The title of this post may be misleading.  As I have already explained, I don’t really understand poker.

I am vacuuming away in the girls’ rooms, marveling at their collective ability to live in filth and squalor.  If it were not for the opulence of their possessions and furniture, one might feel they were in Calcutta. 

Yes, I left Mr. Poe unattended.

No, it would appear I have not learned my lesson.

I emerge from the bedroom area to discover this in the den.

what could be wrong with this picture?  Isn’t he the most adorable thing? Have you ever seen anything so cute — and he’s napping, isn’t that precious?? 

I have provided a clue in this game of Spot the Mayhem caused by the Baby Pet Holiday Edition:

What are they?

Hand knit Angora Christmas Bells.

Who made them?

My Grandmother (who, by the way is deceased)

Fortunately for Mr. Edgrrr, he only managed to mank up the ribbon.  Otherwise he might be joining her.

note: I realize that Vicki is still in the lead, having actually had an heirloom destroyed — but Edgrrr has certainly put up a good fight.

There is another player at the Baby Pet Mayhem table.  This cannot be a good thing.  Vicki relates her holiday tail (get it? tail??) of woe ….

Ooooh, I don’t play poker either, but count me in this hand of Baby Pet Mayhem! I think I can raise with a kitten-climbed Christmas tree that topples in the night AND breaks the china head of the treetop angel that adorned the trees of one’s childhood (along with various other ornaments). Boohoo

go and offer your condolences. 

I think the odds are against me winning this game.  Snowball and Vicki have kittens.  I have a puppy and use the crate training method.  Their kittens are out and running amok.  Mr. Edgrrr is all tucked in with his blanket, chew toy and a small water dish.  I should have no middle of the night mayhem stories ….. unless being so far behind in this game drives me crazy and I unleash the beast …… nah, I won’t do it, I can’t do it, I don’t want to do it …. winning isn’t everything, is it?

In fiber news …. there is no fiber news.  I spent a lovely day with Kathleen yesterday.  I cast on for a bucket hat — I had a bit of a bucket hat addiction last winter.  In the interest of full disclosure, I must confess that I am knitting for others.  Yes, that was me just a few short weeks ago ranting and raving about knitting for other people.  I know I said that I wasn’t going to do it anymore, at least for awhile.  If any family and friends are reading, do not take this to mean I am taking orders! 

This is one of those spirit moving me projects — a sticky category to classify and one that defies concrete explanations.  The bucket hat will be for my cousin. I don’t think she would come to my house to clean, but she is one of those people in my life who would do anything for me – well, except clean.

She had admired the hat featured in January 5th’s post and had inquired about one then.  I don’t think she is a regular reader of Purlingswine (can you imagine??) and will be surprised —- she will really be surprised because I am planning on leaving the felting portion for her!  She and I live in different states and it will be better if she felts it and pops it right on her head for a custom fit.  Hopefully she will actually do this part.  I will hound her until she does.

The holiday cleaning frenzy commences today.  I will be up to my elbows in ammonia water and furniture polish.  The bright light of my day will be the spinning guild meeting tonight ….. and all your lovely comments, of course! (ahem!)

did you guys notice Snowball‘s comment on my last entry?

I’ll see your puppy-chewed presents and raise you a kitten-climbed Christmas tree that crashes in the middle of the night.

I don’t know how to play Poker.  I would have to say that the math involved is intimidating.  At least to me it is. 

From my meager knowledge of such things, I believe Snowball is challenging me to a game of Baby Pet Mayhem.  I’m torn – the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, I can feel my competitive juices rising — but do I really want to win?  Shall I just let Edgrrr decide?  stay tuned ….

for your further amusement & edification:  Pyrrhic Victory

There has been a lack of knitting around here lately.  I am having trouble finding the motivation for another project.  Even a small one.  I could do a bucket hat, another Hayden hat, a scarf to go with the Hayden hat, socks, mittens, a poncho – you name it, I’ve thought of it. Nothing sounds appealing.  I am in a knitting funk!  If I don’t come up with something, some piece of knitting to put in my bag, then Kathleen will put me to work churning out holiday scarves. She lured me into her parlor with the promise of cookies, I think she has ulterior motives …. I’m thinking sweatshop …..

Thus I give you today’s pictorial offering — he is a felted snowman that I made last year.  I took an evening class at one of our LYS’s.  This snowman was my first foray into the world of fulling/felting.  After him came my bucket hat period ….

Life with Mr. Edgrrr continues to be exciting.  He has learned to go up the steps but has not shown an interest in going down.  For the other dogs, this is a good thing.  Our den is open to and elevated from the kitchen.  When Poe is in that room, you will find Lucy and Mo hanging out in the kitchen.  Bridget and Daisy don’t seem to mind his antics quite as much – perhaps because they are so much bigger they see him as more of a nuisance than anything else.  Worn out from a few hours spent being shooed from under the Christmas tree where the lure of chewing on presents is great, here are some of Poe’s quieter moments ….