Two More Sleeps

I can almost smell my holidays they are that close. I just have to get through two more working days. I have this suspicion that these will be the longest two days ever. I have to teach a co-worker to do my work. That should be fun. I am currently filling in for three other people. The difficult part in this situation is I don't know how to teach anyone to be me. I just do what I do and it works. I think outside the box for my work. Hell, I'm the hell out of the box and in right field. Why should I be in left field? It is way too crowed there already. I haven't had enough time to show the co-worker what I do, so I wrote down to the best of my ability the main points to get her through the days until the other dispatcher returns from her holidays. I would almost pay to be a fly on the wall to see how she manages, but that would cut into some major shoe money. I'm thinking I may have to brush up on my carpentry skills while on holidays. If we get any more precipitation, I will have to build an ark. They cats are already lining up two by two. We will be breaking the record soon enough with the forecasted weather that is due.
With all this rain, I've been able to catch up on reading. I used to read so much more than I do now. I read everything and nothing. I love any book that can make my imagination wander. Currently, I'm reading this one:

I am really enjoying this novel. It takes place during the medieval days. It follows the investigator as she tries to solve the mystery of who is killing the village children. I guess you could say it is an ancient version of CSI. Either way, it is a most excellent read.
I've been trying to finish up some projects that I have on the go.
I have multiple socks on the sticks. One for the Ravelry group, one for my sock tour at my local yarn store, a set for me, and a pair for the little niece for crazy sock day at her pre-school. Sorry, no pictures available for these projects.
I joined a group on Ravelry called the Traveling Scarf Group. The whole concept of this one, is to knit up a chunk of a scarf (3-4 inches) and then send it on to the next person. Everyone is working on a chunk of a scarf. By the time mine comes back to me, ten people would have contributed to it. How cool is that? A knitting circle. I've never, ever done anything like this before. It is way out of my comfort level. First, I have to share my scarf, then allow others to touch it, and then not know what is going on with its progress. I am very proud of myself. We were all asked what we would not like and if there were other things that we would like to see etc. etc. I actually said, surprise me! Good on me!! *patting self on back*
This is my part:


Nothing fancy. Just some knits and purls. I dig it.

I've also been working on my step-father's vest:

I had to frog it a few times. I kept losing stitches. I suspect my elixir.

This has been my weakness since I was twelve. It is one of the few beers I like to drink. I usually like rye. In the summer however, I'm a beer drinker.
I also turned 30 this week. I am finding this a very scary number. It is like an official welcome to adulthood. I don't like it, not one iota. It is like I have to grow up now, no more stupid actions. Yea right, hehehehe. To make me feel better, I went for a walk with hubby for ice cream. It was a long walk. I developed a blister on my foot. Very painful and mutant-like. I'm hobbling around now like a pirate with a peg leg.

This is my foot with the nasty hole in it. Sorry for the graphic nature of this photo, I just had to share. By the way, the ice cream was worth it.
I think that is pretty much all I have to say. I am really looking forward to my holidays. I am now entitled to three weeks. I am taking two now and am saving the last for Christmas time. With all this time off, my vampire hours will be in peak condition. My poor cats. It takes them forever to adjust to my times when I'm off work. I sleep less that nocturnal animals. :|
Have a good night everyone.

FRIDAY!!!!

Oh thank goodness. I made it to another week end. I had a very traumatizing week, but i emerge unharmed. I had to be an adult and meet with clients about the services we provide, (in the means of transportation! stop thinking those odd little thoughts). It went very well. In fact too well. I am now responsible to find another four buses to run for them at some very odd hours. Besides me, who else is up at 100am to drive around some foreign workers? You would be surprised at how many individuals actually sleep at that hour. Bizarre, I know.
I also attended my sock club at my local yarn store. Serious progress was made on Philosopher's House Socks.

One almost down and one more to go. These are just clicking along.

I also waged war against the cats for supremacy of a clean rug. They really, really, really hate the vacuum. It is their number one public enemy.

Rebel's tactic is to aim for higher ground.


Napoleon prefers to stare Death in the eye.
My vacuum has survived another use and lives to vacuum another day.

We had a great week for weather. The temperature has been in the upper 20s. For the American folk, I find to convert, double and add 30 and that is roughly the temperature from centigrade to Fahrenheit. Sooooo 20 x 2 = 40 + 30 = 70.

I spoke with my mom and step dad this evening. I like to check in with them, catch up on family gossip and hear what is weird and exciting in their little world. Buddy, who I affectionately refer to as the serial killer, has taken out most of the rodent population and is lining their heads on the front stoop. Actually, cramming the decapitated heads in the "O" of the Welcome mat. How is that for a welcome?
Step dad had a doctor's appointment. They go to those a lot. They were experiencing a little problem. Well, not so much they as a team, but him because it was his appointment. He needed to be "empty" and was not yet successful in attaining this goal. I am pretty sure I am going to hell for telling this story, but, I hate to keep a secret. If I can't tell friendly bloggers, with whom can I share?
So to remedy this little situation, they stop off at the grocery store and pick up some over the counter stuff. By stuff, I mean, things that go into the mainly exit only region. They need a fix up now, so they go in the restroom. Of the grocery store! He gets down on all fours. Mom acts as nurse. He saying, hurry the hell up (mom's name here). Someone will think we are doing something weird in here.
Hmmmm.
Doing something weird.
Alright.
My level of weirdness and mine parents' are very, very different.
They however, saw nothing wrong with this situation and could not figure out why I was just screaming on the phone.
So, problem solved. Test results are good. And I'm pretty sure a minimum wage employee at the Superstore will never be the same.

I'm going to sit on the balcony tomorrow and enjoy the heat. I also plan on finishing my step dad's vest. I have my rye and rum all ready to go. Enjoy the week end everyone.

I Need Some Clarification

I was wondering if any of you kind people out there and help me get my coolness. What on earth is a Hollaback girl?

This is what I have had taking up space in my head for three days now. Good thing I like this song.
Hope you are all well. Next time I'm able to be online I will share the progress on a few of the projects I have kicking around.
Night all.

Shopping

Today was a great day. Any day when I get to go shopping for fun stuff is a great day.
First we went to the lys, where I acquired these:

There is Juju guarding the newly adopted yarn. I'm not sure what I will do with this lot. I was attracted to the brightness of them. I see a summery top coming my way. I was initially at the store to put in my order for some tickets to the stitch 'n pitch at the Skydome (Roger's Center) in August. I had an awesome time last year. I have been looking forward to doing this again since the 9th inning of the last game I attended.

I also bought some excellent clothes, dress, skirts, blouses and tanks. I was going through my wardrobe the other week, (I had nothing else to do as I was confined to my home due the blasted pager) and noticed that my clothes were starting to wear, tear and fade. Once in a while I like to bring home pieces and weed out the well loved clothes.

We also saw Wanted with Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie. Great flick! Massive action going on. High speed chases, espionage, mystery.... the whole nine yards. After the movie, we had the urge to go to a bar or something because we were so pumped. When I was a cool kid, we used to do that all the time. See a movie, dinner and then clubbing. Now we like to go to dinner, see a movie and maybe ice cream. It depends on how late the show lets out. Hubby doesn't do very well past 2200.

At the moment, I am suffering from what I hope are allergies. Today alone we went through a box of tissues. I vote for allergies. If it is a cold, I will be taking drastic measures to be rid of it quickly. I have a theory that if i make contact with at least three other people, my cold will vanish. Take this as a warning to avoid me until it passes.

I'm off to sniffle in front of the television. I can keep my vampire hours this week end without any fear of the pager going off in the early morning like it has the past three week ends. It is someone else's demon for the next two weeks. :) <<< evil smile!

Hope you are all well. Night.

Bad Juju

We had another break-in at our yard. Can you believe that? Is there nothing else these kids (I assume) can do except make my work life long and dreary? As you can well imagine, I had some steam to blow off. I invested my efforts into another doll. The pattern for this one came from the anti-craft website. I love this site. They go away from the beaten path.
Here is Juju:


Hubby also came to the rescue with Margaritas:



Rebel is not sure of Juju.

Those are hubby's manly hands, not mine.

Rebel will just admire from afar:

Rebel is looking a little demonic there isn't he? I had the red-eye remover on. I don't think it applies to cats. They are in a world of their own anyway. If Constantine has taught me anything, they are half in and half out.
I'm not on call this week end. This means, we can go see a movie. I am hoping to watch Hellboy. I loved those comics. The first movie was excellent. I hope the second is just as good.
I am also still working on half a dozen socks and my step-father's sweater vest. I have the back panel complete and am now working on the front panels. I will post pics as soon as I replace the batteries in my camera.
Hope you all are well. TGIF :D

I Need to Make More Dolls

I was not a very happy camper today. I was awoken by the pager at the ungodly hour of 645. Someone had not shown to do their assigned run. No problem. The other drivers in the area were able to help out in that department. Thank goodness. I have very excellent people working with me in the summer months. It makes my job a hell of a lot easier. I went back to sleep only to be awaken again at 915. The police had located one of my buses in a field in the country. Great. That is what I want to hear with a head full of sleep. According to the police officers I was speaking with, someone (possible a group of individuals) had stolen a bus from one of our yards and decided to go joy riding.
People! Listen up! A yellow school bus is not the ideal escape vehicle. You can't miss it, especially when you have the school lights and alarms blaring. Please kindly avoid stealing my buses and go for someone else's vehicles. I don't sleep enough as it is and I really detest being woken for such foolishness. Thank you. Your help in this matter is greatly appreciated by both myself and Napoleon whose sleep was also disturbed when the bloody pager went off yet again.


I will have you all know, that I am creating more voodoo dolls for the shenanigans that you have caused me on what was supposed to be perfect balcony weather!
On a happier note, I did some knitting. I had to kill time somehow while waiting for phone calls, providing statements, reassuring drivers of their whereabouts, et cetera, et cetera.
I started working on my Rattlesnake Creek, by Anne Podlesak socks for the Pentathlon group on Ravelry. I chose this particular yarn because it reminded me of a snakes colouring. OK, so the pattern is drawn from inspiration from a location and not a snake, I like the snake idea, so I'm sticking to it.


I went to my sock group at the local yarn store. The current sock we are working on are the Philosopher's House Socks from the Cat Bordhi book. It doesn't look like much now, but you can see the colour I have chosen:


I guess I have vented enough. I hope your week end is going much better than mine. I hope to enjoy my balcony tomorrow with little adventure to be had. I wish you all a good night.

Voodoo Chile

I have been scheming. Revenge if you will. Actually, it is more like just trying to take all this frustration I've been experiencing and channel it into something not so destructive. My version of a voodoo doll,
Voodoo Army Dude:

He almost did not make it to his destination. Rebel took a strange interest in him.

I am giving it as a joke gift to someone who I have deal with at work. He has to constantly change his plans because someone else is re-arranging theirs, which makes me have to create alternate plans. It is a vicious cycle.

Here he is supervising the work environment:


Bon voyage Army Dude. Enjoy your new surroundings:


On a side note, I have been working on my Dad's vest:

It is a very slow work in progress. I plan on making some serious headway this week end. It is supposed to beautifully sunny and warm. Perfect for balcony use.
Have a good night.