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July 17, 2007

weekend wrap-up- Dork and Roots Festival

What did you do over the weekend, Marcel?
Anything good?

Well, let's see, it was kind of a while ago now. Plus, with the thunder and lightning last night I had to take a big chill pill, so its all a bit of a blur.

But its starting to come back to me now.

Marcel and I went to the Old Town School of Folk Music's annual Folk and Roots Festival. Ordinarily, I'm more inclined to avoid festivals which potentially attract hippies, but since it was in our park (whose park?? Our park!!) I tried to overlook my general cynicism about forced authentic cultural experiences and we wandered down there. And it turned out, only half of the park was taken over, where you had to pay to go in- although the school had sent out free passes to those of us who were neighbors, but you couldn't bring dogs in!! Which we thought was a massive rip off until we discovered, by accident, there were students playing in this gazebo that's on the other side, where dawgs could go and listen for free. Which, I had no idea until Marcel and I got closer and I could hear what sounded like a 5th grade choir recital doing REM's Losing My Religion. It was faint at first, coming from down the path, and I couldn't see the people in the gazebo, but then I got closer and I could see adults with guitars, drums, microphones and the like, and people on lawn chairs and blankets. Marcel and I decided to sit down and listen, and it kind of grew on us, as they played one REM song after another, kind of awkwardly, but you could tell they were having fun. That's how we met new canine friend-

Crumpet!!! And her human friend, Cara.
Who sat with us and chatted while we listened to Cara's step-dad playing guitar with what I found out were the REM Ensemble. And plus, after that came the Soul Ensemble, and Marcel didn't mind at all doing a sort of shuffle to Sly and The Family Stone's Everyday People,- while I softly crooned back-up in his ear, especially since its a song where you really can't mess it up too bad.

Then on Sunday we went back by the gazebo and lo, the Beatles Ensemble! Featuring Cara's step dad again, thus, Crumpet was in her usual spot in the front row!

Staying hydrated!

you betcha.

And staying out of trouble, as is her custom!
Marcel, on the other hand-

Was making the rounds of people's blankets, seeing if they had anything good. They did!

Eventually he came and stood by me, mostly to see if he could get another bite of that coconut popsicle-

A lot of people came by and petted him-

And several children remarked that his eyes stuck out. We know. But yeah. Plus Marcel and Mr. Goddamn Sunshine played-

And played-

and played-

and played!!!

In the field behind the gazebo.

Plus Saturday night The Knitters played, they were really smokin as far as I could tell-
I hadn't wanted to go by myself and Mr. Goddamn Sunshine hadn't made it up here yet- and I was all like "hmm, kind of sounds like X, cool!"
D'oh! (smacks forehead with palm.) Not sure how or when I became clueless. Maybe this is how it happens, that subtle, terrifying slide into middle-age!? Anyway, I knitted by my window to The Knitters, and the crowd noise, it was so loud it was almost like being there. They did Born To Be Wild. Whoa. I keep telling myself its a good thing I heard it from my window so my face didn't melt. Anyway.

Sunday we surrendered the guest pass to hear Grupo Fantasmo, from Austin, TX. Which, both the name and the place seemed to bode well. But eh. Eh-eh.

Oh, and last week I printed Phillipe et Claude, without further ado~

Oh, and these are the butterfly-attracting flowers-

Posted by pippypippy at 09:44 PM | Comments (1)

July 13, 2007

the mysterious little flood (a double-pointed tale of woe)

First- the some happy knitting news.

The Conrad Sulzer Regional Library, meeting place of the Windy City Knitting Guild, which, for some reason I've only gone to once- the Knitting Guild, not the library- (although I'm really interested in this upcoming program, especially since they have got the cutest sheep photo ever on their website- go see it! Its true!) while they have got way more For Dummies books on their shelves than any respectable library should have- it kind of bugs me because I wonder what they really think of their library patrons. I try not to take it personally. - tends to have a really nice, crazily messy most of the time, knitting section. Especially in summer. So recently I was browsing and I came across Knitting On The Edge by Nicky Epstein, which has many leaf patterns, and other equally lovely and intriguing things to imagine oneself making, and bobbles!! Sooo many bobbles. Oh, how I love bobbles.
In any event, first, I decided to try this easy garter stitch scallop thing, as I am a fan of scallops too, in general. Its oddly complicated, for a simple-looking thing, just because you have to make each scallop separately and then join them, and thus, you find yourself with millions of little ends to weave. But the result is worthwhile, so cute you want to eat it, no? Yes!!

