Monocle

Progression of thought is a curious thing. I started thinking about how I would like a monocle. Who knows why I thought that, but I did. So I started thinking could I find one to buy on the web. After some time of tripping through the Internet fantastic I took a left turn into the image gallery of monocles. I somehow had the tickle of a memory that Romaine Brooks had painted Lady Una Troubridge with her dachshunds and a monocle, looking particularly butch. After more searching I finally found the image I was looking for. And again I thought my doesn't she look particularly butch. The monocle, the gentlemanly attire, or the silly little dachshunds, all contribute to the aura. However, for me it is all about the attitude. There is something in the set of her mouth and the direct, almost aggressive, look right into the viewers eyes which says she is a sapphist. I pondered the expression for awhile and then went back to the monocle. I still need to find one, only goddess' knows where I will wear such a frivolous thing!

Divine Hair

So my wonderful friend, transplantmom, took me to the movies Christmas morning. I think it was take a gentile to the movie day, I rewarded her kindness by dumping popcorn all over her and the two chairs in front of us. Fortunately, no one was sitting there yet. I doubt she takes me to the movies again after that.

However, we wanted something bright and cheery so of course we went to see Sweeney Todd. I loved it, the music, the sets, the gore, Johnny Depp's hair. Fabulous. I also enjoyed Alan Rickman playing an evil judge, he does evil so well. Did I mention Johnny Depp's hair? Anyway, not only was it a feast of entertainment, but it was also a feast of knitting. The scarves, shawls and wristwarmers were everywhere. I am thinking it will be a great season for wristwarmers and aren't I glad I know how to knit them. If only I can crank out a pair for myself. Anyway, for the goth children and the goth children wannabes run to the theatre and see Sweeney Todd you will love it. Oh and in case you missed it Johnny Depp's hair is divine.

Is that the reason so many tea-things are put out here?

Truthfully, I am not a very Christmassy kind of person. I just like getting the days off from work. I can get behind any holiday that allows me to be paid not to be at work. So, I try not to be a scrooge, but overall I dislike carols and the combination of red with green does not inspire me. That said, look at my beautiful Christmas present from my cuz. She knitted me this beautiful tea cozy out of Noro yarn. It looks especially (dare I say it) FABULOUS cuddled around one of my fiestaware teapots. I love it even if I did need a course on how to dress a teapot. I originally tried to put it on upside down.

I think about all the tea-things I possess and I am sure the Mad Hatter would be jealous. I could have a non-stop tea party for days, if I only had a longer table. Regardless, this is one more wonderful addition to the party.

Much muchness

I look out my window and see snow, so I thought I would think of something tropical. This photo is one of my pictures from Hawaii. It made me think of a Hawaiian Christmas instead of the white one taking place outside. It is amazing that we always want what we don't have. If I was in Hawaii maybe I would be wishing for a white Christmas. Okay, that is a laugh because I would never want snow no matter what the holiday.

I have spent the last two days shuffling around in my jammies because I slept funny Thursday night and woke up in a world of hurt in my back on Friday. I did not even go to work, I couldn't put socks on. I thought about wearing sandals to work but realized they were on a shelf and my reaching ability was limited. I felt so bad I sent my girlfriend to LYS, Knitorious (www.knitorious.com) to save me from a bad yarn situation. I see her walking in very determined, but completely looking like a fish out of water going up to the yarn girl in charge and saying, "Help! Tempesttea needs more yarn." I am sure the head yarn girl smirked at that one. She has a clue how much yarn I have. Anyway, kudos to the LYS staff and my girlfriend, job well done. Second bracelet is progressing well. The village approach to solving yarn problems was a smashing success. Love you guys.

Three-legged pack dog

So I knitted a belly band Lanie after much pleading from her father to do so. Dyebolical Yarns (stlrachelknits.blogspot.com) suggested that I should have knitted a pockets in Lanie's belly band. Thanks for giving the taters' dad ideas Dyebolical. Anyway, this is the belly band modeled by Lanie. It was suggested that her tummy got cold because the missing leg isn't there to shelter her tummy. So this is the end result. She immediately tired to chew it off. But my duty is done. If Lanie's belly gets cold, I have done my part to keep it warm.

Also, this morning at 5:40 am after 2 hours of labor my niece gave birth to her third child, Joshua Warren Queen. Joshua was 7 plus pounds and twenty inches long. Thankful, my niece is getting her tubes tied in six weeks, so no new babies for a long time, until my baby sister starts reproducing.

Just a Pack of Cards

I love the color green, especially the same green as a granny smith apple. My mother calls it god awful green, but I like it. Most of my friends know I love this color and they always call it my green. I even imagine sometimes that I could dye my hair this color. I would love that, but ascetically I think it would be just too much, but then again I think if you can do something, why not over do it. But yesterday at the hairdressers my thought was trust my beauty guru. He wanted my hair shorter and darker, so today instead of god awful green hair I have short brown hair. Maybe he was right, but still green hair would have been fabulous on me.

So last night I went to a bar to hear the sounds of Fruit Jam. Fruit Jam is the band my girlfriend plays the sax for. They play mostly big band and swing music, not really my favorite, but I am all about supporting my friends. The band sounded great, especially awesome was "As Time Goes By."

I know my girlfriend doesn't like for me to knit while we are out, and at a bar during a gig would have probably been to much for her, but I outsmarted her. I took knitting for her dog. She wants a belly band for her three-legged dog, Lanie. Apparently , Lanie's tummy gets cold because she doesn't have the leg to shield the belly. I thought well, okay, so I used some odds and ends I had and experimented with some stitches. So all and all, it was a good knitting weekend.

And a cake marked eat me

Today I dashed into Jilly's Cupcake Bar http://www.jillyscupcakebar.com/Home.html

for dinner. Talk about eating healthy. I had a s'more cupcake and a 2% steamed millk. The food gestpo is probably looking for me right now. Anyway, the place is really kind of cool. It was almost the end of the day so I didn't have to much to choose from, but you know that might have been a good thing.

It was obsence the way I made love to that cupcake. The chocolate icing and with the marshmellow and carmel drizzled on it, obsence I tell you. I think the only thing that could have made it better was if it had a marshmellow center. By the goddesses of indulgence, I would have went into a coma on that one. Anyway, the chocolate hopped me up so much I am still reeling from the sugar. My final pronouncement is mmmmm yummy in my tummy.

The time has come

Finally, I am done with this project. And yes to those counting it is another ribbon scarf. It has been one of the worst project I have worked on so far. I saw the pattern for a scribble scarf in Mason Dixon Knits and thought it was lovey. Lovely, yes, but my choice of material was probably my downfall. I chose ribbon, the slippery stuff, and mohair, the clingy stuff. And to make the matter worse this is part of my mother's Christmas present. The mistakes are legion here, and I do mean legion. And I never want to work with mohair again. That stuff is awful and it feels funny too. At one point the ball of ribbon rolled away and into the other room meanwhile the mohair was knotted up at my needles. It was pitiful, I was pitiful. But last night with the help of my cuz and Torchwood I got it done. Yeah for me!!! So looking beyond the mistakes I will give it to my mom and she will inevitably say, "Dear this is nice," and put it away with the painted pasta necklace I made her while I was in the first grade. We will never discuss it again.

As to the rest of my week it has been a whirlwind of errors. I forgot to check the schedule this week and didn't show up to open the library. For those who want to know how you open a library, you use a key. But that getting it ready to open requires a list things that have to be done before the patrons come in at nine. A co-worker begrudingly picked up the slack for me, but trust me I will pay for that. I lost my wallet, but thankful I had dropped it at home, I left my mobile at home for a whole day, and then I drank too much at a party yesterday. All in all not a stellar week. EXCEPT I got the scarf done. So all is not lost.

I did also eat at an amazing Italian restaurant Friday night, Cugino's in Florrisant. The chicken spiedini was awesome. The outside crispy, the inside tender and filled with cheese and tomato, and next to it was a side of rendered lemon butter. I had some love in my tummy after that.

So again something else to go into the plus side for my week.

However, on the negative side is that KGITS who has taken me to good restaurants and given me sweet cranberry wine still gets no e-mail from me, because her e-mail address is out in my car. Sorry KGITS.