The Cuteness Just Keeps On Coming and I'm Going

The kittens are growing so fast, that they will probably reach spaying/neutering weight by the end of this week. There is already a waiting list of people waiting to adopt them. They are all just loaded with personality and very people-oriented. They've also made friends with Chloe and Abbie, who get to have little visits with the kittens inside the play yard every night. The dogs are so sweet and gentle with the kittens, who enjoy being sniffed down by the dogs. Gumbo keeps trying to climb out of the play yard, and when he manages to escape, he runs straight over to Chloe and Abbie, who are usually laying nearby, keeping an eye on their little friends.

I may not be able to see them off to their new homes, however. I'm going to Charlotte for my niece's high school graduation this week and I won't be back until next Monday. My brother and his family moved to Charlotte about 9 years ago and this is the first time I'm going to visit them. As an added bonus, one of my most favorite friends lives in Boone, which is in the mountains, about 2 hours away. She was my mentor in graduate school, and if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have stuck it out and I'd be working at KMart or something right now instead of slaving away 50 hours/week. I'm driving up Friday morning and will stay with her and her husband that night. Not nearly long enough! And yes, I have already checked to see which yarn shops I need to visit when I'm there. Fortunately, (according to some of the forums on Ravelry), the most popular one in the Charlotte area is just 20 minutes from my brother's house. My niece, who is a newbie knitter, has already volunteered to take me!

I have been doing some knitting in addition to trying to work, socialize kittens, clean house and get packed and maybe sneak in a little sleep now and then. We were asked to knit something that "screams spring" for our spring coffee swap pals. A couple of weeks ago, when I looked out my window at the grey, cold and drizzly April day, I thought to myself: a wooly headwarmer is what is screaming spring right now. So I pulled some luscious merino hand-painted yarn out of the stash because the colors reminded me of my downstream pal and decided to make her a Calorimetry, since her weather hasn't been much more spring-like than ours. I had a blast knitting it and loved the little bone button I found for it.


It figures that one of the few times I checked my gauge and hit it spot-on that casting on the 120 stitches called for results in a Calorimetry that would fit a basketball. Good thing I made a mistake and took it off the needles to frog it. That's when I saw how huge it was. I went down a needle size and it looks like it should now fit a normal-sized head.

So I heard from my spoilee today and I think she liked it. I had a great time spoiling my friend and fellow dog-lover, Nichole. If you don't already read her blog, please pop on over and tell her hi.

Now I'm off to pack, which is always a 2-day event. I start by trying to load every single thing I think I'll need into my suitcase, then jamming in extras "just in case". Did I mention my OCD sometimes makes it a wee bit hard to make decisions? Then I try to zip the thing, laying on top of it to mush everything down and it still won't zip! So then I have to do a ruthless weeding out of everything but the essentials (and my pillow, which must always go with me. Always.) Then onto the part I love the most - narrowing down the knitting projects and the reading material I want to take. When we drive, it's no problem. I throw a couple of Rubbermaid tubs into the back and away we go. Flying is a different matter.

I have been obsessing over this all week and think I have it narrowed down to 3 small projects, 2 magazines and 2 books. All for 5 days. Think it'll be enough? I worry that I will run out of things to do and get bored, which to me is worse than having my toenails ripped off, 1 at a time. So I must go now, and obsess over this all some more. I'll be back next week with tales of my adventures and pictures and knitting content. Take care and have a great week!

The Good-Swapping Karma Continues!

...with this fantastic package from my ISE6 pal, Nicole. Look at the wonderful goodies she sent:


First of all, the scarf is a gorgeous chevron pattern in one of my favorite colors of blue. It's not wool, but I'm not sure what it might be. I'm guessing a heavy silk. It looks hand-dyed and is spun with these pretty little blips. It's the perfect weight for spring and fall and I just love it! It also smells really good. Sadly, the pictures do not do it justice at all.

Silky, blippy goodness

Nicole also sent an incredibly beautiful glass bottle in an equally beautiful brocade bag. Again, the pictures don't do justice to how lovely it is. The painting is exquisite. The best part is that she chose it for me because of the dogs on either side. It is truly special!

Beagles!

Finally, she must have read my blog and decided that my brain has been rotting because I rarely read anymore. So she sent me 2 books. One of them, Family Tree, looks like the kind of book I enjoy - it's about relationships that are challenged, and (I assume) will be overcome by the end. Nothing gory or catastrophic, but I am sure I'll shed a few tears while reading. And the other is a book I've thought about buying for myself - the Yarn Harlot's book of knitting meditations. This is the kind of book I love to read (when I have time) - entertaining, informative, and easy to pick up and put down at bedtime. I started right in on it the first night I got it.

Nicole, thank you! You really made perfect choices and I love it all. You've been a great spoiler and I hope that you are also blessed with good-swapping karma! I recommend a visit to her blog for many reasons. She knits beautifully, knits for charity, posts gorgeous pictures (of food, among other things!), gardens and posts fudgy brownie recipes! She has great taste in movies, and has a cute husband.

So Nicole, if you ever find yourself in Kansas, please call me. We'll eat and hang out and talk about our kitties, knit hats, play canasta and watch some movies. Come soon and you can go back home with an Erin mini-me souvenir!

In Which We Try Something Different

And that something different involves 4 furballs of the feline variety. Meet the new batch of distractions:

Lucy, the dainty one

Lola, the intrepid explorer

Curry, the cuddler

Gumbo, the instigator

They are all from the same litter. But Gumbo and Lola have something the other 2 don't - they're polydactyls. Polydactyly is a genetic trait that results in extra digits. In the case of these two, they both have one exta toe on each foot, including their back feet, which is less common. Poly-cats are good luck, so I think we should keep them around until tornado season is over. These kittens all have great temperaments and are very people-oriented. I think they won't have any trouble finding good homes. Although Mr. C and I may be in trouble this time - we're both already very smitten with each one of them.

While the kittens aren't as time-consuming as puppies, it's still going to be hard for me to get much knitting done. Good thing I've almost finished this secret project I've been working on. Here's a sneak-peek:

No matter how cute, no kitten can compare to the gorgeous (and peeved) Ms. Criquette

I also made Sarah's market bag, in honor of Earth Day. This was a very fast knit. I used Tahki cotton, doubled. For this project, I learned how to do the Kitchener stitch. While it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, my first attempt was absolutely pathetic:

I got the hang of it on the second try and it turned out okay.

I think I made the handle too long, but otherwise, I'm happy with how it turned out.


But, I will have to tear myself away from the supreme cuteness of the kittens so I can get this finished. It's the scarf for my ISE6 spoilee.



It's probably about 1/5 finished, so I have quite a way to go. Between the kittens and the tornado sirens going off several times on Thursday night, knitting conditions in the C household have been less than ideal this week. Today and tomorrow are finally supposed to be sunny and warm enough to be outside, and the garden and several pots of perennials are beckoning. Good thing the sun will eventually go down, kittens will eventually go to sleep and then maybe I can get some knitting done.

True Confessions Friday

It's been a long time since I've had a True Confessions post, mostly because I am Boring. So I'll make a boring confession: I heart American Idol. I really want David Cook to win. I want to adopt Jason and make him sing "Over the Rainbow" to me. And I think David Archuleta is the most annoying thing since nails on a chalkboard. More annoying than a bad song that gets stuck in your head. He's even more annoying than those "Head On!" commercials.

Yes, he has a good singing voice. But a loaf of Wonder Bread has more personality than this child has. He's about as much fun as Eeyore on downers. And what is with the outstretched hand thingy? It's kind of creepy. Like he's holding something invisible.

And apparently I'm not the only one who's bothered by this. I'm glad someone decided to do something about it.

What's that? You want more from where this came from?

If that was not entertaining enough, here is a funny video Mr. C sent to cheer me up when the puppies left:



Have a weekend full of laughter!

DOT: If It's Puppies You're Looking For, You're in the Wrong Place

That's right, no more puppies. After making their debuts at the shelter this past weekend, Phoebe, Sadie and Coop all have homes!

