This letter was among my grandmother's effects after she passed away. The gem is on the back.
A transcription of a knit hat pattern from the British War Department. How cool that she decided to save it all those years.Saturday, January 19, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Here we see the little brewers checking out the kid habitrail at McDonald's.
Static electricity.
I am convinced the marketing genius of McDonalds lies in its appeal to kids. I've realized when my children say they want McDonalds for lunch, what they really want is the toy from the Happy Meal. They don't particularly like the food. I am rather partial to double cheeseburgers but 1,150 mg of sodium in one burger is waaaay too much. Yikes.
Static electricity.
I am convinced the marketing genius of McDonalds lies in its appeal to kids. I've realized when my children say they want McDonalds for lunch, what they really want is the toy from the Happy Meal. They don't particularly like the food. I am rather partial to double cheeseburgers but 1,150 mg of sodium in one burger is waaaay too much. Yikes. Thursday, January 17, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Gettysburg Rocks
No trip to Gettysburg is complete without a little rock climbing. Here we are near the Pennsylvania Monument, discovering battlefield cannons.
My son and I clearly have different definitions of the word "cold."
Off to search out Devil's Den. My father used to bring my brother and me here on weekends to climb rocks and wear ourselves out before driving back home.
Go! Climb!
You can do it!
Hrrrrgh!
Look Mommy! I can see rocks from here! And trees!
I'm king of the world!
My son and I clearly have different definitions of the word "cold."
Off to search out Devil's Den. My father used to bring my brother and me here on weekends to climb rocks and wear ourselves out before driving back home.
Go! Climb!
You can do it!
Hrrrrgh!
Look Mommy! I can see rocks from here! And trees!
I'm king of the world!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Poor little sick girl
Lincoln Street's new evening feature: My Day, by Little Brewer #1.
Today I felt dizzy and my head hurt and I just stared at my paper for 5-6 minutes and it felt like I was not there the whole time. Today was not fun. I WANT TO GET BETEEEEEEEEEEEER PLEASE!
Today I felt dizzy and my head hurt and I just stared at my paper for 5-6 minutes and it felt like I was not there the whole time. Today was not fun. I WANT TO GET BETEEEEEEEEEEEER PLEASE!
I have found my Pennsylvania yarn Nirvana.
No, not this:
It is this.
I've found The Mannings. I see The Mannings at Maryland Sheep and Wool every year. I've heard many people sing its praises. My reaction has been... eh. In the 9 years I lived in Gettysburg, I never made it out to The Mannings. I was convinced I had already been there and it was just a store.
I was mistaken. It turns out the shop in East Berlin, PA I had previously visited was Woolgatherings. I bought my copy of Knitting in the Old Way there.
The Mannings is situated on a lovely spot of land right next to Conewago Creek. It was the creek that caused us to miss it on first pass. Oo, look at the creek! And the cute bridge! Is that a house? Why are they building a house right on the banks of the creek? I see flooding in their future. You can juuuust see the white retaining wall of the new house under the bridge.
Vroom, right past Mannings. Such is the discussion in Brewgal's car.
Anyway, we completely bypassed the Mannings on first try. Made it all the way out to the main road where we saw a sign pointing back the way we came. We quickly deduced, in our Scooby-Doo sort of way, that we had missed the store. That, and the TomTom feebly saying (in its oh-so-cultured English accent, "You have reached your destination. Turn around.")
Thank goodness for the signs. Hello, Mannings? Love the signs! THANK YOU FOR THE SIGNS.
The Mannings is a barn-sized weaving/spinning/yarn store. There I met Ruth, a wonderful person who loved the store so much she got a job there on weekends. When she found out I had never been before, she gave me a tour. Gotta love a store that inspires people to work there in their spare time.
When I walked in I though, Ok, some books and some yarn. Cool. No no no. This was just the first room. The front room has the books, tools and sock yarn. The next room has the laceweight yarn and cashmere. Then there's a room of DK weight and chunky yarn. And a room of spinning wheels. At the back of that room, behind the table of knitters, there is a wall of fleece, helpfully labeled with the type and name of the sheep it came from. With a photo of the sheep. She encouraged the LB's to stick their hands in the fleece to feel it's "hand."
But wait, there's more! There was an entire room of weaving looms. They give weaving classes. This is in addition to the practice looms where you could try out a loom to see if you like it. Then I discovered the wall of discontinued discount yarn.
Holy crap. Discounted Noro.
I was dazed by the time I made it out of the store. I spent an hour there and I know I didn't see everything. I ran into a woman who used to drive out from Ohio just to shop at Mannings. And another who drove up from DC weekly for classes.
I see more trips to The Mannings in my future.
For lunch, we went to Appalachian Brewing Company. I had the Barley Wine and Brewguy had the Porter. Actually he had two. The first ended up all over me.
A toast!
Clink!
Slurp.
Sploosh. A full pint of porter all over Brewgal. Soaking my jeans. Dribbling into my purse. Across my shirt. We've all had a beer or two spilled on us in the past, I'm sure. However, the experience of having a full pint of high gravity porter draped across my Levis in January, when the prospect of changing is nil because I've subscribed to the mantra of pack light and that means no backup pants, and baby it's COLD outside, tends to sour the outlook slightly.
Then I remembered Gettysburg now has outlet shopping. Hello, Old Navy!
Kudos to our server, Ben, who quickly helped up wipe up the porter-y mess and brought Brewguy a new glass gratis.
Here we see pint #2. Note that Brewguy is carefully keeping his wayward arms AWAY from this one.
No, not this:
It is this.
I've found The Mannings. I see The Mannings at Maryland Sheep and Wool every year. I've heard many people sing its praises. My reaction has been... eh. In the 9 years I lived in Gettysburg, I never made it out to The Mannings. I was convinced I had already been there and it was just a store.
I was mistaken. It turns out the shop in East Berlin, PA I had previously visited was Woolgatherings. I bought my copy of Knitting in the Old Way there.
The Mannings is situated on a lovely spot of land right next to Conewago Creek. It was the creek that caused us to miss it on first pass. Oo, look at the creek! And the cute bridge! Is that a house? Why are they building a house right on the banks of the creek? I see flooding in their future. You can juuuust see the white retaining wall of the new house under the bridge.
Vroom, right past Mannings. Such is the discussion in Brewgal's car.
Anyway, we completely bypassed the Mannings on first try. Made it all the way out to the main road where we saw a sign pointing back the way we came. We quickly deduced, in our Scooby-Doo sort of way, that we had missed the store. That, and the TomTom feebly saying (in its oh-so-cultured English accent, "You have reached your destination. Turn around.")
Thank goodness for the signs. Hello, Mannings? Love the signs! THANK YOU FOR THE SIGNS.
The Mannings is a barn-sized weaving/spinning/yarn store. There I met Ruth, a wonderful person who loved the store so much she got a job there on weekends. When she found out I had never been before, she gave me a tour. Gotta love a store that inspires people to work there in their spare time.
When I walked in I though, Ok, some books and some yarn. Cool. No no no. This was just the first room. The front room has the books, tools and sock yarn. The next room has the laceweight yarn and cashmere. Then there's a room of DK weight and chunky yarn. And a room of spinning wheels. At the back of that room, behind the table of knitters, there is a wall of fleece, helpfully labeled with the type and name of the sheep it came from. With a photo of the sheep. She encouraged the LB's to stick their hands in the fleece to feel it's "hand."
