Last post of 2007!

It was a merry Christmas at my household this year, and Hamlet's first Christmas ever! I wanted to get a picture of him amongst the tree and presents, but he wouldn't go near them :)

He did, however, help me pack.


I got home after working for a few hours on Dec 24th to help wrap gifts. My aunt and uncle came over for Christmas Eve dinner (which is always "nibblies" - cheese, crackers, salmon, hardboiled eggs, etc) and then it was time to sleep in anticipation of getting stuff Santa.

The stockings are hung by the chimney gas fireplace with care.


My sister receives the Gift of Cheese:

(it's not actually cheese)

And after the festing, while waiting for the turkey to cook, I completed my diagonal scarf!!!


Happy New Year, everyone!!

As I promised...

Here are some photos of the scarf I made for my dad.

It started so simply...

The finished product!

It matches Hamlet!
(I know the picture is dark, just trust me on this)

My dad, trying on his new gift

OMG! Dutch appeltaart! Just like Oma used to make.

Holy crap! One week until Christmas!
Why is it that when you're a kid, Christmas takes *forever* to arrive, but when you're an adult, it sneaks up on you?

Recovering from the Weekend

I took Thursday to today off from work, and I'm mighty glad I did! I've been running around like mad all weekend with family stuff and I'm finally (*FINALLY*) back in my quiet apartment with my attention-starved kitties draped over me.

Let's see... Thursday I got my car certified and went shopping with my sister. While that sentence may make the day seem relatively stress free, let me elaborate.

I got my car certified in Brampton, a 40 minute drive from my apartment. Then I came back here, ate something quick, and my sister arrived. We shopped from 2:30 to 9:30 and we would have kept going but the malls closed. I bought a tree ornament. My sister bought a dress, two pairs of shoes, and a few other Christmas-y things. It was exhausting.

Friday morning. Got up early to go to the gym. Got my hair cut. Went to Caynes (an appliance store) to buy a present for my dad and ended up with that plus a bunch of stuff for me :D. Rush home, frantically throw stuff into a bag (forgetting stuff in the process, of course) and made sure the kitties had lots of food before heading back to Brampton. Once there, I got changed and we went to a party for my dad's birthday. Got home really late (early?) and went to bed.

Saturday. We bought a Christmas tree. Also sounds like a quick trip, but my sister is meticulous and wanted the perfect tree. So we shopped. It was freezing cold, but she had to examine every tree. I admit, we got a good one. Then we decorated, which always always always ends in a fight with my family. This year was no different. So I hid to avoid the brunt of it (after decorating the tree) and was accused of being a grinch and being unhelpful and if I didn't want to decorate I should just go back to Toronto and be by myself. This is AFTER I decorated the whole tree with Mom. *sigh*

Sunday. Snowstorm day. We drove to Roy Thompson Hall to see the Toronto Symphony Orchestra perform Handel's Messiah. We do this every year, but this year was a challenge. We left at noon, got to the hall at 2:00, concert started at 3pm. I'm not even going into how we had to dig out and juggle 6 cars in our driveway (while wearing a short dress and tights) but we got it done. The concert was gorgeous as always (and I mentally planned out the end of the novel I'm working on) and then we had dinner.

Let me tell you. Sunday, Toronto was like a ghost town. The streets were empty. I've never ever seen the city that quiet. It was weird.

Now it's Monday and I've escaped and am home. So today is like my vacation from my vacation before I got to work tomorrow :D

I've got lots of pictures of Dad's birthday and tree decorating, but I'm far too tired to try and find them right now. Like most pictures I take, I'll put them up later. I'm such a lazy blogger.

Hope everyone else had an exciting weekend too! I can't believe it's this close to Christmas already!!

I DID IT!!

I got the scarf finished on time!!

The party is tomorrow, and the scarf has been washed and is drying in the bathroom (which is the only room with a door where I can keep the kitten out over night). Hopefully the fact that the scarf isn't *completely* flat won't affect the drying. And tomorrow morning, I can lay it out on my bed (and close the door to kittens) where it can complete its drying.

Yay! Pictures will follow at a later date.

:D

Knitting update

I've been frantically knitting away at my dad's birthday scarf, which needs to be done in less than a week.

