Try XM Radio for free for a few days! It’s really nice – especially since my external harddrive with all of my thousands of Napster downloads crashed the other day. I miss my music! There are a gazillion stations – definitely something for everyone. I haven’t quite figured out which station is my favorite – but I’ve been listening to a lot of the 80’s, the Loft, Top Tracks – I did hear Bruce three times this morning, which is ALWAYS a good thing.

I’m toying with the idea of one of those 100 lists. I haven’t figured out how to put a sidebar on the left of my blog. There MUST be a way. Still tinkering. Once I do, I’ll probably do that 100 thing. We’ll see.

A day out with Jen is always fun…and expensive! We hit the new Majestic Yarns store in Ridgewood, New Jersey on Tuesday. It’s owned by Berta Karapetyan – I’m pretty sure she was there, knitting away – who founded the Karabella Company. If you want Karabella Yarns, this is the place to go.

Before we left I had received my box from Patternworks with Koigu – not what I wanted (it’s already on it’s way back). The yarn certainly felt nice, but it was darker and not solid enough for the scarf I’d like to make. But Berta had what I wanted: Magritte in color #11, ice blue. It’s really soft, a little more expensive than necessary, but it will certainly do the trick.

I also bought a ball of Aurora 8, which I need to swatch as a test for the Oscar de la Renta sweater. I’m determined to make that thing, even if I never wear it!

Jen bought some nice Soft Tweed in color #1100 (RED!) for a post-Xmas poncho. It was really soft – I wish I had seen it before the Jo Sharp Tweed, but alas.

Then we moved onto the Container Store where I exchanged the storage boxes I had bought the LAST time we went out and bought some new under the bed containers. These should work well. Melanie‘s coming next week, so that gives me extra incentive to put things away, not to mention clean my toilets.

Oh and I found something to do with the Valeria di Roma angora (after I purchased three more balls)! I’m going to attempt the Heartstrings Flared Lace Smoke Ring. I found it blogsurfing – Too Much Wool has some great tips too!

I also bought the ChickKnits Ribby Cardi pattern that seems to be the rage right now. I really like the blank front panel and ribbed sides, but is it blasphemous to try to put a hood on it? I showed it to Georgie and he said what’s your obsession with hoods, I like it without, but I really do like hoods. And if it has a hood on it I can call it a hoodie! (I think I just like the word honestly – it makes me think of a bunny.) I’m not sure about the Peruvian Collection Highland Wool at elann though. I need this thing to be SOFT! It sure would be cheap though.

Last, but not least, I started the Shedir. I’ve done 15 rows. It’s not bad so far, but my god those needles are small. How do people knit on those 0s and 1s? The needles barely fit in my fingers. It’s making the vest go better though – I think I’m about ready to start shaping the armholes. I’ve got about 17″ right now.

Whew!