Knitting!!

We went to an exhibit today called Radical Lace, Subversive Knitting. Oh wow. Seriously. Wow.


Here is a $20,000 dress.

It's a dress knitted from shredded money. $20,000.









Then there's this photo...





That is not actually a photo. It's knitted.



See:
















There was a light bulb-less lamp... knitted out of fiber optic cables.











And here's what my foot looked like when we got home. I should probably be walking less and napping more.

Oh my aching cell phone...

So just before we left town... like 11:30 or so on Friday, Bean and I decided that we should get a snack. The cab was supposed to pick us up at 1:30, so we had some time, but we decided to go to McDonalds, thinking that it would be better to just get something quick and take it home rather than go to Denny's or IHOP or something. I swear to Bob that as we were pulling out of the driveway I thought, "I have a bad feeling about this..."
So we get to McDonalds without incident, and despite the fact that they were unbelievably slow we got home in plenty of time to eat and then finish packing before the cab got there.
As I pulled into the driveway my cell phone slid into an open cup of iced tea. Completely submerged. I don't know a lot about the inner workings of cell phones, but I do know that water = bad.
So I'm shaking it and cursing at it and trying to dry it off (and out)... and nothing. It won't even come on. I'm officially fucked.

Then I remember that we never got rid of Bartleby's phone... so I find it and call Verizon. While I'm on hold (20 fucking minutes, by the way) I drive to the station so that I can print out my last bill - hoping to salvage some phone numbers. With one or two exceptions, I have no idea how to get in touch with any of you without my cell phone. Seriously. The Fabulous Michelle's phone number? Michelle. My sister's phone number? Abby. (Seriously... please call me and leave an identifying message or text me your name or something so that I can rebuild my phone book!! And if you happen to know the Twitter number send me that too... I HATED being on the bus with no way to Twitter about the other people on it).

So at this point it's 1 am, I am actually feeling pretty good about this solution because I am MUCH rougher on my phones than he was (partly because he never did anything and he never called anyone, and partly because I am an accident in motion most of the time) so his phone was in really good shape. But it was also full of photos and old (old, old, old) text messages and that sort of sucked... I basically just deleted everything.

OK, so it's almost 1:30 and we are packed and fed and exhausted and everything is great. Fast forward to Saturday afternoon... it must have been close to 1:00. We pull into the bus station in St. Louis... that would be EAST St. Louis... and I saw a KFC across the street. Not perfect, but it had been more than 12 hours since we had seen anything that wasn't from a vending machine. So we cross the (deserted) street, exhausted, with all of our luggage.
We eat.
We dump our tray.
We go to the restroom.
We head back across the street.
We get in line.
Again.
And then I realize that my cell phone is missing. In fact, the last time I remember seeing it was when I put it on my tray at KFC so I could keep an eye on the time and we wouldn't miss the bus.
I left Bean with the luggage, ran (hobbled) back across the street and (oh yeah) dug through the trash. I found it, covered in mashed potatoes. Classic. I ran (hobbled) back across the street and back to Bean who is FREAKING out because in the 5 minutes I was gone they called our bus. So we ran (she ran, I hobbled) outside to get in line. Again. And I am still holding this mashed potato covered phone that I am not sure is even still alive. Luckily, I plan for these kinds of disasters (remember, I have lived with me for almost 33 years now... I'm getting pretty good at this) and there were baby wipes in my bag.

The phone works.

So the bus...

Is dirty and cramped and horrible. Really horrible.
And there are children on the bus. Raggedy screaming children who smelled like cat pee and didn't understand the concept of personal space.
And bus stations? In the worst parts of town. Bean and I were particularly fond of the hour we spent in east St. Louis. Seriously.
I was glad that I used "second purse" (aka my bra) for our cash.

I have apparently been spoiled by airports... all the clean and food courts and air conditioning. And also the baggage services. Every time you get off the bus you have to schlep your own bags to the next bus. And the way I pack this is a serious issue.

But we made it and have spent a lovely day with Marianne and Mike and Grace. Of course, Bean and Grace are like peas and carrots...

Today we went to an art fair and then came home for a long nap... OK, I took a long nap. Everyone else rested and watched TV and then they finally gave up and woke me up for dinner.

And that sweater that I was going to finish on the way? Um... I've only managed to knit about three inches...

But I'm having a nice, relaxing trip. I may never come back.

Leaving Town

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD.

I always forget when I plan a trip that I am a classic procrastinator and that I need to stop that.

I had class all day yesterday and today, which makes me have to stay late at work, which makes me get home hours and hours after I usually do, which cuts into my lounging around time... and yet somehow in the days and hours leading up to the busybusy time I do not do laundry or run the million and a half errands that always seem to come up... and I end up leaving town with eighteen pairs of underpants, no toothbrush and a bag full of books I won't read because I'll be knitting instead.

Oh well. Never underestimate the healing powers of clean underpants.

So I'm exhausted from not sleeping last night, and from class all day, and from life in general... and I still have work to finish and a paper to write (and turn in) tonight. ACK!!

