Aaaand there goes summer

Short and sweet.  It's just one of those years that we get now and again where we don't get much summer at all.  I know it'll be warm again for a few weeks but the leaves are starting to turn already along the trail and today it's pouring rain.  Just like May.  I drove in today and brought my knitting for tomorrow so even if it's sprinkling tomorrow I can ride and not have to figure out how to jam that project into my pannier.  Maybe I can do more than one row in my knitting hour.

I worked for a couple TV hours on the blankie last night.  We're getting close.  A couple more days and I'll be done and I can cast on for the Shining Birds Eyes shawl.  I got the white pack.  It is a very easy pattern and it should buzz right along.  And bonus -- not too much purling at all. 

I was very tired last night and I went upstairs to read when my thumb started hurting from the purling rows but I barely cracked the book before I was off to sleep.  My nephew bought me the latest Anthony Bourdain book, which I was intending to read but .. well I'll have to give it another shot tonight.

Fantasy football fever has struck big time.  My nephew emailed me yesterday that one of the guys in his ESPN fantasy league bailed at the last minute and did I want his spot.  YES!  So now I have three teams!  I started making a spreadsheet.  There is an iPhone app that will manage both my Yahoo and my ESPN team, but not the NFL one so a spreadsheet is going to be necessary to keep things straight as I watch the games.  This is going to be fun!

Fantasy draft weekend

I finally quit wishing I was in a fantasy football league and joined two of the free on line leagues.  My drafts were this weekend.  The NFL team got drafted on Saturday afternoon and the Yahoo one on Sunday.  I used a little different method in each draft and I'll be able to see which strategy made a difference - if either one of them do that is.  This is really going to make watching football more exciting this season.   To add further nerdiness to the whole thing, I'm going to make a spreadsheet with both rosters so I can keep track of which players on which teams are mine.  It's as complicated as you want to make it, that's for sure.  AND I also joined a Monday night football pool, which is really going to be fun!  It pays every quarter so I only need to hit one to break even and after that everything would be gravy. 

The  Huskies play their first game this coming Saturday and I'm SO looking forward to that.  Unfortunately it's on the road - BYU.  I sure hope it is a day game so I can watch it before rehearsal.

We had a great rehearsal Saturday.  It took me a while to get my chops back, so to speak.  I got a little hoarse but make it through.  We have a 20 to 30 minute spot on October 2nd at a reunion gig - musicians that went to a certain couple of high schools.  I didn't go to either one of them, but the guys did so that's okay.  We haven't chosen the songs yet.  Maybe next week.

I got most of my chores done on Saturday which left Sunday almost wide open.  Last Thursday I used my birthday gift certificate at Elann to purchase the Shining Birds Eyes Shawl yarn kit in white and it arrived on Saturday.  I was itching to start it but since I already have several things going I need to finish something before I can let myself cast on.  The blanket is the most logical thing since it's quick and easy so I spent quite a bit of time Saturday night after rehearsal and hours on Sunday working on it.  I had to stop for a while Sunday afternoon because my left hand was getting sore from purling.  If the yarn is not slippery enough, or if the yarn/needle combo is not slippery enough, then I need to help it off the needle with my thumb and therein lies the problem.  It's over half way done now.  I hope that sometime this week I can start the shawl.  It is HUGE and beautiful and not too complicated and very little purling.  I anticipate it moving right along.  The Cloisonne jacket -- I do a couple rows at Wednesday noon knitting but it is really not moving right along.  Once I get past the color work it'll go much quicker.

This is going to be a tough week, as is the following.  I woke up in the middle of the night and my head started to go into work mode.  I popped another Benedryl and managed to get back to sleep but I was rather drowsy and hit the snooze a time or two more than I should have.  The air was a touch chilly on the way in this morning.  A couple more weeks and I'll have to change back into long pants.  Booooooooo

I don't mind a bit of rain

After those few days in Phoenix it's rather refreshing.  I got my bike tuned up while I was gone and it was like riding a new bike this morning.  I hadn't realized how worn the brakes were.  And it shifts smoothly.  And it's clean! 

Things are really heating up here at work.  It was such bad timing to have to take those days away from work but I think I'll make it with energy to spare.  Next week is going to be pretty tough and the following week as well, but once we get rolling everything will be fine.

Here's a picture of the project I finally chose to take with me to Phoenix.  You are welcome to your own opinion, but MY opinion is that I must have been drunk when I was packing!  What was I thinking taking a blanket as a project in 110 degree weather?  Oh maybe that Mike's air conditioning would be turned lower than 80 but still.  It was nearly impossible to work with because my hands would get damp and the yarn wouldn't move through my fingers.  It's great TV knitting for this climate though.  And it's very soft.  The plain pink is cotton and the fluffy stuff is acrylic.  It called for a yarn called Bon Bon but they don't make it any more and I couldn't find enough balls to make it so I just bought some fluffy baby yarn and it works fine.  It's got to be washable, obviously, or I sure wouldn't be using acrylic!

This weekend I have my fantasy football drafts.  One on Saturday and one on Sunday.  And we're going to rehearse Saturday as well.  I found out that we have a slot in a show on October 1st or 2nd ... can't remember.  Just 20 minutes but it'll be nice to actually play in front of people!

Travel day from hell

Yesterday I took my time in the morning waking up, laying around, packing. My flight wasn't until 4:20 but I had to take the rental car back. Let me say that the Phoenix airport rental car situation is abysmal. The rental car companies are in a hub that is a 10 to 15 minute shuttle ride away from the airport. Considering that it's "shoulder season" for Phoenix I didn't think the airport would be crowded, especially on a Tuesday afternoon but nevertheless left myself plenty of time to return the car since Mike had backed into it and I had to file an accident report. And oh, it was HOT yesterday as well. It was 109 degrees outside temperature while I was driving in but once in the garage it was much hotter. I got the car turned in, paperwork done and got on a shuttle. I would have time to check in and sit down for a bite to eat before starting my journey. And then I was thinking .... hmm, isn't Mike's birthday around now? And I reached for my iPhone.

And that's when I realized I had left it in the rental car!!! A very nice woman spent the rest of the shuttle ride tracking down the phone number for that particular booth and they found my iPhone where I said it would be. Now I had to ride back to the rental car hub. Unfortunately someone had gotten on the wrong shuttle so we had to take another 10 minute detour to get him to his terminal. By now I am starting to sweat. I did not want to miss that flight. The shuttle driver was nice enough to agree to let me leave my bag on the shuttle and run down to get my phone IF there were not too many people waiting. Luck was on my side and when we pulled up there was only one guy there so I ran ... RAN ... in high heels and 109 degrees. They had my phone ready for me and back I dashed onto the shuttle which by now was pretty full. I was sitting there with sweat pouring down my face and trickling down my back. Still not out of the woods.

In retrospect I was having pretty good luck considering. There were only a couple people ahead of me at check in. I got a warning that since it was less that 45 minutes before my flight was due to take off that they couldn't guarantee my bag would make it. I had no choice ... take the bag. Then off I dashed to security and again, pretty good luck. One person in front of me. I didn't have time to get anything to eat because they started boarding as soon as I found the gate.

I was scheduled for a 25 minute turn around in San Jose. I grabbed a sandwich at a Starbucks on my way to my gate. The plane hadn't arrived so I had time to breath, wash up and try to calm down. I was so jumpy! I got on the plane and watched as the bags were being loaded. I did not see my bag. And sure enough it didn't turn up in Seattle. The woman from Southwest said it was most likely on the next flight which was due to come in at 10:30 but I wasn't going to wait at the airport. Mr. M took me home and I had a shower and fell into bed. Exhausted emotionally and physically.

There was no message on my phone this morning. It was not easy getting ready this morning either, with all of my toiletries in the bag. I have duplicates of most but not all things. Lip liner - nope. Chanel foundation - nope. I made do. I called the baggage people and oddly enough my bag had made it on the plane in Phoenix but it hadn't made the transition. So it is coming in from San Jose this morning and they will deliver it. All's well that ends well, I guess. Except I'm in a crappy mood. But what else is new, eh?

That trip was pretty hard on me but not as hard as the whole situation has been on my friend. I must say that I have totally and completely fallen in love with Flagstaff, Arizona though. That's the first time I had been there, last Saturday when we headed up north for Mike to look at a job. We spent a few hours walking around the town, shopping -- I found a necklace that I am still kicking myself for not buying -- and spent some time at a Cantina having a few drinks, watching preseason football and having dinner. We didn't get back that night until 10 and we drove through some real Arizona spectacular weather on the way home. First a lightening storm, then POURING rain. And as we got nearer to Maricopa, where Mike lives just outside of Phoenix, we ran into not one but two dust storms. Just completely swallowed everyone up. Cars slowed to a crawl, flashers going. You couldn't see a thing and had to navigate by the fog line by the side of the road. It was scary.

But now it's back to reality. Work stacked up all around my desk. I spent a good deal of time on Monday while Mike was working doing a bit of work myself. At least answering emails. But now the clock is ticking. Just a little more than two weeks and anatomy starts so I had better kick it into high gear!

Heat wimp

This is what I have been called by people who live here. A heat wimp. Well so be it. It is just amazingly hot. Last night I started out sleeping downstairs because it seemed cooler than where I had been sleeping upstairs but after waking up drenched, I moved upstairs because I could get a breeze from the fan. Mike can't understand it. Obviously you become accustomed to it. I saw a guy on a corner holding a sign advertising some sale. He was wearing jeans, a T- shirt and a hooded sweatshirt with the hood up!! It was over 100 degrees.

I tried to knit when we got back from running around and the A/C, which had been off, was cranking. I made it fir about an hour but then it was too hot. You know how the yarn is so hard to handle when your hands are sweating.

Mike is out on a job. I may go out on my own if he is going to be long but I may just stay inside and read. It will take me a while to clean this place up too.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

It is SO hot!!

Yesterday it was 111 while we were out shopping for dinner. And the pool is like a bath. Even after the sun went down it was refreshing. We are going up into the mountains today. It should be mire tolerable.

Friday at the airport

I am so tired!! We had a great time at the wine picnic and we got home before 8:30. I was hoping to get something cool from the silent auction. A couple years ago there were some great Seahawks things. Not this year. I did bid on a winery tour and tasting for 8. I don't know yet if I won.

I finished up packing and then settled in to do a but if knitting and watch "Hard Knocks". I got into the just one more row rhythm and stated up too late. I had to get up at 5:30. So I am having a cup of coffee while I wait for boarding.

The heat's off

Quite a change today.  The weather is much cooler.  The predicted high is only 74 today versus high 80s and low 90s.  It's quite pleasant although I was hoping for a little better weather.  Mr. M does a lot of high end charity events and one of my favorites is the Wine Picnic at St. Michel winery.  This year I am attending as a real guest rather than someone who slips in the side and mingles with the crew and bringing my friends Steve and Ginny ... Steve who is coming with me to Arizona Friday.  Anyway, it's only predicted to be 67 degrees on Thursday which is going to seem downright cold after the heat we've been having.  If it's sunny it won't be too bad.

Yesterday I had an appointment with the eye doctor and so got in to work rather late.  The visit to the eye doctor was routine.  I never remember, but when the contact lens place won't renew my prescription then it's time for me to go.  I have been bothered these past six months (!) or so.  I just chalked it up to allergies or hours in front of the computer screen, but sometimes my eyes would get so dry I could hardly see on the ride home.  And it was getting increasingly difficult to read or do any close up work with my contacts in.  So she switched me to daily disposable lenses, which I hadn't thought I could use because I had been using multi-focal lenses.  Turns out I can get the same benefits with these, or so it seems so far.  And I love the convenience and comfort of a new  pair of lenses every morning.  Also she gave me some eye drops for the irritation.  I'll go back to see her after I get back from Arizona and hopefully I'll be back to normal.  My eyes feel great, for what it's worth.

I still haven't decided what project to take to Arizona with me!  I'd better nail that down, and soon.  Tonight I've got to decide what to take with me because tomorrow I've got to get my bike to the shop for a tune up, get a pedicure and have my hair done, plus take Tink to the boarding place and get home in time to change and get ready for Ginny to pick me up around 3.  I won't feel like packing when I get home that night but I might have to if I can't get things settled this evening.

Noon knitting today and I've brought my Cloisonne jacket in.  I haven't done a row since noon knitting last Wednesday.  At this rate ....

Just call me zombie

I woke up early this morning -- 2:50 am to be precise.  Tinkerbell needed to go downstairs and since we have Mr. M's son staying with us again the bedroom door has to be closed so I woke up and let her out.  I got myself a fresh drink of water and went back to bed.  I did not fall asleep however.  I tossed and turned for the next 3 1/2 hours.  I am a wreck.  I had already decided to take the bus to work today since it's going to be over 90  again and while the ride in would have been lovely, I just could not picture toiling away into the sun up that hill in 90 degree weather.  So it's going to be a bitch of a day.  I already feel like I've been run over by a truck and it's only going to get worse.

The weekend was hot hot hot!  I got my errands out of the way early on Saturday and stayed inside doing laundry and listening to my book and doing a little knitting.  I started a new project.  I found 3 skeins of Noro Hana Silk that I had forgotten about.  At first I tried a lacy wrap but I didn't like the fabric that the silk ribbon was making so I instead started a scarf from the new Debbie Bliss book, The Knitter's Year.  I added 18 more stitches to the width - another repeat of the feather and fan - thinking that plus the bigger gauge would make it big enough for a wrap.  I am alternating 4 row repeats with some Rowan Kid Classic.  Very soft but I am not sure it's going to be wide enough.  Anyway, it was something different to do.  I don't think it's going to be an appropriate project to take with me to Arizona though.

I did not hear from Doug on Saturday so just assumed we wouldn't be rehearsing because it was so hot and he hadn't called.  Plus the first pre-season game was on (Seahawks beat the Titans).  Sure enough though at 7:18 pm my phone rang.  It was Rusty, the drummer.  Doug always makes him call.  I didn't pick up.  I am going to have to call him Wednesday and let him know I'll be out of town this coming weekend. 

I got the back of the house area measured this weekend and on Sunday I went looking at pavers.  I have found what I want.  They are rustic cobble stone type pavers.  I am very excited about this project.  It's going to make the back so much nicer!  And useful.  And I won't cringe every time I look out there and see all those weeds.  Win win win .  I am going to shoot for having it done in September.  I've got to call and get some bids.

A few of my favorite things

Sunshine, homemade cafe au lait, my doggie asleep at my feet, my pink pajama bottoms and pink tank top.  The house is clean and quiet and I've got a stack of work to do.  This is going to be a good day.  If I get enough done by lunch I'm going to take a quick run to Trader Joe's when it's relatively quiet.

I was surprised  by not one but two books waiting for me yesterday.  I was expecting one of them, the new Debbie Bliss book 52 Days of Knitting.  But the other was a gift from my nephew, the latest Anthony Bourdain book.  Can't wait to start it.  I didn't last night, nor did I knit!  I know!  What's wrong with me??  I got caught up in cooking dinner then when it was cleaned up I ran across an old, very old movie version of Romeo and Juliet.  So I watched that for a while and then drifted off.  I must have got a great night's sleep because I feel fantastic today.

I must get buttons for that cardigan this weekend.  And hopefully we'll be rehearsing tomorrow.  Still haven't heard from Doug, who is going to be quite angry (I suppose) that I won't be here the following Saturday.  How many weeks now has it been since I've been able to rehearse with them?  A few.  Ah well, it's not like we've got gigs lined up or anything.   I'm going to practice my uke skills this weekend as well so I can take it with me to Arizona.

Oh the humidity!

It almost feels like Hawaii, it is so humid today!  My hair is unmanageable when it's like this, especially when I get off the bike.  I've been bringing a clip to work with me these last few days because it's the only thing I can do with my hair -- pull it off my face and clip it.  It's either that or a pony tail. 

