Somebody is NOT a morning person.

I mean SHEESH. Get that thing out of my face!



(Actually, Fee is now so famous she travels with bodyguards, and makes terrible faces for the paparazzi.)

And somebody else is rolling a bit lighter these days:



Not that you could tell from this blobby picture, but I do think his face is thinner.

Grady has been going for walks with me at night. I kid you not! He patrols the building, and when he gets scared, he runs for the door. (You don't know how happy that makes me.) I bought a little loop harness thing and used it last night and it's ok - unless he panics. Then he coughs because it pulls on his throat.

I think Zyrtec is finally working for me, or else the Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids I've been taking. Everybody says the C helps a ton, including medical websites. I don't feel congested anymore though I can still see the allergies a bit on my face. You know what I mean, right? Puffiness. Blech. But so much better to be able to breathe! And not have those ridiculously itchy eyes.

I am knitting a pair of arch-shaped socks with Sundara sock yarn in Green Tea. I don't remember if I mentioned it but I am knitting this pair in ribbing, thanks to the many people on Ravelry who've done it. It's a simple concept to work the decreases in pattern but you'd think I knitted them in the dark - very messy on one side while I tried to figure it out. The basic concept is, knit like the pattern (in my sidebar) says till you get to the top of the foot. Then when you do the decreases for the arch shaping, make your decrease work with whatever stitch is next.

So if - working from the center top of the foot - you are knitting 2x2 ribbing and you come to the end, which would be k2, p1 if you centered your ribbing pattern over the foot, you do a k2tog, because the stitch AFTER the decrease is a knit stitch, and you want to keep it in pattern. (ssk on the other side, where the stitches read p1, k2 as you come to them.) Then you do a knit round and decrease again - also a knit to keep it in pattern. Knit a round. The NEXT round is going to be a purl decrease to keep it in pattern, so p2tog on that side, and ssp on the other side. (Do that like a ssk except put both sts back on the left needle after you slip them, and purl two together.)

I am not a morning person either, so leave me a comment if that doesn't make sense and I will try to show you better.

I entered my bookshelf in on Facebook and man, am I schizophrenic. At the moment I'm reading Theodore Rex (biography of Teddy Roosevelt's presidency), a book called Making Comics, and The Element of Lavishness, which is a book of letters between a writer and her editor, and is completely fabulous. They are all COMPLETELY different.

Oh, and I finally read The Shack. Would anybody like a review? You know how I am, right?

An Addiction, in Four Parts

(Your cats will love you.)



Several months ago the kitties received a gift of a catnip cigar. (Nashvillians: this one came from The Cat Shoppe.) You would think that "catnip" and "cigar" don't belong in a sentence together - but just think "contents" and "shape." (Note the faux-Cuban "el Gato" label.)

It was so well-loved that this is in fact the SECOND catnip cigar. They tore the wrapper off the first one and it's kind of a funny color now from Fee licking it every chance she got.

"Hm, is that NEW catnip cigar?"



"Catnip cigar MINE!"



"Catnip cigar MUY BIEN TASTY!"

Another lesson in colour

Sometimes colours that you think are going to be positively obnoxious together (but don't care) actually look pretty subdued in combination:



Personally, I'd never say that bright gold and paprika would actually WORK together, though they definitely look fantastic. The gold was just too bright. The paprika too all-consuming. But just look what happens when you break them up!



(I think there is a mistake in the lowest part of the cuff before the picot, and yes, I seamed up the picot as I went, because I have an awfully hard time finding the correct row later. I may do some duplicate stitching over the mistake.)

I can definitely tell the parts where I've used the knitting thimble. I have never been able to tell before, but my stitches are much, much more even with it. I think this is because I'm a total idiot with holding yarn in my right hand, and it shows in my knitting.

It was cold last night. I worked on my mitten in the company of several esteemed Republicans, Fee cuddled up with my favorite childhood toy, the esteemed Big Cinnamon, and Grady hid under the covers. (Big C came to me on Christmas morning in 1973 - I was 2 1/2. Fee loves him like crazy and is always cuddling on him.)



If she looks a little odd it's because her eyes are totally painted. The flash made her pupils disappear. I put them back, and I think the catch lights may be just slightly crooked.

Happy Friday! Is anybody else as glad as I am that Amy Winehouse went to rehab?

Better

Word is that Evan is out of surgery and doing fine. Here are two pictures to celebrate.

I call this one "My head is a triangle."



And Fee says, "It's hoooooot." Little Miss Furcoat oughta know.

It's like being at my house, but with 75% more cats

Y'all know what I am talking about, don't you. I'm talking about Eddie, Buckley, Tabitha, Dooper and Mrs Boots on Slacker Cats. I watched it last night, then rewound it and watched it again (thank you, dvr!) and I laughed even harder the second time. (I have a feeling things between Flatcow and Tabitha are not going to work out.) The "rodeo" scene was killing me, Buckley's item of clothing, and the whole crematorium thing? Hysterical.

