Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The sock adventure

I knitted a sock. One. Not a pair, singlular.

Looking at those socks in this book I could not see how I could actually knit a sock. It's a tube yes, but it's got increases, decreases, flaps and gussets. Who knew sock construction could be so detailed?

I don't really appreciate the construction of a sock. I've never really looked at the construction. Or I have too many tube socks.

It's the 90 degree angle that'll kill ya when making socks.

I got some sport weight acrylic yarn from the husband. Slightly large for socks. I had size 9 dpns, nothing smaller. All the patterns called for ultrafine, fine or sock weight yarn. On size 0. 1, 2, 3, or 4 sized needles. Cast on 64 or there abouts.

I cast on 36 on those size 9 dpns. No swatch, too impatient. I'm a shoot from the hip kind of knitter.

Which can kill ya, ya know.

I did an inch of ribbing (hate purling). Had to find a way to purl that didn't require my index finger to dip forward. Eureka! Found Norwegian purling. Working thread to the back instead of the front.

Knitting from the cuff down was easy. I find dpns fairly easy and relaxing. No purling, just knit. tra lalalalalala.

I did the heel flap. Oh oh, purl bumps on the outside! Should have purled that first row. Or started knitting from the inside instead of the outside. I knit an inch and realized I was stuck.

No amount of looking at pictures on the internet helped. And I do very heavy research on the internet.

I drove to the LYS. The lady there was very helpful. It took her a long time to figure out how to do the short rows to turn it. My reminder is always 2 past the center turn. I think.

Got that knitted there at the store. Now the decreases. Must engage brain more. No decreases on the heel side but do decrease every other round at the sides.

My sock has personality. It's got a purled heel because (get this) the stockinette stitch would be softer on the heel. Bwhahahaha. Ah huh.

I had too many stitches on one side so I had to decrease more on one side than the other. It doesn't really matter all that much because you can't tell at a casual glance.

The sock also looks giant. In reality it fits fine. I can see where I could have cast on fewer stitches given the weight and size of needles. Would have made a tighter sock on the calf.

I left the LYS to finish up the gussett decreases and finish off the sock at home. I got to the toe and realized I wasn't quite sure how to decrease the toes. I put it on. My toes hung out and I thought I could make toeless socks like I made fingerless gloves! But no, that probably wouldn't work.

I just went for it and whatever I did (decreases at each needle) with a slip on, k2t.

My sock needs it's own photo.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

California, the place to be in winter

Just a couple of pictures taken yesterday in Orange county. It was probably 75 degrees and perfect California weather. What more could you ask for in December?



The pacific ocean scenery from the Cheesecake Factory at Fashion Island yesterday. We were outside on a small patio.



Scenery on the drive home.



A little farther down the freeway.



From the fires last month, this is on the side of the freeway.

monitor death knell

Well what a drag. First my cell phone is chewed to bits. Now this monitor is trying it's best to die.

The husband said (I was not here to see or hear the death knells) that the computer shut down randomly. Odd since this thing is new so it shouldn't just randomly shut itself down. I told him where the ON button was and to go turn it back on.

He did. Some time later he left the house to get his oil changed.

I came in here and the screen is this funny color. It's because the red channel is gone. There is no red to shade colors to the correct hue. Anything red shows up as black. The publish post button in blogger which I think is orange normally shows up as olive green.

I called the hub who said he didn't do anything to the computer. When it turned on it made a funny noise. The computer or the monitor I asked. The monitor.

I can only assume the reds died off and what he heard was the death knells.

I guess somehow I have to come up with $150. for a new one. A cheap one.

Hairpin lace

Hairpin lace. OMG, I found something else I want to do.

It looks so easy, so pretty, so fast.

Gotta figure out how to make my own loom. There are plenty of tutorials out there.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Fashionable lunch

Today the husband very nicely drove me out to Fashion Island. Not to shop, no funds for that but to have lunch with Beanie.

Beanie moved to Chester county, PA 3 years ago. Messy divorce proceedings finally drove her to move back home to her family. Prior to her move I hadn't seen her in about 4 years.


She and I became friends at my old work. When it was here in town. She started working in town (transferred from another county) and had no friends here. I asked if she wanted to have lunch with me one day. She accepted and while I thought she was weird during that lunch we did hit it off.

For 6 or 7 years we had lunch together every day. We walked to Starbucks together every day too. We had a number of fun adventures over the years. We both rose in the organization at about the same rate. She came to my house when we bought it, I went to her wedding, later saw her hours after her first baby was born. We're good friends.

She finally left the company after she met her boyfriend who was to become her husband. He was quite monied and she didn't have to work. She wanted to be a mom and stay home with the kids. That's exactly what she did. I missed her lots at work.

Eventually the marriage didn't work out (in a big way). I was sorry she felt she had to move out of CA but understood given the circumstances.

She has to return every other year to let the kids see their dad and she is in CA this week. So we drove out to see her.

She looks fabulous. I mean really, really good. Her kids are healthy, happy and even tho she prefers to be in CA her kids are thriving in PA without all the hubbub of a bad family situation here in CA.

We sat out on a little patio outside the Cheesecake Factory. A view of the ocean, the temps in the mid-70's, a perfect California winter day. We stepped right back into our friendship as if no time had passed. I am in awe of that kind of connection.

I miss you Beanie, I wish I could go back east and visit and see your new world. LOL, I could visit my SIL too. I'm gonna need that new job to materialize to afford that.

On another note: I got a voicemail from my sister who is in Laguna right now. Damnit, had I known I could have met her at Fashion Island too. My phone is sucking a big one right now so I never heard the phone ring.

It's clatchy but it probably won't stick

"Inland Moms Blog
The on-line coffee clatch for Inland Southern California mothers."

There is something seriously wrong when the biggest inland newspaper cannot spell klatch or doesn't have any idea that it's klatch not clatch.

Although it totally works if you look up the word "clatch": n. 1. (Scot. & Dial. Eng.) A soft or sloppy lump or mass; as, to throw a clatch of mud.
2. Anything put together or made in a careless or slipshod way; hence, a sluttish or slipshod woman.
v. t. & i. 1. To daub or smear, as with lime; to make or finish in a slipshod way.



