Adventures of MorrisMcDoo

Presents!

2006-11-18T10:49:00.000+09:00

Hooray!!! I got my first SP box! First, I'm sorry this is late, we lost our internet for two days, and now the camera has gone missing. (insert sad face here) But enough of that. On to the goods!

My Secret Pal read me well. She sent me Felted Knits, which I have been coveting from afar, but have been afraid to order since for fear of unrequited felted love. Now that I have the book in hand I only have two bags, one pair of mittens (matches one of the bags), and several pairs of booties that I have to knit.

She also sent me a basics book illustrated Knitting & Crocheting, which I so needed. It's sad when a pattern says to knit four rows of seed stitch and you have no clue what they mean, then you find out its a "basic" design. A much needed book that looks like it will help immensely. I already saw some "basic" designs that I had not seen before and want to attempt.

The last gift is what makes me really wish I could find the camera. My SP sent me a beautiful notebook to write my knit notes in. It is in gorgeous metallics and jewel tones. Right on the money for my taste! The notebook has a magnetic closure (really strong magnet I might add) and a cool little pocket inside the back cover! I absolutely love it! Pictures will follow once the camera is found.

THANK YOU SP9!!!

(Two) Week(s) in review

2006-11-14T12:45:00.000+09:00

So, we've been blog negligent and for that I'm sorry, but it's been a busy and stressful couple of weeks. Where to start...

The chipmunk: Much like "morning sickness" is not just for mornings, "terrible twos" do not wait for the second birthday. The kid is having separation anxiety every time she can't see me. I can't even go to the bathroom without a major temper tantrum breaking out (sorry if its TMI for some.) I also made the mistake of rocking her to sleep virtually every night of her life. We are trying to get her to sleep in her crib without Mommy having to rock her. This has turned into four hour battles each night with her screaming bloody murder in her crib while we try to alternate quietly sitting where she can't see us and soothing her every five to ten minutes (as prescribed by the "professionals".) She was already an insomniac like her dad - at 20 months she only sleeps about 10 hours a day total including naps, so we got little respite as it was. Don't let her cuteness fool you. She is as stubborn as they get! Now 50% of her waking time is spent screaming like a banshee! Oy! Please offer advise, though we don't promise to take it!

The cat: Next is my 15 year old kitty Phoebe. She decided to go into kidney failure a couple of weeks ago, so I've been taking her to the vet every day to get sub-q fluids. She has also completely lost her appetite (a side effect of the kidney failure) so I'm force feeding her from a syringe four times a day. Tomorrow I start administering her sub-q fluids from home. All this with a screaming baby at my side. Phoebe's spirits are good and we're hoping to stabilize her kidney functions and carry on. It's too soon to lose another kitty. I don't think I can handle it.

The Balls: Not those you sick-o. USMC Birthday Balls. Two of them in a week and a half. Not a big deal to some, but there's all this prep work - finding a sitter for the chipmunk, finding a dress that will fit you post baby and not make you look like a stuffed kielbasa, finding shoes to go with your sausage dress that you can actually walk in and not need a podiatrist in the morning, and there's the hair and makeup... I'm lucky if I get around to brushing my hair in the morning, now I have to curl it and look girlie or something? Ugh. And my version of makeup is cherry chapstick. So once again I ended up purchasing $50 worth of make up I will never use again and will go bad before next year. Anyhoo, you can see the results are simply mediocre, though the Lt. looks mighty handsome.

Homework: Lt. Mo and I are both in classes and we both have a tremendous amount of homework due and we both have not been able to get it done on time in the last two weeks. I'm sooooo glad I decided not to take any classes over the holidays! Turkey - homework... Pie - homework... Christmas tree - homework... Presents - homework... How it would really go is Turkey - Pie - Christmas tree - Presents... home what? So here's hoping we both pass our classes this quarter.

