Vegas, Baby!

March 15, 2005 By

Today we leave ‘Zona and head off to Vegas, Baby! The plane trip is short, just enough time to catch up on my Craps game. Thankfully I didn’t forget my little how to book – I can never remember the right play on the come line – the MOST important play in craps, after odds on the pass line.

The clouds rolled in yesterday and so did cooler temperatures, but that was fine because we spent the afternoon in the high desert (okay, not too high, but high enough at around 3000 ft.) Rosanna was our guide for our Sonora Desert Adventure, and she was quite knowledgable. The lecture she gave us on the rattlesnakes, gila monsters, javelinas and scorpions, not to mention the horned toads (actually lizards) that shoot freaking blood out of their eyes when threatened, was enough to ensure I would NOT be getting out of the jeep. But I did, and we didn’t see any wild animals. (I have to admit, I would’ve liked to have caught a glimpse at least.)

What we did see were miles of Saguaro – these cacti are amazing. A mature Saguaro weighs about 10 tons and can grow about 50 ft with a lifespan of around 150 years. Amazingly, they are soft inside, have a wood core, but don’t fall over in heavy winds. They are graceful giants and they are everywhere around here. There are some wonderful Native American legends about the Saguaro – like they are reincarnated soldiers (the name Saguaro means sentinal, I think) and the arms represent wives. If an arm bends downward, it means the wife was unfaithful. Another legend says that all the arms represent family members, and the downturned arms represent someone in the family who was sick or passed on. I hope to have lots of pictures to show you when I get back.

[Edited to add pictures]

We also saw lots of wildflowers – desert lavendar, tobacco, Mexican poppies – and cacti – cholla (these “teddy bear” cacti are lethal! They’re pricklies get in you, apparently, and don’t let go. They’ll shoot out a root system and grow out of your ass. Literally. We had to check our shoes everytime we got in the jeep to make sure we didn’t have any brambles stuck in our shoes.), agave, barrel cactus, prickly pear (the javelina eat these – you see these desimated plants and you know they’ve been around), yucca – it was a wonderful tour. We were the only ones too, so we had extra special attention.

[Edited to add pictures]

Rosanna told lots of stories about the Wild Southwest, including stories of Pearl Hart – the only woman known to rob a stagecoach and also the person responsible for the last stagecoach robbery in Arizona. And Charlie (Charlotte) Parkhurst, the best stagecoach driver ever, who worked for Wells Fargo and was only found to be a woman AFTER she died. Apparently she only had one eye and was a genius with a whip. Definitely interesting stuff. Add to that Rosanna’s gigantuan tweezers which she used to pluck cactus needles out of my ass (yes, I made the mistake of backing up – the funny thing was that we were still at the hotel when I did it!) and her pearl handled knife and you get quite a character. She used to pilot helicopters on tours in the Grand Canyon. Loved the red nail polish and lipstick too!

Barely any knitting has been done – I did move onto ball three of Pinwheel. And barely any reading. I’m forty pages into Jonathan Strange – and I like it. But I have four stories to read for my LAST CLASS(!) on Thursday and that needs to get done. We’re getting home pretty early Thursday morning, but I’d like to sleep instead of work before class that night. Ugh.

Can’t wait to see Margo and the girls! Vegas here we come….

Filed Under: Vacations

‘Zona

March 12, 2005 By

All’s well in the Grand Canyon State! Right now, I’m sitting in our room, the fire blazing, the crickets chirping just past our balcony and Terms of Endearment is on the TV. George is working out.

The weather has been spectacular. Mid-80s, the bluest skies I’ve ever seen, nice breeze and NO SWEAT. Things have been pretty quiet at the pool – which is lovely. Today I read about thirty pages of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell. I’m actually looking forward to reading it tomorrow.

