Yesterday I had a killer headache, complete with visual disturbances and traveling numbness and cognitive disconnection--so I decided to watch a very weird episode of Torchwood, made even more trippy by my brain's misfiring... I thought I'd made up the little girl with the Tarot cards.

Anyway, all better today. I've been working like mad on the border for the mitered afghan--I tried all sorts of things to try to get two of the sides to stop curling, but nothing really works. I may have to kill it a bit on the edges after all. Today I had go buy another skein of dark blue to finish the border. I hope to be done by the weekend. It's a LOT of double crochet...

The closing on my parents' house was yesterday, so they are officially homeless. Until they find an apartment in Maryland, that is. Apparently the schedule is: drive up to New York tonight and tomorrow to drop off the infamous dining room set, then to Maryland so my father can confirm his job and they can choose an apartment (they're leaning toward an off-season vacation rental at this point, so they hopefully can live on the ocean and won't have to commit to a year lease), then off to the Badlands/Mount Rushmore/Mount Rainier (unless it's closed)/Grand Canyon/various other natural attractions in the continental U.S. They plan to be back in New York by October 28-29, just in time for my brother's wedding. What an adventure!

Speaking of my brother's wedding, I got my bridesmaid's dress in the mail yesterday. It is HUGE, and cut a lot lower in the back than I was expecting... It's not going to be an easy or cheap alteration. I still need to see if I can buy a new longline, since the one from my wedding is pre-BCP, and therefore three letters too small. The only one I've seen online in my size is about $125. I really don't need to be spending so much money on this type of stuff right now!

Blanket news: I will finish the seaming today! I'm leaning toward a double-crochet border, since Mark doesn't want there to be too many color changes. The border has to be about two inches wide, I think--and it won't exactly be portable, so I'm not sure how long it's going to take. I've decided that if I finish in time, I'm going to enter this one in the state fair instead of the Hemlock Ring Blanket--it's so big and cool-looking, I think it will generate more attention (and a ribbon? that would be awesome!!).

To close, a very funny commercial--the coolest ad running in Okinawa, apparently.

Did someone say they wanted more Jon Hamm? Oh, that was me.

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Maybe a bit heavy-handed, but how funny is Will Ferrell?

Seaming, seaming away here...

Just two squares left on Ye Olde Psychedelic Mitered Squares Afghan! By this time tomorrow I will never have to knit another of those damn squares. No, by then I will be rueing the day I ever heard of mattress stitch. Actually...twenty-four hours from now I will be at the eye doctor. I was just telling Mark that I was out of contacts, and I was literally going to call them today to ask when my last appointment was, when they called me to confirm an appointment for tomorrow. I had no idea that was scheduled. For all I know I may have made the appointment when I was in last year, but never transferred it to my 2009 planner. Weird, huh?

Here's another photo from a project that's on the back burner while I finish the blanket:


The astute may recognize it as a Baby Surprise Jacket. I am no big fan of Elizabeth Zimmermann--she hates on crochet way too much! But I figured it was time to make one of these. It's for one of Mark's coworkers who is due early next year.

I'm mostly out of the woods now--still very tired, but feeling better. We had a pretty busy weekend, which went surprisingly well considering how bad I was feeling. We went to my friend's 70th birthday party on Saturday night, where I was enlisted to sing (which I was dreading--mainly because of the fatigue--but it went okay). He's recently moved into a downtown high-rise, which has a fantastic view of the city. A bit too high up for me to live, though!

Speaking of where I live, the mold inspection was this morning. The problem is a little worse than we expected--it appears to have been caused by the drainage (i.e. the downspouts and LOTS of mulch against the brick foundation), not, as previously suspected, by a water main burst last year. We won't have the inspector's official report until the end of the week, and we're supposed to close in four weeks...hopefully we won't have to push back the closing date, but I guess we have some leeway. I wish we didn't have to worry about this, you know? All we can do is wait now, I guess.

