Know what I love? I love it when the cats come in from being outside all night complaining about how awful it was when they were the ones that asked to be let out in the first place. I love it most when, instead of coming inside when I take out the dog, they take two steps in and then follow me back out to complain to my face about how awful it was while the dog goes to the bathroom.
But I especially love it when they come inside with the dog and act as if they have been starved all night, gorge on food, and then vomit 3 minutes later when it expands out of their little bellies and onto the floor. I love the smell of warm cat vomit in the morning. Smells like... victory.
Thank you, Erev. That was a wonderful gift that I will cherish forever.
Meanwhile, happy new year to all and have an easy fast if you're fasting. I of course am not, since I'm pregnant, and it's the first time since I was 12 that I haven't.
Feels very strange.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
In Which I Want A Catheter
Pregnancy makes you pee. Especially when little alien demon child won't move up out of the base of your pelvis, even though he's not that big yet and has PLENTY of room and doesn't know what's best for him because soon he'll be too big to swim around in there and won't have a choice. I have a feeling this is going to be a child who loves to be swaddled tightly. Yay.
Therefore, although I have never had one so I can't actually speak to how it feels, I have decided I want a catheter. For the next four months. Please. I understand that they are very uncomfortable, and that they make it hard to walk and move around, blah blah blah I don't care. I am the kind of person who hates taking care of the body that my brain is housed in. I have always been that way: my mother told me that when I was about 5 or 6, we had a conversation about how frustrating I found things like eating and sleeping and bathing, because they all got in the way of the things that I wanted to do. I've come to terms with a lot of that as an adult - since meeting the Hub, for example, I have learned to love food. But going to the bathroom still drives me crazy as a waste of my precious time. So I want a catheter. My birthday's coming up - who's gonna get me one?
In other pregnancy news, at around five months babies' hearing improves. Microphones make them go CRAZY with the running around in utero. I found out that Snert has some functional ears yesterday, when he would not stop with the rocking around the clock to the sound of the cantor singing the prayers for Rosh Hashana. Funny, if he hadn't been so low that it kinda hurt.
Not so much progress on the knitting front. I think I might rip out the collar and reknit it. Also - how come I never knew that it was better to pick up stitches under TWO strands of yarn instead of one? I feel like such a doofus. I went to knittinghelp.com to look at how to knit on i-cord trim, and took a gander at the picking up stitches page. I have always been frustrated with how crappy and stretchy and awful my picked up stitches look, and this is totally the answer.
See?
Knitting the sleeves on is like a beautiful dream from which I hope I will never awaken. The only problem is that in comparison, the picked up stitches around the collar look terrible.
Boo.
I may have to redo that part if I don't cover it with gray i-cord. But gads, do I love those sleeves.
(Like my data in the background? I knew you would.)
My head hurts, and I have to work. So sing along as I head to the bathroom once again, will you?
Sing a song of catheters
that keep the bladder dry.
Four and twenty liters
of urine passing by.
I've spent all my days up,
peeing out my brain.
Oh, how much time I'll save
now I've got a drain!
Therefore, although I have never had one so I can't actually speak to how it feels, I have decided I want a catheter. For the next four months. Please. I understand that they are very uncomfortable, and that they make it hard to walk and move around, blah blah blah I don't care. I am the kind of person who hates taking care of the body that my brain is housed in. I have always been that way: my mother told me that when I was about 5 or 6, we had a conversation about how frustrating I found things like eating and sleeping and bathing, because they all got in the way of the things that I wanted to do. I've come to terms with a lot of that as an adult - since meeting the Hub, for example, I have learned to love food. But going to the bathroom still drives me crazy as a waste of my precious time. So I want a catheter. My birthday's coming up - who's gonna get me one?
In other pregnancy news, at around five months babies' hearing improves. Microphones make them go CRAZY with the running around in utero. I found out that Snert has some functional ears yesterday, when he would not stop with the rocking around the clock to the sound of the cantor singing the prayers for Rosh Hashana. Funny, if he hadn't been so low that it kinda hurt.
Not so much progress on the knitting front. I think I might rip out the collar and reknit it. Also - how come I never knew that it was better to pick up stitches under TWO strands of yarn instead of one? I feel like such a doofus. I went to knittinghelp.com to look at how to knit on i-cord trim, and took a gander at the picking up stitches page. I have always been frustrated with how crappy and stretchy and awful my picked up stitches look, and this is totally the answer.
See?
Knitting the sleeves on is like a beautiful dream from which I hope I will never awaken. The only problem is that in comparison, the picked up stitches around the collar look terrible.
Boo.
I may have to redo that part if I don't cover it with gray i-cord. But gads, do I love those sleeves.
(Like my data in the background? I knew you would.)
My head hurts, and I have to work. So sing along as I head to the bathroom once again, will you?
Sing a song of catheters
that keep the bladder dry.
Four and twenty liters
of urine passing by.
I've spent all my days up,
peeing out my brain.
Oh, how much time I'll save
now I've got a drain!
Monday, September 11, 2006
You know how people say you eat weird things during pregnancy?
A friend asked me recently what Snert was made of. I didn't quite know how to answer (skin, blood, proteins, RNAs...), but then she explained that her family always said a baby was made of whatever it was that the mom craved the most during pregnancy. Aha. In that sense, Snert is made of pickles, blueberries, eggplant, grilled cheese sandwiches, and most definately NOT chicken. A little odd in combination, but not all that odd. The grilled cheese thing is a little much, honestly - I'm not above appreciating a good American cheese sometimes over the snootier kinds, even if I have made friends with the cheese guy over at the local market so he'll introduce me to things like Lincolnshire poacher - but I'm going through a pound of Land O' Lakes white every couple of weeks. It's fine though, really.
However.
This weekend I went shopping, as I do every weekend. Got almonds and peaches and veggies, a baguette, some yogurt (which is probably stupid because Snert seems to HATE yogurt, but I miss it, so I took a chance). Talked to the cheese guy, got some Rolf Beeler gruyere, which I would recommend to anyone with a working nose and tastebuds - and I hate gruyere. Num.
Proceeded to the deli counter where I got my Parma proscuitto and American cheese, an embarrassing combination if there ever was one, but they don't laugh at me at Russo's, which is nice.
Scanned the prepared foods counter on the way to the bakery for some pastries for my grandma (she's on a high-fat, high-calorie diet to regain some weight, lucky duck). Nothing much of interest... moving on....
Snert sees the meatloaf.
"I'll have that," he says.
"Interesting," I say to myself. "But we already had breakfast. Remember? Cheerios and blueberries?"
"Meatloaf," says Snert.
"But it's 8:30 in the morning, honey."
"But it's meatloaf, and I want it."
"That bacon on top looks a little gross, and very fatty. It's making me kinda nauseous. How about we make some for dinner this week? I'll get the nice organic meat from Whole Foods, and you know my meatloaf is much better than that stuff."
"No, that meatloaf. NOW."
"Are you kidding? I can't even heat it up at home? It looks all congealed and nasty. Come on, let's wait for my meatloaf, I make it with much leaner beef."
"MeeeeeaaatLOAAAAAAAAFFF NOOWWWWWWWWWWWW."
Yeah. So I had congealed meatloaf in the parking lot at 8:30AM yesterday. Couldn't even get away with having just a bite or two - no no, I had to eat the whole slice.
I feel lucky that I was allowed to pull off the chunks of bacon fat.
However.
This weekend I went shopping, as I do every weekend. Got almonds and peaches and veggies, a baguette, some yogurt (which is probably stupid because Snert seems to HATE yogurt, but I miss it, so I took a chance). Talked to the cheese guy, got some Rolf Beeler gruyere, which I would recommend to anyone with a working nose and tastebuds - and I hate gruyere. Num.
Proceeded to the deli counter where I got my Parma proscuitto and American cheese, an embarrassing combination if there ever was one, but they don't laugh at me at Russo's, which is nice.
Scanned the prepared foods counter on the way to the bakery for some pastries for my grandma (she's on a high-fat, high-calorie diet to regain some weight, lucky duck). Nothing much of interest... moving on....
Snert sees the meatloaf.
"I'll have that," he says.
"Interesting," I say to myself. "But we already had breakfast. Remember? Cheerios and blueberries?"
"Meatloaf," says Snert.
"But it's 8:30 in the morning, honey."
"But it's meatloaf, and I want it."
"That bacon on top looks a little gross, and very fatty. It's making me kinda nauseous. How about we make some for dinner this week? I'll get the nice organic meat from Whole Foods, and you know my meatloaf is much better than that stuff."
"No, that meatloaf. NOW."
"Are you kidding? I can't even heat it up at home? It looks all congealed and nasty. Come on, let's wait for my meatloaf, I make it with much leaner beef."
"MeeeeeaaatLOAAAAAAAAFFF NOOWWWWWWWWWWWW."
