Test, Test

So I know some people are actually reading this (or at least telling me they are). One of those people is my brother; he is very loyal. My fiance reads it whenever I ask him to, which I don't do very often because he is subjected to my endless chatter on an almost daily basis and has likely heard everything in here already. My sister...well I'm not too sure about her. Rather than just ask her, I am going to test her. I am going to confess something here and see if she finds out. Here goes:

I spilled printer ink on your new beige carpet. I am not saying when, where or how much of it came out (although there is only one printer in the house so with your strong powers of deductive reasoning you may just figure out where).

Let's see what happens.

In other news, I have decided to use the ugly pink acrylic yarn someone donated to my stash to make a dog sweater. I should probably make dog booties since the poor little things are getting salt stuck in their paws and then they walk all antalgic like and I find it really pathetic to watch. There's something about a limping dog that tugs at the heartstrings (limping children for some reason don't have that effect, one reason I never went into paed's). I made a cute little mouse for a certain cat I know to play with:

The first monkey sock is finished and in order to avoid second sock syndrome (it's a real thing) I started the second one right away. Pictures to come soon.

List Minus Four Projects!

A few things were finished. Most weren't, but that's ok. In the end everyone will still get a present.

Why does it never look like the photo on the pattern?

I stopped the ponchette a bit shy of the 53" long mark because I couldn't take it anymore...I don't think it's any worse because of that. Hopefully its destined owner will still like it.

Due to factors completely beyond my control I substituted a scarf for mittens and voila, the basketweave scarf

The picture makes it look like some other textured pattern but trust me, it's basketweave. I know because last night when trying to finish it I was drinking a beer and every fifth row (where I reverse the pattern) I had to tink because apparently 1/2 a beer is my threshold for being able to knit without making recurrent mistakes. Damn Innis and Gunn.

Thanks to my lovely mother visiting two other projects were finished (i.e. Buttons! Normally I outsource this part. It's right up there with ironing on my list of things I need to be bribed with potato chips to do).

I was extremely fortunate to be put on an outpatient clinic rotation during the holidays so I have more than the expected time off. Lots more knitting (and a bit of studying via podcasts) will be accomplished. Given the bombardment of snow recently I have been reminded of the numerous employees who won't have Christmas Day off work. No matter what holiday you celebrate, it sucks being the one left behind. So thank you to all the hospital staff, fire station staff, police station staff, tow truck drivers, snow plow operators, 911 call centers, and everyone else working this holiday!

I'm having way too much fun

I got a swift and a ball winder for Chanukah! My internet has been very slow the last week (maybe someone has hacked in, I'm not even sure if it needs a password) so I have stayed off the computer for a little while. It's actually good for my studying anyway, although now I have fun new toys to play with. I'm a little worried about damaging the table I mount them on/off of but a coaster seems to do the trick for protecting the wood. I of course had to get new yarn so that I could practice using them and now have more sock yarn than I can knit with, given how not any further along the monkey socks are. The ponchette is only about 8inches away from being finished. The only thing that can stand in my way now: starting a paediatrics rotation during RSV season....gah

I guess this means I lose my street cred

I didn't have much to begin with so I haven't fallen far. Reading last months CFP journal I came across the line "Topical application of cocaine to the nipples is dangerous and contraindicated during breastfeeding."

Um....what?

Why on earth would anyone do that? I can't imagine that was part of a trial unless it was during the pre-ethics review board era. Even then, why would they think to test that? Maybe this is what people are doing nowadays?

I do tend to get a little lost when talking to a person who uses recreational drugs, I am simply not up to date enough on the lingo. Although I'm not fully sure that's a bad thing, it does leave me at somewhat of a disadvantage when this comes up in a workday. Why wasn't this part of medical school? We sat through lectures on complementary medicine, why not the third kind of drugs?

Oh well...just a little less cred

Hooray for progress!

Finally some progress has been made, it's amazing what can happen on a weekend off. I can't figure out how to incorporate the picture into the text and then have the rest of the blog not be part of the caption (I'm not all that concerned about it though).

Unfortunately this does not necessarily mean I will have any knitting finished before the holidays so they can be given as presents. I did manage to get to the button store (very exciting for me, a lot less so for the person I dragged with me) and buy buttons for 2 baby sweaters for a babe that is due in January (sex NYDiagnosed so I made a pink and a blue sweater).

Not much else was accomplished unless you count washing and rewashing floors because little puppies like to play in the rain. Personally I find that less than accomplishing something since they came out dirtier than they were originally (new mop has now been acquired). The shawl has had a bit of progress, I don't have a picture because it will be finished soon (although I'm still not sure who it is for). 

As usual, minimal studying has been accomplished unless you count hours on the phone listening to hold music for clinics and consults and what not. I count it towards meditation and stress relief time. The nurses all think I'm crazy for "ohm'ing" while on the phone (jk, I only do that when someone drags me to a yoga class and I feel left out if I don't ohm. I don't know what it means and I hate yoga).

I did manage to check which Yarn Harlot books I haven't read and play several miniature air hockey games. Very productive. 

Monkey Socks are coming along!