It's sloppy and slipshod. I highly doubt moms of the inland empire would appreciate being called sluttish or slipshod.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Mrs. Fix It

Here in S. Calif we have argentinian ants. Persistant buggers. If it's too hot outside, they come inside for water (and assumedly eats as well). If it's raining outside, they come inside too.

We've had rain, a lot of rain and the ants find us a convenient port in a storm.

In our bathroom we have a sort of facing on the bottom portion of the wall. It's glued to the wall and at the top of it there is a very small 1/4 inch cap on it. Small sections of it are no longer glued tight to the wall. Apparently ants can see the doorway to the port and they enter the house that way. For the last week there is a line of ants going from one section of the facing, down the wall, over the counter, swarming some spot that to the naked eyes has nothing on it but apparently there is a fabulous ant novelty right there.

I dammed up the little facing with silicone caulking. Now the ones who are left alive (I was ruthlessly killing them with soapy water) are meandering all over trying to find a way back to the nest.

The kitchen is another favorite spot for them. And it's our own fault. You see, we are not DIY'ers. Far from it. We are also not: "Hey, lets call a construction guy or plumber or electrician guy" people. We just don't really do anything til it falls over or something.

So back to the kitchen. The sink is old, ancient. The tiles around it are just as old. Badly chipped yellow tiles with black bullnose tiles. From 1939. The grout is just as old. And shrunken and crumbly.

Now Iknow if I try to pry out the grout I am likely to break some of the tiles. Much of it is pretty crumbly but about 1/2 of it is still adhered to the sink and tile.

What I can do is use the silicone to grout around the sink. It'll fill the holes and put a light veneer over the portions that are still ok. Basically exactly the same as grouting tiles which I've done. With passable results.

The hub, who has many talents but fix-it stuff is not high on the list, looked at me as I was scrubbing/cleaning the sink to prepare for my silicone grouting. He said to me: "You know you have to pull out all that old stuff because otherwise it won't work. I know what I am talking about."

I chose not to comment. I left to allow the sink and the comment to dry.

Later I went in and grouted it with the silicone. Worked fine, just like grouting with grout. Wiped up easily with a paper towel and best of all there is no gap between the sink and the tiles. Which means no ants can enter nirvana from that opening anymore.

I do realize the ants WILL find another way in. The path of least resistance and all that. But I feel victorious that for now they'll have to put forth some effort to find a new way inside.

Thus ends a chapter of This Old House and The Old Woman Who Does What She Can With What She Has.

Lil' Amys

I ventured out last night with the hub and the daughter. She met friends for dinner and a movie. She and I shopped for a little while (gift certificates burn holes in her pockets). I'm tapped out so no shopping for me, just wandering around with her advising her (but mostly only if she asked).

We went to the bookstore and she pointed out 2 little Amy Winehouses. They were about 12, very short but had full-on make up, hairstyle and outfits. Since they were 12 or so they didn't really have the Amy Winehouse body (pre-substance abuse). Nor did they have the emaciated Amy Winehouse body because it didn't look like they were alcoholic drug abusers.


You've really got to wonder who'd help 12 year olds copy a look like Amy's.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Calm day and night

This is the lowest key Christmas ever. Opened a few presents, sat around all day and that's about it.

The neighbors sent over tamales. Yay.

I talked to the MIL very briefly, she told me she has had the same thing I have, but she's had it for a year. I didn't disagree with her but really it can't be the same thing. Mine is flu and hers is something else (although she has had a nagging cough for a long time). I asked her if she had fever with it....She said "Did I see her?" That was my cue to find something else to talk about, otherwise we'd go on for hours talking about 2 different things. I changed the subject. I asked her "How do you like your new apt and she said,"What's in my closet?

I asked if she talked to the SIL. Why, what's wrong was her comment back to me. LOL, I just wanted to know if she'd heard from her on Christmas day.

So my convo with the MIL was uneventful.

The daughter is getting off lightly with this flu thing. She's coughing and has the goo but for the most part she feels pretty ok. A lighter cough than mine. She went to the movies.

Now I am finishing up some wool fingerless gloves. I love wool in the winter. I got mostly acrylic for Christmas and I think I'll use that to embellish the wool I have. That way I have warmth and pretty colors in the same rectangle. Good thinking eh?

Happy yule

Oddly I was up first today. Then the daughter. Probably cuz neither of us can breathe. The daughter is getting worse, she hasn't hit the bad part yet but it's coming. I can tell. She's already gone back to bed.

She planned on making pancake puffs (using the pancake puff pan she got from Kim on her birthday) but I think she's too sick to do that today. Poor baby girl.

Everyone seemed to like their gifts. I worried as I just wasn't up to shopping like a mad woman.

The son got a tune up for his bike and a new adjustable helmet and thought he'd ride over to Target. Til I reminded him it wasn't open today because of Christmas. LOL.

It looks like a big storm is coming in, that will keep everyone pretty much indoors today.

I got 2 knitting books that are hard. They've got patterns with codes like: Ktog, ssk, * *, CA, CB, cdd, k tbl aka K1 tbl, K1b. Are you shaking your head yet? I am. I have no idea what they mean unless I flip back and forth thru an online glossary. I might be ready for these in 5 yrs, but for now they are pretty to look at. Or if I can figure out how to turn rectangles (which I am very good at knitting) into socks and sweaters I might be in business.

Now I think I'll go grab one of those books, take a gander and nap when I get frustrated.

Merry holiday.

It's raining but still it's Christmas

Well, all the public rooms are clean. Ok, we'll cept for the crafty table that has a bunch of crap on it. I just couldn't do it. Maybe tomorrow.

All the gifts are wrapped. The daughter did ALL the gifts for the hub, most of the sons and whatever I got. I did all of the daughters and a few of the sons.

We used to wrap on Christmas Eve so it was like Santa arrived overnight. Now it doesn't matter, we COULD do it over a few weeks. Maybe even get a tree prior to the very last minute (although it does save money to get it towards the last day...or the very last day).

And I NEED to buy during the year. I could afford to get one or two things a month so it's less of a burden in one month (cuz we also have the daughters bday in Dec.) Next year she'll be 18 so her birthday ought to be bigger than normal.

I'm kinda sad that we're not going to see the MIL tomorrow. Both me and the daughter are sick so no can do. I AM getting better (the snot part is at least) but the cough is still here and it really sucks energy out of you. I know she'll understand but it doesn't make it easier that she'll miss seeing us (and us her) on Christmas. We've never missed a Christmas with her. Ahem, although I have to say, she HAS missed a Christmas with us when she was out of her gourd last year and had no idea how to even open a present.

I also cannot believe I'm being sick during my vacation time. That totally sucks.

Ok, so it's after 1 a.m. and I am going to bed. Merry merry!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

The dog is still alive, although I thought about not allowing him to live

The puppy ate my cell. My Env2. ATE IT. Took it off the chair where I was sitting and ATE IT.

But it still works. Even the camera which looks like it wouldn't but it does.

This is what it's supposed to look like.

Pretty eh?

Now look at the aftermath of the puppy's voracious canine gnawing.





Doesn't it make you sick? It makes me sick. I JUST got the phone a few months ago.

I do have to say LG makes a good product if it could withstand that (ok so it only sorta withstood it). I think I should send it to LG and ask them to give me a new phone and they can use my phone as a testiment to how well built their product is.

I can't wait to have everyone call me trailer trash for having to use this phone.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Working in the coal mine and still no elves

Well Robitussen is better than Dayquil. I'm way less snotty right now. Still feeling icky but at least I can talk without coughing.

I started in on the living room. The room is swept and now I have to vacumn but having Shiva in the house poses a problem. She nearly has a heart attack when you vacumn so she needs to go outside. But if I send her outside and then vacumn she won't come back in tonight. And it's way too cold for her to stay out all night long. Soooooo, I'll do the kitchen, get all the dishes done, sweep and if I can hold out mop the floor.

I'm taking a break for a little while. I got too hot and have to cool down.

But I'll get alot of work done either way.

No help from any elves

I had to venture out today. I'm not proud of it but there was no hope for it.

I bought wrapping paper a week ago. But it's not in my car and I know I didn't take it out of there. Maybe I never picked it up from the counter? I dunno but I have no paper.

The hub suggested I use newspapers. No. It doesn't even LOOk like Christmas at our house, I'll be damned if I wrap things in newspaper.

Last night I asked the hub/daughter combo to buy me some glycerine. Because my face hurts from all the snot wiping. They couldn't find it and I think they went to 2 different stores. I knew I could find it so that was the second thing I needed.

Somehow I've cut my nose right where the pads of the glasses lie on the nose. I might have fallen asleep with my glasses on and bumped it or something. My glasses are glass, not plastic so they are heavy. That area is very sensitive and I needed some eyeglass pads right now.

So armed with a slew of tissues and a promise to stay away from people I went.

I found the glycerine. Took 10 mins but I found it.
I bought wrapping paper and it was on sale.
I found some moleskin and am using that and it is helping.

Now I've got to go clean up the living room so I can start wrapping and stacking gifts.

Can I tell you how much I hate wrapping? But shit, no elves are gonna help me.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Gifts

Beware the doghouse.

I wonder when it'll start getting better?

Nope, I don't think I'll be seeing the MIL on Christmas. I feeeel terrible. I know I sound terrible.

I worked from home this morning for about an hour and a half. I was expecting an email and when I got it I had to call the person who sent it to me. She thought I was a man. I have to work on a proposal.

Then later I had to call the VBB to help her with some emails.

I have coughing fits almost every time I talk. I literally need a spittoon. Gross eh? I'm gakking up crud. I have a very small fever (thank God), I don't want the kind that makes you get the shivers and the hot flashes.

I also talked to the BIL, he said I sounded bad too.

In my head I sound stuffed up. It's that hacking cough that I can't talk thru.

The hub has nicely gone to the store to get me some soup. I haven't eaten today so soup will be good. Jello too. I love jello just when I'm not sick but when I feel this icky it at least helps my throat feel cooler.

A flu in parts

And now, introducing body aches! gahhhhh.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Dayquil

Doesn't seem to be doing a thing to help my flu symptoms. I didn't want Nyquil cuz I hate feeling high and that makes me all woosy.

But this isn't stopping the snot, or the sneezing or the headache. I guess I haven't coughed in an hour or so. Maybe it's because of the Dayquil. Or not. It would be nice if I could breathe.

Oh and now the daughter has a sore throat and her voice is all squeeky. I'm not sure we're gonna be able to see the MIL if we're not well by the 25th.

My boss had this and she was out for over a week. The hub had it and he was sick 2 wks.

I also have book club coming up. I gotta be well for that too. But for now my concern is Christmas.

Ill-inn

I have the flu. I am hacking, coughing, sneezing and blowing my nose.

I am not happy.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Easy work day

Today was our dept office party. Food catered by El Torito, it was good.

We had to bring a white elephant gift. We played a game around it rather than doing that horrible stealing thing. This was one person told a story with the main characters being the Rights. Everytime the story teller said the word, Right or left or across you had to give the gift to the person next to you or across from you.

We are at least 100 in our dept so it was a big double circle of people. The longer the story went on the faster the storyteller read.

I got a Christmas ornament. Someone got an actual white elephant and someone got a photo frame with the Really, Really, Big Boss inside. It was a pretty fun game as far as that type of thing goes.

Then we got to go home early. Yay. I went shopping. Got a few things.

Am so not into Christmas. I am not inspired at all.

Choir concert

Well, dang it, I'm sick again. This one is different because now I have a sore throat and am coughing. It involves snot too.

I guess I should count myself as lucky because it's not putting me down. I don't feel horrible horrible. Just a little sick.

Didn't stop me from going to the daughters choir concert last night. She was great. She had 3 duets, she and her friend Linds sang Silver Bells and another friend (who happens to be pregnant) sang Silent Night.

The daughter is a great harmonizer, I had no idea she could harmonize so well. The Silent Night song had some incredible harmony, the melody was arranged differently than the traditonal and the pregnant singer was sharp a couple of times. Which made it sound like the daughter was off (but she wasn't). Her pitch is so good that I was surprised she didn't mess up the harmony. Major kudos for that.

She was able to show everyone that she's a really good harmonizer in Silver Bells with Linds. They each took a solo part and then sang together in the chorus. You could hear each part wonderfully but there was still a great blend between them. Linds has a sweet saprano to the daughters alto. The daughter is good enough to do a capella work.

She was also in a little quartet that sang counterpoint to the entire choir (of almost 200 choir members)First the choir sang in the 4 corners of the theater, then all but the quartet moved to the stage. The quartet was behing me and the hub and it was beautiful. I turned around and there she was, she stuck her tongue out at me!

