Lordy, lordy, look who’s 40…

November 17, 2006 Chris 152 Comments

Yikes, it’s me!!! 🙂

Well, ok, such an event requires a contest – a contest that encompasses Chaos’ third birthday (since he was sick at the time), my 40th birthday, and my first blogiversary on November 22… Leave me a comment with the most useful piece of information/advice you’ve ever received. The information you wished you’d known when. The information that you think we’d all be better off knowing.

Leave your comment by 7 pm CST Wednesday, November 22, and I will use the magical random number generator to select the winners. There will be at least three prizes and possibly more: knitterly prizes for knitters and other prizes for non-knitters. Knitterly prizes will include the autumnal skein of laceweight I dyed at Deb’s on my vacation and skeins of Socks that Rock from the 2006 Rockin’ Socks Club.

“You guys can so do this – you have opposable thumbs!”

Contests, Those Cats

In which there are acrobatics

November 16, 2006 Chris 51 Comments

Kristin is having a first knitting anniversary contest. Leave her a comment about how you learned to knit by noon CST, Wednesday, November 22.

Danielle is having an unusual vegetable contest (yup, you read that right). You have until Wednesday, November 29, to complete your unusual vegetable mission!

Lucia (Rhymes with Fuscia) is having a contest – answer her question and support your answer and you could win some sock yarn.

Last night I went over to Jeanne’s house to knit and was surprised to find Deb there – and presents! An offer from Jeanne to knit the fingers and thumbs of a pair of gloves for me (my dislike of knitting thumbs, particularly the 10 “thumbs” required for gloves, is well known)! Flourless chocolate cake! Candles! Pinot noir! Cats! And even a tricky package from MrsPao and Pao, all the way from the UK! I will share more details (and pictures) of the wonderful things next week, after I’ve had time to actually take some pictures. My heartfelt thanks to all of them for starting my birthday two days early! 🙂

Work has definitely calmed down. Whew! Also, on Monday, the locksmith (who was cute!) replaced the lock guts and no kitties missed their feeding time. I was glad to find out that it wouldn’t have helped if I’d put graphite in the lock, which I’d been meaning to do for weeks…

Ok, I know you’re all waiting for the acrobatics… I’ve mentioned that May fetches and catches toys. Yesterday, for the first time, I got pictures of some of those feline acrobatics. Go, May!!

Alongs

U is for…

November 15, 2006 Chris 16 Comments

Urban.

Work is still crazy, but hopefully things will ratchet down today. Cross your fingers!

Alongs, Randonymity

Mmmm…. mocha: The coffee edition

November 14, 2006 Chris 43 Comments

I think I’ve mentioned that I’m participating in the Knitters’ Coffee Swap, right? I’m a notorious coffee fiend, but I’m real particular like – I just drink soy mochas straight up. For me, chocolate is essential for the coffee experience.

There’s a contest as part of the Knitters’ Coffee Swap – sharing our favorite coffee shops. Well, it’s kinda funny – I always find coffeeshops that I love when I’m traveling, but don’t have a favorite coffeeshop in the Twin Cities (other than the generic Caribou Coffee). I’m also totally weak for buying souvenirs from coffeeshops when I travel.

Even when those coffeeshops aren’t that terribly far away.

“I ate an entire espresso bean when I was a kitten. What a rush!”

I’m also fond of some coffeeshops a bit further afield: Dry Creek Coffee in Hill City, South Dakota; Starry Night Cafe in Fort Collins, Colorado; Cafe Oasis in Sante Fe, New Mexico…

May? She just likes the cups.

“Mmm, this would be perfect for a little mouse dunking.”

Contests, Reading, Those Cats

Chaos Oblique

November 13, 2006 Chris 44 Comments

Not an Artist is having a contest to name one of her knitting creations. Submit your idea by Saturday, November 18, midnight EST.

My work fun continues, but hopefully things will settle down later this week. My week isn’t starting off too well – my front door lock jammed as I was leaving this morning and I had to leave the key sticking out of the lock. No cats will be fed until the locksmith comes, since I can’t get into my condo!

Reading Update
Shakespeare’s Counselor and Shakespeare’s Christmas by Charlaine Harris. Two more Lily Bard mysteries, completely out of order.
Vanishing Point by Marcia Muller. The latest mystery about San Francisco PI Sharon McCone is a solid, enjoyable read that kept me guessing (wrong) for a long time.

Some of you have been wondering if Chaos is hiding from the blog. Whatever gave you that idea?! He’s fine, BTW – I think he’s just kind of stunned about how much energy May has. 🙂

Knitting, Reading, Those Cats

Woot woot – it stripes!

November 10, 2006 Chris 49 Comments

For the readers among us, check out the From the Stacks Winter Challenge – read five books from your shelves by January 30. If you submit your book list by November 15, you’re entered in a drawing, and if you submit five reviews by January 30, you’ll be in another drawing for an amazon.com gift certificate. Here’s my list:

Lambs of God by Marele Day
The Chemistry of Joy: A Three-Step Program for Overcoming Depression through Western Science and Eastern Wisdom by Henry Emmons, MD, with Rachel Kranz
The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez Reverte
Like the Red Panda by Andrea Seigel
Heft on Wheels: A Field Guide to Doing a 180 by Mike Magnuson

I’m knitting self-striping sock yarn that I dyed myself and feeling very thrilled that… it actually stripes. Who woulda thunk it?? (Check it out – Frarochvia is knitting socks from some sportweight that I dyed at the same time!)

“Forget the yarn – it’s more fun to play with sharp pointy toys!”

