Back among the living

Hi! I've survived my first semester of grad school! How are you?

Actually, I was done on Friday, but I needed a little recovery time before I could even blog. The funny thing is, I took the weekend off from life (well, I worked in the lab for five hours on Saturday, so that wasn't really off), and now I'm all busy again. Baked over 100 cookies last night (stupidly burned half my Sandies, grrrrr), getting ready for a little get-together tonight (the apartment is a disaster), Christmas party at the lab today, laundry, packing, etc. etc. I know, boo hoo.

I haven't quite yet processed how I feel about this first semester and the prospect of another 4 1/2 years of the same. Other than "roller coaster". I'm going to let it percolate in my brain and get back to you.

So, yes, "time off" = handwork, handwork, handwork!!!

Finished my tree skirt!



Worked on the braided cable scarf (even in a restaurant while watching a football game, using a toothpick as cable needle 'cause I forgot mine -- it works -- tee hee). And I did something I have wanted to do for some time. Yes, kids, Sus has started a sweater. It's nothing elaborate, but it's a sweater. It doesn't really look like it just yet...



It's the Country Contrasts pattern from Knitting the New Classics. They call for a looped mohair blend, but I'm knitting it in, Red Heart SS you say? Why, no! I'm moving up in the world! I'm using TLC heathers! LOL! (For those of you who aren't yarn savvy, that's just a different cheap, plastic yarn. But it was free, so hey.) I really have worked with good, natural fiber yarn, but I have such a huge RH stash!!! It's got to be used up, and now, while I'm getting my knitting feet under me, seems like a good time to do that. Plus, it's just what you use for things like tree skirts and tissue box covers. The yarn snobs can get over it. (Woohoo! Watch Sus defend herself to people who don't even read her blog! Yeah! Issues, anyone?)

Okay, that PCR ain't gonna run itself. I'm off. Ta!

See ya' soon!

Papers and finals until Thursday the 14th. See you afterwards. :)

Snow Day

We got 13" of snow today. Classes were canceled; offices were closed. Alas, cells continue to divide, so I had to go into the lab. Friends from India had first snowball fight; I helped.



Still having beer and free popcorn tonight, thankyouverymuch. Hooyah.

This, of course, means nothing

I'm really surprised it didn't say, "Wow, we can't believe you noticed another person long enough to seduce them!"

As you can see, somewhere along the line I decided that "finish all UFOs before starting anything new" actually meant "start a bunch of new crap and ignore the UFOs". As long as we're all on the same page here. Thus, "What I did on my Thanksgiving Vacation".

As I said last time, I got a new Christmas tree. This, of course, means that I need a new tree skirt. Obviously. So I've started one. Hopefully it won't take too long to finish. The base of my new tree is so nekkid.



Just over a week ago, I finally made it to my Local Yarn Store, Kro-Sha. Cute place, and on Wednesday nights they have open stitching. I may have to work that into my schedule. While there I got some aran wool so I could make a warmer scarf for myself and try a more intricate cable pattern. So far it's pretty fun and looks pretty decent.



So I guess the UFOs will have to wait. Again.

Now to update you on the cool stuff around the 'nets! I know you've just been dying for this stuff!!

• Last week, Missa (who desperately needs update her freakin' blog) made me a coolio bday present. It rocks my face off!!! Hope you don't get sued, baby!!
  
• Now, we all know I love the Denver Broncos. Well, now I love the Boise State Broncos, too. Or, at least, I love their star running back Ian Johnson! You see, our boy crochets! What a doll! I highly recommend this ESPN story about him. I just read that he was injured in a game a couple of weeks ago and has been hospitalized for a collapsed lung. Get well soon, Ian!
  
• For some people, this is probably blasphemous. Well, it is to me, too, but for entirely different reasons. Dude. You're giving the Farmboy waaaay too much credit. Doesn't keep it from being my new wallpaper, though.
  
• In a similar vein, think I should knit this?
  
• Still same vein -- Kevin Smith hosted a Dinner For Five. Watch part 1, part 2, and part 3. Awesome.
  
• I know that this is pretty old by now and those of you will TV's may find it to be old hat. But I thought it was quite the tirade. Agree or not, I haven't seen an editorial with this level of passion and eloquence for a long time.
  

Don't you feel so much closer to me now? Heh. Yeah. It's been nice knowin' you. ;)

If a plan died in my apartment, would it make a sound?

I have had this vision for several years now. And I've decided it's never coming to fruition. It probably wouldn't work, anyway, or someone would have done it by now.

Back when we sold the house and moved out west, I gave away the Christmas tree. It had been Mother's; it was the tree we'd had the whole time I was growing up. It leaned horribly and I couldn't figure out how to right it without, like, tethering it to the wall or something. Also, at the time, I was not really into Christmas that much, beyond gathering with family and friends and sharing a good meal. So I got rid of it. I don't regret it or anything, the thing was ragged. But, the point is, I've never replaced it. And I didn't want to. I wanted to Not Have A Tree.

But, you see, my mother and I also collected ornaments. Hallmark Frosty Friends ornaments, to be exact. Every year we got the new one and put it front and center on the tree, surrounded by the Friends of years past. It's a very successful series for the Hallmark company -- this year is the 28th in the series. I have every single one of them. I've carried on the collection since Mama died. And I have many other ornaments besides these -- Star Wars ornaments, ones that I made when I was younger, some of the ones that Mama would bring home to me when she went on her yearly excursion to Crown Center with the bridge club.

