Nice people

There isn't much that can compare to coming home after a hard day's work (hard, but not unhappy) to find your household in some semblance of order. Today, in my household, that fine, fine semblance of order contained some of the following:

* a tired husband who'd spent the day wrangling installers to provide TV for his poor mum who's laid up with a bad foot,

* a girlie who'd done her homework and picked up in her room as requested,

* a father-in-law who, upon hearing you enter the house, immediately proposed dinner out,

* a spaniel who'd refrained from vomiting, (he's fine, we'll discuss it another time)

*a comment from lovely Kathy (a damn-fine knitter) awarding me an award.

I am tickled all shades but pink, and in keeping with the spirit of the award, will happily bestow it upon to ten deserving others. Instructions are "give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times."

Easy peasy.

Tarty Crafty because Della's my gal across the pond. She knits beautiful things, she rides a cool bike, she has a bunny, and now, as a special added bonus, she spins!

Pea Soup of the Day as Suse can surely write. And shoot great photos. And make me want to go down under. And her knitting's got a sense of humor (read the comments) and when she swears in print, I love it.

Lookie What I Made cuz KT and me, we go together like corn and peas, Flatt & Scruggs, and KT and kt. PLUS she has the supercutest smallholleringboys in the known (and unknown) universe, and we think our DHs may have been separated at birth. The knitting? It just goes without saying....

Yarn Miracle cause Em knits socks like they're going out of style (but they aren't, are they EM?) and she's a hoot and a half she turned me on to Icanhascheezeburger and she's joining the ranks of us CoolMoms!

Say La Vee due to the fact that I want to be blackbird when I grow up. Just go read. You'll understand.

Knitting Weather because I love Alaska and Kathy is a proper Alaskan who knits incredible things. SO impressed with her knitting, and reading her blog is like getting a letter from an old friend; full of newsy bits about family and comings and goings and doings. Just plain nice.

And speaking of nice, may I introduce you to Woof Nanny? Barb is an incredibly sweet, multi-talented woman who has several blogs about cool, crafty stuff. She's a well-kept secret who shouldn't be secret at all! Spread the word!

I'm probably one of the last knitters in the world to fall for Franklin, but if you haven't found The Panopticon, scoot your tush over there and get ready to marvel at luxurious lace, darling baby knits (and a darling-er baby), and a sheep named Dolores who must be read/seen to be believed. Go.

Now Norma Knits is what all blogs aspire to be; literate, classy, easy-on-the-eyes with a huge side of ROTFL and kick-ass knitting. Norma rocks, and she rocks it hard.

Ok, that's 9. As we all know by now, 9 is my favorite number. The Award, however, calls for 10 blogs. I have a tenth blog in mind, but there's a small wrinkle. I don't remember it's name, and I'm working without my favorites list! I'm using Mr. Smartypants' computer because c'mon people, we've only been here 16 days! Give me a break! Jeez!

*ahem*

Anyhoo, we'll just save that last tantalizing morsel for another time. I'll just say that it's a blog I found through flickr and my love of elephants. The blogstress makes DIVINE little aminals (no, it's not spelled wrong, it's just twee on porpoise) and I will share them with you as soon as I can.

Off to eat chocolate now and bask in the last hour of my nice day.

If you knew me, you'd understand that this is hilarious.

Your Celebrity Style Twin is Gwen Stefani

Trendsetting, unique, and stylish.

Who's" Your Celebrity Style Sister?

Things I've thunk

After 10 days in Washington, I find myself with some newcomer observations. Wanna hear?

1. People here, men, women and children, wear scarves. I think the Great Dane I saw yesterday was wearing one under his windbreaker, too.

2. It's really, really hard not to gawk at Mount Rainer from the bus in the morning as we cross the lake.

3. Land o' java, I'm home!

4. I have yet to see anyone actually ON the huge, glassed-in rock-climbing wall at the ginormous downtown REI.

5. The redhead and the girlie have comparison-shopped, and Fred Meyer will be our friend for regular groceries. Albertson's actually expects people to pay $6 for a bottle of Soy Vay! Gad!

6. People do not chat while waiting for the bus. Even when the guy with the Arlo-Guthrie-hair and the big bag of who-knows-what walks up behind them, sets down the bag, and raises his arms up over his head, chattering all the while. Downtown bus riders pay him no heed.

7. I am waiting for my complimentary I-Pod to arrive. It looks as though every other being in Seattle has one, so I guess it'll come when they drop off the recycling bins? I mean, I'm pretty sure that Great Dane had one!

8. Redhead points out that with all these trees, you'd expect maybe an "Oak Street" or "Pineview Lane", but no, we got numbers! 132nd NE and NW 85th and the 502 and on and on...

9. I don't generally wear a hat to work because of the hair-flattening properties, but working in a big hospital in a big city where I walk a few blocks from the bus each day makes me really want to have that cap-tossing MTM moment.

I'm really liking it here. It may snow again this weekend. Camera cables have been found; we may have photos some time soon.

We are here, we are here, we are here!*

No photos yet as the camera cables are in a box somewhere....(oh puh-lease, what do I own that ISN'T in a box somewhere?), but we are in Washington!

It snowed the day we got in; something that clever KT ordered up for the girlie.

The girlie loves her new school, I am liking the new job, and the redhead and the canine are calming down slowly after being physically flung into the gypsy caravan last Saturday. Multitudinous thanks go out to the Brother of the Redhead (himself a redhead, as well) for playing the part of U-Haul driver with panache and aplomb. (Also for driving the car down a foggy, rainy mountainside at night when I was clenched into a giant knot of FEAR in the seat beside him.)

More to come. Soon.

*anyone recognize this line from a famous book?

P.S.--WTF is going on with Flickr badges? We DO need those steenking badges!

One day and a hot breakfast.....

(courtesy Red Kid--too cool!)

Blame it on blackbird

She who is the queen of blogging, IMHO.

Thus do I humbly bow down and kiss the hem of her garment for bestowing on me this tiny break from manic packing. (We leave for Seattle on Saturday. Egad.)

25 things of which I never tire:

1. redheads. (natural-born ones, any age.)

2. dark chocolate.

3. grey skies.

4. my pet ball of yarn, Tahki/Stacy Charles Shannon in many a hue o' purple.

5. my beat-up pickup truck. MWAH.

6. cheez-its.

7. elephants.

8. the delighted look on a stranger's face when they've received an unexpected compliment.

9. good, reasonably-priced hotels.

10. the magic o' the internets.

11. Miss M's pre-K teacher.

12. puns.

13. birdwatching.

14. the marvelous ability of my husband to ALWAYS pick the good restaurant in an unfamiliar city.

15. watching Miss M sleep.

16. listening to anything being played at the wrong speed which leads to laughing until I snort.

17. good, thin-tipped black ballpoint pens.

18. finding typos.

19. my dog snoring.

20. receiving snail-mail from a real person.

21. flowers. any. weeds or gardens, just show me the petals.

22. reading things I wrote long ago.

23. icy-cold beer.

24. bookstore browsing.

25. memes!

Away now to wallow in dust and cardboard. If you don't hear from me for a while, know that I'll come up for air as soon as I can.

Au Revoir, 2007

Bon Annee!






"Love" was lovely, and it was a nice getaway. We three did a pretty good job of enjoying ourselves and having fun. Cirque du Soleil was grand, and the music was a really interesting re-mix of wonderful Beatles tunes. The girlie was delighted, and even her dad, who doesn't go to shows if he can help it (busman's holiday, you know) was impressed.

Now we're home and thoughts are turning to Seattle. If you haven't guessed it already, I've taken the position and we leave in just over a week. CRIKEY! There are many complicated plans afoot and I won't bore you with them now, but the wheels are in motion and I'm calmer about it than I expected to be. Have wanted to get the the Northwest for some time, and so here we go!

Must publicly thank the divine Norma for Paying It Forward with such style and panache and COOKIES! Didn't get to take photos, but you can go and see them on her blog from a short time back. Go ahead, go take a look, but make sure you have a napkin handy. Mmmmmmmmmm. Also, Norma, the packaging arrived intact and there likely WILL be photos of that--you extremely generous lady, you!

