We have contact!

Well flippin -A- Man! My SMAT secret pal contacted me today, all upset because I was scolding about being flaked on this damned thang....or so I had thought. Turns out that there was an extension to the swap and I never got the email! She said the hostess had emailed everyone...apparently she missed a few. On top of that, I had emailed last week to check up on her, and the email never made it! ARGH! So now my thoughtful SMAT pal is upset and thinks I really don't give a rats ass about the yarn she spun. Understandable considering I am accusing her of flaking me. Well yeah, I do give a rats! Look at that yarn! It's beautiful! She sent me a picture and description:

"This yarn was inspired by the pagan interests of my swapee; it is called Triple Goddess.

This treasure is comprised of three skeins
Maiden – (1 3/8 oz) Spindle spun Navajo ply of Merino & Tussah Silk in vibrant red, purple, blue, gold and crème.
Mother – (1 3/8 oz) Hand-dyed BFL & Merino, Tussah Silk a two ply of the singles of the other two yarns.
Crone – (3 3/8 oz) Pale blue and green hand dyed BFL spun into a single "

OOOoh...how thoughtful! SO here I have been sittin, thinkin I had been flaked and bitchin about it too, and now I hear there was an extension on the mailing deadlines, AND the hostess I emailed never got back to me to let me know a gosh darned thing! ARGH! HOW FRUSTRATING! Now I done made my SMAT pal all pissed at me. Wonderful. Sassafrassin-blahmugflubber-butt! Heh...*twitch*

Today has been nothing but frustrating...one bad thing after another. You would think with two inches of fresh snow on the ground that people would SLOW DOWN on the roads! Hell no, not in Wisconsin were people have too much confidence in their cars. No car is safe in snow and ice, no matter what those car commercials tell you. So I have to dodge these dumb-asses who try to turn in front of me and then can't get out of the fuckin way because their tires are spinning in the snow! DUMB-ASSES! *twitch-twitch*

Then I get a certified letter from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (while I am trying to practice my self defense no less) saying I owe twice as much in state tax then they had originally told me I did last July! WTF? So I called them up, was told there was a wait time of 23 minutes, so I opted to leave a message. I requested that they send me an itemized sheet telling me the charges, fees, penalties and other what-have-you's they like to charge because last time I looked I didn't owe that much. Originally they told me I owed $250 (and this is from my employer not filing my W2 correctly when I started at Hobby Lobby and me never noticed that taxes weren't being taken out...save $12 worth for that year). So this mean old man calls me up and talks to me like I am an irritating gnat flying around his head bothering him. He tells me that I owe $150, and whatever is left from my tax return will be refunded to me. WTF!!? I've gotten three letters from the WDR, each time the amount I owe went up about another $100 till it was near $500! Did I call them on their shit by asking for a itemized list of charges? I asked if he was sure, and he repeated what he had already told me. Real nice. Take that stick and shove it up your ass some more cause I don't think it is up as far as it could go. So I said (now all this time I am trying to be nice to the man...lot of good it did) I want to make sure this is correct because I keep getting letters saying I owe different amounts and I don't want to be paying for someone elses mistakes again. He said that I would be getting another letter in the mail stating this final amount. I'll be sure to keep it in a safe and findable place because I have a feeling this will not be the last I will have to deal with them on this. *full out seizure*

So to my SMAT pal, whom I called BAD and a flaker...I'm so sorry things ran this way and I wish I had known there was an extension before now. Forgive me?

Until next time...

Understanding ugly yarn, SMAT

I don't understand it. I am seeing some majorly, in my opinion, UGLY yarns online that have been hand-spun! I was taking a look online at some handspun yarns...and one yarn...oh...I cringed! It looked like someone took a handful of trash and spun it together! Why? I'm told it's called "punk" but I don't get the yarns with the extras in them (I'm talking HUGE things like scramble word tabs, charms...large plastic beads). IT'S HORRIFYINGLY UGLY! What can you possibly make from such yarn that you will be able to use? How do you even work with yarn with so much trash in it? Um and hello, if you don't like my opinions GO READ SOMETHING ELSE! I ain't here to please. I am here to tell it how it is, when it is, and how I see it. It's what blogs were made for.

I must have practical yarn because if I am gonna spend time on making something...I had better damned well better be able to actually USE it after I've put so much work into it.

Speaking of SMAT, I think I have been flaked. It's been a full TWO WEEKS past the send deadline of January 15th and no hand spun treasure for me. BAD SMAT PAL-BAD!! I sent some suggestions to the hostesses of this swap stating that next time it should be required that participants make contact with their secret pals at least three times-or more, so that we don't feel neglected and forgotten about. I've heard from mine, once...and never again. I hate being flaked. I hate flakes. If I can find out who flaked me, they will definitely be listed on the swappers blacklist as a flaker and thief. I followed the rules, I sent out in plenty of time...and I get nothing in return for playing nice. Grrrrr. I HATE FLAKES!

