I’ll start with the bad. I woke up very early Friday morning from a nightmare about floods, collapsing buildings and people missing and dead. I don’t usually remember my dreams once I’ve woken up, but this one wouldn’t leave me alone. I eventually had to get up and turn the light on before I could begin to relax and even now I can still feel the department store falling out from under me. Urk....
That seemed to set the tone for the weekend. I’ve been kinda tense for no particular reason. I am pleased to say that I’ve managed not to yell or be unreasonable - which is very easy for me to do when I’m feeling edgy.
On to the funny…
Last night I decided an English muffin, all toasty and buttery would make a good before-bed snack. So I got one out of its bag and plunked it into the toaster whereupon an edge, about half an inch wide and about two inches long broke off and plummeted to the bottom of the slot. No biggie. I unplugged the toaster and began fishing around to get the piece out.
It wouldn’t come out. So I removed the muffin halves and turned the toaster over to shake it out. A veritable snow of breadcrumbs hit the counter as I shook the toaster - but no MF (no, not that - muffin fragment!).
Hmmmm…
I looked into the slot and the MF was just lying there. Turned the thing over again and shook some more. Another cup of bread crumbs - no MF. So I got a knife and broke the piece up, hoping that would help. And it did...a bit. The next turn and shake got another cup of breadcrumbs and a couple of MF pieces.
But there was still a piece stuck in the bottom of that slot and nothing I could do would dislodge it. It, apparently, felt it had found a new home and intended to squat there permanently. All right, fine. Go ahead and cremate! So I put the muffin back in, plugged the toaster in again and pushed the lever down.
Then I looked at the counter - which had virtually disappeared under an avalanche of fossilized breadcrumbs. I mean there was enough there to feed the birds for a week! What would have happened if I had kept turning and shaking? It was like the toaster had an inexhaustible supply of this stuff. I might never have to buy bird seed again! Did some part of it reach into that black hole dimension that socks disappear into? Was it an exchange sort of thing? Get a cup of bread crumbs for every sock?
“Honey? How long have we had this toaster? Did we have it before we moved?” We moved into this apartment about a year ago.
“Yes, and I’ve cleaned it several times since. You can never get everything out.”
I’d figured that much out thanks to the MF, now merrily turning black in the bottom of the slot and scenting the kitchen with essence of burned bread.
I did eventually get the drifts of crumbs cleaned up off the counter and the floor and retired with my snack to ponder the mysteries of the universe. What would you have to offer the black hole, for example, to get, say, yarn back? And how would it manifest? Would it just show up in your closet, as part of your stash or would you have to watch for it to drop out of the light fixture in the bathroom? Inquiring minds want to know!
Okay - now for the mediocre…
I worked on the shawl most of the weekend. It looks just like it did in the last picture except a bit larger so I won’t bore you with another photo right now.
But I kinda got stuck on Bella. I started the first sleeve and got a few repeats of the lace done before I realized that I didn’t like it. In worsted weight yarn, it just looked - I don’t know - kinda clunky? So I ripped it all out and now I’m not quite sure how to proceed.
I could do a plain stockinette sleeve with a seed stitch border - like the body of the sweater.
Or I could do a cable embellishment.
Or I could try another lacy type pattern - feather and fan maybe?
What do you all think? Or do you have any other suggestions that might do the trick? I know this isn’t rocket science but it sure is making me feel stupid :)
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Hi Robbyn—what an adventure with your toaster. I cleaned out the tray of my toaster oven over the weekend and had a similar experience. I love the universal barter concept. Breadcrumbs for socks, etc… Maybe yarn for lost earings? At least you can use the single one as a stitch marker! P.S. I put a link to your blog up on mine. Enjoy!
Hi Caren! Heheh - yes, our kitchen appliances give us lots to think about :) I get downright mystical about my coffeepot!
What a coinkidink! Just last night I bought a new toaster oven because I was too lazy to scrape off the cheese that melted and burned onto the crumb tray earlier this week. That and I was afraid of the avalanche of breadcrumbs, petrified, semi-old, and new, that I knew would ensue. (Lest you think I buy a new appliance every time I’m too lazy to clean the old one, the previous toaster oven was ooooooooooold.)
Funny story. Thanks for posting it!
Ryan - I understand about replacing ooooold appliances :) Oddly, we’ve been thinking about a bread machine but it seems (I’m guessing Atkins has something to do with this) that they’re a vanishing breed :(
Poor you and poor muffin, getting cremated. I think I would go for the seed stitch border on Bella’s sleeves - it looks great on the fronts.
I have to agree - Bella’s sleeves are “clunky” - good word for it. They work if you aren’t expecting lacey & want more of a textured feel. But if you want lacey (and I’m thinking you definitely do) I’d go with feather & fan. Fast, simple enough to adapt to the pattern, and it’ll give you the flow on the sleeves you’d like to have. IMHO at least. :)
My toaster is squat, black, and is capable of giving me the evil eye. Shake it upside down? Are you insane, woman? NEVER!
Pam - Thanks for your input - I thought that too. As for the cremated muffin bit - it never knew what hit it! LOL!
Bron - Mine doesn’t give me the evil eye - it just sits there and does exactly what it pleases regardless of what I want. Thanks for your thoughts on the feather and fan. I’m not exactly sold on lacey, but I’m not discounting the possibility and that would work nicely.
