Purlene’s Corner

(it’s aya aya bo baya banana fana fo faya, aya!)

Where the hell did June go??? I think ames stole it.

It was a nice, but short, weekend home. My flights, both of them, got delayed due to thunderstorms. Nothing major, an hour each time. I’m glad that it’s another short week, because I think I’m burnt out. I need to sleep. Sleep and sleep and sleep and not work over the weekend. Not do much of anything, actually. I’m sort of hoping that Twy didn’t book the hotel (she’s such a slacker), because I won’t be upset if we don’t go to Myrtle Beach this coming weekend.

I think I’m going to take a week of in August. Next month, whoa. Anyways, we got this email at work, from the client, stating that if you’re on a project for up to 6 months, that you have to take one week off in 2008. If it’s 6+ months, then it’s two weeks off. I’m in that second group. I’d have to take two weeks off by year end. Unpaid. I mean, I could use my Paid Time Off (PTO) from my company, but I’ll probably just take it unpaid, and keep my PTO for when I get laid off. It’s just a matter of time. It seems like it won’t go past 09/30, but it could be less than that.

I’ll go home for the week in August. I’ll probably have to drive home, and take the boys with me. I can’t have someone babysit them for a full week, it’s just too much time. And it’d be more like 10 days, since I’d do short weeks around my week off. It’ll give me a chance to cart some stuff home, too, so that I don’t have to do it at the end of this gig.

It’d be nice if my company could solidify some of the contracts that we’ve heard rumors on. There’s so many people waiting for a new contract that if I do get off-boarded, I’ll be at the bottom of the placement list. There’s some intriguing places that have been talked about in the rumors, so it’d be interesting to see if they play out. *fingers crossed* Who knows where I’ll end up next? We should play a game and see who guesses the closest (excluding Kells, the little cheater).

Anyways. Enough of that boring talk.

I have some knitty pics. Wanna see? Geeky stuff.  :D

I finished the first Embossed Leaves sock. I have to say, I totally love this pattern, minus that funky cast-on. It’s too tight around my leg, so these will end up in the prezzie pile. I may knit them again though, for me, with a more normal cast-on.

The color’s totally off in these pics.

I made another sock blocker. I’m so crafty, yo.

And I got some new yarns. I’m in love with this first one. Claudia’s in Purple Earth.

And this one is fun. It’s Duet Sock yarn, and has coordinating yarn for the heel and toes. The colorway is called Lemonade Stand:

And this last one. Not what I thought it would be, but still pretty. The dyer is the daughter of the woman that owns Cherry Tree Hill, so I thought it was worth a shot. It’s called RainForest.

I’m not sure if I want to cast-on for the second Embossed Leaves sock, or finish the zens that I started when ames was here visiting (I have half a sock left) or cast-on for something new. Hell, I know that I want to cast-on with that Claudia’s, but I’m fighting myself and trying to be good.

Tell me to be bad and start a new project! Then I can blame you. ^ -

(by ames!)

An update!  I’m going merrily along on the stole.  I’m finally through with the basketweave lace part and am now at the “little cherry blossoms falling gently from the trees” part.  This thing is going to be long.

::koff:: Um, yes, that is a Swiffer duster thingie under the table. I didn’t even notice it there. Let’s blame The BOC, because he’s usually the one in trouble around here. Anyway, I don’t think it’s quite as noticeably stripey in person, but even if it is, the stripes give it kind of a jazzy feel that I like. It’s long long, so long, but fluffy and warm around the neck.

The transition section from the basket to the falling petals.

Petals! Falling into the basket! And the best part about this section is that you can do an entire row and realize that you a) were one stitch off, and b) did a K2tog when you were meant to SSK, and it doesn’t matter a whit.

This is the only knitting I’ve been working on! If I were a different kind of knitter, I’d be further along, but I only work on it a couple of hours a day, and not every day at that. Also, I knit slowly. And you know, I’m having so much fun with this pattern, I don’t think I care to go fast. Every row is different, now, and soon it’s going to be yarn-over heaven before the flirty ruffle at the end. Yay, stole!

(by ames! \o/)

I’ve watched a few movies lately!  Some of them were good!

