The Day the Earth Stood Still

i think we had a great birthday. Somehow, there was yarn involved. We brought the cake, the one that did NOT say "Holy Crap you're 9" and the little boys had pizza and watched a good movie. I still can't believe this but somehow I managed to get the entire theater to serenade son #3 with Happy Birthday to You. Then he got to pose with an alien. I guess the staff liked the cake since they gave him a raygun to take home. Anyway, guess who was there?! LINDSEY, from Purl's! So of course I had to show her what I was knitting and told her about the summer Tractor Knitting Weekend plans that I'm cooking up. She said she's going to host a wine and yarn party for us one night at the shop! My only other comment: John Cleese, in the movie: FAB sweater. Tweed. Very very impressive.

Politically Incorrect Parenting

Knitters and Conservatives can skip this. Recently a friend discovered their 13 year old son looking at skin online. You know what kind. The kind that I can't type the word or I'll get scurvy on my blog. My friend grounded the boy and restricted him from the computer. I started thinking about how best to be pro-active with this whole new set of stuff. I feel like we are cresting a wave that we need to learn to surf together. Thank god the kid is just starting to use Axe bodywash, and still streaks through the house bare-ass. I still have a little time. So this morning he told me about some video he listened to on youtube from buckethead called creepy songs. Serial killer crap. Although stuff like that gives me the skeeves, I pulled it up. Not as good as MY serial killer music, of course, but definately creepy.

So I sat him down and gave him a politically incorrect lesson that I like to call "How to surf for p8rn without infecting your computer"
I told him that he was at an age when serial killers, crazy violent stuff and possibly sex would be in his face a lot. I told him that there is an underbelly of humanity, a sick part that people can get sucked into, and that its always there just like the regular parts and the good parts. I told him that it is normal to be interested in things that are weird or unknown.

I told him to be careful because too much violence, or skin, will rot his brain. Then I showed him how to google the pictures, and set the filters, and how not to click on the teen and kiddie links and how not to go to the sites themselves, how to avoid the viruses, and just see the images. We went over the rules about questions, how he could ask me or his Dad about things he doesn't understand and that if is not comfortable doing that he could ask the following friends... etc.

Then I listened to Puddle of Mud a few times. Ok ten times. And decided to post. I think my parenting style is definately not normal, but its a new and scarier world, and normal might be broken. I go with what works in my head.

Sock Monkey Hangover

Last night I had planned to go to bed early, but after American Idol I re-frogged Sister Mary Monkeypants's butt, and a bunch of good Law n Orders came on, and then there was a movie, and suddenly it was 4:30 am and Sister Mary Monkeypants had a torso and eyes. My craft table looks like it exploded. Eastie Beastie has been very excited since yesterday because we have a guest with a french accent that has been randomly spouting phrases under the dining room table. I think at some point the puggles tried to make friends with him, but being a cat wearing boots they just managed to remove his voicebox somehow, and now he mysteriously speaks from under the table every so often, causing pug head tilts and some confusion.

Late with the Winner

Cristi-Lael sent me a pm yesterday titled "Car 54 Where are you" which was funny enough as it is, but she was reminding me that I had not posted the winner of this month's caption contest

I think it is due to the fact that crap, I just couldn't decide, and then when I did read the one that made me shoot a skittle across the room, it was Bittlerelly and didnt she win last time?! So, Bittle you freking won AGAIN. I swear, February contest you are automatically not allowed to win jack crap. Give the other sillies a chance.

Ooh, now I get to create a prize....

btw, Bittle met Naruto the other day.

DirtFace

I got to see my good friend Lynne this weekend, we met for brunch at the Flying Biscuit in Atlanta. YUM. She gave me this funny book called Pug Hill. Also I had a mysterious package of yummy chocolates waiting for me when I got back to NC! I can't read the handwriting on the card so I have no idea who to thank! Finally, I must mention that Jolly has discovered a hole in the yard and has been busily digging to China with his face this morning.

Sock Monkey Explosion

So the Ravelry group that I started as a lark has grown to over fifty very wonderful people in the space of what, three weeks? I'm kind of stunned, and really happy to visit all these creative fun people every day. They're swapping and making friends and they've formed threads to support each other in reaching goals and dealing with difficult things. They post great patterns and fantastic photos. Then there's the sock monkey craziness. I love it! Three separate groups, making sock monkeys and sending them around the country and even overseas as foreign exchange students, with photo journals of their travels and getting little knitted items or embroidered tattoos along the way. Some of us hardcore whackjobs (Pixiethief) and (pugger)are actually attempting to KNIT our monkeys. Mine is Sister Mary Monkeypants of course, the nun monkey. Anyway today Pixie posted a link for the smart bunch that are buying their sock monkeys, and the link included an album of some of the funniest sock monkey adventures that I've seen. Here is the album.
And, even better, a photo of my brand new sock monkey god-child in the UK, Ladybird!