I’m regretting (just a little) the road trip we took this afternoon to two yarn stores in Scottsdale. (By the way – who knew Scottsdale was so big!) The first, Arizona Knitting & Needlepoint, was situated next to an abandoned gun supply store with the most disturbing logo – a teddy bear holding an automatic weapon. It was called something like Mandel’s Shooting Supplies – I kid you not. I so wish I had brought my camera, which I had left behind as we rushed out the door to get there before the store closed. Maybe we’ll go back and take a picture. I don’t know – but it was just crazy.

Anyway, back to the store. It was small on the outside, but had a lot of stuff on the inside. Georgie came with me and asked a lot of questions. (Can you really knit with this? was my favorite when he picked up some tres funky novelty yarn. – yeah, you can, was my reply. But why would you want to? 😉 )

They had a TON of Colinette and A LOT of novelty yarns. A whole back room with baby yarns and a felting yarn wall. Some Manos. I don’t know – nothing really struck me. I don’t really need any yarn and was looking for something special – hand painted, local maybe. Everything there I could get somewhere else – and probably a lot cheaper.

Then we went to Jessica Knits. What a beautiful store! Bright and airy – a coushy couch (and Sports Illustrateds among the magazines to read. Georgie was happy.) and chairs. Lots of different kinds of yarns – all fibers – spread around the store in wood cubbies. Great displays in big glassware containers. Interesting one of a kind bags and accessories. If this was my LYS, I’d be quite pleased. But, alas, again – nothing I couldn’t have found locally or online. The prices weren’t bad, but no great bargains either.

All in all, I’m glad we did the trip because I would’ve regretted not going – but I also would’ve liked to stay at the pool a little longer just a little bit more.

Tomorrow we’re off the Desert Botanical Gardens – it’s picture time! I’m very excited. We’re going to go early in the morning before it gets too hot. I’m hoping for some spectacular pictures. And on our way back, we’re stopping at the Southwest Regional Alpaca Show! It’s at Rawhide, an old-time Western town of sorts. They will have a market as well and I’m hoping to pick up some yarn there.

I have gotten some knitting done – I’m almost through the second skein on the Pinwheel Blanket. It’s looking good.

Alright – time to hop in the shower before dinner. We’re eating at Roy’s tonight. Yummy!

Filed Under: Vacations

85 and Sunny

March 10, 2005 By

Yup. That’s right! That’s the forecast.

The WeatherPixie

By noon tomorrow I’ll be at the pool, virgin colada in hand. First, we will have made the obligatory homage to the hamburger at THE BEST HAMBURGER JOINT IN THE WORLD. You guessed. Georgie and I don’t vacation unless there’s an In-N-Out within driving distance. I could tell you stories.

Have no fear, I’ll be blogging from Arizona. You won’t have to miss me too much.


Ah, the desert. My home away from home.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Love,
Cara

PS: I feel really bad – yesterday I listed all my favorite TV lovers and I missed one of the best ones: Sonnylicious, Port Charles‘ very own gangsta lova! Mmmm. Delicioso!

Filed Under: Miscellaneous, Vacations

Dream Lovers

March 9, 2005 By

I had a whole post practically finished. Didn’t save the friggin draft and then accidentally closed the window. That blows. Fucking A that blows.

It’s 12:08AM – do you know where your significant other is? Mine’s at the office. Stuck. Apparently there’s a three hour delay on car services in NYC. He should know – he’s in charge of car services (among other things) at his company. I offered to come in and get him, because, you know, I’m the greatest wife that ever lived, but he thinks the reason for the delay is that the roads are treacherous. He said he couldn’t live with himself if anything happened to me. Whatever. I want to go to sleep and I can’t sleep without him, so….

