Blogger help Helped!

Finally figured out what the problem is.... we think. Will experiment more when I get home. Until finished for certain will continue to blog at http://asthewhorlturns.inthesphere.com which is my new blog site that I created prior to Bloggers latest attempt to help. Will probably continue blogging here temporarily until I get the new blog going for awhile and then will phase out Blogger. Sampa is just so much easier to use! If you're interested try it at www.sampa.com

Ok, I was going to post Merino Lace pics but they just aren't clear enough since I reduced the file size so I'm not going to. But they came out perfect. I used CTH Supersock in Martha's Vineyard. I'm almost done with the leg on the first Tofutsies Jaywalker. I've comtemplated a few times frogging it and making them in a better yarn but decided instead that I wouldn't let this beat me so I'm going to make these stinking (literally, what's up with the smell thing anyway?) socks if it kills me. The bonus is they're going really quickly so it shouldn't be too long before they're done and I can move on to more enjoyable socks. I'm thinking of making a pair of Roza's in my Lisa Souza Sock! Merino Joseph's Coat. I'm still waiting for my latest order from Lisa. I ordered almost TWO WEEKS ago and still haven't received an email saying it's on it's way. She let me know almost immediately that she had to do a run of one of the colors I ordered but in the first email she said she would be running it first thing the next week, and when I wrote for an update over a week later she told me the exact same thing. So...... It's two weeks later and here I sit. I ordered three skeins of Sock! and 4oz of Superwash roving. If I don't hear from her in the next day or so, I'm going to cancel my order. I know it sounds cranky of me and she's doing her own dyeing, but I've had a rough couple of weeks and I need pretty yarn to play with, NOW! Every now and then, I'm allowed to be demanding and bitchy for a couple of weeks. It's been about a year since my last pryncess tantrum so I guess I'm due. In all reality I'm not going to cancel the order, but I am going to bitch about it. Oh, speaking of throwing tantrums, my husband went to court this morning with my stepson's mom b/c she's trying to get him held in contempt for failure to pay his support. Now to be honest he only didn't pay for about a year and only b/c his boss gave him crap about doing the paperwork to withhold it from his check AND the mom hasn't let us see him since Malachi was about three months old when our stepson told us some very disturbing things and we had her investigated by childrens' services. She decided to throw a tantrum and has been withholding visitation for nearly three and a half years despite repeated attempts by Chris to get to see his son. Legally she is contempt of the visitation order but we don't have the money to hire a lawyer to go to court on it and she knows it. That, however, worked against her this morning when she went into the courtroom and faced the same judge that ruled on the case originally. Back then he actually told her, " Young lady, you need to grow up." She wasn't to happy to see him again. He asked my husband why he didn't pay his support for that period of time (he's been having taken out for six weeks now) and my husband answered, "Sir, it would probably help my case more to simply answer 'lack of responsibility' but the truth is I haven't been motivated b/c I haven't been allowed to see my son." The judge's whole demeanor changed and he turned to the mom and said," This is ridiculous. I'm not ruling on this today. I want to see you both back in five months and when I see support has been consistently paid for this period of time, I WILL dismiss this case." You should have seen her face! It was priceless! TADOW! I can't wait until I'm a doctor and we take full custody of my stepson. Then we'll move to Wyoming and SHE can see what it's like to not see him. Oh, I'm not going to deny visitation... she'll just have to get her fat butt out to Wy every two weeks and every wednesday night! I love it I love it I love it. .... Man, I'm going straight to hell.

I AM the MFing Pryncess and a review of Tofutsies.

I had my yearly evaluation at work today and my boss nearly had to deflate my head so that I could get out the door after she finished telling me what an asset I am and how she's one of my biggest fans!Then she asked about what upset me last week and I let it all out. I told her about the gossipping about my "mistake", she agreed it was silly and I wasn't in the wrong at all. I also got a couple of other things off my chest that also regarded the same person who was a major instigator in the gossiping buisness and at the end she was laughing but then she sighed and said. " I think it may be time for someone to leave. I wish it didn't have to come down to that...etc." She'd already told me earlier last week that I was a key player in the office and that I was higher on the totem pole than most of the gals giving me trouble. So even if that person isn't let go, at least I know that the boss is on MY side and all's well that ends well! Plus... I might get a bigger raise b/c Dr. Boyles has been talking me up big time! That would rock! So yes.... I am the pryncess! Now.... on to my review of the SWTC Tofutsies sock yarn. I have color #728. I call it Tequila Sunrise. I'm using it to do my first pair of Jaywalkers. Now, the yarn is beautiful and soft to the touch..... in a ball. It's 50% Superwash Wool, 25% Soysilk Fibers, 22.5% Cotton, and 2.5% Chitin (ground up crab shell). It has a gentle sheen to it and looks very much like Trekking only, ... it's no where near as nice. It knits like it's all cotton. There is very little sproing, ok, there's none. And maybe it's just me, but it has a smell when you knit with it. I can't quite describe it. It almost smells like it's burning. Very weird.


I shot this against some white paper so you could see the colors better but the pic isn't nearly as clear when it's posted as on my screen. Oh well. It has lovely colors and I will finish the socks b/c I'm sure it will wear just fine once it's done. And I'm sure they'll look great in my new shoes!

Aren't they pretty?! They are my fourth pair of Danskos. I absolutely love Dansko shoes. I buy one pair a year when I can. These are my favorites. I have a pair of classic black Professionals. Two pairs of Casey, one white pair for work and one brown pair for casual wear. And these are the Marcelle. Gorgeous! I also finished my Merino Lace socks from the new Interweave 25 Timeless Socks. I had some pictures uploaded but I accidently erased them and now my stupid internet connection is deciding to be a dick and not let me re-load them. I load them tomorrow.

In all honesty.... sometimes it just sucks to be a mom. Like last night, I'm parked a mere thirty meters from the entrance of the building where my Architechtural History class is held. It's raining. Just a light rain. Now, b/c it was supposed to rain all day and I knew I would be able to park close to said class, I left the umbrella with my husband to go get the kids from the sitters without getting wet. As I'm exiting my vehicle to head into class the rain starts to get worse. In about two minutes it went from light rain to monsoon. And I know monsoons, I lived in Panama for six years! By the time I hit the door of the building I am soaked down to the bone. I was wearing the new Baudelairs too. Needless to say I thought it my duty to endure the soaking for the benefit of my children. That was, at least, until this morning when Malachi said to me, "Mom you're fat. I want you to stay home with me. You never stay home with me. You're fat." ............. Damned ingrates.

Beautiful But Boring Blue Baudelaires

Okay, so I finally finished the Baudelaires and now I can do the second Merino Lace sock. I never thought I'd get bitten by the SSS bug but I had a serious case of it with these two pairs of socks. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that neither pattern is easily memorized and therefore I can't just pick them up, nonchalantly knit a row and then go back and do something else. I have to sit down with pattern at my tips and work on them for awhile. They are both very lovely patterns and make very lovely socks however. So here are the pics of my B5s. :



























































Sorry about the casper-like legs..... is o'erinn me (I am of Ireland). One battle with skin cancer is quite enough thank you. On a lighter note... I got my first letter from my Knitterly Letter Swap pal. Her name is Catherine and she's in Colorado Springs. So far, I think we're gonna get along just great. I bought some pretty stationary last week and I'll be sending out a lettert to Catherine and also to my downstream pal Kelly. Kelly's in Florida. So between the three of us, we span the country! It's pretty cool. Ok, and I sound like a complete geek. I'm not. Really. New subject. Welll I'm still the talk 'o the town at work. Ya know, if it wasn't gettin to be "that time" of the month, this crap wouldn't be so upsetting. As it is, I'm getting real sick and tired of being gossiped about for weeks on end whenever I mess up at all (be it a real mess up or just something that's personal like this latest thing). Ok, that's enough for now about that. On a happier note, I've been on a spinning kick lately. I'm finding a lot of comfort in the process and I've been experimenting with different breeds. So far I've spun Romney, Merino, Corriedale, and Blue Face Leicester. Today I picked up Morit Shetland, Jacob, and Merino/Tussah (in the most droolworthy blues ever!) I plan to order some Wensleydale and and maybe some Coopworth or Polworth if I can. I don't have any particular project in mind for the handspun right now. I'm just trying some different drafting and spinning techniques and getting a feel for what I'd like to work with most. Mostly....... I just like pretty wool in pretty colors and as long as I can get my wheel out and going the world is okay, at least for a little while.

