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.

And the magic number is ......

48. That's the number of squares I have to knit in order to make that blanket. Two down, 46 to go. I think this may be a project that goes on and on and on for a while. I can't envision myself sitting around knitting squares (albeit pretty squares) for weeks and weeks. The inspiration may come and go, in other words. But I would truly like to do it so it's got a good chance of getting done.

I'm wearing my Cozy V-Neck Pullover today. It is cozy indeed. The temperature has risen out of the 30s - and my poor little face is very thankful. Now let's hope that's the last of the snow we'll be seeing this winter. Groundhog Day is just around the corner. I just have a funny feeling that we won't be getting an early spring this year. Just a feeling.

And ... it disappears

Snow is gone, thank goodness. Although the weather is as crappy as it can get with the wind and the clouds and the temperature hovering just above freezing. So yucky that Tink went out to do her business and then came back in and wanted to get back on the bed and sleep. She's usually out there sniffing around until I call her in.

I started a second square last night for my blankie. I hate the back side of the squares so much though that if I do finish this I am going to have to line it or I will be perpetually folding it so the back side doesn't show!! These are pictures of the 1st and 2nd square. I am not happy with starting the first one with a blue square in the middle but oh well.... Thankfully there will be lots and lots of them so I am going to like some better than others.

Why are all the kids smiling?

Because it snowed last night. There was at least 2 inches on the ground at my house this morning so I had to walk into work. I don't mind. It's a nice walk and I just plug in the ol' iPod and grab some coffee and away we go. One person passed me on a bicycle. She was going over the bridge. Insanity. Oh she made it ... but still. SO dangerous. And that bridge is going to be a sheet of ice on the way home tonight for sure. It is only 33 degrees now and I don't expect it's going to be getting much warmer today. I was going to run at lunchtime because the trail gets so much traffic that it's pretty much cleared off now but I left my shoes at home!!! I took them with me Friday so I could run the lake on the weekend and of course I forgot them because I don't usually bring them home. Oh well, it's probably not such a good idea to run in the snow anyway.

I am super stoked -- I finished my Cozy v-neck pullover this weekend. It is a wonderful sweater. I am just going to wear it to death. Here's a picture of the FO. And I must say this Rowan Soft Tweed is also a gorgeous yarn.

I have somehow been bitten by the blanket bug. I want to make a blanket. I have lots of odds and ends of worsted weight yarn, plus a few odd skeins of Noro Silk Garden and ... you know, a skein here and a skein there of yarn that it not enough to make anything big. So I thought I would make a blanket. I was at first looking at mitered squares but then thought that a log cabin type of blanket would be good. And rather than make just one huge one I would make squares and then sew them together. I am almost done with my first square but I am so dissatisfied with the back side. I suppose that's the reason there are so many crocheted afghans and so few knitted ones. As I was falling asleep last night - or rather, NOT falling asleep - I was thinking about this and I wonder if I could crochet a log cabin square? Why not? I don't like those Granny Square type of afghans. They say 60's to me for some reason. But a log cabin type of square, even though it's crocheted, might not look so bad. I'm going to give it a try tonight. Then the backside wouldn't be so ugly and I wouldn't have to line it plus which, crochet goes a whole lot faster.

The other thing I cast on this weekend is the Simple Knitted Bodice in Knit One Crochet Too Angora Soft that I got at Webs. I got gauge with the recommended needle size, cast on and away I went. Only a couple rows in but it's going to look good.

I'm going to stop complaining soon

No, really I am. It's just that it's so freaking COLD!!! It was 26 when I arrived at work this morning, numb and hurting. I need to get some better protection for my hands is what it is. And cover my face with something. I go downhill to start my ride and holy cow, that wind chill is brutal. And that's all I'm going to say about it.

I had a wonderful knitterly evening last night. Sure, the majority of people would think it is a boring evening but it was very satisfying. I finished up the second sleeve of my Cozy V-Neck and got all the stitches picked up around the neckline and even managed a couple rows of ribbing before I had to quit. Oh, I wanted very much to finish up that neckline and then only have the sleeves to sew up and the ends to weave in. But I was so tired and I hadn't slept at all well Wednesday night so I quit around 10 and headed to bed, where I fell immediately asleep and slept like a rock! Tonight I will finish it up.

Then what? I don't think I should start any sleeveless projects. I have three long sleeved projects in my queue and I'm just waiting on the yarn -- the Mystery Jacket KAL yarn should be arriving soon and we'll be starting that in a couple weeks. My eye was caught by a mitered square blanket project on Ravelry and I have so much left over stuff in worsted weight plus odds and ends of 2 balls here and 1 ball there that I just might start a blanket. I was always wanted to make one and this would be something that I could just pick up by the TV - a mindless knit type of thing - when I'm bored with my current (zillion other) project(s). I don't know, it's a thought.

I do have to finish up something on the first of February as part of the Finish on the Firsts group I found on Ravelry. I think that will be the Scoop du Jour cardigan since I only need to do some sewing up. And I would wear it.

Not sure about this weekend. I am going to run tomorrow around Green Lake. It is supposed to either rain or (ugh) snow this weekend, it looks like. I'm already sick of winter.

What the heck is up with Yahoo's spam filter???