I was disappointed in the Gilmore Girls tonight. Last week Luke and Lorelai got back together with that passionate middle of the night knock on the door your mom’s the biggest bitch that ever lived I can’t believe I let her break us up take her in his arms tongue down the throat moment that I rewound, oh, I’d say about fifty times. (It worked though. Luke was the very happy subject of my nicely naughty dream that night. TV is such a lovely thing. Erotic dreams of Tony on Monday, erotic dreams of Luke on Tuesday, erotic dreams of Josh on Wednesday, erotic dreams of Carter on Thursday…the weekend is all about my Georgie. Uck. Scratch that. It sounds so horribly pathetic. Alas, true. But still pathetic.) I wanted a little more passion between the two of them – I mean c’mon. Make-up sex and all that. Has anyone noticed that Lorelai walks like a duck sometimes? I’ve been watching all the reruns too and you know what? That Dean was a real ASS. And a DUMB ASS at that.

There is knitting to be discussed. Well, not really actual knitting. I tried. I really, really tried. But all I could get tonight was ten freaking rows on the Ribby Cardi sleeves. What is my major malfunction on this thing? I should be shitting these sleeves out in my sleep. Chelsea asked for some tips on how people get motivated with their UFO’s and I have to say, I really liked CJ‘s dice comment. She rolls the dice and whatever number comes up, that’s how many rows she has to knit on the project she doesn’t really want to be knitting. Then she’s allowed to move on to the fun project. I’m totally going to try that.

Georgie just called me again. He’s getting a train to the local station and I’m going to pick him up there. At about 12:50AM. Should give me enough time to finish this post.

I’m dreaming of some short rows….


Yummy Rowan Wool Cotton!

I forgot how great this yarn is. When I made Max’s sweater, I substituted this for Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere (which I really didn’t like). The Wool Cotton was a dream to knit with and I think it will be perfect for this pattern. I’m trying to resist the urge to cast on RIGHT.THIS.MINUTE. The baby blanket is languishing on the needles and the baby’s practically here. I was going to make a sweater and hat and other stuff too. I’m tempted to ONLY take the blanket on vacation. To force myself to finish it. But I will probably take the yarn for the short row sleeves. And the baby blanket. And maybe some sock yarn. Where are those dice?

More stash. Got a some backordered Art Yarns today from WEBS:


This will be a cardigan for my best friend’s daughter. It doesn’t need to be completed until Aug/Sep 2005. I’ll cast on today, just in case. I also found a pattern that would be perfect for me – using the Art Yarns Supermerino. I want something for myself in this amazing yarn:


The model looks kind of dorky, but the sweater’s pretty. And it even looks like they used Art Yarns. It’s a Classic Elite pattern by the way.

I also received the Alchemy Yarns Silk Purse:


Sea of Cortez

Add another project to the list. This one I’d like to have finished by May 20th – my best friend’s birthday. Every time I see a new one of these Clapotis (how do you make that plural? Claptoi? Clapotises?), I’m more and more intrigued.

All right. Off to brave the roads for my love. Wish me god speed.
Okay. I’m back. Wasn’t so bad. The anti-lock breaks only kicked in twice. Damn it’s cold though.

Off to sleep. Perchance to dream….

Filed Under: Stash

Cast On, Cast Off

March 8, 2005 By

Sort of like life, right?

I’m nervous today – I’m finally on my way to a job that’s been rescheduled twice already. Mainly because of the weather. Guess what’s going on outside today? But I’m going. Anyway, I always get nervous before a job. Sort of like stage fright, but add in the driving factor (sometimes I get anxious driving) and I feel like I’m going to puke. I always make it through, but you know. Somethings you just have to go through to come out of. Cast On. Cast Off.

Speaking of casting on, my class last night was interesting. I finally learned a tubular cast on and it’s very pretty. As is the cable cast on. I had A LOT of trouble with your basic long tail (Shirley Paden calls it the half-hitch). I generally do a knit on cast on, which apparently isn’t appropriate unless you’re knitting lace, but that’s what I know. The finger cast ons were hard for me. I kept trying to do the movement in my head, but I don’t know if I got it right. She did some double twist loop de loop thingy at the end, some kind of Japanese cast on, that had my head spinning. Yeah. I gave up on that one. All in all, it was interesting (did I already say that?) Good info for the arsenal.

The weekend had its moments. Poor sweet girl was sick – nasty cold and snot dripping everywhere. My sister and brother-in-law were sick too. I figure the snot will start pouring out of my body as soon as the wheels lift on the plane on Friday. You know, when I’m heading off for vacation. I’ve been sick on a lot of vacations, so I won’t be horribly disappointed. (Remind me to tell you about that cold I had at the Four Seasons Maui. Man was that torture!) Still though. It’d be nice NOT to be sick.

Lauren asked how my nephew enjoyed the casting party. Well, when my nephew and I were talking about the weather yesterday and how we could smell Spring, he said wouldn’t it be great if it was Spring all the time and I said, yeah, but then we’d have to live in L.A. or Florida and that ain’t happening. No, really, I told him that the seasons were important because if everything were the same all the time, it would get really boring. And he said, like when we were doing the belly cast right? Apparently, he didn’t have a good time.

That’s not true – he loved slathering his Mommy’s belly with Vaseline, getting all gooky and ooky and stuff. He just got a little impatient with applying the plaster. I guess that can get kind of boring. My sister and I both agree it’s the best one of the three we’ve done. I told her when she has her fourth, the cast will probably make itself. This weekend I really felt the baby moving for the first time. When my nephew was in utero I’d just sit there with my hands on my sister’s belly. It’s kind of hard now when I’ve got one kid on my lap and the other one hanging on my back. My sister’s kids are definitely lovers – which is great with me. I miss them already. The next time I go down will probably be baby day! I can’t believe it!

There’s stash to talk about. I received some of my order of Alchemy Yarns Silk Purse and it’s beautiful – although the color is a little off from what I imagined. It’s much more saturated, which I think, in the end, will be better for my friend. I can’t wait to start knitting it.

Also, I received the yarn for Short Rows! I’m so, so excited. It looks even better in person and the colors are beautiful. I want to cast on immediately! Alas, I think it will have to get in line. I’m sort of overwhelming myself with projects and I feel the need to finish something. Even if that something is Ribby Cardi. The sleeves have gone no where fast. And the train did nothing for me – four rows at the most. I’ve still got forty rows of increases. Have I mentioned how much this is killing me?

Stash pictures later. I need to get ready for work.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous

Behold! The Belly….

March 7, 2005 By


Off to my Cast On Fourteen Different Ways class! All about the weekend later….

Love,
Cara

Filed Under: Miscellaneous

Belly Cast, Baby!

March 4, 2005 By

That’s correct. You read it right. It’s going to be a Belly Cast Weekend!

As many of you know, my sister is due with her third child around the first week of April. When she was pregnant with my nephew, her first, I talked her into letting me do a belly cast. Now, this was 2001 – so I was WAY ahead of the trend. No Regis & Kelly, no The View. None of that crap. Just some strange thing I found on the Internet. My mother was dead set against it and I have to admit, as I was about to put the first strip of plaster on my sister’s well-Vaselined belly, I thought to myself – what if this shit doesn’t come off? But it did and my other sister and I had a great time making it. It came out beautifully. We took lots of pictures which my sister won’t let me show on National TV (i.e., The Internet). We were, though, interviewed for a Wall Street Journal story on the new hot happening trend among pregnant mommies. Yes, that’s right, The Wall Street Journal. (It was around May, 2001. Can’t find a link though.)

Where is said baby cast now? Who the hell knows. On top of the closet?

Fast forward to 2003. My darling sister’s preggers again. We MUST do another cast. How could we deprive the new baby this honor? I mean, what if they grow up, find this weird thing flung into the attic and my sister has to inform my niece: WE DIDN’T LOVE YOU ENOUGH TO MAKE ONE FOR YOU?!? So another cast was made.