I measured it yesterday (when my elbow started to ache and I had to put the needles down for the night) and I'm at 30". Only 24" to go, which may be do-able since I have today off.

But I ran out of TV to watch! I finished the Tudors last night (after another historical inaccuracy that made me stare at the TV slack jawed and exclaim "WHAT?!?" a la Doctor Who) so I've only got two episodes of Rome to knit through. I suppose then I'll have to put on a movie or something. I bet the Lord of the Rings trilogy will help make the knitting go by faster :D

No pictures of said scarf yet, but take my word for it. It's gorgeous. I can't wait to give it to my dad... to the expert knitters out there, do I have to block it first? Because that'll add an extra day to my deadline that I don't think I have unless I skip work.

And I thought good TV was dead...

Thanks to the glory that are DVDs and torrent files, I've been able to get my hands on some actual *good* TV (that isn't anime)

I've started watching two shows - The Tudors and Rome. I'm not too far into either of them yet, though. The best best best thing about these two shows is that Tudor England and the fall of the Roman Republic are my favourite periods in history!!



I'm watching the Tudors and I can't help but think how fantastically cast this show is. I mean, it's not just because Jonathan Rhys Meyers is *HOT* but that Sam Neil is a convincingly conniving cardnial and Jeremy Northam is a sweet naive Sir Thomas More (I already know what episode is going to make me cry) and I ADORE the actresses they've got for Anne Bolyn and Catherine of Aragon. Just fantastic!

(*rrrow!*)

A few historical inaccuracies aside (Henry VIII's sister Margaret, for example, did not marry the King of Portugal, but rather the King of Scotland, and through her both Mary Queen of Scots and James VI had claim to the English throne - but they may throw that in later), the series follows things pretty well (oh, and Henry VIII had a son by Anne Bolyn's sister Mary, I think).

Rome, my other most favouritest period in history, has got these two centurions, who totally make the show:


And I *love* the kid they got to play young Octavius. He's too cute! I haven't been paying too close attention to the historical inaccuracies in this one (I'm trying to knit a scarf by next Thursday) but I'm sure there are a few in there.



So yeah. Good TV. Who'da thunk it?

Evian, Pepsi, and Queen

While watching some French TV (basic cable sucks), I came across the following video. It's freakin' adorable:



And, while searching YouTube for that video, I found another commercial with the same song - this time featuring Britney, Pink, and Beyonce as gladiators (gladiatrices?) who just want something caffeinated to drink.



Enjoy.

Scarves!

Here's a long awaited knitting post!

Okay, remember way back in October I posted about the diagonal scarf I was starting? And then later, I ran into some trouble with the same scarf?

Well, everything is okay with the diagonal scarf and it's pretty long now! I'm on the last ball of yarn and I'm still loving the pattern!


But this scarf has been put on the back burner temporarily while I try to complete a scarf for my dad by December 13th for his birthday.

I bought the yarn on Friday, and knitted like a madwoman all weekend while watching Hairspray with Corinna, and Rome with myself (what an amazing series!). So after three days of knitting, this is what I have:


(modeled by the very lovely Hermes)

The pattern is from a Yarn Harlot post that Heather sent me, although, like with any pattern I attempt, mine doesn't look quite like hers... but I love mine anyway!


It's about 11 inches now... only 43 more to go... and 10 days to do it in... yeesh.

But, so I don't end on a downer, here's another shot of my pretty diagonal scarf!

Ooooo... look at the pretty colours....

The Golden Compass

There was a special showing of "The Golden Compass" tonight that I went to.



The movie was great. The special effects were amazing, Pan was adorable in every form, Lyra wasn't nearly annoying as she is in the books, and I ADORED the witches.

But to make things even better, there was a preview for a new book-to-movie that I hadn't heard about.



This book was fantastic! If you haven't read it, go read it. I can't wait for it to come to theatres (although I don't think I would have cast Brenden Fraser as Mo)!

So many book-to-movies lately! The Seeker, The Golden Compass, Spiderwick, Prince Caspian, now Inkheart (and probably more I've forgotten). It's awesome!

