A Minor Setback

I had to rip back a few inches of my secret project because I didn't "short row down" enough stitches. I'm even more anxious about my yardage now. *grumble*

Must. Knit. Faster.

The newsletter is done and I survived my foray into MS Publisher. We now return to our regularly scheduled knitting blog.

The secret project I've been working on is coming along nicely--I would say I'm about 3/4 of the way through it. I've started trying to knit faster because I fear I may run out of yarn. We'll see if this helps.

I'm still working on my charade sock. I've turned the heel and have started the gusset decreases. Really, it takes a long time to knit a sock when you only work on it while you're out and about. But that's okay. I really need to focus on my secret (read:holiday) knitting. I only have another month to get it all finished because November is booked. Can you guess what I'll be doing?

Halloween is just around the corner. Why not make up some witch jars for your kitchen?

My favorite is the jar of shrunken Garden Gnome Heads. (Thanks Crafty Crafty!)

Website Wednesday

Wow. I mean, wow.

(Thanks to Boing Boing for the link!)

Newsday Tuesday 3

Stories that caught my attention for 5 minutes this week:

Taser dude.

MIT chick.

Insane world leader.

Back to the newsletter!

Chained

There is a "no screens after 8 am" rule in my house, mostly to keep the children from watching too much TV, but it also helps keep me from looking at the computer all day.


Today (and much of this week) is different. I volunteered to do the church newsletter for our church secretary who is going on vacation this week (lucky woman!). Before I had children, I did a lot of work with Quark Xpress, but St. James' uses Microsoft Publisher, so "doing the newsletter" means I also have to "learn a new layout program".

First impressions: I prefer Quark. And not just because I am more familiar with Quark. Quark is a much friendlier application for working with multiple pages of text boxes.

Also, this is cutting into my knitting time so I am feeling a little grumpy. Hear that? It's my teeth grinding. *grr*

Recently Acquired...

...at Knitting Nation in Nyack--Tillitomas Rock Star in the Hydrangea colorway. Isn't it beautiful?

Shiver Me Timbers!

Ahoy, me hearties! Today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day, arr! How d'ye plan to celebrate?

How about a quiz? What kind of pirate be ye? Here be me results:

You are The Cap'n!

Some men and women are born great, some achieve greatness and some slit the throats of any scalawag who stands between them and unlimited power. You never met a man - or woman - you couldn't eviscerate. You are the definitive woMan of Action, the CEO of the Seven Seas, Lee Iacocca in a blousy shirt and drawstring-fly pants. You’re mission-oriented, and if anyone gets in the way, that’s his problem, now ini’t? Your buckle was swashed long ago and you have never been so sure of anything as your ability to bend everyone to your will. You will call anyone out and cut off his head if he shows any sign of taking you on or backing down. If one of your lieutenants shows an overly developed sense of ambition he may find more suitable accommodations in Davy Jones' locker. That is, of course, IF you notice him. You tend to be self absorbed - a weakness that may keep you from seeing enemies where they are and imagining them where they are not.

What's Yer Inner Pirate?
brought to you by The Official Talk Like A Pirate Web Site. Arrrrr!

And don't ye be forgettin' it! Aarr!

After ye take the quiz, me hearties, ye can go git yerself a fine pirate nickname and yer pirate swag at Think Geek. When ye be properly outfitted, ye can check out the swashbuckling links over at David Byrne's pirate zen page. Arr!

Then ye can read about the real-world dialect that inspired the pirate accent we know (and love) today.

And, if ye still be interested in knittin', the Yaaarrrn Haarrrlot had a great link round-up last year. (I hope they still work!)

Happy TLAP Day everyone! Aaarrr!

Newsday Tuesday 2

OMG, what in the hell is going on with OJ?

also,
EPA cleans up Anthrax contamination.

Retirees give up knitting for wii.

Yarn Harlot to appear in Wichita (yes, this is news, apparently!). I especially loved how the bookstore owner was surprised that people from miles away were registering the event. "It was then that I realized that this had mass appeal."

Happy Tuesday, everyone! See you here tomorrow for International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

I Am Sad

Robert Jordan died yesterday afternoon after long struggle with amyloidosis. His series, The Wheel of Time, consumed many, many hours of my reading time and I am grateful he shared this story with the world.

Go in the Light, RJ.

Sock Progress

OK, I know I said I would take a break from sock knitting, but I am seriously weak. I mean, it's SOCKS. How can you take a break from knitting socks? Especially when there is Yarn Pirate Booty Club yarn in your stash!
I cast this sock on, specifically to be my traveling sock. Let me tell you, the going is slow when you are only knitting a project while you're out somewhere. It's good, though. The pattern is simple and the yarn is beautiful. It's almost like seeing an old friend when I take it out (even thought I've only been working on it for a week or so).

Speaking of sock knitting, check out these kick-ass shoes I got for fall.

I think they will show of my hand knits perfectly. Granted, I only have one pair of hand knit socks, but I'm working on more. I'm not normally a shoe person, but seriously? Could you resist?

Secret Progress and Website Wednesday

Here's the progress I've made on the secret project I started the other day. Any more guesses?

Finally, in honor of Website Wednesday, here's a link from Nea. This guy builds Escher replications from Legos. Awesome.

PS--> another link: Holly is having a destashing contest. Leave her a comment (don't forget to mention me) about a pattern you’ve knit multiple times and you could win a skein of Manos Cotton Stria and a lovely dpn case. Contest closes midnight, PDT, September 14.

