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beautifulmechanical

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greghousesgf

Really looking forward to this weekend, tonight I'm going to the East Bay Gay Men's chorus Xmas concert and tomorrow I'm going to the Dickens Faire with some friends. If this doesn't cheer me up after what happened 4 days ago nothing's going to.

Current Music: Miles Davis

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by john (the hubby of Jen)

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/hit-it-with-the-rock-2025

Thanks to Steven C., Elizabeth E., and Jennifer S. for remembering that it could always be worse.

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/hit-it-with-the-rock-2025

greghousesgf

Not much going on right now, later I'm going to mail my electric bill payment and pick up something cold and portable to eat tomorrow before I go to a concert tomorrow night.

Current Music: Dave Brubeck

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/he-sees-you-a-holiday-horror-story-2025

[movie announcer guy]:

This Christmas...

get ready...

for a one horse...

open...

SLAY.

"AAAIIIIEEEEE!!"

Run as fast as you can...

[insane giggling]

And don't go outside:

"ZOMBIE PENGUIN!"

And never...

"THEY'RE COMING!"

EVER...

"Oh, thank goodness we found you, Santa! ....Santa?"

"AAAAAIIIIEEEEE!!!!"

...FALL ASLEEP.

"He's not real. He's not real. HE'S NOT REAL."

"He's... right behind me, isn't he?

"Great. Juuuuust great."

[child singing]

He sees you when you're sleeping

He know when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good,

So be good...

...OR DIE.

Thanks to Erinn M., Aymara A., Gene H., Ben & Janelle, Chandria D., Zach R., Ann H., & Shannon S., who better watch out, and they better not cry, because wusses get left behind.

******

And from my other blog, Epbot:

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/he-sees-you-a-holiday-horror-story-2025

greghousesgf

I got a phone call from L. wanting to know something about this local mall. The woman she fell in love with must want to go there, I happen to know L. doesn't like malls, especially around this time of year.

Current Mood: bored
Current Music: Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/no-mean-feet-2025

If you want a simple theme for a baby shower, it's hard to go wrong with cute little footprints.

Unless the baker misses the "little" part, of course:

Good grief, MY feet are smaller than that. Are you trying to give the mom-to-be a heart attack, bakers?

'Cuz if so, this is also an excellent way to go about it:

"Suddenly Nicola's plans for a natural, drug-free delivery seemed really, really stupid."

And how's the kid even fitting in there, Nicola? Do you have a TARDIS belly? o.0

Oh, wait, or maybe the kid is shaped like this:

On the plus side, he probably won't fall over much.

But we were talking about footprints, weren't we?

Which might be what these are supposed to be. Maybe. Allegedly.

Hey, ever wanted to see a duck with human feet that only walks backwards?

Well, tough. You're going to see one anyway:

Embrace the insanity.

And then waddle backwards with it.

"Sadly, little Mike's dream of becoming a professional dancer came with a slight disadvantage:"

And here I thought that was just a figure of speech.

Of course, the absolute creepiest thing you can do with a footprints shower theme is mistake "footprints" for actual feet:

Somewhere a quartet of elves is literally foot-loose and fancy-free*.

And probably pissed.

*If by "fancy" you mean "feet."

Thanks to today's arch-enemies [smirk] Layli S., Arlene P., Linda A., Gianna M., Anony M., Melissa B., & Becca H. for the sole-full feets.

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/no-mean-feet-2025

greghousesgf

Having some coconut Pu-erh tea and a little chocolate to try to cheer myself up. Yesterday L. called me and wanted to get together unexpectedly. I should tell anyone reading this who doesn't already know L. is my best friend of 29 years. I hadn't seen much of her recently and thought this was because of her trying to find a new job but I found out it's more complicated. She fell in love with this woman who lives in Pennsylvania. Again, for anybody reading this who doesn't already know, we live in California. She said this woman is probably going to ask her to move to Pennsylvania and if she does, she is going to do it. She picked her up at the airport last night. I'm happy for her and I hope this woman treats her well but I will miss her so much!
Other than that, I paid way too much for replacement electric toothbrush heads and the jerk at the drugstore laughed at me for saying they were too expensive, I had a decent workout at PT but when I went to take the bus to my friend's house after PT I had to stand up the whole time because some dickhead squirted cold water all over the bus stop bench but at least I was able to get my Dickens Faire ticket from my friend. Then when I got home I checked my e mail and found out I'm not going to be able to go to my skeptics in the pub meeting tonight (which would have at least cheered me up a little) because I could not get anybody to give me a ride over there this month.