I did only one row on the Cloisonne jacket at noon knitting yesterday. 7 down, 33 to go.  It hurts my hand because on the knit rows I'm holding one strand in each hand and when I do the Continental side my hand is not used to it and it's not strong.  So after a while it hurts.  It hurts like when I do lots and lots of purling.  So I'm taking it easy.  But I am going to have to start up a couple more projects.  I'm  nearly done with the Green Gables.  I have maybe 4 inches to go, then some ribbing and finishing of the arms.  I could maybe pick the modified Simple Knitted Bodice I've had hibernating for I don't know how long.  Looking for my other size 2 needle is going to be chore number one for the weekend.

I hope to be able to work form home tomorrow.  Mr. M is leaving early for Oregon and won't be back until very very late.  I have a stack of syllabus chapters to reformat and edit and heaven knows I can do that at home just as easily as I can here.  And it is supposed to be super hot tomorrow.  I can get the A/C going first thing in the morning and be nice and comfy all day.  I will re-visit this later today.  Fingers crossed, I can work at home.

One of my friends gave me a gift certificate to one of my favorite on-line yarn stores and now it's burning a hole in my virtual pocket!  I can't decide what to get but I love thinking about it.

Round tires AND a greased chain

I am not always on top of maintenance for my bicycle, (I know, hard to imagine) even though it does have 80 or so miles put on it weekly. I do keep track of my commute time and I've been off by as much as 60 seconds to my 30 minute mark. And I have also noticed that I have not been shifting easily and last night at the bottom of the hill (oh that hill) my chain caught as I was shifting from the largest to the middle sprocket. I am in DIRE need of a tune up, but I can't do it until I am gone to Arizona next week. So I did (finally) grease it this morning before taking off and I was at my parking spot 2 + minutes earlier than I had been this past month and 30 seconds early to my 30 minute marker. So - conclusion: keep the tires pumped up and the chain greased!!! [I am just so lazy is what it is]. I will for sure take my bike in to be serviced next Wednesday and they'll have a full 7 days to take care of it. It'll be like a new bike.

What I learned about fantasy football yesterday: When drafting, keep track of what the other teams are doing as well. Also, the bye week is not all that important. Rather better to pick the best players you can get on your team and let the bye weeks fall as they may. I signed up for a team yesterday. My draft is on August 28 at 3 in the afternoon. Now I have to practice drafting and watch pre-season games with an eye on the important players. I can see how people can really get sucked into this. It can be as complicated as you care to make it.

No knitting last night. I was a sweaty mess when I got home and after my shower I just collapsed in my favorite chair with a glass of wine and my iPhone (Angry Birds how I do love thee) and played games until it was time to cook dinner. I cooked some Mahi-Mahi and made a little salad and cooked some fresh pasta sauce made from a clove of garlic, some olive oil, a couple of tomatoes and fresh basil. Then I tossed it with linguine and grated Parmigiana and oh! was it ever good! I could not get rid of the smell of garlic from my hands all night long though. I washed them half a dozen times at the very least and used strong lavender hand cream to no avail. Oh, but totally worth it.

But speaking of knitting -- I need to come up with a project to take with me to Arizona next week. It is triple digit hot there. And even though every place has A/C I still don't want to be dragging around a big ol' sweater. I am really off socks, especially since I can't find my other size 2 Addi. But socks truly would be the ideal project. Perhaps I'll take a good look around. I have only cursorily looked for it. We know it couldn't have walked off on its own. The problem is that it's not where it should be. If I can't find it I am not going to buy another size 2 long circular needle just for one pair of socks I don't need. Maybe I could start working on baby things. Or I could do another mini-shawl/scarf. Endless possibilities, yes.

I woke up with my stomach growling in the middle of the night. That is very odd for me. Therefore after a long bike ride and a cup of tea I am most certainly ready for some solid food. More than ready.

Ain't superstitious BUT ....

a black cat did cross my trail this morning.  I had seen that cat before on my way down to the trail.  Today it crossed right in front of me.  Considering the bad news that has been coming my way lately I am going figure it is retroactive.  In other words, he meant to cross in front of my path last week but didn't quite make it. 

