Small Town Living….Is it the life for me? August 4, 2010

Well, here we are again. And by again, what I mean is that it is many months since my last post…. again.

But we discussed the fact that I am an “on a whim” blogger. Maybe since I have so much time on my hands that will spur on a flood of more frequent posts, but I am not sure I would hold my breath.

Life has definitely taken an interesting turn since last we met. DH and I no longer live in our “oh-so-charming, and yet oh-so-expensive” two bedroom apartment in the heart of Charlotte NC. No, my friends, we have traded in for a hundred year old, two story, brick, “fix-er-upper” in Parkersburg, WV. Excuse me…. West “By God” Virginia.

The house is truly a diamond in the rough. When first I laid eyes on it, about 5 years ago, I knew, one day, this home would be something incredible. Now, get a good visual on this house as I first saw it 5 years ago. Shag carpet in a color that can only be described as “Baby sh*t green.” Not only was this carpet on the inside of the house, but it was on the front porch as well. Kudzu, or some other form of vine, that decided it liked living inside and not out. The middle bedroom upstairs had been used as the tenant’s daughter’s personal diary. Walls, ceiling, the fan, the doors, all screaming for help at the tip of a sharpie. (I really hope that they got that girl to a psychiatrist) Throughout the home was left behind personal effects, financial statements, furniture, canned foods. All of it we pulled out and set for the garbage collectors. We had to wear masks and gloves because the home had been left to such disrepair and filth, it was a health risk. This, my friends, is the house I fell in love with.

To their horror and shock, we announced to my husband’s family that this was the house we wanted to take as ours when we moved back to WV. Well, we convinced them we weren’t crazy (well, we are, but that is besides the point), and we really were moving back and intending to move into this house.

We started making trips to help clean the place out. His parents started arrangements for contractors to come in for the electrical work and the furnace units. The walls were cleaned, the kitchen totally redone. And about a year and a half later, here we are. We have a house that is almost done, and is well on it’s way to being as magnificent as I knew it could be.

Small town living is very different from what I am used to. My husband grew up here. He knows how the people are, and is not really phased when the occasional person stops by to say how glad they are that someone is living in the house now that will take care of it.

While I was out, he even had one of the original owners stop by. He said she was a woman about in her 70′s who stopped to say she had lived there when she was a girl. She came in to see what had been done and was so pleased that so much of the house was kept original.

While I miss the hustle and bustle of Charlotte, and I most definitely miss my friends, I could get used to these nightly walks around the block. Grilling out and enjoying a dinner together. Mostly, I am grateful for a town where I feel safe, and feel like this is a place we can settle. So, it seems, small town living, may just be the life for me!

Ya’ll come back now, ya hear!

P.S. I didn’t make this a picture heavy post, so you wouldn’t have a nightmare loading it on your computer. But if you want to go see more house pictures, click the box over on the right there that has my Flickr page on it. Before and some of my after pictures are up. I will get more as we get more done with the house! Thanks for stopping by!

Ooo, Ooo, Witchy Woman October 2, 2009

Haha! Now just TRY and get that out of your head!

I know, I know, it’s been forever. I am going to stop making excuses and just accept the fact that I will blog when the spirit moves me. I love all of you who stick around to find out when that might be.

Well, my new Vesper Sock Yarn definitely warrants a blog post!

Here is the lovely Witchy Woman. How gorgeous is that purple?!?!?! Pictures really do not do this yarn justice. So I will hold viewing appointments, please call ahead for a time!

I almost can’t stand how much I love this yarn!

And on to the other pretty that I ordered with it,

I put a spell on you, and now, your mine!

This is the Hocus Pocus colorway. Now, I’m not much of a bright color person, but this just had to come home with me!

A word to the wise about the Vesper Yarn. Most of the time it is sold out. She posts when she will do her updates, but its almost like a Wollmeise frenzy.  Once it’s up, it goes fast! So, give her a try, I assure you, you won’t be disappointed!

Knitterly Things

Hopefully I’ll be back soon!

Love & Stitches,

C.M.S.S.

