The Monkey's Sox

As promised here are my Monkey Socks:

Here's the front view:

I didn't get to finish the first socks - I'm five decrease rounds from grafting the toe closed because my mom was very, very, very chatty on the phone tonight and I didn't have access to my hands free set. Lord knows that lady's given up a lot for me in bringing me up, so I didn't mind that these will probably be closed up tomorrow morning / evening between that darned thing called work.

I also picked up a new hair cut over the holiday weekend. Chop, chop. You might remember from earlier posts that I had hair down to my shoulders. I went for a change in a big way and I really like it. Judge for yourself:

Here's the hair from the back - I'm digging those natural curls!
















I haven't ever had hair this short, but I'm loving it as the temps really start pumping up this Spring / Summer. I get out of the shower, shove some gel in there and through the miracle of life it comes out looking like it did when I left the salon.

I also want to give a shout out of congratulations to one of my best girlfriends, Danielle - she and her husband Mark had a beautiful baby girl this weekend - welcome to the world, Hailey Rose. When Dani's feeling up to it, I'll get her to send a picture to post. What makes you smile more than cute new babies? Maybe puppies are a close second, but I just know that Hailey Rose is beautiful - I look forward to showering her with a knitted surprise!

Tonight, I'm off to bed and that's all the news that's fit to knit!


PS - no cracks about my need for a pedicure!

Monkey's Original!

I'm counting the hours down until I am free from work to be home and knitting some Monkey socks. There's a reason why everyone's on the bus, people. Get with it, get your ticket and get on. Monkey Socks are a blast to knit. Pictures to come tonight.

In the mean time, check this little gem out: http://howmanyofme.com/search/

According to the US Census, I am THE ONLY PERSON LIVING in AMERICA with my first and last name. I am an American original! If I marry Chris, 38 other people would have my first name and his last name...that decides it - we're so taking my last name.

weee!

Warsh Rag - A Distraction

I've taken a small break from The Clapotis and was seduced by the Warsh Rag from Mason-Dixon Knitting.

In my native Pittsburgh, Warsh is a word that actually lives in the vocabulary of many of the residents. I remember as a kid that my next door neighbor used the word warsh with some regularity. I also remember my mother pulling me off to the side of our kitchen one afternoon, bracing me by both of my arms and telling me that I would never ever use that word again. I think she was preparing me for my future as a person with a degree in English. Thanks mom, I've never used it again - until this post.

This has been a fun little knit and easy as all get out. I love bands and I love the colors of the Kitchen Cotton yarn that I picked. I'm not sure if this will make it into my linen closet or become a spit up rag for one of my soon-to-be parent friends. We'll see. I'll certainly be making this pattern again - it's a nice break from the miles of stockinette stitch that I've been making with The Clapotis (it is fun to drop those stitches, but you only get to do that once in a 12-stitch pattern repeat that you actually re-do 13 times).

We're off to see Spidey 3 at the Ziegfeld this afternoon. How could you see it anywhere else? And then we're off to a cast party for Chris' show - back out to Brooklyn Heights. We'll be on the run in some crappy weather, but we'll together. We haven't spent a lot of time together in the last few months, so I'm happy that we'll have a day together.

In the rest of knitting news - I'm in need of doing the final finishing touches on one baby gift and getting it out the door to a girl friend and then I need to get started on another. And I think I've found a nice little summer sweater I want to knit in the new issue of Creative Knitting - something to keep the chill off on cool evenings and in air conditioned offices.

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

Noteables

Have you see this? It's addicting to watch! Pictures flashing from all over the world? Yes please!
http://flickrvision.com/

And knitted motorcycles? Oh yeah, baby: http://www.coolhunting.com/archives/2006/04/theresa_honeywe.php
Theresa Honeywell is pretty cool.

That's all the news that's fit to knit.

Kristin

The Catch Up - with pictures

So the room was cleaned (nice, eh?). Well, I did change the curtains (see below) and I added a rug (hey! It was on sale at Target for $12 - you can't pass that up - can you? So Chris' parents did not have to skirt death by smothering from our piles of clutter. I think they enjoyed the room.

another view...

With the new curtains (love these - I double curtained so that our neighbors across the way aren't getting a good show everyday).

As for knitting -- well, here are the socks: I don't love the yarn, but I'm so glad I got the chance to try it out. Thanks Nancy! I'll be sending you the picture and a note soon too. I used Wendy's toe up pattern here and the yarn is Cascade Fixation. Lots of stretch - but a little hard on the hands.

And now I've started my first Clapotis. I'm not sure what yarn I'm using. I got a HUGE cone of this at a Park Slope yard sale last summer and since you need a crap load of yarn for the Clapotis, I thought this would work. I love the color and I love the dropped stitches. I'm double stranding it with this yarn as its weight is pretty light. I figured this would make for the best look. I think (gasp) that I may have been right!

My new adventure as provided by Chris' mom is this handy new drop spindle. This is "The Schacht" Hi-Lo Spindle. She also got me my first spinning book - so now I just need to score some roving and I'll be making my own yarn! That's just too cool for school!

Thanks Ginger!

Soooo that's the update. Thanks to Darren for the kind and funny comment to the last post (dude - I totally have to get back on IM and catch up - it's been wild lately)!

Things are stressful as I've said. Work has been crazier than normal and home has been rocked a bit too. Chris' last show is tonight and I'll be glad to have him home again. He really helps me balance the stress of life. Oh - and that lucky little duck met the actor who plays Ben on Lost today (he came to see Chris' show and turns out that they have a mutual friend). They talked about me - me! I'm over the moon - I loooove the show Lost, so I was stoked and totally jealous.

