Waaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnt

OK, these are definitely going to be knit for next winter here in the warehouse.

Was checking out Ravelry today and decided to see what my friend Stephieface has been up to...she has it in her favorites. Thanks Stephieface, I'm going to fav it too.

Nothing like Dr. Who Tardis things to keep you warm... Did I mention I have a Dr. Who Tardis ringtone?

:o)

Raisins

Or should I say "wayzins".

Remember Ms. Cow and her "raisins from Bike to Work Day"?

Yes. Nomity nom nom...

Well, Ms Cow convinced Cow that he needed to try raisins too, so when Honey's Mum came for a visit, she bought some raisins at the grocery store for Cow.

I think they got a bit carried away.

Things to Do...

...as always in the Chaos, there are MANY. THINGS. TO. DO.


As is normal here, I've not done very much. Although I did get a lot done this weekend. Oddly enough, it doesn't look like I did anything.


All the small steps will add up to things looking better soon. I just know it.


I am currently working on a secret knitting project with a tight deadline.



It's going quite well considering all the stitches involved and that I haven't ever made one of these before and I haven't knit on anything in months and sometimes I can't concentrate and I loose my place on the pattern quite often.



...and...and...and...


In other words, a Typical Chaos Knitting Experience.



One main thing crossed off the TO-DO list this weekend was rescuing a blue dryer ball from behind the dryers. Poor thing has been trapped back there for a week.

A full set again.

Coming Soon: Ms Cow dishes on our Day Out at the Museum.

Question...

How many times does one need to play the demo version of "Collapse! Chaos" on their phone before they get tired of it and just buy the full version?

Apparently I have not hit that particular amount yet cos I've played eleventy-billion games already - the same first level - over and over again - and I'm still not tired of it.

First, I LOVE this game. I don't know why and I don't care. It gets me through many a train ride and bus wait.

Second, I don't have a data plan, so I can't buy the full version even if I wanted to - and I can't just download to my computer and then upload to my phone. It's not fair. Not fair at all.

Third, it would probably be a bad thing for me to get the game on my phone. I can see me missing stops, missing trains, and missing buses because I was so engrossed in a silly little game. That I LOVE.

Fourth, my new phone is awesome. Awesome I say!

Is the sky falling?

It just might be.

Why?

Because I'm taking a day off from work - during the week - when I'm supposed to be working.

ummm...isn't that what a day off usually means?!?

Anyway...

I need a break. I need some culture. I need some inspiration. I need some peace. I need to do something cool. I need to get out.

Ms Cow has finally convinced me to take her here - we're going on Thursday.

And if she behaves herself, maybe I'll buy her this.

We are both very excited! If we're lucky, we'll hit a docent guided tour. If not, well, I'm sure we'll manage. We have ALL day.

Oh yeah, and I've posted TWICE in one day. Yeah, the sky just might be falling. Just hope it waits until Friday. We've got plans.

Cold.

Measurements being taken today to knit warmth producing accessories for my co-workers, and of course myself.

I need a commuter project or two or three. And we're bloody freezing in here.

Just looked out the window. It's raining for the third day straight.

Just checked the temperature gauge in the office/warehouse. 62F outside, 61F inside.

Our heater isn't working. Maintenance has been called.

Just looked at the calendar. Three times.

Yes, it's May 17, 2011.

In the Bay Area.

In California.

I think we're supposed to be having mild and dry and sunny days, right? Right?!?

As slow as I knit, I should be finished by the time Winter rolls around again...if it ever leaves.

I think I'll start with fingerless gloves.

Give it a few days. I'm sure I'll be complaining about the heat and that it's too hot to knit.

Happy Thursday! ***

***This post is being re-posted because Blogger LOST the original I wrote yesterday. Thank God I have things setup so that EVERY post is emailed to me because there is no way in Hell I could have redone this and been so damn clever a second time round. :)

**************************************************************************

Good things today so far:

Bike to Work Day!

It's like my own personal Halloween. My costume is my biking getup (which needs it's own blog post) and I go from Energizing Station to Energizing Station holding open my bag and getting loads of free stuff dumped in... Haul this morning, large size of the official Bike to Work tote bag, tangerines, fig newtons, juice, various maps of trails in the Bay Area (very handy!), reflectors, lip balm, reflective ankle thingy to rein in your pants leg, a recyclable pen, a water bottle, Clif bars, and various coupons to local sports shops. Ooh, and this really cool magnetic blinky light which I still haven't figured out quite how it works. Ms Cow got herself a wee little box of raisins for being a brave bicycle passenger (the trail is rather bumpy lately). All that was only from 2 stations. They LOVE to shower you with stuff - the list of goodies I turned down is even longer.







I hurds it trew da grapesvyn... Kalifornya waisins, nomity nom nom nom...








Paperback Swap

I LOVE this site. I've mailed off lots of books to good homes and just ordered 5 more for myself. Another Terry Pratchett book (Tiffany Aching, bk 3) and the first four books of the Stephen King "Dark Tower" series. Can't wait to get them!


More Energy

This doesn't really need an explanation, does it? Biking two days in a row and I feel great. Really should have started doing this a lot sooner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can't wait to see what the "Energizer Station" sponsors have on the ride home. I'm really hoping for a new dingy-ding bell. The East Bay Park folks were giving them out last year, so I hope to get another this year. The poor thing is all worn out. It dingity-dings on it's own now. Every time I hit a bump. Even a small bump. So I'm pretty much dingity-ding-dinging my way down the trail.

It's like it's saying:

"Look at the awesome outfit this woman is wearing! Here she comes wearing an awesome outfit! Look at her wearing that awesome outfit! She's riding a bike! And wearing an awesome outfit while she rides! Make way for the biking chick with the awesome outfit! You want an outfit like hers, you KNOW you do! Cos it's AWESOME!"

~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~*********

Update!


I originally wanted to write this update last night, but Blogger has been having some issues, so here it is on Friday. It's also not going to be so clever and funny as it was last night - in my mind.


Final list of "treats" from Bike to Work Day gathered up along the way home: more maps (I'm pretty sure I've got a complete set for the East Bay now), a chocolate chip cookie for Spencer (and yes I did give it to him), Red Vines for Spencer, cheese sticks, various and sundry juice boxes and mini-Gatorade bottles, various and sundry chips and fruit snack bags, mandarin oranges (YUM), Clif bars, Fig Newtons, more raisins for Ms Cow, and lots of bags. About 4 more bags than I really wanted. They were begging us to take extras though, so I did and they will go this weekend to the charity thrift shop with the rest of my donations.


I was very careful this year to only take what Spence and I would use/eat - no need to be greedy. Do I REALLY need more pens when I have a drawerful at home? Didn't think so. There were quite a few snacks because, well, Spencer is 16, quite tall and has entered his "bottomless pit of a stomach with two hollow legs" stage. Any food brought home is DEFINITELY consumed. So no waste there. The extra bags go away tomorrow and the maps I will keep in my "map box".

At the last stop before leaving the trail, I decided now would be a good time to have a drink of some refreshing water since it was quite warm and hauling all those snacks was causing me to break out into a pretty good sweat. Well, being the graceful dove I am, I managed to dribble half the bottle down my shirt. It was actually quite refreshing since I was indeed rather toasty.

Indeed.

Not quite so refreshing was the small swarm of gnats I swallowed on the last leg of the trip.

Updated List: Minus one bottle of Gatorade used to wash out my mouth...

I really need to keep my mouth SHUT when I'm riding.

Thursday is a Special Day

It's "Bike to Work Day"!!

I'll be in the saddle bright and early and heading out to the train station.

I've been wanting to start riding every day but have been making excuse after excuse.

For inspiration, I've started reading "Fatty" again. I love his logo and catch-phrase. A big draft horse and "Heavyweight horsepower". If you're into biking - and I mean hardcore long rides - give him a look-see. He also has ride-alongs, give-aways, charity stuff, etc. On top of that he's a great writer with a good sense of humor.

I'm going to try and get motivated enough to do some charity rides.

And if that all fails to get me motivated and in the saddle more , I just need to go here.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

A great day out on the bikes with the boy.

Damn, I'm getting shorter every year...

(Mother's Day 2010)

Buy A Shirt, Save my Sanity

Actually, buy a shirt and encourage an artist. :)

My son Spencer recently opened his very own Clothing Design Company.

Go check out Metrix Clothing.

He's got a lot more designs ready to go onto shirts.

Give him a look-see and hopefully you'll like it enough to buy one!

Spread the word...Metrix is in town!!!

Sadness for sure...

I promised an update and here it is...

Sammie, my faithful furry companion of 18yrs passed to the big cat condo in the sky at about 4:45pm today.

She is greatly missed. I miss fighting over the computer mouse and her trying to sit on the keyboard while I type.

She lived a full life staring down evil squirrels, terrifying Spencer and his friends (she REALLY enjoyed that), eating treats, hogging the bed and the couch and generally wrapping me round her little paws.

It was a very difficult thing to do, but she passed quickly and quietly in my arms. Spencer was there with me and Honey was there with us in spirit. Thanks to Antonella for the encouraging words.

The hospital staff was very respectful and took very good care of her.

We have millions of many happy memories.

I've just finished cleaning out her litter box for the last time and packing up all her toys and other cat doodads for donation.

I made her a little pink quilt when we first got her and that will stay here with me. I'll keep it in the cabinet until it's time for us to welcome another furry companion into our home.

Goodbye my sweet kitty girl.

Sad times

I know I said earlier that I was going to try and blog more.

Well, life has made me a liar. There hasn't been much to talk about that I want to share via the blog and I really haven't taken the time to just sit and write about the rest.

Right now, I'm in a bad state of mind. My furry baby cat (who is 18 yrs old and definitely no baby) is fading. She's been for a while now and she took a turn for the worse this week.

We have an appointment at the vet this afternoon.

My constant furry companion for the last 18 years may not be returning home with us.

We've been trying to come to terms with the reality that we're going to have to let her go. Sooner rather than later.

It has not been easy.

I promise to post what happened. If you don't hear from me for a while, you'll know that we had to let her go and I'm dealing with the emotional fallout.

This break in non-posting brought to you by...

Da Bears!!

Enter the sad time...

...well, Honey has gone back home and I'm very sad about it. We had an entire month together and somehow it felt like it was only a 2 weeks. It definitely didn't last long enough. We had lots of things planned, only did one or two things. The most important thing tho is that we did all that "nothing" together.

I miss you Honey!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now the hard work begins.

There are lots of things going on right now, all of which are a HUGE strain on me emotionally, mentally, physically. Separately, there are not that bad, but all at once...I'm having problems dealing.

I'll get back into the swing of juggling anything and everything all at once again, I'm just not up to it right now.

Lots of things need to be done, earned, saved, moved, given away, made, sold, cleaned, and so on and so on.

In a few days or so I'll sit down and try to map it all out. This time, I'm going to try and write it all down instead of just keeping it up in my head. That doesn't seem to be working too well for me.

Most of it won't be put out here in details, but you will hear from me every now and then - hopefully more than last year.

Then again, I might get chatty and then you'll be begging me to just shut the hell up already.

In the mean time, I'm going to mope about for a few days and let myself feel nothing but the "missing of the Honey" before I jump back into the Chaos full force.

Ms Cow and I WILL see Honey and Cow again this year. We WILL!!!!!

Sniff.

Sigh.

Pass the damn chocolate.

Ribbitty Ribbit Ribbit

...squeak squeak squeak...

We're into the residual cough/rough voice/no voice part of this doggone cold.

The sore throat comes and goes.

I'm so full of tea and water, etc I slosh when I walk.

Honey leaves in 8 hours (his time of course) to catch his first plane.

That reminds me...need to sign up for flight status thingies so I'll know if he's delayed on the way here.

Wishing I could have taken care of a few things this weekend...like laundry, grocery shopping, etc. Oh well. The grocery store is right across the street and I can last a few more days before I absolutely HAVE to do laundry. :)

Ms Cow did have her Spa time last night. She had a lovely "bubbelee baff" and is now all clean and pretty to meet Cow at the airport tomorrow.

Wish I could say the same...sigh.

After 2 years apart, I don't think Honey will care that I have grey roots... I know I don't give a hoot about it right now. :)

2 days to Honey

...and here I sit with the worst cold ever.

Had lots I wanted to do this weekend. Well, that didn't happen cos I've been mostly in bed whining to myself since Friday night.

Stuffed up nose - check.

Very sore throat - check.

Headache - check.

Fever - not check.

No fever means no flu, right?

The cough is starting and the froggy voice is here.

Not good timing my body dearest...not good timing at all...

I've been drinking mint tea, eating oranges, etc etc etc, and resting up a storm.

Feeling a bit better, so it's been working.

Off to go rest again. Been up since before the butt crack of dawn thanks to the sore throat. A nice hot steamy shower took care of all that for a bit.

Almost Honey Time

I have been neglecting my poor little blog.

Not because of Facebook, or Twitter, or any other of those thingies.

I just haven't gotten around to taking the time to write anything.

When I do have a quiet moment where I could possibly write something, I just don't feel like sitting in front of a computer typing my thoughts key by key.

Honey arrives for his visit one week from TODAY!

I am excited and nervous and blah blah blah.

We haven't seen each other for two years (2 yrs!!!).

We don't have any big fancy plans. The only plan is to spend as much time together as possible.

That's the only plan we really need.

Gee...almost a month between posts!

Hey, I'm on a roll...

