2007 July Archive at adam knits!

Archive for July, 2007

Life Resumed 30Jul07

Well that concert turned out to be just the ticket. Karin and Linford sure know how to soothe a troubled soul with music, because their music definitely calmed me down. I might have even forgotten about the Emergency Vet bill for a few minutes! ;)

I picked up Emma last night after the concert, and she’s doing very well. Although probably a bit irritated, since I’ve probably taken about 100 pictures of her today. She did insist that I not show her one shaved leg in photos (from the IV), so I tried to only get her cute side. That turns out to be a pretty easy task.

Needless to say, I’m super glad that she’s feeling better…a feeling I might have manifested in a few extra treats throughout the day. :) I’ve also hatched a plan involving multiple dog gates to keep her inside during the day; since I’m not willing to risk her getting another bug bite while I’m at work. There’s so many bugs in my yard during the summer, so I think it’d be better for her to stay inside.

Dallas won’t be too happy about this new plan, but I think he’ll learn to survive for a few hours. He can be very destructive when left to his own devices (he ate an arm of a leather couch in the first 5 days I adopted him!), and I can’t really risk him destroying stuff since I have roommates. It’s one thing for him to get into something of mine, but another thing to chew up someone else’s stuff.

Emma confirmed to me that she was back to normal this evening, when she climbed up on top of Dallas’ dog crate to sleep on top of my newly laundered sock pile. That’s her special talent, making a bed out of anything on hand, as long as it’s just a bit soft. It’s making me a bit teary just seeing the picture, so let’s just move on before I get all emotional.

I did capitalize on the remainder of the weekend to get a bit of yarn dyed up. I cooked up some great new kettle dyed colorways, I think you’ll really like them. Here’s a sneak peek! There will be a shop update sometime this week, with all these new colorways, plus a bit more roving. I’ll be going on vacation to Seattle this Friday, so I thought I’d get the shop nice and stocked for ya. Oh, and I’ll be having a killer back to school sale, so stay tuned for the details.

The last thing I have to share is this great shot of the Sandia Mountains that I got tonight. I was over visiting Scout, and I pulled over to grab this shot. Pretty sweet huh? Her view of the Sandias is so spectacular, you can’t help but be just a bit jealous!

Tags: a nerd's life, albuquerque, dallas, dyeing, emma, music, saturday sky, shop, yarn nerd.

Life Interrupted 28Jul07

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What is it about normal life that takes our best laid plans and lays waste to them? You think you have things all figured out, and then something happens to toss a wrench into everything. And it can be either big plans, or small things, like a Saturday dyeing session that get waylaid. I suppose that’s life though, and you know what they say…“when life gives you lemons, grab some salt and tequila.”…or something like that. ;)

Anyway, I had a super cool post with lots of pictures and awesome statistics about the Harry Potter contest planned, but somehow it just doesn’t seem to fit anymore. Not when I’m just glad to have made it this far through the day without a total emotional breakdown. I think I’ll be ok though, but it was a bit scary for a while there.

"jeez, I hate it when you make me model the knits!"

See, Emma had another allergic reaction today, and even though I was more prepared this time, it’s still ridiculously scary. I’ve known since last year that she has severe allergies to ant bites, and possibly a lot of other bugs. So I went to vet and got some medications and advice on how to deal with future episodes, and I’m thankful that I did, because that preparation may have saved her life today.

the only time she lets me take her picture...

I was just minding my business in the kitchen today, getting ready to soak some yarn for dyeing, when I looked outside and saw Emma, and I just knew something wasn’t right. I went outside to find that she couldn’t breathe, or hardly move, and her gums were chalk white, just like last time. I rushed her inside, and grabbed her allergy shots. It was fortunate that my roommate walked in at that moment, because I couldn’t get the syringe filled; I was shaking too much. He was able to measure out the dose so I could administer the shot, before tossing her in the car and driving to the emergency clinic.

Fast forward a few hours, (and a few nervous rounds on a sock), and thankfully she is going to be fine. They want to keep her until later tonight, but I was able to see her before I left, and get a few tail wags and wet kisses to calm me down.

I better get a freaking treat out of this.

All in all, not exactly what I had in mind for my day, but it’ll be alright. God is good and Emma will be alright, so I will too. And I have a nice treat to look forward to tonight. Remember my favorite band ever, Over the Rhine? The one I went all the way to Chicago last December to see? Well they’re playing here in the Burque, tonight, and I will be there front row and center. It just so happens that they are in Santa Fe for a songwriting workshop and found some time to break free and give a concert here in town. I think that will be just the treatment I need to lift my spirits again.

Oh and the contest? Well first let me say, Holy Comments Batman! You guys went hog wild! Who knew that Harry Potter and free yarn was such a great de-lurker?

Out of 78 guesses, there were a total of 10 correct guesses, from which I randomly drew 3 names. The correct answer was 7.5 hours (not too shabby, but some of you were way faster!), but I included answers between 7.25 and 7.75 hours, just to open up the odds a bit. So congratulations to Erin, Becky and Katie, you guys are the winners! I’ll be e-mailing you shortly to claim your yarn!

Now I’m gonna go get ready for tonight’s musical fun, and say a little prayer of thanks for surviving today’s events. Oh, and maybe make some lemon margaritas with those lemons. ;)

Tags: a nerd's life, emma, schnauzers, why me?.

Speed Reading 23Jul07

84 Comments - you know you want to

So I’m in the mood for a little contest. How about you? (Hehe, of course you are, since there’s yarn involved!)

All you have to do is venture your best guess as how fast of a reader I am. How long do you think it took me to finish Book 7?

I’ll give you a hint. I finished sometime in the afternoon on Saturday, and I did take a 4 hour sleep break at one point during the marathon. Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?

I’ll pick 2 lucky winners who have the correct guess (guesses are open through Wednesday) and send them a skein of yarn (of your choice!) from the Yarn Nerd stock.

At any rate, the book was really really good, and I think it was a very fitting end to the whole series. I’m a bit sad that it’s over, but I’ll manage somehow. (Can you say His Dark Materials trilogy?)

I also got bitten by Second Sock Syndrome, and my love for the new Love and Peace or Else colorway, and cast on a new sock. The Tree Scum socks are still on the needles, but I used up the first skein and didn’t have the next one on me; but I did happen to have the Love and Peace yarn…(what a coincidence eh?) It’s going pretty fast anyhow; I’m at the heel already, and will probably be done with the first one in the next day or two. Maybe I’ll even try to set a personal sock record!

It’s hard not to speed along when the knitting is this fun! Hopefully it will last through the second sock! ;)

Tags: contests, nerdy, socks, works-in-progress, yarn nerd.

Yarn is Squishy 20Jul07

14 Comments - you know you want to

I love Fridays. Especially when you have every other one off during the summer. It’s quite nice to stay home, kick back and put your feet up. In a pile of yarn that is.

The store is all stocked up with some new yarns, including a new colorway called “Love and Peace or Else”, that I absolutely adore. It has black, gray, red, maroon and a bit of white. Everytime I see it, I got into a sudden fit and begin drooling all over the place, because I love it so much. It’s perfect for Project Spectrum, and it’s guaranteed to bring out your inner Bono. Love and Peace or Else is the title of a U2 song in case you were wondering. I know, I’m so hip it hurts. ;) I guess it’s a good thing that I saved a skein for myself huh? I don’t have any red socks, so I figure I should rectify that. (This is how I rationalize things in my head at least.)

Now that’s some tasty eye candy!

There was some roving in the store, but some crazed people with itchy trigger fingers snapped it up in about 2 seconds. You know who you are ;) There’s more of that on the way though. There was something about dyeing that roving that turned on a switch in my fiber-addled brain…I don’t think I’m gonna be able to hold out on the spinning bug much longer. I’m currently shopping for a drop spindle, since a wheel would definitely blast the budget to smithereens right now. I know there are certain ones among you who might try to persuade me with links to inexpensive wheels, so don’t even think about it! I don’t need to be enabled right now, gosh! Idiots!

Now that I’ve packed up all this morning’s orders for shipping, it’s time to mentally psych myself up for tonight’s excitement. That’s right. I’m going to the Harry Potter release party…

OMG HP7!!! OMG!

Now I realize I might be a bit crazy, (and super nerdy), but I’m really excited for this book to come out. I joined the Harry Potter craze a bit late, i.e. after book 6, so I’ve never had to wait with baited breath for the next installment. Well now I have to wait, and if I have to wait, I might as well get all excited and go to the launch right? At any rate, I’m sure I’ll be staying up very late tonight reading this book…is anyone else joining me?

Whether or not you’ll be staying up late tonight, I hope you have a good weekend! I know I’m going to :) As long as it doesn’t rain during tonight’s Isotopes game, it’ll be absolutely perfect.

Oh, and one last thing.

It’s official. I’m a dork.

Tags: albuquerque, eye candy friday, nerdy, project spectrum, shop, weekend!, yarn nerd.

Love At First Shutter Click 17Jul07

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EDIT (10/19): Ok, I lied, the shop update isn’t going to be today. Look for it sometime tomorrow, when I put up Friday’s blog post. There will be a bit of roving, but not much, since I need a bit more work to get the process perfected. I know nothing about spinning (yet!), so I’m sending off some roving to a wonderful test spinner to see if it passes the test. All this machination of words to say that roving is coming; but I’m going to be introducing it slowly, so I can work on getting it perfect. :)

The new camera. She is here. Not too bad for Day 1 don’t you think?