United We Sand!

That's the motto of Fargo ND and Moorhead Mn.

At last! It's a beautiful day with sunny skies and warm temps. Tonight I'm going to unpack my flood evacuation bag. Fargo seems to have gotten thru the flood with minimal damage. Moorhead was a bit worse off, but still not so bad. Valley City, an hour away by muggle vehicle, had a mass evacuation of 40% of their citizens due to the failure of the sewer system. A grand total of 9 deaths can be blamed on the flooding in North Dakota, most of them because of health problems. Hard to estimate the dollar amount of damages done. but it's in the millions. The flood fight alone was millions, when you add up the lost wages of people who couldn't go to work and filled sandbags instead, plus the business closed, and now the massive clean up. Beautiful lawns destroyed, the soccer fields that were dug up to provide clay and earth for the dikes, the roads that have washed away or collapsed, city parks with playground equipment that were under tons of water... We have tons and tons of contaminated sand to move out. The dikes are being torn down now, to the sound of weary cheers.

Quidditch!

1. This “Harry Potter” character’s first name comes from Roman mythology. The mythological character’s twin brother is named Romulus. What is the Harry Potter character last name?
Lupin

2. Which “Harry Potter” character’s first name is the Roman equivalent of the Greed Goddess Athena?. McGonagall as in Minerva!

3. In ‘Harry Potter’ World, this wizard has created the Philosopher’s Stone (called the Sorcerer Stone in the US). The historical figure from the 14th and 15th centuries was a scribe and a manuscript-seller who became famous as an alchemist. Who is this individual?
Nicholas Flammel

4. What is the first name of a character whose last name is the name of a Bulgarian leader from early 9th century who doubled the country’s territory?
Viktor as in Krumm! (Boy, do I have a crush on him! Nothing like the sight of a man in a Quidditch uniform, hm?)

5. Which character’s name is the name of goddess in Indian mythology? Patil

6. “Where the Wild Things Are” tells the story of Max, a young boy sent to bed without his supper for his wild antics. Who created this winner of the Caldecott Medal? Maurice Sendak

7. What was NOT one of the unexpected defense mechanisms that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Griphook encountered in their attempt to rob Gringotts
The Geminio Curse

8. What was Snape aiming at when he cut off George’s ear?
Another Death Eater’s wand hand

9. How much older than James was Lily? (Referring to Harry’s parents, not children).
2 months

10. Food is one of the five exceptions to what magical law? Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration

The Kollage Square Knitting Needles --a Review

On Saturday I received a set of the Kollage double point needles, 2.25 mm, as part of my swap package for the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap. I was so excited I started a pair of socks right away. I couldn't wait to see how they felt, how the socks knitted up with these. My grade: A. I really like them. I am working on another pair of socks on KnitPicks Harmony wood needles, which I also like. But the square needles feel good. I don't gouge a groove in my index finger pushing the needle down, like I sometimes do with the sharper wood needles. Not that the Kollage aren't sharp. I am working with Tofutsies, which has a tendency (for me at least) to split with the harmony and my Addis. But with the Kollage the yarn hasn't been splitting. From the fabric I've knitted you can't tell that the needles are square and not round. I am so pleased that I plan to order a few more pairs of these. My mom is a knitter but her finger joints are swollen from arthritis. These may be more comfortable for her. The needles don't roll as I knit, so I don't seem to grip them so tightly. I tend to knit tightly, especially when I'm tense or nervous (and with the Red River Flooding and parts of Fargo-Moorhead evacuating, I'm nervous these days) and with these needles I am more relaxed. Coinsidence? I don't know. What i do know is that I can do a knit 3 together without trouble.

Wow! I have been Spoiled Beyond Belief!

