In the way of explanations...

So tomorrow would have been my due date, had my pregnancy this summer gone to term.

Which is why it seems like a perfect time to tell you...

THIS TIME THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE!!!

This ultrasound is from a month ago, and a 9-week embryo is a little lump of a baby, but it has a heartbeat, and we've heard it a couple of times, and everything seems to be going along well! I'm nearly 14 weeks, and I'm due August 29th.

So this is my reason for spotty posting, zero knitting and art content, and the general lack of anything interesting. I've spent a lot of the past month and a half on the couch. I truly have lost my ability to multitask. Usually I knit while watching tv, but since I've been pregnant, I can't manage much more than a little drooling while watching. If I knit, I have to concentrate totally on it or I screw up. Oil painting has been out of the question due to things like heavy metal pigments and icky solvents. And I've just been so bone tired. I'm starting to get some more energy back, though, and while I had a couple weeks of all day nausea, I was only sick once. All 48 oz of water for the ultrasound came back up. Obviously it still worked, but next time I won't bother with quite so much at a time. That much liquid wanting out all at once is pretty hard on a girl.

I'm sure as I progress I'll be more energetic and I might even have some interesting things to share. For the time being, I'm reading a lot, still trying to get back to MN before we have the baby, and getting lots of sleep. And the Sleepy-Voiced Husband and I have been enjoying finally being able to share our news with friends and family. We're both really excited!

The Birthday Post

Disclaimer:
If you came here thinking there would be pictures, as I claimed in my last post, you've been misled. I couldn't figure out how to take images from all the home videos my Dad put on DVD for me. By the way, my Dad got a video camera in 1981! There is video of the 6-year-old Susan! There would also have been some rather embarrassing 16-year-old cheerleader photos. Sorry to disappoint. I'm just not that technological.

Happy Birthday to Me
Happy Birthday to ME
Happy Birthday, dear MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Happy Birthday to Me

So today I am 32. You know what seems weird about that? It's twice 16, and 16 is a big year, right? I was driving, I was finally allowed to go out on a date, all that sweet 16 stuff AND I was 16 on the 16th.

I was also kind of annoying at 16. I had that high school flair for the drama. I wore torn jeans. I was still half-heartedly attempting big hair. I was also ridiculously self-centered, and although I fancied myself very worldly and wise, I was painfully sheltered and green. All of these things are very normal for a 16 year old. But I don't get that Jack and Diane song about "hold onto 16 as long as you can" because I think I was somewhat relieved to gain the experience, knowledge and compassion of each following year.

So at 32, I think I'm twice as good as that little 16-year-old. She had potential, and she had a metabolism to die for, but I just like myself so much better now. That's what I celebrate every birthday- the older I get, the more I find to like about myself. That, and the cake. I think this is going to be a good year!

P.S. SVH, that wonderful man, got me a gift certificate to get lovely things like a massage and facial and stuff. I'm so excited!

Pssst...

Hey- do you know what today is? If you sing me a song, I'll blow out some candles...

More (with pictures!) later!

SNOW DAY!

The research station where we work almost NEVER closes. But... it's been snowing steadily since early last night. When we got up this morning, we'd gotten far more than it looked like, as we discovered trying to back out of our carport. We made it about 5 feet, and then had to pull back in. We realized that perhaps we should check and see if we even had to go in today... and hooray, the station was closed! We've gotten over a foot so far, with more still coming down.

Valentine's day is a great day to have a snow day. There's been snuggling and napping and other good stuff, as well as a new-to-me episode of MST3K on You-tube. I also find that a snow day is an excellent day to read all those Chronicles of Narnia books that I've never read (I only read The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe), so I've spent a little time with Prince Caspian. We may have to brave the snow for some dessert later, as that was something we planned to pick up on the way home from work, but otherwise we've been quite comfy and cozy.

And the biggest news is- I starting knitting something! I got a lovely sock pattern and yarn from my favorite mother-in-law this past Christmas. The pattern is Rainy Day, and the yarn is Austermann Step in Jeans. It's variegated denimy colors, and I'm surprised at how pretty it is knitted. I seem to have lost my ability to multitask, so I haven't done much knitting because I'm busy doing other things. Today, though, I had more time. I feel a bit fumbly, as I haven't knit in a month, but I think it'll be ok.