Newsday Tuesday

Here's a new feature on my blog rounding up the news stories I've been following this week. What news have you guys found interesting this week? (Thanks to Rachel for the great idea!)

Britney bombs at the MTV VMA.

Senator Craig tries to put the cat back in the bag.

Incident at Applebee's in KY sparks nurse-ins in other states.

Doctor Who Series five postponed until 2010.

General Patraeus presents his report to congress on the progress in Iraq.

It's Rather Self Explanatory

Don't you think?

Waiting Time is Knitting Time

Yesterday, we woke early--4:30 a.m.--and drove to the new children's hospital at the Westchester Medical Center. Ezra was scheduled for surgery to repair two small hernias above his belly button.

The children's hospital and grounds are beautiful. There's a massive fish tank in the lobby, the kind you might expect to see at an Aquarium. Everything is beautifully decorated and kid-oriented. I wish I'd brought my camera. Of course, at the time we got there, it was also deserted and therefore very peaceful and quiet.

We checked in at Admitting and headed over to Pediatric Surgery to wait. We were early so we waited a long time. I tried to knit, but Ezra was having too much fun climbing all over the furniture, so I had to be vigilant lest he crack his head open on the floor.

Finally it was our turn. The nurse took us to the back where Ezra's vitals were checked and he was given a cute hospital gown and some little socks (again, why didn't I bring my camera?). He played with the curtain and explored the hospital crib. They gave me a disposable white jumpsuit to wear, a blue hair cover, and a surgical mask. I felt utterly ridiculous (Thank heavens I didn't bring my camera!).

It wasn't long before the anesthesiologists came to take us to the OR. We went in and Ezra sat on my lap while they got the operating table ready. Then, the anesthesiologist had me hold Ezra while he put the gas mask over his nose and mouth. He fought the mask for a moment, then got a few deep breaths and was out, gone, unconscious. I was escorted from the OR back to the waiting room.

It's hard not to worry about your little baby, even while trusting that the doctors are perfectly capable and skilled and that they have all the necessary equipment and monitors to keep him alive. So, I waited and knitted and tried not to worry. I thought a little about what I did to wait before I discovered knitting. I smoked (a lot, but not anymore). I read (I remember reading). I wandered. Now, I knit.

The doctor came in after an hour and a half. The surgery was done and Ezra came through with flying colors! I went back to recovery and nursed him. Then he slept. I knitted some more and chatted with the nice nurse who was monitoring him. Then, he was awake and that was that. We were checked out and sent on our merry way.

During all my waiting time yesterday, I'd knitted about 2 inches of this (I'd already done the ribbing, so it was 2 inches in the stitch pattern). I'll post pictures another day.

Website Wednesday 2

Check out this yarn stash. Seriously, it's not a shop, it's a person's stash. I swear, I thought the Yarn Harlot was only being funny when she described stashes like this in her book Knitting Rules. "Oh, haha," I said. "Imagine having to go outside to get 50 feet away from your stash! How silly." But it's not a joke, it's real. And, to top it off, the single room that's pictured is not even all of it.

I feel obligated to say that this isn’t all of Bonney’s yarn. The living culture that is her yarn stash has long since spread down the stairs, and into several other rooms, where it’s started growing baby yarn colonies.

Finally, a stash to aspire to! (Link via Karen. Thanks!)

Arrived By Post Today

Isn't it lovely? I ordered the 9 mm for two reasons: first, it's the size I needed for one of the secret projects I am working on and, second, it's a size that does not come with the Knit Picks Options set. I do not yet own the KP Options set, but when I get it, I will have already extended it. That's me, always thinkin'!

While I was waiting for the needles to arrive in the mail, I cast on this:

another secret project. Can you guess what it is?

4 Things Meme

Oh no, another one of those things. This time it's 4 things. Check it out:

Four First Names of Crushes I’ve Had:

1. Ralph

2. Brad

3. Bobby

4. Shawn

Four Pieces of Clothing I wish I still owned:

1. That Perfect Pair of Jeans I got a couple of years ago (they no longer make them and I'm SO bummed!!)

2. Honestly, that's it.

3. Clothes and I have never had

4. that kind of relationship.

Four names I’ve been called at one time or another:

1. Jenny

2. Slick

3. Crybaby

4. Fatso

Four Professions I secretly Want to Try:

1. too secret to post on the Internet

2. too secret to post on the Internet

3. US Senator

4. Midwife

Four Musicians I’d most want to go on a date with:

1. Alice Cooper

2. Lars Ulrich

3. Danny Elfman

4. Mozart

Four Foods I’d rather Throw than Eat:

1. Arugula

2. Mushrooms

3. Cilantro

4. Escargot

Four Things I Like to Sniff:

1. Natural Fiber Yarn

2. Beeswax Candles

3. Clothes Fresh From the Dryer

4. Cookies Fresh From the Oven

Four People to Tag: (I really hate this part, too! Sorry Guys!)

1. Jen D.

2. Anyone else

3. Want to be tagged?

4. What about you lurkers? I know you're out there!

Just leave me a comment, asking to be tagged, and I'll tag you!

And the winner...

...chosen by random sequence generation at random.org, is Bellamoden! Contact me by email with your shipping information and I will send your prize out to you as soon as possible. If I don't hear from you by 11:59 pm (EDT) on Friday, September 7, I will choose a new winner.

If you didn't win the contest, fear not. I have two extra sets of stitch markers available for purchase at my brand new etsy shop! Also, I will be putting up matching earrings and, eventually, more stitch markers. Maybe, one day, hand-dyed sock yarn too.

Thanks to all who entered the contest! It was really fun getting all your comments.