Happy Memorial Day! I hope everyone has a nice holiday and yet takes a moment to remember the real reason we have this day off. I am sad that I am too far away to decorate the graves of my ancestors, but I trust that, wherever they are, they understand and forgive me.

On a lighter note, I was tagged by Becky for a fun little meme. The rules are: You must answer the following questions using only pictures or graphics. NO WORDS ALLOWED!!!

1. What is your current relationship status?


2. What is your current mood?


3. What is your favorite band/singer?


4. What is your favorite movie?




5. What kind of pets do you have?


6. Where do you live?


7. Where do you work?


8. Who do you look like?


9. What do you drive?


10. What did you do on Saturday?




11. What did you do on Sunday?



12. What is your favorite network TV Show?


13. Describe Yourself.


14. What is your favorite candy?



If you read this, consider yourself tagged!!

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Labels: holidays, memes

It has been sunny and spring-like this week and I have loved every minute of it. The world has greened up and the flowers are out in force! It's too beautiful for words, so I won't use any more. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.


Pretty tulips welcome you to Marquette by the library.


The engineering building peeks out over trees in bloom.


These trees are right in front of the building my lab is in. They smell fabulous.


This view of the Pere Marquette statue in front of St. Joan of Arc chapel is always particularly lovely.


The library peeks out over another gorgeous blooming tree.

It's easy to get into a good mood when you walk around in the midst of all this. :)

_____

Labels: nature, saturday sky, weather

I know, I fell off the face of the planet. But, I did warn you a while back that this would happen. It's going to happen some more this year, I'm afraid. But today I'm here and I've got some things to show you.

Blame my appearance on Gator. I've been telling him about some things and he thought I ought to just blog about them so he could see them. That was the point of starting this blog, after all. What a novel idea to use it for its intended purpose!

I still feel like I disappeared only to pop back in just to show off stuff. Oh well. I am really kind of like that, after all. Be thankful most of you don't have to live with me. (Hi, sweetie! Thanks for wanting to live with me anyway!)

Part of my absence has been business, but not all of it. I've been in a funk (missing my sweet husband a lot, mostly -- and I'm not just saying that for Gator's benefit, it's really true), I've been sick (there has been some nasty stuff going around up here), and I've been in that place where I don't really know what to say so I just don't say nuthin'. We've all been there, I'm sure.

I'm supposed to be studying for qualifying exams which is a totally overwhelming prospect where I have to come up with two research proposals by the middle of May for my committee to judge, question me on, and then they pick one of them for me to write a 30 page grant proposal that I defend at the end of June. On any subject in molecular biology or genetics that isn't too close to the project I actually do. I haven't even really found a good topic yet. So I stress. And, sometimes, I escape into X-Files DVDs and do handwork. But I really need to stop that. And, no, there isn't sufficient molecular biology or genetics in handwork to officially fit that into my proposal. I've looked into it.

So, I finished the afghan I started for my labmate, who is due with a baby boy in July. The late afternoon sunlight makes the color come across more true than the picture in my last post. It's a mellow gold.






(Click to embiggen -- they look better!)

Lots of Love afghan from Kraemer Yarns made with Cotton Ease in Maize on size US10 circulars. My first knitted (as opposed to crocheted) afghan. It was pretty fun and I think it's very pretty. I just love working with Cotton Ease -- it's so soft and nice.

I came across this new dishcloth pattern -- the Squidge cloth. I've made a couple and sent one to my sister, Jane, for her birthday, but I haven't used one yet so I can't really report on their effectiveness as actual dishcloths. But they're great fun to make and I like the feel of it made up. And I lurve this giant ball of brown ombre Bernat cotton that I've been making dishcloths from. Neato.


My latest project was going to be a wedding present. But I don't think it's going to pass muster. My friend is getting married this fall and I want to make her an afghan. I am also poor and I also have a gigantic stash. So, I thought I would make a crazy ripple afghan, use up stash, be funky fresh, etc. But, really, I think it's probably just fugly. In retrospect, I should have tried the random stripe generator and I probably could have made it become cooler, but I didn't think about it until about two stripes ago. It's far, far too late. I, personally think it's kind of cool, but I don't really think it's wedding present caliber. Later this summer I'll rustle up the dough to get some yarn for a better design for them. They're huge Packers fans (and Anne's favorite color is green) -- I'll probably do a funky Packers ripple. This one will become mine!


So that's my life. Frantic reading and studying, making knockout strains of Tetrahymena, more frantic reading, sudden overpowering need to escape and ignore all responsibility, watch X-Files and crochet.

Now you know my every waking move. I'll wait til you stop shaking with excitement.

_____

Labels: crochet, knitting, life story

Last night, the weirdest thing happened. I had a blog-related dream. My first! Most of it is a little fuzzy now, but the most important part was that I went to visit Becky. She was at home and wasn't expecting me, but I knew she had people dropping by all the time and I wanted to meet her. So I went to her tree house, where she lived. Of course. When I got there, Buck was already visiting which could have made things crowded, but I knew he'd be staying in his RV so it wouldn't be a problem. They were watching football and we all sat around and tried to figure out who the players were and where they were from and what the league was because, as everyone knows, the Pro Bowl was last week so regular NFL football is over. Much to our dismay. Then Becky announced that she had to go to her other house in Minnesota and Buck and I would have to leave. I got mad at her because Minnesota is much closer to my home than her tree house and I could have saved a lot of travel time, had I known.

