Sunday, November 18, 2007

$$$$$

I think I found a flat-screen TV!

For those of you who know, I live in a tiny, 460 sqft condo. I need all the room I can get. Which is why I can justify the flat-screen to myself. I need the room!

I am looking at a Vizio 37" LCD TV (model VX37L). I've done my reviews-research, and priced it at several places. The cheapest "immediate" place I could buy it would be Sam's Club, where it's $750, not including tax. (The NEX does not carry Vizios). However, I checked the Dell website, and with my employee discount, I can get it for $760 including tax. (shipping is free). And it comes to my house.

The deal gets better. Every year, Dell has a holiday sale, where our employee discount is increased. So, I figured I could wait for that to occur. I've already waited 11 months! :-)

The only thing I need to find now is a good deal on an articulating-arm style wall mount for the TV. I am scouring Amazon, Monodeal, Salescircular, and any other place I can think of. I should have Daniel check the NEX website.

******

The other big purchase I am looking at is a drum carder. A woman in Portland has a Pat Green one for $200. !!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to go check it out the Saturday after Thanksgiving (Nov 24). Hopefully Daniel can go with me...

I am hoping that a spinning wheel is still up for grabs down there, too. Liz is looking for one, and this one was advertised for $50. If it's still around, I told her I would pick it up for her (if it worked).

Sunday's Work

I had to get up today at 0630 to go see Daniel. So, of course, if I can't sleep more than 8 hours on a weekend, at least it gets me knitting. I am about a third to halfway through with Daniel's second sock leg. The instep yarn is half-spun (ie one ply is done).

I am ALMOST DONE with my second Dove sock. They seriously need to be blocked, though. One needs to be stretched out, and one needs to calm down and just be blocked. :-)

I began a swatch for my Ms. Marigold vest. I need to re-start it, and this time make it bigger than they ask for, so I can be accurate once it's blocked...

Last night, I finished spinning up the second half of my Duets roving. I think it's pretty cool that this girl, Angi, is living in suburban Washington and has made it big (relatively speaking). (She's in Liz's knitting group.) I mean, The Loopy Ewe is going to start carrying her stuff, and she got mentioned on the next-to-most-recent Lime&Violet podcast.

I also made some more yarn labels for my Etsy shop . . . that is mostly ongoing. I need to spin up more yarn for Milagro in Baltimore, and I am SO looking forward to spinning up my Loop roving.

Vegetal Madness

I just spent the last hour in a whirlwind of kitchen efficiency. I made a roasted concoction of celery root, potato, fennel, and ginger with some maple syrup. I made a mess of rainbow chard + dinosaur kale, with sweated onions, bacon, and gewurtztraminer wine. I braised four chicken sausages in unsweetened cranberry juice and gewurtztraminer wine. I made a cup of thai iced tea with coconut milk. I chopped and prepped a bunch of carrots for lunches, two heads of broccoli for broiling, and some beets for roasting later.

I also discovered that some things had not fared so well in the crisper - I had forgotten about my baby bok chois and some baby kale mix (sadness) and it was time to dump a head of Napa cabbage.

On the flip side, I am overwrought with squash. I have two acorns, a delicata, a pumpkin-looking-thing-but-it's-green-and-splotchy, and a spaghetti squash. I have two yams, and maybe 7 lb of different types of potatoes. I have sunchokes. I am flush with produce! :-)

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Knitting....knitting...

First, a note. Today's movie recommendation?! "Jeffrey". Patrick Stewart plays a gay decorator, and Nathan Lane is a gay priest. I think the main character is one of the guys from "Wings", too... Freakin' Hysterical!!!!!

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Well, I finished my first "Dove" sock last week. I finally took a picture:


The subtle diamond shape worked in purl stitches that encompasses the gusset increase is a little hard to photograph.

And here is the cast-on toe for Dove #2!!

I am very glad that I don't suffer from SSS (Second Sock Syndrome), often characterized by a reluctance to repeat a pattern in order to make a second (matching) sock. I enjoy that I have worked out all the kinks (if any) in the first time around.

Here is my current spinning progress. I finished up a ply of the second half of my Duets roving. I started the second ply last night, after finishing the first ply of Daniel's instep sock yarn.

