Yes, it's been a while

I have been so busy getting ready for my big move! I can't believe I'm closing on my house this Tuesday, and I'm actually packed and ready to go...truly only a few loose ends to deal with. The Queen of Proscrastination actually evolved into the Queen of Packing! I would probably have those loose ends wrapped up by now if I hadn't royally messed up my back on Wednesday night. I'm feeling better now, but still a little stiff. In the meantime, the kids and I have been enjoying a relaxing Saturday while F-bomb's at work.

It's a little sad though--our last weekend all together. I gave everyone an extra special round of peanut butter and milk for our night-night snack this evening. We (meaning Evie) just *can't* calm down unless we have our snack, lol. Afterward, we watched a movie and I took some photos of my darlings relaxing that Blogger currently refuses to upload. So maybe later for those...

On another note, I received my invite to Ravelry this week! It's almost bittersweet though--I'm stoked to have the ability to categorize my stash online, but it's all packed up so I can't do a thing about it til I move! My username will be stampnstitchmich though, so visit me in a few weeks and maybe I'll have things in some semblance of order there!

They say it's your birthday...

Well it's my birthday too yeah! na na na na na na (if you've got on The Beatles then you're singing along with me!)

No pics today, but that doesn't matter because I officially made it another year! And today was just a darn near-perfect day, save the dehydration from too much party fun at Dave & Buster's last night. It all started last night at dinner with my closest friends and a burger joint, where I received some lovely gifts for both myself and my new home-to-be. Then we moved on to D&B's where I racked up the tickets at a trivia game. Let me tell you, it was suffocatingly hot back there on that side of the room. We stayed until almost midnight and then each went to our respective homes. Thanks again to all my party peeps! LOL

This morning I woke up and went to Starbucks to have a celebratory cup of coffee, which I received for free (thank-you-very-much and hooray S-bucks!). Next I drove, at NASCAR driver's pace, to an outlet mall to spend some birthday money I'd received. Nine West had an outstanding sale on shoes, so I bought two pairs of very different black shoes (for work) and then sped home. I had a small window of time to unwind before going to my mother's for a birthday luncheon.

As usual, my grandmother outdid herself on the food and dessert. Even my sister, who is not much of a chocolate person, said the cake was extra tasty! My niece was only interested in the whipped cream (NOT cool whip) frosting, and made it a point to stick her fingers all over the cake, which was pretty funny in spite of the fact that she has 3 year-old child germs. I received some cash (going to need that for new-house things I'm sure), and my sister also gave me a caddy filled with cleaning products because she knows I'm a germ freak who needs to sanitize everything! LOL, I was so excited over the many bottles of cleaning fluids--and the latex gloves too (gotta protect those hands)! My grandparents gave me a super cool locking-lid trash can and some garden hoses and a sprinkler, as well as depositing some money into my IRA. All very useful gifts indeed!

Well, off to chug some Gatorade for my deep-down body thirst, and maybe pack a box or two before calling it a night. I'm one tired birthday girl!

Sorely Neglected, but with a Happy Ending

That's what my friend Becky called my blog today (the Sorely Neglected part)! And she'd be absolutely right. I have been neglecting my blog, BUT, it is with good reason. (Well I think so anyway!) So here's the deal:

On June 10th, F-bomb and I sat down and had a long talk about the road we were on, both together and separately. We've lived in this house 4.5 yrs now, and something just no longer flowed between us. It needed to be hashed out.

Rewind about 5 years, and you would have found me a wreck, having just lost a parent and at the start of a divorce. F-bomb basically stepped up and became the best friend I'd ever had. I knew him by virtue of the fact that he worked for the same company as my mom and he occasionally played golf with my late stepfather. He did his best to give me marriage advice, and then when his marriage began to suffer, I did my best to help him see it from a girl's perspective. You could say he was me, but in male form plus 9.5 years, and maybe a little/a lot moodier (lol). He was someone I could turn to and say anything, no censoring whatsoever, and I needed that.