Yeah. So I had congealed meatloaf in the parking lot at 8:30AM yesterday. Couldn't even get away with having just a bite or two - no no, I had to eat the whole slice.
I feel lucky that I was allowed to pull off the chunks of bacon fat.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Sweater Progress
It's amazing how much you can get done on a baby sweater when you're procrastinating writing a paper. Gah.
I'm done with the back and about a third of one side.
I'm going to have to figure out how to put in photos eventually, I think.
Sigh.
Oh. You mean the little button with a photo on it adds a photo? Huh. Who'd a thunk it?
Also, Snert kicks a lot with my computer resting on my belly. Get used to it, buddy.
I'm done with the back and about a third of one side.
I'm going to have to figure out how to put in photos eventually, I think.
Sigh.
Oh. You mean the little button with a photo on it adds a photo? Huh. Who'd a thunk it?
Also, Snert kicks a lot with my computer resting on my belly. Get used to it, buddy.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Notes on Sweater
Working on a sweater from crystal palace yarns, in Dale of Norway Svale.
For Snert.
Of course there are mods, and I don't want to lose them, so I'm gonna put 'em here.
So:
For back,
Casting on 55 sts, work the edge in CC, st st for 2 rows, followed by 1 row reverse st st for turning ridge. Switch to MC and cont. in st st for 11 inches, placing markers at 6.5" on both edges of the work. Leave sts live on holder or needles.
For right front,
Cast on 27 st, work the edge in CC, st st for 2 rows, followed by 1 row reverse st st for turning ridge. Switch to MC and cont in st st for 9", ending with RS row. Work 22 st, then slip last 5 off onto holder. Decr one st on neck edge every WS row 5 times, 17 st remaining. Work until total length = 11". Leave sts live.
For left front,
Work as for right front, but make all decreases at start of WS rows, on neck edge. Leave st live.
Seam shoulders together with 3-needle bind off, leaving 11 st live on center back neck. Pick up and purl 17 st on each neck edge (10 live, 7 picked up between), with 11 center back st between them. Change to stockinette, and knit 5 rows. Purl 1 row for turning ridge.
If you are going to use a contrasting color, switch to it now. Using needles one size smaller than main size, knit 6 rows in stockinette. Bind off and seam to the inside of the collar, just covering the inside of the picked up edge.
Sleeves:
Knit both sleeves the same.
Seam sides with mattress stitch to armhole markers. With main needle size and main color, pick up and knit 44** stitches evenly along armhole edge. Using the magic loop, two circulars, or dpns, knit in stockinette without decreasing for 7.5 inches. **(If you are not knitting in the round, pick up a total of 46 stitches around the armhole and work back and forth starting with armpit stitches for 7.5 inches, ending with RS row.)
Regardless of method, change to contrasting color and continue in stockinette for 1 row. Purl 1 row for turning ridge at edge of cuff. Continue in stockinette for 1.5 inches. (End with WS row if working back and forth.) Purl 1 row for second turning ridge. Knit in stockinette for 2 more rows. Bind off.
Fold contrasting color block into sleeve at the first turning ridge, so that all of the CC is hidden except the turning ridge, and so if you peek into the sleeve you can see the smooth RS. Stabilize the two layers of fabric - with rustless pins, locking plastic stitch markers, or by tacking with a smooth piece of waste yarn - between the two turning ridges. Now flip the cuff, so that the CC side is showing and BOTH turning ridges are visible. Tack the two layers of cuff to the inside layer of the sleeve. Turn the whole sleeve inside out and neatly seam the CC edge to the inside of the sleeve with MC, being careful not to disturb the positioning between cuff layers. Leave tacking in for blocking.
Use crab stitch and G hook to finish inside edges of sweater. I used crab stitch for one side, and reverse crab stitch for the other.
Closures:
I made simple frogs and knitted them onto the sweater, but they can be bought or made beforehand, and sewn on.
For knitted-on frogs:
On the "button" side of the sweater, make three as follows in CC. Knit 15 rounds of three-stitch I-cord on size 5 (3.75mm) needles. On next round, start knitting I-cord to sweater - skip the crab stitch, and pick up stitches on stockinette. Attach I-cord with your favorite method, along neck below purl row, and at 2" intervals below neck. Attach neck closure for 14 rounds. Attach lower two closures for 9 rounds. Bind off.
