*crickets chirping*

Oh, hi! I really haven’t been ignoring this website. In fact, I’m here tending to it SEVERAL TIMES A DAY, cleaning up spammer/hacker crap.

Are you seeing this site right now with lines and lines of links to European drug companies? Or links to a chiropractor in California? Or links to a website that introduces you to hot Russian women? That’s because I’ve stepped away from the computer, to take a shower or eat breakfast or work or walk dogs. I’ll be right back to clean it up. Sigh.

No more ranting. I’m well on my way to getting WordPress updated so that this won’t happen anymore. As you can imagine, I haven’t felt very inspired to post in a while, only to have my words blanketed in a sea of spam. I’m excited to get this fixed! I have so much to share, including new knitting videos!

Here’s a little catch-up of what’s been going on around here, Fast-Topic-Changing Friday style…

	I had the pleasure of dogsitting Chris’ dogs for a week in August. Five dogs is a lot of dogs, but this pack together was so much fun. Ike is the laziest alpha dog ever, which sets the tone for a very mellow pack. Next…!
	New sweater. Featherweight Cardigan using Spinning Colors yarn. Ravelry details. Next…!
	It was one year ago that Tippy came to my home as a foster dog. His name was Brucie back then, and he was on the brink of starvation and sick with heartworms. So much has changed for the better! I’m so proud of this little man. Next…!
	Finished shawl. Ishbel, also knit with Spinning Colors yarn. Next…!
	My good friend Drew came to Austin to teach a couple of crochet classes at The Knitting Nest. Drew and I were regular knitting buddies back in Houston, and it had been far too long since we’d seen each other. So good to see him. Next…!
	Finished hat. It’s the Vine and Leaf beret from the latest issue of Vogue Knitting. The hat is great and I really like it, but I’m surprised that I do. It has been years since I’ve found anything in Vogue Knitting that I’ve wanted to knit. Ravelry details. Next…!
	If you’ve ever photographed animals, you know that you’re pretty much at their mercy. They may or may not decide to do what you ask. They move out of the light. They wiggle. But sometimes they set themselves up for a photo without your help, and you had better have your camera ready. Next…!
	Finished top. It’s Pioneer from knitty.com, and this is a sample for a class I’m teaching this month. It is so. very. cute. Ravelry details. Can you tell I’m on a Tiffany Blue kick? Next…!
	I started this post complaining, so I’ll end it with a happy, smiling WillieMcGee. Have a great holiday weekend!

Fast-Topic-Changing-Friday. No, SUPER-Fast-Topic-Changing-Friday. That’s just the way things have been around here.

Have you ever looked ahead to your schedule, noticed that you were going to be busy, and then planned ahead to make it easy on yourself? I did laundry, caught up on emails, cleaned the house, stocked up on dog food, etc. And then…

A bunch of crazy stuff happened, throwing hundreds of tiny wrenches into my well-oiled machine. Nothing major, just annoyances, really. The kinds of things I would shrug off if they hit me one-at-a-time.

As a last straw, I started doing stupid things while trying to function in the chaos. Like realizing there was nothing to eat in the house, going to the grocery store and spending $50, and getting home to realize I hadn’t bought anything to eat. Ha!

Time to slow down and get my head on straight.

	Poor Ike got sick. I’m sure because he ate something disgusting off the ground. Nothing serious, but I was worried about dehydration in this heat. He’s back to eating regularly and bossing the other dogs around. Next…!
	I think my foot is doing well. I’m able to spend some time out of the cast now, trying to get my muscles loosened up. It isn’t totally comfortable, so I’m trying to distinguish what is injury pain vs. atrophy discomfort. I know, I know, go to the doctor, right? My visits to the doctors have been so frustrating that I’m kinda hoping my foot just gets better already. Next…!
	Aww! My breakfast made a heart! Next…!
	This is Cowboy, a foster boy I took in for 24 hours before before he went to his forever home. He was a delight! I did, however, have to stay home for those 24 hours, since there wasn’t going to be time to help acclimate him to my home more permanently. Lucky for me, Amanda brought me food that day. Next…!
	Ike and I are both on the mend. Next…!
	Tippy’s got it right. Time to slow down, catch up on baseball, buy some groceries, make fun plans for the weekend, and get a grip again. Chaos doesn’t suit us. Have a great weekend!

