The Keyboard Biologist Knits

The Keyboard Biologist Knits tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2007-11-05:/knitblog//16 2009-09-15T05:47:23Z A thirty-something biologist, computer scientist and all around crafter living in Chicago's Ukranian Village talks about her fibery pursuits. Movable Type Pro 4.31-en And the Blog Upgrades Continue tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3082 2009-09-15T05:27:35Z 2009-09-15T05:47:23Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog

I am fully migrated to Movable Type 4.31. It was relatively painless and went smoothly.
I got rid of all the anti-spam plugins except TypePad anti-spam. In my previous installation, I actually had several modules installed and active and I'm suspicious that they didn't all play nice together or make for a better user experience. So far, I haven't seen a wave of exciting new spam with just the TypePad anti-spam plugin, so I'm going to leave it on its own in the hope that maybe it will improve the commenting situation on the blog.
All of the links for purchasing my patterns have been converted over to Ravelry. Unfortunately, this does eliminate the shopping cart option that I had with E-junkie, but it also saves me some money for months when pattern sales are low to none.
I learned a bit about the concept of "pages" in Movable Type -- these are web pages built from a template that are separate from blog pages and entries. The idea is that they are meant mostly as static pages that have some consistent HTML wrapped around them. I converted the pages for the patterns I have for sale into this system and have decided that I need to move all of my old static pages into this system. Previously I maintained the static pages with an elderly version of DreamWeaver and my blog with Movable Type. I'm now going to migrate everything into Movable Type, which, I hope, will save me time and be easier for me to maintain.
The newest version of Movable Type has nice basic templates for building full on websites with multiple blogs, community sections, etc. After installing a test site just to see what it looked like, I realized that not just my blog, but my whole website could use a little face lift. Since I also suspect that some of the problems I have with commenting are related to page layout issues and how fast my templates can be processed and pages generated (I think that blank page comes up because the pages that are being updated with the comments are still building and the webserver times out the process) I want to try to move my blog into a fresh installation, moving my old templates into the new framework. So far, the process is going well. After a few evenings of jiggling around the base CSS and bringing in some of the stuff that Becky built for me I have a very presentable front entry screen into my website. The blog is next!

So I'm pretty happy about where things are going right now, even though I am just beginning to appreciate the mountain of effort I will have to climb to perform the entire migration. I think that after I get the main site pages and blog running, the rest will move over gradually as I get time. Even though I am enjoying my dip in this particular pond, my fingers are getting itchy for a little knitting.
]]> Wanna Help a Shepherd? tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3069 2009-09-11T21:04:54Z 2009-09-11T21:16:28Z

I'm still not done with the upgrade, but since the world does not wait to me, I wanted to make a quick post.For those of you who love sheep, and appreciate the shepherds who work hard to give fiber bearing...

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog I'm still not done with the upgrade, but since the world does not wait to me, I wanted to make a quick post.

For those of you who love sheep, and appreciate the shepherds who work hard to give fiber bearing animals a good place to live, I encourage you to help out Susan at Martha's Vinyard Fiber Farm by voting for her small business at the AMEX Shine a Light competition. I've been following Susan's blog for about 6 months now and hope to buy one of her spring yarn shares when they become available. Her pictures of her sheep and goats are beautiful, and her animal husbandry practices are wonderful to read about. She's clearly a person who has found her calling.

But like all small business owners, she's struggling and could use a financial boost. The AMEX program could help give her that.

Please consider taking a look and giving her your vote -- it does require registration, and a little more time than just making one click, but if you take a read through her blog, I hope you'll agree that it's worth the effort.*

* I don't know Susan personally, but I've enjoyed her blog and fiber animal pictures and stories so much that I would jump at the chance to get to meet her sometime.

]]> Comment and Blogging Issues tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3063 2009-09-10T13:49:46Z 2009-09-10T14:10:10Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog
It has become apparent to me that my blog system needs some overhauling. I can't explain why so many people are having problems with comments (even I get them when I try test posts), although I suspect it has something to do with the interaction of my spam control plugins and Movable Type's native software. Then there's the fact that I seem to be getting double posts when I preview a post before I post it. Also, it's time, I think, to convert my current RSS feed into an atom feed to make it easier for people to look at in blog readers. And I need to update my pattern pages to include sales through Ravelry. And then there's the fact that Six Apart came out with a MT 4.3 all the way back in June that I haven't installed -- and this release promises better performance, security, etc. I've decided that to best celebrate my 7 year blogiversary I need to get my poor blog into better shape!

