I have received 50 6x6x6 cardboard boxes, 100 18×12 padded mailers, 10 size 10 1/2 double-pointed needles, 120 split-ring plastic stitch markers, 20 tapestry needles, 100 2×3 plastic ziploc bags…
AND NO #$()#$*)@% YARN!!!!
AAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!
So I’ve been telling the last few people who ordered Jayne hat kits that it could be a week before I get to mail out their package, because I am waiting for a shipment of yellow yarn to come in. I joked that Browncoat knitters are single-handedly creating a yellow yarn shortage. More yellow arrives on my doorstep today or tomorrow, by the way.
At least, I thought I was joking about us causing the shortage.
I went to the Needlecraft Center in Davidson, NC today because they had some rust yarn (which, yes, I am now very low on and also waiting for) and they mentioned that they had googled the hat and found a picture of it. I said that was me, and they treated me like some kind of minor knitting celebrity. I feel more like a knitting curiosity, but I’ll take it anyway.
Anyway, I explained about my supply chain problems, and they said, “Oh, we can order cones from the mill too!” Needless to say, I was all over that. As it stands, the yarn has to go from Nebraska to Oregon, then from the middleman in Oregon to me in North Carolina, and shipping is a bitch. So they called the mill.
LYS: “Yes, I’m wondering if you have cones available of Sunburst Gold, Autumn…”
Brown Sheep: “Oh, you must be knitting those caps!”
Yes, it’s apparently true, we ARE causing a shortage of yarn. I pity the person who just wants to make an autumn leaf sweater, but can’t because of those damn Browncoats.
But I don’t pity them too much. Go us!!
10/3: 
10/17: 
Boy, 2000 yards didn’t last long. And the seller is out.
Didn’t I say something about it being time to get a wholesale license? It may not help, since I hear that the mill itself won’t produce more for a couple of weeks… but still.
All my orders will be filled, but there’s gotta be a better way.
My first order from Sweden. The guy was so excited. I feel all warm and fuzzy. 🙂
My Secret Pal rocks out!
Unfortunately, I can’t show you exactly how much she rocks, because the husband took the digital camera with him out of town. I am going to try very, very hard not to spoil this package until he gets back tomorrow night!
Great package, pal!
My daughter has class pictures tomorrow, and I had mentioned to her that we could go get a dress today for that. We ran out of time, so I went out and picked her up a cute skirt and shirt tonight after she went to bed. She really did need a new one, because she has grown four inches in the past year. I kid you not. She’s six years old, 55 pounds, and 4’1″ now.
The problem is, I got a size eight skirt (the correct size) but had picked up a size eight shirt, put it down, shopped around, then apparently picked up a size four before checking out. I think the shopkeeper straightened it back into the pile, and I didn’t notice. It was not her fault, though, it was mine, since I should have confirmed it was right before buying it. So now my daughter has a very cute skirt and shirt combo, with the shirt two sizes too small. I picked up some groceries after getting her outfit, so the shop was long closed by the time I noticed at 9:30.
Let’s hope she still fits into one of her two summertime dresses. I can’t believe I did that. I’m going to be kicking myself all night.
Paraphrasing for the announcement on their website, Donors Choose was one of the smallest organizations in a group of finalists selected from nearly 1,000 applicants for the Nonprofit Innovation Award offered through Amazon.com. The finalist which raised the most money through Amazon.com had the opportunity to have the money it raised doubled.
Donors Choose won the Innovation Award by raising $790,000, all through gifts of $1,000 or less. Every one of those dollars will go to classroom needs posted on the Donors Choose web site. And the donations made will be matched by Amazon.com, bringing the total to over $1.5 million.
The wearwithstyle.com contest raised about 300 bucks, through the generosity of knitters. I know it was a close contest between Donors Choose and the next runner-up. Therefore, I personally choose to believe that it was knitters who put Donors Choose over the top.
Donor prizes are in the mail for the most part, although a few are still being packed. Way to go, guys, this is thrilling news. 🙂
(Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)
Today my ball winder started making a loud PAK PAK PAK noise while I was winding off yarn, which means I can’t wind off yarn now while my daughter is asleep. Now I’ll have to investigate getting a new one. Hopefully cheap.
Can we have ONE FREAKING MONTH where one of the cats doesn’t break down?
Yeah, I said cats. You heard me.
Stupid orange pumpkin.
ETA: Here’s what was wrong with her. The faint of stomach should probably not read this.
They thought it was – and I am not making this up – abcessed anal glands. Yes, our little 17-pounder is now so fat that she cannot clean herself, and instead lies around with one leg in the air, displaying herself for the entire world to see.
We know she should lose weight. However, I feel we have to tend to the needs of the worst off cat in the house, namely the black and white one in the picture. He is diabetic and cannot afford to switch to a low-calorie diet. And I do not have the time or energy to maintain a rigorous feeding schedule in which one of them gets locked in the bathroom while the other one eats, and then vice versa. So the cat’s just going to have to stay fat until the black and white one kicks it.
Fortunately, her glands were not abcessed. Her nether region was just really, really filthy. As a result, she was quite pinkish red and raw down around her anus and vulva. We had cleaned her some last night, but apparently it was still filthy. Like, Exxon Valdez filthy. Like, requiring professional care filthy. As the vet said, “she’s gonna want to be sedated for this.”
Anyway, they got her cleaned up, and now I have antibiotic pills to give her twice a day, and also a salve that I have to rub around her anus two or three times a day for a few days until she’s not so raw.
I love animals, I really do, but this is the same little freak of nature that cost us $3000 in vet bills last Thanksgiving. And now I’m smearing diaper cream on her ass.
You know anybody who wants a cat?
That’s right, my Boo is the babe with the bling. Thanks, Nana!
(Those are clip-on earrings, by the way. No pierced ears for my girl yet!)