But wait, there's more! There was an entire room of weaving looms. They give weaving classes. This is in addition to the practice looms where you could try out a loom to see if you like it. Then I discovered the wall of discontinued discount yarn.
Holy crap. Discounted Noro.
I was dazed by the time I made it out of the store. I spent an hour there and I know I didn't see everything. I ran into a woman who used to drive out from Ohio just to shop at Mannings. And another who drove up from DC weekly for classes.
I see more trips to The Mannings in my future.
For lunch, we went to Appalachian Brewing Company. I had the Barley Wine and Brewguy had the Porter. Actually he had two. The first ended up all over me.
A toast!
Clink!
Slurp.
Sploosh. A full pint of porter all over Brewgal. Soaking my jeans. Dribbling into my purse. Across my shirt. We've all had a beer or two spilled on us in the past, I'm sure. However, the experience of having a full pint of high gravity porter draped across my Levis in January, when the prospect of changing is nil because I've subscribed to the mantra of pack light and that means no backup pants, and baby it's COLD outside, tends to sour the outlook slightly.
Then I remembered Gettysburg now has outlet shopping. Hello, Old Navy!
Kudos to our server, Ben, who quickly helped up wipe up the porter-y mess and brought Brewguy a new glass gratis.
Here we see pint #2. Note that Brewguy is carefully keeping his wayward arms AWAY from this one.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Guest blogger
We have a guest blogger tonight, folks. It's Little Brewer #1 and she writes about her day. Welcome to Lincoln Street, Little Brewer #1!
Today I did the blocks. It`s tens, ones, and hundreds and we modeled them with blocks. That’s what I mean by blocks. I think today was pretty fun, but not as fun as mommy+ mommy is the best mom ever. I have a little secret- mommy is the best artist I`ve ever seen. I wouldn`t sell them (Mommy or Daddy) for anything.
Today I went to music and we sang bow-wow-wow. It`s a weird song. It`s too hard to spell the whole song for you. It`s pretty short but too hard to spell. I can try but I won’t. It`s been such a hard day since I`m sick. But let’s hope for the best. Like I said today was hard. I`m getting better. But I`ve still had the best day ever!
Today I did the blocks. It`s tens, ones, and hundreds and we modeled them with blocks. That’s what I mean by blocks. I think today was pretty fun, but not as fun as mommy+ mommy is the best mom ever. I have a little secret- mommy is the best artist I`ve ever seen. I wouldn`t sell them (Mommy or Daddy) for anything.
Today I went to music and we sang bow-wow-wow. It`s a weird song. It`s too hard to spell the whole song for you. It`s pretty short but too hard to spell. I can try but I won’t. It`s been such a hard day since I`m sick. But let’s hope for the best. Like I said today was hard. I`m getting better. But I`ve still had the best day ever!
Gettysburg report, part 1
Well, we're back from Gettysburg. I got a fabulous deal on a hotel room that allowed us to stay for two days, rather than one. See fabulous view above.
Friday: I worked at home, which enabled me to be finished by 3:00. This meant LB#1 could come home on the bus, rather than going to aftercare. She informed me that I was *not* to pick her up at the bus stop. She was going to walk home.
[mother anxiety kicks in- what if somethinghappenscarsbadpeopleeek!]
Deep breaths.
Me: "Are you sure you want to walk home?"
LB1: "Yes. Next door neighbors 1 and 2 do it all the time. I'll just walk down the street and knock on your door."
Me: "You mean our door?"
LB1: "Yes. Our door. To our house."
Me: "You know, you can come right in to your own house."
LB1: "Oh, yeah."
This exchange is probably my own fault, having trained them not to walk into other people's houses without knocking.
At bus arrival time, I dutifully did not walk up to the stop. I stood in the carport, watching. When I saw her get off, I zipped back inside and pretended to read the paper. She made it home and was beaming, so proud to have done this by herself.
Then, off to pick up LB#2, drive over to my parent's house to water their plants (those crazy cruising seniors), back home, pack, wait for Brewguy to get home, pile in car, drive!
I still cannot believe we used to drive this commute twice a day for 4 years.
We got takeout from Tommy's Pizza for dinner and ate it in the hotel room (a Little Brewer request). Tommy's now has a drive through window but they won't let you buy beer through the window. Brewguy had to pick up the order, park the car, and go inside to buy the beer. Pennsylvania- keeping us safe from drive through beer.
The entire first hour was spent trying to get LB2 to turn down the volume on his voice, because when he's excited he TALKS LIKE THIS. REALLY, REALLY LOUD. I hope this kid finds a use for his projection talents. We finally had to explain that if the other guests complained about how loud we were being, the hotel wouldn't let us stay here anymore. That seemed to make an impression.
LB2, whispering: "Do we have to whisper?"
What a cutie.
Tomorrow: Brewgal has a run-in with porter and finds nirvana.
Friday: I worked at home, which enabled me to be finished by 3:00. This meant LB#1 could come home on the bus, rather than going to aftercare. She informed me that I was *not* to pick her up at the bus stop. She was going to walk home.
[mother anxiety kicks in- what if somethinghappenscarsbadpeopleeek!]
Deep breaths.
Me: "Are you sure you want to walk home?"
LB1: "Yes. Next door neighbors 1 and 2 do it all the time. I'll just walk down the street and knock on your door."
Me: "You mean our door?"
LB1: "Yes. Our door. To our house."
Me: "You know, you can come right in to your own house."
LB1: "Oh, yeah."
This exchange is probably my own fault, having trained them not to walk into other people's houses without knocking.
At bus arrival time, I dutifully did not walk up to the stop. I stood in the carport, watching. When I saw her get off, I zipped back inside and pretended to read the paper. She made it home and was beaming, so proud to have done this by herself.
Then, off to pick up LB#2, drive over to my parent's house to water their plants (those crazy cruising seniors), back home, pack, wait for Brewguy to get home, pile in car, drive!
I still cannot believe we used to drive this commute twice a day for 4 years.
We got takeout from Tommy's Pizza for dinner and ate it in the hotel room (a Little Brewer request). Tommy's now has a drive through window but they won't let you buy beer through the window. Brewguy had to pick up the order, park the car, and go inside to buy the beer. Pennsylvania- keeping us safe from drive through beer.
The entire first hour was spent trying to get LB2 to turn down the volume on his voice, because when he's excited he TALKS LIKE THIS. REALLY, REALLY LOUD. I hope this kid finds a use for his projection talents. We finally had to explain that if the other guests complained about how loud we were being, the hotel wouldn't let us stay here anymore. That seemed to make an impression.
LB2, whispering: "Do we have to whisper?"
What a cutie.
Tomorrow: Brewgal has a run-in with porter and finds nirvana.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Scarf for me
After crocheting 9 curly holiday scarves I felt it was time to make something for myself. I took advantage of the birthday discount at Woolwinders to buy some Nashua wooly stripes yarn in Fiesta.
This is worked in a 2x2 rib for four rows, then two rows of garter stitch.
CO 34
Knit first stitch, K2, P2 to last stitch, Knit last stitch. Repeat this row 4 times.
Knit all stitches across. Repeat this row 2 times.
Continue until desired length.