All in all, that concert was the best one of all the concerts I've seen there. There were a couple of solos that should have never seen the stage (Kim should never, ever sing again in public). Maybe it's the 20 performances they've done in the last 2 wks that has really helped.

Oh and by the way, that Woman's Choir should probably be axed. They were downright horrible.

I give the evening an A+.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Shoes and more shoes

Oh you've got to go throw a shoe. Here's the link, clicky.

FB is like readers digest

Ya know facebook is sort of like Readers Digest. Quickly digestable content.

It IS fun to catch up with old friends and it also shows you how many of your older friends who are not on it (or are lacking technology).

It's pretty amazing to me too that many of the "kids" I knew back in the day are so successful in their jobs. A couple of actors with screen credits, an animation artist, a producer. At least 2 music industry persons. Some real estate people: agent and loan person. Oddly I only have 3 yoga friends on there that I've hooked up with. A majority are old LP pals and theater pals in equal measure. Some of them are the kids of old friends of ours. That really cracks me up because who knew? They're all grown up in their 30 and 40's!

But still, the average comment on FB is short and sweet. It's the email function that helps it become more than Readers Digest. I can see that after one catches up, those peeps will fade back into the background again.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Seriously now...

the rain has not stopped all day. Not once. No sun at all today.

And the air feels colder than it is. It got down to 37 or 39 (depends on which weather place) and it felt like it was going to snow. It did snow a few miles east of us.

Maybe it will snow tonight.

We have weather

Rain. Lots and lots of rain. And more rain. And cold. It's a bit cold outside.

If it's gonna rain this much it should snow. We are about 10 degrees from having that happen.



That is one hell of a big storm, eh?

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Tense and nervous and I can't relax

This morning the boy dogs got into a fight right behind my chair here. I haven't the foggiest idea what set the big one off but he went after the puppy. Just let me say the big dog is 70 lbs and the puppy is 50 lbs and he's really not a puppy anymore. He's a year and a half.

I yelled and screamed and threw some boxes (both were mostly empty) at them and tried to yank the big one off the little one but I was also acutely aware he might try and bite me either on purpose or more likely on accident. He is muzzled so he probably couldn't get much but he is a big dog.

He did finally hear me (or one of the two boxes hit him just right) and ran away. The pup got up and started to run after him. I grabbed him by the tail and he just stopped. Then I put a barrier up between the two rooms and yelled at the big dog.

He knew he was in trouble. The pup wanted to go out there with him but I wouldn't let him.

I snuck out at lunch time, went to the fabric store and got some stuff to make a more secure muzzle. I got Pellon 72; an ultra firm stabilizer for crafts such as bowls, boxes, handbags, quilting and more. The more is making a muzzle. It's something that can't be torn and I'm hoping it will weather the puppy biting it and such. I'll know in a day or so. I should have gotten some nylon webbing for straps but since I had very little time I forgot. I used velcro as a closure but I wanted way more heavy duty velcro. I had to use about all I got to make sure the puppy couldn't pull it and it come apart from itself.

It also looks like hell but for now I'm content with what I made.

I hate getting all tense like that. I don't think my family knows how much it affects me. Everyone seems pretty cavalier about me breaking up dog fights. That kind of tension makes me go into flares because I can't seem to stop the fight or flight reaction for days and sometimes weeks. I get all jumpy that it will happen again. I feel pretty lucky that my muscles didn't get all spasmy because that's what usually happens. I tend to use up a lot of cortisol and that's bad. See here.

I'm hoping I go to bed tonight and sleep all the night thru instead of keeping one ear aware and one eye open at all times. And if I do that my body won't be making the cortisol I need, and having depleted cortisol is horrible.

Ok, I'm going to go read and see if I can relax.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Filler

Today was a waste of a work day.

I have 2 things to do tomorrow. Blah.

I think my boss will be out sick tomorrow. She didn't sound so good today.

Facebook is amazing, I have been in contact with an amazing number of people from my past. Even LP peeps.

But it also makes me ignore my blog. Bad.

Bad

Rain, lots of rain.
And I slept in this morning. On accident. I got up an hour later than I normally do.
Great.
Then Sheeves got out and she wouldn't come in.
Talk about a crappy morning.

It's days like this where I just want to throw the towel in.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Frizz

It's 47 degrees. For us that's cold. Last night it got down to 38 when I looked about 11:30.

I am wearing a coat and wool scarf right now and I'm INSIDE. I'm also wearing jeans, ugg boots and a long sleeved t-shirt. And I'm cold.

Did you know that accuweather.com has a frizz index? Luckily for me I don't get frizz so I'm safe no matter how wet the weather. But gotta give accuweather kudo's for marketing to the beauty market.

Neighborhood party

I feel such the party hopper. Last night dinner out at a semi-swanky place (even tho I wore a black turleneck). With aplomb! That is such a good word isn't it?

Tonight I also wore a turleneck, a tan wool and cashmere turtleneck. Don't be fooled there is only 10% cashmere so it's bare whisper of the most fabulous fabric. hahaha, I got it last year on sale! For a whopping $16.00. I am a good shopper.

Clothing aside I had fun tonight. I talked to a bunch of people I don't normally talk to, because they are all neighbors of K & J.

I was talking to one guy about a horrible way someone died (that I know) and he looks at me and says, "hey, I know someone who just had someone who died that very same way."

Believe me, it was a odd way of dying. In any case he knows he brother of the deceased and so do we. Our town is so small, even tho it's over a quarter of a million people.

So a quiet neighborhood party was a blast.

Next Sat we have 2 parties to go to. The cookie party and our across the stree neighbors shindig.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Yeee-ikes

The daughter is asking for some Micabella foundation for Christmas. I looked it up, it's: Micabella’s Pure Mineral Foundation. Provides; Oil free natural looking coverage.

The natural pigments derive from rocks followed by micro-pulverization which brings the microscopic natural crystal to the level of fine powder which contains no dyes, fillers and FD&C.

Price: $64.95


Do you see that price? I thinks she is not going to get that foundation, not when I can get mineral powder foundation for much, much less. And I can get plain old mica powers for coloring lipgloss or adding into moisturizier for blush for way cheaper at the craft store too. You don't even need the moisturizer.

