Inimitably Illi

Fancy a two-headed teddy bear? Get your fill with the Beeblebears! (Not Affiliated, Yada Yada.)

Two out of three finished so far.
1) A Basic Cable Hat

Pattern: Basic Cable Hat (Ravelry link)
Designer: Christine Quirion (Stitch ‘N Bitch Nation)
Yarn used: Lion Brand Baby Soft, in Pastel Pink

This was modified to make it small for a child and for the sport/DK weight yarn used. It’s a quick knit.

Pattern: Umbrella Lace Baby Hat (Ravelry link)
Designer: Leigh Radford (One Skein)
Yarn Used: Lion Brand Baby Soft, in Pastel Blue

Cute,  but the edge cast-on with the pattern is difficult for me to memorize, so it was a bit of a pain in the tootie.

While many fiber fans were at the Maryland Sheep & Wool festival, I was not. I was in Charleston, South Carolina, participating in the inaugural Charleston Dragon Boat Festival. Also our team’s first race of the year.

I drove down on Friday, and spent the night at a Comfort Inn that was rightnextdoor to the Tanger Outlet Mall. It was also extremely close to the airport, and the planes reminded us of that at a little after 6 am on Saturday morning. I had taken Friday off from work so I could drive down early and visit Knit, a local yarn store in Charleston. I found the staff polite and courteous but not particularly warm. I guess, when I say I’m from out of town, I would expect someone to say welcome to the city or something but maybe they’re overdosed on the tourists. Or maybe I was mumbling. Who knows. I never thought I’d get the impression that Charlotteans may be friendlier than Charlestonians. I came away with a couple of skeins each of Claudia Handpainted and Happy Feet sock yarn. Because when it comes to stash, sock yarn doesn’t really count, does it?

I also took the opportunity to drive by Bristol Marina to make sure I could find it the next day, and scope out the parking situation. When you’ve been to a few of these, you quickly learn what to look for. Despite having a GPS with me, I managed to take some routes I wasn’t supposed to, and had my GPS unit nervously asking me to make U-turns and detours I made it though. Later on, a few of the team members and I had an enjoyable dinner at the Noisy Oyster (The website plays music. You have been warned.) I also had a pint of the Lucky Lady (a light lager) and my paddling partner vouched that the Cosmopolitans were very, very good. We had a good night’s sleep in preparation for the next day.

Saturday was.. eventful. We realized only during that day itself that it was Charleston’s first year with the event, despite having an established Dragon Boat team. We started out with a massive delay in the first heat because the wind was just not cooperating at all, and they had to rethink the course and several decisions. Things ran late for a couple of hours. Towards the end, we were just plain tired and wanted to go home quickly. We managed to get into the Gold Division to compete for medals, but well.. something happened and we bumped boats with another team, and pretty much had to halt our race, while two other teams made it to the finish line. After the incident in Greenville, SC, many of our team members were already spooked at the thought of a capsize and we were extremely freaked out that we came so close to having another. Amazingly enough I managed to keep a cool head when I saw the other boat coming closer and all I focused on was trying to figure out something tactical I could do to help prevent either boat from tipping. Keeping a boat on course is the job of the steersperson and we didn’t have our own team member for this one either. A few words were said which I don’t think should have been said, especially since later on, I heard that it wasn’t our boat that was off-course but the other, who had a relatively inexperienced steersperson. I just feel really awful that my teammates may have made comments that really.. shouldn’t have been made. And even though I didn’t contribute to those words, I feel bad that I didn’t speak up to stop or prevent them. I know a lot of heated words were said in fear and anger and I’m trying to keep that in mind. I just don’t know how to sort it out in my head right now or figure out what I am going to do or say to the team leaders about it. I just want folks to remember some sportsmanship and temperance while navigating these relatively new waters (no pun intended). Also, most of these events are all held for charities, so I mean really.. *sigh* AAAnyway..

So we ended up with a Bronze medal in the Gold division by default or whatever means they used to decide on that. The other team we collided with took 4th. While I was, and still am, disturbed by what happened, I am still somewhat glad that a local team won the event. I think it’s nice to have the locals win in an inaugural. I still feel a little crappy about winning the Greenville inaugural event. Maybe I need to talk to the team leaders about that too…

In any event, the Charleston folks had a spectacular turnout for their first Dragon Boat event and I’m very glad about that. There seems to be a lot more community support for events and festivals in Charleston and I envy them that. It seems to be a very different mindset. Hopefully the organizers have come away with some ideas for what to do next year.