Fee watched quite a bit of it (she usually doesn't watch tv at all). Grady ignored the whole thing.

Of course, the hurricane geek in me is watching Dean out there in the ocean. He's going west into the Gulf, where an unlimited supply of hurricane fuel - hot ocean water - waits. (The high that made it 105 here yesterday is making him stay south and go into the Gulf instead of crossing Florida.) Keep an eye on him if you're so inclined.

Last night I worked some more on my swatch, and as soon as I get a few more rows done I'll show some pictures and talk a little about color theory. (Possibly tomorrow.) Also I did a few rows on Jemima and some on my second sock. I'm chugging along.

Catch Slacker Cats, willya? It's CRAZY.

Embracing the Dark Side

My you-know-whats arrived yesterday. They are SHINY. They are PRETTY. They are...all in their little bags waiting for me to take them out and pet them:



But I can't just yet, because one crucial part of the entire deal is on its way, the case. Call it a social experiment, or call it more evidence for Crazy, but I am not going to use, buy or own that awful binder. I have something else in mind, and I'll be sure to show you as soon as I can.

I know it sounds dumb but I feel an awful lot better after getting a pedicure last night and picking up some sushi for dinner. (Cats like salmon nigiri. So do I.) My toes are now "Hong Kong Sunrise" and I had a nice hour in that crazy massage chair. I know, shallow, but sometimes pretty feet make it all better.

I've been looking around for a book for quite a while, just stopping in to different bookstores and asking when I thought about it. After about fifteen tries, it became apparent to me that I was not going to find The Element of Lavishness anytime soon. Though I'm still loving reading Rising Tide...I just wanted something...warmer. (And I was going to drive to Florida for Memorial Day, but the fires are so bad I'm not taking a chance on driving, so I bought a plane ticket. Less time for audiobooks though. More room for a good read on the plane and sitting by the pool for the last time at my Mom's house. They sold it. !!) You know, Posie talked about this book, too...after I read the excerpt, I was severely needing it. Tonight I bought a copy on eBay for $10. Hopefully it will arrive by next Wednesday afternoon. (Read the excerpt at Amazon...it will make your heart ache a little for the days of proper correspondence, and you'll smile at the little look into their lives.)

I have two good friends in letters - people with whom I carry on almost exclusively written correspondence. One friend and I have done this for many years, through job changes, home changes, additions of boyfriends, cats, hobbies, problems, redecorating. Ann and Kay over at Mason-Dixon started this way. I think everyone should have a writing friend - not a pen pal per se, but someone who is simply there during your day-to-day ramblings and thinkings. I guess I'm reading this book because I know how much a friendship like this has cheered me, and I want a glimpse of someone else's conversation as well. (Though I doubt ours is nearly as elegant.)

Anyway, just a little book recommendation for you. I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but a book like this can be a nice warm patch of sunshine to curl up in on many an afternoon. A friendly book, a cuppa, a little sunshine...warmth and prettiness.

Today is all pretty toes...pretty yarn...pretty new shiny needles. Pretty cats.

There is no news tonight

I've been working my tail off this week, and there's nothing to report except the spontaneous acquisition of 6 balls of Cotton-Ease (Lion is getting their act together) and some cat pictures. I'm off to see Hot Fuzz and enjoy the weekend. (You know how I love Shaun of the Dead, hope this is just as classic.)

One of Fee. If you lean in close you can almost smell the tuna she had for dinner:



One of Grady. I don't know why he looks so...morally conflicted. (I had to take out a whole lot of saturation to get him the right color.)

Grannies

I'm rushed and running in circles this morning, way behind at work, and won't get home tonight until about 8. I didn't get home last night till 11-ish, because I was out shopping for a shoot and for myself and I ended up buying an air cleaner.

Everybody lately has been saying they really help with allergies and asthma, except don't get the ionic ones because they put out ozone, which is a lung irritant. And I read one article that even said it can cause long-term damage.

So I took back the ionic one I bought at first and got me another one, a HEPA kind with a permanent filter you just vacuum. Returns at Wal-Mart are always dicey, but they were real nice. And the filter? So far, I really like.

The cats, not so much. Fee is scared of it if I put it on medium, but seems ok with it on low. Also I bought them an ionic pet brush. They love it and are super shiny and soft after I use it on them. I need to buy a human version of it, because it will clean the pollen out of my hair at night and let me get a good nights' sleep. But if I have to use the cat brush on my hair for a while till I find one...well, don't tell anyone. :)

I had a nice time last night with some Rowan Cashsoft DK, an H hook, and some instructions, inspired by this. Beautiful work, don't you think? I'm having a lot better time with granny squares now than I was.

Retro Japanese fabrics and yet another cat picture

Grady keeps hiding from the camera. Here's another one of Fee. I keep telling him about the comments and how everybody loves Fee and you know what he does? Shows me his rear end. No kidding.



Here is a mini box pouch I bought from a really cute Etsy store that Betty recommended. It's basically a 10,000 square foot apartment for my camera. I love it! And also, the inside.





