Chief takes over

Mom is busy so she said I could write a post. So all you kitties out there, get your Mom & Dad's out of the way and I'll tell you how to get extra cuddle time. I have Mom totally under my control and she doesn't even know it.

Step 1 - Get Mom's Attention. Sit on the arm of the chair while she's working on the laptop and stare at her with big blue eyes until she can't stand it anymore.


Step 2 - Once she has decided you're not going to give up, she'll help you get into the sweet spot between the computer and the arm. This spot is very comfortable for sleeping and Mom will even pet you while she is working on the computer.

Step 3 - After a while you may need to get her total attention because she's too busy with the computer and not petting you enough. Get up and crawl onto her chest where she can't ignore you. This will get you the best petting time.

In the meantime, Bert is very happy in the kitty cottage in his special spot. He just doesn't have the cuddle time thing figured out yet.

Cats and Computers

Yeah, I know... still no knitting pictures. I am knitting and being quite productive. It's just that, well, pictures of knitting blobs that you can't tell what it is aren't too exciting to me so I just can't get enough excitement going to set the knitting out to take a picture. Soon - I promise.

In the meantime let me tell you about the boys and the computer.
The boys love the laptop. I'm guessing it's because of the warmth. They always head toward the heat. Here's the proof.

Chief and Bert on 7-17-10 - sitting on top of the laptop together.

Chief and Bert on 7-19-10 - sitting on top of the laptop

Yup, you guessed it. Chief sleeping on top of the lap top.

For a change, because I'm using the laptop, Chief sitting on top of me next to the laptop

Some things just seem to fit together. I'm guessing when I put the laptop back on the chair next to me I'll find a cat there within 15 minutes. Any bets?
Update - just before I published this, Chief crawled up on my lap to cozy down next to the laptop. Life is good.

A Tale of Two Kitties (and two mousies)

Once upon a time, long, long ago, I read about a wonderful breed of cat and knew someday I would have a Ragdoll. They were everything I wanted; a companion, lovable, big and fluffy, could be trained. Just perfect for me. Then Chief came into my life when he was 3 months old. He picked me. I went to the breeder to meet the kitties she had. They were all cute but he crawled up on me and snuggled into my neck with the biggest purr. He wouldn't leave me alone. How can say no to that! Jamie could, that's who. She was an old cranky kitty who was still in mourning for her "sister" when Chief came to live with us. She missed Jessie who had dies a few months before and just wanted to be left alone. Chief had other ideas and tried so hard to be her friend. He hugged her, licked her, tried to play with her but nothing worked.

After Jamie died Chief did the next best thing. He made friends with the mice that got into the house that fall. I would find Chief walking down the hall with a mouse next to him, just like buddies. That's wrong, it's just wrong! This event happened a couple different times with a couple different mice. I know they were different because I physically and permanently removed each mouse as it happened.

Then came Bert. Mister bundle of energy. He took care of Chief's need for a buddy and they became the best of friend - inseparable. Time pasted and we moved into a different house. No mice in this house, only the occasional fly or other bug that would amuse the boys for a while.

Earlier this week I came home from work and headed down the hall. There in the middle of the hall were two blobs. Crap! Bert's been at it again. He likes to play vacuum cleaner and suck up every bit of fur left on the carpet. He gets so excited about sucking up the little fur bits that is whole butt wiggles like a Labrador puppy. After he sucks up enough fur and condenses it in his tummy, it comes back up in the form of a tight fur hot dog (sorry that's the best description I could come up with without being gross). So, there it was in the hall, two dark fur hot dogs. Bert had been busy.

Unfortunately, looking closer at the blobs, they turned out to be a couple dead little mice. ICK! This brings up a couple questions- 1. How did one, much less two mice get into the house when I've been without them for many years? 2. Who did the deed of protecting the house from these intruders? The first question bothers me because I want to prevent more from coming in this fall. But the second questions has me curious. Chief would just as soon make friends with the mice so if it was him; his size probably scared them to death. Bert runs away at any noise in the house or outside so he would probably see a mouse and go hide under the guest bed. Guess I'll never know. At least the mice are, for now.

Quiet Weekend

It's been a quiet weekend around here. I needed that because of last week. One of the problems with foot surgery is the swelling that seems to take place at the drop of a hat for months afterward. Last week the temperature outside went way up. The humidity went way up. The barometric pressure went way up. And because of all this the measurement around my ankle and foot went way up. My foot was at least double its normal size and I ended up not being able to get my shoe on for several days. This also meant a lot of pain and basically a really cranky Jill.

