Marvie's Crochet Corner

I just remembered

Mercury is retrograde... which completely explains why Blogger has been having so many issues, and why even my hotmail has been giving me fits lately. It was hotmail that actually made me remember. When I started having issues logging in there I recalled seeing someplace about Mercury going retro and so I checked my 2004 Astrological planner and sure 'nuff... so ya'll be prepared for computer glitches through the 20th of this month. I'm putting a protection spell on mine later today just to be safe lol.

I've already been affected, my Palm lost all it's data. Fortunately I discovered this before I left the house to go mail boxes, as that's where my addresses were stored. I'd have been SO upset to get to the post office, stand in line and then discover I didn't have addresses!

I started a lapghan yesterday for my MIL. We have been trying for weeks to decide what to get her, she's a wonderful lady, but she's kinda hard to pick gifts for because she already has pretty much everything she wants/needs. My only idea was to get her some hot air balloon tree decos, as she collects hot air balloon stuff. Only problem being, those are kinda hard to find. So a couple of nights ago, while I was finishing up my pretty shawl, hubby looks at me and says, well could you make her something like that? I said sure, do you think she'd wear a shawl? He said well, maybe a lap blanket would be more useful.... could you make one in time? Thinking realistically, I answered that if I used a big hook and a simple stitch I could whip one out in a couple of days if I had enough yarn (hehehe ya'll catch that? He did) he sayz, well how much do you need? Well, I said, if I make her a blanket, I wanna make it out of good yarn, she already has several made out of acrylic scratchy stuff. It went on for a while and eventually it was decided that I'd go pick up enough Homespun to make her a lap blanket. So yesterday I got the yarn, all I can think of when I'm working on it is "cookies n creme ice creme" because those are the colors. I got Rococo and Deco, fortunately they had just enough of each color to make what I wanted lol. Looked like they'd just gotten a shipment in. Also, the colors I picked exactly match my big comfy couch. I'd want to make another one for us if the yarn wasn't so expensive! I spent over $50 on this. Which is fine for a gift, but to make for myself, with 3 cats.... I doubt it lol. Anyway, I got quite a bit done last night, was hoping to spend today on it too but turns out I have to go meet hubby for lunch, mail packages, and run errands, so my day will be shot as far as getting to work on that very much. I'll start on it as soon as I get home though and work till bedtime. With luck I can finish it up Friday and get it mailed by Monday. It'll be pushing it, might even be late arriving, but she'll get it.

Before I started on the blanket, I was using up all the little bits of leftover yarn from my shawl to make a pair of socks. I even got brave and decided to put a heel in. I almost finished one sock, just needs a cuff now, and got over half way finished with the second one before I got distracted. I will finish them though and post pics when I'm done. The heel on the one is a little bit big... because I didn't follow a pattern, I just went for it. But it worked out alright because the sock I attached it to is a little bit big lol. Doesn't matter, they aren't for wearing in shoes or anything, just 'round the house socks. I think the next heel will be better. We'll see lol.

Well, ya'll I caved. I know I said over and over again how much I hate fake trees, but we broke down and got one last night. It is sitting in it's box in my living room right now. Hubby looked at the tree lot on base and said the selection was pretty puny, this from Mr. Grinch... I had to believe him. He knows I like a nice fat fluffy tree. So we discussed it and decided to go ahead and get a fake one... hey, at least it's one of those pre-lit trees. No fighting with strands of lights this year lol. It'll be good to have on hand I guess. Just because we have it does NOT mean I will have to use it every year. But it's there for years when we can't afford a real tree, or like this year, when we're someplace where the selection is non-existant or just crappy. So it will be put together this weekend.

I have discovered the secret to getting hubby to help with hanging lights! Now, normally I would just go about my business and do it myself, and hope he'd come to my rescue if I need them in a really high spot. This year though there's a slight problem. Our walls are concrete. No sticking thumbtacks or using the staple gun (my traditional method of getting lights up) so I stuck the big huge blue tote full of lights near the front door to deal with when I/we figured out how to hang 'em up. Well I never asked hubby to do anything, other than think. But last night he said that this weekend he will hang the lights! I'm guessing he's tired of tripping over the tote every morning as he leaves for work *BG* Works for me lol.

Course, there's also the consideration that hubby has taken away my staple gun privliges... and I'm not allowed to use a hammer and nails, or screws, or even thumbtacks. There's a perfectly good reason for this rule. I am TERRIBLE when it comes to hanging things. I have no ability to judge levelness, I can't judge how far apart to hang stuff... it's a trial and error process with me. Well, when we moved out of our first house and hubby had to fill over a thousand nail/tack/screw holes he drew the line lol. I am not allowed to play with things that put holes in walls. If I want something hung I'm to ask him and he will do it. If he's not home (ie. out to sea or at work or something) I am to wait. I may, if absolutely necessary, find a neighbor man to do the hanging for me, but only if hubby is out to sea for a longish time. A neighbor woman will also be allowed, but only if she is a proven hanger person, in other words, if she can get it right with the first hole placed in the wall.

So, really, he's brought all this light hanging on himself *g*

Well folks, I have to get a couple of things done before I head out for the day. Cat duty and gathering addresses and such. Oh, got to find something to keep my hands busy on the bus too.... So, ya'll have a great Thursday!

posted by Marvie at 1:41 AM