WHAM BAM, I’m sorry Ma’am January 9, 2007

First off,  I want to tell you I #$@#$%$@#* hate being called ma’am. I know I am getting up there and soon will be eligible for AARP membership (as my dear father keeps reminding me-), but don’t call me that, ok??

The wham blam alludes to something much more interesting than what is really going on here at Chez Clutter.

Someone rear-ended me on Saturday. My van is very bashed in to the tune of approximately $4000.  Thankfully, we are ok. I have a strained back, neck and shoulder. Bigfoot has a bruise from the seatbelt. (Disneyland Dad wasn’t with us at the time) Amazingly the adjuster from the insurance company just left and they are going to FIX IT!  Color. me. shocked. We really thought they would total it. After all it is an 8 year old van with 96,000 miles on it.  Go figure.  So I will have a new looking van once it goes in for repairs.

Pictures, as promised January 8, 2007

These pictures are of the VINTAGE BUBBLE BAG from the Book PURSENALITIES. I made this for my S-I-L for Christmas.
The first photo is before felting;and DUH, the second is after felting.
This bag was GREAT!! I loved the pattern and loved the finished product. It is a really good size and the bag worked up quickly. It was knit from Noro Yoroi, which is 87% wool, 6% silk and 7% cotton. And of course I loved the colors, you can see them pretty well in the first picture.  It felted into a firm, but EXTREMELY fuzzy fabric.  It really needed a shave.

For shaving I used an item called JUST A TRIM. It is a really cool shaver that I bought at the grocery store in the AS SEEN ON TV section. WORKS FABULOUS on the fuzzy felted wool! I give it 5 stars!!!

A SMASHING WEEKEND

Well, what I mean by that is — my van got smashed this weekend! Bigfoot and I were rear-ended by a TOYOTA SUV on Saturday on the way home from wrestling. I was stopped to get on to the highway after getting off the PA Turnpike and he smacked into me. So I am a tad sore–thankfully Bigfoot only has a bruise where the seatbelt held him. I have a strained neck, back and shoulder. The ER doctor gave me flexeril to take and I slept all day Sunday. (You mean it’s monday already? What happened to Sunday??) So the insurance adjuster has to come out and I have to take the van for an estimate, but Disneyland Dad feels it is probably totaled. The repairs, in his estimate, will probably be about $4000-$5000 and the book value of the van is less than that. So we may be vehicle shopping before long. We shall see.

I have a few photos to show you, but I will do that later today.  I just wanted to tell you about the accident.

See  you later alligator!

Rainy days and Fridays January 5, 2007

That song wouldn’t have sounded right — “Rainy days and fridays always get me down…”. Usually people LOVE fridays, but I don’t know about today, since it is POURING down rain!!

Yesterday I was MISERABLE the entire day! Disneyland Dad came home and said “I see we are having a visit from the hormone fairy!!!” I am much better today (but still a little edgy!) LOL!! I just think it was from being up too late. I don’t seem to be able to do that any more.

I did do a little knitting yesterday. I knit a bunny leg. Five of us — Yvonne, Donna, Heather, Stick and Dani — are doing this little round robin thingie making knit animals. Cute, cute. The yarn for this bunny is JoAnn Sensations Angel Hair. It is really soft and nice to knit with. I was surprised –

Here’s a photo of the beginning of the rabbit leg:

See the needles? They are Crystal Palace double points –love them. Best double points I have ever used. If I would have used these to begin with I may have never tried the MAGIC LOOP.

I have to get used to this new blog and figure stuff out! If any of you WordPress users have any “hints” give me a shout. (One thing is there a way to put color in your words???)

I know, I know, Christmas is over (unless you do Russian Christmas –we don’t) . But here is our Christmas tree on Christmas morning before the gifts were opened. It’s still up. Maybe this weekend it will come down, haven’t really had the time, or inclination to take it down. It looks very pretty and the house looks so EMPTY when it comes down.

I had mentioned in a previous post that my SP9 sent me some SNOWMAN SOUP. For those that didn’t know, SNOWMAN SOUP is hot cocoa mix. You put all the ingredients for homemade cocoa (dry, naturally) and marshmallows into a jar; packaged as “SNOWMAN SOUP”. Cute!!!

My SP9 also sent me these Christmas tree decorations:

Aren’t they cute? That is different types of yarn in each one!!! Next year they will be on the tree!!!

I have to do a few errands today. Pay the mortgage and van payments, so I have a place to live and something to put in the garage for another month. Get something straightened out the bank did wrong in my son’s account yesterday. (oh, something’s dangling in that sentence and I don’t care!)

I need to run by the library and return a few books.

DEAD CENTER by Shiya Ribowsky. Very good. It is about the Medical Examiner’s office in NYC. A good portion of the book talks about 9-11. Interesting and heart-rendering reading it from the point of view of the Medical Examiner.

and

I LIKE YOU by Amy Sedaris (subtitled: Hospitality under the Influence). Funny lady. Interesting recipes. Some odd advice.

Have a good day, keep dry and/or warm, and comment!! I’d like to know you have been here!!!

I’ve moved. January 4, 2007

Well, on the advice of others, and because of the continued problems with Blogger, OUT OF THE BOX has moved to WordPress.com

Be sure to update your links to btpsmom.wordpress.com

Hope to see you over here!!