The Fire: The chipmunk has a book about fire trucks and firemen. It has this little button that sounds like a siren when you push it. She loves pushing it. Often it gets stuck and plays forever - "weeeoooo weeeooo". On this day, yesterday to be precise, she was playing with the book/button downstairs. We went upstairs to gather some laundry. I could still hear the "weeeooo weeeooo" in the background. Only it was really loud and really realistic sounding. I look outside and there's two pumper trucks, a ladder truck, an ambulance, several MPs and some fire marshal guys in front of our building. We wander outside to see what it is. There's a freakin fire in our neighbors unit and no one bothered to knock on our door! This is a four unit building and we all share walls. Can we have some communication here folks?!? I ran back in to get my kitty. We watched the firemen break the window to get into the unit. Smoke poured out of the window. As it turns out, there was no fire, just food forgotten and left on the stove. Still, it took hours out of my life and added a few gray hairs. I would have pictures, but the camera was in the building and we weren't allowed in.

All of that in addition to our regularly scheduled chaos. What a week (or two). (Exhale)

Knit update...

2006-11-07T09:01:00.000+09:00

I finished the ballet top for the chipmunk. It's so super cute and tiny! Of course she's not so tiny, I probably should have knit a few more rows on the bottom. She's a little young for a belly top.

Here's the super model in the finished object.
I may have to do some modifications to the bottom to keep it from rolling so badly and to lengthen it. With the way she grows, it'll be a crop top by next week!

I also completed a scarf for our six year old (going on sixteen.) She's all about the rock star thing right now, so this is my interpretation of six year old rock star: pink with multi-color metallic eyelash. I think I'm going to add fringe to the ends and I'm going to make a matching hat.

This is the beginning of a Christmas present. Since it's a present, that's all I'm going to say!

Happy Halloween!!!

2006-11-01T09:06:00.000+09:00

Here's the chipmunk a couple of weeks ago at kids Halloween fest on base.

We had no costume, so we made her up into a green garden fairy.

Everyone kept calling her Tinkerbell.

Here we are on Halloween. We were matching witch and cat. I knit her tail and cat collar. She loved having the makeup put on, but then wanted to touch it, so by the end of the night she had rubbed off her nose and whiskers.

The (plastic) bag lady...

2006-10-30T14:36:00.000+09:00

I think that's going to be my name in my next life. See, the thing is I have no where to put my growing stash. So this is what I have in my living room:

Nice, huh? Really goes with the decor.

It's not just loose balls of yarn though; I am knitting.

I got my cotton fleece for the Teva Durham Ballet Tops (one for me, one for the chipmunk. I started with hers. She flashed me those puppy dog eyes and guilted me into it. And yes, I am going to be one of those cheesy moms that has matchy-matchy sweaters with her kid. Lt Mo is lucky I'm not going to make him wear one! I'm a little over half way through with hers. It's knitting up very quickly, and it looks nice, if I do say so myself! It is, after all, my first clothing knit.

I also got new felting yarn. Hopefully it will actually felt. It says it will on the label...in English. I'll let you know how that goes.

Today I spoiled myself. I was innocently at the gift store, biding my time until the chipmunk's play group met, when there it was, the most adorable Kokeshi doll. These are an Okinawan specialty and each one is hand crafted and painted. They are individually named for an area in Okinawa and this one came with a wooden plaque with her namesake on it, Plumb Flower Village. It's hard to see in the picture, but it has some metallic highlighting on the dress. I think it rather looks like an asian Klimt doll. Any hoo, Happy Birthday to me!

It is done...

2006-10-25T16:06:00.000+09:00

rolling.execution

Do not remember the murderer. Remember Christa Hoyt, Tracy Paules, Manny Taboda, Sonja Larson and Christina Powell.

Remember the families he destroyed. Remember the students who's innocence he stole.

Open Letter to my Secret Pal

2006-10-18T12:51:00.000+09:00

First I must address LtMo's comment "...Wondering if I yelled out..." (see below); it should have read more like, "Wondering if anyone heard me scream like a little girl..." hee hee.

On to my letter.