Yahoo email has been in beta for a while but finally -- I guess it was last month -- they released their mail program and ever since then my in box has been inundated with the nastiest spam! My spam in box gets plenty of it as well but my regular in box too? It is as if the spam filters went away once they got out of beta. I have re-set my spam filter and of course mark every single one of those disgusting emails as spam but every day I must get at least 10 and maybe more. It makes me crazy!!

The cold continues. Right now it's 33 degrees. I just keep my fingers crossed that we don't get any moist air around here because if we did we'd have snow and it would stick. Ick. The good part about it being cold is that it's a joy to work on my Cozy V-Neck. I have 38 more rows of ribbing to go on my second sleeve, then pick up and knit the neck and I'm done. Woohoo! That's pretty fast. I don't have anything going on this evening so with any luck I should be able to get that thing finished. I not only have the wool for the Mystery Jacket KAL coming but I have run into a couple of insane deals lately and have some black Knit One Crochet Two Angora Soft that I got at WEBS for $12.50 for a bag!!! And from Little Knits I ordered a whole bag of Angora Extra in white for ... well it wasn't such a screaming deal as $12.50 but that's crazy ... Anyway I think I'll use the black for the Simple Knitted Bodice and the white ... not quite sure yet. So that means I have plenty ... yes PLENTY of stash. Enough to make long sleeved sweaters until it warms up and then enough to make short sleeved and tanks from then on. I need to go on a yarn diet. No seriously.

We are talking some serious cold here

Holy cow is it ever cold! Dry and cold. Bone chilling cold. The kind of cold where you search around for those flannel jammies you only wear when you've got a bad flu. I was very thankful that I was working on a sweater last night because the lap full of wool kept me warm, even though I was having a fire as well! Finished up the first sleeve and started on the second. It's looking great!

I'm getting excited about the Mystery Jacket KAL that Kerry started over on Ravelry. People have already begun receiving their yarn!!! This will be my first KAL. We were told to choose two colors (if we wanted a contrasting color) and I chose a blue with a kiwi green contrast (big surprise there, eh?). Then Kerry will be sending us instructions for panels. This is constructed as a sort of patchwork, it sound like. I am looking forward to it. I don't think I would be able to do a mystery stole type of thing, but a mystery sweater? I'm all over that!

I'm working from home today so for my lunch hour I am going to be responsible and go get my emissions test and new tabs for my car. Hope the line isn't bad.

Wind Chill!!!!

Yeeeeowwww! I am telling you ... it was brutal this morning! When I got my computer booted up I saw that the temperature was 24 degrees so no wonder the wind chill was so painful. I should have put a scarf over my lower face this morning. My hands were numb by the time I hit the top of the campus and there's a mile more to go at that point so I was in PAIN when I finally got into my office. Hopefully it'll be warmer when I head out for my run in a few hours. It is clear so it will be sunny anyway.

We had a long weekend and I got lots of work done on my Cozy V-Neck Pullover. I finished the front and got nearly half way done with the first sleeve. I was going to put up a picture this morning but the batteries are dead in my camera (again!) and I hadn't re-charged the other set so ... tomorrow. And I am getting NEW rechargeable batteries!! The ones I have are just the cheesiest and they don't last at all.

My weekend was fun and busy. Rehearsal Friday was pretty good - much better than last week. Saturday's gig was, however, a little frustrating. The "bad" keyboard player was with us and he was terrible. The guitar player was also not at his best so the band leader got frustrated and even screamed at them on the stage. Drama drama drama ... gah. We will be using the "good" keyboard player from now on and hopefully we can get ourselves a decent guitar player as well.

Sunday I slept in and then the BF and I took Tink to Green Lake and had a nice run. Tink was a trouper - she ran the whole 30 minutes! And of course, so did we. It was wonderful! Then it was football football ... and wouldn't you know it neither of "my" teams won! Dang! So it's going to be a who-gives-a-**** Super Bowl. The Giants and the Patriots? Nobody cares in this part of the world. And Sunday night we watched the latest Harry Potter movie. And I must say I'm glad I didn't waste my time going to see it at the theatre. I know the book is huge and the story is huge so what they left out of the movies was .... WAY too much. It barely made sense! I guess if you've never read any of the books it wouldn't make any difference but ... jeepers.

And yesterday - a lovely day off. The weather was clear and cold and the sky was blue. We ran errands and took Tink to Marymoor park for a nice long walk. Then I gave her a bath and had a lovely nap ... ahhhhhh. And here we are back at work. It's going to be a good week.

Super cute baby hat

With only one phone call interruption last night I had plenty of time to knit and finished up this adorable baby hat. This is my first ever baby project and now I see why people get so addicted to them. SUPER cute stuff and pretty quick results = nearly instant gratification. If I didn't have a million and one other things in my queue I'd most likely start on more baby stuff but ... I do. There is, however, a very cute baby jacket that I would love to make ..... I'm going to hold off.

I then got to do a bit more work on the ribbing for my pullover. Only about 2 or 3 more inches of the body ribbing to do. Oh I do so love doing sweaters in the round!! Here's a WIP photo. This is going to be a great sweater. I wear my Banff a lot and I think this one is going to be comparable. A real what-do-I-throw-on kind of thing. Always looks good and gets compliments.

We have a 3-day weekend coming up and the weather is supposed to be nice. Nice = not raining. Tomorrow will be taken up with getting my nails done and getting ready for the gig, but then I've got Sunday AND Monday. Maybe a nice run around Greenlake Sunday and either a bike ride or a trip out to Marymoor's off leash dog park with Tink on Monday? I like winter weekends when it's nice. If it were spring I'd either be working in the garden or feeling guilty about NOT working in the garden. This time of year - no garden work! Niccccccce.

That darned baby hat!

It keeps hanging on. One would assume that a baby hat could be knocked out in an evening, especially one so simple as this Little Boy Blue Ribbed Baby Hat! That is, of course, assuming [again] that said knitter has some uninterrupted time. I only had about an hour and a half last night but it looks as if I'm up to the decrease part, so that's only a dozen or so rows. I will be able to finish it up tonight. I don't expect I will be getting any interruptions.

One of my interruptions -- well two actually -- was my friend McGarrah calling for fashion advice. From Arizona, no less. He's competing in yet another songwriter contest. I think this is his fourth. It's in Florida - the South Florida Folk Festival - this weekend and he wanted my advice on what to wear. Why he couldn't get a friend down there to help him I'll never know but that's just the way he is. I told him he should get a short sleeved silk shirt to wear untucked. "Think Tony Soprano with cowboy boots". He got it. Let's hope he skipped the palm trees and just got a plain shirt.

I had an absolutely fabulous run yesterday. I like running when it's cold. Once I get warmed up it feels so good! And I think it's good to take a break every now and again. If only I could do it without gaining weight!

And .... it's gone

The snow, that is. Almost all gone from the roads. I road my bike in this morning and except for the bridge the streets were mostly clear. The bridge is always another story. Maybe today it'll be cleared because it's supposed to get up to 40. My walk home last night was not as slippery but it was definitely colder. I just don't want any more snow. We have a gig this Saturday and if it's snowing that is going to mean the crowd is going to be sparse. In Seattle people don't go out so much when it's snowing. It's very hilly here and the club we are playing in is at the top of one of the bigger hills in the city. If it's snowing I know *I* sure won't be driving. I hate to drive in the snow.

Today I'm going to sign up for two races - one in February and one in March. That'll get me back out on the trail to train. I think it's been a couple weeks since I've run and now I have a goal so I'll be back out there today. It looked like the trail was cleared. It gets a lot of traffic. I even saw people running on it yesterday. But then it was a sheet of ice! That's too dicey for me. I am such a klutz! I don't need any help in that department. The February race is an easy one around Green Lake, which is flat. The March race is a very VERY fun race from the Seattle Center down to Qwest Field via the Alaska Way Viaduct, which obviously is closed to traffic as are the streets leading to it. It is so incredible to be running where one has only driven before. Last year it was raining but still there were something like 15,000 people there. It's just unbelievable.

Last night I started my first baby hat. In all the years I've been knitting now -- like 4 I guess -- I have never done any baby stuff. I got a size 7 circular yesterday at lunchtime and cast one for a simple ribbed hat. I found the pattern on Ravelry but I think I'll change the top to have an I-cord that I knot. I like that look. I went to the LYS with my friend Ruth who wants a pair of sox. "How long does it take you to knit a pair of sox"? Depends ... depends on how many other things I'm working on and how long it takes me to finish the ones that are on the needles now! But she bought a skein of yarn so when I'm done with these I will start hers and have to wait to use my lovely yarn from Jen. Ah well ... we all need more time don't we?

Snow and ice

I wasn't feeling well so I stayed home yesterday. I slept and later I knit on the endless ribbing. Good news -- only about 4 or 5 more inches to go! I wanted to make a baby hat for my cousin's new baby boy but oddly enough I don't have a 16 inch size 7 circular needle. I couldn't use my Denise 9 inch cords because they are holding the sleeves for the sweater I'm working on. I guess I'll just have to get one. I just made a fire and watched a movie and knit and knit. This is one of those instances when you knit on something for what seems like an hour and then measure and it doesn't seem like you've made any progress at all! But I kept at it. Sooner or later it will be long enough. And even though I slept most of the day I still turned in early, read for about a minute and fell asleep.

It started snowing around 5:30 or six last night up north, but where I was it was mixed until around 7:30 when it definitely started to turn white and stick. When I let Tink out before we went to bed it was starting to clear up and there was about an inch or so on the ground. I was hoping it would melt during the night but it didn't. The streets and sidewalks are just sheets of ice so I walked in this morning rather than risk my neck on my bike. If I rode on well traveled roads it would be different, but the street I take in doesn't have much traffic and therefore stays icy and treacherous. I rather like walking in although when it's slippery it takes about 10 minutes longer than when it's not. There were plenty of vehicles slipping and sliding up the hills and I only passed a few bicyclists too crazy or stupid to find alternate means of transportation.

SO much fun!

What a great evening I had last night! I can't even begin to tell you how great "Jersey Boys" was. I am a very very VERY picky theatre patron and I just loved it. The production values were awesome. The sound -- well it just floored me. It was wonderful. If you ever get a chance to see it -- take it.

It was a fairly long show and so I didn't get to bed until nearly midnight and then couldn't shut out the voices until at least 12:30 so I'm pretty tired today. I'd love to just curl up in a corner with a cup of tea and knit but I'm busy at work so I'd better kick start myself and get going. I can knit while I'm getting my hair done and maybe I'll bring it ("it" being my cozy v-neck sweater with the miles and miles of ribbing to knit) to rehearsal tonight. And I will be able to work on it during the game on Saturday. (Go Hawks!!) I've joined a group on Ravelry that is dedicated to finishing UFOs on the 1st of every month. I'm stoked.

Back in the saddle again

Oh yeah! Got my bike back last night after work. They were supposed to fix the tire AND replace the cable for my shifters but I guess somebody dropped the ball, because my shifters were still slipping. But the tire is fixed so .... not all is lost. I did get to ride in finally. It's like ... what ... 3 weeks since I've been on my bike! No wonder I feel like a toad! I'm going to buckle down and get back into my routine next week. Besides having a trip to Maui planned for May (yes a long long looooong ways away from now) I just want to get back into the other half of my wardrobe, if you know what I mean. But isn't that everyone's complaint at this time of year?

So I rode in this morning and it wasn't too cold, thank goodness. It's been really cold lately - not freezing but just above it. This morning it was in the upper 40s and just raining a bit. Typical Seattle weather. Oh, and dark. I have SUCH a hard time getting out of bed but I did pretty well today and just managed to get on campus before the main onslaught of surly, shuffling students. I've got to shoot out of here a little early today, pedal like crazy to get home in decent time to take a shower and change and be ready to go at 5:30. We're going to dinner and then to see "The Jersey Boys". It's supposed to be really good and I've been wanting to see it ever since it came to town. The tickets are completely sold out but my BF has friends who work in the theatre so we were able to get tickets. I haven't been to a show since ... err ... ah! since I was in London the Thanksgiving before last. Yikes. Time flies. Over a year ago!

No knitting last night. I did noon knitting on my socks yesterday. I could finish those up if I put my mind to it. Then maybe I should start my next pair with the yarn I got from Jen's Etsy shop, Knitting Like Crazy. I bought a ball winder, now I just need a swift and I can wind that up and get knittin'. And I joined (another!) Ravelry group today. This one dedicated to finishing up UFOs on the first of the month. I have at least 3. Perhaps I shouldn't be too ambitious and just pick one to do on the first. Or by the first. I did start sewing up Isabella but even just slip stitching it is a trial. At least I know I'm not the only one with this particular affliction. Some call us "process knitters" and others call us "lazy". I'm both.

WIP Wednesday

I finally got off my tush (so to speak) and took pictures of my latest WIP, the Cozy V-Neck Sweater with Deep Ribbing from Fitted Knits. I'm using Rowan Soft Tweed in a lovely gray with little flecks of blue and pink in it. It's such a nice yarn. As you can see I've just started the ribbing. I've got ten inches of that to go. It's going to be a long road but thankfully it's perfect TV knitting and there is a game on this Saturday. (Seahawks and Green Bay). Here's a close up. Maybe you can see the flecks.

And I'm working on the foot of those socks. Not too exciting a picture so we'll skip that for now.

A couple days ago I was thinking again of a pattern I had admired a few years ago in an Interweave Knits magazine. (I must make myself put stickies on pages of things I like because I do remember them and then can't find the right magazine. It's frustrating.) I went through all of my IKs, although I must admit NOT page by page, but rather just flipping through and I couldn't find what I was looking for. So I posted on Craftster (although I probably should have done so on Ravelry as well) and sure enough my vague description of a purple cabled sweater done in the round did ring someone's bell and here it is - the Cable Cascade Pullover pattern by Jennifer L. Appleby. Now to find the right yarn. It is from Fall of 2005 so I probably can't get the yarn called for -- but I can surely find a suitable substitution.

And so to work.

Cliche -- It never rains but it pours

I swear ..... continuing with the bike saga ... I got my bike out of my car at lunchtime yesterday and walked it down to the bike shop in the freezing cold. Oddly enough I saw a man pushing a bike towards me as I got nearer to the shop. He crossed the street rather than try to maneuver his bike around mine on the sidewalk and I just figured he didn't want to ride in his work clothes. But as I got closer to the store I realized that they didn't have any stock outside, which was unusual and sure enough as I got to the doors I realized no one was inside and signs on the door said they were closed for inventory. arghghg Then my luck changed, happily. A man came out from behind the shop and introduced himself as one of the owners and he kindly took my bike for me. So at least I didn't have to push it back and try to load it into my car on my own. Now maybe I can have it back tomorrow. I was going to walk in today but ended up with a very late start due to a house guest who decided to get up at 5:15 and make business calls in the living room rather than downstairs in the guest room. I tried to get a little more sleep when he finally shut up but I couldn't get back to sleep .... and it was pouring rain and cold. So I drove again. Winter in Seattle is just the worst.

Because of company I didn't knit last night although I did bring it with me today so maybe I can get a few minutes in this afternoon for a break. My right hand is still a bit sore from not one but two separate cheese grating incidents during my little holiday. One on my thumb and one on my middle finger. I feel like the klutziest person alive.

