Friday, March 28, 2008

Just because they both start with an 'O'....


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Our car has been having some squeaking problems so today I brought it to the dealer to be looked at. Among other things that are wrong, the squeaking problem is being caused by our front passenger side brake being completely worn down. Luckily we got new brakes right before we moved from Massachusetts to Oregon and they came with this fabulous lifetime warranty....we're never supposed to have to buy new brakes again.

So I call up the place where we got our brakes fixed. Talk to the guy, he confirms that they will replace our brakes, we just need to get to a local service center. I checked the website before I called, however, and the closest store to us is in Ohio. More than 2000 miles away. I tell him such. I ask if there are sister companies that are owned by the same larger company I can go to. He says yes and gives me their websites. I thank him and hang up.

I check these two companies' websites and unfortunately, they are no closer than the store in Cincinnati. I call the guy back and tell him.

Guy: Where are you at again?
Me: Oregon
Guy: So do you think you'll be able to make it to that Monro?
Me: (confused) The one in Ohio?
Guy: Yeah
Me: (laughing) No! Ohio is a 4 day drive away (In my head: Oregon, Ohio...just because they both start with O does not mean they are near each other. *sigh*)
Guy: (surprised) Oh. Uh....let me call someone. I'll give you a call back....


So, no. I will not be driving to Ohio with worn down brakes to get new ones. I am also glad I have basic American geography skills. Public school just lost a few points today in my ongoing debate with my husband about school systems.

(in happier news, the guy called me back and they told me just to get my brakes fixed and they will reimburse me. Hooray! Hows that for fabulous service?)

Monday, March 24, 2008

New FO's

I've got two of my latest Finished Objects to share:

#1: Chunky Stripes Cropped Cardi


Pattern: Anthropologie Inspired Capelet by Julia Allen

Links: Free Pattern Pattern's Ravelry entry My Ravelry Entry

Needle size: 11 (I'm a tight knitter, so it's about the equivalent of a lot of knitters' size 9)

Yarn: Two balls each of Purple and Black Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky

Yarn Source: Gift from Dawn for last Punk Rock Gift Exchange

Conclusion: I LOVE it! It's my favorite piece of knitwear to date and I love LOVE love the yarn



#2: Jack the Easter Dog

Before:

During:


After:


Links: My Ravelry Entry

We were going for purple but got magenta and pink. This is how I did it:
  1. Made a vinegar / water mixture and saturated the white spot on the back of his neck with it. Put a square of plastic wrap over it and put his collar back on to hold it in place. Let sit for about 30 minutes
  2. Using purple wilton’s cake dye (you know, the kind that’s like a paste that comes in a jar?) and a paint brush, I painted it on his spot. Re-covered in plastic wrap as above.
  3. Held a blowdryer on low over the plastic-wrapped spot for about 5 minutes (moving it around and testing with my hand to make sure it wasn’t burning him). Let sit for 20 minutes. Repeat once more.
  4. Bath time! I filled the tub with about 1-2 inches of water and poured 1 cup vinegar over the spot. Wet and washed with dog shampoo in all places BUT the spot. Rinsed well.
Results
Due to not being able to marinate Jack in a crock pot like real yarn, his fur didn’t have enough time/warmth to suck up all of the purple dye, leaving us with a magenta spot instead. Rinsing the spot with vinegar worked to both help set the dye on the spot and added water to the tub Jack was standing in…helping the rinsed-off dye adhere to the white on his chest and paws.
Jack is quite the happy punk rock pooch.

Visit thecsiproject.com

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Wish I'd had my camera

Joe and I were recently at a conference at Duke University in North Carolina. All their buildings, despite being fake-old, really are beautiful and small pockets of the campus remind me of the UK. Tragically I didn't know any of this until I was there so I was caught sans camera. My cell phone picture of the side chapel entrance will have to do.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Cute cupcakes

Look at this cute backpack I saw at Target the other day. It's very pink and glittery and screamed "I am 5!" or else I might Have entertained the idea of buying it.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

You want a blog post? I'll give you a blog post.

Ravelry. Blame it on Ravelry. I spend allmy would-be-blogging time over there. Plus I keep waiting for something blog worthy to happen and it didn't. So I guess I'll share my latest round of stitch markers for the Cupcake Factory.



Friday, March 28, 2008

Just because they both start with an 'O'....


View Larger Map


Our car has been having some squeaking problems so today I brought it to the dealer to be looked at. Among other things that are wrong, the squeaking problem is being caused by our front passenger side brake being completely worn down. Luckily we got new brakes right before we moved from Massachusetts to Oregon and they came with this fabulous lifetime warranty....we're never supposed to have to buy new brakes again.

So I call up the place where we got our brakes fixed. Talk to the guy, he confirms that they will replace our brakes, we just need to get to a local service center. I checked the website before I called, however, and the closest store to us is in Ohio. More than 2000 miles away. I tell him such. I ask if there are sister companies that are owned by the same larger company I can go to. He says yes and gives me their websites. I thank him and hang up.

I check these two companies' websites and unfortunately, they are no closer than the store in Cincinnati. I call the guy back and tell him.

Guy: Where are you at again?
Me: Oregon
Guy: So do you think you'll be able to make it to that Monro?
Me: (confused) The one in Ohio?
Guy: Yeah
Me: (laughing) No! Ohio is a 4 day drive away (In my head: Oregon, Ohio...just because they both start with O does not mean they are near each other. *sigh*)
Guy: (surprised) Oh. Uh....let me call someone. I'll give you a call back....


So, no. I will not be driving to Ohio with worn down brakes to get new ones. I am also glad I have basic American geography skills. Public school just lost a few points today in my ongoing debate with my husband about school systems.

(in happier news, the guy called me back and they told me just to get my brakes fixed and they will reimburse me. Hooray! Hows that for fabulous service?)

Monday, March 24, 2008

New FO's

I've got two of my latest Finished Objects to share:

#1: Chunky Stripes Cropped Cardi


Pattern: Anthropologie Inspired Capelet by Julia Allen

Links: Free Pattern Pattern's Ravelry entry My Ravelry Entry

Needle size: 11 (I'm a tight knitter, so it's about the equivalent of a lot of knitters' size 9)

Yarn: Two balls each of Purple and Black Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky

Yarn Source: Gift from Dawn for last Punk Rock Gift Exchange

Conclusion: I LOVE it! It's my favorite piece of knitwear to date and I love LOVE love the yarn



#2: Jack the Easter Dog

Before:

During:


After:


Links: My Ravelry Entry

We were going for purple but got magenta and pink. This is how I did it:
  1. Made a vinegar / water mixture and saturated the white spot on the back of his neck with it. Put a square of plastic wrap over it and put his collar back on to hold it in place. Let sit for about 30 minutes
  2. Using purple wilton’s cake dye (you know, the kind that’s like a paste that comes in a jar?) and a paint brush, I painted it on his spot. Re-covered in plastic wrap as above.
  3. Held a blowdryer on low over the plastic-wrapped spot for about 5 minutes (moving it around and testing with my hand to make sure it wasn’t burning him). Let sit for 20 minutes. Repeat once more.
  4. Bath time! I filled the tub with about 1-2 inches of water and poured 1 cup vinegar over the spot. Wet and washed with dog shampoo in all places BUT the spot. Rinsed well.
Results
Due to not being able to marinate Jack in a crock pot like real yarn, his fur didn’t have enough time/warmth to suck up all of the purple dye, leaving us with a magenta spot instead. Rinsing the spot with vinegar worked to both help set the dye on the spot and added water to the tub Jack was standing in…helping the rinsed-off dye adhere to the white on his chest and paws.
Jack is quite the happy punk rock pooch.

Visit thecsiproject.com

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Wish I'd had my camera

Joe and I were recently at a conference at Duke University in North Carolina. All their buildings, despite being fake-old, really are beautiful and small pockets of the campus remind me of the UK. Tragically I didn't know any of this until I was there so I was caught sans camera. My cell phone picture of the side chapel entrance will have to do.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Cute cupcakes

Look at this cute backpack I saw at Target the other day. It's very pink and glittery and screamed "I am 5!" or else I might Have entertained the idea of buying it.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

You want a blog post? I'll give you a blog post.

Ravelry. Blame it on Ravelry. I spend allmy would-be-blogging time over there. Plus I keep waiting for something blog worthy to happen and it didn't. So I guess I'll share my latest round of stitch markers for the Cupcake Factory.



 
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