Vacation

I'm going to be away from my blog for a little while, going on vacation with a friend to an exotic mystery destination. Ok, maybe not totally exotic, but it is a mystery. I should be back in a week or so, and will have lots of pictures to show everyone.

Of course I'm taking along knitting. We're driving, and since I'm just the navigator (wait, where are we going again) I get to knit all day. *Insert Big Chocolate Eating Grin Here* I hope I'll be taking enough with me. I've got my secret knitting project with me, which is for a friend. I will be taking along the lovely ball of Ultra Alpaca I got from my SP13 swap partner (if I can find the ball, it ran away). it won't become socks though, but this Fern Lace Pattern. I know I was hinted to make it into socks, but the second I saw the pattern, I knew it had to be this. I love ferns, but I can't keep them alive.

Not sure what else to take. I'm kinda sure that if I run out of yarn I can stop and get more, but still, you can never take too much yarn.

I have to weave in the ends on my one Row Handspun scarf I made for my friend. I"ll make sure to get pictures of it with it's new owner as well.

Off to pack. :)

A post

First off, some thanks go out to my Secret Pal for this round. On Christmas Eve I received a box from the person I used to call Santa (The UPS man) and was able to gloat as I opened it early. I have pictures of everything, but I'm not sure where the camera cable went.

First was a pair of hand knit cotton mitts in sky blue, very warm and comfy. Next was a hat to match. This hat is so nice, it covers my ears, forehead, and comes to the nape of my neck, all in one fell swoop. I love that in a hat. I also got this cute little snowman mug complete with top hat cover and a ceramic candy cane to stir with. The cane is on the tree. The cutest thing though was the gingerbread man full of hot cocoa mix. He's made of brown paper and is sewn around the edges. I don't think I can bring myself to use him though, he's too cute.

We went to a candlelight service that night, and came back to packages left on the chair by the door. They were to Kitty from "Santa" (in this case the next door neighbors/landlords).

Christmas day was fun, went to Gamma's and had ham.

Bad words and depressing stuff to follow. You can leave if you don't want to read it, I'll understand. Honest.




Silly de-motivational picture to protect innocent eyes.

Today however really reminds my just how much 2008 has sucked in all it's fucking glory. I'm getting audited. All because the company my now ex worked for can't be bothered to do their tax reporting properly. Does the IRS seriously think that a person is stupid enough to try and hide 13 thousand fucking dollars? Oh wait, this is the government I'm talking about. My step-dick should work for them, since he seems to think that they'll give one ounce of caring to the fact that I have no goram memory of the last 3 years. Oh yeah, J and I have to figure out how to manage a fucking audit when we're 2000 miles away. What fun. I actually have to sit there and do all this crap because his company fucked up, but I can guarantee I'll have to pay my own way out there. I still can't get him to commit to a percentage of what travel costs he'll cover for the approved holidays I get with Scott. I still have to laugh (so i don't cry) at what they say is reasonable parenting time. 3 months a year. Once Scott is in school I've been told he's going to change it so I only get him during school brakes. Wonderful. We wonder why I feel like a total failure at this parenting gig. I've gotten to talk to him 2 times since that nice long phone call, and both went the way I've become accustomed to. He doesn't want to talk to me for more than 3 words it seems.

Can I tell the IRS to shove it up GW's ass and make J do all of this himself? After all, he's the one who quit this farce of a relationship. But no, I have to find the tax returns, I have to find out what HR Blockhead does when you get audited. And if you can manage to get a word in edgewise when telling him things about all this you get made to feel you have no right to be upset. Only he can be upset about it. I would think that when you move across the country you'd keep your tax info AT HAND!!! Oh, would that make sense? Cause than you could find the very last pay stub from 2007 and take it to wherever you needed to go, and make them sort this fucking mess out, instead of being a dick to the person trying to fucking help you.


Sorry, needed to rant. It's not like I have anyone I can talk to anyway.

My Darlin Lad

Everyone who's read this blog for more than 3 posts (or looks just a little to the right) knows I have a son. Read back a few months and you know that he lives in CA now with his dad, and I haven't seen him since early October (if not at all if you want to go by my memory, stupid concussion).