Aretha Franklin was Fabulous

I loved that part. So I spent the afternoon working on crafty felty stuff. I used Purlbee's pincushion tutorial
to make a valentine pincushion, and I used MarySK's talented recycled sweater idea to make a few cute bags. I also decided to do a few little things with the pockets, like little valentine holders.

Good Day to think about Peace

Popcorn, hot cocoa, puppies, family and snow. Life is good.

True Love

Jolly Bean is such a cute little pug. Always cheerful, leaves little poopy gifties for us each day in surprising places, sharing his chew toys with Eastie Beastie. However, this morning Mr Bean discovered his true love. Crunchy, yummy stuff that tastes like puggy heaven. Mama called it "bacon" and after one teeny taste, Jolly decided to protect the rest of the manna from everyone else. The growly sounds that he made in pursuit of his true love were impressive. I'm so proud.

OMG I was not online all day

I had planned to kind of be online for a bit this morning, but life conspired against it. I took Son #1 with me to get groceries this morning and smoke boiled out of the hood then the van peed. So we got groceries and came home. I think a hose busted. Anyway, I had wanted to go see my hospice lady again but not with the van on fire, so I picked up the phone to call and check on her, and callerid showed their number. I just knew right then. Miss Irene had died at 1:15 am this past morning. At least I saw her two days ago, had spent a few hours knitting at her side and had told her she was loved. I had tucked her in.
The day picked up at that point. I was trying to talk to Shebear29 on the phone, and son #2's teacher called. Since the van busted we did a "phone conference" where he tried ever so nicely to tell me that son #2 has been a real surly little jackass at school. Which he thought was somehow related to the move, but I informed him that no, he's just surly. The other interesting bit was the part where he has missed a bunch of homework and has an F in social studies. Which, being the gifted surly kid that he is, meant that I was officially in a "take no prisoners" mood.
Into the living room I went, ordering one of them to clear off the table and the other one to *gasp* pull the plug on World of Flipping Warcraft. Child in question was told to sit down at the table. Every so often these wild boys get the idea that Mom is serious, and behave accordingly. Once, there was a call that I was to leave work and pick up this same son (nicknamed Dennis the Menace) for throwing a rock and breaking another boy's nose at daycamp. That and the time I walked into the living room and said "Everyone outside now, the kitchen is on fire," and all three just got up from cartoons and filed quickly out the door.
This was one of those moments. I plugged the laptop in and sat it in front of him. On the table I gently placed the following: three sharpened pencils, paper labeled with the missing homework, and a huge black belt. I then informed Mister Man that there would be a marked improvement in his school attitude. Also, the homework would be done, and done with good effort and done correctly, so that he could turn it in on Tuesday to recieve a D instead of an F. Then I told him what was going to occur if he gave me any lip whatsoever. I told him I was there if he had any questions.
So my day was spent quietly reflecting, knitting, and occaisonally answering questions about North Carolina.

Two Noro Scarves to work on today (yay!) and I got my secret valentine info (yay) and I am very VERY excited about the Mysterious Thread of Mysterious Mystery in Tractors. More on that later.

I will miss you, Irenie.

On Fire

Lulu, just for you, a peek into the pug castle of NC this evening.... Brave hubby came in from the freezing hinterland and set about making a fire. And caught the trashcan on fire.

Creative Circular Needle Holder!

Saw the tutorial for it on this blog, and I think it is a great way to upcycle threadspools or whatever you call those tiny wooden mouse tables.

New Girl

Lulu and grandpa mailed me another fab packet today! I love how she decorates the boxes. Grandpa sent the puglets some yummy snax, which they were about out so thanks! Also the book that I won playing Lulu's fun New Year's Game, and the lovely doll that now lives on the mantel with her new boyfriend the cross-dressing gargoyle. She looks rather alarmed to be seen in front of him sans dress, and the hub said she was spooky but I assured him that she is just misunderstood. I mean, someone has hacked her hair and stolen her dress leaving her in a crinoline, and her new boyfriend has a stony heart. However she is hopeful that Rocky the gargoyle, with his exquisite taste in fashion, can find her a new dress in his special gargoyle book of goth doll fashion.

Secret Valentine Swap

Yay! I worked on these valentines over the weekend and finished the Noro Aurora Bird Pincushion tonight.

Music?

I just love this guy's voice. I heard him on the radio other day singing a remake of an Annie Lenox song. Awesomeness. Plus this video is funny.

Toilet Paper and friend

Toilet Paper and friend
Originally uploaded by Mochimochi Land

What I totally love about this is the idea of a guest or one of the boys goes in to use the restroom and suddenly, they feel they are being watched....