About six months after my life imploded, we each found the other in need of a roommate. Ground rules were carefully laid out, and we started renting a house. It was the best! We hung out, played video games, and just had a dandy old time. Since we basically did everything together, naturally everyone assumed we were a couple, and we had to explain the parameters of our relationship to pretty much everyone. Talk about annoying, but we didn't care because we knew the score.

Along the way, we built our own special little family unit, starting with his two dogs. Neither one of us planned on having kids (not just with each other, but anyone), so the dogs became the kids, and we added two more along the way. He's the dad, I'm the mom. We celebrated holidays, birthdays, everything with them and each other. The perfect non-human children solution!

So things have basically hummed along since then, but somewhere along the way I think the outside pressure for us to become permanently linked has become too much. I think we'd started placing expectations on each other that neither of us was willing to fully accept (since we're emotionally stunted and all--wink, wink!), at least not with each other. We haven't been fighting, but the air in the house isn't the same anymore. So, we talked, and talked, and talked some more.

We definitely love each other in the most friendly way possible, but there is not that kind of future for us. At least not one that can be seen in the near or distant future. He said he didn't want me to move out if I didn't want to, because I'm his best friend, but I feel like we've used each other as crutches for too long now. I am ready to stand on my own two feet and just be me. I think he has his own emotional stuff going on right now, and he needs to sort through that to make himself happy in his own life. I know I've basically cocooned myself here in this house, healing myself on the inside for the past five years, and waiting for my time to spread my wings. Now that time is here, and I'm ready to fly!

With all that said, I'M BUYING A HOUSE!!!! I feel as though I must yell this, because it makes it all the more real somehow. Not that shelling out the bucks for appraisals, inspections, and everything else hasn't been oh-so-real for my pocketbook, lol. A very exciting, yet bittersweet, time for me right now. Leaving one of my closest friends, who's helped me through so much, but embarking on the most amazing adventure!

The past few weeks have been such a blur: First, visiting every apartment complex in my area trying to figure out what I wanted in a floorplan and property amenities. Second, acting like the accountant I am and deciding that I needed equity, not to just give my money away. Then, finding a realtor (whose hot-factor was totally a bonus for me--can you say eye candy?) who has been nothing short of helpful and who clearly knows his business. I must say the man has had to suffer through what most would classify as neurotic, Type A, annoying auditor behavior! I don't think even I could handle me as a client--seriously!

Which brings me to the packing. The hours upon hours of packing. I'm still not done, and I will probably be packing right up until the end. It was a heartbreaking scene the other night as I boxed up nearly all my YARN (except a little sock weight, of course)! Here's a photo--quick grab a tissue.

Yes, that box does say YARN FRAGILE on it! Am I a super-dork? You bet your yarn-lovin' booty I am! That's some seriously precious stash in there! Granted, that's not the only box with yarn in it, that says "Fragile," but it was the most accessible.

Let me explain, Watson. You see, I keep my yarn in glass jars so I can both admire it and keep it bug- and dust-free all at once. I think I'm so clever for doing it this way, and tell myself that it helps me control my stash. That last part is a complete and utter lie, but that's what I tell myself. I have a about five boxes of knitting and sewing items, mostly knitting, and I still haven't packed my needles, ball winder, and other tools of the trade.

I haven't even started in on the stamp room. I almost don't even want to go in there. It looks like--well words won't even do it justice. Suffice it to say I could set a match (or 100) to the room and still wouldn't get it all! : ) Not that I would do that, because then I wouldn't be able to stamp! And believe me, that new catalog is outstanding! More on that tomorrow though, because I'm sleepy and have to be up in five hours.

That's it--the Happy Ending! I'm going to be 29 for all of sixteen days before bestowing myself with a belated birthday mortgage! Happy Birthday to me! And most of all, Happy New Life to me!

