Oh You Poor Things

Blogtoberfest begins in just two days and I'm gettin' on the bus! Which, considering that this blog went dark from like March until August, is quite the claim to be making. But I'm looking at it as a warm-up for November, which is when National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) begins. It's not that I don't like to blog, because I do. It's that I *forget*. I was all ready last night with a more or less fully formed post in my head and then I sat down and started watching "Deadliest Catch" and Phil was in the ER with a blood clot in his lung and Keith had to hire a new greenhorn because he fired that stupid Moi and then Andy and Johnathan promoted their brother Neal to a full time job as engineer so he didn't have to work on deck any more because Neal's not getting any younger and Johnathan got whacked in the head with a picking hook and ... then it was time for bed. And thank God there's only one more season of Deadliest Catch out on DVD or nothing would get done.

So basically I need to SCHEDULE a blog writing time and stick to it. Not to mention posting a bunch of signs around my apartment saying, "Don't Forget To Blog!". And I'll need to start carrying my camera with me wherever I go because you can only steal pictures off the Innernets so many times before people get wise to you. Also, I should probably adopt 2 or 3 more rats so I can post about them as well. Because everyone loves animal pictures and speaking of which ...

I'm in negotiations with someone from Craigslist to adopt a rat SIMILAR to this one (I stole this picture off the Innernets). His name is Ratoncito which leads me to believe he is a Hispanic rat. Anyway, Ratoncito has sort of been passed around his entire life as a class pet and the school teacher who currently has him really doesn't have time for him. Plus her dog thinks Ratoncito is a play toy. Not to mention poor Ratoncito has been on Craigslist for forever and I really need to stop reading the Adoptable Pets forum. Also, I'm very concerned about Spike's mental health because ratties really do need friends and even though Spike has rat aggression issues it's only when he has to share a cage. And Ratoncito comes with his own cage. Free! So yeah, I think I just justified getting another rat, don't you?

Oh crap, maybe I should have saved that last little bit for October. Dang.

Manly

This weekend was the start of my next round of 100 squares for PRR. I had decided that I was going to go with a "manly" theme. With manly colors. Like rust and green and brown. However, there are a few words not commonly associated with crochet - manly, sturdy, compact, rugged, unlacey (that might not be a real word), tough. Which made finding an appropriate square somewhat difficult.

I scoured the Internet. I bought "99 Squares to Crochet." I looked in vain for my "200 Blocks To Crochet" (if anyone knows where that has gone let me know.) I have crocheted. A lot. In fact, other than a 3 hour stint at work yesterday and a bit of a "Deadliest Catch" fest, that's all I've done. As we can clearly see from the evidence presented above.

To make matters worse, I am not the world's greatest crocheter. My gauge is always off. I find the instructions a bit "confusing" at times. Also, if I might make a suggestion to the nice people at Leisure Arts, it would be very helpful to have a finished size for one or two of the "99 Squares To Crochet." I mean, I can usually ballpark the finished size based on the number of rounds but still. If it's not too much trouble.

So after all the hunting and crocheting and hunting and crocheting, I ended up with this. Which is my version of square #67 from "99 Squares To Crochet". We'll call it square #67A. And if I can convince myself that I've reworked it enough that it's no longer square #67 I'll post the instructions. But I need to think about that a bit more. Cuz it's not nice to steal.

And finally, I've added an addendum to the APRIL HAS LOST HER MIND contest relating to raffle tickets awarded to squares. As follows:

6" crocheted squares = 1 raffle ticket
6" knitted squares = 2 raffle tickets
12" crocheted squares = 4 raffle tickets
12" knitted squares = 8 raffle tickets (wow, that's a lot).

Also, this contest is open to all residents of the planet Earth. No entries from Mars please, shipping chocolate to Mars would be astronomical. Ha! Get it? "Astronomical". OK, back to the crocheting.

Another AHLHM Contest

Summer is slowly winding down here in the Bay Area and one of my very favorite months, October, is on the horizon. I like October. A lot. Many of my favorite people are born in October. Three of those people are even born on the same day. Crazy, I know. And speaking of crazy ...

Today I crocheted my 100th square for the Pine Ridge Reservation. OK, so it took me 10 months to achieve that goal but it's done. Well not really done, because now I'm going to start on another 100. And it would be nice to have some company. If only for a month. So, in honor of my 100th square it's time to throw the doors open and announce yet another "APRIL HAS LOST HER MIND CONTEST".

"April, tell the people what they can win!!!"

Blog fans, you can win YARN! CHOCOLATE! Isn't that exciting? Of course it is!

"April, how much yarn, how much chocolate?!?"

Two people will each win a $50.00 gift certificate to Knit Picks AND a one pound box of chocolates from See's Candy!

"April, that's fabulous, how can they win that?!?"

Well, duh. By making squares for the Pine Ridge Reservation!

OK, enough talking to myself in my own blog. Here's the rulez. For every square you crochet or knit between now (Sept. 25th) and the end of October you will receive one raffle ticket to be entered into the APRIL HAS LOST HER MIND CONTEST. Now, before the knitters start jabbbing me with their US 8's and complaining that it's faster to crochet than to knit, just hold yer needles. One raffle ticket for a crocheted square, TWO raffle tickets for a knitted square. This will all be done on the honor system so please don't make me lose what little faith I have left in the human race and pad your square numbers. If you need more info feel free to check out our group on Ravelry by clicking on this little linky - Afghan Squares For Pine Ridge Reservation. Let the square dance begin!

9/27/09 - Edited To Add The Following:

6" crocheted squares = 1 raffle ticket
6" knitted squares = 2 raffle tickets
12" crocheted squares = 4 raffle tickets
12" knitted squares = 8 raffle tickets (wow, that's a lot).

Also, this contest is open to all residents of the planet Earth. No entries from Mars please, shipping chocolate to Mars would be astronomical. Ha! Get it? "Astronomical".

I Just Couldn't

And neither could you. How could anyone resist a face like this?

This little rattum will be mine on October 17th when she's old enough to leave her Mommy. I'm getting her from Rattie Ratz Rescue which is where we also got Mouzz. Her name right now is BA413. I'm hoping to come up with something a little more charming than that in the next three weeks.

I'm beginning to think that rats are a lot like yarn, you can never have enough. And somehow that statement makes perfect sense to me.

Moving Up

As a few long time readers of this silly blog know, I am the Queen Of The Flat Tire. No vehicle is immune to my power. Every single car I've owned has been plagued by this nuisance. And, as a testament to my ever growing power, this year brought a few added bonuses.

In March, while borrowing a friend's van, I ended up with a flat tire. We're not talking a little lost air. We're talking rim on the ground, completely flat.

But I believe I may have reached the pinnacle of my flat tire awesomeness on Friday night. No longer content with merely a lowly flat I have moved on to ...

... a complete and utter explosion. How's this for raising the flat tire bar, eh? Aren't you impressed? Aren't you doubly impressed that I'm even here to write about it? Did I mention this happened on the freeway? In rush hour traffic? Yeah, either go big or go home, that's my motto. I don't think this one is repairable.

How did this happen? Well let me tell you. Just because a tire looks brand new tread wise, if the tires have been sitting on the car while it's been parked for SIX YEARS they have been exposed to the elements. Contracting in the winter, expanding in the summer, you get the idea. And they deteriorate. As we can clearly see above.

So tomorrow, providing my car is still on the freeway where I left it (did I mention my cell phone was dead and I had to walk to the next off ramp?), I will be purchasing four new tires. Any bets on how long before I get my next flat?

I Got Nuthin'

I'm working on a pair of socks for the Pine Ridge Reservation but since I don't even have one finished, basically I got nuthin'. And we all know what happens when a knit blogger has nuthin' ... ANIMAL PICTURES!!!

This is not my cat. Yes, that's my fridge. But that's not my cat.

The latest in fur covered bookends, available now at Chez Insanity. Buy one, get one free!

Spike, chillin' in his Rattie Tube Of Comfort, down at the Carrot Bar.

I Am Teh Bored

Yet another dishcloth. At least the flowers match the cloth. I am so bored with knitting and crocheting I can't even begin to tell you. I keep thinking I want to knit a one skein lace shawl but do I? I've got at least three or four patterns and this morning I found another one on Ravelry. And heaven knows I have enough sock yarn at home for any one of them. But nothing is sparking the ol' fire.

Maybe I'll do some cross stitch. Maybe I need a new yarn store. Maybe I need to move back to Canada where they have knitting conducive weather. I simply don't know. Anyone have any suggestions?

Spike!

A big congratulations to TREK for selecting the most appropriate name for my little rat. Trek, please pick a colorway from BMFA so I can order you some new sock yarn!

I have found an alternative use for my many dishcloths.

If we look to the right of this picture we see a beautiful fleece hammock with catchy racing stripes. Perfect for a little rattie to curl up in. Unless your rattie goes by the name of Spike. Then he will totally ignore the lovely hammock and choose to sleep on your crocheted dishcloths (see left side of photo). In fact, he will go so far as to pull down one of the dishcloths from an upper level so he can use it as a pillow.

Many hours were spent this long weekend with me locked in the bathroom trying to convince Spike that I wasn't going to kill him. He's a very cautious lad which is understandable given that my apartment probably smells rather strongly of cat. Andy's initial fascination with our new room mate has lessened and I'm not sure that DeeDee realizes there's a rat in the house. I also think that Andy is a bit intimidated by Spike's size. Or at least, I hope so.

By yesterday, Spike would sit in my lap and eat carrot strips and let me pet him while he was munching away. He's a funny little guy, a lot more curious than Mouzz was and he absolutely hates Yogis which are kind of the universal rat treat. I put them in his cage and he throws them out. He definitely has a mind of his own. I wonder if he'd like a friend ...

Don't Rush Me!

Yesterday I received my AARP card in the mail. The AARP card is for people 50 and over. I am NOT 50. I will not be 50 for another six months. 180 days. What's the rush? I have no desire to be 50. I can't even imagine myself as being 50. For Petey sakes I haven't even started SAVING for retirement. I thought that's what the lottery was for! It's bad enough that I've already started uttering, "Kids these days!", now they want to give me a card that actually proclaims I'm old? Who's idea was this? Bah humbug and get the hell off my lawn.

Let us all hasten the arrival of fall by looking at what is clearly a piece of fall clothing. The infamous Noro Striped Scarf. I actually finished this in April but since I seemed to be observing blog silence since March I don't think I ever posted it. Boring pattern, lovely result. This is one squishy scarf. Of course I will never wear it since California doesn't really lend itself to the wearing of scarves. Maybe I'll give it away. Anyone need a scarf?

The Naming Contest

First things first. Poor Mouzz passed away Saturday. We're not sure what happened. Most likely it was a tumour. My friend had noticed that Mouzz's gait seemed a bit off on Friday and when Mouzz got up Saturday afternoon he looked as though he'd scratched his eye on something. By 5:00 he'd passed away. Needless to say, we are both devastated since Mouzz was only a year and a half. We take comfort in the thought that Mouzz is probably living on a mountain of Yogis right now and taking long, uninterrupted naps. R.I.P. Mouzz.

Continuing with the rat theme ... The absolute irony (divine intervention?) of this whole situation is that, as Mouzz was crossing the bridge, I was at the Humane Society adopting ANOTHER rat. A call had gone out earlier in the week to all rat people in the Bay Area that the local Humane Society was holding 3 momma rats and their 25 babies. (I really need to get off certain mailing lists.) So Saturday afternoon, there I was, filling out forms to adopt "Miranda." Miranda is 6 weeks old and looks more like a mouse than a rat. I have no pictures of her *yet* because of course, she distrusts all humans. Trust me that she's beautiful and precious and oh soooo tiny.

And finally ...

Here is the reason I need to stay off craigslist. This is No Name. Or JD as his former owners called him. I do not like the name JD; I'm not a big fan of the "initial names." No Name is 10 months old and is an Agouti Black Banded INTACT (seriously intact) male. He came from the same people we got Sadie and Tater from. There is one huge difference though. No Name is MINE. He has serious rat aggression issues and needs to be kept on his own. Yet, he loves people. He's the exact opposite of me. I hate all people (well most) and love rats.

Andy is pretty much beside himself right now which is why No Name is living in the bathtub (in a cage of course) with the sliding doors firmly shut. No Name is allowed out of the bathtub only when Mom is home. I did talk to the breeder about this situation and she was fine with it, No Name spends most of his time sleeping and he comes out to play when Andy is out killing leaves. DeeDee is oblivious. Or else she just doesn't care. ANYWAY. I'm having a contest. To find a new name for No Name. Names we have considered and discarded: Badger, Simon, Sig, Wizard, Lars, Thor, Petey, Butters, Panda, Bear, Seal. No Name is a big boy. He loves corn chips and banana chips. Won't you help think of a name for him? This contest will run until Friday morning and the suggester of the winning name will win a skein of Socks That Rock, lightweight. And maybe something else. Perhaps something in the form of a sturdy, brown tabby ...