Finale!!

0918 hours

Breaking News!

0902 hours

Still In There

0738 hours

Breakfast of champions! Pecan Pie A la Mode.

She's still in there although DM is rousing her. She seems combative and obstinent.

0756 hours

I'm starting to believe that this is some sort of extortion ploy. She doesn't want to go back to her own home. Well you can't take the PRitz wit'ya baby.

One sec...

I had to go get the aisle separators so that I could mark off the path to get to TG's and DM's half bath. It's either this way or buckets for the rest of the staff...

Motel Babylon...The Day After Christmas

0642 hours

I'm staying home from my primary job today to assist here at The Motel. Why? Because a lot of guests came in with the holiday rush on yesterday and some haven't gone home, thus hindering my progress on getting ready for my primary job. These folks are crazy! I'm only working two jobs because I have to, otherwise this Motel job would be the first to go.

I'm feeling very guilty about missing work today. This is the 3rd absence I've had since being there. Twice because I have been sick and now a third because of alcoholics rowdy guests. One guest in particular has locked herself and her walker in the spa. She was already half way into the spa door so I couldn't stop her. It would have been an event of epic proportions to get her to stop and turn her and the walker (tennis balls and all) around and then help her to make it back to her room and onto the bed.

Dammit!!! I need to be in the spa by 0630. NO EXCEPTIONS! At 0630 everyone in the house freezes. No water is turned on, ST is locked securely in her room finishing dressing for school, and Jeeves is sitting still (well as still as he can with his nervous issue) in the kitchen. All other guests and staff are asleep or at least faking it well.

If I'm not in there on time then I'm running behind and I HATE to be late. I used to love it, you know being fashionable and all, but my Pastor done worked that out of me. Another story for another time. Anyways, being late makes me anxious and leaves me feeling stupid so I don't do it.

0700 hours

I called off 15 minutes ago. She's still in there. I think she may have fallen asleep on the crapper. She done set up camp. She ain't but about 95 pounds. She can't push too much out or she'll lose half her life. LOL. I know I'm being crass. Told the folks at work I'm having home issues. If they only knew...

0715 hours

No movement.

Kamika

Well I didn't get the sable, the '54 convertible, or even the platinum mine. But I did get the most important thing. I got to daydream about the most high star, the King of all, He in whom I strive to resemble, the celebrity of the season. He even autographed my heart!

Check out what He wrote:

So did you come to the party?

Kamika

3 Eves Before Christmas

3 days before Christmas and I still have 2-3 more gifts to get. I say 2-3 because the third I'm not really all that enthused about getting but since this person is a sibling and expecting it I guess I need to get it. I'm trying to give this gift out of the goodness of my heart (most appropriate don't ya think) but my heart thinks no gift is better than a contrived one. My mind on the other hand is saying kill 'em with kindness and let the streets teach them their lessons.


My mind is winning the battle...


An update on the Cycling Aran. I'm just about done. I'm halfway finished with one of the sleeves and plan to start the other one tonight. After that I'm going to knit a lining in the collar with a lighter shade of Jo Sharp Silk Aran Road. I will then spray block it (sans boobs on my mannequin. see pic.) and then insert the zipper and gift wrap. Enjoy the pics. Sorry one is darker because I couldn't really catch the cable detail with the light in my room.


I'm working on some designs of my own. No telling when they'll make it to this blog or even to full completion. In the interim I think I will start on another sweater for myself. I'm thinking either the Buttony Sweater by Katie Marcus or Killybegs by Debbie Bliss. Both have been in my Ravelry que for a minute now.



If I don't see your before Christmas, have a wonderful one and be safe.

Kamika

I Am the Phantom...

I am the phantom that lives in the house

I am the phantom that walks in and out

I am the phantom that will not shout

so no one in the house will know I'm about...

Yep, that sums it up. For the last couple of weeks I have been rising early and coming home really late. Way after others have gone to sleep I've been slipping in the house and acting like I live alone. I haven't seen the faces of some of my family members in a couple of weeks but they know when I'm home. The light in my room is on and when they knock on the door I freeze like I'm invisible until they go away. At other times I feign deafness due to the earphones surgically attached to my ears when I'm here.

I know, some of you would say that I'm wrong while others may be resentful of me for being single, childless, and able to slip in and out without someone or a some thing called familial responsibility attached to my hip. I'm not ashamed. I'm tired ya'll! Hate me, I'm good at being a villain named Single. My krytonite is loneliness and longing.

God promised to remedy my plight, hence my latest project. This picture was taken yesterday so it doesn't show my progress on today alone. Double the height and you'll see where I currently am on my Cycling Aran. I decided to knit it in the round to eliminate as much seaming as possible. I'm a few inches from dividing for the armscye.

This has gone so smooth and the yarn, Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Organic Cotton, is soooooo soft! I guess the blessings of the Lord do make me rich and add no sorrow... As if I didn't believe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I went shopping today and bought myself a few treats and took in a movie only to come home to an IRS wage garnishment notice. UGH! I need to go see my tax man like tomorrow.

I checked out the Golden Compass this afternoon. I know all about the reviews and the uproar the church is having with the storyline and the anti-church message. I got it. I liked the movie and I plan to go see the sequel (although I will reserve the right to change my opinion as I read more up on it). I was thoroughly amused through the entire movie. Great cinema! Nicole K is my girl. She's a bad actress and so I tend to like most of her movies.

I picked up Da Truth's album Open Book today and you should check it out. Nice grooves. It's going straight to the iPod and will be my running soundtrack until I'm tired of it or find a lyric that doesn't line up.

I'm really enjoying life. It's all been worth it!

Kamika

Been So Long...

Wow, I didn't realize I had been away for so long. Crimson Purl had to bring me back. Thanks lady! It's late and I'm feeling a little under the weather but enjoy Isobel In Red by French Girl Knits and some shots of the completed Blanket Coat I crocheted. Didn't have a good enough model to model the coat but the candids are nice.

Isobel In Red

Time: Mid November- December 1st
Yarn: Sensations Cosetta, Just 6 skeins (350yds total doubled up)
Needles/Hook: US 17 and 19
Notions: 2 1 1/2" buttons

Blanket Coat

Kamika

I'll Be There. What About You?

I meant to post this on Thursday to give all you LA. crafty socialites a heads up on some events I plan(ned) to attend this weekend and would love/have loved to possibly connect with you at. Some events like the Compatto Sip N Stitch--wine, cheese, hors d'oeuvres, and great company while knitting were last night. I was so tired after work that I just couldn't make it.

Others like the Felt Club XL Holiday event I plan to hit tomorrow. Check it out!
Kamika

I Crawl Because I Like Being Close to the Ground

It really bites that I can't blog at work. That's code for: brace yourself, this is gonna be a long one. This daylight savings time and work takes a lot out of me. Don't get me wrong. I love the extra hour in the mornings but it really messes me up at night and the flourescent lights at work don't make it any better. They and the flickering (useless) computer that I sit in front of all day really saps my energy. The computer at work is useless because I can't BLOG! But the moolah is nice!!

Let's jump right in, shall we.

I've been spending a lot of time with ST (Surly Teenager). She's been attached to my hip and all things auntie for a few weeks now. It's no problem though. She's a really cool kid. So cool that she's picked up crochet! FIYAH! Thats her below at another yarn spot I wanted to hit called the Knit Cafe. It's a cozy little store in Beverly Hills. You may have heard of the book Greetings from the Knit Cafe. Well this is that author's store. Nice folks with no boug at all.

Houston, I think we have a convert. She was so overwhelmed when she stepped into the store. She never knew there was such a thing as a "Yarn Store" that carried only yarn and didn't have a big box chain name *cough* *cough* Michael's/Jo-Anns *cough* *cough*. Here's ST picking out some Cascade 220 in a rich purple variegated.

And here she is practicing on some scrap yarn I had. No sense in wasting the new yarn on test work.

And here she is trying to crochet in peace but unable to hold back a laugh at her corny auntie trying to snap flicks for her blog.

I ended up not buying any yarn but instead picking up this French Girl Knits pattern called Isobel. I later picked up some Cosetta yarn from Jo-Anns. I'm doubling up.

For the last couple of weeks I have been smitten with the Cycling Aran by Hello yarn. It's been in my Ravelry cue for a few months but I've been feeingl the need to make it in earnest. Two weeks ago I swung by another LYS in Santa Monica called Wild Fiber. Before I say anything negative about them, I will give them one more opportunity to redeem themselves.

I picked up a ball of Elisabeth Lavold Silky Flamme to swatch with and fell in love almost 90%. I just couldn't do it. I decided that in order to get the proper gauge I would have to go from a 9 to a 10.5 needle which would IMO make the sweater too airy. I didn't give up though and kept looking for a good replacement. The only problem I had was finding the right yarn in the same rich gunmetal color and reasonably priced. After searching hard and not settling I finally found it!

So this weekend I decided to do my own little yarn crawl. Just like in my mall hop days, I decided to hit a few shops I had never been to before to say I went. I started out in Santa Monica at A Manos Yarn Center. I've heard a lot about this shop and wasn't disappointed. The ladies in there were having a good ole time when I walked in. They had the music going and about 8 of them around the table just yakking it up and knitting. I jumped right into the conversation. I couldn't find my elusive Cycling Aran yarn there but I did pick up a pair of size #19 needles, and some pretty Rowan Calmer and Berroco Bonsai in reds to start scrumbling for a shawl I'm making for a new friend. Annette and Shenita (the owners) were wonderful. Would you believe I had been talking to Shenita off and on on Ravelry and never even knew she was the owner of A Manos? Well here's your plug girl!.


After leaving A Manos, I drove on over to Compatto also in Santa Monica. Early last week I had gotten an invite to be in the Compatto group on Ravelry and decided I should go check out the spot. This store is niiice! Well decorated and well stocked. It's a small spot but nicely organized. Nancy, Bonnie and Grace are the bomb! They carry lots of Blue Sky Alpacas, Rio de la Plata, and Malabrigo. Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton is what I chose for my Cycling Aran. Check it out! I hope he loves it!

A few more things. Picked up this cute pattern called Instant Oatmeal by Monkey Suits. I think Mercy will look cute in this for the winter. Finally something to use that RYC I bought a while ago. BTW, I don't think I ever showed you all the yarn I got for Arrica's Boobholder. I need to get it popping cause I missed her birthday. I've had this yarn for nearly 3 months now and haven't started yet.

I promise I'll be back this week (Lw). I got some great events going on this weekend to hip you to.


Kamika