Phoebe has been adopted by a young couple whose landlord sent them to Animal Haven because they were the only residents in their small apartment complex who didn't have a dog. Phoebe will be spoiled rotten with romps in a neighborhood park and 2 adoring, energetic parents. She has a built-in posse of 4 pug-cousins, 2 Brussels Griffons belonging to new dad's BFF and the half dozen dogs who live in her apartment complex. Phoebe will do well in life, but with a face and personality like hers, would you expect anything different? We have exchanged phone numbers and emails so we can stay in touch, which is what makes it easier to let them go. (Update: we just heard from Phoebe's mom and they have re-named her Tuesday (???) for reasons unknown. She's still adorable, no matter what she's called).



Sadie was scooped up by the sweetest! family! ever! This wonderful family had adopted an 11-year old dachshund from the shelter last summer, knowing they would have him for only a short time. They took care of some medical problems and showered him with love daily. Last month they decided to adopt a another dog, as company for the old-timer, and so that when he passed on, their new dog would help to comfort them. They brought the old guy to the shelter to help them choose a dog, but he was having none of it. And this wonderful family, including their 2 boys, respected the old dog's wishes.

Sadly, he passed away unexpectedly last week and they were devastated. So they came back to the shelter but found that the original dog was gone....but they found Sadie and fell in love with her sweet face and cute little bunny-butt. The dad told me that he just knew that she was going to help their family heal their broken hearts. We were all hugging and crying and there was one big old love fest going on, let me tell you. They called us that night to tell us she was totally zonked out after playing ball and running around with the boys (the boys were zonked out, too) and to tell us how much she was loved already. They decided to keep her name, so she'll still be Silly Sadie Sue (at least to me).



That left Cooper, who is just a big, sweet baby of a dog. We were ready to keep him as long as it took to find him the right home, but he found his new family too. Like Sadie's family, they had recently experienced the unexpected death of their old dog. The family had come in to see Callie, another young dog, but stopped by because the boys wanted to pet Cooper. We chatted while they waited for Callie. The boys were so gentle and sweet with Cooper, who gets easily overwhelmed. The youngest one especially kept saying how much he loved Cooper. What I didn't know was that this family had come to the shelter intending to adopt 2 dogs, so they could keep each other company while the family was at work and school. And also so that each boy could have a dog sleeping in their bed at night. These boys were so great with Cooper and Callie, who also really took to each other. So Coop not only has a new home with 2 boys to love, but he has a new sister, too!

Callie

Coop was the one we worried about the most, and we could not have asked for a better situation! They were really happy to give us their contact info, and want us to come visit soon.

So things are quiet here at home. I'll be able to get more knitting done, the cats will be able to enjoy the lower level again, and maybe Abbie won't be so neurotic about not letting Lambie out of her sight.

"Keep away from my Lambie and nobody will get hurt"

Dogs On Thursday, Friday Edition, Pt. 1: Quite Possibly the Best Spoiler Ever

And who would this incredible swap partner be? It would be Rosanne, of FireFlyNights! I got home from work one night this week and discovered that my Spring Surprise Swap box was waiting for me. And what a package! I have been overwhelmed with Rosanne's generosity - look at all the wonderful surprises I found inside:

Chloe and Abbie knew this one had their names on it

Abbie took one sniff and started biting and pawing at the cellophane cover to get inside. I've never seen her act this excited (unless bunnies are involved). I even had to lock her up momentarily so I could get a decent picture of the basket because she kept lunging to get at whatever it was that had caught her fancy.

Chloe shows her excellent manners and restraint while Abbie stands guard.

What you don't know from this picture is that she was whining, moaning and shivering the whole time. I figured there must be some amazingly good treats in there.

And there were. There was a giant bag of little puppy bones, a box of beautiful gourmet canine cookies, and 2 bags of little gourmet crunchy treats. And one of my favorite treats - Skittles.

And there was an adorable doggie towel and 2 mitts shaped like paws to wipe their muddly feet, some doggie wipes for the really muddy days, and a Zoom Groom rubber brush. Everyone loves the Zoom Groom, even the cats. Notice how Abbie is still guarding the basket very carefully. (But it's not the treats she's after.)

