Whew! The day got away from me!

Oh! Happy first day of spring!! I was talking to a friend of mine who is living in Luxembourg and she was saying it was snowing there! Now it's not all that warm here but at least it's not snowing! Ick ick ick!!

I had someone come over this morning to start doing a little work around my house to begin getting it ready, so I didn't get in until late and I turned around twice and here it is after 4 already! One of those afternoons when I had a crazy computer software issue. That just eats up the time something fierce. I think I've got it fixed but I'm not going to get too cocky until I can get it published with all the links working.

Oh hey ... guess who actually did some knitting last night! Yeah! I am that close to finishing the body of the SKB. Just a couple more rows to go and then I can transfer the sleeve stitches and start on them. I don't have anything but dinner to make tonight so hopefully I'll get a good run at it.

Several people (no, not just you Nonnahs) have asked about the plans for that day which I promised NOT to speak about on this blog. So tomorrow I'm going to make a blog solely for that where I can post pictures and blather on about all the little details.

Oddly enough I have almost completely forgotten about our trip to Hawaii what with all this other excitement going on. But today I remembered when I was talking to Emma and now I'm all excited about that too! Oh really it'll be so relaxing.

And now .... I think I'll go home!

Let's try it again

Right! I'm back on the bike again. So far so good with just a little coughing. I wasn't uncomfortable or out of breath. I will take it slow as far as the running goes. I really really don't want to have another relapse.

I was noticing my lawn a couple days ago - that it's growing again. The new sod took hold quite well and weather the winter. The only place it's not perfect is in front of my bike shed and I suppose that's because all winter long while the grass was growing I was walking on it. My neighbor has a gardening service and they mowed her yard yesterday so there is now a stark contrast between her parking strip and mine. I sure hope my next house has much less garden than this one. I am SO through with gardening!

No knitting last night - again! I went shopping for my dress and it took quite a bit longer than I had anticipated so it was nearly 9 when I got home and all I wanted to do was read the paper and have a drinkie and something to eat. Tonight though - tonight after I take Tink for her annual exam I will knit! Yes!

We need some imagination people!!

I don't like to paint with such a big brush but why do Americans think that Sinead O'Connor and U2 are the only Irish bands out there?? Oh yeah ...... the Cors and the Cranberries too. Being as it was St. Patrick's day yesterday Irish music was the thing to play. But I swear EVERY time I got in my car yesterday and turned the radio on I heard Sinead O'Connor singing "Nothing Compares To You"! Arghghghghghgh!!!! That's 3 times!!! We all have a few songs that grab us by the throat, so to speak. Or turn us inside out. Or whisk us back in time. Or do all three and then some. I must admit I have a few too many. It's hard. I have managed to take a good many of them off my iPod but once in a while one will sneak up on me. I forget where I was last week .... I got blind sided and stopped right in my steps. Don't say it - I know. I need to get a grip.

The rain has stopped and today it's just ... oops spoke too soon. It's cloudy now. I had to drive in today but it is THE LAST DAY I will drive in. Tomorrow I'm biking in and I'm going to start back running. Slowly, obviously, since it's been since February 19 that I had my last real run. I remember because when I went to the doctor on the 21, so sick, I whined to him "But I even ran on Tuesday!". And I have those new shoes and running tights that I've only worn twice. Thank goodness I've been careful plus which my appetite was off for so many weeks - and I haven't gained back any of the weight that I had finally managed to banish. Cough is like 90% gone. Yay!

No knitting last night and it doesn't look like I'll have much time tonight either. I do so want to get the body of that SKB finished up and start on those sleeves. They'll go fast. I want to wear that thing!!

The cherry trees

I don't know why they much such a fuss about Washington, D.C. The cherry trees here in Seattle are just gorgeous. No no ... I know why they make a fuss but still. It is very very spring-like around here, even though it is rainy.

Busy busy weekend again. Thank goodness the inhaler is working and I'm now almost entirely cough free. I couple times Saturday night I had little coughing fits on stage but I think it was because it was so warm and my throat was getting dry. I felt good (except for getting ticked off at the keyboard player ....) but I was sure tired by the time I fell into bed.