Today Scott and I talked on the phone for 3/4 an hour. We played a game of Hide and Go Seek (yeah, on a phone, so we're weird). He licked me a few times so I licked him back. He gave me kisses and said "I kiss you Mommy" each time. I told him about my day yesterday at Gamma's house. I talked about what I was doing next week (more in a few days). I sang to him. We laid on his bed and "watched" a Little Einstein movie. When I was telling him about the weather here and saying how I was cold he covered me with his blanket. We cuddled. I sang some more to him. Than he said he was tired and was gonna take a nap and hung up the phone on me.

This is really special to me because usually I get to talk to him about 5 min before he hangs up on me. This is the closest I've felt to being a mommy in the whole time since I was told I had a son. I wouldn't have traded the phone call for anything in the world, and my darling lad gave me the best Yule present I could have asked for. I got to spend time with him, with 2000 miles between us. Got to spend time just being a mommy.

Thank you baby boy. Mommy loves you so much.

SP13 questions

Part A:

Are you doing any holiday knitting?

I was, and now am done with everything that was planned. Even some that weren't planned.


Part B:

Have you finished?

All but the last item, a scarf. I would have been done, but ripped it back, since the handspun wasn't being nice to me. Now it's 2 rows with one ball, and 2 with another.

I was tagged

I got tagged by GirlMeetsNeedle and decided to actually do it. Just for shites and giggles. (I'm medicated, shoot me)

Here's how it works:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Six random things about Betty:

1. I can only fall asleep on my tummy, with a hand on my hipbone
2. I can't poke my belly button, or let anyone else do it. It makes me sick
3. I love lightning storms, but hate thunder. It seriously freaks me out.
4. If I don't have something in my hands I fidget and pick at my fingers
5. I have *never* been bitten by a mosquito, I don't taste right or something
6. My body chemistry changes every once in a while, and it throws things outa wack. I become sensitive to things I've used for months/years, and can suddenly use things i haven't in a long time. Right now I'm washing my hair every other day, instead of maybe 2 times a week.


I'm cheating. If you read my blog, and see this, you're tagged! Enjoy

So totally random

I couldn't sleep, and had already taken a muscle relaxant. This is the result. More random little things about me than could ever be useful. Enjoy. =)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• If you were a hot dog , would you eat yourself?
  Hell no, I can't eat those things
  
• Kennedy Assassination – conspiracy or did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone? I say there was someone else too, but who knows?
  
• Did you like Jurassic Park III? – if yes, you must explain why. Never seen it, so no idea
  
• Do you like GUC & Cleolinda? Do I like WHO? Not a clue
  
• How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop? 253
  
• Did you witness Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah’s couch? Nope
  
• Do you consider bowling a sport? Nope
  
• Do you know what “FPS” stands for? (note: contrary to popular belief, it is not “Free Patrick Stewart”) FIrst Person SHooter?
  
• Speaking of Patrick Stewart, what is your favorite Star Trek series? Next Generation
  
• Which Buffy character do you identify with? Willow
  
• Did you want Joey to end up with Pacey or Dawson? Never watched the Creek
  
• What color is your hair? Brown, for the moment
  
• Do you find Howard Stern offensive? Sometimes
  
• How many chucks would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? 42
  
• Do you have a favorite “indie-dyer”? If so, who? ME, of course
  
• Do you use hand-knit dishcloths? hells yes
  
• What new technique would you like to try? (dye yarn, felting, lace, socks, etc.) um, stranded or fair isle knitting
  
• Do you know what Sparkle Motion is? nope
  
• Do you like Starbucks? Seattle's Best, thanks
  
• Do you eat fast food? If yes, what is your favorite? In-n-Out (which isn't near me, waaaaa)
  
• Coke or Pepsi? Cherry coke, which is weird, casue growing up I was pure Pepsi
  
• tea or coffee ? or hot chocolate ? Tea (green) please
  
• Do you wear hand-knit items? If yes, what is your favorite? whatever I have on at the time
  
• Do you have any favorite Etsy shops? A bunch
  
• What is one pattern you love, but would never make for yourself? most sock patterns
  
• What are your feelings on stalking RPattz? Who?
  
