This made me laugh . . . .

With a birthday on the 15th of any month, you are apt to have really strong attachments to home, family and domestic scene. The 1 and 5 equaling 6, provide the sort of energy that makes you an excellent parent or teacher. You are very responsible and capable. This is an attractive and an attracting influence. You like harmony in your environment and strive to maintain it. You tend to learn by observation rather than study and research. You may like to cook, but you probably don't follow recipes. This number shows artistic leanings and would certainly support an talents that may be otherwise in your makeup. You're a very generous and giving person, but perhaps a bit stubborn in ways.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

The end of a long week . . . .

Thank goodness it's Friday--I couldn't take another day. Thirteen more days and my two big events wil be done and then I can collapse. I can't wait.

As you have probably noticed, there hasn't been any spinning lately. I developed a bad case of "spinner's limp" after my last spinning adventure about three weeks ago. I'm still limping around--one day it will be my thigh, the next my hip, the next my lower leg--it's really weird. Sitting for long periods makes it worse, of course, so work isn't helping at all. Plus the fact that I'm so tired that I don't think I could concentrate enough to not screw up any spinning I would try, so it will probably be mid to late May before I start a new batch of fiber. My spindle is still sitting on my coffee table, too--I look at it longingly, but I'm just TOO TIRED. Basic, simple, straight knitting on my sock is all I can handle right now. In fact, if it wasn't just 7 pm and the sun wasn't still shining, I'd be in bed right now . . . .

In Memoriam

Ladies and gentlemen, I present . . . a new personal best!

Koigu Sock #1 - completed!!

Talk about down to the wire--I had about 26 inches of yarn left. I'm lucky I had that much--I had to go back after casting off and rip out the finished edge plus one more row to have enough yarn to use a Size 4 needle to cast off. With the Size 2s, it was too tight to go over my foot all the way.

As I was working the leg, I was afraid that the gusset would not be deep enough for it to fit properly, but it fits fine. Wow, I feel like I've really accomplished something--Koigu socks with Size 2 needles and they fit! I am "un artiste!"

Anyway, one down--Sock #2 will be cast on later today after I do some housework (yeah, right).

PS--this is KPPM Color #P105.

I'm just plum wore down . . . .

Work has just been too busy and I have been too exhausted to get much accomplished. Actually, I haven't really accomplished anything that hasn't had to be done, which means work has received all my attention and home--none. The house is a wreck, I need to take out the trash, and I've finally realized that if I'm going to eat anything other than sandwiches in the evening, it's got to be frozen dinners. Of course, then the remains from the frozen dinners stay on the kitchen counter because I can't drag my happy ass down the stairs to take the trash to the dumpster--so, you get my drift. It's a good thing I live alone.

Koigu Sock #1 is coming along. If I get lucky, it could be finished this weekend; however, seeing as how I really need to put some time into cleaning tomorrow, it's probably not gonna happen. However, I think I am still well within my record for completing one sock, so we'll see how it goes.

I'm dreading this next week. Tuesday, April 19, will be insane here in OKC for many reasons, most of which have to do with the 10th Bombing Memorial, the Arts Festival, a big charity concert Friday night, a Philharmonic concert Friday and Saturday nights (Manhattan Transfer), and the Memorial Marathon on Sunday. Add in thousands of people coming for the Memorial doings (including a sitting Vice President and a former President--there were security and Secret Service vehicles all around the Federal Building on Friday) and the Arts Festival, and downtown will be a madhouse. I went to the 6th Street Post Office on Friday (it's across the street from the Memorial), and they were working on the scaffolding for Tuesday. There were already TV trucks there, and between people coming to the museum and going to mail their taxes, it was a mess. So if you live in the greater OKC area--stay away from downtown on Tuesday. It'll just be easier that way.

I guess I know who's boss now . . . .

The best part of my day is always coming home. Yes, I'm very glad to be home where I can shut the door and tune out the world for the rest of the night--but the highlight, the thing that tops it all, is walking in the door and having Maggie realize "MOM'S HOME!!!" This always results in the most joyful reunion--you would think I had been gone for years, not just several hours. There is running and jumping and chasing of bones and enthusiastic chewing and much general rejoicing. There is truly nothing better in my world.

The usual home-from-work routine is this: I walk in the door, Maggie runs down the hall from the bedroom where she has been "working on her tan" in the bedroom window, and the party begins. After five or six big leaps into the air (and believe me, Boston terriers can jump 5 feet high--they've got a LOT of energy), usually meaning I end up either knocked into the couch or begging for mercy, she runs over, scoops up the nearest bone, and flies into the bedroom and up on the bed, plops down, and begins chewing that bone like her life depended on it. I follow her back, see what's she's doing, give her a big hug, and then say, "Let's go outside!" Then it's off the bed, race down the hall, and make a general fuss until I make it back to the door. Lately Maggie's had a bit more of a bone fixation than normal. She wants to carry one around in her mouth most of the time. She's even carried it downstairs to go pee (only once, but it was so cute!).

