Monday, October 31, 2005

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween

The holiday eating season has started early this year. I made these cupcakes for Deanna’s birthday (those are spiders) – she loved her scarf btw – and another, unrelated party was planned at work today, too. The theme was “Bring your autumn treats!” What good timing, I was baking anyway. It was fun, I love a dessert buffet. Banana pudding, sweet potato pie, cheese cake, cookies, flan, pumpkin bread, apple pie, marshmallow peeps, but I see a trend starting. I use a lot of vendors in my job and they always send food for holiday gifts. And people are always baking and bringing stuff in to the office. And it’s dark out so it’s time to hibernate. Maybe if I turn up the knitting it will keep my hands occupied and keep me from indulging too much. It’s hard to eat and knit.

Wondering about those crazy looking cupcakes? Me, too. Last night, in the kitchen, I was reminded that Martha Stewart knows her sh*t. These little guys looked so cute on the Reynolds website. Cute schmute. It was hard! And the few that survived last night barely made the trip to the office. Note to self - don't try to be holly homemaker, it's not a good look for you.

Knitting





I turned the heel on the purple and green socks and – phew – the number of stitches I picked up matched on both sides of the heel. That’s always a hold-your-breath moment for me. The
confetti yarn is doing funky stripes now that I am working on the foot. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Thanks Lolly for organizing Socktober Fest. Even though I didn’t finish my pair, or even one sock, it was fun, got me motivated, and it was great to see what everyone else is doing.

Maybe it can extended to Thanksoxing. Or Soxember.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Back to EDT

This not my favorite day of the year. The day we turn the clocks back and welcome the long, dark days of winter. Although when I lived in Rhode Island it got darker a lot earlier than Washington, D.C. so I am thankful for that. I woke up early, and then realized I hadn’t turned my clock yet so it was even earlier. So I have gotten a good jump on the day.

Knitting
I started a second Spiral Scarf last night. This one is for me, in my colors, a dark reddish purple color. I am using Homespun, like the pattern calls for, I think the color is called Antique. And I bought 36-inch needles to handle the great length that this thing acquires as you keep adding stitches. I struggled with the last couple of rows on the first one I made.

I finished the heel flap of my sock, but haven’t tackled turning the heel. Because I added stitches to the pattern at the cuff, the heel is now going to be larger so I need to find a pattern that started with about 60 stitches.

I wore my Paris Loop poncho yesterday and it feels like it is stretching out to the point that is will slip right down my body. I made it last year, when I didn’t know a whole lot about knitting and pieced together my own version of the pattern. That could be the problem. Short of ripping it out and starting over, I am not sure what to do. Even in the wind yesterday, it was surprisingly warm.

Oh the boys.

Well you know that Charles called me last week, after many weeks of no communication. So I called him back after sitting on it for about a day. The conversation went fine, he was wondering what happened to me, I was wondering what happened to him. He explained how busy he has been (hmmm, heard all of this before), he just needs me to be patient, I am trying to be patient but hasn’t given me anything to go on, I am looking for a serious relationship, marriage, he will be moving to St. Louis very soon and where does that leave me, blah blah blah.

He had been in St. Louis all that time, working on the house he is refurbishing. He called me from Montreal, where he is currently working. How does he deal with such a complicated life!?! He exhausts me. But he was back home (is this really home?) in D.C. on Friday so he came by and we got pizza and watched “Ladder 49.” It was nice evening, and I didn’t let him stay the night. I am going to drive him to BWI this morning, he’s heading to St. Louis.

And of course Corey is still complicating things. We went to an exhibit of silver at the Renwick and then to see Alice Neel at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Had a good day, he’s a great museum partner because he is an artist and appreciates museums. That is one of the things I like most about being friends with him. We ended up fooling around even we agreed to do our best to refrain. Yeah, right, he’s a man. If he wasn’t so good it wouldn’t be so hard!

If only I could glean all of the good qualities of all the men I have dated, I could build the perfect man. If only…

Hurricane Beta
is closing in on Central America. Belize was one of the countries on the list of those affected yesterday. But I just checked weather.com and it looks like it is heading due west over Nicaragua. My travel-partner, Geraldina, is in Belize now, I leave a week from today. Looks like it might be rainy but no hurricane winds or anything. Whooda thunk?

