There's a stain on my notebook, Where your coffee cup was

Just as someone else I know, I was anxiously awaiting this weekend, my bestest bud, Marilyn was meeting me for our supposed to be monthly girls day out. This time she was coming into Queens, and I decided we would go somewhere different. We usually go to Forest Hills and I was tired of the same old sameold, instead we had a wonderful brunch at Cafe Henri in LIC, we split a goat cheese and mushroom and a chocolate banana crepe. It was yummy! Then we walked around the neighborhood - going in and out of shops - I found this at a second hand store:



and these:


I love the black rose button.

Then we drove back to my neighborhood and I finally got a chance to visit the Atlas Park Mall, it is really weird, like stepping into a suburban mall dream sequence. It did not feel like Glendale at all. Some interesting stores though, saw a fabulous pair of brown suede boots I would kill for and lots of fall fashions. I love fall and can't wait for the cool weather to finally get here.

A few weeks ago I filled out a survey from Senseo on their coffee maker - when we were in Paris a few years ago the apt we stayed in had one of these and I fell in love with the coffee! I even wrote the company when we came home to see if it was available in the states. It was not at the time so I forgot about it - Then I received this email questionnaire, if I qualified they would send me a free coffee maker, so I filled it out and guess what - I got my coffee maker yesterday! I am so excited - I got the coffee maker and a box of coffee pods. I am going to bring it to work and put it in my office - finally one perfect cup of coffee whenever I want.

David left this morning for his last week in Albany - neither of us can wait till this is over. Next Sunday he leaves for 2 weeks in Atlanta and then he finally starts work in the Bronx. It will be so wonderful not to have him gone any more.

A pretty face but you do so carry on and on and on and on and on

Progress is coming along nicely on the test sweater - I finally got to the split, it felt like those 9 inches of knitting took forever and no matter how many rows I knit it never seemed to grow. Every time I measured it on Tuesday night it was still 8", some kind of weird inverse length to yarn ratio or sumthin'. But last night I finally reached the required and elusive 9" and joined the second ball of yarn and moved along swimmingly after that - did about 2 more inches when I realized that I had crossed the yarn and was knitting from the wrong ball - damn.rip.curse.rip. reknit. After all that this is what I had:

I am so loving the way the yarn is pooling and stripping. It makes me very happy.

I am feeling really lousy today, so I am planning to go home snuggle under the blanky and knit a few more rows. Once I get past the sleeves I will be finished in no time. Which is good, because I have to start swatching for the International Scarf Exchange. I have been contacted by the knitter making my scarf and I have contacted the person I am knitting for - I just need to decide on the pattern and yarn. I have narrowed it down to 2 patterns - the swallowtail or the Shetland Triangle from Wrap Style - Both are by Evelyn Clark. The yarn is either Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud in grape, or some lovely fingering wt I bought from Red Bird Knits in a pinky purpley color.

I also really want to finish the LUG - the weather is getting cooler and I so want to wear this now.

The coolest water bottle ever:

Thank you Jolie

I want a New Toy (oh ay oh), to keep my head expanding

I want a New Toy (oh ay oh), nothing too demanding

Well, at least she's pretty:

It was time to turn in my phone and get my new in 2 from Verizon- I couldn't resist this little beauty and its Chocolate! I hate carrying around my phone and notIpod around so I thought this would be cool. They don't tell you that you need to buy may accessories to use it as a music player - accessories that will cost me more than the phone did, but

I heart it, the sound is amazing - it takes great pictures and it's cute. I am happy happy.

I was trying to explain my redecorating plans to a friend but she wasn't seeing it so I am posting pictures to help her visualize what I am planning

My inspiration

my paint swatches:

some additions:


Things are moving along on the test knitting - I did a few more rows last night and should be done with the sleeves by this weekend - if not sooner. A few people commented on the pooling the yarn is doing - normally I don't like pooling, but I think it is really cool in this pattern - it looks right and everyone who see's it agrees. I love the way it is working up - I think it is gorgeous!

Do you have the time To listen to me whine

About nothing and everything All at once

David just left for Albany again -I really can't wait for this training to be over - I hate his being gone all week, its lonely and I miss him. Thursday I took Amtrak to Albany, he met me at the train station and we went out to dinner - Olive Garden, of course. We had a lovely time, and this hotel is much better than the last one. He has a suite with a little kitchen - I made him buy food to keep in his room, so that he is not eating fast food for every meal. Friday he had class so I spent the morning on my laptop in Starbucks and the afternoon at the Mall and Barnes & Noble. I spent all the overtime money I earned in Jersey last week but it was worth it - I bought cute shoes in payless, 2 fantastic bras in Lane Bryant - I wear a 38 DD and it is very hard to find bras that fit and are really supportive without looking matronly , so I was thrilled to find all these great bras in LB - pretty, sexy and full support -I will definitely buy my bras there from now on! I also picked up 2 CD's, My Chemical Romance and Taking Back Sunday and I spent $$ in CVS - I am a lipstick whore - can't resist buying new lipstick as well as hair care products - I spend a fortune on hair care. Funny how my hair never looks it.

We picked the boys up on the way back on Saturday - it was too bad the weather was so awful - we were stuck in the house all day. The boys are excited about starting HS tmrw. I really hope they like it and do well. I hated HS, so I try not to pass my negativity on to them - David loved HS, so hopefully they will too.

Yesterday, we took a ride to home depot for some washers, we have a leak in the bathroom. While we were there, we picked out some of the stuff we will be needing to refurnish our apt. We found a ceiling fan we liked for the living room, and I picked out paint for the living room, kitchen and hallway.

The best part of taking the train on Thursday was all the time I had to knit - I got a lot done on the test pattern:



I have done more since and I hope to be up to the spilt by the time I get to LIC SnB tmrw night. It's been weeks since I was there and I am really looking forward to getting back, but it will be different now that Maritza is gone - she should be settling in to her new home, but I am really going to miss her!

One last look at the yarn: