8 Random Things

Okay, so Amy (link over on the side: A Yarning to Write) tagged me with a meme. I've never been tagged before so this ought to be interesting. At first I thought it was 10 random things and was thinking hard about what I would write. I thought I would have to stretch my mind - I was wrong - I am totally wierd. So here is my list:

1. I married my first (and only) boyfriend - his name is Cory and he is a wonderful person. We will have our 1 year anniversary on July 8th, 2007.

2. I have a scar on my appendix without an external scar. I had a huge case of appendicitis when I was 13 and should have had it out. But I had mononucleosis so the doctors waited a little longer than they normally would have. The inflammation went down and I still have my appendix. But if I ever get appendicitis again, no matter how minor, the appendix must come out because it is weakened.

3. I have always had a cat - seriously I have gone less than 24 hours without one. For awhile my cats did not live with me - but this was because I was in university and the cats didn't move with me - they stayed with my parents. Those cats are still with my parents but now I have 2 with me. Penny and George (the cats with my parents) are my cats, technically, but live with my parents because they dislike change and have more freedom at my parents place.

4. My nieces and nephews and I are closer in age than my siblings and I (with few exceptions). My nearest niece (Lucy) is 8 years younger than me, my nearest sibling (Andrea) is 15 years older than me... The same happened with my mom and her aunt (7 years difference), the same thing has happened with my new niece (Emma) and her sister (Lucy).

5. In grade 8 (still elementary school where I was living) I spent 4-5 months living with my grandparents in Italy (Cernusco Lombardone - outside of Milan). My parents were with me, as was my cat (Penny). I refused to go without the cat and my parents caved. I'm very glad they did. While there I went to school, made friends, and learned the language.

6. My first major knitting project was a double wide garter stich blanket in an acrylic boucle yarn. I love it but I don't think I could do it again though. It took a long time but is done.

7. Listening to the clothes dryer helps me fall asleep. I guess I was always able to hear the dryer in my parents house growing up. Other sounds also relax me such as the sound of the shower going while I fall asleep. The vaccuum does not put me to sleep.

8. I recently stopped taking my antidepressants (under medical supervision) and am now on a bunch of vitamins and natural supplements. It is kind of working. I take 11 different types of pills - most of them twice a day. I'll take a picture of them one day - it is that funny.

Okay, so now I gotta sign off but I hope these were random/wierd enough for you.

hanging garden stole continues

Not much to say about knitting right now - the stole is almost at 5 repeats (10ish rows to go I think) of 12, looks a lot the same. Work is interfering with my progress I suppose. Next week my mom and dad come to visit which means I'll do less work at school so hopefully that will translate into more knitting time. I'm mainly posting because I don't want to go much more than a week at a time without posting. We'll see how long this lasts...

Ah ha! Catie has returned to the land of the blogging (and the living). The paper that I did not enjoy writing was handed in on Thursday. The marking that I did enjoy but did not have time to enjoy properly was completed on the date due, Friday. And the past few days have seen me testing mice. But never fear, I will get a weekend - it will just come on Tuesday & Wednesday this week. But what have I been knitting you ask?

Majik (or magic or whatever...) bag - it is filled with beans and you are to microwave it and put it on your neck. I need a different type of bean cuz the kind I have now stinks when you microwave it. Thus it is just a pretty piece around the house and not in use at all. But I like it and it turned out the way I wanted, with the exception of the stink of course. I didn't follow a pattern but it is just a rectangle thing so I was okay. And it has my first 3 button holes ever, well actually more than my first three because I kept messing it up, but you get the idea





I like this second picture because it looks like a stuffed animal. The yarn is Cascade 220, the colour is 9434.

And coming up we have a sock in progress that has halted due to misbehaviour. It is knit in Samurai Yarns Techno Blah. I love the colour (pretty accurate in the picture) and the yarn. I also love the pattern, by Amy Swenson of IndiKnits, Universal Toe Up Sock Pattern on Knitty. It is just that I've done the heel 2 times and as you can tell from the picture, I've also ripped the heel out twice, the foot was too long both times. I'll get back to the socks soon. But I am currently obsessed with lace because of the following piece:




This is Hanging Garden Stole by Siva Harding. I took a lesson on this at the LYS to get me started. It has beads on the cast on and cast off edges and I love it. It is being knit in Lorna's Laces Helen's Lace in Turquoise. I love this yarn and this pattern. Right now I am about 3 rows away from completing my 4th repeat, there are 12 total.



and a detail shot, with my attempt to show the pattern



I can hardly wait for blocking to show the pattern.

And because I adore how some people put up pictures of their kitties and I am obsessed with mine, I present to you one (of two) cats that live in my house. This is Ellie and she is sleeping on a quilt I made a few years ago.

Scared

I am shocked and scared by yesterday's shooting at Viginia Tech campus. My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by yesterday's events. For those of you who may not have heard, 33 individuals were shot and killed with many more injured, yesterday, including the shooter.

When shootings like this occur on a university or college campus it makes me question my safety at work and school. The universities try to do all they can to give us security but still things like this happen.

Only 60% wierd?

You Are 60% Weird

You're so weird, you think you're *totally* normal. Right? But you wig out even the biggest of circus freaks!

How Weird Are You?

Booger-snot

Try saying that out loud - seriously it is kinda fun. But honestly, I think my amusement with the phrase may stem from the fact that my brain is pretty fried right now. My Easter weekend has been pretty crappy - Friday and Saturday I worked long hours on an essay, and I worked on said essay today too. But because I was stressing myself out I decided to stop working 'early' and just try to relax. I'm at 11 pages (11 good pages, I like what I have), the essay is on Down's syndrome, and I think the essay has to be 20 pages, or 30 - I'm not sure and will find that out tomorrow. I am hoping for 20... End of semester is always stressful for me. I didn't expect it to be this time around because I only have 2 classes but they are doozies. And one class I don't like so that makes it super difficult. What I really didn't count on was the massive amount of marking that occurs at the end of a class (didn't happen last semester because I TA a year long course) or the ability for all sorts of research to build up unexpectidly. What I want right now is a vacation and our honeymoon. Yes, Cory and I got married last summer and have not had a chance to go on a vacation together. Hopefully that will happen this summer. Actually, I could go for a weekend without work too but that won't be happening until April 27th... So what does that give me - 19 more days, 2.5 weeks... I'm gonna count the days, perhaps that will make it better/easier. In the mean time, I don't know when I'll next be able to post.

In knitting news, I have no pictures but will describe what I am doing.
1) TechnoBlah socks - samurai knitter yarn - very nice, haven't touched them in 2 weeks because of another project and the fact that the darn heels pissed me off. It is on the coffee table looking very colourful
2) silly cardigan - will work on it when I finish the other projects, or perhaps when I finish the first sock
3) Hanging garden stole, by Sivia Harding Knit Design (www.siviaharding.com - Vancouver based designer) in Lorna's lace, Helen's lace - Turquoise. This is my first big lace project and I'm really enjoying it. I may be addicted. Go look at the pattern, it isn't a hard one (pattern only on alternate rows) but it is enough to keep me interested. I am compulsively counting between stich markers to ensure that I don't forget yarn overs - which I do but I took a class on the stole so I got taught a neat cheat that can be done every now and then that isn't noticeable - or so they tell me.

Calgary weather is nuts again - the snow is almost gone (again). It was nice and sunny the week before last, then last weekend it snowed (and stayed for the week) and now it is finally above zero again (12 degrees celcius). It is supposed to stay on the plus side for the rest of the week but with Calgary you never know. I suppose I have to get used to this fluctuation because I'm here for another 4-5 years.

okay so that is all, I don't know when I'll next post but Happy Easter to y'all and I'll be in the comments for sure.

something difficult to knit

The husband wants to know what is hard to knit if what I am doing is not hard... (I am working on a lace piece - first ever, and loving it). Any ideas of pages to show him?