Updates

I'm a bad blogger. I wait and wait and wait to post, even though I know there's blogworthy stuff happening that I should just post and get it over with. But instead, I wait, and then I wind up with mile-long posts that go on and on and on!! OY!

Well, I've been doing plenty of knitting in my "time off." So much, in fact, that I do believe I'm in danger of giving myself carpal tunnel!! Actually, I think it's one specific knitted item doing this - Tempting
. This sweater is done COMPLETELY in K1P1 ribbing. That's a lot of switching yarn, and it's a pain in the wrist! I've gone down to only doing a row or two each day. I need to be at 15 inches to add the sleeves in. I'm at 13 inches now, so I figure maybe in about two weeks I'll be able to put some finishing touches on! UGH! It's killing me not to just finish this up when I've come so far, but I won't be ble to knit anything if I let myself get CT!!!

I also took some knitting time last Thursday in the park while waiting for some FREE SHAKESPEARE to begin. I worked on my new Clapotis. Here's what it looked like then:



The Maryland Shakespeare Festival gives free summer shows at Maryland National Captial Parks and Planning sites. This year they were putting on 2 Gentlemen of Verona. It was a really great show. Very interactive and fun. The actors really did a great job handling the outdoor setting and the VERY interactive nature of the audience. They are all masters at improv, I'll tell you. See:



Nope, these aren't the "2 Gentlemen." This poor little guy volunteered to go up on stage during a scene. I think he was shocked that they called him up there, because he wouldn't move once he got on the stage. They almost had to carry him back to his family when they were through with the scene! Hilarious!

I neglected to take a picture of one of the best parts of this play - my friend Dave. He called and interrupted my solitary knitting meditation before the play. I chided him severely for not being "civilized" enough to join me for some Shakespeare in the park. About 20 minutes into the first act, he showed up, his backpack loaded with cheese, crackers, wine, grapes, and Peperidge Farm "Verona" cookies. Damn. This guy should just marry me already and get it over with! I mean, who does that? Why is it that no "man" I'm "seeing" would ever do something that nice, generous, impromptu, and perfect? I must have "doomed love" karma, because it's never the guy that I'm head over heels over who does this kind of stuff. Never. Damn.

I've also gotten more yarn. Like I needed that! But when it comes to KnitPicks, my mother is all over their sock yarn. So, of course, I had to go in on the order, too! My aunt and I convinced her to try knitting socks about two months ago. She's knit three pair since then! Oh yeah, she's addicted! She hasn't even touched any of her quilts lately, she's so into socks!

Here's what's just been added to my stash:



First, there's KnitPicks Andean Treasure in "Embers" - that's going to become Wendy's
*Sizzle*. I love this top. I plan to wear it to work with a nice, crisp, white, collared shirt underneath. Or maybe a nice floral-y shirt, with or without a collar - I'll be shopping for that after the paychecks start rolling in!

Also in the group photo, we have some of KnitPicks Memories sock yarn in "Red Hat" for my former MIL. She is a member of this lovely society, and I think she'd get a kick out of the socks. Plus, she deserves them. She's really a nice lady and I miss hanging out with her. So I'll knit her socks instead!

There's also some Dancing - another KP sock yarn. This one has elastic in it. I don't think they are going to make it anymore, but I had to try it anyway - the idea just sounds wonderful and stretchy. I also got one skein of their solid sock yarn to be contrasting heels and toes when I knit my remaining Koigu (leftover from my Clapotis) into some socks for me. The green will be smashing!

The yellow/red/brown ball at the top is some sock yarn from Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farms. That's going to be socks for me and for the boy - the ball is huge - 475 yards! It's Merino/Tencel and it's so shiny and soft. I think these socks will be wonderful, and I want a great design to knit them into. I'm not settling for plain old socks here!

The pink at the edge of the pic is some Rayon/Silk concoction that I got from eBay to knit a Clapotis in. This was when I was first considering Clapotis, before I became obsessed with the idea of doing it in Koigu. Then I just had to do it in that. So this one will be for my cousin Pam, who is always asking when she's going to get something handknit. This Christmas, she will!