Dear Secret Pal,
I am terrible about secrets. I was the kid that unwrapped all her Christmas presents before Christmas and re-wrapped them so no one would know. I have carefully reviewed all of the rules of SP9 and it says nothing about bribery. Give me clues, hint, allude, tell me...Who are you? I can offer Hello Kitty Pocky Sticks (yummy chocolate dipped snacks) and other wondrous Japanese delights... Name your price.
Very Respectfully,
Your Secret Pal-ee

So there I was......

2006-10-17T20:39:00.000+09:00

So, I'm doing yard work, clearing out the mini jungle that grows in front of our cozy little duplex on Camp Lester. Because that's what husbands do. Yard work. It's pretty thick, a lot of dead brush and vines. So I reach for this clump of "dead brush".......and.....

The clump looked something very much like this.

So there I was, in a very "Temple of Doom" moment. Punches were thrown, words were exchanged. I tried to set up a delaying action in order to fall back and counter attack, but the little winged chihuaha would not be outflanked. He came right at me, screeching his battle cry. I tripped over my debris pile, and he flew right over me. I saw the silhouette against the blue Okinawa sky.

So there I was, lying there. Wondering if I yelled out, and if I did, was I heard? Nobody heard anything. I was alone. I could have continued, telling nobody. But, I am not one to let stories of mortal combat go untold.

I hear him at night, probing my defenses right outside the kitchen window in the mini jungle. My roving squad of geckos keep a dutiful watch, reporting on his activities every night. We'll meet again my furry winged nemesis. We'll meet again.

Coming soon, 10 reasons why my wife rocks......

Mo

And we're off!!!!

2006-10-16T11:05:00.000+09:00

Hooray!!!! Secret Pal 9 has officially started! I'm so excited!!! Sadly I haven't been knitting much. I'm waiting for some yarn to arrive for my sweaters, so soon...soon!!!

Halloween is almost here as well. I've been "volunteered" to make six dozen cookies. So I'm going to make witches fingers (almond cookies shaped like fingers) and chocolate wonton ghosts. I'll post pictures when I make them on the 25th.

We haven't decided what the chipmunk should be for Halloween. Any ideas out there? Here she is as a bumble bee last year.

Felting yarn is also on it's way. I made sure the description said the yarn would felt prior to ordering.... hopefully I'll have a new bag before thanksgiving!

Shelby's Contest Q's & A's

2006-10-15T11:36:00.000+09:00

Actor - Politics aside - Tim Robbins and Johnny Depp, Adam Sandler for brainless comedy
Actress - Renee Zellweger and Kiera Nightly
Animal - Cats! All of them!
Band - Uhhhh, dunno. Nora Jones 'cause she puts my baby to sleep?
Book - Anything by Carl Hiaasen
Bubble Bath - A discontinued scent from Bath and Body Works - Sierra Sunrise
Candy - York Peppermint Pattys
Color - Currently, deep raspberry
Drink- Coffee!
Flower - Iris
Food - Anything savory and spicy, like Thai or Mexican
Lip Balm - Burt's Bees
Lotion - Don't really use any, but I love the smell of cucumber/mellon
Movie - Pirates of the Caribbean
Place- At home with a view and a cup of coffee
Song - Pressure by Queen with David Bowie
TV Show - My guilty pleasure: Project Runway
Yarn- Don't know yet, so all of them!
Vacation Spot - So far: Nice, France

2006-10-10T22:04:00.000+09:00

Lt Mo here, couldn't wait to post in light of the game of the week, Philly vs Dallas, and its memorial outcome. Three catches, 45 yards, and a plethora of temper tantrums on the sidelines. Yes, ladies and gents, knitters and lovers alike, I'm speaking of my favorite individual to severely dislike. You may know him as Terrell Owens. I'm calling him Third Offense. (San Fran, Philly, and now Dallas) I TOLD YOU SO JERRY JONES!!!! Hey, all I'm saying is that this slow moving train wreck is speeding up exponentially, and I've already claimed my spot with a lawn chair and a cooler of stout. Watch for Third Offense to start claiming Dallas could win if only they had a decent quarterback. Favre going to be available anytime soon?

