maybe one is in your future

check me out, bein' all paper-crafty!

I bought a cute little notebook from a great paper products company (they even have fabric, Cami!) called iota and said to myself, "self, you can make those!" and here's what I came up with:

super simple, uber cute and handy too - it opens sortof like a matchbook, into this handy-dandy notebook:

I know it's not yet or even soon, but. . .

happy freakin' birthday, Lisa B. *mwa*

stormy, stormy night

We woke to a cacophony (thanks Cami!) of chainsaws this morning. We had a busy night here in central Indiana. I tried finding a picture online of our radar last night. Poor Justin and the dogs were in the bathtub for nearly an hour once the tornado sirens sounded. And my Golden, Sadie, is just a mess during thunder storms. I gave her Benadryl but can dogs take Xanax?

Here are some shots from around us. This first one is our neighbor's tree. Thank gawd the winds weren't blowing the other direction - Ken would be replacing some fence this morning.

We lost half a pear tree.

and for the longest time we couldn't tell where this branch came from. Ken finally spotted the neighbors tree, missing a chunk. I'd say we came out pretty lucky.

good news is, we've got extra wood for the bonfire pit now!

overheard in my driveway

I was getting ready to help Ken with a side job he's trying to finish up. I walked out in the driveway, cracked open a beer and he said, "Oh, you must be with the union."
heh heh

Ken's got jokes! Who knew!

just a regular day, hangin' with John Dillinger

Justin wanted to get some pictures in a cemetery. He's discovered photo shop. Gawd knows what he's going to do with the pictures we got today. I took him up to Crown Hill cemetery. I think it's the oldest cemetery in Indiana. President Harrison is buried there along with some other notable figures.

I was most excited about this one:

It's the grave of John Dillinger. My mafia intrigued boy-child had no idea who John Dillinger was. I think he's back in his room educating himself. The door is locked. Should I be concerned?

One of the cemetery attendants explained how people come and leave trinkets on his tombstone - coins, cigarettes and the flowers you see here. Someone even left a joint once. Guess I came on the wrong day. ;) Fans come and chip away at the headstone just to have a piece of the infamous thug. He's on his third headstone. Oh to be so loved one day that my cronies come and chip away at the granite above me.

I couldn't resist this next shot. They kicked us out after this (I'm kidding!):

If you click to embiggen (ala Harlot) you'll notice some sort of creature chose an unlikely place to build a "nest". Looks to me like a little turtle poking his head out. (insert riotous laughter)

On to more demure and ladylike behaviour - behold, the completed sock:

If I don't say so myself, i ROCK!

Love the pattern, love the yarn, love the eye of partridge heel. Damn, now I've got to start on the next one!

payin' it forward

Back in November I joined in on a crafty pay-it-forward type thing. I finally got around to finishing part of it. Two of my commenters got these lovely (if I don't say so myself) cards in the mail this week. I really wanted to keep them for myself. Luckily I know the gal who made them -lol- and I'm thinking I'll be making some more.

These were so unbelievably simple but I think therein lies their beauty.

I love the idea of paying it forward. And the concept is so simple - make something you love to do anyway and send it off to someone to brighten their day.

Who's next?

back in the saddle again

Things are looking better on the back front (ha!). Thanks for all the well wishes. I could FEEL them. Or maybe that was the Vicodin. Either way it was good.

I'm knitting again! Yay me! I'm almost done with the gusset decreases on my lacy sock. I totally boogered up the first row of the instep where I picked up the stitches for the heel. There's no going back now. Besides, it commemorates a moment in my life. I'll always remember (or not) knitting this sock while I was recuperating. And besides number two - they're not a gift for the queen for f*cks sake (sorry, mom). They're just going to sit in my sock drawer momentarily till girl-child discovers them and I'll never see them again. I will make socks for myself one day. I will.

I know you're not surprised in the least that I didn't say, "I'm walking again!" or, "I can do the dishes again!" or even "I'm cooking again!" though that was a close second. My mom was complaining over the lack of food porn on my blog. What was I gonna do, post a picture of the Wendy's bag? That's been about it here this last week. Till we had home-made sausage biscuits & gravy last night (over fried potatoes). Funny how I can hear Cami saying, "You dirty whore." even when she's not around. Love that.

I'm up at this ungodly hour to be the designated driver (why does that make me laugh every time I say it?) for Ken who is having a procedure with a cocktail, evidently. He needs a ride home. So I've got my knitting loaded, my iPod ready and I'm off. Can't wait to show my physical terrorist (no one got that!) later today how I can stand upright and knit and everything!

Later, 'tater.

KUI

Knitting Under the Influence

I thought I'd turn the heel this morning before my meds kicked in. I knew I was in trouble when I called Cami and said, "The instructions just say pick up the stitches along the side not to knit them. Is that all I do?" and she gently reminded me knitting each picked up stitch is how you travel your yarn around the sock. Methinks the drugs have kicked in and it's best if I put down the pointy sticks before someone gets hurt. It could be me or even Sadie who wanted in the picture taking this morning.

If ya'll could just see how much I've backspaced. -lol-

you know it's bad if I can't even knit

This isn't my actual back but it's a pretty good representation of what's happening in my world right now. Five years ago I ruptured two disks in my back and every now and then it rears it's ugly head. It's rearing now and it's ugly. I haven't been able to knit all week! (funny how that's what I mention, huh? I really am a capitol K knitter!) I did knit a few rows on my heel flap today. It was sheer bliss.

I'm seeing a physical terrorist twice a week and so far it's been good - some nice, gentle massaging but as soon as I'm not in so much pain I know she's gonna bring out the big guns. The pain is bad. Way bad. Today I started a course of steroids and some stronger pain meds. We're hoping the steroids will cut the inflammation enough to allow that disk material to ease back in to place. I'm pretty much a worthless, movie watching lump and I hate it! Ashley came over today and helped with some household chores and drove me to Target for some groceries while Ken did some work around here. I drove one of those electric carts at Target. Can I get a DUI on one of those things? It was pretty funny.

So, that's what's happening in my neck of the woods. Oozing disk material and LOTS of pain medicine. It wouldn't be all bad except for that no knitting thing. They need to fix me and be quick about it!

the adventure continues

into the world of other-than-stockinette-stitch socks. yarn is louet gems - 100% merino wool colorway 'crabapple' but it's really more porn star pink (ashley's description). pattern is ribbed lace from Sensational Knitted Socks. ashley has already promised these will disappear from my sock drawer.

it's fun. i did have to frog my first attempt but the pattern goes really fast. it's interesting to knit a pattern where every row is something new. and i'm following a chart!

J is for. . .

justin. second born. boy-child.

who will be 21 this year. and just so you fully appreciate the significance of that statement:

he was such a sweet baby. now he's an angst-filled young adult. it happens to the best of them to be sure.

justin was born with a crippling disorder called arthrogryposis. it's rare, one in about 10,000 births. but i swear, he never let it stop him. i remember running into an aide at his elementary school and she said, "oh! are you justin's mom? i saw him at the top of the jungle gym the other day and. . ." i put my hand up. i couldn't bear to hear any more. his early attitude would be his salvation as he got older but at that moment, combined with the immature judgement of a 6 year old it was pretty dangerous. :)

he's a good kid. really good. sassy, mouthy but witty with a great sense of humor.

if you don't know the story of his beginnings, you can read it here but my bandwidth limit is pretty low so if more than a few of you click and go it won't be available for a while. and you might need a tissue. just a warning. please keep in mind most of the story was written by an 18 year old me - new mom, scared shitless, bad with punctuation and grammar. :)

knit one, cook too

Look, ma! I cast on the second tofutsies sock!

and my first mahi mahi

marinated over night in soy sauce, sesame oil and a few teaspoons of Chinese 5 spice sauce from Trader Joe's. Mmmm mmmm good.

Dude has two never-ending socks

And let me just say this hard working man deserves all the hand-knit socks in the world. Heck, he even deserves a sweater! Maybe that's next. Did I just say I want to knit another sweater? Ken said, "Jeez, it's like childbirth! You women forget the agony and just do it all over again." heh

He -loves- them. To him, they match perfectly. They don't squeeze his calves and no one will ever see them except at the ankle. And what does he care? His wife (lovely woman that she is) hand-knit him a pait of socks. Nearly fifty THOUSAND stitches. That, my friends, is true love.

What am I going to bitch about knit next? :D

anyone save room for dessert?

Fresh Strawberry Shortcake with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

• 4 cups sliced, fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar

For the shortcake:

• 2 1/3 cups Bisquick
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• fresh nutmeg

For the whipped cream:

• 8 oz heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Preheat oven to 450°. Mix strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside. Follow directions on the Bisquick box for the shortcake, mixing all ingredients until a soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Box says 6 shortcake but they're HUGE! You could easily get twice that many out of one recipe.

Whip the cream in a chilled bowl at high speed until stiff. Add the sugar and vanilla paste and mix well.

If you know me at all, you know I went in after taking this picture and put an obscene amount of whip cream on top. It's so damn tasty. I may have even licked the plate. And the best news? No one else here will eat it! -gasp- I KNOW! More for me.

for mandy

Since I can't reach you by phone and I don't have your email address, I thought I'd post this here for you to see.
What do you think?? I already got them in the mail to the shop. They may even get there Saturday, I'm that good. :)

two little bits of happiness in my small world

The newest addition to our backyard feeder: a grosbeak. I heart him.

And I'm calling this Harlot yarn cause it's what I got the night I met her. These want to be socks for my feets when they grow up.