“In a way, it’s someone else’s story, June 26, 2009

I don’t see myself as taking part at all. “

This is kind of how I have been feeling for a while. The lyrics come from a song I used to sing at just about every audition I ever did. I’ll tell you about it in a little bit. But let me first return to the fact that I have been feeling so far removed from my own self lately, that I don’t even feel like its me going through everyday life. I can only think that its a coping mechanism for things like dealing with mourning, dealing with missing my husband who works a completely opposite schedual from me, dealing with the status quo of life as of right now.  Detatchment is not something I am well practiced at, but its something I’ve been doing an awful lot of lately. I suppose that is part of the reason the blog has been neglected, I don’t return phone calls except mostly to my husband and mother. I’ve let a lot of my social life just drift past. What has worried me the most is that I haven’t cared.

The last few weeks I have kind of, woken up, I guess is the best way to say it. I have realized that I have stepped completely out of my own life and let something else that is not me take over. Well, I just can’t function like that anymore. I am doing my best to re-engage myself with the world and my life.

So, as re launch, what like number 100 on this blog, here I go again!

Let me start by telling you that the lyrics previously mentioned, stem from the musical Chess. Chess was introduced to me back when I was about 10 singing in children’s choir in CT. I was assigned the song “Someone Else’s Story.” Most likely, at the time, it was given to me by my teacher, because the range of the piece suited my voice. Little did I ever know, was that the song is kind of the anthem of my life. It deals with struggle, with pain, but yet also deals with a “get off your ass and do something” mentality. It’s a woman who is so out of touch with her own life that she has forgotten to live it. But this is the moment where she realizes it and does something about it.  I was re-introduced to my Chess when it was redone as a concert version starring Idina Menzel (would like to be her in another life), Josh Groban (swoon), and my dear dear Adam Pascal (if you know me you know how I feel about this man!!!!). What an amazing performance. The music is fabulously written. Tim Rice is really a genious. I strongly suggest you either DVR it the next time it shows up on PBS or just go buy the thing!!

I was going to find you a lovely video clip of the song on YouTube, but all the ones from the recent concert are crappy cell phone videos. Searching for one, however, led me to an amazing find… My Broadway junkies out there will know who this is almost immediately I am sure.

Lea Salonga, for those of you who don’t know her, was in original casts of Les Miserables, Mis Saigon, and did the singing voice for Mulan. Those are only her most popular, she has a very extensive resume.

Ok, so I have totally exposed my Broadway geekiness. Bretheren come a runnin, we will talk musicals all day!

On to knitting. I have actually done quite a bit of that.

The most recent being a pair of fabulous socks I have finished.

I am participating in the WendyKnits, Socks from the Toe up KAL 2009 AND Summer of Socks 2009.

You are going to see a lot of socks for the next couple of months.

Pattern: Lacy Ribs
Toe: JMCO
Heel: Slip stitch
Yarn: Chewy Spaghetti
Colorway:Lucky
Needles: US2 Circular Needle (KnitPicks Harmony), 32”
Start Date: June 1, 2009
Finish Date: June 21,2009
Size: Large
Cast off: EZ sewn BO

I also dabbling in crochet. Yes, I said crochet!! And I’m not half bad!

I’ll give you all the details on this once its finished.

Tomorrow is a big Saturday. Hobby Lobby, Charlotte Purls meet up, and possibly another yarn shop with YeaIKnit!

Sorry for the kind of emo start, but I hope I have left you with something enjoyable. I promise I will be back!

Love & Stitches,

C.M.S.S.

Happy Valentines Day! February 14, 2009

I have the best husband ever. Really I do. Here is what I found on my desk at work yesterday. I had stepped away for a moment and came back to a little bag full of….

He is so cute!

When you pull the arrow off his head he says, ” Jumping toadstools, your cute!” When you put the arrow back on, it makes a sound like the arrow just hit a target.

It’s a frog, and I adore frogs!

The card was absolutely lovely and touching. Made me cry even! For those of you who don’t know, my husband is very sentimental, but not the most romantic person. So this was HUGE for him. And I love him dearly for it!

Now, from me to you, a small knitted valentine!

Project: Valentines Cloths (Ravelry Link) by KrisKnits

If you haven’t seen her patterns yet, you need to check them out! Her blog is absolutely a joy to read as well (Linked above).

