First Draft

Welcome, Spring

2007-04-07T12:55:00.000-05:00

Farewell to winter . . . and wool.

Chris's So-Called Scarf--almost finished--will await him next year.

Welcome spring . . . and cotton.

And strawberries. And strawberry shortcake and strawberry pie and strawberries on ice cream.

And a gift from the Easter bunny (aka my mom), who sent us Zatarains and Community Coffee.

And Easter. And a celebration of a resurrection. And a looking forward to new life and new parts of our own lives. I couldn't be happier to breathe deep on these days and keep an eye out for a stone that's been rolled away.

Favorite Color Package!!!!!

2007-03-15T19:30:00.000-05:00

When I got home today I found a package in my mailbox from Sam, my favorie color spoiler! She did a great job putting together some goodies that I love. My favorite color is blue, and in my package there were two lovely variegated skeins of yarn with blues in them. There was also a really nice assortment of cards for my stationary box, a sachet that made the whole package smell nice, and a cute measuring tape and magnet from a shop called Ewenique Yarns in Maryland.

One of the skeins of yarn is called Rowan Tapestry--in beige and slate blue variegated colors. It's got a really nice sheen to it. The fiber content is wool/soy, which is a new one for me. I actually already knitted a small swatch with it to see how it knits up! Yep, it's almost like Christmas morning around here!

And the second skein made me totally squeal. It's a handpainted merino wool fingering weight yarn. It's sooooo soft and pretty. It's called Claudia Handpainted and the color is Walk in the Woods. I keep looking at how all the colors swirl in the skein! I'm not sure what I'll knit with it, but I'll have to make sure it's worthy of such great colors.

This was my first swap, and after such a positive experience on both the giving a receiving ends I think I'll want to do one again soon. Thanks, Sam!

Favorite Color Swapping

2007-03-12T15:31:00.000-05:00

I sent my favorite color swappee, Jenn, her package last week, and it has arrived! So now my secret identity is out in the open. I really enjoyed putting together her goodies, and I was pleased as punch that she seemed to like them. As a side note, I think our hostess, Nichole, did an excellent job matching me up with her. Case in point? A recent blog entry about her appreciation of grammar humor! So go visit her (especially you, Sarah H., fellow grammarian). She's cool!

Weekend Weddinging

2007-02-28T08:48:00.000-06:00

This weekend my sister Jennifer and my mom came up to Nashville to visit and go wedding dress shopping. It's been a while since I've had much time to hang with my sister. When I see her it's usually with all the rest of the family there too, which is fun but doesn't leave much one on one time with anyone. So we ate a lot and shopped a lot and laughed quite a bit too.

I was very impressed with the salesperson who helped me at one of the bridal shops we went to. Her suggestions ended up being exactly what I was looking for, and I may not have even tried on those options if she hadn't pointed them out. Anyway, I haven't bought the dress yet, but I have decided on what I want and will get it this weekend. Yay! I also tried on a dress that ended up being waaaaaay out of my price range for a wedding dress, or for my last car (!). I think it would be very silly to spend that much on something that you wear for a day--I'm much too practical for that--but I must admit that it was a beautiful dress and we all got the biggest kick out of trying it on.

We also found out that part of the church will be closed off during September because of construction happening in the lot next to the church. So the sanctuary's windows will be boarded up during the wedding. We're not quite sure whether we want to look for other alternatives under the circumstances or just accept that as something we can't control and make the best of it. We'll see how that plays out over the next couple of weeks.

In knitting news, I bought some Malabrigo yarn recently. It's the softest wool I can imagine--I'm loving it. It's going to become a scarf for Chris in the So-Called Scarf pattern. I guess it'll be for next year since I'm just starting on it now, but I love this yarn so much I hardly want to put it down.

Favorite Color Swap

2007-02-08T11:47:00.000-06:00

I'm participating in a swap where you secretly spoil someone with fun gifts. This one is built around the person's favorite color. I've never done one before, and it sounded like fun. I've already checked out the person I'm sending to and she will be very fun to shop for. So for whomever has my name, here are my answers to the questionnaire.

Favorite Color Swap Questionnaire
1. What are your top three favorite colors? My favorite color is blue (light blue, denim blue shades, dark teal—all good). I also like bright red and the more muted greens.

2. What crafts do you really enjoy? Knitting. All the time with the knitting!

3. What products do you really covet? Hmmm—I’m looking for another tote bag to carry around my knits in progress. And I have found myself lingering around the knitting notions aisle a lot lately. Cute stitch markers and another row counter and things like that have been catching my attention.

4. What other activities do you enjoy besides your favorite crafty things? I read a lot and spend a lot of time outdoors walking/running/hiking.

5. Is there anything you collect? Not really. Unless you count books and yarn.

6. What is your zodiac sign and/or Chinese zodiac symbol? I’m a Gemini.

7.What are your favorite…

…scents/smells? I like rich and earthy scents.

…types of music and/or bands? Some favorites are Emmylou Harris, Pete Yorn, Coldplay, Alison Krauss, Over the Rhine, Jack Johnson.

…authors? Oh, goodness, how to choose. I love Anne Lamott, Clyde Edgerton, Jane Austin, Frederick Buechner, as well as lots of “children’s” authors like Tolkein, Shel Silverstein, JK Rowling. Plenty others . . .

…animals? I like most of the critters I’ve met, and I’ve owned all kinds of pets in my lifetime.

…places to shop? I like thrift stores, bookstores, craft stores, yarn shops, and Target.

…season? Fall. The air just feels right in the fall.

…yarn/fabric/paper/other craft supplies? I love yarn. Especially natural fibers like wools and cottons. My "in case of emergency" kit contains a flashlight, first aid stuff, bottled water, and dishcloth cottons with size 8 needles. Just in case.

…candies or goodies? Dark chocolate--yummy. I also have a fondness for the chocolate/peanut butter combo.

8. Do you have any wish lists? Amazon.

9. Are you allergic to anything? No.

10. Do you have any pets? What are they? I have a big fluffy cat named Wolfie. He likes turkey, the cat toy I knitted for him, and snuggling with us humans. He dislikes loud noises and us not sharing our turkey with him.

11. Please include anything else you would like your secret pal to know about you--anything that would be helpful in finding you little gifts that you will really enjoy.
I can't really think of anything, but you're welcome to ask if there's anything else you'd like to know!

10 Movies That Made Me Cry

2007-02-08T08:46:00.000-06:00

Jennifer tagged me for this meme. It's not all that unusual for me to cry at movies (also when I'm reading a book), so I'm sure I can think of a few.

1. Edward Scissorhands. One of my earliest cries at a movie.
2. The Lion King. He watches his daddy die!!!!
3. Dead Poet's Society. I love the scene with "The Congo" poem, and I cried all through the end.
4. Field of Dreams. He built it! They came!
5. The Incredibles. I cried in a good way. It was sweet--the family pulled together. (I'm a sap.)
6. Shawshank Redemption. Just a great movie. The ending pulled together their lives very poignantly for me.
7. Schindler's List. Multiple cries.
8. Life Is Beautiful. I think the second time I saw this one I cried in the beginning of the movie just thinking about how the movie plays out.
9. Steel Magnolias. I still cry any time I see these last two movies. Sometimes even if I just catch part of them on tv.
10. It's a Wonderful Life. Sigh. I can just think about this one and tear up a little.

Look What I Saw Parading Down Broadway!

2007-01-23T18:21:00.000-06:00

Hee hee! The circus is in town this weekend and this afternoon (after a few postponements) the train arrived with the animals aboard. They then paraded down the streets of downtown to the GEC where the circus is being held.

Most of them were linked tail to trunk and acting as though it's normal to be strolling between the tall buildings of the city. So cute!!!

Plus there were these two zedonks (zebra/donkey mix) and several horses! Part of the entertainment value was the fact that two of the other lanes of traffic were open and you could see several folks in rush hour who had no idea that this was happening today. The stunned look was awesome! Fun day in Nashville.

One Show I Do Not Knit Through

2007-01-23T18:00:00.000-06:00

Most of my tv watching is combined with my knitting. I usually knit my way through football games and other sporting events on tv. (Unless it's a big game. I didn't knit through most of the Saints/Bears game, but once it became painfully obvious that a Superbowl appearance wasn't going to happen for us, I knit furiously for the rest of the game.) Dialogue-heavy shows are easy to watch while knitting. Gilmore Girls--no problem! Gray's Anatomy usually isn't a problem. Heroes is sometimes a go. But 24. 24 and Sir Jack Bauer require my full and undivided attention. Furthermore, even though Chris hates commercials and generally channel surfs during them, he doesn't when we watch 24. Because if he did I'd get all tense that I could miss three seconds when it starts again. And those three seconds are important in an obsessive sort of way. The ticking sound that the show's clock makes when it comes back hits you a little like a crack addiction. Must get my fix. Drop everything and run to television immediately. Forget about the food burning in the oven. Don't think about the knitting. Leave everything behind.

*Stop reading if you Tivo'd the latest episode or something.*

So far we're five hours (episodes) into the day (season) and we've just learned that a character, Graham, from last season is back. Last season he was a very, very bad man, and now we've found out that he's also Jack's brother. It seems they aren't exactly close. And seeing as how Jack is now torturing him for information I kinda doubt there'll be much opportunity for reconciliation. Which is okay, since I'm fairly certain that he remains a very, very bad man. Chris said that this was a very soap-operaish plot twist (and I do have to agree), but I'm very interested to see how this goes. It also looks like we'll get to meet Jack's dad this season. Man, I've missed this show!

