The circle of life...

...and all that.

Our parakeet died last night. I wasn't sure I was even going to blog about this, but I think I will. White feathered with touches of blue, Whitey was purchased a long time ago by a woman who thought that parakeets were "shorttime" pets, like a hamster or gerbil. Two or three years tops, the woman thought. 13, maybe 14 years later, Whitey left this world to join her cagemate Budgie, who had died about four or five years earlier. I am, of course, that woman.

I had no idea that parakeets were such long lived pets, and that a little bundle of feathers that didn't like to be held or leave her cage, would weasle her way into our hearts. She chirped when we wanted to watch tv, she kicked seeds out of her cage, and I think she delighted in waiting until I finished dusting and vacuuming to ruffle herself, molting feathers that drifted slowly down from the second floor landing where she resided, to alight gently on the clean tile below. But still.... she was a part of the family. Always there, hopping from rung to rung, always ready to peer out at you from one eye or the other....

We loved you Whitey, and we'll miss you. I hope you're flying free on the other side, darting in and out of the branches with Budgie, enjoying the perfect afterlife of a parakeet.

Happy Birthday Roger!

My wonderful son turns 23 today, on the 23rd. I find that really nifty. It will only ever happen once like that.

Love you, Roger! You're a terrifically cool person and I'm happy you're in my life. Have a great day, and lots of fun this weekend.

Kitty snoozes

I folded laundry over the weekend and the cat decided it was an acceptable spot for slumber.



"What?"

Prom 2010

My daughter Katie and her friends at senior prom 4/17/2010.

Katie

Kasy and Katie

Amber and Katie

Kasy

The gang!

The theme was "A Night in Paris"

Party bus transportation!

Dance off

Such beautiful young women

A hug before prom from me!

Finished the back of Anise. Debating on whether to cast on for the left front, or to call it a night and go to bed.

(jeopardy music in background)

Bed wins.

Casting on

I have four current WIPs, so of course I had to start another. Yesterday I took the day off work, had lunch with my bff, and we trekked to Loops yarn store to fondle yarn and allow me the chance to buy the needles for Anise, by Sarah Hatton (Rowan Knits). I needed size 13 and 15, which are honking huge needles.

The pattern calls for Rowan Big Wool, but I substituted Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky. I think it will work out all right. I started yesterday and made good progress.

Now comes the hard part

This is the Presto Chango by Valerie Wallis. While the little one it's destined for is only 5 days old, it's a size 6 months, so he's got a while to grow.



I used one ball of KnitPicks Organic Simply Cotton Worsted in Toffee for the body and it wasn't enough. And since necessity is the mother of invention (and I was too impatient to order another ball), I improvised. The removable panel is Simply Cotton's Malted Milk, and to tie it into the sweater body, I single crocheted around the edges and side/underarm seams.

I think it's quite nice together.

All that's left to do is decide on the buttons, and that's really the hard part. Do you know how many different kinds of buttons there are in the world? All the colors and textures to be had? It's mind boggling. It's a-button shopping I must go, though. And here's why:

There are eight buttonholes that need filling.

I enjoyed this pattern so much I think I'll go stash diving and see if I have enough of anything to make a few more.