We had a fantastic time in California, and we really didn’t want to come back! The weather was gorgeous, and we came back to steam-bath 90+ degree weather in Michigan. Ick. Here’s a few pics; I’m too pooped for much else right now. I have to go back to work today and I feel like throwing a temper tantrum about it.
In the boogie sweater progress, I managed to knit both sleeves, and am currently working on the body. I don’t think I’ll get it finished before our trip, but will take it along. I think it will be the perfect vacation project, along with the sock project I plan on bringing.
Otherwise, Ravelry is holding my attention. It’s a TON of work taking pics of every yarn in the stash and rounding up all my old project pictures. I don’t think I’ll ever be done! I’m plath over on ravelry if you want to add me to your friend list 
Imagine my surprise when I opened my mailbox yesterday and saw an envelope from Canada. Now I haven’t ordered yarn in ages, so I know it couldn’t be an order from anyplace… Even though I sometimes suffer from a tad of yarn-buying amnesia, I knew that wasn’t the case this time, as certainly I would have remembered ordering from out of the country! After seeing who it was from, I was so befuddled I promptly dropped it in the dog’s water dish. Shouting f*ck and scaring the pee out of the dog, I immediately pulled it out and ripped it open.
Fantastic summer sock yarn! Can you see who it’s from? The Yarn Harlot herself, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. I feel so special She writes in her note, that she had some “extra sock yarn.” Um… who has extra sock yarn? Is it possible to have “extra” sock yarn? From the woman with a house of wool, I think she’s fibbing a bit… but I certainly appreciate her “extra yarn” even if I don’t believe it
In knitting news, I did something crazy and cast on for a pattern the day it was available. Boogie’s Sprout pattern just called out to me, and made me cast on.
I even had to be completely unimaginative and cast on in close to the same color of yarn. Can I help it if I *love* that bright spring green color? Just a start of a sleeve, but I’m knitting again! I’m using my new Cotton Ease. My idea was that this would be the perfect San Francisco sweater. However, we leave a week from today. I think in this case, I was very imaginative…
But speaking of San Francisco (and Sonoma and Yosemite), I’m so excited for our trip! I’ve already started pre-packing. Am I the only one that does this? I set aside things that I must bring with me. I already have yarn picked out for a pair of vacation socks (using this Panda Cotton), have decided which embroidery project to bring for when I don’t feel like knitting (Sublime Stiching’s Winterland on a kitchen towel), have my swimsuits and a few clothing items all set aside to go in the suitcase, and have started planning my snack for the flight. I also make lists like crazy of things to purchase, as well as things I can’t remember to pack. I’m a huge list-maker. The trouble is, I make lists constantly and then end up losing the list. I already have my list made up of wineries to visit, and our day in Yosemite is all planned out, plus I have my list of must-see San Francisco sites. Just writing this blog-post, I’ve already thought of a few things to add to my must-bring list (camera charger, corkscrew, cool wine vacuum-y thing we have, etc).
In tv news, anyone else think Big Brother 8 is kind of blah? I’m loving Hell’s Kitchen, on the other hand. I’m rooting for Julia, the Waffle House short-order cook. Nothing else excites me on tv, and in fact my Tivo is pretty much empty except for my guilty pleasure, (whispers) Y&R. Say something about it, I dare you! My mom used to watch this when I was a kid, and I, of course watched right along with her when I was home sick from school, or on the occasional rainy summer day when my My Little Ponies or Matchbox cars weren’t interesting me.
Minnie took pity on me and sent me a ravelry invite! I feel so special, because I know there aren’t but *very few* of them around! Thank you so much Minnie!! If I happen to get my invite from signing up for the waiting list, I’ll be sure to share with someone as well to spread the love
Here’s my ravelry if you want to friend me. It is very much a work in progress.
Jane mag is kaput. Click here for very short story
Yes it kind of sucked after Jane Pratt left, but it was still readable…
Sigh. I wish Sassy was still around… gosh how I loved that mag.
I spent a lot of time over the weekend reading Dream When You’re Feeling Blue: A Novel
Normally I love Elizabeth Berg’s books, so I was saddened when I didn’t like this one in the end. It’s about two sisters during WWII who’s boyfriends are fighting in the war. I loved how I felt transported back to the 1940s –it really made me think about how difficult times must have been back then, and the patriotism everyone had to possess. I just wish it ended differently!
I told you I would share my birthday presents, and here are the books I received:
Fitted Knits: 25 Designs for the Fashionable Knitter
Haven’t been knitting too much lately, but I have been embroidering. One project is a gift, so no pictures forthcoming of it, I hope to have a pic of the other one soon. My sis got me Sublime Stitching’s Winterland patterns and some floss, so maybe I’ll start a Christmas project… I’m thinking napkins would be cute. She also got me the Clover Needle felting tool, which I haven’t tried out yet, but can’t wait to.
Speaking of stitching, MIL gave me a pieced quilt she and GMIL (grandmother in law) put together a long time ago, that was never stitched together. My part of the project is to stitch it together (is there a fancy name for that?– probably quilt) and then she’ll help me with the binding.
Jason’s present to me is going to be a new tattoo that he has yet to draw. I’m thinking a big back piece in a floral design. I also plan on getting two nautical stars on my hips to represent my miscarriages.
We went to see Transformers this weekend. I was not so enthused to go and see this movie, but I actually ended up really liking it! I thought Shia was a great actor in it (used to watch him in Even Stevens!), and there were quite a few scenes that were hilarious. I didn’t watch a lot of Transformers when I was a kid– I preferred GI Joe (I LOVED the PSAs–And knowing is half the battle!), although I did watch it ocassionally. Jason was a huge fan, and liked the movie as well.
Still waiting on my Ravelry invite… I hate being the only knitting loser without one!*
*Technically I know that’s not true and many are still waiting for their’s, but it still makes me feel like the loser who can’t get into the cool club yet
Edited to add: Threadless restocked the cute Insomnia tee featuring sheep! This tee also makes me laugh.
Making my way through my bloglines list, I have come to realize how many knitbloggers are pregnant or have recently given birth. It’s making me a little sad today. Not that I’m not happy for them, because it’s wonderful that they’re going through such a wonderful time in their life, and I know they’ve got to be so excited about their upcoming little one. But I’m reminded of the fact that I can’t have that for some reason. Those of you who have gone through infertility know what I’m talking about. It seems that everywhere I turn is a big pregnant belly. One day Jason and I went to Home Depot and counted 5 pregnant women and 3 little tiny infants. At Home Depot! I won’t even talk about our trip to Ikea… that one was really rough, and I broke down in the middle of the store. It’s like a smack in the face of what we can’t seem to have… it’s a little tough sometimes. Another person just anounced that they’re pregnant at my office. That makes one couple pregnant with a set of triplets, two more pregnant women, and another that just gave birth in my tiny office. I can’t even get away from my failure when I’m at work. Not to mention the celebrities… now Christina Aguilera and Nicole Ritchie have just announced pregnancies. Sigh.
Some days are better than others, and today is not one of the better ones. I’m sure I’ll feel better tomorrow or the next day… one day at a time.
Sorry for the depressing post, I just had to get it off my chest. I promise to be back later with details on my weekend and my birthday presents Thanks to all who wished me a happy 29th!
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