Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Podcasts

Thank goodness for podcasts! And obviously, my mp3 player. I have a Sansa view. I got that specific one because it syncs with audible.com books. Audio books are absolutely fantastic!

But on this trip, I needed something to listen to for two 13 hour drives. And I didn't want to be in the middle of a book without Bob and then have to start all over. So I downloaded a bunch of knit picks podcasts, a couple of others that escape me right now. And I'm catching up with CraftLit's Little Women series.

I want to listen to some of Knitmore Girl's podcasts to see what they're like and I've enjoyed Brenda Dayne's podcast. I actually like Kelly Petkun's podcast although I've read some don't like her talking style. She's not Lime & Violet, but I enjoy listening to her. I find myself thinking that in real life, Kelly and I could be friends. Not sure about Lime or Violet though. Which may be a generational thing.

What are your favorite podcasts? I'd love to branch out and have more variety.

Monday, October 20, 2008

In which I lose things

Too much stress. Right now, I have more than my share - I have yours too. And you, and probably you. I just returned from a show in Atlanta. Mostly, I saw the highways of Atlanta. I couldn't tell you a darn thing about the city. Well, no that's not quite right. Flowers are blooming, there is lots of green there, every part of the city that I saw was clean, and the weather was splendid. And of course, there were people walking around in down coats and fleece jackets - in 70 degree weather. Go figure. But I worked the show by myself (for what I sincerely hope is the last time). And it was more stressful than I imagined. I got home very late last night and am trying to catch up just a teensy bit here before we leave Wed.

I spent a stupid amount of time looking for something in the van. Only to find out that I did not take it with me, and the whole time it was in the living room. I have no idea where various pattern copies are (but I know where the originals are). And I have lost a dishcloth.

Not just any dishcloth mind you. This was meant for my All Hallow's Eve dishcloth swap partner. Fortunately, I knit her two. Right now, she is getting one and an IOU. I am sure it will turn up - probably sometime next month. There is enough stuff going on that I refuse to stress out over this. And I don't have time to knit a replacement - therefore the IOU. Final purchases tomorrow and then I'm shipping off the goodies and I can cross this fun task off the list.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Topic 5 Already!

If you could go anywhere at all to enjoy a wonderful fall vacation - where would you go and why? Somewhere you've been? Somewhere you've heard has amazing fall colors? Somewhere that's LESS fall-like than where you are? Post and tell us about it and then post a comment here to let us know you've posted!

Wow. A fall holiday? I live in a very colorful in the fall area. And I'm currently in the deep south. Georgia to be exact. There are flowers blooming everywhere, temps in the mid-80's......and people walking around in down coats and fleece jackets!

I'm not sure I have an exact place. No wait, I do. Some sidewalk cafe in Rome. I can't think of a finer way to spend some time than sitting at outside cafe with a beverage of choice people watching. Now, there is a TON of things to do in Rome. And I'd do them all again in a heartbeat. But people in Italy DRESS. I saw grandma, mom and toddler all dressed to the nines walking down the street. Women wore patterned hose everywhere. Women in dresses and men in suits driving around on Vespas. What a treat.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

We hope to resume

our regularly scheduled progamming soon. I have been writing posts in my head for over a week. Just no time to actually type them up and post! And now I am out of town and no camera. I actually had several pictures I'd taken on purpose for the blog.

So.....imagine a picture here (I'll try to remember to add it once home)


Our first frost (that I was home for anyway) was a week ago. I truly believe that the burning bush shrub next to my front door was green one day and wonderfully bright red the very next.

February Lady Sweater.....

No progress. The sweater has been in timeout while I see if I can find enough brain cells to correctly knit a four row lace pattern.

Dish cloth knitting....

Coming along! I need to leave a note for my dishcloth swap partner so she knows I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. While I was at the show in Chantilly, VA last weekend, I bought yarn....

(picture inserted)....it is absolutely lovely. Gorgeous sock yarn in to-die for colors. So I bought it for my swap partner. She's also a sock knitter (not giving away anything there, many of us are) and seems to have similar color tastes. Believe me, if she doesn't love it, I'll happily take it back.

I am currently in Atlanta, GA. I need to go do a Ravelry search for a yarn shop open on Fri nights! If anyone reads this and plans on going to the GA Quilt Show at the Gwennitt Center (I think I spelled that right, but am too tired to get up to check) please stop by the booth. I'm working alone this trip which mainly means that I don't even get a potty break. I took care of that today by not drinking anything. I'm sure I'll be up a LOT during the night, but I'm trying to rehydrate.

Ok, enough boring stuff. I need to find out what my dishcloth topic is and get that ready!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

AHE dishcloth swap Quiz!!

Oh, my - I haven't taken a test in ages. Our All Hallows Eve Dishcloth topic of the week is a quiz! It's a good thing we don't have to get them all right. We just need to participate.


Q1: Where did the idea of Jack-O-Lanterns originate?
A) Scotland
B) England
C) Ireland
D) Wales

I can't seem to get the bold thingy working, but I'll just add my guesses in here!
(I think I figured it out!)
C) Ireland - no idea why I'm guessing that - just sounds fun!

Q2: Halloween is the 2nd most successful commercial Holiday - what's the first?
A) Christmas
B) Valentine's Day
C) New Year's
D) Easter

Oh, that's easy - A) Christmas

Q3: What is the intense fear of Halloween called?
A) Hallowphobia
B) Samhainophobia
C) Ghostophobia
D) Mortephobia

D) Mortephobia

Q4: The mask worn by Michael Meyers in Halloween (the Movie) was actually a mask of who?
A) Leonard Nimoy
B) William Shatner
C) DeForest Kelly
D) No one - it was an old hockey mask

Never saw the movie, but I know some horror movie had a D) hockey mask!

Q5: In 2004, what was the most popular Halloween Candy?
A) Candy Corn
B) Snickers
C) Dum Dums
D) Milky Way

A) Candy Corn

And finally - tell us what YOUR favorite Halloween Candy is! I'm a Candy Corn person myself - can make me SO sick to my belly, but man I love it! Just the plain old kind though - not the many other flavors and colors there are today!

Oh, I love candy corn! And the pumpkins too - I like the mix. But not the funky flavors. I really like most candy - but I absolutely love the huge variety of very small candy bars that are available. Mini butterfingers are fantastic!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Topic 3 already!

Every holiday has oddball things available to use for decoration, have in the house, or wear - some things are stranger than others. What's the oddest/strangest/weirdest Halloween decoration you have ever gotten for your home? Or, if you've never had a "wow, did I REALLY buy that?!" moment - what's the strangest Halloween decoration you've seen somewhere else?

Ohhh! This is a toughie - I'm really drawing a blank here. So I think instead of the oddest, I'm going to tell about a favorite! Cheating, I know, but there you have it.

While still married, we owned a dry cleaners. Which I detest the thought of to this very day. But we lucked into some wonderful babysitters for the boys. Shelly didn't do a lick around the house. She played with the boys. Took them places, played games, etc. I'd come home from work and the living room would be a complete wreck - they'd been making forts all day. that sort of stuff. And they really went to town around Halloween. All of the doorways would be decorated with wisps of paper decorations they had spent hours cutting. Steamers of bats and pumpkins. Those spider web things you can buy would be dripping from the corners with fun plastic spiders dangling from them. You could barely open a closet sometimes for the webs draped in all the corners. There was a doorway (well, the doorway is still there I'm guessing, it's just not my doorway anymore) from the kitchen area into the living room that always seemed to get special attention. "Creepy" decorations were always hanging from this area.

I sure hope the boys remember this as fun and good because I sure hated being away from them.