AMAZING but I couldn't buy everything. You know what? Going to the yarn store is a little like going to the animal shelter...I want to take them all home but our home can only handle so much. Of course, yarn doesn't love you back and while the yarn may get dusty, put on sale, or sent back (can they do that?) the store will not kill the unsold yarn.
1 skein of Shimmer 5 in Jay.
1 skein of Tagliatelli in Toscana. The colours in Tagliatelli were awesome.
Other Colinette yarns I liked but have to save for another day or (please God) a sale were Wigwam and Prism.
I loaded up on Colinette yarns because they are fun! And I got a Colinette book so that my daughter and I could have instructions to follow for this fun yarn. I have three skeins of Colinette 5 Point in Zebra colourway that were for my husband's moebius scarf but the knit was too heavy and tight. I may order larger gauge circular needles and try again and I may just use it for some funky project.
I didn't buy the absolutely beautiful deep purple 5 Point. I couldn't swing it with the gift certificates but I do have a birthday coming up.
Here is what I got; photos will follow.
Artyfacts a book of fun projects. I really like the Iris hat and most of the projects use one skein.
2 skeins of Shimmer 5 in Monet colourway.
1 skein of Giotto in Lapis. The Giotto in Frangipani was AMAZING but I couldn't buy everything. You know what? Going to the yarn store is a little like going to the animal shelter...I want to take them all home but our home can only handle so much. Of course, yarn doesn't love you back and while the yarn may get dusty, put on sale, or sent back (can they do that?) the store will not kill the unsold yarn.
1 skein of Shimmer 5 in Jay.
1 skein of Tagliatelli in Toscana. The colours in Tagliatelli were awesome.
Other Colinette yarns I liked but have to save for another day or (please God) a sale were Wigwam and Prism.
I did it again! I mowed the yard with the riding mower!! Yay me!!!
There are lots of exclamation points because I'm all jittery and shaky still.
(deep breath) I not only read the manual again but this time I followed the instructions...even when the instructions tell me to do scary things. Like when I was supposed to drive this huge machine straight up the steep hills. We have a very steep back yard and even steeper front yard. My body and mind said DON'T DO IT but the manual said GO UP THE HILL. I tried it and it was scary but it worked. Last time the drive belt came off three times and this time it didn't come off once. Who knew the manual was correct. They should put instructions in that say "This will make your body feel as if you will tip over and be smushed by the machine but DON"T WORRY we have tested this and made sure it works. Up and down is WAY safer than going side to side even though the steepness is greater up and down." But they don't say that. They just tell you what to do.
I snort in the general direction of my father-in-law who told me that the drive belt comes off if the up and down hill is too steep when really it comes off when the area going across is uneven.
I talked to myself a lot while I mowed. I talk to myself a lot all the time but usually I pass it off as talking to the babies. Don't be fooled, most people who talk to babies are just using the babies to make themselves look less crazy. On the mower, going up and down the hills, talking to myself with no babies in sight I did look crazy. But I encouraged myself and cheered for myself and told myself that I could figure out how to get out of that stuck situation. My clutch got stuck, in 3rd gear when I was heading for Stump City™, and I fixed it. Partly so that I could succeed, partly so that I could at least get the mower into the shed before the rain came, and mostly so I didn't have to tell my husband I needed him to fix one of my messes.
Whew!
Now I can drink a Diet Dr. Pepper and knit for an hour before the big kids come home and I can talk to them instead of imaginary people.
There are lots of exclamation points because I'm all jittery and shaky still.
(deep breath) I not only read the manual again but this time I followed the instructions...even when the instructions tell me to do scary things. Like when I was supposed to drive this huge machine straight up the steep hills. We have a very steep back yard and even steeper front yard. My body and mind said DON'T DO IT but the manual said GO UP THE HILL. I tried it and it was scary but it worked. Last time the drive belt came off three times and this time it didn't come off once. Who knew the manual was correct. They should put instructions in that say "This will make your body feel as if you will tip over and be smushed by the machine but DON"T WORRY we have tested this and made sure it works. Up and down is WAY safer than going side to side even though the steepness is greater up and down." But they don't say that. They just tell you what to do.