Rosanne also included this absolutely luscious fat-free, calorie-free treat for me - some fabulous DiVe Butterfly yarn in very beautiful spring-like colors.

And finally, the part Abbie has been soooo patiently waiting for me to unpack and photograph - 3 toys that make the most unbearably tempting squeeky sounds imaginable. Abbie couldn't bear it a second longer - she HAD to start grooming her new BFF - Lamby the sheep, even while I'm trying to arrange and photograph.

This is what Abbie was ripping the paper to get to, the thing she was guarding so carefully. A fleecy soft sheep toy that moos and squeals. When I picked it up to cut the tag off, she went nuts, jumping and trying to get Lambie away from me. She ignored the treats I was giving Chloe and didn't take her eyes off the lamb on the counter. Of course I had to give it to her - I know love when I see it.

She immediately took it off to her downstairs nest, where she spent the rest of the evening carefully grooming every square inch of the lamb. Who needs rabbits when you can have your very own sheep?

I was truly blessed to have such a fantastic spoiler as Rosanne. Abbie eventually stopped grooming the lamb long enough to try some of the cookies, which are also a HUGE hit with Chloe and the puppies. Look how pretty they can all sit and beg for treats!


Rosanne, thank you for everything - we have all had so much enjoyment from everything you sent. It was all perfect and you are the best swap partner ever!!

Dogs On Thursday, Friday Edition, Pt. 2

(Nichole, this one's for you)

Remember that piece of scum, Michael Vick, dog murderer? He lives in the Big House on the Prairie now (AKA Leavenworth Prison).

MV's new crib

MV's new boyfriend

Leavenworth is just a few miles up the road from my town, so you could almost say we're neighbors. One thing about Kansans, they can be real neighborly. And they just loooove celebrities here, so what better way to make sure our new resident feels at home, than to have a big party in his honor?

T-Bones' Michael Vick Night Controversial

Baseball Players To Wear Prison-Style Uniforms

POSTED: 3:42 pm CDT April 16, 2008

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The Kansas City T-Bones' upcoming Michael Vick "Welcome to the Neighborhood" night is causing controversy.As part of the promotion, the T-Bones will wear black and white striped jerseys and their opponent will wear orange jumpsuit-style uniforms during the May 28 game, according to a news release posted on the T-Bones Web site.The ballpark will be decorated for the prison-themed night, according to the news release.Vick, the suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback, is serving a 23-month prison term in nearby Leavenworth, Kan., after pleading guilty to a federal dog fighting conspiracy.

According to the news release, part of the promotion is designed to raise awareness about animal abuse, and several animal rescue organizations will participate, including Pets Without Partners, the American Pit Bull Society, The Pet Connection, the Heart of America Humane Society and the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City.Attendees will be able to view dogs available for adoption and take initial steps toward adopting dogs at the ballpark that night, according to the news release.

The shirts will be auctioned off at the end of the evening, with the profits all going to the participating organizations.

I am so going to be there. With stripes on .

Weaned On Coffee: SFCS Topic #3

Tell us how you started drinking coffee. Were you in high school or college and making it through all nighters? Did you get it from a family member? What drives your love of the bean?

I was a preschool junkie. My drug of choice? Caffeine.

It would be hard to avoid the habit, growing up in a coffee-loving family in New Orleans, home of dark and strong chicory coffee. Because of my French heritage, I had my own little demitasse cup in which to drink my cafe au lait (mostly warm milk and condensed milk with a splash of coffee) starting around the age of 3 or 4. I didn't get it every day, just on special occasions. I loved the smell of coffee as much as I loved the taste. When my mother would pour a freshly opened bag of coffee into the cannister, I loved to put my face up to the rim and inhale deeply, over and over. (Yes, I know I'm weird.) I begged for sips from the cups of my mother and grandmothers.

I started drinking a cup of coffee every morning when I started high school - with lots of milk and sugar. In college, I started smoking (ugh - I can't stand to think of that now) and I switched to black coffee, the stronger, the better. When I quit smoking, I started to add some milk to my coffee, but no sugar. These days, I don't really like the taste of sweet coffee - I love the bitter, smoky taste - it's the reason I drink coffee every day instead of tea.