Remembering to Meme

Sadly, the title of this post made me chuckle for about five minutes.  "Sadly" because it is real proof that it doesn't take much to entertain me.

But I digress.

Kathy had some good questions for us this week, and I decided I should play along. :-)

1. Do you prefer:  frozen custard; hardpack ice cream; soft serve ice cream; shaved ice; or, shaved desserts?

I would not say no to any of them.  However, my very most fave in the summer is a Rita's Water Ice Gelati.

It consists of a layer of water ice, then a layer of frozen custard, then water ice, then frozen custard ... 

2. Of all of the colors of the rainbow, which is your favorite?

Indigo.  I have accepted the fact that I am ridiculously drawn to blues.

3. How do you keep your sock needles together?

Because I have strong OCD tendencies, they are kept in their original packaging, or in a fabric roll that I have, or held together with rubber bands.

4. If you could run through a shop and pull as much of ONE yarn as you could carry, what would it be?

Hm.  Either sock yarn or rustic, tweedy yarns.  The colors/shades would matter more than the brand.

5. Are you over shawls?

No, I really like them.  It takes me forever to finish them, so I only have a few.  Maybe that is why I'm not tired of them.

6. Do your peonies open with or without ants?

I don't have a peony bush, so I guess they don't open at all for me ...

7. Want to share your favorite books as a child?

To be honest, I didn't read many kids' books as a child.  My parents didn't buy them, and I just read what was around the house.  But one year for Christmas, I did get Black Beauty and Little Women from a family friend, and I loved them (still do!).

8. Is it nothing but boring to you to knit stockinette?

I don't think I would enjoy only ever knitting stockinette, but I don't mind it as one of the choices.  I especially appreciate stockinette projects when I want to watch something on TV.

9. Are you more likely to get up early in summer or winter?

There's really no difference to me. I get up early all of the time, and there may be a difference of a half an hour one way or the other, if that.  

10. If you are disappointed with the way a yarn is pooling up, do you: a) carry on, b) mix it with a complimentary color, c) overdye it, d) give it away?

I've never given this a lot of thought, so I guess I just carry on!  Once I start knitting, I have to really hate the project or the yarn to intervene at all.

And now, I would love to have a Rita's gelati, and wear a shawl while enjoying it ... :-)

Rhetorical Curiosity

Well it's Tuesday, so Carole wants us to talk about:  Ten Things I'm Curious About. Right Now.

I guess I am a curious person, but no matter how hard I tried to come up with actual things I was curious about, I kept coming up with rhetorical things, or questions with no real answer.  They just wouldn't let go!  So here they are.

1. Why won't people share the sidewalk?  If four people are walking abreast towards you, why does it not occur to at least one of them to walk behind, so you can get past while also remaining on the sidewalk?

2. Why are there no unspoken thoughts anymore?  It seems like everyone has to share every single thing that passes through their heads.  I *think* a lot of things, and of course they are brilliant, insightful, and witty. ;-)  But seldom do I feel the need to express them to the world at large, particularly when no one asked.

3. When did it become a bad thing to be smart?  Granted, no one likes someone who goes around all day trying to make sure that everyone knows how smart they are.  But why is being smart something that is mocked, or that people hide so they can be popular?

4. Why is "vacation" such a bad thing in the U.S.?  Most people are lucky if they get two weeks in the whole year, and then for a lot of people, actually being able to take the time is a problem.  (Let's not talk about those who willfully don't take vacation.  They are eejits.)  Why do you have to be a muckety-muck or a forty-year employee to get more than two weeks?  (I could go on, but won't.  You get my drift.)

5. Why is it so important for people to give their kids a name that ends in "Jr."? (or worse, a number)  A friend of mine had a baby boy, and named him John Robert ___, Jr., but they decided to call him "Robert" to differentiate the son from the father.  I asked why they didn't just name him Robert John, thereby still keeping the "important" names, but letting the kid go through life not having to explain his name or whether or not he is "Big John" or "Little John."  You would think I'd tried to kill the kid.  I just don't get this.  Maybe because I come from a family of girls, or because we were not wealthy or part of royalty.  Anyway.