On the loop side of the sweater, make three as follows in CC. Cast on two loops of yarn, and knit 10 rounds of TWO-stitch I-cord. Next round: pick up and knit through two loops at the cast-on end of the I-cord, then complete round with next two stitches. Knit one round. Next round, k 1, k2tog, k1, AT THE SAME TIME attaching I-cord to sweater with this row by your favorite method. Attach loop closures opposite button closures - neck closure for 13 rounds, and lower two closures for 7 rounds each. Bind off.
Tie knots with loose I-cord on button side. Weave in ends, anchoring knot and firming up the body of the closure in the process.
Finishing:
Weave in remaining ends. Seam hems and block in the order appropriate to your yarn choice.
For Snert.
Of course there are mods, and I don't want to lose them, so I'm gonna put 'em here.
So:
For back,
Casting on 55 sts, work the edge in CC, st st for 2 rows, followed by 1 row reverse st st for turning ridge. Switch to MC and cont. in st st for 11 inches, placing markers at 6.5" on both edges of the work. Leave sts live on holder or needles.
For right front,
Cast on 27 st, work the edge in CC, st st for 2 rows, followed by 1 row reverse st st for turning ridge. Switch to MC and cont in st st for 9", ending with RS row. Work 22 st, then slip last 5 off onto holder. Decr one st on neck edge every WS row 5 times, 17 st remaining. Work until total length = 11". Leave sts live.
For left front,
Work as for right front, but make all decreases at start of WS rows, on neck edge. Leave st live.
Seam shoulders together with 3-needle bind off, leaving 11 st live on center back neck. Pick up and purl 17 st on each neck edge (10 live, 7 picked up between), with 11 center back st between them. Change to stockinette, and knit 5 rows. Purl 1 row for turning ridge.
If you are going to use a contrasting color, switch to it now. Using needles one size smaller than main size, knit 6 rows in stockinette. Bind off and seam to the inside of the collar, just covering the inside of the picked up edge.
Sleeves:
Knit both sleeves the same.
Seam sides with mattress stitch to armhole markers. With main needle size and main color, pick up and knit 44** stitches evenly along armhole edge. Using the magic loop, two circulars, or dpns, knit in stockinette without decreasing for 7.5 inches. **(If you are not knitting in the round, pick up a total of 46 stitches around the armhole and work back and forth starting with armpit stitches for 7.5 inches, ending with RS row.)
Regardless of method, change to contrasting color and continue in stockinette for 1 row. Purl 1 row for turning ridge at edge of cuff. Continue in stockinette for 1.5 inches. (End with WS row if working back and forth.) Purl 1 row for second turning ridge. Knit in stockinette for 2 more rows. Bind off.
Fold contrasting color block into sleeve at the first turning ridge, so that all of the CC is hidden except the turning ridge, and so if you peek into the sleeve you can see the smooth RS. Stabilize the two layers of fabric - with rustless pins, locking plastic stitch markers, or by tacking with a smooth piece of waste yarn - between the two turning ridges. Now flip the cuff, so that the CC side is showing and BOTH turning ridges are visible. Tack the two layers of cuff to the inside layer of the sleeve. Turn the whole sleeve inside out and neatly seam the CC edge to the inside of the sleeve with MC, being careful not to disturb the positioning between cuff layers. Leave tacking in for blocking.
Use crab stitch and G hook to finish inside edges of sweater. I used crab stitch for one side, and reverse crab stitch for the other.
Closures:
I made simple frogs and knitted them onto the sweater, but they can be bought or made beforehand, and sewn on.
For knitted-on frogs:
On the "button" side of the sweater, make three as follows in CC. Knit 15 rounds of three-stitch I-cord on size 5 (3.75mm) needles. On next round, start knitting I-cord to sweater - skip the crab stitch, and pick up stitches on stockinette. Attach I-cord with your favorite method, along neck below purl row, and at 2" intervals below neck. Attach neck closure for 14 rounds. Attach lower two closures for 9 rounds. Bind off.
On the loop side of the sweater, make three as follows in CC. Cast on two loops of yarn, and knit 10 rounds of TWO-stitch I-cord. Next round: pick up and knit through two loops at the cast-on end of the I-cord, then complete round with next two stitches. Knit one round. Next round, k 1, k2tog, k1, AT THE SAME TIME attaching I-cord to sweater with this row by your favorite method. Attach loop closures opposite button closures - neck closure for 13 rounds, and lower two closures for 7 rounds each. Bind off.
Tie knots with loose I-cord on button side. Weave in ends, anchoring knot and firming up the body of the closure in the process.
Finishing:
Weave in remaining ends. Seam hems and block in the order appropriate to your yarn choice.
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