A New Job

Yup, I got a job. Who'da thunk it? I started work Thursday, and am expecting this project to continue for four to six months (although I hope it doesn't go that long).

I signed up to work part time, which with this company means around 40 hours a week (full time is 60+). So, I'm now up at 5:00am every weekday morning, insert caffeine drip, make a healthy lunch, lace up the steel toed boots, and away I go, up the mountain. It's a little bit wild.

Anyway, I now have significantly less knitting time, less blogging time, less blog-surfing time, and no nap time at all! What I will do for the almighty $. But, must pay for the stash enhancement...


Edited later to add: Um, good point DebR! The job is ... kind of fluffy / waffle-y ... a production operations streamlining consultant thing. Yeah, that's meaningful. And so very comprehensible.

I was confused, too, until I realized that my job at this particular site will be to look for holes or bottlenecks in the operation - basically find opportunities to improve production capacity and/or streamline the operations process, cutting costs in the process.

Hmm, still don't know what I'm doing? Uh, it has to do with a surface mining operation. I wear steel toed boots, a hard hat, safety glasses and a reflective vest. I come home really dirty, but get to spend the day on top of a mountain. And yes, full time is a minimum of 60 hours a week (most employees work 12 hour days, 10 days on, 4 days off, for 120 hours every two weeks). Woo hoo!

Who has new shoes?

Why, that would be me! And, they go with my new socks!

Those of you that have met me know that I have "a good, solid understanding" (what my Mom used to tell me when I complained about the size of my feet). They are large. They are rather flat at the ends (no pointy-toed shoes for me). They are REALLY wide. And, the instep of my left foot is so high that there are very few shoes I can wear.

Yesterday, in between being gifted with a brief moment of wisdom from our Endocrinologist and having 14 vials of blood pulled for testing, I went shoe shopping. Normally that activity results in emotions from disappointment to frustration, but yesterday was different.

Instead of going to "trendy" shoe shops, I went straight to the place where nurses and postal workers go. Yes, their shoes were more expensive than the "fashion" shoes I'm used to. Yes, they came in unfamiliar-to-me sizes. And yes, they had a couple of types that fit me!

I came away with Birkenstocks. Green plastic Super Birkis, to be exact. And they FIT REALLY WELL! My large square feet are in heaven, and that extra-high instep is just fine with its new confinement.

To celebrate, I finished my first pair of Red Hot Sizzling Socks. Details on the socks in ThatLoganChick's Socks (gallery). All you need to know is that my feet are some friggin' happy right now, and that any mud that gets on these shoes can be hosed off without doing any damage. Because I live in a town where it regularly snows then blows, creating mud all winter long. And 'cause I'm a dirty grrl. ;-)

Ear to Ear with the Grinning Today

Verklempt! By the email!

I had a few really nice (and interesting!) emails today from some blogosphere friends, and they have me feeling all warm and fuzzy. And, to boot, I got (my very first!!!) meme tag.

Now normally I am the end of the chain email. However, there is something about a meme that is so much more meaningful - it's a way to share tidbits about oneself without making readers wade through the usual babble (in my case - babbler extrordinaire). See? Massive and nasty sentences are the norm here at That Logan Chick Land.

Okay, I'll quit blathering and get meme-ing (it's the "Four Things" meme):

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. Server Monkey at McDonalds (age 15)
2. Legal Secretary
3. Project researcher/writer for two University Professors
4. Project Engineer for a construction/mining contractor (favorite paid job of all time)

Four movies you could watch over and over:
1. Serenity (Joss Whedon's Firefly movie)
2. The Tall Guy (funniest sex sceen EVER)
3. Hellraiser (any of them)
4. House of 1000 Corpses (Rob Zombie movie)

Four places you have lived:
1. Lower Hutt, New Zealand (born there)
2. Near Elk Island Park, Alberta, Canada
3. Edmonton, Alberta
4. Fort McMurray, Alberta

Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Daily Planet
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
3. Frontiers of Construction
4. Law and Order

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. Tucson, Arizona
2. Vancouver Island, BC
3. Jasper, Alberta
4. Banff, Alberta
I'm not so much for the travelling (it's not that I hate flying, it's that I hate taking off and landing). Also, I'm uncomfortable sleeping in strange beds, and using unfamiliar bathrooms. Oh, and also I get really BITCHY if I don't have my usual everyday surroundings around me EVERY DAY. And I miss my cats.

Four websites you visit (almost) daily:
1. Fibermania
2. Red Shoe Ramblings
3. Yarn Harlot
4. Zeneedle

Four of your favorite foods:
1. Dark chocolate
2. Cheese
3. Peanut butter
4. Pears

Four places you would rather be right now:
1. Willmore Wilderness Park, Alberta
2. The "beach" near Jasper, Alberta
3. In a (good) yarn store
4. Exactly where I am (home), but it's miraculously cleaner
Please note that numbers 1 and 2 are good weather dependent. Right now it's blowing snow outside, so 3 or 4 would do just fine.

