Why I didn't knit a single stitch Saturday

Here's the deal. I took Friday the 15th off from work because I had to sing Thursday night and I've got vacation time coming out my ears, so why not? We had yesterday off so I made it a four day weekend. Friday I finished up the edging for the first piece of the Mystery Jacket (I must just interject here that I am regretting my color choices. That blue - I think even if Sue had gotten me my original blue I wouldn't be 100% satisfied but my second choice is really WAY too bright for me. Oh well - it'll be something very different for my closet.) I had a hair appointment and also managed to get Tink in for a grooming at the last minute. That was lucky. The BF and I were celebrating our Valentine's Day because we both worked on the 14th. Now frankly, considering the frequency I have been waltzed past jewelry store displays lately I wouldn't have been too surprised if a ring showed up Friday night. But instead he came in with a dozen roses and a gift bag that was just too heavy to be a ring. I was very curious then what it could be because he was so excited and pleased that he could hardly contain himself. I peeked into the bag and saw the Apple logo ... hmmmmm ... took the box out and lo and behold, it is an iPhone! I squealed!! OMG! How cool is that? It is the most awesome gift ever! I absolutely LOVE it! So I spent - no lie - all of my afternoon Saturday downloading stuff and fiddling with it. I had to make myself stop so I could get a little rest before singing Saturday night. I watched an episode of "Lost" on it Sunday. I've got music and pictures ... oh ... really it's just too wonderful! The ring can wait! Although we did shop some on Sunday and he had me trying stuff on. I have to say that that, my friends, is some fun.

Saturday night we had a fabulous night! The club was packed and the crowd was wonderful. As an added bonus the guitar player was NOT high and he actually played all of the songs in the right key. When it's good it's GOOD. There is nothing like it. That's why we go through all the bad stuff - to have a night like that. And on all three breaks I went to the back of the house and played with my iPhone. I am a N-E-R-D.

Happy Valentine's Day

I worked on the single crochet border on my Mystery Jacket last night. I wish I had followed my instincts to add an extra stitch on the corners ... but I didn't and now it's a bit wonky. I will have a couple rows more to add so maybe I can straighten it out. I don't want to take it out but I just might have to. I'll look at it more closely tomorrow in the daylight. Since I've just started and I've got all of tomorrow off - although of course I will sleep in - to finish up that piece. I can start the newest piece on Saturday if I finish this one up tomorrow so I'm pretty sure that'll be number one on my list of things to do.

It's a gorgeous, if cold, day. I'm going to have a good run at lunchtime. I did NOT have a good run on Tuesday. I was, in fact, kind of sick with some sort of sinus thing and I tried to run but it was pathetic. And it hurt. I like it much better when I have plenty of energy and don't feel like my feet are made from lead. I am going to get new running shoes tomorrow. That's something to look forward to! I know it'll feel like I'm flying when I get new shoes. Maybe I'll even break down and get some new running tights too.

Oooo I am SUCH a klutz!

Yesterday evening I was taking Tink for her usual walk. It was a bit warmer yesterday and since I had just gotten home from my bike ride I was warm. So my gloves were IN my hands rather than ON them. As I closed the gate my hand slipped off the handle and a splinter went right under my thumbnail! Oooooweeee! We are talking some serious pain here my friends. Poor Tink didn't have a clue what was going on -- what the heck, we're going back in NOW?? I fished the key out of my pocket, got into the house and made a mad dash for the medicine cabinet. The tweezers and Neosporin are right there on the shelf because, as I mentioned before, I am such a klutz. Luck was on my side - I managed to get the end of that splinter and pull it out. It was deep, too. Cleaned it, put the antiseptic on, a band aid and out we went again to finish what we had started. Of course, I closed the door real hard and just as it latched shut I realized that I hadn't picked the key back up where I had tossed it in my mad dash to get the splinter out. Erghghgh Well, I wasn't going to torture the dog any longer. We went for our walk and I tried to figure out how I could break into my own house. I did manage - I'll leave out the details. It's not pretty.

And today - this thumb is really really sore still! It doesn't seem inflamed so I will just assume it's because that sliver was in so deep and hope for the best. At least it doesn't impact my knitting ability.

Speaking of knitting - I didn't get much accomplished last night. Not for lack of trying but it's the project. I'm still working on the raglan increases for my Simple Knitted Bodice. Slow going. Only 8 more rows to go and I can try it on and, hopefully, separate out the sleeves. This is going to be a lovely sweater. Very wearable.

A busy weekend

Well, I didn't end up frogging that Ogee Tunic project. I did lots and lots of other stuff, but ... there's always time to frog.

Saturday ended up being a killer errands day. Since I hadn't counted on having to sing on that Saturday I had a million and one things to do. I got them all done though (yay me) and we had a really good gig Saturday night. The place was full until the very end, which is always nice. I had to dash out of there as soon as we finished so I could get home and get to bed.

I woke up Sunday morning feeling pretty darned good considering I was low on sleep (I hadn't been able to nap Saturday afternoon before the gig). I got parked and got to the race site a little too early for my taste since I had nearly 30 minutes to stand around and get cold. Not good. But considering it's the first race I've run in nearly a year(!) and the fact that I was tired and, as it turns out, coming down with a little sinus thingie, I did really well. I was off my pace by almost 30 second a mile, which is pretty bad in my opinion. But, as I said, there were circumstances. All in all -- I finished it and I finished with gas in my tank so I'm happy. I've got four weeks now to train for the St. Patrick's Day Dash, which is almost 3.4 miles - a little longer than the typical 5K. I'm going to have to step up my distance training. I also think I'm going to break down and buy myself some new shoes.

Knitting-wise - I got the first piece of the Mystery Jacket finished up last night and another square for the Log Cabin blankie. I am thinking maybe I'll do some completely Noro squares and see how they look.

Throwing in the towel

It's a hard decision - to give up on a WIP. It's about the Ogee Tunic. I bought yarn specifically for it. I still think it's a gorgeous sweater. It's just that I have had those nearly finished sleeves sitting in a basket for close to a year! And I'm thinking now .... do I really want to finish that project? Would I wear that sweater? Can I face the acres and acres of stockinette stitch on small needles that comprises the back of this garment? And the answer to those three questions -- no. I could frog the sleeves and sell the yarn on eBay and buy something for a project I want to do. Or I could frog the sleeves and use the yarn for another project ... except the color is so close to the color of the Calmer I used for the Scoop du Jour. Well one thing at a time. I'll frog it this weekend and take another look at my stash and that yarn in particular and decide what to do. Ahhhh ... I feel lighter already!

We all know how it goes

I had plans. I was going to stop working on the body of that Cable Cascade pullover and get to work on the sleeves so I could check my gauge. Only one problem - I don't have a second size 11 circular needle. I totally forgot about that. Of course the pattern calls for making the sleeves separately on DPNs. Yeah -- like I'm going to do that! I always make my sleeves 2 at a time (unless I'm doing a top down raglan). So tomorrow I'll run up to the LYS at lunchtime and get another size 11 circular - I can use my Denise set for the second one - and Friday night cast on just like I would doing socks 2 at a time. It'll be fiddly but not any more so than doing a complicated cable and lace pattern on DPNs.

My BF got a call Tuesday afternoon to do a show this evening - a political rally. Short notice, but of course he said yes. I said, "Oh, I'll bet it's Hillary"! And sure enough, it is!!! I got him to run me through the security process yesterday with the rest of his crew (as his photographer! hah ... like I am the worst photographer in the world!!) because I thought it would be SO COOL to be there. Especially since I'd get to be up front and/or on the stage. BUT .... little fly in the ointment. This was when I thought it was an afternoon or early evening deal. Now I find out it's not until 8 pm tonight and I've got rehearsal. I know the band leader was trying to change it to Saturday but he never called back so I'm going to check with him later today. The rumor is that Bill Clinton might be there as well. I have never seen him in person (although the BF has done every one of his appearances here in Seattle and he says he's just an awesome speaker). Oh well. We'll see what happens.

Have you noticed?

It's getting lighter! It's still *bloody* cold in the mornings ... well, and the nights too ... but it's lighter. I see so many people walking their dogs on my bike ride into work now, because it's light at 7:45 am. But still February is the absolute worst month for bike riding, in my opinion. It's cold and windy and wet. Oh, and yesterday for my run I timed it perfectly during a storm. I got soaked! It was blowing so hard that I finally quit running into the wind [it was kind of like those dreams you have where you're running and not going anywhere] and turned around and ran with the wind at my back. That was a bit scary though because it was so strong that it nearly blew me over! Of course, about 20 minutes after I got back to my office and got dried and warm the storm blew over. Figures.

I put my patterns up on Ravelry yesterday, for a lark. I am getting some white angora from Little Knits and I have this idea for a sweater with a ruffle. If it works out I may publish it as well. I wish I had kept better notes on the cabled turtleneck I made as well as a cute bulky cardigan but ... I didn't. I just winged it, as they say. I love that turtleneck. I've worn it a lot this winter. Today I'm wearing my Scoop du Jour. About time! I lllllove the way Calmer feels. Such a gorgeous yarn. When I start making short sleeved things again I'm going to use the Calmer I have for the Fifi.

I only worked a bit on the Simple Knitted Bodice last night while watching a movie. Tonight I'm going to work on the Cable Cascade and try to finish up with the size 15 needles and see if the 13s look a little better. I was considering stopping where I am and starting with the 11s and the sleeves to see if I make gauge. Hmmm The more I think about it the better idea it sounds. It would be a HUGE drag to get 15 inches into the body of that thing and find that it's too big. So yeah ... that's what I'll do tonight. Start on the sleeve and see if I'm anywhere near the gauge. Since I'm substituting yarn - Elann's Seta Lana - that's the safest way to go.

It's a great feeling

I am so glad I joined that Ravelry group, Finish on the First. It got me to finally finish up my Scoop du Jour cardigan and I am SO glad I did. Look how pretty this turned out! I splurged on some crystal buttons to give it a dressy look and it was a great choice. They are perfect! I came home Friday and as soon as I had walked the dog I sat down and started in on this. I had only sewn the shoulder seams so I had lots to do. From the time I started until I had woven in the last end it was four hours - give or take. I did take a little break and have dinner but basically it was four hours! On Saturday after I went shopping with Bonnie for a new dress for the band I stopped at JoAnn's and bought the buttons and sewed them on Saturday afternoon. That wasn't quite the ordeal as putting it together, thankfully. Anyway - Finishing on First is great!! Next month I will tackle the dreaded Isabella.

I was a knitting fool this weekend. I received my Seta Lana from Elann and immediately cast on for the Cable Cascade Pullover from Interweave Knits Fall 2005. I was so excited to begin that I didn't swatch and I could be in trouble here. I see that the sleeves are knit on size 11s and that is what the swatch calls for. I should have, therefore, started with the sleeves which is what I usually do anyway. Then I would be able to gauge my swatch. But I cast on for the body, which starts with size 15s. The shaping is all done with decreasing needle sizes. I'm not too worried (yet).

I also got a good bit more done on the Simple Knitted Bodice. I'm less than 20 rows until I separate the sleeves from the body. I think this is going to be another super wearable garment.

The Super Bowl was a nice surprise. Hah! I couldn't ever imaging myself rooting for the Giants but there I was, urging them on. It was a surprisingly good game. And now, except for the pro bowl, no more football for months and months and months.

I had a super good run on Sunday. I am really looking forward to the race on the 10th. I love running around Green Lake because it is super flat, which is a hard thing to find in Seattle. Almost all of the other races have hills and some of them are major. I hate that.

Oh happy happy girl!

Because of my rehearsal on Wednesday night I missed the "Lost" 2 hour episode - a repeat of last season's final episode with subtitles!! And then last night was the beginning of the new season so there was a compilation episode of one hour and then a brand new episode. So count it up - four hours of "Lost" last night. I was able to fast forward through the commercials of the first 2 hour episode but the others were real time. And yes, I sat there and watched all four hours. I just loved the subtitles on the first bit. Some of them were pretty funny.

I was knitting but it was a slow go because I wanted to read the subtitles in the first two hour chunk and the second two hours -- well, I wanted to watch! I nearly finished another square for the log cabin blankie. [Ooo I found a Ravelry group that's doing a KAL thanks to Speattle. ] I think what I'm going to do, so that this project doesn't get completely out of hand, is stop after I complete 8 squares and weave in the ends, block them and sew them into a strip and then go on to the next 8. I will need six 8 panel strips. It's going to be a long project.

Speaking of long projects - today is February 1 and so I need to finish something for my Finish on the Firsts group. I am truly looking forward to finishing up my Scoop du Jour! I have a goal, I am committed to it and tonight I am going to go home, walk the dog, change my clothes and start sewing! I will put the sleeves into the shoulders and then sew up the sleeves and sides and then I am done (except for buttons). I have been thinking about buttons and I may just go into my button box and put mismatched buttons on it just for the whimsy factor.

Saturday I'm going shopping with Bonnie, the other singer in my band. We're going to get a red dress - no, not one to share but a red dress EACH because we're singing on Valentine's Day and .. well, who needs another reason to buy a new dress? Not me!

Sunday I am going to do another training run around Green Lake. The 10th of February is a race so I need to run Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday so I can have a two day lay off before the 10th. I hope the T-shirt is better this year than last. Not that I don't like brown but it just wasn't very good design I didn't think. I don't run for the shirts though. It's just fun.

And last but not least, I am features on Sherill's Belle of the Ball podcast this week. Check it out.