Yarn: Peaches & Cream Solid color Teal

Needle size: US 5

To quote one of my favorite bands for today,

“If you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with.” -CSNY

Love & Stitches,

C.M.S.S.

No Day But Today February 2, 2009

So my favorite Broadway show in the entire universe is running it’s Finale Tour. The show will no longer be on Broadway, nor will it be in the touring circuit.

.At least until they decide to do a revival when my kids are my age.

Oye. Anyway.

But last night, I got the chance to see the show here in Charlotte.

For obvious, copyright infringement laws, I couldn’t take pictures in the theater. But, I can show you the swag I got!

So, upper left we have a nifty nylon bag with the logo that came with the souvenir program you see in the bottom right corner.

The freebie programs and tickets are on the left hand side there.

And the shirt on the bottom has a story.

WAAAAAAAAY back, when I was just a little tweenie bopper and RENT had just surfaced on the Broadway scene, I got to see the touring cast. Mom bought me an awesome long sleeved shirt that had the logo on the front and “No Day But Today” on the back. Well I wore the hell out of that thing! Until one very very sad day, it went through the wash with some bleach.

Well, I got a new one!!!! Same shirt, sans the bleach!

Ok and now for the poster in the middle. This is where I reveal my inner dork.

I am 100% Renthead.

This is my “Star Trek.”

I did absolutely stand outside after the show and get as many of the cast’s autographs as I could.

I was very sad that Adam Pascal snuck out another door. He is one of my favorite artists ever and I was really hoping to get to meet him. But, I did get to meet Anthony Rapp who plays Mark!

So sorry for the crappy cell phone pic, but I left my camera at home! D’oh!

DH was sweet enough to stand by and watch me drool over my favorite actors and take this picture as Anthony was signing my poster! I’m the blur on the right of the picture.

Sigh. It was a night for the books people.

So, in fiber news, Handspun Monday actually does have a post, but was pushed back due to today’s excitement. So tomorrow you will get handspun!!!

Love&Stitches,

C.M.S.S.

Monthly Dishcloth KAL February 1, 2009

Two posts in one day!! I KNOW!

But I didn’t expect to get this done until later tonight. Well, no harm in sharing with you now is there?

I joined my first ever KAL (Knit – A- Long, for all you non-knitters). I’m going to just go ahead and blame this on Dani.  She posted about doing this KAL, and I said, huh… what a great way to go through my cotton stash. So yeah… her fault.

So the Monthly Dishcloth KAL is where you knit 2 dishcloths a month. 7 or so lines of the pattern are sent out to the members everyday and thats how you keep up. At the end of the 6 or so days, you have a lovely new dishcloth with a fun pattern! Easy enough right? I can do 7 lines in less than 30 mins.

So, here is what I did today!

And now, I promise, that is all my posting for today!

Love & Stitches,

C.M.S.S.

Yes, I am still alive!

I have actually blogged more in the past two months than I have in a while, I know. I am still a live, and yes, I do still knit believe it or not! Life has just sort of taken hold and DH and I have been trying to decide what strategy to use to deal with it. It’s not easy being grown up. I much prefer childhood, no matter what akward social crisis I had to deal with, they were a cake walk compared to real life.

Ok, now that that is off my chest, the bunny is doing well. We are currently working on litter training.

Yes, I did say litter training.

If cats can do it so can bunnies! We will prevail!!

Just right now, if you visit us at the apartment, those are NOT milk duds on the floor!

Winter finally hit NC in the past few weeks and I have been enjoying the cold weather. Still haven’t really had any snow to speak of, but they are teasing us about tomorrows weather.

I’m not holding my breath.

Today I am excited, I am going to see the Finale tour of RENT. Two of the original cast members, Anthony Rapp and … sigh…. Adam Pascal are going to be preforming with them and I am sooooo excited! hopefully I can stalk them a bit after the show and get a pic or two to share.

Other than that life is muddling through as usual. DH is still looking for a job unfortunately and if one doesn’t come through soon we may have to take drastic measures. More on that when I have more of an idea myself.

I know I usually bombard you with pictures, but I’m saving most of them for next week, so let me leave you with a bunny pic!

Apparently, it’s hard out there for a pimp, or bunny….

Love & Stitches,

C.M.S.S.