I've been spending more and more time on Ravelry. Yesterday I signed up for a Mystery Jacket KAL which sounds like lots of fun. You can get lost in those forums for sure!

Happy New Year and all that stuff

I had a wonderful long rest and today had to actually set the alarm and get out of bed and enter back into real life. And reality smacked me, too! How fair is that?? I was doing pretty good time-wise, got all my stuff in my various packs and bags, got all togged up for the weather and headed out to get my bike and wouldn't you know it - the back tire was flat as a pancake!! At least this time I had the presence of mind to get the bike into the back of my car so when I do my run today I can just walk it down to the bike shop as my warm up. But really .... what a way to start the week, eh?

During my California portion of the vacation I didn't get much knitting done. One day I made the mistake of taking up my Liesel scarf and promptly messed up the stitch count. It was very windy that day and my sister had the windows wide open so the wind was whipping around, getting my hair in my eyes and somehow I missed something on the chart. I didn't tink it back ... probably should have but I thought best to just put it away and I haven't taken it out since. I did a few rows on the socks -- it's all foot now and I can finish those up in a couple evenings but I'll probably just take them into noon knitting since they are so nice and portable.

I started a new project but I don't have my camera with me today. It's cold here and I wanted to do something in the round. I chose a V-necked sweater from Fitted Knits. I had purchased some Rowan Soft Tweed at Elann (I think) and was able to get gauge with a 10 1/2 needle. It's going to be a classic sweater that I should be able to get some good wear from.

Saturday night was the big 50th birthday party for a friend of mine and I had volunteered (in a fit of madness, frankly) to get a band together for him. It was touch and go there what with the guitar player getting detained for some traffic infraction and having to search around for a drum kit but it all came together quite nicely. Plus which, as we were setting up we got to watch the Seahawks beat the Redskins and that was a gggrrreat game!!

Now back to the real world.

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.

What a view

From my room

On my way to Hawaii

Lunchtime.

Countdown to Hawaii

Oh wow ... I have been SO busy! Trying to avert disasters, and tie up loose ends - and I'm not talking about knitting. Since the hotel has only dial up access, which I am not going to want to use, I am working frantically to get ahead and head off anything I might have to address while there. Just working the meeting it going to be time consuming enough. I was so hoping to have some time on the beach but it's not going to be much time. Monday night I biked home in pouring, freezing rain, arriving home soaked to the bone. It is cold here! In fact, it might even snow Saturday. So it's just going to be glorious to be in the tropics no matter what I'm doing!

I finished up the basket weave scarf and I'm working on a headband (rather than a whole hat) to go with it. I'm only about 8 rows away from finishing that. I'm going to take my socks and yarn to make a hat for my sister and some fingerless mitts for a friend's little girl. I think that should do it for knitting projects. Oh ... but maybe I'll bring that bamboo along just to futz with as well.

I got the dog washed last night and the package put together for my Secret Pal and put it in the mail this morning on the way to work. It's heavy!! What the heck did I put in there? Heavy stuff I guess.

Well, I'll send pictures from my phone when I can - at least tomorrow from the airport when I'm having my pre-boarding cocktail. I'm taking my camera too and if the wireless connection in the hotel lobby is good I can post some pics while I'm there.

Aloha!

Secret Pal Revealed!!

Saturday I got my final Secret Pal package from Sara at Handy-Crafts. She has the most adorable baby! I don't know how she found the time to be such a super spoiler as well!!! She sent me some absolutely gorgeous Mango Moon yard, also some bamboo which I have been dying to try out, a cute little book and some note cards as well as a very handy tote bag. Thanks SO MUCH!!! I love everything! I can't wait to try out that bamboo too ... but it's going to have to wait until a few more holiday gifties are finished up. Although .... gosh it would be a perfect yarn to take to Hawaii ... hmmmm ... can't hurt to have it with me at least, eh?

Thanksgiving was great! And I had a nice long rest. The dinner came off without a hitch. Tink was perfectly mellow and a good dog. I ate soooo much ... I couldn't move after dinner. We sat and watched not one but two movies. I felt like a beached whale. Good though -- it was good!!

Despite my best intentions I did not get out into the yard. I did get some good knitting work done. Recognize this? Yup ... Isabella. I got one of the side seams sewn up. Holy cow ... what a HUGE hassle this is!! I know I sound a little whiny here but jee-eepers! Why oh why didn't I think about sewing this up before I got knitting on it. It's ridiculous! It would be SO easy to do this in the round. Why would anyone choose to have this much fiddly finishing work to do? Maybe I can get another side sewn up tonight. I hope so. It would be perfect for Hawaii but I'm not taking it along if it's not finished. Now that would be silly.

I did get that basket weave scarf finished and started a matching head band yesterday while watching the Seahawks beat the Rams. Yay!! Good game.

I also was going to get my last secret pal box sent off but again - ran out of time. I've got all the goodies so it's just a matter of putting them in the box and sending it off. Must do it by Wednesday.

It's still got the hold on me

Okay ... another evening spent with the Kureyon. It's just so purty ... all those colors.

I need to have a knitting friend close by to strong arm me into sewing up projects or something. Don't you think that Isabella would enjoy a trip to Hawaii? Hmmm? All I need to do is sew her up!! Well yeah and knit a bit of trim, but I could do it in a weekend day. You know, I think I have rationalized away sewing it up in mattress stitch. Size 3 needles ... no way! So I give myself permission to just whip stitch that baby together! I want to be able to take that with me. Oh if I could only just put the scarf down .....

It is clear and very chilly here in Seattle. The grass was all frosty this morning and people were scraping off their windshields. I even had my glove liners in my biking gloves this morning and my hands were numb by the time I got to work. C-c-c-cold! The bridge was frosty and scary but the puddles weren't frozen so it must have been just above freezing. A little out of the ordinary for us. But I heard that the sunshine is supposed to stay for the weekend, which would be lovely. I could get some yard work done as well as knitting.

I got a little tiny heart tug this morning on my way in .... usually I go to Paris for Thanksgiving and I am missing my friends a lot. This is one of my favorite weeks to be in Paris. In the neighborhood I used to live, the Marais, the Christmas decorations are put up the last weekend of November and it's one of my super favorite things in the whole world, watching them go up. Okay well Thanksgiving is early this year so if I was there I would be missing that anyway. I won't be going in January this year either. Ah well .... life goes on.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all [yes, a day early I know]. I am cooking this year but only for 8. It'll be a piece of cake. The hard part is going to be cooking in a "strange" kitchen. I am cooking at my boyfriend's house. (Well ... it's been 3 months now so I guess I can say it without jinxing the whole thing. No, really. Considering my outrageous and ridiculous dry spell and the considerable bad luck I had been having. After 3 months this one seems to be sticking.) It'll be a traditional feast. I never get tired of turkey dinner. Mmmmmmmmm! Plus he's got a high def plasma screen TV in the kitchen so I can watch the football while I'm cooking. Oh baby does it get much better than that? Oh yeah, just add champagne - a nice little bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte already chilling in the fridge just waiting for the cook. I'll just have a little easy knitting sitting around - perhaps the socks. I can smell the turkey already!

Spicy?

I love spicy food. Love it. So yesterday evening I went to the grocery store to pick a couple fire logs because it was so cold and I thought it would be nice to have a cozy fire downstairs, and while I was there I saw Spicy Tuna Rolls in the sushi case. Since I really had nothing very exciting at home for dinner I decided to treat myself to some sushi. However, these spicy tuna rolls were something special. I ate one or two and ... whooo .... my mouth was hot hot hot! I figured maybe I had put too much wasabi into the soy sauce so I diluted it and tried another piece. Ouch! H-h-hot! I had some beer but that didn't cool me off so I waited for a few minutes, got a soda, waited until the burning subsided and tried one more time. Maybe I had gotten just an extra-hot piece. I could see the red pepper flakes in the tuna but it seemed like it was more than that. Perhaps they had put hot oil in with it? I don't know but frankly, I had to give up. It was THAT hot. That's not spicy. That's freakin' spicy. Who can eat that and taste it?? Plus which -- my tummy this morning is burning. I'm off spicy sushi for a while.

Knitted on the basket weave scarf again. I can't help myself!! It's the Noro --- what color will come out next and will I like it and will it look good next to this color? It's a sickness. Tomorrow I'm bringing my socks to Noon Knitting. I've got to break the hold that scarf has on me.

What a fabulous weekend!

I mean it! BOTH my football teams won -- and both beat Bears! How crazy is that? The Seahawks game was so incredibly exciting! I had a bazillion chores to do yesterday so I had set it to record and then started watching it about an hour in, so that way I could skip the commercials. Just a great great game!

I have another whole great huge rant about musicians and I was going to just rant away, from the top. But you know what? It's hardly worth it. I'll just give a quick sketch and skip the in depth rant. Suffice it to say (reiterate is more like it) that in general, musicians are jerks. Here it is in a few words - despite rehearsing Sunday the 11th AND Friday night before the gig, the offending members managed to mess up every single one of my songs. At one point one of the guys had me singing the song into his ear right before it was counted off because he couldn't remember it!!! The leader was absolutely LIVID, and came to me at the beginning of the 3rd set on his knees and apologized and said that it was the last time and we were going to fix it (in other words somebody is getting fired for sure!) before the next job. I mean ..... it was just so infuriating! What a colossal waste of time. Why rehearse if you're not going to take the time to learn the freaking song?? Well ... see, I didn't want to get going on a rant. It's going to be fixed. In fact, we have a new guitar player all lined up and he's an old friend of mine and he's totally awesome so it's now just a matter of taking the time to rehearse. The good thing about him is that I know he'll take the tapes and learn the songs BEFORE rehearsal and he won't forget them either. Other than that -- it was such a fun night Saturday. The bar was packed, and lots of my friends came to see me "come out of retirement" and the mistakes weren't that obvious if you didn't know what to listen for. I got to wear a killer outfit ... it was just too much fun! The leader and the other singer and I sat around afterwards, having our post gig drink, and chatting and then we were hungry ... well, I didn't get to bed until 4 am, just like the good old days. But I was much younger then. It was pretty hard to get started yesterday.

