Now Norma Knits

Terrier Tuesday: THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO BE SAVED FROM THE DEVIL QUALIFY FOR PRIZES BY DONATING TO THE RED SCARF FUND

Dear Readers, 

This is serious. This economy is bad, no question about it. (Look at me -- I have a new red scarf.) We have fallen far short of our fundraising goal in the Red Scarf Fund for this year. (Aren't I cute? I have a new red scarf.) We understand, we really do. But if you've been sitting on the fence and have a little spare change to throw our way, while in the process giving to a great cause and qualifying for the great giveaways of all the wonderful prizes that Alpha-Alpha has collected from all her generous friends, listen up:

My Alpha, the alpha of all alphas (she made me say that) has extended the deadline for entering for prizes to tonight at midnight Eastern Time. Get your donations in now! You get one chance at all those lovely prizes for each $5 donation you make through Paypal.  [Be sure to tell her how much you gave at redscarffund@gmail.com so you get all the entries you are entitled to.]

Buddy, can ya spare a dime? 

And then she says she promises she will shut up, and she won't pimp her poor little grand-Yorkie anymore. Well, at least until she starts harping on you for getting an early start on knitting red scarves for next year. I know, I know, you haven't even sent in yours (or you just barely have) for THIS year yet -- what is she kvetching about next year for, huh? 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  She's difficult.

But I'm impossibly cute, and she knit me this ridiculous red scarf when she really should have been knitting on her mother's Xmas sweater. And she's makin' me wear it and pose like some sort of show dog or something till you cough up some money. And she's the one who feeds me and walks me and teaches me tricks and gets me toys and lets me sleep in her bed, so what'm I gon' do?

Do exactly as she says and turn on the charm and beg, of course.

 

Love, 
Mr. Jefferies

Therrier Thursday Because We Missed Terrier Tuesday

David and I have been working on mentally challenging Mr. Jefferies. It ain't easy, I'll tell you. 

It started with hiding a toy in a wrapped-up baby blanket (used to be Abigail's -- I kid you not) which would keep him out of our hair for a while, trying to figure out how to get it out. Soon it was no challenge and he'd have it out in less than 2 seconds. Then we'd put the small blanket inside a huge fleece blanket. After a few tries, same deal. Just a few seconds, and he'd present the toy at our feet. So we've been escalating the difficulty level. 

Yesterday I wanted to keep him occupied while I did some things, so I really ramped up the challenge. 

Step 1:

Put a dog biscuit in the Kong toy (This is supposed to be a challenge for dogs and will keep them mentally stimulated and busy, while they try to chew the treat out of the center of the toy. It works pretty well, actually.)

Step 2:

Put the Kong toy avec treat inside the stuffed toy that he has long since destuffed, but he still enjoys dragging around the green fleecy thing.

Step 3:

Wrap the Kong toy avec treat inside the green fleecy dead toy thingy inside the pink baby blanket.

Step 4:

Put the pink baby blanket holding the green fleecy thing holding the Kong toy holding the treat inside this shopping bag.

Step 5:

Roll up the black shopping bag around the blanket that is around the green fleecy thing that is around the Kong toy holding the treat, throw it on the floor, and release the beast.

And voila! Mr. Jefferies' version of the LSAT. 

Well, at least I thought it was. But he had it figured out and was chomping on the cookie before I had finished writing this post. Turns out it was more challenging for me than it was for him. 

Perhaps he's the one who should be going to law school.

Next up: Duct tape around the whole kit and kaboodle! 

(including the dog)

Random Wednesday

1. Oops. Both Mr. Jefferies and I forgot that yesterday was supposed to be terrier day. Here is a pic of the pupsicle taken yesterday, for the Yorkie-deprived -- well, those of you who didn't already see this on Facebook, anyway:

That's his polar fleece jacket over one of his Peace Fleece handknit sweaters, which was very warm and cozy indeed. However, those little pawses must have been awfully cold. Still, he did not want to go back inside, and I must have walked 10 miles with him yesterday, slipping and sliding on the black ice all the way. 

Yes, he does have boots, but they are more trouble than they're worth. He has a devil of a time trying to walk in the black set I got him, and they fall off too easily. The ones his parents got him in New York City, while he can walk in them fairly well, I could get arrested if I put them on him here.

You think I'm kidding.

Straight from the canine transvestite store.

2. I miss the LSAT studying. This could be a manifestation of something pathological, I'm starting to think.

3. In addition to the yogurt-making craze (I just made my fourth batch -- I ruined one batch, though, by, I think, overheating the milk), I've taken up with another back-to-the-'70s craze:

Sprouting. About a month ago, I bought a "Best of the Best of the Best" kit from Sprout People, and ohman, are we enjoying it! Mr. Jefferies gets a small serving of sprouts on his breakfast, too, which makes him very happy (he's a real greens-eatin' dawg). We're grabbing handfuls of sprouts (that one on the right is the French Mix and on the left is Beanie's Awesome Mix) to throw on our sandwiches, on our salads, and using the sprouts alone as their own salad with some vinaigrette. The other day I had a huge plate of broccoli sprouts with a can of salmon and maple balsamic vinaigrette for my lunch. Yum! And last night we had those bean sprouts on the left of the photo in our tomato/roasted-red-pepper soup. Slightly weird, but good. 

Now that the daily veg are not available from the backyard, this works as a handy and economical super-fresh and super-nutritious substitute. I know I qualify as slightly crazy in the food department, and this might not be for everyone, but I love the Madison Market Mix (nuts and seeds) sprouted and added to my morning yogurt, drizzled with maple syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon, for breakfast. Sprout People's dehulling video was (you know, without trying to be toooo dramatic) sort of life-changing. I'd tried sprouting many times before, but hated the hulls, didn't know how to deal with them, and just gave up. Now that I know how to manage them, and I found a mini-salad spinner for just $19 at my health food store, I'm all about the sprouts.

4. The basketweave scarf is now a smokin' 48 inches long. I steam-blocked it for this photo, and I am in love. With a scarf. I know. Shut up.

 

Terrier Tuesday -- Snow Day!

Dear Readers,

Alpha-Alpha is all atwitter about her new crockpot yogurt discovery, and I love yogurt too, but I told her that will have to wait. I had my first snow yesterday, and I have to tell you about it. I loved it!

We played and played. I was shivering, but I still didn't want to go back in the house. Give me snow any day over rain! I hate that frickin' rain. Why do you think my ancestors left Yorkshire?! I bet it was to get away from the RAIN! Now snow, that is wayyyyy cooler. (ha, I made a pun)

Don't encourage A.Alpha's scornful ways by watching this video. She is teasing me unmercifully now. She says look how I run right past the toy several times and don't even see it or smell it. She says to me, she says, "You certainly don't have any bloodhound in you!" 

Pffft. How offensive! I MEANT to do that. I just like playing in the snow. And if she doesn't like it, she can just LUMP it! Tell her to go ahead inSIDE and get warm. I'll stay out here and chase squirrels in the snow! I will, and don't you say I won't! Yay for SNOW! (Caveat: This is not to be taken as an indication that I like to walk, as in go for my constitutional, on the wet, slushy roads, even in my boots. Nor does it mean that I actually want to go to the bathroom out there in that cold. No way. Snow is for playing. A.Alpha does not seem to be too amused about this proclamation of mine. Humorless, that's her.)

It's very difficult, sometimes, to put up with her. But at the end of a long day, if she's been very very good and very nice to me, and has earned the privilege, I sometimes let her hold me in the crook of her elbow while she does her knitting. I don't even really care for it personally, but I'm sure it makes her feel much better. Even old humorless meanies need some Yorkie lovin' now and then. 

Plus, I'm pretty sure it helps her knit faster.

Love,

Mr. Jefferies

P.S.  Our friend Paula, the creator of the very popular Corrugator scarf, has designed a new highly EXCELLENT scarf for the Red Scarf Project.  

Go see!

Terrier Tuesday -- Another New Sweater For A Good Boy

Hi Everyone!

I'm very proud. Alpha Alpha says I've been a Very, Very, Very Good Boy this week. Not one mistake! I'm restricting my "marking" to the paper that she brought out. She hadn't put out any paper since I moved here, and really, that was her mistake, not mine! All this time I was just looking for a nice place to go with good manners, and she took it away from me and that made me very confused. Anyway, she agrees that it was her mistake, and she put a paper down for me now. She says that is better than just going wherever I want, and I think that is a good compromise, don't you? Sometimes she's on the phone for a long time, or studying, or typing on the computer, and she doesn't listen to me that I need to go out, and I just can't hold it, ya know? It's not my fault. 

[Pssst: The real truth? I realized she.was.really.not.kidding, and I'm no dummy. I know who's in charge of the treats bag. Plus, I really don't like her mean voice. It's ugggggly.]

And not only that, but she wants to let you know how proud she is of me for always coming to her when she says, "Come!" this week. She is very happy with me, and really that's all I want in life, is to make her happy. [See above.] 

She's so happy with me that she made me a new Peace Fleece sweater.

A really nice person named Cyndy sent us this Peace Fleece yarn in "Grassroots."  I like it a lot. It's a great color and so warm, but I'm not so sure about those buttons that A.Alpha chose. Do you think they're just a bit too girly?

Love,

Mr. Jefferies

  

For All Those Who Have Theorized That The New Gentler Front-Loading Washers Do Not Felt Things....

...I'm here to tell you, tain't true.

Exhibit A:

It may not be all that evident from this photo, but believe me, it's felted -- ESPECIALLY the alpaca tummy-piece. I wanted it to shrink a bit because it had stretched a lot, but this is way overdone -- about 40% shrinkage, I'd say, and the neck is almost as stiff as cardboard.  It's definitely too small, even for teeny-weeny little Mr. J.

This is after only one run through the machine, using hot water and with several towels in the mix. (friction is the key with felting) It's kind of a hoot, because back when I was doing all those felted bags in that old energy-guzzler SUV of washing machines, that top-loader I had -- the one that's supposed to be so powerful and the one that used tons of water and wore the clothes out sooner -- I'd have to put items through often as many as FIVE TIMES to get them to felt fully. This one is almost "there" after only one run.  

Good thing these are fun and fast to knit. I'll cut off the buttons and use them on another one.  

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Blue Fair Isle "Mom" Sweater Update:

I've finished the right front.   

Terrier Tuesday -- What a *Blankety-Blank* Week!

Well, Readers, I can tell you one thing:  A.Alpha seems to have too much time on her hands lately. On the one hand, it's nice to have her around here to boss around and to play Toss the Toy and Tug of War in the back yard a couple times a day, and to go on long walks with, and to sit on her lap when she's knitting and watching TV. 

But on the other hand, she's been pulling me in to all kinds of nasty appointments. Sunday it was The Groomer. WHY do they torture me for almost three hours? WHYYYYYYY?!

Here's my just-post-grooming glamour shot:

I've totally got the modeling thing down pat, as you can see. But after all that, they still cut my hair a bit wonky. I've had it, I tell you. HAD.IT.

And last Thursday it was The Vet, where they were nice enough, but they poked me and prodded me and gave me shots and looked in my mouth and ears and tried to tug on my knees. They were soooooo impressed with how clean my teeth are, a lot cleaner than they were at my last appointment, and asked my A.Alpha how that could be true. A.Alpha told them that we brush teeth (almost) every day, and that I'm very good at it, and then she told them My Mom even took a video of me brushing my teeth. And so everyone in the vet's office went in the back room and watched my YouTube video. You remember the one, right? 

Yup, so I'm quite the celebrity now, and soon I'll probably be signing autographs. But in the meantime, A.Alpha has told me to stop thinking I'm All That. She says she is still not fully pleased with me. 

What the...?

She can be extremely hard to please at times. I'm not the only one to say so, either:  Just ask David and My Mom -- they'll tell you. True story. 

She's all upset because I like to wander around the house and mark it and stuff. Good Lorrrrrrd, what is her PROBLEM?! It's a big house! Who's gonna notice?! I saw mouse droppings in the storage closet. Is she all bent outta shape over that? Huh? Is she?

Anyway. She's imposed martial law on me and never, ever, ever lets me out of her sight now. And even locks me up when she's taking a shower and whatever. Fine! See if I care! It's just more work and stress for her. Knock yourself out, Alpha-Alpha! Let me know how that's working for ya!

Love,

Mr. Jefferies

P.S.  Alpha-Alpha wants me to mention that there were only three people who guessed Seed Stitch in her mini-contest the other day. Sue K. is the winner. Congratulations, Sue!

Terrier Tuesday -- The Sweater Review Edition

Dear Readers:

I was perusing A.Alpha's Ravelry Projects Page, and I noticed that the readers there have, in essence, voted on their preference of my new wardrobe of sweaters, and the funniest thing is, the voting has fallen exactly where I vote! Seriously!  

 

Ten people have favorited my Peace Fleece sweater, and it's my (and A.Alpha's) favorite, too!  It's just exactly the right size (third time is the charm?), the color is awesome, the wool-mohair blend is PERFECT. No pilling, no stretching, no shrinking (no, this is not a Woolite commercial). The only thing A.Alpha did wrong is put (fairly expensive) wooden buttons on it. Why was that a mistake, you ask? Well, because wood is nice to chew on, don't you realize? And the other morning, much to A.Alpha's consternation, I chewed off one of the buttons, and chewed it in half before she figured out what I had done. Whaaaaaaat?! I'm a dog, for forksake. She's always saying that "for forksake." I don't know what it means, but it seems to suit every occasion.

So now she has to change the buttons, I guess. But I definitely vote for another Peace Fleece sweater or three. 

 

Four people have favorited my chichi and elegant charcoal grey alpaca one. I would never expect that! I would have thought THAT would be the favorite, and it's darned lovely indeed, verrrrrry sophisticated, though it's just a teeny bit small for me, but the alpaca fabric, as alpaca is wont to do, sort of lacks a certain sproing to it and the cables don't pop the way they do on the other two sweaters. It is truly wonderful and very warm and good-looking, and people on the street like it a lot, but they REALLY love the Peace Fleece one. So a good vote for the alpaca, but really back to props for the Peace Fleece.

 

And only one lonely person in Ravelry has favorited the Eco Wool one. Well, you know, at first (before she made the Peace Fleece one, of course) A.Alpha loved the Eco Wool one the best, if only because it used up the tail end of a skein of Eco Wool (and she is such a frugal Yankee at heart), she kind of liked the neutral oatmeal color, but more importantly, she had corrected the size issues and made it bigger, and at first it fit PERFECTLY, so she was just thrilled with how it turned out. But you know what? Over time and several wearings, it has really stretched out so much that she is actually thinking of putting it in the washer and dryer to try to felt it a wee bit. The wool, so far, has held up nicely otherwise (she was concerned about pilling with the Eco Wool, but that has not come to pass, at least not yet). But the whole stretching thing, this is something she thinks is a good lesson for the future, should she use Eco Wool for a project again -- especially if it's for a sweater for herself. So this is a good everyday sweater for hanging around this cold house, but if I'm too active outdoors, I can literally walk out of it. My legs go right through the neckline at times.

And what's really funny, she says, is how this whole exercise so closely parallels her real-life experience with her own sweaters. The Peace Fleece one, over all others, is the clear winner for all those qualities she wants in a sweater. Hers has actually, she feels, stretched out a bit in the wear, but after literally hundreds of wearings, it still looks almost as crisp and fresh as the day she finished it. There aren't many sweaters you can say that about. 

And this SoHo Cables dog sweater design still rocks the house. No pee smells get on it, no messes, it's super-easy to get on and off, looks fab, and still keeps me very warm and cozy. Best doggy sweater design EVER.

Love,

Mr. Jefferies

Terrier Tuesday -- Sweaters for Yorkies and Less CuteOther Dogs, and Babies

Hiya folks,

Well, while A.Alpha has been keeping you abreast of all of her goings-on, I've been busy, too. I've been helping her with collecting donated items for the Red Scarf Fund drive. Because, you know, when she's working away at these other things, she is not paying attention to ME-ME-ME-ME-ME. I figure if I help, things will get back to normal around here sooner, so I've been trying to get in her way helping. No really, I have.

You don't believe me? Look at what I've got for you today. Babies, I think you might agree, are almost as cute as Yorkies. And everybody loves to knit for babies. So Mary Lou Egan has donated a copy of her pattern, Baby Lace Cardigan (adorable infant not included):

(Isn't that cuuuuuuuute? And the sweater too?)

and a skein of now-discontinued Yarni in peaches and pinks:

 A.Alpha wishes for you to temporarily disregard the opinion she expressed yesterday about pastels for babies. I mean, she doesn't DISlike them -- she just prefers those other colors, is all. Then again, this is not about her, is it? It's about YOU-YOU-YOU. Oh, how that does not seem RIIIIIGHT.  It should be about me-me-me, especially on a Tuesday, but I'm gonna let it slide. A. Alpha snidely told me that I've been dominating the blog just a little too much lately anyway. Feh.

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And then, Ann of Sheep Shots had a copy of Stylish Knits for Dogs by Ilene Hochberg, and on Saturday she had Ilene autograph the book for a lucky winner in the Red Scarf Fund drive. With this book, you could make very classy sweaters for YOUR pooch, or a pooch you know, and they'll all be cute like me.  Ann is also donating a copy of It Itches, which, when I first Googled it for the link, I landed on something labeled, "It itches down there," and Ms. Alpha got all upset, said I was too young for that, and made me click out of there.

(This is my attempt at the "hang-dog look."  Yorkies are not so good with that. We're all perky and chipper all the time....except when A.Alpha yells and points The Finger of Doom. Then we -- which is to say "I" -- hide. And then peek out from the chair or the person's legs or the desk or whatever, and look SUPER-CUTE. Because that is my greatest weapon: Nobody can resist the CUTE of a Yorkie when we -- which is to say "I" -- really turn it on.)

So please, I'm trying hard to get some of her attention back here on ME, where it belongs. If you can donate something to help me out, I'd appreciate it. A. Alpha says we've raised $5,070 so far. Aren't you all awesome?! That's about a quarter of her goal. And you know what's interesting?  A lot of small donations have really added up! It doesn't take much -- it just takes a lot of you donating a little bit, to make a big difference.

Click:

 And then notify her and Cookie at redscarffund@gmail.com of your amount so you can win-win-win. The sooner she reaches her goal, the sooner I can go for a walk and the sooner she will stop hounding you to give more. Get it? "Hound"?  

Oh, I crack myself up.  

Love you!
Mr. Jefferies
   

Welcome November

On this first day of November, the sun rises behind the pin oak... 

 

Most of our trees shed all their leaves yesterday in the wind and rains, so it truly looks like November around here, but the pin oak still holds onto hers.

...and Mr. Jefferies invites you to play a game of tug of war (one of his favorites) while modeling his newest sweater in Buffalo Brownski Peace Fleece.

 

(Don't tell him the real name of this game is "flossing his teeth.")

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Now I have to get back to my studying. The test date looms.