I Have Not Been Blogging

2007-01-22T08:53:00.000-06:00

I'll make up for it with some pictures.
I have been knitting. Here are a few of the things I've been making recently that I remembered to take pictures of.

black cardigan (pattern--Equestrian Blazer from IK)--finished all five pieces, need to block and then sew up and add finishing edges
Cloche Hat and purse--finished knitting, need to felt and add handles to purse

And I have been playing with our new kitty, Wolfie. (Such a handsome guy! Not usually as drugged-up looking as he is in that second picture. He's not a fan of the flash. But note the handknit kitty toy! He likes it a lot!)

And I've seen the house in Hartford where Mark Twain lived.

And I received a few fun knit-related presents--a tote to tote the knits in progress around, and the Knit 2 Together book!

Deck the halls with boughs of holly

2006-12-04T20:11:00.000-06:00

Tra la la la la, la la la la

'Tis the season to be jolly

Tra la la la la, la la la la

I'm all excited about putting up Christmas decorations this year. I even have my own little Charlie Brownish tree!

"Knit, People, Knit"

2006-11-28T19:29:00.000-06:00

So I'm knittin' on my sofa 'round about 7:00 tonight, and Gilmore Girls comes on. And we open to a scene of Lorelai knitting! Then the whole town is knitting--in practice for a town knit-a-thon! Wheeee! So I'm knitting along with all the people in Luke's Diner, and knitting with everyone in Stars Hollow's town square. Of course a few of those people are only fake knitting, but there is a nice-looking swift featured prominently. I'm very amused by the high knitting content of the night's tv.

I've started this sock so that this guy has a mate.

I'm also truckin' along on a light blue scarf, and I started a black cardigan (the Equestrian Blazer from Interweave Knits' latest issue--pretty!!!).

Felt Like a Kid Again . . .

2006-11-20T21:08:00.000-06:00

I went to visit my friend Shelley in Kentucky and among other things we jumped hay bales while I had flashbacks to my childhood.

Jumpin' hay bales . . .
yeah, we conquered the bale, baby!

Neckwarmer Pattern

2006-11-16T18:18:00.000-06:00

A few of my knitting friends have asked for the pattern for the neckwarmer I made a while back, so here it is. I didn't write it down as I was making it, so I'm partially going on my memory here. My apologies if my memory is a little fuzzy.

Yarn: about half a skein of Misti Alpaca Chunky (a full skein is 108 yards)
Needles: Size 13 circular needle (um, 12 or 16 inches long, I think--something short)

CO 40 stitches. Place marker and join to work in the round.
Work K2, P2 ribbing for 4 inches.

On next round increase stitches and start cables as follows: *K into the back of the second stitch on left-hand needle then K first stitch and slide both stitches off the needle, P2, K1 front and back, K1, P2. Repeat from * around.

Round 1: *K2, P2, K3, P2. Repeat from * around.
Round 2: *K2, P2, K3, P2. Repeat from * around.
Round 3: *K into the back of the second stitch on left-hand needle then K first stitch and slide both stitches off the needle, P2, K3, P2. Repeat from * around.
Repeat these 3 rounds for about 7 inches. Bind off and weave in ends.

Thursday Night

2006-11-02T21:33:00.000-06:00

Panera
Pizza
Muffie
Free Internet
Knitting

I am one of 61, but soon I'll be one of 230.

2006-11-01T21:39:00.000-06:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
61
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

We Set a Date!!!

2006-11-01T20:23:00.000-06:00

September 29, 2007
Nashville, TN

We have a church! We have a reception hall! Therefore, we have enough planned to officially set the date. This is such a relief for me and Chris. I know there will be plenty other details to decide on later, but having these big things set is a good feeling.

I've reverted back to my dishclothing ways. The stole gets a little attention now and then, but for the most part I'm called by all these pretty color combinations . . .

Catch all that?

Feels Like Thursday

2006-10-24T18:49:00.000-05:00

I'm not precisely what feeling Thursday gives off, but this day's got it. Even though today's actual day is Tuesday, which means there's a lot more week to go.

As of this month I've been a resident of Nashville and working as a copy editor in the same little cubicle for five years. That means I've been here longer than I was in any one school. The day I moved here seems like a long time ago and just yesterday all at the same time. My co-workers had a little "thanks for stickin' around" celebration today where we ate goodies and I got a small pin with the horse-riding circuit rider logo on it. And I start getting more vacation time now, which is pretty dang nice.

Here's a progress pic of the stole.

Newly Knit Neckwarmer

2006-10-12T17:44:00.000-05:00

Here's the first cold-weather knit of the season! It's the chunky Misti Alpaca from Sarah and a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants pattern.

The ribbed part on one end fits close to my neck and the wider cabled part goes just low enough to fit just inside my coat. The yarn feels sooooo soft. And since it was big yarn and a little project it fit my attention span of the moment, which is shorter than that of a flea right now.

It’s Fair Weather.

2006-10-12T13:42:00.000-05:00

In Franklinton, the little town I grew up in, the Washington Parish Free Fair is held every year in the third week of October. Schools close for three days. People come in from out of town, and the population of the place doubles for a couple of nights. Kids ride ferris wheels and eat cotton candy and pet farm animals and show off their popsicle birdhouses that won a blue ribbon in the craft building. Teenagers eat pizza and tap dance on stage and walk around the midway holding hands and playing games to win teddy bears or posters of rock stars. Adults visit the Mile Branch Settlement, and have little biscuits and communion-size plastic cups of sassafrass tea, and watch performances on stage—sometimes a kid or grandkid singing, sometimes a big-name country star singing.

The first concert I really remember sitting through and paying attention to was The Charlie Daniels Band at the fair. I sat by my dad on one of the green wooden benches toward the back and ate orange sherbert ice cream on a cone and kicked my feet in the dirt around the tree roots by our bench. I remember the sound of the fiddle, and I remember Charlie Daniels stood close to the edge of the stage and yelled a lot and his face got red and sweaty under the bright white lights. I remember people clapping, and everybody around us sang along to “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” and if they didn’t know the words they just mumbled real loud. My chin was sticky from ice cream drips, and my tennis shoes and white socks were all dusty. It was cold enough that I had on a big jacket with sleeves that were too long, and I got to stay up past my bedtime.

Well, I haven’t made it to the fair most years since I’ve moved away, and that’s okay. In the times I have been back, I usually didn’t see as many people as I’d hoped. I didn’t have quite as much to say to the people I did see. And the crowds are a little less exciting now that I live in a crowd of a city every day. But I definitely miss the memories and my family—and the food—so I hope those of my family who will be in attendance will take a lap around the midway and eat an ice cream cone for me.

Rats

2006-10-10T09:49:00.000-05:00

We saw The Departed this weekend. I definitely recommend it. There’s a bit of violence. Okay, a lot of violence. And at least one rat. But it’s a very good movie!

All the kiddos in my family are getting so much bigger. I miss them a lot! Both nephews are getting bigger and cuter by the minute! And look at this pretty little girl and tell me she doesn’t have her daddy wrapped around her little finger. (By the way, I’m really not sure what my brothers are talking about or why it happens to be in Spanish, but really this is pretty tame on the scale of “what is normal?” for them.)

The Knitters all gave me some ivory “happy engagement yarn”! How great are they? Plus Sarah let us all play with her swift and ball winder. Very handy! I’m thinking those items might have to go on my Christmas list.

Update: I have found that I no longer have the desire to take a class at the moment. Instead I’m learning the art of planning a wedding :) It’s looking like that’ll keep me plenty busy for now.

A Smoky Mountain Start

2006-09-20T17:49:00.000-05:00

I feel like this should be a big, impressive post, but every time I start I feel like I'm not quite up to the task. So I think I'll take some pressure off myself and just go with whatever comes to me.

This weekend Chris and I hiked to the top of a mountain, and he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. And I said yes! It was beautiful up there. The clouds would move out and give a great view, and then the clouds would settle back and envelope us, and it would feel like the rest of the world just didn't exist. It was an amazig proposal, and we're so excited about getting married. And I for one am still a little overwelmed! But in a good way :)

The cabin we stayed in was also a great backdrop for the weekend. It had a hot tub and grill on the deck, and the views were really amazing. There was definitely a sense of peace to the place. When we got back to the cabin after our hike, we took advantage of that fact that our cellphones' service was spotty at best and decided not to call anyone with the news just yet. Instead we talked about the marriage things. We didn't talk about the wedding things or setting a date. Just being married. The rest is all coming along in its time!

A funny sidenote: About ten or fifteen minutes after he proposed we started down the mountain and my cellphone buzzed, the alert that means I have a reminder on my calendar. Chris pulled it out of my backpack, and it read "Remember Chris Johnston." Chris's birthday was yesterday, and everyone's birthdays are set to remind me a few days ahead of time. So, yes indeed, I remembered Chris Johnston!

Here are a few photos of the trip.

Knitting Accomplished: Super-long ribbed scarf done; one sock done, one to go; almost nothing on the stole (it requires concentration--and I didn't have a whole lot of that going on!)

Whee!

2006-09-13T17:52:00.000-05:00

I’m so excited to get away for a few days. Chris and I are leaving Friday morning for the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area to do some hiking and nature-ing and relaxing. I’ll take pictures!

Knitting for the trip: One ribbed scarf, one sock, one lacy stole

But before we go . . . laundry calls.

Learn Something New Every Day?

2006-09-13T17:48:00.000-05:00

Well, I did some research on ideas for classes to take, and I found out something. If you don’t have at least some money that you’re willing to put into it, there aren’t a lot of options out there. I guess I expected that, and honestly that’s a good thing. People willing and able to teach should certainly be paid fairly. But since I’m not willing to make much of a monetary commitment at the moment, I decided to explore this learning impulse a little further to see if there are other alternatives.

Is it an intellectual boredom? Or a need to feel creative? Is it a process of learning that I want to be a part of? Or do I want some result, some finished product or demonstrable skill?