Big things are coming in these weeks. One of my best friends in the world is having her baby, Hailey in about two weeks. Dani, if you're reading this - go relax and put your feet up! And my friend Jenn is cooking up a baby girl too. So I've got lots of knitting to do here for my new little nieces and future best girl friends.

For now, I'm indulging in knitting on the Clap - eating some Ben & Jerry's and watching the first season of Grey's Anatomy on DVD. I got it as a little present to myself on Friday afternoon.

For now, that's all the news that fit to Knit!

Updating Overdueness

Okay, okay - I promised to write ages ago - forgive me. I owe a bunch of people phone calls and emails and hugs and I'm planning on catching up over the course of the next week. So if I owe ya, know that the love is coming and how much I love ya!

Work has been very, very stressful - I'm not allowed to talk about it, so we'll leave it at this: I'll be fine and all will be good but we're going to stress for a while more.

The other big event was Chris' parental visit. They aren't my in-laws, but I do love them very much and the visit was quite nice. Have any of you had someone else's family come to live with you for five days? No matter how cool you all are - it totally freaks you out. Chris is from the south and I am from the north. I am now totally sure that there are real and true differences in cultures.

For example, I have been raised (as have my parents, their parents, my friends from the north, etc...) that when you go to someone's house you are to exercise the utmost of polietness. This doesn't mean that you aren't relaxed and enjoying yourself, but it does mean that you never, ever help yourself to anything. We always ask. Always, always, always - like, "Hey Sue, would you mind if I got myself a glass of water?" -- See, we don't ask someone to wait on us, but rather we ask if it's ok to help ourselves. This allows Sue to say, "Of course, please help yourself." or if Sue doesn't want your eyes in her kitchen cabinets it allows her to say "Of course, let me get it for you." You get what you want: A glass of water and Sue gets what she wants: to keep you out of her messy cabinents. See? Everyone is happy. I'm starting to suspect that in the south everyone belongs to one heaping big family and that their casa is su casa and the reverse and such. Us uptight northerners can find our OCD acting up when those polite choices are taken away from us.

But really, the visit was lovely and long and Chris' show, The Sea is fantastic (see awesome review in the New York Freaking Times) was awesome. I'm so proud of him!

Knitting - I finished the summer socks and need to send Nancy a picture and post to here. I'm also making excellent progress on my first Clapotis - which I'm stoked about. So maybe I can get my butt moving tonight and get some darned pictures on this site about some knitting.

Oh - and Chris' mom got me my first drop spindle - I'm over the moon. I just need to learn and buy some roving... any suggestions?

For now - back to work. That's all the news that's fit to knit.

The Excuse...

I've been busier than a one armed paper hanger, let me tell you. It hasn't been with fun stuff either. I've been stressing out about my job, the future of the new company, my next door neighbor's robbery, the impending parental visit and feeling pretty darn down about my life. I'm hanging in there and know that the sun will shine again, but until it does, I've been having to really push myself to get out of bed everyday. Is this what depression feels like?

Anyway - I have been taking pictures for you and I'll try and post them tonight. I've almost finished the ankle socks from Nancy and I've started working on a Clapotis. I stopped mid row, I hope I can figure out where I am...

I also started a little product testing experiement on the face wash, Proactiv. Anyone else tried this? I took a sad and embarassing picture of my face on day one post wash, then the next morning post wash and today, etc... I've got to say - I'm clearing up. I've never had much acne, but lately in my 30's I've got a cronic break out on my chin. I hate it. It makes me feel sloppy - especially during work and business meetings. I stopped by the Proactiv booth at the mall on Monday and plunked down $23 for a chance at skin like Jessica Simpon's. Wish me luck - I'll let you know how it goes.

No idea why I'm posting the penguin other than I know you people love pictures!

That's all the news that's fit to knit.

Stuff Happens and Sometimes You Lose Knitting Time

Well, I think it's true that Spring is knocking on our door and in celebration that the sun was shining after days and days of destructive rain - I bought myself a new spring rain coat. It's blue and I love it.

With Spring comes Chris' new play - which I'm sure will be fantastic. He's been on a gruelling schedule for the last few weeks and even now at 11:03 PM I'm waiting for him to get back from tech. With the launch of the new show Chris' parents have decided that they're going to come up from North Carolina the first weekend in May. I'm thrilled because I love Chris' parents - they are my family. I really feel that for them and as far as the future in laws go, I've hit the jack pot.

Now here's the real question - what is it in our brains, ladies, that makes us lose all rational thought when we hear that our future mother in law is coming to visit us in our home, which we share with their baby boy, for the first time ever?

I think it's this:


This being the state of our guest room as of 11:00 PM tonight. This is essentially my walk in closet. Chris, being the most fantastic guy ever, has basically given this room over to me and my whimsy. The closet is almost all mine and that dresser over there was purchased for me last Thanksgiving as an early Christmas present (I love it, by the way) and save for two bookcases that you can't see in the left side of the room , everything in here is mine. All of that crap on the bed - yeah, it belongs to me.

Now, the room is currently crammed with a lot of post meeting supplies that I haven't had a chance to take back to the office yet - so that stuff (like a printer on the bed and boxes of name tags, tent cards, emergency band aids and cough drops, etc. are crammed on the floor. Sigh.

I've got some work to do because the parents will be sleeping in the guest room for the four days they'll be here. I would like to make this an oasis for them - but I do live in Brooklyn and though I have a huge master bedroom (and this one isn't shabby for city living - it's much deeper than you can see in this shot) and storage space is limited a bigger overhaul of the apartment is needed. I'm going to spend the weekend moving things here and there and making space where space isn't available in other closets (read: the master bedroom - where Chris keeps most of his stuff). It's past time to do this overhaul and when other guests have come to visit I haven't worried about shoving things under the bed and messily into the closet cause people really don't care about stuff like that. Only I do when it concerns Chris' mother.

Now I need to refer you to the paragraph that started this conversation - Chris' mom and dad are so great! I know in my heart that she will never, ever, ever look behind the bed, under the box of yarn and white glove test my floor. She's not into that and I think as long as she has a place to rest and she gets to visit with Chris, she'll be a happy camper. Why does my list of things to do include "pressing the good table cloth", "scrub out fridge", "move couch" and my personal favorite "organize under kitchen sink and in all kitchen cabinets - put nice cups and glass at front of cabinet". I have no idea why I feel this urge to make the place perfect - maybe I want to make sure she knows that I really am taking good care of her baby boy and that the possibilities of him being smothered by our enormous piles of crap should they fall on him in the night are really very slim.

Other problems about the house:















We've got 12 foot ceilings and 10 1/2 foot doors. Our doors are really huge - this is the door to my bathroom. I guess it would be strange if we had normal size doors and really big ceilings - and to tell you the truth, I have no idea how they got these suckers up the stairwell and in here. They are huge! I bought a really cute over the door hanging thingy for guests to use for their towels (other guests have used door knobs, but you know, I'm crazy this time around). The hanger doesn't fit over this door because it's so big it has to be thick and even if it did fit - only someone on stilts (awful idea to use stilts straight out of the bath) could reach up there to hang their towel. The hanger thingy has to be returned. I hate returning things and if I follow my usual pattern of "saving it until I have a house - that being smothered in the night thing becomes more likely.

I leave you with this - the first registration table setting for my new company! I'm so thrilled!

For now, that's all the news (and no knitting) that's fit to knit.

Radio Silence Broken

I'm back - I know things have been quiet here at chez Yarnal Knowledge, but work has been over the top busy. My new company had a very big week with its first two programs running. Both were a big success and the future is looking bright. Of course, success with launching a new company often sucks time out of the old personal life. I've been in that category for the last three weeks. Knitting time has been pretty non-existant. Here's a current picture of my yarn basket. I have been sticking to the "knit from you stash-a-long" rules and haven't bought any yarn since the trip to the yarn farm at the beginning of the year. That basket looks pretty yummy, doesn't it? Now I'm just trying to figure out what my next project will be.

I have finished one of my Romancing the Yarn socks....

These are great summer socks and I love the stretch of the yarn. Nancy was right though - the yarn is a bit tough on the fingers.

Today is my first day off in about a month. I'm spending it reading the new Knit Simple and working on the second sock. I'm watching mindless tv and finishing a written list of chores that I should complete as Chris' parents are coming for a visit and to see him in his new show. If I could just get my butt off of this couch...

Boggles Me Mind

It still makes me thrilled to take a ball of yarn like this one and to make something like this....

These are my St. Patty's Day socks - delivered a little late for the holiday, but still within the month of March!

I'm really proud of this work. To tell you the truth, these socks aren't the best stitch work I've ever done, but I made a huge leap forward in my knitting education by making them. I followed Wendy's toe up pattern, which I've coveted since I began reading her blog a million years ago. When I knit top down socks I tend to hate the toes, they always end up pointy and with this little dollop of point yarn at the front as a result of using the Kitchner stitch to bind off. With Wendy's pattern you get that nice rounded toe and you ended up doing less work on your heels. Over all it's an awesome look. I tried this technique following pattern notes and tips from Wendy's blog and even in her book - but I failed every time. I just couldn't get my mind around the wraps that make up the short rows. In an act of true generosity Wendy published a very detailed instructional manual on how to accomplish these socks. A few rainy Saturday's ago I sat down on the couch with the tv turned off and worked out the problems. All of a sudden it was there and clear to me.

Since I was pushing myself to create with this new short row technique, I figured what the hell, let's conquer something else that I've been afraid of - picot edging. In trying to understand the picot edging for the top of the sock, I was forced to understand a Cable Cast On. Guess what dear knitters, Ms. Zimmerman was right - we do this fun. What I also came to learn was that when we push ourselves to learn something new, it's a little like learning to fly. I'm ridiculously proud of this work. The socks are a little out of shape and you can see some mistakes, but I know with a little blocking that these socks will reach their full potential and I have moved the ball forward in my knitting education. I feel fantastic.

Socks off the feet ...

And this is the wonderful yarn that Nancy sent me from the Romancing the Yarn contest. I've decided that they'll be summery ankle / tennis style socks.

I think I'll go cast on!

Another brief note to anyone who was kind enough to keep my dear Aunt Carol in their thoughts and prayers - she's doing better and resting at home after a set back that had her back in UPMC. But I understand that she's feeling better now. To give you an idea of how much my auntie is loved, she received over 100 cards in her first week in the hospital. Over 100 and they're still pouring in. She's that great and we love her so much.

That's all the news that fit to knit!

Happy St. Patty's!

Happy St. Patty's Day, Everyone!

Me? I'm knitting me some good Irish-green socks. Being of the Scottish / Irish dissent, I find these quite appropriate. Pictures to come when the second sock is off the needles. Also making the FO pile? Well, something for someone's baby. 'Course I know they read this blog - so no pictures until the Mommy sees it first.

Now, go do something green!

The Nifty Swifty

Look what came in the mail! It's my Nifty Swift. I can't say enough about The Knitting Zone. I ordered this at about noon or 1 pm on Monday and it was in my hands Wednesday morning. I also didn't pay shipping on the swift because it was over $50. A great feature! They sent me an email right away confirming the order and by the next morning I had the shipping / tracking information. It was a wonderful experience.

