Stolen! Pondering Production Quote!

I am going to steal a quote from Jessica's blog because I don't have a Never Not Knitting! Page-A-Day Calendar, by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee also known as Yarn Harlot of my very own so I am second hand quoting since I have some thoughts to share on this subject.

" "If you knit in public, then all sorts of people will come up to you and ask you questions about what you're doing. Sometimes this is a good opportunity to spread the word of knit, and I have been known to carry extra yarn and needles just so I can seize the moment and teach a stranger how to do it. Other times, especially if someone approaches me while I'm counting or working on lace, I really wish they would stay away. This is even more the case if ther person asks what seem to be very stupid questions. That's when some days when someone comes up to me and says, 'Wow! That's so cool. Are you knitting?' I have been known to simply say, 'No.'" "

I love to knit in public! (mostly because at home I have Tyler climbing on my lap saying, "Mom, can I help you knit?" which is great because I love that he's interested, but severely limits my productivity) I love how people do a double take when they see me sitting there knitting away (usually at Starbucks) and almost always people will smile (to themselves or to me) and many people will strike up a conversation. They ask about the project I'm working on, they tell me how wonderful it is that the art of knitting (or crochet) is not going to be lost since they see that I am obviously well below the average age of knitters, and many times this segues into other topics of general conversation. Mostly I like to knit in public because it makes me laugh to think of what other people think of what I like to call my "game face"...when I knit (or sew or cook or ....( you fill in the activity that requires concentration) I tend to make a face that looks slightly odd...my mouth hangs open, sometimes my tongue comes out and I generally look quite goofy. To me, I don't care if people see me making this face and it gives me such joy to speculate on what other people think when they see it. Totally worth looking like a goober!

Knitting in public with Jessica and Kim is even more fun because inevitably, we run into other knitters who are also knitting in public (obviously) and we are then able to discuss knitterly things like yarn and patterns and the best yarn stores around...I once read an article that stated that knitters are one of the most friendly groups of people because they are so relaxed from all their knitting. Hmmm...does anyone want to take up knitting yoga?

Give me an S! Give me an O! Give me a C! Give me a K!

What's that spell??? Sock...and that's what I'm making...right now, a sock but hopefully (eventually) a PAIR of socks :-) I have been inspired by Jessica's Never-not-Knitting Pondering Production posts and Cindy's "Shout it from the rooftops" post and thought I'd share what is consuming my time this week...

I am taking a break from my previous Slipper obsession to use this awesome hand dyed 100% merino wool yarn that I got for Christmas (thank you Mom and Dad)! I love how the yarn colors just kind of randomly change and blend and then there are some colors that just pop...and I'm getting much better at using these blasted double pointed needles...

I completed 3 pairs of slippers (2 adult sized and 1 Tyler sized) but only 2 made it into the picture:

I took advantage of the lovely weather we were having (before this blessed rain!) to knit outside while watching Tyler jump on the trampoline. Please note the absolutely adorable, and super comfy RED Adirondack Chair that Mom found at Target. I LOVE this chair, but it gets super dusty so I have to cover it whenever I want to sit in it.

On a side (and totally unrelated note) We went the other day to look for a new company car for Doug since we sold the van and Tyler had to knock every single car that he passed by:

I'm not sure where he learned that you have to turn your hand over (palm up) and knock with one crooked finger, but that is what he did to EVERY car so I'm sure he had a reason. When I asked him, he just said, "Because that is how you have to do it." Can't argue with that logic!

25 Things About Me...

Ok, this is totally for Cindy because I can't resist a challenge!
1. My favorite ice cream is Thrifty's brand Chocolate Malted Crunch

2. I cannot stand the yellow yolk part of a fried egg to be even the slightest bit runny...eeew...

3. I am the most outgoing, yet intensly private person I know

4. I have never flown in a helocopter but I used to dream of piloting them.

5. I almost went into the military, but can't stand having people tell me what to do.

6. I go through "hair cycles"...I cut it super short, then grow it super long, then cut it, then grow it...vicious I tell you!

7. My son is my world

8. I watched the reality show "Farmer Wants a Wife" because it cracked me up!

9. I love smoked Gouda Cheese, but hate "un"-smoked Gouda Cheese

10. I would love to have a long haired dog, but only because I would love to spin its fur into yarn

11. I really love my Philosophy of Education statement that I wrote to include in my resume packet

12...Dang, are we there yet? I don't miss my "party" years of college, but sometimes I miss the freedom from responsibility that I had back then...

13. I tan super easily, but don't burn much

14. I was a bando in high school and I loved it!

15. I use my "mennonite-ness" as an excuse to not dance...because I suck!

16. I love to slow dance

17. I had over 1500 text messages in my last cell phone billing cycle...someone may need to stage an intervention...

18. I am not ashamed to have listened to country music my whole life

19. I love yellow roses

20. I learned how to knit on my 28th B-Day from my cousin Jessica

21. My fiirst job was at Camelot Park...we had to answer the phone "Hi, we're having fun at Camelot Park, this is Tanya, how can I help you?" Umm...why did people always feel the need to ask me if I was really having fun?

22. I love the smell and feel of line dried sheets

23. I would rather walk around a casino looking for loose change that people have dropped than to gamble away my hard earned money

24. If I ever had a daughter, her name would be Michaela Grace...even if someone else in my family had the same name...I have no problem "sharing" a name with someone else...

25. I prefer not to wear dresses.

Whew...I did it! Cindy Walking, I did this for you, but since I took the time, I'm going to share it with the world :-)

Oh Tyler love...

...you crack me up!!!

Yesterday Tyler and I were on the trampoline jumping our hearts out and I asked him (as I often do...) "Tyler, have I told you today how much I love you?"

Tyler: "No Mom. You didn't, but I already know...you love me this much" (said while holding his thumb and finger about a half an inch apart).

Me: "No, I love you this much" (said while holding my arms out as far as I could reach of course)..."and I think you're something special!"

Tyler: "Mom...are you going to keep me? or sell me??"

Umm...now, this comment, while TOTALLY cracking me up, requires a bit of back story before someone calls CPS...(tangent: is CPS still called CPS anymore???)

Whenever I tell Tyler that I think he's pretty special I also tell him that I think I'll keep him...but sometimes I tease him and tell him that I'm going to sell him...

Apparently he really does listen to me when I talk! Who knew???

Eagle Networks and Citrus Systems Has OPENED for business...

Mmm...Doesn't that just make your taste buds sit up and say, "Howdy!"??? This Saturday afternoon, Dad, Tyler and I did a little bit of orange picking...

Yeah, see how tall that ladder is? It broke...and he fell...oops! Dad was trying to give us a hard time because he fell 6 feet out of the tree, but Mom's 'sympathy' line was, "You didn't call us to tell us you had fallen and couldn't get up..."

Tyler has been practicing his tree climbing skills (which he apparently discovered while he was at his dad's house....(thanks Doug!))...He's actually quite good, but have you ever been inside and orange tree? There are some wicked sharp twigs in there and he kept scratching his face...

We also got to make use of our 'farm equipment' which was purchased for the express purpose of carting oranges to and fro, but we really all know it was purchased for this reason:

The Eye Cheat Sheet!

For those of you who are still stumped, I thought I'd give an answer key to my previous post. Unfortunately, I have not been able to figure out how to make my font turn upside down like they always do in magazines so you'll just have to lump it...
top to bottom:
Me, Tyler, Dad, Mom, Kim...

How close were you?

since we're on the subject of eyes...

...wanna compare eyes?

Keep your eyes peeled...

...for a huge picture of my eyes on fresno.craigslist.org...I have been going for about 3 years to a fabulous esthetician for my "brow maintenance" (which, if anyone has any doubts about the necessity of this, please stay tuned!) She was commenting to me at my last appointment that she keeps meaning to take before and after pictures of her clients since she does a lot of advertising on Craigslist and before/after pictures are very effective. I laughed and told her that I carry my camera with me everywhere and she should take my before/afters since it was always such a dramatic change. She, of course, thought that this was a fantastic idea and so...I'm going to be semi-famous...well, at least my brows will be! So, if you are searching the Craigslist advertisements for estheticians, look for my eyes!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Ooops! I did it again!

I'm sensing an alarming trend! On New Year's Day, I went down to Magic Mountain with a friend. We left Valencia to come home and had just under a half a tank of gas. I figured I'd be good until Tulare at least, maybe even all the way home. Hmmm...not so much. About 10 miles south of Tulare, I found that my gas light was on, the gauge was a smidge below the "E" line and I was feeling a bit nervous. So I pulled into a gas station in a location that I'm not even sure was an actual town; it may have been just two gas stations out in the middle of nowhere! I decided to fill up my tank because I was curious to see how close to Empty I had come this time...WoW!!
If I were one to make New Year's Resolutions, mine would probably go something like "I resolve to get gas BEFORE I am coasting on fumes at least 65% of the time." But since I'm not one for resolutions, I think I'll just make sure my AAA membership is paid up so that if I do run out of gas, the friendly AAA man will bring me my 5 gallons.