HaNdKrAfT

More Randomness

1.  I live in a building that has a gated parking area.  Only residents have the key code to open the gate, and in the parking area, there are 11 regular parking spots and one handicap spot.  There are also 15 parking garages available to rent.  The open spaces are always at a premium, so you are lucky when you can get one.  Here is the thing.  A number of the building residents will park in the handicap space.  Their argument is this: "we don't have anyone handicapped in the building that needs the space, and the cops can't ticket because the space is on private property."  Wrong. WRONG. WRONG. I refuse to park there because it is wrong to do so.  I don't care that there is no handicapped person in our building, and that the builders just put it there ti satisfy the Americans With Disabilities Act.  It is a handicapped space.  If you don't have the tag or placard, you should not park there. Period.

2.  I have a neighbor.  He has a Pit Bull.  A Pit Bull that he allows to go outside in the morning off leash, and who often runs around outside with him off leash.  He says that "she is a nice dog, realy."  Once again, this is not the point.  I have asked him multiple times to keep the dog on a leash when he is outside.  he basicly ignores me.  I have not called animal control, because all they would do is take the dog and put her down. Despite her owner, the dog does not deserve that.  What I did do, was call his landlord and tell him about the issue. (Liability, liability, liability) and since then, I have not seen the dog off leash.

3. Work.  Which I normaly don't blog about, is starting to become tedious.  I am tired of my job, so I am trying to find a new one.  I have 9 months left to do this.  And I have to snap out of the spending mode into savings mode in short order.  Thank god I have a good interview suit.

Randomness in no particular order.

1. On my walk to work every morning, I pass the corner of Hendricks and Nira streets.  Hendricks has been under construction for the nearly two years that I have lived in this neighborhood.  While generally annoying, this particular corner is beyond vexing.  Construction there has been finished, then torn up again at least five times.  Yep. That's right.  Five times.  And yesterday morning on my way into work, the "final touches" were being put on that corner.  The workers. who I have gotten to know over this last year, told me that this was hopefully the last work on this corner.  On my way home yesterday?  You guessed it, construction.  Again.

2. I want to purchase something.  Anything.  I started doing something called The Compact.  As of today, I have been purchase free for 5 days.  Bartering or exchanging are OK, so if there is any new yarn that comes into Knit Witz, I am OK, because I have items for sale there, and have a full stamp card, but otherwise, no new yarn.  Purchases of food and beverage are OK as well.  (and I owe Kathe $0.54 for a Diet Coke).  I am only doing this through the end of February- as I doubt that my head will explode if I try it for much longer than that. 

3. I am gaining, not loosing weight.  I am not working out like I should, or eating like I should.  I want to loose weight for my trip to Seattle, and be forced to purchase new clothes. (That, and I am tired of being heavy!).  But my big realization is that i keep paying lip service to being heavy, but am not doing anything about it.  That is changing, now.

4. I want to be able to have patterns for sale on the net, and start to increase readership of my blog.  Once again, I have been doing nothing to accomplish this, and have tried to figure out a way to get it to happen overnight, but it does not seem to be getting anywhere on its own!

That is all for now.  If you have any tips on how to instantly become an 30 lbs thinner absolutely fabulous knitwear designer, and have a successful web pattern business overnight, let me know.

Argh, or "Kate the exhausted"

So my mother was in town this weekend, and we had fun together.  But she does not understand how I can go to Knit Witz and sit and knit on Wednesday and Friday nights, and occasionaly on Saturdays as well.  It is called social interaction mom.  That, and the gals are buckets of fun. 

So I have taken Teresa's January mantra to heart: Since my last post, I have cast on for two new sweaters, and I am about to cast on for a circular sweater as well.  Debbie Bliss has a new alpaca silk dk sweater pattern that I love, but the book is $18, and I am not spending that kind of money for a book that has one pattern in it. Nope.  I will figure the thing out on my own. 

For now, though, my house is my own again!

Knitting ADD

So my friend Teresa is doing a project plan by month:  in January, you can cast on or start whatever projects that you want, but in February, no new projects: only finishing current ones.

For me, here is an updated list of what I have on the needles or other projects in progress right now:

1. Icarus in Sea Silk (this has been put on a temp. hiatus due to an issue with cigarette smoke)
2. Frost Flowers and Leaves Shawl (waaayy long term)
3. Deep V pullover in Bulky Alpaca (needs sleeves)
4. Button Hat in Baby Alpaca
5. Hourglass Sweater in Misti Alpaca Pima Cotton and Silk
6. Lady of the Forrest Shawl in Cherry Tree Hill Lace
7. Sari Silk hat
8. Over the Knee Stockings (on temp hiatus until I can procure some new Brittany 5" DPNs.  Mine were attacked by a spoiled doggie)
9. Clapotis in Noro Silk Garden.
10. More Game Day Beer Coozies.
11. Spinning: need 1000 yards of worsted Grey merino
12. Sewing: 14 Origami bags.

Finishing February indeed: Check back, I will cross them off as I finish.

Thanks Secret Pal!

I got this fabulous package from my secret pal:  Note cards, a note pad, two fabulous skeins of yarn and this miraculous stuff called clear my head.  Secret pal, your timing could not have been better, as I was just starting to come down with a cold, and getting very stuffy. As you can see from the picture, I was so into the Crystal Palace Fjord (the purple & green) that I dove into it as soon as I opened the package.  I put it down and took this picture before I got too far into the skein! 

In other news, I have started a new sweater, which will be my second free pattern!  Check back soon y'all.