What really surprised me upon arrival was the size of the box:

(Ball of yarn included for scale)

Yeah - it's a small box, it turns out that my swift is a portable swift. When I got home, I pulled it out of the box and it assembled in two easy steps and I was winding yarn in no time. It took longer to clamp my winder to the table than to set up the swift. It takes up almost no room and can easily break down to fit inside this box, but I've got to tell you it is so pretty that I don't think I'll ever want to put it away. It's now in my knitting corner looking pretty.

Another shot for you.

Another small victory is that I finally wrapped my mind around Wendy's toe up sock pattern and I've got to tell you - that girl is on to something. The toes on these are great and the heel is super too. I really like this. Since I learned how to knit socks top down, learning to knit toe up was kind of like learning the ABC's backwards. But once you sit down with the tv off and really think about the instructions Wendy gives it does click and end up making pretty good sense. I think I may be a convert. Thanks Wendy!

On a sad note I've got to send a prayer out to my Aunt Carol - she very unexpectedly had a seizure today and is having brain surgery tomorrow. I love my Aunt Carol and I've very recently come to understand how much she loves me. My heart is fearful tonight - I just want her to be well. If you've got an extra prayer available, I beg you to give it to her. Trust me, she deserves all the best wishes everyone's got.

That's all the news that's fit to knit.

Birthday Presents!

Yesterday, this old fart ordered herself up a birthday present:

It's a Nifty Swift from the Knitting Zone. I'm soooo excited. I've really held off ordering a swift and have been abusing Chris instead by forcing him to help me wind skeins. It's usually a slippery slope we walk when one of us (usually Chris) mans the ball winder and the other has to do a goofy dance running yarn around two dining room chairs in order to achieve knitting bliss. I'll miss these days, but am content to allow them to be happy memories and to be replaced by this new toy!

I had formed some opinions on what I need to have if and when entering into a long term relationship with a Swift. I mean, $62.50 isn't chump change and I'm hoping that this is sort of the Rolls Royce of swifts. At the very least, it better be pretty darn Nifty Swifty, if you know what I mean. I had decided against the umbrella / clamp to the table swift because truth be known, I don't love the look of them and I kind of hate to clamp things to my furniture. I've made an exception with the ball winder, but I think I'm at my clamping max. So I wanted it to be table top, but to still fold up for New York City apartment living space issues. This seems to fit the bill and I do think it looks kind of Nifty too - so hey. And the good people at Knitting Zone gave me free shipping and I got an email this morning that it has already shipped out Priority mail. This means I could have it tomorrow or Thursday. It could be a Swifty weekend for me! Happy Birthday!

Shout out to Darren - whose comment yesterday had me laughing for awhile this morning. There was a time in high school when I would ride around in Darren's car and he would do things like pick a dark and scary back road to pretend that the head lights went out on the car. I would scream and sometimes flail with fear - which one time resulted in me throwing the moving car into neutral at an inappropriate time. Who knew cars could make noises like that? Oh, good times!

It's My Birthday and I don't want to cry!

It's my birthday! I'm sort of surprised that I'm advertising it because last night I was telling Chris that I wasn't going to acknowledge the day. But I'm feeling good about it right now, so here we are. It's a beautiful day and people who I love have lavished me with good wishes, pretty cards and even a present or two (Chris gave me the book "Teach yourself Visually Knitting Design". I'm really excited about this book and was totally surprised that he remembered that I had dug it in the bookstore a few months ago.)

My mom gave me a beautiful sweater, my friends gave me a new purse that knocked my socks off - I love it (pictures to come when I've got my camera) and Chris and I are off to dinner with friends tonight to celebrate a little more.

So, in these here 31 years, I've collected the best friends on earth - expanded my amazing family by adding Chris and his crew and basically made myself a very happy little life. I couldn't be happier than I am right now. My life is good and stable and solid and very, very happy. I've been lucky enough to be loved by the best people on earth - you don't get better than that.

A shout out to my mom. We had quite an adventure together 31 years ago today. Thank you so much for giving me this life, mom. I really love it and to date, it's the best present ever! : )

Socks, Pooches and Legal Yarn Aquistion

My green socks are done! Warm feet are living
here! I love the new sock blockers that Chris made me - they're working great!
















I totally scored some Posh Pooches in the bargin basket at Barnes and Noble. See that 40% off sticker? I also go the member's discount - so yay!

The kit comes with a book of totally cute patterns for dogs. I loooove dogs and Chris and I have plans to get one sometime next year so I'll have to make some plans to make sure that I have one of the poshest pooches in the Slope!
















Look at the cute needles that were included in the set. Click the picture to see a better view. The needles have two different dogs on the tops! I love them!

I've been a little absent because my new company is doing pretty well. I'm thrilled and it's keeping me busy, which is a welcome activity. Of course, it's totally isolating me from the outside world. I need to return some phone calls, a ton of emails and try to make plans to see my family some time before next Christmas (that happened last year...we can't have a repeat).

A big shout out to Nancy from Romancing the Yarn - she held a little raffle for some Cascade Fixation and guess who was the big winner! I never, ever win anything - so you can imagine how thrilled I was when I heard the news. Nancy was so sweet to have a raffle like that and I've pledged to make some pretty, pretty socks with the yarn. I've never worked with it, so a report is forth coming. I'd like to point out that this aquisition of yarn is totally within the rules of the Knit from Your Stash pledge!

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

Socks! Socks that Block!

What's this? Why, it's a sock blocker! Chris made this (and several others) for me over the weekend. We used a guide found here and they were easy to make and they seem to work really well.

I really wanted some blockers ever since I went on a bit of a sock yarn buying binge a few months ago and the aquired sock yarn from my visit to the yarn farm, but just couldn't seem to get myself to fork over the $25 average cost for plastic blockers. You can see a sock on one of the blockers here (sock made for the Sock Hop this fall). I love these socks and since they're ready for a wash (I've been wearing them quite a lot lately) I'm finding that they shape really well with these - and the hanger tops are nice for a quickie dry block hanging.

Valentines ready to be filled in and sent out to those we love are also on the table.

These are my newest socks on the needles. I am so in love with this yarn. The yarn is from my yarn farm buying visit - called Rainforest (75% Merino, 25% Acrylic, Hand Dyed, 7-8 sts on size US 2 needles). The pattern is from Knit Socks! By Betsy Lee McCarthy. This book has become my "go to" sock knitting patterns. Everything on the web lately seems to be toe up with that crochet cast on with wraps (the heel totally confuses me). I have downloaded Wendy's extended tutorial on how to manage her socks, but haven't had time to hunker down and practice it, so for some satifying knitting, I'm going with what I know.

Now, WNBC is predicting a possible Nor-Easter for us on Wednesday. I would just love a winter day on the couch mid-week to nurture my Season Affective Disorder. I've been feeling the need to just settle into a corner of the couch and be quiet. This would be an excellent fuel for that need. Let's all pray for snow!

Over the weekend, Chris and I checked out Helen Mirron in The Queen (Excellent movie and Ms. Mirron is totally worth the hype - she rocks).

That's all the news that's fit to blog!

I'm going to go sign Valentine's and

WoW!

The Lucky One - Realizations

It's a moment in your life when you feel the blessings and you understand your luck. Maybe it's a song you hear or a series of pictures that remind you that all of the work, all of the aggravation is nothing. This life, these experiences and these people - the people you were lucky enough to collect around you...this is it. This is heaven - this is the good stuff this is the best thing ever and you're right there in it! What on earth did you do to get this lucky? The moments, the snapshots - the happiness of them all. I am so in love with this little life I'm living and these people who changed my life and made me remember that they are the gifts in life - they are the reason for everything. They are the world.

A Bone to Pick with Lifetime

Just so we're clear, I've never been ashamed to be a Nora Roberts fan. I have a degree in English Lit and I've read a ton of the classics - I've even been conquering Dead Souls. If you've ever attempted this little gem, you get 20 points for strong backbone and excellent attention to detail; for this epic is riddled with Russian names that are very similar. Keeping them straight is a feat worth points. Trust me.

But Nora Roberts isn't something I'd even describe as guilty pleasure. People magazine is a guilty pleasure (read: something I'm just slightly embarrassed to be caught reading in public). But Nora weaves stories in a way that I can really get behind. She never has the plot turn into the obvious (or very rarely). Now - I must clarify that I tend to turn up my nose at her compilation pieces - the ones where they cram essentially three short stories into one book. I tend toward her full blown novels and my favorite has been, for years and years, Montana Sky. This is a story that I tend to read when I am at my lowest because its heroin is a tough cookie - the kind of gal I'd really like to be if I had it in me. She runs a ranch, lives in Montana and has a really interesting cast of characters who keep things around her far from dull. She also has a makeshift family of fiercely loyal friends. I love that kind of thing - the fierceness of family love and romantic love. The whole novel is tops with me. I think about the main character Willa when I'm being particularly stupid and weak about something and then I try to buck up. I think I still secretly hope that I'll somehow wind up in her fictional life - finally be free of New York City, finally be free of corporate life and be finally free to be at one with nature and friends and the pace of a life that is dramatically different from the one I live now. Maybe my father's life on the farm was where my heart actually longed to be. Can't figure out how I got pressured to end up in the biggest city in America - but that's another story.

So I'm a big fan of Nora's and imagine my excitement when I find out that Lifetime television is making a movie out of my favorite book and lordy, lordy ladies and gentlemen - John Corbett is going to play the dashing hero, Ben McKinnon. Sigh. Sigh. Sigh. There's no way around it, he's a dream boat.

It aired tonight and I knew it would happen and it did - they screwed up my favorite story. They tried to pour 700 odd pages into two hours and they even created a freaking character who never appears in the book! They focused on all of the wrong things (I will save you from the painstaking details - Chris was not spared. Ten points to him. He also has a degree in English Lit, but does not share my passion for these novels). Anyway -

Daniel Steel's books get epic four hour movies that are so long they can only be viewed on the weekends. I suspect that with this kind of length they might act out the story page by page from the books. What the hell? Give my girl Nora her props - don't churn out a crappy two hours and make my girl Willa look soft. The coolest thing about Willa is that she's an ass kicker - not a sniveler. She takes care of her own - she's a cowgirl in a true Annie Oakley kind of way. She's the best shot in the county - better than the guys, a stunning horseman and she knows all about ranching. She works like ten men and always seems to know what's right. I love her. I just flat out think she's the kind of lady I'd like to be if real life worked out like novels. That is the book that makes me want to write! That is the book that makes me want to find a character as tough as Willa and write about her. I would be forever grateful to Nora if she'd turn Willa and the gang into a series. There's so much that could happen out in Big Sky Country to support a series. Why oh why isn't she my character???

Again, digression.

So Lifetime TV, listen up - I'll be tuning into the other movies, but just know that I'm screaming about everything you're getting wrong from the comfort of my couch.

Just saying.

Aren't You In Love with PA yet?

I can't tell you how much I love being from Pennsylvania. With every fiber of my being I am, and always will be, a Pennsylvanian. What other state gets together over 112 years to celebrate old German folklore on an old forgotten Christian holiday of Candlemas? We do. And we polka while we do it.

If you've never been to Punxsutawney it's ok. It's a tiny town with cute little shops and sweet people, there's a branch campus of my University and there's this town square where Phil lives and every year, for the last 111 years, thousands of people descend upon this tiny town to celebrate, to dance, to enjoy a hot tottie or two and to see if Phil sees his shadow. As the folklore goes, if Phil sees his shadow, it's six more weeks of winter, if no shadow is seen then we're in for an early spring. This year he didn't see a shadow. Come on Spring!