I’m not sure. If I want to learn for the sake of learning, what’s stopping me from going to the library and picking up a book on a new subject and just delving in? I think it’s the fact that when there’s a person instructing me and a group that I’m part of, there’s a certain commitment and group involvement that changes the way I learn and understand things. Or perhaps I’m just not all that motivated (nice way of saying I can be kinda lazy).

If it’s a need to create in a new way, I don’t necessarily have to have a class for that. I can explore new ideas of creative outlets all on my own—with maybe just a little help from ye olde internet or library for instruction/inspiration. But I really think it’s more of an intellectual desire as opposed to a more creative desire. Not that creativity doesn’t require intellect! But I think I want something more objective.

I don’t really have a conclusion here. I’m just thinking in type.

Baba Ganoush

2006-09-12T17:55:00.000-05:00

Funniest-named food ever. Chris and I went to Tabouli's Greek and Italian Restaurant over the weekend and had some very tasty Greek food. We didn't have the baba ganoush--instead we tried the falafel, which I'd never had before. It reminded me a bit of a Greek version of hush puppies. Please don't tell any Greek people I said that.

Anyway, the new Knitty is up. Ivy, the wrap sweater, is lovely and would get lots of use in our unnaturally cold office. But it would require quite a yarn commitment, so I'm not sure I'll actually make it. And Twiggy Tweed makes me think perhaps one more little knitted purse is in order.

Also, here's a fun knit link my brother sent me. It's a knitted Princess Leia hat!

The Stole Winner

2006-08-31T13:22:00.000-05:00

I have indeed found the right amount of in-between laciness for my stole. The stitch pattern is from Barbara G. Walker’s Treasury of Knitting Patterns. It had plenty of good options to choose from, and one called Traveling Vines seems just perfect. I’ve finished one full repeat and a few rows of the second, and I can say with relative confidence that I want to stick with this pattern.

I think I might succumb to Sheila’s super sale today. I’ve held off of her enticing deals until now. But there’s only so much a girl can take.

What’s a Girl to Do?

2006-08-29T09:59:00.000-05:00

I miss school. I say this realizing the inherent geekiness of this admission. Just after I finished college I missed school in the sense of missing my friends and the atmosphere and the schedule of college days. I don’t miss those things as much anymore. I guess I’ve gotten used to what most of the working world calls a normal schedule. But I do miss the learning parts. Silly, I know. But I always liked the challenge of struggling to learn something new. Now, I’m not going so far as to say that I want to go back to school full-time and get another degree. But maybe I could find an inexpensive class where I can learn something totally foreign to me right now. Anybody got any ideas? Have any of you in the Nashville area taken a class somewhere that you would recommend?

Goldilocks and the Three Stoles

2006-08-17T12:50:00.000-05:00

I’ve started and restarted knitting a stole a few times now. I have this lovely Araucania Nature Wool in slightly variegated teals. It’s a beautiful yarn, and while the label says worsted weight it looks much lighter than any worsted I’ve ever used (and upon a quick Internet search, it seems I’m not the only one with that opinion). Regardless, it looks like it will lend itself well to an openwork pattern, and so I’ve got it in my head that it needs to be a big openwork stole. First, I knitted a stockinette swatch of the yarn in a few needle sizes just to get a feel of the fabric it made. Then I cast on a bunch of stitches and started working on the Snakes and Ladders pattern. But it was not quite lacy enough. So I ripped the yarn back and started again using a diamond lace pattern in a book I have. But it was a little too lacy.

So I’ve ripped the yarn back again. After all, I do want something that’s just right. (Of course, if I’d been a good little knitter and done a small swatch in each of these stitch patterns, that elimination process might have gone a little quicker, but whatever!) So I’ve put in a request at the library for a Barbara Walker book of knitting stitches to peruse. If it’s as great as I’ve heard then I may decide to buy the book, but for now I’ll borrow it and see if I can’t find the perfect “lacy but not too lacy” stitch pattern.

Oh, and here’s a pic of the sock I’m working on:

Saints, Titans, and Frank Caliendo

2006-08-16T12:03:00.000-05:00

Friday Chris and I went to Zanies for Frank Caliendo’s comedy show. He was HI-larious, as expected. The food, of which there is a two-item minimum (what a crock!), was not very good at all and left me sick for most of the night, as expected. If you haven’t heard Frank Caliendo’s stuff, he does voices and impressions. I was rolling all over the floor at his Bush impressions, though I think he’s mostly known for his impression of John Madden, which was pretty funny as well.

Saturday my friend Kristen had an extra ticket to sit in her company’s skybox for the Titans v. Saints preseason game. I could get pretty spoiled sitting in seats like those, though in some ways it didn’t really feel like being at a game. We were sitting in nice cushy seats, and people just kept bringing us all kinds of free food and drinks, and we didn’t have to fight crowds to get up and go to the bathrooms. Tough life :) Of course, it was also almost more about socializing than watching the game. But anyway, it was very fun, and the Saints even won! After the game we ran across some people who had come in from Louisiana to see the game, and when Louisiana folks run across other Louisiana folks when they’re outside of Louisiana, there is almost always a conversation about where you’re from and if you know anyone in common. This conversation often ends with an invitation to “look us up if you’re ever in Thibodaux and we’ll have some crawfish ready for you.” Then there are hugs all around and maybe a picture or two, even though you have only just met. That was the case on Saturday, anyway. I know not all states have this same sense of connection. For instance, when Chris runs into other Connecticut natives, they typically give him a blank “who cares” look and move on. I guess it’s just a Southern Thang.

Knitters, Knitters Everywhere

2006-08-15T16:16:00.000-05:00

As a Coca-Cola connoiseur, I’ve done some research. And my extensive studies have led me to believe that Sonic has the best cokes. I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the ice. So, this weekend I treated myself to a GOOD coke. I pulled into a space, pushed the red button, gave my order, and then pulled out the sock I’m working on and proceeded to knit a bit. After a minute or two I saw the Sonic employee walking my way, so I put the sock down in the passenger’s seat and got my money in hand. When the girl got to my window, instead of telling me my total she asked, “Whatcha workin’ on?”

“A sock!” Me, surprised. Is she a knitter, too!?!

“Oh, nice. I knit, too. I’m working on a purse right now.”

Cool! So we talk about knitting, and she admires the sock, and I tell her if she can knit a purse she can knit a sock, because now that I’ve knit one or two I know it isn’t very hard. So she inspects my yarn and we chat for a while. Then, she gives me my order, and I pay. And before I pull out of the parking spot, I take a long sip of a good coke and think about how knitters are everywhere these days—and how that’s a very good thing.

Finito

2006-08-07T19:50:00.000-05:00

Angelina, pattern by White Lies Designs
Yarn: Knit Picks Merino Style, Vanilla

I'm happy with the finished product. One of the seams is a little messier than I'd like it to be. I might try to even it up later, but I may just let it be. Regardless, I'm very happy with it.

So Close I Can Taste It

2006-08-04T11:16:00.000-05:00

I only have to finish an inch of lace on the final sleeve! Then the knitting will be completed. I've already woven in all the ends that I have so far (my least favorite part of the knitting process). I'll need to block the lace parts, then I can sew the two quick seams and wait for cool weather to come. I really thought this would take me much longer. Of course, I'm not finished yet and I should know better than to jinx myself like this. Okay, shutting up now. . . .

Sales Tax Holiday

2006-08-04T11:13:00.000-05:00

This weekend is Tennessee’s first Sales Tax Holiday weekend. Most clothes, shoes, school supplies, and computers are tax-exempt for the weekend. When I worked at Foley’s (aka Hecht’s here in Tennessee) in Houston one summer of my college days, I worked during their sales tax holiday. It was not the first year they’d had that weekend, so they were prepared. The store had very few items on sale. I found this odd, but saw that most other stores in that mall were also having few sales. I soon found out why. People were there to SHOP, and they didn’t seem to care whether the price they were paying was a good one or not. They were all simply interested in “screwin’ the government, stickin’ it to the man!”

The weekend before the sales tax holiday, the department store (along with many of the other stores in the mall) had a huge sale with almost everything in the store on good discounts. A few people shopped that weekend. The sales tax weekend, people flooded the store in droves. As I was checking out customers’ purchases, almost all of them talked about how “that government ain’t gettin’ any of my money this time.” And while I smiled and nodded, I thought, “But Foley’s sure is getting a lot more of it.”

Now this is Tennessee’s first time around on the sales tax holiday, and it seems like a lot of the stores are having some good sales to go along with the holiday. So I’m sure there will be some good deals to be had (it would certainly be a good idea if you were in the market for something like a computer), and I may even brave the crowds to take advantage of one or two of the smaller sale items. But I guarantee I’ll be making sure I’m actually getting a good deal--as well as screwing over my government, of course.

Marathon

2006-07-25T09:53:00.000-05:00

Nope, this is not a column on running. It’s about this great old building we visited this weekend. One of Chris’s friends was part of a one-night art exhibit. Most of the art was very intersting—some of it beautiful and some of it really fun and whimsical. But I was just as amazed by the building it was held in. It's part of a group of buildings called Marathon Village, which was originally an automobile manufacturing plant. The building has a lot of the original woodworking (beautiful), and you could see parts of the old freight elevators that were used. The current owner is apparently an artist as well, and he’s put together great old photos of the cars built there and sculpture pieces made from machinery parts he found in the building. It was all a very cool experience, and a really beautiful restoration job in the interior of the building.

Sometimes I’m so pleasantly surprised by the little things in Nashville that I just didn’t know existed.

*Angelina Cardigan Progress:
Ribbing for entire cardigan done!
Back lace done!
Now for the front lace and the sleeve lace.

This post brought to you by the letter J and the number 2

2006-07-25T09:49:00.000-05:00

Johnny fixed my blog! I don't know what I'd done to mess it up or how he fixed it, but I'm very grateful! Thanks, little brother.