The end.

Perhaps I spend just a smidge too much time in the blogosphere. Ya' think?

Scawy.

In news of the more, oh, I don't know, sane, I finished the Baby Girl's First Christmas Stocking and it's all ready to be sent to my former professor and join the one I made for her baby boy in 2006.


I think these are pretty, especially for how quick they are to make. I think I may have to start making them for adults, too!

This project finished, I was itchin' to get started on the latest baby gift -- an afghan for my labmate who recently announced she's pregnant with her first child! I'm so happy for her! She is from China, and I had thought that I would find a way to incorporate something about the Year of the Rat, but I couldn't really figure out how to do that attractively. Then I read that, aside from have the 12-year animal cycle, the Chinese also observe a 4-year elemental cycle. Each year is a year of either water, air, earth, or fire. This year is an earth year, and the color for earth is yellow. Perfect! Subtle, appropriate, pretty, and non-restricting (from a knitting perspective)! I have never knit an afghan, I've always crocheted them, but I've been itching to knit something large from Cotton-Ease, one of my favorite yarns. I just love the way it feels. And it comes in a rich yellow called Maize, which I love. It just all fell into place!

I got the yarn, cast on Sunday morning, and this is how far I've gotten so far in my fun and pretty feather and fan pattern:


I really like it so far. (Click pic for biggie view.)

Then, yesterday, talk in the lab turned to the Chinese New Year (which was just last week) and the Chinese zodiac. I brought up the 4-year elemental cycle and my labmate said, yes, there was something like that, but no one paid attention to it. LOL! Foiled again! Oh well, at least it's just a color choice -- and a pretty one at that! I think it's hilarious.

Maybe someday I'll visit her in her tree house and tell her all about it.

_____

Labels: crochet, insanity, knitting

Today we're having a blizzard. Classes were canceled, there were whiteout conditions -- it was a great day to stay inside and, well, it would have been a great day to knit, or (ahem) take down my Christmas decorations (do NOT comment!) or some other nice, indoor, productive thing. So, instead, I futzed around and didn't do anything in particular, really. I did take a pretty impressive nap, though.

But that's not what this post is about, nosireebob! It's about awesomeness, and blizzards are not awesome. Well, they can be pretty great, but not awesome. No, this post is about two things. The first is: Gator got his gift in the mail today! And he loves it! And now I get to show it to you! Happiness all around!


It's a simple rag quilt made with some coordinating flannel I purchased a couple of years ago but had never used. It's not quite bedspread size, but I would totally use it for one. I slept under it (nekkid, even!) the night before I sent it to Gator (you know, for a little extra love in the package. Hee!) and I was not too hot, not too cold. Just right.


The backing is a light grey that makes a subtle border between the squares. The backing is also a courser weave and it frays really well. It gives the quilt a great look, but I washed it four times and the lint trap was as full as full could be all four times. It could probably stand to be washed four more times. It eventually will be. It's all good.

Most instructions online advise cutting the seam allowances every 1/4 inch to encourage fraying. I've made one before following that advice and didn't like the results. So this time I cut ~ every 1/8 to 1/16 inch. Basically, I made the cuts as close together as practically possible. I like the effect much better. Thus, like I said, the full lint trap. But I still dig it.


Purple is Gator's favorite color, so its inclusion is key. And what geek god doesn't love knights and castles and wizards? He asserts that this is a most awesome prize. I hope he sleeps under it and dreams of me. Not riding a unicorn. Don't ask.

My second piece of awesome business is that two people, Laura and Molly Bee, awarded me with the You Make My Day Award! How cool is that? I've never been awarded before! So fun! You guys make my day, too!

Give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times.

I pass the award on to Missa, Becky, Sue, Dorothy, Judy, Dawn, Julie, Laura, Steve, and Tricia. You all make my day, every time you post. Pass it on!

I also updated my links over on the right, there. That's a continuing project, but that's what I've added for now. Maybe you can find some new friends in there, too! Wouldn't that be AWESOME?

_____

Labels: craftiness, friends, memes, my hubby rocks, weather

Does anyone else have the mid-winter blahs? I seem to just be doing the bare minimum that I must, then wasting a lot of time doing goodness-knows-what. I may be PMSing, too, so throw that into the mix. All in all -- blah.

It's not that I've been entirely unproductive, it's just that there's not a lot to show for it right now. Here's a short run-down of what I've been...

... Making:
I finally finished Gator's secret anniversary present and mailed it off yesterday. I can't show it to you until after he's received it. It took a lot longer to complete than I had anticipated but I lurve the results. Is it bad to be really jealous of your own husband for receiving a gift that you made for him?? That seems so wrong, somehow. And yet.

I have not worked any more on the Baby Christmas Stocking, but that should change this week. I've been puttering on another block for the experimental Ballband Afghan and I just ordered the yarn to make a baby afghan for my pregnant labmate. So things are a'brewin'.

