A super duper vacation

Well, I'm doing it right. No email. No blogging. Just rest and relaxation with a bunch of shopping thrown in. Not even too much knitting going on. I hope remedy that in the next few days. So ... happy new year to everyone!

Looks like I'm going to make it

I got all of my presents wrapped last night with the exception of the hat I have yet to finish. But I'll get the last ear flap started at noon knitting today and I might even be able to finish it there, if not then a few minutes at home should do it. And I realized this morning that I forgot to wrap the basket weave scarf and head band I made for a friend, so I've got to weave in those ends tonight and wrap that one as well. But still, it's not much to do and I'm sure I can get it done while I'm doing bits of laundry and packing. I have to come into work tomorrow but I'll be leaving for the airport from here so I have to have everything ready to go in the morning.

Oh it is going to be SO nice to have two whole weeks off! And I told everyone at the lunch yesterday that I am definitely NOT going to even open my work email for those whole two weeks. If anyone wants me they're going to have to track me down and trick me into opening the door. Blogging is also going to be a bit sparse. I am not taking my laptop to California with me so it'll have to be blogging by phone and we all know how ugly that is. I haven't even thought about knitting to take with me ..... I guess I'll take the socks I'm working on and the Liesel scarf which is not really mindless knitting since it's lace, but it's easy lace. I have hours and hours left to go on the socks so they can be my mindless knitting.

The band is booked for Valentine's Day and the leader is bugging me to get my picture up on the web site and make a few changes. I have got to quit telling people what I do.

Straight No Chaser - 12 Days

My friend Kirby sent this to me and it's too good not to put here for everyone to enjoy! Really cute!

A fun Christmas Tree Toy

Getting down to the line

The weekend was busy and I got nearly everything done. While at the mall getting my nails done I stopped into the newest DSW [a shoe lovers paradise!] and bought some pretty black satin sandals with a rhinestone accent for my outfit that night. I did manage some awesome multitasking after that and got the first ear flap nearly done while I was going over some music. I have a little ritual I perform and I have always done it, time allowing. And that's the pre-gig nap. It's easier to do when it's winter time since it's dark at 5. I got a good, restful nap on Saturday and changed into black pants and a red top and headed out to the club. It was not as full as last time but I am sure that's because that Saturday was the prime Christmas party evening. It went fine. It wasn't like it was empty, just not packed to the rafters like last time. I lllllove our new keyboard player. He also plays trumpet and flugelhorn. And he's funny.

Of course I got home late late late and all I wanted to do was sleep Sunday but chores beckoned so I hauled myself up at 10, which was TOO early. I didn't even have time for much knitting - just odd this and that and an open house. I crashed at the open house - it was a new recording studio and while I normally would be all over that, I was just exhausted. So I took another nice nap (two in one weekend!) and got up refreshed and did laundry and cooked a nice dinner and worked on my socks.

Last night would have been an ideal time to finish up the hat but I had some other errands to run and by the time I finished the paper it was nearly 7, so I decided to take the night off and just watch some TV and that's what I did! I have a friend who is turning 50 in January and wanted a live band at his party. I told him I wasn't going to be able to pull it off, but then a friend called last night to say he is in fact going to be in town for the party so I had to start getting the logistics of that handled. It'll be a huge surprise for Steve. He knows he's getting a band but ... he doesn't know who is going to be in it. That's the surprise.

Maybe tonight I can finish up that hat or if not tonight, then knitting at lunchtime tomorrow for sure. And that's going to be it. I still have to tuck in the ends of the basket weave scarf and headband I made. Plus I've got to get everything wrapped and get packed all by Thursday evening. It's pretty darned difficult to get actual work done when I has so many other things I would like to get done. But ... that's the way it goes.

Knit night

I really buckled down and just knit my fingers to the bone again last night. I nearly got to the decrease portion of the ear flap hat. I am hoping to be able to get some good work done on it again tonight as well. I've got deadlines!! I guess I should be making list(s). I have gifts to finish, to make, to buy, to wrap .... cards to buy and write and send ... errands to run Saturday and a gig Saturday night, which is going to eat up a lot of time on Saturday since I need time to nap and get in the zone. I think I'm going to have to shop on Sunday, which I imagine is going to be a busy day at the mall. Since I'm going to California I'm going to finish up shopping down there but I need to get everything for my sister up here because we'll be shopping together. Well ... lists, that's the key. And not starting any more big projects. Maybe a bath mitt ... but I think the hat should be the end of any real knitting, if I want to stay anywhere near sane.

Next week shouldn't be so bad since there will be no rehearsing. I miss having a tree though. That's the only bad thing about going away for Christmas. It's difficult to get in the spirit when there's no tree around!

BIG yawn

Oh my goodness ... I could NOT get out of bed this morning!! I must have hit the snooze button 6 or 7 times. I finally dragged myself out of bed, make a quick dash through the shower and got to work before 8:30. Pretty good. I'm speedy. My kitchen is a disaster ... there are clothes all over the bedroom, but I got out the door.

I stayed up late knitting is what happened. My rehearsal got canceled so I just did a big knit night and finished up those fingerless mitts I was working on and also started an ear flap hat. The mitts are just simple tubes but I loved working with the Artful Yarns Heavenly. It's soft and flashy. I think my friend's little girl will really love them. Here's hoping anyway.

I don't feel too frantic about my Christmas knitting -- not yet anyway. I think I'll start feeling the panic next week. Right?

Back to winter

Well, I was very very VERY glad to get home Friday morning. The plane was spot on time, thank goodness. Thursday in Hawaii was tough. Again the weather was bad and chilly even and I was homeless, having checked out of my room at noon. I took the little bus into town and made the most of it, getting lots of Christmas shopping handled. My boss and his wife took me to dinner on the way to the airport and it was a gorgeous meal in a wonderful setting. They had tried to go there a few nights earlier but it happened to be the night of the tropical storm and since the restaurant opens right onto the beach ... they were closed.

Friday I mostly spent sleeping. In the afternoon I got my hair done and did some grocery shopping and that was about it. Saturday Tinkie got a new hairdo and I finished up my sister's Sunflower Tam (no, I didn't take pictures!! - what a dope) and it started snowing in the afternoon. Not hard, thankfully. But it is really cold here!! The BF was doing sound for a play at a little church so I went to see that. Sunday I went to the Seahawks game! Ooooowee!! First of all it was freezing cold! Thank goodness for long underwear. Second of all - they won! Yay! So it was a good football weekend.

I was supposed to go back to work Monday but my boss, bless his heart, had suggested that I might want to take a day for myself and sure enough, when 6:30 am rolled around Monday morning and I was cozy under my duvet and comforter ... I sorta wanted to stay in bed. So I did. I had a rehearsal last night and had songs to practice so the day went by rather quickly. Got my sister's b'day presents sent off and that's about it. Oh ... I worked a bit more on the lace scarf, Liesel. My Scoop de Jour is taunting me from the back of the couch where I refuse to move it until I finish putting it together!! This should be WIP week.

Uh huh .... that didn't last long

Sure, I said it was sunny Tuesday. And I went upstairs, put on my bathing suit and laid out by the pool. But the clouds came up and suddenly it wasn't nice any more. We have been having weather - serious weather. Tuesday night was the banquet and it was held outside but under cover, so it wasn't too bad. But oh yesterday we had a real true tropic storm. Thunder and lightening and high wind. It was freaked out. Obviously after I had one little walk in the morning it was in for the rest of the day and evening. The TV went out. Lots of people were hunkered down in the lobby. The main bar was closed because it sits right on the ocean so they set up a bar further in and that's where it was happening last night. I came down to order some dinner and ended up sitting and chatting (and drinking) until my meal was cold. But it was fun.

