knit with snot for you

What Normal People Do

2014-05-22T09:31:00.001-04:00

I wholeheartedly know that I am not Normal People. The Ogre, he is personally Good People. I fall mostly into the category of FUN People. If I had to guess I'd say the Pigs will end up as one of each.

As a member of the FUN People group, I can totally come up with a fun idea, lead you down the road to adventure, or possibly help you start something SUPER FUN! Then randomly twirl my hair, and chase butterflies while you clean up the mess.

Lately I've taken to asking "What Normal People Do" on Twitter for various seemingly normal things. "Like where do you keep your grill? How about brooms? Bikes, where the hell are these things supposed to be kept?" I don't want to be Normal People, but I do realize that all of my fun leaves me doing questionable things when it comes to cleaning, organizing or running of a home.

Example...

Pretty sure the beer was part of fun two 2 nights ago. The recycling is outside, in the garage, like 10 feet away.

The bowl of broccoli and the onion, oops, totally got distracted with a kitchen dance party.
Hey, hammocks are fun!

Hark! I should have been mowing the lawn.

Look! A puppy!

Instead we were learning how to throw bo shruiken. Aka throwing pointy, deadly spikes around the yard.

It seemed like a really good idea, like lawn darts!

I have to say this also made me realize my friends are just as Fun as I am, and possibly better at hiding it. Favorite quote of where Normal People put things came from one cunningpike..."Broom should be where it most convenient for flying. And I couldn't agree more about bikes. What about those."

Good Bye, My Sweet...

2014-04-15T22:29:00.004-04:00

So, the Mazda. My sweet, adventure filled Mazda, is no more. Ok, not dead, but not mine. I traded her in.

2007 Owen in the Mazda

Camping 2007

Like any Knit with Snot adventure, it was well, not normal. Could I buy a car in Kalamazoo? Oh, hell no. I had to drive my happy ass to Grand Rapids to get my new car. Why? ADVENTURE!

Honestly? The local car dealer did not want hustle to get my sale.
When I say hustle, I mean get my car to Kalamazoo. A Jasmine Green Subaru Forester, base model so that my Ogre's pretty hair wouldn't get smooshed. "My hair." So, I got my car to the next closest dealership...Grand Rapids.

The Ogre was just happy I didn't reroute the car to Kentucky. I was willing to drive down and crash at Dawn's house.

The Mazda had seen better days, but we drove to GR without incident. When we got to the dealership, I saw a green forester that didn't have a roof rack. I was all "that's my car!!" We checked the sales quote I got and the vins matched. It was my car!!!

The sales guy said, ok, I need your car key to do the inspection. I dropped a hand made Hello Kitty key on the table.

While the Mazda was inspected, Eric and I sat in the forester and messed with everything. Yes, maple hill sales guy in Kalamazoo, the extra 1.4" does make a difference. It's possible the Ogre having recently gotten his lovely locks cut added to the awesome amount of head room in this car.

The sales guy was all, "uh, yeah, let's come over here and talk about your trade in."

$2700!!

That's below the average for our car in "fair" aka shitty shape. With all the problems, and *radio edit* light, and *radio edit* light, and raccoon home, broken windshield, non functional locks, and the Hello Kitty duct tape non alarm system car keys, we were hoping for $1000.

We played the game. "Oh, ok. $2700. Well, that's...like...not...at all...what we were expecting."

While the Ogre went out to clean out the car, the sales guy was like, "so, paint sealant, stain shield on the interior $399, you need that." I politely declined. While in my head I thought two things:

1. If I was selling this car I would have sold me the protection package, a cargo mat, storage nets, and a car bra. Add on sales! Mo money.

2. We are going to mess this car up. No amount of stain guard is going to help.

Here's the last look at the Mazda...

First Mazda Adventure

Random, what?!

I feel like it's the end of an era. I started Knit with Snot for You with a Mazda post, I think I've just ended it with a Mazda post.

Thanks for all the fun!