One skein gives approximately 14.5 inches. I'm on skein #4, and I suspect I'll have to go to skein #5 to finish the scarf to the length I desire. It's a lovely yarn, easy to work with. There is a bit of variation in the thickness, with some sections being quite loose and fluffy while others are tightly wound. I love it. The colors are so vibrant! I went back to the store the week after I bought this to get some more, which I plan to make into a hat.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
More fun photos from our trip to Las Vegas in December, 2007.
The view from our tower room at the Luxor, looking toward Las Vegas Ave and McCarran airport. In the morning you could see planes taking off.
Shot from the front of the Venetian, looking toward Treasure Island (or TI, as it is now called.)
Gondolas inside the Venetian. I loved that the security guards inside the Venetian were dressed like Italian cops. Nice touch.
Brewguy's Fancy Tuna sushi at Ichiban in the Bally's mall. Brewguy's dish looked really tasty. How can you go wrong with avocado?
Ichiban was the best of the sushi places we tried over the three days. They are located in the underground mall between Bally's and the monorail station. Because I'm allergic to fish, I typically have vegetarian option or tempura shrimp. In my opinion, well-made tempura shrimp is the hallmark of a good chef. 
Mmm. Tempura.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
I got a very nice thank you note from LB#2's teacher today. She said thank you for the crocheted scarf. She wrote that a lot of time must have gone into making it. I am thrilled! Not only because she recognized the amount of time, but that she could tell the difference between a knitted and a crocheted scarf. This teacher's a keeper. :-)
Monday, January 07, 2008
Commuting is an adventure. Traffic volume was remarkably low, given the potential. Brewgal’s time was 35 minutes today. Not too bad for a 14 mile run in the Washington DC area. Mondays can be quite bad. Thursday is the absolute worst day. My opinion is that everyone who wants to take Friday off comes in on Thursday to make up for it.
Commuting highlights for today included a van who seemed to be allergic to going the speed limit, a contractor truck blocking the turn lane into my campus with guys standing around IN THE LANE without warning cones or signs (that behavior will get you killed, y’all), and an 18-wheeler pulling out in front of me. Buses do this to me with alarming regularity too. Why me? Do I have a big “pull out in front of my shiny red SUV” sticker on my grille?
Slowly, ponderously, the truck pulled out into traffic, blocking first my lane then all three lanes southbound. Eeek! I slammed on my brakes and leaned on the horn, praying that the idiot who had been weaving in and out between cars a minute earlier would be attentive enough to not crash into the backside of my car. I lost my first beloved Volvo, Helen, to a rear-end crash by a teen driver. I’d hate to lose two Volvos the same way.
No crash. Good. Narrowly missing a street sign in the median, the truck moved through the intersection, put two wheels up and over the opposite curb, and lumbered on its way.
Commuting highlights for today included a van who seemed to be allergic to going the speed limit, a contractor truck blocking the turn lane into my campus with guys standing around IN THE LANE without warning cones or signs (that behavior will get you killed, y’all), and an 18-wheeler pulling out in front of me. Buses do this to me with alarming regularity too. Why me? Do I have a big “pull out in front of my shiny red SUV” sticker on my grille?
Slowly, ponderously, the truck pulled out into traffic, blocking first my lane then all three lanes southbound. Eeek! I slammed on my brakes and leaned on the horn, praying that the idiot who had been weaving in and out between cars a minute earlier would be attentive enough to not crash into the backside of my car. I lost my first beloved Volvo, Helen, to a rear-end crash by a teen driver. I’d hate to lose two Volvos the same way.
No crash. Good. Narrowly missing a street sign in the median, the truck moved through the intersection, put two wheels up and over the opposite curb, and lumbered on its way.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Brewguy moved into his new office today. The building used to house the newspaper's printing presses. It has been renovated into office space. All the old presses are gone, with the exception of some sort of count-o-veyer. Most importantly, Brewguy now has an office of his own, after nearly a decade as an editor. A real office with a door and everything! No sharing!
The bad part about moving was that he spent all weekend moving. The little brewers and I went today to help and check out the new space. Although it will take about the same amount of commute time, there is quite a bit more going on in the neighborhood compared to the old neighborhood. LB#2 and I took a quick walk outside. There is a thrift store, quilt store, two vets, an oriental grocery, a Halal grocery, an Indian restaurant, a Melting Pot fondue restaurant, a Pho restaurant, numerous nail places and a 7-Eleven. Just in case a Slurpee emergency arises. Mmm. Cola Slurpee.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
The lions ate yesterday's post.
These are some of the lions from the MGM grand in Las Vegas. Brewguy and I took a quick trip out there in December to celebrate my birthday. It was lovely.
These lions are on display in a glass enclosure in the middle front of the casino. I wonder- can they see through the glass at the visitors? Can they hear the constantly looping tape featuring lion roars? Does it annoy them? Do we look tasty?
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Meet Bertha. Doesn't she look fabulous in her new crocheted curly scarf?
Bertha the Singer 151 dress form was my Christmas present. I've always wanted a dress form. I've found it awkward to try and measuring clothing on my body while I'm in it. Watching the designers on Project Runway gave me all sorts of ideas. I could be a fashion designer if only I had a dress form!
Delusions grander than this have tripped me up.
Little Brewer #1 and I set up Bertha the day after Christmas. After adjusting her to the correct height and measurements, I stood back and took a look.
"Wow, that's a big person!" I thought to myself. "Am I really that tall?"
Apparently I am. However, Bertha is considerably more statuesque in her proportions than I. The smallest bust measurement on this model is 38", so I'll be taking in a least a few inches there. I've heard the more expensive models allow for finer measurement distinctions, but my sewing skills don't warrant that kind of spending.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Going gray and death in the classroom
My hair is going gray. White, rather. It started at age 30, a stressful year. That was the year I started collecting data for my dissertation. It was also the year we purchased a house on my graduate student stipend and Brewguy's photographer job. Money was a constant concern. My advisor had advised me into an experimental design with 64 cells. I was faced with the prospect of running hundreds of participants in groups of 4 (max). No wonder my hair turned white.
It's turning white in streaks at my temples. I think it's rather cool, a nod to my Celtic heritage. However, it's been an interesting experience in societal pressure. My hairdresser is starting to make comments about "highlights," and "covering." I no longer get carded at the liquor store. I see other Moms glancing subtly at my temples. Should I cover it? Dye it?
In other news, the gerbils in Little Brewer #2's classroom died over the Christmas break. No one seems to know exactly how, although one theory is that they died from being overfed. RIP, Pizza and Brownie. LB#2 says, "Brownie and Pizza died. I'm sorry for them because I'm sad that Brownie and Pizza died." Short and sweet.
It's turning white in streaks at my temples. I think it's rather cool, a nod to my Celtic heritage. However, it's been an interesting experience in societal pressure. My hairdresser is starting to make comments about "highlights," and "covering." I no longer get carded at the liquor store. I see other Moms glancing subtly at my temples. Should I cover it? Dye it?
In other news, the gerbils in Little Brewer #2's classroom died over the Christmas break. No one seems to know exactly how, although one theory is that they died from being overfed. RIP, Pizza and Brownie. LB#2 says, "Brownie and Pizza died. I'm sorry for them because I'm sad that Brownie and Pizza died." Short and sweet.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Happy New Year 2008
Crack open the doors on the egg of the new year. It's 2008, everyone! Time for Brewgal's New Year's knitting and crochet resolutions.