Maybe she can mix all those things together and sell little pots of it to her girlfriends, if I can convince her that the stuff she's being taken in by is pretty simple to make at home.

Dec Book Club

OMG, downtown is so crowded. Kind of nice to see that kind of activity but dang, trying to get a parking place was killer.

We ended up eating at Marios. Why? Because the place we were going to go to had an hour and 45 min wait and we could get into Marios in an hour.

I love Marios but it is also pricey. The hub and I have dropped an easy 150. for dinner for just the two of us (back in the day when I had a job that paid real money) so I knew I didn't bring enough money tonight.

But it turns out I did because iit turns out you can order appetizer portions of many of the dishes (pasta types).

I got a drink, a fennel apple salad and a pasta with tuna - all was incredibly delicious and I spent only 31.00 without tip. And I brought food home too. I did not get an item off the entree list as they were between 33 and 45 dollars for each item.

I didn't get an appetizer, a dessert or a latte which I would have if I had money. But then all that probably would have cost me another 30. so ya see, eat a full meal with more than 2 courses and it could have been pricey without even getting an entree.

I was so glad because I really didn't want to eat mexican food, the place we were going to is pricey for basically beans and rice and meat. Mexican food doesn't really have veggies (I do not count iceberg lettuce in a taco as veggies) and I am not a big fan of beans and spanish rice.

The two bday girls were happy with their gifts and the conversation flowed pretty easily as usual.

The hub called during dinner to give me an update and find out who was there. Bwhahahaha, ummmm, the book club girls!

We left fairly early, paid our valet parking bill (yes, that's just how bad parking was) and got home. An enjoyable evening out and I wish I could do it more often.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Book club dinner anticipation

Somehow the morning got away from me. I have less time, read that as I took too long to figure out what to wear this morning than I expected.

I had to figure out what to wear to both work in and go out to dinner where there will be people wearing everything from evening gowns to jeans and sweaters. Guess which group I belong to?

If I were Nora of Nick and Nora I'd be in the other group and what's more I'd wear my evening gown to my office job - every day.

I chose a black turtleneck (nothing says evening dinner like a black turtleneck) and I've tucked it in my jeans. I notice the blouson effect was not just fabric slightly blousing over my jeans. Hmmmmmm, not a good look on me.

A cardigan won't work. I mean it'd hide that muffin top but it's too office-y and formula. I'm thinking a long knit scarf. Which makes no sense since it's 2 strips of knotted fabric than would hang at the front of my body (but does take the eye away from my, ye gawds, belly.) Red scarf it is.

It'll be a table of 6 middle aged women, who's gonna be looking?

Thursday, December 11, 2008

various

Tomorrow night is bookclub at the inn. Me and Susan are carpooling because it's packed down there. It'll be fun, but likely an early night (which is good). I should have stopped at the store to get the ever-last minute wrapping paper and cards tonight for the 2 birthdays. But I forgot and it's too late to do anything about it tonight.

I'll have to leave for work early and get it before work.

We haven't done a lick of shopping yet. Ok, so I have gotten the hub his big present so that is done but otherwise I'm dry of ideas or get up and go. Probably because no money is hard to deal with while you are shopping and trying to figure out what to get the kids, etc.

Well, I need to go to bed. Tonight is the first night since we got the new cpu that I've been able to get on before 11 p.m. Which means I've been going to bed way later than normal.

I am going to take advantage of that and go to bed now and maybe I'll feel like I got enough sleep for once. Crossing my fingers.

Inn-side get together

Last night me and the hub and the Nuff went down to an old haunt; the Inn. Specifically because an old friend was here from MN (with his gf) and the idea was to have a drink in honor of our friend MikeyB. This was a very small group of the old gang.

DougB was there (because PaulO is staying with him and he is part of our old group). PattyS showed up and so did GarthG. PattyS is the ex-wife of our old boss, and GarthG is our old bosses son. They were only related by marriage.

We did a lot of reminiscing as well as giving bare bones background to PaulO's gf.

We were a wild bunch in our day, we had lots of adventures together. Now as older middle agers we are our audience back in the day. Mikeyb was probably 35 when I met him, it's hard to believe he was in his 60's now. I still see him as younger than a stranger would probably view him. I guess I see most of us as younger than what we present on the exterior. I'm always surprised to see the older versions of us when we get together.

Certainly when we're telling war stories of our days/nights together we're all younger and prettier than we are now. None of us had gray hair, no illness, no deaths in our families, life was still filled with unknowns. Now we know more, there are still unknowns but some of the things we know now we didn't or we just didn't see them.

Mikey's wife is going to have a memorial after the holidays and our instructions are to show up and tell stories. This group won't have any trouble telling and acting out those stories.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Old friends

The hubs cell is dead. Of course it happens in Dec.

Last night I talked to my friend Eileen who moved from CA to PA 3 yrs ago. She's coming to visit the week between the holidays and we're going to meet for lunch or something. Our pal Donna is going to meet us too. I haven't seen either of them in 5 or so years. We were best buds during our time at work, so many years ago.

I still feel sorta punky from the cold. Grrrrr. At least today is not blustery and cold like yesterday. Just cold, no bluster, so far.

Off to work, blah.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

MikeyB

Today I found out that Michael B died yesterday or last night. That makes me so sad, he was our Elmo bud, fellow actor, funny guy who called himself the Biggest Jew in the World.

Even tho I haven't seen him in a few years I miss his presence already.

I couldn't call Gary and tell him. I am too chicken. I emailed his son and asked him to do it. He said he was too chicken to do it too but he would. I know this news will choke him with emotion.

I hope Michaels wife will be ok. I know she's done her very best to keep him around, keep him recooping and all the hard work that she's had to do the last few years that he had his health problems.

I wish we'd have gone to see him. I'm waiting to hear details of his memorial.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Twisted dropped stitch

I swear my mind is like a sieve. 3 days ago I was working on the twisted drop stitch scarf and tonight when I wanted to finish it I couldn't remember. Then the hub was on for hours so I couldn't look it up. Hopefully now that I've posted it to myself that will serve as my memory.

Twisted drop stitch: wrap the yarnover around both needles then knit.

Drop stitch: insert needle as to knit but yarnover and then knit. Next row drop the yarnovers.

Coming or going?

I am always cold in the fall and winter months. I got a "As seen on tv" email that shows this Snuggie. Watch the little video, especially the part where they are at a sporting event.

It's kind of a crack up because these are really robes worn backwards...although all of the robes I ever had were too short and I couldn't really cover my feet.

But still it's a bathrobe and who wears their bathrobe to a sporting event?

I love, love, love robes, I haven't had one in a few years tho. I just get up and put my jacket on nowadays. So I guess I do go out in public with my "robe" on.

Trade one for another

Yes, I still have snot but I don't have that horrible belly pain!

You've got to be thankful for the little things eh?

Sunday, December 7, 2008

The evening of bdays

Tonight we did the kids bdays: the daughter who turns 17 tomorrow. Sam, who turns 16 tomorrow and Pete who turned 13 today. Yes, all 3 kids have been sharing this bday time for the last 5 yrs or so. Kinda cool because all the families get together for it.

Tonight Mark was there; he moved his family to VA 2 years ago and now they are coming back! Yay. We've missed them and Mark has gotten very social with us now that he knows how much he misses all of us. :-)

The daughter got money from her uncle (a very good choice), movie tix from the Han/Smith clan, and a pancake puff pan. The daughter LOVES as seen on tv products...so it was also perfect for her.

I warned everyone to stay away from me because of my snot problem. Mostly they did. I didn't serve cake or ice cream either, made the daughter do it so I didn't infect everyone.

Now, I am going to go to bed.

Fungi

I have snot. Yes, I do. This morning I am sneezing and blowing snot. Ain't nobody gonna wanna use the computer after me since I'm pretty sure I'm spreading germs all over the keyboard and mouse. Who spread their fungi to me? Some stranger no doubt.

All that knitting I did yesterday...bad hats. Unless you have a big old mushroom head. Or a giant afro. Unluckily for me, my daugher has neither. And now she won't have a hat either. Nobody but a gnome would wear a fungi on their head.

I could try again, I hate giving up because I KNOW I can do it (cuz I've already made one hat that was successful. Success meaning it was actually a beret and not a big old mushroom hat.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Benefits and features!

I got some super chunky yarn. It's this yarn, pretty colors. This doesn't exactly show you how thick it is but believe me, it's thick.

I'm using these needles, Addi Turbos. Generally this is a fast needle...but couple that yarn and the plastic tubing it slows down considerably. I struggle (it's an all out fight actually) to get the fabric to move along the tubing. BUT the benefit is the tubing does not flex itself into circles like the solid thinner plasic type connections. Gawds, I hate that. As much as I hate dirty dishes filled up with scummy water in the sink.

So this hat. Hmmmm, this hat. Last night I started it over 3 times. All 3 times I got about 2 or 3 inches done when I realized it wasn't going to work. The 4th time was the charm...sort of.

I remembered to increase after I did the band (failure 2 - forgetting to increase, duh). I was halfway thru the increases when I realized I was doing YARNOVER increase instead of Make 1 increase. (is this all Greek to you?). Damnit.

Frog or not frog? I mulled this over for about 30 seconds. No frogging. I could be halfway done with the hat with all the frogging & fighting I did last night. Knowing there would be holes (it's a magic thing with yarnovers, giant spaces), I figured it would enhance, yes, enhance the droop-ability of the beret.

OR I could weave a pretty ribbon in and out of the holes and tie a cute bow where the ends meet.

Beret: Featuring yarnovers! Tutorial coming! Bwhahahahaha.

Sometimes errors, if done consistantly end up being a "feature".

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Been absent cuz I've been busy!

I have been totally remiss in writing in the blog. A. I joined facebook and b. I've been busy.

Busy: The daughter is turning 17 on Monday. I am scrambling to figure out exactly what to get her. She's not asking for anything. Silly daughter. She does sort of want a coat that the water polo kids wear but the hub is checking that out and I don't know the status of that. I went to the shopping center nearby and it was a zoo and I only went to the bookstore and they didn't have what I wanted to get for her. Drat. This is it: Hello Cupcake. Check out the price. Very good price. Borders only had the 30.00 kit where you got the book, about 25 cupcake liners and a little tin of pastry bags with tips. Ahem, quite the ripoff. I think I'll just order it from B&N. I wish I still had my Club card with them.

Look at all of these images, there are tons of pics of the things that people have made. They are fabulously darling. She's a foodie, especially when it happens to be desserts. Although she's not a huge cake eater, this might tempt her.

So as for facebook. I have hooked up with an amazing number of people from my past in the last week...from all decades of my life. One thing I like is that people can see a short portion of my profile but can't see any details unless I let them. They have to ask to be my "friend" (which I think is so cheesy) but it does allow you to deny access. You can also make it so only people you know can even view the modified profile. So that helps with my psycho need to be unreachable or find out exactly where I am to those who I don't want contacting me.

Busy: I've been on a knitting roll. Since Thanksgiving I've been knitting. I've learned how to make hats! Ok, so I've made 3 but only 1 is what I'd call successful. I also learned how to do brioche stitch. It's beautiful because it makes a thick fabric that is airy but still warm. It's a type of ribbing and it's pretty cool.

Susan was gifted with a bonanza of knitting needles from her mom and deceased grandmother. She gave me some fabulous (and I mean really fabulous) circular needles in many sizes. She also gave me a set of circulars that are interchangable. OMG! Cool. Now, I just have to get better at joining!

So far I haven't tried to make anything that I can give as a gift. I mean I could give scarves being the expert rectangle queen but the large size needles that I prefer are very girly and not very masculine so it's not like I can give any of the guys a girly scarf. I mean I could but if all that hard work sits around because it's girly, I'd rather keep it myself. And I can't knit with teeny needles so I can't make a tightly knit scarf for boys. Just as well, I don't really see any of them but the son wearing any kind of knit thing ever.

So that's the haps with me.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Rant cranky

Well, the belly isn't hurting quite so much tonight. It was only discomfort when I ate tonight. Yesterday it was more like "OMG, I can't even talk during one of those spasms." Maybe it will go away again.

Tonight I am mad. I'd submitted an application/resume at a local college. Back in Oct. First the status was something like: Received. Then it was Routed for screening. For like a month. Then today I checked and it was: "Filled as transfer/promotional opportunity." Apparently they don't have a status called: "Actively interviewing" you know to show that candidates have been selected. No instead they gave to an internal person.

Now, I totally understand hiring from within. But I also understand posting the job internally for 2 wks and in the event you don't get enough or the pool of applicants are not quite what you hoped for that you open the position up to the public. Well, this was opened to the public but either they can't seem to update their HR website timely or there were NO public resumes selected for interviews. I'm leaning towards the fact that it was a fake out, the job was never going to be really available to the public but they can say they were fair by posting it publically.

I HATE my job and I need to find something that is interesting and gives me something to do. I guess I need to end my rant.

Bellyache

Remember a long time ago I used to complain about a horrible pain at the top of my abs everytime I ate? Well, it's back. Started yesterday, eating lunch was horrible. I had a small bean and cheese burrito and owie it was painful eating. It lasted until after I went to sleep too.

Still there today. I hope I can eat lunch but right now just drinking is making the pain come.

It's weird.

It's pretty impressive

The son was suitably impressed with the new cpu. It's fast and has a big harddrive and lots of RAM. And it stays on. And you can play music and open as many browsers as you want without any big drain on the system.

AND it only took me about 30 mins to get it up and running by switching out the cords from one machine to another.

It WILL take me hours to untangle everything after I network these 2 together for the simple act of transferring everything I have on the old machine to this one.

So I guess it all balances out.

We didn't get all the peripherals like a monitor, speakers, printer, etc. Because all the old stuff works it's just butt ugly and monstrous. I would love to get a flat screen monitor, a real space saver and the quality of the monitor would be gobs better.

Well, it's off to work once again. Betcha I'll be complaining about the slowness of my work pc now. hahah.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Faster


We got a new cpu. It's lightning fast. No choking, no lagging. I'm pretty happy except I have to transfer all programs (or network) the 2 pc's together so I can have what I had on the old cpu.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Beret-ing myself

Ya know menopause can last a long time, up to 10 yrs my doc tells me (OMG). You're not done with menopause until you've been free from having a period for a full year.

I wish I could shut this thing down by having a hysterectomy. Drastic I know but I HATE hormones.

Today I was crabby and felt all weepy all day long. Had no idea why. Duh. Freaking hormones.

Which is probably why I was also hell bent on making that beret. I just wanted to sit and do nothing because my belly hurt, my skin hurt, my psyche hurt.

I've been eyeing this beret by Crazy Aunt Perl (read her blog, hysterical and not just about knitting). She says it's super simple (and it is because I can actually understand the instructions). Her instructions are written out instead of using knit code (which I am too dense to learn).

My biggest problem is not having the same size needles she has (and no budget to buy new ones). So I punted. And I only had 1 skein of yarn.

My beret is more like a tam. I had more stitches than she did (because I had smaller needles) and as I began to really get into the decreases I realized I was going to run out if I kept adding a row of knit without decreases. So I decreased every row after about 4 rows of decrease/knit. So it's kind of poofy.

It could be worn as a tam or as a snood! I wonder if blocking acrylic (I know, but it was pretty) would help? I don't think acrylic stays blocked, not like a natural material.

I wonder if I'll wear it or if I'll just look at it and say, "Lookit, I made my first hat without dropping a ton of stitches". psssst, I did drop a stitch and had to "fix" it. I wish I were taller so nobody could see it but unless I grow 6 inches everyone is taller than me.

Yay for knitting a hat.

I'm a rectangle kind of girl

Well, that 4 day weekend went fast. I'm jealous that the family had 9 days off. I'm just now getting to the point where I feel like I've gotten over having to be at work and now I have to go back again. I think I need 5 days just to get the gumption up to do anything.

Last night the hub went to play music, the daughter was housesitting, the won and I stayed home, til he left at 10 p.m. I attempted to knit a hat. Twice.

I knit rectangles. All sorts of length rectangles but when its all said and done, they are just plain rectangles.

A hat is not a rectangle. I mean it could be but then I'd have to wear the hat with little ears up on top. Fine if you are 5 but not fine if you are 50.

The hat is a beret shape (my favorite hat in the world). The first one (yes, I completed one yesterday) was worked in the round (OMG) and it's full of dropped stitches. And it's like a skullcap not like a beret. Since it's wool I could wash it, felt it and probably tighten up those holes but I'd never wear a scullcap.

So I attempted a second hat. That one is worse because while I can easily *make one* when I am not trying, trying to make one is a different story. I don't understand knitting in the front, not dropping and then knitting in the back of a stitch. Sounds easy eh? I'm a visual learner so I think I'm going to have to go to youtube and find a tut.

OMG, it's so easy, see this link here. hahaha, not like anyone who reads my blog is going to watch a knitting video.

I guess I'd say knit a stitch, with the loop still on the right needle go into the back of the same stitch and insert it into the stitch, wrap and bring it up to the right stide and then slide the stitch off the left needle as normal.

Yet even that isn't really clear is it? Bwhahahaha.

My second hat is begun on straight needles. To do the ribbed band and I'll transfer it over to circulars once I finish that up. I just can't start on circulars, there is some trick that I cannot figure out. I've looked at Magic Loop and while I can do it, my tension is all over the place (which makes me very tense) and the join looks like a stretched out earlobe from giant grommets.

Wish me luck.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Gray hair

Today I was reading about women who've gone gray. I have a lot of gray in the midst of dark brown hair. Most of it is right in front of my ears and the bulk of that is hidden underneath the longer hairs from the top of my head.

With this bob it's harder to see that mass of gray. I sort of liked it when my hair was cut shorter and you could see it.

I've never seriously colored my hair, nor do I want to. Too much upkeep and way too much money. I guess I can understand my friends (the ones who are over 50) who feel the need to color their hair but I think it's kind of weird what woman say about why they color their hair.

"It makes me look younger". Look, we aren't fooling anyone that we're "younger". After 50 or about 50 our bodies do not look the same as when we are 40 (40 you CAN pretend you're younger). Skin starts to be less elastic, parts start to droop, skin thins and unless you're heavy - starts to look crepe-like. I mean really, how young do you think you look if you have a turkey wattle?

So who are we trying to look younger for? Younger men? To lure them into thinking our wombs are still available? That does seem to be the essence of the attempt to "look younger".