6. Why do the Kardashians and their ilk even exist? 'Nuff said.

7. Why can't most people *not* answer their cell phone if you are talking to them?  It makes me furious when I'm with someone and we're talking, and their phone rings, they answer, and then say, "Sorry I have to take this."  And then it's not an emergency, or the hospital telling them they found a heart for their transplant.  Nope, it's just someone calling to say hello.

8. Whatever happened to pedestrian-right-of-way?  I walk to work every day, as well as walk most places I need to go.  The way most people drive, you would think that a person crossing the street on a green light was as bad as being the Antichrist.

9. Why do people let their dogs walk on areas where there are signs posted asking them not to do that?  There is a park near me that has signs saying, "Please do not allow your dogs in the planting areas."  These signs are right there, in the planting area.  But I seem to be the only one who reads the sign and then keeps my dog out of there.  It's not hard, people.

10. Why are you considered a lesser type of being if you are a woman who does not have children?  Especially when no one cares if men have children or not.  Isn't it better not to have children if you don't want them, or if you are not really certain it would be the thing for you?

Anyway.  There you go.  So many more things could be on this list, as well as things I am curious about like "Who decided that C was where you start in music?  Why not A?"  (This is something I once asked The Tim when he was trying to explain a piano keyboard to me, and he responded. "We're done here." I however still think it's a legitimate question.)

Maybe I'd be better off as a cat.  They are curious, but also happy to sit in a box.

May Harry's Hundred Update

Before we go much more into June, I wanted to give you an update on May's contributions to Harry's Hundred.  Only three more things this time around, but three more helps the overall count, and more importantly, three more mean that that many more people will be helped by receiving something someone made for them, hoping it will brighten a day or bring on a smile.   That's really what I want this project to do - the number is 100, but the items and the recipients are what really matter.

I do have to say that GringaTurista (Rav page) is probably the one person who is making the numbers go up - she apparently is not just a speed knitter, but also does tons of knitting for charity.  When I think of how many people receive things she has made, I imagine nearly everyone in the world receiving something!

Anyway, here are her two contributions for May.

 En El Lodo Mittens

Newspaper Mittens

I think she will be responsible for so many cozy hands once cold weather returns!

And I actually managed to knit something, albeit something small.  

Baby version - Zach Attack Hat

This is a baby-sized version of my own pattern for the Zach Attack Hat.  It's a little bit funky in spots, but much cuter in person, and I am hoping that some little one will be what makes it really look good. 

Goal:  100

Tall so far:  33

Granted, at the rate things are going, we may very well not hit the goal number.  And though I have to admit that would be slightly disappointing to me, I am blown away that there are so many things already made and donated/ready to donate as part of this project - I'll take it!  :-)

Hopefully, I can get myself in gear to make more things - I just recently convinced myself that they don't need to be major items (hence the baby hat), so that may very well help my contribution level.

Thanks to all who have participated, and who are still planning to participate.  I can't tell you how happy it makes me when I find out that one more thing has been added.

Onwards to June!

*****

You may have noticed that I [finally] figured out how to make links open in a new window.  It used to be part of the settings for the blog, but I recently learned that now it's a check-box in the window that opens for adding a link.  Better late than never ...

Five Favorites for This Friday

June is busting out all over!

OK, so it's not, at least in Philadelphia.  For most of the week, the heat and humidity have been busting out all over, and then today rain.  But that does not a hearty, happy song make ...

No matter, though, 'cause today is Friday and it's time for me to remind myself of some good things and push the bad things out (or down, away, whatever).  So here you go.

1.  Memorial Day weekend.  I think I mentioned that our plans changed due to some problems Dug was having.  The good news is that he is feeling better, and that we had a lovely four-day weekend (we'd both taken last Friday off since we thought we'd be traveling).  It was relaxing, fun, and both of us actually got some things done we'd had on back burners for a while.  We even had company on Sunday late-afternoon, when The Tim invited some of his co-workers and former co-workers for a drink.  I can't remember the last time we had non-family company, and it was great.