Back in Michigan

2014-01-29T14:15:00.001-05:00

After a week in Florida, it's nice to be back with the fam. Even if It does mean being up close and personal with the Polar Vortex. Or is it Arctic Vortex? Extreme Crap Ton of Snow.

Honestly, this is part of Pig 2's outdoor gear.

Gear also includes a jacket, snow pants, boots and mittens. 15 mins, tops and they need to come back in.

The dogs dogs sure like it.

School was canceled Friday through Tuesday, with an afternoon start half day today.

I had to call into work to take the kids to school. No, not because I don't trust the bus. I strongly believe in public transport. It's because Pig 2 switched from playing the bus sized trombone, to the needs a personal motorcade tuba.

Of course that kid would end up with a tuba.

On the drive home from the airport, I asked about the dogs. I'm not sure what exact words the Ogre said, but I think this is close, "Your dogs are shit eating destroyers." Yep. I think he nailed it.

Still, I'll can handle the snow and poop eating hounds as long as I've got my Ogre and the pigs with me.

You're going, by yourself?

2014-01-23T07:37:00.001-05:00

I ofteb take a week long vacation without the pigs. Sure, sure, I day drink,

visit exciting, historic locales

and generally have a relaxed fun time.

I also manage to goof around a bit. What does a coquina wall taste like? After all those years, it still tastes like fish.

But, I miss my boys!

See you Sunday, Ogre, and Pigs 1,2,3!

Another day roughing it

2014-01-21T07:59:00.001-05:00

I'm finally understand why people question my love of camping. Here at Pam and Dan's I'm warm, there's coffee in the am, beer in the afternoon

nice dinners and if you're lucky , dessert twice a day.

But, there's just something about walking a quarter mile at 2 am to use the bathroom.

Ah, Venice....

2014-01-20T08:42:00.001-05:00

Ok, I'm actually in Florida. When you leave Michigan and it's 26 degrees, and you arrive in Florida and it's rocking 57 degrees, you may as well call it Venice.

Here I am at the bar with Pam and Dan. It was pointed out to me that Pam and Dan look suspiciously like a glass of beer. It's true. They are beer.

Pam, aka PK or Mom, has a lovely pink bedroom for me to stay it. It even comes equipped with a clock that chimes on the hour and a creepy doll.

I was, and sometimes still am an awful daughter. I hated pink, and dolls, and well, my poor mom just wanted a pink baby. I was more of a red/orange baby.

This probably more than explains the pink room, the doll, but the clock, that's for time keeping. As I recall, it may have also been a major award.

What are the Ogre and the Pigs up to? About a foot of snow.

I think I'll just hang with the parents for the week and skip the second round of Polar Vortex. Silly Northerners.

How Would I know, I am French

2013-09-04T12:09:00.000-04:00

Today is the second day of school for the Pigs.

I know this because, well, I've sent them off to the bus, twice. I also know this because I was able to get groceries, and run all my errands without buying 3 ice cream cones.

I also know this because I've already been to the Middle School Office saying "I can volunteer, pretty much, like, whenever."

Why was I in the office on the 2nd day of school, in the first place? Uh, I'm like the most random, sort of laid back Tiger Mom? Yes. Seriously. Me a Tiger Mom. I went into the office and asked why my kid had 2 marking periods of Art and no computer course.

Yeah, that's because he's in 6th grade, and I was trying to get him into a 7th grade class. I'd like to point out that it was an accident. I didn't realize he was in 6th grade.

Corks for Conservation...Oh, how I missed thee

2013-06-02T17:40:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the annual Corks for Conservation fundraiser at Binder Park Zoo.

I was really happy I was able to go this year. The Ogre was going to go with me. But, alas, the great maker in the sky called upon him to serve drinks at the Grange June Chicken BBQ. Who is he to say no to community service? Also, if I say it's the great maker in the sky demanding he is to serve drinks, I'm thinking he may actually be answering to Bacchus. The Grange is an agricultural based Fraternal Order, after all.

