My new view.

Whenever I'm at home these days, this is my view:

Hubby and I made a new office. I don't have pics of what it looked like before, but it was bright red with built in all white desks. This is the sunniest room we have and the red just made it dark. We had our computers in the corners of the room and we spent a lot of time facing opposite directions, not really sharing the space.

Our goal was a place for the computers, but also a reading/knitting/chillin' nook. We accomplished it and now we can't seem to leave. What living room? Where?

Our desks now face each other:
(How cool is that light?!)

My view:

His:

I think his might be better:

(that's about as clean as the stash is gonna get until I get some projects done)

Bookshelves!!
For the first time since we've been married all of our books are out of boxes:

Of course, one whole shelf dedicated to knitting books.
Awesome.

Being the good project manager that I am, the project was conceived, planned and executed in 3 weeks and delivered under budget. The budget part: I'm notoriously cheap, economy conscious. So under budget is saying something.
Besides filling an enormous cart at Ikea, my favorite budget buster is our new bulletin boards:

Cork panels on black form board.

We're still tweaking here and there. More pictures to hang, radiator covers to paint, etc.
We may never watch tv again and that's ok with me.

Herding Cats

Sometimes I work with academics. Sometimes I enjoy this, sometimes I do not. Sometimes they are insensitive. Sometimes wise. Every now and then, one of them says something that stays with me. The following we said to me this week:

• "As we all have been saying, scheduling seems to become more difficult as a geometric function as time passes." ...um yeah....
• "Thanks for trying to herd the cats on this." I didn't get this at first, but then it seemed hysterical. I imagined myself with a net and screeching cats everywhere. I relayed this to a friend and he pointed me to this ad from the Superbowl:

That's me, Haddy, the cat herder.

Stash Bust

Cleaning out the office again. I'm selling some stuff I'm never going to use.
Payment with paypal only
(unless I see you in person: cash. No checks. I HATE checks!)
Email me: haddy611@gmail.com
First come, first serve.
(if anyone even wants this stuff. oy!)

Rowan Kidsilk Haze
2 skeins navy color
Colorway: 632
Lot:639
Bought at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in November.
I hate the color and I won't make it back there to exchange.
Only thing at full price: $30 including shipping

6 skeins of Plymouth Yarn Baby Alpaca Brush

Colorway 2299
Lot 852
Bought at WEBS in Nov. 2006
$27.00 including shipping

Cable Ready kit
2 skeins Wool-Ease Thick & Quick
Colorway: Pewter
Lot # 29350
1 pair of Wood Handles
$15.00 including shipping

1 skein of Plymouth Sockotta
Fair Isle Effect
Colorway #6673
$7 including shipping

2 full skeins + 1 partial
Berroco Lullaby
Colorway: 4204
Lot: M-0079
I will thrown in the poncho to frog or if you've got someone it'll fit.
$10 including shipping

6 skeins Lamb's Pride Bulky
Colorway: Deep Red
$30 including shipping

1 skein HWS Scheepje's Invicta Coloris (some company from Holland)
75% virgin wool, 25% Polyamide nylon
I'll frog and wind it for you.
$5 including shipping

Knit Picks Telemark
great for felting and colorwork
2 skeins Aubergine
2 full and 1 partial skein of Drift (white)
1 partial of Skyline (navy)
1 partial of the the green
Entire lot $5 including shipping

2 skeins Knit Picks Essential
Colorway: Black
$5 including shipping

Knit Picks Essential Tweed
3 skeins Inca Gold
$7 including shipping

Knit Picks Essential Tweed
3 skeins of Flint
I'll wind the partially knit one for you.
$6 including shipping

Free with an order. First to request it:

2 skeins of Lamb's Pride Superwash.
blue and yellow.

Roxie is 5!

The only good thing (in my opinion) about the greyhound racing industry is their recording system. All greyhounds have tattoos in their ears that give vital information about their identity. The right ear give birth info: month, year, birth order. Roxie's says, "23F" meaning: February, 2003, 6th born in litter. The left ear is an identification number similar to a SSN.

When we adopted Griffin in 2005, we learned of the greyhound-data website. Using the database we were able to find out pedigree and race information on Django and Griffin. Django was born "Dg's Fina" which we did not know at all (and btw, had nothing to do with him being named Django). Django did not race at all, which did not surprise us in the least and explains the whip scars he has (jerks!). We knew Griffin raced as "Wild Pepper" and was successful until he broke his leg. It was so great to find out where he had raced and that he'd actually won a few.

For the last year, Roxie's been a mystery. Her left ear tattoo is blurry. All I can read is 17----. When we first got her I did some digging on the greyhound-data site and even emailed them, but without the left ear I was out of luck. On Friday, we were reminded of Roxie's birthday by the dog walker. She left treats. I went online again to find that they had updated the site. There's an advanced search option now and I believe that Miss Roxie is "M's Fixed Option." The description and geography match, which means if this is her, she raced in 112 races, winning 15! She has the most wins of her litter. I'm 95% sure this is her.

This calls for celebration!

Meatloaf cakes with mashed potato icing for everydog!!!

At first, we were shy and tried to lick our way in:

Then we got so excited we needed a spotter to keep from knocking the cake onto the floor:

Dj, with his lack of front teeth, also needed some help. We tag-teamed it.
I'd break off pieces, he'd eat them:


Floor licking good:


Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

We also found out that Roxie and Django have the same grandpa!
They are cousins!

Knit a Koolhaas NOW!!

Here's my Malabrigo Koolhaas:



Koolhaas Hat
Materials: Malabrigo Merino Worsted, Colorway: Continental
Needles: US 8 Addi Turbo 32", US 6 Addi Turbo 32"
Start Date: January 2008
Finish Date: January 2008


Peeps. Brooklyn Tweed has done it again!
Such a great pattern. Go knit one, now!

Good news is that there's enough Malabrigo left for some fingerless mitts.