Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Raindbow Bag

A great day of knitting wass had at the Bee Hive Yesterday. I am working on a bag that I made on my Knitking. It is a messenger type bag made from Red Heart Mexican. I am trying to come up with unique things for the Clawn Brigade. This book bag may be just right for our various books and notebooks. I am considering making a felted version of this bag as the final thing. There would be much less work involved in lining it and the edges would be block rather than crocheted.

For this one I am not crcheting the edges as I normally would. I strips on the machie and I sewed them on. this appears to be doing farily well at keeping the edges from curling.

One of the clown did take some pciture of it. And as soon as I get them I will post them.

I have to run. We have a deck that needs some tending. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Savage Chickens


Saturday, July 28, 2007

Knitting at Home

It has been another good day here at the homestead. I have gone through another Chemo Cap and are once again working on Knitting Machine.

I have had a handful of people pass through the beginning class and should probably start to look toward doing projects on the machine. I have managed an ugly sweater that I did not even put together. I have had some success with a one piece vest. I think this will be the nest class that I should offer.

I am a bit disappointed that no one has taken a men’s knitting class at Knit 1. I have had several men take classes at the Bee Hive but none at Knit 1. It seems odd to me. I am sure there is some sort of reason but I do not know what it is. I have started writing up a lesson plan for the vest class. I am definitely going to ask to so a design your own bag class. I think the bag class should be popular.

I have a circular bottom draw string bag or a messenger type bag. The Messenger Bag is much like my ill-fated black bag from last year. With the exception of felting the bag, if you are into that, the either bag should be able to be made in one two hour class.

On other knitting front the second session of the Knitting Group in the South Hills now at the Boarders was another fun evening of knitting. The folks there continued to roll out the welcome mat and make us feel at home. Our space is around a fire place and there are tons of comfortable chair and rocking chairs. I simply cannot say enough about these people and great environment of their store.
Well be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice

Savage Chickens


Thursday, July 26, 2007

Some Really Random Stuff

A good day was had knitting today.

Our show yesterday went very well. We had thirty kids and it looked as if everyone had a good time. I am very pleased with the progress that the Brigade is making

In knitting news , if you can call it that. I have been working on using the ring gizmo to help me throw the yarn with my right hand. I did a chemo cap using this gizmo and it makes my knitting supper tight. I still have some progress to make with this thing. It does appear that i will be able to knit faster with it.

On a totally random thing how come no one told me that Billie Piper sings. Or I suppose she was a a singer. I really feel like someone should have told me this.

And what is wrong with the Doctor. He is the last of his kind and when he finds a woman he likes he gets rid of her. I don't care what the Face of Boaz says. If he is not alone than it is probably the Master and not a female Time Lord that he could save their race with.

At least they didn't kill her off. I suppose there is hope that there will be little Time Lords again someday.
From what I am told David tenant is the best looking Doctor thus far. Still. I think our standards are a little high. It is hard enough to find a woman that can put up with the Universe being destroyed every five minutes. What you find one that can you need to hold onto her.
Alright that was a bit random even for me. For some reason that is really bothering me with new companion. For the Brits that are reading this was are only on Series 3 over here. So don't ruin it for me.
I have been working on my book during all of my spare time. I am pleased with how it is going as well. I am at the point where a fleet of ships the fights the Slave Trade enter the story. I am
having a hard time naming this type of ship. I am currently calling them Anti-slaver ships. This does not have much pizazz. I am open to suggestions.
I am also having a hard time name the ships in this fleet. I am thinking of naming one after Brengle.
Well that is it for now. Be safe out there everyone and keep your stick on the ice.


Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Not Much Knitting Done Tonight

I was busy with this and that. My wife and I did get a little time to stop by Knit 1.

I got through another chemo cap and spent a little time getting ready for our show Wednesday. As always there is much to do and little time to do it.

Things have been plugging along at Hive Knitting. The Monday knitting group met yesterday with most of the usual suspects. This was a good time as usual.

Well i need to get to bed. The thing about performing for kids is that they get up early. So on occasion I need to be up before noon.

Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Hello Everybody Again

It has been a super busy and some what stressful week. My wife has been in the hospital, the cat is sick, the dog is crazy and we are having our first stage show outside Homestead on Wednesday. And there was a Fire Expo in the somewhere. Oh, and everyone is well and life is good again.

I have not touched my book, except I wrote longhand, let alone blog. I have had a great deal of time to do Chemo caps. including the one I just finished I manage to get thirteen done. That is usually my monthly total.

By the way I should thank every one who helped with Carol, advice and offers of help on the Cat and my Clowns who have rehearsed without me and did what they needed to do.

It has been a busy week for many things. It will probably take me while to recount all of the excitement and drama.

Well I did want to make mention of the Boarders near South Hills Village. They went way out of their way to make us feel welcome. And not only was the staff much friendlier the entire store was more conducive to the Knitting group. It is a slightly longer walk but it is well worth it for the Atmosphere. Besides the fact everything was nicer for the group it is simply a nicer book store. I am very pleased with how this all worked out. I only wish the Barnes and Nobles had a bit more of a notion what customer service is.

Well that is for the moment. Everyone be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Busy Week

For those that were at Knit 1 on Sunday Carol is fine. She is home from the hospital and all is well.


I just got in and know I have not posted for a while. Be safe out ther eeveryone.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Knitting with Fire Fighters

I have spent the last couple days at the Fire Expo here in Pittsburgh. We do recruiting for our Disaster Services there. If you are into fire stuff it is great time. I am not one of those people. Although it is is good to see all the emergency people I have gotten to know with out there being a disaster.

Being that I stood around outside one of our Canteen for two days I got to do a lot of knitting. I finished several Chemo Caps. There were even a couple people there who knew people that needed a cap. On the up side I should have plenty of time to go to knit 1 on Sunday for Charity Knitting.

Most of my spare time has been spent working on the book. It is coming along and I hope to have it finished by Christmas.

We still have our canine house guest as well. Ike has been a good pup and is even getting along with the cat. It almost makes you want to to get another pet. Still, that may be my developing mental illness surrounding chemo caps.

Well there is not a great deal to post so I suppose I should simply sign off. Be safe out there.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Another Chemo Cap

I am told that my total on Chemo Caps if 54. If that does not count as a mental issue then i do not know what does. I have never gotten into a knitting rut like this before. It is truly bizzar.

We had a good practice on Wednesday. We did mostly balloons. After it we went to Flag Staff Hill for a Movie. We got some practice working the crowd.

It is early I need to be in bed so I am turning in. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Savage Chickens

This is so true. Mathew, Mark and John always got the girl.

Super Busy Begining of the Week

I have not had much time to post this week.

First thing first. I have been trying to get in tough with the district manager of the Barnes and Nobles with not the slightest bit of luck. Some say he is on vacation other say he is unavailable while still other claim he got my message and will be calling me this afternoon. Well it is clear they do not care. It would be nice if they were at a closer book store anyway.

I have been working on my book and it is progressing well. I am into the second chapter and things are going nicely.

The Monday group was awesome this week. Only one of the regular showed up and one sometimes person showed up. Everyone else was completely new. Some were in town at doing Act 40 classes and other were just passing through. It is also the first time that the group has been mostly female in nearly a year. A lively evening of knitting was had. It is amazimg to be able to take over the back third of the Bee Hive during the summer with a knitting group.

On the clown front there are now five shows on the books for us to do over the next two months. So like I said busy times.

I will post later today. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Saturday, July 07, 2007

Flooding and Fuel Spills

No knitting today.Today I painted Radiators at my mother's house. Not quite as exciting as knitting. Still, it is rewarding to not have chipped paint on the radiators. Although now that I think about it I have no radiators in my house. Why should i care if there is paint chipping on radiators across the city. Odd how the appeared to be so important this morning and in retrospect it does not.

Ho hum onto other stuff. We have a house guest this week. Ike, the dog of the officer in new Kensington is staying while his owner are on vacation. He is a Lasaopsa {Don't quote my spelling}. He a cute little guy and very friendly.

We have been up to our eye balls with the flooding in Alaquipa and now there is a fuel spill in Stowe Township. With half our volunteers on vacation and half our staff unavalible this has been a hard couple of days for EDS. As I type i am trying to find relief crews for the people in Stowe and we still do not have people for Sunday's shift at the flooding. At this rate I may have to skip church and go myself. Although that will get me out of a family keger that I am supposed to go to.

Well I will have to cut it short. I need to send out another page. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Friday, July 06, 2007

Fire, Chemo Cap, Sergeant Major Maybe

Another day of this and that. Did another Chemo cap.

Well there was not actually much happening today. Well nothing that is terribly exciting. I have been trying for a week to get someone at Barnes and Nobles to find out why they are being so mean to the Friday knitting group. Well I tried the manager of the store who is not available and the regional manager who is also not available. I wonder if this is how Micheal Moore feels when he is looking for an interview?

Well hopefully the group will find a new place to meet. This thing has been a bit strange from the get go.

On other front I continue to work on my fiction book. I am into the second chapter and things are going well. Perhaps they are going too well. I am sure that working on the book has been cutting into my blog time. Well when someone pays me for the book I can say I am an author. Then I will not have to have a day job and could have a good hour or so a day to just work on my blog. they I can help flood the Internet with more irrelevant stuff.

And for a change I have something of substance to mention. My Corps Officer asked me to be the Crops Sargent Major. For those not in the Army most churches do not have a position like this one. They are second in command of the Corps behind the officers. they also have dozens of duties ranging from record keeping to making sure uniforms are worn properly.

It has been occupying my thought for the better part of this week. I have not accepted because I need to pray about it and consider if I can do it. Our Corps does not have very many people. Still, I cannot help but wonder if I am old enough and experienced enough to do this.

Also a Prayer Request we responded to a fire here in Mt. Oliver Today. The woman who own the house was as her first radiation treatment for stage 4 cancer while her house was burning down. Fortunately none of her six children were home at the time.

Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Savage Chickens


Thursday, July 05, 2007

Savage Chickens


One Tired Clown.

The Fourth of July is the only holiday that is when everyone is trying to hire a clown. For this reason it is a supper busy day. The high point of the day was my shop from the West End Over Look. Needless to say it was a great show. Everyone is happy on the Fourth and that is a good time to be a clown. I am sure I will ramble on about this at great length later. Still, it was nice to be busy with clowning. It was like the old days if only for a little while.

As stated in the title I am super tired. And for all I know I may not actually be typing this. Well obviously I am typing something. I may typing gibberish or a carrot cake recipe. The grand total for Balloon at the the West End show is over 500 hundred. That is a lot for such a relatively short show. For this knitters out there that is like doing a seven color fair ilse sweater in a week end. It can be done but there is little time for anything else.

That makes me wonder who is reading this thing. I have been getting lots of hit from Army people these days. And I have a clown emailing question about my make up. If you read this and have a moment post and let me know if you are a knitter or it you have been drawn into the blog for some other reason. You do not have to use your real name if you do not want to admit to reading this drivel.

Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice. I should stop before I fall asleep on the keep board. I hate waking up with that keyboard imprint on my face. My wife makes for of me for such things. If I have a picture of me slkeeping as Zeeppo I would post it. As it is Zeeppo just take all of my evnergy and leave when I run out. Rather incosiderate if you think about it. Good night, Goodmorning and or Good Afternoon.

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Savage Chickens

So wrong, but so true. Happy Birthday America. Everyoneelse have a special Wednesday.

Zeeppo

Monday, July 02, 2007

Fun at the Bee Hive

A good evening was had knitting at the Hive. More Chemo caps took shape and fun was had by all. As always it was good to have en evening of knitting.

I had someone sign up for my Machine Knitting class tommarrow evening. It is good to be making progress on that front. I know the summer is a slow time for knitting. Still, it is nice to have some movement in the knitting classes.

I do have a bit of a headache so I will be turning in. Be safe out there.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Can't Sleep Fictional People Will get Me

It is three am Sunday Morning and fictional people are keeping me up. My Childhood obsession is returning in greater force as I have been working on this book. Over the years i have experimented with four characters.

The first was a British Woman named Dr. Katherine Mason who commanded a Rescue Star Ship operated by The Salvation Army. She is complicated. Her adopted father abused her mother and committed genocide against several alien races. He is a bad man on multiple levels. She must deal with her hatred of him and reconcile it with her calling to be an Officer {Minster in The Salvation Army}. Her husband was executed at the behest of her adopted father. And to top it off she is a product of rape. She has has anger issues like few others.

She has dedicated her life to medicine in en effort to undue her adopted father's evil biologic weapons that killed entire planets.

The second Character is Admiral McRandal who has spent the better part of his life fighting religious extremest of one sort or another. He has come to believe that God not only does not exist but that the very notion of him is harmful.

The third and fourth characters are a husband and wife.

She is Evangeline Jefferson and was once a minster in The Salvation Army. When she married her husband she lost her position and he was not allowed to enter The Army's Seminary to become an officer. Without a pulpit she joined her husband in the U.S. Navy and became a Chaplain. She is a gifted minister and is haunted by how her church could turn it's back on her.

Her husband is is Admiral John Jefferson the commander of the Navy's top secred project to build the first hyperspace capable war ships. Part of his project is also to secretly visit alien planets and gather intellicenge and technology.

The McRandal and John Jefferson are plunged into another religious war when member of an alien faith take aim at The Army.

Mason's character is born six hundred year after this story takes place.

At this point I have the better part of five books written about these characters. And I have not had much of desire to publish any of them. They have been a hobby and something for me to do in my spare time. In most of these books it refers to the holy war that the Jeffersons and McRandal must fight.

Through you basic science fiction mumbo jumbo Mason and her ship end up in the past to keep the past from going wrong.

Anyway these people who have been running around in my head and meeting on paper for the first time. If nothing else this has been an exciting morning for me.

Well be safe out there and get some sleep if you are supposed to be sleeping. I will be here filling red composition books with the exploits of fictional people.
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