Unfortunately, my camera batteries won't hold much of a charge any longer, so I have no pictures of the snow. You'll just have to take my word for it. Have a great day, my lovelies!

Spring IK 2007

We interrupt this drought in knitting content to bring you our commentary on the latest issue of Interweave Knits:

First of all, there's been a layout change. In the past, all pictures of the patterns appeared with the patterns themselves. In this issue, past the articles and just after the tutorial and accompanying patter, there is a section of full size photos of each design, similar to Vogue Knitting. This section is followed by the patterns, and there are lovely pictures with each pattern, too. Still, I preferred to have all the photos and patterns together. It's one of the things that bothered me about Vogue Knitting, and this layout is still better- I despise that there is NO picture anywhere near the pattern in Vogue- but personally, I liked it better the other way. Wah.

I like pretty much all of the designs. I don't know if I'm quite as in love as I was with the Winter issue, but it's pretty damn close. The photography is lovely, the colors all cool and springy, and it makes me want to look outside and see the pussy willows in bloom, not the 2 feet of snow we're supposed to get in the next 24 hours.

So, must I fall in love with everything Eunny Jang designs? This season, her tutorial is on entrelac and her pattern for the most delicious knee high entrelac socks is included in the issue. They are simply magnificent. I am one of those with shapely calves (just like Grumperina), and my only concern would be that the lovely entrelac pattern would be grossly misshapen once it reached said calves. Good for me that they're toe up, so perhaps, once I hit the calves, I could do something clever like go up a needle size or something to make them work.

I think I must say the same about Kate Gilbert as well. The Keyhole Top is just so cute and sassy, and has such lovely lines, it must be mine someday. Stefanie Japel has a lovely sweater in this time with interesting cables and a nice squarish neck (good for those of us with broad shoulders). I also like the Bonsai Tunic, although I'd probably forgo the tie, the Green Tea Raglan, and something in me, probably my inner 5-year-old-in-a-tutu, really likes the Swan Lake Cardigan. I'm not likely to make or wear it myself, but it's different and pretty. I like the Florentine Pillow a lot, too.

Definitely a good issue! And the online designs are all lingerie/boudoir pieces, so if you're up for some sexy little delicates, they've got 'em. My biggest problem right now is something, perhaps in the inks on the cover, makes Kouros want to attack and chew on it. I have to keep it hidden. The cover is full of little tooth marks and there are a couple of places where the background color is completely gone. Really, it's not from me drooling and licking it! Hope it's not toxic.

So What's The Skinny?

I was reading this article from Newsweek on MSN over lunch today. The subject is why skinny models could be making us fat. The discrepancy between the beauty images we see daily and the faces and bodies we actually see in the mirror is one that I've spent countless hours pondering, discussing, and ranting about. Please excuse the poor grammar. This topic just gets my knickers in a twist.

So, first of all, there's the weight thing. There are many others who can address the subject far better than I. I'm lucky enough not to suffer from eating disorders, and I've never been a dieter. I've been fortunate enough that if I'm not happy with my weight, I add some exercise, skip a couple of Cokes, my pants fit better and I'm over it. I truly know the super-skinny models and celebrities are not the norm, and although I had to say that for a long time before I really understood and believed it, I do know it's true. I don't find most of them attractive- Nicole Richie scares the hell out of me. I really want to give Kiera Knightly a sandwich. Lindsay Lohan... well, best not to open that can of worms. There's a whole lot more going there than egg salad is going to solve.

I _have_ had that punched in the stomach feeling when you put on the outfit you've seen in the magazine or the catalog and it doesn't look even remotely like it looks on her. I _have_ had that feeling when I look at my cheekbones/neck/toes/whatever that there is something just not right about me/mine. It isn't just weight. These images can cause shame about any part of a woman's appearance.

You see, this article mentioned about how much photo-editing is done. Now I know what you can do with Photoshop, and I've long sighed at the thighs on those Victoria's Secret models- you know, the pictures were the thigh looks plastic and spray-painted, with extra shading clumsily added to remove any curve at all? We've heard about airbrushing in the past, but now? Sweet Jesus, they can do anything... and DO.