Third Offense bestowing critical encouragement upon young grasshopper Drew Bledsoe. Lito Sheppard is my new hero with his game cementing touchdown interception.

Earlier this year I returned to Cali for a week to bring out my oldest for a summer in Okinawa. Kira (in the middle) had a blast and can't wait to bring her out here again. She's one heck of a resiant kid, big Garret Anderson fan, and is going to give me problems later on when she grows up. (Notice to future boyfriends, I'm armed and my vision is motion based)

I also picked up a bottle of Suntory Hibiki Blended Whisky 17 years during a my layover in Taipei at the duty free . Hibiki in Japanese translates to a "chorus" or "harmony." The pitch is perfect as this blend is dangerously smooth, flavorful, and laid back, much like my California brethren. Those who partook were impressed, and I may have started something. (You're welcome Suntory, I expect presents)

MMMMM.........me likey!!!!!!!

I hope to one day retire to a sailboat and travel the world without care, summering off the Irish coast, making regular excursions to the Med, and wintering in the South Pacific. One of the boats I've become infatuate with is the Island Packet 485. Now I'm very green when it comes to sailing, but I've read many good things about this craft. I can't wait to get my first boat and start breaking in my sailing legs.

In light of the recent antics by the evil dwarf: "Don't you forget that you're First Marines! Not all the communists in hell can overrun you!" Col Chesty Puller, USMC, Chosin, Korea, Dec 1950.

Run Lou run!!! Making a deal with the Boss is a deal with the DEVIL!!!!

My lovely knitting wife showed me something cool yesterday, a knitted pint warmer. Sweeeeeeeeeeet.............

Future post will include highlights from a recent brawl with a fruit bat, more rants on various sports topics, and the top ten reasons why my wife rules.

Can you tell she's my kid?

2006-10-09T15:26:00.000+09:00

My mom sent me this picture from when I was a baby. Guess the chipmunk really does look like me! (I'm the one on the top.)

Triumph and Tragedy

2006-10-09T09:11:00.000+09:00

As you can see, the Lt has decided to hijack the blog. Sports and knitting?!? Guess I'm gonna have to knit him a football jersey.

So yesterday I got all amped up to try two new techniques, fair isle and felting. I found an awesome bag in the book Knit One Felt Two and went out to find me some wool for felting! Let me remind you at this point that I live in Japan. Japanese color trends (at least here in Okinawa) tend towards muted subdued colors, which I am completely against, so my first challenge was to find wool yarn in colors I could tolerate.

Triumph
Minor success! 100% Merino wool, worsted weight, as called for in the pattern. I double and triple checked that it did not say "washable" and it did not contain the kanji character for "washable". The pattern calls for four colors, so I did my best to find color combinations that would compliment the fair isle pattern. After much hemming and hawing I settled on four shiny new beautiful balls of Merino wool.

This is the first time I've knit with something other than novelty yarn (unless you count the tiny ornament sweater I knit in scratchy Red Heart acrylic, yuck), muchless done any fair isle knitting. So I was pleasantly surprised by the results. I started on my swatch (another first). Once I figured out how to "carry the yarn in the back" it wasn't any harder than, well, just knitting.

Time to felt! I was so excited placing my swatch in the washer. I followed all the felting directions, even putting a pair of my daughter's jeans in with it to help with the agitation...

Tragedy
Whaaaaaaaa! It didn't felt!!! Four washes later and it looks like soggy acrylic and is exactly the same size it was before washing. Please tell me I can find yarn that felts without leaving the island! Apparently I don't know the kanji symbol for "washable" or "superwash". I am so bummed. This picture was taken after four 12 minute wash cycles in hot-hot-hot water. I know, it should have been obvious after the first wash that it wasn't going to felt, but hey, one can dream.

