KnittyOtter

George Wants To Hug Walter Greatshell!

Congratulations on your FOUR book deal with Berkley!!

Early today while I reviewing blogs and whatnot George let out a giddy girlie scream of delight. Now I'm used to him making comments over my shoulder as I go about my various activities online through out the day, but this was something different. Plus he normally only has snarky things to say about badly knit items, people who can't use Google to save their lives or the hordes of stupid humans who irritate the crap monkeys out of him. It's hard being a forward thinking Zombie in these crazy times. heh.

Yet when his shriek of delight nearly burst my eardrums I too had to take a closer look to see what had ignited him so.

First I noticed in Walter's post of yesterday that he had acquired out of the blue a FOUR book deal with Berkley. *Happy Otter Dance*

Finally! The honey and I have been waiting eons and eons for more of his books to get published. Well at least since 2005, which in Ottertime is wayyyyyyy too long to wait.

You'll notice in the photo that George is hugging two copies of Xombies. Yeah... so the honey found the book at the bookstore and thought it looked good. He'd never heard of Walter Greatshell before but given our love of Zombies decided to give it a try. When he started reading the book he was overcome with excitement and had to tell me all about it. He left out the bits that would have spoiled the twists and turns for me but gave me just enough that I was left impatiently waiting my turn to read it.

Once The Honey had finished reading the book he looked up the Author to see what else he had written. Sadly there wasn't anything else published at that time AND you couldn't get another copy of it anywhere. o.0 Frightening indeed!

This made The Honey extra protective of the one copy of Xombies we had in our possession.

There were RULES to reading the book. We could't take it with us during travels, especially any kind of air travel. (Just the thought of loosing this in some crappy airport or a hotel makes my skin crawl!) We could not read it while soaking in the bathtub. (granted this rule was aimed at me, even though I've never dropped a book in the bathtub ever. *sigh*) We also couldn't read it outside on very windy days. (It's Reno, the wind can rip the pages or even whole books from your hands without any notice.)

One day I was doing a random search through Amazon to see if anything new had been published by Walter Greatshell when they had some "alternative seller" copies of Xombies for sale. I snatched up one pristine copy along with the book The Undead: Flesh Feast (Zombie Anthology) featuring a forward by Walter Greatshell. I wrapped them both up and gave them to my honey. It was one of the best Birthday gifts I have ever given him. :D

Naturally he loved it, but questioned if perhaps we shouldn't just go ahead and get another copy, ya know just in case something happened to the two we now have. *L*

With two copies I still haven't risked breaking any of the rules. It is THE BEST Zombie / Apocalypse book EVER!

It's not just the compelling storyline that makes this book so memorable, but the actual writing skill. I know, a rarity these days for certain. But damn-it these books are wonderfully written with stylish turns of phrase that make you stop and think... and if you're a dork like me, think what a great quote that would make. *L*

The second best Zombie / Apocalypse book ever would be Stephen King's Cell. Great book, but still second best.

So you can see how excited George was at seeing his favorite Zombie Author finally getting the publishing love he deserves. :D

But that wasn't all!

At the end of Walter's post he mentions how he would like to Hug My George! *L* Priceless!

George being all dramatic, as anyone named after the Great Zombie Film Legend George A. Romero can expected to be, then insisted we take a special photo to post on the blog today.

Xombie George!

Now of course we have before us the long task of waiting for the books to come out. o.0

Chances are I'll knit a lot of socks before then. Maybe even some lace. *L*

Hell if I'm real lucky I'll finish the five pairs I have going right now. :P

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

The tale of the MIA Otter & Prize Winners we got 'em!

*peeks in* I'm not dead, I just suck.

I realize I suck. I won't say worse than what though cause it might get weird. weirder.

So once upon a time I thought it would be a good idea to destash some of my yarn through a contest. And it was for a few minutes. Then some stuff happened and stupid people and the yatta yatta. Next thing you know I'm not around. Then a few weeks ago. (frack was it really THAT long ago. I really do suck. o.0) I emailed the winner and told her she had won. It was Nora. Then did she hear back from me? No. Did I tell the second prize person that she had won? No. That was Susan. 

I suck suck suck. Suck.

But at least I give good prizes so I hope that helps make up for some of my suckatude. (has the word suck ever been used so many times in a post? o.0) I added some stuffs to the prizes to make it a little sweeter. Again sorry for the delay and sucking.

First Prize went to Nora at Knot Much of a Knitter: It's some books and yarn n' stuffs! (I could not get a good photo of this stuff?!)

Second Prize went to Susan the Red Dirt Knitter. It's a book and some yarn n' stuffs!

I hope you both like what you have won from my destash contest thingymabob.

Thanks to everyone who played along nicely. I appreciate you decent folk. Especially considering how many stupid people are out there. o.0

During my absence a LOT of stuff happened. There was some work and family drama. Shear plain good old' fashioned avoidance, a bit of depression, the crying for no reason, well just the build up of shit I was dealing with... throw on top of that some lovely self doubt and low self esteem and you have an Otter who was MIA. Not dealing with stuff except that which kept me distracted from the stuff I didn't want to deal with. Throw in there a few nasty emails from people I don't know telling me to finish the contest and you have me avoiding my blog on top of all kinds of other stuffs. Since that shit happened my email addy is no longer listed on my blog, btw. :/ I don't get that. Do people seriously think I'm going to mail them a shiny prize if they act like an ass to me? I do not get it.

Thanks to those of you who emailed nicely. That is way different.

I did some fun stuff while I was MIA. I went and saw My Cookie again with some friends. We did a road trip to many yarns shops that day. I got some yarn. But just a little. Well not as bad as it could have been. I think there was also a knitting cruise on Tahoe somewhere in there as well... but that seems a lifetime ago.

The other stuff I was doing wasn't so much fun, though it was a very good use of my time. I am destashing my life. Yarn, books, STUFF.  Anything that I don't need, want or is bringing me down has got to go.

Excluding sock yarn and lace weight yarn I have set more than half of my yarn aside. I've also examined WHY I bought the yarn. That shit is stopping now. (I won't go into all that here...)

I just need to sell the yarn now that I've sorted it.

But first I need to finish helping a friend of mine with her destash sale. She has all kinds of kick ass sock yarn and other stuff she is getting rid of. Once we are done processing photos and uploading it all I'll post about it here. Basically if you have a thing for nice yarn and want a deal you might be interested.

On top of the yarn destash I did a book destash. I got rid of 9 paper grocery bags full to the top of books I've read and have decided not to read again.

There was also 7 bags full of past xmas presents from family that do not know me as well as just stuff that I don't use. Such as the Tweety  Bird waffle maker, the coffee pot that I have never been able to make a good cup of Joe with and a multitude of other items that have no place in my home.

I feel much better about all that, but it has only spurred me on to want to clear out more stuff that is suffocating me. Now my house isn't full to brimming with stuff. But what I have is too much for me. As I get older I just want less and less. I can't deal with the expectations of all this stuff.  All I need are my honey and kitty here with the few things I love and can use.

There is a Darth Tater here on top of the CD player. His days are numbered. Unless he gets a job and starts paying rent or starts doing something useful his ass can't stay here. All he does is collect dust which then I have to deal with. Sorry Darth get the fuck outta my house. o.0

So that's partly what I've been up to.

But then again I've always sorta gone through various obsessions and distractions to the next. Whack? Outta that shit. Balance? Never heard of it.

In knitting news I did sign up for that Olympic thing. Didn't finish though I'm almost done with a scarf for my brother out of it.  Meh.  I have enough pressure on me without knitting deadlines. Seriously.

So that's what the what over here.

How YOU doin? /Joey

Feast or Famine... I wonder if I will now post everyday for a week and then leave for a month or what... I guess we'll see what happens. I'd like to get back into the habit of posting a few times a week. I just hate to always post about how I'm busy or hate people. Though they are both true. *L*

Saturday Sky & Wine Tasting in El Dorado Oh My!

I started this post Saturday. I thought about going through and changing what I wrote, but decided not to. So Nyah. :P

Today's Saturday Sky photo was actually taken on September 2nd at the Primus Vineyards. Clickety Biggety!

Ah the Memories.

Recently I had a very wonderful person come for a visit. I've mentioned him several times in the past, though without much detail. He's in the family I choose for myself, and also just happens to be in the whole blood family dealy. Odd how that works out sometimes. heh. For the purposes of referring to him as something other than my brother while maintaining his privacy, he will henceforth  be called RenDogg.

We actually hooked up in a city a few thousand miles from here for a few days before making our way back to Reno back on August 21st. He had a lot of work to do the first part of his time in Reno so we mostly just hung out and watched Harry Potter movies while drinking lots of Éphémère in the evenings when he had some free time. During that time I also finished book seven, the final book of the Harry Potter series. *sigh* So sad to see it finished.

Unfortunately Rendogg had to go back early so instead of staying here until next week as planned he went back a few days ago. So sad to see it finished.

No worries though I should be able to see him a few more times this year if I play my cards right. *Happy Otter Dance* :D

Before he left the Honey and I were able to take him to do some extra fun stuff.

Last Sunday the Honey drove us over to Placerville California to explore some of the Vineyards in the area. There are a BUNCH. We managed to hit 6 of them.

Why yes I did do my duty to Resolution # 10. Heh. The whole time Rendogg was visiting as matter of fact.

My liver hurts. o.0

Here is the Barrel room at Primus. Clickety Biggety!

Our trip to the Placervill Winerys started with Primus Vineyards. (Is Winery really a word or am I just making shit up as I go along? o.0 Wiki says it's real. One more sign I'm not going crazy!) Good starting place, but we found may other wonderful wine experiences along the way that dimmed the shine off the taste of the wines here. I did pick up an interesting bottle of a wine they called Duo. It's a blend of Syrah & Zinfandel. Normally I couldn't be arsed to give a damn about a Zinfindal, but this blend was quite lovely. I think I'll have some friends over in the coming weeks for dinner and serve this. :D We also picked up their 2004 Syrah... but Rendogg and I drank that already. Very good. Nice anytime drinkable red. I think we had that one night while playing a game of Goth. Primus was the only tasting room that cost anything to get in. $5 a person, plus you got to keep the glass. They refunded the fee if you purchased, which we did obviously.

Close up of grapes at Primus.

Our next stop was at a little complex called Camino Wine Plaza that housed four different tasting rooms. We went to two of the rooms. The first one we walked past seemed to be big on Zinfindals and Merlot so we didn't even bother to stick our heads in. When in an area boasting so many options you can be as picky as you want. So moving past whatever that place was we went into a place called Illuminare Estates. We picked up a bottle of their 2005 Petite Syrah which may or may not be saved until Rendogg returns on his next visit. The best part about our visit to this tasting room was meeting the owner. He told us his story and offered us a taste of his upcoming 2002 Pinotage... straight from the brarrel! How cool is that. Well it's hella cool. He used a special device to withdraw some of the wine and put a generous taste into our waiting glasses. Fantastic. Love this stuff. I like it way more than his Syrah. I think he said he would be bottling it this November. I'll be calling an order in. *GRIN*

Within the same complex as Illuminare was a very tasty room called Findleton Estate & Vineyard. I really enjoyed this place. Every wine was very good. Seeing as this was only our third stop and I already had a few bottles of wine I only got one bottle. I wish I had gotten a few things here. I believe we got a Pinot Noir. Rendogg and I drank that while watching Sideways Tuesday night. Heh. One of the reasons I think I was so enamored with this tasting room and it's delicious wines was that the guy pouring had such an engaging personality. He knew his stuff and poured just the right amount. Enough to taste, but not so much you felt bad pouring half a glass out. I know we actually poured a lot of wine out that day. o.0 But since we had so many options and we hadn't had much to eat it seemed like the wise thing to do. Not to mention he kinda reminded me of John Hurt and how can you not love that. ;^)

We skipped the last tasting room here to try our luck elsewhere. We ended up at the Crystal Basin Cellars. This was one of my top two tasting rooms of the day. :D I wish I'd picked up more here as well. *sigh* Oh well it was a learning expedition. I can always order more and/or make another trip up that way. Here we grabbed 3 bottles. Rendogg got a super yummy Barbera (best of the Barbera's we tasted that day in my not so humble opinion. I made a startling purchase of a 2005 Zinfandel. I know. o.0 Weird huh. I wasn't even planning on tasting it, but said why not. I really liked it. We also grabbed a bottle of their yummy Muscat which I believe we drank on Wednesday the 5th.