Hard Core Logo - When I hear “mockumentary”, I think Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind, Best in Show - movies that truly mock the subject matter, however lovingly.  There’s great fun in those, definitely.  I mean, Spinal Tap isn’t famous because it’s boring, right?  Hard Core Logo is a mockumentary of a different sort.  It’s gritty, it’s loud, it’s about punk rock and all that comes with it.  The humor comes naturally and is biting.  Hard Core Logo is the story of a punk band on their comeback tour.  You have John Oxenberger, the bassist, Pipefitter (who doesn’t even remember his own name) the drummer, and the two stars of both band and movie, Joe Dick and Billy Tallent.   Billy’s gone off to bigger and better things, but comes back for one last tour.  Oxenberger’s mentally ill, but ok, as long as he has his meds.  Pipefitter is happy-go-lucky and a little nervous, and Joe is trying to hold the band, his family, together.  I loved this movie a lot more than I expected to.  And if this helps you decide, Callum Keith Rennie is dead sexy as Billy Tallent.  (People who know from punk music tell me the music is authentic.  I wouldn’t know, but the guy who plays Joe Dick used to head his own punk band, The Headstones.  So, there you go.)

Saving Face - I personally find a lot of GLBT movies to be incredibly depressing.  It’s all “your parents will hate you if you’re gay” or “omg everyone has AIDS” (yes, I mean you, RENT), or “omg I’m gay so I must sleep around like a slut and then try and kill myself out of depression”  etc.  It’s like they’re trying to take the gaiety out of being gay!  So I avoid and avoid, and then I watched Saving Face, and was completely charmed.  It’s a romantic comedy in the true sense of the word.  The main couple are adorable and in love, there’s a completely delightful subplot involving the mother and an unintended romance, and oh my, it’s so funny.  Loved it, want everyone I know to see it.  Go rent.  Now.

And in knitting news - the stole proceeds apace.  I’m still in love with it.  All is well in the world.

(by aya - in pink because ames stole the green. Wrong. So very wronk.)

*black because html sucks, grumble*

Quick post before I get ready to go play trivia (aka: drink). I’m flying out tomorrow, but not until around 4 pm. I’m done with work for the week though, so I can sleep in tomorrow, which is going to be lovely. I very rarely get to do that.

I’m so happy that work is over with for the week. It was a pretty hellacious week, even for a short one. At least next week’s a short week too. :)

Not much going on lately. I finally watched Sweeney Todd, and yay! LOVED. IT. And! No one told me that Anthony Stewart Head had a cameo in it! I cheered!

It was twisted and horrid and I just adored it. I had a big stupid grin on my face for half the movie.

Speaking of twisted and horrid, has anyone heard that Love Me Dead song by Ludo? I adore that as well. It sort of reminds me of a mix of Squirrel Nut Zippers and that other band. Crap. What was their name??? Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy! Them. *nods* Great song.

In other events (or non-events)….

I’ve been knitting up a storm on my embossed leaves sock:

I’m past the heel now. Two more repeats until the toe. This picture is more accurate, color-wise:

And a close-up. See the “leaves”??

I’ll probably leave this here and work on it when I get back. Otherwise I’ll have to lug the book with me, because I forgot to photocopy the pattern for traveling. I could work on a zen, but I’m just not feeling those lately. And this one’s been really fun. I’m definitely going to knit this pattern again. These ones were going to be for me, but it’s got a funky cast-on that is too tight for me to get over my heel, so I’ll be putting these in the prezzie pile. I just need to find a similar yarn that will show off the pattern well.

I havea couple of cute pics of the buns. I moved their cages around, so that their shelves are right next to each other. I figured it would give them no choice but to get along.

It seems to be working.

Even when one of them is outside the cage:

Notice that Oll’s got an ear up, listening and making sure it’s okay to have his back to Stan. heh.

Well, it’s time to go get purtied up a bit, and head on over to the Fox & Hound.

toodles until after the weekend!

*smooches*

(by ames)

Today I spent a zillion hours digging through administrative manuals, journals, benefits periodicals, and online articles looking for information about whether a specific line of IRS Code applied to 401(k) plans. After all day of this, I thought, “huh. I should probably read the Code first.”

Right there. On the page. “blah blah blah with respect to employer contributions to purchase an annuity contract under section 403(b) blah blah blah”. Not (k). (b). HI HEAD MEET DESK.