So, rather than try to do a lot of things at once (like I usually do) and put myself into a blog update frenzy as I try to make all the code work correctly in time for my next blog post, I'm going to go on a little blogging hiatus until I get it all taken care of and hopefully come back mostly better -- at least from a back end perspective. Unfortunately, web site updates and actual crafting also tend to be mutually exclusive, so if I want to do the former, the actual crafting is going to be lacking for a bit, too. Which is the other reason for a little hiatus while I do this.

In the meantime, if you're trying to comment and having problems with that, please try again and be patient with me. I'm pretty frustrated with the darn thing not working correctly and am going to work hard to make it work better again.

See you on the flip side!

T
]]> Sophie tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3061 2009-09-09T05:54:26Z 2009-09-10T21:51:22Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog

Pattern: Sophie
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft Baby DK in "Cloud"
Needles: US2.5 (3 mm) bamboo double points

Labor Day weekend was a lovely one for me. A nice weekend with my family and plenty of knitting time while the kiddo enjoyed time with her grandparents and a whole array of new toys and books. I, of course, brought about 12 more projects than I could possibly work on. And the only projects that actually saw any new stitches added were the Dragon shawl and Sophie.

Sophie is a lovely little knit -- and doesn't take that long to work up if you're dedicated. I finished almost all of her in Ann Arbor (and the only reason she didn't get finished on the ride home was because I got drawn into a game of Civilization Revolution on my iPhone -- and it's almost as addictive as the desktop version). She's constructed out of RYC Cashsoft Baby DK in the colorway "Cloud" and stuffed with polyfill so that she's washable.

I really love that the toy is made as one unit, with additional body parts added by picking up and knitting stitches on existing parts. So much nicer than knitting pieces individually and then trying to sew them together neatly. One full ball got me the head, body, both arms, both legs and about 1/3 of the way through the first ear. And I used a little bit from a second ball for the rest of the first ear and the second ear. I'm thinking that after I finish all three toys, I'll probably have enough left overs to put together a patchwork animal for Z. Who kept coming up to me and letting people know "Momma is knitting!" and "That's a bunny!"

I was much lighter on the stuffing than I have been in the past -- I wanted my Sophie to be soft and squishable and easy for little hands to grasp. This also had the side-effect of not distorting any of the body shapes in bizarre manner. And I absolutely love the final resul.

The thing I was most worried about with this project was the French knot eyes. French knots and I, generally speaking, do not get a long. But we worked together just find on this project. Must be the good karma that comes from knitting for a baby.

Overall this pattern was easy to follow and the instructions, including the images guiding the picking up of stitches, were quite good. I think Otto will be next. But not before I cast on for Ms. Z's second Zebra Striper sleeve. Can't forget my own baby as I'm knitting for someone else's!

]]> Otto, Elijah and Sophie tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3060 2009-09-04T05:55:46Z 2009-09-04T05:19:43Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog

Wow, you're all thinking, another picture of yarn in a bowl. Certainly she can come up with something different to post about than more yarn.

Well, actually, I probably could. But at this point, I don't think of this as a bowl of pastel yarn, I think of it as Elijah, Otto and Sophie (from top to bottom). A good friend of mine is expecting her second son to arrive in the next couple of months, and while I would love to knit the impending arrival something similar to what I made for his older brother, I decided that it might be nice to make the new little guy something that was special and all his own.

I haven't made very many toys. Z got a Baby Bobbi Bear and a Doddy and my nephew received Celestine, but those are the only three I've ever started and finished. Generally, when I've tried to knit toys, I find them kind of fiddly and get frustrated when joins and closures don't look as clean as I want them to. But after watching Z with her ball and after knitting Celestine and realizing that it's very important to have a pretty tight gauge, I've been thinking about giving it another try. And Ysolde's adorable little creatures kept popping back into my browser.

So, Monday night, I purchased all the patterns, ordered the yarn and was pleasantly surprised when it showed up lightning fast and the colors were what I expected them to be. Because I'm knitting for a little boy, I tried to select colors that fit into a little boy's palette -- except for the white. Otto is a polar bear, and I just couldn't see that one in any other color. Fortunately, this is Cashsoft Baby and the yarn is machine washable, so all the toys will be able to get a bath here and there when they need them and will still be incredibly soft.

The other big reason I'm posting that yarn picture is because it's a commitment -- I will get these toys done before the child is too old to be interested in them!

To all of you in the States, may you have a lovely long Labor Day weekend (I will be enjoying mine in Ann Arbor with a Georgia Reuben from Zingerman's and the company of family). To everyone else, I wish you a lovely weekend as well, even if it's only two days instead of three.

]]> Cashmere Sophie tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3058 2009-09-02T05:30:14Z 2009-09-02T02:44:46Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog

In my never ending quest to search out luscious, man-friendly sock yarn, I bring you today's post.

What do you get the man who has (almost) everything for his anniversary? The man who tells you he won't wear any other jewelry but his wedding ring? The man who tells you he wants something for his computer and then gives you the exact SKU number and location to purchase it from? The man who, though he has several hobbies, has no hobby that really allows for stash accumulation?

The answer: handknit cashmere socks.

I've been entranced by all the cashmere blend sock yarns I've seen lately. Stunning hand paints, soft merino blends. But when it comes to my husband, hand paints are not compatible, and merino is nice, but not durable enough to hold up to a daily winter Chicago Public Transportation commute. So a cashmere treat seemed out of the realm of possibility until I got an email from Emily Parsons that her Sophie's Toes line of sock yarn was going to have a cashmere blend that contained an critical component: nylon.

The yarn stock that she uses for her cashmere blend is 10% cashmere, 80% merino and 10% nylon -- a perfect blend of warmth, softness and durability. Not only that, but one of the other reasons I love Emily's yarn is that she has a range of man-friendly colors. The "Charcoal" colored yarn on the left side is both man- and knitter- acceptable. (The other skein, aptly titled "Mossy" is a little treat for me) as well as being delightfully squishy and soft.

The next part of the project will be to pick out a suitable pattern -- I've trolled through my Barbara Walker books and I think I have a good candidate. Something that will be interesting to knit, but not too complicated, and should work well in the round. Once I finish up Damson and Z's Zebra Striper sweater, this project is going to be the next one up.
]]> Starting the Dragon tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3057 2009-08-31T05:14:20Z 2009-08-31T03:31:19Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog Dear Libby --

I think that perhaps it's time to put the last post behind me an move on to a more enjoyable topic. I guess one thing that we learn as mothers is that the process is constantly teaching us something and constantly forcing us to draw on reserves of strength that we didn't know we had. Parenting is so much about the long haul... something I didn't really understand until Ms. Z came into the world. Perhaps Mr. C is sharing that with you, too.

Speaking of perseverance, I've hit a small milestone on your Dragon shawl.

Although this is just the corner, it marks the point at which I have actually started knitting bits of the dragon -- row 55. Of course, the bits aren't really visible yet, that's going to take another 10-20 rows before his foreleg really becomes apparent. But it's started, and after all that ring lace, it is definitely a milestone for this project.

Actually, though, the ring lace and I have begun to have a meeting of the minds. After I inserted those stitch markers, things go much better, and after 20-odd rows of it, my brain started to see the patterns it needed to see in order to help my hands make a better go of it.

And when you get it blocked out a little bit, it is quite lovely to look at. A fitting background for a dragon, I think.

This shawl is going to also have another unique quality -- I think it's going to have something of a minty fresh smell. You might notice that white line at the top of the picture above... that is my most recent "life line". Taking a hint some folks made after my previous post, I decided to try out dental floss instead of yarn. Definitely a good suggestion as it threaded in easily and slides around well without pulling out. I'm hoping I won't need to roll anything back, but, just in case, my Crest "Glide" is going to be there to make it a little easier for me.

I wish this were going a bit faster, but I'm finding it hard to work on when it's not daylight out. I need good light to deal with the tiny stitches. And even when I do have good light, the thought I have to put into the lace pattern means that I can't do too much without taking a break, lest my brain get tired and I make some mistake that means an unpleasant amount of tinking. So I get in about two rows a sitting, if I'm lucky... and only about 6 rows a week.

I guess I'm going to have to cop to that whole "slow and steady" thing... but, even at that rate, if I could keep it up, I should be able to finish before Mr. C heads off to college...

Love to you,

T

P.S. To all of you who left comments on Friday and to those of you who might not have done so but might have sent some good energy my way... please know that the weekend has been a good thing and I am feeling much better. All your thoughts and good wishes were and continue to be much appreciated. Sometimes I use my blog to document my craft projects... sometimes I use it to write and release whatever I need to write about. Thank you very much for reading and for listening to my voice even when it isn't always a happy one.

]]> Scars tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3056 2009-08-28T05:18:44Z 2009-08-28T03:34:33Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog Yesterday I had the kind of day that leaves marks on your soul. Unfortunately for me, these marks come on top of old scars. I've told those stories here before, and I'm not in the head space where I can tell this one yet. I'm not as emotionally overwrought as I was in the past, I had some warning of where things were going and had a chance to prepare myself mentally for what was coming. But I've spent the day with a deep sense of melancholy, and a deep appreciation for my baby girl.

I spent most of the day in a very contemplative way... and EZ's "Knit on..." quote passed through my head more than once. I worked a few more rows on the Dragon shawl (I am only 4 rows away from starting on bits of the dragon and I am getting more comfortable with that birds eye lace). I started a new project for myself, Ysolde's Damson shawl with some of the beautiful rich magenta/purple yarn I got when I traveled to Philadelphia earlier in May this year. It is a simple little shawl/scarf with some nice details and I know the color will be lovely against my skin. A little treat for the fall, which seems to be here already with Chicago's current cold, rainy grey weather.

And I went to class and worked on my current weaving project. I finally have my loom warped, my header woven and I hope in my next class I'll be moving on to weaving the actual project. I will say one thing for weaving: when you're getting your loom warped, it's really hard to think about anything else. I earned a number of weaving merit badges tonight as I worked my way through all the issues that come up with a warp sett at 56 epi for double weave (28 epi for each cloth) and wrangling 840 warp ends and 8 shafts. By the time I'm done with this project, I'm really going to feel like I've accomplished something.

Today I will deal with the wrap up and closure of yesterday and hopefully will end the day with my family at our favorite brew pub enjoying Z's favorite french fries and a beer. And the scars will heal just a little. And I'll start to move on.

Peace and a happy weekend to you all.

]]> Forgotten Scarf tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3054 2009-08-26T05:15:29Z 2009-08-26T02:22:33Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog

Not too long ago I spent some time on Ravelry getting my projects up-to-date with my blog. It reminded me of a few projects that have been languishing, so I decided that maybe I should figure out how to get some of these projects on the road to completion.

One of these projects is the Kushu Kushu scarf kit put together by Habu Textiles. I think I started this project well before Ms. Z showed up on the scene. Why isn't it finished? Well, I don't much enjoy knitting with the single strand of silk/stainless steel yarn -- it's probably about the same weight as 10/2 perle cotton (maybe finer) and I have to pay a lot of attention to it when I knit with it. So I think I just got bored and stashed it away for later.

With fall approaching, it seemed like it might be fun to have a new scarf -- especially one that has some interesting sculptural effects (the stainless steel yarn may not be fun to knit with, but it makes for a very interesting structure that can hold its shape). So while Ms. Z gets her bath, I'm trying to knit a few rows here and there on it. Maybe this year will be the year it gets crossed off the list!

]]> Images from a Garden tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3053 2009-08-24T05:37:11Z 2009-08-24T03:22:57Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog

Anemone from the Waterfall Garden

Stately Bird in the Japanese Garden

Yellow Lotus

Water Lilly

Wrigley Field Made of Natural Components in the Model Railroad Garden

Ms. Z on a Bench in the Waterfall Garden

Unlike many of our trips where John and I roam all over the garden, with a toddler in tow, we had to focus on a few sections that we wanted to see and felt she would enjoy. Our first stop was the Model Railroad Garden -- which costs extra, but which captured her attention for almost an hour and is really a delight for both children and adults. All the "scenery" for the model railroad is created using natural products. I loved the Wrigley Field model because the lights over the field were created with acorn tops. Most of the bridges that the model trains cruised over were made of grape vine. All the train stops are meant to be historic/significant US locations. The other stops on our visit were the Waterfall Garden (many steps to climb -- good for wearing out little people), the Japanese Garden (a place you want to stop and meditate in), the Rose Garden (which has a lovely fountain that Z enjoyed splashing in, and the rotunda area just after the visitor center which has four different pools and an assortment of water flowers. The Lotus that John photographed was particularly stunning. Z also enjoyed some other fountain areas and was enchanted by the large white swans that reside in the main pond.

I love the deep colors of the late summer gardens. They are like the grand finale of a fireworks display. At once stunning and engaging, but also a reminder that the end of the show is near and that fall is just around the corner.

* to give credit where credit is due, John was definitely the big winner with the pictures today, the Water Lilly, Bird and Lotus are all pictures he took.

]]> Eleven Years tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3051 2009-08-22T17:48:49Z 2009-08-22T18:08:32Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog

Today John and I celebrate our 11 year anniversary. We celebrate it with our beautiful 2 year old daughter who has brought new dimensions to us and to our relationship.

After 11 years, it's hard to say things that haven't already been said. John is my best friend and we have been through so many things together, good and bad. He is my rock, my hope, my encouragement and a continuous source of optimism. He tries new things with me. He supports my decisions. He helps me achieve my goals. He challenges me when he thinks I need to think harder about something. He encourages me to take risks when I would play it safe. He helps me realize that stepping out of my comfort zone is a necessary part of enjoying life. But he also accepts me for who I am and what is meaningful to me. He reminds me that most questions have more than one answer, and that if you keep an open mind, the answer you get might surprise you, in a good way. He does so many things to make my life better, and, in doing so, constantly helps me realize what a wonderful life I do have.

I love you, John. I can't imagine life without you. Happy Anniversary, Sweetie.

The photo is taken from a series that my dad took of us when we were out at the Morton Arboretum when their natural daffodil garden was in bloom in the spring of 2004. Not really an anniversary photo, but definitely one of my favorite pictures of us together.

]]> Just Another Random Wednesday tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3050 2009-08-19T05:13:38Z 2009-08-19T03:40:43Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog

For those of you considering weaving, I encourage you to take a look at Syne Mitchell's WeaveZine. It's full of interesting articles on weaving, with plenty of interest for people who enjoy rigid heddle looms. This article on using a rug weaving technique to make Spa Wash Cloths has me ready to warp up my loom with some of the Sugar N' Cream that I have laying around and make some great treats for friends for the holidays.
Speaking of weaving, have you checked out Weavolution? Weavolution is the weaving community's answer to Ravelry. You don't need to create an account to see much of the content. Even if you don't weave, it's a fun place to look at projects and color combinations.
Need some entertainment on a boring day at work? Passive-Aggressive Notes now has a permanent place in my Google Reader. Fail Blog is also a pretty good place to waste some time. And even though we're in between political seasons, Pundit Kitchen serves up some interesting photo re-interpretation.
Who are my favorite Etsy sellers? Emily Parson has just added a merino/cashmere/nylon blend yarn to her stock lines (and if you read my blog, you know I like a little nylon when it comes to socks!). It looks delicious and I've already ordered mine -- Charcoal to make a warm pair of winter socks for a certain husband and Mossy (a soft green) for me. I'm also a big fan of the sweet little knitting bags (perfect for sock projects... I have three or four of them now) made by Stuck in Illinois. She has so many fun fabrics and keeps a supply of bags with "seasonal interest". And she takes special orders, too! Need a clever pillow for your sofa? Be sure to check out Alexandra Ferguson. All her awesome pillows are made from post-consumer recycled felt. Add a modern element to your living room and feel good about it, too!
The Dragon Shawl continues, the Kushu Kushu scarf gets longer, my Lang Sock gets bigger and the second Zebra Striper Sleeve remains to be cast on (and for Annie who was concerned about the size -- not to worry, that sleeve is no problem for a two year old hand -- it looks smaller in the picture than it really is.

Any favorite Etsy sellers you want to share? Funny blogs you like to read? Feel free to leave 'em in the comments.

