Cat-Dog Theater…. shows hourly

(click on pic for video if you’re reading this through bloglines…etc)

… don’t worry about Carmen – she could put an end to this any time she wants, and she has many Layla-free zones to escape to. I secretly think she enjoys it, and is the instigator more times than not!

For info on the super-cute new sweater Layla is sporting in this episode of Cat-Dog Theater, check out Kaity’s blog!

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Jury Duty… some observations

So, yesterday they actually called up my “group,” after being in denial all week that I would actually have to go. I pack up lots to keep me entertained, and head off. 8am to 5 pm. Have I mentioned before how wigged out I get nowadays when I’m out of my house for more than a couple of hours. This is not gonna be fun…

1. For starters, I’m amazed after more than 10 years without a jury summons, they seem to have found me again. The hubby gets called every year, sometimes twice.

2. The jury assembly room is not NEAR as nice as it was 10+ years ago when I was last there. MUCH smaller and far more crowded. This is not helping my being out of the house issues.

3. People’s ideas of “business attire” REALLY runs the gamut! I mean, I was feeling a little bad wearing jeans, but I did have on a nice jacket. I tell ya what – I was looking good, which is saying a lot :o)

4. Once we were up in a courtroom, when one guy “got told” by the bailiff for reading his paper when he was supposed to be paying attention, I didn’t get figure I should pull out my sock and start knitting. Bummer…. all dang day at jury duty, and since I got called up to a courtroom after the first hour of sitting around…. I didn’t get much knitting done. Didn’t open my book, either.

5. I must have a very scary, unapproachable air about me. I don’t think so… I’m a happy, kind, thought I looked like a nice person, but no one all day, at jury duty or pretty much anywhere, really, ever asks me about my knitting. I read people’s blogs all the time where people get comments when they KIP – me, never. Hmmm, what’s with that?

6. I’m either WAY more conservative, or WAY more honest than the majority of potential jurors. I actually did get called upstairs into a courtroom – a group of about 45 of us the judge and lawyers were gonna grill to find their final 12. I’m actually pretty glad I didn’t get called into the juror box to answer all the questions.

A. For starters, they probably interviewed 35 people… ages ranging 18 to probably 70. One of the questions was how long have you lived in the county. No kidding, the person who had lived in the county the longest had lived here 17 yrs. Now, this has nothing to do with my being conservative, but I was NOT looking forward to saying I’d lived her 47 years! Dang, I’m getting old.

B. Here’s where I seem to be WAY to conservative, closed minded, or whatever… I’m still trying to work it all out in my mind…. am I a bad person, or are the rest of them just liars? (and… mind you, we’ve all raised our right hand and have sworn we won’t lie, perjury and all that, ya know) The “defendant” is in prison garb, has not been able to post bail or get someone to do it for him, is charged with 2 counts of domestic violence, 1 count of threat with a deadly weapon, and 2 counts of child endangerment. He has 2 prior felony convictions, and has been convicted twice before for domestic violence. Now…. we’ve all been told we are to consider him innocent until proven guilty…. and I’m seriously telling myself, honestly, you’re gonna have to prove to me he’s innocent, because I’m pretty sure he’s guilty. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m not the juror they want. But one by one, when asked whether anyone has a problem with knowing all that about the guy, can you put all that aside and not let it color your weighing of the evidence, no kidding, all but ONE person said, oh, sure, absolutely. Not a problem.

Now, I’m wondering, am I awful?, am I just a big ol’ conservative jerk?, do I actually truthfully tell the truth if I get up there? Am I gonna look like some sort of conservative, stiff necked freak? I decide I’m telling the truth… but, I’m also secretly glad it never gets that far and I don’t have to say I’ve lived here 47 years and you’ve gotta be kidding me if you think I don’t already think that guy’s guilty.

Yeah. Well, I’m pretty sure I would have been excused… so it’s all good.

But, please, if you ever see me knitting in public, please come up and say hi, ask me about my knitting, say there’s no way I could have lived in the county for 47 years because I don’t look a day over 30…. and that all those other potential jurors were lying through their teeth. I’ll love you forever.

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Forever Blowing Bubbles

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A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That…

..because I’m scattered lately.

First off – Lizard Ridge is coming along nicely. These blocks are FUN to make! It’s on hold until I get around to buying Kaity and I some more Noro. Isn’t it going to be awesome?

I cast on for another new project, the Peace Shawl from Iknitiative. The only place I have ever seen this was when I saw it worn by Lois, my LYS owner. There’s not even one on Ravelry yet. It is very simple, and it just spoke to me. It’s proving to be a quick knit. I may even finish it before casting on for something new! Yeah… my new MO, not finishing anything, just starting all KINDS of new projects! I’ve come a long way from my one-project days. I don’t know if it’s a long way forward, or backward, but it’s a long way :o)

And, check this out – Layla’s half-brother from Texas came to visit! Well, actually he came along with my hubby’s parents, who came for a visit. This was somewhat of a miracle, as we were not even sure Pa would make it until Christmas. He’s been battling colon cancer, but is in remission! What a miracle. God is good. We were so happy to be able to spend some time with them.