I have two skeins of yarn left. I measured and mathed, and I've found that I will need more than two skeins of yarn to finish my cardigan. I was so sure it would work out! Oh, well. I called and they still have more of the dye lot I need, so I'm in good shape now. No worries.

Weekend in Franklinton

2006-07-17T16:16:00.000-05:00

Grace's christening was this weekend, and she was just precious. She slept through a lot of the service, then woke up for the ceremony and just kind of looked around at people for a bit before drifting back to sleep. She's so cute--very sweet and smiley! I was glad I got to be there for the weekend and to visit with everyone there.

If you're interested in how the Angelina sweater's coming along, take a look at the last photo of it, imagine it maybe one inch longer, and that's about where I am. It was just a bit too large for me to take it with me on the plane for my weekend trip to Franklinton. Instead I just did some dishcloth knitting--always good on the go.

Guest Post from Chris: A Nashville Story

2006-07-17T16:14:00.000-05:00

I work for a vocational rehab out in Franklin, TN - and we use horticulture as our program to help people with disabilities learn how to work at a job better. On Thursdays, I set up a produce tent up in Leiper's Fork- just down the road, in the parking lot of an old general store named "Puckett's"...Leiper's Fork is a real interesting little spot- all kinds of locals and newbies intermingling into this hodgepodge of old farmers and young, rich artsy people...some you've heard of , some more behind the scenes kind of people...(one of my favorite meets was meeting the producer of WKRP in Cincinatti, Rod Daniels....go Les Nessman!)

Anyway, one Thursday a while back, I was particularly late for setting up at Puckett's and I was barreling down the road to get there...as I pulled up to the store, I could see a couple of kids with a lemonade stand set up right where I set my tent up. My first reaction involved sweat running down my forhead and choice words under my breath...but as I pulled in, I realized I could handle this one of two ways...that way, or a much nicer way- after all- they are cute little kids...

So, as I walked up to their tiny little table and yellow sports cooler sitting under the afternoon Tennessee sun, I said "Whatchya got here?!"
"LEMONADE!!.....WANNA BUY SOME!!!!!!!?"
I looked around and took a quick assesment...2 adults, both female- casual biker-like attire of sweats t-shirt and dew rag...2 kids, both wearing designer clothes...one table with Gatorade-like cooler full of lemonade...one floppy poster with magic marker scribblings that said 'lemonade'....
"Well, I'll tell you what....how would you like to sell your lemonade under my tent here, this way you can get out of the sun and maybe attract more people?"
After a second of good thought, the young girl agreed and the two adults both grinned sheepishly, realizing they were in already staked out parking lot plot....but I was genuinely more than happy to share and accomodate..
As I set up- the little girl took her poster and stood dangerously close to the passing cars on the road....shouting her iron-clad slogan
"If life gives you lemons - make lemonADE!'
I looked over at the boy, probably her little brother...sitting by the Puckett's BBQ grill and rolling his eyes...."Gracie!...."
One more car came by......"If life gives you lemons....make lemonADE!" Finishing off strong with the high-pitched "ade" ...
And on and on as each car went by...
One of the 2 adults, a woman with dark hair, wanted to go shopping for "Auntie" for Mother's Day....so she took off....leaving the other woman with lighter hair....as I set up, both her and the little girl asked questions about the Center where I work and I asked who they were selling lemonade for. The young boy, who was dressed in serious hip-hop garb (complete with SERIOUS bling bling in each ear!) told me all about the "BackPack Kids" who would be getting all the proceeds form the sales...this kid had it DOWN! Like he was their proffessional spokesperson....I told him I was really impressed with him and how cool it was that they were doing this for such a worthy benefit like this one (BackPack kids are kids who go to school every day hungry because their families cant afford a good meal for them every day)...didnt think that happened here, did ya?)

Anyway....the girl intoduced herself to me "I'm Gracie"
"Nice to meet you Gracie, I'm Chris"
She says...."What are you selling?"
"Well....today we have a buch of great organically grown lettuces like spinach and Kale and Mesculin Mix..."
After some more good thought, Gracie asked "Well, can I make up slogan for you?"
"Sure!"
A couple of minutes later, she came back with another poster that had "spinich" on it....
She ran out to the road and began to shout...

"It's Green, it's Crunchy......so why don't you buy a BUNCHY!"

I fell over. We all did....that had to have been the cutest moment ever in history.

Gracie was clearly pleased with our reaction to her brilliant slogan, so she beemed as she flagged down cars to tell each one of our miracle lettuces.

Moments later, a long caddilac pulled up and an older woman with red hair got out...her liscence plate said "FAITH".....
She bought a cup of lemonade and she looked at me and I said "Hi".....then she got in and drove off....later someone asked if that was "MeMa".......
"Yeah" said Gracie "She gave us a hundred."
"Well I guess she can just about afford it", they said.....
I'm thinkin........who was that?

Well after about an hour of wonderful hangin around and sellin the lemonade and 'Spinich'.....a large, black Hum-V pulls up and they all shout "Here comes Mamma..."
It was Wynona Judd.

Gracie said her quick goodbye- her little brother waved and the last adult kind of said 'see ya' or something, later thinking about it- I realized that one of the adults was probably Ashley Judd...Mema was obviously Naomi....then they were all off.....

Classic Leiper's Fork moment...

Now, every so often....I'll see the black Hum-V coming along the road and in that arching sound wave...quiet, then louder - loud - then quiter , then gone

"....It's green it's crunchy SO WHY Dont you buy a buncheeeeeee...."
And I'll wave hello.

July 4th Weekend

2006-07-09T15:18:00.000-05:00

July 4th weekend Mom, Dad, Johnny, Natasha, and Grace all came up to Nashville to visit. It was really nice to have them here, and to see precious Grace again. She is much bigger than she was the last time I saw her, and she kicks around and smiles and gurgles and grabs knitting needles (yep, clearly she's a natural). It was a great time, though I was rather tired after they left.

We got to see a Sounds game, we ate at Famous Dave's (always a good choice in mine and Chris's book, and Dad REALLY liked the food), and we saw the fireworks at the Shores and Stripes festival Monday night. Grace seemed pretty enthralled by the fireworks. We worried the noise would scare her, but she seemed pretty thrilled to just watch the pretty colors. I, on the other hand, was terribly afraid of fireworks until I was 18. Well, maybe not quite 18, but I was scared of them for a very long time. Yeah, sure, they were pretty, but people seemed to be missing the fact that there was FIRE FALLING FROM THE SKY!

But, I'm over it now, and I even went to a second set of fireworks on Tuesday night. The crew left to go back to Louisiana Tuesday morning, but Chris and I went to the big fireworks show downtown. It was beautiful! They do a really good job of coordinating it to be a very impressive show, especially set to the music.

But all things have their season, and so this weekend in lieu of busyness and fireworks, I'm reading and knitting and enjoying the simple quiet of it all.

Angelina Sweater Is Coming Along

2006-07-09T15:04:00.000-05:00

It's taken longer to do each row now that all the sleeve increases have been done, but it's so mindless that I can watch tv and knit without a problem. I'm over halfway through with the main sleeve part, and then I'll start the decreases. Still lovin' the yarn.

New Knitter Gettin' the Bug

2006-06-26T18:19:00.000-05:00

I taught my friend Shelley how to knit last week, and she's steadily stitching along on a baby blanket for her neice. She's doing very well, really, and I like that I have someone new I can yammer to about all the things I've learned, all the things I think I've learned, and all the things I wonder about with respect to yarn and needles and knitting. So far she doesn't seem annoyed. I think I might be approaching that threshold though, so I'm trying to pace myself. However, I believe she has sufficiently caught the bug, as she has already begun weighing going to sleep at a reasonable hour against "just one more row."

On my knitting front, I've started the Angelina cardigan that will hopefully look something like this when finished (the bottom picture in white).

I know this will take me a very long time to accomplish. For instance, the pattern begins with a needle full of stitches that you are instructed to work in 2x2 ribbing for approximately 3.6 miles. Approximately. So far I've got five inches.

It's been very nice to work on, though. I've been using cotton for so many of my recent projects that I had forgotten what it was like to knit with a nice soft merino wool that has a lot of give to it. I like the cotton yarns, of course, and for those bright pretty dishcloths they are a necessity, but this wool is so stretchy and soft that it feels luxurious just to have it running through my fingers while I knit it.

Of course, this knitting has only been happening when I'm inside--with the happy air conditioning. Not outside, where it reached flingin'-flangin' hot degrees this weekend and wool is entirely uncalled for.

I am a blogger

2006-06-21T09:13:00.002-05:00

Hey Katie, your blog is now fixed you Albanian haberdasher.

Actualy, I thinck I wil putt sum crazy typigrafical erors just to mess with you're copy editting mind.

I Made a Sock

2006-06-13T09:28:00.000-05:00

And it fits!

And it has a mate!

And they both match my steering wheel cover!

That's what happens when you have extra yarn :)

A Deeper Well

2006-06-08T09:37:00.000-05:00

When I first moved to Nashville and away from my friends and family, virtually alone for the months before I began to make new friends, I decided to figure out some of the things I truly, of my own desire, liked. Not things I liked because it was what I was exposed to at home, or liked because it was what a lot of my friends were into, but just what I liked. I am easily swayed by the masses, so while I had some general dislikes, there was a lot of gray area that just fell into the category of “sure, I like it all right.”

So I rented movies and listened to music and read books--and refused to get anyone else’s opinion about any of it until I formed an opinion myself. I took a new look at things both obvious and relatively obscure. And I discovered the types of music I could get lost in, some authors who change the way I think about things, and some wonderful movies--as well as some genuinely boring movies, some songs I didn’t feel anything in, and some books that I didn’t even bother to finish.

