Happy Halloween

Our wireless is really screwed up right now and my dad is in complete denial, so the internet only works on my mom's psycho computer and my dad's. SO until the weekend when I can secretly beat our router with a baseball bat, i am stuck using my mom's super slow computer. I am seriously considering going to the library and taking my laptop with me so i can use their wireless. I should have stayed at Sunshine's. I was having fun and life made more sense. It doesn't help that I spent 12 hours at work on monday and nine today plus class. fiscal year end is hell on earth.

On the positive side, i had an awesome weekend. I made four baby hats for caps to the capital. I will go into more details this weekend when my internet has improved.

Greetings from the Quad Cities

I am sitting at the airport and it is 1:55 and my flight does not leave until 4:45p.m. Most people would be annoyed but I have my Mackie and my cell phone so I am cool. So I thought I would send a shout out to everyone, especially Sunshine. See you soon darling! I would post more about my trip but it's company business related so I can't post about it on the internet. Other than things went really well (to the best of my knowledge). the wi-fi is free at the Quad Cities airport (not at the memphis one) and it was at the yucky hotel I stayed at. It was clean, but that was it. I am going to be flexible and not go on and on about why that hotel was yuck. But the company paid for so it's all good in the end. I got to have some ice creams at Whitey's ice cream. It's a famous ice cream place in the iowa/illinois area. The ice cream is dee-lish. I could really go for a big fat mountain dew right now. there seems to be a coke monopoly which is okay, but I really need a serious mountain dew fix right now. Can we say caffeine dependency? Nah...I didn't need my new wool coat either, but it would've probably snowed if i had left it at home.

While i've been away, my sis has informed me that J has sent me Chicago Cubs flip flops...How sweet is that? I can't wait to throw these dress shoes out the window and wear them. The dress shoes are pretty decent, but they don't compare to a nice pair of chucks or flip flops. My sis is jealous because she is an even bigger Cubs fan than me (and Daisy has chewed up most of her flip flops---i hide mine in the closet).

I am reading a biography about Marie Antoinette (the new movie is based on this book). It is pretty good so far. i discovered it at the airport in Memphis. At the QC airport I found a very rare special edition JD tractor (Ertl Premiere series) with muddy tires!!! I about squealed. They only put a very limited few with muddy tires in each tractor series and I have only seen them in collector's books. This is one tractor that I will have to leave in the plastic because typically take them out. . I can't wait to show my dad. LOL....

I have received several compliments on my hot pink adidas duffel bag that I have been traveling with. It makes things a lot easier to find especially in a luggage pile. People have also been checking out Mackie. Thank god I got a 12" because the 17" would not have fit on the airplane trays of the puddle jumpers I have been flying on for this trip. They are two seats by two seats. One time i flew from denver to palm springs on a one by one and that was tiny ass.

The Tease of Winter

It tried to frost this morning. Yesterday, it was a very cold 50 degrees and I could wear a coat (not buttoned of course). I managed to find a suit for the big trip this week and a pair of shoes I won't kill myself walking in. Surprisingly I found them at Target, the last place I looked. I can always find cute shoes there, but their clothing sizes are really odd and vary so much by brand that I can't usually find anything. But I did, which was great because I couldn't find anything at home, and I really really reaally really didn't want to go to T-town. The holiday season is trying to begin and it is getting more crowded and traffic and parking are bitches at the big mall. The whole day was kind of a blur actually. I feel like I have gotten nothing accomplished since all I really did was suit shopping yesterday. I just want to make it to November 1st and have fiscal year-end and the work trip over with. I did manage a quicky stop to Hobby Lobby. I got the new issue of Crochet Today which has some cute projects in it. I got two more balls of sugar and cream in colors I hadn't used before. LOL. Like I need more yarn.

Pop Quiz!

So this quiz has been floating around the Secret Pal 9 organizers, and i saw it on one of their blogs and thought it would be fun.

