Driving Under the Full Moon

Happy Birthday Randy!!! Today is Randy's 27th birthday (he is so old - he robbed the cradle) and since he is out of town on business today we spent the weekend celebrating. We went to Red Lobster, on an 8 mile bike ride with Zipper (more on this in a later post), to a barbecue, and did some spontaneous late-night shopping for our upcoming camping trip. It was one of those fun, spur-of-the-moment type weekends that we don't seem to have much anymore. The kind of weekend where you don't have expectations so everything is fun and flexible - the kind we used to have all the time in high school and college. The kind where you stay out late but don't feel tired and drive around going wherever your whim takes you, forgetting all your cares.

This kind of weekend was a gift to Randy in and of itself - he didn't have to plan or stress about what to do. But by far the best gift of the weekend was given to him from a kind stranger with whom we crossed paths on Friday night. And it turned out to be a gift for me as well.

We enjoyed a late dinner at Red Lobster (well Randy enjoyed the food - I had to be content just enjoying the company since my fish was really bad - Randy confirmed it - it wasn't just me being picky) and afterwards decided to go to the 24 hour Wal-Mart to look for a bike rack for our car. We left Red Lobster and leisurely drove toward Wal-Mart as we listened to the Beatles and Randy spoke on his cell phone.

As we stopped at a red light I felt Randy furiously elbowing me and motioning for me to look over through his window. As I gazed out the window I noticed that something big and round was sticking out of the back, passenger side window of the SUV stopped next to us as well as a waving arm sticking out of the front window. At first my brain did not register exactly what this object was - and about a half second later it hit me: Oh my goodness - its a butt!!!

Yes, my dear readers, this is an account of our first ever mooning (as the moon-ers or the moon-ees) and it was fantastic. I highly recommend it. Picture casually looking over and seeing an identity-less butt protruding out a car window and dancing around merrily as the front passenger motions you to drive up closer to get an even better look. FYI - we decided the view from where we were was just fine.

The only down side was that we risked running off the road in our moon-induced laughing fit. We don't know who these people are, why they chose to share their moon with us, or where they may strike next. We only know that they were ambassadors of humor, selflessly giving of themselves to brighten the lives of strangers in the night. It was seriously the highlight of our weekend (and we had a great weekend). We laughed so hard - we couldn't believe it had actually happened.

From Wikipedia: Mooning is the act of displaying one's bare buttocks by lowering the back side of one's trousers and underpants. Mooning is used in some cultures to express protest, scorn, disrespect, or provocation. It can also be done for shock value or fun. So whatever your mooning mission, thank you kind stranger. Shine on!

Camera Update
The Zipper-damaged cord needed to upload pictures from my camera has been ordered and shipped - soon to arrive in my mailbox. So look for photo-filled posts any day now. I have tons of photos from this weekend which I will share soon!

Seriously?

Setting: Harrison, Ohio
Aspen Grove Wedding Reception Hall
Wednesday, 12:06 p.m.

Signboard reads (and I quote):

Congratulations Holly and Wade

U Got R Done

Seriously? Is that the sign you would want to signify the eternal bond of love you've just vowed before God? To each his own. Best wishes, Holly and Wade.

No Pictures, Might as Well Crose

Randy - that title is for you.

So I don't know if I can have a blog anymore. I can't have a blog anymore because I can't post pictures anymore. I can't post pictures anymore because A DOG ATE MY DIGITAL CAMERA USB CABLE!!!!! Now I won't mention any names. But the name of this blog is a clue.

Sure, some of you might say - of course you can blog without pictures! And some others might say - you can replace your USB cable! But that line of thinking is way to rational for me right now. I am still in the "wallowing in self pitty" state and I'm going to milk it.

Shoulder Update
My shoulder feels much better. Maybe Leslie took out her voodoo pins or maybe my growth spurt is over for the time being. Or maybe Randy has come to terms with his day job. Whatever - I'm just glad I feel better. After a day of sleeping and taking darvocet on Sunday I feel almost as good as new.

Knitterific
Update on my super secret project. As some of you may have guessed, I'm making a baby sweater for a little bun in the oven. My best friend since the 2nd grade, Mandi Edwards Hawkins (she didn't have all those names then) called me last week to let me know she and her husband, Andrew are expecting their first baby in November!!! Of course I had to start knitting immediately. I can't show you pictures as mentioned above.

But I can show you a picture of the pattern I'm using if you promise not to tell Mandi what it looks like (and Mandi, if you're reading, close your eyes).

This is the Chunky Knit Cardigan from Erika Knights' Simple Knits for Cherished Babies. I am making it in a Christmas red merino wool with ivory trim. I know the baby will live in Florida but it gets rather nippy there in December. Besides - they have to bring the baby up north to visit for Christmas, don' they?

Help!

This will be quick because I have just finished my 13.5 hour work day which included taking 120 girls to the Newport Aquarium and AMC Theater to see Over the Hedge (which, by the way, I fell asleep during - decide for yourself if that is a statement about the entertainment value of the movie or a result of a crazy week of running around camp).

I am looking forward (since you can't hear my voice I must inform you that this is said with sarcasm) to my day tomorrow which begins by getting to a bus stop in Northside (its near downtown) at 7:30 and being the "bus monitor" for two hours until we arrive in Maineville (its near Kings Island). I will then run around camp all day and board the bus again at 3:30 for a two hour trip back to my car. Awesome. But its okay - because I'm doing it to help Leslie out and she SO deserves it!

Anyway - the Help plea refers to lingering pains in my shoulder/collar bone. I woke up yesterday with a pain in my shoulder/collar bone/neck and assumed that I over-stressed it dunking shirts for tie-dye or slept on it funny. It lasted all day. I woke up this morning and it was worse. By this evening it hurts to: pick up things heaver than a piece of paper with that arm, raise my arm above shoulder level, open my jaw too far (yeah - that one puzzles me too), or move in certain ways.

This pain is a total mystery to me. Here are some possibilities that might explain what happened:

• Old football injury.........oh, you have to have actually played football to have a football injury?
• Leslie is a voodoo doctor in her spare time and has a doll that looks suspiciously like me with several pins in its shoulder.
• Randy has pent up frustration stemming from his secret unfulfilled dream to be a cage fighter. The frustration manifests itself in dreams during which he sleep-kicks my shoulder.
• Its growing pains. I'm finally getting my growth spurt. Watch out, Brooke - here I come.

If you have any insight on the nature of my agonizing shoulder pain, please let me know. I'm open to suggestions. For now, I better go to bed to gear up for tomorrow's day'o'fun!

Not in the Mood

I've had an awful day and I'm tired, achey, and irritable. I'm not in the mood to post - but I don't want to slide down the slippery slope of waiting too long to post. So here I am. - it will be quick.

I did several things today that I've never done before:

1. Fulfilled the duties of day camp nurse - cases included: girl with bee sting, girl with nosebleed, and severely emotionally handicapped girl who wanted "TO GO HOME WITH MY MOMMY AND DADDY" but, turns out, actually just needed a nap in the infirmary and then was good as new.

2. Soaked 145 t-shirts in a soda ash solution over several rounds so as to fit in 6 small buckets to prepare them for tie-dying. My hands still ache from wringing them all out.

3. Yelled at police officers. Many counselors at this day camp are police officers and some of them need some extra reminding that they are, in fact, not on break and need to acually stay with their units during lunch.

4. Cried at work in front of coworkers (including my boss). I think that sums up the day.

So - not to fret - nothing earth shattering happened to make me cry. It was just a combination of WAY too much work and not enough time and one of those days that a million small things seem to go wrong all at the same time and overwhelm you. Maybe 6/6/06 really is a cursed day. Tomorrow has to be better. Right?

SuperMega Fiber-Sheep-Knitting-Amish Extravaganza

So I haven't posted in over a week. Sue me. Actually you won't want to sue me after you read this because I'm going to make up for the missed week and then some! I guarantee it! ("I could get a good look at a t-bone by sticking my head......" - some of you are laughing now)

What did you do over Memorial Day Weekend? Cookout? Yardwork? Yawn - wait until you find out what kind of wild and crazy weekend I had with my party friends. Brooke, Nicole (Brooke's friend from Yarns and Fabrications), and I went to.......drumroll.........the Great Lakes Fiber Festival. Jealous? I know you are - or will be once you find out all of the wild and crazy things we did. You know - I've got to get in these escapades before I have children and have to "settle down". But seriously - I know many readers may snicker to themselves at the thought of a Fiber Festival but I had a great time. You can relive it with me below!

Traveling
Nicole, Brooke, and I left Cicny last Saturday afternoon barreling toward Wooster, Ohio. Brooke's mom lives there (Brooke grew up there) and graciously invited us to stay with her for the weekend. We arrived around 9:00 on Saturday evening and got to meet Midget - pictured below with my knee and foot. Midget was a rescue dog that who had been in four different homes during her three-year life. We don't understand why - she was one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met and she helped get me through some Zipper withdrawl!

The Festival

Of course, the obvious draw for us to go to the festival was yarn. But can you believe they had other, non-yarn items to view and buy? Since animals are covered in fiber, there were a lot of them there for sale and show. We made friends with some of them.

Here is an alpaca - I am a big fan of his work.

Next we met an Angora bunny- he was very cute but also very disgruntled. His fur and the heat do not mix well. I am also a big fan of his work and Brooke even bought some of his yarn.

And of course, what would a fiber festival be without sheep. I think the following photographic essay needs no more explaination than the simple captions above each picture:

BEFORE

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AFTER

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WAY AFTER


That's right folks, they were selling roast lamb at the food booth about 25 feet across from the sheep exhibition. I'm sure those of you who grew up on a farm or had chickens in your yard that you ate for dinner are thinking "so what". But we were all pretty creeped out by it. I showed proper respect for the sheep and a hamburger - I mean - it wasn't a Cow Festival.

Shopping
The fiber festival was to me what an open bar at a wedding would be like to an alcoholic - er - except I had to pay for my yarn. After much debate and browsing I bought two types of yarn.

Below is handspun and hand-dyed wool/silk from Donna's Yarns (I don't know where Donna usually sets up shop - her tags don't have any information.). The brown dye was made from walnut hulls - I thought that was cool. One of the best parts: each skein was $3.00 - so I bought seven skeins. Two tan and five of the dark brown spekled. I have no idea what this yarn should become.
ANNOUNCING THE FIRST EVER ZIPPERIFIC BLOG CONTEST. Post your ideas about what I could make with this yarn in my comment section. I'll look at all the ideas and whoever came up with the idea I end up choosing gets a special prize! It will be knitting/yarn related if you are into that sort of thing and probably food/candy related if you aren't.




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The only other yarn I bought has proven to be a bit unruly. Brooke was very self sacrificing and helped me untangle and wind it at the ice cream shop we visited after the festival.













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We even gave the yarn its own chair. That got us some strange looks.

Question: What is the best thing about being in an icecream and candy shop at the same time as a birthday party featuring 20 10-year-old boys?

Answer: Watching the boys get to fill up plastic bags with whatever candy they wanted, getting to order any flavor icecream they desired, and eating birthday cupcakes as one boy exclaimed with all sincerity, "This is the BEST day of my LIFE!"


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Amish Country
In an effort to top off our wild and crazy Sunday, we went to sin city - er - I mean Amish Country. I thought it was quite interesting that Amish Country is such a huge tourist attraction. It just seems strange that the people who want to separate themselves from the world and keep private are at the center of a craft and antique store mecca. We saw plenty of Amish people, but I told Brooke that I wouldn't be satisfied unless I saw a barn raising. Not wanting to dissapoint, Brooke found me a barn raising. Granted, it was on a post card - but I never specified that the barn raising had to be live and in person So I applaud the effort. Well done, Brookey.

While in Amish Country, Nicole bought an antique spinning wheel she plans to use to make her own yarn. I can't wait to see the fruits of her labor!


Brooke's mom got me this keychain in Amish Country (don't ask what this has to do with being Amish). Wasn't that sweet? Its like she knew I liked Dachshunds or something - its not like I ever talk about them or anything........


Well that is all for now on the trip front. I hope you enjoyed my exploits. Remember, what happens here stays here. Or is that Vegas?




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Knitterific
Major accomplishments in knitting world! Brooke and Nicole inspired me to keep pluggin' away on my Market Squares entrelac bag and I got newfound motivation to finish. I finally knit the last stitch on Saturday night. This one was a lot of work, so let me show off a little!






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Here it is before I felted it.


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And here are a bunch of pictures of it post-felting. Just humor me and take a minute to savor it!




I suppose its like childbirth. You swear you're never doing it again but the lure of a new baby (or new bag) changes your mind. Yes - I started another one.......




But tonight I was informed of a new knitting assignment I need to start on right away - so this may get put onto the back burner. More to come on the details behind my mysterious new knitting assignment.......