Saturday, September 29, 2012

Never Count Yourself In

All week, once I'd made the decision to come to Tennessee, the panic had been building.  "I cannot go back inside that house" kept playing over and over in my mind.

Today, I went back into that house, and in less than two hours had my car completely filled.  And I had only worked in one room.

This is more than I can do.  I cannot do it alone, but even if there were a team of movers somewhere waiting for my call, I have no way to pay them.  And where are they going to take everything?  We don't have room in the house in Athens for even a sixth of this stuff.

So I found myself sitting in Daddy's room, sweating and sobbing, and begging him and Mama to forgive me.  I wasn't doing anything right by them, and I was so sorry.  I couldn't do all the things that had to be done, and I was so sorry.  I knew they were angry with my, and disappointed, and hurt, and I was so sorry.  It is just too much.  And I am so, so sorry.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

But There's Always Shopping

I do not like to shop.  Even online I'm usually not that caught up in it.  Except for one thing.

Cowboy boots.

Could look at them all day.  I openly gasp at some.  I emit "will-die-a-little-if-these-don't-become-mine" noises often.

Last week, I was down.  Hell, I've been down all year, but last week was particularly vicious and personal.  So I took some of what rather small amount of disposable income I have, and bought myself some boots.  These boots to be specific:

Right away, the photo does them no justice at all.  The leather is buttery soft and the embroidery is impeccable, and, yes, I might have rubbed them against my face.

These boots positively take my breath away.  And they're going with me to Nashville to give me something pretty to look at and contemplate on when everything else threatens to overwhelm me.

Panic

I've suddenly found myself with a little bubble of time to get to Nashville this weekend, and I am already panicked through and through.  The thought of going in, even more of staying in, that house just sends me around the bend.  Why, oh why can't there be a way to finish all this up without me having to set foot in there again?
The answer, of course, is that when I was there sorting things out for the estate sale, the plan for Hannah to move up was still in place.  That's gone now, although it has been replaced with a strapping and mostly unyielding opposition to me selling the house.  Briton has come to understand the emotional and financial strain keeping it put on me.  Hannah may be there, too, but just won't admit it.

At any rate, I'm going up late, late, late tomorrow night and getting out as fast as I can Sunday.  (We thought we had Briton and Hannah's schedules lined up so that he could get her to and from each day, but that blew up about 45 minutes ago.)

This should be the next-to-the-last time I have to go in the house.  Briton and Hannah still want to go and say their goodbyes, and there may be an item or two that I simply can't bring back this trip. As unpredictable as their work schedules and temperaments are, though, I wonder if that can happen within any realistic framework.  If we're going to auction, I'd rather it be sooner than later, so that I can start the new year with one less yoke around my neck.


Saturday, September 22, 2012

Let Me Paint You A Picture

The University of Georgia and Athens, Georgia are virtually the same thing.  UGA sits just about in the dead center of Athens, and Sanford Stadium sits just about in the center of UGA.  When there is a football game here, life is insane.  Today is a game day.  Well, game night --- kick-off is 7:45 PM.  There aren't that many roads into Athens, and as fans come in, they are all clogged to within an inch of their pavement.  The closer it gets to game time, the emptier the "out" streets become and the fuller the "in" streets.

Amidst all the Knitters' Hunk and Chick goings-on, I failed to tell you that my son got a significant promotion at his job, and my daughter got re-hired at a restaurant where she worked during high school.  The restaurant has 2 locations: the one she usually works, which is about 3 minutes from our house, and the other, which is downtown.

Downtown borders the UGA campus.  It is full of restaurants and bars and funky shops and bars and pizza places and bars and music venues and bars and sandwich shops and bars.  For today, she was assigned a shift at the downtown location.  From 5 PM to 3 AM.

I just got back from taking her down there, and --- and this is three hours before kickoff --- you cannot move downtown.  It is absolutely crazy.  Tonight's opponent, I should mention, is Vanderbilt.  (ANCHOR DOWN!)  The people we saw tailgating as we drove in had not just begun to party, if you get my drift.  And they've still got hours to go.  And my baby girl is in the middle of all of it.

She's kind of torn, she says, because while she really wants Vandy to win the game, she knows a bunch of drunk, angry Georgia fans probably won't give her very good tips.  Drunk, happy Georgia  fans probably would.  I told her just to keep her head down, but that if any Vandy fans come in, be sure and sneak them the sign:

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Just Some Thoughts

From the first time people had the chance to vote for her, I had the feeling Maggie Smith was going to be the ultimate winner.

One thing I try very hard to do is match pictures of competitors: same tilt of head, type of dress, black and white or color, etc.  The single hardest person to do that for is Johnny Depp.  Because Johnny doesn't really dress like other people.

It was interesting this year to try and find matching photos for, say, Christina Hendricks and anybody.  

If you look at enough pictures of anyone, they stop looking like themselves.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Progress

The Knitters' Chick prize packages were just taken to the post office, so, winners, be on the lookout!  It will be another day or two before the Knitters' Hunk prizes go out, as I keep finding little goodies to drop in them. . .

Again, thank you all --- it was fun, as it always is!


Monday, September 17, 2012

And the Winners Are:

For the Inaugural Knitters' Chick contest:
Dame Maggie Smith.

Never in doubt, really --- at least not to me.  From the first round, people were loving her.  And who can blame them? Lorette nominated Dame Maggie, and will be receiving the Knitters' Chick Grand Prize. Bridget nominated runner-up Meryl Streep, and will be receiving the Runner-Up Prize.

If you are interested, the final vote count was 69% for Smith, 31% for Streep.

And the 2012 Knitters' Hunk, coming from way behind earlier in the day is
Liam Neeson.

I had honestly thought Benedict Cumberbatch was going to win --- his margins of victory were always so big.  But the Liam Lovers among you came through, most of all Camille, who has won the Grand Prize.*  The runner-up package goes to, would you believe it, Lorette! She sure knows how to pick 'em!  Final margin: Neeson 55%. Cumberbatch 45%.

So, the reigns of Maggie and Liam begin, and we'll all meet again here next year to start all over!  Thank you SO, SO much everybody!


*Edited to add: Briana also nominated Liam, but sloppy record-keeping on my part didn't give her credit.  That being the case, I'm going to forego my usual tie-breaker, and send her a Grand Prize package, too.  Sorry, Briana!!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Crown!

The time is here!  Choose your favorites to reign over Knitterdom for the next year!  Winners will be announced tonight after 9 PM Eastern.  Thank you all SO much for your enthusiastic involvement and support.

GO!

Friday, September 14, 2012

Elect!

Edited to add: The results of these contests have been removed on purpose.  In case anyone wasn't keeping up with these races today, the Finalists will be a surprise on Monday!  Have a great weekend!

Alright, folks.  Gut check time.  Down to the last four contestants in both Knitters' Chick and Knitters' Hunk.  Today's winners will vie for the titles come Monday.  And, the winners of the nominators' prizes will be announced!  Vote your heart and your knitterly intuition. . .

Pair Ninety-One


Pair Ninety-Two


Pair Ninety-Three


Pair Ninety-Four

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Support!

Nearer and nearer the end of the contests grow.  Are you nervous?  Frightened?  Intimidated?  Sad?  Well, I certainly hope you're able to vote, because there are still some blank lines on the brackets that need filling in.  Your decisions here will fill out the Knitters' Chick Final Four;  today's  victors will join Maggie Smith and Rachel McAdams.

Your votes for the men will fill out the Knitters' Hunk Final Four, winners joining Stephen Colbert and Benedict Cumberbatch.  Which means the Semifinals are tomorrow, and the 2012 Knitters' Hunk and Knitters' Chick will be elected Monday!

Pair Eighty-Seven


Pair Eighty-Eight


Pair Eighty-Nine



Pair Ninety



Assent!

We are so very close to the Final Four!  In fact, we should have them in place by tomorrow.  You can spend part, if not all, of your weekend, deciding whom should wear the Knitters' Crown!

Speaking of knitters --- as of right now, five people are still in the running for the Hunk grand prize, and four for the Chick prize.  You know who you are, because you know who you nominated.  I hope.

As for yesterday, Emma Watson, Johnny Depp, Rachel McAdams and Benedict Cumberbatch all moved forward.

And as for today, just to set everything up evenly:

Pair Eighty-Five



Pair Eighty-Six

Monday, September 10, 2012

Determine!

Liam Neeson, Stephen Colbert and Alan Rickman won yesterday, and are, therefore, in the Quarterfinals.  The tie between Jeremy Irons and Tom Selleck was broken, and the victor there gets right back into the action today to fill out the Final Eight.   In other pairs:

Pair Seventy-Seven



Pair Seventy-Eight




Pair Seventy-Nine


Pair Eighty

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Opt!

So far, the men's quarterfinalists are Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, Robert Downey, Jr. and Nathan Fillion.  We'll get three more today, then, once the Irons/Selleck tie is broken, the eighth one will be very near indeed.

Hope you all had a really nice weekend.  All rested and ready to express your opinions?

Pair Seventy-Three


Pair Seventy-Four


Pair Seventy-Five


Pair Seventy-Six

Judge!

I hope you all are having as much fun with this as me.  I say that at some point every year, probably, but I do mean it.  Your comments are terrific, and your options are getting more difficult, wouldn't you say?

We aren't quite down to the final eight women in Knitters' Chick.  There were eleven votes cast for both Rashida Jones and Emma Watson, so we'll be revisiting them again soon,too.  Waiting for them in the Quarterfinals are Rachel McAdams, Anne Hathaway, Maggie Smith, Samantha Bee, Meryl Streep, Gillian Anderson and Rachel Maddow.  If you nominated any of them, you are still in the running for the Chick Grand Prize.

Remember, no voting over the weekend.

Now.  On to today:

Pair Sixty-Nine


Pair Seventy


Pair Seventy-One
+

Pair Seventy-Two

48

If you've ever rented a movie on Amazon Prime, you know you have 48 hours in which to watch it.  (By the way, why do we "watch"...