To make up for this I've been sitting around most of the weekend except for early morning yard work.
Sitting around means 2 things:
1. Knitting
2. Cats hanging around (or on) me

This picture is terrible for color but I started a pair of Pink Ribbon socks out of Lion Brand SockEase in a bright pink called Cotton Candy. These socks will go into an auction for Breast Cancer that a friend is part of every year.

I also worked on the May mystery sock for SKA. This is a group on Ravelry - Sock Knitter's Anonymous. I haven't done anything with them so far but this month the mystery sock was by Cookie A and I thought it would be fun to try. I finished the socks a few days ago with Chief's wonderful assistance but I haven't gotten around to taking pictures. The best I did so far was to get a shot of Chief helping me by laying across the computer and randomly hitting keys.

If the boys aren't on top of me they are near. I have a chair that sits by the recliner and put the computer on it when its not in use. If the computer isn't on the chair - the boys are. They feel the need to monitor my knitting and I fully approve. There's nothing better than a 2 second break from knitting to scritch a fluffy head or tummy.

From the Boys and me - have a great Memorial Day and be sure to take some time to remember those who have served to protect us whether in the military or civil service.

Thanks Dad, both Grandpas, Uncle Bud, Uncle Bob, Uncle Werner, cousin Paul, SIL Jan (Fire Captain)and all the others in the family that give your life and time for the rest of us!

Chief gets a crown

Last weekend I had the chance to work at the MN Knitter's Guild table at Shepherd's Harvest. For 2 hours I sat and talked to a couple other guild members and the people that came to the fairground. We were surrounded by fiber, fiber critters and people who love fiber. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

I did come home with a skein of Happy Hands sock yarn. a lovely merino/bamboo hand dyed yarn in pale purple/lavender that will make me very happy when I knit it. The weather has been dark and grey all week so I didn't even try to get a picture of this, because this beautiful yarn needs to see sunshine to show itself off.

With all the rain and grey we've had this week Bert has been bored and getting into things in the house. I've found a partially used ball of Malabrigo spread out over the guest bedroom (no damage was done thankfully!). I've found every kitty toy put in new places every day including several placed in the bathroom (your guess is as good as mine). When I try to knit Bert has to spend much of the time trying to do cute kitty poses on the rocking chair next to me.

I'll just lay here and pretend I'm not looking into that bag - Bert

OK. Nothing in the bag. Maybe there's something over here to play with. - Bert

Nothing in the bag, nothing over there. Now there's nothing over her to play with. This is pretty boring. Guess I'll have to try another spot. - Bert

While Bert is look for another place to play I'll just stand here and look regal. - Chief




OK. I tried regal but Mom, this yarn band crown is not what I had in mind. - Chief

While the Boys are busy getting into trouble I've started a mystery sock on Ravelry. The Sock Knitter's Anonymous group (SKA) is doing a mystery sock this month designed by CookieA. I have clue 1 & 2 done on the first socks and started the 2nd. Clue 3 comes out around midnight tonight so I'd better get ready.

What a Month!

I suddenly realized I hadn't posted anything since before Yarnover. OOPS! The weekend of April 15-19 was an incredibly wonderful and busy time. There's no way to share everything but here's a few highlights.

Thursday-April 15 I picked up a couple Raverly friends at the airport at 2 different times, 2 different terminals and they stayed with the Boys and me for the weekend. I've met many friends through the She-Knits Podcast Small Talk Group and this weekend many of us were going to meet here in Minneapolis. I did get both picked up in time to head over to my regular knit night -another Ravelry group. How great is Rav for meeting knitting!

Barbara and Angela

So when Friday came along we got ready for the gang to meet here at my house for supper and a knit night. The largest gathering of She-Knitters to date and Sharon (She-Knit) would be coming up from Chicago to join us.

Chief was the official knitting bag inspector and, trust me, he did not let one bag go without a proper inspection. His favorite was the felted knit bag - good taste Chief!

Yup, this bag is okay to store yarn. But maybe, I'd fit in there too! - Chief

There was food. Angela made a HUGE batch of lasagna. To say it was good would be an insult to her lasagna. It was Fabulous! We also had the usual - salad- garlic bread, etc. And Lorri brought Snickerdoodle cake and cupcakes. YUMMY!

