The verdict is in.......

It was the hard drive! Now we have to get a new one to install. So, at this point, since I have to replace the hard drive, I'll just upgrade the whold thing, rather than buy new. It'll be cheaper in the long run. We'll just pop in a new hard drive, then after a month or two, I'll upgrade the RAM and processor. Maybe get a new dvd/cd drive so I can burn the short home movies I take with my camera to dvd. Maybe I'll have it back soon.

My Namaste bag (the black one) arrived Friday! And I'll just say that I'm in Heaven! Never again will I have to carry 2 bags, as I can fit the entire contents of my purse and my knitting bag into it's lovely, spaciousness. Well, I won't have to carry 2 bags, as long as I'm not working on a huge project, say, like an afghan. The only issue I had was when someone (I think Katie) knocked it off the picnic table at the Morris family reunion yesterday, and one of my Crystal Palace US 1 DNP's fell out unnoticed. I went back to look for it, but it was gone. *sniff, sniff*

Last week I took the plunge and ordered something else. I ordered the Slim in 6 program. I figured that maybe the reason I haven't gotten off my duff and started working out is because I know what my current work out programs are, and they don't excite me right now. This one looks fun, and motivating. It should arrive by the end of the week, so I'm taking every opportunity I can to be bad before it gets to my door. And as akick in the pants to do soemthing, at the afore mentioned family reunion 3 (count them, 3) of my great-aunts asked me when I was due! Me? Have another child? Nope, 2 is enough, thankyouverymuch. It's definately time to do something about my weight problem, huh?

I finished a pair of footies that I had on the needles. I ended up giving them to Katie, because my gauge was off, and they were a little long for my short feet. Her feet are longer than mine, and the fit her better. I'll have to take pics and get them posted for SAM KAL 4 credit for August.

Just a reminder, the Harvest Sock Swap '07 sign ups are still open. You have 19 days left to sign up.

I still have 2 spots left for the Pay It Forward Exchange. If you'd like to sign up for that one, just leave me a comment with you e-mail address.

Maybe I'll swipe Mr. S's laptop later and try to post some pics. Hee Hee!

D.I.B. (Dead In Bag)

That's what my laptop is, Dead In Bag. In the past hour, I have completely wiped my hard drive and it's still doing the same thing. So, this weekend, my loving SIL from Dayton will be stopping by to pick it up and take it home to her sweet, generous husband, who is going to take it apart to test the hard drive, since we both think that's what's wrong with it. And trust me, it will be a good thing that it's leaving town for a while, as all day at work, I day dreamed about taking it onto the dock, laying it on the floor, and smooshing it with about 6,000 lbs. of fork lift. And, if I'd had the money, I would have bought a new laptop, today. But, alas, I am on the poor side. No new laptop for me, at least not for another 6 months.

For updates: I still have 2 spots let for the PIF Exchange, so sign up by leaving a comment.

My Josephine Top is finished, but I obviously can't post any pics right now. I'll post some as soon as I'm able.

Sign ups for the Harvest Sock Swap '07 are still open, and will close on Sept. 15th. So far, we have, roughly, a dozen people, and plenty of room for more. So, stop by the blog page and sign up.

In other news, I have started another IHS for my cousin in West Virginia, who was diagnosed with congestive heart failure last month. She absolutely loved mine when we visited in January, so I thought I'd make her one before the weather turned cold. I'm already a third of the way into it, so I should be able to mail it soon.

I finally took the plunge, and ordered that Namaste Knitting bag I have been drooling over for more than a year. In black. It's on it's way, and I can't wait. Yippee!

I have a second sock that has been on the needles since the end of softball season that I desperately need to finish. It's a footie, you'd think I'd have it done by now. Especially since I only have to turn the heel and knit the foot. And, I need the credit for the SAM4 KAL.

Also, tonight, as I was on the phone trying to trouble shoot and arrange the going away of afore mentioned dead laptop, my niece was in the back ground, clamoring to talk to me. When she finally gets her turn to talk, the conversation went like this:

Niece S: Hi, Aunt Tonia. I need another pair of fingerless gloves. (If you remember, I made her a pair in navy for Christmas '06)

Me: Hi S. You need another pair?

Niece S: Yes, I lost one. And I'll look stupid wearing just one.

Me: What? Don't you wanna look like Michael Jackson? Ok, do you want the same color, or another color?

Niece S: Same color, so it matches my scarf. (The one I made her for Christmas '05)

So, I'll be ordering more Knit Picks Essential in Navy.

Ok, since my laptop is down, if you need to reach me, please leave me a comment, or e-mail me at rosiegypsy AT aol DOT com. I check that e-mail all day long.

