Dear Dear Diary
Sunday, August 31, 2008
"Our hearts and prayers will be with the people in the path of Gustav."
I'm sick of hearing this meaningless phrase. It's meaningless because so many people say it in the weary tones of insincerity, right before they change the subject.
I don't want anyone hurt. I don't want the damage about to be unleashed to happen anywhere. I'm glad they are taking all the necessary precautions they can. I'm glad the candidates *and Bush* will not be trying for photo-ops and interrupting real rescue work.
I'm just tired of the insincerity of a public mind that secretly can't wait to see pictures of the detestation, stories of life and death, and possibly the gasps concerning bloated corpses floating in the ocean around New Orleans.
Does anyone else think of Gustav Mahler and Tom Lehrer's song Alma every time someone says Gustav? It's probably just me.
(0) comments
I'm sick of hearing this meaningless phrase. It's meaningless because so many people say it in the weary tones of insincerity, right before they change the subject.
I don't want anyone hurt. I don't want the damage about to be unleashed to happen anywhere. I'm glad they are taking all the necessary precautions they can. I'm glad the candidates *and Bush* will not be trying for photo-ops and interrupting real rescue work.
I'm just tired of the insincerity of a public mind that secretly can't wait to see pictures of the detestation, stories of life and death, and possibly the gasps concerning bloated corpses floating in the ocean around New Orleans.
Does anyone else think of Gustav Mahler and Tom Lehrer's song Alma every time someone says Gustav? It's probably just me.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
(0) comments
Sunday, August 17, 2008
(0) comments
New obsessions
That's the first stuff I ever spun, put onto a bobbin, so you are seeing the first stuff I did.
Compare it to:
I did all of that on Saturday. I'm getting better.
(0) comments
That's the first stuff I ever spun, put onto a bobbin, so you are seeing the first stuff I did.
Compare it to:
I did all of that on Saturday. I'm getting better.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
(0) comments
Friday, August 08, 2008
Dear makers of Fruit Rollups:
Screaming Green, Sizzling Red, Electric Yellow, and Blazing Blue are Not Flavors. Nor are they in fact Fruit. I remember when you actually were made mostly of fruit and not chemical forms of corn. I'm sorry I tried you again.
(0) comments
Screaming Green, Sizzling Red, Electric Yellow, and Blazing Blue are Not Flavors. Nor are they in fact Fruit. I remember when you actually were made mostly of fruit and not chemical forms of corn. I'm sorry I tried you again.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
unripe nanners, a sock pattern.
This is loosely based off of Wendy Knits' Nanners pattern, but more comfortable to knit because I don't like YOs after a k2tog.
Make your favorite toe to 66 stitches. I did this on two circs of 33 per needle, size 0s. On the top needle repeat the stitch pattern:
1. Purl-(YO-k5-k2tog-purl)4
2. Purl- (k7- purl)4
3. Purl-(k1-YO-k4-k2tog-purl)4
4. Purl- (k7- purl)4
5. Purl-(k2-YO-k3-k2tog-purl)4
6. Purl- (k7- purl)4
7. Purl-(k3-YO-k2-k2tog-purl)4
8. Purl- (k7- purl)4
9. Purl-(k4-YO-k1-k2tog-purl)4
10. Purl- (k7- purl)4
11. Purl-(k5-YO-k2tog-purl)4
12. Purl- (k7- purl)4
When you get to something like 3.5 inches from the heel, (6 inches on my foot), add your gusset by m1 on the second stitch and the next to last stitch of every other row to increase about 12-16 stitches, whatever your foot might need- I went with 12. Do your favorite heel. I did a short row. Then decreased stitches like I increased them, continuing to work the stitch pattern on the other needle. When you finally have 33 stitches on both needles, continue wherever you are on the pattern all the way around. It’s prettier if you can start at the beginning of the set, but I never bothered worrying about it. It’s just as effective jumping in the middle.
(0) comments
This is loosely based off of Wendy Knits' Nanners pattern, but more comfortable to knit because I don't like YOs after a k2tog.
