Trish Knits.com

Tag: cat

  • Flippin’ for Flip!

    Last week, I got a new video camera. I got the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, in pink. You know what? I didn’t want to like this camera. I really didn’t. But I can’t help myself. I LOVE it. I really do.

    Over the summer I got a different portable video camera, and I got it because it has several advantages over the Flip. One, it stores video to a memory card, which means you can swap cards on the fly without worrying about filling up the memory. Better for a full day of shooting, right? Also, it shoots video in full resolution, which could be better for showing on TV than the Flip. It was small, but a bit awkward, and the video quality wasn’t that great. In addition, and perhaps most important, I had a hard time holding and operating it.

    What do I like best about the Flip? Well, for one thing, it’s flippin’ cute. And it matches my Namaste Malibu Bag. But the camera is SO lightweight, it doesn’t weigh the bag down. It’s easy to hold and carry, to just whip out and take a quick little video just about anywhere. It also has its own on-board USB connector, so there are no cables to mess with and keep track of, either. This is a HUGE plus.

    I have the option of saving the video files as is to the computer, and then opening in my fancy video editing software to create fairly sophisticated movies. But, the option to take the easy way out is amazing. Plug in the camera, it launches its own software. Do a couple of basic editing tricks, save, and upload right to YouTube. Easy-Peasy! I hope maybe I’ll be able to add a couple of knitting related videos sometime soon, but I have to figure out what to do that hasn’t already been overdone. Stay tuned on that one!

    Yesterday morning we had an unexpected snow squall in the area. For some reason our town was particularly hard-hit. People not from the DC area always laugh at us and how we can’t handle the snow here. But the fact is, it’s warm here most of the time, so we’re not used to it. And, when we do get snow, it’s usually the heavy, wet, icy kind that makes for especially dangerous driving. Because yesterday’s snow was not predicted, the roads were not treated with chemicals in advance. So we got a light dusting, which turned to a thin glaze of ice on contact with vehicle tires. Accidents were everywhere in our neighborhood. Sometimes it’s the small snows around here that are the most dangerous, because in the really big ones, people have sense enough to stay home. Not so yesterday, so it was slow going.

    And thus, the occasion of yesterday’s snowfall was the reason for my first posted video from my new little Flip-friend:

    Not the most exciting piece of cinema in the world, but I really thought we’d be in for it since the sky was so dark. But, as quickly as it came, the sun came again. We wound up having a short day anyway, on account of a kid deciding to get a fever sometime between chapel and snack time yesterday. This morning I had to schlep him to the doctor in weather that was something-teen degrees. Sick kid with high fever and extreme cold are a bad combo. Steven has informed me that he would like everyone I know to cross their fingers on his behalf, because his birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese is set for this weekend, and he’s hoping we don’t have to reschedule. His dad and I, on the other hand, are hoping that we don’t get sick instead. So, either way, cross your fingers! We’re going to need all the luck we can get.

    It was so cold today that Tegan re-discovered her Cozy Cushion. She has spent this entire day curled up under my desk, at my feet.

    Tegan sleeping at my feet
    Tegan sleeping at my feet

    Poor thing, she’s so old and thin. She has been a wonderful companion her whole life. She follows me like a puppy. Everywhere. And she’s the noisy, fussy kind, so I feel like I always have someone to talk to. Something tells me the day will be here soon that I will be missing her very much, so for now, I’m trying to appreciate every moment.

    I wish I had a cozy cushion, too! I’m cold.

    Listen to this article
    Listen to this article

  • Off the Needles!

    Finally I have some progress to report on my daughter’s school spirit hat:

    hat off the needles
    hat off the needles

    I managed to bind it off today! Tomorrow morning, before work, I will attempt to create the words, “Lady Hawks” in duplicate stitch. I’ll be using an alphabet chart from Sarah Bradberry’s site. I’ll follow the tutorial on the Purl Bee site, which seems amazingly clear and makes it look easy enough. Still, I am a bit nervous. I’ve never done duplicate stitch before, so wish me luck.

    Tegan is fairly indifferent to my knitting apprehension:

    Tabby with eyes shut
    Tabby with eyes shut

    But hopefully all will be well and there will be an FO report soon.

    I’ve been having trouble focusing on blogging this week and I do apologize for that. But you see, I have a problem. It’s American Idol season, and for some reason I can’t turn my eyes from the sight of a train wreck. American Idol season usually means lots of knitting for me, though, so I’m going to have to squeeze the blogging in there somewhere!

    And, so, wish me luck on the hat. We’re expecting a cold snap just in time for the Inauguration festivities, as per usual, and my daughter cold use a bit of warm woolly love on her noggin.

    Listen to this article
    Listen to this article

  • Knitting in December

    Today was our monthly knitting group meetup at Borders in Bowie. It was a lot of fun! Today I got to meet THREE new folks: Melody, Iliana, and Diane. Our Bowie MD Knitters group at Ravelry is growing, thanks in part to the recruiting efforts of Marie.

    Here are the photos from today’s gathering:

    As usual, click on the photo to see a bigger version.

    It was snowing as we were all departing from group today. A perfect wintry ending to a wonderful December afternoon.

    Tegan is snoozing
    Tegan is snoozing

    Tegan decided she’d rather sleep through the whole thing.

    Listen to this article
    Listen to this article


  • We Got the Spirit!

    beginning of school spirit hat
    beginning of school spirit hat

    I started a new hat again! This time, it’s a plain stocking cap, in my daughter’s school colors. I plan to make a white band, and then write “Lady Hawks” in duplicate stitch on the front. I’m so bad at secrets. I was trying to keep this as a surprise for my daughter, but could not. So now she knows, sooner than I originally wanted her to. Oh well… at least she squeed with delight at the very thought of having her own custom hat in school colors. She said when her friends see it, they’re all going to want one. To which I taught her the appropriate response:

    “My mom can teach you how to knit.”

    You go, girl.

    Not much else going on. I’ve been in a bit of a funk for the last couple of weeks and I’m not feeling well. I have even less energy than usual and I would rather just crawl into bed and sleep for a week. Must be that Seasonal Affective Disorder kicking in. Ah yes. My favorite time of year.

    I gotta snap out of it quick, though. Just found out today that my DH’s entire family will all be in the same zip code for Thanksgiving Dinner… OURS! Egad. That’s the one thing about being in a wheelchair that makes life interesting sometimes. My house is the only one that is wheelchair accessible so everyone comes here. Not that I mind, except that my house looks like one giant attic that needs cleaning out. Wish us luck; it’s going to be a long month of house cleaning. But SO worth it in the end. I love my husband’s family.

    Tegan says:

    cat sitting inside a hat
    cat sitting inside a hat

    I’m off to bed early for a change. Catch you next time I’m more awake!

  • Cantaloupe Hat?

    top of hat in progress with orange and green colors
    top of hat in progress with orange and green colors

    Sometimes I think you just never know what you’re gonna end up with when you knit with Noro Kureyon yarn. I started my do-over of the top down, no swatch hat, and I’m using a different rainbow-y colorway. Well, wouldn’t you know, the oranges came out first, followed by the greens. Someone in the Noro dyeing department must have some kind of sense of humor, because now I know that I will be forever wearing the Cantaloupe Hat.

    Lucky me.

    In other knitting disaster news, my terminally pissed off 16-year-old grump cat PEED in the middle of my dining room table yesterday. What was in the middle of the dining room table, you ask? A pile of papers that I was dreading going through anyway, and the Ravelry Tote containing the BROWN RIPPLE AFGHAN! AAAARRRRRGH! By some amount of good grace only the bag itself got wet (and a ball of yarn that was in the very bottom soaked up the rest) and NONE of the offense wound up on the blanket itself.

    Before you go on wondering what in the heck I’m doing to my cat, or what might be wrong with her that she would do such a thing, let me say right off that she’s been to the vet LOTS and we can’t find anything medically wrong with her. She’s just mad at me for I don’t know what reason. She is anxiety prone and it is getting worse in her old age. And for the life of me, we’re trying to figure out what is setting her off. And we can’t. We’ve tried pheremone spray and anti anxiety meds. I don’t know if she’s having a territorial squabble with the other cat, or if something in the laundry room where her litterbox has always been is now scaring her. I’m going to have to try another litter pan, but that means putting it out in the open where company can see. My house is a completely open floorplan except for the bedrooms, which the cat is not allowed in because peeing in our beds is definitely a deal breaker for us.

    We’ve had this cat since she was about 6 weeks old. On the very first night, she snuggled up in our bed with us to go to sleep. In the middle of the night we were awakened by a really foul smell, and the sight of our teeny kitten dragging our blankets with all her might so she could cover up the poop she just made. I should have known then that someday the litterbox thing might come back to haunt us.

    Zoe the Cat
    Zoe the Cat
    Sorry for the kitty potty talk! I’m sure Miss Zoe would really love it that I am discussing her personal business with you. But hey. I’m at my wits end here. Cut me some slack, cat.