ETA: I wasn't able to post my Felted Bad Exchange questionaire until now, so here it is:

1. How long have you been knitting or crocheting? I have been crocheting for 20 years, and knitting for 13 yrs. How did you learn? I got bored and taught myself.
2. What was your first felted object, and why did you decide to try felting? My first felted object was a small hand bag, it was a Christmas gift for someone.
3. What are your favorite colors? Red, black, green, and pretty much all of them. Any you hate? none.
4. What are your favorite styles\types of bags? (Long straps? Short handles? Handbags? Totes? Embellished? Plain? Include links to patterns or photos if you’d like – give your pal an idea of what you enjoy!) I like all kinds of bags. I'm pretty much a purse whore.
5. What handbag or bag are you carrying today? A black, white & purple striped tote from Victoria's Secret. Do you use a separate bag to carry your knitting? For now, waiting for my new Namaste bag.
6. What other things do you enjoy knitting or crocheting? socks, socks, and everything else.
7. What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum) whatever is needed for the project, and I prefer bamboo or wood.
8. What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make? color work
9. What’s one yarn you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with? Paton's SWS (soy wool)
10. What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden? I try to spin, I make wire jewlery, I sew, cross stitch and bake.
11. Besides yarn, do you collect anything? tea cups and tea pots
12. What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to? my favorite sweet is white chocolate.
13. Do you have any kiddos? (Furry kind count!) I have 2 great girls (ages 12 & 6) and 2 furry babies (cats)
14. What kind of project best personifies you and why? not really sure, but I knit alot of socks
    
15. What is your favorite part of Autumn? You can also share a special Autumn memory if you'd prefer! I love all of Autumn, the mildly warm days, very cool nights, the leaves turning colors, and the change to gather around a bon fire.
16. Tell us 3 things you would do if you won 10 million dollars in the lottery. Visit Ireland, Scotland and England. Buy my own house. Open my own yarn shop.

Sorry if it's a little late.

Gone Kaput!

Well, I think my laptop has gone down for the count. I can start it ok in safe mode, but it has started freezing in regular mode, again. So, I am stuck using the work computer to blog with. Now, on with our regular blog......



I will be opening the Harvest Sock Swap '07 today. If you missed last year's, or any of the others, now is your chance. Sign up! Come on, you know you want to. And it's so easy to do. Just leave me a comment here, or on the swap blog, or drop me an e-mail at rosiegypsy AT aol DOT com (temp e-mail until I can beat my laptop into submission {insert evil laugh here}), with your e-mail addy and blog addy (sorry, blogs will be required this year. If you don't have one, now's the time to get one. They're easy and, best of all, free!). Please stop by the swap blog later today to see the rules and questionaire. I will update that page today as work and home life permit.

And, in other news.....

While make the rounds of my blog reading (before my laptop took a nose dive {I don't sound bitter, do I?}) , I found something that looked great, and I had to try to join. It was this:





I was over at Knitting Nurse when I was it. It was inspired by that great movie. And what better way to show that you care for your fellow man. Now, I will blatantly steal the rules from her page. They are:

"Here is how it works! I'll send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange! I don't know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week...LOL... but you will receive it within 365 days, that's a promise! and it will be something yummy!! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog..."

So, there you have it. The first 3 people to leave a comment that they want to join, will be in. Please make sure to leave you e-mail address in the comment, so I can contact you for your snail mail address.

Next up, we have this:



I think I'll join this round. I always have fun making felted bags, so why not? If you'd like to join, sign ups open tomorrow (Aug 15th), just drop by the Fall Felted Bag Exchange and sign up.

And last up is the update on the Josephine top. Well, I did take a pic, but since my laptop decided that it needed a vacation (it may be a permanent one, if it keeps it up), I can't up load them. But anywho, I have finished the left front and am working my way up the back. I may have that done tonight, and can start on the right front. After that is when I have to pick up all those stitches for the sleeve caps, neck and bottom hem. Oh, that'll be fun. But, it'll look great when I'm done. And, seriously, it is a fun pattern. I can see myself making a couple more.

So, to sum up, join the Harvest Sock Swap '07, join the PIF Exchange, join the Fall Felted Bag Exchange, and stop back by for updates on my lazy laptop and the Josephine top.

Falling apart....

I haven't been able to post pics, or even check my e-mail, as my laptop decided that it was a good time to start freezing on me. Everytime I would start it up, it would run sorta ok for about 3 minutes, then it would just sit and stare at me, not doing anything. So, after starting it in *safe mode*, and deleting anything and everything that I knew I could, and running a defrag, it has finally decided to start working with me. I think, that as soon as I can afford it, I'll be getting a new laptop. Granted, this one is only a year and half old, but I have outgrown the 60 GB hard drive.