And it felt freeing. It felt nice not to take anyone else’s opinion into consideration. And once I found a few things I discovered I genuinely liked, I found similar artists and works and tried those out as well. And I liked finding things that were truly me, rather than me trying to fit a certain mold--a Franklinton mold, an all-things-obviously-and-only-Christian mold, whatever.

During that time, one of the albums I discovered that I truly liked was Emmylou Harris’s Wrecking Ball. I loved the haunting sound of the music, her beautiful voice, the ache in those words. I kept it in my CD player for weeks, and during one day of one of those weeks my Grandma’s health took a serious turn. She had suffered a stroke long before that, and had not really been herself for a while, but now we found she was dying.

In the course of the few weeks left of her life I listened to that album countless times. I listened to its songs of death and heartache and longing for another world--a world beyond our flesh and blood and pain. And it all seemed a fitting accompaniment for those last days. In life she had been a creative spirit--a painter, quilter, knitter, poetry-lover. She had been a Christian who meant it--who loved unconditionally and took care of people. She had been a baby-sitter when I was sick, she came to all my dance recitals, she gave me five dollars as Fair money every October, she made biscuits without measuring anything, and she always reached her arms out to hug me when I walked in the door--even when I was a rather sullen teen who wasn’t terribly easy to love. And though she was now somewhat changed from the way we had known her, I knew somewhere inside her, she still longed for what those songs spoke of--the body made whole, the world away from pain.

When she did pass away from this world, I drove down to Franklinton for the funeral. Alone in my car I listened to the album again, and I remembered her the way she was and now would be again.

During my lunch hour yesterday I took a walk along the streets of Nashville, where people were streaming in for a music festival in town this week, and as a car with its windows rolled down sat at a red light, I heard two lines from that album filter out into the day:

Found I had a thirst that I could not quell
Lookin' for the water from a deeper well

And though she died years ago, I’m there again, remembering the childhood my Grandma was such a part of, wondering at what lies beyond this world.

Second Chances

2006-06-06T17:01:00.000-05:00

In addition to more of the dishcloth-knitting, I've begun a scribble lace scarf with teeny-tiny black crochet cotton and a ribbon yarn that was taken out of my stash, a remnant of a rather ill-fated project from many moons ago. So the yarn is finding its second chance here.

And in other second chances, here's the beginning of my second attempt at sock-knitting. The yarn is Cascade Fixation cotton, which I imagine will be nice for summer, and also it is very stretchy in case I screw up again. And since it's an ankle-length sock, it won't take as long to find out if it's another disaster. See that turned heel? Nice.

What Did I Eat?

2006-06-01T14:28:00.000-05:00

Well, since you asked (and I’ll try to do the food justice with my descriptions), we started with some good strong red wine and an appetizer of smoked duck and gnocchi. Then, my entree was the best salmon I’ve ever had in my life. The chef does very creative combinations of seasonings, so it’s hard to describe what it tasted like except to say that it was a good mix of spicy, peppery flavors and sweet flavors that just tasted really good. It came with side dishes of curried snow peas and cinnamon jasmine rice. Oh, so good. Chris had a steak with blue cheese, spinach, and tomatoes. His was very good too (birthday girl gets to taste everybody’s food—personal rule I have). Then we had the Toll House Tart for dessert—like a tall, melty chocolate chip cookie with homemade cinnamon ice cream. It was a really great meal! Definitely a special occasion place, but such excellent food.

And thanks to Sarah's hint I found the bathroom without any help. It's the one with the Barbie doll by the door, FYI.

Feels Good to Get Spoiled a Little

2006-05-31T12:59:00.000-05:00

Today is my birthday, so my coworkers all brought cards and party food to work. It’s our normal birthday routine that we do for everybody, but it still makes me feel special when it’s for me. I think maybe that’s the four-year-old in me. I’ve also gotten lots of great well-wishes from other friends and family too. Thanks, y'all.

Chris is taking me to Mambu tonight for my birthday dinner, so I have the chance to get all girly and gussied up! I’ve never been to the restaurant and have wanted to try it, but we were waiting for a special occasion. And also this weekend we have tickets to hear Hem and Over the Rhine play! Two of my favorite bands, playing the same place on the same night, just a mere two days after my birthday—coincidence? Oh, hunh-uh.

Every girl should be so lucky!

Memorial Day Weekend

2006-05-30T15:09:00.000-05:00

It was hot and muggy here for the first time this year. I know my family in Louisiana probably thinks I’m a wuss for mentioning it, but I have gotten soft since I moved up here. The idea of 92 degrees being just “pretty warm” doesn’t quite work for me anymore. I hope y’all don’t disown me entirely. (Note the used of a well-placed “y’all” in effort to convince my Deep South family to claim me J).

I got to do a mini photo shoot with Chris’s band on Saturday so they could put together a promo kit for an indie radio station way up in Pennsylvania that wants to play their music. Very exciting news for them!!! So me and my nonfancy camera, and me with me nonphotographic sensibilites tried our best—and got some stuff that’ll work just for the time being. Hurrah for black and white photos that hide a multitude of sins. Chris had me stand on top of a ladder to take pictures of them while they were jamming—which turned out to be a really good idea. The guys looked great and sounded awesome!

Chris and I also watched the season finale of 24 that we’d had taped. I had also watched it last Monday without him (bad girlfriend!)—I just couldn’t wait a whole five days. It was very good, but left a cliff-hanger for next season. Jack’s being held by the Chinese, and he’s floating away on a great big barge, and they’ve tortured him until one eye is all gross and swollen shut. (Clearly I wouldn’t survive long under torture. This is not surprising news.) The new season won’t start till January, but Chris and I will simply deal with the withdrawal by catching up on the seasons we missed.

The Little Sock That Could . . .

2006-05-17T13:29:00.000-05:00

Not Fit My Foot.

I decided I wanted to knit socks. I got a great pattern. I swatched. I measured. I followed the pattern's directions explicitly. However, I apparently changed gauge somewhere somehow (it was the stress of the day--it made me knit tighter?) and now this lovely red and yellow and orange variegated woolen sock will in no way, shape, or form fit either of my feet (I tried it on both just in case).

Before I made this realization I had gotten pretty far into the pattern. I had made a heel flap, turned the heel, picked up stitches, made some gussets--but then I looked at it. It was a very beautiful sock. But a very beautiful small sock.

So I ripped it back and set the yarn aside, where it now taunts me. Oh, I'll try again little sock yarn. You haven't beaten me yet.

Draw Your Navel into Your Spine

2006-05-11T13:02:00.000-05:00

But don’t forget to breathe! I’ve been doing a Pilates class at work. I think it’s good for stretching and strengthening your muscles, and I’m beginning to notice a little difference in how I’ve generally been feeling. The class is during our lunch break, and I find I’m a little more productive in the afternoons now, and also less likely to snack on everything in sight while washing it down with a Coca-cola.

But, I admit that I do tend to forget the breathing thing during the class. I recognize that it’s an important, I’d even say crucial, portion of the exercise, as it allows you to remain alive as well as conscious while stretching and strengthening those muscles. But when I’m pulling my belly button into my spine and tweezing my buttocks together and keeping my shoulders down and extending my legs out at a forty-five degree angle, I can’t seem to remember to also, oh, inhale, and then maybe just for fun, exhale. Every time the video instructor says, “Concentrate on breathing evenly.” I think, “Breathing? What breathing? Oh, that’s the light-headed feeling I’m getting! Lack of oxygen. Got it!” Breathe.

Do you have any squares to spare?

2006-05-09T12:55:00.000-05:00

I’ve been making some squares for “Warm Up America!” afghans. The idea is that lots of different people can each knit squares of the same size but in different yarns, and then several people’s different squares can be sewn together to make big colorful afghans. I’ve decided to knit some squares up using acrylic oddballs I have around. They're going very quickly with thicker yarns (or thin yarns held double, which also makes for warmer afghans) and can be about as simple or as interesting in stitch pattern as you want them to be. I’ve wanted to do some sort of charity knitting for a while now, and this seems like a good idea as well as a great use for surplus yarns!

How Many Knit Purses Does One Person Need?

2006-05-05T13:55:00.000-05:00

At least a few more. Take a look at this photo I found linked on one of Crazy Aunt Purl's comments:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hitbyabus/106745499

Very pretty, no? I hope someone figures out a pattern for it and shares it with everyone. Here is my latest shoulder bag in its felted form:

The bottom is knit from some leftover black Lamb's Pride Bulky, and the body and long strap were knit from one lone and lovely skein of Noro Big Kuryeon in a beautiful color scheme with lots of shades of green and blue. The fabric isn't as substantial as other felted bags I've made since I didn't double the yarns and the Noro runs thick and thin in places, but two trips through the wash has it felted enough to safely hold all I need to hold. It has a button closure, so as soon as I sew on a button it will be ready to roll!

Ehat

2006-05-02T13:37:00.000-05:00

In an old episode of Everybody Loves Raymond, Ray finds out his mom used to read his childhood journal. In the journal he used a “code” where the last letter of the word goes first, so that in his little kid mind if anyone found the journal they wouldn’t know what it said. His mom is upset because in one entry he wrote, “I ehat my mom.” And, well, she cracked the code.

Personally, as a preteen and teenager I used to intersperse fake entries in my journal. If there were too many depressing ones in a row, I’d add in some random happy stuff for good measure. I guess it was just in case anyone found it and tried to institutionalize me. Or perhaps I suspected my mom might read it, and I had rathered she not worry too terribly much. These were my phobias.

Regardless, this code sounds like the dorky sort of thing I could have done when I was younger. Or now. For some reason when I have another frustrating day at work, I like the way it sounds to get in my car at the end of the day, slam the door shut, sigh, and say, “I e-hat my job.” Then I start the car and drive home and carry on with the obsessive knitting. And I watch stitches turn into rows and rows turn into scarves and hats and sweaters and blankets. And that helps me stay esan.

Memphis Waddle

2006-05-01T17:49:00.000-05:00

We saw the ducks march! There's something odd about such a big group of people gathering for an event consisting entirely of ducks waddling. But there's the pageantry, the red carpet, the duckmaster. And the ducks were really cute! They stopped just in front of us, so I assumed they were posing for a photo op and took the appropriate measures:

We saw some other cool things too--the Peabody Hotel itself was a gorgeous old building, and we also visited Graceland, Sun Studio, and the Pink Palace Musuem (including a shrunken head--oooooh!). I think in all Sun Studio was my favorite place. So much incredible music recorded in that room. And most of the room is the same as it was back in the days when Elvis and Johnny Cash and so many others were standing there, complete with the old acoustic tiles lining the walls and the wobbly looking ceiling.

Of course, seeing as how we were in Memphis, we had some barbeque at Rendevous--mmmmm--and burgers at Huey's that were every bit as good as I've been told they are.

Click here for more pictures of the trip!

Still Find Myself Chuckling . . .

2006-04-28T10:29:00.000-05:00

when I think about last night’s book signing with Stephanie. I’d been reading her blog for a while now and almost felt like I knew her (in that slight Internet-obsession sort of way), but I was really surprised to hear her speak. Y’all, she is very funny in print, but in person she was absolutely HI-LARIOUS. Threaded Bliss was pretty well packed with people knitting away and laughing till the tears came. Sarah H was sitting next to me and she let her knitting fall in her lap a few times (dropped stitches be damned!) while her hand flew up to cover her mouth in the “I’m shocked and oh so amused” pose. Sarah is (self-admittedly) one of those people who should be a continuous audience member on talk shows—need a good reaction shot, pan to her and wait for the facial expression to hit—so she was a great person to sit next to on this Nashvegas stop of the Knit Comedy Tour. After it was over and my book was signed I was in that giddy sort of mood that I get in after a really great concert or something, where I’m still kind of reeling from the experience. (But we also missed having the rest of our knitting group there. Jennifer and Sarah B, hope you both are feeling much better! We missed you!)

Two finished discloths, one stinkin' funny book.

The Warshrags

2006-04-27T13:01:00.000-05:00

Well, after my debate with the yarns about what I would be knitting the other night, I ended up starting another dishcloth. It's from a classic old pattern that's included in the Mason-Dixon book. I've already finished one and I'm starting on a matching one in the same color scheme. I know that I own dishcloths and could buy more if I needed them. But these are so pretty. . . .

Hey, Mom, go look at another of your kids' blogs now. Nothing to see here.

Lalala lalalala lalalalala lalala (gone yet?) lalalalala lalalala lalalalalala.

Maybe I'll make a couple to send to Mom for Mother's Day along with some scented soap. She deserves pretty warshrags too.

Okay, Mom, I know you, and you just looked! Fine, deny it if you want to, but I know the truth :) Just kidding--I'm not sure that my mom comes here very regularly, so there's probably no surprise spoiled. But if she were to read this entry I guarantee you she would look :)

Weekend of Kiefer and Handknits

2006-04-26T14:37:00.000-05:00

I was in the same room with Kiefer Sutherland--aka Jack "You're going to have to trust me" Bauer.

It wasn’t as action-packed as watching him get a busboy fired or croon a ditty on stage at Robert’s Western World, but he was very charismatic in his self-effacing way as he introduced the film “I Trust You to Kill Me” on Saturday as part of the Nashville Film Festival. The film was great—a funny and enlightening documentary about Kiefer as road manager for the band Rocco DeLuca and The Burden. It made me laugh and was an inside look at a music industry that I still don’t really understand, even after Chris has enlightened me quite a bit. And as a bonus, the film included footage of a “Kiefer attacks a Christmas tree” incident that made news a while back.

Friday was the Mason-Dixon Knitting book signing, and it was also a great time. We all knitted in between bites of whoopie pie (a new one for me--tasty!) as we listened to Kay and Ann talk about the book and about their knitting experiences. They are very funny ladies, and they had several of their projects there so I got to see and feel the blankets and other handknits in person. Beautiful! I think an afghan is in order very soon, though it will require the purchase of more yarn. It’s really a beautiful pattern they’ve put together, though—classic and clean and easy enough for this relative newbie to handle without fear—so I think it’ll be worth it! Go to Threaded Bliss’s blog and Jennifer’s blog to see great pics of the event!

Knitting in Stops and Starts

2006-04-26T14:35:00.000-05:00

Last night I cast on (casted on???) for a new project only to rip it out after a row or two of knitting. Then I cast on for the same project with a different yarn. There was no improvement, so I ripped again. So I decided the yarn would maybe like to something else, so I thought of another project I’ve been wanting to try. Nope, the yarn was not happy with the first two rows of that either. Sigh. I think the problem may be with the knitter rather than the yarn. I was in a strange and unsettled mood yesterday. I think I’ve been stressed about work and definitely not getting enough sleep--leads to feelings of maudlinishness (and the making up of words, apparently). I’ll try to cast on again tonight and perhaps the yarn will be inspired.

Pot-bellied, Pants-wearin' Preciousness

2006-04-19T16:58:00.000-05:00

Meet my version of Kate, the Knitty Cat. It's my latest project off the needles, and one I'm very happy with I must say. It was fun to work on (except for sewing him up which I am not so adept at) and, well, he and his pot-bellied self are just so cute. I was thinking I'd give him away, but I'm not sure whether someone else would appreciate his cartoonish cuteness as I do. We'll see. . . .

Thinga-Jiggers and Twitterpation

2006-04-19T12:13:00.000-05:00

I peered deep into my stash this weekend in search of that summery fiber called cotton. And I discovered some long-ago-purchased-on-sale-before-yarn-diet-went-into-effect cotton angora yarn. It feels soooo yummy and soft, and it’s an absolutely beautiful deep teal color. I had hidden it away in the winter so I could find it and be surprised and inspired once summery, cottony weather rolled around. And I have indeed rediscovered it and embarked on the journey whereby I transform it into a shrugy, cardigany thinger-jigger. Cause it is spring, the time of twitterpation and love lingering in the air and Chris and I taking walks after eating a good meal--and me wanting to make soft and girly things to wear.

This particular thinga-jigger is loosely based on this idea. But I have trouble committing to “the patterns” as they are presented. Yeah, I’m a rebel that way. I do occassionally follow the directions to a T. Occasionally. But I usually want to use a different yarn. Or I don’t like the edging they chose. Or I’m not sure I have enough of the yarn and now the lovely yarn shop is all sold out of it so I need to make some adjustments. It’s always something. Maybe it’s never being satisfied or maybe it’s learning from a process; maybe it is being rebellious or maybe it’s just being creative. I am quite certain this issue I have sometimes leaves me with less than desirable results. I think I am okay with that. Cause I'm liking the learning and discovering. I think the knitterly inclined of us realize that it's often about the discovering—discovering the ways of yarn and knitting, yes, but also about the ways of our own selves. You are an odd assortment of people, you knitters, but I am excited to call myself one of you.

We interrupt this knitblog for a moment of eastertide reflection.

2006-04-19T11:50:00.000-05:00

I read about a "diamond in the rough" story recently and thought about how people rarely get tired of hearing them. We embrace them as a justification of the mistakes we make or the hardships we’re dealt. Sometimes they act as a seasoning of hope for a bitter present. We often imagine that someone we know will be the next example of success or greatness; we hope that “someone” will be us.

But in the post-Resurrection days that the church is now celebrating, my thoughts have been hovering around the way Jesus died and the others dying in his company. And I thought about how God’s brand of love seems to fall pretty equally on the diamond-in-the-making-Davids—from shepherd’s field to king’s throne—and the criminals hanging beside Jesus—those who live and die on a cross they by all accounts deserve, only crying out, “Lord, save me.” I’ve always been amazed and comforted by this exchange of words, where one asks for mercy and the other very simply bestows it. No acts of penance required. No rebuke given. Just an exchange of grace. Some days that idea is about all I know to hold on to.

The Ever-Present Dilemma

2006-04-18T17:26:00.000-05:00

It pops up so often in my workday--the thought that if I had my way I'd just be knitting. Instead I am copyediting and permissioning and computering and paperworking and sometimes talking twelve times a day to an author/professor who is upset because I, who have the job of editing his book, have *gasp* added commas, fixed grammatical errors, and sometimes even added some words so that he doesn't inadvertently call Jesus a cannibal.* Sigh. Wish I were knitting. One of the knitblogs I like to read is Mason-Dixon Knitting (they're the one's I'll see at the booksigning event I'm going to this week!!!). I would like their next book to be a self-help guide entitled "How to Have Our Life" or something along those lines. Cause these ladies must knit all the time-and it's all so beautiful. Their book came in the mail yesterday, direct from the Amazon, and I spent an embarrassing amount of time just drooling over the pretty pictures. Now I'm dreaming of all the pretty things my stash can become. . . . At least I can still work and dream at the same time.

*From manuscript: "Jesus healed, ate, and befriended the people."

Ode to Denises

2006-04-15T18:38:00.000-05:00

My dear Denise Interchangeable Needle Set,
you have been faithful to me since first we met.
With your assistance I find I swatch with ease,
finding the right needle size no longer a tease.
So very many options dost thou hold,
all neatly tucked within your blue folds.
Your stitch-holding possibilities are nigh on endless,
your cable selection too broad to list.
Your needles can shrink from great to small,
then grow again at my beck and call.
A veritable tackle-box of useful implements,
with first sight I adored you and have adored e'er since.

Happy Easter!

2006-04-15T18:31:00.000-05:00

The Lowdown: I’ll Post Lots of Information Here

2006-04-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

The Excuses: I’ve been busy away from Internet Land lately, and my office is cracking down on computer use, including while on breaks. Hence the lack of posts. But enough of the excuses. . . .

The Stormy Weather: The weather was bad around here on Friday. Chris and I were going out of town for the weekend and had left the area before there was even a drop of rain, but I’ve heard some of the stories today. My friend Daphne (see Eric's blog about her experience here) works at a school that was frightfully close to one of the tornadoes’ path, and I can only imagine how many terrified kids there were in that building. Those affected are certainly in my prayers.

The Weekend: We had such a great visit with my family this weekend, and I met the two newest additions to the family—both precious as can be!

The Knitting Pursuits: I’ve knit something frightfully close to a poncho. Yep, a poncho. I’ve been generally against the poncho from the beginning. I don’t think most of them would look particularly flattering on me (although I do think they are cute on some people—especially young kids), plus I couldn’t quite think of them as practical. What do you do with your arms? How is this better than just grabbing a sweater when you head out the door? What do you do with all these folds of fabric hanging around? But the Glampyre Knits gal designed this garment she dubbed the Paris Loop. And I kind of like it. It’s not so poncho-ish to be unflattering or bulky, but it does seem like a nice spring-time alternative for the cold restaurant scenario. So, I’ve knit one for myself, and I’ve even worn it out and about. And I think I even like it. But I’m not calling it a poncho. It’s my Loop-o. Yeah, I’m still working on the name. . . .

The Books I’m Excited About: Mason-Dixon Knitting is out and the authors are coming to Nashville for a book signing! I’ve seen the book and it has some very fun patterns! I’m even buying it instead of checking it out from the library like I usually do with knitting books. And the initiator of the Knitting Olympics has a new book, Knitting Rules, which is more a book about knitting and knitters, rather than patterns to knit. But she’s a very entertaining writer, and I’m looking forward to that signing too. The Knitters and I are RSVPed for both events. This book-signing concept is relatively new for me. In Franklinton you come across few (okay, zero) book signings, and really until I lived here I didn’t think about the idea of a book “event” all that often. But here they are sort of a big thing, and I find myself getting a little giddy at the thought of having the authors sign the books. Like getting a rock star’s autograph.

And Speaking of Rock Stars: Chris’s band has some new songs up on their myspace profile, myspace.com/sedgewick, and I’m really impressed with what they’re doing. I got to listen in on a jam session of theirs last week, and they sounded great!!! So if you haven’t checked out their site, then go listen in (and if you’re a myspacer, then make them your friend!). My personal favorite is “The Key,” but all the songs rock!

My What’s Hot/What’s Not List

2006-04-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

Tagged from Jennifer:

My Hot List

1. 24. Jack Bauer rocketh. David Palmer rocked. President Logan rocketh not.
2. Hypnotic prog music Chris introduced me to. This is probably hot in no one else’s book on the planet, but having just discovered it I shall declare it my own personal “what’s hot.” I like to knit to it while Chris is driving . . .
3. Cute knitted stuffed animals. The yarn is cheap, a lot of the yarn is even already in my stash, the patterns are fun, gauge doesn’t matter all that much, and they shouldn’t take all that long in case knitting ADD strikes.

My Not List

1. Buying more yarn just cause it’s pretty and/or on sale. I really like to do this, but my budget and the small amount of space I call home are both begging and pleading me to stick to the strict yarn diet tactics, which clearly state, “You have plenty of yarn already. Knit something with it instead of buying more. Be creative if necessary. Do not cave.”
2. Rampant use of the word clearly. I am clearly guilty of saying this word too often. I promise I will try to do my part to thin out the herd.
3. Deal or No Deal. It sucked me in for a few shows there. But no more. And I would like for those contestants to lay off the caffeine for a few days. I stress out just watching them.

Welcome to the World!

2006-03-21T18:20:00.000-06:00

Well, the newest member of our family was born yesterday and is doing very well. I can't wait until next month when Chris and I get to meet both Baby Grace and Baby Cole! Until then Grammie promises me that she'll give the babies extra snuggles from their Aunt Katie.

Just in Time for Summer to Come . . .

2006-03-21T18:17:00.000-06:00

the sweater's done!

Pictures will follow. But I just wanted to share. I've also finished the bag I'm working on (which means I need to start some new stuff--what to do next?)--it just needs to be felted and it'll be ready to use. The felting process will require the use of hot water.

Which I did not have over the weekend since my water heater broke and flooded the floor of my closet. I found out about it when I got home and found a note on my door from the maintenance guy. Unless maintenance guys have their own form of ESP so that they just know when stuff breaks, I'm assuming that it leaked through the ceiling onto my downstairs neighbor. So with the water flooding my closet floor where all my shoes live and the water leaking onto the downstairs folks' closet where I imagine their clothes live--there's at least a few people in our apartment complex who didn't have a great day.

Do not be concerned. No yarn was harmed in the flooding of this closet.

However, all but two pairs of the shoes survived as well as all but two purses, a pair of gloves that I'm sure I won't miss, and some random papers that I really hope aren't important. Not bad at all. But, silly as it sounds, I was kind of sad to lay to rest one of those pairs of shoes.

Bye-bye cute shoes.

Seems a Bit Familiar

2006-03-11T12:05:00.000-06:00

Last night Chris and I watched the movie American Splendor. It was a great, quirky, true-story film starring Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar, a guy working as a file clerk who makes a name (though little money) for himself as a comic-book writer. Throughout the film, you see scenes of Harvey’s life played out by the actors and then commented on by this guy, the real Harvey Pekar.

In the late 70s this man turned his little daily-life moments into a comic book, much like many of us now turn our little daily lives into blogs. (So in the spirit of Harvey and a daily-ness kind of moment . . . ) I was amused and caught by surprise at how much the real Harvey’s appearance closely resembles that of my neighbor, who sits outside his apartment door in a green plastic lawnchair approximately sixteen times a day to smoke a cigarette while conducting some combination of the following actions: hacking, coughing, commenting and/or complaining about life to whoever walks by, dragging his chair back and forth from the railing, sliding his slippered feet along the crack in the floor, and muttering and/or yelling at his girlfriend through the closed door. Being right across the hall from him, I am lucky enough to hear this strange little montage on a regular basis. Sometimes it really annoys me, sometimes I don’t even notice it, sometimes it sends me into a tailspin of wonderment about the human condition and the psychology of our actions, and sometimes it just leaves me bemused at this strange little place where I live.

Upon a Spring Day

2006-03-08T19:03:00.000-06:00

I love that it's starting to feel like spring, that I see just a little more of that daylight stuff each afternoon, that I can go out walking after work without having to bundle up at all. Because of this new ability to work out more easily, I've begun the annualish decision to start working out again. I know that this feeling comes in starts and stops, but if it doesn't at least start then it'll never stick. I don't have a lot of extra money so I'm going the simple route, but sometimes if I don't put any money into something I feel less motivation to continue with it. Silly, I know, but there's definitely some psychology working there. So I bought some resistance bands at Target today to do some home-workout toning. And of course I'm planning to keep up the walking/jogging.

I've still been knitting my Olympic sweater, but once the olympics finished and I didn't have a definite goal in mind--I developed knitting ADD, wherein I have about four different knit projects going at once. This is good in that I don't get bored and whatever I'm in the mood for is at the ready, but it also takes much longer to get any of them finished. But, as Johnny pointed out, if you're only working on what you really want to be doing then the quality will be that much better. I like this outlook and sincerely wish I could apply it to all things in life in general and at work in specific. Alas . . .

I'll leave you with a funny for the week. I found this on my door a few nights ago, left by one of my neighbor friends:

Knit n Rip

2006-02-23T17:52:00.000-06:00

Knit furiously, fingers flying
Measure
Mutter under breath
Rip furiously, yarn flying
Reinsert needles
Knit furiously

Repeat at least four times.

So maybe I'll finish it by the end of the Olympics and maybe I won't. Oh, well. I will still finish it sometime!

Progress Pic

2006-02-20T17:27:00.000-06:00

The sleeving is begun. I haven't quite finished the body, but I'm waiting to see how much yarn the sleeves will take up, and then I'll know how much I have left to finish the body.

I'm enjoying this process. It's certainly a learning experience, and while I'm not sure that this will become a favorite sweater, I do think I will be able to wear it and, perhaps most importantly, look upon it fondly as my first sweater. I hope I will follow this experience with more sophisticated garments that come with time and experience, but I think I'll try to keep this one around to see where it all started.

The Snowy, Picturesque View from My Apartment

2006-02-20T17:18:00.000-06:00

Yep, that would be a snow-covered sofa beside the parking lot dumpster. Home sweet home.

Winter Knitting Olympics Indeed

2006-02-18T13:51:00.000-06:00

I woke up today, ate a brunchish type meal, took a shower, got dressed, packed up some stuff so I could go do some work at the library, walked out the door, and stopped abruptly upon sight of a rather thick layer of white stuff. Apparently it snowed quite a bit last night.

Upon further examination it looks as though there was some snow--but mixed with a good bit of ice. Thankfully by the time I saw it the roads had already been well cleared, so no problems on that front. But it does add a nice ambience to the idea of a WINTER olympics--both knitting and otherwise. Perhaps I'll get to put that sweater-in-the-making to good use this season.

Which brings me to a progress report--with pictures. Cause I know how to do that now. (Sad, I know. The technology sometimes intimidates me.) Well, I had to do some frogging (for my family who reads this--that means I had to rip back some rows. Frog--rip it. Frog--ribbet. Get it? Ah!). I had done some of my decreasing wrong and it was definitely going to affect the way it would fit me, so I decided it needed to be fixed. Yes, it was a slip in the middle of the race, a two-footed landing on the double axle, but I'm not out of the game yet, my friends!

So here's where I am (well, was as of last night). The body will go pretty quickly as long as I don't have to frog it again. The sleeves will be slower going, though. So I'm hoping to get started on them by at least Tuesday of this week.

Hope you all stay warm and dry and safe this weekend!

Still Life with Coca-Cola

2006-02-18T13:39:00.000-06:00

Let's discuss my addiction. So, I like a good, old-fashioned Coca-Cola Classic. A lot. There's something about that first sip--it tastes so good, it gives me an instant little rush, and it just downright makes me happy. I've had some good reasons to quit drinking this sugary delight.

Reason 1: The Sugar. Seriously, it contains so much totally-not-good-for-you sugar. My junior year of high school my chemistry teacher did an experiment to show us how much sugar is in one can of coke. She poured the sugar equivalent into a container, and its volume almost equaled that of the entire coke. It was awful and disgusting. I washed the experience away with a nice full can of Coca-Cola.

Reason 2: The Random Things Floating in It. Yep, I had “an experience.” If you enjoy the cokes and would maybe like to continue enjoying them I will warn that you may wish to skip to the next paragraph. Just sayin'. So one day in college I was about three-fourths of the way through a can of coke when I took one big sip--and discovered something solid yet slightly slimy IN MY MOUTH. I spit it out and found something pink and cylindrical that I can only describe as larvae-ish. I was disgusted. For weeks, maybe months, I dealt with the experience by pouring all cokes into a glass before drinking. Yep, washed that one down with a nice full glass of Coca-Cola.

I've quit at various times for varying lengths of time, but I always come back.
Right now I've given up cokes. Except when I want one. I've decided that cutting back a lot is good enough. I don't have one every day at least. Yet, I always find ways to justify pieces of my addiction. My reasonings for indulgence are many. I've had a long day. I need a little pick-me-up. I have a headache. Coke just goes with pizza. It's Friday. Whatever.

So I'm finally doing my laundry today. Think I'll reward myself with a nice tall glass of Coca-Cola.

Things We Learned

2006-02-16T11:31:00.000-06:00

Chris and I took a day off work to celebrate St. Valentine's Day. We decided to do a Nashville day and go places tourists go and just have a good day off. And here is a sampling of what we learned--courtesy of the planetarium, and the backstage tour of the Ryman hosted by Bill the Tourguide.

Johnny Cash was not a fan of the stagelights at the Ryman.
Most things on the large, planetary scale are made up of spheres and move around in spherical paths. I've known this for a while, but yesterday it struck me as particularly interesting.
Elvis Presley performed on the Ryman stage once, and was never invited back.
Stars start their lives in star nurseries many light years away from here.
George No-Show Jones drank a lot because, according to Bill, "you know, things happen."
Neptune used to have a Great Dark Spot, but in Hubble photographs it has disappeared and nobody knows why.

In all it was a good day with good weather and capped off by good food. But of course, the best part of it was the company! Happy Valentine's Day.

Knitting Olympic Update: I have knitted up 2.5 balls of yarn (total to knit: 5 balls). I'm at least halfway through with the body portion, and I'm pretty happy with the way it's looking. However on the sleeves I have to use double-pointed needles and I'm much slower with them than with the circs. But it's all part of the challenge!

Ready, Set, Knit

2006-02-10T10:50:00.000-06:00

Our knitting group had our monthly get-together last night--always a good time. There are four of us who meet to show off our projects and share new patterns and, well, knit. Last night featured knitting, The Office, and Earl and the Karma-driven Life. Oh, the wisdom of Earl! Good stuff, man. We also caught part of the show Four Kings, which I'd never seen before, but in last night's episode one of the characters was learning to knit!

Tonight they light the olympic flame, and I'll have needles at the ready to cast on for what I've dubbed the Olympic Raglan. Feats of knitterly brilliance will be performed. Talents will be sharpened to the point of near-perfection. The aim is for the perfect 10--or at least a sweater that doesn't have any obvious gaping holes :)

Citius, Alitius Fortius, Y'all.

Brought to You by My Bookshelf

2006-02-09T13:26:00.000-06:00

A meme from Jennifer: Name three related books on your bookshelf that might tell others something about you (fun one!).

1. Walking Across Egypt by Lewis Nordan
2. Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
3. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

And also, today is my mom's birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom! You should wear a red hat every day :)

Writer's Block

2006-02-06T12:55:00.000-06:00

I try to write in the first person, but the pronouns keep catching up with me. They know it's a lie—that I don’t have a story to tell, a life to write. Not yet. So from me's and we's I soon fall into he’s and she’s, and wander around in my head trying to find what I have to say. But these other people I never meet, the he's and she's I follow around, they have trouble speaking too. The scenes and the moments come out in great detail, but they never bother to have a plot hold them all together. Lines occasionally tumble out in clumpy paragraphs, a page or two in a year or two. But the stories all still wait around--disembodied words in a notepaper morgue.

On days when I'm feeling wistful and long to touch something beautiful, I seek out a moment of creative truth, and it unfailingly inspires me. I read books and hear lyrics that make me want to write, to try to tell some story that lurks around me as I fall asleep.

But for now I just dream and nightmare of words on pages, hoping and fearing I find them again when I wake up.

Olympic Yarn Procured! Oh, and My Weekend of Intarsia

2006-02-06T10:15:00.000-06:00

I've found and purchased yarn for my Knitting Olympics project! It's Wool-Ease worsted weight yarn in a yummy green that has a little bit of heather to it. Here's the picture of the color on LionBrand's website, but the true color really doesn't look like the picture. I bought the yarn with the gift card my mom gave me for Christmas (thanks, Mom!). It's pretty soft for non-natural fibers. Besides, if wool/acrylic blend is good enough for the beautiful Anthropologie sweaters I love and covet, then that blend is good enough for me!

In other knitting news, I finished the gifts for my nephews and I'll mail the package off today. I knitted a baby blanket, hat, and booties for new nephew Cole and a big brother superhero cape for Carter. I know he's still adjusting to the concept of a new baby around the house, so I wanted to send him a cool gift, too. I really enjoyed making the cape. It was a quick knit and I kept imagining him wearing it and pretending to fly around. That image in my head provided quite a bit of motivation. It was also my first try at intarsia (or any two-color knitting). The cape was bright blue and I intarsia-ed a yellow lightning bolt and Carter's name in red from a chart I drew. I think it went well, even though I was kinda guessing my way through it. Whatever--I was happy with it.

Unfortunately I had a camera incident that prevented me from getting any pictures, so I'm hoping that they can take some pictures of the gifts in use by their recipients. That's more fun, anyway!

Dr. Seuss for the Workplace

2006-02-02T11:36:00.000-06:00

The wall calendar in my cubicle has pictures and words from Dr. Seuss books, and February's snipet seems timely for me.

From I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew:
"I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see.
Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me. "

With my current project at work, I think I need a bigger bat!

A Meme

2006-02-01T13:01:00.000-06:00

Tagged by Jennifer:
Five Random Things About Me

1. My sister and I have very similar hands, and since I idolized my sister growing up, I thought it was really cool. To this day if I had to pick a favorite body part, it would be my hands.

2. I really hate to play volleyball. It hurts (so I'm a wuss--whatever!) and is just not something I enjoy. I've encountered many church groups that think if you don't play volleyball there's something wrong with you. I choose not to attend those churches.

3. In junior high and high school I hated the way glasses made me look, so every day without fail I wore contacts and considered them the best thing since 20/20 vision. As I've gotten older I've (1) found glasses I really like and (2) become lazy. Therefore, when we first started dating and Chris told me he really likes it when I wear my glasses, I was secretly quite relieved :)

4. I have two nephews and a neice on the way! It is all very fun and exciting and is the incentive for much knitting.

5. I love girly Jane Austen books. If you get into them they really are funny! I promise.

I'm not tagging anyone at the moment cause I don't know who to tag. If you happen to read this and want to do it yourself then by all means go for it!

One Down, Eleven to Go

2006-02-01T12:50:00.000-06:00

This year, instead of coming up with a few big new year's resolutions that I would no doubt be diligent about for a couple months tops and then forget about, I decided to come up with some small things and do one each month. They vary in size and scope, so some will be easy to complete and others will be challenging. At the top of my calendar each month I've written that month's goal. In JanuaryI started an automatic savings account. I intentionally started with an easy one so that I'd feel all accomplished. Others for the year include writing a short story, working on a habitat house, throwing a dinner party, and knitting a sweater. This way I hope I can accomplish some goals without stressing myself out all at once. So now that it's February I'm ready to start goal #2--getting my resume in order. I'm considering trying to do some freelance work on top of my regular job--just for some extra money. And if I can figure out another regular job that would fit me better, I'm definitely open to that too.

We'll see how this goes.

So Maybe I'll Do a Little Blogging . . .

2006-01-31T08:37:00.000-06:00

Hello Friends! I've been thinking about the blogging concept for a while, but I've been a bit intimidated by the blogging world. Would I have interesting things to say on a regular basis? Would I want any more people to have to hear the things flying around in my head? Would they want to hear those things? They're questions that remain to be answered, but I guess I'll do this a while anyway.

The impetus for change is that I want to join the Knitting Olympics, sponsored by Yarn Harlot. Now you don't have to have a blog to participate, but I thought perhaps the occasion would provide me with guaranteed material for blogging. Baby steps for blogging.

Anyway, I haven't knit a sweater yet and I've been itching to for a while now. So I think I'll take the challenge and give it a whirl. I'll probably opt for a basic pattern like a top-down raglan worked in the round in stockinette stitch with just a little bit of shaping. Much like the Top Down Raglan Cardigan idea from Glamyre knits, though I probably won't do the wide ribbing and I'd like it to stay a pullover rather than have it transformed into a cardigan.

So there we go. In the next couple days I'll need to get the yarn for the project (I've been itching to go to Threaded Bliss and see all their new colors of Cascade anyway) and then do some swatching and mathing and numbering (oh, my!). I'll keep you, my new little blogging world, informed of how the progress is going!