Dainty Kitty

Bedrooms

I've never been very happy with my bedroom.  I rarely ever spend any time there so it's a room of cast offs and mismatched things.  I know mismatched things can be charming but no so much in my bedroom. 

Purchasing Harold and Maude, though, has got me thinking.    think I'm ready to start making my bedroom a more pleasant place to sleep.

The weekend before last, I spent Saturday afternoon hunting for a down comforter and duvet cover.  I got both for a song and have found it very hard to get out of bed since.  Last night I started an afghan for the cat chair (a yellow chair in the bedroom that my cats claimed years ago).   And I've been toying with the idea of arranging my books by color.  I don't think this would look good in my living room but I think I might pick out the colors that match my bedroom (blues, yellows, whites) and try it out there.  It's amazing how many like colored books you actually have when you start really looking.  I like this idea a lot but I'm not thrilled with the prospect of really doing it, though so we'll see.

So those are my ideas so far.  I've not felt the urge to do much recently other than sit on the couch with a movie and yarn and needles but I'm joining the YMCA tonight and we're going to start working out at least three times a week (starting tomorrow).  I don't exercise but I'm a bit terrified because had a physical last week and now it's sinking in that I'm really thirty-three years old and need to start actively taking care of myself.  Surprisingly, my overall cholesterol was normal (still have some work to do there, though) but my blood platelet count has me a bit worried.  I don't go back until next Friday so I'm trying not to think about it too much until I can talk to my doctor. 

I'm hoping this working out thing will get me back on track (a little sunshine would be mighty helpful, too) and wanting to actually do things - simple things, even - again.

Yawn.

Harold and Maude

I bought this today on a complete and utter whim (or at least I hope I did - it says two were sold and only one was available - I'm afraid someone might have gotten to it before me).  I'd love to have the originals but $20 is a much more feasible whim than $120 - even if one thing on my 101 in 1001 list is to buy a piece of original artwork for my living room. 

Harold and Maude is one of the greatest movies ever and if you haven't seen it, you should rent it, stat.  And the quote from the movie that the seller uses to describe the art is perfect:

Harold: I like you, Maude.
Maude: I like you, Harold.

I had originally thought I'd put them in my bathroom - the colors match my shower curtain perfectly - but I already have a mermaid theme which includes two pieces that I'd hate to put away.  Now I'm thinking I'll hang them above my bed.  I don't really have anything decent on the walls in there and they would be a good start.  And the blurb does call them a "great romantic couple" - they belong in bedroom. 

In the crafting world, I've sewn a little kitty who is currently arm and leg-less, finished the cable hat (except for stitching it together and adding the tassels) and sewn up several cloth napkins as I've decided to make the switch.  But, even though I had the whole weekend to do whatever I wanted to do, I was lazy and didn't take a single photo.  I didn't do anything I should have because I think I was just bummed. 

No Fishing or Crabbing

...or being sad either.  Even the tired has left me although, come on, this is life - there's always going to be a little tired, right?

Thank goodness for feeling like myself again.  And an extra thank goodness for all of my friends and their comments and emails!

I have a tip for any cat or dog owners out there who might be having hair issues.  I'm diligent about vacuuming and Febreezing but I did a little internet research on Friday and combined a couple of ideas that worked like a charm!  And it was fairly easy, too.  I filled a spray bottle with one part water, one part liquid fabric softener and sprayed both my couches.  After letting it soak for a few minutes, I put on a rubber dish washing glove and rubbed it all over the couch - the cat hair balled up and it was easy to pick it off.   There wasn't much to pick up which made me feel better about my housekeeping skills.   I also sprayed the carpet and let it sit before I vacuumed.  I figure I'll hit the couches once or twice a week and use it on the carpets every time I vacuum.