Actor - Don't have a particular favorite
Actress - Don't really have a favorite actress
Animal - My two little Yorkies, Daisy and Haley
Band - Um, see the attached 20 page file...Like there is that many. Aerosmith, Kenny Chesney, The Bangles, The GoGos, Bon Jovi, The Killers
Beverage - Mountain Dew, Mike's Hard Lemonade, Amish wine, straight Jack Daniels
Book - Too many favorites. i am currently reading Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire
Bubble Bath - Green Apple Suave Shampoo...Lol...It is sooo cheap and it smells so good. I also love Victoria Secret's Love Spell
Candy - Skittles and Starbursts
Color -black, blues and dark purples
Flower - hot pink Gerbera daisies, unusually colored roses--hot pink, dark purple/black
Food - pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut
Lip Balm - Bonne Bell Dr. Pepper (soooo yummmy)
Lotion - Victoria's Secret Love Spell
Movie - Fried Green Tomatoes and A Christmas Story ( i have the special edition dvd that i watch year round AND I watch the marathon every year on TV
Song -Way too many to even narrow down
TV Show - Gilmore Girls, Grey's Anatomy, QAF, Desperate Housewives, Wifeswap, Supernanny, Boston Legal
Yarn - Rowan Summer Tweed, Sugar and Cream, cheesy Christmas Holiday yarn
Vacation Spot - Chicago and Iowa City (vacation is wherever you have the most fun and i have a ton of fun in Iowa City). Dream Spots: Ireland, London, Berlin, Alaska, Vancouver, factory tours (I love those!)

These Chucks were Made for Walkin

Wow. So it is Sunday night and I am pooped. Yesterday was a craft store marathon in T-Town. We went to two non-craft stores at the mall, Jo-Ann's, Babies R Us, Hancock Fabrics, a quilt store and Barnes and Noble. My heels are really sore now for some reason. Maybe I have grown accustomed to sitting in a cubicle all day. I try to get up and walk a lot but there aren't too many places I can go. I finished the camo family of hats--one for A-dolly and her mom, one for her dad and a baby girl and a baby boy one since we don't know if A-dolly is going to have a little sister or a little brother yet because her parents want to be surprised. My aunt D and my mom had two sewing machines constantly going when we weren't shopping. They were making clothes for all the babies that we know that have been recently born or will be born soon. They were also making lots of doll clothes for A-dolly. She is going to be Cindy-relly for Halloween and she looks beautiful in her costume. I still prefer my role as the fairy godmother. I have also made two other hats for charity, since it is that time of year again. I am getting closer on the rainbow dish cloth. I also got almost two yards of Hello Kitty pink Rock and Roll polar fleece that is soooo warm and soft. Like I really needed a new blankie but it was 40% off!!! That stuff can be between $10 and $14 a yard depending on what is printed on it and the grade of fleece used.

It rained a lot this weekend so my allergies are screwed up again. And my car is in the shop. Through a sick twist of fate, somehow a rock flew up in the undercarriage of my beloved 03 Subaru Forrester and ruined the air conditioner, radiator and something else related that is expensive. So it is at the dealership, awaiting parts and a $2000.00 repair bill. I am now officially indebted to my father for all eternity now for bailing me out on this one. did i mention the rental car is in his name so i can't technically drive it? He took the car to the dealership in Tulsa on Friday while I was at work. Lets hope the parts get here super fast. it really sucks having to bum rides off of people and driving unfamiliar cars. Did I mention I left my good cds and my sunglass clips in since I didn't know it was going to have to have a shitload of repair work done? we just thought the air conditioner was having problems and needed more juice or something...Sniff sniff....Some random mechanic gets to listen to my Justin Timberlake and the new Killers cds!!! I miss my car!!!

Work and school are insane as usual.My goal is to make it until Nov. That is when things should calm down except for the school part maybe. Honestly, though, I thrive on insanity. I like challenges and having things to do. I get bored very easily.

I think those are all the stories that I can tell on the internets.

Taco Tuesday

I had to share this because i am an accountant in training and a Mac freak:

"http://www.apple.com/business/profiles/cowen/"

