So I decided that since this blog is called "knitwithcats" I should show some knitting with / on my cats. So here are 2 of my babies: the very large boned one with knitting resting on her belly is Tinkerbell and her pillow is Izzy. And the knitting, well, that is my new sock for my brother. As many of you know, the old sock and I stopped speaking and I decided to kick it out. So, now I'm working with new yarn, Jitterbug by Colinette, and it is great to work with! A hand paint that is superwash wool with a nice tight twist - slides deliciously on the needles. It is a little browner in reality than it looks here with nice highlights of navy and cranberry. He will love them!

I found this new website that has some great roving and hand dyes! I was really impressed with the colors and weights offered. Very worth a visit!

http://www.helloyarn.com/

I also ordered 3 new books from Amazon:

Lace Style: Traditional to Innovative, 21 Inspired Designs to Knit

I have been told that this book is a little disappointing design-wise, but has some good tips. So, I'm going out on a limb and getting it anyway - critics be damned! Of course, I'll most likely regret it, but hey...

Then I ordered

Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave

Anne already has this book and I saw it and love it! And therefore must have it! It will be 4 years from now until I finish anything from it but that is never the point, now is it?

And finally, I preordered:

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off: The Yarn Harlot's Guide to the Land of Knitting

I don't think I need to say anything else about this one - the author speaks very well for herself, thank you. Very excited to get this one!!

And here is Blinky - watching television. Fascinated by it! Enthralled! Moving her head side to side as different characters speak! How creepy is that? I think she might have a "problem." Does anyone know a good kitten interventionist? I may have to cancel my Amazon order so that I can afford her treatment. So sad on so many levels!!!

Off to knit!

So have I been knitting this week? NO! Between the time change and PMS, I have been totally wiped out! I took Bailey to the vet on Friday and Dr. L (who is the best vet ever) prescribed her some antibiotic pills - no problem. Saturday morning, I give her a pill and off I go. Sunday morning, I go to give her a pill and the pill bottle is gone! How do they do that?? I think she sent Blinky and Izzy on a recon mission and they knocked the pills down to her and she hid them. I have yet to find the damn bottle! My mom picked up another bottle of pills and now they have to be stored in the fridge to prevent theft. They are crafty, tricky little bastards but they have yet to figure out how to open the fridge door. Yet...

I went to traffic court on Tuesday morning and was there for 2.5 hours! No talking, reading, or chewing gum - I'm not kidding. All to show the judge my current registration. What a joke! So annoying!! I mean, it's not like I brought this on myself by forgetting and then procrastinating updating my registration. I blame the whole thing on the cats. Somehow, this was their fault. It just was.

Oh, and the pic? That is the view I have all the time as I walk into the bathroom - Izzy and Blinky's butts. Do they have a water bowl? Yes. Do they prefer to drink out of the toilet anyway? Yes. Ahh, my babies...

Wireless Internet @ Home!!

Special thanks to Zoro, Stretch, & Me Too's mom for the great suggestion on wireless internet! Backstory: I called Comcast about wireless internet and they would be happy to set it up for me for $179.00 and I would have to be there and then they would have to check this and that and then I would have to rent the equipment from them for $5 a month.

Well, retelling this story, the above cats' mom said, "just go to Best Buy and do it all there!" So off I went today and spend $80 on equipment (including a self-install kit) and they signed me up with Comcast. I was in and out in literally under 20 minutes! And, because I had Best Buy do the activation, I am paying $19.95 / month for 3 months! Stupid Comcast person!

And my glasses were not the correct prescription - I was always walking uphill - so I went and ordered new glasses and a new contact prescription and hoping this goes better. Very annoyed with the glasses people, too!!

O.k. I think I'm done bitching... for now...

But on a happier note, we had our first post-knitting store class / knitting group on Sat morning and had a great time! It is nice to see everyone again and catch up on the gossip! Not that we ever gossip, though...

Off to finish laundry! But now that I have wireless at home, I will be updating this blog on a much more regular basis so check back often and be sure to leave some comments!!

Still Greasy!! And Loving It!!!

As promised, here is a pic of where I am working! You are looking down the center aisle of the shop with repair bays on each side - approx 30 bays total. On this day, I helped unhook a drive shaft, drop a transmission, pull out a clutch, and finally repaired the two recalled gears that necessitated all of this work in the first place! Then, we had to put it all back again! That day, I was the filthiest I have ever been in my entire life. Grease in, on, and ground into every part of my body. But I also had my best night of sleep in a long time. Too much fun!! But my cuticles are shot and my nails are so short and still encrusted with grease - I think my brother's socks are going to smell like an auto shop. At least it will be a manly smell!

The cats have struck again! The little bastards stole one of my shoes! I wore it yesterday and when I looked for it this morning, one was gone! They like the laces and therefore the shoes double as prey!

And I got new glasses! Yea for my team! I can see things at a distance now! Life is good - kinda scared to see what the guys look like through my new glasses, though. And they feel weird on my face - I've been wearing my old pair for over 3 years. This is like a very drastic (and extremely expensive) haircut. I feel like my face is tilting to one side - slight "I look weird in my new glasses" paranoia.
Off to put the laundry in the dryer! I swear I will try and do better about my posting frequency - sounds like a condition on a pharmaceutical ad.