LAST POST OF NOVEMBER EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

Well, other than two days when I was without internet, I managed to post every day. The posts may not always have been thought provoking or funny, and some might have been down right whiny (sorry), but I blogged, and that's what matters.

Here's a summation of the month of November, 2007

- I signed up for NaBloPoMo (obviously)
- Halloween pictures (leftover from October - sneaky of me!)
- I bought a Library Science tote (that's still not here)
- I watched too much W Network (still guilty)
- I turned my manly kitten into a eunuch (he still has a bald spot)
- I remembered the 5th of November a day late (blame Neil Gaiman)
- I had a weird dream, and went on vacation
- I remembered Rememberance Day a day late (blame the vacation)
- I bought a Christmas tree
- I watched an illegal version of "The Phantom Edit" (which I will burn for those who want it)
- I read alot, I shopped a lot, I ran out of interesting things to blog about
- I joined a gym and started whining about my health
- I set myself a knitting challenge that I'm going to start today

And that was the month of November. Now I'm off to the gym, and I'll return to whine about my health tomorrow (maybe)

Almost...there...

I figured when I started this "blogging every day" thing that by the end of November I'd have nothing left to say. And sure enough, I was right.

Just a few observations:
1. Holy cow, this month went by fast!
2. Why oh why must Hamlet always try to eat my hair?!?


That's it. See you tomorrow for the LAST POST OF NOVEMBER EXTRAVAGANZA!!!


(p.s. the personal trainer didn't kill me, but man am I sore!)

*groan*

When did 7am become really early?

And why, pray tell, was I up then?

Well, remember that post on exercise? This morning I'm meeting with a personal trainer for the first time. At 8:30am. Normally this wouldn't be an issue since I'm a morning person, but I work from 1-9pm tonight and I imagine I'll be pretty darned tired by then.

I just keep telling myself it'll be all worth it. Unless this kills me, which I'm a little worried it will.

So, if this does kill me, it's been a pleasure blogging for you. Someone please feed my cats.

Post for today

Hmm... let's see.... post for today...

Nope. I'm drawing a blank.

I saw a nutritionist yesterday. Apparently I don't know how to feed myself. I knew I should have paid more attention in grade 7 Family Studies!

I'm meeting a personal trainer tomorrow and I'm kinda scared. I don't want to have someone shout at me. I don't respond well to it, especially if I'm paying them. Who wants to pay to be yelled at?

Let's see, what else?

The patch on Hamlet's side is starting to grow back... um... I think I'm going to do my Christmas shopping on Friday... hmm... okay, that should be enough to qualify as a post. Now I'm going to play Zoo Tycoon 2 until I have to leave for work :D

The Knitting Challenge

13 days.

One scarf.

Think I can do it in time for my Dad's birthday?

The challenge is ON!

(I'm starting the count from this Friday, since I don't have time to go buy yarn until then... so 13 days if I manage to get yarn on Friday. If not, considerably less time...)

Christmas, Christmas time is here...

One month until Christmas :D



I better get shopping!

These are a few of my favourite LOLs

Oops! Forgot to post... so I'll just date this puppy with yesterday's date.

Here are a few of my favourite pictures from I Can Has Cheezburger (which is an adorable site)

Forced to be friends

I went into my bedroom yesterday to find Hermes sleeping on the bed. Hamlet followed me in, jumped up on the bed, and started licking Hermes' ear! I knew they'd be friends eventually!

Of course, thirty seconds later, this started happening:

Which turned into a full blown kitty battle on my bed. *sigh*

Snu!

The hot weatherman on The Weather Network didn't lie... I woke up this morning and saw my first Toronto snowfall!

(this is the view out my bedroom window this morning)

But it wasn't the first snowfall of the season. When I had my mini-vacation at the cottage, Hamlet got to see his very first snowfall ever.


Now it's beginning to feel a bit more like Christmas... which means I have go start shopping for presents! And writing cards! And figuring out what I want to ask Santa for! Eep!

My tree, complete with tree skirt and angel (although you can't really see the angel in this picture)

Hamlet, exploring the tree skirt.

The angel on my tree (still hasn't fallen yet! *knock on wood*)

Exernacise?

I'm having a hard time thinking of titles for these posts. I was going to call it "Fuzzy Purring Kitten Scarf", but that has nothing to do with what I'm writing (except that Hamlet is on my shoulder now, doing his impression of a fuzzy purring kitten scarf)

So yesterday after work, I signed up for a membership at Extreme Fitness. It's not far from work, so if any co-workers want to join me, I'm always up for exercise buddies!

I'm heading out this morning to give it a test run. They have TVs on all their cardio equipment with better cable packages than I have at home, so at least I'll be able to watch shows I don't regularly see :D

My goal: Look good enough by July to purchase a bathing suit (which is, I think, the goal of almost every woman who exercises) and also to stop feeling like a slug (which are horrible creatures to feel like)


See? Who wants to feel like one of them?

Still no pictures...

This blog is shaping up for a huge picture post sometime soon... but not today :)

I have a question for all of you out there. When / If you exercise, what music do you listen to? I'm looking for some upbeat, fun music I can play on my iPod when I begin Phase One of my Master Plan Of Happiness (which is going to the gym).

Suggestions?

To tired to get photos off the camera

Ugh. Monday.

Well, it should be a somewhat relaxing week, since I don't think I have any major plans... except a phone conference thingie on Wednesday.

The angel on the top of my tree survived the night. No smashed angel bits to clean up this morning, I'm happy to say.

Hamlet fell off my drying rack last night and was walking with a bit of a limp, so I thought I was going to have to rush him to the 24-hour vet at 11pm. But he seems fine now. He's already tried to jump into my cereal and scale the drying rack *again* (he doesn't learn), so I think he just got a bit of a bruise. Strange kitten.

Yup. I wish I knew why I was so tired. Maybe I need to start exercising. That's supposed to make you more energetic, right?

Daily post

I couldn't remember if I posted today, but apparently I did not, so here's my post.

Today I went shopping with my sister all day. From noon until 6pm. I bought a shirt, and some Christmasy stuff for my tree, including an angel.

The angel isn't exactly sturdy on top of the tree, and I'm worried she's going to fall. Any suggestions for securing her to the tippy top of my tree?

Whew. I'm exhausted. I'm out of shopping practice, I think.

Trimming the Tree

I'm at a tree trimming party!

Lots of yummy food and good conversation.

Blog resumes tomorrow with a (probably) real post :D


Merry (early) Christmas!

My post for day will be quick

I have to head out earlier than usual this morning to head to another branch, so my daily post will be quick (I can hear you out there all sighing in relief)

First: If you're a fan of Garth Nix (author of Sabriel), read his Keys to the Kingdom series. It's junior fiction, so it's pretty light and a fast read, but strangely compelling. I love his messed up world of the House.

Second: If you haven't already, visit this site - The Superest. These two artists take turns creating superheroes and villains that can defeat the previous one. Start that the first hero and work your way through. Some of them are pretty funny!

The Phantom Edit

I finally managed to get my paws on a copy of "The Phantom Edit", and I watched it last night.

For those of you who haven't heard of this before, back in 2000 or 2001, after the disappointment that was the first Star Wars prequel hit cinemas, a fan calling himself the Phantom Editor took a DVD of the prequel and edited it to be a more enjoyable movie.

He cut out a lot of Jar Jar's scenes (except for those that were relevant to the plot) and removed almost all the battle droids dialogue (roger roger). He also cut out the parts where Anakin says "yippee" or "oops".

I'm pretty sure he also took out the explanation of what midochlorians are (which I thought was stupid from the beginning. Tiny organisms in your blood give you the Force?)

It's been a while since I've seen the original Phantom Menace (I refuse to acknowledge them as part of the Star Wars trilogy), but after watching the Edit, I remember why Amidala was my favourite character. I'm also pretty darn upset that she was reduced to Padme in the third prequel, who did nothing but stand around and look sad. What happened to the strong Queen of the Naboo? And having her die of a broken heart at the end? What, they could come up with midochlorians to explain the Force, but they couldn't give Padme a noble death?

Okay, that developed in a tiny bit of a rant. Sorry.

I think George Lucas should hire the Phantom Editor to redo all his crummy prequels. Especially the second one. Those loves scenes made me want to burst out laughing.

O Tannenbaum

I put up my tree last night!

Here it is, standing and fully assembled

A blurry picture of it with lights and a few decorations (I need some decorations)

The first present under the tree? Hermes! Awwww

Beginning to feel a lot like Christmas?

I bought a Christmas tree yesterday!

I was suffering a bit from friend-and-shopping withdrawal after my mini-vacation, so Heather and I went to the nearby plaza to shop. I bought some sweaters (which I needed) and we headed to Home Depot so I could get a small light for above my kitchen sink (all the better to see my grimy dishes with, my dear)

While we were there, I remembered I wanted a fake tree. So I bought one! It comes pre-lighted (and hopefully strong enough to not fall over when an 8lb kitten takes up residence). Maybe I'll put it up after work today.

Ah yes, back to work. I've been trying *really* hard not to think about the stuff I have to do this week. I miss my vacation already! :)

Back!

I'm back from my mini-vacation :)

It was a lot of fun, except the furnace wasn't working so it was about 10C in the cottage for Thursday and part of Friday. I spent that time watching DVDs next to an electric heater, under two blankets. Hamlet also joined me under the blankets. The poor thing was shivering!

Hamlet is recovering nicely from his surgery. He's got a big bald spot on his side where the pain-patch was. I wonder what possessed the vet to put the patch on his side. When Hermes had his surgery, they put it on his tummy.

Well, I'm hungry and in need of groceries for the week, so that's my blog for today. I only missed two days for the NaBloPoMo ... not bad. I back posted for yesterday, since I do that post every Remembrance Day if I can

I took a few pictures, which will come eventually!

Remember

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Vacation!!

Today is day one of my mini-vacation. As soon as I get Hamlet back from the vet (yes, he's still there), I'll load up the cats into the car and head to the cottage for 4 days of relaxation :D

Since I dropped Hamlet off at the vet on Monday (he had a reaction to the pain medication that made his face swell, so the vet opted to do his surgery on Wednesday, meaning I can pick him up today), I think Hermes was a little worried that he would be the next to go ... or he thinks I finally regained my sanity and got rid of the little devil.

Anyway, Hermes has been super cuddly and friendly, rarely more than a foot away from me at any given time (which means I keep tripping over him). It's just like old times. I hope he doesn't take it too hard when the kitten comes back!


Since I'll be without internet until Monday, I'll have to neglect my daily blog posts. I figure the NaBloPoMo gods will understand if I'm unable to post due to lack of internet (yes, there are still some places without the internet in this world)

So, I'll be back Monday or Tuesday! Enjoy your weekends everyone, and I'll tell you about my adventures at the cottage (if there are any)

Alexandra Butler, Vampire In Training

I had a really strange dream last night. I'll try to recall exactly what it was... but it was bizarre.

The main character was a woman named Alexandra Butler, who lived in an apartment building with her cat. The apartment had a strange raccoon infestation, and the cat kept them at bay, so the landlord didn't mind the cat wandering around the roof all the time.

Anyway, Alexandra likes to surf so she goes down to the lagoon to surf (do lagoons have waves? well, they had big ones in my dream) and meets a mysterious stranger who ends up being a vampire. Alexandra tells him that she's always wanted to be a vampire, so he agrees to turn her.
There's a fancy party where everyone is all dressed up, and Alexandra and three of her girlfriends go (and I think the cat was there too). At the party, each of the girls is taken aside by a vampire and asked if they want to be turned. Only Alexandra says yes, and the rest of the dream was Alexandra trying to talk her friends into being vampires, and starting up a "turning" business, where she'll turn whoever can pay the prince into a vampire.

Like I said, strange dream. But kind of amusing. I wonder why my subconscious was thinking about vampires...

November 5th on the 6th

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.
And yes, I'm a day late, but I was a bit preoccupied yesterday with the fate of my kitten :)

Wiki?

The End of Kittenhood

Today marks Hamlet's rite of passage from kitten to castrato.
(you know your life is dull when *this* is the most interesting thing you have to blog about)


Seems like only yesterday he was a cute little ball of fur that could fit in one hand


But he got bigger (and sharper - claws and teeth, not smarts). Poor Hermes was so resentful at having someone around to compete for my attention. He hated the kitten for a while, but eventually grew to tolerate him. I think once Hamlet calms down a bit more, he and Hermes might even be friends!


Yes, my little kitten grew up very fast and now the big day has finally come. Poor little thing doesn't know what's happening either. Gotta love the element of surprise. Like telling your kids you're going to Disneyworld and ending up at the dentist :)


Good luck, Hamlet! And just think, when this is all over, we've got five days of R&R at the cottage for you to recover.

W

Being a relatively poor person, I have opted for the basic cable package for my TV.

As a result, 80% of the shows I can watch are either in French, about entertainment "news", or the Women's Television Network.

So, after watching a few dozen episodes of "Take This House And Sell It" and "Looking Good Naked" and "Style By Jury", I've got this strange urge to paint my apartment and buy a corset.

Also, I think an excellent new show to add to the W Network would be an apartment decorating show, where stylish and snooty interior designers can show the average working shmoe how to dress up their drab white walls (that they can't paint because of their lease) with pictures and pieces of fabric and pillows and stuff. And also, they could take away my Ikea furniture and leave me with classier stuff. Honestly, I wouldn't mind.

And while their top-notch decorating team is turning my apartment upside down and making it fantastic, I could be getting a make-over and clothing tips from one of their delightful stylists (I kinda like the guy from "Looking Good Naked", but I think I have to to go England to be on his show and frankly, I don't care how good I look naked, I don't want to be on a billboard in London for all the English types to see).

That would be an awesome show.

Taking advantage of the rising dollar... or it taking advantage of me

I guess I'll never learn.

Last night, after returning home from the nice farewell sushi party for Amy (pictures to follow... eventually), I hopped on the internet and finally bought this:



From here. And in my amazing math ineptitude (and in the onslaught of a full-blown sushi coma), it took me a few double takes to realize that the total after tax and shipping was quite a bit less than the selling price.

Which inspired me to do a bit of ebay surfing... and I found this (which is something I've been looking for for quite some time)

Tempting, tempting... but the dollar won't stay high forever (in fact, I think it's already dropped) and I wonder if I should risk spending over $200 on manga in one go.

But at least I got a tote bag out of it!

Day 3! Done!

Halloween!!!

This year was my Probably-12th More-or-Less-Annual Halloween Party!

These pictures, and the rest of them, will be shortly uploaded to my Facebook page, but here are a few I'm willing to share with the general public :)


I made some frozen hands of 7up to float in the punch. Having hands in my freezer was neat! And made for some interesting conversation while standing in line at the drug store :)



Here's part of my apartment, all decorated. That giant spider was only a dollar, and a pain in the butt to put together. Still, I love the effect! And the Dollar Store!



Candy cocktails were stationed throughout the apartment, this one guarded by a happy little skellington.



My witch friend brought some ale, and I love what it's called. If you can't read it, it says:
"MONTY PYTHON'S HOLY GRAIL Tempered over burning witches"


It was hard getting the frozen hands out of the gloves, and this hand told me exactly what it thought of being an ice cube.



Some of the tasty treats brought included this delicious rice crispie pumpkin



And this spooky grave cake!



Here are all the guests (not including me, who was taking the picture)

If this picture is cut off, try clicking here to view it..




And poor Hermes hid under a blanket on my bed, looking very much like Yoda.


2 days, 2 posts. I'm doing pretty well so far!

November... the month for writing

Last year, I attempted to do NaNoWriMo, which I believe I only managed to write something like 20,000 words (or less). I was working part time and living at home, so I had way more free time on my hands than I do now (believe it or not)

So this year, thanks to Mad Jenny (for putting it on her blog), I'm going to try NaBloPoMo (who comes up with these names??)


So, I'll try to post on this blog every day for the month of November (and maybe my LJ blog too, but not every day. I don't have that much to say!)

Due to the limitations of NaBloPoMo (namely, I need a computer and the internet to achieve my goal), I won't be posting Nov 8-12 (since I'll be at a location that has neither a computer, nor the internet). Other than those few days, expect a post every day!