I didn’t fish out my camera at all during the trip. Yeah, I know, bad blogger. I’m fairly certain I’ll be getting photos from other people in due course and I’ll post whatever’s post-worthy In the meantime, here’s the shiny:

(That says Charleston Dragon Boat Festival 2008, 3rd Place, Gold Division)

And while folks grab their MDSW swag, I got some too in the form of t-shirts. This was a white tee with a nifty, neat little graphic:

And this one below was actually from another team who was selling their tees to raise money for charity. I LOVED the back of the tee which evoked memories of Hawaii for me.

The front has their team name. Apparently Tikkun Olam is Hebrew for Heal / Change the World. Essentially, it means ‘to make the world a better place’. The JZ is in tribute to the group’s (Intertech Group) president, Charlestonian billionaire Jerry Zucker, whom they lost to cancer in just April of this year. Cancer knows no boundaries.

On Friday evening, we picked up a foster Keeshond.

Sly came to us from another city, transported to us by another couple involved in Keeshond breed rescue. He’s a big boy.

Some of you may remember Logan, from a couple of months back. Our rescue coordinator in South Carolina got one of her charges adopted out, freeing up space for Logan. She is able to get heartworm treatments for rescues at a price that is just ridiculously difficult to find elsewhere so that ultimately was the best course of action. We had fattened up Logan to where he could safely undergo HW treatment and transferred him over. This was probably over a month ago. Despite knowing that he was going to be in good hands (probably better hands than mine), I could NOT prevent myself from getting all choked up when saying goodbye to him. It was so very, very difficult. Despite being a little allergic to him, despite getting frustrated that he was still intact and sometimes would mark in the house, despite his stubborn little self, despite despite despite. I had driven to Gaffney (a midpoint) to transfer him. I cried almost all the way home. I didn’t know if I could continue fostering. It’s hard not to get a little attached. It hurt.

So what did we do last week? We said yes again.

Last week was the week from Hades for me at work. By Friday, I was drained, so I was a little nervous. If this turned out to be another challenging rescue, I had a feeling I’d go mental.

When we met Sly, he had a little diarrhea from the stress and changes, but was otherwise a healthy and cheerful boy. He is pretty darn big. Taller than our two girls, neutered, friendly, happy, slightly matted, badly trimmed in parts, and thankfully not as stinky as some we’ve met. He responded very well to his name, and was the first rescue I’d transported who jumped willingly into the car and went straight into the crate without hesitation, lay down in it before too long and just enjoyed the ride. He was panting quite a bit, that was to be expected, but he was otherwise chillin’.

He turned out to be housebroken, crate-trained, and is a goofball of a sweetheart. He was an Owner-Turn-In to the shelter, and apparently they had had enough with his escaping over fences. Oh boy. What were we in for?

When we got home, we walked him well around the back yard on a leash. He showed no signs of wanting to leave us. He did all his business, met the girls, and we finally went inside. He sniffed dutifully at everything and never once lifted a leg. We have had no accidents yet, knock on wood. He holds it well too. Had a couple of water horks but I think he was gulping too fast or was just overexcited.

Sly tucks a leg under and makes like a lazy tripod

He is a bit of an enigma. He seems to have been well taken care of before, and also groomed, but his claws had been left to grow substantially for a while. He was a bit matted but the worst parts look trimmed off, hence the choppiness in some areas. I was worried about grooming him but he’s a dreamboat. Practically goes to sleep when I’m grooming him, he doesn’t fuss when I clip his nails; he puts my girls to shame. Vain little boy.

He knows some commands, isn’t fearful, isn’t agressive, and apparently has been left alone by himself in a fenced area more than he cares for (hence the jumping over fences, we suspect, to go find friends). He’s very attentive, and he has a deep, solid bark.

So far he hasn’t tried to leave our back yard, but the Spousal Unit did find out baby gates are no barrier for him. He cleared the one barring the Tochter’s room with inches to spare, so yes he COULD be a challenge to corral.