My spoiler, Cassandra Puddlemere, (Yes, She of the Crucio List) has been unbelievably good to me. I received my package today. Actually, it came yesterday but I wasn't able to retrieve it until today. I drove to the post office to pick it up, very curious and excited to see what it would hold. I got home and all three of my cats were even more curious than I was. The white Merry Miaow apparently thought she needed to try to hatch it for me. :)

I got so many wonderful things! There was two boxes of organic herbal teas, a pound of jordan almonds, a set of aroma therapy bath salts on a shallow glass bowl with a candle, and a bath fizzy on a stick, (and a coupon to an etsy shop for more!) Taht was wrapped in a cute bandana with bunnies saying things like "Please, make the stupid people shut up" and "Hi, where's your off button?" A box with sachets, a notebook and notecards and lacy coasters in gold and black were in there too. There was a roll of handpainted fiber in the "Pumpkin Patch" colorway for me to spin. There was TWO skeins of sock yarn, one a Tofutsies in Hufflepuff golds and blacks colorway and a lovely skein of what must be hand dyed yarn in a really nice blends of black/pearl gray/gold/pink. I can't wait to see how that knits up.

I can't believe she got me the square needles! Last term my spoilee had requested the new square needles so I went online and ordered them. When I got them I was intrigued and wished I had ordered a second pair for myself. Now I don't need to! I also received not one sock pattern, not two sock patterns, but a CD with FOUR sock patterns loaded on it. I can't decide if I want to try Nagini first or Merope.

The last thing I unwrapped was the bag. OMG! The bag is wonderful! It's a french market bag in black with gold and steel blue stripes along the top and bottom, and an open mesh design in the body. It is so perfect for what I want. I was at the store just this afternoon, and almost bought one of the shopping bags the grocery stores sell so you don't need to use the plastic sacks that end up overflowing under my kitchen sink. I am looking forward to using this next time I shop, or this summer when I take my knitting and a snack to join friends to knit in the park.

Cassandra, thank you so much! You totally rock!!

Back to Back Homework posts

I am determined to not be late this week with my homework!! So although I am not positive aobut question #1 I am posting what I have and will edit to correct if necessary...

1. Who gave Harry an enchanted mirror? -- Sirius. It was a two way mirror.

2. Who said, "Imagine if something went wrong and we were stuck as specky scrawny gits forever?" -- Fred Weasley, when helping Harry leave Privet drive forever.

3. Who said "Are you planning to follow a career in Magical Law, Miss Granger?" -- Scrimgeour, when speaking to Ron, Harry and her at the Burrows about the Will.

4. a. What is Ron's middle name? -- Bilius
b. What did Dumbledore give Ron in his will? -- the deluminator

5. a. What did Hermione want to talk to Mr. Lovegood about? -- horcruxes
b. What is his first name? -- Xenophilius

6. What does it mean? --Greek for Lover of the Foreign/Strange (I think. Had a semester of Greek in college for transalting the bible. I don't believe Xenophilius was used in the gospels...)

Late, late, late!!

I been late with just about everything this term :( And I can't entirely blame the flood any more. The mayor says this weekend is supposed to be a break for the city. A time to relax before getting back in the saddle for the second crest. Sigh. Here's this week's Hufflepuff homework.

1. James Potter and his friends have nicknames for each other - give three names and who they belong to.James Potter - Prongs Remus Lupin - Mooney Sirius Black - Padfoot Peter Pettigrew - Wormtail

2. What are the three Deathly Hallows?The Elder Wand, The Resurrection Ring and The Invisibility Cloak

3. What are the four items that belong to the founders of the houses at Hogwarts?Gryffindor - Sword Ravenclaw - Diadem Hufflepuff - Helga's Cup Slytherin - Locket

4. What is the Hogwarts Motto? Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon

5. What is the Hogwarts school song (Book 1)? Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts,Teach us something please,Whether we be old and bald,Or young with scabby knees,Our heads could do with filling,With some interesting stuff,For now they're bare and full of air,Dead flies and bits of fluff,So teach us things worth knowing,Bring back what we've forgot,Just do your best, we'll do the rest,And learn until our brains all rot.

6. What does O.W.L. stand for? Ordinary Wizarding Level

7. What exams do Hogwarts students take at the end of their 7th year? NEWTs - Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests (took that one from my roomie Elanor)

8. What form does Snape's Patronus take? A Doe

9. Who takes over teaching divination after Trelawney is sacked by Delores Umbridge (Book 6)?Firenze the centaur

10. Who is Elanor Cadogan's boyfriend? Easy. He's always hanging around our dorm. Dean. And his brother (not quite as cute as Dean, but not bad) is Sam