Triple S

Sundays, socks, and The Sopranos--these are a few of my favorite things! Today was a fairly relaxing day. I watched a couple of movies I hadn't seen, hung out with the kids, and did some laundry. Actually, I did all of my laundry today. I don't think I remember the last time I did every single load in one day! But I digress...I had to rip back several rows of gusset work on my Broadripple since I hadn't, for whatever reason, been doing any decrease rows. Now it's true that I had a small amount to drink on Friday, but that couldn't have been it. Oh well, I'm back on the right track now. And I got to watch another great episode with my boy Tony Soprano--I'm seriously gonna miss that show. I must've been a criminal in a former life, 'cause I thoroughly enjoy watching mob misdeeds! ; )

I also purchased a couple of toys for my baby, who turns three tomorrow! I baked him a special cake and will frost it tomorrow when I get home from work. All ingredients are canine-friendly, of course. Unlike his father, who wanted to bake a carrot cake (the box kind) and put people frosting on it! This is a picture of my Gessel, my tiny son:

Well, he's not so little anymore, but I still remember taking Evie (our Lab) to go and pick out her new brother. All the other puppies were a little scared of her but not him! He sat right next to her as I tried desperately to get a photo of them. Of course she would not cooperate, being a princess and all, so he crawled over to my purse to check out its contents.

In typical terrier fashion, he has no fear and is the biggest dog in the room! All hail the little prince!

I'm a Block-head!

I just ordered my first pair of sock blockers and they are a-maz-ing! Thanks to a tip from Margene, whose blog I enjoy reading, I found Becky at Leggy Creations. She makes each pair of blockers herself and they are truly works of art. My pair is named Day and Night - Version II. She kindly sent me a few photos and gave me permission to use them here. So without further ado, here are my blockers:

I really am quite pleased with them. I've always had a penchant for day/night themes, and anyone who knows me well knows how much I love all things aquatic.

I am especially loving the fish with the two eyeballs! He just has a special personality all his own. As my friend M remarked, "That is the coolest fish EVER!" LOL

So anyway, happy Saturday to you and yours. I'm off to clean the house (not enthusiastically I might add) and then to see what kind of shenanigans I can get myself into. F-bomb is gone for the weekend (maybe coming home today, but not sure), so the pups and I are just going to have fun.

Overdue Fiber Friday

Ok, so that wasn't just a bug as previously thought. I had a sinus infection, and a nasty one at that. It was so bad with all the coughing, sneezing, sore throat--you get the idea--that I didn't knit at all. Well, except Saturday, when I had a small window of not-feeling-like-a-monkey's-butt time. In that short period of time, I learned how to Kitchener stitch from Melanie at Yarnivore, and finished my first sock ever!

TA DA!!! Here it is:

It's not blocked, but I still think it looks nice. It's made with hand-dyed (by Melanie during her Fibonacci phase) Louet yarn. It's 100% superwash merino and it feels very nice on my fat little foot!

When I finish the mate I will take them out for a spin and take mores pics.

In my previous post (you know, the longest update ever one) I mentioned going to Yarn Heaven to buy up some sock yarn. What can I say, I've been bitten by the sock bug without even finishing my first pair! Here's a small sampling of what I picked up there:

Up top we have Lorna's Laces in Happy Feet (that's really the name) and Cascade 220 in Turquoise (1 of 2, plus a white one). On the bottom is Lorna's Laces in Flamingo Stripe (dyed for Breast Cancer Awareness with 20% of proceeds going to BC charity) and a ball of Karaoke, which is part Soysilk. Why one ball only of Karaoke? Because that's all they had in the colorway I liked best! I'm sure I can use it for something says She of All Things Rational....not!

Anyway, it's sleepytime for me or else I'll never kick this thing. Happy dreams!

Oh, one last thing--HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS! Now how's that for a shout-out? She turned 23 today and her gift from Tivo is that it cut off American Idol before she got to see who won! I, of course, only compounded matters by telling her that the person she did not vote for won. Anyway, she got a great gift yesterday when she found out she's having a boy! Hooray!

Now, off to bed.

Longest Post Ever

Ok, I know it's been forever! Where have I been, the lousy loser that I am? I've been really busy that's what! Work has been crazy, lots of work and family obligations, and I caught strep and was really sick for about 10 days. I've also been hard at work learning how to knit socks and feverishly buying every bit of sock yarn I set my eyes on in anticipation of all the socks I plan on making.