From there we hit the other top two Winery by the name of Jodar Winery. We were lucky enough to stop in during a Food and Wine pairing event. Fantastic. It was really interesting to see just how the taste of a wine is altered by pairing it with the right flavor. It was fortunate that we stopped in here when we did because we were also very hungry by this point. *L* I enjoyed everything about this place, from the wine to the atmosphere & people. It was an all around excellent tasting experience. I wish I'd gotten more here as well. We got four bottles, a very yummy port that was paired with a chocolate raspberry truffle. We also got some of the chocolates to have with the port later as well. I think this was had during a game of Dread Pirate. Rendogg won. Bastard. The other three bottles we got here will be saved for Rendoggs next visit. They are a very yummy 2005 Barbera, a sweet desert wine called Eva and a unique 2004 Chardonnay.

Our sixth and final stop of the day was the Boegar Winery. This was a good solid winery and I always love it when they have part of the Vineyard on site. Though the tasting counter was large in comparison to some of the places we had been the place was packed with people. I think a bus had just dropped off a bunch of people or something. Either way it was still a very tasty experience. Plus the lady who poured for us told us a great place to have lunch/dinner. Though it was closed as it was Sunday. We ended up at a chain pizza place in desperation. And yes we still managed to have a beer with lunch even though we'd been drinking all day. Resolution # 10 was working into overdrive. *L* They had a lot to choose from and we ended up walking away with a Barbera and a Muscat. I'd like to go back sometime and have a tasting when it's not so packed so I can savor each wine more.

Some great stuff came out of this day trip. Besides the obvious spending time with RenDogg and My Honey I learned a bit about wine and Vineyards.

I also learned since I'm this close there is very little point in buying without first tasting it. Of course this only applies to local-ish wines. It was amazing to me how much a year made a difference in the taste of a wine. At the first place the 04 Syrah was dramatically better than the 05. It also amused me how the smell of a wine could be completely different than the taste.  At Findleton we tasted a wine that seemed almost musty in scent, but was deliciously light in taste. I would have expected the wine to be strong and dry from the scent. Tasting was great, but having the opportunity to smell so many different wines was an experience in itself. I kept trying to get the honey to smell my wine. His taste for wine isn't as sharp as it is for Scotch so he said he didn't see much difference. Now I love the smell of Scotch, well good Scotch, but I can't handle the taste. Too burny. Rendogg is unique in that he has a taste for both. Which is great because I can enjoy wine with him... and beer and just about anything else. Yet he can also enjoy Scotch with the honey. Next time he's here I'm going to be the Designated Driver and take them out for a scotch tasting somewhere. :D

At each stop on our impromptu wine tasting tour we tasted 5 or 6 wines. I'm not sure how much we actually drank  during that time as it became apparent early on that we'd have to take small samples and pour out those wines that weren't as exemplary or when we simply at the end of our palate at that stop. Drinking water and swishing helped us to try as many wines as we did.

It was deffinatly a fun experience doing all those tastings. Something I hope Rendogg and I can do many many more times. There are hundreds of Vineyards up in those hills to try yet. :D

Here are the remaining wines left from our trip up through the El Dorado. Clickety Biggety!

I'd have taken more pictures of our journey if I'd been thinking. Instead of thinking I opted to drink and have fun.

Good Times. Good Times. /Jerry Blank

The Happenings: Now with more Wednesday WTF.

Hi. No I'm not dead. Well I kinda was in the worst state of Zombie ever last week, but not actually dead.

Lemme tell you what's been happening with me since last I blogged. Hang on tight. It's a long and wordy road. Stick around for "The Ugly" I got something I gotta say and I'm not gonna bite my tongue anymore.

The Good: I have the worlds bestest honey. A few weeks ago I was doing some social type stuff at the house in addition to all the organizing and getting rid of stuff. He really went above and beyond helping me get things done & staying out of my way without complaint so I could have fun and hang out with my friends. One of the things I did was throw Rachel and A their Baby Shower. It was sooooooooooooo much fun!!! Not just the shower itself, although that was a blast, but the planning and prep as well. :D I got to design a menu and prepare a lunch for 14 people. That may not sound like fun to some people but I found it really cool and just challenging enough to make it exciting. The drinks were all the basics water, soda, yatta, but I also made a special tropical hibiscus flower ice tea and champagne mimosas. Mmmm! For lunch I made a melon and mint salad (using the watermelon as the serving bowl - always wanted to do that!), a green veggie salad, potato and fennel gratin and what should have been kabobs turned out to be a tray of roasted veggies and a tray of roast chicken and roast Italian sausage. (Ran out of time) That worked out great as it was though. :D There was also an ice cream cake with the showers theme phrase written on the top, Two Moms, Four Hearts. I think the lunch portion of the meal went over okay. No one died. *L*

The games I set out seemed to go over well too. We started off with a drawing game. I had everyone draw a picture of what they thought Rachel and A would look like in the first 48 hours after the babies were born. *GRIN* That was awesomely funny. Then we had the traditional Jelly Bean in a Bottle count game. Many thanks to Florrie for providing that for the party. :D That was followed with a purse/knit bag scavenger hunt. Lastly and perhaps the most anticipated game was the Baby Catapult Game. I picked up a catapult  gun that shot babies at a target. How the heck cool is that. *snicker* It was hilarious to see who could get closest to the target. There were of course many fabulous knit prizes given away for all of these games. Everyone got a little something to take home though. A few weeks before Vikkie and I made some cute blue and green baby themed stitch markers as party favors. I put them in these cute little "take out" boxes I got at Micheal's along with chocolate truffles. Those were a lot of fun to make. :D

I had so much fun planning and putting on this baby shower. I do have one regret though, Rachel thanked me when it was all over and I brushed her thanks off and said it was nothing. I immediately wish I hadn't said that. Cause it wasn't nothing. It was something and it was for her because she is worth it. One of these days I will learn to say "You're Welcome" like a well mannered human. I guess the reason I'm kinda irked with myself for being embarrassed and brushing off her thanks is because a few days before we had to endure some crazy woman complaining about a party she planned for someone she must not have liked very much. This nut bemoaned every penny and minute she spent on the party. I just don't get it. Why do something like that unless you really want to. From her bitter complaints I take it she didn't want to or something.

But more good before we move on... last week as explained below I was rather out of it. My honey went and got me all the available Harry Potter Movies because I was too sickie to read or do much of anything else. He also took care of me and was just a through and through sweetie head. I wish I could be as nice as him sometimes. Most sick people irritate me with their whining and moaning. But he remained nice throughout all my whining and moaning... well I doubt I'd have noticed if he hadn't. I was pretty out of it. Either way through all my crazy GOTTA CLEAN NOW phase, going nuts because my computer & internet connection were wonky phase and the barfing until your eyeball explodes phase he was a total sweetie head who really showed what it is to see love in action. I love that about him. He is a man of action, baby.

The Bad: So last week I kinda feel off the planet without warning. I had some sort of tummy bug thing. At first I thought it was food poisoning from an ill fated fish sandwich, but after a few days of not being able to drink anything without getting sickie I figured it was something else. I'm not a good barfer. After a few days I lost my voice and one of my eyeballs had a funky hemorrhage. It's mostly cleared up now although the eye still burns a bit. I was down for the count from Monday to Sunday. Thankfully when I wasn't getting sickie or insisting to the honey that I really didn't ever want to try to drink anything again I slept. I slept a lot. Still feel tired though. When I didn't sleep I was too out of it to knit and it hurt my eye to read. Though I managed to get through book five in the Harry Potter series. heh. Monday my first trip out of my house in 9 or 10 days was to the movies. It was the last day the fifth Harry Potter movie was in the theater and my honey sweetly enough thought I might want to see it on the big screen. Deeply disappointed in what they left out and changed, but I get it that they can't squeeze an 850 page book into a two hour movie very well. It was still fun though. So I'm feeling MUCH better, though I'm still somewhat tired. The whereabouts of my brain still hasn't come to light, but now I'm doubting it ever existed so there ya go. :P

The Ugly: I don't much care for most people. Well a handful of people really, they are just so loud and obnoxious their numbers seem greater than they are I suppose. They are stupid you understand. They irritate me. Making it pointless for me to give a fuck one way or the other about the long term quality of their existence. To put it in a clean and simple way, I hate people.

Thankfully I don't have to interact with most people and those that I do, both online and in person are generally a quality sort. But now and then someone so icky icky poo poo slips through the cracks and causes my ire to ignite and throughly disgust me with their lame and poorly conceived efforts at being a human being.

Yes, that is right some people just suck at being alive that is how sucky they are.

And here are a few examples of recent poorly socialized behavior that has irritated me.

A few weeks ago I had some people over for drinks and Hors d’œuvre's. No big thing, very casual and in theory fun. It mostly was. Most people I choose to be around are above and beyond good humans and worth my affection & time. Now this person was by no means anyone I felt worth my attention at anytime ever. But she was there none the less.

Her crime is that she is a poorly socialized human, or perhaps very stupid. I haven't yet determined which. It's not worth my time to figure out how this person's mind works. At the best of times I pity her for being such a clueless git and other times I seethe at the blundering offensiveness of her ways.

I mentioned an offensive she dared trespass a few weeks ago when she unthinkingly or with great malice, not sure which, tried to horrify a pregnant friend with tales of mortality in twins. That is as we all know exactly the sort of thing a very worried and newly minted Mommy to be wants to hear.

Life is not a game and there are no points given for being the biggest asshole, so all the assholes of the world, please knock it off.

Now this foul woman had more to say above and beyond her normal under the breath mutterings of how much better she is than anyone in the room who might have the misfortune of being near her at that moment. She without reason or provocation asked me if my cat was dead.

o.0

You heard me, she asked if my CAT was DEAD. Not even in my home two minutes this beast of a woman and she says something like that. She insisted she was dead until I went over and woke TKK up to show her otherwise.

How utterly confounding. I told her my cat was asleep. She had just eaten her kitty dinner and was having a kitty rest. Plus for all I know my cat sensed what a miserable bitch she was and choose not to look up at her. Who knows. It was theorized that perhaps she wasn't being intentionally cruel. That she didn't mean it that way. Uh Huh. Well if not that answers the question of whether or not she is so fucked up as to be unfit to interact with other people or that she's just plain too stupid for her own good. My reasoning for that being if a decent person truly thought someones adored and much loved kitty was deceased would they not gain confirmation of such fact by attempting to "wake" the cat by some means before announcing to a room full of people loudly while the caregiver of said animal was across the room, in another room actually that she was dead. See that's just stupid. That of course still leaves the question if you really thought the pet was dead why you would not go to the owner and quietly express this concern rather than yelling it from across the room. That sounds like bad manners and an ill suited concept of how to interact with other people. Perhaps this beast of a woman is both stupid and poorly socialized.

Another thing that irritates me is the idea that it's us against them. Specifically the idea that calling non knitters a kitschy made up name to separate them from ourselves so that we can walk around feeling superior is obscene and absurd. Wendy you are Not alone in that. Though perhaps I might be a bit more short tempered about it. I noticed this odd and self serving behavior of calling non knitters "Muggles" last year or so. As I have only recently started reading the Harry Potter books I wasn't sure in what way that term was being used. To the world of Harry Potter a muggle is a person non magic born who cannot perform magic. To some knitters it is a person who cannot knit, or "doesn't get it". In many cases I've seen it used as a patronizing attempt to show that the non knitters are people to be tolerated as they are obviously too stupid to get it. As if we knitters have some burden to overcome. :/ I don't get that. There are many people in this world who have "stuff" to overcome. Does it really matter to me that some people don't find my hobby and fiber love as enthralling? Are we really so put upon that the burden of not having everyone on board with our past time effects us to the point of utilizing terminology to put down those who are different?