That morning I had an appointment to try on some dresses, which was exhausting. Those things are heavy! My preferences are evolving. I want to be able to move and dance. I had some lunch and a nice long nap and that's what made Saturday night bearable. I really really wanted to be able to run the race Sunday but there was no way. There is another coming up in April and I will make that my goal. I also knit on the Simple Knitted Bodice after my nap and I have only 6 more rows of the body. Sunday after I got the laundry going and Tink walked I went to the LYS and I bought a couple more circular needles so I can do the sleeves like I do socks, 2 at a time on 2 circs. With the lace work I think it would be best so that I can make sure they're 100% the same. I had a meeting with my real estate agent on Friday evening to talk about what needs to be done to my house to get it ready to list and so I could have been starting on a few of the hundreds of chores I have but instead I took it easy. Tonight though I must go buy some plastic bins so I can start "de-cluttering" my house. Not something I am looking forward to. Do you know how many books I have around? Not to mention the yarn. Oh heavens - I wonder if the dresser is going to make me move my stash? erghgh

Now this is getting really ridiculous

I had to visit the doctor again on Wednesday because my cough was coming back and I was wheezing. During my bike ride in I was markedly short of breath. All bad things. I guess I jumped the gun a bit. I shouldn't have been riding my bike. I darn sure won't be running the race this weekend. I shouldn't be singing tomorrow night but since there are six other people counting on me, I will be there. The good news is that the inhaler he gave me is working. Plus I was advised to basically shut down. No breathing in cold air. No getting my heart rate elevated. And it seems to be working. Go figure, huh?

So I'm doing some work from home - I like web site designing so it's not too bad. I'm getting rest. I'm avoiding anything that looks like exercise. Also pretty tough for me. I had to get out yesterday for a couple hours - got the damp clothes dried at a laundromat and bought another dryer. I realized after reading the instructions that it was beyond me. I no longer own an ohm meter and even if I did I don't know how to use it.

Knitting in the evening exclusively on the Simple Knitted Bodice. I'm almost done with the body. Hope to start on the sleeves - maybe even both at the same time if I've got the needles - tonight or this weekend.

It would be funny if it weren't so freakin' annoying!!!!

My dryer broke yesterday evening. This is the third time in less than 2 years! I just cannot believe it! The first time I called a repairman and had him fix it. A friend of mine at work said that I should have just done it myself - it's very easy. Well, since it broke down only a few months after that and I couldn't afford to call the repairman I downloaded instructions from the web and with the help of my nephew we managed to fix it. And now AGAIN! The good news is that there are only 3 things that can be wrong with it that manifest in this particular symptom - no heat - and I've fixed two of them. So I should just be able to go straight to that third thing. Should. I couldn't face it last night. Maybe tonight. It's just ridiculous timing! I mean .... I'm going to be putting this house on the market in a few weeks. I don't want to be buying a new dryer for whomever is going to be buying the house. grrrrr

Knitting-wise I have hit a wall with that Mystery Jacket. I think if I loved the color, if I had gotten the color I originally ordered, I wouldn't be where I am now. But I don't really know if I'd wear the thing once it was finished and I am crazy in love with my Simple Knitted Bodice so that's the long way of saying I didn't work on Clue 4 last night but rather worked on the SKB. Oh well.

The clocks changed but not me

Oh boy -- what time did I get to work today, boys and girls? Uh ..... well, maybe a little later than I had hoped. It's that darned clock change!! It was darker. I was sleepy. It was raining and I biked in for the first time since I got sick ... oooo that's a long time ago. So yeah, I was a little late. Not too bad though. My bike ride was nice. It felt good to get back on that bicycle even though it was raining. My stamina was just fine and I was breathing okay but I did have a couple little teensie coughing jags. Again, not too bad. I feel g-g-g-good! I know I won't be able to run today but I think I'll tog up and walk/trot/jog just a bit.

Remember my Friday resolve? Yeah I remember it too. Here's what happened. I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and OMG didn't all of the new spring magazines just happen to come out that day and I bought [oh this is embarrassing] 4 bride magazines. With best intentions to just flip through maybe one of them and then get right to that knitting I ended up spending four hours reading magazines, putting sticky notes on "important" pages (oh I'm rolling my eyes ... yes I am) and talking on the phone. Saturday and Sunday were just as busy as I had predicted and the two hours I had "free" on Sunday I spent washing the dog and doing laundry and cleaning my wickedly messy house. Tonight I have rehearsal so there's no knitting tonight either and I am now officially one entire Clue behind my Mystery Jacket KAL! I have GOT to get caught up ASAP. I can start on Tuesday, I hope.