I suppose our intrinsic value is as viable reproducing sexual beings - the womb is open for business. We somehow buy into the idea that we have less intrinsic value if the womb is closed for business. It doesn't help that the opposite sex no longer takes a long glance at you, the eyes skim over the person and lands on the much younger woman who's womb really is still available.

But once you get over the need to have someone glance at you with the long slow stare (unless you are wearing a knitted tin foil hat which is an altogher different thing) you find there is a freedom in being your age. Being what you are.

You can glide thru a crowd and watch everything around you and nobody really notices that you're seeing the double image of what is there and what is being presented. Who tries too hard, who is just who they are and how self-concious they are or not.

Now men (I think) are different animals. They often think no matter how old or fat they are they have intrinsic value for reproduction (probably because they don't have the equal to menopause). How often do you see an old, fat, gray-haired guy giving the long stare at some woman who is womb ready? Either they have some kind of body dysmorphia or they think younger women are raring to have a chance at an old fat, gray-haired guy.

As I look at my hair, I can't wait for more gray to shoot thru the brunette hairs. I'm good with being anonymous and observant and those who are observant will see what is really there in all it's wisdom and knowledge.

How's that for a Saturday morning post? LOL.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Smearing pap

I have this quandry. It's not really a quandry because I know what I'm going to do but I feel badly about doing it.

A girl at work knows I'm a reader and she was all excited to lend me a book that she totally enjoyed. She was tickled that she'd been able to read and love this book so much (she has a young child and doesn't have a lot of time to read).

She brought it in to work. It's a historical romance. Being nice I told her I'd read it on breaks or lunchtimes when I was sans lunch partners.

It's hard to read, not because it's difficult material but because it's so romance. Not my kind of book at all. Most of the books I read have war craft, battle strategy, political intrigue and very little romance. And it's well known I read mostly sci-fi/fantasy which does have romance and love interests but that is not usually the entire focus.

The entire focus of this book is bodice-ripping/man/woman/desire/sex/marriage. And the writing is just plain simplistic.

I am going to finish this book and I am going to discuss it with my friend at work. I'm going to have to break it to her that while the story is nice (and I am being very generous here) I'm not really a romantic so it wasn't really all that enjoyable.

I will refrain from using the words: pap, idiotic, simplistic, crap, laughable, mundane and worthless.

Now that I've gotten that out of my system (until I have to pick up the book again) I can think about nice ways to have a conversation with her about her choice of reading material (vs my own). It's funny how people get all attached to what they read as if they themselves wrote it. I don't want to make her feel stupid for liking something I so dislike so I have to be careful. I'm just happy she's reading again.

FYI: I am knitting in between reading the book. I'm almost thru my skein and I can see I'm going to have to get another one to finish the scarf. Bummer.

The best read in a long time!

So I didn't go to bed, instead I read. For the last 4 or 5 hours. I read Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson.

Brilliant book. If you love complex story lines, complex characters and toggling back and forth between time lines - this is the book for you. And it's a chunky read at 1168 pages.

I found it in the sci-fi section of the local Borders but I wouldn't categorize it as sci-fi. It's technically challenging as well. I don't pretend to understand all the mathematics in it but one has to read each word because there are passages inside the mathematics that further the story or the character.

Some portions that will stick in my mind forever: Capt. Crunch cereal, sheer nylon hose and furniture, giant lizards, graphing out masturbation vs having sex, and engineering the division of family heirlooms by a scientific method. Not to mention some of the best war scenes and strategy ever. In both current and past story lines.

I have less than 100 pages to read and even tho it's teeny font I think I'll probably stay up and finish it. It's that good.

It's a mix of Vonnegut's wit, Heinlien's characters and in some timeframes, Rand.

I have a feeling I'll be tearing through all of Stephenson's books.

Oh and if you want to read an excerpt go here click. It starts right after the short interview portion.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving rant

I'm thankful we're going out for dinner.

Otherwise someone would have had to clean the house, buy food, make food, get the MIL up the 3 steps (and back down again) and then wash all the freaking dishes.

We had NO plans for dinner as of yesterday morning. The hub decided to do the go out to dinner thing because we looked around and realized nobody was gonna get up and clean up nor did we have the energy (and I've been at work all week) to entertain and cook.

6:30 P.M.

We're back and it was a tense dinner. The MIL tried to keep the conversation going but nobody was really wanting to talk and then every time someone would start a conversation she wouldn't be able to hear and would introduce something else, effectively stopping the conversation. She wasn't really aware of doing this so it's not like you can blame her...but the end result is nobody can have a conversation.

Not that there was much going on anyway. Everyone in my family was on edge and my stomach gets tied up in knots when there are pissy voices and people bickering.

I think I'll just go to bed. I'm tired and I don't want to think anymore tonight.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Last nights idea


So I did this last night and finished it up tonight. I think I want to change to this webpage instead of the asian themed one. Gotta look at it for a few days.

Hmmmm, I might change it so the Y in slowly is pierced by the branch. Also, click it to see it full size. The small size does not do it justice. Or, hahah, in a few days I'll probably use it as my template.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Playing with vectors

Today I played with Photoimpact, my favorite vector graphics program. That is also what I used to do my template (which is kind of gaudy now that I look at it today as compared to late last night.)

In any case today I drew this and applied all kinds of material to the parts. I love the Amy Butler material I used for 2 of the birds. The middle bird has perfect eye placement (ok, I admit it was accidental but kismet works for me).



Other than playing with PI-10 I napped, read some of my book, went with SKH to get some yarn, taught her how to bind off her scarf project and that was pretty much the whole shebang for the day.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

The new blog, same as it ever was...sorta

I decided to make the old blog private. Too much personal information is available on that one and I just prefer to be mostly anon, just don't type my real first or last name.

I'll use nicknames for people (that I get to choose!). If you're reading about yourself and you don't like the nick I give you, let me know what you'd prefer. I might change it (if it's not too long to type!)

I don't think my cranky style of posting will change much, nor with the length of my posts. It'll be the same old minutia, brilliant as it is. Bwhahahahaha.

Today I created my template: pain in the ass that's what it is. I hate the white space on the sides and need to change the image to be wider. But maybe another day. This computer is too slow and I can't run my browser and the graphics program at the same time. So any change that I test I have to shut down the graphics program and then restart it to tweak it more. Not to mention I have to keep on uploading the image to photobucket. Like I said, pain in the ass to try and figure out all the width stuff.