Not only are moles, acne and subtle facial hair erased from already pretty faces, but retouchers are routinely asked by editors and advertisers to enlarge eyes, trim normal-size ears, fill in hairlines, straighten teeth and lengthen the already-narrow necks, waists and legs of 18-year-old beauties. link

So our beauty ideal isn't even REAL! The actual models can't even hack it. THEY don't even look that "good." If you want to see it in action, go watch this film. It's by the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and the Dove Self-Esteem Fund (btw, I think Dove's Pro-age ads are astoundingly beautiful!). That lovely woman in the movie barely resembles herself by the time her photo is on the billboard!

It took me so long to realize that there were things about my body that, starve or paint myself, were never going to change. I have a great big ribcage, and I looked far too sturdy compared to those waify models. Why didn't I look as slender as they did? I was thin, too. I have oily skin- and I couldn't figure out why my skin, although free from acne, didn't look like the velvety faces I saw in magazines. Those women didn't even have pores! And why was it that, despite my oval face shape, I looked round compared to the girls in ads? Was it the cheekbones you could slice cheese on that were missing? Or was it perhaps the dandilion stem neck that I didn't have? It took me years to realize that there was nothing I could do about these perceived flaws. I felt like maybe I wasn't trying hard enough or something.

It kills me that, beyond using very thin, very beautiful models, they are making changes to the shapes- the skeletons- and the features of these women once they're photographed, so that they become impossible beings.

I'm so upset by this and what it means for young girls. I thought the standard was high when I was a teenager, but some of those Teen Magazine models from my youth are positively stumpy compared with what we're seeing these days. And the article does mention that younger and younger girls are concerned about body image. I mean, 42% of first- third grade girls wanting to be thinner? WHAT?

But I've already seen it. My beautiful Gabriella, my godchild, my niece, who is all of 7 years old has a friend, Cammie. Cammie is built like a gazelle; she's tall with long skinny limbs. Gabby is of average height, and she's a slender, healthy girl. Half of my Gabby's genes come from New Mexico. She's probably going to have all the wonderful Latina curves to go along with her beautiful brown eyes, and she is going to be one hell of a knock-out. But Gabby has mentioned that she's not as skinny as Cammie. Gabby has mentioned that lots of boys like Cammie. Fortunately, Gabby still thinks boys are ridiculous and wants nothing to do with them. She's a confident little spitfire, but the point is, she has noticed. She sees the difference between her body and Cammie's.

Ugh. I've been typing on this rant for hours, and I simply have no idea how to wrap it all up. It just makes me so sad that fewer and fewer girls and women find themselves beautiful. I hate that, as media becomes more and more pervasive, the beauty standard has become completely fabricated. I really hate that, despite the fact that I'm a confident woman and I like the way I look, sometimes they still make me feel bad, too. Go check out the pro-age ads if you haven't already, and see how beautiful those women are. Look for the beauty in every woman and girl you see, and share it with those, young, impressionable minds.

In fact, see YOUR beauty, and share it with all of us. Write something, take a picture, draw, whatever you can think of- show us or tell us about what's beautiful about you. Consider yourselves ALL tagged on this one.

How Kouros Came To Be

I don't think I ever told you the story of Kouros.

Carl and I decided we wanted a pet. We've both always been cat people, but several of our best friends are allergic to kitties. We finally decided, "Screw our friends! We want a cat!" We thought we would get a light-colored female, because on average, they tend to be less allergenic. We'd also wait until after we went home for Christmas. This was immediately after Thanksgiving in 2004.

The next day, I told my coworker Jenn that we had decided we were going to get a cat, and two days later she came in from getting her car fixed and summoned me to the headhouse. There was the scruffiest, saddest, mangiest kitten I'd ever seen. And he immediately scampered up to me and let me hold him. His eyes were all crusty, he didn't smell good, he had fleas, his breathing was a little wheezy... and it was too late. I was in love. It was a black male, and it was only December 3rd, and Carl reminded me of all of our previous decisions. But you don't ignore something like that, do you- 2 days after you decide to get a cat, a little lover of a kitten just falls into your lap?

Jenn said at the garage they had a new little black kitten. They said she was one of a litter that a stray had left behind the garage. They had taken the two sickliest in to the vet. One had to be put down, but this one, Sid, was going to make it and live in the garage because all the big burly mechanics were in love with her. They told Jenn that there were still two left, but they couldn't catch them. She went out to see them, and there was my Kouros, gnawing on a dried out turkey skeleton. And his last littermate was nearby, but had died. He wouldn't let the garage guys catch him, but he ran straight up to Jenn. Jenn volunteered with the SPCA and has rescued strays all her life. I think Kouros knew she was a friend. She said, "If you really want to save a life, this is it. He wouldn't make it through the weekend outside."

