Knitter's Treat Exchange

I just discovered a knitter's treat exchange. I found it on jan-lee's blog and I skipped right over the blog to check it out. I signed up, it sounds like fun. Thanks Jan!

So to my exchange pal here is the questionaire:

Knitters Treat Exchange Questionnaire
1. What's your favourite type of yarn? Soft sock yarn

2. What's your least favourite type of yarn?mmm...don't know, maybe a squeaky acrylic?

3. What's the first thing you do when you visit a new yarn shop? ooohhh aaahhhhh Then I touch and smell the yarn

4. What other crafts do you do / would like to do? Scrapbook and design teddy bears

5. What magazines do you currently subscribe to? Interweave Knits and Country Woman

6. Put this type of magazine in order of preference:Knitting / Crochet / Other Craft / Food / Home /Garden / Fashion / Celebrity Gossip

7. What items do you like to knit? Socks, lace shawls, sweaters, gloves, mittens etc....... Maybe a house sweater?

8. Are you allergic to anything? Spring! Pollen.

9. What do you like to* smell of? Honeysuckle, Lilac

10. What's your favourite way to relax? With a cup of coffee and my knitting, that's all I need.

11. You're stood in front of a Victorian style sweetshop, an Italian cafe, an old fashioned bakery and a dainty tea room. Where do you go first? The old fashioned bakery

12. What do you come out with? A sweet muffin and some warm homemade bread

13. Where do you go next? The Victorian sweetshop and hopefully come out with a very sweet cake

14. Any other words of wisdom for your pal? Pink is my favorite color, yellow is second, then green.......oh it doesn't matter, I like every color!

I hope this helps my pal. I am looking forward to this exchange. Have fun!

Kangaroo Yarn Court!

A suspect has been indicted and is now in Kangaroo Yarn Court. I AM THE JUDGE! I have done my detective work and I do believe forensic evidence has implicated the suspect as a yarn criminal.

On March 22, 2007 @ approximately 10:30 am, I entered the living/yarn room to find a large 4 legged yellow and black suspect on MY couch with something furry in his mouth. At first I yelled. Not sure why I yelled as the suspect has selective hearing, much like his owner aka DH. He continued with his antics. I ran to him to pull him off the couch. A feat that continues every day all day long. All of a sudden he dropped the furry thing. I went ballistic(as the DD's say). It was my mohair shawl in progress on my coveted Knitpicks needles!The entire neighborhood heard my shrieks. He wagged his tail and ran outside to PLAY! This suspect was totally oblivious to his criminal actions.

I sat down on the couch and stared at the mass of mohair and the needle. The WIP fell away from the luscious skein of mohair. He had chewed the yarn in half from the skein and the shawl. The circular cable was also chewed in half. I gained composure and slowly got up from the couch. I apprehended the suspect and dragged him back inside. Not an easy task. I took a picture of the suspect. It took a while to get the mug shot as he does not stay in one place. I bagged the evidence and marked them: Exhibit A and Exhibit B.

The criminal report reads:

Suspect: Bettis Alias: The Bus
Age: 4 months
Species: Dog, a VERY large dog
Weight: 54 lbs (and gaining 4-5 pounds a week)
Foot size: HUGE and growing
The above suspect has been charged with the following charges:

1. Getting on furniture; a repeat offense
2. Snatching the caretaker's (aka the knitter) knitting project
3. Shredding a mohair lace shawl that has taken the caretaker (aka knitter) much time to knit
4. Chewing caretaker's (aka knitter's) coveted needles in half
5. Slobbering on caretaker's project (this slobber is directly linked to the suspect)
6. Running from the caretaker while in pursuit

Exhibit A and B along with the report were presented at the dinner table that evening to the owner of the suspect. To which he replied: That dog! The owner tried to defend his client with feeble defense i.e."he's just a puppy, he didn't mean to do it" etc.

I, the judge, did not believe this feeble defense and imposed the following sentence.
The Owner must purchase another needle for the caretaker (aka me) and another skein of yarn (cashmere would not be out of the question). Yes I know the remaining yarn is fine to use but I think punishment is necessary for this suspect and the owner. Otherwise, the owner will neglect to reprimand the suspect and the caretaker (aka knitter) will continue to lose WIP to his slobber, chewing and disobedience.
Not sure this sentence will work as the owner has the same selective hearing problem as the suspect. Time, yarn and needles will tell on this one.

ps The cats are planning their own "Cat Court Hearing" on the suspect. The hearing is postponed until further notice.

Ecstatic.....for a day!