I'll probably get more done if I stop blogging, eh?

I'll write from the road!!
Y'all be good until I get back!

Loooooong Day... and Some Yarn

My summer class started today (Family Therapy with Curtis the Wonder Prof). I had a good time in class and everything, but it makes for a long-assed day. We got out a little early (only 7 hours in the classroom instead of 8) which was great, because I ran out of yarn about ten minutes before he let us go. Whew!! Why did I not put an extra skein in the bag this morning?!? Won't be making that mistake again!!

Then I picked up Bean and went to Twist. For yarn for a totally different new project.
I'm crazy. You all knew that.
But I think that Grace needs this sweater, and I think I can knit it on the way to Indiana. It's a 13 hour ride!! I can do it!! (Look, Ma! No buttons!!) I also bought some Panda Cotton in two colors to make Grace some socks, just in case I finish the sweater early. (Stop laughing).

I am totally NOT AT ALL ready for our trip. I mean, I have my books lined up and I have my knitting planned... but I have about eleventy-billion things to do at work and zero time... Also? If I don't do some laundry soon we'll be naked on our trip. Not a good look for me. Seriously.

Bean and I have our (stupid) grief group tonight and then I have a LOT of reading to do. And you know, when I complain about the amount of reading it's a LOT.

DON'T Forget - Saturday is International Knit In Public Day!! I will be knitting in public on a Greyhound Bus...

Pathetic!!

(Warning... I might use the C-word. I almost never use the C-word. It is reserved for very special people).

I have been flying under the idiot step-mother's radar for a while now. Long enough to get comfortable and stop looking for the minefields of manipulation. Or maybe I just got used to her pathetic attempts to make me think I don't know my own child. That I am an oblivious fool. Or maybe she was just bored and I was an available target. Maybe she was looking for information... or all of the above. Whatever.

I talked to her for about ten minutes last night and in that ten minutes she made four direct hits - 2 about my parenting and 2 about That Bad Bad Man. Here's how she works - she lulls you into thinking it's just another normal conversation and then she makes her first strike. This one is just a warning shot; she's testing the waters. The first one takes you a second to process, because whatever she said was delivered with a smile. And she's so good at it that I didn't see the first hit coming. We're just chatting along and I'm not even really listening to her and then BOOM! The second was a few seconds later, as I was thinking, "wow, that was out of line." Then suddenly she has shifted topics and I remembered something important: if you stop moving, the T-Rex can't see you.

I stopped moving.
I put on my bored face.
I made non-committal noises and said, "I don't know" a lot.

Here's the thing that pisses me off: she got to me. She fucking got to me. She knows where my insecurities lie - either from memory or instinct - and she made it in. I don't think she knows she got me, and I take some small measure of comfort from that.

And I don't know what is more pathetic... the fact that she still needs to hurt me and manipulate me or the fact that she still can. I know her to be a lying, manipulative cunt and somehow the things she says (oh so sweetly) get through anyway.

This behavior is one of the biggest reasons I worked so hard to get her out of my life. (That and the fucking my husband thing). I don't need the drama, and I undermine my own self-confidence very well all by myself, thank you very much.

I talked to the ex-husband today (about something else entirely) and he mentioned that her doctor is changing her meds around. I told him to count her pills... I've been through this downward spiral with her more than once. It's not fun and she does not make it easy. He said, "I knew what I was getting into when I married her."
Oh really? Think so, huh? Aren't you cute.
I almost feel bad for him.
Almost.

SP12 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love everything... but the softer the better. I am currently totally in love with Panda Cotton... great colors and perfect for summery socks!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a couple of needle rolls... and my Options case...

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I have been knitting for 8 years now... A friend was visiting and I think she taught me so that I would leave her alone and let her knit!! I think I'm an intermediate knitter.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Amazon and The Loopy Ewe

5. What's your favorite scent?
Lavender. (Real lavender, not synthetic lavender).

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Yes... Jelly Bellys, anything chocolate...

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I am learning to sew... but I do not spin (yet, I'm sure it's just a matter of time).

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Anything but country... ick. Currently I'm listening to a mix of Dave Matthews, Fiona Apple, Ani DiFranco, John Mayer and Tracy Chapman... I've been in an "early 90's" mode!! I have an iPod, and my stereo and computer can play MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
Purples, greens and blues and pink... don't really love orange and yellow.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Single mom, daughter who is 11 going on 20 and 2 cats.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Scarves and hats... more of a fingerless gloves kind of girl... and I'm a little "fluffy" for ponchos.

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

13. What are you knitting right now?
Socks!! I do have a Dragon Wings Wrap on the needles right now, and also 2 sweaters... and a hat... and also some more socks.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Circular... I love bamboo, but the cats eat them... Knitpicks metal needles and Addi's are my favorites.

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

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
3 years

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Valentine's Day

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Um... other than yarn? Not really.

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 currently get Interweave Knits

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Intarsia... and other colorwork

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes!!
Shoe Size: 10; Foot Length: 9 inches; Circumference: 10 inches

23. When is your birthday?
June 18th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Yes - Jillo