Dainty Kitty

Dead Like Me, Mittens & Snow Cream

I don't know what the finally tally was but we had to have gotten at least a foot of snow this weekend.  I wish I'd thought to take a few photos but I haven't left my apartment since I got home around two on Friday afternoon.  I have been nothing but loungy and pajama clad, watching the first season of "Dead Like Me."  All fourteen episodes. 

I did managed to do two things other than watch movies and old television shows.  One, I made snow cream for the first time...I was going to say since I was a kid but I think I made it with Nate over ten years ago.  Still, it's been a long time - you know, pollution and all that.  I couldn't help it...all that whiteness piled up outside and I didn't even have to leave my apartment to get any.    It wasn't exactly as I'd remembered it but it was till pretty good. 

I also finished my mittens.  Knitted with Di. Ve Autunno using the Easy Mittens patter in One Skein Wonders.  I had to add a few stitches to the hand but it was quick, easy knit and - hey! - I finished a pair of something!



I started the second Mrs. Beeton while I finished up season two of Bosom Buddies this afternoon.  I really need to do some housework before I go to bed but I think I'll placate myself with a load of dishes and a load of laundry and then a little more knitting along with an episode of the The Flight of the Conchords which I've heard is brilliant.  After all, I have to ease myself back in to reality....

is your new bicycle meme

Ha ha ha!  Here's mine - too funny! 

http://emily.isyournewbicycle.com/

The first time I linked it it said, EMILY IS YOUR NEW BALLS.  Hee hee!

Snow

The snow is coming down a bit thicker now.  I'm hoping we'll get out of here early because I still need to stop at the library to stock up on movies and the store to pick up a few things before I get snowed in.  I'm kind of looking forward to being homebound alone this weekend.  I have intentions of organizing my craft room but I could also see myself finishing my mitten and the other Mrs. Beeton and watching lots of movies.   It also looks like Dad and I aren't going to get to work on the dollhouse this weekend.  Ah well.

And here's something I've been getting a kick out of recently, Garfield Minus Garfield.  The site gives this description, "Who would have guessed that when you remove Garfield from the Garfield comic strips, the result is an even better comic about schizophrenia, bipolor disorder, and the empty desperation of modern life? Friends, meet Jon Arbuckle. Let’s laugh and learn with him on a journey deep into the tortured mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against lonliness in a quiet American suburb."  It's so clever makes me laugh out loud all the time - who would have though something so simple could be so funny? 

Blurg.

Some good news - I'm nearly positive that Dad and I are building the doll house this weekend.  I'm going to Hobby Lobby today to see if they have sheets of balsa wood like I think they do.  I sent him some photos of what I was thinking about and he thinks it's pretty eaily doable. 

And I made this guy out of socks on Sunday afternoon. He started out as a cat but became more alien-like when I decided to make a shirt of sorts out of the cuffs.  

 

The Weekend

It's sixty degrees outside and I have the windows open.  That is a beautiful thing. 

First of all, thank you for all of the hugs and comments from my last post.  This is unfamiliar territory for me and, while I feel pretty okay now, the news was...well, upsetting.

I have managed to do a couple of things this weekend, though. 

I covered a couch. 

A doll house couch but still a couch! It was a hideous yellow with flowers.  I think I'm back on the doll house kick but I'm not going to finish the one that I bought and started to build.  It's too cheap and flimsy.  Instead, I'm going to see if my dad would like to do a father/daughter project and help me build a fairly simple, plain, two story box house.  I haven't asked him yet - I might even have a template made before I do.  I'm sure he'll be willing - it'll just be a matter of finding time to do it.

I made Cheddar Baked Chicken for dinner which was phenomenal.  Seriously, I know it sounds weird with the cheddar and the Rice Krispies (although it's a combination I've seen one other time) but...I'm really looking forward to having the last piece for dinner tonight [edited to add: it's REALLY not very good the next day - it loses its crispness and it just kinda greasy.  I'm taking this as permission to eat every single bit the next time I make it].   Teeny tip - it's best right out of the oven.  I tried a bite as soon as it came out because I was a little leery and it was wonderful but the potatoes still had a few minutes so by the time we sat down it was still great but...much better right out of the oven.

I'm growing my hair out so I've been wearing scarves nearly every day.  This is one I found in the dollar section at Target.  A dollar!

I also picked up another one with skulls on it.  This photo, I noticed, is also a testament to the fact that I'm tired.  Hello, dark circles! 

Anyway, I love cute skulls like this sticker I have on my car:

And, yes, I really do carry a Vera Bradley purse.

I am also in love with the movie, soundtrack and star of Once.  It's a great movie and I can't stop listening to the soundtrack.  "Falling Slowly" won an Oscar which was nice because things I like never tend to win anything.  Bonus: Glen Hansard is yummy...and I don't even like redheads.  I also bought a cd by his band, The Frames, which is like more of Once which is beautiful.

Oh and I've nearly finished my other mitten. 

So that's it.  I'm sad that the weekend is nearly over but there's something that makes me feel better about starting a new week.  Before this weekend had even started, I had deemed last week The Week That Never Was because it Sucked. 

Bad news is a miserable way to motivate yourself to clean out the fridge, wipe down the counters and mop the floors.  I even emptied my sugar and flour containers and gave them a good wash. 

I wrote a lot more but deleted it.  In a nutshell, my papaw has lung cancer and I just found out last night so I cleaned and then slept for eleven hours. 

Today sucks.

What Can Brown Do For You?

Luckily, this box only contained one skein of yarn.

The above photo is proof that I occasionally do actual work during the day.  That's me getting a package ready to go out. 

Good news is that I can finish the other Mrs. Beeton now - that is, once I finish the other mitten which is using my six dpns and the button tab hat I started last night with my sevens.  I've been doing a lot of knitting, sleeping and watching season one of "Bosom Buddies" on dvd.  And, unfortunately, not doing much cleaning.

GoodReads

Thanks to dharma, I've started number seven on my 101 in 1001 list - except that I'm changing it to GoodReads.  I've got a few more shelves to add and I haven't written but one review (it was pretty easy to add that Jane Eyre is my favorite book) but it's started and that's something. 

Anyway, my list can be found here.  If you happen to be a GoodReads member, please add me as a friend!

Contact

As we walked out of UD Arena yesterday afternoon - giving up moments before the UD Flyers officially lost to Xavier - I declared the day a winner anyway because I ran into Frank and Susan.  Frank and Susan as in my - I guess - ex-friend Debbie's brother and sister in law.  Two people I love and miss. 

I have wonderful memories of parties with all of them at Craig and Lisa's house, St. Patrick's Day downtown and girls nights out.  Things happened, Debbie got divorced, we didn't talk for a long time and when we did...I guess we didn't have anything in common any more and somehow I was the friend that got left out.  The last time I saw any of them was at the AleFest last July when I very briefly ran into Debbie, Craig and Susan.  I got a call from Lisa back before Christmas - she and Craig were at the bar a block from my house and wanted to know if I could come down.  I couldn't go but promised we'd to get together once the holidays were over.  I've thought about emailing her since but the situation makes me feel almost shy.  It's hard to ask your way back into a circle that you've been out of for nearly two years. 

I really miss those people, though. 

Anyway, I was really surprised when I ran into Frank at the basketball game.  And I was nearly flabbergasted to find that he was there with Susan.  Seeing her, hugs and all that...it was really nice.  I promised to email today so that we can just makes plans to all get together.  They and Craig and Lisa have kids so I'm just going to throw the idea out there and let them come up with a date but I won't give up until a time and place is set.  I can't believe I've been out of the loop for so long and I can't wait to catch up.

I think I'm going to send that email right now.  :-)

One Half

I finished my very first mitten last night (it's not as pretty as the mitten my friend finished over at Karma Kitties but it's a mitten never the less) and realized I now have four projects that are currently mate-less.  The Kolenyas, Mrs. Beetons, a mitten and a sock. 

I know I'll finish the other Mrs. Beeton - I'm just waiting for another skien of Rowan Kidsilk because I screwed the first one up and couldn't really frog it without ruining the yarn so I'm short - and the mitten because it was easy and I love the yarn.  And maybe the Kolenya although it's been hibernating for quite some time.  But that sock?  Maybe not but - someday, hopefully. 

I just know that I'm really not into knitting things twice. 

And maybe I'll actually have some photos this weekend.  I've also almost finished a crocheted basket for my mom - it just needs a second handle.  And perhaps, if I finish the other one, I'll get a shot of the mitten in use since the weather is snowy and cold here.  In fact, I had a very expensive drive to work this morning.  I slid into a curb and, when I took my car to the repair shop, found out that my front tires are legally bald (which I find funny for some reason) and the rim is ruined.  Yep, that drive that cost me a little over four hundred dollars.  One the teeny tiny bright side, the bald tires mean that I'm not a lousy driver.