But I most certainly know I was answering the call of Bacchus! HEUS WINE FEST! Rather I mean, Hi, Corks for Conservation! Nice to see you again. I too am doing my community service! That means supporting a local fundraising event, not picking up trash along the side of the road.

Oh, wait, I've done that too. Note that the road was adopted, and I wasn't part of a court ordered community service project.

This year, I was lucky enough to go with Christine B. Our kids go to school together, we've seen each other around, but we had never actually hung out. Which is a shame, because we were up to no good in the same manner.


Can I playz wit Liquid Nitrogen too?


Ladies were photographed so you could tell how high up cat was

It was cool because she didn't mind when I completely lost my mind with excitement over seeing the Snow Leopard, up close, and on top of what looked like a telephone pole.


			Look! Kitty!!

She actually encouraged it. "It's cool Holly, dork out! I'm not embarrassed!"

I also got the insider scoop on some Vicksburg. It was mostly that I am missing out on reasonably priced, delicious food by not going to The Village Hideaway.

I wanted to argue. "But it's the hideaway, and everyone will see I'm hiding away in there. Plus, the big beer sign out front. Wait, I'm at wine fest, I asked the Ogre out for the first time at Bud's Bar. I brew my own beer."

The jig is up Bishop. Your hobbies are hooch related.

So I embraced my hooch hobbies and shared with Christine the beauty and the wonder of the Mega-Bev. "No, really, you have to go. It's like, a kid in a candy store awe inspiring! Or, an adult in a giant liquour store awe inspiring. But really, they have everything."

Oh, what wineries did we enjoy? I personally really enjoyed Lawton Ridge Winery in Kalamazoo. Their wine was the first we tasted of the evening. The people were super friendly, very fun to talk to and the wine, well, it was delicious! I highly enjoyed the AZO White . I was also a bit smitten with the fact that they named the wine after our airport code. I am a sucker for clever.

Black Star Farms were there too. I want to go to there. The Ogre and I brought infant Harry to Traverse City and we toured the facilities. We loved the wine! We loved the B & B! We promised ourselves we'd go back...we had more kids. It's been 13 years. But we still love them.

Spotted Dog Winery Cute name, cute labels, fun names. The people at their booth were really stand offish and not especially friendly. I really didn't want to support them by getting a pour from them. But Christine and I were curious about their Coco Noir wine. Here's the description:
Coco Noir
A smooth red wine blended with a mouth filling flavor of dark chocolate.
Be sure to take in the aroma before sipping!

We got a sample. I was being all pissy. Right before we tasted it I said "it's going to be all nasty and vinegary and just, just spotted dog poo!"

It was in fact delicious. It was smooth. It was a deep, full bodied red. Then, to finish, the coco flavor. It was amazing. I took back my pissy comment and said "Ok, they do deserve to be like that, this stuff is awesome." Or something to that effect.

Also, I was introduced to a friend of Christine's. She is totally ready to deliver pregnant, and she said The Zombie Prom Date Knitters could totally deliver her baby!!!

Not a look of ZPDK inspired fear, JOY, pure JOY

So thank you Christine for a great night out. I look forward to hanging out more, and going to the Hideaway for lunch sometime soon.

*Blast from the past blog link...check out Mother's Day 2008. Camping and Beer...with Kids!

Fire it up

2013-05-11T17:02:00.001-04:00

I once had the opportunity to rent what was basically a shed, with a burn barrel for a fire place and no electricity. Wait, the electricity situation was what brought me to thinking about this fine rental in the first place. I lied, it did have electricity. One hour a day, the landlords would fire up the generator, and BEHOLD! Electricity! One hour a day. The sad part was, the rent was too high. I couldn't afford to live in a shed.

I currently have everything, and it's all awesome, and sometimes I feel guilty about it. So, I try to give back. Just, in general. Which leads me back to the electricity thing. I have a lap top that, until recently, worked. Now it works, but only about 7 minutes a day. I think back to the shed I couldn't afford to rent, with it's one hour of electricity a day, and laugh.