Also, I’m experimenting with ways to visually distinguish my posts from Aya’s.  Mom suggested different colors.  I’m thinking that, or different fonts.  Something to keep us from having to type (by ames) and (by aya) all the time.  The kicker is that the site is getting redesigned even as we speak, so whatever I decide has to go with the overall flow of the new look.  (I got a sneak peek.  It’s pretty.)

Although this color thing is kind of a pain. Maybe I’ll make a post this Sunday and do it rainbow colored in honor of Chicago Pride Weekend.  :D

Anyway - work on the stole proceeds apace.  I’m only working on it at specific times, and it’s LACE so it’s taking FOREVER.  But I’ve enjoyed every stitch.  Made with love, this is.

(aya here)

First things first: Sending wishes of a VERY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AMES!!!

*smooches*

Your not-so-secret prezzie has been ordered and should get there in “5-14 business days”. Enjoy!  I think I need to order me some of those needles too. :D

It’s been a quiet weekend, like I expected. I worked about 7 hours over the past couple of days, so I’m ahead in hours for the week. They’ve just given us back some OT, so I can work up to 45/week. It seems easy enough, but when you pull long hours anyways, to make up for a long weekend, adding an extra 5 hours on top of that can be hard sometimes. So, I’ve almost got Friday made up for, and I am going to attempt 6 hours through this coming week.

Went shopping after work yesterday, and picked up some plastic “glasses” that are supposedly unbreakable. I’ve killed my fair share of things in this apartment, so I’m hoping it’s not false advertisement. Got some vacuum bags. Picked up season two of Jericho, which I never managed to watch while it aired.

Came home and cleaned like crazy. Washed down all the floors, vacuumed (since I have vacuum bags again, heh), scrubbed down the kitchen/bathroom, and did some laundry.

And then Ollie got his haircut.

Before:

The trimmings (doesn’t seem like a lot, huh?)

After:

He seems pretty happy with it. He spent all last night preening and grooming himself.

Stan, haircut-free, spent a lot of time in his tunnel last night. He loves that damn thing. Notice the damage he’s done to the tag. If something has a tag on it, and the boys can get at it, the tag gets eaten. Fiber, dontcha know. ;)

Stan seems be going through a second moulting, which means that I’m allergic to him again. I’m only allergic to him when he does his massive sheddings. This is the second one in two months. I guess the lionhead in him has some extra shedding that’s required. I hope that this moult ends quicker than the first one!

I cut the boys’ nails today too. Ollie’s all gun-shy around me now, and literally bolts and hides if I go anywhere near his cage. Stan seemed to deal with it better. With Stan, it’s all about his stomach. He forgave me my transgression as soon as I fed him a snackie afterward. Men, I tell ya….

****

I watched some cheesy movie called The Covenant last night. Predictable, not at all scary, and with two main characters that looked pretty much the same. It was confusing.

While I watched the movie, I cast-on for another pair of socks. I’ve had this yarn in my stash for years, and I suddenly felt the urge to knit it up:

The pictures don’t do the yarn justice. It’s not as light as this. It’s a very shiny yarn, and hasn’t photographed very well. It’s more a jade-lke green and the blue is almost navy.

Here’s one repeat of the pattern.

This is longest repeat I’ve ever attempted. It’s 16 rows, and it took me a good hour or so to get this much done, not including the cuff.

Anyways, I like it a lot.

I’ve spent a few weeks just starting projects and putting them to the side. I’ve been very blah in my knitting, so it’s nice to find something that intrigues me. I think I’ve moved past zen knitting, and like the challenge of more intricate patterns more. I have a feeling that my zen socks days are numbered. Or at the very least, limited. They do make for good travel knitting.

Nothing planned for this evening. A little bit more knitting on the sock above, maybe another pattern repeat or two. I’ll probably pop a movie in, for entertainment value. And I’m actually cooking a real meal tonight, so that’ll occupy some time. I should probably pop it in the oven now, actually, as it’s going to take an hour or two to cook up.

toodles!

(by ames)

Go Cubbies!

Sadly, I won’t get to see them TRAMPLE ALL OVER THE WHITE SOX because I have birthday festivities scheduled for Sunday. I will be there in my heart!

(by ames)

Just two quick pictures today to show off the progress on the stole:

This is just over half of the way through the first part of the pattern. I do the same 32-row repeat seven times, then move into a transitional section, then into mostly stockinette, I think. What we see here is four pattern repeats. I am besotted.