One sentimental note for this final post of 2007. Thanks so much to all of you quality folk that I've met through this blog. It feels so good to know that there are a bunch of wacky, witty, literate and thoughtful crafty people out there, and being able to blabber and chat with you all does me good.

Best of everything to all of us in 2008! Wish you well!

Quick trip:







Back on Saturday to ring in the New with you!

Merry Christmas

O hai

I can takez dis chair 2 Seattle?

(if this makes no sense to you, do go and visit here)

Guess where?

Guess where?
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer

lighted fruit and veg!

lighted fruit and veg!
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer

KT!!!

KT!!!
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer

ghostie in the hotel

ghostie in the hotel
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer

juxtaposition

juxtaposition
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer

big squid sighting

big squid sighting
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer

cool old neon in Seattle

cool old neon in Seattle
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer

Bits of news about me and a meme

I have returned from the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, and it looks as though we may actually be headed in that direction! YIKES! Have been told that the final job offer will be made to me on Monday. OMG.

I have photos which I'll put up later, and will tell you for a damn solid fact that KT is as cool as her blog makes you think that she is. Emily will back me up on that one, right Em? Thanks for all the hookups, KT, you are beyond magnificent.

Will post more about all this soon, maybe even this weekend, but I think I need a nap.

Meantime, here's the meme sent to me by both Della and my Maresedoats. Thanks to both of you, this is a fun one!


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real--I love to just sit in the room with it and inhale.

3. When do you put up the tree? A few days before Christmas.

4. When do you take the tree down? Early to mid-Jan.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes! Homemade is best, of course, but a stiff shot of rum and some fresh nutmeg on top makes even the grocery store stuff imbibable.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A taxidermy-d iguana. Story another time.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. My folks made and painted it before I was born.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My redhead.

9. Easiest person to buy for? My aunt-in-law, but Miss M's a snap, too.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can't recall.

12. Favorite Christmas movie Charlie Brown Christmas. That Vince Guaraldi music gets me every year.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Sporadically through the year, intently in Nov.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Oh my, yes.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? The cookies that Seth makes called Little Nut Balls.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Both.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Santa Claus is Comin' To Town, but only when it's Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band doing it. Hands down best ever.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home for the actual day, but travel before and after is great.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes.

20. Angel on the tree top or star? Star. One that Seth made for me from pipe cleaners and tinfoil back when I was living alone and had a wee, tiny tree. He threatens to ditch it every year.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Having to work which allows less time for crafting and decorating and baking!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? The juxtaposition of old and new.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Tamales!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I have no idea!

Have a Happy Christmas!

Here's where I'll be over the next few days......checking to see if perhaps we want to be there for more than a few days.......details when I get back.


After a rough month, things seem to be settling down a bit. An unplanned job change, Spot's Big Spleen Adventure, and Miss M's teacher abruptly leaving have made us all pretty edgy. However, I am working again, Spot got his staples out and is healing well, and the girlie likes her new teacher.

*sigh*





Wonder what 2008 has in store??

Mmmm, rain

Someday I will learn how to post the buttons in my sidebar to link to other cool blogs and/or the knitalongs or other thingies I am doing. For now, I'll just say that I was clever enough to remember to grab my camera as we left the house this rainy morning, and advise you to go look at Sandy's blog for her Saturday Sky photos and wonderful blogging content.

Hmmmm. I'd call it Seattle-ish weather, but KT tells me that actually, there was snowfall in Seattle today! Brr!

Finally, the results are in and we have a non-carcinogenic canine. The pathology report didn't tell us what the growth on his spleen was, nor why it burst, but it wasn't cancerous. Thank heaven. He's feeling much better, but is confused as to why we don't want him leaping around and nibbling his staples. He's also very annoyed that we are withholding kibble, and although he likes the boiled chicken just fine, he wants MORE!!!

Tomorrow holds a trip to one of the weirdest-looking stadiums ever to see my Browns (hopefully) pummel the Cardinals. Also to see an up-and-coming footballer who I've known since he was tiny strut his stuff in the Punt/Pass/Kick winners show at the game! Way to go, K!