I still haven't loaded my latest blanket picture (I only have four squares left! then lots of mattress stitch), so I figured I'd show you the start of my next larger-scale project. The cardigan I was working on back in July was kind of a bust--it was going to end up way too stretchy, since it was basically 2x2 rib--so I've started this with the same yarn. I've reworked the pattern a bit, since I don't do slouchy, but in truth all I'm doing is making a smaller size. Here's about how far I've gotten:



I'm dedicated to finishing my blanket ASAP (or at least getting it assembled, since it will no longer be portable once I start the border), so I haven't worked on this in a few weeks. I don't really need a cardigan yet, you know.

p.s. I didn't see the Emmys--no cable!--but I did see photos of Jon Hamm in a tux. That should be illegal...

(TMI ahead--don't say I didn't warn ya.)

Ugh, I feel so gross today. You'd think that having medication-coordinated three-month cycles would get me off the hook a bit. I guess I don't consume as much Midol as I used to, but still, yuck. The cramps are actually worse and last longer than they did when I was on a more traditional schedule. I am eating potato chips and drinking grapefruit soda, and at work I even had a Snickers. Junk food, check. =/ I should be back to normal by Monday, but the first several days are always ridiculous. In happier news, the DivaCup is working fantastically well for me. I recommend it! It actually makes this experience a bit less unbearable.

Last night we met with our realtor to go over the results of the inspection. The inspector did find some mildew in a corner of the crawlspace (thought to be the result of a pipe burst they had several years ago, after which everything in the interior was fixed), so we actually will need a mold inspection. Scary, I know, but the inspector was so nonchalant about it that we really think it's just a precaution. We have to pay for the mold inspection, but obviously the sellers would be taking care of the mildew remediation or anything else that comes up. (The realtor will be scheduling the appointment today, and hopefully I'll be able to make it.) Other than that, there were just some minor things--a few masonite boards and a soffit board that need replacing, new ground faults for some of the outlets, some doors that need rehanging...really not a big deal.

Hey, I've finally finished the main section of the ginormous blanket! I took some pictures of it on the bed, but haven't loaded them into Flickr yet. I'm now seven squares into the outside section, with only ten more to go. That's 78.1% down! The assembly may take me a bit more time than I'd hoped--the stockinette squares are rolling a LOT at the edges, and I may decide to iron/kill the acrylic so they lay flat. I've done it before, and liked the effect. Plus it's a bedspread--it's supposed to be drapey. I'm not sure if I'll do it before or after the eternity of mattress stitch...

p.s. I know I didn't post yesterday! Blame our router, which decided it didn't want to be "wireless" yesterday. Right now the computer is actually plugged into it. Who knows what the problem is...

The inspection was today; a few small things came up, but it should work out just fine. It was actually only Mark's second time at the house, since he didn't come with me when my parents were up. We did mean to get pictures, but just didn't have enough time--but I did figure out how to gank photos from our realtor's initial email about the house.


I put up a few of the interior as well--check my photostream. We also met with our lender this afternoon. At this point, we have little to do before closing besides packing up our house. And negotiate the inspection findings, and buy a fridge, and figure out how we want to move, and decide when to move the piano... I guess there's a lot, but the big hurdles are out of the way. Yay.

Once upon a time, last month, I started working on some Vinnlands for myself. I haven't been working on them much (I'm finally working on the border squares of my neverending blanket!), but I am into the second sock. Here's the first:



This yarn was perfect for the pattern! They will be a very cool pair of socks, whenever I finish them. :)

A final note: I have been watching the first season of Torchwood on DVD, and now I find myself thinking with a bit of a Welsh accent. That is really strange...

We were so busy with the show and post-performance stuff yesterday that I didn't get on the computer all day... The performances went really well, and I got two positive (but short!) reviews that I can post on my website (which I finally got around to cleaning up, months and months after I first set it up with the new host). Now I need new gigs. This is the first time in years I haven't had any future engagements--mostly because of the economy. I've even heard whispers that one of the local companies that has been struggling may actually go out of business (though I can't judge the validity of the comments, and I tend to avoid that kind of gossip, it is worth acknowledgment--it's the company that took six months to send me a check last year). So it's even more imperative that I start researching auditions for this December. I wasn't able to make a new recording this summer (things were so crazy in August, and my regular pianist was traveling quite a bit as well), which is not so hot but I can use last year's if need be. The company that gave me such positive feedback after last year's audition is doing a few more shows this summer that call for my voice type, so I'll definitely try to sing for them again. Fingers crossed...

I got this crazy ball of yarn in a swap a few years ago--a pink and orange and white silk blend with the texture of terrycloth. It's very soft, and the colors are kind of fun, but I had NO idea what to do with it. I finally decided to make a cowl with it, but after multiple swatches I realized that it was way too fuzzy to be made into anything but stockinette--so I made another Dolores Park Cowl.



My hair looks particularly good in that picture (I probably shouldn't tell you how dirty it was--I knew it would be sprayed white and teased for the dress rehearsal that night, so I saw no point in washing it). I got a nice drape using the called-for size 10 needle, but I basically improvised the lengths of the individual sections and worked until I ran out of yarn. It's like wearing an incredibly luxurious towel around my neck. :)

I got a great deal on a stainless steel water bottle a few weeks ago, but it's single-chambered and there's a lot of condensation. So I made a "sock" for it:



The yarn I used (Valley Yarns Berkshire, which is closer to a bulky than an aran) is probably too nice and not sturdy enough for this purpose, but I've had it sitting around for a while so I felt the need to use it. It's working well so far.

Last night's show went well, and we have high expectations for tomorrow.

Look! A picture!



The Hemlock Ring Blanket I made for Rosie and Marilyn (my aunt and her wife!!!), out of Fishermen's Wool in Natural Brown. It was overcast yesterday, so the natural light made everything look a little green. Weird. Anyway, I made this blanket without remembering that my aunt has severe allergies. I don't know if she's allergic to wool or not (and this is not the softest wool, despite my using half a bottle of conditioner in the soak). I have to email them about it, but I may be keeping this for myself. I had originally considered getting them Hers and Hers towels, if they even sell that kind of stuff anymore...I do have a coworker with an embroidery machine, though. Hmm.

The show is tonight! There was a bit of a misstep yesterday regarding the lead's costume (i.e. it made her look nine months pregnant when her pregnancy's supposed to be a secret!), but it has been corrected and all will be well. As long as my skirt doesn't get caught in the balcony doors again...

p.s. Helen, I finally got your birthday present in the mail the other day. I apologize! I hope you like it.

On my way to final dress--but I did find the camera! Pictures again, starting tomorrow.

Did I mention that Mark is in the show? He's playing a priest (no lines or anything). I am the town matriarch, and I'm having an affair with the priest. LOL

Slacker!!! I told myself I wouldn't update again until I had pictures, but I just cannot find the camera... Mark had it last, so hopefully he knows where it is. Anyway, to make up for my absence I'm going to do a BloPoMo, as well as I can. The action never stops over here, after all... So much has been going on that I could probably post about something different every day for a month.

The first big thing is--we're under contract for a house! We went to see it the week after we got back from the trade show, then my parents were able to see it the following Monday afternoon. It doesn't need much work, other than a new fridge (the appliances and mechanical systems are not new, but their utility bills are fine so we probably won't worry about it for a while). It's in a nice neighborhood convenient to a library and lots of shopping (though it will mean a significantly longer commute for me, I won't be working there forever). The inspection is next week (I should have some pictures then, if we can find the damn camera), and we close on October 19 if all goes to plan. This week we make up our minds on a lender (we've been doing a lot of research) and pick an insurance plan--and we need a lawyer. We're supposed to be going through our things and packing as well, but it's production week for my show so we haven't had much spare time.

My parents are also selling their house; they close in two weeks. Apparently they're going to live at an extended-stay hotel for two weeks afterwards so my father can work out his notice (yes, they are insane), then go up to New York early for my brother's wedding. They're downsizing to a condo, wherever they end up living, and there has been some family drama as my parents go through all their things. Really stupid, petty stuff, mostly involving the selfishness of my brother. And no, I am not willing to hang onto my father's grandmother's ugly, rickety, poorly-made dining room set until my brother can use it. His house doesn't have a dining room, which means I'll be stuck with it forever, or until he decides to drive 1000 miles round-trip to pick it up and store it in his basement. Basically nobody wants this dining room set--not even my father, who is perfectly content with someone selling it. My mother is the only one who likes it, I think. Ugh. I hope they have rock-solid wills, because I do not want to repeat this process in forty years...