Thursday, October 27, 2005

A little diversion

Knitting

I needed a break from socks. I have been tortured by that sock. And I have some Christmas gifts to get done.

Like this scarf.




I bought the yarn (Lambs Pride Bulky in Fuschia and Shangr-ri La) when I was in Boston in June, it's a gift for my cousin Maura. I think she will like it. It's a simple yarn over pattern on #17s. They feel quite different than the #1s I am using for my sock. I feel like I am using my whole upper body to knit rather than just my little hands and fingers.

It will brighted up the long, cold New York winter.

Here's a look at the yarn. This is a fun, quick project.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Yay, I am home

Yay, I am home. It’s so great to arrive home, to a familiar airport.

My cab driver had the delightful, memory-filled aroma of cologne and mint gum. All I needed was for him to be smoking a cigarette and I would have been transported back to my semester in Austria.

I am a sucker for good cologne. And a navy blue suit. Ooo-la-la.

Knitting
I sat next to a very nice man on the flight back to D.C. He thought knitting was a lost art, that his mother was a knitter when he was a kid. It got me thinking about the resurgence of knitting. I think the Internet has played a big role.





Sock is coming along. I am much happier with this one. I cast on 60 stitches. I like the purple and green color combination. The flight attendant was impressed, she thought I was changing my yarn to make the stripes.

Dating
I had a message from Charles when I got home last night. I laughed out loud. He’s back. Again. I am still thinking about what to do. I am so intrigued by this man. Yet he is so not what I am looking for. It’s a quandary.

Home Improvements

I am home today, using my comp day, waiting for Frank to bring my radiators, finally. The fur is flying on my condo list serv already. We are being assessed for some unforeseen expenses from last year. And our condo fees are going up to make up for the anticipated high heating costs this year. The issue is that some buildings are really hot and people have their windows open all winter and some buildings are really cold and people have to use space heaters. I fall in the former but have figured out how to work the radiators to keep my unit a reasonable temperature. It is warm all the time, but I can keep it from being really hot. We live in old buildings (circa 1920) and are stuck with old boilers and radiators that aren’t that controllable. But I think people have more control over their too-hot radiators than they think.

And there is one really bitchy woman in my building who does nothing but flame. I don’t even read her missives when they appear on the listserv because they are snide, sarcastic, mean, and offer nothing positive. I feel kind of sorry for her, she must be very unhappy. I had a really bad experience with her that has left such a bad taste in my mouth. How do people walk around being mean to everyone? I just don’t get it.

Ok, ok, I’ll tell you the story.

It was during Ronald Regan’s funeral. I live across the street from the National Cathedral, where his funeral took place. I was watching some of it on TV and thought it was pretty lame that I was watching on TV what was happening outside my front door! So I went down to the lobby, where some other people had gathered, to watch what was going on.

The police weren’t allowing anyone stand in front of the building so we were crammed in the lobby. As the day proceeded, the secret service and police were forcing the general public standing on Wisconsin Avenue to keep walking or go inside one of the buildings. So a number of people came into our lobby. This really pissed Neighbor off because it is her lobby and who were these strangers coming in and blocking her view. Mind you, she is saying all of this out loud, being egged on by one of her friends. So Neighbor got into it with a woman in the lobby, it was ugly, and this woman’s daughter, who looked less than 10 years old, starts crying. And Neighbor just doesn’t quit, bitching and moaning about the strangers in the lobby, and how they should be standing in the back of the lobby so the people who live there can see outside because they live in the building, blah blah blah.

It was the most unbelievable thing I have ever witnessed. I stood there, frozen in shock about what I was witnessing. So Regan’s hearse whizzes by and I flee back upstairs to the safety of my condo, once again reminded that I live with trolls.

Monday, October 24, 2005

The perfect storm




I think I need to rename Socktober Fest Frogtober Fest. Lauren expects me to actually finish a pair of socks in return to participating? I think I will make this a learning process and leave it at that.