Today when I walked in the door, everything was the same--jump up, grab the bone, run into the bedroom, etc. I followed her back to the bedroom and said, "let's go outside." She runs into the living room, grabs the nearest Meaty Bone left from her "Mom's going to work treats" at 6:45 this morning, takes it to the door, and promptly sits down--and eats it!!! Nothing, not picking up her leash, rattling my keys, asking if she wanted to go out--nothing would stop her from finishing that bone! When she was done, she looked up as if to say, "well, what are you waiting for?" and off we went. I guess she put me in my place . . . goofy dog!!

Sunday we had one of the first, if not the first, "weather events" in the city this season. This means sighted tornados or rotations which could develop into tornados. This also means that every TV station in town dumps their regular programming to see who can "spot the tornado first." It's quite the competition--almost like sport. Don't get me wrong, they do a great, great job, but these stations spend millions of dollars every year trying to one-up each other to get the biggest ratings. Weather is big bucks in Oklahoma. Unfortunately, most of the people in OKC were not very happy Sunday night when the sirens went off and there were no tornado warnings for most of the area. To top that off, the TV stations didn't seem to know that it's apparently standard procedure for the sirens to be sounded if there's a warning anywhere in the county. Seeing as how OKC is over 600 square miles in size, that does seem a little weird. There's been a big fuss about it, and it will be interesting to see how it will be resolved.

Anyway, I did go out and take some pictures, because there were some really pretty clouds in my area (just clouds and wind--it didn't rain a drop). This one was the best:

We were on the north side of the storm. It was centered around Norman, well away from us, but it did make for some pretty skies toward the end of the day.

I am still knitting on Koigu Sock #1, but I'm on the downhill stretch. I hope to have pictures to post later this week.

It's Friday!!!

I swear this has been the longest week of my life--I am absolutely exhausted. I don't know about you, but I'm all Poped out. (Yes, I am a heathen--live with it.) I had to pry myself out of bed this morning.

The best moment of the week came yesterday when my boss returned from a big whoop-ti-do lunch and explained how he had very nicely laid the smackethdown on a certain state representative concerning his behavior during our school board and city council runoff election this week. I have never been more proud.

Yesterday's mail brought a little tube from Brittany Needles. I had e-mailed them last week asking for a replacement for the single needle that I broke. Their website said it would be one to two weeks. Usually that means at least two weeks. Surprise--it took exactly one week, and they sent me THREE replacements. I'm very impressed.

I've turned the heel on the Koigu sock. I will take some pictures tomorrow and get them posted. I'm very excited about it.

Missy and I ordered some yarn from KnitPicks' new line today. Silk and alpaca and sock yarn--yum! Can't wait to see this yarn--I have read some really good things about it.

Have a great weekend!

PS--anybody want to volunteer to stuff 2,000 invitations next week? Did I tell you how much I LOVE April?

Is it only Wednesday?

Geez, it seems like this week has gone on forever, and it's only Wednesday? That just can't be right. This is the busiest month of the year for me at work, and I think I'm dreading it more than usual this year. (It's really only April 5? Are you sure?) So I'm tired and grumpy, and I woke up with a major headache this morning that then proceeded to mess up my stomach, and--you can see where I'm going, can't you? It's just been a LOOOONG week . . . .

I must admit, however, that knitting has gone very well. The Koigu sock is progressing nicely. I am almost finished turning the heel, and then it's on to the leg! I really like this toe-up pattern, even though I did the toe differently. If it works the way it's supposed to, I see a lot of toe-ups in my future. It's very easy, and the best part--no cast-ons at the gusset--I hate that. If I keep knitting at this pace, I may set a new record for myself--a single sock in a little over a week. Could I go for a completed pair before the month's up? Who knows?

I did finish spinning the fiber I've had on the wheel for the last three weeks. I navajo-plied it, and it turned out okay. The fiber broke in one spot, and I didn't do a very good job of fixing it, so that looks awful. I need to slow down when I'm plying--I always rush through it because I want to finish so it won't sit on the wheel for another week. I really need to start spinning some during the week insteading of waiting until the weekend.

Anyway, it's off to watch The West Wing and see who wins the Democratic nomination!

PS--my friend Missy has started her own blog, Blue Candy. Check it out--she has some very funny stories about her son. (Most of us lovingly call him "The Crackhead." He's three, and we hear these stories every day--trust me, we're spot on with this nickname.)

Photos of the Koigu sock and the spinning results to come this weekend, when I can get some natural lighting.