Kid stuff

If 'i-cord' is short for 'idiot cord' then is a hat with i-cord on it an Idiot's Hat? A Dunce Cap? Naw, it's too cute for that. Have a look...



It's the Intarsia I-Cord Hat from the 2007 Knitting Pattern A Day Calendar (March 20) knit with Paton's Classic Merino and leftover bits of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes for the stripes, and sized for a child. It was fun to knit and I like how the decreases are hidden along the edge of the i-cords, but once I put it on dpns - well, that picture of the men wrangling the giant squid was not too far off. I couldn't take pics (not enough hands) and Nelson has been spending so much time with The Girlfriend that he's hardly ever home. Just me and the cats and I haven't taught them to hold the camera yet. (BTW - The Girlfriend knits. Bonus!)

On another note, have you seen this?

Now I know what you're thinking. Chocolate + gum = disaster. But when was the last time you tried it? Around 1984 when your son said "Hey Mom, try this!" and shoved a piece in your mouth and you choked and gagged and ran to the sink to spit it out and rinse your mouth to get rid of the awful taste? Or maybe that was just me. Anyway, this is not what you remember. For starters this package has the Hershey's name on it so you figure it's got to be sort-of good or Hershey's wouldn't have endorsed it. And the chocolate in it does not come artificially, nosiree. This stuff has real cocoa in it. Which is why I am telling you it's good. Chocolaty good.

I found this pack at Target for 99 cents and popped a piece in my mouth when I got in the car. The chocolaty goodness lasted for about half the 12-minute drive home and by the time I pulled in the driveway I was ready to spit it out. Not so much because the flavor went bad (it actually took on a chocolate-bubblegum flavor that was not unpleasant, just weird) but because my jaw was tired from all the chewing. Did I mention the pieces are huge? They look like little squares of fudge. And the bubbles are brown. I kept looking at them in the rear-view mirror marveling at how fun/odd it was to be blowing brown bubbles. Again, maybe it's just me. But if you get those monthly chocolate cravings like most women, this may be just the ticket. The true chocolate flavor lasts a good 5 minutes, long enough to quell the desire to down 3 Godivas and a box of chocolate covered raisins. (Just me?) Give it a try and let me know what you think.