Red Hot Sizzling Socks (Yum!)

Man-oh-man, I'm a joiner this year. I found this KAL (knit-along for those not used to knit-speak) on Margene's site, and considering that I had just completed the first of my Flirting with Pink socks, it seemed appropriate for me to join.

Plus, there's that skein of Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Rosehip heating up my sock yarn stash. And, if Felicia of Sweet Georgia gets another dye run in soon, I'm hoping there will be some "Slayer" superwash coming my way. Mmmm, red socks. Yup, they certainly will "spice up the sock drawer".



But what the heck is with my freakishly weird shaped foot? Yes, I have a very high arch, and yes, I have a tall instep, and yes, I have thick ankles, but they look WAY worse in the photo than in real life. Still, gotta love the hot sock. I wanted shorty socks in this yarn, and the picot edging worked out really cute. Loving the red sock (must cast on second sock immediately).

What is with me and pink lately?

I must be going through some sort of weird not-quite-mid-life crisis or something - I've gone from hating the pink (and a regular scoffer of those who like pink) to loving the pink. Really. I'm all about the pink these days.

After the orange socks were finished a few days ago, I immediately went to the stash-just-for-sock-yarn, sniffing around for which pair to begin next. Oh, and in case you're wondering, it is now official: I have four stashes. I have a stash for sock yarn, one for lace weight, one for other natural fibres, and one for whimsies (aka the embellishment stash). Wait, those are just my knitting stashes. I also have a large quilting stash. With sub-categories, too. Oy.

Okay, where was I ... oh yes, choosing the next pair of socks. I wanted to use something hand painted, and thought maybe green or brown would be nice. Short-row-toe-swatched a green, but didn't feel the love. Short-row-toe-swatched a brown, but again with the lacking of love. Pulled out a vibrant red, previously relegated to the back of the stack due to the pronounced presence of pink. Swatched (toe again) and I. AM. IN. LOVE.

How could anyone not love this pinky red goodness? And, with the aubergine? I'm currently fighting insane (yes, I can recognize insanity when I feel it) urges to lick this sock. Ugh, but oh so tempting. It's the pink - it has me all feverish in the noggin.


Or, maybe it's the yarn, which has 25% mohair in there with the merino superwash goodness (Schaefer Anne sock wool). The mohair gives it a firm, slightly slippery hand, and it feels shiney while knitting. I know, that sounds ridiculous - how can it "feel" shiney? But it does, trust me.

So far I have been able to avoid the urge to lick this sock, but I have caved in and rubbed it on my face. If I ever get another skein of Schaefer Anne, I think it will become a scarf. Yummmm!

Sliding Head First into Insanity

I've joined the Yarn Harlot's 2006 Knitting Olympics. The challenge is to cast on only after the Olympic Flame has been lit, and finish your project (including sewing together, weaving in ends, and blocking, as required) before the Flame is extinguished. While watching the Winter Olympics - only 16 days!

Her suggestion is to challenge yourself, in the spirit of Olympic competition, and knit something bigger, more complex, and more impressive than you would normally be able to finish in that time - she states it way better than me in her blog write-up, but you get the point.

I've joined (see title above, which is a nod to one of the winter sports). I will be knitting one of two lace cardigans: The Filigree Lace Jacket, or the Angelina Vintage Jacket, from White Lies Designs. I can't commit to one yet, as I just ordered the patterns, and once they come, will be raiding my stash for appropriate yarn/yardage. We are allowed swatching in advance (considered "training"), so I expect a post or two about trying out potential yarns.

This will be a heck of a challenge - I usually have issues with completing projects, so to finish a full sized garment in just over two weeks will be, well, hard work. It will require dedication. Stick-to-it-ive-ness. Focus. Things that Olympic athletes have, and that I don't. Oy.

I love the Warning Label Generator

Fun with website activities ... Warning Label Generator. Tee hee!





I'm toying with the idea of generating one for the bathroom door ... no, not that! Just a (gentle) reminder that in this house, the lid is always left DOWN after the flush. Why? Because there is nothing so nasty as fishing out a wet cat used to jumping up onto the normally closed toilet lid without looking.

More Reasons I Love my Husband

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my husband? Yes? Well, buck up and prepare for more. Sorry.

On Monday afternoon he left for Edmonton for a work related conference. Tuesday he called me "just to say Hi" at lunch, after the last meeting, and at bedtime. Wednesday was pretty much the same. Today, (Thursday), he just called to say he's making a run for it - wants to be home tonight, because he misses me. Aaaaah.

Although, it's just as likely that he misses his comfy chair, his furry feline lap rug, and the wife bringing him ice cream after dinner. Oh, and our really comfy bed (we have a great mattress, wonderful sheets, and a toasty warm but never too hot wool batted quilt on the bed, yes, I made it).

It doesn't matter why he's rushing home now. The only thing I'm worried about (aside from getting some more cleaning done before he gets home) is that the moose, elk, and deer stay off the road and away from his vehicle. Because I don't want him hurt. Oh, and maybe a little because he's driving my car. Which I've been without since lunch time Monday. And which I miss. But not as much as I miss my husband!

ThatLoganChick's Socks

The Sock Count:
I ended 2005 with 1 pair. Now I have (cough) 9 pairs.
DH ended 2005 with 7 pairs. He still has 7 pairs.



Huckleberry Trout:
- Finished: 25th of Feb, 2006 (3 days)
- Construction: Toe up, short row toe & heels, 56 stitches, increased to 64 for instep, then to 66 for 11 stitch pattern repeat on leg. Garter stitch cuff.
- Yarn: Little Lola from Schaefer, 100% superwash merino, sport weight (280 yards in 4 ounces, and I used almost all of it)
- Needles: 3.0mm Addi Turbo circ
- Stitch Pattern Detail: I used an 11 stitch chevron rib on the leg to break up the more obvious purple striping (mission successful - love the chevron pattern, and will use it again). The repeat was k2tog, k2, (k1,yo,k1)into next stitch, k2, ssk, p2, then knit the 9 pattern stitches on the alternate rounds, keeping up the p2 rib.
- Washing: not yet
- Comments: The Schaefer Little Lola is a great quick knit for socks - there is more in my stash, which I'm happy about, as it sells really fast, and is rather difficult to find. The chevrons on the leg took up a lot of yarn, and don't have much give, so from now on I will only use them with fingering weight yarns that have oodles of yardage. These shorter socks are comfortable and soft, but don't look good with my green Birkis. Oh well, they're Huckleberry Trout, so I love them anyway.


Safe Place Socks:
- Finished: 22nd of Feb, 2006 (10 days of intermittent knitting)
- Construction: Toe up, improved short row toe & heels (actually followed directions!), 60 stitches, up to 66 for instep, then to 72 for my calves, plain stocking stitch, 3x1 ribbed cuff
- Yarn: Soft Touch Heather in "Loganberry" from Shelridge Farms (a Canadian farm/yarn producer), 85% wool with 15% nylon, two 50g (175m) skeins. The yarn is a deep, dark aubergine, with heathered yellow, blue, and red (the primaries). I simply couldn't capture the beauty of this yarn on camera, but spend a lot of time staring at my socks in glee.
- Needles: 2.5mm Addi Turbo circ
- Stitch Pattern Detail: none
- Washing: not yet
- Comments: I knitted until I was almost out of yarn (to see how far the skeins would go), and got really long socks. As I generally prefer my socks shorter (about 8" is good), I wear these in a slouch manner. They are my Safe Place Socks because they enabled me to retreat to a comfort zone when life and pressure around me got too hot to handle. I really like this Canadian yarn, and will be making more with this brand.


Sprouts:
- Finished: 5th of Feb, 2006 (2 days, maybe 18 hours for the pair, which is really, really fast for me)
- Construction: Toe up, short row heels & toes, 51 stitches, lace front & back panels, 1x1 ribbing at top
- Yarn: Speed Demon in the Willow colourway, from Felicia (Sweet Georgia) at The Sweet Shop. This is a sport weight yarn, 100% superwash merino. Used all but 1/4 ounce of 4 ounce skein (the small ball in the photo is all that was left)
- Needles: 3.25mm Aero circular for magic loop (one at a time)
- Stitch Pattern Detail: lace pattern on back and front of leg, made up, 17 stitches wide
- Washing: maintained fabric integrity perfectly after machine washing & drying, and are very soft and squishy
- Comments: This yarn really is a speed demon. I pumped out the first sock on Friday, after finishing off the Butterscotch Curls that morning, then the second sock on Saturday. The yarn is extremely soft, so I am leary of how it will machine wash. I love the colour, and with the lace, these socks make me think Spring!


Butterscotch Curls:
- Finished: 3rd of Feb, 2006 (6 days to knit)
- Construction: Toe up, short row toes & heels, 67 stitches, lace back panel, 1x1 ribbing at top
- Yarn: 3.25 ounces of "Sock!" from Lisa Souza, hand dyed in the Pumpkin colourway. Sock! is 75% superwash wool and 25% nylon. The skein was 4 ounces (488 yards).
- Needles: 2.5mm Addi Turbo for magic loop (both socks, one at a time).
- Stitch Pattern Detail: lace pattern on back of leg, over 23 stitches, from Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, pg 210, "Twin Leaf Lace". Love it!
- Washing: no blooming (already washed during the dyeing process). Machine washed and dried very well, with minimal halo and no pilling.
- Comments: I really like the lace pattern on the back of the leg, and will use this again. When I next knit with Sock! I will use a smaller needle (maybe 2.25mm) as I forgot there wouldn't be any bloom, and would like to see slightly denser fabric. The colour makes me want to bake something.


Flirting with Pink:
- Finished: 24th of Jan, 2006 (7 days to knit)
- Construction: Toe up, short row toes @ 72 stitches, increased to 80 stitches for instep, short row heel, 2x2 ribbing to shape ankle, picot edge cuff
- Yarn: 2.25 ounces of Schaefer "Anne" in one-off red mix. Anne is 60% merino superwash, 25% mohair, and 15% nylon, and is sold in 4 ounce skeins (560 yards). I used just over half of the skein for these ankle socks.
- Needles: 2.0mm Addi Turbo for magic loop (both socks, one at a time)
- Stitch Pattern Detail: none
- Washing: bloomed slightly after machine washing (gentle, cold) & drying with no fuzzing or pilling, making these the socks with the best record so far for holding up after machine washing & drying
- Comments: These socks feel terrific - smooth, soft, and warm. The yarn has less "spring" than pure wool, but does knit up very nicely. My gauge was 10.5 stitches per inch, and I had to increase by 8 stitches to comfortably fit my high instep. These are my first entries in the Red Hot Sizzling Socks KAL (see sidebar for link). I call them "Flirting with Pink" because I chose the yarn for the rich reds, was a bit surprised by how much the pink stood out when it was knitted, and became quickly enamoured by the yummy pink highlights. I hope to move beyond flirting, and actually knit with pink soon.


Feet a l'Orange:
- Finished: 16th of Jan, 2006 (6 days to knit)
- Construction: Short Row Toes & Heels, Toe up construction over 64 stitches, 72 stitches for calf, 2x2 ribbed cuff
- Yarn: slightly less than one 100g ball of Lana Grossa Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch, in colour #708
- Needles: 2.5mm Addi Turbo for magic loop
- Stitch Pattern Detail: mostly plain stocking stitch, but with 2x2 rib up the back of the leg for shaping
- Washing: the wool bloomed nicely after being machine washed (cold, gentle) and dried (low heat)
- Comments: These are so soft! The yarn was very nice to work with, although a bit splity (three plies plus the stretchy center). The colour change was fun to watch, and what I found really entertaining is that if you look at my feet only, they look identical. Then, the colour shift changed on the leg. Apparently Mega Boots Stretch does not have a consistent colour repeat at all. Fun!


Carbon Steel Socks:
- Finished: 10th of Jan, 2006 (4 days to knit)
- Construction: Precursor Toes & Afterthought Heels, Toe up construction over 64 stitches, 68 stitches for calf, picot edge cuff
- Yarn: less than one skein of Socks that Rock in "Carbon" for the body, and less than half a 50g ball of Regia Stretch (steel blue) for toes & heels
- Needles: 2.5mm dpns for toes & heels, 2.5mm Addi Turbo for magic loop (body of both socks, one at a time)
- Stitch Pattern Detail: 2x2 garter stitch rib
- Washing: held up okay during machine washing and drying, but getting quite fuzzy (a halo has appeared after a few washes)
- Comments: had hoped for more pooling or flashing, but am happy with striping on legs. This was my first use of the "magic loop" construction, and went really fast. I will use the single circular needle knitting method again.


Winter Brights:
- Finished: 4th of Jan, 2006 (5 days to knit)
- Construction: Precursor Toes & Afterthought Heels, Toe up construction over 56 stitches, up to 62 for calf, 1x1 ribbed cuff
- Yarn: Sandnes SMART Superwash 100% wool DK weight(2 skeins varigated, half a skein of solid green for toes & heels)
- Needles: 2.75mm dpns (Aero Teflon coated)
- Stitch Pattern Detail: 3x1 garter stitch rib
- Washing: softened beautifully after machine washing & drying, but developing a slight halo with repeated washes
- Comments: an enjoyable, fast knit, but 2 balls of yarn would not have been enough to work a standard pair of socks. Loved the pooling!


Socks in 2005:
- DH socks (blue pair, charcoal with green, grey with red, charcoal with red, fuzzy feet)
Note: DH isn't so thrilled about posing his socked feet for photo shoots. Sorry.

Denim Camo:
- Finished: Dec 22nd, 2005(3 weeks to knit)
- Construction: Short Row Toes & Afterthought Heels, Toe up construction over 72 stitches, 3x3 ribbed cuff
- Yarn: 2 50g balls of Regia Stretch (colour 84), with plenty left over.
- Needles: 2.5mm dpns (Aero Teflon coated)
- Stitch Pattern Detail: 5x1 rib
- Washing: softened and bloomed nicely after machine washing & drying
- Comments: This was my first time working with sock weight yarn, and I learned that they relax a little after the first wash. I have since switched to using a 64 stitch foot. Love the colouration - they go really well with jeans, and have a "camoflauge" look to them. Will knit future socks a little longer in the leg.

I made a Button!

Yes, I'm still figuring all of this blog stuff out - but I think I made a button. If all goes well, I should be able to add buttons to my links list soon, and move a teeny step forward in this whole "using the internet" thing. Wooo Hooo!



Now I hope to bit by bit add linking buttons to my favorite blogs in the sidebar, and put my button there so people can link to me. Wild, just wild.

Precursor Toes

After much humming and hawing, I have decided to post about my new "unvention" (as Elizabeth Zimmerman says). Finding photographs of the Afterthought Heel online made a dramatic difference in how I approached sock knitting. I adopted that method immediately, and have used it in every sock since.

Not only do I love the way the Afterthought Heel fits, I also (and especially) love the versatility it brings to my sock knitting. Using an Afterthought Heel allows me to knit either top down or bottom up, to add as much patterning as I want, or to just do plain stocking stitch, without having to worry about any shaping.

Having made this dramatic change to my sock knitting approach then got me thinking: what if I took a similar approach to toes? So, the Precursor Toe was born. Now, I knit both toe areas before I start the body of my socks. I can pop them in my knitting bag, along with a circular needle for magic loop knitting, and go. When I'm ready, the fiddly bit (toe shaping) is already finished, and all I have to do is pick up the stitches and knit the sock body.

Yippee! Freedom from sock knitting stress! I knit the toes at home, one after the other, when I can pay attention to my knitting. The body is then knitted on the go (great for traveling), and I can knit until I have finished my yarn. Putting in the heels is the last step, and can again be done when I can apply my full attention to it. No more Second Sock Syndrome. No more trying to count toe or heel shaping from the first sock, and match it to the second, while distractions make attentiveness impossible. Easy Peesy, as my brother would say.

The Precursor Toe will now be my sock knitting method of choice. I love it!

Get yur Quiltin' While it's Hot!

Yup, we've got signs of quilting at Chez Logan. Piecing? Check. Sandwiching? Check. Pointed stippling? That too. Creation of not-actually-on-the-bias-bias-tape? Yup, plus application of fancy-schmancy computer generated stitching! Binding? Well, kind of... Of the eight placemats made, two are completely bound, and six are without covered edges. Oh my. They will be finished very, very soon. I swear.

This is a close up of one of the completed placemats, showing the pointed stippling I tend to use for heavily quilted pieces, plus highlighting the funky-ass fabric. This set of 8 placemats is for my Dad and his wife, both of whom are very into wine. They belong to the Epicurian (sp?) Society, and visit wineries whenever they travel. Right now they are really into Californian, New Zealand and Australian wines.

Once the placemats and matching runner (next Christmas, as agreed) are done, they can feature them next time they host a wine tasting.

While all of this was taking place, Bean held down the fort. Ummm, to be more accurate, she leaned against the design wall and prevented me from accessing the lower drawer of quilting thread. However, the massive cuteness of her napping positioning required that I leave her be, although she was subjected to photo taking.

On the don't-think-I've-forgotten-knitting front, we also have a completed pair of really bright socks. For me. Because if I tried to give them to DH, he'd have a coronary. Colour? Not for him, nope!

I will admit purchasing the yarn (Smart Superwash, dk weight, made in Norway) while in Jasper, and starting on them right away. Three socks were actually knitted, but only two remain. The first sock was painfully tight (only had 2.5mm dpns with me), so when I got home I frogged it and reknitted on 2.75mm dpns. And yes, I really, really like the pooling. I'm all about the pooling.

These socks (knitted toe up) took damn-near-all of one 50g skein of multi-colour per sock, but did give me socks in the length I like. See the teeny tiny skeins of multi-coloured yarn next to that sock? All I had left (one per sock). There was enough left over from the single skein of green that I used for toes and heels that I could have screwed up a bit, but not much. Maybe a heel and a half left. The green will make great stripes in yet another pair of charcoal grey spousal socks, though. Yippee for stripes!

Home Sweet Home

Ahhhhh. Contented sigh.

I'm home! The holiday travels are over, and it's time to sit, catch my breath, and get back to my regular routines. The holiday was lovely, but I'm ready for some downtime now.

We did the Central Alberta Loop (my name, not official) of Grande Cache, Jasper, Banff, Calgary, Edmonton, and home. The weather was mild (mostly just below zero degrees Celsius), and the roads were in excellent condition. Some skiing was done (at Sunshine, where Alec Baldwin was spotted enjoying the fresh powder on the slopes), but not by me. I sat with my Dad (yes, his broken leg kept him off the ski-hill) and drank way too much coffee.

My brother and his girlfriend shivered a lot - apparently coming to winter in Canada after summer in Australia is a bit of a shock. Who knew?

Here are Ivan and Emily acknowledging the proximity of dangerous wildlife. Of course, they're too skinny to be taken serious as bear bait - although a bear might choke on one of them trying to swallow.


Here they are playing along the Smokey River. Yes, that's ice. Yes, it was cold(ish). Yup, they're monkeying around skipping stones. This is all a novelty to them, as they don't usually find half frozen river beds in Melbourne, Australia. In a high rise. Near the beach. Poor little them.

This is Emily on the "beach" in Jasper National Park. The river widens out here, and is so slow and sandy that it appears more like an ocean vista than a river in the Rocky Mountains. Note the snow on the mountain peaks (it was December, after all).

And, here we have Ivan and Emily lounging around at the base of a small frozen waterfall. Later in the trip we drove by The Weeping Wall, which is such a large frozen waterfall that it had nearly a dozen ice climbers on it. Sadly, my camera batteries had died by that point, or you would be squinting at a photo of a huge wall of ice with teeny tiny way-up-high must-be-insane climbers dotted here and there on the ice. Oy.

So, I'm glad to be home, and will soon be back to knitting socks, binding quilted placemats, and cooking for DH. Oh, and keeping Peanut warm while she naps in my lap. Ahhh, life is sweet.

Ride 'er Cow-Bean

Here at Casa de Logan we share our lives with two creatures of feline persuasion. Regular readers will remember them from various previous incidents of blogging the cat, but for new readers (and those unfortunate enough to have just stumbled upon my regular posting of madness) I will go through the introductions all over again.

Please stay with me, as the mental image at the end is worth it. My stomach muscles still hurt from seeing it all played out in front of me.

Bean (the brown tabby) is light for her size, and a ball of fun, fun, fun. She's long, tall, and weighs 12 pounds. Her favorite activities include chasing shadows, playing with anyone who will play with her, and laying on her back in the sun. She is generally located by listening for galloping noises, interspersed with high jumps, flips, and barrel rolls. The only time she slows down is when patiently waiting to be fed (sits calmly while I open the can, the strolls casually toward the food bowls once they are put down).

Peanut (the black and white lump) is dense for her size, and a ball of naps, naps, naps. She's short along both the x- and y- axis, and weighs 12 pounds. Her favorite activities include napping on any soft surface, napping on anyone who will let her, and whining until we come and find her current nap location and cover her with a blanket. She is generally located by looking for a suspiciously breathing blanket or pillow, interspersed with whimpers when she needs the blanket rearranged. The only time she speeds up is when winding around my legs at feeding time, until I put down the bowls, when she goes running full tilt at them, determined to get the choice bowl, first.

Eventually it was bound to happen. The very nature of their natures had to collide. And, I think you know what I'm getting at here.

Yup. This morning Bean was standing patiently, looking at the spot where I put the food bowls, when Peanut, anxious to get there first, went running in at full speed, not looking where she was going...

She ran in underneath Bean, from between Bean's back legs, and just kept going. Poor Bean was suddenly traveling at full speed, on the back of the Peanut - until Peanut slammed on the claws right in front of the food bowl, and Bean went sliding off half forwards and half sideways, left legs flailing in the air as she went. Peanut, unperturbed, was at her bowl speed feeding, even as Bean was shaking her head and trying to get her bearings back.

I haven't laughed so hard in ages. The poor Bean had to go have a lie down in another room, and missed breakfast entirely. Oy.

On the Practice of Patience

The Plan:
"This year, I shall knit scarves for those I love. Except for the placemats I will be making for Dad and Marion - I love them too, but they asked for placemats."

The Followthrough:
"Honey, they're all finished! Yes, including washing and blocking. I'm getting them ready to send, now."

The Problem:
"Did I remember to take photos of all the hand knitted gifts before I wrapped them? Why no, of course not. Unwrap, take photos and re-wrap? I'd rather not. What, you insist? Threatening me with middle-of-nap-drooling photos of me, posted on my blog, if I don't take photos of the scarves? Okay, fine, I'll re-wrap them later." Photo taking did ensue, but I made DH take the photos seeing as how he was the one insisting on it.

The Completion:
"Honey, I just mailed off all of the gifts for your family. On Monday, December 12th. Doesn't this make 2005 the first (and possibly only) year I've ever finished and sent the hand made gifts on time?"

The Temper Tantrum:
"But the photos, they are sooo great! Really DH, you take photos so much better than me. The stitch definition, the colours, the shading - so much better than I would have taken. What do you mean, I can't post them on my blog until after Christmas? Are you freakin' kidding? I've been knitting since the beginning of Sep-fucking-tember, dammit! Screw you! Patience? Fuck that! It's my blog, and I'll post when I want to!"

The Disclaimer:
If you are expecting a gift from us, and want the finished product (even though you know you are getting a scarf) to be a surprise, then stop reading this post here. Do NOT scroll down. Come back after Christmas. Because I refuse to practice patience after knitting for months. And months. Since September. So there!







Note: Not all scarves are shown. Some views are odd. I don't care. I am, however, really thrilled to be able to finally post some "finished" photos. Yay!

Counting Down the Gifts

Time to take stock of hand made Christmas presents completed, and those yet to be finished (or started - argh!).

DH's Family:
Dad - finished (needs cat hair removal)
Mom - finished (including blocking & conditioning)
Chris - finished
Rhea - finished (including blocking)
Grandma - finished (including blocking)
Grandpa - finished
Dave - finished
All that is left is wrapping, packaging, and mailing. Yippee!

My Family:
Dad & Marion - not started (uh oh!)
Mom - 1/4 done (glass half full view)
Horst - finished
Dan - finished
Alex - finished
Faith - finished
Blake - finished
Ivan - not started
Emily - not started

DH & I:
Fuzzy Feet for DH - finished
Fuzzy Feet for me - not started
Socks for DH - 1 done, 1 started
Socks for me - not started

Okay, so overall, I'm doing pretty good on the hand made gifts. Ivan & Emily won't be started until I have spoken with them Dec. 16th (which is when they arrive in Canada). I don't want to make them gifts they don't want or need, so will be asking what in particular they would like.

Dad & Marion's gift (a set of 8 quilted placemats) requires some measurements before I get cutting, as I don't want to make them too big to have the full set of 8 on the table (need table top size).

Mom's scarf is giving me headaches, as it is a complex pattern (must pay attention) in an inky purple, so is not good TV knitting. However, the yarn is lovely to work with (Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool), so I enjoy my few minutes a day with it.

The gifts for DH will be finished by Christmas, plus I will buy him something small (probably a DVD, video game, or book). The "gifts for me" are really just things I would like, so can wait until after Christmas. Plus, DH bought me some sock wool in colours just for me, even though he doesn't know it yet. I will put it in a basket with a ribbon, and leave it under the Christmas tree - he loves surprise wife gifts like that (takes the pressure off him).

So, I believe I am in pretty good shape for Christmas. No, I probably won't get the two wall hangings and new bed quilt done as hoped, but I think I must have been on crack the day I included those in my pre-Christmas list, anyway. Okay, I wasn't actually on crack, but I was weak to the influence of yummy fabric stash. I love my stash. Mmmmm, stash.

Also, in case you're wondering, yes, I plan to do a lot of knitting for the feet in this home (mine and DH's). Even though the floor downstairs is heated, our feet generally aren't on that floor - we tend to live reclined. So, our dangling feet get chilly. Yes, we both have 5ft x 7ft quilts for our recliners, but the cats tend to take up extra footage in the lap zone (must cover cats to prevent kitty chills), thus leaving the feet uncovered. Brrrr, cold. Whimper, whine, complain. Dork. Mostly, I'm just having fun trying out new toe styles (next up - the short row toe a la Wendy Johnson) and heel turning techniques (currently in love with the afterthought heel). Knitting a sock with no heel, then cutting out and inserting a heel is way fun, dudes!

Damn Near Palpable!

Yup. The excitement is damn near palpable! There's a whole lotta Christmas stuff going on at Loganvilla, including (but not limited to) vacuuming, dishwashing, bathroom cleaning, linen changing, dusting, fabric room tidying, and office organizing.

What? That doesn't sound Christmas-y? Would it make a difference if I told you I'm wearing green underoos and a red bra? 'Tis the season, and all of that.

Okay, housework aside (wait - housework is never aside - in this household it is always right there in front of me, needing to be done), I am doing quasi-Christmas-y things. These things include blocking scads and scads of gift scarves, and booking accommodations for a three night trip through the mountains.

The trip will be taken by my brother Ivan and his girlfriend Emily (both arriving later this month, from Australia), myself (the driver/logistics manager), and Dad (because after breaking his leg windsurfing this summer, he needs a little mountain adventure in the depths of winter).

We will be leaving Loganvilla on the 27th, skiing at Marmot Basin (near Jasper) that day, spending the night in Jasper, traveling to Banff on the 28th, visiting the family's historic homestead on the 29th, spending that night in Calgary, trouping off to Drumheller to see the Hoodoos and the Dinosaur Museum, then zipping back up to Edmonton that night. It's like the Alberta version of the trek around BC that I was driver for this past summer. But in the winter. With parkas, mitts, toques, and scarves.

Highlights will surely include red runny noses, frosted eyebrows, chapped lips, wet pants (no, not like that - damp around the bottom from getting all snowy then thawing in the car), and hopefully avoidance of the old "put 'er in the ditch, I did". Although, maybe a car meets ditch full of snow experience will be fun for Emily, who has never experienced anything colder than an English winter before. I bet she'll love central heating. And that two of our hotels have pools and hot tubs.

Blah, blah, blah, ... I actually am really excited about this Christmas. I am looking forward to the family gathering, which will be made even more fun by Mom's husband Horst, who plans to take over the kitchen and cook on both the 24th and 25th! He will handle all meat and bread, while I get to handle veggies and cleanup. He's a great cook, and a lot of fun in the kitchen. Until it comes time to wash up...