... Listening To:
I'm seriously loving Ippy, my fabulous birthday / Christmas gift iPod. I've loaded all my music onto her and I happily listen all the time. I've been listening to some pretty random stuff, especially music from my collection that I haven't listened to in ages. The Church, Bela Fleck, Enya. It's a rockin' good time.

Also, I've just gotten turned on to the audiobooks available at Project Gutenberg. I knew they had a vast selection of E-books, but the audio versions are a godsend for long days in the lab when I have much to do, but none of it requires my entire brain. I've just downloaded all forty million chapters of Jane Eyre -- which I've never read! -- and I'm itching to get started today. Yay!

... Reading:
I just read one of the worst books I've ever had the displeasure to read. I'm a huge fan of Gone With the Wind and I really enjoyed the latter-day sequel Scarlett (NOT the horrible mini-series they made that bears little to NO resemblance to the book), so I was looking forward to reading the next authorized book based on GWTW, Rhett Butler's People.

It is supposed to tell the story of Rhett's upbringing -- how he became the man that appears in GWTW -- as well as what might have happened after Mitchell's novel. A version of the happy ending most of us yearn for. Even though both Scarlett and Rhett Butler's People are authorized companion novels to GWTW, they do not jibe with each other. They are two separate visions of "what happens next". While this apparently really messes with some peoples' heads, I don't really have a problem with it. But that's not to say I don't have plenty of problems other than that.

The author has previously written civil-war era fiction and has been highly praised for it. It apparently took him twelve years to finish Rhett Butler's People. He admits to only reading GWTW once and not liking it. He says he worked off his wife's notes on the novel. He admits he took the job for the money. It SO shows. Worse yet, I don't think anyone at the Mitchell estate or St. Martin's Press did any editing whatsoever. It's horrible. It is quite possibly the most unprofessional job I've ever seen, period.

There are many typos, to be sure. Ridiculous things that the lowliest of editors should have spotted. But worse than that are other errors. A one-legged man, who limps when he walks on his peg-leg, suddenly puts his cold feet into his shoes, "quickly" backs down a ladder, jogs in his stocking feet, and generally does things that a perfectly able-bodied man would have trouble with. Then there are the inconsistencies with the original Gone With the Wind. The timeline is disturbed (he states that Scarlett sold the lumber mills to Ashley before his birthday -- in opposition to the events of GWTW -- but then what excuse would Scarlett have had to go see him that fateful day and cause such scandal? The author offers no reason.), characters are decimated, and important events are left out completely. Then there's this novel's own storyline. It's all too pat and incestuous -- a small group of people seem to be the only people in the world; all their actions come around at the end to tie everything in a neat little horrible bow and nothing else influences anything. By the time I got to the last few chapters, I just wanted to get it over with so I could take the book back to the library. Thank God I got it from the library and didn't buy the ridiculous thing.

So now I'm going to re-read GWTW, just to cleanse my palate, so to speak.

Is it naptime yet? I just feel so... blah.

_____

Labels: books, music, ranting and raving

Happy Anniversary, Baby. It's been seventeen wonderful years and even though there have been downs as well as ups, I wouldn't trade a day. You are my best friend, my soulmate, and my truest love.

And I'm really sorry your gift isn't done yet. You deserve to be showered with love (and material goods) on the actual day of celebration. But I have failed you, and can only send psychic love-waves over the distance and hope that my inabilities serve to draw out the celebration for another week or so, sharpening the anticipation. I hope you think it's worth the wait.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for understanding and accepting my geeky self and knowing that, while others might prefer flowers or jewelry, I am beside myself with giddiness over the receipt of my most awesome anniversary gift (outside of more years with you, of course -- the greatest gift of all!):


Thank you for making me the proud owner of The Complete X-Files DVD box set! I love it! I broke it open immediately and watched an episode while working on a little special something...


Nine seasons of episodes and the movie, special features, deleted scenes, synopsis book, collectors' cards, a comic book -- all in a pretty coolio box. It's like Christmas around here. Only better because it's all only about my Boy and me.

We're the center of our universe. That's pretty cool.

_____

Labels: I'm a huge geek, my hubby rocks

Life is pretty boring (or, at least, unremarkable) -- school/work, cook/eat, surf the 'net, work on a big project I can't show/tell about yet, and sleep. That is a very accurate description of my life right now.

Everything is okay, I'm just distracted by the beginning of the semester and lab work and just getting back into the groove of the semester. I guess I just don't got nothin' to say. :)

I did take a Saturday Sky pic on Saturday morning, I just never posted it. It's snowed a bunch since then.


It was sunny, but ccccoooolllddd. It's still very cold, but not quite as cold as it was this weekend.

I also started a Christmas stocking for the new baby of a former professor. It's completion is on hold until after the giant gift project. Hopefully I'll be able to show you more soon.


In real life it is a dusty rose color. Not hot pink. I promise.

That's all. More later.

_____

Labels: crochet, saturday sky

Have you ever taken chemistry? Had to learn/become familiar with the periodic table of the elements? Didn't you think it would be so much easier if you could relate the periodic table to something "cool"? Look no further! If you're a geek, but not that kind of geek, then you will thrill to the mere existence of The Periodic Table of Comic Books! Now you can easily reference a frightening number of elements as they appear in the text of a whole bunch of comic books (most of which you've never heard of)! An invaluable reference for everyone!

