Saturday, April 28, 2007

my baby done left me...

I was going to leave you with some bad blues-y lyrics here, but you likely know that eb surely didn't leave-leave me. No, she is with T in Syracuse checking things out. In a college town. On a Saturday night. With her 18 yo son. Hmmmm...I bet they are sleeping.

EB will not be back until Wednesday, and I have no earthly idea what time. I took the liberty of doing a little retail therapy to deal with my loss. I even did it on Friday morning before she was gone. She didn't leave until some ungodly hour today. But I knew my grieving would be severe. I went to the Texas Weaver's Conference. Any guesses as to what Texas weavers weave with?

I had done some side hair on Monday, so I had some cash on hand, and I was a very good grrl in that I used only my cash on hand. No credit cards, though every vendor assured me a credit card was no problem. Yuppers. I was very good. Only used my csh. All. Of. It.

I was showing the booty make that loot to deter a trip to the gutter, to Irene this morning over breakfast, and she agrees I will be knitting up some mighty fine things with all my new pretties.. I got some loopy stuff, some pretty and soft mohair, some cotton, some handpainted wool...lots-o-pretties. Maybe I will snap a pic in the morning.

And it will all fit into the bins I have without necessitating a trip to Targay for more.

I think that means I was very, very good. woo.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

bird season

Nola just had the first baby bird of the season completely in her mouth. That means I just had the first mama bird of the season in my hair.

She dropped it on command, she is such a good girl, and for the first time, Lilli Munster got a little taste of baby bird. What a tag team.

Birds are all fine and recovered. Me? Not so much.

Charming.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Into the washer she goes

I felted the Dancing Grrls Bag this morning. I need to let it dry some and give it a shave, and maybe it still needs another trip through the washer. One can never be certain about such things. I think I like it, maybe. It will be an awesome knitting bag of nothing else, and there is still a lot of finishing to be done on it.

After two trips through the wash, the bag has shrunk from roughly 16X16 inches to 15X13 which is close to the suggested pattern post felting measurement of 13 high and 16 wide. Maybe no more washer time for this beauty.

It still needs 5 rounds of crochet around the top which will take away the slight waviness, and then a twisted strand drawstring. Also it will need a six stitch i-cord strap which is sewn on with metal rings. I might modify that part somehow. Or I might not. It depends on what I think of it after I get the crocheted edging done.

This bag also calls for little dolls to be buttoned on and I am definitely ommiting them as I think they are a bit unseemly. Overkill if you will. Just a little *too* folkish for me.

On another note, I have an interview for a potential salon manager opening. It is not a definite opening yet, and it might lead nowhere, but it is an interview. This means a little shopping is in order, so eb will not be out to play on Sunday until later in the day. Her assistance is required. Cross something, please.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Dancing grrls bag


Dancing grrls bag
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.
The pattern is from Berroco in Ultra Alpaca and they call it the Doll Bag. I used six colors instead of eight and I used different colors than suggested. Pre-felting my bag measures about 16 inches square.

There are more pics up on Flickr, a detailed shot of each ro. Even the chart I totally fucked up. It's the charm of the handknit, says I.

The next step is to felt this in the washing machine. Cross something for me.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

so gay scarf


so gay scarf
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.
It's just so gay. Really. And it will be in the mail tomorrow.

Friday, April 06, 2007

ahhhhhh...

TtheLBJ(tm) that neither of the primo jackasses work on Friday.

Thursday, April 05, 2007

no more being nice to jackasses

That title was what I said to one of my favored coworkers as I was leaving work tonight. No. More. Being. Nice. To. JACKASSES!!!

One of my coworkers is such a jackass(okay, really there are 2 total jackasses and 3 who are jackasses just 50% of the time). Could you tell? I have strong obstacles in dealing with her and she is definitely vying for the top of my challengeswithjackasses list.

So the favored coworker has a problem with the way she was booked this evening. The chi would not be good as it was set, so we did a little juggling. I first called client A, none other than eb, and asked her to come earlier. Then I called client B and asked her to come a little later. No problem. Then, Client C was 30 minutes late, yes, arriving at almost the same time as client B who was coming later.

So the favored coworker does part of client C's service, not what she was booked for, but favored coworker is good at adding on extra services and then juggling them in with everyone involved remaining happy. As she finished up a wax for client C, client B arrives. During the wax, she learns that client C would also like a hilite. Also, not the haircut she was booked for.

Rather than say no to one of her clients, she asked her if she would mind if the jackass did her as she had no client booked this evevning. (Everyone, no matter how much of a jackass, should be booked this close to Easter. It's a fact of salon life that is often hell for us little old receptionists.)

Client C said that would be fine as long as the favored coworker was doing the cutting.

So favored coworker talks to jackass who readily agrees, because not only is she a jackass, but she is a greedy jackass. Also, a whineyass jackass. The whole time she was getting it together to do the hilite for client C, she was whining about why should she do only the hilite? Why did favored coworker get the wax and cut?
i
You see, greedy whineyass jackass contends that I give all the walkins to favored coworker (I don't) and if I had given client C to her to begin with, she would be doing all 3 services. Jackass also has a hearing problem, well, a listening problem, because favored coworker had clearly stated this was her regular client.

Client C comes up to pay and was apparently upset. Maybe she just wanted to be out of the salon, but when she saw her total she was genuinely shocked. I asked her if jackass neglected to discuss the price with her and she said yes. So egomaniacal receptionist that I am, I used the power bestowed on me by the boss lady, and I cut her ticket, no questions asked. I have had this problem with jackass padding her tickets before and the ticket has a spot for the stylist to specifically go over all charges and list the total fee for the client to initial, It's sort of required script that most stylists ignore, but when I know it is an issue, I tell the boss lady and she reviews it with the stylist personally to avoid future issues.

She also felt that jackass delayed in getting to her and when she sees her hair in the daylight tomorrow, she will not be seeing much hilite, so that will be an issue for another day.

Then, she asked who was working the desk this morning (not me) and told me she specifically said she could not make 630, it would definitely be 7, and if she had been properly booked, no magnificant shuffling would have been required.

Client C was satisfied and jackass loses commission. I can't wait til tomorrow to chat with the boss lady.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Harvest Moon

For the last three days, I have had Harvest Moon by who? Yes, Neil Young, that's right, I have had it on repeat in my car cd player. Everywhere I have gone, I have been feeling the island breeze. It is such a soothing and beautiful love song. By Neil Young. Who'da thunk it?

"Harvest Moon"

Come a little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleepin'
We could dream this night away.

But there's a full moon risin'
Let's go dancin' in the light
We know where the music's playin'
Let's go out and feel the night.

Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon.

When we were strangers
I watched you from afar
When we were lovers
I loved you with all my heart.

But now it's gettin' late
And the moon is climbin' high
I want to celebrate
See it shinin' in your eye.

Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon.