The best duck I've had outside Paris!

I went to a wonderful little neighborhood restaurant last night called The Jones. I couldn't help myself - the duck sounded wonderful and I've yet to find a restaurant that doesn't overcook it or otherwise mess it up. This was just great! The closest I've found to that little place in Paris. My dining companion had an Italian beef dish that came with some great risotto as well. I will definitely want to go back there.

It's supposed to be 64 degrees today. Lovely spring day. Pretty soon I'll be able to run in shorts, which reminds me - I'd better get some running shorts, and some new bike pants as well. My bike tights are so old that they're practically transparent at the thigh! My bike shorts - pretty much the same deal.

I was reading yesterday about someone's "knitting slump" and I seem to have hit the same wall. I can trace it back to that darned flower outfit I'm making for my friend's little girl though. It's not just that it's garter stitch for freaking ever, but the fact that I ran out of yarn with a sleeve left to make, which just irritates the dickens out of me! I got what the pattern asked for, but there ya go. I did get the yarn and thankfully the dye lots don't seem to be that far off. But as I'm doing the skirt I am wondering if I'm going to have enough to make all of the petals on the bottom. Of course I couldn't get another skein of the correct color there either but I got a darker lavender, so if it looks like I'm not going to be able to make it with the lighter color I can use the darker shade for the petals and it will look like it's a design feature. I just need to buckle down and get it done. I hate it when a project becomes a chore. I was looking forward to this because it's so cute but it just ruins it for me when I have to hassle with yarn. It's not going to be perfect, you know? That's what gnaws at me. But I am almost done with the pink socks, which are just lovely. When I finish that - it'll only take a few minutes - then I'm going to cast on for the X-back top and between that and the flower skirt I should be able to get myself out of my funk. Spring/summer knitting is just different. I think I'll do the cotton lace tank from Spring Vogue. I know it's going to be difficult but it's very pretty.