Blogger and the whole watching your spending thing

So this is my second try at this post - last nights was deleted by blogger.
I am going to watch how I spend my money for a while - literally.
I spent NOTHING on Saturday or Sunday.
Monday - there was allergy meds, cooking vanilla and some party mix - $25 or 26 but only $1.50 which was slightly unnecessary (it did keep me from going for fast food - PMS)
Tuesday - $20 at market for fresh fruits, veggies and a bag of dried cherries. $20 for babysitter (in advance for a couple knit nights) and $10 for drink (alcohol) and snack (chocolate peanut butter bar) at knit night. Oh and $35 at Wal-mart for milk, cereal, pjs for little gurl and black camisole for me.
Of the above I feel that it all was necessary - I needed to get out without the gurls and really wanted to go to knit night and Susan's daughter watched mine...
HURRAY!!!
Why watch the money thing - need to fix 2 bathrooms and a kitchen. And a shed, the front porch and the front step.
Need a ladder so I can clean the eaves (and do other things).
Need a dishwasher. NEED a DISHWASHER. DESPERATELY NEED A DISHWASHER.
I have a feeling the ladder will be the first. The Dishwasher is a pipe dream because i will talk myself out of it.
I know myself.
What are you saving for?

I was strong...

...I cancelled my Plucky Classics and resisted the Yarn Pirate Booty Club signup. Hated doing it, however, the following arrived from Sarah this past week...

My Plucky Classics Miss Marianne Dashwood in BFL Superwash - fingering weight, 400yds.


My Pumpkin Latte to match my scarf - DK/Worsted 190 yards

All the available chunky weight she had...at 110 yard each

Twitterpated
Sensibility (3)

Fickle (2)

I am due my Scout's Swag next week - confirmation of shipping email received and #2 of the Tsock Flock Club will ship Monday. Maybe tomorrow I will try to finish rnd #1.

I think I was supposed to finish Guinevere this month too.... and my scarf is getting there, some frogging as I knit going on as plan A didn't work and on to plan B.

So no yarn bought this week. HURRAY.

One package in

My June Robyn's Nest club came and the pattern and yarn are loved (stitch markers already in play). I have other yarn that will become the sock pattern - thinking first pair for summer of socks and the yarn will become a cowl, (I think). The yarn is Alexandrite in 100% worsted wool, dyed by Biscotte & Cie and the colours belong on my neck and not my feet.

Robyn also sent a Canada pencil and sucker, and a lovely cocoa tea.

Just what I needed after a wearying dreary day.

What Have I been up to?

So since Wednesday - I slept on the bed every night and finally on Sunday at noon, stopped moving the majority of the clothes around.
I did some stupid shopping - when you buy something you're not quite sure about and then can't take it back because it was from a person/yard sale and you have it and spent money on it and...
To punish myself, I am not permitted to buy more yarn. This will be aided by the fact that Robyn's Nest sock club is on vacation and I will try very very very hard not to rejoin the Lucky Lurker club (unless I design a fabulous pattern and win a free membership). The Tsock Flock is already paid for the year. That only leaves the Plucky Knitter Classics club and this one is up for debate- it is a subscription, so I won't even notice (ha ha) but my mail takes forever and ever and ever to arrive.
I destashed some yarn at WWKIP on Saturday. Friday night i bagged up some stuff that I will never use because
a) it is 100% cotton and I can't knit with it (I can with some)
b) I hate knitting with the funky bumpiness of it,
c) because it tangled so badly I never want to see it again
d) someone may have a use for it.
The badly tangled sock yarn went to a lovely knitter named Jennifer who was knitting a pair of gorgeous socks out of Value Village Recycled Sweater yarn. I couldn't help it - I hate that yarn because it tangled so badly on me - it was half pull balled and then there was the tangle. She was very appreciative. The majority went to Karen (bankerknits) on ravelry who knits for charity. I can't keep up with the projects for my own kids, someone else can use it for good.
I only came home with the two balls that were in our lovely grab bag - one will become a hat for big gurl and the other, will either turn into something very Christmasy or just go into a new charity yarn bag.
I had fun - didn't arrive at Rose's until 1:00 pm but then stayed until almost 3:30 so all was great.
Sunday was Father's Day and after some hemming and hawing, we were there by a little after 2:00. And then promptly went shopping for baby bottles for little Tymon, cause my bro and SIL brought everything except the bottle (liners even). The package was on sale at Shopper's so all was well. I got some baby time, knitting time and all around good family time. The gurls loved it - they were in their bathing suits within 10 minutes of getting to the house and just played all day (the mosquitoes loved it too).
It has rained everyday and night since I was last on - not straight mind you, but lots of rain. That's not a problem in itself except that the wind is there along with the occasional hail and of course thunder and lightning. Generally don't mind, but when you are woken from an awesome sleep to crazy storm (thankful we sleep in basement) which has the chimney leaking water right onto the hot water heater pipe (think tin and big steady drops) you are still tired.
This week is Public Service week - today was bbq and awards. Tomorrow is give blood day - better go drink a litre or two of water for hydration. It's a nice appreciation time.
Big gurl had her dentist appointment today - no cavities but one loose tooth that is a little stuck - behind the new tooth - some major wiggling going on or it will be 'dentist removal'. She is a wimp - crying about it already even though we have a week. She is a wimp about anything like that.
Little gurl on the other hand - loved her first tooth counting today. Yesterday, just before we left my parents, I changed her diaper and noticed something on her foot. It was in her foot - thorn or something, so Opa came to check it out. Imagine an 1/8th of an inch to a 1/4 inch long pointed thing stuck in foot - created a groove even. The child didn't even freak out. And then we found two more - she cried at the third because it was actually point in. Big gurl ran away at the sight. Kids can be so different.
My daily funny (at the expense of big gurl's head).
They have 2 'magic princess wands'. One will make music if you wave it around the room (but doesn't actually do the dishes or anything darn it). So big gurl shows little gurl how to do it and little one gets into.
I say - careful gurls, move away from each other so no one gets hit in the head.
I don't think it was 5 seconds - clunk, and tears. Big gurl has a lovely bruise on her forehead.
ahh, the power of a mom - just by saying it we make it happen.
Off to finish the 3rd pattern repeat in my scarf, before bed.

Stupid Cleaning

Not that I don't respect what cleaning can do for one and all that.


I mean that I am going about it stupidly.


I will take a couple pics and get back to you.


Okay here goes:

This first picture is of the room that used to be my bedroom. Yarn stash is in various locations in this room yet. Let's estimate that 1/3rd of the gurlz toys have made their way to this room. This will be the playroom/TV room (if I have my way). My organizing side is sorting said toys into their respective bins. The wire basket system in the corner used to house the smaller items of my wardrobe (please note its emptiness for the pictures below). This room is not in too bad shape considering there was a big bed in here.

This room is my living room - in the corner you can see the door frame for the above room. Here lies approximately another 1/3 of the gurlz (monsterz) toys. And their chairs, big gurlz desk, dress up box and my couch and ....




This is my bedroom. Everything that was in that wire basket system and in the closet is either on the bed or in baskets on the floor. Half of my knitting/crochet stuff has made it's way down (only a minute portion of the stash has made it's way down). However since this was the toy/craft room, my dresser was changed to the storage place for winter hats and gloves and the grow into yet clothes for the gurlz. Only the hats/gloves have left yet. Arggh. There is also the table that accompanies the gurlz chairs and at least one bucket full of toys in this room - maybe 1/16th of the total toys. (the remainder are still in their bedroom - THEY HAVE TO MANY TOYS!!!!!!)

This photo is of the crafting corner that has been sadly piled of late.

I'm trying to decide if I brave the room or just sleep on the couch tonight. Decisions, decisions.

Of course, if I had cleaned wisely - move everything out of the dresser so that the socks could go in immediately (hamper on the floor) and the ..... I'll get it done one of these days.

Only bills in the mail today - oh where has my yarny mail gone too?

It wasn't just the Caffeine

My allergies are the major cause of my twitchiness. (lack of sex has been known to cause this also, but I don't believe the eye twitches).
So I am half-caf ing my coffee. Worked today. And working on the stress management/sleeping more issues. No I didn't drug the little one so she sleeps longer. It's a thought though...
My awesome parents came over on Sunday and helped around the house.
Short list:
1. The second clothes line so I can actually dry my regular weekly laundry.
2. Vinyl tablecloth on old table on porch - and stabilized a little
3. The billion maple tree keys all over everything.
4. The dead shed - cleaned out and measure up for work this coming weekend (if the weather permits)
5. Bed in the basement room - less noise from tenant (who I have forgiven for the ceiling issue and am not quite so stressed with - cause she hasn't been sleeping here lately and took a trunk full of rocks -from my front lawn - away)
6. Trim on one wall in basement bedroom and the panel covering the stupid water meter/shut off has been trimmed to fit properly. Thinking of using some of the vinyl to make a pretty cover...
7. Two lovely planters with tomato plants and herbs - guess what they are honey, but that's okay.
8. Dad mowed the lawn and since my reel mower was acting up, fixed that too.
9. Smoke detector installed.
10. curtain of sorts over gurls doorway (never was a door - more figuring required but it is a start)
11. Window AC installed
12. The nightmare 'collect all' desk cleared off and organized.
13. The last of the stupid tupperware dishes cleaned up - here I am trying to save the environment, but the stupid things need to be washed...
...and they didn't say anything about the excessive amount of yarn in my non-room and not much about the huge number of toys owned by the gurlz.
It is stinking hot here. I can say that cause I love spring and fall and don't complain much if it rains alot and really the only time I complain about the cold is when I can't get the house warm or am sick...
Anyone know the secret to making a 2 year 8 month year old behave, or just mind her mother occasionally?
Oh and getting a 7 years, 1 month year old to get out of bed and speed through the morning necessities..?
I want mail. It would cheer me immensely right now. Could someone send me some mail?
I knitted a few more rows of the scarf. Really need to clean the bedroom/craft room back up so I can move the stuff from upstairs downstairs - maybe even put some clothes in my bedroom.
I think I will go to sleep now.
There is always tomorrow.

I am no longer a caffeine drinker

I have narrowed it down to the caffeine and allergies.
So I bought decaf coffee today. Just plan old Maxwells, until I have time to research and find the good stuff. And by no longer being a caffeine drinker, it doesn't mean never, it just means limited and no more pop and cola and perhaps reduced chocolate consumption and well, definitely reduced dark roast full bodied caffeinated coffee.
It freakin sucks. I love my dark roast coffee. But I had no twitchies until the end of Thursday - and I just had tea (can't quit cold turkey).
Of course, the extra sleep really helps too.

On the knitting front i frogged two items:
The cardi/shrug that ran out of yarn. So I have two skeins of blue sky alpaca dyed cotton in espresso to admire. Now that's an idea - only buy yarn in coffee hues...
Tymon's bootee is no more - I was trying to make an armored bootee by using yarn that was too thick.

My Pumpkin Latte Grasshopper scarf is about halfway - I am working two halves separately and will join them in the middle.
The laundry was done - for 5 minutes. Then I stripped the beds and it started all over again.

To sleep, perchance to dream - provided the temperature in the house drops below 81 degrees (in winter it hovers around 69).

Darn it.

i mean it.
I called the optometrist office today - they recommended i reduce my caffeine intake, get lots of sleep and eliminate stress. Huh.
We are not going to discuss the fact that the computer program I have to use to do my job kicked me out on 4 separate occasions today and made me wait more than 5 minutes on at least 4 other occasions, just to 'update' the legal representative I wanted - I COULD HAVE TYPED IT FASTER!!!!!!!!!!
What about the ceiling in your living room Sharon, are you going to discuss that - the 3 month old ceiling that was already the reason the renovations took 2 or 3 more weeks than they should have????? I think I may have mentioned the drywall screw popping and making a perfect circle. That is not my issue today.
No my issues are the 2-2 foot long wet strips running where I'm guessing the seams are. As you may know I have a tenant and tonight she was louder than normal - things falling etcetera...(which has been rather loud lately and interfering with my sleep recently and...see the above mentioned more sleep issue). So I phoned her just to check that everything was okay and she said they were just moving stuff around because her friend was picking up the aquarium and oh by the way, your ceiling isn't wet is it? I turn my head, confident that my new ceiling is definitely not wet. Oh it is. I took pictures but I just can't bear it. And of course since I was looking anyways, I also got a chance to see the crack in the ceiling - one of the most stressed parts - but SERIOUSLY IT has only been 3 MONTHS!!!!!!
So my stress factor has increased instead of decreased.
And all I can say is Darn it.

On the plus side I picked up some lovely yarn from The Plucky Knitter's etsy shop. I had notice the other day that she had Pumpkin Latte in Worsted weight - perfect to make a Koolhaas to match my scarf (and possible gloves) out of my fingering weight - previous post includes a pic.
And then I bought some other yarns of hers that I wanted. That really helped de-stress me earlier.
This afternoon - since the computer was driving my crazy anyways - I left work early to look at some clothes. I found 2 pairs of pants for the summer (office is freezing no matter what the temperature inside...) Cotton Ginny - so they will be cooler.

I am so .... blah right now - there is nothing I can do about my ceiling so there is no sense getting upset. But I kind of want to cry. And smash a ceiling. Good thing I don't keep much alcohol in the house. I think I will go see what else I can buy tonight....

happy 1st Monday of June

It's a semi happy day. A little befuddled and confused. My right eye (the good eye to date) has a twitch. Invisible if you are looking for it, but try looking through that eye sometimes. I first really noticed it in March - stress month - and figured once things slow down and life gets a little better and... April was a little better, vacation plans and all that. May has been up and down. This past week has been insane. But I'm not more stressed. I'm just talking about the freakin annoying eye twitch thing. Computer screen does it one minute, knitting the next, just chilling out does it. When I am upset or extra stressed, it also comes. So what to do.
I figure I will call the optometrist first - it has only been a year since the last exam, but maybe the eye is working too hard. I've had some recommendations. Less C**ff****. Like hello - I consume the stuff (usually) before 8:00 am - unless it's a stressful day - then I have some more.
Thing is, I don't drink coffee for the caffeine. I really enjoy my coffee. Decaf coffee doesn't come in as rich flavours and variety that I like. I may have to switch again - did it for awhile, but then needed the caffeine for a boost and well you get used to it.
Less stress. Uhm - I think I will bring the gurls along (of course when meeting people for the first time they are perfect...) suggest they try talking to father #2 for a bit, find a way to make #1 pay support, and well that's a start right...

on the Knitting side of things...I finished some socks - except for the embroidery. That requires a non twitchy eye, patience filled, childless time. It will occur (Ihope).

Here they are:
Tsock Flock Club - Firebird, knit on 2.0 mm 2 at a time circular. Fun pattern and fairly quick knit. They fit nice. One of them kept/acquired 2 extra sts for a time (the right one I think) but they don't look too different and at this point all the stupid ends are woven in. (I am a minimalist when it comes to ends - this one had 2 extra ones due to some small gurl twirling my chair and my yarn in the base - it broke on it's own - knitting was not damaged however).



Here is my current scarf in progress (another pattern repeat finished since then)
This is the Grasshopper Scarf in Plucky Knitter fingering merino (Malabrigo style). I am knitting it on 2 3/4 mm and so far adjusted the pattern to include 19 rows of seed stitch at the beginning. Love the pattern and the knitting is fun.


And my baby sis with her afghan...
She loves it.