So, the point is, I have tons of ornaments. But I didn't want a tree. You see, I had a Plan. The plan was, get lots of green garland, drape it artfully along the tops of the walls, and hang the ornaments from the garland all around the room. In my mind's eye this is fabulous. It's been seven years since I gave away the tree and I have never tried the Plan. And you know what? I never will. I've given up.

Today I needed some lip balm. I'm addicted to lip balm. I'm one of those people who keeps a tube in her backpack, in the desk, in the nightstand, in the bathroom, in every coat pocket, in each purse, etc., etc. My favorite lip balm of all time is Caswell Massey Natural Therapy Lip Balm With Vitamin E. But, alas, they have been back ordered for six months with no end in sight. So I'm running out left and right. I went to Walgreens today to get some original Chapstick to tide me over until I can order more Caswell Massey or I figure out what to love instead.

Okay, that was off topic, but it brings me to Walgreens. Just inside the door they had a big sign proclaiming their one-day-only half-price sale of 6' pre-lighted Christmas trees. $20. I totally caved. I knew the Plan wasn't going to work, especially not in my apartment with the threats about too many holes in the walls and the windows on almost every wall up to the ceiling. So I got a really cheap tree. And as you can guess, the really cheap tree was not the most elegant thing ever put together out of a cardboard box:



But here's the thing about Christmas trees -- even really sad trees, once you get them all decorated and lit are beautiful and festive:



There are still ornaments that didn't even make it onto the tree and it is packed. So festive!

Since I don't have a fireplace, I don't have a mantel, so I hung my stocking near the heat vent, which is, coincidentally, where I have some action figures, so Santa will know for sure it's me he's dealing with when he comes.



Add in that tissue box cover and few other tchotchkes and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas up in here.

And I didn't hear a thing.

Because mo' festive is mo' betta

Some things are tacky. Some things are just awful and should never be made, let alone lovingly handcrafted when maybe someone should maybe be working on a research proposal instead. But sometimes, tacky can transcend. Sometimes, sometimes, in the context of a holiday that is full of childhood memories and decades-worth of decorations that have run the gamut from tasteful to grotesque, we find that, given time and perspective, the tasteful is actually grotesque and the grotesque has become fun and kitschy. Or something.

This is all, of course, just ridiculous narrative attempting to elevate my blog entry from, "Look what I made!!" to something with some sort of societal effect. At least on the ever-important home decor front. But I'm failing. So, "Hey! Look what I made!"



Previously, I had been among the ranks of those who would rally against the existence of crocheted tissue box covers. But, because of the fabulous Gingerbread House Tissue Box Cover, I have been rehabilitated! I love this freakin' thing beyond all reason. It makes me happy. It is festive and cute and, really, these can only be good things.

I'm sure there's a way this could bring about world peace.

Nixon is the reason I'm alive

Now, you don't hear that very often, now do you?

In 1968, my mother was a 38-year-old divorced mother of two working at JC Penney and hating every minute of it. Her good friend, Ann, was also friends with Pauline, who had a 47-year-old bachelor brother who owned a fire salvage business in town. One day during the first week of November, my mother was going back to work after having lunch with Ann at the corner drugstore and they came upon Pauline's brother walking down the sidewalk. Ann introduced my mother to him. One of his most memorable features was that he wore pants that were too short with yellow socks. He wore these things because they had been stock at the store that no one would buy, so he wore them. He always did things like that.

On Wednesday of the following week, the day after the 1968 presidential election, my mother looked up from her counter at Penney's to see him coming towards her. He smiled and approached the counter.

"Did your candidate win?" he asked.

"Yes, yes he did," my mother replied.

His smile broadened and he asked her if he could take her to the drugstore's soda fountain on her break that afternoon. She said yes and the rest, as they say, is history.

They married a few months later and thirty-seven years ago today, just a little more than a year after they met, I was born.

You go, Tricky Dick.

Okay, I lied -- the end is totally in sight

First, here is my Saturday Sky -- kinda dreary, but a nifty pink tinge earlier.



And now, probably my last hat for a while. Not that I'm off hats or anything, but I do have to get into Christmas mode, and I have a nifty little project I'm starting to that end.

But here is my Crusher Hat, the pattern for which I purchased from Annie's Attic. I think it's pretty cool.



Now you're all wondering what I'm making next -- but I shan't tell you! Oh, no! You shall wait and see! Oh, yes! Bwahahahahaha!

Hat-ztravaganza continues - no end in sight

So, I love making hats. For right now. I'm sure the day will come when I never want to make another, but for now we'll just go with it, hmmm?

This hat employs the greatest technique ever!!! Joining colors is a pain in the neck because of all the loose end weaving and tension keeping. But no more!!! I've found a method of weaving in the ends as you go! It's da bomb!

This is an early graduation gift for Jon, another undergraduate in the lab. I'm so generous with the young people. Especially when they ooh and ahh and shizz.



Yes, it's a redux of the Quaker Ribbed Hat I made earlier. What can I say, he liked it when he saw mine!

Off to a movie and potluck! Ta!