Layla’s half-brother’s name is Tex (ok… so the inlaws are not so original with names), and he’s 3 weeks older than Layla. Same dad (purebred Yorkie), but different moms (shitzu-poodle mixes)… don’t they look different! Tex is quite a bit heftier, too. They had SUCH fun! Layla was sad to see him go.

But, now she’s off to her newest favorite “sport” – catching bubbles. She would do this all day, but we finally have to stop playing, because, even though they’re non-toxic, eating that many bubbles can’t be good for such a tiny dog!

I should try and get a video – it’s pretty fun!

OK – carry on and have fun yourselves. Have a great day!

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Working Together

I was talking out loud yesterday, while surfing “the Ravelry”, and commented to Kaity that I’ve always wanted to knit a whole Lady Eleanor stole, but #1 – it would take me forever, and #2 – it would cost what is, to me, a small fortune.

Then I babbled on about how I’ve just about talked myself into knitting it anyway, as a long-term project, just buying a ball or two of Kureyon whenever we go to the LYS, and picking it up to knit whenever I felt like a break from whatever the project-du-jour is.

Then, Kaity had an even better idea! She said she would help me do the same thing, if little by little we could knit Lizard Ridge. She even said when we were done with all the squares, if I seamed it, she’d do the crochet border. Perfect! A co-project was born.

So, we figured we’d better swatch, since we knit at very different gauges, but would be working on one project. That little swatch up there was our first try, and it’s perfect. Kaity knit the bottom half, I took over where the marker is, and our gauge is almost spot-on perfect – certainly good enough for what we want to do. The interesting thing about this swatch, Kaity did her part on size 7’s, I knit mine on size 8’s! Hey, whatever works.

So, I cast on with the one lone ball of Kureyon we had lying around. Sure is pretty, isn’t it? We’ll pick up a couple more balls this weekend. We don’t really have a color scheme in mind, just a lot of nature colors and trying to stay away from some of the colorways that are really bright/neon-y. Other than that, just colors that “go together.” You know, nature- lizard inspired. Ok, I don’t know what lizard-inspired means, but I liked the sound of it.

Speaking of nature, we took Layla on a little nature walk down by the river yesterday. She trots right along for such a tiny thing, and loves it! (spot her down in the corner?) We’re gonna have to work on her stamina, though. We only did about a mile loop, and she was starting to slow down a little there at the end!

Speaking of Ravelry – you can find me at Knittogether, Kaity at Kaitybeth, and – guess what?! – we even got my Mom signed up! She’s mfmahan1 and just started, so doesn’t have any projects up yet, but go check her out – make her a friend! I wonder how many 3-generation Ravelry families are out there? Now, we just have work on my sis :o)

Edited to add:  My sister just let me know, she got her Ravelry invite today!  Please go see/friend her too!  barblovesyarn

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These Are a Few of My Favorite Things!

Bloggers are one of my favorite things – you guys make my day!  Four of my amazing blog friends gave me this award, and I am truly humbled.  Punkin of Needle to Needle, Monica of Rubys N Purls, Tammy of Tammy Knits, and Mamma from Neglecting My Kids.  EACH of these women inspire me, and they made my day.   I usually try to work when I’m supposed to working, and only check my bloglines when I’m “off the clock,” but I have to admit that when any of the above pop up on my bloglines, I stop what I’m doing and go check them out.

Who else makes my day and makes me stop working immediately?  Well, for sure, Donna from Quiet Life, Katie of Daily Thread, Beth of Felt Like Knitting, Becca of Forward Motion, Gina from Gone Knitting, Kristie of Guilty Pleasures, Lynne from I Was Knit Together In My Mother’s Womb, Theresa of Knitting Underway, Dana from Life in Abundance, Mary Kay of Mamascrapalota, Karen from Musings of a (mostly) Self Taught Knitter, Jennifer from JC Handmade (cutest kids EVER!), and of course, my Kaity, from Kaity Knits A Lot!

Oh my GOSH!  That was HARD!  I just want to list all of you!  I don’t know how many people I was supposed to list, and I still feel like I’ve left so many out!  I’m stressing out over here, and Kaity’s telling my, “Mom, it’s okay….. you’re not going to make anyone mad if you leave them out.”  Well, just know, if I didn’t list you and you’re reading this, please know that you really do make my day – I am just blessed to have  SO MANY awesome blog friends :o)

And, while we’re listing favorite things, here are my HAVE TO LISTEN TO podcasts – Stash and Burn, KnitTogether (coincidence?, really, they’re not me, but they’re awesome), and Mary Kay just started her own Mamascrapalota pod cast!  You can’t beat knitting while you’re listening to knitting!

And…. last but not least, here’s an update on the best knit ever… I have seriously worn these puppies EVERY day, nonstop, since the day I finished them, unless I have to leave the house (and even then, if I don’t have to get out of the car… I’m wearing them!).

So, there ya go…. these are a LOT of my favorite things!

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