- Always carry a project to work on. It does not matter if you are only going out "for a few minutes." That will be the time you are stuck waiting.
- Bravely speak to other knitters and crocheters. The worst that can happen is they may brush me off. The best is I may make a new friend.
- Only work on projects that interest me. Life's too short for bad craft.
- Embrace my Continental Eastern Crossed Combination knitting technique as a cherished legacy, not something wrong to be ashamed of. I was taught to knit by my grandmother, who in turn was taught by her grandmother. I can't imagine trying to tell Grandma she was knitting wrong. Hoo boy.
- Try to use up my stash. Maybe I should just give up on this one right now.
- Photograph my projects before they are given away.
- Finish my projects with enough time to spare so they can be photographed.
- Make sure the camera battery is always &!$#% charged. Stupid camera battery.
- Try a new technique.
- Be kinder to myself. There are plenty of critics in the world. I do not need to carry one in my head.
For everyone: peace and happiness.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Didja miss me?
Didja notice I was missing?
I've been neglecting my blog lately. The combination of computer crash, holidays and unreasonable work requests has pushed my blogging to zero. Therefore, next month I am planning to try an experiment. A blog post every day.
That's right. EVERY FREAK'NG DAY.
My rules are lenient.
Didja notice I was missing?
I've been neglecting my blog lately. The combination of computer crash, holidays and unreasonable work requests has pushed my blogging to zero. Therefore, next month I am planning to try an experiment. A blog post every day.
That's right. EVERY FREAK'NG DAY.
My rules are lenient.
- Posts must contain some content.
- Photos count as a post.
- Vague statements such as "nothing happened today" are off limits.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Crash
An eerie silence settles over Lincoln Street.
Remember all those jokes about appliances that burst into flames the day after their warranty expires? Ha ha! So funny!
Not funny.
Two weeks after our warranty expired, our PC - “Mothership”- graced us with the Blue Screen of Death. Due to either a hardware problem or a software problem, Mothership forgot how to access the XP registry keys, rendering her unable to start up.
After a day or two of Brewguy's attempts to resuscitate Mothership, I called El Jefe* in a fit of desperation and asked him to rate this particular BSOD on a scale of Bad, Very Bad, or Fatal.
He rated it Bad. Ok, not fatal! That’s fixable, right?
Turns out “fixable” is relative. Dell offered to wipe the hard drives and reinstall the operating system if we removed the hard drives from the computer and mailed them in. They carefully made no mention of the actual data residing on the drive. That, it seemed, was toast. Or if not toast, not their problem.
Losing all the data on the drive? Not the most attractive prospect. I was fairly calm about the issue, at least by Brewgal standards. I back up my files regularly and store most of them on the external drive. I was concerned about the potential loss of some iTunes songs, my knitting patterns, and some family history data I’d added since June. However Brewguy, being a photographer, faced the prospect of losing six months worth of work. At 300 photos per week, that’s a lot of photos. Let’s just say he was...motivated.
This incident has made me realize that Little Brewer #2’s sense of time is different than my own.
Can I play X on the computer?
The computer’s broken, sweetie.
Oh.
-two hours later-
Can I play X on the computer?
The computer’s broken, remember?
Oh yeah. Is it fixed yet?
We had this conversation EVERY DAY for two weeks.
Finally, with the aid of Bart PE and the very fine IT guy at Brewguy’s place of employment, we were able to move all the data from the hard drive to the external Maxtor, after which XP was reloaded. It was a tortuous experience- every file had to be moved individually. The hard drive was so confused it refused to boot properly into DOS, and the conditional DOS did not have group file moving privileges.
Back up, back up, back up,
You’d better back up your files!
Back up, back up, back up,
When it crashes there’ll be no smiles.
*El Jefe is, through no fault of his own, my own personal IT guy. Being my brother he puts up with my constant computer badgering. Yay, El Jefe!
Remember all those jokes about appliances that burst into flames the day after their warranty expires? Ha ha! So funny!
Not funny.
Two weeks after our warranty expired, our PC - “Mothership”- graced us with the Blue Screen of Death. Due to either a hardware problem or a software problem, Mothership forgot how to access the XP registry keys, rendering her unable to start up.
After a day or two of Brewguy's attempts to resuscitate Mothership, I called El Jefe* in a fit of desperation and asked him to rate this particular BSOD on a scale of Bad, Very Bad, or Fatal.
He rated it Bad. Ok, not fatal! That’s fixable, right?
Turns out “fixable” is relative. Dell offered to wipe the hard drives and reinstall the operating system if we removed the hard drives from the computer and mailed them in. They carefully made no mention of the actual data residing on the drive. That, it seemed, was toast. Or if not toast, not their problem.
Losing all the data on the drive? Not the most attractive prospect. I was fairly calm about the issue, at least by Brewgal standards. I back up my files regularly and store most of them on the external drive. I was concerned about the potential loss of some iTunes songs, my knitting patterns, and some family history data I’d added since June. However Brewguy, being a photographer, faced the prospect of losing six months worth of work. At 300 photos per week, that’s a lot of photos. Let’s just say he was...motivated.
This incident has made me realize that Little Brewer #2’s sense of time is different than my own.
Can I play X on the computer?
The computer’s broken, sweetie.
Oh.
-two hours later-
Can I play X on the computer?
The computer’s broken, remember?
Oh yeah. Is it fixed yet?
We had this conversation EVERY DAY for two weeks.
Finally, with the aid of Bart PE and the very fine IT guy at Brewguy’s place of employment, we were able to move all the data from the hard drive to the external Maxtor, after which XP was reloaded. It was a tortuous experience- every file had to be moved individually. The hard drive was so confused it refused to boot properly into DOS, and the conditional DOS did not have group file moving privileges.
Back up, back up, back up,
You’d better back up your files!
Back up, back up, back up,
When it crashes there’ll be no smiles.
*El Jefe is, through no fault of his own, my own personal IT guy. Being my brother he puts up with my constant computer badgering. Yay, El Jefe!
Sunday, November 04, 2007
If I were queen...
In which Brewgal reveals her cranky side...
Little Brewer #2's stint as a vegetarian was short-lived. Call it more of a vegetarian flirt. She lasted almost a week. I believe the final straw might have been my Adzuki beans and rice with sweet onions and garlic. Brewguy and I loved it. LB#2 took a bite, made a face and said, "Can I eat meat again?"
My latest task is to make sure she gets enough calcium. We discovered she has not been buying milk at lunch because she says she doesn't like it. The fact that the school only gives them 20 minutes for lunch and the lunch line takes 10 minutes might be another factor.
Warning: rant ahead.
We, as a nation, as SO VERY CONCERNED about childhood obesity, bad eating habits, lack of engagement with nature. Has it ever occurred to anyone that giving children 20 minutes to wolf down their food and then 20 minutes outside for recess might be contributing to this?? 20 minutes? SLOW DOWN. Worried that more lunch/recess time will cut into precious learning minutes? Extend the school day by an hour. That would give flexibility to either have a longer middle-day recess or a second recess at the end of the day so kids can work off some of that cooped-up energy.
