Rachael

You are very nice about the hat. Thank you. I blush. Ahem. Anyway.

It’s my last day off before the new week starts, and I’m determined to enjoy it. The house is toasty warm because I’ve decided that paying for heat is a good idea, and I keep it running when I’m home. I understand that the fact that Lala’s car has a frosty sheen on the roof isn’t that impressive to most readers of this blog, but we take what kind of cold we can get here in California.

The Waylon cat is sitting on the arm of my chair and is watching the street. He jumped up a minute ago and I shooed him away — he was litter-box stinky, and that’s not okay. He went away, cleaned up and made himself arm-chair-worthy and is now back with me.

I’m going to sit and type a bit, and drink coffee for a while, maybe read some blogs. I love the unhurriedness of this kind of morning. I have to do laundry and make some food, and I’d love to get an oil change, but whatever. Dogs need to go for a walk — that will be fun.

Yesterday I went to the city to have lunch with Lala. We walked down Market to get a burrito (Tacqueria Cancun, best veggie burrito in the world, grilled tortilla, half an avocado in every one), and then, because I find the 6th and Market location rather grim, we walked up to Union Square to picnic. Man, it’s been a long time since I sat in that square during the day. They’ve really done it up nicely, haven’t they? Nice tables, plenty of sitting room. Reminded me of those public spaces New York and Venice have everywhere, pockets of outdoor space where people meet, hang out, drink coffee or wine, and watch people go by. It felt delicious (and tasted the same way, actually. Damn good burrito).

Then I went to Tiffany’s. Why do their diamonds sparkle more than anyone else’s? Also delicious.

Then I spent too much time in the mall. I have to remember that it’s usually a bad idea for me to go to the movies inside a mall, even if it’s the Westfield at Powell Street. It’s still a mall, and I exit the premises with a head and neck ache, probably from being overwhelmed with How Cool I Could Be with a trillion more dollars. That’s something that doesn’t usually affect me, so I dislike it a LOT when it happens.

However, the movie I saw, 27 Dresses, could have had something to do with that feeling. Lord. Anyone else? I’d been so looking forward to it — I know it didn’t get good reviews, but Katherine Heigel? Who cares? It’s about weddings! She’s in it! How bad could it blow?

Oh, it badly blew. Horrible writing, bad acting, dismal moral messages, just very sad.

SPOILER ALERT

The worst part is where she destroys her sister’s attempt at happiness, then realizes it and apologizes. Her sister goes I HATE YOU but oh, I guess I love you anyway. That’s just about as deep as the movie got. No one would do any of the things they did in that movie. It offended me.

But. It was still fun, watching her — she’s so pretty! And who doesn’t love a wedding movie? Just…. not worth it.

Did you know that when you leave the mall, heading underground to BART, you can still buy your emergency Elizabeth Arden products? From the vending machine?

I’m sure you feel better knowing that. I know Lala does. Dude.

Now, go see my friend Kate. Her brother has been recently diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, and she’s got a raffle going on to help the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society…. Chance to win yarn-goodness! Cute picture of them over there, too.

The hat you’ve been waiting for! Inspired by the gigantor paws of Mr. Digit, the magical cat Who Is Not Dead, I used a larger version of the classic Cat’s Paw lace motif and designed a hat for your cold noggin! It’s a super-quick knit, and you have plenty of yarn to cast on for one right NOW.

Click Here for The Digit Hat – $3.75

I made the green and gray ones out of stash Lamb’s Pride, worsted , took maybe half a skein each, maybe a little more. The light green/yellow one is out of Classic Elite Lush, and took a single ball (50g). You’re just like me — I know you have those precious balls of yarn, single skeins, and you don’t know what to do with them. This is just the ticket!

Wanna see how they look?

See? It’s lace, but light. Just gives it that flash of class, but doesn’t overdazzle.

Better view of Digit’s paw:

Hee!

And from the top (look at that angora halo, yum):

I made one in Paton’s Decor for my sister-in-law and I like the way the colors pooled:

I also thinks it looks fabulous on a cat named Waylon:

I would not dare do that to the hat’s namesake:

Wrong! Side! Of! Door! (Digit story here if you missed it)

Digit Hat Pattern

Enjoy! Hooray! (PS – I Ravelry’d it, too…. xox)

 

I am tired.

I want to write a good blog post, but I have lost all my good words. I can only think of ten-dollar words which in these days of inflation don’t mean that much anymore, and I’d use them wrong anyway because I am TIRED and I don’t even use forty-cent words right when I’m this tired.