Eric asks me why I don't want a new computer. I tell him I don't need a new one. This one builds character.

It's always snot, or poo

2013-04-11T07:25:00.001-04:00

I never blog. But I really need to. I have so much to share, it's like exploding out of me. Much like the poo that has been exploding out of the dog.

Yeah. My puppy. MY puppy. He was at the vet's kennel while we went to Florida to see Pk, for Spring Break. This was the first time he'd been boarded. Sweet side effect of kenneling Franklin...3 days of Post Kennel Stress Syndrome! Really. If I'd have known, that poop on the walls from a 91 pound dog was an option, I may have just stayed home.

Don't get me wrong. Vacation, was totally awesome. Like extremely sweet, rad, and totally BARF FREE! Yeah. That was the actual goal of the vacation. I mean to be awesome, yes, but we had actually set the bar pretty low and were just hoping that no one would barf.

Popped rib...it's a thing

2013-03-05T18:40:00.001-05:00

A couple of years ago, I popped a rib. I know, you're like "whateves, popped a rib? What does that even mean?" In my case, it means I stood on top of a washing machine, and forcefully removed a rug. When the rug came free of the washer, there was a loud "POP." Yeah, that was a rib in my chest popping loose of it's normal spot on the sternum. Ouch!

That 3rd one down. Yep, on the left.

I'd like to point out that said rug was not put into said washer by me. I did choose to defeat the stuck rug of my own free will.

Soon after that, I fell off the porch, gave myself whiplash and ended up in physical therapy. I didn't really notice the pain in the chest, due to the pain in the neck. Also, no one beats me. I really do all of my own stunts, and damn, yo, not well.

Recently, I started having chest pain. I was all "Ogre, I'm having a heart attack just like Rosie!" He asked how long I had been experiencing chest pain. "Ever since I started exercising. Wait, maybe after I fell down over the dog gate. Either way, it's been like a month. I think it's a really slow heart attack."

He said I should stop doing my own stunts. Or grow longer legs, not fall over the dog gate, and it was my rib again.

NOOOOOOO! Not the rib! It couldn't be that again. That's all healed and awesome!

So, after 2 months, I went to see my Doctor. How embarrassing is it to admit to popping a rib while pulling a rug out of a washer? Not nearly as embarrassing as the rest of my medical record. The verdict this time...irritated joint between the rib and sternum and a torn pec!

What the hell does a person do for that? Do you get narcotics? NOOOOOO! As AtYourBecandCall would say "You get RICE!"

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation

There are a few issues with the compression, and elevation since, it's my chest and all. But, I should be better in about 8 weeks. I'm sort of hoping for another dance induced whiplash incident to take my mind off my chest pain. (You should really check out that last link. It's a post about dancing, Led Zeppelin, and cash money.)

Winter Activities

2013-01-25T14:00:00.001-05:00

I've been doing some new things lately. No, really totally normal things. Like flossing my teeth, drinking water, and the even, exercising! Sorry, even normal things aren't safe from being blogged about.

The flossing is fine. Just time consuming. You know, it's really cutting into my staying in bed and not flossing my teeth time.

As for the exercising, I'm trying to run. As we all know, rule #1. cardio. I've tried and it never seems to stick. It's possible I was doing it wrong.

So instead of being part of a running group, I'm trying the Couch 2 5k app. Which is cool. I put in my headphones, run when I'm told to, walk when I'm told to and listen to my own sweet playlists. So far, I've only had one problem with this. I have to work on not yelling "THAT'S RIGHT, BITCHES!" when I've completed my work out. I really think the lady on the treadmill next to me would appreciate that.

I've also gone skiing lately. Sure, I've participated in skjoring before, but never actual skiing. So, being 38 and totally out of shape, I decided to chaperone Pig 2's 5th grade ski trip. Here I learned that skiing is pretty fun, not falling is the best, and it sucks to be in the learn to ski class with 10 year olds.
I've also learned that it's poor form to dominate the bunny hills and then yell "Take that, BOOGER EATERS!"

