3-2-1, and we have Windows!

Okay, we never didn't have windows, we just have new windows.

After the tornado in May the bottom edges of our two larger windows and top edges of the two South-side windows were chewed up pretty bad by the hail. The insurance adjuster, who on the whole was very generous, felt that only the framing needed replacing. The contractor begged to differ as the design included the frame being welded to the rest of the window, so he ordered new ones which were delivered several weeks ago. Our nice new windows have sat in the garage since as the two disagreeing parties worked things out. On Monday the adjuster and contractor came to the house together for each to try and prove his point to the other and was unavailable I didn't know if all or some of the windows were going in or going back to the factory.

I was going to call the contractor after the kids were at school to see what the verdict was but at 7:30 two trucks pulled up and workmen came to the door. It was possible they were there to replace the gutters, another hail casualty, and when the spokesman said they were the ones who'd replaced the siding that simply told me that they worked for our contractor. The words "and we're here to replace your windows" came as almost a surprise.

Even then I didn't know how many had been agreed on as the South facing ones weren't nearly as damaged. I left to take the kids to school and upon returning found that, instead of the three windows I believed had been delivered, there was in fact a fourth. I didn't want to get my hopes up too high though since that fourth one was to the side which might mean it was going back. Clearly I didn't have any real complaint with that, since I hadn't even known it was there. After all, if the price of getting the other three was returning one I hadn't known about, that wasn't a bad deal. I am happy to say though, that not only are the badly damaged windows replaced, we have a total of four new windows. Every damaged window is gone and in its place is an exact duplicate, just with manufacturer's stickers.

I only have one question left. Does any one know how long I should leave those stickers on? I'm sure they're not like the proverbial mattress tags, but I'd still hate to take them off and find out the information was needed later.

Hey, I know, let's blame the victim

That's the tack our local news radio, which prides itself on being fair and unbiased, decided to take on the Sarah Palin e-mail hack. While talking to an employee of Politico.com the morning host started making comments to the effect that if Palin hadn't had a private e-mail account it couldn't have been hacked. There was no mention that this was a crime. The host was filling in for the regular duo who are on vacation but it was still pretty obnoxious for a station that prides itself on its even-handedness.
All I can say is that e-mail isn't the only place hacks are involved.

Update: Apparently "blame the victim" is going to be the MSM strategy on this one. There will be no dismay at breaches of privacy, no repudiation of lawlessness, only a "Well, it's not their fault she wasn't doing anything wrong after all" and a shrug. Blech.

Fluffy

Fluffy the lavender hedgehog. How's that for a low maintenance pet?

adopt your own virtual pet!

Late birthday gifts

The important thing to know is that the blanket is on it's way to it's new home. The other important things to know are that the birthday it's a gift for was the end of June and the loom it was made on was purchased the week before the birthday.
When my mom asked me a month and a half ago if the blanket would be ready for them to take to my sister on their trip to see her in September I quickly assured her that it wouldn't be a problem. After all, I only had one square of six left to weave and sewing up and doing a crocheted border couldn't take very long. Of course, I forgot to ask when in September, but since everything was going well it didn't seem very important. So, how is it that this last Sunday was spent sewing the last half together and crocheting that border and Monday evening was spent weaving in and trimming ends so that I could take the blanket to my parents this morning? That is a very good question and the answer is, "I'm not sure, but I blame the internet."
This summer I found webcomics and blogs and lost all sense of time. Somehow the day would just evaporate. It would be dinner time and for the life of me I couldn't figure out where the day had gone. My husband likes to tell me that what he has feared has come upon him since he wasn't sure that I could handle high-speed internet with my already poor since of time. I laugh and tell him that dinner 45 minutes late is still dinner. OK, I don't tell him that and I do feel a little bad but I have yet to work out a system by which I can read the things I like to read and still get done what needs done.
The other thing that makes it difficult to finish is that when a project is still in the works it isn't judged on whether it meets its intended function. Large or important projects still catch me with this even though I have been trying to work through, and plan for, this issue. With a small project it's no big deal to take itour if it doesn't work. A large project on the other hand requires copious amounts of tears, chocolate, and occaisionally alcohol, to be faced again and sometimes even those aren't enough.
The good news though is that the blanket, for better or worse, is done and it isn't Christmas yet, which is the deadline my very understanding (because she crochets too) sister set as the time by which she expected her birthday gift. Happy late birthday kid, I love you.

New commission

I have my first commission in about six months and this one is larger than the hats and scarves I've done so far. A lady that I met at the Rapha brunch a couple of months ago, and whom I had given up on hearing from, Asked me to make a pocket shawl for her mom in Michigan. Of course I'm excited by the project at the moment, since boredom hasn't set in, but, as with all projects, I'm going to have to make sure I finish in good time. That, is the part I struggle with so often. It's particularly important this time as the shawl needs to be done in time to be shipped for Christmas. The color is a pretty red and alpaca's always great to work with so hopefully the enjoyment of the process will help me get to the finish.