I took my boy to the vet the next day. He only weighed 3 pounds. Dr. Bob said he was a dead ringer for Feline Leukemia, with his runny eyes, and his respiratory problems. It was so cute- everyone in the office was so happy when the test came out negative! They were all rooting for him. Dr. Bob said, "Well, kitty, I guess you found yourself a sucker!"

So Kouros was flea dipped, given antibiotics, given an eye cream for conjunctivitis, and wormed. Did I mention his poor little belly was completely swollen with worms? He looked pregnant. I took him home, draped a sheet over my lap and brushed all the dead fleas out of his coat. He laid there, purring and looking at me like he had never been so in love. He was obsessed with grooming after that. I've never seen a cat bathe so much, and he's never stopped the meticulous cleaning. Later that night, Carl and I tried several names out on him, but none seemed to fit. I said, "He's just such a little boy, none of the names work!" And Carl came up with Kouros.

Over the next month or two, he got healthy enough to get his vaccinations. He didn't completely get over the worms, unfortunately, until May. MAY! He was wormed probably 5 times. He ended up with pneumonia that month, and with his short stay in the clinic, we finally saw the end of the worms. He's been totally healthy every since.

And he's become a fat, spoiled cat. At his vet appointment in January, he weighed 14 pounds. Last year, for the first time, he decided he may be interested in going outside. Before that, he never wanted to go out. He seemed completely happy to be inside, warm and clean. With his immune system, though, he's got to be an indoor cat.

He still likes to be in all those places he shouldn't.

More training

So we had another brilliant training session at work last week. This time, it was conflict resolution. The good thing was we were bribed with breakfast treats like bagels, fruit and donuts. Determining our working styles was the interesting part of the training- we took a little quiz and came up with some numbers in different categories. My category was "expressive" and the moderator said this type tends to have a difficult time working in government because of all the rules and regulations. And ridiculous mandatory training sessions.

There was a lot of talking, and then we took another little quiz to find out which of the 5 conflict resolution strategies we like to use. Lame. Oh, and did I mention that this training was THREE HOURS LONG? By the end, I was a bit punchy. The presenter's mixed metaphors and confused platitudes began to grate. Fortunately the sugar crash after the donut I ate at the beginning was slowing me down, so I behaved myself. Until she mentioned that person who, in disagreements, "goes straight for the juggler."

Yes, she meant to say "jugular" but, no, there was absolutely no second "u" in her pronunciation. I had to bring my hand up to cover my smile and I tried very hard not to giggle. We were sitting at a long table and turned sideways, so I couldn't see the person sitting next to me, who happened to be Carl. That was a good thing, becuase I could see Fantastic Boss across the table, and seeing his reaction to Carl nearly made me lose it. Carl was subtly moving his hands like he was juggling, but the killer was he was following the imaginary balls with his eyes.

At least I got a donut.

Books books books

I haven't been knitting. At all. Not a stitch. I think it's some sort of knitting malaise, and I'm sure I'll snap out of it eventually. But for know, I'm following my whims, and I'm not knitting even though I'm co-hosting a knit along. Slacker.

Instead, I've been reading voraciously. I hadn't been reading a whole lot recently because I always needed my eyes for other things. I listened to recorded books, but I only actually read before bed.

I had been reading The Green Knight by Iris Murdoch since Thanksgiving. I love her writing, but I read it rather slowly because it's dense. The copy I have has the most densely filled pages, too, of any book I've read before. I think maybe the margins are narrower and the typeface is small and more narrowly spaced between lines. I just finished it this morning.

I read The Other Boleyn Girl in about 5 days. That was a speedier read- much lighter fare. But it caught my fancy and I really enjoyed it. Especially since it spurred me on to read a bit more Tudor history and learn about Henry VII and his wives. Ok, I looked it up online. I didn't read any History books. But still.

This morning I started reading another purely candy book while in the bath. It's called Lirael by Garth Nix, and it's the second in a trilogy. I think they are young adult books that SVH discovered while working in a bookstore. They appeal (to me) in the same way the Harry Potter books appeal to me. The magic in this world is very different than anything I've read or seen in movies. It's a nice treat while I continue to process the Murdoch book I finished.