Crafters often take for granted things that cooks cannot. While it's very simple to run to JoAnn and pick up some googly eyes to perfectly complete a crafting project, what is the intrepid kitchen warrior to do when his/her latest creation is rendered plain and overly static by plain ol' frosting or candy eyes? Fear not! Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories has posted the solution! Now everyone can add the magic of completely edible googly eyes to all their recipes! I can't wait to make my next batch of lamb stew able to look back at me! (Also, dig on the awesomocity of the Flying Spaghetti Monster cookies!)

The webcomic XKCD is well known and loved in Big Ol' Geeky Circles and it often makes me laugh. But earlier this week I wanted creator Randall Munroe (nephew of one of my professors, actually) to get out of my head:


On the other hand, Randall is looking out for us -- we can be ever more confident that knitting is a nice, reasonable, sane hobby:


I have chosen *wisely*. (okay geeks -- name the movie reference!)

_____

Labels: I'm a huge geek, internet fun

If you take a gander over to the right there, you'll notice that my works in progress are startlingly complete! (Except for the experimental ballband afghan, which is just a "puttering" project, so I don't actually count it.) How in the world did this happen? No classes! I'm really enjoying this winter break -- I've been working hard on researching my new project, but when I come home at night I leave it (mostly) all behind and get down to the serious business of relaxing with some handwork!

Most importantly on the FO front is the completion of the Crazy Quilt Coverlet! Finally!! Seriously, I've been working on this thing for about three years. I'd pick it up, work on it for a bit, then relegate it to the corner for months. Then I'd have another fit of activity on it, then more nothing. I love this afghan. I love the patterns of the blocks, I love the colors, I love the way it goes together. But, for some bizarre, unknown reason, I did not enjoy making it. That's why it has taken me so long. But it's finally finished and will be mailed off to its intended recipient today. I hope she likes it.


Doesn't it look grand on my sofa?

My only disappointment with the finished project is the size. It is perfectly within gauge, but it just seems so small. I guess I didn't really think about the finished dimensions that much when I started it. I could have easily added squares and made it larger, but it took me so long just to get this many squares done that it didn't seem like a wise choice to force myself into making more. Here it is stretched out on my full size bed to give you more of an idea of the actual size:


Small, eh? Oh well, it will just have to be a "curled up with a good book/DVD" afghan. That works, no?

Info: Crazy Quilt Coverlet from Better Homes & Gardens' Simply Creative Crochet, 2004. Made with Lion Brand Wool Ease and a size J hook.

So, yay! Big, looming project all done! That means I freed myself up to guiltlessly start a project for no reason whatsoever! So I did! And I already finished it, too! I made a Last Minute "Purled" Beret for myself about a year ago and I wear it all the time (the blocking eased out some and it looks less Guinan-ish). I didn't block this one on a plate, I just shaped it with my hands while steaming it and it's not quite as big around. Here's the top:


And the bottom:


But you don't really get the effect unless it's on a head, so here's my fatigued-looking noggin modeling it:


I have a couple of ideas as to who this will end up with. I have enough yarn left from two colorways to make another, so I think I'll do that before I decide. The berets will tell me where they want to go.

Info: Last Minute "Purled" Beret by Wendy Bernard for The Garter Belt. Made with Linie 195, 1 1/2 balls, on size 9 double poined needles.

Next up is a big project for my delicious husband in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. Exciting! And now, much literature reviewing for my research project! Have a great, productive day!

_____

Labels: crochet, knitting

Happy New Year! I hope your holiday was fun-filled and safe and I hope you've settled into the post-holiday routine with a minimum of pain and suffering. ;)

I spent New Year's with my friends Veronica, Anne, Anne's fiance' Andy, and Anne's cousin Kelly. We had a nice, low-key evening hanging out, watching some retro music videos and playing games. Oh, and eating. A lot. Or maybe that was just me. It was a good time, anyway.

Since then I've been taking it easy and coming up with new ideas for my research project. After months of frustration with a project that just does not work, I've got a new direction and it's pretty exciting. I'm pretty happy about it. I'll talk more about it when the wheels are actually in motion.

I only have one new year's resolution. I will not apologize if I don't blog for awhile. It's a hobby and, let's face it, an ego trip (look at me and what I did! Cool, huh? Yeah!). So if I fail to be trippy, we'll all survive. I have plenty of real things to worry about, I'm not about to let myself feel bad for not posting to a blog. Why I let myself feel guilty about not posting in the first place, I prefer not to examine too closely.

That said, Hi! How are y'all? Wanna look at the cool stuff I made? Yeah? AWESOME.

I didn't get my last FO's of 2007 posted while it was still 2007, so I'll do it now.

Gator received his Christmas hat just a couple of days late and he claims it fits great and that he likes it. Yay! His request was a hat with cables and I had some really great clearance yarn that I was dying to work with. I first tried to make cables all around the crown, but it made the hat almost too small for me so I knew it wouldn't fit him. So I frogged and redesigned. There are three cables up the crown with stockinette in between.


It looks kind of funny when it's not on a head, but it's big enough that it looks ridiculous on me...


You can't really tell that there are multiple cables unless I turn around, so...


