One Of Todd's Finest

So we're in the car on the way home from Vermont, which I KNOW I still need to blog about. There is much to be said....

Anyhoo, it's about 12:00 and we're getting hungry. Traffic has been kind to us, so we were well into New York state by this point. Todd has the ability to eat fast food and drive at the same time. I even think about eating in the car and I have to hurl. So running through a drive-through and munching on the road is usually not an option for me. Every one of those blue highway signs that announce which exits have the food places, gas stations, hotels, etc. seemed to indicate nothing but fast food. I just was not in the mood for it, you know? I am not a fast-food eater in general. It's just not good for me.

So 12:00 turns into nearly 1:00. Finally one of the blue signs presents: "Cracker Barrel." WOO! Todd goes, "Oh you like Cracker Barrel, right?" I'm like, "HELL YEAH!" Ok so we get off at the exit and it was a town called Halfmoon, NY. Well it should have been called "Fullmoon," because it was like the craziest scene ever in the shopping area we had just exited into, which happened to have the Cracker Barrel tucked away in a corner somewhere.

Let's just say that there must have been a TON of people who refuse to eat the likes of Burger King because that Cracker Barrel parking lot was INSANE. There were like 5487398796792 cars there. BUSES! PEOPLE CAME IN BUSES TO CRACKER BARREL!!! All those dumb, white rocking chairs that they have on the "front porch," were filled. Kids running everywhere. Old people with walkers and oxygen tanks were inching their way through the jam-packed lot, "Must...get...to...Cracker...Barrel!" It was like all of humanity descended onto that particular Cracker Barrel.

So Todd goes, "OH MY DOOOOOG! CRACKER BARREL IS MADE FROM PEOPLE!"

I just about broke 5 ribs from laughing. Sigh. That was excellent.

Random Things I've Learned Over The Last Year Of Blogging

Since I started the blog about a year ago, I've had a lot of random stuff happen and some planned stuff---like buying the new house. And I've made a few realizations about myself that I'd like to commit to paper, er screen, er whatever.

In no particular order:

• While I am actually fairly impressed with my increased knowledge and willingness to be adventurous with regard to the stuff of knitting, I realize now that I am a shitty cast-oner. No. Really. I don' t know why. I've tried several techniques and it never fails: my cast-on row looks more than a little bad. Decidedly un-good, in fact. Casting off? Not a problem in the least. Although I will admit, I finally got the hang of ribbing! About time, too! So take that you no-good purl stitch!
  

• I never thought I'd say this but, my house is too freakin' big. Given whatever unidentifiable "condition" I have that causes my joints ache and makes me feel weak and tired all the time, I just do not have the personal stamina to keep up with cleaning 3 bathrooms, tiding up 4 bedrooms and all the incessant vacuuming because...
  

• ...I have too many cats. I love them all to death. But, what the hell were we thinking, people? Seriously. Do you have any idea the amount of upper-body and upper-arm strength is required to successfully remove cat hair from draperies? You either have to vacuum it for 45 minutes or use about 4 refills of those sticky roller things.
  

• I hate my stove. I am going to pay a plumber to come in and install a gas line and I am going to get a nice gas stove. This will have to wait until early spring, though, which is when we'll have our income-tax refund.
  

• I am luckier than a pig in poop that I have Todd around. Seriously, I have no idea how I'd exist without him. In fact, I can't even begin to imagine what my life would be right now if I had never met him, except that I know it would be craptastic.
  

• Somehow---and I think this has to be Todd's fault---I have grown into a Simpsons fan.
  

• I want a Nintendo Wii.

• My gray hairs are getting noticeable. Actually, they are coming in solid white, which I guess isn't so bad. With all the stress that I am under all the time, it's a miracle that I don't look like Moses when he came down from Mount Ararat. And by "Moses" I mostly mean my Charlton Hestonesque vision of Moses.

• I really haven't seen a great movie since Return of the King. That's not to say that there haven't been movies that I liked, but still...

• I am sadly, madly addicted to buying things. All kinds of stuff.
  

DDOS Swap SUPER Pal!

I have returned from Vermont, which I will post about in a couple of days. I know you are all just waiting on baited breath....

I just have to say how fantastic my Dog Days of Summer Dishcloth Swap Pal has been. Thank you so much, Mary B, for being such a great spoiler. I received a package a goodies yesterday and I absolutely love everything! Just take a gander at all my delightful booty:

It just can't get any better than that! Not one, but TWO pretty crochet dishcloths AND a scrubbie! And a whole booklet of lovely dishcloth patterns. I think there are 15 in there! And look at all the yarn. I love that Sugar & Cream colorway and the coral and reddish Plymouth Jeannee yarns are so soft and fabulous. It's very hard to get Plymouth yarn over here. In fact, I've never even seen Plymouth Jeannee yarn ever. EVER! I can't wait to knit with it! The Paton's Grace yarn is one that I have been wanting to try! I literally had it in an online shopping cart a couple of weeks ago and thought "Ahhh...maybe later." So I am super stoked to finally have this to try! Mary is from Vegas, and it's hotter than Matthew Fox in a Speedo over here in Delaware, so she sent me an M&M's notepad instead of risking a nasty chocolate mess in the box because of the August heat. Very smart! I love the scents of the lotions too: Pineapple and Peach. Yum! I love fruit-scented items. And how cute are the kitty 2008-2009 personal planner and mini key-chain calendar?!? SQUEEEE!

Personally, my favorite thing has to be that green scrubbie. I like flipped my lid over that! Here it is in closeup!



Here's a close up of some of the patterns in the book and the Plymouth and Patons yarns. Oh and the scrubbie again. God I love that thing! :



Thanks again, Mary for being such an awesome pal and spoiling me rotten! You are the best. Hearts to you! :-)

Where's Gina?

So I will be MIA for about a week or so starting tomorrow, August 4. Todd and I will be in East Fairfield, Vermont, right on Metcalf Pond for a week's vacation. I can't believe it's here! I really need the time away, too. Work has been making me insane. Yeah, more so that usual. Scary, right?

Also, before I forget, Sophie had some blood work done to see how her thyroid meds were working and she came through with flying colors! So the meds are working (she's gained back 15 ounces) and there has been no negative effect on her kidneys or anything from taking the medicine, either. So, all good news.

AND, speaking of good news, Lorna finally reached level 67 today on World of Warcraft, the very same day Blizzard confirmed that there will be yet another expansion coming out, albeit not soon, called "Wrath of the Lich King." This expansion will bring another round of additions and improvements, most of which are pointless and gay. To wit: Um...a Shadow Night? This is Blizzard's cop-out way of giving us gamers a new class. It is, unfortunately, not good enough because it's not really a new class. This is rumored to actually be a "path" that either a Warlock or a Paladin might take upon reaching level 40. So...how is that a new class? Lucy! You got some 'splainin' to do! Most infuriating and worth noting that the level cap will be raised, yet AGAIN, to 80. Sigh...I always feel like I am playing catch-up! Hopefully, by the time this expansion comes out, I will have hit level 70. I think so. I had better! GRRR

My sister called me on Wednesday to let me know that she was at the doctor's on Monday and the baby (Aubrey) is weighing in just over 6 pounds. So...we think she's coming early! If she were to carry her until her due date (Aug 23), Aubrey would weigh over 10 pounds. I have a feeling I might get a call towards the end of my vacation.... :-)

So, that's it for now. I'm tired and I want to read some of that damnable Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which, by the way, is only...well...just...kinda...meh. You know? I'm like whatever. I'm a little over halfway through and it's...not great.

I leave you now with a picture of a cotton/linen bath mitt that I made for myself to use in Vermont:

Caption The Cat: #5

Caption The Cat #5

Um...mom? Please take these oven mitts off me! Oh, wait, those are my paws....