A good Wednesday to everyone!
]]> Zebra Striper Sleeve tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3049 2009-08-17T05:20:34Z 2009-08-17T03:34:02Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog

This weekend I hit another milestone on Ms. Z's next sweater and completed the first Zebra Striper sweater sleeve. Like the rest of this sweater, persistence is what gets you through. And you have to be a little extra persistent with the color work since two color knitting on double points is a little more fiddly than when just using a circular needle.

Really, though, once the cuff is complete, the rest is simple and it doesn't take too long to finish if you actually dedicate some time to it.

In the background, you can see the body of the sweater -- I realize now that I don't think I made a point of mentioning that I had completed all of it. Frankly, it was hard to get a good photograph of it since it is in that kind of awkward stringy phase before the steeking begins.

And one more sleeve... and then some steeking will begin. I am equal parts excited and anxious about that!

]]> Fairy Gifts tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3048 2009-08-14T05:21:42Z 2009-08-13T21:39:46Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog My friend Judy taught me to knit. This happened right after I split up with my then fiance and moved into an apartment of my own. Judy had been knitting since she was in grade school and had a small portfolio of interesting multi-color sweaters to show off. I really never quite understood what place knitting and the fiber arts would start to take in my life, but I definitely appreciated both her help learning something new, her encouragement (my early style was rather unconventional, to say the least) and her companionship while I made the transition out of one image I had had for my life into another.

At that time, I had been getting back into cross stitch after a long hiatus. So, in the spirit of fair play, I introduced Judy to the elements of what I knew how to do. Judy, long a knitter, had also long been a painter, and loved the idea of playing with more color in thread. So I got her some simple things and some embroidery floss to get started.

Flash forward about 13 years to the two of us having lunch at a nice little cafe in Madison. Her second baby (and second boy) is due in October, but it was Judy presenting me and Ms. Z with a gift.

It is a beautiful and sweet and somewhat bittersweet gift in many ways. Any of you who have done counted cross stitch will understand the work in this piece (actual size is roughly 8" x 10"). The wings have gold blending filament in them and the whole piece is worked on an Irish linen. Judy made it before she had children, with the idea that when she did, it would be on the wall in her little girl's room. Since son number two is likely the last child, she wanted it to get the chance to live with another little girl.

When I brought it home to Ms. Z (wrapped in tissue and happily ensconced in a bright pink bag), she had the bag out of my hands before I could even tell her I had something special for her. I had to do a little juggling to put down my things and help her take it out gently and unroll the tissue so that she could see. "She has wings! Like a butterfly!" were the first words out of her mouth. She then went on to point out the rabbit and the deer, and was very excited when I told her we were going to hang it in her room.

My next mission is to get it framed so that Ms. Z can enjoy it in her room. I'm hoping this weekend to get out and see if I can find something that I like for it.

Thank you so much, Judy, for sharing something so beautiful with my little girl.

]]> Sometimes a Little Random is All I've Got tag:www.keyboardbiologist.net,2009:/knitblog//16.3047 2009-08-12T05:07:03Z 2009-08-12T03:22:00Z

Theresa http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog
This Wednesday is going to a be a little random. After a long trip back through too much Cubs traffic on I-90, I'm just not all that functional...

I have rediscovered my love of peanut butter. My favorite way to eat it is just to bypass the bread and eat it directly from the spoon.
My kid pays more attention to my iPhone usage than I do. "Mommy's checking twitters!" is one of her recent comments.
There is nothing that makes me feel better after a stressful day that sitting on the couch watching something with my kid in my lap. Yes, I wish she would watch something besides "Wubbzy's Big Movie" -- but some days you take what you can get.
It had never occurred to me to use dental floss as a life line, but now it seems incredibly brilliant. Thanks to all the commenters on Monday who suggested it. My next lifeline will come out of my medicine cabinet.
I am ever so tired of the itching that comes with my eczema.... who invented this skin problem anyway? The steroid cream makes it better, but only if you remember to use it the three times a day that your dermatologist suggested.
I am determined to finish my Kushu Kushu scarf... but I don't think I ever want to knit with one single strand of silk/stainless steel again.
I can change songs on my iPhone with my butt. Yesterday I popped it into my back pocket and skipped to the next song. Does my butt have a problem with Fleetwood Mac?

I'm outta here -- before I fall asleep at my keyboard.

]]>