Lirael is SVH's book. When he saw it on the bathroom counter as I was running my bath, he said, "If you get that wet, I swear to Jebus ...." He loves his books. I'm a pro at reading in the tub, so I assured him it would be fine. Still, later, I couldn't help myself, and I called from the tub, "Carl? I was going to practice reading underwater. You don't mind, do you?" He came slamming into the bathroom, grabbed the book and stormed out. My man, he has excellent timing. I couldn't stop laughing. I think he scared the hell out of the cat. He came back in with the book and said, "Don't push me, woman."

Oooh - he's in the tub right now! Maybe I'll go dangle the book over him for a while.

Did I ever tell you...

...about the time we had to go to a workplace violence training session? We weren't trained to be violent in the workplace, of course. We were being trained on ways to avoid violence in the workplace. The first suggestion of the video was not to hire people who were likely to become violent, which was my first clue that this video was meant for people who had control over things like HIRING and not for average employees like me.

The part of that meeting I was thinking of just now was the email announcing the training. It said "You are cordially invited, but required to attend, a training session blah blah blah." Don't you just love that one?

I won't go on too much about all the off-color comments made between myself (I was sitting in the very front, of course), Fantastic Boss, and my Sleepy-Voiced Coworker/Husband. We were particularly interested in whether violence between Carl and myself would qualify as workplace or domestic violence because we're married. Just in case you were wondering, domestic violence that spills over into the workplace is considered workplace violence. I realize this is a serious subject, but because this training made no attempt to separate what employees at different levels of authority could do, nearly all suggestions had nothing to do with what would be my response or role in such things. So I became a 10-year-old again and made jokes. Quietly. To the people next to me. And then try desperately not to laugh.

So after a long morning of stifling the giggles, the piece de resistance was when our safety coordinator announced that she was available for questions 24/7. Except weekends. And evenings. And holidays.

Ew

Hi. Me again. Started off the week by vomiting spectacularly. I mostly slept and stared today.

Sometime, I'll start doing things to write about again. For now, about the most I'm capable of is reading The Other Boleyn Girl (nothing like a little tarted up historical fiction, eh?) and watching the DVDs of Firefly. Can anyone tell me why a show that good was canceled?

More when I feel better

2006 in Self-Absorbed Review

Hi. You know what I don't do much anymore? Blog. But you knew that.

The past couple of weeks have been 100% gray. I have a bit of trouble with the short daylengths and cloudy days. I didn't really want to post about how I was doing nothing more than holding down the couch. I'm barely knitting. I'm working on a second fetching for a gift (LATE late Christmas gift) for my friend Nicole. But I've hardly even been interested in that. Much less the miles of fine knitting to be done on my Enid cardigan in GRAY when it was so bloody GRAY outside.

BUT! Today, in my narrow swatch of upstate NY the sky is completely blue and cloudless as far as I can see! It's sunny and lovely and I've a new spring in my step. I thought I'd finish a post I'd started last Friday (sorry). This is the 2006 Year-in-Review. I know, it's late for that kind of thing, but I think I could use a kick start.

Knitting (completed projects):
Harry Potter Scarf
Annouk
Homely Socks
Kitty Toys
Clapotis
Baby Yoda Sweater
Kitty Hat
Felted Bag - No pic - bad blogger
Jaywalker socks
Baby Pullover - No pic again - see jaywalker picture for pieces of the body
A single Fetching for me - You'll get pictures when you deserve them, dammit!

Knitting (incomplete projects):
Tempting - To the Frog Pond, Baby!

Art (completed projects):
Still Life in Color (pics later?)
Portrait of Steve
3 Women (did I ever show that one?)
Sets and backdrops for Pirates of Penzance
September Piece-a-Day project (Just look at all of Sept '06 and the first of Oct '06)
Backdrop for A Christmas Carol

Art (incomplete projects):
Still Life in Color - did you catch that? It's done, but I'm not happy with it. Must fix.
A lovely little oil of some squash that has nothing more than the underpainting
Portrait of Miranda - one of those from my class last spring that just never looked right
Wise Guys - A painting based on some of my Grandmother's pictures from the 20s and 30s. It doesn't even have the underpainting.

Additionally, I managed to plan an art show where I work, and snare a couple of awards for my artwork. Oh- and I started a blog about the creative work I do. Yes, I just linked to this blog. Delicious.