That leaves the three purple balls - all Mostly Merino 77% Merino & Corriedale Wool and 23% Mohair. It's very scratchy, though, so it's going to be knit into a messenger bag that I saw at Knitty.com
. I think I have enough, but I'm planning on omitting the pocket from the pattern, and it might not have as long a strap as the standard messenger. I am also going to need to borrow a washing machine to felt this in, since our machine isn't hooked up to the hot water. Don't ask, it just isn't. Bleach is my friend. :O)

I think that's it for now. More pics and updates later. Hopefully not too much later!

:O)

The Best Movie Ending EVER!

So, I'm knitting/cleaning/watching TV today. It's a lazy Sunday afternoon! TBS has on a pretty good lineup. Just finished watching "You've Got Mail" with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. That is, to me, the best movie ending ever! It's kind of a sappy/sweet movie throughout, but the ending really makes the movie. When she says "I wanted it to be you" to him, it really brings the tears to my eyes! Bravo to those writers. That's exactly what she should have said at that moment. And exactly what he wanted to hear, so it makes it all the better!

Now I'm watching Step-Mom. That has a pretty good ending, too. Maybe that's the theme of the movies today? Because at the end of this one, when the whole family is together for Christmas, that really gets to me, too. Not to mention the fact that the Susan Sarandon character realizes she's not going to be around for her children anymore and is a big enough woman to welcome/embrace the presence of "the other woman" in her husband's life as the new woman who will be raising her children. UH! I'm crying already just thinking about it. I always cry at this movie. Why am I watching?????? Good thing The Boy is coming back this afternoon, 'cause I'd have to turn it off if I knew I wasn't going to be seeing him anytime soon! Maybe that's why this movie gets to me this much - because I don't ever want to think about this whole scenario EVER playing out in my own life!

:O\

waterrats

waterrats
Originally uploaded by bkwrm1012002.

How the heck do I put this pic on my sidebar???

Knitting seems to be going slowly these days. Although I did finish the blanket for Baby O, It seems like my other projects are taking FOREVER!!! Here's picture proof:

Finished baby blanket:
I love it, really I do. It was pretty easy, introduced me to cabling (boy, did it!), and turned out almost exactly the size I wanted! I had a blanket about this size when Zac was born - given to me by a much-loved family friend (thanks, Jo!), and it was so amazing! It may seem small, but it was the PERFECT blanket for using in the diaper bag, traveling, and definitely for covering a baby in a carseat!! It will fit over the carseat just enough, without the miles and miles of excess dragging on the seat or floor! And when the baby is big enough that you have to take him out of the carseat to go inside with him (which, for my big lug of a boy was about 2 months old!!!), it's just the right size to flip over the baby on your shoulder without worrying about tripping on the end of the blanket trying to stand up out of the car, or worse yet, as you are walking (or, God forbid, going up a stair or two!!). And folding it into a diaper bag? Leaves plenty of room for other necessitities besides the blanket. It's also not so big that you would worry too much if you covered the baby up with it to sleep. I know that's a big no-no these days, but a small, knitted blanket such as this would be perfect for the job. Since Baby O's daddy is a pediatric surgeon, this will probably never even be an issue becuase it won't happen. . .But really, this size blanket is the perfect size. May Stephany and John, the new-parents-to-be think the same!

Amazing Lace Teammates:

These two seem to be competing for attention. Convertible rarely gets attention, it seems, since I have to knit her in secrecy. I'm determined that Mom will not see me working on this project. Christmas gifts should be a surprise, and knitting it in front of her would totally ruin that. So this project goes with me to The Boy's swimming lessons, the coffee lounge, friends' houses, etc. so that I can work on the present in private. Once in a while I work on her late at night once Mom has gone to bed, but you never know when she might get up for something, and Convertible has grown just a bit too much to tuck away behind me on the couch and pretend I'm not working on her!!

And, my Diamond-y Dresser Scarf (that I'm actually going to wear, not just drape across a dresser!) seems to be plugging along, but not getting any longer?!?! Hopefully soon she will start to look like I'm actually working on her. The picture was taken with The Boy helping me stretch her across his little desk to show the lace pattern, which I love. I also love the fact that his handsome little hand is in the picture. YUM! :O)

Did I mention that we went to the Zoo last week?? Look at that face!

That's basically all I'm working on. I'm very tempted to cast on for another project, but I have bigger things to attend to. I'm launching a new blog for my brother-in-law, a Marine who just got deployed to Habanniya (sp??) Hopefully, all of us who love him will post updates and news/happenings there for him to log onto and see when he gets a chance. His job allows for that. Remember the TV show M*A*S*H*?? Well, basically, as I understand it, he's Radar O'Reilly. He's got all his digits, but he is the personnel guy. Hopefully, this will keep him out of harm's way. Prayers and well wishes are welcome from all . . .

H

Pondering

So, a friend of mine keeps telling me I should post about more "things" and less "knits" here on this blog. I would tell hiim to mind his own business, but, well, he's good company, and I'm hoping he'll help me set up my brother-in-law's new "I'm away in Iraq" blog, so I'll try my best!

Right now, the "things" in my life consist of my son (favorite topic, he ranks even BEFORE knitting!), getting ready for my first year back in the classroom (teaching first grade, of all things!), and being really, really tired of living in my parents house AGAIN! So, let's take this list in order:

1. The Boy. He's getting ready to go away for a week with his dad, and I'm bummed out. Sure, he's been extremely defiant, not listening to any of my "suggestions" until they're followed by a timeout or a swat on the rump, but I'm still going to miss having him around. Seems like our wonderful summer full of plans has flown by at lighting speed. Technically, I only have him to myself for one more week! Besides the week with daddy next week, he goes to summer camp with his school buddies the following week, so adventure days are out that week, too. 9-3 camp days don't leave much time for exploring museums, going to the aquarium in Baltimore, or venturing off to the beach for the day! We will have to pack a lot into the first week in August, since I report for work on August 7th. Wow, that was quick.

2. Very quick. Yesterday, it seems, I was finishing my student teaching, and tomorrow, it seems, I go to work, officially, as a teacher in Prince George's County! Well, actually, it was March when my student teaching ended, and I go in on Tuesday for orientation! Now let's pray I get a handle on first graders really quickly!

3. I am SO over going back to my parents house to get back on my feet after the divorce. Now that I've finished my degree, I want OUT, ALREADY!! I have this plan of getting caught back up on the basics of my life - you know, the stuff you actually need a real, good, paying job for. Student teaching just won't do, and working as a teaching assistant for barely minimum wage (exaggeration, but still . . .) just doesn't cut it! So, on my list is updating the glasses and getting my contacts back, updating my wardrobe, paying back the parents, and putting money away for the "what if" fund. Then, once I have money for deposits and such in the bank, I'm outta here. I can't wait to be on my own again. It seems like my life has been on permanent stall for the last two and a half years, and I really, really, REALLY need to GET MY LIFE BACK!

Okay, done rambling. How's that for "things"??? :O)

Challenge! #4

So the new challenge for The Amazing Lace is to consider, if you will, what your project could possibly be used for if it were bound off right this minute. So, after wondering and wondering what the heck this project could be, I dragged it around the house asking it to test it's merits out in a variety of different roles. But, the powder room is where it really shone, and the final decision is this - if my teammate Koigu Convertible were bound off right this minute, it would serve best as



a beautiful, colorful fingertip towel. Victoriana, eat your heart out - finger towels were just MEANT to have this much texture and color! So there!

::hee hee::

Vacation

Okay, I think it's high time I post about our lovely vacation two weeks ago. As usual, the whole fam-damily went. One of these days I have to go on a vacation like a grownup! Granted, I did go to Miami with a friend last year; and The Boy and I went to Lurray Caverns by ourselves last summer, but the alone time is so infrequent, it seems like it's been forever since it happened! Okay, okay, enough griping - on to the vacation!

The family trekked off to North Carolina's Outer Banks again this year. This is a long-standing tradition. For about the last decade and a half we've been trekking to the Outer Banks for a little relaxation, ocean-style. I even managed to convince my (at the time) in-laws to go out there. My MIL thought I was driving her off the ends of the earth. During the drive down there on HWY 12, she somehow got the idea that she was going to be sleeping in a sand-dune. How she got that idea,



I'll never know.