Info: Three Cable Hat of my own design. Rowan Big Wool Fusion (discontinued) - 1 1/2 balls. Double pointed needles, sizes 9 and 9.5.

Though the Fusion is discontinued, Rowan still makes Big Wool. If you ever get a chance to use it, jump. It's so great to knit with and the resulting hat is crazy warm. I loved every minute of making this hat! I wasn't even that sorry to have to frog it and reknit!

Last fall I found out that Sugar n' Cream started making a self-striping line. I had a little trouble finding some, but I was really psyched to find out how it would look to use it for a garterlac cloth. It pooled more than I had hoped, but it's an interesting result. It's pretty trippy, I must say:


I kind of like it -- it's got a folksy look to it.

So this concludes the 2007 FO parade. I also already have a 2008 FO, but I'm saving that for my next post. I'm super happy about it. I'm sure you'll be on the edge of your seat until I share it with you. Because I'm just that important. And I refuse to apologize for that fact.

Hee!

_____

Labels: holidays, knitting, the blogosphere

Christmas was nice and quiet and cozy. I talked to Gator a couple of times, made a little Christmas dinner, watched DVDs and knit. I finished my new hat!


I made up the pattern, but it's just alternating 6-stitch cables and stockinette, so no great shakes. But I like it! It has a nice, big brim that folds up to make a warm double layer over my ears and forehead.


The brim is so big that you can't really see the pattern unless I look down like this. Of course, now it's not cold enough to need it, but it looks like tomorrow I'll be glad I got it done -- big storm's a-brewing for Beer Town.

I mailed Gator's hat to him yesterday, so as soon as I have word that it's arrived, I'll post pics of it, too. But it doesn't really look right on my small noggin since it's made for a much larger head. Maybe sometime I can get pics of Gator modeling it. I wouldn't hold my breath, though.

I don't feel very well this morning, so I'll go to the lab a bit late. There's not a great deal to do there anyway, but I do have a lot of reading to do. I really wish I'd arranged to take more time off over the holidays, even if I didn't go anywhere. I feel I need some re-charging time after such a strenuous semester. I'm sure it will be fine -- it's not like I'm working that hard right now anyway.

It's been fun browsing around the Blogosphere, seeing what y'all did for the holidays. Plus, I got pulled into the vortex that is Facebook, so I've been strolling around there a bit, too.

If you haven't already posted it, what did you do for your holidays?

_____

Labels: holidays, knitting

It's been a quiet day today. I slept late (for me), lounged around, watched some episodes of The X-Files, and cast on a new hat for me.


I'm kind of making it up as I go, but I know I want a wide brim to turn up, so that's where I am so far. I'll keep you posted. I using yarn to match my braided cables scarf, though the pattern will definitely not be so intricate. I kind of like the matching thing, plus I think the natural color will go well with my new dye job (another fun Christmas Eve activity):


I was going to show a before pic, but it was too horrifying to see the light of day.

Right after I colored my hair, my wonderful Aunt Judy called me! It was a great surprise and a nice treat. I hadn't talked to her since I visited her last Christmas (I know, I'm a bad niece), and it was so good to hear her voice. Merry Christmas again, Aunt Jude, and a very Happy New Year. I love you!!!

This evening I'm going to watch a few more DVDs and knit some more. Nice, quiet, restful. And I'm going to get a warmer hat out of it, so hoo-yah!

Becky tagged everyone who visits her blog for the Ornament Meme, so I guess I'm "it". I'll pass on the favor -- consider yourself tagged.

Here are the rules:

1. Take a picture of your favorite ornament and put it on your blog telling everyone about it.

2. Post a link to the person on whose blog you found out about the Ornament Tag.

3. Post the rules.


This is my favorite ornament. It's the first in the Hallmark series of "Frosty Friends" ornaments from 1980. My mother won this as a deuce prize at a bridge game that year and we/I have collected every ornament in the series ever since. I still buy the new one every year. This year was the 28th year and they're all on my tree. In fact, those and several Star Wars ornaments make the bulk of my ornament collection. My tree is pretty full.

Here's where I cheat in the meme. I'm adding my two favorite new additions to my tree this year:


My dear blog buddy friend Judy sent me this lovely, colorful snowflake with my Christmas card this year. I really do have a card and flake for you, Judy, I'm just very behind this year! Thank you so much! Isn't it gorgeous?


Also, my neighbor and new friend Ron gave me this anchor ornament. He's a Navy man, loves the sea, boats, and sailing and I love how this ornament is so "him". I think it's charming.

I just talked to Gator a bit ago, and he told me the mailman knocked at the door with the books I sent him from Amazon just as they were opening gifts at his Mom's! What good timing! He also reports that he is now the proud owner of Guitar Hero III, so he's in hog heaven for a while. He won't even notice that his hat is late! ;)

Some hot cocoa is calling my name, so I'm going to enjoy the rest of my quiet evening. Best Christmas Eve wishes to everyone!

_____

Labels: holidays, knitting, memes

My and my husband's families are in Missouri this Christmas.

I am in Milwaukee.

This decision was made for many practical reasons between my husband and I, and I believe all the reasons were good, sound and, in view of the bigger picture, completely right.

But it means that I'm isolated from my entire family for the holidays.

I rather like being alone, and can easily find a thousand ways to happily spend my time for a couple of days. I've been looking forward to the relaxation I will finally get. Except for The Day. I don't really want to sit around by myself all Christmas Day. Except maybe I sort of do. Maybe I can explain this crap.

I have several options for spending my Christmas day. My friend Anne has invited me to her family's celebration at her grandmother's home which is about an hour out of the city. There will be Christmas dinner, much game-playing, and a gift exchange. I like Anne a lot and I've met her parents and they are great. I think it would be a really fun time. Any other day. I don't really want to be the poor little friend who didn't have anywhere else to go on Christmas. I don't have any food to take, and no money to buy any. Do I think they would actually care if I brought a dish? No. Would I feel retched if I didn't bring something to this stranger's home? Most definitely. I'm sure I could whip up a gift for the exchange, but I already have gifts I haven't made for people I love. And apparently you get a gift if you go, whether you reciprocate or not. I just can't not take a gift. This option has several strikes against it, but a big pro -- namely it would be fun. Most probably.

Alternately, several of my friends from school are international students who will be around and who aren't Christian, so it's just another day to them. A couple have said that I should call them if I want to do something on Tuesday. That's very nice, but I don't want spend the day pretending I like curry and explaining what I would be doing to celebrate if I were with my family. So, bah humbug, I'm not likely going to do that, either.

Another problem with both of these options is that I don't want to be caught amongst strangers when I have my "Christmas Moment". Ever since my parents passed away, I cry at Christmas. Not for a long time, and usually not full-on weeping, but it always happens. And I never know what's going to set it off. And I really don't want to be the girl who not only doesn't have a place to go for Christmas but who still cries randomly because, poor thing, her parents are dead. Of course, it appears that I am that girl, but let's not make a big production of it, shall we?

Part of me wants to just lay around the house in my pajamas, eat random stuff, play with my Ipod, and knit. But I know I will look out the window at the empty streets, at my empty stocking hung by the heat vent with care, at the empty area under my tree, and at my near-empty pantry and that will depress me. Apparently, its already depressing me.

I fully admit that there's something really fulfilling about wallowing and throwing a little pity-party. I know that if I'm alone on Christmas day, it will be my own doing. I know I'm being a brat -- if I can't have my family and my husband I don't want anything, so there! But it's really partially true. Someone else's family, no matter how wonderful and charming and welcoming, can never substitute for my own. How fake is to put on my happy face and feel awkward all day just so I can say, "By Golly, I didn't spend Christmas alone!"

I know I should have more grace than this. I hope get over this pre-holiday PMS and become my normal, cheery self. I hope desperately that I re-read this post tomorrow or Tuesday and think, "Egads, I'm glad I'm not always such a freaking little ball of sunshine!"

How much beef jerky and pretzel chips do you think that will take?

_____

Labels: holidays, life story

Happy Winter Solstice! Yes, it's the shortest day of the year and I, for one, am quite thankful for that fact! I currently go into work at 7 am, as soon as dawn breaks, so that I can leave while the sun is still up and don't have to walk home in the dark at 4:30. Milwaukee is just enough farther north than Missouri for me to really feel the difference in daylight hours. I'm looking forward to the days slowly getting longer and having more light in my life!

Today I ::gasp!:: have a Saturday Sky to share with you.


Now, lest you think I just made a big gray square in Photoshop, I'll let you in on the secret as to why my sky picture looks as it does:


It's foggy, kids! Gray, dreary, and limited visibility. I'm very glad that my trek to the lab will be on foot.

Most of the day will be spent in the lab, trying to optimize the Proteinase K concentration for my next experiment. Oh, you are dying from the jealousy, I can totally tell. Everyone else's pre-holiday-Saturday activities pale in comparison.

Tonight I may do something completely radical: Write my Christmas cards. Yep, I'm obviously right on top of things this holiday season. Does anybody really care that much if cards are late? I sincerely hope not.

Once the cards are done, I will get back to work on my other great holiday tradition -- late handmade Christmas gifts! Gator's gift hat was already going to be late, but I've just discovered that, despite my best calculations, it's going to be too small for his sweet noggin. So, it's getting frogged and re-knit in a slightly different pattern with a different gauge. Which means that it's going to be even later than originally planned. I'm very glad I already sent some non-handmade gifts so he will certainly have some goodies from me under the tree. I'm also very glad he loves me for more than my punctuality.

Off to work with me! Enjoy your weekend!

_____

Labels: knitting, saturday sky

Ever since finals, I've been relishing the thought of having some nice, veg-out time for myself -- maybe a whole day in my pajamas kind of thing. But it seems, instead, that I've been in uber-socializing mode every night of the week. Christmas parties, graduation parties, dinner at friends' homes, stitch night. Oh, and there was some massive paper grading thrown in there last week. All of this has been incredibly fun and I'm so happy I now have the time to enjoy all this socializing without guilt (except for that still-not-sent-Christmas-card guilt), but I'm still almost as exhausted as I was during finals! Since I'm on my own for the holiday, I hope to get caught up on some serious sloth.

