^#*@($@#*($&@(#%@#&%*&@#%*

I should warn you - I'm in an even fouler mood than usual today for some reason. I wonder why?

Could it be that I had too much of this at the Rabbie Burns dinner last evening?

Hmm... I don't think so. No headache or anything, just a foul mood (JJ, however, is suffering from his excesses this morning. There were five drams of whisky at each place setting - and the table of five next to us didn't show... so he got 35 drams all to himself - he gets to have mine too. I cannot drink whisky ever since I decided to mix some with orange juice back in my foolish youth...).

So, what else could it be? The longer-than-usual lineup in Timmy's this morning?

Nah. One of the few things in life that I will actually stand in line for is a Canadian Maple doughtnut by Timmy.

Perhaps it was the evidence of yet another ridiculous reality show featuring yet another has-been actor:

I mean, come on - Chachi playing himself as a loser? Donnez-moi un break. I won't be tuning into that one, I can assure you!

But that in itself is not enough to create the ultra-black mood that I'm suffering from today. Holly's been talking about Snow Madness...is it that?

Well, maybe just a tad... but the grimness of my state of mind cannot be explained solely by that, as much as I might hate the snow, ice and cold.

Hold on ... I know what it is...

LACE MADNESS.

That's right, folks. I am about to have a nervous breakdown due to the fact that I cannot manage to knit 53 $%*(&*#%($*%&(#$ simple rows of lace for the Secret of the Stole II! I posted a pretty picture for you the other day, right?

Well, there was a big honkin' boo-boo in this lace (this, by the way, was the lace that I had to start over again because of a prior boo-boo). Specifically, I managed to do the first 6 rows in stockinette stitch rather than garter stitch. And it took me approximately 40 rows to clue into this, despite wondering all along "why is that bloody edge curling up so much, anyway?".

So, I flung it over the balcony (literally...) and started again.

Ten rows later, I flung the next bit over the balcony as well.

I then managed to get to Row 45 again without incident... but managed to screw something up in Row 47. I had to stop myself from bringing it to work and locking my office door, quite honestly. Obsessive, I know - and I really, really detest it when Ms Type A comes out to play. It's like I'm being outed or something. You see, I like to pretend that I'm this ultra-cool rocker chick:

... but in reality I'm just another $#*@($&@(#$& uptight lawyer.


I really don't know what the big problem is here, and should just chill. I mean, the world is not going to come to an end if I don't finish the first clue by tomorrow... is it? I guess I'm just not used to feeling stupid - which is a good thing, I suppose.

So, how did I soothe my angst yesterday over this lace? By going out and buying more yarn, of course.

Malabrigo (apple green) and Handmaiden (raspberry). Lace yarn to boot. This for the person who can't manage to get 10 rows of lace done without incident!

Man, if I had brains I'd be dangerous.