And here we are. It’s 2005 and my sister’s shitting out another one. (Don’t get me wrong. I love these kids like I love my right arm. Or my left ventricle.) So I’m off to belly cast again. This time around, my nephew’s going to help. Which should be good for a few hundred laughs.

One thing the trip down to Philly guarantees is some knitting time – at least two hours. So I’m bringing the sleeves. Because there’s no way in hell I’m bringing them on vacation next week.

The next couple of months are going to be crazy. We leave for vacation next Friday. Back on Thursday. Teach my last class that night. And then at least I’m home for a couple of weeks – that is unless the baby decides to come early. My sister’s gone about a week late with the other two, so we’re sort of planning on that for this one. Which would put me at the second week of April. And then I’ll be down there off and on for the next month or so – more on than off probably as she’s going to need the help. (Don’t worry Annie! 😉 I will be blogging!) I’m sure those in the know can chime in, but they say going from two to three might as well be like going from two to ten. I get panicked just thinking about it and hey, I don’t have to live there.

The taxes MUST be done before the baby’s born. And while I know there are some others out there that claim to be bad at housework, trust me. I got you beat. I come from a long line of notoriously BAD house cleaners – going back generations. It’s a gene thing. Not my fault. We fired our cleaning person OVER A YEAR AGO! So you can imagine. It’s disgusting. I would maybe like the house to be a little neater. Mind you, I’m not saying clean, only neater, before the baby’s born. I’m just saying. That’s all.

Oh and I ~may~ have spent some time at the post office yesterday. 😉

Have a great weekend all…
Love,
Cara

Filed Under: Miscellaneous

World Book Day?

March 3, 2005 By

What? No Hallmark Card?

In honor of this austere day (I’m sorry – isn’t every day BOOK day?!?) The Independent asked 100 Literary Lumineries (most of which I’ve never heard of) to name their favorite literary characters. [link from bookslut]

So, I’ll play:

Robert Jordan
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Ernest Hemingway

I’m actually not a big Hemingway fan – but I love this book. First off, best.love.scene.ever starts Chapter 13 (that’s right, run out RIGHT NOW to read it!) – it’s beyond moving and beautiful and there’s a romantic desperateness that can only be born from living in a cave during the Spanish American War. Oh, Robert Jordan, you had me at rabbit.

Speaking of which…

Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom
Rabbit, Run; Rabbit Redux; Rabbit is Rich; and Rabbit at Rest
John Updike

I spent a summer alternating between loving and hating this guy – not a hard feat at all. But in the end, I was so sad to leave him. I mean, really sad. I missed the fucker like all get out. He’s a bastard to be sure, but you can’t help but feel for the guy as he wanders through the decades.

Melanie Wilkes
Gone With the Wind
Margaret Mitchell

I was eleven when I read Gone With the Wind and it’s stayed with me forever – I am and forever will be a hopeless romantic, so there’s not much more to say except the emotion I felt when I read Melanie had died will stay with me forever. I was sprawled across my parent’s bed one afternoon after school. I remember my friend called to invite me out for a bike ride and I couldn’t understand how she could want to “play” when the sweetest, most understanding, most gentle, most moral human being ever to live was DYING. Dying I say, all because babies were the miracles that make life worth living. Sniff, sniff. Damn that Margaret Mitchell! Oh yeah and I loved Rhett too.

Louisa
“Carried Away,” Selected Stories
Alice Munro

Okay, so it helps that she’s a librarian and a pathetic one at that, but the way this story winds together is breathtaking. And Louisa, the way she falls for the boy that writes to her from the war, while pathetic, also fits that romantic sensibility I was talking about earlier. And the scene with her and Arthur in the library during the storm, well, it just stabs at your heart like only Alice’s pen can.

That’s all I got right now. I’m sure I could come up with more if I tried. This little exercise was harder than I thought – I realize now that while I attach an emotional response to books I love (or hate, for that matter), I don’t necessarily form an emotional attachment to character – in fact sometimes it’s hard to really remember characters at all. Hmmm. Very interesting. I do remenber all the characters I’ve writen though. They are tattoed on my soul. Maybe because they’re all really me.

Okay. Enough maudlin sentimentality. Don’t forget to wish Wendy a happy birthday today. What a coincidence: The Bookish Girl‘s birthday is World Book Day! Hossana!

And can I just say, that Alison is one popular girl! She linked to me on her blog yesterday and I got twice as many hits! All from her blog. Wow. I guess there was good reason to stalk her…. 😉

Oh and one last thing – thanks for all your feel betters yesterday – they worked. And thanks for all the compliments on my color choices for Short Rows. I’m sorry if I didn’t email you back – something’s weird with MT and I didn’t get the emails. Appreciate it though. 🙂

Thursday is class day, so it’s off to work. They were nice to me this week though – everybody wrote short.

Filed Under: Books

Kick-ass

March 2, 2005 By

headache I’ve got going today. Came out of nowhere too. Probably ate lunch too late – or allergies because it’s all in my face – but what can you do. I’ll get into bed and read for class. A nap might come soon after.

Because I seem to be made of money these days, I ordered the yarn for my short-row pullover:

This is what I decided on:

Rowan Wool Cotton

French Navy-909 Aloof-958 Bilberry-959 Laurel-960 Antique-900

The French Navy will be for the sleeves and the Aloof and Bilberry for the major accents, the Laurel and Antique for the minor accents. I’m excited about it to be sure! I so hope I can make it fit. I’ll be so sad if it doesn’t fit these big, humongous boobs. (There you go google pervs!) I’m so not happy with my weight these days, I’d hate to make myself something that won’t fit because I’m too fat. Alright. I won’t go there. My head hurts too bad already. The best news was that I used my gift certificate and barely paid anything – include in that a ball-winder and the Rowan Junior book.

The people at Yarnmarket.com were very helpful, I have to say. I wasn’t sure about the colors matching well, so Pat pulled some of each to put together for me – and then she came here to check out the picture. She also asked everyone in the office if they thought it looked good. There was a positive consensus – it should look great! I really do like this pattern.

Yesterday I managed to be productive and sent in slides for a juried show. It’s for members of the Professional Women Photographers Association. The theme is The Secret Garden, and those photographs selected will be on Exhibit at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens this summer. So cross your fingers for me. You can see the photographs I entered here.

I also did some work on the Ribby Cardi sleeves. Man those suckers are going slow! I would LOVE to have this project done. F-U-C-KL-O-V-E it!

Make sure you check out Wendy’s handy dandy tips on meeting knitbloggers. And don’t forget your sharpie! 😉

ETA:
Almost forgot! Lolly tagged me for the latest Meme going around –

1. What was the last book you read or are reading?
I just finished The Easter Parade by Richard Yates, which I enjoyed. Not as much as his other ones (Revolutionary Road is a masterpiece, as are his short stories.) I’m about to start Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke for Knit One Read Too.

2. Where did it come from (library, bookstore, gift, etc.)?
Book store for sure. I’m really bad at borrowing. Although I used a gift card for the Clarke book.

3. How many books do you read per year?
I try to average at least one a month – hopefully two. That’s pretty pathetic. I must try to do better. Part of the reason I started K1R2 was to make myself read more.

4. What is your favorite genre?
Literary fiction to the point of snobbery. I’m actually quite elitist when it comes to my reading. But at least I can admit my prejudices right?

5. Who will you tag now?
Mrs. Pilkington – mainly because I’m thinking she has quite a diversified reading list – especially when compared to mine. (It seems I can’t stay away from dead (or alive) white men. What’s wrong with me?)

Filed Under: Miscellaneous, Ribby Cardi, Short Rows

March

March 1, 2005 By

comes in like a lion and out like a lamb….


Spring’s just around the corner!
Happy day and happy knitting.
Love,
Cara

Filed Under: Miscellaneous
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