Front Wheel Drive

Yesterday, I had a 6 p.m. meeting about 35 minutes away from my house and 45 minutes away from my job. I left work a few minutes early in order to run home and pick up some after work clothes to wear at the meeting. No sense in wearing heels for another two hours.
I got stuck in the parking space outside my office. The wheels just kept turning and turning while I remained at my job. It took some fanciness before I finally pulled out of the lot.
My street is an insignificant little drive. The city crews will probably shovel all the snow into the base of my driveway today, trapping all parked cars in their un-roofed igloos. It didn't matter though as yesterday's snow fall had made turning onto my drive treacherous and pulling into my driveway impossible. After much aggravation and wheel spinning, I parked my car the best way that I could, albeit crooked and not flush with either side of the street, and shoveled my driveway. About forty-five minutes later, I walk into my house and brush the snow off my pants and decided "to hell with my meeting."

I pulled the trashcans across the 40ft driveway. I had only shoveled half of it. And placed them out front. This morning, I heard the sanitation department and this is what I saw out of my window after they had left.
<= My neighbor's house

<<another neighbor's front yard.

^This is the front of my house. Do you see the picture that does not belong?
Go back and review the first two pictures.
Do you see it now?


Okay here is a close-up picture of my front lawn. Not the devil's strip owned by the city but MY FRONT LAWN.
Do you see that damn trash can lying on the walkway toward my FRONT DOOR?
There are so many scenarios of what could have happened that I don't want to think about it.

Madness.

My Ruby Square

Edited 3/09/09

Help me test this design
This design was inspired by a motif by Chantal Chevallier titled, Rubies from the December 1993 issue of Magic Crochet.


I loved the motif and wanted to convert it to a granny square. This is my tenth version of the square. I like it.
Tell me what you think.

Robin's Rubies

Triple Crochet (trc): Yarn over 2 times, - three loops on the hook.
Loop yarn over hook and draw through two loops, (there are now three loops remaining on the hook), yarn over hook and draw through two loops,
Again, loop yarn over hook and draw through the last two loops on the hook.

Use a Size G or H hook

Base Round: 4ch, join with sl st.

Round 1: ch1, 7sc in ring, sl st in 1ch

Round 2: Ch3 (counts as one dc), 2dc in same st. 3dc in next and each st around. Sl st in top of ch3 (24dc)

Bring in second color for round 3

Round 3; On this round you will increase by 12 dc. Carry the colors under and behind your work. To change colors when using double crochet pull the new yarn into the fabric ahead of your next stitch. Then pull the new yarn into the top loops of the final yarn over and pull through of the double crochet st and continue working with the new color.

Color A, 3Ch switch to B. 2Dc in next st. *Switch to A. Dc in next st. Switch to B. 2dc in next st. * repeat pattern in each st around. Sl st with color a in top of ch3. Cut color B. (12 dc in color A and 24 DC in color B.)

Round 4: Sl st in next st . 3sc (counts as one DC). Dc in same st as 3ch. Ch one. 2DC in next st. skip next st (should be dc in Color A – you will skip each of these) sl st in top of ch 3. (2dc in next st, 1ch, 2dc in next st, sk next st) around cut color A. (48 dc)

Round 5: With color B attach in any 1ch space. *8Ch, sk 1st. sc in next st.* repeat around for a total of 23 chain 8 loops, chain 4, sk st, dtrc in next st (counts as 8ch loop).

Round 6: On this round you will be twisting each of the 8ch loops from right to left before working sc. Twist a 8ch loop, connect with 1sc in twisted loop, ch2, sc. *Twist next loop. Sc, ch3, sc in next loop.* Repeat around. Sl st in first sc. [24 ch3 loops]

Round 7: Sl st in the 1ch space . 3Ch [counts as one dc] (dc, ch 2, 2dc) in same sp. In the next and each 1ch space (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) . Join with sl st in top of beginning 3h . cut color. (24 ch2 spaces)

Rnd 8: Join next color with sc in any ch 2 sp. (Ch 2, sk 2dc, dc between dc sts, ch 2, sk 2 dc, sc in next ch 2 sp) around, join with sl st in beginning sc.

Rnd 9: Sl st into ch 2 sp. Ch 4, (2 dtr, ch 2, 3 dtr) in same sp. You will only be working in the 2ch spaces *[ 2 dc, 2hdc, ch1, 2 sc, ch1 ,2hdc, 2dc], (3dtr, ch 2, 3dtr) in next ch 2 sp* Repeat from twice, then repeat between the brackets [ ] once. Join with sl st in 4th ch of beginning ch 4.

Rnd 10: 3Ch, 1dc in the next 2trc, *(2dc, 3ch, 2dc) in 2ch corner space, 1Dc in next 3trc. Dc in next 26 st.* [ In corner 2ch sp (2dc, ch 3, 2dc). Sk next trc, 1dc in next 29sts ] Repeat from [ ] twice, then from * to * once. Join with sl st in top of beginning 3ch. (33dc per side)

Rnd 11: ch 3, dc in next 4 dc st. * In ch 2 sp. (2dc, ch 2, 2dc) Dc in each dc across, *Repeat around. Join with sl st in 3rd ch of beginning ch 3. Finish off.

My Crafty Update

Outside of being tagged repeatedly with this blog chain letter, I have been pretty busy trying to complete 2008’s unfinished objects or UFO. The Europe Shoulder Cape has left my home. Jumps up with joy. I gave it to my Aunt Linda yesterday. She said that it will be perfect for the drafty church.
My housemate is modeling it for me. I promised her that I would not get her face.

I have finally found a suitable recipient for the clown pants mentioned here. A highschool classmate and the daughter of a family friend had a little girl. I am so happy. Three of my friends had boys one after the other. I didn't think that I would be able to give this jumper away for a long time. It is not my goal to have UFO's in my house. I want them in and out. So this one will be out soon. Yippee!

I have two remaining UFO's from 2008. Isn't that grand, only two.....

I began the Red and White blanket last February when my girlfriend told me she was pregnant. I took a chance that she was having a girl and abandoned the blanket to work on the clown pants for her. She gave birth to a boy in October just to make me angry. I restarted this blanket in November and worked on it on election night. I considered not giving it to her because it will always represent what I was doing when history was made. After a month of inner struggle, I decided to give it to her as she was its original recipient. She will receive this red and white blanket made of four 21 inch granny squares in Cascade Superwash.
The final remnant of 2008 is a cap. I am using tapestry crochet technique to make a red and white cap for a sorority sister of mine. I have ripped it three times because it will not cup for me. I know how to make caps. I have made tens of them and I certainly know how to make a hat cup. This one defies me. I hate it. I will finish it but I will not enjoy doing so.

My first project of 2009 was a scarf exchange. So much fun. I kept it simple. It was easy to make and complete.
My next project will be a blanket for another friend having a son.
Well, those are my updates

16 Things about me

1. I love German Chocolate Cake

Specifically my mother's German Chocolate Cake. I love my Aunts Red Velvet but that would be for another list.

2. I am addicted to Ravelry.com

I may need an intervention.

3. I can’t stop buying yarn

I have run out of places to put it. This really cannot be normal

4. I love pantyhose and tights

I also hate shaving and multiple layers.

5. I love my heated car seats

Once you have experienced heated car seats you will never go back.

6. I drink a lot of tea

I cannot drink coffee anymore. Isn't that strange.

7. I keep dark chocolate in the fridge

Everyone should

8. I read multiple audiobooks and paper books at the same time

Is really is quite normal. I have to get my 10,000 steps in and I can listen to an audiobook while I pace.

9. I only order XM radio when they solicit me fantastically low deals

Last night they offered me a dollar a week!

10. I never pay my newspaper bill on time on principle

I just can't seem to do it right

11. I order biyrani and sushi twice a month

So yummy

12. I prefer skirts and dresses

I like being a girl

13. I grow tomatoes each year to make sauce that I give away to friends

You should ask for some

14. I still watch cartoons

Beats reality tv any day

15. I still have dreams about an old boyfriend where I am kicking his ass

He deserves it

16. If given the option to do something perfectly and to do something funny, I will go with the funny every time.