craftacular

Happy Sunday. Today is a special day, not only for our nation's brave veterans, but for my mommy. Happy Birthday!! Your gift/card may have been slightly delayed in the mail...
Last night I went to what my friends have called my superbowl: Stitch! This year I went early for a treat bag. My favorite! Free junk! There was actually quite a bit of stuff. And the bag is an actual bag, not just a paper sack. Cool.
How was your week? Mine, not so fun. Thursday I went to a bar called Midnight Rodeo. I know, sounds fantastic, but it was a letdown. I think I was a bit too sober for full enjoyment. Here's the scene: "Hey, you got your nightclub in my honky tonk! You got your honky tonk in my nightclub!" Lots and lots of drunk twenty one year olds in cowboy hats. I know, but it was too ridiculous even for me.
This morning I was with my angel princess, and then came home to watch McLaughlin. I also watched a super cool episode of frontline (on the computer) about a small town undertaker. Check it out.
Oh yeah, in last week's excitement over resin I forgot to mention that something exciting happened to me- I have jeans I don't hate. They're from Old Navy. They're (annoyingly) called "The Flirt" but they fit! Amazing. Thanks, sweatshop kids! I would include a picture, but I've almost smashed my computer twice today waiting for pictures to upload. I'll try next week.

resin d'etre

Hey Y'ALL, I've got a new craftastic passion: resin casting. If you know me at all you know I LOVE things embedded in resin. It gives me that feeling without words. And now, I can give myself that feeling whenever I want thanks to my new hobby. Why has it taken me so long to do this? I guess I thought it was harder than it is. Or could be that pervasive laziness I'm so prone to. Anyway, I shouldn't get too excited, because I just poured the stuff into the molds this afternoon and it takes 24-72 hours to cure. It might not work. But if it does, this is all I want to do with my time. Everything I can get my hands on will be trapped in a plasticy grave. I even did an obligatory bottle cap. Yes, those are real candy sprinkles (clapping hands)!!
Thanks go out to s.j.c. for buying me this book to get started. Also to the chick on etsy.com that I borrowed the sprinkle idea from. And as always to the Howell family for providing me with my disposable income. Lucky fans may receive something trapped in plastic for Christmas this year!!
In other haven't-posted-for-weeks (again) news: Hmmm, Halloween was a bust, I went to bed early. Yucky week in general. Nothing fun going on, no good movies, no new food discoveries or anything. I did finish the sweater completely, but so far it's been too hot to wear it. There's a "cold front" moving in for Tuesday with temps in the 60's, so maybe I'll wear it out that night. Better find somewhere to go I guess.
Well, I'm off to the store to get the things I forgot to get yesterday...Then it's another Sunday evening visit with my beautiful angel princess. Later! p.s. why don't you email me sometime?

blog shmog

Now I'm remembering why I abandoned the old excruciating minutiae blog. Blogging sucks. It takes forever to get the pictures to be in the right spot, and I don't really do anything to write about in the first place. But, on we go.
I tried (and failed) to post this picture of the g.d. tilted duster last Sunday, but in order to save my computer from a violent death, I had to take a break. What have I been up to these past eleven days or so? Not much. Last Sunday I did the usual: knitting, watching my shows, being grumpy about the weekend being over...I did go to the movies last weekend. I saw Eastern Promises with Naomi Watts and the lord of the rings guy. It opened with a graphic throat cutting, so I enjoyed it. Every time I see a Naomi Watts movie, I want to cut my hair. Luckily in this one it shows her blow drying, which reminds me that, no, I do not want to cut my hair after all.
The work week was filled with the normal hating my job, going out for buckets of beer, babysitting and the like. I did get some cute new "business" cards from moo.com (they came in the "post" from the u.k.! "Par Avion"!) but I need to be more careful about who to give them to. Not everyone you meet should get your phone number.
Today is cooking show day on our pbs station, so I've been watching people cook weird stuff while I tidy up the house. Right now someone is showing me how to make easy meals with things I already have in the pantry. You mean you're supposed to keep food in the house all the time? oops.
Speaking of food, I just noticed that I'm starving. Oh yeah, that's because it's three in the afternoon and I haven't eaten anything. Better go to the store.

puzzling

You would think after seven full days without a post, I would have something to report. You would be wrong. How was my weekend? Relaxing would be a polite word for it. I didn't do anything. I watched my sunday shows, but they were weak. I worked on my sweater, but I'm doing the long, repetitive ribbing on the back. One row takes about eight minutes. Snore. It will be done soon though, I promise. I watched Knocked Up, and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't as funny as I wanted it to be. Plus it worked out a bit too nicely for my taste. I went to the HEB, caught up on G.A., bor-ing. Tonight I spent an exasperating half hour or so looking for my favorite shirt (the black one with the knot in the middle) to wear to this fundraising thing I have to go to tomorrow. Maybe something exciting will happen there. On the plus side, I did go to the water tank, my favorite local dive bar, yesterday and had more than my fair share of $2 drinks. I've also restarted my obsession with the nyt crossword. I did Monday just fine but couldn't finish today. Pathetic. I used to be smart. Really! Didn't I?

october? it's 90 degrees out

Why do I love the grocery store so much? The solitude? The free samples? The cute young bag boys? ("HEB hotties") I don't know, but it's my favorite.
Speaking of favorites, while I was at the grocery, I got some Sunshine Wheat. Mmm. Then I came home to find my new netflix: Freaks and Geeks! What a super afternoon.
As for the knitting, I'm still rockin on the duster but it is b o r i n g. Maybe I'll pick up on the many many other projects that are burying my sewing machine table. Or organize the closet, or do laundry, or shave my legs, or get my life together...

tv on the computer

What a lovely day (so far) B.C. on snuffalupagus and mtp, a boy made me breakfast (french toast), I finished the other sleeve. Then I started the "skirt" of the sweater-picking up stitches,YUCK!-while watching my most embarassing indulgence: grey's anatomy. No, it's not very good, you're right, but I am for some reason fixated on watching every episode. Luckily I can watch it online when I am alone.
See this blob of knitted fabric. This is the sweater in progress. Not only did I have to pick up stitches, I had to seam the sides and shoulders. Why don't I read the patterns first? Anyway, I shouldn't complain too much because this sweater is really very easy and besides I shouldn't be using patterns anymore.

I'm sure most of you are wondering "how's lee chat?" He's fine, but obviously annoyed at having his picture taken. He's two years old now, and continues to love yarn, milk, paper, and rubber bands.
Ok: knitting, cat, television...could my life be any more elderly? Don't you do anything fun anymore, Jen? Well, yesterday I went for one drink at a fancy restaurant. Then to the grocery and bookstore. But remember the other day I drank a bunch of beer from a bucket? Remember!?

bucket

Thursday was my official "back in the drink" day, but it turned out to be a bust. Thursdays are my babysitting day, which is fine because I just happen to babysit the most amazing human being in history. But when I was done, no one was around to go out with me. I ended up at super target looking a halloween stuff. What should I be for halloween??
Last night I made up for my thurs. failure a bit by going to C-Hunt's, a classic texan place, used to be an auto shop. Beer only. Cash only. Beer served in buckets at picnic tables. Perfect. Sorry but I forgot the camera. There is only this pic I stole from their myspace page. Which doesn't do the place justice at all. I'll just have to go again for a good bucket photo.
I've yet to watch Indiana Jones, but the Extras episodes were fantastic. Much funnier than season one. You must check this out. I know, I love it mostly just to listen to them talk, and just looking at Ricky Gervais is funny to me, but it's really good.
As far as knitting is concerned, I've made shockingly little progress on sleeve 2. And I haven't even had breakfast yet today. Guess I should take care of that.

the final countdown

So the f.d. meds have made me an unwilling teetotaler for the past 13 days. Tomorrow I'm back in the game. The day before I started the fast, I signed up for a 101 beer club. I have a checklist, and when I have consumed 101 different beers from my local B.B. Rover's, I get my name on a plaque on the wall, a t-shirt, and a lifetime 10% discount. I heart Texas.
Today's Netflix delivery? Indiana Jones, and Extras season 2 disc 1. No, I haven't seen Indiana Jones. What's it to ya?
Did I mention I've been reading (books!) again? Well, recently I've only made it through one. Water for Elephants, I don't remember who wrote it. Yes, very very best sellerish, a bit too much romance, but I read it in a week. Now I'm slowly making it through Special Topics in Calamity Physics, by some hot sh*t young nyc writer chick (I know!). It's ok, but I've been working on it since I went to S. Padre at the end of Aug. Anybody have anything to recommend?
I've got to get rockin on the two mix cd's I'm making for my friend and sister, both of whom are coincidentally moving to CA next week and huge fans of my mix cd's. Cheers!

i love you sweet leaf

Apologies in advance to my mother. 1.for using the nice computer she gave me as a table and 2. for comparing her baking (or no baking,I guess) skill to that of a texican walmart employee. Anyway on the first of two (don't ask) trips to my local evil retailer, I picked up these "peanut butter fudge no-bake cookies". Just like my mom used to make and I used to (adorably) call "elephant poop" cookies. I know, in addition to the wrongness of being in the walmart in the first place, I added mistake to sin by buying something resembling a beloved childhood treat. But! They are spectacular. Sorry mommy.
I guess this post will be about food. For dinner I had some yummy sushi with my new fave beverage, sweet leaf hibiscus iced tea. Of course sweet leaf has a flash site, so I can't steal a picture. I don't know if they have sweet leaf tea where you are, but if they do, go get some!
In non-food news, last night I watched some more Carnivale and I can't say enough good things about it. What are you watching?
Well, I'm off to start sleeve #2 of my warm wool sweater. I won't think about how I couldn't even touch my steering wheel on the way home from work today. (97 outside, 1097 in the car). Later.

if it's sunday

I'm sitting around watching nerdy political shows. Unfortunately this morning Hillary Clinton was all over the place. Everyone knows I hate Hillary Clinton, of course, because of my mega crush on Bill. I'm still feeling horrible about missing his visit to the atx recently. But you know, the f'ing dysentery and all...We can watch the news coverage together in the fun links list.
In happier news, I have two new baby friends. Jack and Ramona:

Did you know that Joe Raposo wrote the theme to Three's Company?
Obviously there's not much going on today. I think I'm taking the teens to the mall. If I'm good I can get some earrings at Claire's.

Big apologies to M.W., E.S., and F.A. for my glaring oversights regarding their birthdays. How far can the f.d. excuse stretch?...Oh yeah, breakfast today: just eggs. ick.

summery

Party summer '07 began like this:



and ended like this:

From party barge to knocked flat with f'ing DYSENTERY! You read that right. Ok, Ok, It was an amoeba which was probably not exactly the same one that causes classic third world dysentery. But still.

Yes, against all good judgement and reason I decided to start a meaningless blog again.
So let's begin like we did last time, with my breakfast.
Since I've been Texan, Y'ALL know I love love love the heck out of some breakfast tacos. Since I have to take my f.d. meds "with food" and there was no food here at the homestead, I headed to my local tc for the world's most beautiful food: the potato, egg, and cheese breakfast taco. Now the tc is in no way the maker of the best breakfast taco, but it is the closest. I felt pretty awesome when I strolled out the door in my samurai jammies, barefoot, hair severely unwashed, and looked up to see two very attractive people jogging by. Diff'rent strokes, indeed.





This blog thing wouldn't be dorky enough without one picture of what I'm knitting right now. This is the sleeve of the tilted duster, featured on the cover of Interweave Knits fall 07. Which reminds me, they probably want me to pay for that subscription....anyway, it's pretty easy, if a little tedious. It should be and excellent movie sweater, as they keep the theaters here in tx at about 30 below.



Speaking of tedious, I forgot how long it takes to upload these silly pics. Guess the "s" in my dsl stands for slow. Let's see if this thing even works before i get too post happy.