Introducing...Adelyn Nora!!!

Adelyn Nora
5:06 am, July 4th, 2008
6 lb 14 ounces, 20 1/2 inches long.
Curly black hair, blue eyes

Congratulations little family! We are so proud of you!!! Lot's of big love!

For those who don't know the proud parents, the new Mama is my best friend Beth, and the over joyed Daddy is my brother Carter. The sweet little baby is my new niece! A girl, a girl, a girl, a girl!

I'm buying that girl a pony! Shoot, I'm going to find her a unicorn, knit it a sweater, and fly it over to her house on a rainbow.

4 th of July Parade in Newton Twp-Battle Creek

You've heard about it, you've always wanted to be part of it, why not just join in? Here's how!!


Home Grange Community 4th of July Parade!!!

Where: 8 1/2 mile road and B dr South
When : 10 am-line up to be in the parade

Parade Starts at 11 am and looks like this....


Really, if you have a bike, a dog, a car, a pig, a pony, a lawn tractor, a classic car, a tractor, a chicken costume, political aspirations, or all of the above, come on down, we've seen it all. Just make sure you decorate it, and throw out candy.

If you'd prefer to watch, bring a lawn chair and set up at the Grange Hall-Located at 9 1/2 Mile road and B dr south. No, these places don't have official addresses. I kid you not.

From Lakeview Square Mall in Battle Creek, Go South on M66,
Turn East (left) at the stop light at B drive South. Follow this until you get to either 8 1/2 mile for line up or 9 1/2 mile for watching.

They've got free hot dogs (cooked by the Ogre himself!!!) and free soda down at the Grange Hall after the Parade!!!

Plus, last year they had PONIES!!!

Keep in mind, Grangers love cake...

The After Party will include:

The Hot Dogs
The Soda
The freeness

Antique Gasoline Engines on display. These are old and cool and neat

Free Knitting instruction! Well, if you can call what I do instruction.
Possible spinning instruction depending on flood levels in the general Battle Creek area
Free Flag Pins!
Free Erasers! (no pencils, you might poke your eye out kid)

Bring a chair, enjoy the fun!

I've got the Fever...Do I need more Cow Bell?

So, the 5k Cheetah Chase...LOVED IT!


We started with a healthy breakfast.


Much like camping, it poured. You know I love me some rain. It makes Pigs happy.


There were some issues though.

I raised money, and no one at registration knew what I was talking about when I went to turn in my funds. Yep. I was the only one turning in a donation. Seems I may win that zoo keeper for the day prize! SWEET. As long as I'm not mucking out the Cheetah habitat.

Also turns out, Runners, do not like Walkers. Seems Walkers mess with their time.

They will plow you over, and unlike bicyclists they will not shout "ON YOUR LEFT" or toot a pleasant little horn. They also don't have streamers. Lubed nips, but no streamers.

This problem could have been eliminated.
I don't know, maybe have the runners:

A. Start at the front
B. Start 15 minutes earlier than the Walkers
C. Line up on the left


Ok, what's up with conservation here zoo?

Simple remedy, it's inexpensive, saves time, it's called a recycle bin. Yes! You could have put a big bin or even several open top GARBAGE CANS just after the water stations and people could have tossed the water cups in. (I assume without messing up their time too harshly, I saw a lot of walkers, they would have been the change.)


We stopped to view the animals, from a distance.


Quick Pigs! Convert 2 miles into kilometers!!!!

Hey! Is that the end in site!!!



How do you feel??


How did you finish?

Really, we had a great time! We're signing up again for next year. Shelly! You bring the foodie, I'll bring the bug spray.

Pig 1 turned competitive all of a sudden. He asked how long we spent in the bathroom and if we could shave those 5 minutes off our time. I said yes, but we'd have to beat 1:17 then next year.

Oh, why was I crawling to the finish line? Pig 3 was carried for some portions of the walk. You do a 5k and carry a 50 pound weight. I'm actually thinking of setting up an obstacle course 5k, let's see if you punks can finish in less than 1:17. I think the guy from Survivor will be all over this idea.

Now, who's up for bringing their kids on a 5k walk with us?

If the Weater is BAD-DON'T GO

As a warning to excited Zombie Prom Date Knitters in the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek area:

IF THE WEATHER IS BAD, which it may be

DO NOT REPORT TO THE COLD BROOK PARK.

Just go to Fabrications and have a nice time, and avoid being killed by a rogue lightening strike.

Please use your best judgment, you are an adult, no one's feelings will be hurt. It's all cool.


I personally cannot take 3 pigs into Fabrications during a Thunderstorm and expect to have a nice time. So, if the weather is too bad to go to the park, I will see you next week for...

Zombie Prom Date Evening outing...

Wednesday July 7th at
Fabrications 5-7
after Party
Black Hawk Bar and Grill or some such (just down the road)



Cheetah Chase? Oh, the one they said we couldn't do in under 1 hour and 30 minutes with 3 pigs...just made it.

