The GrimmWitch of Jersey

School has begun....

2009-10-04T10:35:00.002-04:00

I have had no time for anything other than 2 showers, a you know what, and two point five meals each day. This program that we started ... I stole the idea from other people, primarily my mom, and kept pushing it until "they" said yes ... has been an enormously stressful and time consuming disaster. What is it? Basically the school district says that the students are heterogeneously grouped, but they're really not. ESL students who speak Spanish are kept separate all day. Special needs students (all of them in the grade level) are in one homeroom filled the rest of the way with gifted students. Those special needs kids only have science and history/health (that's a whole other issue - the kids don't understand that NJ is a state and not a country, but the district thinks it's okay for the social studies teacher to have to spend two days a week on health...can't the gym teacher do that? I'm sure they'd want to if they knew their students think that we live in the country of New Jersey). The special needs kids don't have me for math or problem solving or my co workers for reading or writing...so those periods the gifted students, who aren't most in need of lots of one on one time with us are in a small group setting multiple times during the day. Others, who are borderline in need or special classes, are packed into other groups b/c the group with the special needs and gifted students has a cap on it. So I'll have a math class with lots of troubled learners...24 kids, then I'll have a class of gifted kids...8 kids. How is this okay?

In an attempt to help us move towards a better situation I suggested (rather nagged) that we have heterogeneous homerooms and that those homerooms would travel JUST to the activity classes together (world language, gym, art, computers, and music). The district chose this year to impose on us teachers another turd-tastic program that they chose not to have staff test run before purchase. Last few years it was an online plan book/teacher web page combo. I hate it, it sux, the web page doesn't accept hardly any widgets. Now it's an online gradebook. While I love the idea, had they asked me to try it (I would have volunteered w/o pay b/c I'm an idiot) I would have known right away that this would have posed a problem for our heterogeneous groups b/c we would need a middle school format of the program.

People up top I guess don't see the benefit of the program as much as we do on the bottom. I have bilingual students becoming best friends with special needs and regular ed students. My final dream... that science and social studies/health be totally mixed along with activity classes.

I've been crying every other day. People have lost patience with me. I've seriously thought about how Mr. G and I would survive if I quit. I really feel that unless I de-stress I will not get pregnant. So, that's where I've been. What's been up with you?

New Floors! & Some Beautiful Stuff

2009-09-05T15:02:00.003-04:00

Got prefinished wood floors in the bedroom upstairs. There used to be nasty 80s purple rug up there with stains in it. Now it's pretty pretty. Slowly but surely the place is coming along.

And I was wandering Etsy and found Siam2U's merch. I'd love to hear from someone who's ordered her stuff. It's beautiful!

I think it's high time Mrs. You know who learns to clean up after herself

2009-09-02T20:39:00.003-04:00

I helped my sister, Pepper, clean her art room today. Mostly we were cleaning up the closet she shares with the other art teacher. Sorry, but just to quickly vent...and please, I've thought about bleaching my hair blond so many times...nothing against anyone who does. Normally it looks great...but there are some situations when the chemicals start seeping into your brain...anyway...

Mrs. You-Know-Who-You-Are,

You art so lucky to be teaching with Mrs. Pepper b/c she puts up with your superficial, shamefully horrendous behavior and treats you with the civility and respect that you don't give to her. For the love of the Gods, you should be ashamed that you don't keep track of your supplies and that your younger co worker, her sister (who had a hole-ly classroom of her own to set up thank you very much) and their lupified mother have to come in and clean up after your years of closet neglect! It concerns me that my former students might be subjected to you in the classroom because I have total confidence that you care little for anything beyond yourself. Your dark, dark brown roots are showing; go bathe in peroxide and wash away all those tough thoughts you may be having. PS: Don't ever wear a low cut horizontal striped tank under a t-shirt that doesn't cover your belly or boobies. That's not appropriate attire for school. If even a tom boy like me knows that so should you, blondie.

Love,
GW

Then again, maybe Mom, Pep, and I shouldn't be complaining about our jobs...read this link about a guy who really hates his job.

Pilfered from Cynical - C Blog....possibly the most entertaining blog out there.

In knitting news, I made up a pattern for a holiday themed scarf (I'm sure there are patterns just like it elsewhere, but I've never seen one).

The next pagan holiday I celebrate is Harvest (or Mabon). That's the autumnal equinox so the night and the day are both the same length.

I wanted it to be a little lacy (representing the breeziness of summer) and also see patches of solid stitches (creating warmth for winter).

I wanted it to have both sides of stockinette visible on either side (purls always remind me of moonlight glistening off ripples of water and the v's of knit sides can be compared to the rays of the sun).

So I thought about all of this and came up with a pattern using some Noro Silk Garden Sock that has some autumn-ish flava's to it. I'm just playing with the needle size but will post pics soon.

Hats Done!

2009-08-31T20:28:00.004-04:00

Mr. G helped me take the pics but I think they came out funny.

October is Just Around the Corner!

2009-08-30T20:17:00.002-04:00

Domestic Witch is encouraging everyone to celebrate October with an October Blog Party.

PS...

Realized I skruwed up Brooklyn Tweed's fair isle hat and had to rip out about ten rows of colorwork. Ooops:)

My school looks like a war zone :(

2009-08-28T19:39:00.004-04:00

So I got to school today to do set up (teachers usually go in early -and unpaid, mind you - to set up? Why? 'Cause most of us teach 'cause we love our jobs and not for the fat pay check:) and I find this.

As if my students don't have enough working against them. The sad thing is that with my district's track record I don't know for sure what's going to happen. Will it be fixed? Who knows? In addition to this the nipple-looking leak outside my room pictured in this previous post has gotten much worst (there was a huge 3 by 2 sort of puddle that built up in less than an hour with three garbage cans having 4 inches each of yellow water right below the leak). Also, each of my colleagues has either a 2 by 2 or a 3 by 2 hole in the ceiling or wall (none of those appear to be leaking...yet).

The state is allowing the town to use moneys once destine to fund a new building for us to improve the high school that most of my kids will drop out of b/c they felt like they were pieces of shit in grammar school b/c they went to a turd ball school.

