I won another blog prize package! This is, if you are counting with me, number three for the wins! All were based on random number generation, so it's nothing like I had anything to do with winning, and considering the number of times I have commented on blogs offering prizes, I'm still upside down on the ratio, BUT STILL!
It appears I will be getting some ribbon goodness in the mail soon!
Here is the blog.
Coolio!
off to tend to a 'not feeling good' little girl.....
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
A Woman who really knows her man.....
I loved this story. I found it via a blog of a friend, Kenny, and the script of the story from a link in his comments. Enjoy!
A Woman Who Knows Her Man
Here is a story about "a graying duo" that subdued two unruly passangers on a recent flight from Minneapolis-to-Boston. A retired police captain volunteered to help flight attendants, if they needed the men to be subdued. They developed a plan whereby the flight attendants would hold up plastic handcuffs if they needed him to subdue the unruly passengers. He looked around at the other men on the plane, but all of them averted their eyes. All, that is except the retired Captain U.S. Marine Corps.
But wait, this gets better. The retired police captain was accompanied on the trip by his wife.
When the captain announced preparations for landing, the man jumped up shouting, the flight attendant held up the handcuffs, and Hayden and the Marine came bounding down the aisle. Hayden said he and the retired Marine, whose name he never got, received an ovation from fellow passengers, and "some free air miles."
Hayden's wife of 42 years, Katie, who was also on the flight, was less impressed. Even as her husband struggled with the agitated passenger, she barely looked up from "The Richest Man in Babylon," the book she was reading.
"The woman sitting in front of us was very upset and asked me how I could just sit there reading," Katie Hayden said. "Bob's been shot at. He's been stabbed. He's taken knives away. He knows how to handle those situations. I figured he would go up there and step on somebody's neck, and that would be the end of it. I knew how that situation would end. I didn't know how the book would end."
Side note: still not started the (somewhat daunting) task of photos of finished knitted items for Ravelry. Some are here at the house and will require multiple sock changes for photo shoots, and others are with the recipients, and I'll probably have to use the photos used in the patterns themselves. I hope to get to that soon. I've been getting so much great info and reference on Ravelry, I want to pay it back. Where else could I find a pattern over a year old in a Knit magazine, the Nantucket Jacket, that I would like to make, and then IN ONE SOURCE find literally hundreds of other knitters who are either in process or completed the very same sweater, list their chosen yarns, and then comment on the yarn, the pattern, any modifications they used, etc. Ravelry is a God-send to me!
Grace and I did a little scrapbooking tonight, after my time at Archiver's. Eric and Grace had music practice at the Church, for the youth band entitled At His Feet. They are going to be leading the music more often, and I am looking forward to that! Eric then has friend stuff to do the rest of the day: hangout time, movie time, Red Robin for burgers, etc. This driving thing is working out to our benefit already! And he doesn't balk when we require him to call when he reaches a destination, and when he leaves it for another.
I'll be back at Archiver's again tomorrow...we are short a couple of people temporarily. They already know what I love to do, so I am getting to do organizing within the store, and labelling! (be still my heart!) Guess my reputation has caught up with me. Always seems to.
Last on knitting, I finished my own scarf from the baby alpaca (oh, so softy soft!), and closing in on the end of Grace's Irish Hiking Scarf in the new Cascade painted. So on the 'planning needles' is an ipod cover. Unfortunately it has required me to knit up gauge swatches. eah, plural even. I've gone with a fine yarn, but it runs from shades of pink, orange and a cream that I really like. Starting with single strand and size 3 needles, too loose, size 2 were still too loose, decided I was NOT going with 1s. Frog out. Unroll complete skein to have 2 ends to wind together. Now knitting at 2 strands with a size 5. Kinda loose. Size 4....still a little loose. Now at a size 3. Looking like the squishy/protective look I want. Problem now? the assembly I designed will be too wide for using dpns...Smallest straight bamboos are size 7. Aha! I remember the Denise interchangables!! Wahoo! The smallest size is a 5. However, in looking at the Denise 5s and the Clover 3 dpns, there is not a signicant difference. I am going to continue this swatch with the Denise 5s, and probably go with them. Pattern? started with Grumperina's pattern for the front openings and will be constructing 2 more panels, that when folded and sewn together it will open like an envelope, and will have a pocket on the front for the ear buds, using a buttons and Icord tie around for the finish.
Eric was approved for Cabin Caounselor Training at Camp Allen, so he will be out there next weekend, meeting the directors for the summer and training. Hopefully he'll get lots of time at camp.
Off to Archiver's again tomorrow, to rake in the big bucks! cya!
A Woman Who Knows Her Man
Here is a story about "a graying duo" that subdued two unruly passangers on a recent flight from Minneapolis-to-Boston. A retired police captain volunteered to help flight attendants, if they needed the men to be subdued. They developed a plan whereby the flight attendants would hold up plastic handcuffs if they needed him to subdue the unruly passengers. He looked around at the other men on the plane, but all of them averted their eyes. All, that is except the retired Captain U.S. Marine Corps.
But wait, this gets better. The retired police captain was accompanied on the trip by his wife.
When the captain announced preparations for landing, the man jumped up shouting, the flight attendant held up the handcuffs, and Hayden and the Marine came bounding down the aisle. Hayden said he and the retired Marine, whose name he never got, received an ovation from fellow passengers, and "some free air miles."
Hayden's wife of 42 years, Katie, who was also on the flight, was less impressed. Even as her husband struggled with the agitated passenger, she barely looked up from "The Richest Man in Babylon," the book she was reading.
"The woman sitting in front of us was very upset and asked me how I could just sit there reading," Katie Hayden said. "Bob's been shot at. He's been stabbed. He's taken knives away. He knows how to handle those situations. I figured he would go up there and step on somebody's neck, and that would be the end of it. I knew how that situation would end. I didn't know how the book would end."
Side note: still not started the (somewhat daunting) task of photos of finished knitted items for Ravelry. Some are here at the house and will require multiple sock changes for photo shoots, and others are with the recipients, and I'll probably have to use the photos used in the patterns themselves. I hope to get to that soon. I've been getting so much great info and reference on Ravelry, I want to pay it back. Where else could I find a pattern over a year old in a Knit magazine, the Nantucket Jacket, that I would like to make, and then IN ONE SOURCE find literally hundreds of other knitters who are either in process or completed the very same sweater, list their chosen yarns, and then comment on the yarn, the pattern, any modifications they used, etc. Ravelry is a God-send to me!
Grace and I did a little scrapbooking tonight, after my time at Archiver's. Eric and Grace had music practice at the Church, for the youth band entitled At His Feet. They are going to be leading the music more often, and I am looking forward to that! Eric then has friend stuff to do the rest of the day: hangout time, movie time, Red Robin for burgers, etc. This driving thing is working out to our benefit already! And he doesn't balk when we require him to call when he reaches a destination, and when he leaves it for another.
I'll be back at Archiver's again tomorrow...we are short a couple of people temporarily. They already know what I love to do, so I am getting to do organizing within the store, and labelling! (be still my heart!) Guess my reputation has caught up with me. Always seems to.
Last on knitting, I finished my own scarf from the baby alpaca (oh, so softy soft!), and closing in on the end of Grace's Irish Hiking Scarf in the new Cascade painted. So on the 'planning needles' is an ipod cover. Unfortunately it has required me to knit up gauge swatches. eah, plural even. I've gone with a fine yarn, but it runs from shades of pink, orange and a cream that I really like. Starting with single strand and size 3 needles, too loose, size 2 were still too loose, decided I was NOT going with 1s. Frog out. Unroll complete skein to have 2 ends to wind together. Now knitting at 2 strands with a size 5. Kinda loose. Size 4....still a little loose. Now at a size 3. Looking like the squishy/protective look I want. Problem now? the assembly I designed will be too wide for using dpns...Smallest straight bamboos are size 7. Aha! I remember the Denise interchangables!! Wahoo! The smallest size is a 5. However, in looking at the Denise 5s and the Clover 3 dpns, there is not a signicant difference. I am going to continue this swatch with the Denise 5s, and probably go with them. Pattern? started with Grumperina's pattern for the front openings and will be constructing 2 more panels, that when folded and sewn together it will open like an envelope, and will have a pocket on the front for the ear buds, using a buttons and Icord tie around for the finish.
Eric was approved for Cabin Caounselor Training at Camp Allen, so he will be out there next weekend, meeting the directors for the summer and training. Hopefully he'll get lots of time at camp.
Off to Archiver's again tomorrow, to rake in the big bucks! cya!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
okay, one more to share....
I have loved Jerry O'Connell as an actor for many years. THIS is so very stinking funny....he really nails Tom Cruise in this parody of the now-famous video. Enjoy the giggle.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Double D in the mail!......
A short while ago I took some open time one morning to sit at a coffee shop and write a letter. Yeah, a real letter! It was WAY long overdue to a dear friend from childhood. Why is it that I think about my long-distance friends exponentially more than I am able to either write or email?
I was blessed for taking this time yesterday afternoon, when in my mailbox was a letter from another friend, one from my full time working days at Blue Cross in Minnesota: Donna! Gosh I think about her all the time, particularly at this time of year. Her son is not much older than Eric, and I've known her since before he was born. What a treasure to hear from her! Donna, thank you so much...I'll be in email contact, girl!
In other news.....
The deed has been done. Eric got his license! He's in front of the DPS building here:
I was blessed for taking this time yesterday afternoon, when in my mailbox was a letter from another friend, one from my full time working days at Blue Cross in Minnesota: Donna! Gosh I think about her all the time, particularly at this time of year. Her son is not much older than Eric, and I've known her since before he was born. What a treasure to hear from her! Donna, thank you so much...I'll be in email contact, girl!
In other news.....
The deed has been done. Eric got his license! He's in front of the DPS building here:
Joe took him over there, and surprisingly it wasn't a nightmare of a wait. Because we did the driversed.com program, Eric took the final test online, passing, and we were responsible for the driving portion ourselves. At the DPS, all he had to do was show up with the school enrollment verification and the necessary papers. He's been driving to school, and will start picking up Grace and Alex when I need him too. We do have some restrictions right now on how far he can drive, and some others, that we feel are appropriate. He's even being cool about my telling him to 'drive safely' all the time...it's a mom thing, isn't it?
Because Eric shares a birthday with Elvis, we headed to Chuy's that night for dinner. Chuy's is a local chain of terrific TexMex food that is also a very fun place. They have a shrine to Elvis in their entryways. Every year on Elvis's birthday they have a party, with impersonators, dinner specials and giveaways. And free Twinkies after dinner! Of course we told the server that it was Eric's birthday so they got a group together to sing to him, and brought free ice cream. In our family, the birthday person gets to pick where we go for dinner on their birthday, and since the kids were little I added the restriction that it had to be a sit-down-and-get-waited-on place: no fast food. Otherwise we'd be at McDonald's, and we did enough of that when they were little!
I finished a scarf for myself in baby alpaca that is a wonderful ivory color, just in time for the cold weather here. I combined a ribbing of K2P2 with a cable pattern as an accent, and it's wonderfully soft. And I discovered that I really like knitting cables! A scarf for Grace (the Irish Hiking scarf) is halfway done on the needles. My design for my Ipod cover is complete, and I am making a gauge swatch (ew, I hate those).