And while we're at it, why aren't traffic lights and street lights solar powered? They're outside all day, right? IN THE DAYLIGHT? Has anyone ever thought to install a solar powered backup so that when there is a power outage (like last week during rush hour), the lights would still work and the morons who do not know that intersections without lights are FOUR WAY STOPS would not attempt to drive their cars through mine on their way to ... to wherever they are going?
Rant mode off.
Back to the calcium issue.
I am doing what any goodresearch scientist mother would do. I am experimenting with my daughter. I hypothesized that if I sent milk with her lunch, she would be more likely to drink it. Turn out it is not just the time involved, it is the taste. She does not care for the taste of milk. I sympathize- neither do I. Next hypothesis: change the taste. So far we have been through plain milk, chocolate milk and Very Vanilla soymilk. Next week it will be strawberry milk, vanilla milk and plain soymilk.
Little Brewer #2's stint as a vegetarian was short-lived. Call it more of a vegetarian flirt. She lasted almost a week. I believe the final straw might have been my Adzuki beans and rice with sweet onions and garlic. Brewguy and I loved it. LB#2 took a bite, made a face and said, "Can I eat meat again?"
My latest task is to make sure she gets enough calcium. We discovered she has not been buying milk at lunch because she says she doesn't like it. The fact that the school only gives them 20 minutes for lunch and the lunch line takes 10 minutes might be another factor.
Warning: rant ahead.
We, as a nation, as SO VERY CONCERNED about childhood obesity, bad eating habits, lack of engagement with nature. Has it ever occurred to anyone that giving children 20 minutes to wolf down their food and then 20 minutes outside for recess might be contributing to this?? 20 minutes? SLOW DOWN. Worried that more lunch/recess time will cut into precious learning minutes? Extend the school day by an hour. That would give flexibility to either have a longer middle-day recess or a second recess at the end of the day so kids can work off some of that cooped-up energy.
And while we're at it, why aren't traffic lights and street lights solar powered? They're outside all day, right? IN THE DAYLIGHT? Has anyone ever thought to install a solar powered backup so that when there is a power outage (like last week during rush hour), the lights would still work and the morons who do not know that intersections without lights are FOUR WAY STOPS would not attempt to drive their cars through mine on their way to ... to wherever they are going?
Rant mode off.
Back to the calcium issue.
I am doing what any good
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Strikke news
Remember back when I joined the Samurai's Strikke-along and I said I was going to do a variation on Veronik Avery's Sugarplum pullover?
Yeah, not gonna happen.
I spent some time reading through the instructions and for the life of me, I cannot figure out how to construct that sweater. So I'm going to change and try a simpler yoke sweater.
Here's the tricky part. I've never attempted a) knitting in the round or b) yokes. So I may be calling for help from my fellow Strikkers.
Yeah, not gonna happen.
I spent some time reading through the instructions and for the life of me, I cannot figure out how to construct that sweater. So I'm going to change and try a simpler yoke sweater.
Here's the tricky part. I've never attempted a) knitting in the round or b) yokes. So I may be calling for help from my fellow Strikkers.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Veggie Tales
The big excitement at Chez Casa de Brewgal is that on Thursday last, Little Brewer #1 announced she was a vegetarian.
This may have something to do with LB#1 learning that we kill the animals we eat, not just after they die of natural causes. Or it could be because her BFF has also decided to become a vegetarian and being a vegetarian is so much more fun when your BFF is doing it too.
My reaction to this was, great! I'll dig out my old copy of The Enchanted Broccoli forest and we can explore 1,001 nights of beans and tofu.
I'm not bashing vegetarianism. In college Brewgal took her meals in a co-op in which meat was only served 2x week. I probably could have made the switch to full veggie had it not been for the monthly sermons on the evils of meat eating. Sermons just piss me off. In this case they made me think about all the reasons I chose to eat meat, why I like it so much and as a result, made me want to eat meat. Way to go, veggie-boy. Nothing like a little reverse psychology to start your meal. Rawr.
Anyway, we're into Day 3 of LB#1's vegetarianism and I am beginning to get the sense that her brand of vegetarianism consists of cheese, crackers, corn pops and candy. Candytarianism. If you're going to be a vegetarian you have to actually *eat* the veggies, honey.
Next up: Adzuki beans and rice with garlic and leeks.
This may have something to do with LB#1 learning that we kill the animals we eat, not just after they die of natural causes. Or it could be because her BFF has also decided to become a vegetarian and being a vegetarian is so much more fun when your BFF is doing it too.
My reaction to this was, great! I'll dig out my old copy of The Enchanted Broccoli forest and we can explore 1,001 nights of beans and tofu.
I'm not bashing vegetarianism. In college Brewgal took her meals in a co-op in which meat was only served 2x week. I probably could have made the switch to full veggie had it not been for the monthly sermons on the evils of meat eating. Sermons just piss me off. In this case they made me think about all the reasons I chose to eat meat, why I like it so much and as a result, made me want to eat meat. Way to go, veggie-boy. Nothing like a little reverse psychology to start your meal. Rawr.
Anyway, we're into Day 3 of LB#1's vegetarianism and I am beginning to get the sense that her brand of vegetarianism consists of cheese, crackers, corn pops and candy. Candytarianism. If you're going to be a vegetarian you have to actually *eat* the veggies, honey.
Next up: Adzuki beans and rice with garlic and leeks.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Moderne Baby Blanket 1: Finis!
Brewgal presents the Moderne Baby Blanket from Mason-Dixon Knitting. In crochet.
Brewgal sees the stray ends and notices that it needs to be blocked. Maybe later.
Brewgal sees the stray ends and notices that it needs to be blocked. Maybe later.Sunday, October 07, 2007
Gotta love the medical library
NameThatDisease.com - Test your disease knowledge
I'm wavering between hope and fear that this knowledge will be useful in a practical way someday.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Bug off
Little Brewer #1 has had a run-in with Pediculus humanus, aka head lice. We had received a notice from the school last week warning parents that lice had been found on a few children so I feared this would be coming.
Hair washing, bedding washing, nit-picking. It all seems so...so medieval. My scalp itches just thinking about it. I think I would be more awed by the evolutionary marvel of human head lice if I weren't so icked out by them glued to my daughter's hair.
On top of it all, I managed to slam the loaded laundry basket into my ribs when I caught the corner on a doorframe. So now I'm grossed out and in pain.
I am enjoying Ravelry immensely. I love the database capability, although I hope they will expand their library soon so I can enter my vintage knitting books. I have also discovered I have a load of size F crochet hooks. Who knew? Is 7 too many?
I've also tentatively picked a pattern for the Strikke-along. I'd like to make Veronik Avery's Sugarplum Pullover from Handknit Holidays, using one of the stranded patterns from Norsk Strikkedesign for the yoke.
Hair washing, bedding washing, nit-picking. It all seems so...so medieval. My scalp itches just thinking about it. I think I would be more awed by the evolutionary marvel of human head lice if I weren't so icked out by them glued to my daughter's hair.
On top of it all, I managed to slam the loaded laundry basket into my ribs when I caught the corner on a doorframe. So now I'm grossed out and in pain.
I am enjoying Ravelry immensely. I love the database capability, although I hope they will expand their library soon so I can enter my vintage knitting books. I have also discovered I have a load of size F crochet hooks. Who knew? Is 7 too many?
I've also tentatively picked a pattern for the Strikke-along. I'd like to make Veronik Avery's Sugarplum Pullover from Handknit Holidays, using one of the stranded patterns from Norsk Strikkedesign for the yoke.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
And the seas parted
I cannot wash up
No breakfast for you, my dear
Ravelry calls me
I'm in! I got my Ravelry invite this morning. I've been watching the counter slowly approach, from a high in the 10,000's, to 132 yesterday. I cannot wait to jump in.
I'm Brewgal. Look for me!
No breakfast for you, my dear
Ravelry calls me
I'm in! I got my Ravelry invite this morning. I've been watching the counter slowly approach, from a high in the 10,000's, to 132 yesterday. I cannot wait to jump in.
I'm Brewgal. Look for me!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Moving Forward, Going Back
On a whim I decided to take the little brewers to Gettysburg for the weekend. This is the first time I've stayed overnight in Gettysburg since we lived there. It was an odd, wonderful, disorienting experience. As we drove around I began to understand that life does not stand still, even in a small town. Thank goodness for that. Change and growth is good for the town but begets a whole bunch of "you can't go home again" wailing from traditionalists with a Wolfe fetish.
The little brewers had an absolutely wonderful time. This was Little Brewer #2's first experience in a hotel. Actual transcript:
#2- "Wow, look! Two beds! Do we get to sleep on one?"
Brewgal- "Yes, you two get one bed and I get the other one."
#2- "Look over here! A TV! We can watch TV, just like at home!"
#1- "And the bed is so comfy!"
#2- "Mom! There's even a bathroom! Can I use the bathroom?"
Note the exclamation points. LB#2 likes to speak at FULL VOLUME.
Same and different:
We spent most of Saturday climbing rocks on the battlefield. We took a picnic lunch out to Spangler's Spring. The best climbing rocks are in Devil's Den, but they are a bit much for little kids. Spangler's Spring has a nice flat spot for sitting and some low-level rocks perfect for the LB's. Added bonus: port-a-potties, a must when traveling with small bladders.
I made good progress on the log cabin blanket.
posted by Brewgal @ 11:15AM
The little brewers had an absolutely wonderful time. This was Little Brewer #2's first experience in a hotel. Actual transcript:
#2- "Wow, look! Two beds! Do we get to sleep on one?"
Brewgal- "Yes, you two get one bed and I get the other one."
#2- "Look over here! A TV! We can watch TV, just like at home!"
#1- "And the bed is so comfy!"
#2- "Mom! There's even a bathroom! Can I use the bathroom?"
Note the exclamation points. LB#2 likes to speak at FULL VOLUME.
Same and different:
- The now-defunct Gettysburg Brewing Company storefront is still vacant.
- The karate school has new digs.
- There are at least two new coffee houses.
- The yarn store appears to be gone.
- There is now an Adams County Winery store.
- Kennie's Market has a huge new store.
- The Appalachian Brewing Company has a brewery up on Seminary Ridge (beer review coming soon). And they have good pizza!
We spent most of Saturday climbing rocks on the battlefield. We took a picnic lunch out to Spangler's Spring. The best climbing rocks are in Devil's Den, but they are a bit much for little kids. Spangler's Spring has a nice flat spot for sitting and some low-level rocks perfect for the LB's. Added bonus: port-a-potties, a must when traveling with small bladders.
I made good progress on the log cabin blanket.
posted by Brewgal @ 11:15AM
Monday, September 10, 2007
I lasted 12 hours
My father used to travel around the world chasing eclipses. Brewgal is sure she and her brother were just as annoying as the little brewers, perhaps even more so because Brewgal is renowned throughout the family for being a big pain in the ass and more than a little spoiled as a youngster. How did my mother not strangle us? I would very much like to know because Brewguy is back in Oregon on his now-frequent trip out to visit the MIL, leaving me alone with the little brewers. He has not been gone more than 24 hours and the yelling has already started.
That would be me yelling.
The list of offenses is as follows:
That would be me yelling.
The list of offenses is as follows:
- Little Brewer #2 flogging his sister with a belt (a soft one).
- Little Brewer #1 not letting her brother change the TV channel.
- Constant streams of "Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy!" Jeez, let me ANSWER, willya?
- Having to eat dinner. Apparently serving dinner during play time with neighbors is just unacceptable. I may "forget" to make dinner tonight.
- Bedtime. I would like to make it through one freakin' day without a bedtime tantrum.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Woe is me
Note the normal toenail on the left.
And the injured toenail on the right. I had an encounter with Megan, a curly-haired, beaming, mack truck of a little girl who apparently wears steel-toed sneakers. My toenail gave its life in the service of a hug. A noble end.
I should count myself lucky. I still HAVE a nail. It's just broken off down into the nailbed, making it painful and oozy.
Thank goodness I cancelled that pedicure.
In Strikke-along news, I have decided I'm going to try stranded color. I've mastered the technique in crochet, so I should be able to figure it out in knit. Right? Am I taunting the Knitting Goddess by saying this?
XXOO
Monday, September 03, 2007
RenFest 2007
We took the little brewers to the Maryland Renaissance Festival yesterday. They had a rocking good time. Little Brewer #2 was particularly taken with the sword swallower. He would yell "wow!" and "whoa!" at every trick. How nice to have an appreciative audience. The little guy was so worn out from the experience that he fell asleep in the car on the way home and did not wake up until 6am this morning.
The last time I attended this particular RenFest they had just moved to their new location in Crownsville- at least 20 years ago (that's the 80's for the math-challenged out there). It was much smaller in scope and decidedly more...gritty. The performers would pass the hat around after the show, there was less food, more swearing, and a mud-wrestling pit.
What a change. The site now has more than a dozen permanent buildings, including a horse show ring for jousting (the Maryland state sport), multiple stages, and shops. No more harassing the patrons for cash. Food that includes more than Steak-on-a-stake. It is more kid-friendly but less authentic. Not that it ever was truly authentic, but you know.
I heard one fellow describe it as the "romantic renaissance." Brewguy described it as a renaissance-themed-mall.
Three things I was disappointed not to see:
XXOO
The last time I attended this particular RenFest they had just moved to their new location in Crownsville- at least 20 years ago (that's the 80's for the math-challenged out there). It was much smaller in scope and decidedly more...gritty. The performers would pass the hat around after the show, there was less food, more swearing, and a mud-wrestling pit.
What a change. The site now has more than a dozen permanent buildings, including a horse show ring for jousting (the Maryland state sport), multiple stages, and shops. No more harassing the patrons for cash. Food that includes more than Steak-on-a-stake. It is more kid-friendly but less authentic. Not that it ever was truly authentic, but you know.
I heard one fellow describe it as the "romantic renaissance." Brewguy described it as a renaissance-themed-mall.
Three things I was disappointed not to see:
- A bakery. Bread was one of the food staples of the time. I personally would have loved to eat a variant of the ploughman's lunch with a half-loaf of good bread, some cheese and a brew.
- A brewery. This went hand in hand with the bakery. Wild yeast in the air was used to make the bread rise. The bread starter would then have been used in brewing. In fact, beer was often the drink of choice as water was unsafe. The boiling would kill the pathogens and the yeast would crowd out the bacteria. I'm not suggesting that recipes from the middle-ages be followed exactly. The Reinheitsgebot purity law, specifying that beer was to include only hops, malted barley and water (yeast was not discovered until much later) was not enacted until 1516 so middle-ages brew from the British Isles would probably be very sour and include such diverse ingredients as juniper berries. Nevertheless, I think a good RenBrew would be well-received.
- A fiber artist/spinner. With the exception of one weaver, there were no fiber artists. I expected to see at least one person offering homespun or spinning fiber themselves. I think a shop offering handspun yarn, raw fiber and drop spindles would be great!
XXOO
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Strikke out!
I've decided to join the Strikke Along (see description on Samurai's blog here). Unlike the Steek-along, I'm eligible for this knit-o-rama because:
I am quite nervous about this. I've never joined a knit-along before, primarily because the time I have to knit is never predictable. I may go a week or two without working on a piece due to child/work/whatever issues, so I fear joining and falling behind.
Imagine me sitting on the porch 20 years hence with my grandchildren, working on this project.
My other fear is I will not be able to keep up technically. I love the designs in Norsk Strikkedesign but they are WAY out of my league. (ha! Get it? League? Strikke out? I slay myself.)
I may choose one of the stitch patterns from NS and work it into a hat or scarf. That might make to project more manageable.
- Brewguy is 1/4 Swedish, making me Scandinavian by association.
- I own Norsk Strikkedesign.
- I have some Dale of Norway in my stash.
I am quite nervous about this. I've never joined a knit-along before, primarily because the time I have to knit is never predictable. I may go a week or two without working on a piece due to child/work/whatever issues, so I fear joining and falling behind.
Imagine me sitting on the porch 20 years hence with my grandchildren, working on this project.
My other fear is I will not be able to keep up technically. I love the designs in Norsk Strikkedesign but they are WAY out of my league. (ha! Get it? League? Strikke out? I slay myself.)
I may choose one of the stitch patterns from NS and work it into a hat or scarf. That might make to project more manageable.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
RIP Michael Jackson
No, not *that* Michael Jackson.
The other one. The beer-huntin' guru of brew.
Obit from CNN.com
LONDON, England (AP) -- Michael Jackson, a leading world beer critic who praised the brews of Belgium and acknowledged he would never be as famous as "that Michael Jackson," has died. He was 65.
Jackson, known as "the beer hunter," died Thursday of a heart attack at his home in west London. His body was found by his house cleaner, Paddy Gunningham, his long-term partner, said Friday.
She said he had kept writing and traveling, despite suffering from Parkinson's disease, and that he planned to write a book about the ailment.
"He was simply the best beer writer we've ever known," said Tim Hampson, chairman of the British Guild of Beer Writers.
"He told wonderful stories about beer, breweries and far away places. He told the story of beer through people, and he was humorous and erudite at the same time," Hampson told The Associated Press.
Jackson especially loved Belgian brews. His books "The Great Beers of Belgium" and "World Guide to Beer" introduced them to many export markets, including the United States.
By identifying beers by their flavors and styles, and by pairing them with particular foods and dishes, Jackson helped give birth to a renaissance of interest in beer and breweries worldwide that began in the 1970s, including the North American microbrewery movement.
Craft beer lovers everywhere shall mourn.
The other one. The beer-huntin' guru of brew.
Obit from CNN.com
LONDON, England (AP) -- Michael Jackson, a leading world beer critic who praised the brews of Belgium and acknowledged he would never be as famous as "that Michael Jackson," has died. He was 65.
Jackson, known as "the beer hunter," died Thursday of a heart attack at his home in west London. His body was found by his house cleaner, Paddy Gunningham, his long-term partner, said Friday.
She said he had kept writing and traveling, despite suffering from Parkinson's disease, and that he planned to write a book about the ailment.
"He was simply the best beer writer we've ever known," said Tim Hampson, chairman of the British Guild of Beer Writers.
"He told wonderful stories about beer, breweries and far away places. He told the story of beer through people, and he was humorous and erudite at the same time," Hampson told The Associated Press.
Jackson especially loved Belgian brews. His books "The Great Beers of Belgium" and "World Guide to Beer" introduced them to many export markets, including the United States.
By identifying beers by their flavors and styles, and by pairing them with particular foods and dishes, Jackson helped give birth to a renaissance of interest in beer and breweries worldwide that began in the 1970s, including the North American microbrewery movement.
Craft beer lovers everywhere shall mourn.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Pain threshold
Note to self: in future, wear pants whilst working on laptop.
Laptop vent fan = 1, knee = 0. The marks look faintly Dalek-ian, don't you think?
Laptop vent fan = 1, knee = 0. The marks look faintly Dalek-ian, don't you think?
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Blog days of summer
I love August on the East Coast. Love love love it. I especially love the end of August, when the heat is intense and the humidity is so great you imagine you can actually see air.
A screened-in porch is absolutely essential in August to protect you from the mosquitos and yellow jackets. This allows you to sit outside without being molested, listening to the cicadas sing and sing and sing and darn it, sing some more because I don't think those cicadas in CANADA heard you.
When Ken Burns made his documentary of the Civil War, it was his use of the cicada sound loop that made me realize he *got* it. Summer has a sound and it is the cicada.
When the heat/humidity is 98/90, sitting is the best possible activity. And maybe because you've had two children your stomach is not as fine and toned as it once was, and pooches out a little when you sit down. That makes a little roll of fat that tends to get kinda sweaty, which leaches through your shirt leaving a little wet line of sweat. And if you look at it from far away and squint you can imagine it might resemble six pack abs but you know it really doesn't?
That's August.
A screened-in porch is absolutely essential in August to protect you from the mosquitos and yellow jackets. This allows you to sit outside without being molested, listening to the cicadas sing and sing and sing and darn it, sing some more because I don't think those cicadas in CANADA heard you.
When Ken Burns made his documentary of the Civil War, it was his use of the cicada sound loop that made me realize he *got* it. Summer has a sound and it is the cicada.
When the heat/humidity is 98/90, sitting is the best possible activity. And maybe because you've had two children your stomach is not as fine and toned as it once was, and pooches out a little when you sit down. That makes a little roll of fat that tends to get kinda sweaty, which leaches through your shirt leaving a little wet line of sweat. And if you look at it from far away and squint you can imagine it might resemble six pack abs but you know it really doesn't?
That's August.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Winners and losers
The results from the fair are in.
I entered eight items this year (I know- crazy!): three hats, two scarves, a small afghan, a sweater, and a belt. The sweater nearly killed me. I was sewing seams two hours before the entry deadline.
I am proud to say that not only did I successfully attempt CABLES and BLOCKING, but the sweater actually fits me. Except for some weird arm shaping. I think I can fix that post-fair.
Sorry about the poor detail photo. There's nothing particularly wrong with this scarf, although I admit it's not my best effort.
The crochet afghan category is highly competitive. I thought the curly edge would catch the judge's attention. It's perfect for little hands to grab on to. Alas, the judges did not agree.
Wha? Third? This was the hat I made for my father last Christmas and in my opinion, the most challenging piece for me. This design was incredibly difficult to execute. Third??
I was into the curlicues last year. I actually wore this scarf in my passport photo. I look like I'm being strangled by a sea slug.
Item 5: Crochet infant hat. Prize: second.
More curlicues! Brewgal's standard baby hat design.
