Saturday, December 22, 2007

Merry Christmas!



Merry Christmas, Knitters & Friends. I finally head out to home tomorrow. I can't wait to be with my family.

C. is tucked away with his folks in NC and I miss him like a part of myself is gone away. We talk constantly, but I'm used to his face being around the homestead. I have, however, enjoyed sleeping in the middle of the bed. I'm over it now.

So the next few days for me include:

- Hugs out the wazzoo.
- Laughter and tales of Christmases past
- Updates on all activities from the niece & nephew
- Holiday cocktails
- Holiday music and dancing with my family
- Christmas eve service at church, where I can rejoice in this holiday and faith
- Christmas morning with my family and Christmas dinner with more family
- Meeting dear friends for lunches and evening cocktails
- Finding all of the good after Christmas sales with my mom
- Possibly picking up my wedding dress

It's a good list of things to look forward to. In the end, my life is about these people and I cherish these times. I don't hate my job, and I'm thankful for that, but my life is about the moments that I have with the people I love. I'm rich in that way alone. I have been lucky enough to have been surrounded, in the summer of my lifetime, by the most precious souls on earth. I'm thankful for it.

Now, I'm going to go pack an extra knitting project, I have to be at the airport in the morning!

So, till next week, that's all the news that's fit to knit!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Admissions


I know that a lot of people get choked up over songs, but I am here to admit today that nothing makes me cry my eyes out like hearing the Beach Boys sing Little Duece Coup. Why is that?


Little deuce Coupe You don't know what I got Little deuce Coupe You don't know what I got


Well I'm not braggin' babe so don't put me down


But I've got the fastest set of wheels in town When something comes up to me he don't even try Cause if I had a set of wings man I know she could fly


She's my little deuce coupe

You don't know what I got (My little deuce coupe) (You don't know what I got)


Just a little deuce coupe with a flat head mill But she'll walk a Thunderbird like (she's) it's standin' still She's ported and relieved and she's stroked and bored. She'll do a hundred and forty with the top end floored


She's my little deuce coupe

You don't know what I got (My little deuce coupe) (You don't know what I got)


She's got a competition clutch with the four on the floor And she purrs like a kitten till the lake pipes roar And if that aint enough to make you flip your lid There's one more thing, I got the pink slip daddy


And comin' off the line when the light turns green Well she blows 'em outta the water like you never seen I get pushed out of shape and it's hard to steer When I get rubber in all four gears


She's my little deuce coupe You don't know what I got (My little deuce coupe) (You don't know what I got)

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Holy Crap, Knitting pictures!

It's Christmas in Brooklyn today for C. and I. He gifted me with a new iPod video Nano. I love this thing! A few years ago, C. got me a mini - which went out of circulation about a week after it was released, but I loved her. I've been using her happily, but C. decided that I needed to new video action - I love it. Thanks honey!

What do you get the guy bought you a diamond ring and a new iPod in the same year? The new Bose in ear head phones for the video iPod you got him last year. Yeah, he'll probably get a post holiday gift - I was thrown by this exciting giftie for me under the tree this year.

This is my Boogie sweater vest - fresh out of the bath and off the needles. I love it and will try to find a day when the sun shines to get a picture of it on my actual body. I love the vest and the double cable up the front is really nice.

We're enjoying our shared Christmas here in Brooklyn today. We're playing with the new iPod and new iPod toys. We're slightly home bound because of the nasty weather the nor-easter has dropped on us (mostly ice and slush, stuff that freezes your toes). I'm listening to the Steelers lose their game to Jacksonville, egg nogg is in my future (yay! C. makes the best nogg in the world) and I'm working on a pair of socks as a last minute gift "just in case".

This is the last week before the holidays for C. and I and this is the last year where we'll be split up for the holidays. For the last seven years, we've always had our Christmas together a week before we've left for our prospective family celebrations. We snatch moments via telephone to connect and both feel a little blue to be alone during the celebrations when all of our families are paired with the loves of their lives. Of course, trying to figure out how we'll leave our families to visit only one next year, seems almost impossible. I can't imagine celebrating Christmas without my family. It might prove to be too much for my heart to take. Won't worry about that until next year.

So for now, it's all the news that's fit to knit!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

OTBKB's Top 100!

I'd been meaning to post the OTBKB's Top 100 here . Of all of the places to have to live in New York City, I'd say Park Slope is probably the best. It has a neighborhood feel that foks are really trying to hold on to - a slippery grip on "normal" in a city that is anything but normal. Folks are pretty nice here and there's a good ratio of dogs to kids and there might be more dogs than kids, which makes it a quieter neighborhood, really.