I realized that the socks I had made so much progress on weren’t fitting properly when they barely made it over my foot. The pattern called for 48 stitches. I was in denial, I admit. I pretty much knew the cuff wasn’t going to fit over my heal but I thought that maybe as it got longer it would fit better. How are you supposed to know how many stitches to start with? I think I need to buy a book. Can anyone shed some light?

So I have restarted FOUR times, no joke. I dropped a stitch in row 2 and it was totally lost. I was playing with the pattern, not wanting to start the sock with the fair isle part of the yarn. I messed up the 2x2 ribbing. You name it, it happened! Here we go again with 60 stitches.



The Perfect Storm
George Clooney, save me! I have been watching CNN this afternoon and heard something about a ‘perfect storm’ brewing on the east coast. Huh? I am supposed to leave tomorrow afternoon. Please don’t strand me in Dallas Wilma!

Other Amusements
Things are coming together for my trip to Belize. We are ignoring all tropical storms/ hurricanes in the area and forging ahead. She is leaving on Thursday so she will be traveling around for a week on her own before I arrive Nov. 6. We are meeting up on Placencia and are now finding a place to stay for the week. I am really looking forward to this trip.

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Knitting on a plane




Look at all the knitting I got done on the flight to Dallas! I need to come up with some clever phrase for knitting on a plane. I like this self-striping yarn, but I feel like I am cheating and also that I don’t have any control over the creative process. The average joe will be intrigued and think it’s a lot of hard work. Is that good or bad? A philosophical question.

I had a look at the new magazine, Knit Scene, the other day. I was disappointed, but it will appeal to a hipper crowd, like Knit1 does. And the new Vogue Knitting had some interesting work, but nothing I would wear. You know what I mean? Often I see projects that are really beautiful and creative and different, but nothing that I would wear.

I didn’t have time to visit the Dupont Circle Fine Arts and Crafts Festival today. I was racing around before I had to get to the airport. I finally recycled my 10 year-old Mac today. Yay, it’s out of my house! D.C. had an electronics and hazardous waste drop off today at Carter Baron. (There is another one if you missed it.)


With a sense of freedom, I understood that I probably would never be a prolific
knitter, but I would remain curious and open to the possibilities. Most likely I
will never have the patience to follow fancy patters, but I will be able to pick
sensuous wool for a simple scarf and make a gift for someone I love.

“The Art of Failure”
Nora Isaacs
Alternative Medicine, November/December 2005

Friday, October 21, 2005

The week has flown


I had to quit the Jaywalker socks. The cuff was really tight, even after I switched to larger needles. Maybe it’s the yarn. Maybe it’s me! After two attempts it is time to move on.


I bought this self-striping yarn on ebay a little while ago-Confetti. I have never used this self-striping yarn before so I am curious how it will come together. This time I promise to swatch. When I am in a hurry to start something I often skip that important step. And then pay for it.

I had bookmarked and saved a number of sock patterns over the past year or so, knowing that someday I would start knitting socks. I am overwhelmed. So I am going to stick with a simple pattern. Nothing fancy with this self-striping yarn.

More Business Travel

I leave for Dallas tomorrow afternoon, for a quick business trip. I was in Dallas last year for a pretty long trip and vowed to never set foot there again, unless it was work related. Great. Back in the Big D. (Big Donut? Big Dildo? Big Dishwasher?)

Being from the liberal northeast, I don’t like Texas (with the exclusion of Austin). Being a Democrat I like Texas is less. There is little to do, the downtown area pretty much closes at 6 PM. You can’t walk anywhere. My friend recommended I visit the art museum. He was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was.

Volunteering
I am an alumnae admissions volunteer for my college. I staffed a college fair in Fairfax on Monday. It’s nice to see and interact with high school-aged kids once in a while. (I live in a bubble of people in my age group, mostly single, some married, mainly no children, but lots of dogs.)

I went to Simmons College, a small women’s college in Boston, so it’s interesting who comes over to the table. There are always the boys who are drawn to Boston, but don’t realize Simmons is all women. They always laugh and take it well, some want to sign up even more! And the fathers who went to MIT who know Simmons well because that is where they socialized. And the mothers who want their daughters to go to a women’s college. It is always fun. I can tell the girls who are Simmons material right away.