On a completely different topic, I had to show you my super cute Halloween toes before I chip them. (Ignore my chubby piggy toes.) It's not entirely clear, but those are little black cats on my toes with sparkles in the sky behind them. I love it!

The other side....

2006-10-08T09:27:00.000+09:00

Thought I would throw in my two cents, as I am the "Morris" side of the MorrisMcDoo equation.

For those of you that don't know, I'm an active duty Marine, and the reason why my family is being drug around the world. These days I'm being called Little Mo. My current interests are sports, sailing, home brewing, and all things international. I recently started a masters program and its been challenging. I hope to add a bit of testosterone to this blog by throwing in some sports, military stuff, and the finer points of drinking.

With that being said, here are a few rants of mine.

T.O. is a punk. If he has mental issues, then he needs to get help. The more he talks the more he sounds like the "world owes me a living" primadonna he is. For as much talent he has, I wish he would just shut up and play football. He could have owned Philly. T.O. and McNabb could have been the greatest hookup since Rice/Montana if he'd just gotten onboard with the team and played ball. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's game, and praying that Brian Dawkins completely lays out T.O. at the soonest possible moment.

Nothing warms my heart more than the Yankees getting eliminated yet again from the first round of playoffs. "Lesser teams", as Yankees fans put it, have yet again eliminated them from the first round. Angels did it in 2002 and 2005, and now the Tigers in 2006. Attention Yankees fans, money doesn't buy championships or heart, nor are championships your birthright just because you're the Yankees. Look for A-Rod to take the fall for a miserable team performance.

Marine quote of the day: "The safest place in Korea was behind a platoon of Marines. Lord how they could fight!" MGEN Frank Lowe, U.S. Army, Korea, 26Jan1952.

The photo is from my recent smallpox vaccination. Pretty gross, huh.

I have a squad of geckos running perimeter bug security. This is their squad leader, Sgt. Gecko-san.

That's all for now. Look for a post in the near future covering some sailing topics as well as my thoughts on Japanese rice whiskey.

Lt Mo

Threadbare

2006-10-07T09:03:00.000+09:00

O.k. I think I'm becoming knit obsessed. I think about knitting constantly. Note the word think. I'm not getting much knitting done because I have no yarn for what I want to knit! This keeps me up at night.

So tell me, experienced knitters, do I need professional help?

On the bright side, Ashley and I are going to scope out a supposed location of an actual yarn store!!! Imagine that, we may actually have a LYS! Here's hopin'.

I ordered yarn to make the Loop-d-loop ballet top. I'm so excited! Brown sheep cotton fleece in Berry. I'll be checking my mail twice a day, every day until it arrives. I can't wait!

Pumpkin Spice Disappointment

2006-10-04T15:42:00.000+09:00

Is it just me or is the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) horrible?!? I am a self confessed Starbucksaholic and blame them for my coffee addiction, but I was soooo disappointed in the PSL. I've seen it in years past, but was too enthralled with my pepermint mocha to make the change. Okinawans, apparently, do not have a taste for pepermint so the pepermint mocha is not offered in the fall or winter. So I decided to give the PSL a try. With much shame, I admit, I threw it away. The whole thing. The humanity! All that wasted coffee. I may have to travel back to the states just to get a pepermint mocha to wash the bad taste out of my mouth.

SP9 questionnaire

2006-10-02T09:30:00.000+09:00

I'm gonna get presents! Woo hoo!!! Never done the secret pal thing before so let me know if you need more info...

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
So far I've used only novelty yarns. Mostly because our local selection is limited and I'm an immediate reward kind of knitter (I want to buy it and knit it on the way home). But I am definitely ready to move away from the fuzz and fur. I love super soft yarns and bulkier yarns. I've never knit with wool, but it generally makes me itch. My friend swears that I'll get over it, especially with the softest wools. But to be honest, I'm tentative since nearly all animal fibers make me itch, even cashmere (say it isn't so!). I also can't stand all that super saver/acrylic stuff (but that's probably a given for most knitters).

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Right now I store them in a hard plastic case. I only have about five sets though since I'm a newbie.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've only been knitting a few months. A new friend taught me the basics when I moved here. Most of what I now know is book learned or self taught through trial and error. I'm a beginner ready (or not, here I come) to move to intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I do not have an online wish list. Should I?

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
I like vanilla and citrus (orange, tangerine, grapefruit), pineapple, coconut (come on and sing with me - do you like pina coladas...), and berry scents. I also like pumpkin spice/apple spice for candle scents.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Do I ever have a sweet tooth! I love dark chocolate and berries (though not cherries for some reason), or any combination of dark chocolate and berries or chocolate and mint. Cookies are great too. Especially ones with dark chocolate in them! I also like sweet-tart kind of flavors. Oh, I guess I should note that I'm allergic to walnuts and pecans, but I love almonds.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I'm trying to take sewing back up. I love to garden, though I have a brown thumb. I love to cook, especially anything with spice. Don't get me started on desserts...yum. The problem with loving to cook is the loving to eat that goes with it! I do not spin.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like popular/alternative music, and I am definitely a child of the 80's and 90's. I can play MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I like jewel tones and rich, saturated colors. I am not fond of neons, pastels, muted colors (think dusty rose), mustards or yellow tones, not to keen on tans and browns either. Gosh I'm picky. Right now I'm obsessed with berry colors, saphire blues, deep purples,and super soft winter whites. Black, of course is always a good standard as well (true black, not that washed out almost black).

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am married to a military man with a 19 month old daughter, one cat (*sniff, sniff*), and a six year old step-daughter who lives with us a couple of months a year.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I love scarves, hats and gloves (not mittens). I am not a poncho person at all.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
So far, all I've successfully knit are scarves. I am almost done with a baby bonnet though, and am dying to move onto a sweater.

13. What are you knitting right now?
A baby bonnet. My next projects are a bag and matching shawl with sparkly beads for a ball in November, and then the Loop-d-Loop ballet top.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Depends what it is, I guess. With our transient lifestyle, I have no need for a doorstop made from a brick i.e.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I don't know yet. I like babmboo with really slippery yarn since it doesn't slide off as easily???? Like I said before, I only have five sets of needles right now, so anything would be an upgrade.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
I do not own a yarn winder and I don't even know what a swift is...yikes!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
My oldest UFO is a few months old, but may be there for awhile since I ran out of the yarn and they are not carrying that color this year (so far).

18. What is your favorite holiday?
It's a tie - Halloween and Christmas.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
I'm not really a collector (unless you count yarn now), especially since we move so much. If there is one thing I have a lot of though, it's clothes. I am definitely a fashion hound. Thus my desire to knit and sew.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I would love some SWTC Phoenix yarn in a deep berry color or any of their other super soft yarns. And I'm in love with the Loop-d-Loop book by Teva Durham. I think the library is going to stop letting me check it out! I do not have any knitting magazine subscriptions, but have been looking into it recently since knitting resources are scarce on the island. I could also use a good technique book since I often find myself baffled by pattern directions (what's the difference between ssp and p2tog?).

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Gosh, I still have so much to learn. I don't even know how to do a sleeve for a sweater yet! And apparently I'm a "combined knitter", I don't even know what that means, execept that I'm technically not doing something right. So I guess I'd like to figure out what that is. Oh, I also want to learn how to felt.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I am not a sock knitter. In fact this was a topic of recent conversation. I actually don't like wearing socks at all. I know, it flies in the face of all that is knitting. I don't know what my foot measurement is, but a wear a womens US 7 shoe.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
My birthday is October 26.

Thanks!

Now I know my A,B,Cs

2006-09-30T07:19:00.000+09:00

When I first became a stay at home mom (SAHM) I found myself suffering from what I call "mommy brain". I couldn't remember simple words and names. I actively tried to counteract this by doing crosswords and reading. Unfortunately the crosswords were either too easy or like the Sunday paper version, completely impossible since I don't know who played the part of Sally in the 1928 movie directed by Someone Ivenever Heardof.