A lot of things on the top 100 are favs of mine too - left off, Dog Beach at Prospect Park, because it's my happy place when NYC really sucks. Oh, and that little hole in the wall that makes the doghnuts on seventh avenue - fresh doghnuts everyday. There's a nice man there who always gives me an extra doughnut, even though we both know I really don't need it. And the new kitchen store that just opened up on the back side of Applewood - I haven't bought anything there, but I want to buy everything there (a rather dangerous comination). And Russo's where the bread and pasta are fresh and the homemade mozzerlla is the best!

Things on the list I agree with:

"PATTY AND BOB LENARTZ because as owners of Slope Cellars you are always ready to give back and are generous and kind. Experts at the "cheap and tasty" category, you are never pretentious and always dog friendly" - We love this wine store. It helps Slopers remember that Park Slope doesn't really end at 15th street.

"PIZZA PLUS and ROZ because after a fire destroyed your South Slope pizza restaurant, you rose from the ashes and created something even more wonderful. Roz, you are a fabulous community minded person and hard working merchant of the mom and pop variety." - And you make a mean pasta and the best chicken marsala sandwich in the world!


Anyway, you get the idea, read the Top 100 and shop in Park Slope, even though I couldn't this year (trust me, Slope, you've gotten a lot of Yarnal Knowledge mooola over the years!)

For now, that's all the news that's fit to knit.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Daily Ramble

Someone has been running a chainsaw in Brooklyn for the last two days. A chainsaw. In Brooklyn. It just seems...wrong.

In other news over the last two days, every time I've washed a knife or the food processor blade, I've taken a chunk out of one of my fingers. What is my damage? That shit hurts!

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Blue Memory

It's Sunday night and I always feel a little bit blue on Sunday nights, especially when the following things are happening:

1. My family is getting together for a party and I'm stuck in New York.
2. The Steelers are losing.
3. It's winter and it has gotten dark at 4:00 PM
4. I'm growing out a bad hair cut and am in the "unfortunate" stage.
5. I've come to the realization that though I live in New York City, I've been forced to do all of my holiday shopping online because I'm not able to get to any store that won't charge me an arm and a leg because they've got to pay their New York City rent.
6. I still need to buy a gift for my new boss AND my old boss and I have no idea what to get them. Harry and David, here I come.

The weekend has gone fast and I've accomplished little. I did finish working on a sweater vest for myself (pictures when the sun is up again). I love the sweater, it's Boogie from an old Knitty pattern. The new Knitty is up, so check that out.

And! Whoever bought out all of those copies of Pat's book on Amazon - thank you! My Barnes and Noble had 5 on order and I ordered an additional three, so Brooklyn folks, check back this week, your copies will be available.

Apart from feeling a bit blue tonight, I am happy to be sitting in the shadow of our sparkling Christmas tree. The holiday season is one of the most important for folks in my religion. It's also a time for wonderful memories. I like to think back to where I used to sit every year on the floor near the couch at my grandparents house to open presents. I love to picture my grandfather pulling the turkey out of the roaster and carving it on the kitchen table. I like to think about my Aunt Tay reading me the funnies from the paper. I love recalling the feeling of how stinking hot it was at my grandparents house on 3 Stockton Avenue and my mother quietly and forcefully reminding my brother and I that we were, under no circumstances, to remove our shoes in their house as the carpets were full of coal dust from the heater. I love to think back to showing my cousins the new toy I'd gotten that morning from Santa and ohhhing at the toys that Santa had dropped off at their house for them. I love to think of my mom playing Christmas carols on the old piano that now sits in my brother's house, the one she learned to play on in the 50's. I love to remember sitting on my father's lap and feeling his body shake when he laughed and how strong his arm was that held me in place there. I love to remember our drive home Christmas night, feeling full of turkey and our traditional treats, looking forward to playing with the toys that we'd left at home that morning and slipping to sleep, full of all of that love in the backseat of my parents car. I wonder sometimes if I'll ever feel those feelings again and I am hopeful. After all, isn't this the season of hope?

For now, that's all the news that's fit to knit.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

The Claws Come Out - By Pat Lewis


One of my dearest friends, Pat Lewis, has a new book out that's in stores now. If you know what's good for you, like to read really funny stories, and enjoy comics you'll run, not walk, to your local bookstore and buy as many copies of this book as possible.

I'm hitting Barnes & Noble in Park Slope tonight!

Or, for the shop at home lot of you - Shop on Amazon!
It's the perfect present for so many people in your life, trust me! And heck, Pat's a great guy and amazing artist. So, knitters, get behind me on this one and check out these "Austounding Tales of Broads and Monsters" this holiday season. Pat rocks. If you buy more than 50 copies, I'll get Pat to call you on the telephone. Promise. Just send me your receipt!

For now, That's the news that's fit to knit!