Current Music: Dave Brubeck

althea_valara

Boy am I late with this...

I did a LOT of knitting in a very short timeframe in November, and TBH it pooped me out and I think I'm still recovering. BUT! I successfully knitted a pair of legwarmers to wear to the A New World concert! Here they are:

A pair of cabled legwarmers. Yes, one's bigger than the other.

A pair of cabled legwarmers. Yes, one's bigger than the other.

[Image Description: A pair of knitted legwarmers. They are Aran colored (think natural undyed yarn) and feature a folded ribbed cuff at top, with lazy cables on the body and an intricate cable at the back. One is larger than the other.]

So yeah, this pattern comes in small and large sizes. Small wouldn't fit me, but large was TOO big. I altered the pattern some for my first one, taking some stitches out to make it smaller. Well, I finished it and tried it on and nope, too big. So for the second I took even MORE stitches out of the pattern. This one felt like it fit well, but as soon as I started walking, it drooped.

I didn't have time to reknit them, so I made do with them as is, and used elastic headbands under the cuff to keep them up. That worked well! Also, I shortened the pattern because in the pattern pic, the lower edge was dragging on the ground and I didn't like that. Unfortunately, I shortened it TOO much. I might unpick the bind off and knit them a bit longer, but for now, they work. And no, I am likely not going to reknit the too big one. TOO MUCH WORK.

I also made progress on a hoodie!
Central Park Hoodie November 2025 Progress

Central Park Hoodie November 2025 Progress

[Image Description: a sleeve in progress for a knitted hoodie. It's mostly gray in color and features deep ribbing at the cuff. A center cable panel runs up the middle, in teal.]

At the beginning of the month, I had one cable cross done. Now I have two. So not much progress, but hey, progress is progress.

I also did some work on the Versailles Scarf, a small true lace knitted scarf. I wanted to finish this for the concert as well, but decided the legwarmers were more important. It'd be nice to get this done for Christmas, but with the lack of crafting I've been doing so far this month, it's not gonna happen.

FOLKS! I had a cat for 20 minutes!
A photo of a calico kitty who visited our house for about 20 minutes.

[Image Description: A photo of a calico kitty visited our house for a bit.]

She came up to our patio door before the snow hit, when it was still decent out, and we decided to let her in for a bit, once we closed the bedroom doors. I, of course, was enamored. Mom less so. Being a cat, she did cat things, like scratching at an area rug (mom yelled at her, poor thing, but I can't really fault mom for that) and jumping on the kitchen table to try to get to our Christmas cactus. I kept a close eye on her the entire time she was in the house, so when I saw you going for the plant, I gently picked her up and deposited her back on the floor, because well, I don't know if those plants are safe for cats.

She was inquisitive and explored a lot, and liked to rub against legs. At one point, she was in our living room and started trotting towards the kitchen, so I called out to mom to let her know she was headed mom's way. Unfortunately mom was distracted and didn't hear me, and the cat, being friendly, came up behind her and rubbed her legs and mom almost tripped on her. :(

We considered calling an animal shelter, but due to her friendliness, decided to just let her back outside. Not before she jumped on the table AGAIN, though. I tried to grab her to deposit her back on the floor, but she jumped on the back of one of our chairs, and well, the chair tipped over.

Which means mom has declared NO CATS. :( I had really hoped she'd come around and we could, like, adopt a senior kitty, and my older sister made noise about us doing just that at Thanksgiving, but I don't think mom would be happy with a cat. Alas. But at least I had one for 20 minutes.

Current Mood: cold

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/scuse-me-i-think-your-fly-is-down-2025

"LEAPING LILY PADS!! Is...is that what I think it is? Phil, are you seeing this?!"

"...Phil?"

"...Will?"

"...Jill?

"You guys, snap out of it!"

"I'm...I'm scared, Gill."

"It's unnatural, I tell you - UNNATURAL!"

"Quiet, Bill! He's coming!"