I'm always telling Chris how lucky he is to be in a relationship with someone from PA. I truly believe that you must love PA, for so many great things come from my home state - things like, Hershey Chocolate, M&M Mars, Nestle, Harley Davidson, Gibson Guitars, Crayola Crayons, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirmanti Brothers Sandwiches, Iron City Beer, Rolling Rock Beer, Yuengling Beer, Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches - and the list goes on and on. Soooo many amazing things come straight out of PA - and so do the sweetest people.

So, thank you to Phil for the home memories from today. I only wish I could've been dancing to the Pennsylvania Polka in the Punxy town square this morning!

Home Again, Home Again

We're back home after a long trip to NC. I have to tell you this - I'm very glad that I made this rather sad trip home with Chris because not only did I have a chance to say goodbye to someone whom I loved very much, but I got to learn more about her amazing life and to witness first hand the power of Chris' loving family. I can't help but think that I'm so grateful to be accepted by them, to be a part of their family. I love them with my whole heart.

Some knitting was done on this trip, but not much. I'm working on a branching out scarf for a NYC friend and that kind of lace work takes a little bit of time. As I knit that up, I'm also plotting for my next stash project. What shall it be?? I think maybe some socks, or gloves or mittens or, oh heck! I don't know - the possibilities are endless. I also picked up a free pattern from Lions brand for some felting wool that I've stashed since November of 2006. The pattern is for an excellent little bag.

This weekend is all about recovery for Chris and I - cleaning our house, watering the plants, doing the laundry and the shopping and also a time of rest. We're both just praying to get to Friday night so that we can slip into bed and NOT turn on our alarm clocks.

Goodbyes are the hardestest things

We're leaving in the morning for North Carolina - Chris' Grandmother has passed. We're so very sad and it is with very heavy hearts that we pilgrimage to say goodbye to such a wonderful woman. I owe her so much, for she shaped Chris' life and helped make him exactly who he is. I am fortunate enough to know her and to have spent time with her. I will always smile when I think of her cheating during a rowdy game of bingo at the retirement home three years ago. I totally helped her and we won a ton of money. I always like to think of that day that she and I giggled a bit over being a little naughty. A proper southern woman, a strong Presbyterian, a woman of faith, a mother of four and a grandmother of many. We love her very, very much and will be pleased as punch when we see her again in heaven.

Baron Von Teddy - Beary Cute!

Meet Baron Von Teddy -
the cute little bear that I knitted. He was an inexpensive kit that I picked up in a bargain bin at a discount store. He was too cute to pass up! I've saved the pattern and plan to make some more Teddy Bears in the future. I think he needs a friend!








This is a completed scarf for my friend Jenn's mom (click the picture for a better view). The pattern is actually from Odd Ball Knitting and I love, love, love the diamond lace patterns. I had plenty of yarn left over from the skein to make her a hat to match and enough yarn to make another hat - maybe for me. How can it be that a knitter, who has made a crap load of hats in her lifetime, not have a hat for herself in the winter? We're taking care of business as we speak.

I have another scarf that I made from yarn farm yarn, but I've been wearing it so much, that I haven't had a chance to take a picture of it. It's from Last Minute Knitted Gifts and was a true pleasure to knit.

There's a tried a true fact of life, knitting with pure wool, the good stuff, is a pleasure unlike any other for me. I just love the feeling of it in my hands, the way the stitches are so defined. I love to colors of wool I chose. I love everything about this haul. It's making the whole yarn diet thing a lot easier. My advice: if you're planning to stash diet, buy a heap of the good stuff for your stash - it makes all the difference.

That's all the news that's fit to print.

On The Band Wagon

Have you read about this? Or this one (the original) Well, I'm on board! The general idea is that acquiring yarn has now, at our house anyway, insured that should our apartment run out of insulation - we'll be fine...the wool will keep us warm. I used to laugh when I read stories about people who had wool in every single room of their houses. Well...save for the bathroom, we're "one of those people" now. You know, when you begin knitting, it all starts so innocently and then something happens - some wave of insanity washes over you. I blame the Internet. The easy access to patterns and pictures of things that I find myself obsessed with knitting would be no temptation without this here Internet. And then you're online and there are the Knit Picks yarns at such a good price or the webs or the Elann...or, well, you get the picture. Here in New York City you have access to a ton of amazing knitting shops (I try to stay away from those).

I moved to NYC in January of 2001 and Chris was busy with a show. I'd be home alone in the apartment (he did not have cable - he needed me so badly back then...) and I decided that I needed a nice quiet hobby to occupy my lonely hours. So, I bought a knitting video/kit and a book and taught myself. It wasn't easy - but thankfully Chris did have a working VCR, so I was able to rewind the tape to the point of wearing it out and get down the basics. And then, I started ordering yarn and wouldn't you know it, I needed needles I didn't have to make the next pattern and whoooo boy, isn't that a lovely shade of pink? I think I'll get ten balls of that yarn ('cause the girl down the aisle is looking kind of interested in this here bin and I'll tell you what, she's not worthy of this beauty - it must live at my house. I'll find a pattern for it, I know it). And that's how the infection grows.

And then one day you start to look around your house and realize that you MUST start to knit with this yarn you have. I've started to tighten the purse straps for this new year and frankly, it feels good. With my last trip to the yarn farm, I think this idea of Knitting From Your Stash for 2007 is a good one. Here are the rules:

1. The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 1, 2007 and run through September 30, 2007 -- a period of nine months.

2. We will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:
2.a. Sock yarn does not count. What? You think we are made of stone?
2.b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that we really and truly do not have the yarn

for, we may buy yarn to knit that gift.
2.c. If we are knitting something and run out of yarn, we may purchase enough to complete

the project.
2.d. We each get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- we are each allowed to fall off the wagon

one time.

3. We are allowed to receive gifts of yarn.

4. Trading stash is allowed.

5. Spinning fiber of any sort is exempt.

So, I'm all in. I'm doing it. I'm On The Band Wagon. If you bump into me in July or so, you might take pity on me and give me some yarn (see #3) 'cause I have a feeling that this is going to get a bit hard half way through.

Oh! And Chris got me the Knit Picks options needles for Christmas, so this challenge includes most needles for me too.

Pictures that I owe - My Teddy Bear, The Needles, The new scarf knit from the first skein of Yarn Farm yarn and the new scarf that I'm knitting for Jenn's mom (I'm sooooo thrilled with the pattern!).

Tonight: The Continental Congress of the 2006 Class of The Academy! Can't wait to see my pals.

That's all the news that's fit to print.

The Follow Up

The haul...

Go ahead, just take a minute to click on the picture and view it in all its beauty. I will wait for you.

That, my friends, is happiness in a bag. You want to see more? Ok, you know that I can not resist you...

The blue verigated on the top, sat on my lap during the drive home. I am particularly fond of it and am afraid that I can not knit it up, but will rather keep it as a pet and represent it to guests as piece of art work in our home. This is unusual to non-knitters, but I know that the knitters who are reading this blog understand and do not find this thought the least bit odd. I thank you for that, dear knitters!

Not such a great picture and not all of the yarn, but I began to feel light headed and had to stop taking pictures... I am now knitting up one beautiful skein into a scarf (pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts)

Next, I'll share pictures of a dear bear that I've finished knitting (I've sadly lost his pre-cut, felt face and am now forced to learn how to embroider a face on the poor fellow. Neither of us are looking forward to it).

Also coming to the blog, the finished scarf from this haul. I believe the knitting will be completed tomorrow night. Then - I take on a new pair of socks, I think from one of the sock yarns pictured in this last picture. And see the lovely hank of purple yarn on the far left? That's a shawl for Jen's mom - I think I'm going to knit her one from the Shall knitting Ministry book. Lovely.

Till then!

The Yarn Farm

Who did I spend the day with? Oh yeah - it wasn't a baaaad day at all! Hanging out at a place that I am lovingly calling the "Yarn Farm" and browsing through the fruits of this guy's (and several of his friends) labor. Doesn't look like he has a hard life, does it? Trust me, this little guy and his pals are doing all right.

My friend Jen called me a few weeks ago to tell me that she had secured an invitation to a private yarn sale and asked if I'd like to go.

Would I? Oh yeah. So we packed up the men and headed to the super-secret location to a once a year only private yarn sale. I went into sensory overload when I came in contact with these yards and yards of hand spun, hand dyed wool happiness. Knitters of the world, just take a moment to close your eyes and picture yourself in a field that is absolutely packed with bins like these, full of wool and cotton and silk and brillant colors and you're given a bag to fill as full as you want for one very, very, very low price. I can't tell you how happy I am that I bought that station wagon two weeks ago. So much room for yarn!

So here I am - on this wonderful farm, with the sheep looking sleepy and completely unconcerned that their old coats have been spun up and dyed and are being carted off by delirious and light headed knitters - who have developed odd and glossy stares as they walk away from the yarn farm with a filled bag of goodness (truth be known, some knitters walked away with several bags of happiness. Who needs therapy when places like this exist?)

Me and Jen down on the farm:

Blogger is being a pain in the ass again and only giving me three picture uploads. Later tonight, I'll upload pictures of my personal haul (it's a thing of beauty). And for the record, I did ride home with skein of handpainted yarn in my lap and I do think that's normal. :)

P.S. See that bag I'm holding? It got a lot fuller than that before then end of the day! So check back for pictures.

Happy New Year!

Hello friends! I know we've been lacking in knitting content lately and that continues with this post, but I am knitting on something (a cute teddy bear and a pair of socks) and I'm off on a trip to a sheep farm for a yarn sale this weekend, so pictures are coming your way (as is that knitting content we've been so absent of).

So why don't we have any knitting content? Well, because I've been so busy with the holidays that I haven't done a lot of knitting. I flew home to Pittsburgh last week and spent some time with the family. It was wonderful. I wanted to go back for another round of hugs more than I can tell you. This was possibly the best Christmas since 1995 ( during 96 & 97 we lost three major members of the family and it's taken awhile to bounce back). But this year, we really partied down. We started off with a family party at mom's house that included a bunch of the family where we had our gift exchange and many, many cocktails and a ton of laughs and stories and lots of hugs and memories and great music. We followed that with church Christmas Eve at my brother's church (whose minister used to be the minister at our family's church when I was young). We followed church with the great doughnut caper of 2006 where my SIL and I wrestled another family for the last doughnuts in Pittsburgh (all in good fun...though we did leave the doughnut aisle with a strange sheen of white doughnut powder in front of the bakery counter). We ended that evening with a party with some friends during which we dined on more wine and cocktails and everyone's favorite hors d oeuvers.

Christmas morning we watched my too-cute niece and nephew rip open a pile of gifts and exclaim with joy. It was brilliant. We followed that up with more visits to the family and an amazing turkey dinner that my Aunt Carol seriously rocked this year. We met the newest member of our family, Ben and there was even more gift opening.

I had lunch with my good friend Darren and his wife (even though I'd caught a Christmas cold -- and missed my dear friend Pat at that lunch as he too was stricken with a holiday flu). I also spent a visit with our neighbors at my mom's that was just too much fun and followed it up seeing my bestest girlfriends, Dani and Kelly and Kelly's new baby Molly (who really is the cutest little thing ever and who I suspect absolutely loves her Auntie Kris). I got to rub Dani's belly and talk to my future honorary niece or nephew who I love so much! Dani - what do we knit for your little one? OH! The possibilities!

Leaving was so hard. All of that love - all of that welcome - all of those laughs... how rich we are in each other's love and in God's love. It was so amazing and I wish with all of my heart that I could do it all over again. I just miss them all so much.

The secret of my life is that I've been blessed by the most amazing people. They take excellent care of me and nurture my quirks and my shortcomings in the most gentle of ways. You couldn't meet a more lucky girl.

And I'm trying to upload Christmas pictures to show you and blogger is issuing the smack down. We'll try again later.

I wish you all the best luck and good health for 2007 and I truly hope you get to meet some of these folks I've told you about - that would make you REALLY lucky.

The New Car...and some goodbyes

Well, 'tis the season and all, but I can't help feeling that a lot of things that I've loved in 2006 have been coming to an end... the loss of the old car, but it was replaced by this:



This is the actual new car - parked outside of my office building. I'm really thrilled with it and am enjoying a much smoother ride to and from work. I've got one more thing to do for my new insurance company and then I'm free and clear to drive without obligation...of course, I'm off to home for eight days and can't enjoy the car until I return, but hey - no biggie.

The other big news for today is that I am now an official graduate of the Westchester Academy for Entrepreneurial Excellence. This is a course I've been taking for the last 15-16 weeks and it has been so much fun and so educational and has given me all of the tools to get the new business in working order. You can check out the new company at www.westchestermeetings.com I made the website myself - we plan on getting a designer when we have our first few clients under our belts. Until then, I'm really proud of the work. So, I'll miss my pals from the class, they are the neatest folks and great friends, I'll miss seeing them every Tuesday. Of course, we're planning to go on with our Alumni Association, so I won't have to miss them too much. I mean, folks dressed up for Halloween... yeah, that's me on the end in this group. I went as a bounced check (that class was on taxes!) What a great time.

So - now it's off to Pittsburgh for family fun and holiday cheer. I get to spend some time with my best girlfriends, Kelly & Dani and get to meet baby Molly and talk to Dani's baby (via the belly). It's going to be so great! I've got lunch with Darren and his new wife and hopefully my pal Pat. Things are coming to a nice close for the end of 2006. What an amazing year this has been for me. I wouldn't change much.

And on a personal note, I'm so thankful for Chris. He's my rock - the person who stands beside me when the chips are down or my emotions are up. He's the guy who I am more in love with every morning I wake up. I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have someone so wonderful to share her life with. Merry Christmas, honey!

So - I'll try to post from home, but if not - see you at the end of next week. And we will get back to knitting soon too!

K

What did I just do?

When I was in college my father bought me a car. It was a beautiful Pontiac Grand Am. I loved the car, I felt proud when I was driving in it - puffed my chest up a bit, if you know what I mean. My dad called the color "steal me red". Lucky for me it was never stolen, but I did fall in love with the car - I named her Ruby Too Fast Tuesday and she saw me through some tricky moments on the road. Some major events happened to me while that car was in my life. I've driven her for eleven years. And when my dad died, I drove her and drove her until I could sit far away and press my head against the wheel and cry my heart out. Ruby died yesterday and my ability to pay to fix her died too. Eleven years was a good run - and I bought a new car, but I can't help feeling like I've betrayed a dear old friend. I cried my heart out all over again in that parking lot yesterday - in front of all of the sales men and other holiday shoppers. It was a sad day. Hell, I'm crying my eyes out as I type this. I know the emotion has little to do with the actual car, but more with the fact that I desperately miss my dad. I'm taking the memories with me and believe that the true spirit of Ruby will come along for the new ride:



This isn't my actual new car - but a good picture of what it does look like. Mine is gun metal gray, really nice color (one of my favs), not silver like this one.

If all goes well, I can secure my insurance on Monday and drive the new car home that night. I'm planning not to name this one - I can't have my heart break over a car every time I need to get a new one. I'm a sap to begin with, so Chris knows I'll feel awful every time we decide to make a change, but maybe next time I can do it with some dignity and with less of a sense of loss. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I want lo jack installed. Never thought about it...

Knitting soon, promise.

It's Not You, It's Me.

I've been soooooooooo busy. You've heard this before from bloggers around the knitosphere, I know, but I promise you - it's not you, it's me. Between working full time, trying to open the new business and school, I'm exhausted at the end of every single day. This is not to say that there is no knitting happening. I've been doing some knitting for some new babies who are due to arrive soon and I've been doing some knitting for me and well, I've even been aquiring some yarn here and there.

The holidays are right around the corner and my business launches in January. I'm horribly unprepared. I've been working all weekend and feel no closer to things that I need to accomplish. I am somewhat freakishly calm about this and that has me worried. The class that I've been taking for the last few months has its last meeting before graduation this coming Tuesday. I dread it. I am fearful of not seeing my dear friends - the only people who understand me right now, for they too are doing the insane and trying to launch companies. It's good to be with your own kind. I'm thinking of launching another venture - the AAA. No, I won't be the one to call should your car break down, but if you're a member of our class (or any of the Academy classes) you can be eligible to join the Academy Alumni Association. The motto just might be - hang out with the other crazy people who are trying to launch businesses!

So, there's a lot on a girl's plate. You understand, don't you? Forgive me for being absent - I'll even take some pictures tonight and post them. There are a lot of things on my knitting wish list this year - we'll review the coolest of the cool gifts next entry.

Love ya!