First, Jim made so much chilli that we could have exported it to end world hunger, but then again we would have initated the burning off of the rest of the ozone layer with that much methane…course, it could be the new “green” energy (why is it that everything “green” stinks?). Anywho, chilli was awesome.  After that we bribed, begged, pleaded, cried, and finally forced everyone to play Rock Band.

They played & they liked it

After the first few songs everyone was diggin it.  We even found someone who can actually sing Bob Dillian REALLY well! Even with a terrible sinus headache he rocked it out.  Tom really kicked major butt on the drums & the ladies all sang & played guitar. It was awesome.

We had our own little KAL for the incognito cowl which was fun!

I have been knitting a lot lately.

Zag Hat, pattern coming soon!

And Crocheting too.

Cloudy Day Cowl

We also have a new member of our family.

He doesn’t have a propper name so until then he’s Poopers Jr.

He’s a sweet fabulous 8 month old great dane mix that we already love more than anything. 

And on the subject of dogs…

Well, back to puppy proofing the house. Expect more pictures soon!

I won’t bore you though because I fully admit that bankcard is only interesting to people who are in bankcard.  I could wax on about PCI compliance or dues & assessments or truncation but I won’t because that’s not why you come here. 

These days though I’ve been pretty boring & I apologize for that.  Good news for you faithful readers is that I am going to the ranch this weekend for National Alpaca Day (NAD HA!).  Yeah, equally as dorky as comic con or Star Trek I take comfort in the fact that I am still not as dorky as the furries.  (I apologize to all furries I have just offended and I’m sure your not all freaks like those popularized on the internet because I’m a knitter and that doesn’t mean I knit weird creepy toilette paper cozies).

For people who come to Mr Poopers for the pictures here ya go.

Handturned niddy noddie out of yellowheart wood.

I found out yesterday through the Mr’s searching (did I know he read my blog? No I did not so I guess I better stop telling stories about him- yeah right) that there is actually ANOTHER Mr. Poopers out there. :/  Though we share a similar blog name I have to claim that I am the original Mr. Poopers and I will not talk about actual poop (unless it’s animal poop and then I might because it’s funny).  Why “Mr” Poopers? Why not? Enough of your questions! Moving along!

Back to more relevent subjects above is a handturned niddy noddy done out of Yellow Heart which I have mistakenly (and quite randomly) been calling lemon wood. Well, either works if you ask me but the Mr insists I correct myself so I will *sigh*.  It’s YELLOW HEART. And it’s for sale.  If you are in California and come to Ranch Of The Oaks this weekend you can buy it.  If it’s stillhere at the end of the weekend it will be for sale on monday I will post it on the blog and you can buy it through etsy.

Random alert!  the Mr hauling a sheep!

More randomness!

And for those of you that come here for the knitting stuff here ya go…

Liesel Handspun Scarf

I spun this yarnto make this scarf! Crazypants!  Pattern is Liesel & it was fast, fun and totally worth it. Free, easy, & pretty can you ask for more?

Expect tons of pictures from the weekend, not only is it the ranch where we do all sorts of weird, fascinating, fun, and drunken things, but it’s national alpaca day and Carrie is coming & so is Jim & Kathy (though sadly no Jim & Carol which still makes me pout) and other crazy other people who do weird things like help alpacas have sex

I also just remembered that sunday is the 6 year anniversary of our wedding.  6 years since the Mr and I had an 8 minute ceremony that was honestly the best decision of my life.  If you’ve been here long you know how I feel about the Mr.  I love him more than I could ever express.  He’s the flame of my heart and the fuel for my soul, he’s my best friend and my biggest fan. 

Also I’ve pumped out another 15,000 words which brings me to a ridiculous amount of words and pages and characters and plot lines.  It also means that Mildred has moved on to the third person reading the rough draft and the second part of the “book” is being circulated as I type.  So we will see because the second half is when I get going and um…get bloody

So yeah & stuff with things.  I have to say that facebook is the weirdest invention ever. Two people in the last 2 days who I thought were gone from my life forever have surfaced.  It’s pretty damn neat actually.  How do you sum up 6 years of life? Is it bad manners to say, “Um, read my blog”?

"What'd she say?!"

I’m employed. Starting Monday and I think it’s going to be an awesome fit.  This is exactly what I needed, what my family needed. What we needed so we don’t have to move or pack. OR MOVE. 

It was a terrible couple of days but no worse than THIS TIME 2 YEARS AGO! (What the hell is with my family that we need tests every 2 years?)  2 years ago the company 1/2 my family worked for was sold and we were given 5 days to pack our house and get across the country (Ohio to California) and start work again.  I cried.  I think we all cried.  I still miss my house and my huge back yard and snow.

2 years before that the partners at the company we all (my family) worked for fought and we almost went under as they ripped each other apart.

I swore I’d never work with family again (not because I can’t or they drive me nuts because I LOVE working with family) but it’s so scary when you fail.  When you fail everyone fails.  It hurts too damn much.

So here I am on the other side of my 2 year trial.  My husband will be starting his in November along with my FIL and I know it will be ok.  It’s always ok because that is the only option.

Thank you all for dealing with my week of depressing posts. I’m normally a very optimistic (somewhat sickeningly so) person but my heart hurt pretty bad because my family was suffering.  Leave it to me though to fix that kind of suffering in a week.  I should have been in charge of turning the economy around. I probably could have finagled it in 4 weeks. I’m THAT kind of problem solver.

Ok, enough of my babble. I wanted to thank you all for your kind comments though I didn’t reply.  I wanted to thank my MIL for being my second mom, my FIL for being made of magic, Mette & Tom, Jim & Carol who were ok with the prospect of us living in Yurts on their property, Shawna & Rebecca who let me cry on the phone and make no sense, my knittin’ kittens @ Anacapa Fine Yarns who surrounded me in a cushion of happy thoughts, my spinsters who all told me how they had gotten through it and for listening to me talk.  Thank you all.  I’ve never realized how blessed I am until the world starts to crumble.

In other news I’ve been knitting like mad (is there any other way to knit?) and have finished the back and half of the front of the apres surf hoodie except I’ve got no pictures. Maybe tomorrow if the sun actually comes out.

I have supplemented my summer reading with some good gore.  I dig the concepts of this book and at times it’s been funny but there are a few things right off the bat that I’m not a fan of.

ORCS now with women!

1) the sentence structure seems to be lacking somewhat.  The sentences are themselves fine, but the author doesn’t seem to fully employ a compound sentence.  I’m not sure if this is the editor’s fault or the work of the writer.  Each sentence is between 12 and 14 words with few exceptions.  Being a big fan of Tad and Terry and Patrick ect (Williams, Prachet & Rothfus for those of you just joining us) I need long drawn out page long sentences. 

Problem (for me) #2 is um, well there’s sex.  I don’t read sex, any type of sex, which makes this book a little awkward at times.  This book should come with a warning “FOR ADULTS ONLY” because, yeah, ew.  (and it’s not at all that I’m a prude, I just don’t care to read about ‘manhoods’ and the like).

Next for the knitters and spinners.  June 27-28 you all want to be in Lompoc CA.

Froot Loops Socks

Pattern: Froot Loops Socks
Yarn: J Knits Colorway “California” (how appropriate! And delish!)
Needles: US 1 circs
Mods: I added 1 extra pattern repeat to bring the st count to 70 since I was afraid of a lack of stretch. I didn’t need to, but I like it this way.
Verdict: Love

Froot Loop Detail

I think the end result is pretty nice and the yarn is just enough variegated that it adds interest with out detracting from the pattern to much.

Gusset

I ended up keeping a shallow gusset because I like the instep pattern to come right to where the middle of my foot. I don’t like any stockingknit creeping up onto the top of the instep at all!

Froot Loop

Second pair of socks finished this year & I might just be on another sock kick.  It’s summer, I’m laid off and I have quite the sock yarn stash.  Since I am off buying any new yarn I will knit what I have, which means most likely, socks.

I’d like to thank you all again for the wonderful response I got to my Cornrow Socks. I was a little overwhelmed by how nice the responce was.  Especially for a sock I was just kind of making up as I went. I would like you to know also that it is available as a direct download from Ravelry now thanks to my Dad for turning my pattern into a PDF (we have really old versions of word at our house apparently!).

In other news the Mr and I are joining his parents up at June Lake (up near Yosemite National Park) and I can’t wait. It’s a cabin right on the lake and there will be fishing! The FIL is actually thinking about renting a boat so I’m stoked!

Yesterday I met up with my friend Sophia and we had coffee, chatted excessively (which is the only kind of chatting I do), knit and cruised Main St in Ventura for a while. Silliness was to be had.

You all have a fantastic holiday weekend! I’m off to out fish the boys, knit, write, and enjoy some nature! (PS I’m now up to 125,000 words, another 100,000 words & I think this part – yes I did say ‘part’ which isn’t what I was planning on originally – will be done!)

I’ve applied to a few different types of jobs, nothing insane because I know there are things I won’t do and things I can’t do.  I won’t work mind numbing manual labor (that’s not saying I won’t work with my hands, it just has to be stimulating), I won’t sell, I won’t work in a restaurant.  Things I can’t do include accounting,  and IT.  If I could go back to my post high school self I would have whispered this nugget of brilliant.  “Dear Preita, you should double major in accounting and computer science. Then you will never ever be unemployed”

I took per the Mr’s insistence 3 full work days off last week.  3 days where I did not go completely nuts looking for a job.   I slept in till 8 am, had coffee, watched Good Morning America and had many more doctors appointments than I’ve had in the last year.  I had an ultra sound, blood tests and a consultation.  I really love my new doctor and feel so much better than I have in months.  I feel so much better than I have in at least the last 6 months and the only thing that has changed is that I am no longer employed at my previous company.  Two days after being laid off I slept through the night and awoke feeling refreshed for the first time.   I can’t think that isn’t a coincidence.

I have caught up on my Unitarian Universalist podcasts and have had my heart filled by my family and friends. I have written and knitted and found renewed strength.   I spent the week with my niece and am once again amazed how she and her mom always seem to be around when they are needed most.  How at some of the hardest times in my life that little girl has pushed those fears away with her laughter and unbiased bottomless love and healed my heart.  I have received heartfelt much appreicated emails and notes from friends, some of whom I have never met in person and feel fortified by each and every one.

So the hunt is officially on and we are tracking that crafty fox.  In my spare time (because I have been having a normal work day, on the computer by 6:30 to look for jobs, an hour for lunch and done for the day at 5) I have spun the rest of my yellow merino.

Yellow Merino Handspun

I spun this looser and thicker than I normally would then plied it tight.  I really love the smooshiness of the end result.  I still have to work on spinning a bit thicker, I feel really out of control with it.

Yellow Merino Detail

The Mr also finished spinning some yarn.

The Mr's handspun "Zoo Blend"

This was 4 oz of Ranch Of The Oaks “Zoo Blend” which means it had quite a few different animals in there.  Llama, alpaca, Icelandic wool & I think maybe some curly the angora goat.  Either way it’s totally delish and so damn soft.  I think it needs to be some mittens, this yarn should be close to the skin and I think also that it will be super duper warm.

I also finished one Froot Loop sock. I always loved the pattern since I first saw it on Knitty but the pattern looked complicated and though I love cabled socks I rarely knit them because I can’t stand the thought of a cable needle on socks.  This one should have had a exclimation at the top proclaiming “No Cabling Required!”

Froot Loop Sock

 We are also dog sitting again which actually works out well since I’m off work.  I only wish I would have had the MIL set up a grooming appointment for the dog so I could have taken him while they were gone. 

Next weekend we are joining the parents up at June Lake next to Yosemite National Park. I can’t tell you how excited I am.  They rented a two bedroom cabin and I heard tell there is fishing equipment involved!  I know absolutely nothing about fishing other than 1. I love it & 2. I will catch a larger fish than you.  That’s the proven method and it usually does drive people nuts as I cast willy nilly and sometimes with out even bait   What it will allow is some great pictures, some excellent father son time for the Mr & his dad and lots of smiles. I really can’t wait.

Bob says Howdy, he is helping me apply for jobs & is polishing up his typing skills in the process.

In other news I have been knitting. I think I might have found my knitting mojo again. 

First off. I knit my niece a February Baby Sweater and it is most likely the cutest thing I’ve ever knit.

Pattern: February Baby Sweater
Yarn: Cotton Fleece a little less than 2 skeins
Needle: US 8
Mods: I knit one more increase round which was perfect.

Amazingly it came out perfect, the length of the body, the 3/4 sleeves, all perfect. it still needs a toggle which I will have to do today because they are leaving tomorrow morning.

The Baba is a big fan of the sweater, she twirls and runs around telling everyone she’s “Pretty!”

The only improvement I could see on this sweater was one actually suggested by the niece herself.  She was convinced that this sweater needed a hood and kept asking for one. I think it would be seriously cute with a hood and am pretty sure I will be knitting one of these sweaters every year of her life until she’s old enough to tell me to stop being a dork.

I also started a new sock (I’m now almost done with the first sock, but you know how we knitters are

Froot Loop Sock

I really love the stitch pattern, but I’m not sure about the twisted stitch heel, it doesn’t seem as nice & secure as the slipped stitch heel.

I also finally finished some spinning!

800+ yds of sock weight Merino

I only meant to spin 400+ yds but I guess I got carried away.

As some of you noticed yesterday I released a new pattern which is becoming way more popular than I thought it would.  I have to make it into a PDF to directly download from Ravelry but for now my computer at home doesn’t have that updated word format that would allow me to do it.

In job news I have stepped lightly through the listings so far.  Picking and choosing what is worth actually applying to, writing a personal cover letter for and putting down on my list for a follow up call.  I know I could go strait back into the same industry but…I’m not sure that I want to.  It’s hard because my first job in this industry was so awesome. I would have bled myself dry for that job, my bosses and the work. This one that I was just laid off from was disappointing, it’s hard to have management that doesn’t inspire you to do your best so I’m a little gun shy about going strait back into that line of work. 

One job that actually interested me when I applied was the position of a court collector.  So we will see. One step in front of the other gets you further than an all out sprint.

This weekend has been a roller coaster of awesomeness.  Seriously, nothing could have been better to help keep my mind off things.  Friday after I left the office for the last time I met up with my MIL, Mr, SIL, BIL & niece for lunch & then later we met again for dinner.   Saturday we met the Mr’s cousin, aunt & mr Jaden for some serious beach time.  If one 2 & 1/2 year old is fun, two are ridiculous!

Jaden & Amelia

 The energy was astounding, these two ran around all day, in the water, out of it, in the sand it was so much fun to watch. It was like two little puppies playing all day.  The Mr was as always, quite a stunning example of “the perfect man”.

the Mr, Amelia, & Jaden

Running to and from the ocean. It was a little chilly which stopped Amelia, but NOT Jaden. He couldn’t have cared less if he had to avoid icebergs, he was going to be IN that water!

Amelia & Jaden running like mad.

There was a little bit of swinging to be had.

 Surprisingly few baby tempers flared.

This face was because she DID NOT WANT a sandwich & mom didn't put them away fast enough.

The day was mostly filled with smiles.

The big hit of the day was sand crabs which Grandpa & the Mr dug up in abundance.

There was a small time when Jaden was convinced that the small bug things were “sharp” which resulted in this scene.

Sunday was, of course, Mother’s Day. We all went over to my MIL’s house for tri tip & family, it was so nice to see everyone and just hang out. The food was excellent and the company was joyous.

The Mothers together.

 Some good tickles were to be had from Great Grandma.

Some new friends were made.

Jerry & Amelia

I also have some knitting projects to blog about in more detail, probably tomorrow though.

Amelia in her February Baby Sweater

I am a Unitarian Universalist and I try very hard to practice “The inherent Worth and Dignity of Every Person” so even if I don’t like you or don’t agree with you I still think that you should be treated with respect, kindness, and dignity.  This was tested  pretty rigorously last week reaffirming my belief that if you are not here making the world a better place you have no place in the world.

Enough of that rant. I did what my moral compass compelled me to do and now feel much more rational about the whole thing.

In other news I have UFOs Knitting has been going slowly for some reason. I feel as though my endless pararde of finished knits from last year stalled out somewhere this year. Maybe it’s because I’m more picky about what I knit or maybe it’s because I’m just trying to use the stash.  Either way it’s a little bit slower in the final production.

February Baby Sweater

February Baby sweater in cotton fleece for my niece Amelia For some reason I put off knitting this sweater though I can’t remember why. Maybe it was the incredible growth spurts my niece is prone to (you may say this is normal, but man, the girl is TALL) or that every time I think about this knit it’s summer in Arizona where she lives.

Either way, I found out that my BIL, SIL & niece are coming for a visit early next month and I thought that it was a great time to knit it. Not only would the weather be perfect, (warm days but the nights are still cool) but I would be able to get some modeled shots.  I made the sleeves 3/4 length so that mom wouldn’t have to roll them up & I made it out of a sturdy but light cotton. So at least it will get one springs worth of wear. I just need to sew the sleeves, wash, block & find a toggle for the front

I also finished my first cornrow sock last week at knitting.

Cornrow sock.

This isn’t a great picture and I don’t really like socks with out feet in them, but I don’t have two socks to model so there you go.  (also, I love my moose sock blockers) I decided to continue the pattern down the heel flap because the sturdiness and flatness of the stitch pattern really lendt itself well to it. Hopefully by the end of the week I will have two finished socks and a free pattern for ya all.

I probably didn’t mention but two weekends past the Mr and I snagged some fish out of my MIL’s pond for our own pond. How many grown adults does it take to herd gold fish into a net? At least 3, and only if one is on her knees with her arm in the water up to her elbow.

Not sated with the 5 beautiful fish we managed to snag from them the Mr wanted a Koi. So we stopped by petco and picked up a just delivered bag of koi. Two butterfly koi which I am really totally in love with.

Koi for our pond

One is a fantastic mind blowing yellow and the other a lighter orange/gold than the comets we have in the pond already. Everyone seems to have settled in quite well and Mr Mellow Yellow there is apparently king of the fish as they all follow him around and won’t make a move with out him which I find funny.

We also had a small skirmish at the house this weekend. All was peaceful as it should be till the great Bob-zilla, unhappy with his complete rule over the lands of Floor, Couch, and Bed decided to attack the good hearted lego people of Dining Room Table.

It was a brutal battle, every man that could carry a weapon turned out to defend the walls. There were indeed times when it looked quite grim as the beast seemed impervious to arrows and spears.

A sneak attack from the back of the castle was tried gaining the great Bob-zilla access to the castles rear courtyard, but trusty knights were quick to flock to the dangers.

In the end a truce was proposed by the King of all Legomen & Dining Room Table.

The truce was accepted by Bob-zilla because after all, it was close to naptime.