My preference for popular fiction didn't help either. Despite my rather academic family, I really am completely bored by history books and even things that would be considered "literature". Now, I haven't stooped to the Fabio covered paperbacks, think more Dan Brown, Patricia Cornwell, and Carl Hiaasen. I tried to read Gabriel Garcia Marquez, really I did, but I just can't get through one of his books. I even tried to re-read Camus The Stranger, one of my favorites from high school, no luck there.

Which brings me to my thoughts this morning. Vocabulary. Am I losing my vocabulary? The Lt., while reading his textbooks was asking me about a couple of words. I knew what they meant, or at least I used to. If I was reading and came across these words, I'd read right through them because I know what they mean... don't I? I'm not sure I do anymore. Does being a SAHM cause you to lose your vocabulary?

I think about my daily conversations with my daughter and I wonder how I will help her grow her vocabulary since at this rate by the time she's in middle school my vocabulary will be reduced to grunts. Then I think about my new "mommy vocabulary", words like pitocin, bilirubin, and well Elmo. So I wonder, am I losing my vocabulary or is simply being replaced by new words. Words previously completely foreign and irrelevant in my childless world?

Ask me when the chipmunk's 12. If you get more than a grunt, I guess we'll both know.

Backtrack

2006-09-29T09:53:00.000+09:00

As you can see, this blog has quickly digressed from a family update blog to my knit blog. I'm told it happens. So here's an update on other things...

The Lt. is now working on his Masters in Diplomacy. He changed units at work, but loves his new job. He has more of an opportunity to get his hands in the dirt, so to speak. I'm trying to convince him to practice his harmonica more so he can go kick some karaoke butt. (Yes, he can sing too.)

The chipmunk is now 18 months and growing like a weed. She has started repeating some numbers as we go up and down the stairs (counting as we go) and she definitely knows Elmo and Big Bird.

Big-sis is coming out for x-mas, so we're excited about that. She's in first grade now and was devastated to find out her new school has a uniform requirement. Every sock and hair bow is now pink to make up for the blue and white only uniforms.

Me, I'm taking some classes - business and web-design - more to keep my brain from turning to mush than for any other reason. I'm really enjoying knitting, though my knit teacher has deserted me!!!! She had to go and get a job or some lame excuse like that. (Love you Ashley!)

And Phoebe cat is getting over her depression from losing Kolohe. She's still an attention hog and loves to climb into my lap when I'm knitting. She's a squirmer though and the yarn ends up tangled in her legs and tail. Ahh, see, I've digressed again.

That's all for now...

Fall has Fallen

2006-09-29T09:38:00.000+09:00

Ahh. It's here. Fall that is. You can feel it in the air. The humidity has waned and the temperature is a balmy 76 degrees. The windows and doors are open again. Fresh air breathes new life into your spirit. I am thrilled. Soon I can wear my scarves. Next project, a hat for the baby! (With kitty ears, of course.)

Flower Neck Scarf

2006-09-28T13:25:00.000+09:00

It's done! Hooray!!! I think it's my favorite scarf so far. Here's another knitter self protrait. I'm rather proud of myself since I made up the flower pattern myself. Not a huge feat for the experienced, but fun for me, the newbie! You can't really see it in the pic, but there are little crystal beads in the flower center. Love it!

A Weighty Issue

2006-09-22T08:59:00.000+09:00

It's not fair. Why is it that chocolate and cheese are instant cellulite and celery sticks have no flavor? (Unless of course you dip it in some other cellulite inducing food item.) Celery even sort of sounds like cellulite. Shouldn't that be the culprit? I mean does Chocolate or cheese sound anything like cellulite? I think not! Why tease us like that? It's just not right. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Scamp and Scarf

2006-09-20T16:35:00.000+09:00

Ok, here's the new scarf, as promised.

Isn't she a cutie?

Homework and More Homework

2006-09-18T01:23:00.000+09:00

Ugh, who cares what the Baldrige Index Stock Study said? It terminated in 2004 because the study no longer supported their findings! Who makes you study out of date, invalid information?!? And grades you on it?!? AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Whew, I feel better now.

Ok, where was I. I got the magic unraveling scarf done (the one in fluffy Orange Frenzy). I also completed a second scarf, super soft and silky, in a green-blue-black color. I'm now on the third scarf, called Butterflies Are Free from the SnB Nation book. I've varied the colors and turned the butterfly into a flower, but hey, it's still the same scarf, right?

Yes, I'm going scarf crazy. No, I have no pictures just now... Tomorrow. I promise. (You didn't see my fingers crossed behind my back did you?)

On the Run

2006-09-08T21:54:00.000+09:00

Ok, so the latest crisis occurred when a certain someone, who will remain unnamed, but is 2 1/2 feet tall and calls me "mama" yanked my scarf off the needle and started running away while the yarn ball was wedged between the couch cushions. Lost about 6 inches of the scarf before I caught her.

Now some of you may be saying "six inches, that's nothing, just a few minutes of work." But for slow knitting sally here, that equates to about three hours of knitting. Ugh. That's what I get for leaving it on the couch!!!
Good thing she's wicked cute...

O.K., so when does one become a knitter?

2006-08-29T17:27:00.000+09:00

O.K., so when does one become a knitter? My friend, A Knitter in Transition, taught me how to knit a few months ago. Since then I've knit three ornament sized sweaters, half a stuffed frog, a few rows of a baby bonnet, a few rows of a baby poncho and half a scarf. So here I have four partial projects, six skeins of untouched yarn, two pattern books and a sometimes neglected child. The Yarn Harlot purports that knitting can be theraputic; given the week I've had and the knitting I've done in the last week, I think I concurr.

It started on the 20th when my kitty,Kolohe, who I've had since 1988 passed away. It pains me to say I wasn't there for her in her final days since I was visiting my dad at the time. With sadness in my heart I returned to Okinawa to retreive her ashes and put her in her place of honor next to my other angel kitty, Flounder. Many thanks to Ashley and Lori who comforted Kolohe in her final hours and reminded her how much she was loved.

On the 23rd it started raining in the house. A second floor air conditioner was leaking and the runoff was dripping into the kitchen sink downstairs, thankfully I suppose. Maintenance was called and the baby and I were off to the craft store to occupy our time and our minds. We got some new yarn. Fuzzy and bright, unlike our demeanor, to make a scarf. Some needles got thrown in too, mostly because, as a new knitter, I have very few needles. Thus the scarf began.

On the 24th, we waited for maintenance to call, and we knit. On the 25th, the ceiling started to come down over the kitchen sink. We called maintenance again. We waited for maintenance to call back, and we knit. (Mind you, being new, I knit VERY slowly... could also be the 17 month old pulling on my needles and yarn, and for some inexplicable reason wanting attention.) The 26th and 27th was more of the same. On the 28th the cold air became warm air and the entire building was without AC. Maintenance was called again... and we knit with a gaping hole in the ceiling dripping rusty water into the kitchen, in the heat of the Okinawan summer.

Finally. Finally! Maintenance came this morning and four hours later we have a working air conditioner, a two toned ceiling, and half a mock cable scarf...

Welcome

2006-07-17T18:58:00.000+09:00

Hello all,
Welcome to our first blog. We have no idea what we are doing yet, so have patience. When I say "we" I mostly mean me and I'm the mom so expect lots of baby pictures! Here's a picture of our recent family outing to a really cool aquarium.

Ok, so you can't see the aquarium, but it had whale sharks and rays in a huge tank. See..

And lobsters bigger than my baby...

Yummm. What's for dinner!

So, I just took up knitting. Here's my first completed project:

Don't laugh. I know it's only 3x4 inches, but you have to start somewhere! So here's my latest knitting problem, a beginners error for sure: I'm knitting a frog, but ran out of yarn. They no longer have any more at the store and I don't have the wrapper for the yarn. What do I do?