We celebrated Penelope's 4th birthday in true doggy-dogg style, with a cake and singing. Much to her dismay, she got to wear the birthday bandana:

She's the cutest, isn't she? We took her in as a stray and although she was a naughty puppy at first, she's grown into a wonderfully calm and easygoing young girl.

I also attended a charity bowling tournament, for which F-bomb bought me my very own bowling ball! It's a swirly blend of magenta, turquoise, and pearly white--and it glows in the dark! Here I am with a few of my peeps at the event:

It was so freakin' hot in that bowling alley, that my glasses were fogging and I had to take them off! And yes, I'm sweating like a pig at a luau in that pic on the right. Let me tell ya, I ran for the shower as soon as I got home.

F-bomb at I took a road trip to IKEA, which abut 90 minutes from us, to go look for flooring. I, of course, was on the lookout for knick-knacks and whatnot. Along, the way, I worked on a Ballband Dishcloth from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I also harassed the driver, chugged my fave springtime beverage lemonade, and enjoyed the traffic.

I gave it to my grandmother, along with a dishcloth-sized version of the burp cloth, for Easter. She promptly thanked me fo the lovely "potholders." I tried to explain what they were for, but it was a lost cause. As long as she likes them, I'm happy!

My sister also announced her pregnancy to the family--her second baby! I'm very excted about being an aunt again. I'm really pulling for a boy, since she already has a girl. I've been calling him by his name and I told him he really needed to come out a boy 'cuz it would be really silly for him to be a girl with a boy's name! My sister laughs when I talk to him, but I know she likes it! I also gave her bib knitted out of yellow cotton for Easter.

Let's see, what else? Oh, work's been insane. I work as an internal auditor for a financial institution and we've been going nuts with the year-end audit. A number of extra hours and some added stress, but that's the name of the game this time of year. Things are finally getting back to normal, sorta, so it will be back to the normal auditing for a while.

Oh yeah, I mentioned strep. Never in my life have I felt so awful. I've never had strep and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy! I missed quite a bit of work and couldn't talk properly for days. It was like Hell on earth. Seriously.

As for more recent events, I went to my aunt's house a couple of weekends ago for some R&R and some stamping fun. She's also my Stampin' Up! upline and for the first time ever I was able to join the rest of my sidelines for her monthly downline meeting. We had a blast stamping a few great projects and getting to know each other. And being the angel that she is, she took me to a yarn store close to her house called Yarn Heaven. Boy was it ever! The ladies there were just wonderful and the yarn selection was outstanding. Only downside to the visit was that it was a rather humid and slightly warm day and they had the A/C off in the store. The doors were open and the ceiling fans on, but it was still uncomfortable for someone as hot-natured as me. I did not let that stop me from buying plenty o' yarn though! I think since tomorrow's Friday, I'll have a Fiber Friday like so many other knit-bloggers out there. So check back for some yarn prOn!

Then last weekend I helped my friend Rachael re-arrange the living room of her very first apartment. It's very cute! I stayed late, so then I went home and cooked and baked until 4 in the morning since I was having the family over for Mother's Day brunch. Then I slept 'til eight and got back up to finish cooking. I think it turned out well and everyone seemed to enjoy the food.

Also over the weekend, F-bomb got a very sad call that he needed to head home to Hawaii for a funeral. I wanted to go with him for support, but he's only going to be gone for a few days and he said he'd feel more comfortable with me staying home to keep an eye on the pups. Since there are children involved in this tragedy, I covered and stamped some composition books for him to take as gifts. I figured they might need a place to put all their feelings. I forgot to take pictures since they're wrapped and in his suitcase now. I hope they help--I feel so bad for those poor kids.

Anyway, thank goodness the weekend is almost here! I stayed home today with some sort of bug, but I'm feeling better and ready to attack my last day of the work week.

Catch ya tomorrow for Fiber Friday!