Speaking of knitting, one of the blogs I follow, and have done a few of her patterns (Odessa hat and Jaywalker socks, and using her Ipod cover chart), is Grumperina. She also has a great tutorial on knitting cables without a cable needle. Brilliant. She just got married! Congrats, Mrs. Grumperina! Her blog is here: http://www.grumperina.com/knitblog/ , but you'll have to scroll down to the January 16 and earlier entry...her blog doesn't have links to each entry. The photography was gorgeous.
Report cards came out for the first semester and we are thrilled...Eric did well in all classes, including his Pre-AP Math and Chemistry, Grace is doing well in her first year of middle school classes/homework, and Alex got straight A's!
Pretty much everyone has seen the Tom Cruise video that was on YouTube until the powers that be had it pulled. Another favorite blogger of mine, Cathy Zielske, has been making some hilarious videos recently, similar to a mockumentary interview, a la Christopher Guest in my mind. So check out her version of 'The Scrapbooking Induction Video They Tried to Suppress":
She's such a riot!
Although life is still busy, I am feeling like I have a handle on the things I do and how to get them all done without going loopy-goobers. And that's a good thing. So far we have all managed to avoid the flu season, and that's a good thing too!
Off to do chores before heading to Archiver's....later!
Monday, January 07, 2008
A soon to be familiar sight....
Tomorrow Eric turns 16.
SIXTEEN!
He'll be driving. Wow.
Just another thing to add to the "I can't believe I am old enough to ......." list. Have a kid old enough to drive. Yikes.
But on the other hand, I am proud of Eric and the responsibility he has shown in learning to drive. He takes it seriously. He wants to be safe. His friend B is a great driver of 6 months now, and has been a great role model.
This boy impresses me. I not only love him as my own, my firstborn, but I LIKE him. I would choose to spend time with him. He's funny, witty, caring, mature, empathetic, smart....just a great kid young man.
So raise a glass, sing out loud, whatever you choose, to wish Eric a Happy Sixteen tomorrow!
(BTW, he shares his birthday with Elvis. That's cool.)
Now blogging from the passenger seat.....
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
{insert witty New Year's title here}.....
So Happy New Year!
Spent New Year's Eve with friends...annual party here at the house...fabulous time! One of the very best parties I think...everyone laughing, talking, playing Trivial Pursuit...Guitar Hero 3 in the backround....good times, good times. We were missing one family terribly but understand that right now their very first priority is to keep their newborn both healthy, growing stronger, and 'bubbled' from all possible exposures to germs/viruses. We love you all!
New Year's Day today was sleeping, jammies all day, no one showered, lots of knitting time, slugville. Just perfect.
Oh, and those Christmas cards? Yeah, still gotta go to the mail place...will probably require extra postage. And the 2 boxes of Christmas gifts will be coming along, to be mailed out to KC and Plano. And a lovely little bargainy thingy for Stacy will be on its way to Cowtown.
It's the time of year for resolutions, but I'm not one to make them. I've talked about that before. It was interesting to go back and read my blog entry from last year. Definitely food for thought. I know I've done well on some things, not so hot on others. But that all sounds pretty durned typical, doesn't it? More interesting resolution shtuff, should you choose to peek in on these blogs (two of my very favorites to visit, albeit for very different reasons): Cathy Z and Ali E.
On Christmas Eve we went to dinner with other church families, as we do every year...IHop. Another beloved tradition. This year we attending the 10 pm service, and really enjoyed hearing the choir singing carols. We arrived home to find that "Twinkles" the jammie elf had visited, and left us all new jammies for Christmas!
Christmas morning came far too early for Santa and the Missus...they were up till 4 am on the phone with Microsoft trying to troubleshoot the XBox360 that just wouldn't work. He ended up leaving a note of apology for the boys with a promise to get it fixed or replaced. (He was able to do that on the 26th...thankfully Target works with Santa on exchanging presents that turn out to be another customer's return that was broken and put on the sales floor! Grrrr...... ).
But the kids were all up by 6:30! (I even overheard a comment of waking at 4:30 and coming out to check out the gifts and returning to bed! Nearly caught Santa in the very act!) After Santa gifts and stockings, Joe and I grabbed some more much needed sleep.