Mother Nature likes to @#$% with Ohio

I'm serious. It's friggin snowing outside. In April. If that's not an in-your-face then I don't know what one is. I've never liked Ohio weather but, as the saying goes, if you don't like the weather in Ohio wait five minutes..... it'll change. The first year I was moved (and by moved I mean dragged) here it was October of 1992 and we found ourselves hip-deep in snow. Not too pleasant to a country girl from southwestern Georgia. In my short lifetime I've lived in: Panama (the country, not the city beach), Georgia (twice, and it's still my favorite), North Carolina (comes in very close to Georgia for tops), and Missouri. Do you notice a pattern? Yes, that's right, other than an occasional venture to South Bend, IN to visit the family I had never lived above the Mason-Dixon until my dad moved us here. I had seen snow, but never had to actually deal with it until the blizzard we were moved into. I've long since become used to the snow and since I learned to knit last year I actually have a new appreciation for cooler/cold weather, but I doubt I'll ever be able to get used to freak snowstorms in spring.At least Malachi got to use his Sherwood sweater a couple of times. Actually, I had to pull it off of him to wash it. Am I rambling? I have a migraine right now and I'm starving. Quiesiera pedir un bocadillo y necessito una cerveza. Por favor. Gracias. Okay, I'm done digressing into Spanish. So anyway, to ramble some more, I was listening to LnV and driving to class the other morning and it got to the part where they discussing the roving Lime got called Sweet Alex. It was a Kleenex moment and once they started crying, so did I. It's just been that kind of week at work. I feel so much empathy for Miss Lime. I have literally had to be talked down from resigning at least three times this week. My second job is looking for two full-time people and have been feeling me out to see if I want to come over to them full-time. Honestly, I'm considering it. If I wasn't due to begin my clinicals in the fall (fingers crossed!) I'd be over there in two seconds. See, here's my problem at work. I work in an office full of petty, selfish, insecure, immature women. On top of that, my boss actually LIKES me. She doesn't show me any favoritism, but she doesn't hide that she really does like me. This doesn't sit well with some co-workers. Another point of contention among them is that I don't commiserate with them about how "hard" working in the office is. Because.....well....it isn't. It is by far the easiest job I've had so far. It is physically undemanding and only mildly challenging mentally. Most of them time these women are making mountains out of mouse poop. It's, frankly, ridiculous and I refuse to engage in similar conversation so instead I get the "looks". I also get the looks b/c I: don't talk about my co-workers to my other co-workers (aka, Slumber Party Syndrome), don't talk personally about my patients ( can we say HIPAA violation?), and the worst of all..... I'm usually in a good mood so I don't spend the day whining. (My dad always told me, "Beck, you can't alway change your situation but you can always change your attitude about your situation.") This week it was really hard to keep my chin up. All I wanted to do was cry, or pummel somebody (two specific bodies actually and I'm not quite past that feeling yet so it's good they're not around right now). But,.... it's Good Friday and I do remember the reason for the rememberance of this day and of Easter. I'm no where close to being like Jesus, but at least he loves me and that's good enough for me to not pummel anyone. And now it's time for some pictures!

Today was quite possibly the most beautiful day I've seen in the past six months. Though it rained briefly this morning, once we walked out of church the sun was shining, the wind was gently blowing and the sky was the purest shade of robin's egg that I've ever seen. My husband, my children, and I went to the grocery then after dropping the groceries at home, we all went to the salon where Malachi and I got our hair cuts. My husband was not pleased with my choice of cut but then again, it's not his hair. Usually I have wavy/curly blonde hair down almost to my (large) butt. Now..... I have the same hair that Meg Ryan was sporting in City of Angels. It looks great on me and I might stick with it permanently. He'll get used to it. After the hair cuts we took the boys to the park in town and they played whiled I knitted on Malachi's sweater (which btw, will be done tomorrow...I'll post pictures). When we were finally able to wrench the children away from the playground, we stopped at the local fascist discount store( jk, it was Wal-Mart) where I picked up flower seeds (sweet pea, nasturtium, oriental poppy, and shasta daisies) to start my garden this year. Now, I have to be honest, this will be my very first attempt at a garden b/c I have never been inclined to garden before. I don't know if it was the weather, but some how I got bit by the flower bug this year and I just have to grow something.
Wish me luck, I feel that I'll need it. Now, onto yarn pron:

Puck's Mischief and Fire on the Mountain, STR.

STR, Interlacements Tiny Toes in CO2 & Vegas Brights, and J.Knits in N.Carolina.


My devils, I mean angels. Noah on the left, Malachi on the right (this is before the haircut.)

Another picture of the STR. And last but not least......

My new haircut on my ugly mug. Yes I wear contacts, no they don't change my eyecolor. Those blues are a family trait. So is the hair. Sorry about the close up but honestly, my lips really are that big. I also picked up a couple of new books. I got Cables Untangled, Inspirational Cable Knits, Dyeing to Knit, Color in Spinning, Fabulous Knitting (actually I think the title is slightly different but I don't have the book right in front of me so.... whatever), Stitchionary 2: Cables, and BW Second Treasury. I also finally bought the Rogue pattern and the Twisted Flower pattern. The Rogue will be my reward for getting rid of all the excess fat I'm totin. Ok, well, I think that's enough for now. I have spinning and knitting to do.