You Take the Big Guy, I'll Take the Fish

That's a really old Kids in the Hall quote, so I don't expect anyone to get it. I'm not even sure if it's right, actually, but that's what we say around here from time to time. Since this post seems to have an ongoing theme of crazy, I think it works.

Anyway, we had parent-teacher interviews last week with Liam's preschool teachers. Of course everything was glowing, wonderful, amazing. Of course.

Except, let's say, his reluctance to wait his turn to talk. Or to even put up his hand. He is quite good at saying, "Excuse me!" but it is said over and over and over and over and over until you think you might just loose your mind. Come to think of it, his dad also doesn't wait his turn sometimes.

So Ms. Sue had a suggestion: use some item to signify a person's turn to speak. Keep each turn short, of course, since we are talking about a three-year-old here, but no talking is allowed without the item. You can then put up your hand to request a turn. Obviously that seems a bit crazy to do, say, around the house, but we decided it was just a little bit crazy to do it tonight at dinner.

Since we didn't have a conch shell, we used a fish.

A beer opener fish, but a fish none the less. Turns out it was actually fun. Olivia was exempt, although she certainly wanted a turn with the fish, and the rest of us took great pleasure in (silently) catching someone talking out of turn. Its certainly not something I want to do all the time, and I really do want to hear what Liam has to say, but I would also like to get a word in with Mark. If it takes a fish to do it, so be it (as long as it's fun).

Moving on. I do have sad news. A certain husband of mine (he who shall go unnamed) machine washed AND dried Isabella and the Happy Hen Sweater. Although Isabella looks a bit man-handled, the Hen is most definitely a half-size smaller and slightly felted. Even if you are not a knitter, and therefore did not put hours and hours of slightly-crazy-yet-loving care into the items you wear (as SpongeBob's grandmother says, putting "love in every stitch"), I still imagine you'd be pretty pissed if someone carelessly tossed your delicate dry-flats into the drier. So yesterday afternoon said husband was the victim of a rather teary phone call that turned a bit nasty at the end.

After work, my husband showed up with this:

That's a sympathy card there. On the inside it says {snicker, snicker}, "May time soften the pain until all that remains is the beauty of the memories....and the love, always the love."

I've gotten a lot of sympathy cards lately and the shock of this one made me cry, it was so damn funny. The Frappachino and the flowers helped too.

I haven't actually been doing a whole lotta knitting lately because I've been glued to the computer. Or rather, I've been glued to a new knitting site: Ravelry. Karma was sweet enough to send me an invitation and I don't think I've closed my browser window since (ahem...I know I haven't). It's used to catalog all the projects you've done and the patterns you want to do and the needles and yarn you have. You can even see what everyone else has/has done. It was started up by a knitter and her husband and they have been really clever about it. Since I do have a bit of librarian in me (so sad, but I did have my books arranged alphabetically for a while) and a whole lot of accountant, I couldn't wait to get in there and, well, organize myself.

I realize that 90% of you now think I'm crazy (including my husband, who was dumbfounded last year when I found LibraryThing and started schlepping books back and forth from the shelves to the computer). I'm afraid I can't do anything about that. But if you are at all crazy in that way, I encourage you to sign up.

The little knitting I have been doing has been on Rusted Root. You gotta love being able to try on the top-downs. I'm now reasonably sure I'm making the right size. Phew.

Comments

[knittingnurse]

Your husband is still ALIVE to buy you a sympathy card? Seriously?

[knittingnurse]

Your husband is still ALIVE to buy you a sympathy card? Seriously?

[Karma]

Oh, yes, my husband has been the victim of way too many of those conversations ("Ack! You put THIS in the dryer????!?"), but so far he hasn't destroyed anything handknit. I am so sorry. His sympathy card was perfect, though!

Rusted Root looks fantastic on you. It's exactly the right size. Are you making the sleeves a little poofier? They look so cute that way. Maybe others have made them too short or small; this looks great.

I did something like Library Thing for a while; it was called Delicious Library. I had soo many books catalogued in it and started in on the CDs and DVDs, too. Then I had to dismantle my "office" in order to have a nursery. For now most of my books are in boxes in the basement... boohoo.

Why do I always feel like babbling on and on when I comment to your blog? :)

[sue]

Well Barry has NEVER done such a thing....that would mean putting something in the dryer. Heart breaking. But I once laundered a stack of cue notes written over the years by Barry's golf coach. Never dreamed they were in his Tilley short's pocket...secured by velcro... A clever strategy that: mea culpa via a sympathy card. That might have helped!
FYI-My Sprint is tomorrow and we have 1500. for the cause. Amazing. Ashley will be with me.

[Cathi]

Rusted Root looks awesome!

Ravelry is so great- now I just need to set up a real Flickr account and get cooking.

And how sweet is your husband? Mine has felted several knits (not handknits) and all I get is that 'Well, you should have done it yourself.' Makes a girl want to put a hair or two in Ye Olde Casserole.

[Mary Maddox]

I'm pretty sure any man who "does put things in a dryer" has committed the same crime. My freshman roommate did one of my favorite hand knit cardigans (by my mom). i gave it to a 2 year old to keep her warm! So sorry as I know how proud you were of the sweaters! Remember, nev er leave anything of valuenear a dryer, where a man can find it.
Loved Liam's white jacket, etc. good luck with the "fish". Mary

[Holly Jo]

OMG. I am wiping away the tears - that card is the funniest thing ever.
MAJOR mistake on his part that he will never make again - now every little knit garment will bring the question, "Can I dry this?"

Best of luck controlling the enthusiasm with Liam. Gotta love a kid who is anxious to share and learn - even when it is irritating. :)

[Kristin]

We have had so many issues with things being dried in this house...my husband doesn't even go near the laundry room at all now. It's actuallly less stressful for me to just do the laundry by myself than to worry what the next thing to be ruined will be!
I am super excited about Raverly too, only I haven't really had the time to sit down and organize myself yet. But, I can't wait to get started!