Come A Gulleywasher

A few days ago at work, I told one of my co-workers that I was plumb tuckered. She looked at me as if I'd suddenly sprouted a third eye right in the middle of my forehead. She had no idea what I was talking about. I guess they don't use the word tuckered much here, because she said she'd never heard it before.

It kind of surprises me when people don't know what I mean when I say "It's coming a gulleywasher!". I guess that's another expression they don't much use around here.

I've also noticed that an insult really loses its punch when you have to explain to somebody exactly who "Der Fuhrer" was and why being called that is a bad thing. But that's a topic for another day. 

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. It come a real gulleywasher today.  By the time I got home, my whole yard was flooded.

It was raining so hard, the dogs wouldn't even go out.  That's my back yard, looking out my back door.

Around 4-ish, the rain stopped, but the dogs still weren't too sure about going outside.  Rylea says, "Are you serious?"

And Jesse said, "I don't know about this." 

Eventually, the need to pee overcame their uncertainty, and Jesse ventured out, albeit rather tentatively.

Rylea soon followed.   Doggie bladders were relieved, and mommies were relieved that doggie bladders weren't relieved on the carpet. 

I spent the rest of the evening reading a book called Unwind.  It is set in a futuristic America in which abortions are not allowed, but parents can retroactively abort a child once he becomes a teenager.  If a parent wishes, he can have his child "unwound".  Basically, the child is dismembered and all his parts are donated to people who need new arms, hearts, lungs, etc, etc.  They justify it by convincing themselves that the child is technically still alive, just in a "divided state".  It was a fascinating, and ultimately very disturbing book, and you can expect a full book review with a few days.

Next up on the docket:  If The Devil Had A Wife.  This should be interesting, because it all took place in my hometown.  I grew up hearing stories about the Stark family, and spent long hours imagining what it would be like to live in the Stark House.  Half the town was named after someone in the family:  The Francis Ann Lutcher Theater, The Stark Museum of Art, Stark  High School-- which would later merge with West Orange High School to become West Orange Stark High School, from which I graduated.  Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading this one, too.

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for.  The Weekly WIP Update.  Yeah, I know you're on the edge of your seat.  Well, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. 

1.   Conwy sock:  No progress this week

2.  Traveling Roses Scarf: No progress this week.

3.  Arwen Wrap:  I'm making pretty good progress now that I've gotten past the gakked up hairball.  I've started on the third ball of yarn.  The entire pattern will take 8.  I think it calls for 7, but I bought 8, so I'm going to use them all.  It is knit in two pieces and grafted together, so my plan is to knit up 4 balls, then cast on the second half and knit up 4 more. It might be a wee bit long, but that makes for more wrapping room. 

4. Garter Rib Scarf: No progress.

5.  The 2010 Anniversary Mystery Shawl.  No progress this week. 

6.  2011 Anniversary Mystery Shawl.  No progress this week...

7.  A Sock:  I finally ripped this one and tackled the tangled up skein.  I'm going to set this one aside for now.  The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Supersocke, which I've decided I don't really like for socks.  See, I've knit three pairs of socks out of it, and two of them wore out within months of me completing them.  The third pair, I've treated like crystal.  Though they haven't worn out yet, they've felted beyond what I feel is comfortable for sock wear.  I prefer Cherry Tree Hill Socktitome Select for socks.  So, I've rewound this yarn, and will probably use it for a hat or a scarf. I think the color is Indian Summer, but I can't find the ball band, so I'm not for sure.

8.  Fruit Of The Vine scarf: Ditto.

9.  Orkney Pi Shawl:  In Knitpicks Shimmer in Spice.  I actually paid for this pattern, so I'd better get this one done!

10.  Another Charity Scarf:  I haven't worked on it any, but it is starting to whisper my name. I may get it out this week.

These next three are really more ongoing projects, so they don't really count as WIPs, but I'm showing you them anyway.

11.  Leper bandage: Slowly but surely, I'm getting it done. It's almost time for a new picture.

12 & 13.  The two sock yarn blankies. I've knit a few squares on each of these.  I need to spread them out and take a new picture, but that would require vacuuming my floor.  We all know how I feel about that.

One final word, then I'll be done. I know, finally, right? I've got to do something about my desktop computer. It has gotten excruciatingly slow here lately.  I've done all the recommended things-- clearing my cache, defragging, cleaning my registry, etc, etc.  It is still slow as molasses.  I can't afford to buy a new one right now.  Why is this a problem, since I also have a laptop? 

I'll tell you.  I can't blog from my laptop.  I just can't.  I tried this last week or so, and it just isn't working.  Calliope doesn't like my laptop.  She has finally gotten reconciled to my desktop, even though she still prefers pen and paper.  Thus, my conundrum... boring blogging, or desktop distraction? 

Why can't life be easy?