Wollmice er Wollmiese

While waiting for Mr. Smart Mouse to be trapped, I have been busy.

These are my Hartshorn socks. Made from Opal handpaint that a friend from overseas sent to me. Cabling without a cable needle is the best thing since sliced bread.

The Knitting daughter made the pattern marker bead for me for Easter. I love this row counter. Easy to use and very thoughtful of her to make this for me.



Mr. Smart Mouse better stay away from this skein of Wollmeise. It is not Wollmice!
I have been unsuccessfully trying to get a skein of Wollmeise. My friend, Sara, came through for me and kindly shared an extra skein from her Wollmeise Stash. It is Spice Market and I love it. Thank you, Sara.

I am (in)patiently waiting for Cookie A to put her new sock patterns online for this skein.





I composed a letter to Ms. Cookie A.

Dear Ms. Cookie A,
I am writing in sheer desperation. You posted on your blog that your new sock patterns would be posted online at the end of March.

It is very near the end of March. While you may be frantically trying to get the patterns online, I implore that you deprive yourself of sleep and expedite this process. I have a skein of Wollmeise that a friend willingly shared with me and this yarn is screaming to be cast on.

I need one of your new patterns in order to start the socks from the coveted wollmeise. I realize I have notebooks full of sock patterns from wonderful sock designers but I cannot visualize Wollmeise in one of the old patterns. Yes, I know I have recently downloaded patterns but I cannot possibly use one of those patterns for wollmeise.
I have placed an order for more sock needles. Forget the fact that I own many sets of dpns. They are in use. I cannot possibly work on socks in progress knowing wollmeise is sitting here waiting to be cast on.
Please, I am begging that you put your patterns on immediately. My needles are very greedy………
Yours truly, A Sock Yarn/Knitting Addict

p.s. I am giving Ms. Cookie A until April 1st to put the patterns online then I will have no choice but to send the begging letter :)

Check out chanknits page for a contest to celebrate her blogiversary.

Wanted: Preferably Dead

WANTED: PREFERABLY DEAD!

Suspect: Mus Domesticus alias House Mouse

Height: 3 inches not including tail (this is an estimate as I certainly did get out my trusty tape measure to get an accurate measurement)

Eye: Beady presumably black (hard to tell from the atop the kitchen table)

Feet: Pink and Tiny (remember? he was washing them, so I got a good look)

Hair color: grayish brown

BE ON ALERT! This suspect is quick on his feet. He is also very brazen. There have been traps set. He steals the bait and quickly gets away. Very elusive. House cats are useless in this capture.

If anyone has seen the suspect, please report to this homeowner immediately!

Mickey Does Not Live Here

Mus domesticus or otherwise known as "house mouse". While such creature may be adorable in red pants, white shoes and have the name, "Mickey", Mus Domesticus is forbidden from my domestic residence. Unless, of course it has been purchased as a stuffed fabric creature that brings a smile to a child's face.
However, a Mus Domesticus has decided to take up residence in my residence. And no, I don't mean a mouse named Mickey.

Here's the performance so far this morning:

Cast: Caretaker performed by yours truly
Mr. Bettis performed by himself, the oaf
Gypsy performed by herself
Cats? What cats?
DH performed by husband who swears we do not have any mice and refuses to believe that we do unless they come out and announce their arrival by parade, party etc.
Mus Domesticus perfomed by house mouse

ACT I
Dogs want fed.
Caretaker retrieves food bag from pantry closet (you wouldn't want anyone else to feed the dogs, would you?)
Caretaker pours food into dog dish and what falls out with the food? A Mus Domesticus! Or otherwise known as the ordinary house mouse!
Food bag drops to floor.
Caretaker (who is known to be terrified of a mouse) yells..........okay, more like screeches, screams or more commonly known as, going into hysteria!
Mus Domesticus sits there.
Mr. Bettis went up to it as it perched its' grey, little, disgusting self on the dog food dish and that dog proceeds to sniff it. Sniff it? Don't just sniff it, NAB IT!
Gypsy runs around barking because of all of the commotion.
Caretaker tries coax a cat.
Caretaker grabs cat who then proceeds to scratch Caretaker.
Cat jumps from Caretaker's arms.
Mr. Bettis chases cat.
Cat runs.
Another cat arrives on the scene.
Mr. Bettis chases that cat as well.
Another Cat runs.
Mus domesticus is now in front of the antique cookstove trying to hide in the brick flooring. He is, now get this, washing his front feet! He has beady malicious eyes and I'm here to tell you, if he was armed, he would be dangerous. This particular Mus Domesticus is not your ordinary house mouse.

ACT II

Dogs pace floor.
Cats have been successfully chased and are now hiding from Mr. Bettis
Caretaker? Well? She is shrieking uncontrollably.
Gaining composure, Caretaker quietly picks up the telephone.
Caretaker proceeds to dial the DH at work.
Caretaker screams into the phone to the DH that it is his responsibility to protect the domestic residence from creatures. Caretaker also informs the DH that said residence is not Noah's New Ark.
DH stupidly laughs.
Caretaker then proceeds to inform DH that if he kept it up he could find himself alone in the house with Mus Domesticus. As Caretaker explains, said residence is not large enough for herself and house mouse.

ACT III
DH assures Caretaker that he will see if he has traps.
Caretaker informs DH that while he may think he is playing Mouse-opoly, he will not assume that he has traps. He will stop on his way home from work and purchase traps. He will get up each and every morning 15 minutes earlier than his normal wake up time and check the traps.
After being threatened with other actions Caretaker could/would take, DH decides that he will follow through with his job of protecting the residence.
DH is still stupidly chuckling.
Caretaker is going through the house with a pan and knitting needles banging on the pan to keep the Mus domesticus at bay.
Mr. Bettis and Gypsy are outside.
And where are the Cats?

Well, this is Phoebe sleeping soundly. She is the only one I could find to get a picture. The other cat could not be found. She's hiding and sleeping. So much for cats in this house.










I will post the conclusion of this performance as it unfolds. The black bear (Ursus Americanus) has been seen hanging around the residence and I can tell you this much, the Caretaker is more afraid of the beady eyed monster known as Mus Domesticus than the Ursus americanus!

Happy Easter

It's Easter and it's snowing. This qualifies as the Robin's Snow. Which means this should be our last little snowfall. Spring is right around the corner and that would be a good thing except that means rain/mud. Translation? Mr. Bettis will have great fun running in the mud and tracking in my house.






These are hats that I knitted for two very special little girls. My friend has two adorable grandchildren and they should have received these yesterday. They are also getting Easter coloring books, crayons and some candy.

I whipped up a butterfly dishcloth with a matching tawashi for a gift. There's just something about a dishcloth and tawashi that make for some quick satisfying knitting.






Last but not least some dyed eggs the daughters dyed this evening. A very nice Easter's eve indeed.



HAPPY EASTER!

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Do you see this "jerry-rigged" fence? Mr. Bettis slammed his 140 lb body against the fence and busted the bottom of it. Little Miss Gypsy who weighs in at 8 lbs, wiggled through the hole in the bottom of the fence and got out to inspect the neighborhood. In the meantime Mr. Bettis was worrying himself to death trying to find a way out for himself. There was no way that 140 lb oaf was going to get through the hole he busted for Gypsy.
I informed Mr. Bettis' owner (aka one hand husband)of the damage his dog has done now and this is how he fixed it. I was told it would be fixed properly in the spring. Hello? Spring is around the corner, buddy! We'll see how long it takes him to fix this fence.
This is what the two culprits were doing inside the house after their activity. Sleeping on the "dog forbidden bed" aka MY bed!
I took advantage of this situation even though they are breaking the rules. I tiptoed to the computer and visited www.theloopyewe.com





I consoled myself by falling in the Loopy Ewe Hole and purchased Dream in Color Lipstick Lava. I joined the TLE KAL on Ravelry and I'm making Mr. Greenjeans for self.
TLE Hole has a cushion landing so feel free to jump in.:)






My calori......what? I finished it! My Calorimetry. I love it. Considering I look absolutely ridiculous in a hat, this is perfect for me. Keeps my ears warm.








A BFL worsted scarf for me. All mine. I dyed this in the Elves n Gnomes colorway. The pattern is the One Row Scarf by the famous Ms. Yarn Harlot. I like this pattern because I zone out and knit. I don't have to think and occasionally after dealing with Mr. Bettis, I need to zone out. :)







I know it has been awhile since I have posted. I have been a busy knitter.