Yesterday at work, I inherited a little black kitten.
A co-worker's girlfriend, was in a car accident on Thursday. About the time the co-worker arrived on the scene, the girlfriend tracked down a mewling sound she'd been hearing and pulled a black kitten out of a thorn bush near the accident site. They took it home, had an adventure getting him out of the dash of my co-worker's car, and fed it some milk/kept it overnight and then brought it to work hoping I would adopt it. (Obviously, I'm known as the crazy cat lady.) It's not known yet if I'm fostering him for a little while or if the folks that found him would like to keep him.
He's pretty cute. He's also pretty young. I'm guessing four weeks. Maybe a small 5 if we're lucky. But he has big paws. And is Extremely curious.
He likes to climb and jump (more like hopping at this age).
I checked him over and chased him around the co-worker's cube for a bit and then got the feeling he needed a litter box. Took him to the bathroom and did the mama-cat thing with a warm, wet paper towel and he pee'd for about a minute. VERY polite of him to hold it, but we'll have to introduce him to kitty litter.
We did a very quick trip to the vet for a temperature check (he felt hot to me) and made a real appointment for Monday. Off to Petsmart for some KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement) and kitten chow. When we got home, he figured out how to lap up water from a bowl and he then happily lapped up some KMR.
We shifted him to our very small master bath and he explored every corner. He started playing there, attacking a wand with leather strings attached and giving the bathroom scale what-for. Sorry - I don't have pictures of this bit of kitty-blossoming and comfort. He discovered the kitty-bed I'd brought in and did a very little bit of kneading and even purring(!!) followed by a light nap. More play - attacking my waggling fingers gently and giving my knuckles kitty kisses (licks). Then he crawled up my shirt to my neck (he'd done this a couple of times) but instead of general snuffling and looking for where to leap next, he curled up and took a nap. I had a book (I came prepared) but I ended up snoozing some too whilst sitting on the tile floor with my back to the wall and a little black kitten curled against my neck.
The bigger cat-boys finally noticed LBK for the loud echo-y mews he voiced after he took a longer nap in the bathroom kitty bed but awoke to find me gone. They've been lounging outside closed doors and having quiet conversations with LBK under doors. If we do keep LBK - I'm trying to figure out the food logistics.
DH and I rearranged the Computer room a bit and pulled out the pop-up trundle bed that I didn't want LBK crawling around under (those big springs and those little legs [shudder]). LBK has had a grand time exploring the majority of the computer room. He's had some more KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement) and even some slightly watered down kitten chow - we even heard some quiet kitty chow crunching! I'll feel better when he uses the litter box. No accidents yet - he just hasn't figured out the litter box.
He does like to keep himself clean and gives himself baths regularly. (Interesting for such a young kitten).
He's been playing with a variety of kitty toys I brought in but he's particularly tickled with this kitty condo....
Someone sent this to me and I had to watch it several times.
I love the premise of the "surprise" public dance number and here's the Sound of Music - Antwerp Station. Yes, there's some childhood nostalgia involved in my delight - but they did a grand job.
I can't remember how I got exposed to this video, but this gent pulled off Nessun Dorma quite handily and the performance gave me chills. I LOVE the crowd and the judge's reactions: Paul Potts from Britain's Got Talent. LOOK - I HAVE PROOF. My knitting addiction is Good for Me!! . ;-) CBS did this article on how good knitting is for your health! Knitting and the daily dark chocolate ought to keep me going well into my 90's!
A friend sent me this link over a year ago. Shame on me for not checking into it sooner. Sophie Milman has an impressive, sultry, and smoooooth voice. Yummy!
I'm gonna track down some CDs!
Another Impressive Canadian: This is an interview with the Mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion - she's a keeper! (I have serious doubts that chocolate and knitting will have me quite this spry at 88...).
On the knitting front - wishful thinking.
(**Caution** - serious knit geekyness abounds in the remainder of today's blog!!**)
I was pondering quite seriously if I should attend the Sock Summit 2009 in Oregon.
I was intrigued by several classes:
"Knitting for Speed and Efficiency" (t'would be spiffy to improve my knitting time...),
"Rivendell and Beyond" (coaching on a very spiffy Tolkien/Elvish sock pattern),
"Arch-Shaped Stockings" (this one was likely out of my knit-league, but the pattern is entirely cool),
"Dancing with Socks" (probably a whole new way to view socks...but probably not something I should ponder deeply until heel-turns don't make me stare at instructions for an hour...)
The list goes on and on and on...
However the reality being - I'm only just barely finishing the toes of my second pair of socks.
AND...
I'd noted the number of folks in the Ravelry Sock Summit discussion group (2600 +) and wasn't too surprised to watch the classes and all the special events fill up and sell out yesterday in very short order.
I'm disappointed - but a little relieved. I can finish my 2nd pair of socks and start on my 3rd pair ; gift socks - and for much bigger feet too - more of a challenge!
Maybe they'll record the Luminaries event and make it available for viewing/purchase for those of us that can't attend but recognize what we're missing.
And I can pursue my knit-education in some other ways:
I understand there's a video of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee knitting at warp speed - maybe I can slow it down (A LOT) and pick up pointers.
I can order the Rivendell sock pattern and marvel at it's beauty and maybe give it a shot. I'm actually pretty decent at figuring out patterns. (i.e. stubborn and not entirely dense)
I'll have more time to read Cat Bordhi's latest sock book...and more about EZ's spiffy Arch socks.
And not attending greatly reduces the possibility of excessive stuttering on my part or walking into door jambs in the presence of all the Knitterly-gurus I admire so much.
I was considering the "Sock Heels" class to be the cure to my heel-turn angst.
However, there's hope for this class... this class is taught by our own Tucson Knit and Pod Cast Dignitary, Heather Ordover. I'm hoping she'll teach this one in Tucson at Kiwi.
Enough of the Sock Summit lament. We'll see what happens next year.
In the mean-time - snoozy kitty keeping me company as I blog:
I've survived another round of bi-annual changes in my job/industry.
(It's similar to how tax time is for accounting-types.)
Anyway - I'm still alive and I'm getting a grip on the fun things in life that I've been neglecting and I'm beginning to sleep again.
So...what's been happening?
I have been sneaking in some crafting. (What else is insomnia good for, I ask you?)
I did some charity walking/knitting.
I tripped over some delightful blog stuff that made me laugh, smile/cry.
We didn't have a block party...
Stuff is still blooming in Arizona
CooPurr continues to adapt to his new home
1. CRAFTING:
I finished a Double Moebius Basket for a friend's B-day (yes, I was a little late).
This basket is also described in Cat Bordhi's Second Treasury of Magical Knitting book as
the "Moebius Fanny Basket (U.S.)" or
the "Moebius Bum Basket (Canada)" or...
the "Moebiass (Pardon My French)" (grin). I kid you not.
Honestly - Ms. Bordhi's project description/write up in the book is a HOOT. Too fun - giggles gifted easily.
And my friend seemed quite tickled with her new Moebiass basket.
The "half-assed" version!
(Ha - couldn't resist!)
Pre-felted stage of the Moebiass basket.
(And an odd-skein-of-yarn moebius experiment.)
Balloons are used to give the basket some shape as it dries.
(Yes, I do recognize this resembles a different anatomical feature just now.
Leave it be...;-) .)
Another (late) b-day gift is done being stitched, but I still need to "finish" it to cover the back and add the bookmark ribbon.
And I finished MY, to-keep, for-me, Knit Dr. Bag!
I put 3 pockets inside! I needle-felted my initial on one so we'd always know, at a glance, which was mine and which was my friend's (her's carries her initial too).
2. CHARITY:
I got permission from the amazing Ms. Bordhi to create two Moebius baskets to be auctioned/gifted from the Memories and Music VII concert.
I'm hoping we can help inspire folks to give generously to the Underinsured Cancer Patient Fund via the Academy for Cancer Wellness.
We'll see how it goes this Saturday evening.
I beaded the red one - I believe it will be in the silent auction!
The purple basket with the silver Moonlight yarn knit into the rim should be one of the door prizes.
I put a note in each one that says:
"Knitted/Felted Moebius basket from "A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting" by Cat Bordhi
Crafted by "me-self" for the Academy for Cancer Wellness (with Cat Bordhi's blessing)
I also walked in my first Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
With the help of many lovely souls, I was able to raise $200.00 for the fund.
One of my co-workers/co-walkers is a 5-year breast cancer survivor. I walked to honor her and for my many friends and family affected by this disease.
I was impressed with the joint effort and organization displayed by the various groups that put together the walk. I've walked in numerous other charity walks, but this one was the largest and was very well organized!
One of the radio stations put together a "Bras on Broadway" display to raise breast cancer awareness/show support of the walk. (Technically, the bras were a little south of Broadway... [Tucson pun intended...]).
Yep, those "flags" on the golf course fence are hundreds bras in all shapes, sizes and colors strung together...
I walked with a group of people from work. One of our walkers had her ?niece's? school project pinned to her right shoulder...see it? Pictures were taken and stories will be told about the little paper-person's travels!
Check out the line of walkers that have already turned the corner - I heard there were over 14,000 people walking!
This is a belated reverse shot of the finish-line. I was distracted with my knitting and did a poor job of documenting the culmination of our lengthy walk.
As noted, I did a little knitting on the walk! I finished the fun-fur scarf that was a little better than half way done at the start of the walk (it was the only "pink" thing I could find to knit on at short-notice).
Folks commented on my ability to "walk and knit at the same time".
I responded with comments like "But you'll note I'm not chewing gum..." or "It's pink...".
When I finished the scarf, I worked a bit on my 2nd pair of socks...
3. Fun On-Line stuff:
I have been enamored with Lea Salonga's voice for years ("Miss Saigon", "Les Miserables", various Disney Movies). This charming video is from her wedding. Again, what a voice! But I LOVE how her new husband's feelings are so sweetly evident (Kleenex Alert!!) as she sings "Two Words".
Ever Green Knits made me laugh out loud with delight at her talented crafting with an ironic twist (pun intended!!): "The Beast Cycle".
4. Block Party! Not!!
A semi-new neighbor up the street... ok, the friend of the semi-new neighbor, handed out Block Party invites in March to have us gather a few weeks later.
I discussed it a bit with my wise, most neighborly neighbor and we plotted to cook and go to the party together.
However...the Block Party was a bit light on attendees...and Hosts.
Yep - we went to the house that had issued the invite-flyers and no one was there. We called the cell phone number on the flyer - no one answered. Hmmmm.
We wandered down to the end of the street to check in with a gent-neighbor we knew. He was also puzzled by the lack of party. Well - we had all this baking-n-such so we dropped some off with him. (I'd made Hawaiian Short Bread and Mexican Corn Bread.)
He gifted us with Lemons and Oranges from his back-yard trees!
On the way back up the street, we met up with some other foiled-block-party-attendees.
More goodies were exchanged...
(Guess who found out there is a professional baker living right up the street!?!?)
I dropped off the last of my shortbread/cornbread with the next door neighbors who were just about to come find the party....and later that day, they sent over a big tub of yummy pasta salad!
As a block party, it was a bust. But we did get to meet/visit with some of our neighbors and we were treated to some yummy food and fruit.
We later heard the semi-new neighbors had had to cancel the party to attend another function. Uh-huh.
5. BLOOMING:
And we're still having some Spring here in Tucson:
Mesquite Tree Blossoms.
(Yeah, I know - more pollen...)
This particular brand of cholla has kind of purple-ish branches, save for the new growth, which is green.
Spring is inside too!
6. Kitty Pictures!
Lastly, CooPurr and BobCat seem to have adapted well to each other. BobCat likes to clean CooPurr's ears. If CooPurr doesn't feel like having his ears cleaned, he goes for higher ground (usually the dining room table) - where BobCat it a bit too old and stiff to follow.
Typical cat response to the camera - has to come see what I'm doing.
And we're still exploring CooPurr's penchant for "Wool".
The DH gifted CooPurr an old wool sweater he hasn't worn in a while.