It feels good to have a clean place.  I even washed nearly everything in my laundry basket - including a couple of sweaters and other things that have been there for awhile because they need special attention.  I wish I could have inspired myself to work in the craft room, too, because it's such a mess.  I hate even getting on the computer because the clutter is overwhelming.   It's more a storage space than a craft room and, even though I tell myself I'm not going to do it, it's so easy to just toss anything that doesn't go in the other rooms on the computer table or just out of sight of the door.   Terrible, I tell you.  I got a really cute toy sewing book from my brother for Christmas and I'm itching to sew but haven't because...this room is unbearable.  I don't know, maybe I'll find the inspiration this weekend - or maybe I'll just get fed up.  Something.

Anyway, speaking of that...I can't sit here any more.  Yuck. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend!   

Tired and Sad

In the knitting world I've hit a wall with the cabled hat.  I need to hunt down two skeins of Classic Elite Inca Alpaca in Peruvian Earth, damn it.  The Yarn and Needle, where I originally bought it, doesn't have it so I'm checking a couple of other places before I break down and order it online.  I found it on sale at a shop where I've bought things before but the shipping and handling is more than one skein and I can't bring myself to do that quite yet.  And I'll check other online shops.  I order so little when I do shop online that it's silly for me to do so, really. 

I did order the yarn to make a pair of Mrs. Beetons in green.  I was reminded that this pattern was in my Ravelry queue during the beautiful weather we had earlier this week - in the upper sixties.  I'd like to have them finished to wear for spring.  Maybe with a new denim jacket as they won't really work with my three-quarter sleeve jacket.

A Possible New Book Club Member

Have I mentioned that I'm thinking about joining a book club?  The first book we'd be reading is Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Well, today I had a visitor who wanted to know if he could join the club with me.  This visitor startled me quite a bit actually.  I hadn't showered or dressed yet and then there was this knock on my door and a stranger there on the mat.

Hmm, now that I think of it, that's kind of odd as his name is Matthew.

He doesn't talk much...or at all really seeing as how he doesn't have a mouth.  I was able to understand him immediately, though.  He looks intelligent and is quite the snappy dresser.  A bit threadbare, maybe, but snappy nonetheless. 

He so graciously let me take his photo before settling down on the couch to start on Love in the Time of Cholera.  He already seems to like it here quite a bit. 

Sweeney Saturday

Sweeney Saturday!  Sweeney Todd!  Wonderfully gruesome.  Delightfully evil, hot, sexy Alan Rickman.  Talented Depp.  Erm, I don't really like Helena Bonham Carter because she broke up Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson but I loved her hair and costumes.  And even Anthony Stewart Head (Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) had a little cameo.  It was really fun but...definitely gruesome. 

Egads, it's nearly two in the morning, I'm totally awake/exhausted and I still have to take the clean sheets out of the dryer and put them on the bed...meh....      

Today's Lesson Learned

I haven't taken my crazy pills in over two weeks.  I ran out and meant to get a refill before I left for Norfolk but never did...and I meant to do the same as soon as I got back but work was busy and I was a little under the weather and then it was New Year's...so, again, I never made it. 

When I woke up this morning feeling like I did, I thought it was just the going back to work after a four day weekend blues but I continued to feel worse throughout the day.  Edgy, tired and terribly annoyed (and on a day when things going on at the office really don't allow me time to be edgy, tired and terribly annoyed, unfortunately).  Finally it clicked.  I never meant to go so long without taking them - it wasn't a trial separation or anything.  It just happened.  And it wasn't very much fun.  Especially when combined with a little PMS.   At least now I know that I certainly can't quite kick them cold turkey.  Not that I want to or anything.  Although, I went to the ob/gyn a couple of weeks ago and she said she'd like for me to get off them before I get pregnant.  I'm not planning to get knocked up any time soon or anything but, for some reason, once you turn thirty, ob/gyn's seem to really want you primed for baby carrying.         

I digress.  So now not only am I properly medicated but I took a few hours to give the apartment a good once over with a duster, some Dr. Bronner's soap, a mop and a broom.  As long as you don't peek into the craft room, my home is back where it should be (minus the pile of laundry I'm still working on) just like I, hopefully, will be by morning.

The snow here is amazing.  Icy and sparkly.  It almost makes me want to go for a walk...until I realize it's fourteen degrees outside.   I wish grown ups got snow days....

Proud Cable Knitter