"Hey guys! Wassup?

"They call me...TADPOLE."

Thanks to wreckporters Susan M., Abby G., Amber K., Becky L., Jesse D., Madi L., Sara M., and Tammy H. & Melanie D., who sent in separate reports of the same frog. I love it when that happens! My wrecky minions are everywhere - EVERYWHERE! Muah-ha-haaa!

*****

If you know someone who loves frogs, maybe skip the wreck and get them this instead:

Fanatical About Frogs

It's part of a cool animal series with incredible art. In fact I'm also eying Obsessive About Octopuses, just for the cover alone. Hnnng.

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/scuse-me-i-think-your-fly-is-down-2025

greghousesgf

Yesterday was interesting, my friend and I went over to Toronado and we had drinks and some good conversation, then her boyfriend (who I'm also friends with) joined us but when we went across the street to Memphis Minnie's they were closed for two weeks (DESPITE THEIR DAMN WEBSITE SAYING THEY WERE OPEN!) so we went to this other barbecue place which was open and their food was good but it was too crowded and the portions were too little. Then we hung out at this gamer place and had more drinks and played games, I'm not into video games but I played pool and Rick and Morty pinball. Then we went back to their place and hung out and watched TV and I bought my Dickens Faire ticket and I have to go back there tomorrow after PT to get my printed out ticket because I don't know jack about how to use a flash drive.

Current Music: Miles Davis

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/like-a-bridge-over-troubled-icing-2025

[A group of Wreckerators, some in frosting-smeared aprons, walk on stage and begin to sing...]

When they're leery

Feeling small...

When tears are in...

... their eyes,

Why not buy them all?

All on one side...

Ohhhhh
'cause spa- cing's tou- ou- ough...

[joining hands]

When friends just caaan't beee found!

[soprano solo]

I assure you, that's "Harry Potter!"

[chorus]

Why not pay me now?

I’ve a fridge full of stubbled otter:

[3-part harmony]

Why not pay me now?

A very happy birthday to Art Garfunkle - who we hope will forgive us - and many thanks to Liz K., Lynnette W., Paul A., Michelle S., Rachel H., Lexi, C.H., & Katie S. for helping us appreciate the sound of silence.

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/like-a-bridge-over-troubled-icing-2025

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/timey-wimey-sweets-2025

I grew up on old-school Doctor Who, back when it aired on PBS Friday nights. My first convention ever was a Doctor Who event - where John Pertwee patted my head - and just a few years ago I received a side-hug from my favorite Doctor, Peter Davison. [Still squeeing over that, btw.] So yeah, you could say the good Doctor and I go back a ways.

So today I thought we'd celebrate all things timey-wimey with the ultimate Best-Of cake mix sure to make your knees wibbly-wobbly. Ready? Allons-y!

(By Nerdache Cakes)

Much as I adore Tigger, I'm kinda bummed I can't make a "Doctor POOH" joke here. But that's ok; Piglet in a homemade Dalek costume MORE than makes up for it.

And speaking of Daleks:

(By Stacked Cakes)

WOW.

The 'net is full of so many fantastic TARDIS cakes, it's hard to narrow down the best ones.

Actually, I take that back; this one wasn't hard to narrow down at all:

(By Leigh Henderson of theyrecoming.com)

This cake (yes, it's cake!) is fitted with mirrors and lights to make it actually look bigger on the inside.

Here's a peek inside the window:

Time for a cookie break!

(By Cookie Cowgirl)

Daleks in party hats. YESSS.

And who's the cutest widdle alien fat particle of all time?

(Found here, baker unknown)

IT'S YOU!

(No, not YOU you. I mean the adipose. Um. Awkwarrrd.)

As a Classic Who girl, these guys were always my favorite villains:

(By Truly Scrumptious Designer Cakes)

Still can't get over how cute she managed to make a Cyberman look, though. I seriously want that cake in doll form!

And now for something a little steamy:

(By The Little Cake Patch)

If you think about it, Steampunk and Doctor Who really are a match made in the heavens, am I right?