The gala Saturday night was just fabulous and I laughed myself to tears at Colin Ferguson. That guy is hilarious! The Sunday girlie evening was wonderful as well. At the purse silent auction I was bidding willy-nilly because ... well it's just fun and if you win one, well that's fun too. Unfortunately I won 3 on the first round!! Two Kate Spade bags (!!!) and one Coach. However [and I am really miffed about this] the Coach bag, upon closer inspection, is a fake. I hate to say what I paid for a fake Coach bag. Yes sure it was for a good cause but still, isn't that a bit creepy? I'll give it to my BF's daughter because she doesn't mind carrying knock-offs but still ...grrr. AND women were taking the silent auction slips for the really good bags and hiding them!! For cryin' out loud ladies (and I use the term loosely) WTF??!!

And that's all the ranting I'm going to do today.

Oh where's my resolve???

I vowed that yesterday I would get started on the Clue 4 part of Mystery Jacket. And in my defense I did start, but my eyes were tired and I goofed up at row 8 and so had to rip it out. And rather than start again, which I should have done, I worked more on the Simple Knitted Bodice, which I am now so in love with and can't wait to wear!!! But this evening the Clue 5 will be posted and I haven't even started Clue 4!!! So I MUST do it tonight. And the good news is that I don't have anything at all going on so when I get home I'll do the barest minimum house clean up and then put on some music and get a good run at that panel. I mustn't get behind and I just don't have a whole lot of time this weekend.

Saturday I'm taking my BF's daughter shopping (first round, obviously) to look at Bridesmaid dresses and then that evening I get to go stay at a fancy hotel downtown and attend an equally fancy and formal gala that my BF's company is doing. It is oh so wonderful because he's the boss so he doesn't really have to do the work and often times gets to just enjoy the event and I get to as well. Not all the time, but sometimes. And I do so dearly love to stay in fancy hotels, don't I? Plus this gala is having a national act after the dinner and auction, so that's pretty cool too.

Sunday I'm having a super girlie evening. A few girlfriends and I are attending a charity event at another of my favorite hotels, The W. It's called "Bags and Bottles" and it's a benefit for Gilda's Club. Pretty simple concept - women bring new or "gently used" high end handbags for a silent auction and about 30 wineries pour wine as you nibble goodies and shop for handbags. What's not to love?

Doesn't leave a whole lot of time for knitting and THAT is why I have to jump on Clue 4 tonight!!!

Have you noticed the birds?

That whole week and a half I spent sick and out of it -- well during that time it seems that Spring sneaked up! I wandered my front garden and saw that the Clematis my sister and I planted last spring and which ended up looking like dead sticks(!) is coming back to life! As are the weeds in the flower beds, of course. But there are daffodils blooming in my backyard and in the front as well. And it is noticeably lighter on both ends. AND the birdsong is different. It puts a spring in your step, doesn't it? Oh I wish that I felt good enough to ride my bike and run. Maybe tomorrow I'll take a long walk at ..... ah no, I just remembered we're looking at wedding venues today and tomorrow at lunch. [BTW - I have decided NO wedding talk on this blog. If I really feel the need to blather on about it I'll make a separate wedding blog so readers have a choice. And that's the LAST I'll mention it here. No. Really.] Well next week for sure I am going to start moving around. This cough surely must be on its way out.

Last night we had a rehearsal and a girl to audition for the 3rd spot. I really really liked her - such a nice girl and a good voice and she blended very well with Brenda and myself. I hope we hire her. I know she can't sing with us this coming Saturday because she's got another gig but then on the bright side we'd have another whole month to rehearse together. I must say, the sound of 3 part harmony is just thrilling to me! AND .. bonus .. we finally got to rehearse my new song - which is an older song but I love it - Put Your Records On. Now with 2 girls singing back-ups on that song it's really really cool.

I have been having a lot of fun knitting on my Simple Knitted Bodice but here it is Thursday already and I haven't even started on my fourth clue of my Mystery Jacket. So that's my chore for today - to start that sucker anyway. It's "Lost" tonight so I most probably won't be doing all that much hard knitting. That's the kind of show where if you're not JUST knitting or JUST purling you might as well put that project down because you know you're going to be ripping it out.

Oh! I almost forgot!! My friend Brenda, the other singer in the band, brought me TWO shopping bags filled with yarn and needles that someone had given her at her job. (She works in retirement homes as a nurse). Now I haven't really looked too far into them so I am betting they're most likely filled with mostly acrylic yarn but hey -- needles in there too! She wants me to make her a "hat with no top". She has fluffy hair - an afro - and she wants a knitted hat but she wants her hair to be able to come out the top. Cute idea. So that's my chore and it's an easy one. I can embellish it with simple cables and she'll think it's awesome. See? That's why KIP-ing is so important! You never know when somebody is going to come across a treasure trove like that and they'll think "Oh yeah, Shelley knits. Maybe she'd like it". Yeahhhhhhhhh baby.

A little WIP action

Finally today I can post a couple pictures of WIPs. I am having fun knitting my Simple Knitted Bodice but I must put it aside tonight and start on Clue 4 of the Mystery Jacket KAL. So here's where I am so far. I figure about another 4 to 6 rows of chevron lace for the waist detail before I do the second set of purl ridges. I an really liking the look of this black K1C2 Angora Soft. And the second picture I have is what I have so far on the body of the Cascading Cables. This thing is going to be large, no doubt about it. But pretty - very pretty and oh so soft. The picture doesn't do it justice.

All of the lace on the Simple Knitted Bodice is pretty much what I did yesterday evening. When I wasn't talking with my sister about wedding plans. I tell you - sisters are the best! Between the two of us we've almost got the whole thing planned. Meeting with the BF tonight but I'd say between Kel and I .... we've got it handled. ;-)

No I haven't fallen off the face of the earth ...

although there were a few days there where I certainly wanted to. I have been sick. Sick as in I didn't get out of bed for more than a week. As in the first course of antibiotics didn't do a thing and I'm on the second course and still ... yes still ... coughing although I'm at work today. I didn't ride my bike, that's for sure. I don't know where this thing came from but I woke up with a cough on Wednesday February 20th and saw the doctor the next day and I have been sick since then. Wow - 12 days.

And life just kept happening while I was laying around on the couch. Not even knitting until this weekend when I started being able to stay awake for more than a couple hours at a time. Tinkerbell was SUCH a good doggie. The BF would come over every couple days to make sure I had water and soup and to try to engage me in conversation. I was getting a little scared there, to tell you the truth. I kept getting calls from friends who had this relative and that relative go into the hospital with pneumonia and there I was still regularly hacking up my lungs. The doctor was nice enough not to make me come back into the office and prescribed more stuff for me and the cough is calming down some and I can concentrate and walk around and do things so yes I am for sure better. I don't know if I'm going to be able to make my St. Patrick's Day run on the 16th though. If I can be breathing normally by the end of the week and can go up and down my stairs without collapsing then MAYBE I'll be able to train for a week and do it. Well .. I'm not going to obsess about it. If I can do it I'll do it. If not - no big deal. There's another race in April.

So though - HUGE news here. I was right about the engagement ring. I am now officially engaged!!! Oooo now BF stands for Big Fiance. ;-) He wanted to ask me when we went to the ocean [which I did even though I was so sick that I spent the entire time either laying in bed or on the couch of the motel!] but it was not a very romantic setting so he ended up asking me Saturday morning. I guess he felt the need for the actually asking of the question and the answering of the question because he wanted to take me shopping for the ring. He had been tippy-toeing around it before but this time he wanted to be serious about it - lists of stores, etc. Oh it was SO MUCH FUN! I found the perfect ring at the second store we went to but we went to a third just to make sure. By that time I was exhausted so we went back yesterday and picked out the center stone and now I have to wait until the 21st of March to get it!! I snapped some pictures with my iPhone at the jewelery store when the guy had just plopped the stone in there for the look but it's so blurry. I can tell what it is but it just doesn't do it justice. So - more pictures later when I actually get it and can use my good camera.

And knitting news - no pictures today but I did a good bit on my Cascading Cables sweater and then got the first two purl ridges done on the Simple Knitted Bodice and I'm ready to start the waist lace detail. That is going to be a fabulous top.

And I guess that's all I'm sayin' today!!

Why I didn't knit a single stitch Saturday

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

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

Happy Valentine's Day

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

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

Oooo I am SUCH a klutz!

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

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

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

A busy weekend

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

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

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

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

Throwing in the towel

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

We all know how it goes

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

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

Have you noticed?

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

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

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

It's a great feeling

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

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

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

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

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

Oh happy happy girl!

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

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

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

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

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

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