I hope your 2013 is going just as smashingly as mine! At the rate I'm going, I'm bound to break something, or get arrested for swearing in front of minors.

Eh, seems normal

2013-01-10T10:11:00.001-05:00

Last night I had the chance to meet up with my lovely ZPDK friends. We talked, we laughed. Some of us dragged a garbage bag full of sheep fluff into the store. Others dragged the sheep fluff out of the store.

I began working on a new project.

It's made with scraps. Scraps so hideous that it makes me wonder why I ended up with such ugly yarn.

It's turning out so hideous that a lady stood behind me, speechless, as I began to add another row of orange to the sparkly, fluffy purple fury I already had going. She walked away, stunned.

As we were saying our goodbyes, Bec said "Drive like an asshole!" Of course I promptly did.

After our fun, I went out to my car. As I was driving I thought, "gee, this is a really dark parking lot." Turning onto M66 I wonder if my contacts were what was making everything so dark. Which,if that is the case, wow, inconvenient.

Turns out, both headlights were out. I didn't freak out, I wasn't sad. I drove like an asshole. Brights on the whole way home. I even pulled over at one point to make sure the tail lights were still operational. I may have been an asshole, but I didn't want to get rear ended.

Now I'm at the Ford dealership. I can see the Ford dealership from my house. When they set their garbage dumpster, well, it made us nervous. So, I'm sitting here waiting for my car. Which of course means I have to use the bathroom.

Imagine my surprise when I spotted the arsenic sign. Actually, I dried my hands, took the photo and said "Sweet! I don't have to worry about being poisoned by arsenic! I bet I've built up quite a tolerance . I should totally go play the lottery!"

The thing I'm worried about is how long this light bulb change is taking. The amount of time it's taking is making me think it is actually a much more pricey electrical problem. Plus, this is cutting into fitbit steps.

Twitter, we had a good run

2013-01-07T21:15:00.001-05:00

I'm back at blogger smack talking twitter for iPhone. I mean really, I can't crap on iPhone, apple will hunt me down and kill me. As for twitter, those dirty 140 character upstarts, I can totally call them out.

I'm just going to have to learn to save up my mean for one coherent rant each day. I can do it. I have the focus.

I wanted to tweet how I walked into a random pit bull flash mob at petco. It was crazy. You know with the dogs and the owners all in one place. Somehow that doesn't need more than 140 characters.

Curse you twitter and apple for your poor mixing. I only want 140 characters. I'm weak, and sort of distracted by shiny things and squirrels.

I really just want to love exercise

2013-01-06T17:19:00.001-05:00

For those of you keeping track...

1. I am easily fooled
2. I always think it's a good idea
3. I've probably done that
4. I never want a new hobby

I've been all geared up to organize, throw out and put crap that's being kept in binders. Seriously. Lego manuals have been neatly placed in a folder. Then placed in a magazine rack. But no, not in the magazine rack where the comic books have been corralled to.

Sadly, a new hobby has fallen into my lab. See list above as to how this happened.

Pig 3, a loom. Now to warp it. Which means books! Yarn! Fun!

It's a sickness. I need to take up a new hobby...like exercise. Someone fool me into that please.

Oh, Sweet Twitter! Why are you busted?

2013-01-05T21:10:00.002-05:00

Twitter is not working on my phone. Like acting all crazy, possibly hacked.

After 7 minutes without twitter I had posted to facebook twice and commented on my own post. I'm self centered and I over share. I know this. That's why I love twitter.

Blogging used to be my over share format of choice. But Twitter is so much sexier. It made over share so much easier, quicker, less needing of furthering my thesis and more just letting the random (crazy) out.

So, hey there Sexy. My twitter's all trucked up. You're looking real good right now, Sugar.

I AM TALKING TO YOU BLOGGER.

Also, I may have learned all of my dirty talk from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. (You know you wish there was a photo of Dolly.)

You may be wondering what was so important that I needed to tell someone, immediately, on twitter.

Your baby, it's ugly.
My babies, they were ugly.
Holy CRAP human race. Babies are ugly. Why do you lie about it.
George Clooney, ugly baby. Also, ugly on Facts of Life.
Lisa Welchel. Looking good on Survivor.
Dude, Survivor is totally still on.
No. It just ended for the season.
How did those people not know about Blair?
I just had another one of my brilliant ideas.
Really? Nothing?

That's all. I feel better. It is possibly I should buy a journal. Then use my little tool using monkey hands to write in it.

Get Busy, Pig!

2013-01-03T10:54:00.001-05:00

In an attempt to keep the Pigs busy, I busted out a Weave a Potholder kit.

It worked. Pig 3 stayed busy, and soon my kitchen, and Christmas tree were over flowing with highly flammable, for decoration only, potholders.

We've also recently discovered diy.org (Thank you NPR for this one.) The front page says "Earn a Skill. Become a Maker." Well, heck, earn a Yeti badge? Yes please!

Pig 3 decided to work on being a chef. Which has been fantastically delicious.

Pig 2 wants to earn the Camper badge. This mostly leads to us discussing Survival Kits, and drinking fish spinal fluid.

Pig 1 is moderately indifferent.

Thankfully, Grandma Alice just happened to have a loom she was willing to let us borrow. Pig 3 is now working on covering the world in scarves.

Beware, you may be scarf bombed soon.

A New Adventure

2013-01-01T13:29:00.000-05:00

2013!

I told the Pigs last night I couldn't believe it was 2013. That's 13 years past
THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND.

With the year two thousand being the year that was so distant I couldn't figure out how old I'd be when it finally got here. No, it's not because I was so young I couldn't do the math. I'm just really crappy at math.

On to things I'm good at...Starting!!

I love new starts. I love a new day, a new season, a new project, a new adventure, a new year!

Let's see what happens.

Beer! Donuts! D'oh!

2012-10-17T08:25:00.003-04:00

The Ogre will soon be on his annual Pitchforks and Torches-The Ogre's Plight book tour. Oh, you may not have heard of his book. It's written for people over 6'5". You know, things like where to buy socks when you wear a 15 shoe. You know, useful stuff like how to avoid an angry mob and car buying advice. He'll have a great time. But us? Whatever shall we do??

Well, I've a few activities planned. Activities that the Ogre, may not actually frown on these activities, but he generally doesn't think they are sound ideas.

Day 1:
-Brew Beer
-Donuts for dinner

Day 2:
-Run 2 miles
-Possibly run 4 miles, due to the donuts for dinner
-Go furniture shopping.
-Decide on chair or mattress
-Dinner? Pizza? Cereal?

Day 3:
-Clean up from Beer Brewing
-Clean up pizza boxes
-Order "This is what a feminist looks like" T shirt

Day 4:
-Have furniture delivered
-Cover new furniture in snot, dog slobbery, and help me, urine. It's gotta look like it fits in with what we currently have
-Actually clean up from Beer Brewing
-Order more pizza
-Take pizza boxes from the garage to the garbage can

Day 5:
-CLEAN
-Cook nutritious, veg filled dinner

There will be Snot, or Stout

2012-10-09T07:47:00.000-04:00

For the last 5 years it's been all "knitting this" and "knitting that" and some "Holy shit! Do you think I can find someone who only has one freakishly large hand who will want this mitten?"

There have been zombie slayings, charity events, event-events, and well, a lot of blogging about it.

knitting while at football does not improve the knitting

Last year I tried cheese making. It's ok. It's much cheaper than knitting. No, trust me, it is. At least the way I do it.

You could say "Get a Job!"

This job, that encouraged crazy head gear, was too boring.

I've tried that. It didn't stick.

So, for my next random hobby, I've chosen something that I do truely love, and I know I'm already good at.

BEER!

Ok, I don't know if I'm good at beer making, but I'm hella good at beer drinking.

Plus, I've thought this out. I need sample many, many types of beer, to help me decide what mine should be like, or not be like. Plus, those bottles have to come from somewhere. It seems much more logical to recycle bottles, rather than buy bottles.

I'd like to thank Zippydog, aka Sandy, for saying "Oh, hey, do you want to brew beer?" for this new idea.

Please, next time you see me, don't mention anything. I may develop a strong desire to go do it. Or, at least plot and plan to do said thing.

You want my Knitting??

2012-09-28T07:30:00.000-04:00

The Zombie Prom Date Knitters have done several charity projects as a group. I really liked the Kidney Kozy project. We all made lap robes and donated them to local Dialysis Units. Of course we couldn't call them Lap Robes, that's boring. They were Kidney Kozies!

When I dropped ofe Kidney Kozies, I attached a note that said:

A Kidney Kozy was made with love, laughter and good thoughts just for you!

Stay Warm,
Zombie Prom Date Knitters of SW Michigan

I think it's funny. I'd love to get a hand knit with a nice, yet funny message.

Once again PEOPLE WANT OUR KNITTING!! I shout, because often a knitter spends time, energy, money, on knitting a gift and the recipient say, "Oh, a scarf. This doesn't match my coat." Then they promptly donate it to say, Salvation Army.

I say knitters UNITE! Skip the ungrateful middle man and let's donate directly to the Salvation Army.

They WANT our stuff for their Christmas Toy Shop.

Originally on WWMT, September 19th

WEST MICHIGAN (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - It might be September but the Salvation Army in Kalamazoo is already thinking Christmas.

Each year as part of their Christmas Toy Shop they give out handmade scarves, hats and gloves to kids in need.

It's an extra gesture they like to do to make sure the kids have something nice this winter.

But this year the Salvation Army is putting the call out to knitters. They need help making all the items by the beginning of December.

"We have 4,000 kids that we serve so that would be nice to get close to that number do we can help all these kids to get warm," said Major Keith Weich of the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army will accept any types of handmade scarves, hats or gloves at their headquarters in Kalamazoo.

If you would like to knit and donate something to this event, I would love to deliver knit goods to the Salvation Army. Dude, it's cold in Michigan.

If it's easier for you, YLYS in Battle Creek is collecting items for the Salvation Army also! They would like them by November 24th. Tell Kelly J I sent you! While you're there, sign up for a class...clicky for YLYS linky.

If you aren't Kalamazoo/Battle Creek local, contact your area's Salvation Army or charity of your choice. Knitting is good. Sharing your knitting is even better.

Tanya's Totes and Sew Much More!

2012-09-27T08:08:00.000-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I had lunch with several Zombie Prom Date Knitters at Boundary Waters, aka Moose and Canoe, in Vicksburg. While we were there my friend Tanya stopped in to grab a little lunch for herself.

She stopped by the table to say hi, and to tell us "Right next door I have a lovely little spot set up just for knitters."

I knew she had started selling yarn, but wow, I was surprised by all of the cool stuff she had.

Besides yarn, she has Harmony Needles from KnitPicks, notions, loads of pretty fabrics,

a comfy place to sit,

and locally made pottery!

Stop in and visit Tanya at Tanya's Totes and Sew Much More. at 116 South Main St Vicksburg, MI

Store hours are:

Tue:	10:00 am	-	6:00 pm
Wed:	12:00 pm	-	6:00 pm
Thu - Fri:	10:00 am	-	6:00 pm
Sat:	10:00 am	-	2:00 pm

It's a nice drive to Vicksburg from the Portage/Kalamazoo area. Vicksburg has a coffee shop right next door to Tanya's, a consignment shop or two, an antique store, Jaspare's pizza, and other small town treasures to discover. I hope to see you in Vicksburg soon! Tell Tanya that Holly sent you when you stop in!