Fast-Topic-Changing Friday, hold the anchovies.

I posted about my broken foot last week, so I don’t need to go over that again. This week I’d like to address what is going on in my HEAD. “My Mental Illness”, as I’m kindly addressing it.

A broken foot should make one want to slow the hell down. Sit more. Put one’s foot up. Heal. Rest. Right?

Not me. My Mental Illness took over, and I was determined to keep up with my normal schedule and activities. How could a three-pound cast hold me back? I had things to do! Places to go! People to see!

I have a problem. Well, I like to think I had a problem.

	I’m trying to do more of this. In fact, I’m not only trying to sit more, but I’m also asking others for help. Oh, it makes me so anxious, but I’m doing it. My mom has asked me to send her a daily email listing the ways I’ve allowed other people to help me. I have been able to report back an especially great kindness from my friends – they are COOKING for me! Bringing me delish food! I do love them so. Next…!
	I tilted the camera down on the tripod after taking the photo above. This was what was happening on the floor. Or, not happening. They are very good at resting their feet. Next…!
	No reason for this photo, other than the fact that I was struck by the colors of the vintage needles against my office wall color. Next…!
	Quick update on my foot – I have no update. It’s a long story, but I have an appointment with my doctor next week, where I will get a referral to an orthopedic doctor. That doctor will be able to make sense of my MRI results. Next…!
	The knitting I’m doing right now is secret. Shhhh. Next…!
	The dogs and I are about to head out for a short walk, then I’m going to REST MY FOOT. I swear. Have a great weekend! P.S. to my mom – All of the photos in this post were taken in my house, which proves that I’m staying home and resting.

No, that’s not Quasimodo sneaking up behind you. It’s me. I broke my foot. Oh, I wish I had a good story to tell about the break. Like maybe…

I dropped a sledgehammer on my foot!

Rollerderby practice!

I kicked someone!

The truth is that I WOKE UP with a broken foot. I know that sounds impossible, I hardly believe it myself. I went to bed fine and walking on two feet, and woke up around 6am in pain. I knew my foot was probably broken, but people don’t wake up with broken feet, right?

Apparently, I injured my foot some time in recent history, and KILLED A BONE. Dead. Dead bone. It’s called osteonecrosis. That bone has been getting more and more brittle, just waiting for the day that I roll over in bed and break it.

	This is the classic “step-thud” photo. I was on crutches the first couple of days, but I’ve been getting around in the walking cast pretty well since then. The good news is that all of my right shoes are getting a much needed rest.
	Here’s the scoop. See that little bone chip that has decided it “needed some space” from the rest of my overbearing and controlling foot? Yeah. And the really white piece of bone it broke from is the dead part. And the bottom of the dead part is more broken mess. The doctor couldn’t tell if it’s one big broken chunk, or sort of a brittle bone crumble.
	We’ll know more later today, because I had an MRI last night. The MRI should show how much bone is dead, and if my foot can heal without surgery. Or if my foot is going to break again next time I drop a kitchen towel on it.
	Here I am filling out the forms before my MRI. Are you pregnant? No. Knocked up? No. With child? No. Preggo? No. Got a bun in the oven? No. Baby bump? No. In a family way? NO NO NO. I swear, I answered that question 20 times last night.
	Gettin’ crafty wit it. I’ll report back with more news soon.
	The dogs seem to know I’m injured, and they’re being really good. They’re being cool with short, slow walks. Well, Ike and Abe are. Tippy is a pain in the ass. Good thing he’s cute. Finally, a well-lit photo of Abe. So handsome. Have a great weekend on your two healthy feet!

Regularly scheduled Fast-Topic-Changing-Friday has been postponed until next week so we can bring you…umm…this. Instead.