I snort in the general direction of my father-in-law who told me that the drive belt comes off if the up and down hill is too steep when really it comes off when the area going across is uneven.
I talked to myself a lot while I mowed. I talk to myself a lot all the time but usually I pass it off as talking to the babies. Don't be fooled, most people who talk to babies are just using the babies to make themselves look less crazy. On the mower, going up and down the hills, talking to myself with no babies in sight I did look crazy. But I encouraged myself and cheered for myself and told myself that I could figure out how to get out of that stuck situation. My clutch got stuck, in 3rd gear when I was heading for Stump City™, and I fixed it. Partly so that I could succeed, partly so that I could at least get the mower into the shed before the rain came, and mostly so I didn't have to tell my husband I needed him to fix one of my messes.
Whew!
Now I can drink a Diet Dr. Pepper and knit for an hour before the big kids come home and I can talk to them instead of imaginary people.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Survivor 
I call this one Survivor because I knit it during the season finale of Survivor (2 hours). It is made from 2 skeins of Karabella Yarns Brushed Alpaca. One skein was grey and the other white. I knitted with both yarns held together and then with each yarn separately making a pattern of thick and thin AND colours.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
People are crazy and at least one of those crazy people works for the local utility company. Saturday night we were driving home from dinner out (it was ok, too expensive but lovely soup). A big storm with lots of lightning had been hovering over the area for several hours and we were admiring the bolts that went sideways AND the ones that went up and down. As we were driving along Daisy Lane, which is a tiny road we use as a shortcut, we saw an electrical pole on fire. Pretty fire, green and blue fire was all over the junction box and coming down the pole and flickering along the wires. We carefully drove past and went the rest of the way home (.25 mile). I put the kids to bed and The Man called the power company. The Man reported the fire on the electrical pole and box and the Employee said it was not their problem! She said that it was a fire so we should call the fire department. Will the fire department touch that fire? Take it from me, they will not try to put out that fire - they will call the power company and then when the power company has turned off the power or cut the lines THEN the fire department will put out the fire. Can you tell we've seen lots of electrical fires around here? Hurricane Isabel did a number on our electrical structure.
15 minutes later just as the kids got settled into bed and I pulled out my knitting, the power went out. Guess what? The fire overtook the junction box, it exploded, and the fire spread. Three poles were taken down in the ensuing chaos. The fire department came and stood around until the power company showed up. It took the power company 5 hours to get power back to the neighbourhood! Turns out that several people called the power company right after lightning hit the box but they were told that if the box had really been hit the power would have gone out so they must be mistaken and it was a phone line. Right.
15 minutes later just as the kids got settled into bed and I pulled out my knitting, the power went out. Guess what? The fire overtook the junction box, it exploded, and the fire spread. Three poles were taken down in the ensuing chaos. The fire department came and stood around until the power company showed up. It took the power company 5 hours to get power back to the neighbourhood! Turns out that several people called the power company right after lightning hit the box but they were told that if the box had really been hit the power would have gone out so they must be mistaken and it was a phone line. Right.
Monday, May 16, 2005
A vibrating razor? Do women really want a vibrating sharp blade near their delicate parts? Female circumcision? No sir! Just a small shaving accident.
(shudder)
(shudder)
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Speaking of delicious French food, here is a delicious and easy recipe for Pain au Chocolat. It takes a number of hours to complete but most of that time the dough is chilling in the refridgerator. This morning I used a variety of chocolate bars in the pain including one with hazelnuts and one with lemon zest (both were bittersweet chocolate). My children would prefer I used a semi-sweet.
Someone recommended French Women Don't Get Fat to me. I do agree with the dietary ideas inside, that a little of wonderful things like cake and butter are good choices but that moderation is the key.
I do have a problem with the title and the idea that it plants. It is bad enough that we marginalize women and especially fat women and that the media continues to push the ideal of extra-skinny women. Must we now deny even the existance of a portion of French women? 25% of French women are obese (way lower than the US) and this title pretends that they do not EXIST. Well, they do exist and they deserve to exist and they deserve to be included in the whole picture of women worldwide. (sigh) I just can't bring myself to read the book because the title pisses me off; I rant to myself after every mention or sighting and now, dear blog, I rant to you.