Here. Have a closeup.

I can see a few little mistakes, but nothing major, and nothing really noticeable. I love this thing.

(by aya)

I’m watching The Universe on History Channel, and I have to say- space/astronomy just intrigues me. The whole thing. How the whole Big Bang thing came about. I mean, they just said it all began with something smaller than an atom, and it exploded and expanded out. How? What was it that expanded out? These things intrigue me.

Oh, and check out the gorgeous photos taken by The Hubble. Awesome site.

Moving on.

No knitting pics this evening. I was too lazy and didn’t get any taken before it got dark, which isn’t a big deal since this second zen is FREAKING TAKING FOREVER.

I have cast-on for something else to appease me, but it’s Fug, and I can’t show pics. You’ll have to suffer, ames.

I was out wandering on Ravelry yesterday, and came across a few patterns that intrigued me. Non-Sock patterns, even. There’s The “Not Your Standard-issue Sweatshirt“, which I like - minus the hood. But the one that I really really like? The “February Lady Sweater“. I love the pattern, and I adore that yarn (which is unavailable right now, so I’d need to find something similar). I’m actually contemplating it. Heck, if I start it now, it may be done by the end of next winter. Yeah, I know I have a short attention span. Thus, the socks.

Heading back to MA this weekend, and I’m really looking forward to it. We’re celebrating Father’s Day a day early, and are having lobsters and steamers. YUM. And I am *so* teaching my family how to play Spoons, because they really need to know that game!

I’m doing well for my hours this week too. I was ahead about 7 hours before I even started the day, and I managed to do an hour and a half OT, so now I’m taking off time from Thursday, which is really nice. If I can get enough hours in, in the next couple of days, I may be able to hop an earlier flight, which would be sweet.

Speaking of work, things are going well. Things have been super-busy. I’ve basically been pulled off of processing and put onto research and reconciling, and that is *just fine* with me. So much more interesting than doing the normal monkey work. It requires Thinking (capital T), and I haven’t had to do that for a while now. I’m pretty much left alone now, to work at my own pace, and do what needs to be done. Love it!

I do have some pictures for you, of my babies. I know that you’re thrilled. ;)

I totally caught Ollie giving himself a bath yesterday.

(I love the foot up in the air!)

WHAT? (foot partially down)

I AIN’T DOIN’ NUTHIN’. SEE?

And here’s Stanny, playing soccer. He fusses with the wooden ball until he scores and gets it in one of his bowls. Then he’s done with it. I can’t tell you how many times that I come home from work and the water is red…or blue…or green….or yellow.

A cute close-up. His nose is brown again, after the winter fur molting of a few weeks ago.

And here’s Stan taking a drink. He normally drinks so much, and so fast, that he squeaks. It’s a riot.

One last picture, of Ollie. I think he thinks that he’s a cat. He climbs up onto the couch from the sloped armrest, then climbs the pillows to the back of the couch, which is only about 3-4 inches wide. And he just walks back and forth across it, until he gets bored, and then hops off.

Well, that’s about all for this installment. Maybe next time I’ll have some knitting pictures for you!

(by ames)

Summer has landed on Chicago like a mad thing, and we are all unprepared for it. Holy cannoli it is muggy and hot. I’m ok right now, I’ve got a fan blowing nice cool air on me, the windows are open, Babylon 5 Seaon Three of Awesome is churning away on the dvd player and amazing me with how well it’s tying in to things that happened in season one - I tell you, it was a rocky start, but this show got GOOD.

And I’ve been knitting. Witness the sock:

Tulip Socks from Interweave Knits
STR Mediumweight, 24Karat, size 2 needles
Many many highlighters to decorate and color-code the chart:

See? Color coding worked in law school, and it works here. Marvelous.

And this is my latest project, and I’ a little obsessed with it.

Hanami Stole by Pink Lemon Twist.
Lorna’s Laces Helen’s Lace. Size 3 Needle. Insanity.

Lacework and I swear, it’s like knitting with sewing thread. What was I thinking? Well, I was thinking that my friend will like it (I hope) and that I wanted a challenge (got it) and I needed something pretty to work on after the Chum. So - pretty pink stole for a friend. <3