Because of the bad news I received yesterday - that of an old friend passing - I was in a rotten mood.  I spent lunchtime listening to my book, "Innocent" [a continuation of the story "Presumed Innocent" which was a terrific book and not a bad movie either] and ground out another two rows on the Cloisonne jacket.  Once I get the color work done it's going to go quite quickly.  Six down, 34 to go.

I didn't do any knitting last night at all.  I spent two hours doing a couple of mock drafts for my fantasy football team.  I have decided I'm going to join two leagues - one with Yahoo Fantasy Football site and the other with the NFL.  I have learned quite a bit.  For instance, I am not going to do the auction draft.  It's really going to make watching the games a lot more fun.  And if I can get the hang of it maybe my nephew will let me play with his league next year.

My knee felt good enough for me to ride my bike in today although I think I'm going to just walk at lunchtime rather than run because it's still a little sore.  And it was raining this morning, just to add a little extra misery to the day.  This should be it for the bad weather for a while, according to the forecasters.  It is supposed to be back to hot by the weekend.  That means I'm going to have to prepare myself for an early morning session in the back garden Saturday morning and maybe Sunday as well.  And for sure I'm going to measure that area this weekend so I can start getting things together for the patio project.

Fun fun fun

Too much fun this weekend.  I am worn out!  I sneaked out of work a little early on Friday and did my shopping for Saturday dinner.  Contrary to my best intentions I did end up having a meal that I had to put together at the time so I moved the party to the more casual dining area in the kitchen and it worked out fine.  Mr. M gets very goofy at birthdays and made a trip to the novelty store so there was a lot of silliness.  And great cake and company.  He had also finished putting the theatre together so everyone got a dose of Avatar on the big screen.

Yesterday, my actual birthday, was spent quietly at home recovering from Saturday.  I did laundry and read some and listened to my latest audio book (Innocent -- it is really good) and did some simple knitting.  The Cloisonne jacket is a tough knit.  I brought it to work today and I'm going to have to treat it like a hard lace project and just plug away a couple of rows at a go.  In other words, it is not a fun knit but it is going to look great.

I ended up not running on Friday.  My knee was bothering me.  I think it was from the previous weekend when I had decided to walk to the grocery store and wore flip flops.  I had taken my pack but woefully overestimated its capacity and so ended up not only with a full pack but two bags as well to lug back up the hill wearing inappropriate footwear.  Then I wore super high heels on Friday and that was not a good idea either.  It's feeling better today so hopefully I can run tomorrow.

It rained hard this weekend.  The garden is loving it.  I am somewhat disappointed that all of the spraying that guy did with the natural weed killer does not seem to be working.  I wanted to get out in the garden this weekend but it did not happen.  Maybe next weekend.  My two roma tomato plants are full of fruit but the other two did not do well.  An heirloom tomato with a couple flowers but  no fruit and only two or three on the Early Girl. 

This year the first (preseason) football game was on my birthday, the Hall of Fame game, which I always take as a good omen.  For what?  I don't know .... the Seahawks' season?  Or the Huskies?  It's just going to be a good football year, I can taste it!  And I'm going to do a fantasy football team.  My  nephew has been after  me to do it and I almost did last year, but I don't really understand some of the details of drafting a team.  I am just going to have to jump in and do it and that way I'll learn.  And he'll give me pointers along the way.

And now .... let the week begin.

Why I got back on Twitter

I was very gung-ho about Twitter last year and downloaded the app and started following people and Twittering away like a madman. But then ... it really started to annoy me. There was so much noise! And so many people trying to sell you things. I finally just quit and took the app off my iPhone. Then Ginny, Mr. H's wife, asked me to get back on Twitter and follow Mr. H whom she had convinced to get on Twitter. Don't ask me why - I never could get a good answer from her. They both have iPhones and like me, she is a real gadget person. Him, not so much. She's had to drag him along. But he liked Twitter so, what the heck, I got back on it. AND I am much less annoyed by it than before. I just quit following so many people! I don't know why I didn't think of that before but there ya go. Now I just follow a few comedians, my favorite sports writer, a tech writer and, of course, the knitting Twitterers. That's more fun. And I'll send out a Twitter now and again, mostly re-Tweeting a joke or some knitting thing. Follow along. @sgolard

