Summer Games #2

Phew...This was NOT very easy for me to get started, I have to say! But once I got started, I was on a roll.


1. Chamber of Secrets
2. Harry Potter
3. Ron Weasley
4. Hermione Granger
5. Gryffindor
6. Dark Arts
7. Gilderoy Lockhart
8. Chamber of Secrets
9. House Elf
10. Harry Potter
11. Moaning Myrtle
12. Harry Potter
13. Ron Weasley
14. Harry Potter
15. Voldemort
16. Horcrux
17. Ron Weasley
18. Ginny Weasley
19. Gilderoy Lockhart
20. Prisoner of Azkaban


In the second volume of the HP books by JK Rowling, The (#1)Chrome Cab Festers, we continue to learn the incredible adventures of Hogwarts student (#2) Parry He Trot and his friends (#3) Oral Weensy and (#4) Angering Her More. Belonging to the house of (#5) Dry Off Grin, they attend Defense Against the (#6) Ark Darts taught by Wizarding celebrity (#7) Oracle Dorky Light, a none-too-bright fellow who cannot even handle pixies!
In The (#8) Chrome Cab Festers, we also meet Dobby a (#9)See Flu Oh for the first time. Determined Dobby seeks to sabotage the return of (#10) Parry He Trot to Hogwarts and is pretty persistent but is unsuccessful. After a few weeks at school, the deceased Ravenclaw student who haunts the girls lavatory, also known as (#11) My Molten Grain, shows (#12) Parry He Trot and (#13) Oral Weensy an old empty diary that dropped through her ghostly form out of thin air!
Many nifty things continue to happen for the next several months… we won’t go into all the juicy details right now… however, the ending is prime reading indeed!! (#14) Parry He Trot finally kills Tom Riddle’s (a.k.a #15 Mold Voter) sneaky diary (which we now know is a #16 Crux Rho) and saves the sister of (#17) Oral Weensy, (#18) Gayly Nine Sew!!!
Oh! Of course, we must mention that the thickheaded (#19) Oracle Dorky Light unintentionally erased his own memory, so he won’t be back for book three, The (#20) Snob In A Froze Parka…

My lie...

Nobody guessed mine! My lie was number 3. My middle name is NOT Beulah. That is, however, what my father wanted to name me. I still don't know why... My middle name is Paige. So, yes. I *can* cross my toes, I *do* change the sheets at 3 a.m. if they're wrinkled, and as for photos? Far more get deleted than get kept. I was never so thankful as the day that we converted to digital photography!!!

Vegas, so far.

Thursday morning we were up at four to get to the airport on time. We had just enough time to get through the airport security, get a bagel, and board the plane. Perfect timing! I took a couple small naps on the plane, knitted a little, and looked out the window to see this:We got to Vegas, and Lucy picked us up at baggage claim, where I started to cry like a baby when I saw her. Oy. LOL! I finally composed myself, and away we went to the hotel. We got there at around 10:30, so we couldn't check in yet. We checked our bags with the baggage handlers, and went to breakfast with Lucy. After that, I walked her back to her car so she could go back to work, while Jake got us checked in. We went up to our room, and this was the view out of our window:

Thursday night, Lucy picked us up at six when she got out of work. We went to her place to visit for a while, and got some Chipotle. Jake and I hadn't had it before, so it was quite a treat for us. So yummy!!! Around 10 (which felt like 1 a.m. to us) we went back to our room. This is what it looks like at night:

So pretty! We're facing New York, New York; MGM Grand, and Paris. We can see lots of fun places out of our window.

Friday we spent the morning walking around the strip and doing souvenier shopping. We're now finished with that, which is nice. We don't need to worry about running around like crazy next Sunday to get gifts for people! Friday night, we went to dinner with Lucy and Mauricio at a local Mexican restaurant which was very good. Then, we went to Town Square (I think that was the name... Lucy will correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure. By the way, what was the name of the restaurant???) I needed makeup brushes, because I managed to forget mine at home, then we saw "Year 1" at the movie theater. I loved it, but then again, I love every movie that Michael Cera does.

Saturday, we wandered the strip some more, and had a lot of fun exploring the M&M World. Here's a photo of Jake with the yellow M:

Later on (around 5) Vanessa (sinknitty on Rav) picked me up at the hotel, and we went to Batista's for dinner. It's a great little hole in the wall Italian place. There was a tiny old man with an accordian who cracked me up. Dinner was great, and from there we went to Fremont Street. We had a vampire (a cosmo, but with black raspberry instead of triple sec. Very yummy) in a cute little bar, then walked Fremont. Being the tourist that I am, I took photos of all the pretty lights. But I'll spare you those. Instead, I'll show you Vanessa and I posing with a couple Chippendale models, how's that sound? Good? Good. Take a look...

Sigh...Good times, good times. Hahaha. We had so much fun! I can't wait to move here so I can spend more time with her, she's a blast. Oh, and there's another photo of just me with the boys. And they grabbed my butt! When I told Jake, he just shook his head, and laughed at me.

Today is Sunday, and Father's Day. Lucy will be coming over to the hotel after she spends some time with her Dad. Then, we'll work out our plans for the coming week. Can't wait to figure out all the fun things for the rest of the week!!!

Summer Games #1

Part 1- Ten Things In Your Trunk ("R")

1. Rubber bands (long hair gets hot in the summer!)
2. Rope, to make a hammock
3. Ranch dressing, in case there are veggies to eat up. Mmm...
4. Robert Frost poetry. Need something to read!
5. Radio, because music is like air to me.
6. rook from my chess set...don't know HOW that got in there...
7. rupees from my last trip to Nepal
8. my fishing Rod
9. a Right shoe with no mate. How does this HAPPEN to me? Did I pack in the dark?!?

10. Road map to the nearest mall. I don't do well without shopping around me. ;)

Part 2- "Wingo"...One space shy of a blackout. Bummer.

Part 3- Commenting on your spoiler/ee's projects.

Spoiler- Olive Bumblebirch. I commented on her Celtic Tote, which is GORGEOUS! Go look at it if you get a chance!

Spoilee- Patonga Pinkstone. Did you know that she makes tons of beautiful socks? I commented on her Serendipities Socks. It was hard not to comment on all of them, because they all deserve mention!

Need help with "Wingo"?

W1- I live in NE Connecticut, so if you're within 100 miles of there, there you go...
W2- Yes, I'm a Ravenclaw
W3- Ram
W4- Yes
W5- Yes
I1- Yes, if you count quidditch played in HSKS
I2- No, just one brother, unless my "in-laws" count, which I doubt.
I3- No
I4- August
I5- No.
N1- chocolate, Spangler's Circus Peanuts, ice cream, gummy candies, jelly belly jelly beans
N2- No
N3- No
N4- Clarinet, poorly
N5- Not unless novelty trains at theme parks or retired train cars turned into diners count.
G1- No
G2- 238
G3- yes
G4- No, I left my owl at home
G5- A little French, a little Latin, a little Polish
O1- USA
O2- No
O3- Clowns
O4- No
O5- No


I hope these answers helped someone. :)

Three Truths and a Lie

(About Me, obviously)
1. I can cross my pinky toes. The way that most people cross their fingers.
2. I hate the way I look in photographs. That's why there are so few of me.
3. My middle name is Beulah. My father chose it.
4. I'm neurotic about my bedsheets, and will change them at 3 in the morning if need be.


No playing, Draco.

Wish List

Some ideas, to aid anyone wishing to gift me...

• Dark Chocolate (no nuts, please)
• Journals. I love to write, and am working on my first novel as well as an anthology of poetry.
• I love wooden needles and hooks, and am slowly trying to convert all of my crochet hooks to wood. I love the Brittany hooks, but they're all I've tried. I've got a wooden "g" hook. More for my collection would be lovely.
• Much like the journals, I love new pens. I like to try all kinds. I'm a tactile person, and write on paper, then transfer it to the computer- rather than just writing there straight away.
• My favorite yarns are Cascade 220 and Malabrigo. I'd also enjoy checking out new laceweight yarns, or new cottons. I've pretty much only tried Sugar 'n' Cream and Peaches 'n' Cream. I like to make washcloths, dishcloths and market bags though, which all lend themselves to cotton.
• Here's a link to my Amazon wishlist: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html?ie=UTF8&type=wishlist&id=2P4RXSQLQMML3
• And Loopy Ewe... http://www.theloopyewe.com/wishlist/show/20135/?token=ea5fadf058eb
• And finally, Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/favorite_listings_public.php?user_id=5330998
• As for bags, I adore everything I've seen or bought at both Slipped Stitch Designs and Julip Bags. In my opinion, one can never have too many bags.
• I love fun, kitchy designs, as well as geometric prints...
• I also love to sew and adore fabric.