Video, video, video! Shooting knitting videos. I’m normally a person with very set routines and a very tidy house, but all of that has been pushed aside for this production. No complaints, trust me. It is a great project, I’m learning so much, and having a lot of fun.

We’re working long days, but always making time to catch up on baseball over lunch, and to enjoy a cold beer in the afternoon. Good times.

	I started the week waiting for the a/c repairman to get here. Triple-digit temps and 1000-watt lights do not mix.
	Then it was back to work.
	I’m not only in front of the camera, but I’m learning to be a production assistant as well. I can change a gel, raise a camera stand, set my microphone transmitter frequency, and bring coffee to the director.
	Parker, the director.
	I’m really proud of the dogs for staying out of the way, mostly. They’re carefully stepping over cords and keeping away from the hot lights.
	…and doing a lot of this.
	It’s a really fun project and something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Results soon. Have a great holiday weekend!

Thank you for calling. Your call is very important to us. One of our representatives will be with you shortly.

Fast-Topic-Changing Friday. Holding, holding, holding.

	Oh, Austin. You’re making it very difficult for me to stay in love with you. It was ONE-HUNDRED-SEVEN degrees yesterday.
	And this old beast of an air conditioner is barely hanging on. I’m on hold now with my home warranty company. Replacing this old girl will cost me a flat fee of $60, not thousands. Whew. So glad I have a home warranty. Next…!
	There will be knitting instruction videos on verypink, verysoon. Veryexciting. I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. Next…!
	Just off the needles – Hogwarts’ double-knit bookscarves. These are for a class I’m teaching in July. Yes, Ravenclaw is shorter than the others. Whoops. Next…!
	I’m still on hold with the home warranty company. I really want to get the a/c fixed ASAP. Poor Ike is finally showing his age this summer, and the heat is getting to him. I’ll stay on hold all day if that’s what it takes. Next…!
	Lazy dogs. Still on hold. Have a great weekend!

Pulling the anchor on a Fast-Topic-Changing-Friday.

First up, I’ll get the title of this post explained. I’m a fan of the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch, a show about crab fishing off the coast of Alaska. I like it because I grew up around that stuff in Kodiak. As dangerous and crazy as crab fishing is, the whole thing is very familiar to me. And every now and then I’ll see someone who I’m pretty sure I remember.

There is a new captain on the show, named Big Daddy, who is from Kodiak.

	Here the captains are sitting around talking about why the crews always want weekends off when they’re docked in Kodiak. “There are girls in Kodiak!” Ha! I think I blew coffee out my nose when I heard that. Well, I’m not there anymore, so there is one less girl in Kodiak…
	…but I suppose I’ve been replaced. My niece, Molly Renee, almost two years old. I’m sure she’ll have a future of making crab fishermen want to stay ashore in 20 years or so. Currently, she’s too busy smearing yogurt everywhere. Next…!
	A plug for my friend Stephanie’s online store. She is dyeing up a merino JUST LIKE Malabrigo lace weight. Since Malabrigo is almost impossible to get, and everyone wants to make a Featherweight Cardi, this can be considered a public service announcement. Next…!
	I had the idea to get Tippy to pose for a photo with this little knit dog on his head. It is a Pile-able Pup, after all.
	He had other ideas for what to do with the little dog. His ideas included disembowelment. Next…!
	Do I have the world’s laziest Basenjis? It usually looks like I’m running an opium den. Have a great weekend!

It’s Friday morning and I’m trying to combat grogginess with coffee. Mother Nature has been doing a smack-up job of keeping me from sleeping soundly through the night lately. Storms, possums, crochet. (Does Mother Nature crochet?) Whatev.

We had tornado warnings here in Austin last night, and I had the craziest dream about how my house got swept up in a tornado (very Dorthy Gale-ish-ly), and landed in another neighborhood. I went outside the house to find out where I was. I asked a group of high school girls who were walking down the street, and one of them said, “You’re on the border between Texas and Indiana”. Ah. Oz.

Brewing up a Fast-Topic-Changing-Friday. Strong, but never bitter.