We took the dogs to the "clip and snip" appointment. The vet called on Thursday to confirm the appointment. He told me to be there at 7 am. The oldest DD and I had them there at 6:30 am. (We didn't want to be late........LOL)I felt like I was dropping off 3 toddlers at a day care. center. I was ecstatic! Not that I don't love pets but you have no idea what I go through on a given day with these three. They are 2 yrs, 1 yr and 3 1/2 months. They are a handful. Well, Bettis is NOT a handful, that's for sure he's more like a body full.

Once again Bettis had to be carried/dragged in the vet office.
First the vet tech wanted to weigh him in and she tried to walk him with a leash. He was having none of that. She pulled. She tugged. She pushed. Nothing doing. Bettis, like his namesake, was not to be moved. She finally picked him up and half carried, half dragged him to the scales. She mumbled something about each of his feet weighing 10 lbs each. Bettis weighed 42 lbs 2 weeks ago. He weighed in at 48 1/2 lbs at the ripe ole age of 3 1/2 months?! What was my DH thinking when he got this dog? I'm guessing he wasn't!
Fast Forward: I had a wonderfully peaceful day. I got my hair done, I knitted, I cleaned. All in all the day was wonderful until.......we had to pick them up.
Now, my mind thinks when one has surgery one is tired and hurting. Obviously that is reserved for "people patients" or smart dogs. We left at 6 pm to get the "patients". Gypsy and Molly were looking pretty sad and lethargic. Bettis? He was wagging his tail, slobbering all over us and JUMPING! He's not supposed to JUMP! What was this dog thinking? Oh that's right, his owner is the DH and as I mentioned above, HE wasn't thinking.

The vet told me, he was jumping an hour after surgery and they had to give him a mild sedative (which obviously wore off by the time we arrived). He warned us to be certain to keep them quiet for 10 days. Is this vet for real? Does he really know dogs?Did he operate on Bettis or was it an impostor who operated on him? Did he not just say he had to sedate him after surgery to keep him quiet? Gimmee' a break!

Once again Bettis had to be carried/dragged from the vet hospital. He came in the door and started to......play! This dog just had major surgery and he's playing, jumping and running? The other two just looked at him like he was nuts. He IS !

They go back in 10 days for a post surgery checkup. I would suggest the owner of Bettis teach him to walk on the leash. At the rate he is gaining weight my DD and I will no longer be able to carry/drag him to the vet office.

p.s. I find it convenient that the DH works during vet office hours. p.p.s The knitted dog house is at a stand still until I know the true size of Bettis.

Snow, Socks, Shawls & Sanity

Okay, another snowstorm hit on Tuesday. Gracing us with 9 inches of fresh, white fluff. The weather guy missed this one. They called for 1-3 inches. The DD was off school, the DH couldn't travel to work as the roads were unpassable and the oldest DD was off work. The DD's danced with joy and the DH reported every 1/2 hour the measured snow amount (as if I cared). He was in and out all day, like his dog. Not that I'm comparing my DH to his dog but keep in mind the DH has large feet and his dog has large paws. They tracked in snow all day long. I, on the other hand, announced I was knitting for the day. Translation? DO. NOT. BOTHER. ME. Unfortunately I failed to translate this to "these people". Snow meant that Bettis (who now weighs in at 42 lbs at the ripe ole age of 14 weeks!) raced, ripped and rolled in the snow by the hour. The youngest DD went out to sled ride. Translation? WET clothing! Translation for all of this? I get to clean!

Mind you, I should be grateful for these 2 children. After all, I have 2 children who live 2 hours away and they are "too busy" to be bothered ! Of course I have been told, "well, if I lived in CA you wouldn't see me." "Yeah well, I have a news flash for you, YOU. DON'T. LIVE IN CA!" What is it with grown children? They have the "busiest lives". Busy is a curious word, isn't it?

I am knitting on a Swallowtail shawl from Fall 2006 issue of Interweave Knits. I am enjoying this one. I enjoy making lace patterns. I think I've found my niche:lace and fair isle. I took this pic on the porch step during the storm.
Socks: I have started more socks and now I must finish a pair in order to have free needles to start more. I am beginning to think I am a process knitter. Meaning, I like to knit. Not necessarily to finish a project but enjoy the process of knitting. Does it matter if I finish? Nope. I love to touch fiber, I love color, I love knitting. Particularly socks. I intend to enjoy life in spite of my children albeit knitting, bird watching etc.

ps They have yet to figure this out. Some day the "lightbulb" just might flicker..........LOL