More this and that

My mood is quite foul. I've been indulging myself, and wallowing in it a bit, but it is getting old and about time to shake myself out.

I have knitting to show off, but haven't taken any pictures (of knitting) recently. I promise to take some tonight. So in photoless knitting news: I've finished two repeats of the Drifting Pleats and continue to be stunned by the genius of this pattern. I'm finding the instant gratification of the Tilted Duster kind of thrilling -- I've finished the back, fronts, and two sleeves. The back and fronts are sewn together and the skirt is picked up and knitted down, I am about 5 inches into the skirt. I've developed a failsafe way to keep track of where I am in the increase/decrease repeats, I'm sure enough of my boneheadedness that I will find a way around that system and screw up. Like I said. Foul mood. I've also started Frost Flowers and Leaves from Gathering of Lace. More on that when I have pictures.

The fifth and final season of The Wire started last night. If you haven't seen this, get a hold of the DVDs and catch up. This is simply the best that television has to offer (link goes to Pajiba review).

A bit more on Fred: she does have her claws, I have scratches to prove it (from a bit of roughhousing, on my part). We fall squarely in the Pro Claw camp, though I certainly can understand why someone might be in the Anti Claw camp (Simon and Gwen destroyed the vinyl upholstery on a chair of Len's, I'm a little afraid to find out how much it will cost to replace). Fred was a character on Angel, a TV show that spun off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Len and I both have huge crushes on Fred, a character who, even though she didn't possess any superhuman strength, could still kick some serious ass. At the end of the series her body was taken over by a sort of god, and she did get superhuman strength, plus blue skin, a form fitting leather outfit, and a serious lack of moral compass. Bless her heart. Yep, we do love us some Fred at our house. Of both varieties.

In order to not leave you completely without pictures, here is one I took on January 1st:

I have a couple of black and white versions on Flickr, but I think I like the color version better. It is now close to 60 degrees outside and all that snow is gone.