Make your favorite toe to 66 stitches. I did this on two circs of 33 per needle, size 0s. On the top needle repeat the stitch pattern:
1. Purl-(YO-k5-k2tog-purl)4
2. Purl- (k7- purl)4
3. Purl-(k1-YO-k4-k2tog-purl)4
4. Purl- (k7- purl)4
5. Purl-(k2-YO-k3-k2tog-purl)4
6. Purl- (k7- purl)4
7. Purl-(k3-YO-k2-k2tog-purl)4
8. Purl- (k7- purl)4
9. Purl-(k4-YO-k1-k2tog-purl)4
10. Purl- (k7- purl)4
11. Purl-(k5-YO-k2tog-purl)4
12. Purl- (k7- purl)4
When you get to something like 3.5 inches from the heel, (6 inches on my foot), add your gusset by m1 on the second stitch and the next to last stitch of every other row to increase about 12-16 stitches, whatever your foot might need- I went with 12. Do your favorite heel. I did a short row. Then decreased stitches like I increased them, continuing to work the stitch pattern on the other needle. When you finally have 33 stitches on both needles, continue wherever you are on the pattern all the way around. It’s prettier if you can start at the beginning of the set, but I never bothered worrying about it. It’s just as effective jumping in the middle.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Who says Mondays are terrible?
I met up with Glenna, and kidnapped her for lunch. For dessert, we went to the Carousel.
We both rode the pretty horses. (The older gentleman in this picture is the attendant that we waved to as we went by).
Don't get me wrong, mind- there was still a lot of serious work going on- because Glenna did do a lot of skeining.
But I did get some spinning lessons in there. Glenna handed me a midi Bosworth spindle and had me work on some Tussah silk, and I can actually spin that one very fine. The wool on the other hand- not so much.
This is Tsarina-spun "Desert Rose" Butterfly Girl batt on a mini Bosworth Spindle- a featherweight spindle. Crack in the table for scale- I've embroidered with finer thread, but it's very difficult to find!
The Tsarina didn't arive until right before dinner, but there was time for some spinning and show & tell. Glenna gave the Tsarina the Abbysbatt on her lap, and she worked on that for much of the evening. Also, that's the Tsarina's Romney.
After dinner, we conned Eric into taking our picture. Left to right, Glenna, Georg, Tsarina, and Gwynivar. I didn't take pictures of dinner, but it did involve some of Gwynivar's late flock. Those were the best stuffed grape leaves I've ever had.
Then we talked about Tstuff and Fiber Stuff and I was very late getting home. I had a grumpy unhappy sweetie who doesn't like it when I'm out that late. It's an hour & something to get home, and driving that late isn't good with the deer. I had a great time.
This photo summarizes best how serious most of the day was.
(1) comments
I met up with Glenna, and kidnapped her for lunch. For dessert, we went to the Carousel. 
We both rode the pretty horses. (The older gentleman in this picture is the attendant that we waved to as we went by).
Don't get me wrong, mind- there was still a lot of serious work going on- because Glenna did do a lot of skeining. But I did get some spinning lessons in there. Glenna handed me a midi Bosworth spindle and had me work on some Tussah silk, and I can actually spin that one very fine. The wool on the other hand- not so much.
This is Tsarina-spun "Desert Rose" Butterfly Girl batt on a mini Bosworth Spindle- a featherweight spindle. Crack in the table for scale- I've embroidered with finer thread, but it's very difficult to find! 
The Tsarina didn't arive until right before dinner, but there was time for some spinning and show & tell. Glenna gave the Tsarina the Abbysbatt on her lap, and she worked on that for much of the evening. Also, that's the Tsarina's Romney. 
After dinner, we conned Eric into taking our picture. Left to right, Glenna, Georg, Tsarina, and Gwynivar. I didn't take pictures of dinner, but it did involve some of Gwynivar's late flock. Those were the best stuffed grape leaves I've ever had. Then we talked about Tstuff and Fiber Stuff and I was very late getting home. I had a grumpy unhappy sweetie who doesn't like it when I'm out that late. It's an hour & something to get home, and driving that late isn't good with the deer. I had a great time.
This photo summarizes best how serious most of the day was.