Dating
Now that Corey and I are doing it, things are weird. Not surprising but annoying nonetheless. My astrological sign –Sagittarius-dictates that I have to know why things happen, but for now I am going to let it ride.

We had a weird sort of fight/disagreement over the phone early in the week. It’s hard to describe, we both were a little hormonal. But he called back 10 minutes after we hung up and asked if I wanted to get pizza and watch TV on Thursday night. I appreciated the fact that he called back, he must have felt the strain in the conversation, and wanted to try to make it right. So he came over and we watched his shows (Smallville and Everwood) and ate Armand’s.

Monday, October 17, 2005

This could be fun

Dupont Circle (Washington, DC) Fine Arts and Crafts Festival!
Saturday, October 22, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Church of the Pilgrims, 2201 P Street, NW
Fine Arts and Crafts, Church Tower Tours, Pet Adoption Day

I leave on a business trip on Sat. afternoon so I am going to miss the DC Knit Out & Crochet. This might be a fun alternative. And it's nearby. Here is a link to other knit out events around the country.

Knitting


I finished the Spiral Scarf and I love it! I didn't think it was going to do it for me - what a pleasant surprise. So now I am going to make one for myself. I have Homespun in a deep purply-red. I love this Coral Gables color but I can't wear orange or yellow.

So versatile. And it's not just for show. I was wearing it around the house on Sunday and it got really warm.

I just need to find longer circular needles. This is knitted the long way so there are only like 11 rows. But you keep increasing so you finish with 800 stitches on the needles. It got very crowded.

Sunday, October 16, 2005

bad-knitting day

Mea Culpa

First let me apologize for my unnecessary rant the other day. I can be a real bitch once a month. I can’t take it back, but I have learned a lesson. The wedding was really nice, I was all wrong. Everything was beautiful and very sincere and full of love.

Knitting

I am having a bad knitting-day so far so I decided to stop and get on with the day. Jaywalker on #1s is feeling a little tight so I am trying it on #2s. It has been a fiasco since the start.

I finally bought the yarn to finish the spiral scarf. Don’t you hate it when you can’t find the beginning of the yarn? Sheesh, I pulled both ends and made a mess of the hank. Then I had to revert to taking the label off and finding the end. This scarf that I thought was going to be so easy and quick has turned into a very loooong project. It looks cool, though. Deanna will like it so it’s worth my extra effort.

I have noticed other people with more than one pair of socks going at a time so why can’t I?? I would like to do a pair of ankle socks. They looks so cute on everybody who makes them!


Other Amusements
I have started getting the season DVDs of the BBC show “Coupling,” not be confused with NBCs oh-so LAME attempt at copying it. The British version is so funny and quirky.

Friday night, Ronald and I went to see “Separate Lies” at Bethesda Row. It was a great movie, I highly recommend it. The acting was great, the story will keep you on the edge of your seat, and Rupert Everett’s horrifying plastic surgery will keep you mesmerized.

My heavens, what has that gorgeous creature done to himself? At first I thought had an accident that caused him to have reconstructive surgery. But no, not that case. He has Frankenstein’s forehead. It’s so deep it casts a shadow over his eyes! And there is something weird about is upper lip. Unfortunately I was totally distracted whenever he was on screen. I pray that his face grows into the plastic surgery. And he fires his surgeon. He is featured on awfulplacticsurgery.com, but the pics there don’t do the damage any justice.

Friday, October 14, 2005

Why is it that 4-day weeks feel so long?





I was not sure I was knitting Jaywalker right, but sometimes it takes a couple of inches before the design starts to appear. I consulted some books and online reference about the double
decrease stitch because I had never come across it before. It seems to be coming together finally, although the pictures aren’t all that great. I like how the varigated yarn is showing the direction of the stitches.


Other Amusements
So glad it’s Friday. Why is it that 4-day weeks feel longer than 5-day weeks?

I am going to a wedding tomorrow afternoon in Fairfax. Not really looking forward to it. Weddings don't thrill me unless it is a close friend or relative. I used to work w/the bride and haven't spoken a word to her since she left in July. Why was I invited?? I think most of the office will be there. (Great, socializing with my colleagues.) I feel like filler for her side of the church. Not how I would do it, but it's not my money.

I am happy for her, wish them both all the best, but I find the hole thing a bit over the top. It’s only one day people. Not even a day, a few hours of church, food, and mediocre music and dancing. (Can you tell I have PMS? I am all bitchy today.)

If I ever get married, I would like to do the destination wedding at an exotic location. Maybe I will get some ideas when I am in Belize next month.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Business travel finally pays off





Remember when I pshawed swatching the Jaywalker socks? Well I just so happened to stumble upon this article about swatching socks the very next day: http://hipknitism.com/library/articles/sock_swatching.shtml. Maybe the knitting gods are trying to tell me something. I had a feeling the #3s were to big so last night I stopped and resigned myself to buying the #1s I think I need.

At lunch today I took the Georgetown Connector bus to Stitch DC in Georgetown and bought Crystal Palace Bamboo #1 and #2 DPNs. They are so smooth and nice to work with. Why didn't I know about these sooner?

And found this gorgeous book, Great Knitted Gifts. It is filled with lovely striped, intarsia, and appliquéd hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, and a few other things. I love the scarves with the 3 pom poms instead of fringe. And the corkscrew embellishments.

So Jaywalkers are back in production.

Other Amusements

I am going to Belize next month! My friend Geraldina asked me to join her and I said what the heck. Belize was not on my list of places to visit, maybe ever, so I jumped at the chance. And the make it even better, I was about to use my frequent flyer miles to buy the ticket. Business travel finally pays off!

I have known Geraldina for many years now, she used to live in Arlington but she moved back to Oakland (Calif.) about 3 years ago. I have really missed her, she’s a good person, we get along famously. It’s difficult to make good friends later on in life so it was hard to see her go. Readers who live in DC know about the turnover that takes place in ones life here. In the 10 years I have lived here, I have had 3 friend-turnovers, when a large chunk of people you socialize with leave the area. I went out to San Francisco last summer to see her and she comes here a couple of times a year because she knows a few people in the metro area.

My 4-play subscription at Arena Stage started last night with “Born Yesterday.” It was very entertaining, a comedy which I don’t usually choose.

Gotta run, “Lost” is on tonight!

Monday, October 10, 2005

Another long weekend is over

Crap, the long weekend is almost over. I spent 3 precious hours errand-running in NoVa – Target, Home Despot, AC Moore, Safeway. (AC Moore had a coupon for 50% off anything next Sat., Oct. 15.)

Knitting
I have cast on my next pair of socks – Grumperina’s Jaywalkers. I am not sure my gauge is accurate but I am going with it. I was in fact checking the gauge earlier, like all good knitters do, and totally forgot how to knit on 4 DPNs. It took me like 5 minutes to finally figure it out. And then I turned the whole thing inside out at which point I pulled it all out and decided the gauge is fine. Hmmm, brain is not really working too well this evening.

Not a whole lot of knitting this weekend. I am plugging away at sleeve number 2 of that 70s jacket.

I broke down and bought Scarf Style today. It is a nice book, I have been eyeing it ever since it came out. And I haven't bought a knitting book in a while.


Home Improvements

Well the curtains I bought over a month ago for my bedroom are hung. I finally got around to buying the rod yesterday but I am short one set of holdbacks. Target in Greenbelt had only one set left so I grabbed it thinking the huge Target on route 50 would surely have one. Not. My last resort is the little Target on route 1. When I will get there this week is the question. The fall subscription to Arena Stage starts tomorrow night, Wednesday I have volunteer training at the Smithsonian for teacher night next week, Thursday is yoga. Phew. Full week.

I bought the hardware to rewire the light bulb socket of a lamp. Drills I like, futzing with electricity, not so much. It shouldn’t be so hard. I just have to get really tired of a dark living room before I will tackle it.

Dating

Which leads me to my new topic*, internet dating. After more than 3 years meeting, dating, fooling around with, and generally enjoying myself, I think I am done. While nothing totally outrageous or bad ever happened to me, I could write a user’s manual for beginners so they don’t have to learn the rules as they go. There are so many unwritten rules! So if you ever have any questions about meeting people online, I am happy to give my 2 cents.