I have no allergies, but can't drink coffee or tea, and don't like nuts, except cashews. :) Thanks for looking, happy swapping!

Thankful for women.

I've been reminiscing the past few days, and am finding myself waxing nostalgic. I never had many female friends as a teen, or until recently, really. I tend to vascillate between surrounding myself with men, and being a self-proclaimed "loner". The longest friendship I've ever had is with my husband, and he and I have no similar hobbies or pastimes.

Recently, I've found myself with girlfriends for the first time. I met Lucy a little over a year ago, and we're now inseperable even though there is an entire continent between us. I think about her, how she's doing, what's going on in her day. I do this every day. Her being pervades my existance in the strangest ways. Ways that no friend has ever done before. It makes me realize that I've always been a solitary creature, even when surrounded by people. Lucy will say something in passing that seems insignifigant, and then weeks later, something will remind me of it, and I laugh for a while to myself. It's like I'm suddenly a part of something that I never understood, or particularly wanted to be a part of.

Then there's Heather. I find myself linked to her as well. On paper, we have many differences. And yet, we mesh so very well. I wonder if that's because of our commonalities, or the differences? If I'm having a particularly difficult day, I can take solace in the knowledge that if I were to call Heather, she'd be able to relate experiences so similar that she could be telling my story. And after many conversations with her, I know that it's the same for her. We've become a boon to each other in our difficult days. Again, something I never knew I needed. I've always felt that my problems are no one's but my own, and that I'd soldier through to the other side. No one wanted to hear about my problems, they had plenty of their own. I never knew how liberating those two little words could be... "Me too!"

Jessi is my local mom friend. It's so wonderful to be able to call someone and say "I'm about to lose my mind. Can you stop by and hang out for a few minutes so I can talk to an adult?" To have someone to make plans with so that the kids can play together, and stop making each other crazy. That's incredible. And she's so funny! And witty, and smart, and charming. And she looks at things differently than I do, which helps me look at things from a different point. And when I'm having a rough patch dealing with my husband, there are again those two little words that keep me from feeling like I'm on an island to myself.

My knitting group on Saturday mornings is filled with such diverse, incredible, intelligent women. I love spending time with them. I always come away with something that helps me get through the rest of the week. All of these women fill my heart with such joy, and I just don't know how I ever thought that life was easier without girlfriends.

I've come to a realization these past few days. Life isn't easier without girlfriends. I always said "Women are so catty. That's why I'm friends with guys." Maybe I just didn't know the right women. These women I've chosen to surround myself with have been nothing but a boon to me, and I hope I've been the same to them. It is so liberating to be able to speak my mind, and say things that I thought I must be the only one thinking, just to be answered with "Me too." How refreshing. Looking back, I can't understand how I ever survived the length of time I did without girlfriends. Or, more specifically...without THESE girlfriends.

If you're reading...I love you all.

15 in 15...

15 Books in 15 Minutes
Saw this question on another blog that I read and thought it would be great to answer.
“This can be a quick one. Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.”
1. The Great Gatsby- F Scott Fitzgerald
2. A Fine Balance- Rohinton Mistry
3. The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down- Anne Fadiman
4. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone- JK Rowling
5. Island of the Blue Dolphin- Scott O'Dell
6. The Hobbit- JRR Tolkein
7. The Book of Ruth- The Bible
8. The Five Love Languages- Dr Gary Chapman
9. New Hope for People with Bipolar Disorder- Jan Fawcett, et al.
10. America's Women- Gail Collins
11. As I Lay Dying- William Faulkner
12. Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte
13. Wicked- Gregory Maguire
14. To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee
15. Merry Wives of Windsor- William Shakespeare