It's funny the ways and lengths people will go to in order to separate ourselves from one another. It's sad what we will do to gain that one-upmanship so that we can feel a little better about ourselves, even if it is a hollow smugness that carries us forward.

Now I'd heard this phrase for a while. Didn't really get it. Understood what was meant by it, have heard countless people mutter how stupid and immature it was, but it was not until I read the Harry Potter books that it got under my skin and irritated me so. See the bad people in the books want the muggles to suffer and die while the good people are for letting bygones be bygones. I could never fancy myself as a Death Eater, but ya know whatever floats your boat. The world is not so small that we as knitters have to show anybody anything or stick it to some non knitting man. Knitting is not something you have to prove yourself over or play martyr to. And certainly not something we should walk around trying to take offensive over. There's quite enough actual bullshit to be irritated over without making up stuff to feel indignant about.

As someone in Wendy's comment said, "Aren't we all muggles to someone, in some way or another, anyway?".

Yes. Yes we are. 

Don't we as humans have enough going on without having to worry about how we will be sliced up, weighed and measured to see how we stack up to everyone else.

Odds & Ends: Due to being sick and doing all that fun stuff along with the computer headaches and nonsense from a few weeks ago I haven't gotten much knitting done. I did finish something a while back that I need to photograph post, but for the most part I've been a slack knitter. Yesterday I did knit on my sweater a small bit. I poked one of those faboo uber sharp knit picks needles right through the skin on my finger though. Tense knitting does not do me well. *L* I think that was because I had some of that pent up anger. On top of the overall general irritation I've been feeling I have a bit of hate for someone resting uneasily on my mind as well. I don't like that feeling and I really need to get over it. Not only does it keep my knitting dangerous to myself but it has in part halted my ability to express how I am feeling or what I am doing in written form on my blog. It's like I've been stewing on this unable to express myself and in frustration stopped expressing anything. No, it's no one here. Some person no longer significant in my life who I really just need to tell off. Seeing as today is WTF Wednesday perhaps today will be that day. What a relief it would be to lift off that burden from my mind. Ah well. Who knows where today or tomorrow will bring us. Actually I do. I'm getting my hair cut later. About time too, I can't see a thing past these bangs! *L*

I hope ya'll have had a good month since last I properly checked blogs. I hope to be checking in soon.

21 Days Laters...

Hiya!

*looks around to see if anyone is still here*

So yeah.... what the hell was that? One day I got busy doing stuff and the next thing you know it's 21 days later. If I'd waited a bit longer we could'a had a Zombie movie or maybe a stint in rehab. That is all the rage these days isn't it. *snort*

The first few days I was offline I was just busy. It was mosty fun. I went to Tahoe with Rachel one day. Clickety Biggety!

We went swimming in the cold cold water. Well I mostly bobbed up and down. It was cold and too windy/wavy to do much actual swimming. Playing in the waves was a lot of fun though. :D

I had so much fun I went back up with the Honey a few days later. The temperature was colder but the water was calm so we were able to swim. I swam out pretty far and freaked myself out 'cause I was afraid a lake monster was going to get me. o.0 You never know what's in the deep.

Here's a few photos I took when I was with My Honey. Clickety Biggety!

It was a LOT of fun, although I did get too much sun. Opps. *waves at Cookie* I had a hat!

*pause* Holy Fuck. I'm downing the free single of the week at iTunes and one of the freebies they have this week is a song from Legally Blonde the Musical. o.0

Really? Did we really need a musical based off that movie?

As MonkeySocks and Vikkie have heard me say so often recently when put in a situation I don't fully understand or agree with... Huhm.

N-E-Way... back to what I was posting about. (That was just too freak'n weird though.)

In addition to the fun splishy splashing around I did a bunch of other stuff with friends. Not that I can remember any of it. That was agesssss ago. I do recall getting the urge to finaly finish unpacking those boxes in the living room. I moved them out of my closet last year in an attempt to finish unpacking all of our boxes... er my boxes. Somehow or another I just never finished... until after an email with Dave. That man has a beautiful apartment and is unpacked.

I wanna be unpacked and have a lovely space to live in when I grow up too, so I did the unthinkable... I finished unpacking and organized my house and even did some decorating! It's nothing like Dave's wonderland of comfy and pretty that he's created, but it's a start. For real charm I'll have to get Dave and Cookie out here to fix my place up. *L*

I'm using my sock yarn stash to bring some color to the living room. *grin* It's on the shelves and in a nice glass bowl. Dave's yarn really adds a nice touch of happiness to the place. Plus now I can see what I've got. I feel much more inspired seeing all those yummy colors and textures. *dances*

Later this week I'm going to get a curtain rod and pressure clips so I can hang the Quilt Cookie made for me a few years ago on the wall behind the bed. That is going to be so freaking awesome!! :D I'll take a picture of it after it's up on the wall. Hard to take a good photo of it on the bed. It's really soft and warm, but so beautiful I think I want to be able to look at it rather than use it on the bed for awhile. It's also huge, covers our whole Eastern King bed. That girl has talent coming out of her ears. :D Socks are coming out of her ears too apparently. While I was offline she knit up a million socks. Might as well have been a million compared to how quickly my socks are coming along. I need to redo the short row heals on sock one. Looks like total shit, but at least I'm learning as I go... right. *sigh*

Besides having fun and enjoying the summer I had a bit of a computer meltdown. The spammers found me and I caught a nasty cookie from one when I accidentally clicked on a nasty link when I was reporting the comment as spam. That kinda fucked me up. My system slowed wayyyyy down and getting online was a painful and slow process. I thought it was a virus at first. Nasty thing. I finally got rid of it only to discover that gmail was being a bit of an ass and I didn't have access to my email. A few of my accounts are still wonky, but that seems to be on their end not mine. I'm sick of the error messages though. Computers still a bit slower than I'm used to as well. Grrrr! Stupid Spammers.

I haven't been doing a whole lot of knitting. What little knitting I have done is secret knitting as well. *smile*

The last few weeks I've been spending a lot of time with My Honey. He's a total sweetiehead and it's been magical reconnecting with him. Some relationships fizzle out and don't have much to grow from, whether they be friends or lovers. With my honey there always seems to be an unending well of love to move forward from. Every so often it hits me just how much I love him and enjoy every moment with him. He may not be perfect and he might be a little more eccentric than most people know how to handle but he is the right man for me. I'd much rather have all my strong over the top feeling of love than live in the zombie world wondering if I even like my partner much less love them. So yeah I'm pro love. *L*

Speaking of magical stuff last Thursday I got an unexpected email from my favorite brother. He wrote me about these books he was reading. Books he found to be FUCKING GREAT.

Now my brother is a very smart person. He's funny, charming, intellectual and in my top three people ever list. But he doesn't often give such a glowing review of a book that is intended for pleasure reading. He's getting his PHD in Renaissance History ya know. *L* Actually his idea of pleasure reading for years now has been stuff most people wouldn't even know existed. Very Scholarly type stuff that while sometimes amusing just never makes it to a best seller list.

So when he emails me to tell me how much he loved Harry Potter it was quite a shock.

Now he hasn't been the only one telling me how great the books were, but I honestly just figured everyone else was crazy. It really does seem like some kind of cult. *L*

Last Wednesday I had Vikkie, her Man and Florrie and her Hubby over for dinner and she was telling me how good it was. Heh. Like I said I thought all the Potter Fans were crazy and if anyone is a shining example of that kinda crazy it's Vikkie. :P

Incidentally that was the first time I've had people over for dinner at our house other than my brother. Kinda funny considering that Monday the 23rd was our two year anniversary being in this house.  :D

It wasn't until my brothers email though that I decided to start reading the books. I picked up a copy of the first book a year ago or more for a dollar at a library book sale. I figured I could read it and give it a try after the last book came out.

What prompted me to finally start reading the first book though, besides my brothers extremly glowing review you ask... well he also said this, "You would be placed in Gryffindor, the school where the brave and stout of heart go.". Isn't that sweet. *L* So I had to start reading to see just what this Gryffindor was that he felt I would belong to.

That was Thursday Night last week. By Saturday morning I was almost done with the first book and itching to get my hands on the second one. I had to wait, painfully so I might add, until Sunday morning to go get the books. I went ahead and got the second through the sixth. Today is Wednesday and I've only got about a hundred pages or so left in the third book. It's a shame how quickly they are read through, although I'm sure that is part of what makes them so fun to read. You just can't put the book down. o.0 I wonder when the seventh will come out in paperback. I prefer paperback but I think I might have the bite the bullet on this... unless I can borrow a few copies. When my brother comes for a visit at the end of next month we are both going to read the last book while he is here. *L* I'm almost caught up to him. He just started them too.

The funny thing is that we have been making fun of this nonsense hype for years now. *blush* Ah well. I'm glad I waited to read them. I'd have hated to have to wait for each one to come out. I don't have that kind of patience. *L*

So I guess I'm in the Harry Potter Cult now. It totally rawks so I'm okay with it, even if it does make me a bigger dork than I ever knew I was. *L*

How do I say this delicately...

I have a bit of a tan from recent outdoor activities. Now I'm not much of a tanner. Burner yes, Tanner No. So this is a bit of a shock.

Growing up as a kid I was burned by the sun's horrible death rays more times than I can count. I'd never even heard of sun block until I was 10 or so when a cousin brought some over for a summer visit. It was disgusting and vile, smelling like a sickly sweet concoction of coconuts and chemicals. It was greasy and burny on the skin and to hell with you if ever accidentally forgot it was on your hands or face and rubbed yours eyes. It didn't just sting and burn, it was hard as hell to wash out. Ouchie.

So as you can see I never had much use for that hifalutin nonsense as a kid. You can't run around and play when you are coated in icky nasty stuff. Not only did you feel oddly uncomfortable BUT you were like some sort of magnet for free range cat fur that might come your way. A very real possibility when your mother insists on having more cats than fingers on her hands at any given time. Now it wasn't all fun and play when I was a kid. So you'll have to add in plenty of dirt, sweat and hay bits sticking to you as well. Which lemme tell ya, really didn't need the assistance to cover you in a layer of work grime.  So that sunblock really wasn't my friend. You ever try wipe sweat off your face when you got sunblock & all that all over ya?

More trouble than it's worth.

But as I grew up they improved the sunblocks more and more. Now they have stuff for sensitive skin, greaseless and even active stuff that goes on dry and doesn't get all funky when you are trying to have fun and just happen to be in the sun. It still smells pretty weird, but not so assaultive on the nose as it once was.

For several years now my dear best friend has been nicely nagging advising me to wear sunblock and be prepared when I go outside. I've done a better job of listening to her and have therefor been less whiny overall about my skin being red & ouchie and my summer part time job of being Lobster Girl.

She's also been telling me about these things called "hats". Even going so far as to send me several. I've been wearing those and doing much better... when I remember that is. It's a lot easier to remember to wear a hat in the backyard than it is other places. Partly because I'm "Nagging it Forward" and tell my honey he needs to wear a hat in the sun. Even going so far as to help him select several at various stores that I think look good on him. *L*

Proof of Sun Hat Use @ Home in Backyard (taken a bit ago before 7:00 am, so yeah no direct sunlight out there just yet. *L*) Oh and that's My Coral Sweater.

Bonus: Kitty doing her usual morning inspection of the backyard. She gives it her approval as she likes the grass. It's like her own personal salad bar. Furry Freak. ;^) Clickety Biggety!

I really should carry a hat with me in my car. I did a few years ago after Cookie suggested it. (She's the smart one and tells me the stuff you'd think I should have figured out for myself. *L*)

But at the end of one summer I brought the hat back inside and promptly forgot all about it.

Note to Self: Put a sun hat back into the car!

This would have come in handy recently on several occasions.

Sometimes I meet friends for coffee in the morning and we sit outside. For some reason I can't seem to grasp that the sun is out at 8:00 in the morning. In my backyard the patio doesn't move out of the shade until 10:30 or so. Can my brain be so preoccupied that I have forgotten that other locations still get direct sunlight? This has caused a few uncomfortable situations due to my lack of foresight. So next time I am so taking a hat.

Between those bits of sun exposure, knitting in the backyard and the occasional getting caught off guard by the sun or just doing normal outdoor activities I have found myself with a bit of a tan. Well a tan for me anyway. :P

But the funniest part is that it's a specific activity tan. Much like that of the Farmer's Tan of my youth in a way. Only this time no scratchy hay throwing, cow corralling or fence mending was involved.

I have a Knitter's Tan. *L*

It's the freakiest damn thing. Hold your arms/hands as if you are knitting and see where the sun would hit. Now extend them out and turn them a bit. The top is a peachy shade of tan and the bendy part and bottom part is a stark shade of winter white.

I'm two tone, Baby!

I wonder if this is how the tiger got it's stripes and the leopard got it's spots. *L*

Saturday when I next get together with some knitting friends I'm going to look at their arms to see if they have the tell tell Knitter's Tan as well. Or if I'm just some kind of half tanning freak. :P

And yes Cookie, I'll bring a hat & sunscreen. ;^)

Crappy Day, Laugh it Away & a New Soup

So today is kinda sucking ass. More like a continuation of sucking that has been taking place off and on for a while now, but perhaps a bit more amplified it was today.

I don't feel like posting about the stuff that's not so wonderful, nor the way I feel as that is still ass sucky too.

I will say this though, no matter how hard you try to believe it, York Peppermint Patties don't count as a throat soother. Even if they kinda do "help" some. :P

I've been doing some knitting lately. Almost done with the second magic 28 sock. Watched The Godfather parts 1 and 2 while knitting on it off and on this weekend. If my happy knitting mood doesn't return soon I'll have to make it an offer it can't refuse. Capice!

As for the funny well today I was bumming around trying not to think too much about anything in particular when remembered this Lip Dubbing thing Ugly Fat Lady (who is not a bit ugly) mentioned on her Vlog the other day. It was too damn funny. So yeah I wasted a bit of time watching this interestingly cute fellow Jakob Lodwick's Lip Dubbing pursuits. I guess the folks over at Vimeo know how to have a good time. Or at least be brave and a hellavu lot of don't give a damn how silly they look. I wish I was more brave like that. I wish I didn't care what anyone thought. Life would be so much more interesting and free that way. :D

In other news I made soup a few days ago. I intended to post photos and the recipe. Eh. Never got around to it. Never even got around to naming it actually. It was yummy though. Super Yummy in fact. Finished off the last of it for lunch today. The honey even liked it and he's not much of a soup person. So maybe after seeing it and seeing the ingredients y'all can help me come up with a good name for it.  If I choose the name you submit maybe I'll even send you a little surprise or something. ;)

Edit: Rachel has named the soup Margarita Chicken Soup!! :D

List of Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Meyer Lemon Olive Oil
2 Shallots
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Jalapeño Pepper

1 cup Brown Basmati Rice

1 32 oz container (4 cups) Pacific Organic Free Ranch Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 32 oz container (4 cups) Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth

4 medium chicken breasts - roast in oven beforehand
1 bunch Asparagus
1 bunch Broccolini
1 small carton of Crimini Mushrooms
1 bunch Cilantro
3/4 cup frozen peas (I can never find fresh peas, if you got 'em use 'em.)

1 teaspoon Lemongrass powder, or fresh lemongrass minced
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Chili Sauce (best stuff EVER)
1 Lemon
1 Lime
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Sea Salt

To start roast your chicken in the oven. I've found this keeps the chicken from becoming too soft in texture in the soup. It also adds a nice flavor. Once done let cool then tear into small bite site pieces. I prefer to tear the chicken rather than dice it. Has a nicer texture and appearance, in my not so humble opinion. :P

Clean and remove the seeds and membrane from your Jalapeño. Next I roast the Jalapeño over the open flame of my gas burner. Watch your eyes as the capsaicin oil can pop out at you during the process. Roast until the outside is darkened all over, scrap off the blackened skin and dice into small pieces.  Once cooked it will blend with the flavor of the soup rather than stand out on it's own. Think the size of a match head.

Thinly slice your Shallot and chop your Garlic into small pieces. Set aside with the Jalapeño.

At this time rinse the Brown Basmati Rice very well. Set it aside to drain.

In the pot you will be using to make your soup, preferably something with a heavy copper bottom, pour your tablespoon of Meyer Lemon Olive Oil. Once the pan is hot add in the Garlic, Shallot and Jalapeño. Stir until coated with oil and let blend at a decent heat for a few minutes. Once everything has softened up & looks a little caramelized add in your rinsed and drained rice. Turn up heat a little more and cook for a minute or so.

Now add in some of your chicken broth and vegetable broth, but only until until rice is covered. It won't take much. Maybe a half a cup of each. Set aside remaining broth for later.

Put lid on pot and reduce to a low heat to cook the rice for 20 minutes or so.

While the rice is cooking you can prepare the rest of the vegetables.

Clean your Asparagus and Broccolini. You're only going to use the yummy ends of these two veggies. At an angle cut off their heads! Off with their heads! *L* I love that. I may be a little weird though. Set these aside. Clean and slice your mushrooms at this time as well.

Clean and remove the stems from your Cilantro. You can add the leaves in whole or gently slice them up a bit. Be careful not to bruise the leaves as it will make them wilty and have dark spots of color. Granted as they are being introduced into a hot soup they will become wilted regardless. *L*

Add in the rest of the broth, your hand shredded chicken, the heads of your Asparagus and Broccolini, your sliced mushrooms and cilantro. Stir in the lemongrass, garlic chili sauce and a few cranks of black pepper.

Once the temperature comes up a bit you can add in the frozen peas.