Yay! That is like the coolest thing ever. I wish I could use a Mac at my job...Gilmore Girls was awesome tonight. Props to Rory for learning the joy of dirty text-messaging. I got a b-day present from Watergirl today. She sent me vintage copies of The Workbasket from the 50s and two ADORABLE cutesy doggie bandanas. There is an opening for their collars to slide through and I damn near squealed when I pulled them out of the envelope. I am going to make sure that the doggies are wearing their bandanas when Aunt D arrives. She will crack up. Yes, I am a dog freak and I dress my dogs up when they will allow it. I have finished 4.5 out of 5 camo hats. lol...The things I do for family. At least three of them are pink camo, that makes me feel better. My car is still sick, the temp outside dropped like 20 almost today and my pos front defroster is even more of a pos since the air conditioning quit. But we HAVE to drive my car and not my dad's. I had to drive today cause he felt like sleeping on the commute. Must be nice. Honestly, I'm just severely sleep and fun deprived and college + 50 or more hours of work a week really bites ass. But I know when I'm finally an accountant, it will be all worth it. The change in weather is also messing with my allergies, hence the sinus and ear pain that makes me bitchier. LOL...At least I am honest. Speaking of pain, I hope you feel better Sunshine. I promise there will be plenty of ice cream and adult beverages for your birthday fiesta.

I also got a really nice note from F.I.R.E., the organization that runs the Dulaan Project. this past Spring ( i think) I sent them 40 knitted hats, because that's what i like to do. i like to crochet dish cloths and knit hats on my looms because it is repetitive and I don't have to think to much. I just thought it was cool that they actual sent me a formal thank-you, it was completely unexpected. I also got a voice mail while I was in class from my friend E. She was the first person I became friends with my senior year in OK and she has moved back to town. Very random, but so is our friendship. The last couple of weeks I have heard from all kinds of people that I hadn't heard from in awhile, with the expection of N. People still talk about him at work even though none of us have heard from him since July (i was the last one he talked to). It's almost like he has achieved mythic status. Just like he wanted.

anyhoo, I am really rambling, I will blame all of this on the massive amount of claritin-d that I must take so that I will be able to breathe and hear in the morning.

Random Thoughts Sunday

I was able to finish two hats today. One was a camo colored hat for K (he wanted one in time for hunting season) and then I found this girly camo yarn that looks really pretty, so I made a little girly camo colored hat for his daughter (my god-daughter) A-dolly. She's daddy's little girl. Aunt D promised me that she would bring me loads of pics of A-dolly when she comes down on Thursday.

I am currently taking a break from doing all my accounting homework. Because of the insanity of this week and visitors this coming weekend I won't really have time to do it otherwise without losing mass amounts of sleep. The only other major thing i really did today was the dishes and massive amounts of laundry. I live with complete slobs. I love my family but they are total slobs. I've pared down my stuff to the point where i can't really get rid of anything else, otherwise i would just end up re-buying it later. I did find another stash of sucky cds buried in my closet. lol..I really had no idea what was in my closet other than it was neatly packed away.

Anyways, I promise to have more newsy stuff to report next Sunday. If i don't go insane by then (insert sarcastic smile here).

It's Crafty Saturday....

So much going on really. I am participating in a new swap on Craftster and I am soooo stoked because I am a member of Secret Pal 9! So this means, I need to get it together and get my craft on. Hmmm what else. Well, now that I am 26 i got this idea in my head that I should start wearing mascara. It looks great once it's all done, but it takes me like a good ten minutes to do it right and I end up poking my poor left eye out because I am not good at using the wand. LOL. I am a mess sometimes. I had a 40 % coupon for Hobby Lobby so I was going to finally buy some fancy rosewood crochet hooks and that stuff was on sale! I stocked up on some crochet and knitting implements (they were on sale and you can't have enough of them) So lucky for me, I found a hello kitty scrapbook paper (it is SO COOL) set to use the coupon because they haven't updated the knit and crochet books at that store in like three years or else they get one copy and someone buys it right away. that's what you get for living far from a big city. i would talk in more detail about specific crafts i will be making today, but since the people i am making them for could potentially read this blog, my lips are zipped.

In the book world, my current bed time stories are Son of a Witch (sequel to Wicked) and the Fight Club. Did I mention I am a Type A - ? I am not counting my accounting books as pleasure reading since that's homework and homework is not fun even if you like the subject.

The cleaning project is going well. the feminist magazines and yarn porn are now stashed in nifty martha stewart regulation magazine holders. My dvds have an actual home (well the ones that are kept in room and not with the family stash do). My cds are organized still. The dust bunnies have been banished to OZ.