Tonight the professor I was a TA for is taking me to dinner at the Water Street Brewery and to my very first Marquette Men's Basketball game as a thank-you. Isn't that sweet? I'm very excited. I'm not a basketball fan, but going to a sporting event is always fun, even if the sport itself isn't my favorite. Plus, this is my school now, and I'm a supporter, even if the constant sound of soles squeaking on the floor drives me a little nuts. Anyway, I think it will be a really good time. Plus, I really like Dr. Waring and I always have fun with her.

Last night's festivities included attending a Christmas concert put on by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. The music was varied (Farandole, pieces from The Nutcracker, Silent Night, Sleigh Ride, etc.) and the performance was top-notch. The space in which it took place was amazing, too. The Basilica of St. Josaphat is a beautiful old Polish cathedral on the south side of the city, built in the late 1800's using stone from the demolished Chicago Post Office. It was completely renovated in the 1990's, and the interior is crazy with its ornamentation.

Labels: Beer Town follies, life story

Hi! Still not dead! In fact, feeling fairly jaunty for the moment. How are you?

In order to accomplish everything I needed to towards the end of this semester, I had to just put the hammer down and remove myself from the blogosphere entirely. So I haven't posted, and I haven't read any blogs since before Thanksgiving. So I have no idea what's up with y'all. It'll take forever for me to catch up. But I'll get there!

But I have officially made it through the semester, taken all my finals, written all my papers, and graded all the exams for the class I TA. I'm free! Well, except for all that research, but I'm actually looking forward to being able to focus on that alone for about a month. It will be great, in fact. And fairly normal feeling -- I'll spend a lot of time in the lab, I'm sure, but I get to actually leave at some point, and then I don't have to study or grade or prepare for discussions, etc, etc, etc. How novel! That means I get to knit and crochet some! Awesome! I've been jonesing.

The first thing I did was finish a little project I had started over Thanksgiving. See, every year the Biological Sciences department has a Christmas party that includes a potluck and a white elephant gift exchange. Last year I decided that this year I would make something for the gift exchange. So I whipped up a little something and I just finished it -- happy dance!

Oh, what is it, you ask?

Well, what would you make for a white elephant gift exchange?

I thought it was a no-brainer, actually...



I also started a couple little projects that I can't show just yet... But when I can, I will. Ah, this project startin' and finishin' just feels so good!!

Hopefully, we're back to our regularly scheduled blogging...

_____

Labels: crochet, school

::crawling up from underneath a mountain of research papers and PowerPoint presenttions::

Hi! Wow, it's bright up here. Even though it's overcast all the time and the sun is only up for about 4.5 hours per day, it's still much brighter than my dark corner of studyallthetime-ness. But it has to be done. The only way I accomplish anything is to just remove myself from the innernets altogether. Otherwise, I start "checking my mail" and the next thing I know, three hours have gone by. But I know what Britney bought at the convenience store yestrday, by golly. And isn't that what's truly important? I think I'll be back among the living sometime before Christmas. At least until I start studying for qualifying exams...

Anyway! I promise not to bore you with my exciting stories of learning about paramutation or oxygen-hemoglobin binding kinetics. No, really, I promise! You should really just praise me all day for this.

I poked my head out of the jumble because I'm winding things down so I can enjoy four uninterrupted days of not studying -- I'm going to Missouri to see Gator for Thanksgiving!!! I'm so excited!! I leave very early tomorrow morning for Chicago, where I'm meeting my friend Amanda, who is driving to Columbia. Roadtrip with fun friend and a long weekend with Gator! AWESOME!!

But before that happens, my cool New Friend Veronica (it's been, like, a year. You'd think I'd stop calling her "New". Apparently not.) is taking me to see Debbie Harry tonight! How fun is that? I'm so ready to rock out to Rapture. And now I'm in the Man From Mars! Tee hee.

So, okay, yes. I do get study breaks. And I've even spent some of them crocheting. Cwazy, I know! So I finally (only a couple of months late) finished "Sister" Annette's wedding potholders! I hope she likes them! (Of course, I hope Mick likes them, too!)




Bright and cheerful and cool. I like them, anyway. :)

And last, but CERTAINLY not least, I got the best surprise in the mail yesterday (all the way from England)! A pressie from blog buddy Judy! It's a little crocheted turkey "butt" refrigerator magnet and it came with the most lovely card. Ain't it the cutest? (And don't I look tired?)


Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love making friends on this here Interblag!

And now, excuse me while I go eat guitars... Hee!

_____

Labels: crochet, friends, school

Hope you all had a safe and happy Halloween. I stayed home, read a book and talked to Gator on the phone. I didn't really want to do anything else, but it seemed so weird that I wasn't doing something else. It was nice, quiet, and I was asleep by 10:30. I like sleeping, so this was totally acceptable.

Hi! I'm old and boring! Wanna party?

I actually meant to share this with you guys yesterday. It's my new favorite Halloween song. (This implies that I had an old favorite Halloween song, which isn't the case, really. Though I suppose I never really get tired of the theme from The Munsters.) If you follow the link above and then click on the link that says "Re Your Brains", you can extend the Halloween spirit by one more day. I think it's funny as all get-out. Office Space meets Dawn of the Dead. Lurve!

Okay, I'm burrowing back into my hole now. I'm preparing a big seminar presentation and house/kid sitting for one of my professors this weekend. Give me strength.