But, anyway. We had a blast this past weekend. Saturday, when we started out around noon, it was hot. Really hot. As in hot with a huge, capitol H. Can I stress that any further? Normally, I don't like to run the a/c in the car, as it sucks too much gas, but considering that I replaced the spark plugs the week before (yes, I work on my own cars, and am getting pretty good at it, especially since the warranty runs out with in the next year or 8,000 miles), and ran some injector cleaner through it(as it had an annoying habit of hesitating every time I took off from a dead stop), I was all for it. I drove up, playing a few hands of travel Uno along the way. We got to the hotel around 3:30, and when we got to the room, I flipped on the tv and found Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on. And then I napped for the next hour, or so. About the time I woke up, Cassi and Chris arrived. They got settled in, and we took off to find something to eat. And, as always, anything with me is an adventure. We started out trying to find a local steak house, that was at some golf club, but we went down 2 different rounds, found 2 different golf clubs, and never found it. So, on the way back the way we came, we found a little pizza place. It wasn't too bad, but it wasn't a steak house, either. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel, and to the indoor pool. I know, you think indoor pool, great, right? Well, let me tell you.... By the time we left for dinner, it had cooled of drastically, by almost 20 degrees. The pool room, on the other hand, was as hot as it had been outside, earlier in the day. As I don't have a bathing suit to fit me, and Mr. S forgot his swim trunks, we sat pool side. Of course I was knitting, on Josephine. We stayed in there as long as we could. We finally had to flee to pool room, and ended up sitting in the semi-darkness of the breakfast room to watch the kids through the big picture window. And, at this point, let me just say, that the last time we stayed in this hotel (3 years ago), it was very quiet, and we had to the pool all to ourselves. This time around, there was a very diverse crowd. And I mean crowd. There were tons of kids with their parents, grandparents, etc., and a group of bikers. Needless to say, thank the heavens it wasn't a dry county, 'cause there were very few adults that didn't have a alcoholic beverage of some sort, us included. When the pool closed, at 11 pm, we went up to the rooms for the night.

Sunday started out sunny, very sunny. When I pulled the curtain back a few inches to see how the weather was, I was momentarily blinded. So, we all got up and got moving. We went down to check out and get breakfast (with everyone else in the hotel) at about 9:15. By the time we were done, we got the faire just as it opened. Mr. S was so excited, it was like watching a little kid on Christmas morning. At this point, I did start taking pics, but due to the above mentioned laptop problems, I haven't up loaded them from the camera, yet. I'll probably do that tonight. So, at this point, I'll leave you with a cliff hanger, and post later about the faire, with pics.

As for my progress on Josephine, I am on the last round of repeats for the bottom. I have about 10 to 11 more rounds before I can start the top. I'll take a pic or my progress later tonight.

I'm up and running!

I have a new cord for my laptop! Yippee! As I told Lexa, I have never been more happy to see 158 e-mails in all my life. And during the great laptop black out of '07, I realized exactly how much my sanity depends on my laptop. Is that a good thing? I'm pretty sure it's not, but I can cope with that.

Last night, Katie had an away game. They lost. They seem to win the home games, and lose the away games. Last Thursday, they only lost by 1 point. Last night, the score was 14-2. But, I don't blame them. It was really cold. All of the parents were bundled up and under blankets. I could see my breath, that's how cold it was. That's not normal for Ohio in mid-May. I sat and knitted for as long as my fingers could take it. Poor Mr. S almost froze to death. Ok, so maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but he was really, really, really cold. He was still shivering when we got back to the house. And I thought I got cold easily. Annie, on the other hand, was running and playing on the play ground and didn't feel the cold at all. I took pics, but they are on the camera, and Mr. S has the camera. He's bringing it back tonight, so I'll try to post them over the weekend.

Oh, and for those that are interested. We are looking to start a second round of the Summer Sock Party. If you are interested, please leave a comment or e-mail me. Because of the suddenly exploding social agenda, I will make this swap a guest blogging event. That way, if I am running behind on updates, the participants can do their updates. I'll have sign ups open until June 16th, and the "party" will begin on June 21st. I'm hoping it's a big party this year.

And disaster strikes!

I'm using the computer at work to drop in a quick post. My lap top is down, due to a cord with a short. I had to order one, as no one local carries that particular cord, and it shipped yesterday. Now, let's see how long it takes to get here. I'll have a nice big update when I'm finally up and running. Oh, and if you've sent me an e-mail in the past week, I won't be able to answer till the new cord arrives. Sorry.