As an aside, photos will be taken of the scarves so that after Christmas I can do the big reveal and post pictures.

Wee Tad Hungover

Yup. I'm a wee tad hungover. Just a tetch. Which is ridiculous, as I only had three drinks last night - but apparently years of being out of practice does a three drink hangover make.

The head, it pounds. The stomach, it roils. The eyes, they sting. The breath, is steenky.

I thought that maybe some fresh air would help, but it is -21C here, and a really bright sun has been joined by two large and bright sun dogs, all of which are reflecting on newly fallen snow (essentially, making the obnoxious whiteness even more nasty).

So, for your enjoyment/giggles, I'm posting a photo of the outfit I finally chose for the party. Following advice from the comments (thanks Deborah!) I chose a pair of casual pants (black, though), a black tank, and a shiny shirt for over top. The orchids were given out to all of the ladies (a classy touch). The food was good, the room was smokeless (yippee!!), and the company was most excellent. Note the drunken laughter in the "after" shot (found camera after we were dropped off at home by the designated driver program).

You may also notice ... evidence of a quilt in process on the design wall. This is a Lone Star in hand dyes from Caryl Breyer Fallert, plus a great background, and wee bits of a Paula Nadelstern feature fabric. What a name dropper! DH has requested that this be turned into a wall hanging for the TV room, especially once he realized I had some of the hand dyes left over. He's suggested matching pillows for on the couch, or using the leftovers in another lap quilt. The man knows exactly how to get me back into the studio. ;-)

I was downloading the camera when I found these photos, taken a few weeks ago. This is Ojo Sama, a 10 week old Sheba Inu (sp?) belonging to a friend of ours. I was tasked with puppy sitting one day, and Monkey Butt (Ojo Sama seemed too formal, Monkey Butt was much better) enjoyed the view from the guest room window. And chewing on my hand. And jumping in the snow. And peeing on the carpet, after having too much fun outdoors to pee there. Puppies. Good thing they're so cute. Okay, one more of Monkey Butt, because she is just so darned cute.

On Pants, Skirts, and other things that Hang

'Tis the season for Christmas parties. Yup. And DH is expected to go to all of them. With his lovely wife (not me, no one would ever call me lovely to my face and get away with it).

Due to the shiftwork nature of working at the mine, there are three parties. I have consented to attend two of them, which, considering my tendency to remain in the home unless we're completely out of cat food and bread, is a pretty darn big thing.

In my typical way of avoiding thinking about things I consider unpleasant (tee hee), I am only just now (2 hours 10 minutes from "Cocktails at 6:00") looking at my closet and deciding what to wear. Oy.

Here's the kicker. Some weight has come off over the last year (good), but new clothes have not been added to the wardrobe. So, knowing that my dressy clothes all hang sadly off my hips, and run the danger of dropping off completely if I don't stick out my stomach, I have been carb loading and eating everything I can get in my mouth all week. You know, add a little cushioning. In a probably futile attempt to get the Christmas party wardrobe to look like it is actually mine, not borrowed from a bigger sister.

The camera is still misplaced, so no photos. Will advise on the weekend as to whether the mad "oh shit, my pants are too loose" eating binge helped, or whether the bottom half of my party ensemble fell off at an inopportune time. Wait, is there an opportune time for your pants to fall down? Hmmm.

Things to NOT Do Again

1. Absently scratch my nose while slicing cheese with a sharp knife (resulted in a weird looking scratch and darn near took out an eye).

2. Put a (loose) sock on the head of a grumpy cat. I know, it sounds like fun. However, said grumpy cat may have been grumpy because of a soon-to-be-ejected hairball. The hoped for hilarity did NOT ensue.

3. Run upstairs to grab the phone in the kitchen, while wearing brand-new-just-off-the-needles wool socks. In mathematical terms:
[wool socks + vinyl flooring]^corner at high speed = buises + a groin pull.

4. Go out in public with a compromised immune system. I have spent the last month catching every cold, cough, flu, and other bug going around. There have been maybe three days in November wherein I felt healthy.

5. Use crappy health from cold/cough/flu whatever as an excuse to sink into the depths of melancholy. November has been a less than fun month.

6. Eat nothing but instant snack food and carbohydrates. Bad. Really, really, bad. Makes it hard to get out of a funk. However, I'm pretty much ready for that whole scene to end, now.

7. Stop blogging, because I'm just depressing myself. Idiot. Blogging is how I express myself - it helps pull me through the grumpies.

Now, things I WILL do: eat healthy meals thrice daily, hydrate properly, walk outside regularly, spend less time online futzing aimlessly and more time cuddling the cats, and generally look at life from a better place.

Also, if I don't, Christmas is coming, and will completely f*ck me if I'm not careful. Woo hoo.