2.  A short work week.  'Nuff said.  :-)

3.  Potato salad.  I made potato salad for our at-home picnic, and I finally got a combination for the dressing that hit the perfect mark for both of us.  It was incredibly yummy!  Plus, we both love potato salad so it was even more exciting that it turned out extra well.

4.  Ice cream.  We don't usually have ice cream, but The Tim bought some for us to have for the holiday weekend, and it was such a treat!

5.  Lunch with The Tim on Wednesday.  I had to go for my six-month versions of x-rays and MRIs on Wednesday.  The Tim was off work that day, so he took me out to lunch at one of our fave places that is just enough out of the way that we seldom get to go.  We got grilled falafel sandwiches and baklava.  It made up for all that happened that morning, trust me!

Hm.  Food played a large part in my favorites this week.  Not surprising, but kinda funny.  I guess with everything else swirling around us, having the chance to have some "special" foods to eat made them even better than usual.

This weekend, The Tim is working both Saturday and Sunday during the day, so I am left to my own devices.  I don't have any special plans, other than the usual hilarity of laundry and other household wonders, but I'm sure I'll manage to think of something to entertain myself ...

Have a lovely weekend, and I hope there were at least five things this past week that made you smile.

Kathy Has Q's, I Have A's

Hello all - I hope you had a lovely Memorial Day weekend.  Ours was different than planned, but really nice and relaxing.  Poor The Tim ended the weekend with a full-blown cold, but that was the only bad part.

Today, Kathy has lots of Yes or No questions.  Let's see what I have to say.

Will you be watching the Summer Olympics?

The short answer: Yes.  I always can think of reasons not to, or reasons to rail about how it's no longer about amateur sports.  Then I am in front of the TV the whole time screaming for the athletes I like to WIN.  So I've finally just accepted the fact that I will be watching anyway.  :-)

Is school out yet in your neighborhood?

Nope.  Though I think most schools will be finished for the year by the end of next week.

Did you go to summer camp?

No.  We moved around a lot, and I really had no interest.  Plus, most of the summer camps cost to attend, and my parents wouldn't have been able to afford it even if I had been anxious to go.

Do you display your needles?  

A few.  I have an old pasta tin that holds some of the straight needles I have that are pretty.  But for the most part, my needles are put away out of sight of feline family members.

Have you been on Ravelry this week?

Yes, just this morning.  But I'll admit there are weeks that I don't look at it at all.

Do you walk outside at night?

Yes.  For one thing, on the nights that The Tim is working, it's my responsibility to take Dug for his evening walk.  Admittedly, I would not want to walk around at 2 a.m. (not just in my own neighborhood, but anywhere!), but there are usually a lot of people around outside, at least until about 10 p.m, and especially in the summertime.

Do you think in metric?

Nope.  I understand the concept of a 2-liter bottle, but that's about it.  I always remember one of my second-grade teachers telling us that by the time we grew up, we would be a) using the metric system exclusively, b) living in a completely paperless society, and c) speaking Esperanto.  Go figure.

Do you want a swap?

I've enjoyed swaps in the past, and have fortunately never been unlucky.  But I do tend to get freaked out with the deadlines and requirements, so I haven't participated in one for a long time.

Are you afraid of mosquito borne illness?

No.  I mean, I'm not saying I don't think it could ever happen, but I'm pretty conscientious about spraying on/spreading on mosquito repellent, since I am apparently a 5-star meal in the Mosquitoland Zagat Guide to Good Eating.  I despise mosquitoes.

Have you knit a Christmas or Holiday gift for 2016 yet?

I've completed one thing, and have started another.  I hope to make some more things, but have planned very basic, simple knitting, and only for some of my nieces and their partners who appreciate it.

What about you?  Are you planning to watch the Olympics with a 2-liter soda, while speaking Esperanto to those around you?