I'm Midge.

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Speaking of Debauchery. . .

Uhm, Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! I haven't even tried it yet, and already I'm hooked. I wonder if they carry it at Mel & Rose's... (there's a Target nearby.)

The Weekend

This weekend, I actually got OFF MY DUFF. No, not to attend the monthly meeting of the WeHo Saturday SnB. Puh-leeze. They get up before the crack o' dawn (or at least, before noon) on a SATURDAY. I didn't even get up to register the WeeMonkeyGurrl at her new program. Since I had mistakenly (I KNOW!!! Last time I made a mistake was back in. . . '78? '79??) taken them LAST week, she and the Jman knew perfectly well where to go and what to do. Besides, I would have had to be there at 7:45 AM. AGAIN. Jman was really thrilled b/c he was a baller growing up (football!), so he is uninitiated with the ways of the performing arts crowd, and he was awestruck at what the kids do. Seriously - he actually said, "It was like, Fame or sumpthin." Well, I hope not exactly, because WMG is much too young for many of those hijinx.

Anyhoo, I made it out of the house to go watch a friend perform at Molly Malone's off Fairfax. OH MY GAWD. He ROCKED!!!! Let me just say, several times he's asked me to go to one of his shows, and I was like, "Oh, sure", thinking "how cute, he has a little band, and he wants to be a rock star", and several times I flaked out (I KNOW!!! Can you imagine?!?!?!), but this time it was on a weekend, and I wasn't going to be out of town, so I had no real excuse for not showing up.

Thank the gods. Because, even tho there was some snafu with respect to the rest of the band (and I didn't find out the story until AFTER the performance), he was genuinely amazing. Seriously. The things he did with his mouth and hands. . . well, not many can kick serious arse on the harmonica and guitar AT THE SAME TIME, and I felt a bit guilty for thinking naughty thoughts about a boy half my age.

Plus, it was kinda fun being the "odd" one - I went alone, took out my knitting, had a couple of absolute mandarin with sodas, and really enjoyed myself. I listened to good music, oogled some cute boys, and got my knitting done. I *WISH* I'd had the nerve to behave like this when I was in my 20's. I could have avoided a LOT of problems.

Like, OMG!!!!

HOW thrilled was I to see Knitty's latest surprise, quite by accident?!?!?! I was looking on KPC for something totally unrelated (and long since forgotten) when I saw the new link. Of course, this morning, they have updated the links (see side bar), BUUUUTTTT, I wasn't expecting it, and it gave me something to do yesterday! As I mentioned several times (much to their annoyance) to the attendees at last week's SnB, I'm having some committment issues with projects. I think I'm feeling overwhelmed, in general, and with knitting, in particular. But the one thing I have vowed (with varied success) to do is to KEEP KNITTING FUN. So I've indulged my laissez-faire attitude.

HOWEVER.

We got two birfdays coming up - WMG's, and that of her FAVORITE uncle (my former boyfriend), and, putting aside all the moral, legal and philosophical considerations, we always do a shared party (they are ONE DAY apart!) AND I HAVE NOTHING FOR GIFTING HIM!!!

Since he recently got married (1 year ago) and even more recently announced the impending birth of his first child (a couple months ago), my gifts to him have become simpler and considerably less expensive. I don't think his new wifey would appreciate me lavishing immoderate gifts on him, and I can't say that I blame her. So I was kinda at odds for what to do this year, particularly since I am secretly working on something for the coming babe. Well, Knitty resolved this for me quick, fast and in a hurry.

He *loves* Nightmare Before Christmas. And even if he didn't, he once made the mistake of saying he does, so it has become A Thing for him. You know the phenomenon - when you unthinkingly say, "I like pigs", and for the next 20 years, for every occasion that requires gift-giving, you are the recipient of some sort of porcine gift. Whether it's pig-shaped soap, or pig kitchen towels, or pig slippers. You rue the day you ever mentioned pigs, because you are STUCK with it. Well, it's that way with Douggles and Jack Skellington. I don't care if he really likes it or not, he's getting getting it because it makes MY life easier!!! And it doesn't hurt that I also found this FANTASTIC pattern to go with it!!! I KNOW!!!!

Now, Douggles and I have known each other for nearly 20 years, so I don't really remember if he shares my love of All Things Gothic, or if that's just my faulty memory, but every year he gets something goth or gore related, and every year he acts like he likes it... :)

I was so excited about finishing these two before the shared celebration (currently slated for 20 October 2007), that I didn't even bother going to a *real* yarn store last nite (too far away, too much effort, yadda yadda). Nope. I went to the uber-convenient Pearl off Pico, because (1) it's on my way home and (b) I know they carry all things Lion Brand. Douggle's wifey, the Dawnster, has extreme psychosomatic allergies to a lot of things, so all things wool (even non-but-perceived-as-wool-like, such as alpaca or llama) are verboten in the house.

Can I just say Cotton-ease is GREAT?! It's sproingier than 100% cotton, but still has that cotton-y softness. AND it's machine washable and dryable, which is a considerable consideration when it comes to a house filled with 2 pre-teens, 2 pitbulls, a cat, an alzheimers' patient and an impending new babe.

Anyhoo, I got my yarn, and I got a real fright, just in time to get me in that spirit spirit.


{{SHUDDER!!!}}

Saga of the Saggy Bobbles

well, I messed up the pattern, so I ripped out the swatch.

That felt goooooooooooooooooood.

Lisa D and Judy Sumner recommended I try wrapping the bobbles; unfortunately, I didn't get their advice until after I began again. Sure, I'll begin again, again. (Not!)

JenL recommended I actually do some research on the subject. HAHAHAHAHAHAH. So cute. Actually, I did go to Annie's blog - I haven't been there in a while and I sure to enjoy the reading. But no bobble-vice to be found.

Annika posited a truly revolutionary idea - why not do the opposite of what I was doing, since what I was doing rendered the opposite of what I wanted?! The sheer beauty and simplicity astounded me. (In other words, I had a Homer Simpson "D'OH!" moment.) It worked beautifully. They say having a baby gives you mommy brain. Clearly, this is not the case for Sam's mom.

Pretty new knit side



And pretty new purl (you can't even see the backside of the bobbles).


I wonder if this is what the insides of my boobs look like?

In other news, we have elevators in the office building that no doubt are ADA compliant. We have had these new elevators for (6? 8?) months, now. When the doors open, a sultry woman's voice announces whether the elevator cab is going up or down. EVERY time she announces, "Going DOWN", I think "That's what HE said!"

Will that ever get old?!

ISO A Perkier Bobble

I posted this question on the knitlist:

I'm doing a stitch swatch of "Mimosa Shoot" (Knitting Daily, Stitch of
the Day), and the bobbles are formed by "K1 P1 K1 P1 into next stitch,
turn, K4, turn, sl st purlwise, P3tog, psso". Got it. But the
problem is, when left alone, my bobbles tend to bob to the wrong (or
rev. stockinette) side, rather than the right side. If I try to prod
them to the right side, they look like half-insie/half-outtie belly
buttons - like they *really* want to go back the other way.

I've tried knitting tighter and looser, as well has knitting the
following (all purl) row more tightly, to no avail.

I'm using up odd ball yarn - in this case, LB Microspun, which is
*really* smooth and soft. Could this be the culprit?

Any suggestions? TIA.

I'm repeating the question here, (1) so those that don't receive the list can give me their input, and (B) because I just think the question is funny.

Here are pix of the purl side




and the knit side




Now it might not be so obvious from the cell phone pix, but the purl side just seems to *POP* more, and I figured out why it's bugging me so much. Bobbles, generally, remind me of nipples, and it's been a loooooooooooooooong time since I've seen some perky ones. Also, a non-popping bobble looks a lot like an inverted nip (and breastfeeders will back me up here), an inverted nip just aint much fun. Bobbles made from with smaller gauge needles and smooth fiber are just so much more like nipples (can you believe I said "needle" and "nipple" in the same sentence?!?!? OUCH!!!), and the pink color can't be helping the imagery much.

This looks infected.

So Ya Wanna Be A Rock Superstar

Well, first you have to find a dress intended to fit a 3T. And ROCK IT.

Then, you have to convince your father to take you to Toys R Us (while your mom is still sleeping), and use your own money to purchase a wireless microphone.

Then, you have to figure out how to hook that microphone up to your guitar. And kick some arse on "Mary Had A Little Lamb".

Yeah, BOYYEEEEEE!!!

No one can stop me now, tonight I'm on the loose

My doppleganger got out again. At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

She was tired of being held down by the (wo)man, so when she found out about The Party, she tied me up, threw me in the back of my closet, and went out to let off a little steam. Fortunately, she only overpowers me once in a blue moon, but whenever she does, it seems I'm apologizing forever after. Some people think it's kinda cool to have an evil twin, but I don't agree. It's like having curly hair - everybody wants it, unless you have it, then you realize what a pain in the arse it is to care for.

So, to those of you she offended in anyway, whether it be inappropriate observations to unsuspecting innocents, flirting shamelessly with boyeeez half her age, or dancing as if there was a stripper pole nearby, I apologize profusely for any damage she may have done. I'd like to just go on record stating that was a FRIENDLY kiss she gave the bartender (for doing such a stand-up job, I might add), that grabbing The Boyfriend's toushie was accidental, but calling Assholio Make-Out Boy a "poseur" was completely justified.

All I have left to figure out is how she got a 3" rugburn on MY left knee...

which, if you squint really hard, kinda resembles Miss K with her fahncee 'do.