I feel better. When I'm sitting at work, I feel like I'm not making any progress toward an artistic career. This little strutting-of-my-stuff reminds me that I'm not as far back or inactive as I feel sometimes. Thanks for indulging. Love you!

Many random comments

My cat snores.

I found out when he began snuggling and falling asleep with me, usually around 3 am. He stretches out his full length with his back to me and front paws up next to the top of my head and his head under my ear. It's maybe a bit more of a wheeze than a snore, but it's enough to wake me up.

In other news- I'm going to have to bite the bullet and go get a size 3 needle. I know, I know, I've already been through this. I even said my gauge problems were solved. But I was smoking crack or something. I think in order to make gauge with my #4 needle, I would be knitting so tightly I wouldn't enjoy the project. I'm not even knitting on my swatch because I know this #4 isn't working and I'm all crabby, so I'm totally stalled. Suck it up, soldier!

I'll go to the yarn shop tomorrow.

I made home-made mushroom soup tonight. Just for me. SVH hates mushrooms, so they're mine, all mine! Mwah hah hah hah! He made wild rice soup for himself, and he can have it, the nasty stuff.

In yet other news- I'm still polishing up my list of new year's resolutions. Yes, I make them, and yes, I take them seriously, but no, I don't feel they need to be solidified right away on the first of January. I've found if I take a little longer to think about them and decide, I actually keep them. I've got one that I've kept for 2 years solid now. But you can hear about that another day. Toodles!

New Rules For Susan

I, Susan, do solemnly swear to live by the following rules:
1. I will not spaz about my gauge before my swatch has even reached 3 inches in length
2. I will not measure my swatch with the needles still in the fabric (Can I get a duh?)
3. I am not the Yarn Harlot. I will do a proper swatch and not claim a sleeve counts. Maybe once I've knitted as much as the Harlot, I can do the same as she.

The gauge is looking much better, and I won't do my final measurements until I've given it a bit of a wash. Honestly, measuring gauge on 2 inches of fabric with the needles still in it...

Nintendo Weekend

I was wishing, wishing upon a star for today to be gray and cloudy and guess what!? It is!

I'm actually serious about that. I wanted this weekend to be, as the SVH calls it, a Nintendo weekend. We're still recovering from the driving, the visiting and the driving again. We had considered going to Syracuse or Rochester to shop- Christmas at my parents' house was an embarrassment of riches in the form of gift cards- but we were just too damn tired. Perhaps next weekend we can go get some cute shoes, some Starbucks coffee and some knitting books. This weekend, we're following Kouros's lead.

So, I never managed to take a picture of the baby sweater for my nephew-in-progress. I also never managed to take a picture of my fulled/needle-felted bag that I gave Carl's older sister for Christmas. I needle-felted a martini glass and a couple of olives on the front of it. I think I'll see if the Mother-in-law can snap a pic of the bag. And maybe once the n-i-p is born, my family will get a digital camera and they can take a picture of the nephew in the sweater. It was such a bizarre shape, but then again, it was the newborn size, and newborns are bizarrely shaped. They're all big head and chubby torso.

While I was home, I got a wonderful hand-knitted scarf from my friend Jenny! Check it out! It's a rattle snake scarf! It's so soft and warm, complete with a forked tongue and a beaded rattle! I think it's looking pretty snazzy with the tie-dyed shirt I got for Xmas. My niece Emily said I could wear the shirt on Halloween, and I think Gabby said it would make me the queen of the bumblebees. Pay no attention to the Saturday hair.

So my current knitting project, the Enid cardigan, is going slowly. I've never knitted on 4 dpns before. My other issue is this sleeve is going to be HUGE! Pay no attention to the pasty white arm- other than to show the scale of the monumental sleeve. SVH was asking if I could photoshop in a tan.

So, I guess I may be in for a quick trip to the LYS to get a smaller set of needles. So much for not leaving the couch today. I guess I did play about an hour of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (shut up)... well, until Hooktail laid the smack down and Mario bit it. Aaaah, Nintendo weekend.

P.S. Isn't my breakfast adorable? The mug is part of the incredibly thoughtful Christmas gift from Carl's younger sister (yes, he has 3 sisters- his older sister, his younger sister and the sleepy-voiced-sister, who's the youngest). Her friend's father made it. I love everything about it- the shape, the handle, the colors, the capacity! She also gave me some handmade earrings. I'll post a picture of them later. They're really cool.