Until the next rant...

Ammendment: See next entry for explinations as to why I had not been contacted by the SMAT pal and my appologies to that Pal. I will not however be editing the entries (or prettying them up to PC standards) because this is a page in my history...no matter how far the foot in my mouth goes...

Whew, what a weekend

Well I payed for shipping for my Smat pal through Click and ship and had the courier pick it up. That was convienent. I haven't heard from the lady I am sending too...I've sent her three ecards, and two emails. The ecards have yet to be picked up, and I have no word whether the lady is dead or alive. Hopefully alive because a package will be dawning her doorstep soon! I bought a few extras, some dyes and a book that was on her wishlist on Froogle. Hopefully that is up to date and I did not waste my money on the book.

I have not heard much of anything from MY Smat pal...I got one email...and nothing sense. Hopefully she is still alive and well too!

The Mystery Skien swap was a complete mess for a couple of days as I found out that someone (bitch) fucked with the database entries. You really cannot trust people online with anything! So I had to lock the databases and reenter a lot of information. To the one who did it, may you get yours in return ASAP!! Cursed foul creature!

I think everything is back in order now.....for now till the next fire comes up. Luckily I have some very helpful members who have jumped in to help sort through the madness. I had one lady get bitchy with me because I asked her to leave the group because she was not swapping. Oh boo hoo, it says right there on the homepage that the group is for PARTICIPANTS, not lurkers. Said I was a mean ol one and everyone else was nice in the group. I have many others to say otherwise, but her opinion be that....hers.

*sigh* I haven't mailed out the skien I was sending to a lady....yet. I have to get that packaged up and shipped. I've been too busy pouring water on the fires and trying to make sense of the madness.

The wing of the moth shawl is coming right along now. I had some doubts about starting the twin leaf pattern after all the pine cone I had done! But, the creater of the pattern said that everything on my needles was correct, and in seeing my stitch markers...fell in love with a set and order a set. Weeeeeeeeeee! So I made those up yesterday and those need to be shipped out too. *whew*

We have a new member of our pethold. A very pretty royal blue, turquoise with a touch of red on one fin-Betta. I bought a nice bowl setup for cheap and it has a red dragon-wings spread- and red gravel. It's very cool. I'll have to take some pictures later. We haven't named it yet...maybe Sky would suit it since it has such pretty blues.

I made up some potato soup for the guild meeting tonight. They are having a potluck. OH crap! I forgot I didn't put the ham in...well good thing I remembered!

I've been dealing with Laryngitus most of the weekend but I think it is getting better as it has moved out from my voice and into my head. Yippie....NOT. SQUEAK!

Until next time...

Lucious Yarn spinning Holiday Weekend!

OHHHHh yeah! Look at that...oh Gods...how yummy! I got about 7 ounces of this lusciously sparkling yarn from my Shetland singles. Three of those ounces is going to a curtain someone along with some extra goodies. *evil!!!* LMAO

Today I am going to dye the other 3 ounces I got from it, and knit a pouch from it-I think. I want to do three complimentary colors...something with turquoise. I was thinking turquoise, black, and violet. That sounds pretty! Using low-immersion.

Until next time...

Spinning something new

SO I decided to spin up a sample of "novelty" yarn. I decided to try plying two singles together and at the same time wrap some uncard, unspun, wool locks around it. I think it is called core spinning. I ended up putting too much twist into it, but that is okay for a test run. It is sitting in water at the moment. I'll see how it comes out come morning.

It might be something I will want to create for my SMAT pal (spin me a treasure). Interesting how that spells smat!! Kinda like splat!

Went to the yearly holiday catered lunch at work. It would have been okay if the turkey/gravey dish had not had sooooo much salt in it! YUCK! It was catered by Swanton...and the BF said yuck too. I guess they are the ones that cater at his work on Thursday. He says the only thing he is interested in is the cookies!

The pasta was really good, and so were the sweets. We got a free ham too, same kind as last year. I plan on making pea soup with it. YUM! I usually make pea soup with pork hauks because they have that unique flavor that goes well with peas.

Whew...it's been nothing but run-run-run today. I am pooped! I cannot wait till winter break already! Although I will still be doing the one metro run, I will still have the majority of the next two weeks open to me.

I want a drumcarder! *stomps feet like spoiled child* I want!-I want!-I want!

Until next time...

Cable is out, alternative activities-Spinning, fleece cleaning

So we turned on the tellie this morning and found nothing but snow...would rather have that on the ground, not in the TV. Upon calling Charter, the CS rep goes through a list of "Did you" questions. Did you move some funiture and disconnect the TV? Come on, I am not cenile! Is the TV hooked up to a VCR or switchbox? Is the VCR on or off? Is the switchbox in the correct position....on and on and....
Then when they could not find an issue, they told me they could not get someone out to check the cable until Tuesday afternoon between 1 and 5!!!! Okay...working lady here! I will not be home then! I told the lady that the cable box is not inside, so they should not need access indoors. TUESDAY! Come on now, just because we only have basic doesn't mean we are paying piss-poor basic-basic customer service! *smacking forhead* I find that to be completely rediculous. WHen another cable company comes into town, we are soooo switching! The only channel we can get is a local channel, and even that is really snowy. I think someone has tried to hook into our cable service because if we didn't have ANY service, we would not be getting just that local one. You'd think Charter would be concerned over that idea. Nope.

So, here is what I have been doing to occupy myself. Who needs TV when you are a Crafting Goddess!



This morning I met with the lady who brought the shetland up from an Indiana farmer. Here is a picture of some of it all cleaned up and drying. Droooool! It is soooooo soft! Nothing like what I got at the sheep and wool festival. That's the next picture under the yummy one. THAT is one horrible ass fleece. Very course, very nasty looking, very useless.


























And I finally got around to plying up the alpaca and silk. This is a before dyeing picture as it soaks in some synthrapol water. Yummy!

I also got a bunch of BFL carded into rolags and have begun spinning that up. I dunno which I will be sending to my Spin me a Treasure pal....HUmmmm....shetland....BFL? Shetland.....BFL? Both??

I ordered some ladder yarn from Knitpicks.com yesterday as it was on sale for $1.99. I want to make the blue wrap that can be found in Ribbon Style...of which I also ordered from the bookclub (crafterschoice.com) as they have a promotion of no pay till March. For once the place has something I actually want! It's a rarity with them. I think they are a closeout kind-of-club because they have some of the worst crafting books around, usually. I have a bunch of fat blue ladder yarn already, I just need some of the smaller stuff. For $1.99 a ball...that can't be beat!

Payday was really nice this time around. That extra work I had been doing really paid off. I was able to put a nice chunk of it back. If I am able to keep doing that same bit of extra driving, I may just have a drum carder by the end of the year! If I can manage to keep my grubby hands off my savings stash...grrrrrrrrr *slap-slap*-No-NO!

LMAO!

O! I heard from my Spin me a Treasure secret pal person today! YAY! I was beginning to wonder if perhaps the person they assigned backed out. NOPE! Hurray! I was just thinking about contacting the hostess to inquire about it today while I was cleaning the fleece. Luckily it slipped my mind and there was an email from her! She's reading my blog too, she says. *looks around...supsiciously* Who could she be? OOOo exciting!!!!

Until next time...

Spin me a treasure is finally a go! And foggy...

Yeah! I got my assigned a spin-me-a-treasure swap partner, and it turned out to be a mystery swap! So I contacted my person and left a couple of nice messages...anonymously.
Now...where is my mystery person? *feeling ignored*

Yesterday it was foggy all day...and the sun has not been out all week. Where are you sun! I am a solar powered being...I need sun to function!!! But the day had a very mystical feel to it. That was cool.

I finished another pair of socks. These are quite a bit lighter than the ones I knit out of my own spun yarn. Oh yeah, speaking of those, I showed them off at the Madison Knitting Guild along with my Wing-of the Moth shawl in progress. Wouldn't you know, the date I decide to show off my goodies, a camera crew from the public access channels is there...filming... *shys away to a dark corner* CRAP! And all day I debated with myself...should I do the show and tell? Nah, I don't need too....well maybe I will...and back and forth all day. They take pictures of what is shown, so I will post a copy of those when they get onto the MKG website.

I also want to organize my altar area. I want to take all the crap out from the shelf underneath the altar and place all my herb jars there instead. Right now they are still in the box we moved them into for moving. I want them out where I can see them and smell them on demand. And while I do this I will be listening to the book on CD by Dean Koontz-The Husband. OOOOoooo! Now I just have to get my ass of the damned computer and do it!!

I made some awesome soup last night. We are living off of it for the next two days till payday comes and allows us to buy some real food. LOL It is a miso/egg drop soup, with pepper, sushi seaweed wrapper ripped up, and added some garlic and tomato Polenta to it instead of tofu because we don't have tofu. The Polenta has been in the fridge for almost a year. The expiration date on it is FEB 2006. LMAO! But it was unopened and it tasted fine and it made a nice addition to the soup! I don't think Miso paste ever expires...that shit has soo much sodium in it that it would probably survive a nuclear explosion!

Until next time...

Spin-Me-a-Treasure has begun!

I finally got my buddy information (shhhhh! Tis a secret!!)

I've got soem loverly new fleeces that I am purchasing this weekend. The lady was kind enough to send me samples AND send the fleeces I wanted with a friend to the city I live in so I would not have to pay shipping!! Wonderful woman that Charlotte from Indiana is!! That way I am able to get twice as much fleece than I would normally because shipping is so much these days. The sellers can't help it, shipping costs keep rising. They keep raising the postage stamps every year now. *sigh*

Anyhoo, I cannot wait to get my hands in this new fiber!

Until next time...