I do have a problem with the title and the idea that it plants. It is bad enough that we marginalize women and especially fat women and that the media continues to push the ideal of extra-skinny women. Must we now deny even the existance of a portion of French women? 25% of French women are obese (way lower than the US) and this title pretends that they do not EXIST. Well, they do exist and they deserve to exist and they deserve to be included in the whole picture of women worldwide. (sigh) I just can't bring myself to read the book because the title pisses me off; I rant to myself after every mention or sighting and now, dear blog, I rant to you.
Monday, May 09, 2005
Movie Meme: X the ones you have seen. I obviously read a lot more than I go to movies.
1. ( ) Napoleon Dynamite
2. ( ) Saw
3. ( ) White Noise
4. ( ) White Oleander
5. () Anger Management
6. () 50 First Dates
7. ( ) Jason X
8. () Scream
9. () Scream 2
10. ( ) Scream 3
11. () Scary Movie
12. () Scary Movie 2
13. ( ) Scary Movie 3
14. () American Pie
15. () American Pie 2
16. () American Wedding
17. (x) Harry Potter
18. (X) Harry Potter 2
19. (X) Harry Potter 3
20. () Resident Evil I
21. () Resident Evil 2
22. () The Wedding Singer
23. ( ) Little Black Book
24. () The Village
25. () Donnie Darko
26. (X) Lilo & Stitch
27. (x) Finding Nemo
28. ( ) Finding Neverland
29. () 13 Ghosts
30. () Signs
31. ( ) The Grinch
32. ( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
33. ( ) White Chicks
34. ( ) Butterfly Effect
35. () Thirteen going on 30
36. () I Robot
37. ( ) Dodge ball
38. () Universal Soldier
39. (x) A Series Of Unfortunate Events
40. () Along Came A Spider
41. () Deep impact
42. () KingPin
43. (X) Never Been Kissed
44. () Meet The Parents
45. ( ) Meet The Fockers
46. ( ) Eight Crazy Nights
47. (X) A Cinderella Story
48. ( ) The Terminal
49. ( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
50. ( ) Passport to Paris
51. () Dumb & Dumber
52. ( ) Dumb & Dumberer
53. () Final Destination
54. ( ) Final Destination 2
55. (X) Halloween
56. () The Ring
57. ( ) The Ring 2
58. ( ) Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
59. () Practical Magic
60. () Chicago
61. ( ) Ghost Ship
62. () From Hell
63. () Hellboy
64. ( ) Secret Window
65. ( ) I Am Sam
66. ( ) The Whole Nine Yards
67. ( ) The Whole Ten Yards
68. (x) The Day After Tomorrow
69. () Child's Play
70. ( ) Bride of Chucky
71. (X) Ten Things I Hate About You
72. ( ) Just Married
73. (x) Gothika
74. (X) A Nightmare on Elm Street
75. (X) Sixteen Candles
76. () Bad Boys
77. () Bad Boys 2
78. ( ) Joy Ride
79. () Seven (SE7EN)
80. () Oceans Eleven
81. () Oceans Twelve
82. ( ) Identity
83. () Lone Star
84. (x) Bedazzled
85. () Predator I
86. ( ) Predator II
87. (X) Independence Day
88. () Cujo
89. ( ) A Bronx Tale
90. () Darkness Falls
91. ()Christine
92. (x) ET
93. () Children of the Corn
94. ( ) My boss' daughter
95. (x) Maid in Manhattan
96. () Frailty
97. ( ) Best bet
98. (x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
99. ( ) She's All That
100. (x) Calendar Girls
101. ( ) Sideways
102. () Mars Attacks
103. () Event Horizon
104. (x) Ever After
105. (x) Forrest Gump
106. ( ) Big Trouble in Little China
107. () X-men 1
108. () X-men 2
109. ( ) Jeepers Creepers
110. ( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
111. () Catch Me If You Can
112. () The Others
113. (x) Freaky Friday (the Original)
114. () Reign of Fire
115. (X) Cruel Intentions
116. ( ) Anchorman
117. ( ) Swimfan
118. ( ) Miracle
119. () Old School
120. () Ray
121. ( ) The Notebook
122. ( ) K-Pax
123. (X) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
124. (X) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
125. (X) Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
126. ( ) A Walk to Remember
127. ( ) Boogeyman
128. () Hitch
129. ( ) Back Door Sluts 9
130. () South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut
131. (X) the Fifth Element
132. (X) Star wars episode I
133. () Star wars episode II
134. (x) Star wars episode IV
135. (X) Star wars episode V
136. (X) Star wars episode VI
137. (X) Troop Beverly Hills
138. () Swimming with Sharks
139. (x) Trainspotting
140. (x ) People under the stairs
141. (X) Blue Velvet
142. (X) Sound of music
143. (x) Parent Trap (the Original)
144. () The Burbs
145. () SLC Punk
146. () Meet Joe Black
147. ( ) Wild girls
148. (x ) A Clockwork Orange
149. ( ) The Order
150. () Spiderman
151. () Spiderman 2
152. () Amelie
153. () Mean Girls
154. (x) Shrek
155. (x) Shrek 2
156. (X) The Incredibles
157. ( ) Collateral
158. () The Fast & The Furious
159. ( ) 2 Fast 2 Furious
160. () Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow
161. () Closer
162. (X) The Sixth Sense
163. (X ) Artificial intelligence
164. ( ) Love Actually
165. ( ) Shutter
166. (x) Ella Enchanted
167. (X) Princess diaries 1
168. () Princess diaries 2
169. () Constantine
170. ( ) Million Dollar Baby
171. ( ) life of david gale
172. ( ) 25th hour
173. () vanilla sky
174. ( ) Eternal sunshine of a spotless mind
175. () Boogie Nights
176. (x) Braveheart
177. ( ) the anarchist cook book
178. () fever pitch
179. () Lost in Translation
180. () Leon
181. () Pump Up The Volume
182. () Garden State
183. () The Phantom of the Opera
184. (x) Footloose
185. (X ) natural born killers
186. (x) the princess bride
187. (x) monty python and the holy grail
188: (X) Raising Arizona
189: () Lion in Winter
190: (x) Sabrina
191: () Pump Up the Volume
192: (X) Rock and Roll High School
193: () Singles
Then add three:
194: (X) Bride and Prejudice
195: (X) Babe
196: (x) Best in Show
1. ( ) Napoleon Dynamite
2. ( ) Saw
3. ( ) White Noise
4. ( ) White Oleander
5. () Anger Management
6. () 50 First Dates
7. ( ) Jason X
8. () Scream
9. () Scream 2
10. ( ) Scream 3
11. () Scary Movie
12. () Scary Movie 2
13. ( ) Scary Movie 3
14. () American Pie
15. () American Pie 2
16. () American Wedding
17. (x) Harry Potter
18. (X) Harry Potter 2
19. (X) Harry Potter 3
20. () Resident Evil I
21. () Resident Evil 2
22. () The Wedding Singer
23. ( ) Little Black Book
24. () The Village
25. () Donnie Darko
26. (X) Lilo & Stitch
27. (x) Finding Nemo
28. ( ) Finding Neverland
29. () 13 Ghosts
30. () Signs
31. ( ) The Grinch
32. ( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
33. ( ) White Chicks
34. ( ) Butterfly Effect
35. () Thirteen going on 30
36. () I Robot
37. ( ) Dodge ball
38. () Universal Soldier
39. (x) A Series Of Unfortunate Events
40. () Along Came A Spider
41. () Deep impact
42. () KingPin
43. (X) Never Been Kissed
44. () Meet The Parents
45. ( ) Meet The Fockers
46. ( ) Eight Crazy Nights
47. (X) A Cinderella Story
48. ( ) The Terminal
49. ( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
50. ( ) Passport to Paris
51. () Dumb & Dumber
52. ( ) Dumb & Dumberer
53. () Final Destination
54. ( ) Final Destination 2
55. (X) Halloween
56. () The Ring
57. ( ) The Ring 2
58. ( ) Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
59. () Practical Magic