“Really, Mom, you’re such a worrier. I’m sure it’ll be fun even after someone pokes an eye out – especially if it isn’t me.”

“Well, ok… Hey, with my tongue out, do I match the yarn?!”

Alongs

Knitters’ Coffee Swap Answers

November 9, 2006 Chris

Here are my answers to the Knitters’ Coffee Swap questions.

1. Whole bean or ground?

Whole bean, so I can grind it just right for my espresso machine

2. Fully-loaded or decaf?

Caffeine me, baby!

3. Regular or flavored?

Regular – flavored coffees may contain gluten, which would be bad

4. How do you drink your coffee?

Ummmmm… It depends. On weekdays, I make a soy mocha at home and take it to work. Sometimes I’ll grab a soy mocha over lunch, if I’m having a sleepy/groggy day. On weekends, I lounge in my comfy chair, sipping my soy mocha, knitting, and reading. Ahh…

5. Favorite coffee ever?

Espresso roast is critical. Good quality chocolate is critical. Because… I only like coffee when it’s in a mocha. *hangs head in shame*

6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do?

I’m probably on the low end of fussy – I can’t detect subtle flavor shadings, but I can definitely tell if it isn’t good quality.

7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee?

I pretty much just drink my soy mochas and consider them a well-rounded treat.

8. Anything else about your coffee preferences?

Not that I can think of right now.

9. Yarn/fiber you love?

Sock yarns are always a particular favorite. In non-sock yarns, wool-silk blends are excellent.

10. Yarn/fiber you hate?

I’m just not a big fan of acrylic or of froofy yarns.

11. What’s on your needles?

Socks…

12. Favorite colors?

Black, jewel tones (especially purple, blue, and green); I’m definitely not a fan of yellow or orange.

13. Allergies?

Oh yeah. I’m gluten and lactose intolerant. The gluten-intolerance is the biggie – no wheat, rye, oats, barley, spelt, teff, kamut, or anything containing derivatives thereof. I’m also extremely sensitive to fragrances – they tend to be migraine and asthma triggers.

14. Anything you really love, really don’t like, or just need to get off your chest?

I’m a voracious reader and I read while I knit. I have no interest in watching TV and haven’t turned on my TV since, um, April? My two black kitties are very, very dear to me. I’m really particular about travel mugs, so it’s best not to even start down that path. 🙂

Contests, Randonymity, Reading

The Bedjacket Edition

November 9, 2006 Chris 54 Comments

Local knitblogger Christy is having a caption contest to celebrate her blogiversary! Caption the cute cat picture by November 11 and win some yarny goodness.

Gwen’s having a contest to welcome back her knitting mojo and celebrate being almost done with her holiday knitting. Leave a comment before Friday, November 17, about what you’re knitting for holiday gifts and whether you think you’ll finish in time and you could win some lovely Tess’ Super Sock Yarn.

Sue is having a comment contest – leave a comment before November 23 and you could win a copy of the book Toys To Sew or the Fall 2006 Interweave Knits.

Check out the new goodies Scout has for sale! Love the kitty shawl pin! And I’m curious as to how the Namaste Jetsetter knitting handbag compares to the Jordana Paige Knitter’s Satchel – anyone know?

Reading Update
Blood Debt and Blood Bank by Tanya Huff – the last two of the Blood Books. Blood Bank contains some very clever and enjoyable short stories, two of which should be read before Blood Debt.
Micah by Laurell K. Hamilton, book 13 of Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter. This one is odd, considering how the series has been going recently. It’s short (under 300 pages), compared to the 752 pages of Incubus Dreams (book 12). And it’s a lot more like the early books of the series, which is a good thing.
Shakespeare’s Trollop by Charlaine Harris – a Lily Bard mystery. I’m not managing to read these in order and I’m ok with it. Another solid mystery about Lily Bard, who lives in Shakespeare, Arkansas, trying to keep to herself but becoming part of the community anyway.

So, can anyone shed some light on what the heck the point of bedjackets was?! And if you were wearing a bedjacket, presumably in bed, would you need to be wearing slippers at the same time? Yes, another thriftstore find. Check out how well this booklet held its value. 😉

I like the lace pattern used for this one, but those slippers…

I actually kinda like this bedjacket, too, although I would call it a cardigan. I wouldn’t put the ruffles on the cuffs, but the construction is intriguing. However, once again, those slippers… *shudder*

This next one….. *blink blink*

And without the fringe, this isn’t a bad shawl. But, um…… are those slippers or small fuzzy dogs?!

Love her “you woke me up for what?! Well, hurry up then” expression….

And the back cover… priceless. I think this is a blurb for some early superwash yarn?? Whatever it is, “no sighs about size” gave me the giggles. Heh.

“I totally could model bedjackets. If I wanted to.”

Contests, Randonymity

Of contests and cleanliness

November 8, 2006 Chris 19 Comments

Wendy has started her Heifer International 2006 Holiday Season Drive. For every $10 that you donate, you will receive an entry into the weekly and grand prize drawings. The grand prize drawing will be January 2, 2007.

Mim’s having a fun motivational/demotivational caption contest. Leave your caption comments by Friday, November 10, midnight MST.

Did you vote yesterday? If you did, you can participate in Kat’s contest. Emails must be sent by Friday, November 10, 6:00 pm EST.

For you competitive sock knitters out there who haven’t had enough after Sock Wars (my head is still spinning from trying to follow that one), check out Sock Madness, which starts in March 2007. I’m sure a competitive sock knitting reality TV show must be in the works by now…