I made this the week before the fair. Little Brewer #1 chose the color scheme. I felt it was a winner. Faux hatband with two-tone crochet flower? How could the judges not love it?
XXOO
I entered eight items this year (I know- crazy!): three hats, two scarves, a small afghan, a sweater, and a belt. The sweater nearly killed me. I was sewing seams two hours before the entry deadline.
I am proud to say that not only did I successfully attempt CABLES and BLOCKING, but the sweater actually fits me. Except for some weird arm shaping. I think I can fix that post-fair.
First, the losers.
Item 1: Knit scarf, in a 2x3 broken rib-type pattern. Prize: honorable mention.
Sorry about the poor detail photo. There's nothing particularly wrong with this scarf, although I admit it's not my best effort. Item 2: Crochet baby afghan, half-double crochet surrounded by single crochet and a curly border. Prize: fourth place.
The crochet afghan category is highly competitive. I thought the curly edge would catch the judge's attention. It's perfect for little hands to grab on to. Alas, the judges did not agree.Item 3: Crochet adult hat with celtic border in tapestry crochet. Prize: third place.
Wha? Third? This was the hat I made for my father last Christmas and in my opinion, the most challenging piece for me. This design was incredibly difficult to execute. Third??Next, the winners.
Item 4: Crochet scarf, overall curly. Prize: second.
(I love how they display the entries under Saran Wrap.)
I was into the curlicues last year. I actually wore this scarf in my passport photo. I look like I'm being strangled by a sea slug.
Item 5: Crochet infant hat. Prize: second.
More curlicues! Brewgal's standard baby hat design.Item 6: Knit sweater, plain knit with cable arm design. Prize: second.
A step up from last year's shruggigan. Cables attempted! Ha!
Item 7: Crochet belt. Prize: second.
I made this for Little Brewer #2 last year. I entered this on a whim just because there was a category for it. I couldn't tell if there was any competition in this category. Little Brewer #2 was very anxious when I entered this. He was afraid he would not get it back. Not that he ever wears the darn thing.
And finally, Item 8: Child's crochet hat with flower. Prize: first.
I made this the week before the fair. Little Brewer #1 chose the color scheme. I felt it was a winner. Faux hatband with two-tone crochet flower? How could the judges not love it? In conclusion, I have no idea what the judges like. They typically do not provide comments, so I cannot tell what I did wrong or right. I'm plotting next year's entries. I may attempt a log cabin blanket from Mason-Dixon knitting.
XXOO
Monday, August 13, 2007
Hot enough for ya?
I love my car. It has all sorts of cool bourgeois functions like heated seats (fabulous!), heated side mirrors (a triumph!), windshield washer fluid that also cleans my headlamps (those tricky Swedes!), and a radio I can control from the steering wheel (luxury!). It also has a thermometer built into the dash. If the temp drops below freezing, the readout is supplemented by a cute little snowflake (danger! snow!).
On days such as today, there should be a small cactus next to the readout. Or perhaps a melting glacier?
On days such as today, there should be a small cactus next to the readout. Or perhaps a melting glacier?
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Friday, August 03, 2007
We're thinking of you MN
I was planning to write something about the Minneapolis bridge today but I couldn't. I mean, really, what can you say? I'm sorry? That makes it sound like I'm apologizing for an event over which I had no control.
My deepest condolences to the people of Minneapolis and Minnesotans everywhere.
I like Minneapolis. It will forever be etched in my memory as "the city that vacuums its sidewalks." Seriously! When visiting Minneapolis many years ago on the way to Duluth, I happened to be up very early. Looking out of my hotel window I could see a fellow carefully pushing an industrial vacuum down the sidewalk. "Wow," I thought to my 12 year old self, "they must really want the city to be clean."
Granted this was many, many years ago, but that's how I've thought of Minneapolis ever since. The city that really wanted to be clean.
My deepest condolences to the people of Minneapolis and Minnesotans everywhere.
I like Minneapolis. It will forever be etched in my memory as "the city that vacuums its sidewalks." Seriously! When visiting Minneapolis many years ago on the way to Duluth, I happened to be up very early. Looking out of my hotel window I could see a fellow carefully pushing an industrial vacuum down the sidewalk. "Wow," I thought to my 12 year old self, "they must really want the city to be clean."
Granted this was many, many years ago, but that's how I've thought of Minneapolis ever since. The city that really wanted to be clean.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Frog and Duck
Sounds like a pub. Brewgal's area could use a pub or two. She misses the Gettysburg Brewing Company something awful. She and Brewguy used to spend almost every Friday and Saturday at the GBC drinking Dave's beer and hanging out with the crew. The love of good beer would bring together both townie and college folk. Darts would be played, mug numbers* would be compared, chit-chat would flow, growlers were filled and carried home.
There was a pool table in the back and no TV. Children were welcome. Lite beer was not.
We met college professors, battlefield guides, construction workers, teachers, tourists, and local craftspeople.
Tourists had a hard time with the place. It was run English pub style, which meant there was no table service and the only beer served was Dave's own. You had to go back to the counter to get your food (lovingly prepared by Gail). And did I mention there was no TV or lite beer?
Eventually Dave got tired of both running the counter and brewing the beer. He sold off the brewing equipment, allowing us to drink the remainder of the beer. We had one last mug club party/wake.
The saddest day was when they carted off the tables and chairs.
Now I live in a county that controls alcohol distribution (there are only two counties in the whole darn country that do this). Number of pubs in my local area = 1, and I don't really want to hang out there. It is mostly a restaurant. The beer isn't brewed there. The wait to be seated on any given day can be as long as 45 minutes.
I'd rather sit on my back porch and drink homebrew, thankyouverymuch.
Back to the Frog and Duck.
We all went to the pool last weekend. Soon after we arrived a boy, attended by a rather large gaggle of other boys, walked past cradling something precious in his hands. His mother was calling after him, "don't put it back in the pool!" Turns out he had caught the cutest little frog. As he turned to reply, his hands opened and the frog escaped. There was much screaming and chasing as the boys attempted to recapture the amphibian. It was finally cornered next to the benches. I believe they put it through a gap in the fence so it could find its way down to the nearby creek.
That was wildlife #1.
About an hour later, I noticed a commotion in the main part of the pool. Little Brewer #2 doesn't swim yet so we keep to the 2-3 foot area. People had formed a moving circle in the pool, a circle that was coming our way.
The circle opened. And a duck swam out.
A female mallard. She calmly swam around the pool, speeding up if anyone tried to get too close to her. If kids started splashing her, she just swam away a little faster.
What was a duck doing in the pool? The chlorine couldn't have been too tasty. There are no plants or other edibles (hopefully) in the pool. Had she been raised by humans? Was she lonely? The thought of this duck having lost her family and being forced to seek out company was heartbreaking.
A few minutes later the lifeguard's whistle blew signalling adult swim. All the kids got out of the pool, leaving only a few adults. The duck swam around for a minute more, then took off, flying away over the fence.
I guess she wasn't yet 16.
* The pub had a mug club. Each person was assigned a number on their mug based on the order in which he or she had signed up for the club. The lower the number, the more "status" you had because that meant you had been around since the beginning. Brewguy and I were numbers 11 and 12, respectively. If you're a former GBC mug clubber reading this, I salute you.
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