60. () Chicago
61. ( ) Ghost Ship
62. () From Hell
63. () Hellboy
64. ( ) Secret Window
65. ( ) I Am Sam
66. ( ) The Whole Nine Yards
67. ( ) The Whole Ten Yards
68. (x) The Day After Tomorrow
69. () Child's Play
70. ( ) Bride of Chucky
71. (X) Ten Things I Hate About You
72. ( ) Just Married
73. (x) Gothika
74. (X) A Nightmare on Elm Street
75. (X) Sixteen Candles
76. () Bad Boys
77. () Bad Boys 2
78. ( ) Joy Ride
79. () Seven (SE7EN)
80. () Oceans Eleven
81. () Oceans Twelve
82. ( ) Identity
83. () Lone Star
84. (x) Bedazzled
85. () Predator I
86. ( ) Predator II
87. (X) Independence Day
88. () Cujo
89. ( ) A Bronx Tale
90. () Darkness Falls
91. ()Christine
92. (x) ET
93. () Children of the Corn
94. ( ) My boss' daughter
95. (x) Maid in Manhattan
96. () Frailty
97. ( ) Best bet
98. (x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
99. ( ) She's All That
100. (x) Calendar Girls
101. ( ) Sideways
102. () Mars Attacks
103. () Event Horizon
104. (x) Ever After
105. (x) Forrest Gump
106. ( ) Big Trouble in Little China
107. () X-men 1
108. () X-men 2
109. ( ) Jeepers Creepers
110. ( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
111. () Catch Me If You Can
112. () The Others
113. (x) Freaky Friday (the Original)
114. () Reign of Fire
115. (X) Cruel Intentions
116. ( ) Anchorman
117. ( ) Swimfan
118. ( ) Miracle
119. () Old School
120. () Ray
121. ( ) The Notebook
122. ( ) K-Pax
123. (X) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
124. (X) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
125. (X) Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
126. ( ) A Walk to Remember
127. ( ) Boogeyman
128. () Hitch
129. ( ) Back Door Sluts 9
130. () South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut
131. (X) the Fifth Element
132. (X) Star wars episode I
133. () Star wars episode II
134. (x) Star wars episode IV
135. (X) Star wars episode V
136. (X) Star wars episode VI
137. (X) Troop Beverly Hills
138. () Swimming with Sharks
139. (x) Trainspotting
140. (x ) People under the stairs
141. (X) Blue Velvet
142. (X) Sound of music
143. (x) Parent Trap (the Original)
144. () The Burbs
145. () SLC Punk
146. () Meet Joe Black
147. ( ) Wild girls
148. (x ) A Clockwork Orange
149. ( ) The Order
150. () Spiderman
151. () Spiderman 2
152. () Amelie
153. () Mean Girls
154. (x) Shrek
155. (x) Shrek 2
156. (X) The Incredibles
157. ( ) Collateral
158. () The Fast & The Furious
159. ( ) 2 Fast 2 Furious
160. () Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow
161. () Closer
162. (X) The Sixth Sense
163. (X ) Artificial intelligence
164. ( ) Love Actually
165. ( ) Shutter
166. (x) Ella Enchanted
167. (X) Princess diaries 1
168. () Princess diaries 2
169. () Constantine
170. ( ) Million Dollar Baby
171. ( ) life of david gale
172. ( ) 25th hour
173. () vanilla sky
174. ( ) Eternal sunshine of a spotless mind
175. () Boogie Nights
176. (x) Braveheart
177. ( ) the anarchist cook book
178. () fever pitch
179. () Lost in Translation
180. () Leon
181. () Pump Up The Volume
182. () Garden State
183. () The Phantom of the Opera
184. (x) Footloose
185. (X ) natural born killers
186. (x) the princess bride
187. (x) monty python and the holy grail
188: (X) Raising Arizona
189: () Lion in Winter
190: (x) Sabrina
191: () Pump Up the Volume
192: (X) Rock and Roll High School
193: () Singles
Then add three:
194: (X) Bride and Prejudice
195: (X) Babe
196: (x) Best in Show
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