Deliver me already!

With the exception of a good yarn or fabric crawl, I generally hate to shop. (I know, I'm some kind of mutant.) I buy almost all non-grocery items online. As a not-interested-in-ever-recovering coffee addict, I recently purchased a new coffee maker for my office. I simply cannot take out a second mortgage to support daily lattes at the local coffee shop, even if the adorable barristas do know my name and my "usual".

The new coffee maker? It's this one. It uses the prepackaged coffee "pods" to make individual cups. Now, before anyone blows an environmental gasket, I plan to make my own pods eventually from a reusable pod maker thingy. But I am still reviewing my options in this regard and, until then, I'm gettin some pods.

Aren't they cute?

I ordered some from Amazon. They were supposed to arrive two days ago. They're still not here. This is not typical in my . . . well . . . let's just say "ample" ordering experience with Amazon. So being of a curious nature, I investigated. Now for comparison purposes, my other related orders from Amazon took a short and efficient journey. They were shipped from Louisville, KY to a town in my state and then next landed in my town for delivery. Boom, boom, boom.

But, according to the track and confirm report for this UPS shipment, my AWOL pods have been doing a tour of the eastern seaboard:

December 7, 2007 05:03:01 PM US Carrier notified to pick up package
December 7, 2007 08:05:00 PM LEXINGTON KY US Shipment picked up from seller's facility
December 10, 2007 09:56:00 AM LEXINGTON KY US Departure Scan
December 10, 2007 10:08:00 PM BALTIMORE MD US Arrival Scan
December 11, 2007 05:33:00 AM BALTIMORE MD US Departure Scan
December 11, 2007 10:00:00 AM SECAUCUS NJ US Arrival Scan
December 11, 2007 10:43:00 PM SECAUCUS NJ US Departure Scan
December 12, 2007 03:20:00 AM BALTIMORE MD US Arrival Scan [AGAIN????]
December 12, 2007 04:38:00 AM BALTIMORE MD US Departure Scan
December 12, 2007 10:07:00 AM RICHMOND VA US Arrival Scan
December 12, 2007 11:06:00 AM RICHMOND VA US Departure Scan
December 12, 2007 02:46:00 PM MY TOWN US Arrival Scan
December 12, 2007 04:43:00 PM MY TOWN US Departure Scan
[Why are we now DEPARTING from the CORRECT TOWN?????]
December 13, 2007 07:33:00 AM MY TOWN US Out for delivery
[That’s more like it.]
December 13, 2007 11:51:00 AM MY TOWN NC US Delivered
[WOOOHOOOO!!!!]

As you can see, they have now been delivered - late but well-traveled. I hope this improves the flavor. But if I were my pods, I would get a new travel agent. No need to go to Baltimore twice in two days, especially if you can't stay long enough to get some of those awesome crab cakes.

Well, drafting this blog post is making me want a cup. Ta-ta.

ps. As for the connection of this post to yarn: 1) If I don't drink coffee there is no yarn play or articulable speech for that matter; and 2) My yarn club meets in a coffee shop. Any arguments/ questions/challenges? Good.

Excuses . . . excuses . . .

OK. I will now admit that blogging on a regular basis is difficult. And, at least in my case, it is not due to a lack of substantive blogging material. Chaos is my co-pilot. Just look at my knitting chair (aka "Fiber Arts Studio") :

click to embiggen

No, I have plenty to talk about, and I am getting a lot faster with the camera. The problem is . . . brace yourself for this . . . lack of TIME. I know, I know. Everyone but ME has adequate time in their life to accomplish all necessary and extra-curricular tasks. It's really not fair.

If I were full of character, I would not attempt to offer any excuses for the infrequency of my blogging. But I suffered a significant loss of character during childbirth and I like to make lists. Consequently, here are the top five reasons I have not bombarded you with daily blogging brilliance:

1) I have crabs. When you stop laughing, look at this picture:


Is he not the cutest purple pincher land hermit crab you've ever seen? Apparently, hermit crabs are a little shy of the camera flash, and everytime I snapped a photo he would retract into his shell and fall off his coconut hut. So, to avoid further injury to my crab, you'll just have to trust me that "Lump" is really in there. I've got three more just like him, and they live in this:




Here's "Elton" all snuggled in his moss-lined hammock:


There will be more crab pictures in the future and they will be yarn-related. (I'll let you chew on that one for a while. **wink** )

2) I have three fancy goldfish. Here's Ramone (formerly Mona before I realized she was a he):





And here are Otis and Pearl (black one):





3) I have a dog whom you've seen before, but here is Mr. Snuggle Beagle again making further use of his own crocheted afghan:


4) I have a cat. In lieu of a picture of the actual cat whom you've also seen previously, here is the "slightly used" crocheted cat nip mouse that I made for her:

Note: I highly recommend that you photograph finished objects BEFORE giving them to the cat for testing and assessment.

5) I have a couple of these:




Nuff said.



Each of the items on the above list require routine maintenance and occasional snuggling, except for the crabs. Snuggling freaks them out, but they do like to be misted with a spray bottle.


I think these are pretty darn good (and cute) excuses for lack of yarn blogging. But I will try to reform (or not). I assure you that there has been MUCH yarn play at my house, but the blogging of it must be delayed so as not to spoil holiday gift surprises. Stay tuned.


Perhaps I'll flash my stash at you soon. I've picked up some GORGEOUS yarns lately, and they are ready for their close-up. Here's a sneak peek:



Ta-ta.