I've got the blues....

The mid-summer blues....

I don't feel like knitting (gasp!), spinning, sewing, violin-playing, anything.
Blech!

Work has been overwhelming and is going to continue to be overwhelming for the forseeable future.

OK, now that I've depressed myself, let me count some of the nice things now:

1. Work may be a drag right now, but it pays well, has lots of responsiblity and variety (for accounting anyway) and I have a boss that leaves me to get on with it.

2. My DH and I are really enjoying the new kitties.


Scamp is living up to her name and is a growing girl - 1 lb 3 oz gain in 3 weeks! She's about 8 months old now and is looking to be a pretty good-sized kitty when she's finished. She has become a champion ball-fetcher. Throw the ball and she'll race to bring it back to you as many times as necessary.

Bonnie alternately ignores me and uses me as a bed. Which is fine except when she starts kneading my stomach with her razor sharp claws (and that's with clipping their claws once a week). Just when you think she's going to ignore you forever, she flops on her back, gives you that 'I'm-a-beautiful-princess' look and purrs at you.

3. My violin teacher got married this last weekend. He's been floating around on little pink clouds for a while now. They've gone to Hawaii for their honeymoon and I hope they're having a great time.

4. My DH & I are going to either the Arboretum or Lake Ray Roberts this weekend to enjoy the outdoors and take butterfly pictures.

......I feel better now.

And look! One whole sock and part of another! I'm still managing a little knitting even when I'm grumpy.

Regia Bamboo Color, US size one Brittany Birch dpns, a horseshoe cable on each side (which is utterly invisible in the picture - trust me, it's there).

These are for my husband - he picked out the color himself. This stuff is really soft and nice to work with. It's 45% bamboo, 40% superwash wool and 15% polymid.

New family

Well, that older kitty was still at the shelter. But she bites. I can put up with a lot, but I don't want to pull back a bloody stump every time I try to pet my cat. I hope she finds an understanding family.

But while we were there..... you can see where this is going, can't you?

We brought home not one, but two! cats. The thought being that they can keep each other company. We always felt that Emy was a bit lonely by herself, but we couldn't bring another kitty into a FeLv positive home.

Patch is about 18 months old. Her owner surrendered her because a family member was allergic. She's a beautiful tortoiseshell (with a bit of white) and loves to flop on her back for belly rubs and wrestling matches. She also has an unfortunate obsession in the cockatiels - who now live in a fortress reinforced with wire mesh.

Tootsie (aka 'streak of lightning', aka 'mad hatter', aka 'hell on 4 paws', aka 'no! no!') is 7 months old and was found on I-30. Tootsie is a grey and black tabby shaped like a Siamese. She's got that ear-shattering Siamese wail too. I'd forgotten what it's like having a high-octane kitten in the house.

There was a bit of hissing and spitting between the two cats - mainly on Patch's side. Now, there are signs of play and tolerance, so I think they'll both survive the introduction. We may survive, too, although it's been exhausting trying to kitten-proof everything.

It was worth it when we were both sitting in the living room last night, Patch draped over my lap (and the arm of the couch, with her back legs sticking out in the air) and Tootsie (finally zonked out) stretched out next to my DH with her head on his ankle.

Aren't cats wonderful?

Late update! They've got official names now. The names above were assigned by the shelter.

Patch is now Bonnie (Scottish for 'very pleasing to the eye').

Tootsie is now Scamp (and that one's self explanatory!).

Sorry - kind of took a break there

Guess I was on a blogging vacation - too bad it wasn't a work vacation, too. I haven't had a weekend in a while and am getting a bit foggy.

Oh, look! I really did finish a pair of socks!


I started on another pair using Regia Bamboo - a blend of wool and bamboo. Very soft... I'll post a picture one of these days. (you notice I'm not making promises on when that will get done)

Not much going on on the knitting front - that's what working horrible hours will do for you.

Read Harry Potter (of course) and even went to see the fifth movie. We went to a late showing last Saturday and there were only about 20 people in the theater. That's our definition of a good movie date - hardly any other people there.

Won't talk about the book here since there are probably people still finishing it - but I did enjoy this one more than Book 5 or 6. The first 3 books are still my favorites and I've even got Mom listening to the first book on audio.

Still taking pictures - this cooperative fellow let me sit down next to him for ages while he investigated the potential of those little white flowers.


My husband and I are contemplating adopting another cat. There's a beautiful tortoiseshell kitty at the local shelter that's been there over 7 months. She's 12 years old and very few people are interested in adopting an older animal. We'll probably go take look this weekend. So the next post may include pictures of a new member of the family.