Tempting Fate

I know I’m going to be pissing off some kind of knitting god out there, but can I just say how much I’m enjoying my knitting? Really – I can’t stop! How nice is that?!

My Almost Everyday Cardigan is moving along nicely and the yarn is just GORGEOUS. Every now and again I just stop to love it. I did have a moment of panic last night that the first skein I used has much more pink in it than the second skein and even though I wasn’t going to do it, I ended up joining another skein so I could switch off every other row. The Manos is hard – there are no dyelots on the yarn – but I didn’t buy it all in the same place at the same time. I tried to match it best I could, so hopefully this will help things out. The variegation is so, so pretty. I just want to knit on it ALL DAY LONG. There’s nothing wrong with that right?

I’m thinking about lace again. Who a thunk I’d like it so much? Well, some people, maybe, but I didn’t think it! Same with socks. I’m just silly sometimes. I know I mentioned that I have this pattern I found in a BW treasury that I really, really love and I’m thinking of making into a shawl. I bought the Martha Waterman book, Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls, which is supposed to help you design your own, but I don’t know. Allowing for all those increases and decreases and edgings, I was feeling a little sick and discouraged. This might take me YEARS to figure out. Probably what I should do is swatch the damn lace and see if I even like it knitted up. In the meantime, my eyes are out there for another lace pattern. I might go with one of those Robert Powell patterns I bought and use the other Twinkletoes yarn I have in stash. The bottom line is I’m really liking the lace. And all my other knitting.

Today I’m going to do some picture work – maybe clean up a little bit – and work on AEC. Also, I need to cast on for the second sunshine sock. I start teaching again tomorrow and I’m always REALLY anxious before class. I need some easy knitting to get me through and help me relax. A sock is perfect.

New GOAL!
Here’s my new goal – the Almost Everyday Cardigan will be DONE for Rhinebeck. I initially thought maybe Short Rows, but I’m not feeling it there – this project will have taken so long that I don’t need to rush it. It’s more important that it gets done and gets done right. (Yeah. It’s called procrastination.) Back to Rhinebeck. I’m planning on doing the same trip I did with Maryland. Go up Friday and stay through Saturday. Maybe dinner Saturday night since it’s not THAT far away from me? So thems the details for all who have been asking. Rhinebeck will (sort of) coincide with my blogiversary. October 26th will be a year. So I’m thinking a super cool Rhinebeck inspired contest will be in order when I get back. I know you’ll all stick around for that. 😉

Last but not least, our prom picture from Hearst Castle. Isn’t G so handsome?!

Stoned

Thanks for all the comments on my DFS (sounds like a government agency – and not the friendly kind.) Blocking may have to wait a bit. G leaves for South America tonight – and my little sister is coming to keep me company while he’s away through the weekend. Normally I’d go down to my other sister’s, the one with all those cutie kids, but the family’s taking a vacation up North, so…. My nephew informs me they will be taking the “Maximo,” the hugest Minivan to ever exist on Earth. There are four adults and five kids traveling together. My sister has no idea where he got the name Maximo – but it does include his name in it and it’s the HUGEST Minivan, so it’s not hard to make the connection.

Anyway, blocking will have to wait until tonight. Since I spent the last couple days constantly knitting, I’ve neglected everything else. I’ve got to get a couple packages together and I have to help G get packed and things are a bit crazy. But it’ll be worth the wait – I promise. And with my sister here, you might actually get me in a picture or two! Wouldn’t that be special?

On to the concert review.

I’d heard lots of things over my life about The Stones and how great they are in concert. Don’t believe the hype. It was definitely fun, don’t get me wrong, but in a goofy way – as in “My GOD, they’re ugly!” And, “Do you think Keith Richards is stoned, or that’s just how he is now?” And “If I have to see Mick’s stomach one more time I might puke.” The music was good – we wore earplugs (as we’re apt to do – I went to a concert a few years ago and my ears rang for three days – ever since – earplugs) and it actually sounded much better and clearer with the plugs in. The stage came out into the middle of the floor, right in front of our seats (about 10 rows away) and it was very cool. They played some good songs – songs I enjoyed hearing seeing that I’m not much of a fan. They ruined 19th Nervous Breakdown for G by playing a “new arrangement.” I guess artists get bored? And they disappointed me by switching out Shattered with Satisfaction and then putting You Can’t Always Get What You Want in the then vacant Satisfaction slot. (When they came out in the middle there were these clear plastic screens around Charlie Watts that contained the set list. As far as I can tell this was the only time they went off the list.) I would’ve much rathered have heard Shattered. Highlights of the evening: they did an AMAZING cover of Get Up, Stand Up. And Miss You. Miss You was really, really good.

Overall though, the concert left me cold. G and I discussed this on the way home. Now, I’m going to try not to compare the experience with a Springsteen concert. As you may already no, a Springsteen concert is the closet I’ve ever come to an ACTUAL religous experience. It’s so emotional for me I have to take a Xanax during the show. Really. I’m not bragging, I’m just stating facts. (There was no Xanax taken last night.) At a Bruce concert, which generally ranges 3+ hours, I know every word of every song, as do 99% of the people there. And pretty much 7 out of 10 people are ALSO having a religious experience. (I don’t include those people who are drunk about ten minutes into the show and are constantly BRUUUUUCING (sounds like BOOOING) and calling out for Candy’s Room every ten seconds. I HATE Candy’s Room.) There is an AMAZING connection between the artist and the crowd and the band. When Bruce sings, you see and feel every emotion contained in the song – on his face, in his body language, in the crowd reaction. It’s all there.

It wasn’t there last night. Again, I’m not going to compare the concert to a Bruce show, because, admittedly, I’m biased. But I will compare it to a WHO show. And maybe even a KISS show. I’ve seen both bands more than once. The Who shows come about as close to a Bruce show as I can probably get – and I’m not a HUGE Who fan. I mean, I like them and all, but I don’t play their records – more of a radio listen if you will. But the CONCERTS were AMAZING. I was totally into it, pumping my fist, connecting with the band and the crowd. I lost myself for a bit, which is what you want in a live environment, I think. KISS is totally different, but comparable. They’re putting on a show, as is Mick Jagger, and KISS just does it better. It’s a more cohesive show – it’s like Vegas in that way – everything’s choreographed and has a circus atmosphere to it and you get what you’ve paid for.

Last night I felt like there was no connection and not enough show. G felt the connection part was because the crowd was made up of mostly industry types who didn’t pay the $464.50 a ticket (seriously – that’s what it says on our stub – we didn’t pay either) or if they did pay, it was because they needed to see or be seen. Maybe if we had sat up in then nosebleeds the atmosphere would’ve been different, but I don’t think so. The band never connected with the crowd. Half the time while Mick was jumping around like he had ants in his pants or was channeling Michael Jackson, Keith Richards and Ron Wood were standing around chatting. And Mick sucked with the crowd banter. He pointed out that he saw a bunch of kids in the audience. And then he actually said something like, sorry kids, but there goes your education (meaning that the parents blew the college wad on tickets.) Tasteless at best.

I was bummed I didn’t get one of those flashing tongues that people were wearing.

Lest you think differently, it WAS a good time and I’m really glad we went. I don’t often go to concerts and when I do it’s usually Bruce and therefore an EXPERIENCE. It’s something I think about for days before and days after and find the bootleg so I can remember every minute of it forever. This was a concert – pure and simple. Not something I’m used to.

Blocking/wearing pictures to come. Patience, sweet ones.

Start Me Up

That’s what I need this morning – someone to start me up. I woke up around 6AM feeling completely nauseated. I knew right away it wasn’t anxiety nausea, but stomach nausea. See, now, I’m an expert on nausea. I’ve often compared myself to Sartre’s sad sack character in his extremely nauseating book, Nausea. There was a time in my life when I did not leave my house without a bag of some sort to throw up in. (I’m not kidding. It was years. I woke up every morning feeling sick.) This was anxiety nausea. That’s long since gone and I’ve seen moved on to bigger and better ways of torturing myself (bad thoughts and all that good stuff.) So I know the difference between psychosomatic nausea and the real honest to god grab the bucket kind. (I should note that in all that time I felt nauseated, I rarely, if ever threw up. It’s all about ANTICIPATORY ANXIETY, people. That’s the silent killer, really.)

They say that the mind and the stomach are very closely releated. In fact, the stomach has it’s own nervous system – the Enteric System. This is why you get butterflies in your stomach – also where the term “gut instinct” comes from and why when you’re scared you immediately have to take a crap. Let’s just say I have a highly honed enteric system.