Sorry no postie. I've been really busy at work. On a computer and sitting all day equals total aversion to sitting down in front of a computer at night.

I've been sitting, but not with the computer.

I've done a few rows of knitting here and there. I've been reading. I've been listening to someone else read (books on CD anyone?). I've been playing Xbox (yes, I do). Mostly tho, I've been collapsing on the couch after dinner and falling asleep.

I've started a Pilates class on Wednesdays at noon. Unfortunately I'll have to stop that after this month. I just can't keep up with it financially. I am going to get 2 good months out of it, so hopefully can continue on my own.

Been on the bike a few times.

I voted. Ms Cow wrote in Cow for Parks and Grasses Boss. Wonder what the vote counters thought of that. :)

Found a great hairdresser. Got great new color, went bold on a new, shorter cut. Lost a great hairdresser. Went back for great new color and to maintain cut. Color worked, cut, not so much.

Growing out hair...and will most likely go back to coloring my own hair again. I can color my own hair in an hour as opposed to 3 hours at the salon. And will still save money over getting it done at a school. As for cuts, I can go to the corner and get a quick trim for $10 with a coupon. Bim bam, I'm outta there! No more wasting an entire Saturday morning or afternoon sitting in a chair smelling chemicals for 4 hours.

It was good while it lasted. The salon folks were very friendly and really listened to what I wanted to do with my hair. I just can't do it any more. Sigh.

I really do like my new cut, but it's a pain. It grows out way too quickly. I can't pull it back and still look nice - it takes about 8 clips to hold it back cos it's so thick. I look like I was having something done at the salon and had to leave in a hurry.

If I leave it down, I get hot. Really hot. Especially when riding my bike. It's like wearing a really really thick woolly hat that dips down over the back of my neck. All the time.

No thanks. I like the option of either putting it up or wearing it down or wearing it half up or whatever.

So I'm going to let it grow back. I miss my biking braids too. :)

Went thru an episode of Kitty not sleeping and MEOWING all night long. Is why I've been so damn tired. No sleep will do that to you. She's sleeping again now, but I'm still not. Sigh. I'm getting better but I swear I still hear her MEOWING even tho she's sound asleep at the end of the bed.

I've been trying to organize and get rid of about half of what I've got in this place before Honey and Cow arrive. Less than 40 days now and the place is not quite where I'd like it to be. I've got lots of things that need to go away and now need to find a way to get them away.

Getting a few items from a very generous friend that need new homes and I really could use here, so need to get back to work. They are arriving tomorrow.

Before I forget again...

Happy Biking Anniversary to me and my pretty pretty bike. Three years last month (Oct 16th) and still going strong. Really wish I could get myself in your saddle a lot more often.

Time to sort, organize and pack up give-aways!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Can't believe it's already October again! Was going to make some awareness jewelry and accessories and donate the profits (I say this every year), and I've gone and missed my opportunity once again...

Sigh.

However....

Today, Trek Bicycle Dealers all over the US and Canada (eh!) sponsored 10-mile Awareness Rides.

There were no rides in my area, so I've decided to dedicate my ride with Spencer today as an Awareness Ride in my own way. :)

We just got back from riding round trip to downtown Walnut Creek, with a short break for cold refreshments, rest and some window shopping.

It's just under 10-miles round trip, so there you go. My quasi-10 mile Awareness Ride.

If you have the time, are so inclined, and are feeling charitable, please donate to your favorite Breast Cancer Charity...or ANY charity. I'm sure whatever you give today will be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

...and now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to rest on the couch. (aka "nap")

How many days?

...77 days til Honey and Cow arrive. Squeeee!!!

Ms Cow and I are very excited and working very hard to make things, sort things and get rid of things.

We're busy! :)

Tomorrow I'm off to a work thing for the day. I love it that it's in my home town (esp since it starts at 8am)...but...it's been pushing 100F for the last few days here. I haven't even looked to see what the high was today. Honestly, I don't really want to know.

Sigh...it's been pretty toasty in the whole area, so I really don't think going to the North Bay or over to San Francisco would even help heat-wise.

I'm just glad the venue where I'll be is air-conditioned. :)

I'm trying very hard right now not to fall asleep. I worked very hard this weekend at home, and was very busy all day at work (it was HOT in the warehouse).

I really need to do some laundry, but I just can't get myself up and at it. I really wish I had the machines right here in my apt...it wouldn't be such a chore to just pop things in and out when I needed something. I've got just what I need to get me through tomorrow, then I have no choice tomorrow night. Sigh.

Off to figure out when I need to catch the bus tomorrow and which bus I need to transfer to...