It won't take long for all the flavors to come together and the veggies to become soft yet retaining some crispness. Once the veggies look ready and poke without too much fuss zest the lemon and the lime. Add the zest to the soup, then add in the juice of both citrus fruits as well. Add a few pinches of salt, whatever your taste desires and serve. :D

I was sickie and wanted a light and refeshing soup. But I also wanted something kinda healthy and with yummy veggies that would also be hearty enough to make the honey feel like he had a real meal and not just soup. (which he doesn't see as a full meal most of the time) I was looking for something with a hint of a kick to hopefully open up my sinuses, but not so much it'd make my throat burn. This was just the thing. Completely perfect and yummy.

The funny thing is that I would have just made the Tom Yum Gia Soup if I'd had the recipe with me. This was more or less the stuff I was able to pick up on a recent quick trip into Trader Joe's.

Here it is in the pot:

So what do you think it should be called? :D

Another day, another day

I'm back from my travels to the ultra faboo OtterLand. I'll have to go through my photos and compile a post one day soon.

In the meantime here is a picture of some lovely yummy poppies that were not far from our hotel. We walked past them to get anywhere and one the last day I decided to take a photo.

Clickety Biggety:

In other news today is my birthday. That's right today. *angelic smile*

I don't feel older. Which is good. I guess age just creeps up on you slowly. It would totally suck if it hit you all at once. o.0

While I may not feel older I do feel something. Sick. I'm feverish, headachey, burny throat and icky tonsils.

Dear Tonsils,

Please fuck off and die. I understand I have ignored your plea for attention all this time, but seriously, behave and get over yourselves.

No Love,
Otter

I bet they are just jealous of the other resolutions I've actually worked on. Resolution #7 hasn't gotten any love. I suppose I should find a new doctor and go see about that. *sigh*

Other than the nap I had earlier today this has just been another day. I won't be attending the Morrissey concert later. Meh. Just too out of it or something.

Perhaps I will go knit for a bit. Get a cup of hot Herby tea with lemon and honey and knit.

Oh! and I get to go pick up my sweet little TKK tomorrow. As much as I've enjoyed sleeping without her on my head I miss her way too much to get excited over something as mundane as sleep...  even if it's actual cat head free uninterrupted sleep.  :P

I hope everyone is having a good weekend and ready to start a fresh week. 

Sunday Sky & The Happenings

I didn't take a picture of the Saturday Sky yesterday. I intended to. Not that it was a very photogenic sky. Beautiful though it was with it's wispy white tendrils clinging to the mountains and pale blue kisses visible of the teasing sky. Just busy I guess. Or a mind preoccupied. Mainly though the images would have been washed away by my point and shoot camera. I have entirely changed my mind (AGAIN) on the whole camera thing. I really want a DSLR camera, but... well I need to do a bit more research. Plus I want a new tighter point and shoot. Maybe after work Monday I'll run out and have a hands on lookie see. I've been looking at various online review sites, but sometimes you just gotta hold the little bad boys in your hands.

If anyone has any personal experience with DSLR camera's you'd like to share or have any recommendations on brands I'm open for some friendly advice? I was going to make the purchase at Circuit City. That has changed given how messed up they have proven themselves to be by their recent business practices I think I'll go elsewhere. That's just not cool.

Last night as I was waiting for MonkeySocks to show up at a restaurant not far from my house for dinner and I started to take a picture of the view. It was facing towards my house and even though the sunset was muted due to the overcast sky it was still breathtaking.

But then I realized my camera batteries were dead. *L*

Le Sigh, Them's the breaks kiddo. So no Saturday Sky Picture. I do have a new pack for my upcoming trip to Otterland. We leave early Wednesday and will be back Saturday afternoon...  or Sunday afternoon. As for the Morrissey Concert on Sunday. We'll see. I'd love to go, but.. well we'll see.

So dinner with MonkeySocks was fantastic. She was a bit late due to a yarn emergency, but as a fellow knitter I could totally relate and begrudge her nothing for it. Sometimes you gotta put the yarn in the naughty corner and she had some naughty ass yarn on her hands. *L*

It was okay that she was late. It was nice to be in a quiet moment and just think. It was windy and much cooler than it should have been, but it felt nice to just breathe for a moment and look at the sky.

It amazes me how much people can have to say to one another. We we're there talking for four hours or so, pretty much nonstop. Then after I had called my honey to tell him I was coming home in a bit we decided to take it elsewhere. We went and had mint tea and talking at a place not too far from my house for a few more hours.

This was especially funny since I'd only had a few hours sleep the night before and had sand paper eyelids and was just about to fall over prior to meeting up with her. I can't blame my hyper upness on her entirely... A few hours before we hooked up I had a Grande Non Fat, No Whip, 3 Pump Triple shot Peppermint Mocha (I'm a Pod People!) . Holy Fuck was that yummy. *grin* It did what it was intended to do and kept me going long after my ass should have been in the sack.

When I finally made it home after 2:00 am I slept really really well. First time in weeks I've slept more than 6 hours. That was nice.  I imagine I'll sleep well in OtterLand too.

As for the knitting I'll be taking with me... we'll see. I've got several things going right now. Though I really want to get started on some Dave Lace... and the Kew Socks... and and and... so many things. My mind is a twitter with all of the possibilities. But perhaps I should finish something I'm already on. The honey socks will be good for car & travel knitting. Plus the Ducky Hat or maybe the scarf... I really need to finish something. *L*

As for the Sunday Sky, here is a photo I took back on the 8th when the honey took me to Animal Ark. I love a big sky. One of the reasons I love Nevada so much, you can see where you are.

Clickety Biggety

In other news I made it to the gym two times this week. Plus a little walking on the side. At the gym Wednesday night I first walked on the flat gerbil wheel thingy also known as a treadmill. I did a mile in half the time it normally takes me. *grin* Then I did some weights and topped it off with a lot of laps in the pool. Then Friday when I was with my morning workout partner in crime I did 15 hard fast minutes on the elliptical trainer and 1.3 miles on the treadmill in decent time. I'm feeling pretty darn spiffy about myself these days. *Super Happy Otter Dance*

This week Rachel will be off doing some special stuff and I'll be in OtterLand later in the week so I'm going to try to get my workouts in early in the week. Plus I'll be walking all over OtterLand so that's good. Heh. Anything in OtterLand is good though. ;^)