It was a great way to meet people, for sure. My entire dating life over the past 3 years has been driven by match.com. At one point my friend Paige from back home thought I was living the life of the women on Sex and the City. I quickly put that myth to bed. It was a great run, truly.

Now I am a little worried about where I will be meeting new men. But I am totally burned out on match.

[* How did the lamp rewiring lead to internet dating you ask? Well a couple of weeks ago I sent an email to a prospect. In his profile he mentioned he was good a fixing all things so as an ice breaker I asked him about my lamp. I thought that was pretty clever. Never heard a word back. Unwritten Rule #1: Do you respond with a gentle ‘no thank you’ to people that you are not interested in? Basic common courtesy would say “yes” if you received an email message, “no” to a less time-intensive wink. My golden rule is treat others how you would like to be treated. If someone goes to the effort to send a well-written email, I reply nicely if I am not interested. But in cyberspace there are no rules. It’s like the wild west. Unwritten Rule #2: I should not be allowed to make the first connection with men because I am batting a thousand. I pick the biggest losers out there and I don’t know how I do it. The men who respond to me, on the other hand, have been really nice, normal, interesting. So I know better than to reply to men I find interesting and/or attractive. But every once in a while, I do it, and it bites me in the butt.]

Wow I am babbling tonight.

Saturday, October 08, 2005

Rainy weekend fun

Knitting

This week felt endless. My routine has been tampered with for about a month with a lot of travel and being out of the office and it is getting to me. I like mixing things up, but I like when they get back to normal, too.

I haven’t been knitting too much, but I did join Lolly’s Socktober Fest . This is my first official online knitting event.

I am so happy with how the little pink socks turned out, and I have enough yarn to make another pair. I bought that ages ago on ebay not really knowing what it was going to look like. And have since bought a few more colors so I am well on my way.

Other Amusements/Dating
Corey and I went to see “In Her Shoes” last night in Georgetown. I don’t love that theater, namely getting there because it inevitably takes a minimum of 20 minutes to drive 3 miles straight down Wisconsin Avenue. And with the rain last night, I thought it would be worse. But the streets were empty. I guess the coeds didn’t want to ruin their hair and get their strappy-sandaled-feet wet.

The movie was good. Corey likes chick flicks more than me so he let me choose between “Just Like Heaven” or “In Her Shoes.” Even though I think Mark Ruffalo is totally cute and adorable, I went with Cameron and Toni. It had some very funny scenes, but it is really about the relationship of two sisters. Not having a sister, I can only relate vicariously, but it seems to hit some general themes of jealousy and family and the decisions people make in their lives. One of my mottos is “Life is a series of choices.” A little something to chew on.

Corey stayed over and we lounged around for most of the day. It’s the perfect day for lounging around. So all of the recent time spent together doing all sorts of things begs the question – Are we dating again? But I didn’t bring it up. Corey and I really click. We like many of the same things, he is so open to new things, is very kind and caring, doesn’t take my drama too seriously. And he makes me laugh.

My friend from work invited me to the Improv last night, but I really don’t like that place. I feel so crammed in and I don’t like the food and drink minimums. So 80s. The comedy takes a backseat to the annoying room and “the rules.”

Continuing my inadvertant sister-movie theme, this afternoon I watched a very entertaining Spanish movie, “My Mother Likes Women.”






Baseball
The Red Sox' season ended yesterday when they lost their series with the White Sox. Moment of silence. But most of the Red Sox Nation is still riding high from last year's win over the Yankees in the playoffs and then winning the World Series.

I just hope the Yankees don't make it to the series this year.

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

will this week end please

Knitting

I am working on sleeve #2 of that 70s jacket.

I am still wavering on Clapotis. I found this beautiful yarn on ebay. The color is Foxy Lady. How perfect!

I didn’t go home to Rhode Island this weekend because it was too expensive ($250), but here I am buying more yarn. Priorities much?




Baseball

So the Red Sox are playing tonight. They lost yesterday, and even worse, the Y*@kees won. Ugh.