My sister's boyfriend loves the finer things in life. Truly, that man has more shoes and cashmere sweaters than my sister and me combined. He found a place in Florida that sells alligator belts. They are not allowed to ship to California so last summer before they came up to visit he had one shipped to my house so that he could get it when they were up. My sister just sent me an email yesterday saying that another one is coming. He called me yesterday to tell me to expect a package any day and it was NOT my birthday present. That would be something else, he said. Okay. When I talked to my sister later I told her about the phone call and she laughed. When he asked her for my address and told her what he was doing she told him that if an alligator belt showed up at my house on my birthday week I would assume it was a present and he'd better send me some flowers. Because he's never even sent me a card, I was a little taken aback when he said that about a present. Nice, though. Because now I am expecting some fancy flower arrangement on my doorstep.

I did have a run yesterday and even though I started out earlier than usual it was still bloody hot and humid! It took me an hour or more after I was done to cool down. Today it's cloudy and much cooler. In fact I think it's going to rain most of the weekend, which is a shame since it's Seafair weekend and there are hydroplane races and all sorts of parades planned. But on the positive side, I'll have a much more comfortable Fartlek Friday. I still haven't decided if I'm going to run the Iron Girl 5K. That no headphones things really rankles.

And yet another few reasons why I love my iPhone

I did call my friend yesterday about going down to Arizona for the memorial for his son and he said it would really mean much more to him if we came down after all of the major commotion was done.  I can completely understand that.  When the reality sets in is when he's really going to need support.  So we are going down on the 20th and I'm staying until Tuesday evening.

I'm going down there with my friend Mr. H and (with assistance from his wife) after we decided on the travel schedule I used my iPhone to book my flight and pay for it.  How cool is that?  I used the Southwest Airlines app.  I just LOVE doing stuff like that!  Another thing I love my iPhone for is when I'm in the car and I hear a song I like.  I can use the SoundHound app to identify the song and then buy it and it's in my music library.  Here is my latest can't get it out of my head song by The Script:

I was much too upset on Tuesday to run so I MUST do it today and it's going to be brutal.  It's already so hot and humid.  I didn't even need my jacket on my ride in after I got down the hill to the trail.  And actually I could have gone without it even going downhill.  I'll have to get out there early to run.  I sure wish we had showers here.  I know you would just assume we do have showers but ... not.  I could go to the IMA but it's a mile walk from my office and hardly worth it.  I have seen plans of a locker room being added to the remodel of the South Campus Hub with room for bikes and kayaks.  That would be reasonable.  I hope they get it done soon.

I couldn't shake the feeling

Yesterday I was just plain sad.  I couldn't shake it.  And then I got a phone call from one of my closest friends telling me his son had passed away.  I think there are people in our lives we are just connected to and I could feel something was wrong.  It is just too sad.  Another friend and I will most likely be going to Arizona for the memorial.  I need to call him this morning and find out when it is. 

Needless to say, I didn't do much of anything last night.  I did a little TV  knitting on my blue Green Gables and that's about it.  I was going to look through cook books but I couldn't concentrate.  Plus I don't know if I'm going to have to cancel it. 

I brought my Cloisonne jacket to noon knitting.  I want to get at least through the first row of the stranded and turn and start the purl side so in case I need some pointers I'll be able to draw on the expertise around the table.

Warm and fuzzy buzz kill

I left work yesterday evening feeling great and it lasted nearly all the way home until some rude jerks ruined it.  It was a lovely afternoon and the trail was full of people running and biking, almost like a weekend.  At lunchtime I had walked down to the bike store and bought myself a new pair of biking gloves.  Very comfy and cute too.  So I was feeling just wonderful until  I approached my left turn spot, where I start my two mile climb back home.  Coming towards me were two women running and a man riding his bike.  I signaled my intention to turn. For obvious reasons one doesn't want to come to a full stop before climbing a hill but rather keep up the momentum and hope it carries you a ways.  All the man on the bike would have had to do was either nod at me that I should go or slow down, but he chose Option C -- to barrel through and make me come to a stop.  Okay, that's fine.  I took a couple breaths and circled around to get a little run at the hill on the road, still needing to cross the trail.  I got up a little head of steam parallel to the trail and checked to see if anyone was coming.  There was a woman behind me.  I signaled to show I was going to turn left in front of her - she wouldn't have had to slow down - and started to go.  She sped up!  I had to brake, this time quickly, so that we wouldn't collide.  Honestly!  I swore and I could hear her down the way ... "Soooorrrry". 

The lilies I picked this weekend are very VERY fragrant still and blooming.  They are just astonishing.  After my shower I settled in my comfy chair across from the lilies with a nice glass of sparkling wine and tried to get back to my happy place.  I worked a bit on the Cloisonne jacket - finished the set up and started the first of 40 rows of stranded color work.  And all I have to say is ... yikes.  The front side is going to be okay but I wasn't even thinking about the fact that this has a wrong side as well and I'm going to have to purl in pattern.  I guess I really do learn something new with every project.

I'm having a few people over for dinner on Saturday night and so I started going through my cookbooks after dinner, looking for something different.  I've got a couple ideas but nothing definite yet.  I know I don't want to go crazy.  Maybe one semi-difficult dish and the rest simple.  Then I started watching "The Big Chill" but I couldn't get into it.  The soundtrack is still awesome but otherwise it seems so dated.  So I put the cookbooks down and went up to read.  I will have to decide on something tonight or tomorrow at the very latest.  Oh ... and I haven't told Doug I can't rehearse on Saturday yet.  Better call him as well.  He's not going to be too happy about that.  We haven't had a rehearsal since before we went to Hawaii!  But I'm getting lots of knitting done. 

An early birthday surprise!!

I so very rarely get any mail here at work from the outside.  So imagine my surprise when I strolled past the mailboxes this afternoon and found a letter addressed to me.  I really didn't have a clue where it was from because the canceled stamp was smudged, so it was a double surprise when I opened the card.  So sweet you remembered, Babar.  It's the best gift of all.

I miss out on London again!!

Last year my sister was supposed to go to London for work but it was canceled.  This year she is going, she informed me, at precisely the worst time of the year for me.  Our plan was that she was going to go over for her business and then I would join her when she was done and we'd have a few days to hang around London and then pop over to Paris.  But I absolutely cannot leave work the first couple weeks in October.  I am SO disappointed.

Friday was pretty busy.  I worked from home and took my lunchtime to go shopping at Trader Joe's.  I just can't stand to shop there on the weekend but when I work from home I can go at noon and it's not so bad.  Besides having the guy there from the Dish Network I also had someone working in the yard.  It took the Dish guy several hours to get everything hooked up and ready to go.  I am very pleased at how he placed the satellite dishes.  At my other house they had to be put on the side of the deck and they were very intrusive, visually.  But I can't even see these!  Perfect.

My birthday present yard work went well.  He didn't finish everything but he did a pretty darned good job of it.  Of course, it's never ending.  I should really just bite the bullet and hire someone to do regular maintenance on it.  I am going to get started planning the patio.  To that end I had him kill the soil there with a natural solution.  I hope it works.  My next step will be to get an accurate measurement of the area so I can start pricing paving stones.

It was pretty warm on Saturday for knitting on the Cloisonne jacket but between Saturday and some time Sunday afternoon and evening I managed to finish up the lace portion of the body and do a few rows with the main color in preparation for starting the color work.  I have to increase 30 stitches across and purl one row and then start the pattern.  Here's how it looks now. 

Mr. M spent the entire weekend working on the theatre.  He cut pieces of wood to cover the three small windows on the side of the room behind the screen.  He built a frame for the screen (which is even bigger than I imagined) and hung the projector.  I must say it really is pretty impressive.  Once the room gets painted and the draperies are hung it's going to be really cool.