Hi-diddely-ho, Neighborinos!

I'm back to work this week, and oddly cheerful about it. Normally I come back from vacation feeling like a spoiled brat in the classic Give Her an Inch, She'll Take a Mile sense--time off only makes me want more time off. Not this time, though. Maybe because I was so completely lazy last week? Maybe I finally did get properly rested up? Whatever the cause of this extended happy mood, I'm going with it.

I'm also, like Badger, going with some sock knitting. I've tried it before, but chickened out when it came time to turn the heel, this time, though, I'm determined to soldier on. I'm planning to give the socks to The Boy, so I had him choose the yarn.



Hello, Steeler socks! I started knitting last Thursday, interested to try using two circular needles rather than four DPNs (it's not much different, as far as I can tell), and things were going well until I dropped the ball of yarn into a mud puddle on Father's Day. I shrieked an expletive into the rainy sky, and then quickly put the yarn in a drying rack in the kitchen sink to dry. I got started again last night, and will just have to make sure the socks get washed before The Boy wears them.

I've been listening to the sixth Harry Potter book while knitting (and working on installing my sweet new laminate floor in the dining room, which will be another post), because I want it to be fresh in my mind when I see the movie next month. I love this book, and I'm very afraid the movie is going to be a disaster like the last one. Regardless, though, I'm pretty sure I'll see it more than once.

I also just re-read the Twilight books (which I just *can't* like), and have requested the first Anita Blake novel from the library. Oh, and I ordered the Sookie Stackhouse box set from Amazon, because this Salon article kind of told me to. It seems it's going to be the Summer of the Vampire, which could be kind of fun. Maybe I'll watch Buffy and Angel again, too.

Speaking of watching things, I finally caved and got Netflix. I only have the $12/month basic cable, so I figured an extra $9 a month was justified. The very best thing about Netflix is their Watch Instantly option. It's just like having the On Demand thing cable and FIOS offers, but the library of available movies and TV shows is getting bigger every day. And I bought this thing called a Roku Box that allows my TV to access my wireless broadband connection and stream Netflix to my TV! So awesome! You seriously can't beat it for $9/month.

Lately I've watched His Girl Friday and Holiday, both featuring Cary Grant and both wonderful. (Cary Grant makes me want to dress in heels, false eyelashes, and lipstick and be a WOMAN instead of the grown-up girl/teen-aged boy hybrid that I mostly seem to be.) I've also watched I Capture the Castle, which isn't as good as the book, but isn't bad--and it features Riley from Buffy and a grown-up Elliot from E.T., which was fun to see.

And . . . that's it, I think. The weather has turned idyllic, there's a baby bunny living in my front yard (which The Boy is stalking with carrots and a camera), the dads I know all enjoyed their Fathers' Days, and I have left over taco salad for lunch. What more can one woman ask for?