Ten on Tuesday

There is a real post that I need to get around to making but I've been lazy and haven't transferred my photos to the computer. So in the meantime, let's play Ten on Tuesday courtesy of Chelsea @ Roots & Rings (questions by Sarah).

1. Do you do laundry all at the same time or a load here and there?
I try to do laundry all at the same time, but ever since we started softball things have been off. Laundry day is usually softball day, so I get one load done (w/our shirts) and then hope I can get the rest done during the week.

2. What kind of detergent do you use?
Costco's free & clear (Kirkland Signature). I have really sensitive skin, so most anything else makes me itch like crazy. M once attempted to be nice & do laundry but used the leftover soap he had from his house...let's just say he's doesn't do laundry anymore.

3. Do you use fabric softener?
Nope, just go with the dryer sheets.

4. Do you use dryer sheets?
See above, the Bounce free ones.

5. Do you iron your own clothes or take them to a cleaner to get pressed?
I don't think I've ever taken my clothes to a cleaner to be pressed. Those items that are complicated to iron usually are dry cleaned anyway so it's a 2 for 1 deal. I kind of like ironing though, it's calming.

6. Do you like heavy starch or light starch?
Light starch on a rare occasion. It seems silly, but I like it on my sheets if anything. I think the smell brings me back to my childhood.

7. Do you wash all your laundry at once or separate it?
Separate it, definitely.

8. How do you separate it? By people or by colors?
Colors & type. There's whites, bright colors, darks, jeans/sweats, dark or light work clothes (dress pants/sweaters), towels, sheets...I think that's it.

9. What clothes get hung up and what goes in drawers?
Everything is hung up except basic tanks & tees.

10. Do you use plastic, wire, or wooden hangers? Do they all match?
I use plastic white hangers. I think there's a few random ones thrown in that I haven't tossed yet, but I like it to match.

If I knew then what I know now...Tweetyour16yearoldself

I don't usually get into the trending topics on Twitter, but this latest one "tweetyour16yearoldself" struck a little bit of a chord with me. When I was 16, I kind of had life by the horns. Of course at the time I didn't know it, but then again that's when things were more simple. Here were some of the things I wish my 16-year old self knew:

• That itch you had to break up? Listen to it & do it when you're still calling the shots.
• All that self-confidence you had? Try like hell to keep it as you get older.
• The tweezers is your friend, the Brooke Shield's look is OVER.

And most importantly:

• Spend more time w/g. gma, & pay better attention when she teaches you how to knit...again.

I wish I had listened to my g. gma more when I was 16. I was too busy being a social butterfly and rolling my eyes when she had something to tell me. It wasn't until soon before her death that I really let the knitting & crocheting instructions sink into my head and I'm forever happy it did.

What should you say to your 16-year old self?

Girls Next Door

There are these two girls that recently moved into the apartment next door to my boyfriend. This would be all fine & dandy (we don't really socialize w/any of the neighbors) but these girls make me want to punch them in the face. They're probably about 20 years old and have so much to learn, so if I could - I would say the following to them...you know, if they wouldn't look at me like the crazy woman next door.

Dear girls next door,

I don't know what the situation was the other night, but I wish you and your friends would realize that the walls around here are kind of thin. When your boyfriends start arguing out on the stairs, we can hear everything. And when they migrate to on our doorstep? I can see everything from that little peep hole and will stare with intense scrutiny. I want you to take some life lessons to heart. Trust me on this stuff, I'm a lot older (even though I don't look it) and like to think I'm a little wiser over making it almost through my 20s w/o too much heartache & pain.

Those boys? Not even close to worth it. The fact that they almost got in a full on physical fight on the doorstep is not a manly show of affection, it's something that assholes do. I know it feels empowering on your end and almost warm & fuzzy to see two guys fighting over you, but you'll realize later that those are the guys you need to stay far away from. And coming out to say "we don't want any drama" is such a cop out. We both know that you thrive on the drama, it's part of your nature.

Bad boys have such an appeal at your age (yes, I know I just said "your age" w/a straight face) and I know it's part of growing up, but if you can get out of that stage quickly you will feel way less heartbreak. The good guys are out there and although you find them boring right now you'll find one later that will light up your life and make you want to spend the rest of your life with them.

But for now, please remember that even though you don't have a job to go to (just school that starts around 10am) some of us do. We don't need to hear you running up and down the stairs at 2am because you've been hanging out with the older dudes upstairs. And I know you're not exclusive w/any of them (why should you be?) but that many guys coming through the revolving door to your apartment makes you seem like a slut. Just FYI. ;-)

Love,
Your neighbor's girlfriend

Down Memory Lane

When I was a little girl (around 4 or 5) I started staying with my great grandmother during the week. At the time it was my single mom and I as her and my father split up before I started walking. In our family though there is a great support system and since my mom and I moved apartments frequently the best course of action for schooling was to use my great grandmother's address. I stayed with her during the week and came home on the weekends. Surprisingly this was the perfect arrangement for all parties involved and it stayed this way pretty much until my great grandmother passed away. With the exception of right after high school (I moved in with my mom & stepdad for about a year which was a BAD idea) I want to say I lived there for approx. 20 years.

This arrangement helped me a lot. My great grandmother was a teacher when she was younger and always was ready to do arts & crafts with me, teach me reading, math, help with random homework and most of all...she taught me how to knit. Ok, so she taught me how about three or four times over the course of my life because I couldn't stay with it too long, but every time I started I picked it up right away. She also taught me crocheting because you can't have one without the other. In fact, the primary thing she knitted were dish cloths/rags and you can't call it finished without crocheting the borders.

When she passed away I thought it was only fitting to continue her dish cloth/rag tradition. Every Christmas she gave them to all the families as gifts and during our first Christmas without her I couldn't just NOT do it. It was a coping mechanism for me and to this day I do it every year.

So I know the basics. I've made some scarves, even a blanket...but after a certain point I became stuck. When I was little she made my cousin and I these blankets and to this day it stays in bed with me. It's the most comfortable blanket ever and I think every baby/child should have one. This is what brings me to my current dilemma.

I started this blanket for my cousin's baby about a year and a half ago. I love the colors and design of it but secretly? I messed it up, royally. I was new to more than the most basic crocheting and I flubbed some spots meaning I had to make the same flubs every time afterwards. This in turn made me put it away never to be seen again.

Until today. I decided to rip it and start over and I've done two rows so far. And of course? I'm off by two stitches. What do I do? Do I just remember to reduce by two stitches every time? Do I rip it and start all over again? Or do I rip and start again and add to more stitches from the beginning? Life is so complicated.