We managed to stop eating and talking and knitting long enough for a group picture. I have to make a confession here - most of these pictures are not mine. I was a bit busy and forgot to get my camera out for most of the night.

The group comes from all parts of the country - Washington - Minnesota - Massachusetts - Colorado - Oregon - Illinois. I was totally impressed that they would travel so far to come to visit us in Minnesota. But then that's what knitters do - travel anywhere to knit!

Friday ended and most headed back to the hotel to get ready for Saturday and Yarnover.

Saturday was wonderful starting with Cat Bordhi giving the keynote speech. I have to mention over the weekend my biggest fear concerning Cat Bordhi happened. A couple members of my Thursday knit group told her about our running joke about who is her BFF. I knew it would happen one day and I just grateful she has a good sense of humor and didn't take out a restraining order on me! But - I'll save the story for another post. (this is know as a cliff hanger)

Meanwhile - Saturday night we all met up for dinner at a local diner and met a few who couldn't make it Friday night.

Sunday was a small shop hop to Lila & Claudine's and Borealis. Much yarn went home with the gang and a good time was enjoyed by all.

Monday I got Barbara and Angela back to the airport and planned on cleaning the house but Bert had other ideas. Once I piled the bedding on the sofa he declared that this was his new place to sleep and I would be a terrible Mom if I took it away from him.

Normally, he spends one or two nights in the new spot so I figured the bedding could wait to be laundered. There's also a pile on the guest bed that he has claimed. Apparently one pile is for night and one pile is for the day nap.

So here it is 2 weeks later and I still haven't done the bedding because Bert gives me his sad "you won't take this from me" look and I give in. (either that or I'm really lazy and just haven't gotten around to it yet - you decide)

Happy, happy , happy. I love my new nap place! - Bert

Oh Angela - there's still plenty of lasagna in the freezer and I've been enjoying it very much!

Cat in the Cube

This isn't a very exciting post but I was so amused at what happened Sunday I had to take some pictures and post about it.

Saturday I went out to dinner with a couple friends and - boy, did it feel good to get out into the real world again! Afterward I went over to the store to get some cat food and saw some cloth cubes on sale. I've always wanted to try them out for yarn storage so I got one thinking if it works I'll get some more.

Sunday, I pulled out the cube, made it and set it on the floor while I got some yarn to fill it with. When I turned around I found the cube had been repurposed.

If I stand in this box do I look more handsome? - Chief

I waited a little while thinking Chief would get tired of it and I could fill it with yarn. Chief left the cube about 20 minutes later after just sitting there staring into space (what an exciting life he leads).

Next commercial I got up a bit too late to fill it and had to wait again.

I don't see what is so exciting about this but if Chief likes it- it must be good cause my big brother is very smart and very handsome and I must do everything he does cause I'm the little brother and I love my big brother and he's just so cool... - Bert

Well - wait a bit more.
Back to Chief who decided to take a one hour nap in the cube. Then Bert decided - time to play.

I don't plan on attacking Chief. Really I don't. - Bert

Bert seemed happy enough. Chief would hide in the cube until Bert's paw would sneak over the edge and then he'd strike. This game went on for almost an hour.

Just gotta get myself into the right position, then I'll bounce! - Bert

Do you REALLY think I'm not watching you little boy!? - Chief

Who knew buying a $5 cloth cube would entertain the boys for 3 hours straight! Maybe they need to repackage them and sell the cubes to twice as much money as a designer cat toy.

Hangin' out with the Boys

I'm definitely seeing more energy and strength this week compared to the last few weeks. My foot is on the mend. I've managed to stay awake for most of the day now except I still sleep about 10-12 hours out of the 24. It's amazing what the body does to heal itself. The other thing that's helping is I haven't had to take any drugs this week (not even ibuprofen) so it looks like the next hurdle is being able to drive. I'll be trying to drive later this week once the doctor gives me the OK. Then......... back to work. Will I survive? Will the boys survive without our afternoon nap time?

What could be better than an old quilt, knitting and the boys to hang out with!?

Knitting news - I finished the red sock shortly after the above picture.

Saturday a friend gave me some KnitPicks Crayon in green, a Christmas sweater from her little bear and a request. She wanted a St. Pat's Day sweater for her bear. Sunday I made the sweater and I'll get pics before I give it to her.