There's a story in your voice....

My scarf buddy received her shawl yesterday - I am so happy she liked it. I always worry that the person receiving from me will be disappointed, but she was pleased and like the color and the yarn so I am happy.

Last night was LIC knitting night - I had hoped to finish the second Natalya, but as usual it was more talk and less knit. I did manage to pick these up though:

I bought 3 pair, but I can't show you the third cause I am wearing them, and since I got caught in the rain this morning and my hair looks like a drowned cat, I will photograph them at a later date. Love love love Susan's work!

When I got home last night, I turned on the CNN and watched as the election results came in and cast on for this:

It is out of Victorian Lace Today. I had to cast on 3 times before I got it - it uses the backward look cast on and has pattern stitches on every row. I finally had to use stitch markers on each repeat to keep it straight. I am using Cinnabar Zyphyr I have in my stash, I thought the shawl looked so pretty in red that I wanted to use the same color. It hard to see in the picture, but the stitch pattern looks like the birds eye pattern - it's called a spider web.

Tonight I will watch the hockey game and see how much more I can get done.

No time to search the world around Cause you know where I'll be found When I come around

I had a lovely weekend. For our anniversary David gave me a gift certificate to Barnes and Nobel, so Saturday I drove over to Forest Hills parked miles away on a block with no meters and headed over to B&N. 3 and 1/2 hours later I walked out with this. I wouldn't have paid for it myself, but it is the perfect gift indulgence! The photos are stunning and there are a few patterns I am actually planning on knitting. The one thing I don't like about this book and others like it - is that the charts and soooooo small. I have to try to photocopy and enlarge the charts so I can see enough to knit it!

I went through every knitting book in the store - there was only 2 others I was tempted by:

Vintage Knits by Sarah Dallas and
Modern Classics by Louisa Harding

I loved both of these and wanted to get all 3 but 1 gift certificate did not cover the cost, so I bought the best eye candy and left before I did more damage to my credit rating. On the way out, I stopped at Starbucks for a Lemonade Iced Tea then walked all over Austin Street window shopping. I also made a stop at Natural - I was looking for Shirataki noodles - they are made from soy and yam flour and are only 20 calories a serving, low carb and low fat, they have a funky smell and the texture is similar to rice noodles. I made a stirfry with broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, some Vietnamese chili garlic sauce, rice wine and sesame oil - it was quite yummy and filling.

Sunday David was off from work so we spent the day together - we drove out to LI - He wanted to go to Trainland - I had so hoped working for the railroad would temper his obsession with trains, but no go - he is addicted as ever. Unfortunately, the store was closed so we headed out to Target, he bought the kids a few for Christmas gifts and some stuff for the house. Then we just drove around the Island for a while - it was a beautiful day for a long drive.

We got home around 5 - I usually go to Carolyn's on Sunday for Scrabble, but I was feeling tired and achy and like a cold was coming on, so I just stayed home and worked on my Natalya's - I finished on and am halfway through the second - If I get some knitting time in tonight, I can have them finished by Tuesday's SnB. Then I can cast on for my Shetland Triangle. I also started frogging the Grannie Smith - I have the KSH in my freezer - this really does work - it comes out much easier when it is cold - once it warms up though it gets harder and harder to pull out, so it is back in my freezer till I get around to ripping the rest out. I bought size 1 circs so I will swatch as soon as I am done frogging.

I will post some pictures as soon as I get around to taking some!

You can't always get what you want, but if you try, sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need

Well I found out yesterday that I did not get the position that I applied for. To tell the truth, although I am disappointed, I am not really surprised and I am a little relieved. Not surprised because my getting the position was a longshot - I don't really have the experience needed; and relieved, cause if I did get the job it would have been a lot more work and I would have had a large learning curve to get over as well as dealing with a new manager (who hasn't been hired yet). I said from the beginning that however this turned out I would consider it a learning experience - I set up time tomorrow to speak with one of the people who interviewed me to see what areas I need to work on and what skills sets I need to develop to move up the next time a position becomes available.

In knitting news, I am almost finished with one Natalya fingerless glove - a nice quick easy knit. I will be frogging my grannie this weekend - I want to reknit in a size that is appropriate (I lost 3 more lbs!!) so I am going down a needle size and swatching, swatching swatching till I get it right.


I am planning on casting on the Triangle Shetland for myself also, that was a terrific pattern and after a few rows the chart was completely memorized. Have I told you how much I love knitting lace?

I can I can hear those bells, are ringing joyful and triumphant

Last night was SnB night in LIC. It was also a surprise bridal shower for Kaffia, the lovely owner:



I made chocolate cake, Helen knit a lovely lace garter and Carolyn picked up a bunch of kitchen items off Kaffia's bridal registry. It was fun and I think the bride enjoyed the festivities.

On a knitting note - the Shetland Triangle is finished and making it's way to my scarf pal.





I really enjoyed this pattern and plan to make one for myself soon.

This past weekend was great. Maritza was in from MA, Friday night we went out for Thai and Saturday we met for brunch at Cafe Henri - good food and great company all weekend - perfect!

Sunday night David and I stayed home, ordered in and relaxed on the sofa watch season 2 of Andromeda - a lovely anniversary celebration.

Tonight I am meeting Marilyn for dinner at our favorite Turkish place, she just got back from London and I can't wait to hear all about it.

I don't care if Monday's blue, Tuesday's grey and Wednesday too,Thursday I don't care about you

It's Friday I'm in love

Today is my 13th anniversary - I can't believe 13 years have passed, it seems like only yesterday we met.

Happy Anniversary David - I love you!

ETA Pictures!:

Last night when I got home from work, my ISE package had arrived. My scarf buddy was Victoria from Glasgow, she sent me an absolutely beautiful Irish Hiking Scarf in the most perfect colors - rusts, browns and greens! All my favorite colors, she also included these lovely fingerless mitts to match, a skein of Louisa Harding yarn, an English chocolate bar and a postcard from Glasgow. I will post pictures as soon as I buy new batteries for my camera. I love everything she sent - I wore the scarf and mitts last night to meet some friends and received many compliments on the set. I am wearing it today also and will be all weekend too. Thank you Victoria!




Photos taken in my office - sorry for the non artistic backgrounds

Tonight I am going out with some friends for Thai - I love Thai. No David and I are not going out tonight - there's a boyscout meeting tonight. 13 years and the thrill is gone, thrown over for a boyscout meeting! We will celebrate tomorrow night. The Olive Garden - it is our place.

On to knitting news - I have decided to frog my Likker'd Up Granny Smith - I tried it on and it is enormous. I was afraid it would be too small so I upsized it, but it is just way to big. I have also lost almost 15 lbs and am planning to loose a lot more and I really love that sweater and want to be able to wear it for years to come, so..... off to the frog pond and I will reknit it smaller. I have the KSH stashed in the freezer - we will see if that really works or if it is just an UKM (urban knitting myth).

And if I ever needed proof that I need to stay on my diet - one more Rhinebeck picture courtesy of Dana:


Believe me Melissa's sweater is really lovely - ignore the model.

Oh, yeah I have 1 more pattern repeat and the edging left on the scarf I am knitting for the ISE - it will be finished this weekend and on it's way to Australia on Monday - again pics when I get those damn batteries. This is a fantastic pattern, I am going to make myself one next in that Fleece Artist blue faced leicester that I bought from Red Bird Knits last year. I think that will look spectacular, IMHO.


Not much to look at now - but just wait till it's blocked

Happy Friday!

Was it a dream, was it a dream? Is this the only evidence to prove it, a photograph....

Rhinebeck 2006


Beautiful foliage


Goats - I love goats!


Friends - the best part: Carolyn, Gwen, Melissa and Dana - wearing her Melissa designed Sesame - Of course the picture with everyone did not come out so I will have to steal a copy from Dana.

Booty:

500 yards of sparkley Cotton


1.2 oz Cashmere yummyness


Squirly from Martiza's Etsy shop

No picture, but I also bought a package of lamb sausage - will be cooking up a storm this week.

It was a wonderful day spent with friends - I couldn't have asked for a better day

I am one of those Melodramatic fools Neurotic to the bone

Weak, thinning bone. That's what the doctor tells me anyway. I have to go for a bone density test Monday to see how weak and thin - I'll keep you posted.

On to much more interesting news - last night was my SnB nite - I swear I get less knitting done on knit night then any other - lots of laughing and talking, but not much knitting. Last night included my second most favorite thing - shopping! Lookie what I bought from Susan:


Pardon the crappy photography - I took these this morning in a rush. Aren't they gorgeous? I love Susan's designs, and you too gentle reader can own your own gorgeous pieces - visit her etsy shop She is running a free shipping special this month, so you can get great earrings and save money - buy 2 pair! It is worth it to see how beautifully she packages her designs when she ships them out.

The purple stone earrings are a perfect match for my Sundara sweater, look:
(again, sorry for the crappy picture)
Just a glimpse of the finished sweater - you can see the whole thing Saturday at Rhinebeck. I should be pretty easy to spot in those amazing colors.

See some of you there!

Good manners and bad breath get you nowhere

I have fallen victim to the blogger funk that is going around, I just really haven't had anything to say.

Fall does that to me - it is my favorite time of the year, but it makes me very introspective, and somewhat antisocial. I spend a lot of time thinking, not talking or blogging.

This however should be a very social weekend, my friend Carolyn and I and another girlfriend are driving up to Rhinebeck Saturday, where we will meet up with other members of the LIC SnB. I had originally planned on taking David's car and driving up a whole group, but he and the boys will be camping this weekend, so I have drastically less room in my car to fit people. A classic case of autoclaustrophobia.

I have to go back to the Dr. tonight - I thought the xrays came back ok, I guess not - he wants to see me tonight. I am still having pain in my hip, so hopefully he will be able to identify the problem and we can fix it. I am tired of limping around.

I will be wearing Melissa's Sundara pattern to Rhinebeck on Sunday - I just have to finish sewing the seams.

See everyone there!

And I'm thinking about A brand new hope

The one I've never known Cause now I know It's all that I wanted

Today is my 3 year Blogiversary. When I started this blog, I didn't think it would last 3 months and now 3 years have passed. Amazing.

Thanks for all the kind messages and good thoughts for my injured hip. The drugs from the Doctor are helping and I will get the results of the xrays today.

David is home and starting his first day on the new job - I hope all goes well.

This was a lovely weekend, David and I spent all day Saturday and Sunday together and Sunday night has become Scrabble night at Carolyn's, who by the way is an gracious hostess and an amazing cook - last night's apple pie was to die for!

I am also looking forward to Tuesday's SnB - I really missed everyone last week. It felt like something was missing all week - it's crazy how much I enjoy spending time with these people.

Oh and Rhinebeck - 11 days and counting!!

To hell with you and all your friends, to hell with you and all your friends

Bah! David just called, he is not coming home tmrw - he won't be home till Friday night. I am really tired of his not being home - I miss him.

On top of that, I hurt my hip and am in a lot of pain, I am afraid it might be arthritis. I have a doctors apt. tmrw, but in the meantime I am a cranky, depressed bitch right now.

On a knitting note, I finished Melissa's test sweater, at least the knitting is done - I still need to do the finishing and block it, but my hip hurt too much to crawl around on the floor to pin it out. I also started the Shetland Triangle from Wrap Style - Maritza and I are doing a KAL - although I haven't really communicated with her yet (- see above re: depressed bitch)