So - knitting now. Last Wednesday I needed some easy therapy knitting. Do you ever come home and say "I need to knit"!"? That's what I did Wednesday. I had had a trying day and I just felt like I needed to sit and have the wool and needles in my hands and I didn't relax until I did. But I didn't want to work on the complicated lace scarf so I pulled out some Kureyon and started the basketweave scarf. Kureyon is so hypnotic. I just keep going, waiting for the next color. I'm using size 8 needles so it's slow going but it's going to be a super warm scarf. I was thinking about making a hat to match but it' s going to depend on how long the scarf gets at the end of two skeins. I have 4 skeins - two of each colorway. Maybe at the end of the two skeins if it's not long enough I can make the matching hat and then use the rest of the yarn for the scarf. Well, I don't have to decide now. Hopefully tonight I can resist picking it up and instead sew my Scoop de Jour together. Bets?

Yes, it was Wednesday

and YES I remembered my knitting! I got some good work done on my two socks at lunchtime knitting. That yarn ... the colors are SOOOOO beautiful! I'm just anxious to get down the leg and get to the heels so I can do it just this once and (hopefully) be forever converted to 2 at once socks. After getting that down - say two or three times - then I'm going to try toe-up 2 at once. Well, a girl must have goals, right?

I skipped the run yesterday. I swear I'm fighting a cold again!! And running when you have upper respiratory symptoms is no picnic. I run for FUN .... oh well yeah and a little pain ... but mostly FUN! Wheezing and gasping are not part of the fun.

Yesterday afternoon one of the ladies that works right down the hall from me came scooting up to my door and knocked. I let her in and she was all jumpy. Seems a mouse had run into her office! We are in what is known as The Annex, which is a converted construction trailer. All of "us" are displaced persons while the building we used to inhabit is being renovated. This building is a mess and, oh yes just happens to have a rodent problem to boot. So poor lady, she was on the phone trying to get someone to come set some traps or something. Lucky for her she had keys to one of the vacant offices nearby her own so set up shop there. I can still see those nasty sticky little traps outside her office door. Yuk.

Last night I worked some more on the cashmere lace scarf. Finished ball 1 and got going on ball 2. It's not going to be very long but, as I said, I'm going to block the dickens out of it so it'll be a nice, deluxe neck piece that somebody will be sure to love ... even if that somebody is me!

Work is still so busy busy busy. I've gotten almost everything done for the meeting coming up and have begun work on what is turning out to be a HUGE project that I was truly hoping to be done with by the end of this month. Well it's only the ... erm ....15th so if work hard I just may get there.

I also need to finish gathering goodies for my last Secret Pal package. I've got a couple good books, some yarn, but I need girlie goodies. Oh! and get this ... for her first package I sent the book Knitting Circles Around Socks and I wanted to be a good secret pal and include the two size 2 circulars with it and the sock yarn. Knit Picks has quite nice Addi knock-offs so I ordered two of them but, of course they were out of stock so her package went without them. Finally they got the stock, informed me the needles were now in stock did I want to order them? Suuuurre! I got the package yesterday -- ONE needles. Not 2, one. *sigh* So my current plan is to enclose the single needle with her last package and then order another one from Knit Picks and have it sent directly to her. Well, my heart was in the right place, right??

Pitiful, paltry pile of string

See that little pile of Rowan Calmer? That my friends is what is left after knitting the button bands and neck bands on my Scoop de Jour. I was very VERY happy that I hadn't sewn the whole thing up before adding on the bands. I knew I was going to be close with the yarn so I figured that worse case I could sew it up with something from my left over yarn box. But it looks like I might make it after all. I have some pretty long ends in there that'll help sew the button bands together at the top. Here she is without arms or side seams yet but bands done! The color of the left over yarn is much more accurate than the picture of the entire project.

Anyway -- so Sunday we had rehearsal in the early evening and I thought I would be a clever girl and practice my songs (after I raked up a HUGE pile of leaves) while I picked up and knit the stitches for the button bands. I find that if I can do other things while I'm singing a song then I clearly know the lyrics and that's the biggest stumbling block for me, my memory being about as .. well I don't know, it's just bad. So there I am, singing away and picking up stitches and knitting and happy as a person can be. I finished up the first one only to find that I had thought I was working on the left side rather than the right and had neglected to put in button holes!!! Gaaaaah!! I wasn't about to take it out, so my cardigan will button on the wrong side. I'm just grateful that I have gotten this far and even feel like sewing the rest of the seams and blocking that baby tonight! Wouldn't that be awesome!!! Then maybe do you think I'll get the Isabella sewn up and finished before I go to Hawaii? Hmmm???

Oh! So another thing I did this weekend is start my two socks at once from Knitting Circles Around Socks. Here's a picture. I'm using some gorgeous Järbo Garn Mini Raggi that I saw at my LYS and just had to have. It's so pretty, this colorway. We had a holiday yesterday so I'm going to be confused as to which day is which again this week but I am going to do my best to remember to bring them to work Wednesday for noon knitting!!

I got to go to the Monday Night Football game last night - Seahawks and 49ers and we crushed them! It was a fantastic game and I had a great time. Funny how it's always SO much more fun when your team wins.

FOs, WIP and other glamorous things

I am starting this post with not one but TWO FOs!! First, Mikie's socks. While the knitting and end weaving is done, I still have to put the non-skid bottoms on them, but for all intents they are categorized as FO in my book. Voila! Definitely boy colors. I'm glad I'm giving them away. By the way, it's just perspective in the photo - one is NOT larger than the other.

Okay -- so FO number 2 is the Rabbit Tracks scarf. It was a quick knit and I don't even know where it's going to end up, but one can never have too many "extra" gifts items at this time of year. I'm just putting the close up picture of it so you can see the pattern. The long view is just not that interesting.

After I got done finishing up these little beauties I didn't feel like measuring and picking up stitches for the front of the Scoop de Jour (Oh but maybe tonight?) so I started on a Lisle scarf with some glorious Laines du Nord Royal Cashmere that I got on sale at Webs (which happens to be on close out for 50% off ...... that's $9.99/85 yards). I got two pattern repeats done. It's going to block out pretty wide and I have no idea how long it's going to get with 3 balls but it might even be able to be categorized as a wrap if I block the heck out of it. We'll see.

And last but not least, on this day of many pictures, I figured I'd snap a picture of what is sitting on my dining room table. Last week it was a dozen red. This week, 2 dozen peach-y blossoms. I don't know what I did to deserve this, but whatever it is I hope I can keep it up!!

I thought it was Thursday!

I worked SO hard yesterday - barely taking my eyes off the screen all day long. No run. Ate at my desk. Maybe because of that I skipped a day in my brain ... I don't know. All I know for sure is that I'm going to miss Noon Knitting today because I didn't bring anything to work on, thinking it was Thursday!!! Gaaaa!

I worked on Mikie's sock last night and have only a few more rows of toe decreases and then Kitchener that thing up and I'm done! I am really anxious to get that sock off the needles so I can try my two at once. I should have pictures Friday of the finished socks as well as (hopefully) a finished Rabbit Tracks scarf.

I got two skeins each of Noro Kureyon and Silk Garden yesterday in the mail from Little Knits. I think I'll use the Kureyon for another striped scarf (I wear the one I made last year all the time) and add a striped hat to go with it for a gift. I have two skeins of a brighter colorway than the one I got so it should work out nicely. As for the Silk Garden -- not sure. I have some other odds and ends of Silk Garden from that vest I made .... don't know. I seem to be in a lacy scarf mood these days. Who doesn't like to get a nice scarf for a gift? As usual I have too many ideas and too little time. I am hoping that I can get some good gift knitting done when I'm in Hawaii for that meeting. Sounds strange - knitting and Hawaii - but I'm not talking a lap full of sweater. Just some nice lacy scarf projects. Maybe with beads.

It was a swift weekend

I don't even feel like I HAD a weekend! It was that quick. So much to do and ... well, okay, we did lose an hour ... but still it seemed to zip by.

Friday I was tired after a really long and hard work week. I built a fire and had some food and knit on the Rabbit Tracks scarf (which is zipping right along). Saturday I had tons of chores to do and PJ's football championship game right in the middle of the day. Got most of my chores done, got to the game, which they unfortunately lost, and knit and knit on Mike's socks. I made a stop at the craft store because they are nearly done and I wanted to find something to make them non-skid since he has tile floors. One of the helpful ladies there directed me to some plastic stuff that I can glue onto the bottoms of them. That should work.

I put them aside and worked on the scarf that evening. I don't know who I'm going to give it to yet but I want to get it done (it goes SO quickly) and blocked out so I can see if it's a pattern I might want to make in some nicer yarn for gifts. I was also thinking of using the lace pattern from the Flower Power shrug so I could incorporate some beads into one of them. I have that nice mohair I bought in Paris a couple trips ago that would certainly lend itself to some luxe accessories.

I finished up the foot of the second sock as I watched the Seahawks lose a nail biter. What shame. Not a good football weekend - AGAIN. I watched "Meet the Robinsons" last night and didn't knit a stitch. Just watched. That was a strange movie.

My AWESOME Secret Pal

I came home from a hard day yesterday to find a package on my doorstep! Look what my Secret Pal sent me!! Gorgeous pink and green yarn - the pink is Lamb's Pride and the green is Silky Wool. My super ultra favorite colors! AND some purse handles that, I don't know how she did it, but I have been seriously looking for these types of handles for AGES! Plus a cool button with an "S" in the middle and what looks like to be a vintage belt buckle. Thanks SO MUCH Secret Pal. I love *everything*!!!

And speaking of Secret Pal goodies, I have finally found a pattern that I think will work for the one of the skeins of yarn she sent me in the first package. It's called the Maple Leaves Lace Scarf and the colors would be perfect. Also, I am still fiddling with a pattern for the green skein of Lamb's Pride she sent me - a felted bag pattern. I've started it twice but need to frog and re-start one last time (I hope).

I made yet another boneheaded mistake yesterday with my socks. I was working on them while I was getting my hair done, just finishing up the final gusset decreases on the second sock. Did the very last one, dropped the needle to turn the work and ... the needle fell on the floor. In other words, I used the same needle and now have the whole sock on ONE needle!! arghghg!! I just calmly put it away and will deal with it this weekend. I worked on the Rabbit Tracks scarf last night as I was watching a little TV. I would like to measure out and pick up the stitches for the fronts of the Scoop de Jour this weekend but it is shaping up to be one heck of a busy weekend yet again. Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. It's just that I would dearly love to get that cardigan finished .....