Birthday Meme

Ok, I saw this on CJ's blog it is her Birthday today and since my birthday is around the corner I thought I would do this now instead of later.

Birthday meme

The instructions:
1) Go to Wikipedia.
2) In the search box, type your birth month and day but not the year.
3) List three events that happened on your birthday
4) List two important birthdays and one death
5) One holiday or observance (if any)

Three events that happened on my Birthday
1.) 1803 - Louisiana Purchase completed at a ceremony in New Orleans.
2.) 1981 - The first ever on-stage performance of the award-winning Broadway musical Dreamgirls at Imperial Theatre on Broadway.
3.) 2005 - US District Court Judge John E. Jones III ruled against mandating teaching "intelligent design" in his ruling of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District.

Two important birthdays and one death
1.) 1537 - King John III of Sweden (birthday)
2.) 1868 - Harvey Firestone, American automobile pioneer (birthday)
3.) 1968 - John Steinbeck, American writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1902) (death)

One Holiday Observance
R.C. Saints - Saint Dominic of Silos, O Clavis, Ursicinus of Saint-Ursanne

What happened on your Birthday?

Happy days are here again...sort of

The fridge is fixed!! Cost was VERY reasonable. The "starter" to the compressor basically burned out. A very nice man came tonight and replaced the burned out part and made my fridge work. Now the toilet/shower/drain pipe issue has reared its ugly head again after we thought it was fixed. That repair man is coming in the morning. One down, one to go.

Knitting update, the niece and nephew Christmas photo sweaters are going well. All four pieces of my nieces sweater is complete including the blocking. I am now working on my nephews back of his sweater. Deadline, this weekend. Anyone like to knit ribbing??

The Good, The Bad and The Smelly

THE GOOD


Thanksgiving Dinner



The Family, left to right, Mimi(paternal grandma), Michelle (sister-in-law), Cody (nephew), Todd (oldest brother), Grandma (maternal grandma), Me, and Sensei. Mom is taking the photo.Sensei, stop tickling me, I am knitting!!!

THE BAD

When we got home, the fridge had died while we were gone to Grandma house for Thanksgiving weekend. We are hoping that it will be a minor financial fix instead of a replacement. As you can see, I have emptied the entire thing, it was pretty much an entire loss of food.

THE SMELLY

The toilet got backed up so bad that the shower stall floor filled up with sewer water after several attempts of removing the clog with a plunger and Liquid Plumber. I will spare you the descriptive details and photo of the ordeal, suffice to say, it was a crappy situation (pun intended!)

No Deep Thoughts

No deep thoughts, no in site, no words of encouragement from me today. Just a couple of photos that I took and thought I would share. Because really, no one wants to hear how stressed I am with all the holiday knitting I have committed myself to. I said last year that I wouldn't do it, but I guess I couldn't stick to that. (my English skills are stunning right now too!) I finally got the yarn order completed yesterday for my nephew's sweater. I had to pay for 3 day shipping so that I would get it in enough time to complete for Christmas photos. I started another gift project, I still have to finish my green socks, 2 baby gifts to start and complete, my moms birthday sweater (from July!!) and a few other things that have escaped my mind. But to be quite honest, even though I am a little stressed about all the knitting, I wouldn't have it any other way! I could have worse problems...wait, I actually do have worse problems. OK, knitting is my escape, my sanctuary, my zen.

Here is a scarf that I did last year but only had time to wear it a couple of times before it got too warm to wear. But it has sure come in handy lately!

I made this out of one hank of Baby Grande Alpaca in a 1x1 rib, I like the look of stockinette with out the rolling. It is very light, warm, soft and fuzzy. Me likes.

And my favorite furry guy in the whole wide world. Mugsy, laying on top of Sensei on the couch. Sensei, a bit camera shy that day. Mugsy IS the king of the house, we just live around him.

Knitting and Love

I love my niece and nephew, a lot. You will know how much when I show you the finished objects, but for now, these are just progress photos. I went down to visit them back in September and had a great time. That is when I started the "missing" socks, the ones that have never been delivered still. While visiting, I opened my mouth and said, "You know, I could knit them (the kids) matching sweaters for your family Christmas photos." Now, I in no way am regretting this moment at all, but I have to admit at times it is overwhelming to think about all the knitting that I have committed myself to completing. These sweaters will be the first to complete because of their deadline. My niece and nephew are little, 5 and 3 respectively, so I chose to knit something fairly simple with room to grow for them. This is a ribbed drop shoulder sweater from the Debbie Bliss Easy Knits book. The sweaters are going to be the same style but in contrasting color schemes. Pictured is my nieces sweater, I have completed the front and the back and now have casted on for the sleeves. All the pieces will be done this weekend. Then on to the little guys!

No nickel for me...

So I faithfully read Janet's blog, my Twisted counterpart, she was reviewing the KnitPicks metal DPN's. Read her review here. I do not used DPN's, they are my enemy, I have never been able to use them successfully. And that is OK. Others love DPN's and wouldn't think about using anything else. I on the other hand am a circular needle kind of girl. So much so that now I am even Magic Loop knitting several things.


My needle usage started with Clover Bamboo needles, straight, then to circulars. Then I discovered Addi needles and that fantastic flexible cable, score since they have them in bamboo too. Then I bought the nickel plated Turbo Addi needles and I thought that I was a machine knitter it was so fast. I was in love, well not with the price, but hey, the cables were the best on the market in my opinion. Next thing I know, I was introduced to the KnitPicks needles, not only were they hollow, nickel plated needles like the Addi's, they also had fantastically flexible cables and the best part, way less expensive than the Addi's, TRIPLE SCORE.


Then came my discovery, my hands eat nickel. They really do. This is the evidence...

These are Addi Turbo circular needles US5's. The two in the middle are the ones that I used to knit some worsted weight wool slipper socks, one pair only. The ones on the top and bottom are the replacements, new needles never used. I have done this to KnitPicks, Addi Turbo and Addi Lace needles. Stitches no longer slide across the needle like intended, they have to be forced. Makes for difficult knitting. So I am heading back to wood. I still have some Addi's Natura's and I have now started knitting with KnitPicks Harmony needles. I am not as fond of the wood, I am forced to knit looser now. It was suggested to me that I try steel needles, so I will be buying one and giving it a go when it arrives.

Any thoughts? Any like experiences? Any suggestions? Let me know please!!! I am leaning in the direction of buying the KnitPicks Harmony Options, I am not fond of the Denise cables and plastic needles.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I was in the mood for a change, actually it was long over due, I cut my hair. I am very pleased with it, I think it suits me. I cut about 10 inches off. Next step, color. The greys are coming in too fast. Sorry for the crappy camera phone pic at work no less.

I have 2 finished sweaters to show, yes, I have FINISHED two, count them, one, two sweaters. Next blog post, with the new hair cut!