• Do you like Harry Potter? Yes, and need to re-read teh last book, since I forgot
  
• What is your favorite book? Way too many to pick
  
• What is your favorite song? Drift Away is pretty high on the charts
  
• What is your favorite band? not picking one
  
• Are there any celebrities you would like to meet? Who/Why? Nope, not really
  
• Do you like Green Eggs & Ham? They can be tasty
  
• Are you a monogamous knitter? Or a WIP-Hoor? I'm a WIP slut baby
  
• Have you listened to RPattz musicality over at YouTube? nope
  
• What is your favorite TV show? NCIS and Good Eats
  
• Have you seen Meet the Feebles? (and will you admit it, if you did??) Meet the WHO?
• VanHalen - Sammy Hagar or David Lee Roth? Sammy Hagar
  
• Are there any non-knit/crochet crafts you enjoy? Spinning, tatting, weaving, beading
  
• Why is the rum always gone? Cause I like Vodka better
  
• What is the secret of life? *holds up a finger* this one thing
  
• Explain the complex theoretical problems of the Babble Fish. 42
  
• What was your favorite childhood outfit? Jeans, mom's red checked tank, and boots
  
• If you’re riding in the car late at night with the windows down, what cd is playing on the stereo? GOdsmack or Nickleback
  
• If you were on a deserted island and had only one skein of yarn, which would it be? something cotton
  
• If your life were a television program, would it be a half-hour sitcom or a one hour drama? drama lately
• What would be the title of said show? nope
  
• Do you know how to pronounce Clapotis correctly? Yes
  
• What one superhero power would you want and why? Human Teleportation over great distances
  
• Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? If so, what is it? A stuffed Panda Scott gave me. Wiggles A. Panda. And there's also Tommy (groundhog) and Maize (alpaca fluff teddy bear) on the bed
  
• Describe your style in one word. comfy
  
• You randomly walk into a bookstore on a whim & buy a book. It’s most likely a ___Science Fiction____(fill in genre here)
• Do you collect anything? Rubber Ducks, Yoda things, stuffed critters, yarn, books, fiber, dust
  
• What’s your favorite smell? Least favorite? citrus smells and LIGHT floral. I can't stand the smell of bacon cooking. Or any food burning. The step-dad always burns his oatmeal and it stinks up the house. I have a very sensitive nose now
  
• What’s your living situation? Live with parents? In a dorm? Apartment? House? With mum/sis/niece/step-dad. In a house
  
• What do you do in your leisure time? Craft, read, cook, talk to Scott, computer
  
• What do you like to do on weekends? see above
  
• What is the strangest thing you’d wear on your head? A stuffed christmas tree with Disney ornaments that lights up
  
• If you were to fill the sun with rats, how many rats would you need? 57,597,576,954,645,354,687,389,587.34568742 (I guessed, can you tell?)
  

I'm still here, Promise

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. I've been busting me butt to make sure I got Scott's Stocking done in time to mail. And I seemed to have managed it. I can't embroider worth a damn, but it's done, and would make a killer knee sock for me. Scott's only requirements were "It be green right?" and "It be LONG!" Yes, he's that cute. So, his long green stocking, with mommy's crummy dot matrix printing on it.
Since I couldn't just let him have a stocking from Mommy (due to our ex roommate I'm cash strapped until his mangy butt moves out of the apartment and gets the deposit back for me) I also made him his own little Loch Ness Monster. Isn't Nessie the cutest? Best yet (in my yarn needs) she matches his stocking, so I know the wee laddie will like it. J has assured me that Scott will like Nessie, but I have worries. I know they are grounds less worries. You may notice my Nessie doesn't have the horn things that the pattern suggests, but I feel that she didn't need them.

Growing up we had this little lucite block with a LNM in it, and she didn't have horns. We still have that one in the curio cabinet, and I still love to look at her.