I don’t have cable so I can’t watch but I can read the play-by-play on the Internet. It’s better this way; I won’t be glued to the TV. And “Lost” is on tonight. I missed last week so I am psyched to watch.

Looong Weekend
Looking forward to an extra day off. I don’t have much planned but I will come up with something. There is an exhibit at the Phillips Collection I would like to see. Or maybe a trip the Baltimore Museum of Art is in order.

Haven’t been there since my birthday weekend last winter. Corey planned a wonderful weekend (that’s when we were together). We stayed at the Admiral Fell Inn, he had flowers delivered to our gorgeous sunken room, and a huge basket of goodies including bath stuff, candy, and snacks. We went to see the Christmas show at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, starring Robert Goulet and Shirley Jones. We had a blast.

And I need to clean. My least favorite task.


Other Amusements
My favorite food is ice cream. I am not really particular about brands, but I know what I like. And I have this thing about spending more than $3.00 on a half-gallon so I have done some research on the popular brands found in most grocery chains. Ben & Jerry’s at $3.50+ a pint – please! Yeah it’s good, but the fat content alone should keep you away. Turkey Hill is very good, but up to $6.00 a half-gallon. Hello? I only buy it on sale. Favorite flavor: Tin roof sundae, a great mix of chocolate fudge and salty peanuts. Safeway’s Moose Tracks is really good too. The chocolate fudge is so smooth, it melts in your mouth. I just finished my nightly-bowl, with a couple of Oreos. I was thinking, hmmm, I am not really hungry for this at all. But when had that ever stopped me.

Just two more days...

Monday, October 03, 2005

FO

Knitting

Look ma, no holy toes!



After many tries, I think I completed the kitchener stitch correctly and the first pair of socks are done. I am really happy with how they came out. I am liking socks. I bought a bunch of sock yarn on ebay about a month ago so bring it on!





Here they are modeling with my groovy new shoes. Now if the temperature would drop a little, I could wear them. But I am definitely not complaining. The weather has been so gorgeous here. No humidity, in the upper 70s, sunny. I love fall in D.C.

Remember that spiral scarf I was speeding through? Slam on the brakes, I ran out of yarn! I need like 2 feet!! Ugh. So that will entail a trip to Northern Va. Maybe sometime this week after work.

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Good karma

Knitting


How gorgeous is this jacket.

I was plunking around the many knitting blogs that are out there and was introduced to Hanne Falkenberg. Her designs are so clean and the colors are vibrant and classy. A little to expensive for me but really fun to look at.

I am working on fixing the holey toe. Many thanks to Knitting a Knoon for the instructional video on kitchener stitch to close up the toes of my socks.

And I found another ball of this yarn so I can make myself a pair and give my mother these for Christmas. The fall MagKnits is up and Grumperina created a really nice sock pattern I am going to try. I love it when things work out. I get a pair and another Christmas gift is knocked off the list. Good karma.

Other Amusements

I bought a beautiful photograph yesterday at the Ballston Art Market. For all of $25. It is unframed so that will cost a little, too. It was so worth the trip, I was sorry that there weren’t more people there. There were photographs, paintings, jewelry, wearables, all really nice stuff. And it’s Metro accessible (Ballston stop). So go everyone!

The real motivation was catching up w/my watercolor teacher. I haven’t seen him in about a year and was greeted with a big hug. We had our regular chat about baseball. He’s a Yankee fan but I don’t hold it against him. He’s not rabid, and even likes the Red Sox and other teams. And Corey was chatting with a painter who turns out to be the aunt of a girl he went to high school with in Caroline County. He was blown away by that.

We decided to eat at IHOP and I ran into a woman I know from a certificate program I did at Georgetown last year. And then we came back to my place and amongst the hanging around, did it. We have a history but I did not see that coming. And that is all I will say on that subject.

I am sorry I missed Crafty Bastards in Adams Morgan yesterday. Jenna reminded me of it and had I made better plans would have met her and Lolly in the flesh. Alas, it didn’t work out. I don’t know about you, but when it rains it pours.

Today I am going to my friend Leon’s to watch the Red Sox. And that is all I will say on that subject.