Sorry, but ... my job and my kids .... (yes, I'm goin to type this) ... are so important to me that they are only second to family (including Smudge) and friends .... even above knitting!

What have I been knitting...

This is the Brooklyn Tweed hat I posted about before. Lupie started hers too. She's having sinus problems with the hairiness from the yarn :( But she says she is enjoying it. I like it too. I would like to try it with a solid and a Noro sock as the background. I really like the yarn, Classic Elite Fresco, and will use it again.

Speaking of Lupie, aka my Mama, I just want to thank her so much for getting me my first Kitchenaid. Way more colors than they had way back when my mom got hers. It's a kitchen luxury that my mom always wanted to get for my sister and I as gifts when we were adults with our own households (notice I don't say married - feminist Lupie would never say 'when you're married' to her daughters. She taught us that marriage is great if you want it but not mandatory to reach adulthood).

I haven't used it yet, but every time I look at is I smile and I already have a bunch of ideas about what I wanna do. It's not shiny like most of them are. It has a mat texture. I think it's a more macho version of the original, perfect for a tom boy like me. I haven't seen my sister's yet, but apparently she got her a wasabi colored one. That's so my sister's color. In the pic you can also see some other awesome shit I have. The art nouveau coaster is from Griffin's mom years ago. My sister got me that slamin' Alice in Wonderland mug. The canister set was my grandmother's (Lupie's mom).

And now for some bun stuff. Here's my little lovely.

He is so funny...anyway, that clear ball in the background is a cool toy. It's just like the dog balls that release treats. When a bunny rolls it the treats you put inside come out. He hasn't figured it out yet:) I don't know where it came from...Mr. G got it.

Finally...my guilty pleasure has returned (one of them:)

Project Runway is starting out great. This season, unlike the previous ones on Bravo, is on Lifetime and is taking/took place in LA. I can see no change in the quality of the show since the change in stations. It's too soon for me to have any favorites yet. But if you've never seen it I would recommend you give it a chance. Although I watch Top Chef, The Fashion Show, Split Ends, Big Brother (go Kevin!!!! HOH) I'm not a reality show freak. It has to be fairly interesting and not too insipid to attract my attention. Project Runway, as usual, looks like it's going to be delightful!!!

Lots'a Yarn

2009-08-26T19:55:00.005-04:00

Last weekend Mom and I stopped at Yarn Diva in Hillsdale while out. She wound up buying me a Knit Kit. I think Pat said someone had asked her if it was a birth control kit.:)

Pat got her one and she was looking to spread the addiction. As she said on her blog, Mom added a needle to the kit. I'll be doing that too. Above the Knit is pictures from the front with some really vibrant Jitterbug yarn that I picked up at Yarn Diva. Below I'm posting a shot of the back of the Knit with some Aussi sock. That is the same yarn (different colorway) as the yarn I used for the Mary Thank You Socks.

I still have the Lapis Hederas on the needles here next to me. I'm thinking I may give those to Mary as well.

I've made a lot of progress on the BSJ for Mrs. B's new grandbaby.

I think I'm going to make something for the big brother of the new baby, Alex, but I'd want it to be crochet. I've been missing crochet so much. I also sleep with a crochet blanket every night and it's just as snuggly as any knitting! So I'm considering making this Spiderman blanket (Ravelry Link). I'd make one for Griff too, and I'd hope to make one for my other co-worker's son. We will see...that is a buttload of blanket!

Still working on my Clapotis.

It's taking much longer than I'd thought, but then again it is sockish yarn. And it does feel really nice. It's for me, so I'm in no rush.

I've done NOTHING to get ready for school. A little web design on my class site, but it sux so I'll need to re do it. The company that we teachers have our sites through makes good design difficult. Tomorrow (gulp) I'm planning to go in.

Mom, Pepper, and I were supposed to see Julie and Julia today but Pep got sick. Mom and I hadn't been to Stix-n-Stitches in a gillion years so we drove up to Montclair. I miss going there b/c the staff is great. They are so helpful and make everyone feel at home. They truly are a bunch of wonderful broads.

So I'd seen online that another store that had once been in Montclair had relocated. Mom and I decided to drive by and found that they'd moved down the block from Stix. I found this very puzzling. I wish them the best with their venture, and I know Stix will support a fellow yarn store in any appropriate way, but why would you open up a store down the block from another that sells the exact same merch? I also doesn't feel the same as Stix. If I need Rowan and don't want to drive into Hoboken to Patricia's I guess I'd go there, but otherwise I don't think I will. And I think I'd feel totally uncomfortable asking for help there.

While at Stix I finally got to spend the rest of my gift cert from Mom and Dad from December...yes, December! I was really looking for Flat Feet but I couldn't find any. Here's the loot I did get...

Although I love blues I'd never purchased an all blue sock yarn so there it is and it feels great.

I saw that they had all this Araucania Patagonia on sale so I went nuts with that.

I really love this yarn. A few years back I made one of my first sweaters out of it. I don't think I ever posted the final result...I know it's not on my Ravelry, so here's that...

I made it with a huge hood modeled after my favorite sweater ever, some cheep, fuzzy, black cardigan I got for $5 or so at some discount store when I was in college. Both the Patagonia one and the original are very warm, only good for late fall or winter. I knitted on a smaller needle with the cotton to make it heavy and very insulating. I wear it and the original one every day under my coat in the winter.

While at Stix I picked up some yarn to make a fair isle hat with Mom from Brooklyn Tweed's new book (Mom's a Jared Flood fan). Here's the Ravelry link.

The yarn is Fresco from Classic Elite. I eliminated the white from the pattern and changed it to black (I do white as little as humanly possible; my day glow 'how is she a Latin lady' skin it pale enough for any outfit I may wear). There's a pic from Ravelry of the finished fair isle along with a pic of the crochet hat I'm working on now, Raspberry Beret, from the most recent Crochet Today magazine.

Here's what my Raspberry Beret (love that name:) looks like so far...

A bit blurry, but you can see mine it far more grapie. I was originally working on it in Berroco Ultra Alpaca and just b/c I tend to crochet and knit like I'm strangling someone I didn't like the way it was coming out. This is Cascade 220, and the feel is much softer and is better for the pattern.