But seriously, we really love the area - it's really great for ocean/beach lovers, and my father has a great time dragging people into the Gulf Stream on a boat to go fishing for the day from the Oregon Inlet fishing center. He's always on the lookout for a seaworthy fishing buddy. So far, all the people he's taken out have gotten seasick. And he's gone through a number of potential buddies. There was my mother - hopeless, our neighbor and good friend Jerry - not quite the pirate he appears to be (pic later), and my ex-husband, who was sick before they even got to deep water! I have not been talked into this adventure yet, and since I have The Boy, I'll probably be spared for a few more years yet. My brother in law, Scott appears to be the most likely candidate since he has his own boat, but, alas - it will have to wait about 7 months, or one tour of duty for a United States Marine in Iraq, since he is shipping out this Friday. More on this sad event later. I think he deserves his very own post, don't you?

The Boy and I enjoyed ourselves at a National Park while we were there. The Wright Brothers National Memorial
at Kill Devil Hill was really great. I had never been before, so I didn't know I was missing THE PHOTO OPPORTUNITY OF THE YEAR when I forgot to bring the camera. If you go, don't be the dunce I was by not taking the following items: 1) a camera, and 2) a kite. The kite is very important (especially if you go with small children, or the young at heart), because apparently, the whole reason the Wright brothers chose this spot to attempt to fly was because the wind pools in this particular pocket of the shoreline. This could be due to that massive hill/ridge that exists there. Like I said, Brilliant. So, don't forget your kite. You will seriously regret it. There are tremendous winds and wonderful grassy areas just begging people to fly a kite. Which several people were doing while we were there. If I had brought the camera, I'd show you pictures!

Which brings me to the other thing to remember - the camera. There is a wonderful inscription engraved around the memorial, and the engineers that designed the place managed to have a single word on each corner of the triangular structure. So what's this incredible missed photo opportunity? The word "GENIUS" is on one corner of the monument, above the heads of most children, and short adults. If you tell your child to stand underneath this and take a picture of them, it would be brilliant. I highly recommend doing this. And, added bonus - the ocean will be behind them and the memorial. It will be the most beautiful, inspiring, and conversation-inspiring picture you will ever take of your child. I'm really ticked that I didn't bring my camera. Ah, well. I'm sure we'll make it back there one of these days. Probably next year!

Okay, enough vacation posting for now. I'm off to draft the report of my Friday night attempt to work out. I either need to get a real life so that I'm not visiting the gym on a Friday night, or find a better gym! Too bad I JUST joined this one! Details to follow. For now, I will leave you with the highlight of the vacation, according to my four year old. As you can see in the following pictures, he just needs a pool to call it vacation.

Stitches East!

OOh, goody! The flier for Stitches East came in the mail today! Not that I need another distraction/diversion, but I've had a class in mind for a while now, and I'm dying to know which class I will be signing up for at this event. I'm very excited that it's in Baltimore this year, and can't wait to go! I'm off now to read the book and figure out the classes!

New Team Member

I have been a very bad blogger lately. No posting. Events happening that don't get even so much as a mention. Went on vacation and didn't post pics, stats, nothin'! I have a lot of blogging to do to catch up! It's coming.

For now, I will post about what is currently obsessing me: The Amazing Lace. I joined this challenge thinking it was a great way to get a Christmas present done for my mother. But, the problem is, now I'm seeing all those other bloggers and lacers out there knitting dainty, delicate, elegant projects, and I want to do something fantastic like that too. Not that my project
isn't awesome, mind you, but with the chosen yarn, it's not all that delicate. Don't get me wrong, Koigu is nothing to snuff your nose at, but I have the desperate urge to knit something delicate and light and airy.

I thought for a hot minute that it might be this
but, uh, well, suffice it to say - that project kicked my arse, and at 1:30 this morning, I hit it with the scissors and then it promplty hit the ole circular file. I would show you pictures of the horrid mess, but I'd rather go on letting you believe that I am a somewhat decent knitter. I thik my 4 year old could have done a better job than I did, and he doesn't know how to knit yet (more on this subject later).

So, I racked my brain (and my stash of patterns) for what to do. I decided on Barbara Breiter's DresserScarf
. Simple. Lacy, and, most importantly - straight as a board! No shaping, no circular pattern, just some good, ole lacy goodness.

And, I found this:
to knit it up with. YUM! I think I feel my strength returning. You just can't keep a good knitter down, no sir!