I did get some good knitting done yesterday. I got the heels turned and the gussets picked up for both of the socks. No problems. Now it's just finish up the heel decreases and knit the foot. Must say I'm very proud of myself for pulling that off.

I took the bus into town and even though the weather was nasty I just kept on, got a bit wet, but ended up doing almost all of my Christmas shopping. I'm happy about that. And now I think I'll get cleaned up. John and Judy are taking me for dinner and then to the airport. I think I'm going to be quite happy to be home, even though it's cold.

Sunshine!!!

Hooray! It's sunny today and just a little breezy. I see clouds out over the ocean but they are WAY far away and so hopefully they will stay out there. It rained all day yesterday. I stayed in my room, worked and did a little knitting. I went out for one little walk, but it wouldn't stop raining. I was really kicking myself for not bringing workout gear because at least I could have gone into the workout room and run on the treadmill. Ah well ...

I got almost finished with the heel flaps on my socks yesterday. But I don't anticipate much knitting today unless the weather changes. I am going to go lay by the pool! Maybe work up the nerve to go snorkeling. It's kind of a drag being here alone. I mean I know lots of people here but they are with their spouses or science buddies so I don't have anyone to just hang out with. Going to the beach is always better with someone.

Lots of pictures

It's raining. Hard. Today we have a half day and I was planning on snorkeling but it's pouring rain! The forecast is calling for showers all day and the wind is not blowing so these clouds may just sit here for a while. This is supposed to be the dry side of the island!! Here's a picture of the pond I'm sitting next to. This was taken about an hour ago. It's raining even harder now. And a picture from my balcony looking out to the sea. Oh well. What can you do? At least I brought three projects to work on. I've got WIP pictures of all three. I should be able to get some work done on them this afternoon, if this keeps up.

First the socks. Two at once. Once on the airplane and again yesterday evening I knit the two together and had to tink back a couple rows to get the lines untangled!! I thought I was being careful but ....not careful enough! This is where they are now. I have finished up the leg and next I'll be doing the heel flaps. I did try two at once before and when it came time to pick up the gusset stitches it just didn't work and I had to rip them back and start over, one at a time. Last socks I did I got ahead of myself and tried to pick up the gusset stitches before I had turned the heel. Thinking back, that MAY have been the problem that first time. I was so anxious to actually get the gusset stitches picked up, I remember. It's all speculation at this point, of course but ... could have been the problem.

Okay, next on the WIP list is the Sunflower Tam. I'm getting pretty close to switching to DPNs. I'm using Cascade 220 for this project. The color is just what I wanted. This is the second one of these I've made. I love the Right and Left Turn stitch. It's from the same book as the Ogee Tunic which his languishing in its basket.

And finally I'm making a pair of mitts for a friend's little girl. I found this beautiful mohair blend. It's too gaudy for a whole sweater but perfect for a pair of mitts and she'll love them. I am using Artful Yarns Heavenly.

Okay that's all for now. Fingers crossed for some sun!!

Sunday's view

This was taken a few hours ago. Now it is looking like rain.

I haven't yet taken any pictures with my regular camera. Hopefully tomorrow when we have a free afternoon. I have been working. I arrived Thursday night, worked all day Friday and Saturday and so far ... today. But I'm going to stop for little while. Things are running okay for now.

I will have some good WIP pictures tomorrow. I got tons done on my socks on the airplane and I good start to my sister's Sunflower Tam last night while I was listening to the football game. I say listening because for some odd reason there was no picture, just sound. All the other channels had pictures but the biggest football game in Hawaiian history? Sound only. The Huskies played well and were ahead but ... ultimately lost and now Hawaii is undefeated.

I don't know what's up with the underlining ... can't get rid of it. Ah well. I feel like things are possessed here today. The lights have been flickering and computers going crazy and the wind and maybe rain. Very strange.