October 15, 2004
Eighteen and Counting!
First, and most importantly:
and
say
to
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While reading a posting to one of the Yahoo knitting groups I belong to, I came across an acronym I didn’t recognize, HTH. Determined to cram even more into a brain that is already full to bursting with useless dreck, I immediately raced off and found this site and spent the next twenty minutes wallowing in email and IM acronyms. Most of them I knew but this one—ROTFLMAOWPIMP—made me laugh out loud, which is ironic, as you’ll see.
Any guesses what it means, Dear Readers? The more acronym-savvy among you will recognize ROTF as Rolling On The Floor, but this lengthy variation stands for Rolling On The Floor, Laughing My Ass Off, While Peeing In My Pants. Now that’s larfing! And because I’m a full-service Internet researcher and acronym analyst, for the French-speaking among you, the French translation, from another site: “En train de rire ŕ s'en rouler par terre, cul par dessus tęte et ŕ en pisser dans son pantalon.” I'll bet even the non-French-speakers among you have a pretty good idea what "pisser dans son pantalon" means (juvenile titter).
Coincidentally, soon after stumbling across the acronym, I found an entry in this blog that left me ROTFLMAOWPIMP. Reflecting on the coming winter cold, the blogger wrote:
I always drag my heels in [turning on the heat] because I never want to admit that Old Man Winter is coming back to try and kill us again. The only ray of sunshine in all of this is that soon it will be time to put the insulating plastic in the windows. Once it’s up, we sit back and watch the cats bounce off it when they try to jump onto the windowsills. Amazingly, this never gets old. The 100th time I see it is as delightful as my very first. Sometimes life tosses you a bone.
Admit it: No matter how much you love your pet, there always comes a time when you want to do something slightly abusive to it a la Stitchy McYarnpants. For us, it comes every Christmas when we attempt to put costume antlers on Frankie. We have yet to succeed, although the brief nanosecond for which they have stayed on has been enough to tell us that she would look exactly like the Grinch’s dog. No, I mean exactly like the Grinch's dog. Except with sticky-up ears.
Oh, and the long-forgotten acronym that started this whole strange journey, HTH? It means “hope this helps.” But I’ll bet everybody except me already knew that.
Knitting Knews
The Smokescreen scarf is about 18” long now and is turning into a fun project. In fact, it is a great starter project for anyone who wants to try lace knitting. In the original version of the pattern, you cast on only 23 stitches, you can use large needles if you want (in fact, I still believe the size 8s the pattern calls for are way too small), and the pattern is the same on both sides. Easy peasy.
I must admit that this is the first time I have been so aware of yarn metamorphosing from inert fiber to the perfect blend of form and function. I suppose that's because I know the entire history of this yarn. I know it comes from a white alpaca named Freddie, I know what farm it comes from, I met the owners of the farm, I dyed the yarn myself, TMK and I even grew the flowers I dyed the yarn with, and now I am knitting it into a scarf.
Ooooooooh, now I know why my spinning friends always say, we'll get you spinning, my pretty, hee, hee, hee. Sorry, my spinning dears, I still say nuh-uh.
to two of the most delightful people I imaginarily know. Congrats! Many happy returns.
Posted by: anj on October 15, 2004 10:44 AManniversay congratulations and wishes for many many more happy times together- in these days of 'disposable relationships' that's quite an accomplishment-
well, proving that i am an acronym novice i saw 'hth' and though is was 'how the hell'! of course i think that might just be a knitting acronym designed to use when reading some patterns-
stay happy-
Posted by: barb in texas on October 15, 2004 11:12 AMBarb, I like "how the hell" MUCH better than the actual meaning of HTH. And I suspect your version will come in handy much more often...
Thanks, Anj! But this is how things get after 18 years--we're excited because we have a twofer coupon for the restaurant where we want to go for dinner.
Posted by: Ryan on October 15, 2004 11:20 AMHappy Anniversary, TMK and Ryan! Wow, you two are together for longer than almost all other couples I know. That is really special. Will be there be gifts involving wood,routers, wool or roving?
Posted by: Debra on October 15, 2004 11:52 AMHappy Anniversary to you both, not that you look old enough to have been in a relationship for that long (how's that for kissin' up?). You give me hope in this day of insta-relationships.
I haven't forgotten to e-mail you pix of my Dublin Bay socks. I just need to pin the hubby down so that he can show me how to do it!
Posted by: Samina on October 15, 2004 11:58 AMHappy anniversary! That's wonderful.
Ryan, I have an extra spinning wheel that's not doing much. It's sort of an unloved step-child since I got my Betty Roberts wheel, and I'm sure it would be happy to visit you for awhile. Princesses spin, you know. It's right there in the fairy tales.
Melinda
Posted by: Melinda on October 15, 2004 12:01 PMHappy Anniversary to you too! I hope you have a grand celebration!
We torture our dog, Bandit, with antlers every Christmas. He just hangs his head and refuses to move until we take them off, which doesn't happen until we've all laughed ourselves silly. And hen I was a small child, I used the doll clothes my grandma made for the dolls I wouldn't play with to dress up the cat. She would slink around the baseboards until she could find the exit and make a run for under the bed. Also hilarious. Not nice, but hilarious. Happy Anniversary.
Posted by: Jane on October 15, 2004 02:26 PMHooray! All my congrats and admiration.....
Yeehaw! You two are amazing.
Happy anniversary!!
Our favourite way of 'torturing' our dog (whom we love dearly) is to give him McDonalds fries (which he loves) from the brown paper bag they give you at the drive-in. He always sticks his head in the bag and gets stuck, and then he walks straight in to the walls... very funny. Afterwards he's got this "how could you do this to me" look on his face, which always cracks us up.
Posted by: Nina on October 16, 2004 08:44 AMHappy anniversary to you both. May you have them for the rest of your lives.
Posted by: Childe on October 17, 2004 10:43 AMEighteen years?! My gosh--did you meet when you were 12? Your picture certainly doesn't allow any other conclusion!
Congratulations--may there be at least 18 more!
Posted by: Kristen on October 17, 2004 05:47 PMHappy Anniversary!!! Anj and I hugged each other for ya today at Rhinebeck. True story. (but I didn't know about the anniversary until I got here tonight. We did hug each other for Ryan, though!)
And uh, Ryan? I thought I'd never spin either, but guess who entered the coven this weekend? Yep, Norma's a spinning virgin no more. So now you have to. If we're going to share a commune and all....I'm just sayin'....
Congratulations and Happy Anniversary (belatedly)! Here's to another 18!
Posted by: Nathania on October 17, 2004 07:01 PMRyan-
Norma and I did hug each other for you.. it was like giving you a hug b'c you weren't there. Truly.. you were the only thing missing out of this weekend in Rhinebeck. It was tons of fun. Perhaps next yr we can persuade you two to come east??
besides.. having a coupon for your fave rest. is not a bad thing. the ones I want to eat at don't generally have coupons... I hope you two had a lovely weekend.
Posted by: anj on October 18, 2004 07:22 AMMy most sincere and warmest congratulations on your anniversary. 18 years is amazing and I hope you both can bask in the glow for weeks to come.
Relationships are a constant balancing act and your obvious committment is extremely wonderful.
Furthermore....I am jealous! But in a happy, "wow" kinda way. ;)
Lisa
Posted by: Lisa in Oregon on October 18, 2004 07:57 AM