Anyway. I’m feeling sick today. It’s slowly passing and may have everything to do with major PMS. You know the kind, where your boobs start hurting the minute you ovulate and you have to make sure they’re secured to your body before you get out of bed in the morning lest gravity causes intense pain. You don’t know that kind? Lucky you. I’m sure I’ll feel better as the day progresses. I have to. We’ve got VIP tickets to see The Stones tonight at the Garden. Yes, that’s right. Honestly, I don’t even really like The Stones that much (Blasphemy I know, but whatever. I don’t really like U2 either. So shoot me.) but the tickets were free and the seats are supposed to be good and there may be a Xanax in my future so wish my stomach some good thoughts.

I was bad yesterday (no working) and knit, knit, knit on DFS. Funny thing about those shawls, especially the ones that start off small and grow, grow, grow. It takes a LOT longer to get through a row. I’m a couple rows into the LAST section. I’m not going over the ten. For the longest time I was thinking it wasn’t going to be that big, but it’s suddenly pretty darn big and I still have a ways to go. Then there’s the points and the I-cord edging and it won’t be done for a couple days yet. And I so want it done.

In the meantime I can’t stop thinking about my red, red Manos and the Everyday Cardi and I want it NOW. So I may just wind up a hank and swatch a little bit today. Or at least take the yarn out and fondle it and read through the pattern. It should be a really fast knit. At this point #8 needles will feel like tree trunks and it’s all stockinette so whippee! Let’s go!

And this is for Kay. Wave Hill. Be there or be square.

My Little Pony*

I didn’t knit a stitch yesterday so here’s some other crap. Oh yeah, and the bed arrived, no problems, and it’s fabulous!

Do you get catalogues? We do. A lot. Although not as many as we used to. I’m not sure why, but we still get all the usual suspects. Pottery Barn. Eddie Bauer. J. Crew. The one about feet. Grill Lovers. Hammecher Schlemmer. We also get a bunch of kids ones – clothes, toys – you know, I’ve bought some gifts over the years for the babies so I’m on the list. Well, yesterday, we got the FAO Schwartz catalogue. I usually love this one with it’s over the top presents and BIG atmosphere. I mean, c’mon! Who doesn’t need a life size teddy bear to scare the crap out of you while you’re sleeping?!

So, I’m flipping through and on the first page I see this:

And I’m thinking, WOW! They’re really doing lifelike stuff with those stuffed animals these days and THEN I READ THE INFORMATON AND IT’S A REAL FUCKING PONY!?!?!?!?!?

Exclusive

Miniature Pony
$15,000.00

Imagine your very own precious pony. FAO Schwarz brings that dream within reach. This miniature purebred makes a perfect companion for young horse lovers. This full-grown pony has a buckskin coat and a soft thick mane and arrives ready to be ridden with a monogrammed FAO Schwarz halter and lead, and a Western saddle. Your pony is escorted home by a specialist who is there to offer complete information on caring for a new horse.

Please call the Division of Local Government for your county to check out any specific regulations. Owing to the size and nature of these ponies (under 36 inches and used solely as pets), they should be considered domestic animals rather than farm animals. The pony comes complete with current health papers stating which vaccinations were given. The pony will need a small outdoor area with protection from the elements and enough room for daily exercise.

Call 1-800-426-8697 to discuss the details of this special purchase with a Personal Shopper.

My favorite part? Well, that would have to be the part where (in the catalog – it’s not online) it says “Ages 3-6. Maximum weight limit of rider is 50 lbs.” So what happens when your daughter (or son – why should ponies be limited to girls?) turns 7, you take the thing out back and shoot it? I mean it’s not like a puppy, or is it?

* NOT to be confused with the Pukey Pony. Or should it?

So after I got over my initial shock, I kept flipping through the catalog. Here are a couple of other goodies I found:

Junior Off-Roader Ride-on Car (Gas Powered)
$30,000

Driving the gasoline-powered Junior Off-Roader is a perfect way to acquire early experience at the wheel. The Off-Roader features an all-weather fiberglass body with a protective frame, rack-and-pinion steering, dual hydraulic disk brakes, a manual emergency brake, rubber tires, and full front and rear suspension. The vehicle comes equipped with a a three-speed transmission, and tops out at 30 mph. It also has a removable, fully functional radio and tape deck, and speakers on the side doors. Your young driver will be comfortable cruising around in the adjustable upholstered leather seats. 90″ x 53″ x 60″. This item is a Special Order item. Please refer to expected delivery shown below. This product is recommended for ages 7 to 15 years.

15 Years. That way they’ve got LOTS of practice before you buy them that real jeep!

How about this? Your little girl isn’t satisfied with sleeping bags and popcorn and scary movies for her birthday sleepover? How about a night at FAO Schwartz, replete with weirdo ice cream guy?

For One Special Night, The Store Is All Yours

The FAO Schwarz Sleepover

Imagine having the entire FAO Schwarz store all to yourself, all night long. Your child and 15 friends will indulge in an all-night party that includes a spectacular birthday celebration in the FAO Schweetz Ice Cream Parlor, lessons on the Dance-On Piano, rides on the 3-D motion simulator, and hours of games and activities throughout the store. The guests sleep in sleeping bags in the Rec Room so they are never far away from the fun. This special event ends in the morning with a continental breakfast and goody bags. Ages 6 and up. Starting at $25,000.

Ooh. A continental breakfast! What happened to Cheerios?

After the pony though, this one’s my favorite:

Grand Victorian Mansion
$18,900.00

This enchanting play home is straight out of a fairy tale. The outside is picture perfect, including a wraparound porch, a stained glass window, window boxes, a skylight, and doorbell and brass doorknocker. The interior is decorated with a bay window with window seat, sponge-painted walls, simulated hardwood floors, fireplace mantel and an upstairs loft accessed by a ladder. This Victorian is truly grand indeed. Assembly required.

I don’t know what’s scarier – the idea of an $18K playhouse, or the photograph which looks like it could’ve been staged by wackos Pitt and Jolie. I mean, do those kids look like fun is in their vocabulary?

I’d like to think that even if the tv wasn’t on in the background with people devastated by Hurricane Katrina I would still be appalled by the excess of this catalog. I feel like it should’ve come in brown paper packaging – it’s that obscene. The saddest part – there are (a few, I hope) kids in this world that think they DESERVE “toys” like this. Not just want, but deserve. Entitlement starts young these days. ETA: I don’t blame the kids. I don’t. Because the honest to goodness truth is that a kid is happy with the damn box the toy came in. Entitlement is a LEARNED behavior. Someone had to teach them.

As a stark contrast to the decadence above, I leave you the lyrics to one of my favorite Springsteen songs. I had forgotten about it until last night, when the track popped up on our CD player. Honestly, I can’t believe it hasn’t been THE soundtrack to the horrors of Katrina. Generally I’m in tears hearing it, but last night I was positively distraught. The song really needs to be heard – it’s melody is hauntingly beautiful and positively infused pain. But oh so hopeful too.

My City of Ruins

There is a blood red circle
On the cold dark ground
And the rain is falling down
The church door’s thrown open
I can hear the organ’s song
But the congregation’s gone
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Now the sweet bells of mercy
Drift through the evening tr
ees
Young men on the corner
Like scattered leaves,
The boarded up windows,
The empty streets
While my brother’s down on his knees
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!

Now’s there’s tears on the pillow
Darlin’ where we slept
And you took my heart when you left
Without your sweet kiss
My soul is lost, my friend
Tell me how do I begin again?
My city’s in ruins
My city’s in ruins

Now with these hands,
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the strength, Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the faith, Lord
We pray for your love, Lord
We pray for the lost, Lord
We pray for this world, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord

Come on
Come on
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up

Copyright © Bruce Springsteen (ASCAP)

Another Day’s General Passions

Taking a page from Mamacate, it’s Wednesday, so let it rip!

~ I’m sitting here waiting for the new bed to be delivered. Remember what happend with the last one? Welp, I’m waiting again. Hopefully this one will have the right dimensions. The last one seemed to be a combination of a California King (72×84) and an Eastern King (76×80). This bed is 72×80. Uh, what? So they made us a new one. Actually this is the third delivery date. My building only allows deliveries between 9-5 and the first time they came I was sure to tell them about this – well they said they’d be there in the morning and didn’t show until 4:30. So when they scheduled it again they told me they’d be there between 9-5 and remembering the first delivery I was like fine. And then the phone rang at 7:55 AM asking for directions because they were around the corner. No go. G was pissed! Then we had another date, which I had to cancel. And here we are again. Luckily I called this morning and they said they’d be there after 11. So I went out to run at about 9:30. Yay!

~ Speaking of running, I finished week one! Yahoo! When I’m doing the early weeks of the program, I tend to do three days. Once the running times start getting longer and longer I’ll move to four or five days before moving up. It’s important to pace yourself – not move up in distance too fast – so you don’t get injured. It was nice today – I could totally tell I was running faster (even though I’m not running much) because I take the same route and I ended farther along today than I did the other two days I ran. It’s like riding a bike too, how fast the breathing and stride hits a rhythm. Your body doesn’t forget. Oh and to answer Karma‘s question, I wear a watch with a stopwatch and look at it while I’m running. Not the best method, but it works.

~ I just had some lunch – bbq chicken breast left over from dinner last night. I’m trying to eat more often during the day. It’s not unusual for me to go until about 1 or 2 or sometimes 3PM without eating anything. I do drink water all day long, a big Nalgene bottle by my side which G gifted me a couple of weeks ago. Back to eating – it’s not good for me to skip meals. The anxiety starts up at around 1PM. I know what it is and I still don’t eat. Yesterday, though, I was hungry for a snack and the cupboards are pretty bare so I had some potato chips dipped in red wine vinagrette salad dressing. About an hour later I was feeling kind of funky – nauseous a little and just out of sorts. By the time I went to bed I had one of the worst cases of indigestion ever. It was like fire in my esophagus. I ended up sleeping sitting up. Ugh. Not fun.

~ Do you watch soap operas? I’ve been watching since I was a little girl, a habit picked up from my mom. Days of Our Lives and Another World are the originals. I jumped on the General Hospital bandwagon during the whole Luke and Laura fiasco and it stuck. And when my sister was home with Max, she got into Passions, which she’s since gotten me into – I love that in the info on my TV it says the zaniest soap since Dark Shadows – it definitely is nuts. My faves though have always been General Hospital (I’m a HUGE Sonnylicious fan – that is TOTALLY my type – dark and dark and sexy) and Another World. When they took AW off the air is was awful! And then, SoapNet brought it BACK! Lately I’ve been really getting into it – I tivo it and watch it in the evenings. It’s great to know what’s happening, but at the same time there are still surprises – characters I don’t remember, plot lines I forgot. But it’s still my old fave AW. It’s been a lot of fun – for a lot of reasons – to have this soap back in my life. I can’t wait until they get to Vicky and Ryan!!!!

~ G set it up so that I get cable TV on my computer. So I watch my soaps while I’m working – generally I’m working on pictures. It works out well. If I miss them one day, I don’t care. I don’t TIVO them. I only TIVO Another World because it’s on at the same time as Days.

~ I’ve also been tivoing Family Guy. I swear there’s at least one or two or three jokes each episode that have me howling. And last night I finally saw the last two minutes of the season finale of Gilmore Girls. I missed it when it originally aired. Next week is the season opener and I’ve already read spoilers going into the sixth show. How do you feel about spoilers? Somehow they don’t ruin it for me – I guess it depends on the show though. I would NEVER seek out a spoiler on 24, but GG is okay. I read spoilers for General Hospital too.

~ I didn’t knit anything yesterday. Tired from the weekend I guess. I thought I might start swatching for my dad’s aran sweater that I’m planning on making, but then I saw this lace pattern in a Barbara Walker book that I had seen before and once again I was completely and utterly tantalized. I want to use it to make my own lace shawl, but I don’t know where to start. I posted a message on the Summer of Lace board, so we’ll see if anyone has any suggestions. I want it to be a triangular shawl with a border you knit as you go. I hope I can figure it out. I think it will be beautiful – it already is in my mind. I guess in the end I could make a rectangular shawl – that would completely work.

~ This fall/winter is going to be the season of the cardigan. I’ve got a few kids knits to do and I want to make myself the Everyday Cardigan using this gorgeous Manos. I think about it everyday. Short Rows has to be finished first. Too many projects.

~ My business is really growing. I’m booked pretty much every weekend into October. I don’t think I had one job last September. I’m getting repeat customers too. It’s so wonderful to see the kids growing up in my pictures. I start teaching again on Sept 21. The last class I taught was a disaster, but I’m hopeful about a new one.

~ I need to be writing.

~ I hope Roger Federer wins the US Open. I don’t really care who wins between Agassi and Blake – I’m not really a fan of American Male Tennis Players. That’s not true. I like Vinnie Spadea (I’m not Afraid-a-Ya) because he is an utter goofball. And I used to LOVE Sampras. I
don’t like to watch women’s tennis at all. Actually, to be honest, the only reason I watch ANY tennis is because of G.

~ We’re coming up on the anniversary of our first IVF attempt. I think this is why I’ve been so anxious lately. I tend to turn all extreme emotion into anxiety as a super fucked up way of (not) dealing with things. And they keep showing the promo for that NBC show I don’t want to think about. Between that and the NJ PSAs on Post-Partum depression, which absolutely kill me, I may never get pregnant.

~ I think, in the end, this post will be really boring to most people. I’m sorry for that. Please come back.

Bed’s still not here. An hour after I started this. I’m hungry again too. Crap.

Game. Set. Match.

That’s about how long it took. Literally.

In case you don’t recognize it, that’s the Sunshine Sock. It goes everywhere, but never gets finished. This is kind of a cheat. We were in a Very Important Person’s seats (don’t worry, we were allowed) and G thought it might not be good form to knit while in those seats (ala Elaine and her Baltimore Orioles Cap.) So I took out the sock for the obligatory picture, and I did knit one row (note – not even a WHOLE round) for posterity’s sake.

The best part of the evening? Well, I had a few hours where I was peaceful. Dare I say it? I had some fun. Of course, today I’m back to doubting it will ever come again, but it was there. And a Big Mac never tasted so good.

I think I may have scared some of you yesterday. Rest assured, my family and friends (which includes my dentist, my dry cleaner, the woman on the #7 train yesterday) all know my situation and are on top of it. I’m OKAY. Really I am. I may feel like utter crap, but I’m OKAY. And one day, hopefully really really soon, this will be a distant memory. I still remember the Summer of 2000. It wasn’t pretty, but here I am five years later and this summer wasn’t half as bad as that one. So, it’s all okay. Thanks for caring.

Wonder of Wonders

The trek out to STRONGIsland (as Georgie kept referring to it) was very nice, punctuated by the miracle of NO TRAFFIC coming AND going on the parking lot known as the LIE. And no, I’m not lying. In fact, the only traffic we hit the entire day was on RT 27 going to East Hampton. G thought the beach was supposed to be the best there, but it turns out the ones in Southampton rock even harder. Lovely, lovely beaches you’ve got out there. The water was ultra clean and the beach was ultra soft and it really was some of the best I’ve ever been on.

The job was great – great kids, great parents, great light. Shooting on the beach – getting wet while photographing kids in the surf is just as much fun for me as it is for them!

Not much knitting to report as I drove the three hours out there and the three hours home – seems like G can’t take a day off anymore without some crisis exploding at work, but that’s okay. I was happy for the company.

My friend’s coming over today from out of town. She’s kind of OCD about keeping things clean and a pig wouldn’t even live in my house these days. I’m almost tempted to leave it and see what kind of palpitations it gives her – is that mean? Or seriously ask her to clean it for me – that’s what G thinks I should do – I told her I’d pay her. I’m so tired though I think it will take all my energy to clean myself let alone my shithole house, so that might be all she gets.

Tomorrow I leave for my sister’s for the week, so blogging may be sporadic. I’m only bringing socks with me, I think. Hopefully I’ll manage to finish a couple of singles and possibly start on a couple of seconds. Did you all go congratulate Vicki on her first pair? They are FABULOUS and I dare say I may take a teeny bit of credit for getting her to start on them. Just a little.

Anyway, have a great weekend and a rock star week. I’ll be in when I can.

L, C

(Oh and to all who asked, the beach in yesterday’s photo is Manasquan in New Jersey. Never knew the Jersey shore could look so good, huh?!)

Pitiless

Remind me, next time I throw a pity party, I better put out some snacks. I’m not sure you’ve got the magnitude of my pain. I have to RIP out HALF a sweater I’VE ALREADY KNIT because it’s TOO BIG!!!! A sweater where I’ve already woven in 4,361 ENDS!!!

Okay. I’m done feeling sorry for myself. My new goal is to have the sweater done by Rhinebeck. Think I can do it? I’m going to order some new yarn today – I think I can do it. I’ve got 10 weeks and like four days or something. Definitely doable. Even with some other stuff thrown in there. COME ON!!!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!! (Got to psych myself up.)

I’m feeling much more even these days and therefore thinking about things that aren’t so bad – like writing and photography. I haven’t taken flower pictures in a while – due to the extreme weather. Even though it’s broken and isn’t quite so hot, it’s been breezy here and breeze is BAD when it comes to macro stuff. It’s hard enough to get little bugs and the insides of flowers in focus, but have the stuff blowing around and it’s just a headache. A hot headache.

I’ve been working on a kid’s job I shot right before we went away and I’m VERY happy with it, to say the least. That’s been fun. Some of my best work, I think. I hope the parents are as happy.

What else, what else…. Oh. Did you see Melissa’s Fishie Blanket? It’s absolutely fabulous. Go tell her how much you like it – because, really, you can’t NOT like this blanket. I want to make a blanket like this.

I also want to knit more lace. I have like five balls of this, and I want a great big wonderful lace shawl that I can wrap around myself in the winter that’s soft and warm and I can’t find a pattern. I’m thinking the Leaf Lace Shawl because it’s not as open as the Flower Basket Shawl, but I also saw all these wonderful lace patterns in my Barbara Walker books and I wanted to design my own shawl but that will never happen because I haven’t the first clue. Any suggestions other than LLS or FBS are welcome.

I do like these patterns by Robert Powell – especially #103 and #106 (on the Kits page). I should buy it to look at it and see how hard it is. Anybody knit any of his shawls? I think I’ve googled it before and not found much. I like that the shawl seems really modern, but still old. Know what I mean – is it retro? Is that it?

Sorry I’m boring lately. Sometimes boring is good. Trust me on this.

Got Gauge?

I want a t-shirt that says this. Who’s going to help me design it? We can sell it and give the proceeds to charity. I’m not kidding. I need a t-shirt that says “got gauge?” and maybe one that says “swatch-n-bitch“. What do you think?

This weekend was all about the knit, baby. And even though there was some phenomenally BAD news of the knitting variety, I enjoyed the weekend and thinking about my knits.

I’m leading off with the bad, because, well, it’s so bad that I want EVERYONE to read it – none of this skimming through and missing it at the end.

Okay. Here goes.

Friday night, I FINALLY cast on the front of Short Rows. And guess what? I GOT GAUGE!!!! This may seem like a good thing, but trust me, it’s very, very, very bad. Why you ask? Because when I knit the back, I didn’t get gauge. Or at least I thought I didn’t – I seem to remember measuring it a bunch of times. I even remember starting it a couple of times and ripping it because I DIDN’T get gauge. I deliberately, painstakingly decided to move up a size in the pattern – which would leave me with a sweater conveniently between the medium and large size. Nice and comfortable for me. But while I was casting on and knitting the front, something kept nagging at me about the back. It just seemed, so, I don’t know, HUGE. And I kept pushing those bad feelings down, down into the locked closet of my brain that sucks all the bad thoughts in like a hoover – as I’ve been training myself to do. (It’s working. A little bit. Everyday.)

But. I just couldn’t let it alone.

Sunday, I got out a sweater I have that fits pretty good and put the two backs together. Then I took out not one, but three tape measures. Sure enough I GOT FUCKING GAUGE! The sweater matches perfectly to the dimensions the pattern lists for a large. It is WAY too big.

I think you all know where this is going. Do I really have to say it? At least I didn’t get too far on the front (honestly, I was getting bored pretty quickly. What happened to all the love?) I’m going to cast on again for a back. In the size I should’ve done the whole time. I’m going to knit said back, and compare the two. Then I’m going to rip the sleeve I’VE ALREADY KNIT, because I can salvage the yarn easily. I think I might just leave the first back and buy more yarn. The thought of ripping it, after I’ve cut and WOVEN IN all those ends is enough to – I don’t know – NEVER KNIT AGAIN?! What’s a few extra dollars for a project I really loved (once) and want to get right? Don’t you agree? Eventually I can rip out the bad back and make something with the yarn. But right now, I think that would just be way too depressing.

That’s it. That’s my awful knitty news. Feel sorry for me. Seriously – I WANT the pity.

~+~+~+~+~

On to the GOOD!

I found a new knitting store this weekend. I was looking through the new VK and came across some interesting notions. When I went on the website to see where they were sold, I found Stix-n-Stitches in Montclair, NJ. They literally opened about a week ago. The store was very nice – nice wood – roomy – lots of cool notions and stuff. Tons of Classic Elite yarns. I asked the proprietress, Sheila, what kinds of new yarns she was going to get in. No Noro or Debbie Bliss, because another yarn store in town is going to carry it. What about Rowan, I asked. Another new store opening up is going to carry that, so no. I found this really, really interesting. What do you think? Is she limiting her business by not carrying yarns that other stores in the area are carrying? I’m not sure what I think about this.

One thing she does have is a full line of ArtYarns – which happens to be one of my all time favorites – so that’s good!

That’s Ultramerino 4 – a new fingering weight yarn. They’ve come out with Ultramerino 6 as well to go along with the 8. Good stuff. Oh and I bought some circular needle size markers as well. They clip onto the wire and clip right off. Never seen them before – maybe they’ll help.

All in all – a nice store that I definitely plan on going back to – Jen – whenever you’re ready!

I spent a lot of time looking through stitch pattern books this weekend. I was pulling together cable patterns for my dad’s sweater and also looking for stitch patterns for squares for the John Glick Afghan Project. Some fits and starts, but I’ve managed to identify all of the cables and I’ve finished one square and started another.

Both squares are from Cascade 220 I had in the stash. I love the blue-green heather color and I have more, so I might make another one with this. The stitch on that one is the Quaker Ridge from Barbara Walker – I figured it was fitting for John since by all accounts he was a peace loving man, traits the Quakers embody. The brown square stitch is called Jacob’s Ladder or Ladder of Life – both of which I thought were appropriate. I’ve tried to infuse the squares with love. I hope they bring comfort to the recipient.

And last but not least, when your knitting gets you down, KNIT SOCKS!

I’m calling these my Walking on Sunshine socks! I’m hoping to remember the bright, warm, NOT HUMID, sunny day I started them on when I’m wearing them on a particularly cold and gray winter day. Also, they match my bright orange flip flops (which I won’t be posting a picture of – they’ve turned black under my toes and well, ew.)

I’m using Trekking XXL Crazy Stripes in Color 38 – I’m loving me some stripes and stockinette and hey, you can never have too many socks, right Margene? (Check it out – she’s got FOUR FEET!)

Goldilocks and the Not Quite Right Bed

I waited around for the delivery guys yesterday (I hate waiting around) and finally it came:

Something’s not quite right here.

The funniest part was trying to explain to the delivery guys’ boss and to George what exactly the problem was. No one was getting it. I think the boss guy thought I was crazy, because I heard the delivery guy saying, no, it really is messed up. I’m thinking we got somebody’s special order bed because it’s supposed to be an Eastern King, which has the regular dimensions of 76×80. As opposed to a California King, which has regular dimensions of 72×84. Georgie called our bed a Midwestern King, since our mattress measures about 74×80. Of course our box springs are standard Eastern King measurements at 76×80. See what I mean?

The other day Rachael had a post about her and LaLa’s anniversary and she talked about luck. I told her that G always used to complain about bad luck and I told him that we used up all the good luck we had when we found each other. Now our bad luck isn’t the devastating kind, it’s the kick your ass only could happen to us kind. You see, this is something of a special bed we got through a friend for a very good deal (Oprah may or may not sleep on this bed – no not this EXACT bed, but one just like it) so it’s not like we can call Sleepy’s and say give us a new one. But it’ll all work out in the end. And if not, I’ve got a nice little ledge to rest my feet on while I put on my shoes. [ETA: Despite the size issues, the bed was a dream to sleep on! Well, at least I think it was, I don’t remember anything from last night. More importantly, G didn’t wake up with a backache. YAY!]

In knitting news, I’ve got one more repeat before I start on the toe of my Socka-Pal-2-Za socks. Speaking of Sock Pal Socks, have you seen Karen’s socks? She’s in the beginner category too, so there’s a chance these socks are MINE! I would LOVE that because I LOVE these socks. She even had me persuring my Barbara Walker Treasury books for mosaic patterns for socks. What a great idea! Fingers (or, er, toes) crossed these socks are for me!

I spun some more yesterday too and while I won’t be showing you photographic evidence, I did better yesterday than I did the day before. I’m slowly beginning to see the benefits of a wheel and would definitely like to try one. Parking more and drafting more (thanks again Claudia!) are definitely helping. I’m getting more control over my spin as well. It’s coming along.

I owe quite a few contest prizes out there and I’m sorry they’ve been so late in coming. I have to put together every card myself, but I hope to have them ready to go this weekend. Thanks for being so patient! I haven’t forgotten!