Farewell Mr. Potter

Did anyone else make this connection?




Surely I wasn't the only one. Or maybe I've just seen It's a Wonderful Life too many times. Yeah, maybe that's it.

My other takeaway from the inauguration fun times (aside from the fact that the whole day felt like the opening sequence to Sesame Street), is this groovy scarf that some muckety-muck was wearing on TV.



Isn't it cute? Sorta like a ripple blanket except long and narrow. And I like how it's striped but then there's a little surprise color at the end. Maybe I'll make one for next winter (tho in different colors). My one new scarf for the year. Because I have about 98273498 scarves already. Although this one is also in the running. But they're so different... Maybe I'll do both.

Yup, work on Tuesday was weird, hard to concentrate, and full of never-ending little thrills. Like hearing "President Obama" for the first time (and pretty much every time since). I feel like I'm living in some sort of alternate universe, like on 24 (except without all the carnage and torture, etc.). It still feels that otherworldly and surprising and unexpected. As if suddenly all your expectations were met. How often does that happen?

Plus, the man can bust a move. So if nothing else, we can be proud of him for that.



Is that a butt-bump he's doing there? God bless 'im.

As for my beloved friends and family who are perhaps not as excited about this as I am (not that you're not excited about a black president - we get it, you're not racist), I'm going to say this, and then we'll just agree to disagree and let it be. I hope, I really do, that you never feel half as alienated as I have at times during the past 6 or so years (the first two weren't that bad I guess). I hope you never feel as though a great portion of the country hates you and is out to take away your rights and those of your friends, and I hope your leader who you put your faith in never condescends to you and disappoints you at nearly every turn. All ribbing aside: it's a terrible feeling. Truly. So, I hope you never feel that. Because despite our opposing viewpoints, I do love you guys - you crazy, conservatives you! (Smooch!)

Oh, and before I go, I just want to say how excited I was to find out I won this book in the Holiday Kal-Cal this year! This was my first holidays to be a "crocheter/knitter" and I had lots of plans to make handmade gifts for friends and family. The Kal-Cal (that's knit-a-long-crochet-a-long for you yarn newbs) was a great way to keep track of those plans and share the results. I'll definitely do it again next year!

A few of the things I made for the holidays:



A crochet shawl for mom (pattern from here).



An LSU scarf for Mary Laura (though they had a crap-ass season, but there's always next year).



A washcloth for my sister-in-law (part of a set of four).

If you're on Ravelry (and you're into that sorta thing - that being all things yarn), I'm mandat on there. Making gifts by hand rocks. Speaking of, I better get back to that baby hat, ASAP. The babies, they just keep-a-comin'!

Seven years later

While editing photos from my trip to Belgium, I was inspired to go dig out this photo of my niece Mary on my brother's shoulders, taken at the end of December 2001.



She used to love sitting on his shoulders, and he'd lean forward ever-so-slightly and she'd squeal and just go into fits of laughter. We were endlessly amused by this.

What reminded me of it? Well, this one, taken at the end of December 2008. Here is my niece Suzanna on my brother's shoulders.



Between his now three children and the countless moves in those seven years since, the poor fellow has lost even more of his hair. But that's what being a daddy does to you. Especially a daddy of such high caliber as he is.

Mary and Suzy's birthdays are only about 2-3 weeks apart so they are very near the same age in these photos. I love that.

Liking Lately

-The part of the new Andrew Bird album where he goes "holdonjustaseconddon'ttellmethisoneyouknow i know this one i know this song i know this one i love this song.." That's in "Anonanimal" for those of you keeping track.

-Being in Texas in the winter.

-The first 19 seconds of "Creator" by Santogold. This is an old favorite but I heard it again the other day and remembered how much I loves it. (You should hear me try to sing along with it.)

-Sally Hawkins. I haven't seen Happy-Go-Lucky yet but I loved her as Anne Elliot in Persuasion and her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes was adorable. What a doll.

-Belgian liege waffles. Although I had to leave them behind in Belgium. But I dream of them still. Plan is to find a recipe so I can reproduce in my own kitchen.



-My new white Jack Purcells. But I seriously need to go kick some dirt around with 'em or something. They are TOO bright.

-The return of Friday Night Lights tonight. Yippee skippee! Is it wrong I sorta want to marry Coach Taylor? I mean, I know he's fictional and all..

-This video of a monkey sneezing:


Thank you David Letterman!!

To her defense

It's being called a "clunker," raiding of grandmother's closet, "pirate-inspired," etc. but for some reason I kinda liked Marisa Tomei's outfit at last night's Golden Globes. Am I nuts? Okay, I could do without the ruffled sleeves, but otherwise I think it's lovely.



This is probably because I have a thing for Oscar de la Renta. And Marisa Tomei.

Fleas and things

I bought these old bottle labels at the Sablon antiques market with no clear idea what to do with them other than that I liked the colors and sorta felt like they went well together.



The man who sold them to me told me I had good taste and thought I was Italian. I think that's a compliment..? He's like Grazie! and I was like Merci! and then we're both like Huh?



It was damn cold that day. The worst day I think. Which was really awful for me because I could have spent all day perusing those booths. As it went, I only bought these labels and a button card. My brother and his family had already gone back to the apartment, but mom toughed it out with me. She loves antiques as much as I do. Though by the end she was pleading with me to just pick out the labels I wanted already so we could get home. Brrr.



So, any ideas for the labels? Other than just framing them? How could I do it creatively? Maybe a shadow box-type deal?

Meanwhile, I've gotten through editing and posting day one of the photos from the trip and am now working on day two. I need a break.



Here's the Grand Place on Christmas Day. I was so jet lagged. But mom was good and knew to get me out and walking around a bit so I didn't crash too early and then wake up at 3 am ready to tackle the day or something to that effect. It worked, for the most part. Jet lag is no fun at all.

Anyway, as I get the days' worth of photos edited, I'll upload them to my flickr. Not sure how many of them I'll put on here so you can just check over there from time to time. I took some pictures of the nieces and nephew too. They are just silly cute. Speaking of...



Yeah so apparently CJ has fleas. WTF? I only noticed them when I got back from Belgium. They weren't there before. He doesn't go outside. So what gives? So I'll probably buy some flea meds on Monday or Tuesday. He's not itching or anything. You can just see the evidence that they're there. Gross. I spent like 20 minutes at Petsmart yesterday looking at cat shampoos but didn't buy any. Perhaps because CJ would not stand to be bathed. But it's a fantasy I have, to make his coat soft and clean and fluffy again, like when he was young. Much like old people, old cats don't do so well with the hygiene (he looks great in that photo, but once you get past the shoulder blades, things go downhill). And this week I found myself wistfully staring at a photo of him that was taken when he was about 1 yr old and marveling at his fur. Maybe I can talk him into it.

As for the Christmas tree report, yes, it is still up. No, I still don't want to take it down. Perhaps am living in denial?

The Bird bandwagon

How did I miss this? From Bakerella (via Lazy Life):



Yes those are cupcakes. OMG. Things I love about this:

1. I love cupcakes.
2. I love polar bears.
3. I love those coke bottle gummies.
4. I really like Coke.
5. I love the Coca-Cola Polar Bears.

Click on the photo to see more pictures and how she made 'em and the recipe, etc. Love.

Yes I am back from Belgium. It was cold but beautiful and the waffles and frites were just as dreamy as I suspected they'd be. I also had an awesome time on my honeymoon with Liz. I never made it all the way through the users manual and just threw caution to the wind and started snapping photos aplenty. Eventually I'll get them all up on Flickr. I'm terribly slow with that stuff.

Of course I am now behind at work. Very much so. But that didn't stop me from listening to a stream of Andrew Bird's new album online and otherwise obsessing about him during the day. I had an opportunity to get a burned copy of the CD for free from a co-worker, but I love him enough that I want to give him my money. I got no issues with it. So I'll wait. I wanna buy the deluxe version too with the instrumental CD. Can't wait to see him in March. Helloooo! Swoon.



This photo is by the wonderful Brandi. She took it (along with many others) at a recent secret set he did in Chicago. She took some awesome photos of Jeff Tweedy fairly recently as well, and I am just terribly jealous of her proximity to these two photo subjects. Also, she was in Grant Park the night Obama was elected and took a bunch of really cool photos there. More jealous. Times like these I think, Hrm, maybe I might like living in Chicago and then it's like Oh, the high there on Saturday is going to be 19? Okay nevermind.

Looks like Neko Case has a new album coming out too. I just watched the little video about it on Amazon and it looks amazing as well. This spring is going to be the best! Well, music-wise anyway. Yippee!