So, now that I'm not cranking out the presents for Scott what am I doing? Well, I'm making presents for other family members, but since they don't have to be mailed to the West Coast I can take a little more time on them. I've also started a little "selfish" knitting. I'm working on the Elfin Bride sweater pattern from DomiKNITrix. This is a mega uber involved pattern, and she only shows pictures in her book, cause it's 19 pages of regular paper to print it off. And to think I call this my "relaxation" knitting. I wrote about 2 years ago that I was gonna knit this, and now I finally have gotten around to it. Wheeeeeee!

When I'm out and about, knitting in public I can usually be found at a little coffee shop in Portage called Water Street. My knitting group meets up there, the Zombie Prom Date Knitters. A more awesome bunch of crazies you'd be hard to find. We're cool, you should come visit if you're in town.

Layers - I'm either an Onion or a Parfait

LAYER 1: Tell us your…

* Name: Betty
* Birthday (month, day): October 6
* Birthplace: Barstow CA
* Current location: K'zoo MI
* Eye color: Blue
* Hair color: Brown
* Height: 5′3″
* Righty or lefty: righty
* Zodiac sign: Libra

LAYER 2: What’s…

* Your heritage: Mutt
* The shoes you wore today: None, 2 pair of socks though
* Your weakness: chocolate
* Your fears: losing my family, spiders, crowds, and now being a bad mommy/Scott not liking me
* Your perfect pizza: garlic sauce, chicken, bacon, green onions, lots of cheese, tomatos
* Goals you’d like to achieve: get memories back
* Your first waking thoughts: Shit, I'm up. Can I go back to sleep?
* Your best physical feature: My eyes or hair
* Your most missed memory: Mid October 05- October 26th 08. Everything in there

LAYER 3: Do you…

* Smoke: Never have, never will
* Cuss: I ain't got no chicken duck turkey goose mouth (that would be a fowl mouth, but yes, I do)
* Sing: sometimes
* Do you think you’ve been in love: I know I have
* Did you go to college: I did, and want to go again
* Liked high school: sometimes
* Want to get/stay married: no
* Believe in yourself:sometimes
* Think you’re attractive: not often
* Think you’re a health freak: hell no
* Get along with your parent(s): with me mum
* Like thunderstorms: no, I like lightning, not thunder
* Play an instrument: I can play the spoons and want to learn the violin

LAYER 4: In the past month have you…

* Drank alcohol: nope
* Smoked: Nope
* Done a drug: None that were not prescription
* Made out: no *sniff*
* Gone on a date: No, again *sniff*
* Gone to the mall: Yeah, nothing else to do here
* Eaten an entire box of Oreos: No, but next time I hit the store I'm getting some damn it
* Eaten sushi: again with teh *sniff*
* Been on stage: nopers
* Been dumped: no
* Gone skating: I don't glide, i fall, so no
* Gone skinny dipping: WTF?! There is snow on the ground and I'm bundled up. Hells no!
* Stolen Anything: not yet, but some time for myself would be nice

LAYER 5: Have you ever…

* Played a game that required removal of clothing: no
* Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: No run for me, it's the only thing to ever get me almost puking drunk
* Been caught “doing something”: not for a while
* Been called a tease: Yesh
* Gotten beaten up: No
* Shoplifted: Yes

LAYER 6:

* Age you did get/hope to be married: 23
* Numbers and names of children (either you have or want): Scott, 2.5
* Describe your dream mate:
* How do you want to die: in my sleep
* What did you want to be when you grow up: Chef
* What country would you most like to visit: The Uk

Layer 7

* Name a drug you’ve taken illegally: None really, unless you count Mom's pills that I have an Rx for, but can't afford my own ones
* Name a person you could trust with my life: Scott
* Name a favorite CD that you own: my Ipod
* Number of piercings: none
* Number of tattoos: none, yet
* Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: A couple, I think 5
* Name a past experience that you regret: Aaahh…some skeletons are in their closets for a reason, but I do regret not going back to school BEFORE I had LW.