Here's a pic of the Duets roving:



And, finally... my 2-at-a-time Metamorphic socks. It is taking a little longer than I figured, because it takes a lot of concentration for me to be pulling the yarn correctly, and also sometimes I get confused which needle is supposed to go where. It just takes patience. ... Which is why, I guess, knitters have different WIPs. Different projects for different levels of patience.


A Quiz

1.) Name one person that made you laugh last night?

My friend Randy, before pilates class last night. He was telling me about a horrible coworker of his wife who doesn't know when to shut up!

2.) What were you doing at 0800?

This morning? I was checking e-mail at work, and doing the final touch-ups to a data request before my coworker returned from Hawaii.

3.) What happened to you in 2006?

I moved to Seattle on January 4, and started working at Boeing on January 20. I dated a bunch of interesting guys, met some great friends in the area, rented a great apartment in Belltown, and was able to take a vacation to Maryland to see my friends I'd made in 2005.

4.) How many beverages did you have today?

A cup of Maya Chai Teecino, about 5 cups of herbal tea, 32 oz of water (at least), and a tofu/frozen fruit smoothie this morning (does that count as a beverage?)

5.) What colour is your hairbrush?

It's a red wooden handle with black bristles that I stole from my mom because it brushed my hair better than anything else ever has before.

6.) Where were you last night?

At 6 PM I went to pilates class, and returned home at 8:30 PM or so.

7.) What colour is your front door?

Some sort of generic off-white color. I live in a condo building.

8.) Where do you keep your change?

I try to keep it out of my wallet. Quarters go into a jar so I can use them for bus fare, and other coinage goes into a bag in the same jar so I can roll them up and deposit them when I get enough.

9.) What’s the weather like today?

Cloudy. The high temperature was about 50 deg F. It rained pretty heavily this morning, but tapered off, and wasn't raining last time I checked outside.

10.) What’s the best ice cream flavour?

I love crazy flavors, like champagne, or pumpkin pie... but the classic one is chocolate chip cookie dough!

11.) What excites you?

Getting to spend time with my family / boyfriend / friends. Losing weight. Knitting. Spinning yarn. Petting animals. Driving fast cars. Reading new books and magazines. Getting my hair highlighted. Watching my skin clear up. Waiting for packages to come in the mail. Walking outside and discovering it's a beautiful, clear day. Discovering my orchids are growing new flower stems. Going to a farmer's market.

12.) Do you want to cut your hair?

I had it in a boy-cut for 10 years, so I decided I might try growing it out. It currently is beyond my ears.

13.) Are you over the age of 25?

Yes

14.) Do you talk a lot?

Why yes I do! :-) Actually, it's nice to be with Daniel because he is one person, ironically, who I don't absolutely need to talk around.

15.) Do you watch the OC?

No, but I've been there...but that was a long time ago. :-)

16.) Do you make up your own words?

I like to make up cuss words so I can spout them at work and to my sister. My sister and I also make up animal noises, and for some reason my family has adopted the noise of a dog howling as a valid exclamation (sometimes shortened to "Barr"...)

17.) Are you a jealous person?

Not too much. I can usually admit it when I am, though. :-)

18.) Name a friend that starts with an ‘A’.

Alyison! Since when did you know someone who spelled their name "A-l-y-i-s-o-n"?

19.) Name a friend that starts with a ‘K’.

Kim Knecht, Kim Nguyen, Kris McCord...

20.) Who’s the first person on your received call list?

My friend Aash. He called me up last night!

21.) What does the last text message received say?

I don't pay for text messages, so I actually get somewhat annoyed when people send them to me.

22.) Do you chew on a straw?

I used to, but not anymore.

23.) Where’s the next place you are going?

Work...tomorrow morning. Then back home, then to rehearsal up north of Seattle. The next exciting place I am going will be to Daniel's house this weekend (I presume).

24.) Who’s the rudest person in your life?

I've got a few folks, but I try hard not to talk to them so much.

25.) What was the last thing you ate?

A tofu ice cream bar-lette.

26.) Will you get married in the future?

Hmmm.... I don't know. Maybe, if I find the right guy. :-)

27.) What’s the best film you’ve seen in the last two weeks?

I am actually watching "Jeffrey" as I type this. It is hi-larious. I love Patrick Stewart, and he's an uber-gay guy... it is hysterical!

28.) When was the last time you did the dishes?

I did a bunch of dishes earlier tonight. There is a mixer and a small Pyrex dish in the sink right now.

29.) Are you currently depressed?

No!

30.) Did you cry today?


No. I can probably count the number of times I have cried on ...well, the answer is not a lot.

31.) What was the last thing you said aloud?

"Bye, George!" ..this was to my neighbor's cat, who I am cat-sitting (well, the cat is next door, so I don't have to live with it...)

32.) What car do you drive and what bumper stickers do you have on it?

I drive a Honda Civic 4-door. I love it because it never has any huge problems, and it will go forever. I used to have a "Starfleet Academy" bumper sticker on a window, but it faded while I was in college, so I took it off once I moved to Maryland.

33.) Why did you answer this and post it?

I was bored. It looked like a good idea at the time.

Monday, November 5, 2007

A Day In The Life

You may ask yourself, "Where does all my time go?"

Well, here is my thought experiment on where all my time goes... this is a typical Monday and Tuesday, which sort of covers the entire week for me:

0604 hours: Alarm goes off. Pop out of bed and into shower.

0615 hours: Exit shower. Dry off and apply various face creams and body lotions. Dress.

0620 hours: Dry hair using hairdryer.

0625 hours: Brush teeth with Sonicare, and while one hand is doing that, the other hand sprays orchids with water mist, and gathers lunchbox and smoothie mug out of the fridge and sets them by the door.

0630 hours: Exit condo with work bag, lunch box, smoothie mug, jacket, and keys. Hope I remembered my work ID card.

Get into car and drive to work.

0705 hours: Arrive at work. Unlock laptop from cabinet in cube, plug in and turn on laptop, lock it to desk. Turn on cubicle fluorescent lights. Put away messenger bag and purse. Get out teabag for mug. Take lunchbox, mug, and water bottle to coffee area. Refrigerate lunch box and fill mug with hot water, and water bottle with cold water from water cooler.

0730: Finish checking morning email. Sign into UNIX server and begin work.

0830: Get first "bug" from coworkers regarding work (average time). If I'm lucky, I've had time to spool up before work gets busy. Take first of many trips to the bathroom.

Alternately work and check email.

1100: Time for lunch. Eat while either surfing internet or running files, depending on how busy the workday is.

1200: Someone needs something around lunchtime, usually. Or my friend will want me to go stand outside with her while she smokes a cigarrette, doing her best to stand downwind of me.

Alternately work and surf internet, check email. At least email is justified - lots of files take their time running. Coworker will invariably complain to me about something during the day, usually by this point.

1600: Time to leave (1500 if Tuesday). Skedaddle!!

1645: Average time of arrival at home. Arrive and eat dinner, relax for a minute. If I'm especially enterprising, I'll make lunch and breakfast for the next day at this time.

1800: Leave for band rehearsal (if Monday).

2100: Leave band rehearsal.

2130: Arrive home from band rehearsal. If I haven't made lunch and breakfast during the break, I have to do it now.

Brush teeth and wash face. Change into pajamas. If I'm feeling ambitious, I'll check my email at this time.

2200: Lower Murphy bed and crawl in. Fall asleep by 2300 hours.

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0604: Start Over.

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The after-work activities vary depending on the day:

Monday: Band rehearsal 1800 - 2100 (really 1900 - 2100, but you have to find parking beforehand)

Tuesday: Pilates from 1600 - 1700, Spinning from 1800-1900

Wednesday: Pilates from 1900-2000 hours, dinner following (leave by 2100)

Thursday: Spinning from 1800-1900

Friday: Work (if not a day off) is usually done from 0600 - 1400 hours (yay!)...then I get to play for the weekend!

My First Etsy Sale

I am so happy! I actually sold something on Etsy! And I figured out a better link:

http://www.dhshippie.etsy.com

Nevermind that it was my friend Dave in San Luis Obispo who bought it, it's still a sale! :-) The sale also paid for a trip to Target to buy some scrapbooking paper bits and some ribbon. This is my new way of labelling yarn that people are buying - it looks great and finally allowed me to get all the yarn information on one side of paper, neatly organized. It also allowed me to post some new items for sale on Etsy. I will be glad if some of these things sell!

Saturday, November 3, 2007

One Leg Done

I finished the first of Daniel's sock legs this morning. I am impressed with how quickly the ribbing knit up. I should have brought waste yarn and put the first leg on hold while I knit the leg of the second sock, but I didn't. (I should mention that I'm at his house right now, listening to his comments as he repairs a motor that controls one of his headlights on his Firebird (his daily driver is an Acura, but he brought his old car back from Texas on his last trip home). I did offer him help, but he only needed it once, when I pointed out the order that the motor should be removed from the vehicle. Other than that, he knows what he's doing (I am pleasantly surprised that a EE can figure out mechanical linkages ;-)).

Anyway, back to the sock. It's sort of on hold till I return home tomorrow. I guess I could turn the heel now, but the instep will have to wait till I spin up the rest of the merino/silk roving. I think I'll have enough if I just knit it in ribbing on the instep. He mentioned he goes through socks quickly....thank god I found a yarn with nylon in it!! (I was thinking of carrying along a woolly nylon thread while I was knitting, but at the last minute I threw caution to the wind). I will have to excavate my mom's supply of woolly nylon thread cones when I go home for Christmas - she used them a lot for swim/ dance wear. And she might not mind if I pilfer some, now that she doesn't sew as much as she used to. ;-)

Meanwhile, I've still got my Dove sock to knit. I am in the midst of the gusset increase. It's going well this time, although I lost my notes sheet that I had tucked in the sack with the sock.

And now I have to get out of Daniel's rocking recliner. Whenever I am in a rocking chair, I am compelled to use the rocking feature, only rocking and typing is making me dizzy. So off I go to knit some more!

And the weather, you ask? Well, it was still black out at 0700 this morning (when I was out in the cold, waiting for a bus that was 20 minutes late), but it appears that the sun is trying to break through the clouds...in Bremerton, at least..

Friday, November 2, 2007

Stash Acquisition

I checked the mail tonight, and I got my order from Loop on Etsy! It is beautiful! I ordered two batts: Lavender Mint Tea (I think), and African Violets. She even included a lavender sachet (aww) :-) They are pictured below. Lavender Mint is on the left and African Violet is on the right. They are gorgeous and soft and I can't wait to spin them!!


And here is a picture of what I bought at Weaving Works earlier today. The Spring IK issue, the Fortissima Socka coordinating sock yarn, and an alpaca sock yarn (house slippers, perhaps?) The alpaca sock yarn is a lot more colorful than what is shown in the picture.

WIPs - 2 November 2007

Here are my WIPs for the day...

Last night, after I got home from dinner with a couple of friends, I cast on for Daniel's Socks. I decided on using the "Simple Socks" pattern from Cat Bordhi's "Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles", because I figured I'd be using enough different yarns, that I didn't want to distract with a crazy stitch pattern.

I am planning on using my handspun - one skein of which is a two-ply blend - one ply is alpaca down blended with a merino/silk blend roving from Weaving Works in a soft olive (main color), plied with just the merino/silk blend. This yarn will be used for the leg portion of the sock. The instep will be a two ply of just the merino/silk blend roving. The soles will be made of Fortissima Socka yarn - I found a coordinating colorway at Weaving Works today when I went searching (it was also 20% off! Yay!)

As you can see, I am probably about 4" into the leg of the first sock. I was impressed to see the subtle striping of the alpaca-plied yarn:



Now, here is the (THIRD) beginning of the toe-up "Dove" socks. I just started the gusset increasing... this time I am just following the pattern for the women's size. I think it's turning out well, though - it fits great!


That's all I got for now. I just opened an Etsy shop, and am in the process of updating my Paypal account to use it on Etsy. I think it's time for dinner! Daniel is working tonight, so I am entertaining myself...cooking and eating, and lots of knitting.

Should I admit that I got a couple of other things at Weaving Works? I picked up a skein of Honey Lane Farms Alpaca yarn in a soft grey (the queued pattern for that is "Fetching" fingerless gloves, from Knitty), and I also picked up an alpaca sock yarn (Alpaca Sox, from Classic Elite)... and the Spring 2007 IK issue. It had a great Entrelac Sock pattern in it!

I'm on Etsy!

Hello!

This is a quick post. I just opened up an Etsy shop!

My username is "dhshippie"...

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5340484

I have a Grand Total of 3 items posted right now (all handspun yarn), but I plan to post more as the holidays near!

Go Visit, and Tell Your Friends!