Where are those ZPDK's?

2012-09-25T07:56:00.001-04:00

I recently caught up with the Zombie Prom Date Knitters. It's been awhile, you know, because of all of this

Pig1 joined something! The Cross Country Team

and this.

Which mostly means we spend a lot of time in fields.

Wait! You knit? You think we sound like fun? Oh, yeah, you can totally meet up with us.

Barnes and Noble Battle Creek
3rd Wednesday of the month
6:00pm-we get kicked out

The getting kicked out has not happened. I believe they begrudgingly tolerate us.

Along with the regular crowd, we were joined by GabbyGail, and Melon_K, from the twitterverse. It's true! There really are people in the computer!

Sadly, there were no photos of this event. But if you missed out...there are more opportunities to knit, swear, drop your stitches, and wonder how you got syrup on your knitting. Those may all be "me" problems.

Other times to catch up with ZPDK:

We are still working out a weekly fall meet up. Some of us got jobs, some of us are hunting jobs, some of us should get a MI Chauffeur license (I'm talking about you Spinsanity!)

Wednesday, September 26th
Noon-3ish
Boundary Waters Coffee Shop-Vicksburg

Monday, Oct 8th
Noon-3ish
Beer Exchange-Kalamazoo

Wednesday, Oct 10 830am-1130am
Moose and Canoe-Boundary Waters
Vicksburg

Wednesday, Oct 17th 6-8pm
Barnes and Noble
Battle Creek

We are also working on some charity event, an evening outing, and well, whatever general jackassery we can get into.

Oh, hey Ladies! The guys at Mega Bev in the Creek said "Knitters? That rocks."

Happy Anniversary, Ogre!

2012-09-14T13:05:00.001-04:00

The Ogre and I just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary.

We went to Olde Peninsula with the Pigs to celebrate.

Actually, I think we went to sample this year's batch of Pumpkin Ale. It turns out they make that stuff every year, just for our Anniversary! Ok, it's possible it's just a coincidence, but it's one we enjoy.

So, Happy Anniversary, Ogre! Thanks for getting stuff off of high shelves for all of these years.

Love,
Holly

Ah, Watermelons

2012-09-07T09:38:00.001-04:00

We've recently been swarmed with fruit flies. You've heard that in your life you will eat a certain amount of bugs?

I can guarantee I am above my quota. I can also tell you that fruit flies do go well with the Chardonnay.

Since the fruit flies like the wine as much as I do, I decided to do an experiment. The whole catching more flies with honey than with vinegar, not true. They go crazy for vinegar. But, will they go more crazy for wine or vinegar?

It's a dead heat

I took the experiment one step further. Which container will catch more fruit flies?

I'm really hoping it's the wine bottle. It would not only be super classy to leave a bunch of wine bottles around the house, but convenient too.

Franklin does not partake in the wine

At night, I like to sit on the couch, drink a glass of wine, and I don't know, watch tv, knit, have a dance party. Depends on the night, and possibly how much wine. Last night, I was swarmed by so many fruit flies that I began to wonder:

Is it me? Am I creating fruit flies? Is the chest wound not only gross, smelly and rotten, but also breeding fruit flies? HOLY SHIT! BUGS ARE FORMING FROM MY ROTTING FLESH!!

I drank a second glass of wine, and another 5 fruit flies.

While the Ogre was doing dishes, and standing in his own swarm of fruit flies, I mentioned my chest wound as fruit fly breeding ground, when he yelled out:

"WATERMELON!!"

After a hearty "huh?" from me, he explained. The watermelon field, BEHIND OUR HOUSE, is probably why we have a fruit fly infestation.

So, the good part of this is, I'm going to continue my fruit fly trap experiments. I mean I should probably find out if the fruit flies prefer cheap wine, or say, a nice Vouvray.

The bad part is, our house is going to have glasses all over, like the family from Signs.

Except ours are full of wine, and vinegar, and we're fighting flies, not Aliens.

Although, I dig the hats.