Yukiko is really great to deal with and the bag is really well made. Give her your business! If you want. :o)

8 refills before 2008

(That's from my Singulair bottle. I'm fresh out of titles.)

Hey! Hi y'all doin'? I did some spring cleaning, hope you like it!

Here are some pictures. Y'all know who's who...

1. Two princesses, one greasy, one who wants to get down RIGHT NOW. I just went for a walk and I really need some powder, ok? It's a problem. :)



2. Two fat devil cats.



3. Silky, silky fur. Use Meow Essence for silky silky fur.





4. The Schmade's best super power - the evil "feed me" eye.

Whatnot

I started a pillow cover last night. This is the moss stitch pillow cover from Winter 2007 Knit Simple. I have a big stash of Araucania Nature Wool Chunky I've been hoarding for quite some time. I think this orange came from Threaded Bliss. I also have some brown that is going to be the back side. (I think.) The pattern has a flap and buttons but I am thinking of just sewing in a zipper instead.





I don't know about y'all but I am dying to know about Stephanie's home renovations.

Also here's Fee, very blurry today:

Catching up on photos

1. Tape measure:


2. Lucy:


3. That Hype Bag:


4. Green-Eyed Monster:


5. Monkey socks in daylight:

I think

This pattern should be called Babushka. I'm on the bandwagon! Grady models.



Grady would like to say he is just glad I didn't make him wear a bib.

One of Fee

My new bed is calling, so I'll just give you a picture of Miss Fee. She was sitting on her kitty condo today and looking out in the yard. I grabbed the camera and started shooting, one after the other. She sat there for me for an abnormally long time.

To add to Chris' excellent advice on photo taking for pets -

- Turn OFF all volume, sound and shutter settings. Your pet may become interested in the sound and run at you or become irritated at it and leave. There is no actual shutter. It's a computerized noise, and you don't need it.

- Better to photograph your animals in clear daylight. By clear I mean "no shadows." Overcast is really good, morning light even better. You'd be amazed at how much drama window light can add. Flash tends to make animals mad, and if you get close enough to really see them it will make hot spots on their coat. You can use flash, but use it sparingly and do use the red-eye reduction. Cats have cells called the tapetum lucidum behind their retinas that amplify visible light so they can see optimally at twilight. (This is why your cat has Crazy Hour sometime after sunset everyday. Instinct prevails - they are twilight hunters.) This reflected light will come right back at your camera and your cat will have gold or glowy robot eyes. Daylight doesn't do this because it's flat and even. A bright flash of light will light up the kitty's retinas and you'll have some retouching ahead of you.

- Be patient (echoing Chris here). I took at least 30 shots today to get one good one. I got several mediocre shots as well. Photo editing is really important. You have to be kind of ruthless. Look for personality, a good expression, and sharp focus.

Anyway.

Maths

Finally some pictures, but first we have to do math.

Tonight while I watched Freak Show American Idol and House, I knitted a swatch for Thermal. Turns out I had the wrong yarn in mind for the scarf, so that will have to wait. This is Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool on #3 needles:



Trouble is, pattern gauge is 28 stitches/4 inches, and I am not getting that, I'm getting 24:



I like this fabric. I think it might close up a little too much if I go down to a 2.75mm needle, and I don't even have one of those, so I am not sure what I'm going to do. Thoughts? Basically I'd make the 38 size, and at 7spi that is 266 stitches. At 6spi it's 228. (I'd end up with over 44" eek.) I can make the smallest size at my gauge by following instructions for 224 stitches, or I can change needles. I will think about it for a couple days. I may swatch it in the round as well - the sweater is knit in the round, and my gauge tends to be tighter that way. Didn't think of that.

I will say one thing - this is why I knit socks. Every sweater I've ever swatched has ended in abject frustration and disappointment and it was not for lack of trying. I got gauge and hated the fabric, or I hate the yarn, or I decide I don't like the pattern.

It's very cold here tonight so we are all bundled up. Fee will sit near the couch but not on it and feels most comfortable if she is sitting under my legs or a blanket. Grady just slobs down wherever he likes.





And a Project 365 picture from today:

I apologize to Fee for this

There is just nothing sadder than a kitty fresh out of the tub. I had to share it. Y'all, look at her TAIL! (It's fluffy again now though.)

look here

(I do not actually sound like a cartoon character in real life.)

Update: I had to do this, because it was driving me crazy starting up every time I hit this page, and I'm sure it bothered y'all, too. Click the link...

I really have to get rid of Blogger

Today was Picture Day. I didn't do anything of interest except watch football and work on my baby sweater and take pictures. And ran out of gas, in my parking lot. (I have a history of cutting it close.) Luckily GB saved the day.

Two of Grady, three of Fee. Grady always takes good pictures, so the ones of Fee are my favorites. I hope I am not trying your patience by posting their pictures. I think the last one of Fee is one of my favorites. It's my Project 365 picture for today.