Fall Knitscene...Be Prepared for EVIL

Is it just me or is the Fall Knitscene preview all about the fat chicks?

Check out the Abbess pullover. I would have named it "Frumpy." I would have also had a photo, but blogger is being an ass.

It's practically Bridget Jones: the Edge of Reason. Renee Zellweger was too heavy to look at. Oh snap, I used to be a big girl, so stop your bitching. Yes, yes, pre 3 pigs, I there was 60 more pounds of Snot to throw around. With the Ogre's continuous strawberry confections, I'm on my way back there too.

Now I like me some realistic models, but it JUST turned summer around Michigan parts, and I guess I'm not used to layers for warmth. I'm used to my layers as in blubber hanging over a pair of cut off levis with a baby on the hip layers. Sometimes the only layer is a good chili dog. But dang, we make good chili dogs around here.

Oh, I just found my explanation in the editor's letter. It basically boils down to "Americans are fat."

"These are not novelty projects or purely conceptual, these are work-horse knits that fit into everyday life and can become funky or trendy through styling. At the end of the day, though phenomenal and intriguing as knits, these projects are real clothes."

So, we can enjoy the patterns in the up coming Knitscene as is, and accept that we are all over weight, under exercised and out of shape. Or, we can actually turn off the air conditioning, in turn saving energy (VIVA LA REVOLUCION!!!), get outside ride a bike, garden, ENJOY SUMMER! Then maybe, just maybe, scoff at those everyday life knits that knitscene is trying to offer up. Plus, it would use up less yarn that way.

I'm not asking for 1 Million Dollars...

I just want to move to Maine. They've got loads of sheep, 1 million yarn shops, comparable amounts of snow, hardly any summer, and gee, I get to trade in 5 glorious lakes for the Atlantic Ocean. It's AWESOME!
Plus blueberries, cranberries and lobster? I lovee the edible cock-a-roachee!

So Mighty Gods of Maine Chemistry, I beseech thee to call upon the Ogre. You need Chemist dudes out in Maine, right? I'm sure you need your zombies dealt with too, we could make it a win-win situation. That Covey Guy would be so stoked.

Briar Rose Charity Knit for the Hope Lodge...Winner is...

NOT YOU

The winner was drawn at random last week.

Sadly, it was not any of my homegirls. But I'd like to do a big shout out to all of you Zombie Prom Date Knitters, Lovers, Supporters, and Ne'er Do Wells who have supported, listened to and heard me out during this Project.

THANK YOU!!

Last Day...Heck yes it was!

I wanted my last day at the lab to be a fond memory. Like a fairy princess tea party. You know, gauzy white dresses, tea with rum, cake with pink, orange and green frosting and loads of awesome.

Instead it was a lot of yelling, crying, and poop. That was the first hour, that was the patients.

What did I do? Take away the poop, add "sarcasm," swearing, and breaking things. It was very Keith Moon. But it made the chair difficult to sit in, so I was forced to fix it.

What now? Kidney Walk Committee.

I really had to quit...Not Knitting!

No, not because I did anything bad! I haaaad to quit the lab because of all my extracurricular activities. (Don't worry, there is knitting, scroll down if you hate, well, the great outdoors or Pigs)

There are parties to attend...


Can you tell by the above photos which person I am related to?

Giant Mutant Radioactive Ants to tame...


You know, we called the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to help us, but look who came instead!!



Spinsanity and her Kidlets, Kai and Abi!!!

Now Abi could give Shelly a run for her money as goat whisperer,



but poor Kai, got the snot kicked out of him.

Ha! With Snotty at the zoo, and the poor kid got the snot kicked out of him. It just doesn't seem fair.

Why were we at the zoo? The Pigs and I were in training. Well, we're always in Zombie Defense Training. But this time we were in training for the Binder Park Zoo Cheetah Chase!

Oh, yes, they release the Cheetahs into the zoo and people have to out run them. It's like the Running of the Bulls, but for real men.

No! It's another ruddy fund raiser walk! I'm not begging from you this time. We're going door to door this time. Hey, Support YOUR local Zoo.

It's a 5k! Damn you Shelly and your damn dirty apes, or cebus monkeys or new world primates. Eh, we can do a 5k in our sleep. Actually, I think Pig 3 usually does. Ok, we aren't running. We are actually doing the "Sloth Walk" but it's still for the zoo.

Remember, these are the highlights, since Sunday...

New garden plot...Reduce mowing, reduce gas consumption, increase useful planting beds for veggies next year-SAVE THE WORLD.

Ride bikes with Pigs

Explain Barbara J. Hopps Memorial Project to adoring fans at Dental office. Receive praise and glory. Feel full of self, mess up whole row of knitting. Refuse to frog in front of adoring fans.

That's when I realized everyone loves Green and Orange, they just may not know it until they

the goods!

Imagine all the Awesome I could have accomplished if I didn't have to work last night!

Another Single Sock...Does that Orange and Green yarn look familiar? I'm making a Shawl for me! We've inspired me!