I did get one more thing at Stix. I saw this woman lugging tons of bags into the store. I didn't know why she was there, but I felt bad she had to do all that on her own. I wish my knee wasn't so screwed up 'cause I would have preferred to help her bring the bags down the steps into Stix, but the least I could do and did was to hold the door so she could just breeze in once she got her shit down stairs. When she was finally done Mom joked that she now needs to pay me in yarn b/c I was such and excellent door lady. She then proceeded to ask me if I like cool or warm colors and handed me a kid socks size piece of Flat Feet.

Turns out she was a yarn company rep and was there to show Sheila (Stix owner) new Fiesta and Flat Feet (really stunning new Fiesta!). I don't ever do shit expecting things back or b/c I'm thinking of the 3 fold law, although I do believe doing good always brings you good in return simply by just feeling good. I just do whatever little shit I do for others b/c that's what every one should do. And really, holding the door? That's just a little bullshit thing. That was really nice that she gave me yarn and I was touched.

In non knitting news...I'm silly often and one silly thing I do every year is watch the tv show Big Brother. This season I've chosen to cheer for Kevin Campell to win.

He was smart to lay low most of the game and although I guess his house mates would disagree he was as loyal as he could be to his allies while still taking part in the game play and not forgetting that he's playing for money. I think this loyalty mixed with reasonable self preservation will come to be the argument for him to win a freakin buttload of cash if he makes it to the end. Go Kevin!!

And don't forget...PROJECT RUNWAY IS BACK!!!!!! More on that next post.

Ridgewood, NJ Fiber Festival and Hell's Kitchen...Follow my train of thought, please

2009-08-16T01:20:00.004-04:00

Here's the link.

The ChalkDust Knitters are planning to go. There goes the neighborhood, Ridgewood! Honestly, when we get together we're hysterical.

I am a little weirded out that it seems to be sponsored by a Unitarian church. If I had to pick any Christian sect to sponsor a fiber arts event I'd sacrifice my cherished Snippy thread snipper to attend I suppose that would be the one. As a recovering Catholic school girl I bet one can imagine that I've had some bad experiences. I get a little creeped out when I'm in a churchy setting, like they can smell "child of the earth" on me, or something. I guess a Christian would likewise be a little uncomfortable at a Pagan event.

For those who many read this, may wanna go, but don't live in the area, Maven asked me about places to eat near Ridgewood on the Lesser Known Skeins forum on Ravelry. I made a short list if anyone needs suggestions. I'm also concerned about parking with Mom/Lupie and her lupus.

By the way...

I love Hell's Kitchen (Gordon Ramsay is freakin' hot, man). Apparently one of the contestants, Amanda Davenport, is living with lupus.

Pic Pilfered from Fox.com

Here she is with another contestant and Ramsay. I think it takes some balls whenever anyone opens up about having an illness. It leaves you vulnerable in many ways sometimes. It can also bring greater focus on the disease itself. Lupies need all the help they can get.

The Vampire Diaries

2009-08-15T23:13:00.003-04:00

Back in the day...when I was just a tween witch from Jersey (I was rather new to having a two digit age, Nirvana was a new band, I wanted my mom to get me a beeper, and my dad had just introduced us to Prodigy on the computer) there was no Twilight so I read the Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith. That time of life is difficult for everyone, but was made more complicated for me by the loss of my grandparents and one of my two late uncles. School was like being forced into an iron maiden for eight house a day, and as I still do today I used books to escape.

I readlly did love these books . . . I even know for a fact that I still have them in my parent's house somewhere . . . but I'd forgotten about them until just now when I saw the CW will be airing the series version in the fall. If you know someone young who needs something to read during math class (how did I avoid getting a detention for that???), likes horror, swoonie stuff, and stories about sexy dead boys who drink blood, I totally recommend the series. They were like, these sweet little nuggets of peace in an otherwise crazy school day and better than tv at night.

Taking a Break from my Knitting with...more Knitting

2009-08-13T17:58:00.008-04:00

I have been working on the Baby Surprise for Mrs. B's grandbaby. I got the invite for the party but sadly it's on my birthday so I won't be staying for the whole thing.

It's a second kid for the parents, so Mrs. B was asking us in school in June if we thought it was appropriate to have a smaller party. I think that whenever anyone has any sort of excuse to have a party one should do so; maybe a smaller party is called for or asking for donations instead of gifts is an option. I also feel that whenever a child of the opposite gender enters a family (the 1st child a boy, the 2nd a girl, or the 1st two boys, the 3rd a girl,m visa versa and etc) you're pretty much starting from scratch in many areas so a typical baby shower is fine. Mrs. B is just a very considerate person. She never wants to offend people.

So here is a pic of the newest portions of the sweater, now with lavender stripes introduced.

I took a break from sox and the Clapotis to make a hat. Mom (Lupie) had picked out a pattern she wanted to make and I wanted to work along with her, but I was eyeing another pattern from tentenknits.

I worked on it one afternoon at Mom's house and two nights in a row when I was trying to get to sleep and finished quickly. I tried my best with the floats but know that tension will get better with practice.

Tomorrow I'm going knitting with the ChalkDust Knitters for the first time in months. I'm very excited b/c I know Karen will have the latest news from school (she is an administrative assistant in another grammar school in my district). I don't know if I mentioned it yet, but apparently my school has been closed down due to asbestos. Gee whizz, I wonder if all the cave-ins, cracks, and ceiling nipples with dripping asbestos water could have put any of my kids in danger!?!?

Warning...Crazy Teacher Rant...

I really want to know what's going on b/c I had big plans to completely re-do my classroom so that it would be more organized, easier to run, and therefore a less stressful place to be. But who knows what will happen now, and who knows whether or not all the dangerous crap will really be cleared away. I bet any amount of money it won't.

People wanna know why my little dudes can't score as high as other districts (even though we score high compared to other urban districts like our own). It's because my funny, smart, beautiful, clever, awesome, caring, inspirational, terrific students (they are really too wonderful for words) are going to school in a century old building that was permitted to slowly desintigrate. They look at drab beige and brown walls and floors every day, my posters and decorations stretching to cover up the veins of water damage and dusty cracks that have been unrepared for years.

Then people try to blame the custodians. I imagine keeping my school clean must be something like trying to dust and restore an Egyptian pyramid after someone plays paintball inside.

Teacher Rant Over

I went out recently with two women I went to high school with. It's weird to call them women:) I still feel 18 sometimes. I think if someone had asked me which one of us I thought would be married and in a stable teaching possition ten years later I would have been my last guess. I tell my students all the time that sometimes life takes you to the complete opposite of where you thought you'd be. And in my case it ended up to be the best thing as I sit here typing next to the man I never thought I'd want to meet, in the home I never imagined I'd own.

And in music news I stumbled across the two year old album of the band She Want Revenge and really liked it. So one may want to check it out...it sits just perfect between Joy Division and The Cars in my iPod, but I wouldn't say it's exactly like either.

Sophia Tomten Done and a Daycation

2009-08-07T14:20:00.005-04:00

Last weekend, on the rainiest day of the week, Mr. G and I went to Bannerman Island in New York state. Mr. Bannerman bought the island in the early 1900s and used it first to house his 2nd had war paraphernalia used for his business and later for a home for his family in addition to his supplies. When we approached the island (in the rain) we saw one of the buildings that once housed the supplies. The arsenal buildings were all modeled after Scottish castles. They are in terrible condition due to over fifty years of abandonment and fire damage.

As usual, Mr. G took amazing pictures, even in the rain. The buildings are so beautiful and I love the look of the crumbling brick and concrete with all the greenery flourishing in this damp weather.

You can see above that the rain must have been immensely heavy. I had on a super thick sweatshirt (thank you, Mom) and it kept the damp out for most of it, but my legs were soaked up to my booty. It felt strangely good, though, a nice break from summer. And it added to the whole feel of the place.

This was one of the main entrances to the seven story, once four floor arsenal. You can't go near it...or can you?

The hole in the above pic is a whole in one of the five cisterns once used to store drinkable water for the residence of the island.

Below is a shot of the family's home. The shot is slightly obscured by rain drops on the lens, and he did take a second, clearer one, but I really liked the composition of this one with the garden shed in the forefront and the weathered stairs tumbling into view.

This building is also very damaged. The people who support the site and are fighting for it's preservation want to renovate this building to set up a "presence" on the island. There's literally no where to go in bad weather and I can't imagine them meeting with press or business people to conduct island bees wax without having some place with a roof.

Mr. Bannerman had to mark the property line even in the water, but instead of going for it in a hum drum maner he rocked it with these beautiful structures like castle fortifications. Some pieces are still there.

Remember that I typed that people can't get too close to the arsenal? Well, all the rain had the tour guide's worried about us and they brought us under the arsenal staircase for shelter.

It was a wonderful experience.

On the knitting front...I was opening my needle case to seem up the Sophia Tomten, and the bottom broke off in my hand. I am very sad. My friend, Jackie, gave this to me. I don't often trust people easily, but I just felt comfortable with her right away and she means alot to me.

Yes, so I was SEEMING THE TOMTEN!!!!! THAT MEANS IT IS COMPLETED!!!!!!

It took such a long time. I kept stopping to make baby stuff for pregnant people, and my clapotis, still unfinished. The buttons are from Yarn Diva in Hillsdale, NJ. I am so s Stix-n-Stitches girl, but Yarn Diva is great too, and the buttons matched perfectly.

I made it to match Griffin's (Sophia is my friend's neice and Griffin is my friend's son)

This one was for Grif...

The two are made of Jarbo Garn yarn.

My co worker, Mrs. B, who I adore is preparing for another grandbaby (number 3) so I started a baby surprise for that child.

I want to do something more purposeful with the stripes than I usually do...I pretty much just throw in a different color whenever I feel like it. So this one will be a bit different, but still using the Cotton Tots from Bernat. It feels great. By the way, my friend Jackie gave me this pretty bag too.

In addition to all this, Mom aka Lupie escaped to Lancaster, PA with dear old dad to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary. They have been having a blast, but I can't wait for them to come home!:)

Bucket List

2009-07-30T10:17:00.003-04:00

A friend sent me one of those chain e-mails...like, what do you wanna do before you croak. But it had choices...many of which I didn't care about...so I'm making my own. Some I have already done but must list b/c they are cool.

Be a mom
Finish writing a novel
See the Crow in a movie theater (I was not allowed to when it came out, but it's okay, Dad, don't feel bad)
Donate money to the place where I work in the form of a scholarship
Visit PR
Adopt a frog
Wear a Sumo suit at fight someone
Go to Venice (done)
Make a cheesecake
Hear my uncle's music played in a big place
Eat at a fancy restaurant in NYC
Go to Paris
See Star Wars Episode IV in a movie theater
Teach Language Arts again
Get involved with the union
Play paintball
See my sister do comedy in front of people
Paint 1 room all black
Adopt a dog
Sleep in a castle
Knit an entire bed spread and matching pillow shams
Get a tattoo (see Mom, still sticking to the bargain)
Take my kids traveling (need to do the mom thing first)
Go to Prague
Walk on the beach at night
Travel in an RV
take cooking classes with Mr. G
Care for baby bunnies
Swim in the Pacific
Design a successful knitting pattern
Ride on a motorcycle
Go to Alaska
See a ghost (so silly, but I want it)
Have a huge ass theme party for a wedding anniversary
Stay up all night with my kids and have a Star Wars Marathon (again, mom 1st)
Go to England
Get a license to take my pets to visit schools so I can teach the children about them
Get blunt bangs
Write someone's memoir
See Rocky Horror live - I'm a RHPS virgin - I ALWAYS chicken out!!!
Finish my Masters (done)
See a whale up close
Go to Colorado
See Iron Maiden in concert
Get published
Look into the wolf display at the Museum of Natural History (half done - went with Griff and his mom and walked by but had to block my peripheral with my giant George Costanza wallet)
Make pottery
Go camping
Show my Dad that my book is in a library

I'm sure I'll have more to add. Hopefully I'm long off from the due date for this crap 'cause there's plenty of it. Off to paint, and then screw the house work (Mr. G is playing video games) I'm going to do some knitting!

Potentially Rockin' Movies 2 Come...

2009-07-27T18:05:00.005-04:00

I love the band The Runaways and apparently there's a movie being filmed about them to come out in 2010...

The girl from Twilight is going to play Joan Jett...and I'm like, not seeing it. I wanna see the movie, but Joan is my favorite and I hope that girl does her whole persona justice.

That's Dakota Fanning (is that how you spell her name?) as Cherie Currie and the Twilight girl...Kristin *typing slowly trains off as GW of J realizes she doesn't know the actress' last name and is too lazy to tab over and look it up*.

I don't know...but that might be cool.

And then there's this...

Trailer here...

Some people are complaining about it already, saying Burton's lost his creativity and can't do any original work any more...I have a responce to that. If you had access to any resources you could ever need, wouldn't you pay tribute to all the things you love? Yes is the answer. The End.

This looks promising...

Back from Mass!

2009-07-26T13:02:00.009-04:00

No, not a mass at a church....I am the GrimmWITCH:) Korny:)

Mr. G and I wanted to get away on the cheap just for a few days and our anniversary was coming up anyway (July 23rd was 4 years). We went to Massachusetts for four days...or planned to.

Our plans for day 1 were foiled when the Estate lawyer needed us to run around and do stuff for the closing of my late mother-in-law's home. This experience has been a difficult one from day 1 for poor Mr. G, and the town in which she lived made it very difficult. The town's requirements were insane (as we heard time and time again from different workers we hired for different jobs in the home). Phewy to you, Rutherford!

When we finally did get up to Mass. it was after 8 pm and the day was wasted:(

We visited quite a few places. One really great stop was the New England Aquarium in Boston. This was a spot I visited when i vacationed in Boston with my parents and sister. It has an amazing floor plan, with most of the exhibits spiralling around one massive cylyndrical tank in the center...maybe 24 some odd feet in diameter.

Pic pilfered from the New England Aquarium

These little guys are playing in the massive pool that forms the base of the aquarium. A bunch of them jumped into the water and took off swimming - they looked like they were flying under water. You can see the bottom of the central tank in the background.

The sea horse below is a species that blends in by mingling with the sea weed it looks like.

Neon green anemonies glow in the background as fish chase eachother in this tank.

This giant puffer lives in the massive tank...I think I remember it having somthing like 200,000 gallons of water in it constantly being filtered.

The guy below, Issac, is one of the seals that lives at the aquarium. I was splashing around playfully the entire time we were there.

This peachy - red jelly fish looks like it's made of some pretty frilly fabric.

When we were done with the aquarium we went to eat at Todd English's Kingfish Hall Restaurant in Quincy Market in Boston.

Mr. G had perfectly cooked steak and a delicious crab cake...excuse the poor phone pic.

My lobster and corn chowder was so good I actually said WOW involuntarily before I could stop myself.

After that we walked around Boston and did some exploring. Mr. G caught a pic of the Paul Revere statue.

Later on in the week we went on a late night tour of Bostons legendary spook spots in the Ghosts and Gravestones tour trolly. Sounds KoRny, but it was immensely informative. The people who work the tour are very knowledgeable. One of the most important things to me when I indulge in my cornier side is to be respected. Jumping out at me, grabbing at me, checking out my boobies (not that I'm a hot mama or anything, but it has happened), not cool. These people were wonderful! Respectful, and what I found most endearing, great with and sensitive to the young children who came on the tour. The two well behaved boys were not too young.

On another day we took a trip to Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester, MA.

John Hammond Jr., the former owner, was an inventor with a pension for collecting anything medieval or reminiscent of the time. Here is an exterior shot.

The castle is pretty much on the water, and I spent most of my time outside viciously inhailing the sweet smell of the sea as if it were laced with drugs.

Just a few pics of the more remarkable areas in the castle. One shot I don't have here is a pic of the indoor pool...awesome...here's a link though.

Below is a shot of the great hall. There was a cute, but massive group of middle schoolers there that I kept dodging...don't really like being around any large groups of children but my own.

This chair in the great hall...I suppose then, a thrown, was so beautiful.

We also went to Salem, although I have no pics of that (thanks alot, Mr. G, you pain you:)

I love Salem...yeah, it's got all the witch stuff (I actually identify unclassifyable pagan, but I do have a lot of beliefs that overlap with Wicca) but again, it's really all about the sea proximity. So beautiful! And a great place to bring kids.

Pic pilfered from usatourism.com

One of Mr. G's favorite visits was to the Higgins Museum in Worcester. The collection of weapons, armor, and other related items was compiled by the late steel tycoon John Woodman Higgins (I wonder if he knew Mr. Hammond...I imagine they would have been great friends).

Some of the weapons were rare versions of concepts that never took off like this gun/shield combo.

Another of the more unusual items was this doggie armor. The collection is second in size in this country only to the Met's weapons and armor wing and is far more varied.

Our last visit of the vacation, or so we thought, was a stop at Lizzie's house in Fall River, MA...

There I am outside waiting for a tour.

This is a pretty much exact replica of the couch where Lizzie Borden's father was found murdered. Mr. G and I posed for a pic on it later. Morbid, yes. If you're offended please skip to the bottom. I'd say I was sorry but I think you're being too sensitive and I'm a bad liar:)

This was the spot where her step mother was found.

This was Lizzie's room.

Here's my homegirl Living Dead Doll Lizzie in Lizzie's room... well, not really mine, mine was still in /jersey, but you understand...

We were driving home when we decided to stop in Mystic, Conn for fudge and food. Here's a gaggle of phone shots.

We got delicious food at the Sea View Snack Bar

Crab cake...yum!

Scallops and Calamari!

And saddly, I did no knitting:(

Just to show mom...

2009-07-12T21:21:00.004-04:00

Although I did do some knitting today I didn't take any pictures of it...just finishing up the Sophia Tomten. I saw her today at Griffin's 1st Birthday party and thank the Gods it looks as if she'll still fit into it. She's so cute and tiny. And I managed to get some in-my-arms time with the Grif. He smelled like birthday cake:) He is the most gentle baby ever.