Happy New Year!

Just a quick pre-2007 note (I'm in the central time zone, even though the blog is on Eastern). We're heading back to NY all day January 1 (and into the wee hours on the 2nd), after the best Christmas ever and one of the best new year's eve's ever, too. We've had a fabulous trip, despite the fact that I functioned mainly as a jungle gym for my nieces the past few days. It's been really good to spend time with family.

See you next year...

Merry Christmas!

I dropped out of communication there in the rush to get out of town. I've been safely at my parents' house since Saturday around 10am. We made the trip in 17 hours! I couldn't believe it.

I finished all the knitted gifts I wanted to get done. The sweater for the nephew-in-progress did have to wait for its final wash until after the gift was given, but it was essentially finished. Of course the batteries in the camera were dead, so I don't have any pictures of the gift opening. I think everyone was pleased with what they got from us. My brother asked me to sign the photos I gave him to hang in his apartment, so I think that makes me officially a famous artist.

It's been fun to be at home so far. I have to admit when I saw the stroller and car seat my parents bought (to keep around their house for ALL of their grandchildren, my Mom assured me), I got teary, but mostly it's been fine. I forgot that even though my sister has gotten much happier, she's still pretty self-centered. She mostly talks about what the baby is doing, how she's feeling at any given moment, whether or not she needs to eat/go to the bathroom/pass gas, and she truly believes it's terribly fascinating to all the rest of us. I don't really know if it occurs to her that it might bother me. And for the most part it doesn't. I'm fine.

I just wanted to say merry christmas, all you lovely little imaginary friends out there on the internets! And happy whatever holiday you celebrate, too. Thanks for being out there!

Have you ever had crab rangoon at 4am? It's delicious.

I woke up at about 3 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep because I was starving! Finally I got up and threw a couple of leftover crab rangoon into the toaster oven and chowed down. It's not a practice I intend to continue, but it seemed to work at the time.

Six Weird Things About Me

It's Christmas, and I'm feeling expansive, so I'm not going to tag anyone specific. Whatever holiday you celebrate, think of this as my gift to you. It's just your size, right?

1. Sometimes, when I think of something stupid that I've done in the past, I wind up talking to myself or making some sort of loud noise to either (A) correct the situation in the past or (B) drive the disturbing thought from my head.

2. When I get into bed and the sheets are cold, I have to run to warm them up. I lay in bed on my side and run my legs (or bicycle them, I suppose). I've done it ever since I was in nursery school.

3. I always drink milk with spaghetti and tomato sauce. Again, something from my childhood. I spent time in Italy- I know this is a faux pas. My friend's Italian grandfather used to punish the kids for drinking milk with tomato sauce. My Sleepy-Voiced Husband calls it borderline-repulsive.

4. I was totally compelled to look at the photos of Britney Spears's "Devil's Onion Ring" as SVH calls it (just that specific one- not all of them). Oh yes, I regretted it. Oh yes, I think it's ridiculous that all these notorious tabloid queens are flashing their ladybits to the world and it's being considered news. I don't normally seek out pictures of the cooters of the rich and famous. And yet- I looked. And I made my husband look, which is simultanously weirder AND hilarous, because it made him very sad.

5. When I get the oh-my-god-it-hurts-but-I-can't-stop-laughing giggles, when I begin to settle down, I have to make a "hmmmm" sound. Which usually sets them off again. It's a vicious cycle. I didn't know I did it until SVH pointed it out.

6. I love bizarre, violent anime. I practice yoga, I'm compassionate, I'm a bleeding heart liberal, I hate real life violence... but give me an animated film with women with impossible measurements wearing too little clothing, carrying ridiculously huge machine guns and causing people's limbs to fly off in fountains of blood, and I can't get enough! Actually, one of my very favorites was called Hellsing- it was about vampires, and the main vampire gets shot so many times that his jaw falls off. Then he laughs and he reassembles, and dogs come out of his hands and then nothing recognizable is left of the people who shot him, and, and ...it was awesome. I may have blended a few different scenes together, but you get the gist.

If you need to know any other weird things about me, I direct you to the post a few days ago in which I showed pictures of my bathroom and told how I was going to eat in the tub. Which is apparently much more common than I thought. I'm glad I'm in good company.

P.S.

I finished the socks!





Kouros helped them get dry by lying on them shortly after this photo was taken.