Boring Knitting Thoughts

It is getting very cold here in Ashevegas. So this morning the hub decided to take the boys outside and drag all these logs and brush onto the back patio. (I think his intention is to make firewood type stuff) I stayed inside and cleaned the living room. This consisted of folding a crap-ton of laundry and dragging a dead couch out to the garage. At one point, I told the hub that we needed apple pie. He told me to go make one, so I just got back from Earthfare. I bought a nice apple pie and some organic ice cream. (The jap in me responding to being told to go make pie).
The boring knitting stuff: I cast on and frogged square #3 of the Great American Afghan atleast six times. You know how obnoxious it is when you are knitting with a darker yarn and row twelve or something of the pattern says "knit the knit and bobble stitches and purl the purl and YO stitches?!" grrrrr. Finally I started leafing through the book and after reading square #1, I had the following insight: why am I doing this?
What I REALLY want to do is knit a bunch of different squares from the fun patterns that I've been using from Vogue Knitting Stitchionary on the Traveling Scarves. So, I read that the GAA squares are c/o around 56-60 st and use sz 7 needle and are 12" long. Eh, I can do the math. So I went through VK volumes 1 and 2 (Thank you Lulu!) and picked out which ones would be superfun for an afghan-sized square. I figure if I do twenty-five different ones my afghan should be about the right size.
So wish me luck! I cast on with a plymouth blue #253 of VK #1 the Bell Stitch today. So far Im having a ball with it.

My parrot

Here is the parrot that perches on my shoulder when he wants to play sleepy pirate.

A Long and Intense Day

This morning I bought muffins for the horde and spent a few hours making mysterious secret Valentines. Then I took Son #2 out to lunch, and went to see my hospice patient. I got home tonight feeling worried and drained. My little hospice lady is a recovering alcoholic, taking morphine etc. and some damn fool idiot took her money and bought her alcohol. She's disoriented, filthy, and upset. She got confused and wandered outside and had a bowel movement in the chair on the back porch. She'll have to go back to hospice. I wanted to hunt down the asshole that gave her alcohol and beat his ass.
Anyway I got home and there was chicken n dumplings homemade by the hub, and three excited little boys, and doggies. After loves, I saw a PILE of packages! OK, one was somebody else's mail, I guess the mailman just decided to leave me extra. But let's see... one box was from Sonshine, filled with sweetswap goodies- yum! And even little pug treats! Thank you Sonshine!
Also I got the green Peace Fleece that I had traded for, it's for another swap. So pretty! My good friend Brenda sent me a mitten pattern but OMG don't tell the killer clowns. Hugs B!
The last package (I know, right?) was from sweet MarySK, a total surprise RAK- it had a bath set of crabtree & Evelyn, a cute vintage crochet book with Mary joking she could just see herself in this seventies yarn skirt (see pic). Ya, Mary, let's make that! She also sent me my first Rowan Kidsilk haze, it feels like a small kitten. Yummeh. Not that I'd eat a kitten. Im too full of dumplings and chocolate. She sent a pug card too, and this cool shopping notebook pad holder thingey from a fair trade company. So ALL these goodies definately cheered me up and I was feeling so spoiled, yay!
Then I checked my email, and a UU friend had chosen to share with me her journal from when her son was killed in a car accident. I read it, and I am amazed at this dear woman's courage and strength. She is my hero for today. I will always have her son in my heart because she chose to share her experience of his passing with me, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to know them both.

I was right, wasnt I- long and intense day. I'm going to go watch tv. - Pugger

Poned

So i stayed up too late last night, and then Lizabee and I had a wonderful knitty Friday at World Cafe, gabbing about Ravelry friends and swaps and plotting secret Valentiney crafts, then we went by Purrl's and the post office. I got home right before the horde invaded. I just had time to roll around on the bed giving puggy hugs when I was overrun by little boys. What was I thinking? Two spend-the-night guests = five little boys saying "dude" a LOT. Two of them have clarinets. So many electronic games were going that the power flickered in the house. I've frogged my GAA square #3 four times, DUDE, and abandoned all hope of washing dishes. I just ordered pizza. DUDE.
I'm happy though, because I mailed off a few goodies including spoiling Bittlerelly's cute daughter Esme, and a chewed up baboon toy for Grandpa. Dude.
And oh! Lulu sent me the Volume 2 Vogue Knitting Stitchionary! And the most awesome fag hag sticker that is going on the van. Dude.
BTW: what does "poned" mean? Anyone?

Valentine Ideas

I love you - - - - - -
Originally uploaded by cattycamehome

This one is adorable! So glad the internet is crammed with crafty people because I suck at thinking up cute stuff like this and Secret Valentine Swap is looming on the horizon.

Candypants

My friend Amandaleigh, otherwise known as candypants... sent me a pug calendar! And a funny card that says "Fleas Navidad" Thank you, 'Manda Candeh! I love it! Although I dont know where they got these pugs because my babies are five times as cute. Uh huh. Yesterday I finished my Tractor dishcloth, which you can hardly see the pattern dammit. Also today I added onto one of the purple Group 44 Traveling Scarves. Fun!