And while we're talking TARDISes TARDI TARDIS cakes, I love the galaxy airbrushing on this one:

(Made by Claudia's Cakery)

It takes a lot to fool me with cake these days, but this next one did. I *still* have a hard time believing it's not a wooden model:

(Found here)

Even if you've only watched Doctor Who since the reboot, I bet you still have a soft spot for Tom Baker:

(By Border City Cakes)

It's all about the scarf, right? And the crazy hair.
(I'm, uh, glad the baker went with the scarf, though. o.0)

And another excellent contribution from the original show:

(By Imaginative Icing)

K-9!

Sometimes you see a fan-built K-9 rolling around at conventions, and I so want one.

Even though I grew up on the show, I'm ashamed to admit I have a LOT of catching up to do with the new episodes. (Too many were making me cry!) I will catch up, though - I WILL.

Anyway, if you're in the same boat - or if you've never seen ANY episodes and just want to know what all the fuss is about, then at least watch the episode "Blink." It's quite possibly the best episode of any sci-fi show EVER, and stands alone just fine.

Plus, after you watch that, you'll know why everyone else is about to flinch away from their screens in terror:

(By the cake girl)

BOO!

Muahahahaha! :D

Ok, one more, just so we can end on a less petrifying [smirk] note:

(By Michelle Sugar Art)

Woohoo! It's a WHO-bilation!

(In my mind Doctor Seuss & the Doctor are friends, so that totally works.)

Happy Sunday, my fellow Whovians, and have a Sweet weekend!

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/timey-wimey-sweets-2025

prixmium

CW: Talk about several creepy or NSFW topics. Just. A weird post. Maybe. Proceed with caution or not.

Today, I was taking a bath/shower during which I left some color depositing hair conditioner on my hair for several minutes. This time, I was using a true red, so when I looked down before rinsing my hands, the color and the viscosity of this substance made it look just like I had a copious amount of fresh blood all over my hands.

There was a little prick of instinctive excitement that ran through my nervous system while my conscious mind remained calm and a little amused.

And I was thinking about how so much of my personal aesthetic and interests revolve around this strange tension and contradiction.

I hate bleak, hopeless, gorefest type horror. I am particularly horrified by cruelty for cruelty's sake. And yet, I have an interest in things that exist on the borderline of those things that takes up a lot of my aesthetic sense. I like things that can be creepy but not fully horrifying, or I like horror that defies its genre convention to let love, goodness, friendship, or whatever else "win" over the thing that is so horrifying. That's one reason I think the early parts of New Doctor Who captivated me so much. Of course, they had plenty of scifi, but a lot of it was also centered around various kinds of family-friendly and humanity-affirming horror that could, in the end, be defeated or cozied up to.

( Creepier/NSFW stuff from here )

This song feels appropriate for my mood. It's sort of creepy/playful/creepy/playful in the way that this general sensation makes me feel.

Watch on YouTube

Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Music: Blood in the Cut - K. Flay

greghousesgf

The apt bldg party was boring. They said they would play games and they didn't, they said there would be music and there wasn't and they didn't even get the right kind of cake. I had a LOT more fun with my friend last night, we went to this club and had drinks and listened to awesome music and my friend danced (I would have but my leg is too fubar). We were going to go to Toronado and Memphis Minnie's to get beer and barbecue today but my friend postponed till tomorrow; she was out a lot later than I was.

Current Music: Nina Simone

greghousesgf

Had some butterscotch caramel tea. I think tomorrow I will go over to Lower Haight and have beer at Toronado and barbecue at Memphis Minnie's.

Current Music: Miles Davis

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/the-wedding-wreck-is-a-real-stretch-2025

Today Judy L. shares with us "The Inspiration"...

...

... and "The Devastation":

Or, as I like to call it, "The Reason I Can't Stop Laughing."

(But only because "The Leaning Tower of Pisa Crap" is just a little too mean. :D)

******

P.S. I've been shopping for the best Christmas lights to hang outside this year, and I think you'll like what I bought:

BrizLabs Color-Changing Christmas Lights

This is a 115 feet of LED lights, which you can change from warm white to multi-color to any combination of the two! They have 11 different settings like "slo-glow" and "breathing," a remote control, and even built-in timers. All for $27! This is the best price for the most features I've found, plus they have great reviews, which is a must for me.

John & I installed 3 strands of these beauties last weekend, and they. are. GORGEOUS. Highly recommend.

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot: