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Fallen soldiers:

All the faces here. I remain ashamed.

Know what I scored over the weekend? This:

The Hoover FloorMate, wet AND dry pickup features. Dude. I’ve been wanting this forever.

$162.39 at Target.

Know what I got it for?

FREE!

Yup. Sitting on a sidewalk in Oakland. We were walking back to La’s house after coffee, and went to investigate (it had already been spotted on our way out). We had no way of knowing whether or not it worked, but decided we might as well try it, and then a nice lil lady popped out and said, "Hey! It works! My girlfriend and I bought something better, that’s the only reason we’re throwing it out. Do you need hardwood floor cleaner? Hang on!"

It was rad. Now I have to figger out how to work the sucker. Can you believe I haven’t yet? That’s only because I started on the Mamluke Socks from Folk Socks, and I’ve been working on the stranding (and sizing issues — I’ve restarted it three times — I think it’s going to be happy on size 0s).

I have a HOOVER! The one I wanted! I need to go buy a lottery ticket. (Also, I have to say I adore a girl who investigates sidewalk goodies with me — we found her an antique upholstered (gold brocade) chair the other day….)

I made a sweater for Lala!

She’s doing the Rachael! (Well, yeah. Heh.)

Anyway.

Specs: 
Pattern: Dixter, Jaeger JB20
Yarn: Filatura Di Crosa Primo, Gravel Grey, 15 balls
Gauge: To pattern, 5spi, I think. Maybe 4. Pattern’s in the car and I’m lazy.
Needles: 8US. Dude! 8!! I haven’t used 8s in forEVER.

She’s a cold little thing, so she loves the wool. And I should get a closeup of the buttons — they’re old-west-type stars. We went on a walk around Lake Temescal today with the dogs, and she said she was warm enough. She rarely says that when we’re outside on an overcast day.

It’s pretty there, look:

And in the heart of Oakland! Who knew?

And one more. I think she likes it:

20-17, in overtime.
Yeah, baby.

I want a iPod shuffle so bad I can’t stand it. I don’t even have a reg’lar iPod, don’t really see the need, but this is small and cheap, and I could run with it, and it would be PSYCHIC. At least I hope it would be. (It doesn’t hit Apple stores until the end of the month. Don’t ask me how I know.)

I ordered yarn. A mess of it. I’m too ashamed to talk about it. More when I’m strong again.

So this is what I remember of what Kira made for me and her wife Rachel the other night. Bhindi masala, which is lovely stir-fried crunchy okra with onions and maybe garlic, mustard seeds, and other spices which I shall not try to remember, for I shall fail. She also (I do have a point here) made us potatoes with peas and lots of Indian spices, and this incredible rice with almonds, cranberries and raisins. Everything worked together. Every flavor supported the next.

I tried to duplicate that two nights ago. Yes, I did. And all shall be impressed when I say that I made a three course meal, just for me. I made: Tater tots, followed by some lovely chicken nuggets. I had ketchup, too. And salt, I believe. And a V8 for health. And then, to top it off? I made peach jello. It is, you know, the very pinnacle of class (say: closs)  to realize that you own a tin of fruit that has made perhaps three moves with you, and that it will go perfectly in that peach jello.

Someone told me that it was the kind of meal with which I should have bought my pint of milk and gone to my hiding place on the playground where the bullies wouldn’t find me. I, however, prefer to think of it as truck-stop food, diesels rumbling outside, the waitress calling me "kiddo" and offering me apple pie while she scratches her left ear with her pen.

Before you worry, I do have a salad at least once a week to stave off the scurvy. And I take vitamins. Yep. Health. It’s hard work.

Happy weekend, all. Knit! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do (which means you can holler at the sliver of the moon, but for god’s sake don’t think about the [silk] yarn you just ordered).