So why am I here if I don't have knitting pics again? Hey, 'I do what I want,' and what I want is to show mom my new hair...

The roots were a half inch and the bright red was very different than my fawny brown and ever graying natural...so I dyed it dark, dark, dark brown yesterday and left some streaks of red. Wasn't happy with is this morning, though, and had no black left, so I dyed the streaks dark fuchsia (showing up hotter pink here I guess) and a few thin pieces light red.

Tomorrow Mr. G and I are spending the morning filling out paper work for my doctors appointment on Thursday, and planning a trip to Boston:)

When I am knitting what do I read (yes, if I'm not doing something really crazy, like an evil lace, I read at the same time. Many people do this). In addition to the Twilight series and some comic series I'm reading the book I just got...around ten years old me thinks...

Hysterical! Like the beginning of the Fisher King but way more creatively bizzare and silly. I also picked up the Graveyard Book...Neil Gaiman!!:) and a discount art book og Gil Elvgren's pin up art! Hubba hubba...and my avatar is featured inside:)

Super Busy...No Pics

2009-07-10T20:42:00.004-04:00

Pepper moved yesterday. The whole week was all about getting her ready for it. It was very tiring. I never realized they (my sister and brother-in-law) have so much crap:) The things we accumulate. As a bonus I've been running regular migraines.

The 4th of July was very nice and surprising. Usually Mr. G works, but he was off so we BBQed. I invited a few people but didn't expect anyone b/c I knew some go to the same BBQ each year, or they were busy...but we had nine people. It was a very nice surprise. Griffin, my friend's son born last July 8th, stumbled around my house and I just adored watching him.

I can't believe Griffin turned 1 on Wednesday. I thought about him all day long, and the stressful time my friend had waiting to get pregnant, and couldn't help think of my own difficulties. Spending time with Grif or seeing other women w/ their babies doesn't make me sad or bother me. I like to see others happy; it makes me happy.

Fittingly, but coincidentally I attended a Resolve meeting Wednesday night, migraine blaring like my own personal internal car horn perpetually honking in my head. Resolve is the National Infertility Association. The group meeting (confidential, so I ain't sharing and hard for me 'cause I'm super shy) really guided me to feel more hopeful. I wasn't depressed, but I had kinda given up. I was waiting for Mr. G to come around to be comfortable, something I was thinking about long before I found we had problems having kids of our own...actually before I met Mr. G. I made an appointment to go to a fertility clinic next Thursday to consult w/ a doctor that specializes in infertility. I'm kinda private about this stuff...can't imagine posting this...but I'm going to.

The following day my girlfriend from work is going in to the same place to see if she's pregnant. Please pray to your respective gods for her. Even though I don't think the gods will pick to bless her w/ a child b/c I prayed more I do believe in positive energy. And, after all she's been through, I can't believe she still has any of her own left...but she does. She's just amazing and with an adopted son I can see what a great mom she'll be to a second. Now that I'm crying I will sign off.

WhAt?

2009-07-02T16:49:00.004-04:00

I did not make this up. This is real.
And Maven of Fiber Pron asked about New Hope. It is just across the state line b/w NJ and PA. The NJ town bordering it is Lambertville, of Abandoned Lambertville high school fame. We tried to drive by the school but couldn't get close and I got chicken:( It's a nice day trip for anyone in the area...small shops, intimate places to eat, etc:)

New Hope, PA

2009-07-01T21:28:00.002-04:00

Today Mr. G and I went to New Hope, PA. Behold, a gathering of my day's booty and the reading material I took with me. Not wanting to tote Eclipse around I raided Mr. G's comic collection to find the next volumes of Fables.

The white bag contains FUDGE! I can't recall the small shop's name.
The bag is from a New Hope LYS called Twist Knitting & Spinning. The store has a nice variety of yarns and the people are very cordial and helpful.

I dug up some Ellyn Cooper's Yarns while there. It's not available where I live and I was really pleased - this was the only colorway in the boucle, but I love it. Her colors are so vibrant! she needs a web site!!:)

I was almost ready to ring out when I came across these...

I first saw the Zauberball on Jenny Leggings blog. She described is as slowly transitioning b/w one color & the next. I had a hard time finding them.

All this while I needed BSJ yarn and wasn't finding anything I liked. I had to stop at Michael's & get the Cotton Tots yarn that I love!

That handsome man in the picture on the left is my late Tio (Spanish for uncle, yes, I am latin). I did not intend for him to be in the pick...but this one was the only shot with the yarn in focus, and why would anyone mind that adorable smile. He was an amazing guy, an absolute perfect example of a good human being. I love you, Tio!

...It's a Wonderful Town

2009-06-28T18:29:00.007-04:00

Mr. G & I went into NY to see the Extreme Mammals exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. We've only been there together once before, but separately loads of times, and I never get tired of it. Life astounds me.

While there I always walk by three exhibits, one of which I did miss this time. I love the gemstones and minerals exhibit, but we did need to get back to do yard work and I have seen it a gabillion times, and I did want to make one lovely stop before lunch - get to that later - so I passed.

Another stop I make each time is the famous whale room. Not for the whale, though.

When I was young I'd always walk towards the back of this huge room right towards one particular display, followed by sister Pepper of course. The display was behind glass like the others and poorly lit. It would take a long time for your eyes to adjust to the deep darkness of the display...happening slowly. You'd likely be looking around the whole glass pain to spot something and I heard people many times insist that it must be under construction and walk away.

And then your eyes would finally get used to the inkiness and you'd see one grapefruit sized eye staring out at you - a sperm whale fighting a giant squid in the depths. It was terribly fun.

Last time I went the museum had removed the glass and put in some lighting. There was even a child...totally unafraid...crawling around on the floor of the display. I had no camera today so if you're pissed that I pilfered let me know and I'll remove it.

Shot by cerdsp on flickr

My third mandatory visit when I go to the museum completely befuddles and terrifies me. Yes, both, at the same time. If you go in to the North American Animals exhibit you'll see gigantic creatures like moose, the grizzly, towering, tremor inducing sights. Around the left side though, just beyond the jackrabbits is a display that glows with blue light. That one is the only thing left in the museum that scares me. Not the whale, not the squid, this...

Shot by peterjr1961 on flickr

See, looking at them like this...they're just cute. Not scary at all. Besides, I love dogs. It's the blue light that makes them creepy. Every time I go I say to myself, 'this is going to be the time that I'm going to walk right past them, look inside and see them, and walk away at a reasonable pace.' I pooped out again today :(

Shot by wallyg on flickr

Mr. G walked ahead, having seemingly forgot that last time we went he had to gently guide me past, with his arms protectively wrapped around me. I was going to try, but then couldn't. I had to wait for his eyes to meet mine across the crowd and he must have easily read the embarrassment and terror on my face.

He came to get me and instead of the protective embrace I expected he pulled me in front of the display, my eyes bolted shut, and urged me teasingly to open them. How a few years of marriage changes things:) I feel stupid saying, or rather typing this, but I couldn't control how afraid I was. I even yelped, 'NO,' so loudly I feared others around may have heard.

Laughing at myself brought me to tears...yeah, it was hysterical, when I was finally away from the blue light:)

The Extreme animals exhibit was great. All about special, specific adaptations that made certain species throughout history particularly unique. The one below was suited for the tropical climates...of the North Pole millions of years ago.

Shot by edenpictures on flickr; a family of 3 that have great pics of NYC

Now lets get to the important stuff...the short stop after the museum. Before eating lunch we walked to Knitty City, a yarn shop quite close to the museum.

I needed a few DPs...

...and I'd been wanting some solid or semi solid sock yarn (none on sale:( I'm so cheap...

...and I got three needle or small project bags, one for Lupie, one for Pepper, and one for myself, their pick...

...and Mr. G persuaded me to get this tank. It was on sale:)

If anyone commenting has any interesting stories about the American Museum of Natural History or any other museum trip they've made please share...

Hedera & Lesser Known Skeins

2009-06-27T21:34:00.002-04:00

Took a break from the Clapotis this afternoon and started the Hedera socks from Knitty. I've been eyeing them for a long time, and had all that Jitterbug. Just incase they do fit her Royal Lupie-ness when I'm done I'll leave the "for" part empty in Ravelry. I added an extra knit stitch in between each repeat to make it a bit more roomy. I got the idea from Tiphanie on Ravelry who did only one pattern repeat. Not the same thing, but looking at her pattern brought me to thinking about altering the pattern by adding more stitches and how I'd do it.

I also tried to work on the Lesser Known Skeins site. LKS is a Ravelry group my mom made for people who have blogs but weren't getting many visitors. Anyway, there's a bunch of very talented people who belong to the group. I love to hear stories, and reading blogs is just that, so I have benefited from it's creation. Lupie (aka mom) has thought about a page for a while so I've done a little work so far.

I took a background from thecutestblogontheblock.com and made some extra graphics...I hope they're okay with that. I could have made my own bg and made graphics out from there...but I really liked the bg I picked from their site. I originally got the link to their site from Plumpy.

Clapotis...Almost Forgot

2009-06-26T10:38:00.003-04:00

How have I been able to work on the clapotis in the car, while watching tv, and while reading (even comics!)?

Soul Knitting has this great spreadsheet you can print out as a guide.

Screenshot of Soul Knitting's Clapotis Spreadsheet : Get file here.

I'm making the clapotis in the size written in the pattern, so this works nicely, but I can see how one could easily adjust the spreadsheet if one were making a smaller scarf or larger shawl version of the pattern.

Twilight, Crafting, Clapotis, and Animals

2009-06-25T17:31:00.004-04:00

Let me begin with Twilight. It doesn't matter to me that it's Young Adult. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a series so much!
I lied.
Yes I can.
Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.

So I finished Twilight, read New Moon...

And now I'm on to Eclipse.

I love the characters. I feel like Bella's long lost aunt or something screaming in my head when she does something I know is unwise or cheering her on when good things happen. I don't fall for characters so easy either! Stephenie Meyer is a darn good storyteller. People may critisize her writing ability...eh! says I! I like a well told story; it doesn't have to be the linguistic parallel to Shakespeare.

On the crafty front, I've been planning some non-knitting projects and stopped at the Cozy Quilt Shop for the 1st time to buy supplies. It seems it's one of the only places in the area to go for lots of fabric variety since the closing of my beloved Rag Shops :( Here's the stuff I got...all fat quarters (a half of a half yard) except for the half yard of purple.

In knitting news, I made a wonderful, marvelous, too good, excellent mistake:)

I knew I had two skeins of Jitterbug in Mist to do the Clapotis.

Wherever I seemed to stop on Ravelry when searching, though, it seemed people needed about three. I searched the web and found an about 5 buck off sale on Jimmy Beans Wool.

I got some other stuff b/c it was 5 bucks off and ...

Starting at top: Noro Kureyon Sock in S149,

left to right: Colinette Jitterbug in lapis, popsicle, jay, alizerine, and ofcourse the mist not pictured above.

Stuff came, I was psyched.

I went to pull down the second skein of Jitterbug I had stored with my yarn and saw ...

that there was another one behind it! I already had 3:) So now I have a whole bunch of mist.

Good thing I really like the colorway -

and I'm happy I ordered b/c the hidden skein I'd forgotten about is slightly pinker than the two old ones and the new one (as you may or may not be able to see above) so I'll be using the new one for the clapotis.

I'm just starting to form some latters.

And now for something about animals.

On Sunday mom (aka Lupie) watched Sunday Moring on CBS and DVRed a story about how many parrots wide up getting given away b/c they are very difficult to live with.

Mr. G is pretty interested in adopting a parrot and I'm pretty much dead set against it. Why? Not b/c I don't like them, or rather, don't love them. I love birds. But I've learned a bit about parrots and I just don't think they're for us. As tempting as it is to adopt a pretty, smart, attentive pet, there are issues to be considered, as with any animal.

Here's the link to the video of the story.

And here's a link to the blog of a parrot mommy and a woman who has written a book on the subject of the reprocussions of adopting parrots rashly and not researching, Mira Tweti.

My issue with the parrots is their long lives and temperment. I don't want to sentence my future children to keep a pet they may not be able to manage (or may not want to) b/c mom and dad wanted a parrot. I wouldn't want to fall in love with a bird and then have to give him up when she bites my child's finger or when I'm too old to care for her.

This kind of cautiousness and need to research when adopting an animal should go with any animal. You need to consider your abilities, their abilities, your future, and their future. For instance...I love this little guy...

Look at the lashes, people! Fa-bu-lous

Smudge was most likely an Easter Bunny - (no, sadly not the kind that brings you chocolate eggs:( ). Every year in the months after Easter rabbits all over are turned in to rescues (like the now closed one where we got Smudge), shelters, or left to fend for themselves on the side of the road or in a park, etc.

Most pets are not capable of caring for themselves, especially after having lived in a home. Smudge was found one morning by a pet store owned outside the store in a soaking wet cardboard box that had at least been out there over night in the pooring rain. A faimly adopted him and almost immediately brough him back b/c he was biting their kids. After having lived with him for about three years I'm left to assume that the children were harassing him b/c even when Mr. G and I have had to force medicate him with antibiotics he gets upset, but never attacks.

So I love him, don't know what I'd do without him, but he has negatives (not for me, but would be for others). Usually I crop out the poop when I post a pick. I vacumed his hiding place beneath the coffee table yesterday. He was out for about an hour. I just wanted to do my part and say a little something about researching pets and post the links above. It is really important not to just run out and get any animal. It's like bringing a new family member into the fold. I love the Smudge, poop and all:)

I love you, Dad

2009-06-21T00:59:00.002-04:00

I don't just knit, you know. I also like to write stories, and have been doing so since before I could physically write. I used to dictate stories to my grandmother and she'd copy them down in crayon. Although I've never done much with my writing my family has always been very supportive and interested, especially my dad. I would say he is probubly my biggest fan. Thanks, Dad.

Lyrics altered by me to fit the situation.

Tough, you think you've got the stuff

You're telling me and anyone

You're hard enough

You don't have to put up a fight

You don't have to always be right

Let me take some of the punches

For you tonight

Listen to me now

I need to let you know

You don't have to go in alone

And it's you when I look in the mirror

And it's you when I don't pick up the phone

Sometimes you can't make it on your own

We fight all the time

You and I... that's alright

We're the same soul

I don't need... I don't need to hear you say

That if we weren't so alike

You'd like me a whole lot more

Listen to me now

I need to let you know

You don't have to go it alone

And it's you when I look in the mirror

And it's you when I pick up the phone

Sometimes you can't make it on your own

(This is it)I know that we don't talk

I'm sick of it all

Do you know you're why I write

You're the reason I write

You're the reason why the stories are in me

Well hey now, still gotta let ya know

A house doesn't make a home

Don't leave me here alone

And it's you when I look in the mirror

And it's you that makes it hard to let go

Sometimes you can't make it on your own

Sometimes you can't make it

Best you can do is to fake it

Sometimes you can't make it on your own

A little bit of everything

2009-06-19T20:45:00.002-04:00

Firstly, I'm really enjoying working on the Clapotis. The Jitterbug is so soft and smooth. I really thought that I wouldn't like the looseness of it w/ the size 6s, but I do love it. The Gods know I should be working on the tomten that keeps getting shoved to the side for one emergency project or another (gifts basically) but I can't take my hand off the Clapotis.

Nextly, I'm very tired of my dad being away. He's been visiting his mother - notice I type his mother and not my grandmother. I had a grandmother so I know what one is supposed to be like. Lupie's mother was a truly amazing person and devoted her entire life to her children and grandchildren. My dad's mom - not so much. I honestly don't know how he ended up being such a great person. Anyway, sometimes I wanna smack him but I am very attached to my dad and feel weird when he's away. I worry about how he's sleeping, how his stress level and blod pressure are while he's spending time with this very insensitive woman. I just can't wait 'til he's back tomorrow.

A small shot of Smudge. He's so cute. He's on antibiotics again. This poor guy has had such a tumultuous life!

Abandoned, homeless before he came to us, then the f-ing head tilt last summer (we thought he was going to die. I was just re-reading the posts from then to do the link here...it was horrible. I type this as Smudge is attacking my Ikea window bench in the sun room: ) and now a cold (sneezing and boogers are dangerous for rabbits) for 5 months. The doctor said the next time he has boogers he may want to flush out Smudge's nasal cavity.

Life has been consumed by Pepper house! I'm tired (had a freakin' headache and belly ache all last night and today) but am having so much fun painting with Pepper and our mom. They are hysterical and we all work well together. I love my co workers in school, but not every arrangement is as effortless as, for instance, my working relationship with my mentor. Its even better with my sister and my mother...like we don't even need to speak sometimes and we just do. I love summer with them (we are all teachers so the three of us are off in the summer).

Painting demands comfort so here I am in my good luck over the knee neon orange socks, Pepper's borrowed faux crocks in a Raquel Reed hair shade of blue and my cut off black sweat shorts - Ha ha ha - Jesus! Just a wrong wrong picture! But I was comfortable and the squishy shoes kept foot pain to a minimum.

For lunch we were pretty much out of cold cuts so for the first time in I estimate 15 to 18 years I went to Burger King with Pepper. And I ordered BEEF! I don't eat mammal except for the occasional strip o' pig for breakfast. I just don't care for most beef - anyway, so that was interesting. Pepper noticed that BK has some Star Trek cups for sale so I sheepishly asked her to get one for me. I wondered how they were releasing the cups...one a week or all 4 at once, that sort of thing. I really wanted only Spock and was curious if Pepper knew about my spock obsession. She place the order and the woman asked if it mattered which cup we got. Pepper replied by saying any cup would do...and my geek girl within surged up out of nowhere as I frantically mumbled, "Spock, Spock, SPOCK!"

I'll leave it at Pepper's house so I have my own glass over there. Thax Pep!

Here I Go!

2009-06-18T20:28:00.001-04:00

I can't wait to see what's next...there are no "bars" yet.