Yippie! Jaywalkers

I know this took me forever to finish, but I just kept putting it down to knit baby stuff...these women around me keep getting knocked up:) I really did like the pattern. It was fun to knit and I would love to make another pair but ... my co worker, Mrs. B, came in today with a sonogram pick of her next grandbaby due in November. I'm planning on making something for the big brother 1st and then the baby...by then they'll know the gender.
So I stole these for a moment to model them.

And for anyone who counts themselves as a Birthday Massacre fan, the new live album is out on iTunes.

Sometimes live albums suck, but this one is great. It has all my favorites, and the sound quality is good. I just love to turn it up loud - because I don't have to worry about bothering people in the next apartment now that I'm in my little Hobbit house (I love it) and dance like crazy.

My Mother's Day with Spock

I felt so bad b/c my gift for my mom were the Jaywalkers and I didn't finish them in time, but for anyone who knows her or reads her blog I bet you'd guess she's not one for Mother's Day. She thinks any time you show your mother you love and appreciate her is mother's day enough. But I did go and hang out with her for a while.

After spending some time with Mama Lupie and dear old Dad on an adventure to a yarn store in JC that turned out to be closed (thanks a lot, your e-mail stated you'd be opened until 6 - we went all the way out there for nothing, butthole) I went back to spend the rest of my Mother's Day with Mr. G. Hopefully the last one where no one has a need to buy me stuff if you know what I mean (keep your fingers crossed like, forever:)

We went up to Nyack and saw...are ya' ready...STAR TREK

Two words...

Fucking Awesome

Mr. G and I saw it on the IMAX screen. I had my first ripping migrane in a while but was so glad that I didn't go home. I first watched the original Star Trek as a teen in high school when one of my teachers gave a mini class on its social commentary subtext and got hooked. I just loved the story lines and I had a thing for Leonard Nimoy:)

Why is Spock so irresistable? Am I the only one who feels like this...anyway...Zachary Quinto did an amazing job (as did all the actors...the dude who played McCoy rocked the roll - he must have watched the shows over and over to get the speech inflections down pat). And Quinto, who's striking in Heros (he makes you wanna be bad) was just as hot here.

Leonard Nimoy was in the film as well...I won't go into detail...but I gotta say, still good looking. And I love the way he approaches the dynasty that birthed his fame. He seems to enjoy and appreciate Star Trek. Not like the other one you-know-who-I-mean.

The writing was wonderful, the plot I found to be completely well crafted (not like poor Wolverine although I do like Hugh Jackman). It was just a great film.

Whilst at the mall I was able to get my Weird NJ. Don't know why the Borders by me has been dragging its feet to get it in...but I have it now and have been carrying it and the first volume of Fables around with me all day.

We have the NJ ASK this week and it is a little tiny nightmare. In frustration on Friday as we crammed I called the Smartboard a bastard outloud and didn't realize until it was too late. The kids asked me if I was scared and I had to level with them. I just hate the test. I am nervous. It seems people think that it's okay to judge the kids and the teachers on the results and it's totally not okay. I hate seeing their little faces contorted with stress or listless with boredom as they wait for the minutes to drain away when they're done and are not permitted to draw or read. I have a homeroom full of young humanists and artists. These kids draw in their sleep. How can I tell them not to draw?!? Testing is like going to the dentist and sitting in the waiting room listening to the patient before you scream as the drill growls...but waiting for an entire week.

Back to something less hellish..I also picked up one of the newest Living Dead Dolls. This series is based on urban legends. I chose the hook man.

Alrighty...I'm off to finish the Jaywalkers. Hopefully I'll have picks tomorrow.

On Lupie and her Mom

Although I was just sitting here watching cartoons (what else is new) I do on occasion have adult conversations that do not focus on comics, video games, knitting, teaching, Science Fiction, movies, or zombie epidemics.

A friend and I were discussing motherhood last week. She was describing how lost she felt when she had her first child because, having not known her own mother, she had no example to follow. Thirty some odd years and four devoted, successful children later I can attest to the fact that she made it amazingly and did so without a leader.

I however, when the gods decide to bless me with a child, will have a wonderful example to follow. If anyone were to at any point ask me to name the most remarkable people I've ever known, Lupie and my grandmother would be my first two answers.
Remarkable because they were always determine and unwavering even in the face of the insurmountable.
Remarkable because they seem to simply shrug off the most intense physical pain.
Remarkable because they somehow had the power to make the wonderful out of very little or nothing.
Remarkable because they always pulled from an endless well of patience.
Remarkable because with nothing more than open ears and shoulders to cry on they wiped away all my worries.
Remarkable because they hands on my forehead packed more punch against a headache than a bottle of Excedrin.
Remarkable because they were able to bring learning to rival any trip to an amusement park or circus in level of enjoyment.
Remarkable because they never wanted me to forget that although they wore capes in my heart they were human.
Remarkable because they showed me that mothers can be superheros.

Thank you, Gramma, I miss you.
Thank you, Mom, I love you.
I'm still not done with your freakin' gift.

Grey Gardens

Little Edie at Grey Gardens in 1975.

Photo: Getty Images

I'm facinated. Watch the documentary, some of which was on youtube, and then the HBO film and swear to me that sometimes you don't feel five minutes from Little Edie. I admire her ballsyness.

I want to go here

Yarntopia

Long time no see, long post to come

It's been a long, long while. What have I been up to...honestly, being an infant and surrenduring to a "hard time". I kept moving and shaking, but inside I've really allowed myself to surrender to my frustrations one too many times...but I'm human, you know. I stuck to my guns and didn't go to library school this semester. I'm glad b/c I had more time to devote to moving in. This house is a definate highlight in my life! I don't care what anyone else would have to say about it...too tiny, to old fashioned...I thought I'd never have one and now I do and I think it's great!:) We have done quite a bit in the short time we've been here.

Some B4 & afters...
the bedroom...
All we did here was paint. Is it blue? Is it purple? My husband's grandfather painted the pre-raphielite there.

Dressingroom?

It's a previous bedroom that joins our own through a blasted out wall. They were using it as an office. We're kinda leaving it open incase we need a nursery (cross your fingers, but it's been like two years and no dice yet).

Sunroom!:)

Mr. GrimmWitch has his compputer set up in there and we have a window seat sort of table with Smudge stuff and a round table covered with graphic novels at the moment.

Diningroom...

All the gross wallpaper is gone! Haste-La-Bye-Bye!! You may not be able to see it from here but it seemed almost 5 mm thick and was textured. It was pealing off in most places and gross! I have my Mucha reproduction and my devilish boozer art there. The wooden box is filled with my grandmother's silver...retro 50s stuff with six pointed nuclear-y bursts etched into the handles. I love them. Thanks Mom!

the Livingroom...

My mom has been calling this room "table city". We don't really have seating in here...nothing but that chair currently being used to hold some of my husband's weapons. The color is a gray green...and again, ALL THE FREAKIN WALLPAPER IS GONE! The same kinda stuff was in here, textured and thick. Also, this room, the stairs upwards, and the hall were carpeted. This beautiful wood was beneath that. We had this done right away.

Finally, my favorite room, the Family Room.

I love the color we painted the wall...it's "Pumpkin Pie". The sunroom is just beyond. The rug is still here, but there's no hard wood here so we'll wait until we can aford to do a planned remodel of the back of the house.

Smudge seems to be warming up to the place just fine. He had a cold when we moved in, but now he seems okay. There's his condo, and the cardboard structure on the left is a maze.

He started exploring immediately. This was his first night. He has not gone beyond this room yet.


In other news, work sux! It's gotten to the point where some days I actually hate my job. I love my kids... my supervisor was asking me if I like math. Shamefully, I am a write who's grown to love teaching math:) That's not it. i just have so many problems with the execution of my job for many reasons, the severe student apathy and poor work ethic (lord knows I don't expect the theory of relativity, but they just don't work, and I put bells and whistles on everything! How can such creative, fun people be so turned off when I toil to make the learning fun?). I also feel like my school community is going through a transitional period, like those first akward teenage years when your face is so greasy it has reflective qualities.

I am knitting quite a few things. I'm still working on that tomten.





Yarn Diva had buttons like the one's I used on Mrs. B's Sophia Baby Surprise in just the perfect color for this tomten (for a different Sophia:)

I had to take a tomten break to make this Baby Surprise for Henry L.




For whatever reason, who knows, i just wasn't as happy with this one.





Love the buttons. Same as Griff's.


Some of The ChalkDust Knitters are making this Debbie Bliss shawl scarf. Here's a very blurry picture of my still tiny on. My mom's is already so long!

Last, but not least...Here's the Shmed...

Not fiber arts...but may pass for some from far off...

Saw these guys on CBS Sunday Morning. I love glass and this is just stunning...

Their names are Eric Markow and Thom Norris and their work is wonderful.



We went food shopping by the new house today. We drove by and I turned to Mr. G and said, "Holy $&^#, this is really going to happen.