	Yes, crochet. As my friend Stephanie said, “Hell has frozen over.” I’m just dabbling in crochet. I’m not switching crafts….
	…and clearly I’m not taking it very seriously. Trust me. I’m still a Knitter-with-a-Capital-K. Next…!
	Why are my dogs going crazy?
	Why is Abe trying to grow cat claws so he can scale the fence?
	RAWWRRRRR! I AM AN EVIL POSSUM COME TO RUIN YOUR EVENING WITH MY PRESENCE. YOU WILL HAVE NO PEACE AS LONG AS I STAND HERE. MWAHAHAHAHA. Creepy bastard.
	I like this photo. It looks like Tippy has given up hunting and decided that posing next to the possum with a sad face is enough for now. They had been “hunting” this guy for about an hour when I pulled out the camera. Next…!
	Franklin Habit is going to be back in Austin this weekend at The Knitting Nest. We’re doing a live radio broadcast from the store today from noon to 2pm. Stop by if you’re around. Have a great weekend!

At the end of this month, I will have lived in this house for a year and a half. For the most part, I have the house looking the way I want – at least in the more public rooms. But my office. Oy.

When I was a kid, we would go to visit my Great-Great Aunt Ida (the one who taught me to knit) in Oak Harbor, Washington. On the way into town from her house, we would pass this outdoor factory. This place was about three stories high, and a mess of dirty machinery, pipes, and wheels. It was like a steampunk nightmare. One time I asked Aunt Ida why it looked so bad, and she said, “Well, it’s just how it needs to be so that it works properly.”

You get where this is headed?

My office has been like that steampunk factory nightmare. It hasn’t been decorated at all, but the elements of “design” came together as function dictated. And it was ugly. The walls were a dingy baby chicken yellow. Furniture that didn’t fit anywhere else ended up in here. I couldn’t leave the door open, because there was always something interesting within a dog’s reach, since I hadn’t really thought about storage.

This is supposed to be my creative space!

	Before: Yellow walls. Cluttery.
	Stuff shoved wherever it would fit.
	My computer desk was mostly functional, except for the fact that I had things stored near my desk that I didn’t regularly need. Facing the window seems like a nice idea, but it is pretty hard on the eyes when you’re staring at a computer screen.
	First up, empty the room. I moved my desk and computer to the spare bedroom. The dogs were totally happy with that. Also, five million books were lugged to the garage.
	Next, scrape off the horrible popcorn ceiling. Whoever invented popcorn ceiling was lazy (it covers a lot of building sins) and an idiot (it holds dust and stink).
	Here’s the floor once the popcorn snowed down on the terra cotta tiles. I drew a heart to sort of show the real floor color under there.
	Next, repair walls and test wall colors. Spackle. Spackle. That’s an awesome word. Spackle.
	Edge and paint. In this shot you can see where the edges are dry, and show the true color.
	Abe stole my drop cloth at one point, and carefully spread it over his dog bed. What? These dogs are so freaking weird.
	Fresh white paint for the closet doors. Much better than before. What would be the paint color name for the old color? “Dashing Dinge”? “Bountiful Blah”?
	Tippy had to make do with the fact that there were no dog beds in the room while I was working. This photo was taken at about 10pm, because I’m a crazy person who works on projects for 12 hours straight.
	Ta-da! So. Much. Better. The color theme to compliment the turquoise walls is black/white/gray with accents of red. I still need to reshelf the books, and replace the dated light fixture with a small ceiling fan.
	There is suddenly a ton of space in here. I’d like to find a piece of soft furniture for this spot. I’m picturing a large red ottoman; or vintage, armless chair. All in due time.
	I’ve left one giant wall blank so that I can use this color as a backdrop for photos. I’m really happy with the results of The Great Office Makeover. Can I just say this? Budget for this project was $36. One gallon of paint. I was lucky that the previous owners of this house left me a can of high-gloss white, which I used for the closet doors and trim.
	I just took this shot a couple of minutes ago. Tippy’s the only one in the photo, but you can see Ike, Abe, and me in shadows. Have a great weekend!