January 17, 2007
My New Pet!
Note to self: The next time you try to arm wrestle The Universe, don’t demand snow. Demand chocolate, demand dinero, demand haute couture clothing, demand les bijoux, but snow, no. Snow you got. In spades.
...Which means yesterday was Snow Day No. 2 since Ryan’s Unexpectedly Effective Day of “Want More Cheese With Your Whine?” which, no thanks to Item #3 on my list of Eight Weird Things About Me, and because I was somewhat trapped in the house and desperate for entertainment and company, I spent nursing a green grub I found lying ramrod straight, motionless, and, I presume, frozen, on the snow. I named it “Floki” (I couldn’t resist, Cuzz), put it in a container, brought it in the warm house, chucked into the container a piece of leaf from every plant in my yard, and visited my new charge on and off to see how it was surviving. It thawed, warmed up, flexed its tiny grub muscles and moved around (yay!) but ate nothing (boo!). Do I know how to show myself a good time or whut?
Now, before you plan an emergency intervention for your blog mistress, who has clearly gone completely mental, I have already come to my senses and put Floki back in the yard—but off the snow and safely hidden under a shrub. I so need to get out more. Or think about getting a real pet.
On the knitting front, wasn’t the challenge of Stephanie’s Knitting Olympics to start the project at the beginning of the 2006 Winter Olympics and finish it by the end of the 2010 Winter Olympics? Oh, thank goodness, because that means I’m right on track.
After some heads-down work this weekend while watching “Lady in the Water” (an as-always haunting M. Night Shyamalan movie), here's the body of the Olympic Squirrel sweater almost finished. (I assure you the sweater is quite three-dimensional and circular but, alas, I had to plaster it to the pillow with pins to get even a mildly decent photo):
A close-up of the neck (love the contrast of the curlicue with the geometric look of the squirrel/snowflake/tree section):
Here is the neck steek which Janine promises me will, with some knitting sleight-of-hand, become a working neck with an i-cord border. (The pattern actually calls for an anaemic-looking boat neck, to which I say, "Euw.")
Stay tuned for some new Dulaan/Mongolia photos!
for goodness sakes woman, order hot chocolate or coffee! you crack me up.
Posted by: marti on January 17, 2007 02:35 PMSomething that I tell myself after every boyfriend - "Be careful what you wish for."
The curlicues DO look spectacular next to the squirrel pattern!
And, uhm, a grub is a worm? Caterpillar? Can it dig through frozen ground to a warm place?
Posted by: Jenn on January 17, 2007 02:43 PMThat's the mystery, Jenn--why was the grub lying on TOP of four inches of snow? It hadn't crawled up there, it hadn't been dropped by a bird, it was just there, fifteen feet away in all directions from any type of shrubbery. Anyway, I really didn't know anything about taking care of it beyond throwing fresh leaves at it, so I decided to put it back in a safe place and just let nature take its course. Either that or admit to myself that I had completely lost my mind.
Posted by: Ryan on January 17, 2007 02:52 PMWas it snowing cats and grubs? Any shell-shocked looking cats around there? Maybe it rolled into a ball and the wind blew it hither and thither?
Posted by: Annie on January 17, 2007 03:09 PMTMK put it there to see how long you'd actually care for a grub.
Posted by: Carrie on January 17, 2007 04:00 PMAlthough TMK shakes her head at these sorts of antics on my part, she (a) is used to it and (b) understands it. Sort of.
Posted by: Ryan on January 17, 2007 04:14 PMFloki the Grub!? We must be related...
My theory is that said grub was extracted from a tree by a clumsy bird and somehow dropped.
Posted by: Cuzzin Tom on January 17, 2007 05:21 PMThose squirrels are a hoot. Well done!
Posted by: Gillian on January 17, 2007 06:13 PMHope you don't mind me saying, but you are one crazy woman. MaryB
Posted by: Mary B on January 17, 2007 06:18 PMWhat??!! No pictures of Floki's adorable little face???!!!
Posted by: Patti on January 17, 2007 06:46 PMAnd on further reflection (I can't believe I'm reflecting on this at all) I woulda named him (him or her -- you check?) Grendel.
Posted by: Cuzzin Tom on January 17, 2007 09:26 PMHey, I love the Floki the Grub story, and the sweater is beautiful.
Posted by: Marianne on January 18, 2007 08:32 AMNow I really do want to name the new spinning wheel Floki. All the cool kids have Flokis.
Posted by: Franklin on January 18, 2007 09:37 AMLove! The! Squirrels!
Posted by: Erika on January 18, 2007 01:13 PMGrendel! I love it! Yes, definitely name the next one Grendel! Highly app-ro-po! Who knows, the little guy could evolve into the next Grendel. btw..I did defend Grendel's side of the story in a Lit class once. Made it work too. :)
But I have to say, you've been cooped up too long if you think ANYTHING by Shyamalan is haunting. Saw the Village and Signs, only thing that haunted me was the stitch in my side from laughing at the stupidity of the movies. Love you Ryan, but we need to find you some better flicks to watch. :)
I'm jealous of your squirrels.....I tried something similar, yeesh! Need LOTS more practice!
Stay warm and hugs to you, TMK and Frankie!
Nancy O., we agree with you on the Village movie, but have seriously been drawn in by his other movies. Nothing comes close to "Sixth Sense," but the others still had pleasantly surprising endings. I probably like his stuff because I'm a huge O. Henry fan; me likes me some surprise endings.
And this is why I have the best commenters ever: Not only do you not laugh at my grub adventure, but you even start theorizing about my NEXT grub. Too funny.
Posted by: Ryan on January 18, 2007 02:09 PMThe sweater is beautiful. Will this be your first steek?
I'm working on Telemark ( a knitpicks pattern) and it will be my first steek. Not sure if my blood pressure can handle the idea of CUTTING my KNITTING.
This whole steek thing might just send me over the edge.
I had the most godawful nightmare last night about my house being overrun by grubs. Gee, I wonder where my subconscious could have gotten hold of *that* gem of an idea? lol
P.S. I got a kick out of Carrie's idea! But MaryB may have gotten closer to the mark... (wink)
Posted by: Denise in Kent, WA on January 19, 2007 09:20 AMThat squirrel sweater is gorgeous, and the curlicue is gorgeous. I hope the recipient is also gorgeous and appreciative!!
Posted by: gail on January 19, 2007 10:07 AMS'ok if you have a pet grub. I've got "pet" crickets in my house. One of them even hops from room to room following me. :o)
Posted by: morenna on January 26, 2007 04:52 PM