An exploration of my life as I know it. Knitting, working, creating, and cat-wrangling.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

In Conclusion...

So, yes, we did talk. After much anguish and discussion, we were able to work things out. It will take a while for some of the wounds to heal, but given time they should mend. Thank you guys for your support, it's good to know that you'll stand by me even when I'm at my lowest.

This is a short post, I know, it's more just to let you know that I'm okay. I shall start posting about knitting again in a day or two, there are some things I need to catch the blog-world up on, as far as that goes.

Don't forget, Stitch n' Bitch is tomorrow night at Lindy's at 6pm. See you there!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

How to be a horrible wife

1. Bring debt into a relationship started with debt.

2. Continue to spend money on things that are not going towards paying off that debt.

3. Decide to spend money (a considerable amount) on a permanent piece of art that your spouse thinks is "ugly" and "too big" but that you couldn't be happier about.

4. Don't be clear about the fact that you really want to get this piece of art and then the night before you are scheduled to have it done, get in a big fight about it. Make sure that you end this fight with both of you thinking that you are getting what you want. (you=art, spouse=no art) This can be best achieved by not continuing to talk about the subject and pretending that everything is okay.

5. Go in for your scheduled appointment which lasts 6 LONG hours without showing your spouse the final approved art until it's about to be started. You can do this easily with your camera phone since he is working and can't be there to offer ideas/object.

6. Go home afterward and immediately feel the tension created by you walking in the room. You can verify the tension created by offering to show your artwork to your spouse and see the loathing on their face as they grunt at it.

7. Hide upstairs in the bedroom, crying, because your spouse thinks that you don't care about his opinions at all. When that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, the reason that you weren't very forthcoming about the artwork was because you care so much about his opinion that if he were to say something negative about it, you'd talk yourself out of getting it. Even though YOU really liked it. You merely wanted to get something you like and enjoy it because YOU liked it. Unfortunately, it also happens to be permanent. So from now on, you'll look at this beautiful art and under it's beauty will lie this horrible guilt and frustration.

8. Avoid talking about all this, because you know it will end badly and avoiding confrontation is what got both of you into this position in the first place. Instead just sit at opposite ends of the couch, fighting back tears and hoping that it will all be okay. Which, of course, you know it won't be until you talk about it.

Denial is an evil and dangerous thing, it's also really easy to fall into. And I'm in pretty deep.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Let's Talk About C.E.X., Baby!

That would be Craftular Enhancement eXcursion, and that's what my day off yesterday consisted of. The adorable fabric you see pictured here is for a baby blanket I'm making for one of Ray's co-workers. Oh, and it was 50% off! So I got more than enough and I may make some burp cloths or something as well. The pattern (for said blanket) is via my friend Maura. The lucky recipient of this blanket is also going to receive an adorable knitted bear bonnet and most likely some booties as well. The yarn for that will be coming next week and I'll be posting progress pictures on those.

I also used the gift card I got from Ray's sister for christmas to buy some decoupage supplies and a plain box to decorate. I purchased this page-a-day pin-up calendar and I'm going to use the pictures from it decorate this box. It should be fun.
While we were out I also exchanged the Domiknitrix book I got from Jesse for the Knitting Nature book by Norah Gaughan. I thought a lot about it before I decided to exchange it, but the Dom book is more of a "starter" or "how-to" book and I already know "how-to". There are some great patterns in it, but I don't know how many of them I would actually make. I've been drooling over Knitting Nature ever since I saw it back in Sept.(?) I want to make almost every pattern (out of 35!) in it.
While I'm on the subject of books and using gift cards, I also received my order from Barnes & Noble yesterday. My brother gave me a $30 gift card and I decided to make the most of it by shopping their christmas clearance. I'm so glad I did! For $30 (plus $3 of my own money, but
free shipping!) I got How to Seduce a Ghost by Hope McIntyre, Khai of Khem by Brian Lumley, Wolfblade: Book One of the Wolfblade Trilogy by Jennifer Fallon, Dedication by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus, The Paths of Darkness Collection by R.A. Salvatore, and The Antichrist: A Criticism of Christianity by Friedrich Nietzsche. Wow, dats a lots a books! Some of the authors I've read other things by, others I have heard of but have never sampled, and others were judged by their cover. But all (but one) were less than $4 each, so it's totally worth the gamble. I have no idea when I'm going to be able to read all of these, I've already got a pile on my shelf waiting to be read, but that is why I love owning books. I can read them or put them aside whenever or as often as I want.

On a knitting related note, I have one of my Dad's socks done and am almost halfway through the second. For those not aware, this was one of the secret holiday projects I had going on and am obviously a little late with completion. It's ok, he doesn't mind. The pattern I used is the uncomfortably-titled Boyfriend Socks and is knit up in Knit Picks Risata in Navy on size 1 dpns. I ended up having to use 3 balls instead of the two I had initially ordered because I didn't pay attention to the yardage in the pattern. Go figure. Never fear, however, more is on the way! Hopefully these will be done next week.

So there you have it. I still need to get some plain brown flannel for the other side of the blanket, Hancock doesn't carry brown flannel. That seems weird to me. I'd like to work on that on Monday though, so that means shopping again this weekend.
That could be dangerous. ;)