_____

Labels: holidays, internet fun

When Gator and I engaged, we found rings we loved in a catalog, but we couldn't afford them. We were poor college students, and the "three months salary" rule would have allotted about as much money for a ring as a thorough searching of the couch cushions. Gator's parents lived in Chicago at the time, and they knew of a Russian jeweler who could make any ring from a picture at a reasonable price. So they asked us for the page from the catalog. Right before our wedding they presented us with our wedding gift -- gold rings exactly like we wanted. Here's mine:


Gator's ring got too small (love how we blame the ring!!) so he didn't wear it and then eventually got lost. He bought a random clearance ring once, but it never fit right and was too delicate for his hand and was, though he disagrees with this point, freakin' ugly.

So years have gone by and Gator hasn't worn a wedding ring. It's no big deal -- I'm not one of those who freaks out over it and assumes he's out there outrageously cheating on me because he doesn't have a piece of metal wrapped around his finger. It's fine. Whatever.

But I do really miss having matching wedding bands. It just seems so right.

One day a couple of weeks ago I was happily partaking of my daily phone call to Gator. I was surprised when he announced, "Oh, my ring came today!"

"Ring? What ring?"

"Oh, I ordered a new wedding ring."

"Another wedding ring?"

"Yeah, it's really cool. It's titanium!"

"Really? What does it look like?"

"You can see it, I got it off Amazon. Just search 'titanium ring'..."


Anyone who followed the above link now realizes: The ring is $21.95. $22!!! Plus shipping. Whatever.

Do you know what this meant to me?? It meant that, considering that the smallest size available is the size of my left ring finger, we could once again have matching wedding bands! So I suggested the idea.

"But what about your claddagh ring?"

"Well, I'm not going to throw it away or anything. It will have a place of honor in my jewelry box, and I'm sure I'll wear it sometimes."

Somewhere along the line he started to believe that I really wanted matching rings and that I really liked the ring he'd picked out. And for $22, they can get lost or get all banged up or get too small, and we'll just get another one.

So he ordered me a matching wedding band and it came about four days later.


I've worn it ever since. I love it.

We're Wonder Twins again. My hubby rocks. :)

_____

Labels: life story, my hubby rocks

Email Sus

 

Free Patterns

• Fancy Star Snowflake (crochet) - My first thread crochet pattern. PDF file.
• Front Post Stripes Grocery Bag Holder (crochet) - Easy yet cute bag holder. PDF file.
• Grandma Black's Dishcloth (knit) - The best dishcloth in the world. PDF file.
• Lid Hat, The (crochet) - Save your fingers! Put a hat on that lid! PDF file.

 

Works In Progress

Currently Working On

• Ballband Afghan (an ongoing experiment)
  
• Basic Cable Socks
  
• Ripple Afghan
  
• Secret Present for Somebody
  

In Time Out

• The Square-a-Day (HA!) Tablecloth
  

 

Finished Objects

• 2007
• 2006
• 2005

 

Crafty:

• Anti-Craft, The - You're going to die anyway, so you might as well knit.
• Craft Magazine - The companion website for the awesome magazine. Check out the blog; many goodies are there.
• Crazy Aunt Purl - The true-life diary of a thrity-something, newly divorced, displaced Southern obsessive- compulsive knitter who has four cats.
• Crochet Me - Fueling the crochet revolution. And patterns.
• Futuregirl Craft Blog - Alice makes great stuff and has good tutorials. What's not to love?
• Knitty - Little purls of wisdom. And patterns. Tons of patterns.
• Monster Crochet - Wherein Lady Linoleum crochets food. Often, with eyes. Big'uns. She da bomb.

 
RL Friends:

• Cigarettes and Mountain Dew - My friend Melissa wants to be just like me.
• Don't Hit Your Sister With The Fish - Laura's life as a mom, wife, and all-around glamour girl.
• Don - He can get down with anything. Try him.
• Inflammation of the Blowhole - Gator's blog. See what the hubby has to say about things.
• Rushing River, Placid Lagoon - Tricia and Tommy in Santa Fe.

 
Blog Buddies:

• Abroad-er Perspective - J was driving a taxi (and had awesome stories about it) in western WI, but he's taking a semester and traveling Europe. Read about it here.
• Dawn's Blog - Man, we are just all about the knitting up here in WI. Dawn's another great WI blog buddy!
• Fine Martial Fiber - Becky is a fine artist, a martial artist, and a fiber artist. Get it?
• Good Yarns - Sue has been cooking some awesome looking stuff lately. What say we go storm her place for lunch?
• Knitting Stuff and Going On and On - Dorothy takes lots of pictures of her gorgeous Canadian countryside, and her knitting, of course!
• Molly Bee's Attic - Another Wisconsin knittin' and bloggin' buddy!
• Pickin' and Throwin' - Laura is one half of this blogging team (YarnThrower), a fellow Wisconsinite, and a darned cool blog buddy!
• So Far, So Good - Home of Judy, my number one snowflake supporter.
• The Different Drummer Soundtrack - Steve (not a knitter -- that I know of...) is living an interesting life in Madison and he always has a thought-provoking perspective.
• With a Hook - Julie is an awesome handwork chica. She got a bunch of us excited about chicken potholders. That is talent.

 
Mis