The boys were wonderfully understanding about the XBox situation. Grace loved her new blue Ipod Nano! And Santa preloaded some of her music for her; Eric loaded 'better rock and roll' onto it later in the day.
Christmas Day was great, fun, all the positive adjectives. Here at home, with my parents and Sis. Wonderful and thoughtful gifts. I'll describe them another time.
Suffice to say that a great Christmas break was had by all (Joe being on vacation!), and we have one more day before school starts up again on Thursday.
Oh, and on the (frantic!) knitting front, all projects completed prior to Christmas [pat self on back] but few photos taken! Descriptions will be another time. Both the January Magknits is up, and the new issue of Knitty. Check them out! {.....reminds me of how far behind my profile/stash/photos are behind over at Ravelry.....grrrrr again.....}. If you are a member, or awaiting your invitation, watch for me. I am KriswithaK.
Rock on....
Spent New Year's Eve with friends...annual party here at the house...fabulous time! One of the very best parties I think...everyone laughing, talking, playing Trivial Pursuit...Guitar Hero 3 in the backround....good times, good times. We were missing one family terribly but understand that right now their very first priority is to keep their newborn both healthy, growing stronger, and 'bubbled' from all possible exposures to germs/viruses. We love you all!
New Year's Day today was sleeping, jammies all day, no one showered, lots of knitting time, slugville. Just perfect.
Oh, and those Christmas cards? Yeah, still gotta go to the mail place...will probably require extra postage. And the 2 boxes of Christmas gifts will be coming along, to be mailed out to KC and Plano. And a lovely little bargainy thingy for Stacy will be on its way to Cowtown.
It's the time of year for resolutions, but I'm not one to make them. I've talked about that before. It was interesting to go back and read my blog entry from last year. Definitely food for thought. I know I've done well on some things, not so hot on others. But that all sounds pretty durned typical, doesn't it? More interesting resolution shtuff, should you choose to peek in on these blogs (two of my very favorites to visit, albeit for very different reasons): Cathy Z and Ali E.
On Christmas Eve we went to dinner with other church families, as we do every year...IHop. Another beloved tradition. This year we attending the 10 pm service, and really enjoyed hearing the choir singing carols. We arrived home to find that "Twinkles" the jammie elf had visited, and left us all new jammies for Christmas!
Christmas morning came far too early for Santa and the Missus...they were up till 4 am on the phone with Microsoft trying to troubleshoot the XBox360 that just wouldn't work. He ended up leaving a note of apology for the boys with a promise to get it fixed or replaced. (He was able to do that on the 26th...thankfully Target works with Santa on exchanging presents that turn out to be another customer's return that was broken and put on the sales floor! Grrrr...... ).
But the kids were all up by 6:30! (I even overheard a comment of waking at 4:30 and coming out to check out the gifts and returning to bed! Nearly caught Santa in the very act!) After Santa gifts and stockings, Joe and I grabbed some more much needed sleep.
The boys were wonderfully understanding about the XBox situation. Grace loved her new blue Ipod Nano! And Santa preloaded some of her music for her; Eric loaded 'better rock and roll' onto it later in the day.
Christmas Day was great, fun, all the positive adjectives. Here at home, with my parents and Sis. Wonderful and thoughtful gifts. I'll describe them another time.
Suffice to say that a great Christmas break was had by all (Joe being on vacation!), and we have one more day before school starts up again on Thursday.
Oh, and on the (frantic!) knitting front, all projects completed prior to Christmas [pat self on back] but few photos taken! Descriptions will be another time. Both the January Magknits is up, and the new issue of Knitty. Check them out! {.....reminds me of how far behind my profile/stash/photos are behind over at Ravelry.....grrrrr again.....}. If you are a member, or awaiting your invitation, watch for me. I am KriswithaK.
Rock on....
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