Secret Pal 9 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love Sugar and Cream dishcloth yarn (bright colors) and Rowan Summer Tweed (i really love the blues and purples). I am a wool freak even though I live in a very warm place right now. I don't like fuzzy yarns cause they are a pain to work with. Acrylic is okay as long as it doesn't feel like plastic. lol.. I use a lot of Caron's Simply Soft for charity projects.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I store my needles in an Eskimo Joe's cup and my hooks in a celestial print roll-up case that my mommy made me. I am a purse freak so I am always buying little pouches to carry my supplies in cause i get bored easily.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I am a rebel crocheter since 2003. I have been knitting on and off but I am really awful at hand knitting but I love to loom or machine knit. So I would say very much beginner on the knitting front and intermediate on the crochet side.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No, but I should...

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)

Lime, cherries, green apple. I don't like spices or anything that smells like old lady.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Hershey's milk chocolate, skittles, starburst, Orbit gum

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

embroidery, cross stitch, i make bottle cap magnets. I don't spin but I think it's really cool.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

The Killers, Justin Timberlake, Kenny Chesney, marching band music, really I am a music lover. I am in the process of upgrading from a 3rd generation ipod to a video ipod. Ooh, I like Sleater-Kinney too...Alternative rock is probably the genre I listen to the most. I am an Itunes fanatic, i download music all the time. I just bought a mac powerbook this year (12''), so I am definitely tech savvy.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I love blues, purples, hot pink, aqua, black, rainbow colors, i look nasty in yellows and oranges. yeah, I am very pale, my skin doesn't see the sun ever.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

single and lovin' it. I have a very close friendboy and some best friends that are scattered everywhere and two Yorkies, Haley and Daisy, and a mom and a dad that have been married forever.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I have a big head so I like hats, but they can't be tight. I don't do ponchos, but I love scarves and mittens. I would really like a pair of black fingerless gloves...that would be really cool.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I like to crochet hats, scarves, dishcloths/washclothes, squares for charity, little baby sweaters cause they are quick.

13. What are you knitting right now?

I just started crocheting another dishcloth

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

of course!!!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I prefer metal hooks or heavy woods. I am starting to learn on circulars, so some lonely orphaned addi turbos would be awesome. I have a tendency to break plastic and cheap bamboo stuff.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

No, that is on my list of things to get when I win the lotto.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

usually they get frogged or they don't get started. so i don't think i really have one.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween and Valentine's Day. I like Christmas when it snows. I like random holidays too.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

John Deere stuff, huge Hello Kitty fan, love Converse Chuck Taylors

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Hookorama by Rachael Matthews, I don't think it's out yet and I have banned myself from buying crafty books until January. Like I mentioned earlier, I would love some addis or Rowan summer tweed (really anything from Rowan) I don't subscribe to anything but I would really like to have a copy of Rebecca in the German edition but the English edition would be cool. I don't live near any actual yarn stores so I am very deprived.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Not any that I can think of other than I would like to be profient at knitting someday.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yeah, I'm not that great at knitting yet, so I can't make those. I am a size 8 US.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

Lol...I just had it. Sept 25th.

Seriously Part 2

WARNING::: RANT AHEAD...

So this bee-yatch at wal-mart informed me that my coupons (that i had cut this morning) were expired before she even scanned or looked at them. Just because I took a bath and was nicely dressed doesn't mean I can't use coupons. So I told her to double check and then she got all huffy and scanned them and low and behold, they were of course good. Unfortuneatly the nearest target is like 30-40 minutes away. Anyways, I just had to rant about that, cause I worked in retail and received numerous 100% customer feedback survey scores so it really hacks me off when I treated like shit in a store. Low prices shouldn't have to equal low service. I will point out that I have been to some decent wal-marts that have semi-speedy and decent service but they are not located in my town. We don't have the self-checkout lanes either (and they just renovated too...) Seriously...

HAPPY TIMES:
Anyways, so last night at like 1 am , after much procrastination I finally went through my cds and made two piles: sucks and doesn't suck. When my sister came back from Stilly this morning, we took the sucky cds back to Hastings and I made $76. I would like to thank my ex boyfriend for giving me the crappy rap cds that I sold back for $3-5 each. My sister gave me hell for even owning a Lindsey Lohan cd,but she was worth $2, it was all good to me. Lol...So now I can definitely buy a video ipod this month without having to go on a caffiene diet. YAY!!! Now I can find my cool cds again, i have less clutter and I am closer to buying a new video ipod in a more "responsible way." Selling back cds is a long and pain in the butt process, so I made my sister go with me so I wouldn't get too fidgety (and her car's air conditioning works).