From certain angles, he looks as if he may not be totally purebred, and he might either have collie or german shepherd in him, or he could just be of ‘companion quality lineage’. I don’t really like saying ‘badly bred’ because it has nothing to do with behavior and is not his fault either. He’s just not from a lineage involving show dogs. It’s the set of his ears and eyes, and the shape of his head that make him look a little different from what I’m used to seeing in my girls. But even if he is mixed, he’s very strong on the Keeshond bits.

This time, the plan is for Sly to stay with us until we find him the right Forever home. Just fair warning to everyone then, to not be surprised if I either go hyper or totally quiet when that day comes. I’m probably going to be a bit of a mess. He’s a bugger of a sweetie.

I sent these to some people and turtlegirl76 suggested that I blog it too. For these articles, who could refuse?

Edited to add:
Can you imagine blogging this?
“What a day at work. Got swallowed by Hilda the Hippo. In her stomach now. Blogging from my Blackberry. Space a bit cramped and the cell signal gets spotty. Hope that’s the vet I hear outside now. Bit muffled.”

Disclaimer: They LOOK like scans from real newspapers. I do not know if this is the case, having never seen the ‘originals’, if they even exist. Photoshop has been known to create wonders these days. Anything that eliminates cellulite, wrinkles, age spots, chicken wings, michelin tires, exes from photos, etc without the use of sharp surgical implements is a wonder. So yes, we cannot discount Photoshop.

My father sent this to me. He just discovered the wonders of email relatively recently. Please do not ask me to have him quote his sources for this material. If you do, I will send Guido over to pull your teeth out with rusty pliers.

Now that I have your attention with the title…

I love spam that tries too hard, don’t you?

Especially when they imply that I had some gender-changing operation, got hitched to a woman and am now having some issues with my Asian Johnson. Well you know.. sometimes operations get botched.

At least they got the Asian part right, eh?

Incidentally, I would like to thank everyone who takes the time to comment on my posts. I do try to respond to everyone individually via email, although sometimes not necessarily in a timely enough fashion, for which I apologize.

I know I have a wee audience, so your visits are very encouraging. At least it doesn’t always look like I’m sitting here in my section of the web just talking to myself. (People say that’s Not A Good Thing. But I say it’s better than talking back to the voices in my head.)

I confess, I am writing this days in advance. I foresee that I may forget to post. I’m like that.

Which means that this particular Work In Progress may already be a Finished Object by the time Wednesday rolls around, but it was either this or you get to see the Birds’ Nest Lace shawl and the stripey tee again.

Yeah, I figured you might want something different.

This is the Amanda Hat (Ravelry link), pattern by Gina House, in progress:

Look at me, I vogue. I am like a magnificently wide hair scarf from the 70’s, with shiny tassels.

I am BEAUTIFULLY INTRICATE-LOOKING. Bow before me.

This is being knitted in Malabrigo worsted weight, in the Polar Morn colorway. It’s not a color I would typically go for, but it is knitting up very prettily. I love the subtle variations you get from the kettle-dyed Malabrigo.

Okay, you crazy cat people are gonna have to deal coz now it’s DOG TIME Yup, random Tuesday, dog photos. Because my brain is too fried to come up with an insightful post. These are the fuzzy little buttheads that greet me happily every day when I come home. Love ‘em to bits.

Gracie in a t-shirt. We have our very own Ewok!

I’m cute I’m cute I’m cute I’m cute Aren’t I cuuuuute?

Saskia tolerating Gracie in her youthful exuberance..

Mom, seriously, WHEN do I get my own room?

If you have never visited StitchyMcYarnPants.com, do try it. They post evidence of some of the kitschiest knitted / crocheted items ever seen. High-larious.

Today, there’s a photo of what’s likely to be the most pissed-off cat on the face of the earth.

A few of my friends in Charlotte are participating in the March of Dimes this year. One of them, Margaret, is a lovely young woman who is walking in memory of her late niece.

The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

This is Margaret’s March of Dimes page. Donations are matched dollar for dollar by our employer, up to $5,000.

If you so wish, please feel free to chip in and help Margaret fly past her goal!