So then there was this weird flood.
Which, I don't know what happened, but I peeked into this cup that I usually have dpns in-

Which is on my desk, which is under an area of the ceiling that used to leak. But my landlady had it fixed before I moved in. And it hasn't leaked, that I know of all winter and spring.
And plus, there was no evidence of water anywhere else on the desk.
A bonus, because my computer is there, too.
Just all these sad looking bamboo needles which had molded together-

And a rusted safety pin/stitch holder and these cruds-

Cruds!!! Eeeeeeew.
And one more of the bamboo horror, for your viewing pain-

All the cruds cleaned out of the bottom of the cup, and, for the most part, off of the metal needles, crochet hooks, and whatnot.
Today I bleached the bamboo needles, and as soon as they dry I'm going to lightly sand.
There was no evidence of water having leaked through the ceiling anywhere, so it is a very strange thing. I'm kind of wondering if at some point I spilled something in there- coffee??- and just didn't notice. Stranger things have happened.

Anyway, I also finished the super secret baby project, and taught myself a bit of crochet in the process, so am immensely proud of myself. But can't show pitchers, its a secret!
And then also I printed another stage of Phillipe et Claude, pictures to come.

Other good things, just fyi-

•our garden is attracting lots and lots of butterflies.

•Yesterday I rode my bike for several miles and then also experienced a moment of sheer transcendence whilst eating warm spiced apples and hearing Nick Cave's The Ship Song, in The Flying Saucer. It was the absolutely purest form of bliss. Have you ever felt like you must be levitating? Could it have been endorphins? I don't know. I wish I could bottle it.

•God, I love Patti Smith.
This morning I experienced bliss again when I heard a radio interview with her on WLUW, actually her being interviewed by Tim Robbins, on a show with the unfortunate name of Peace Waves, which I can't seem to locate anywhere on the internet. So you'll just have to believe me when I say it was cool.
All day I've had The People Have The Power stuck in my head.

Posted by pippypippy at 12:36 PM | Comments (1)

July 12, 2007

please send some love~

To my friend Willow's longtime sweetie, Joseph, who is going through a really serious medical ordeal. Willow has started a Get Well postcard project which you can read about here on her flickr page. There is also a postcard to print out (or you can get one from her at the July Chicago Critical Mass,-which, btw, has a nice shiny new web page- if you are there!) There is also an address for where to send the postcards, as well as examples of some that she has already received. Bike themes are definitely appropriate!
Anyway, send a friendly word to Joseph, if you get a chance!

Posted by pippypippy at 11:25 PM | Comments (0)

July 05, 2007

July 4th or, supposedly fun things that make me slightly cranky plus, a happy/sad dream

Marcel and I really don't like the 4th of July.
In general, I can work up very little enthusiasm for flag-waving and whatnot. Fireworks, well, they're pretty, and I confess I like sparkly things in general, I mean, what's not to like?
Sudden loud noises that sound like the end of the world and scare nervous little animals! That's what!

Not to burst anyone's bubble, or to rain on anyone's parade, although we kind of wished it would rain last night, so that my neighbors might stop terrorizing my dog. It was like World War 3. And plus, it put Marcel into a very funny headspace, man.

That and the doggy valium I had to give him. Poor little guy.
He's much more chipper this morning, and, in fact, did some modeling of some haute canine couture~

I've got a new etching in the works~

Its about 2 inches tall, so very tiny.
Last night I had a very funny dream about John- my late, great Big Dawg- and etching. Mostly what I remember was I was taking a class in this crazy house that was kind of falling down. John came by to pick me up when I was done and he was riding this funny little child-sized bicycle through all this mud and dead trees. The house had no stairs and so I crawled out through a narrow window. John and I were in the woods, there was mud everywhere, as though there had been a flood, and a big muddy dog was running around. I realized I forgot something and went back in through the same window and all these people were looking at my sketchbook.
There was a plate I had made that was shaped like a tiny, leaping fish with scales and stars etched in. It fit into the palm of my hand. I found it and crawled back out through the window and showed it to John and he said it was beautiful and he was glad I had found it. That's what I remembered when I woke up. I like it so much when the Big Dawg comes to visit me in dreams.

Back to the Knit-A-log in progress, where we give you more experiments with hemp washcloths. (Who knew it could get this interesting? That's what I'm saying!)I've found that indeed it makes for an excellent scrubby surface, and plus holds its shape better than cotton. The only thing is you have to hang it up or it takes forever to dry. Now you know!

Plus I really like this grassy green color.

Posted by pippypippy at 09:26 AM | Comments (2)