Sixty hours worked in five days plus ten hours of commuting.

Only two more hours to go, and then I have three days off, hahlay-LOO-jeh.

Also, I am irritated.

I am irritated that I am at work during the Super Bowl (although I am on a shift-trade that I agreed to, so it’s my own damn fault). I would very much like to be home watching the game from my couch. As it is, I am trying to ignore the TV in here (they’ve nicely turned it way down for me, and I’m sitting as far from it as I possibly can), because my brother-in-law is going to wait on watching the game until I’m home tonight. We’re going to catch up with Tivo. But it is not the same, is it?

I am also irritated that I am reacting yet again to something. All itchy, my eye swollen, bumps on my arms. I ate some dip earlier that I’ve had before, only to learn that it was made with all low-fat ingredients this time. Low-fat mayo, low-fat cheese…. Low-fat equals chemicals and crap, and something that makes me want to rub my back all up and down my chair like a bear rubbing against a tree. Can’t take Benadryl — too tired, need to be able to drive for an hour after work. It’s not life-threatening, no lip/tongue swelling, just irritating.

I hope I can stay awake tonight to watch the game. Bah. Not even grumps, but just meh. I was talking to Lala on the phone earlier today, (I’ve seen her for a grand total of about eleven minutes this week) and I said something brilliant like, "Bleh."

She said, "What?"

I said, "I don’t know….. I just….. I’m….."

She said, "You’re tired and you don’t feel right."

Yes, that exactly, only I was too tired to figure that out.

I don’t want to knit. I don’t want to eat. I don’t want to edit (but I AM pleased that I’ve been progressing well with my re-write I’m working on — just don’t wanna right now). Less than two hours left. Can’t come soon enough.

And Celia’s having Super-Duper International Galactic Pajama Day. So is Erika. Man. Sigh. I hope they have some fun for me.

Oh! A reader (thanks Sharon!) just alerted me that today I’m in the Chicago Tribune! With my hot water bottle cozy pattern! I feel much better now. Yay!  (It’s funny, though. I usually tell people that I’ve been knitting for 30 years and that I learned at age 5. That sounds cool. The article just says I’ve been knitting for 30 years. That sounds quite different, I think.)

I am not a major Starbucks fan, but I will drink it if it’s an off day, a day I don’t feel well, not up to making my own tea or coffee. Yesterday I felt pretty sick on my way to work and stopped for a latte. Also picked up my new favorite thing: their bacon-egg-avocado-cheddar wrap. Oh, yes. It is as good as it sounds. No, better. Made me feel almost all better (is everyone fighting something off right now? Sheesh).

Also, the latest Reno 911 with the bulletproof vests for women? Funniest thing I’ve seen in a while.

Me: Working a lot this week. Sleepy. Making hats. It’s all good.

Plans for today: I will get the house semi-clean. I will not spend more than an hour doing this. Whatever goes over an hour, I will ignore for another week (a long work week coming up — expect radio silence from me). I will do a little work on the novel rewrite. I will cook some food for the coming week. That’s it. No more. Oh, yeah, laundry. Sigh. I will NOT be bogged down by chores! Only a little annoyed by them.

So for fun, guess what? More Fun With Hehu Animals!

I believe we’ve mentioned that Waylon is often wet. Let me show you why. Sometimes they’re gentle:

Sometimes they’re a little more into it (let me assure you, even though it doesn’t look like it, Waylon LOVES this and comes looking for more):

And lest this become a dog-blog (what? Too late you say?), a picture of my man, the most important creature in our house (Harriet would argue, but Digit could TAKE her if he wanted to. Which he doesn’t):

Our Digit

https://rachaelherron.com/plans-for-today/

Lovely day of nothing more than futzing around on the computer, making things look pretty. And we just went for a walk in the cold before going to the store to pick up goodies for a dinner party tonight. My computer said that it was going to rain, but it hasn’t — it’s just cool and there are amazing clouds. The dogs and I went up to the hill I can see from my writing room.

Yes, this week you’re getting dog photos. Because when you get one like this of the little Miss Idaho, what can you do but blog it?

HA!

And because I adore you and bow to your wishes, I show you that the cloche did NOT look good on me.

And this is how I felt about it:

No way. It DID however, look fantastic on my friend Marama, so it has a new home. Pattern was HERE, and it’s a good one. I just have too big a head.

Tonight, knitting and eating with friends, and I’m so happy about that.

https://rachaelherron.com/lovely-day-of-n/