A Little bit o'Progress

Knitting

I thought I would share my progress on the new Ribbon Xback.

Pretty cool so far. I like how the colors are coming together and how the orange and pink bring out the red.

I have a long car trip this weekend, to New Jersey, but I don’t know how much knitting I can do in the car. Like reading, it makes me kind of nauseous.

This in the first overnight exersion with G. I am a little nervous about it because I am not sure what we are doing other than going to see his friends. They have a boat so they will be waterskiing. I don’t water-ski and I am not really that interested in starting, but I do like boats and being on the water.

A gentle kick in the pants

I have been so apprehensive about this trip all week, but I keep seeing things that are telling me, “Just go, for cripes sakes!”

The first was a piece in the Washington Post Travel section about a 78 year-old woman who traveled to China alone.

And a feature on channel 4 about this Baby Boomer-woman who is turning 60 this year and all of the cool stuff she is doing every month of the year to celebrate.

At long last...

At long last...

I finished ChicKami this weekend. Here she is:

This is my second ChicKami. It's an easy knit and pretty quick. And, oh yeah, it looks cute too.

Pattern: ChicKnits
Yarn: Schachenmayr "Lipomo"
Color: Dry Lavender

Have you seen this?

Good Search, check it out, and do some good.

http://goodsearch.com/

Seahorses!

Secret Pal

I received my final Secret Pal package today. Thanks Rebecca! Check out these stitch-markers.

Sea horses! Very cool. Very summer.

Secret pal was fun. I loved getting fun packages at work.

Some Knitting Progress
Here’s the progress on Chickami. I have finished the back, now just the rest of the front and the little straps. This yarn looks really cool. The increases and decreases add to the variety. Almost done, maybe this weekend I will finish. Gabriel will be away so I will have a little more time.

Here's a little more detail:

I found this yarn (Katia “Bonita” in Salsa) on sale at elann.com. I love the color, very red, with some orange, pink, and yellow mixed in. I am thinking this might be the yarn for the next Ribbon X-back. I need to swatch, though, and see how I like it.

Early morning delivery

The world of business travel is such a glamorous one. Crammed into airplanes, surly airline employees, running through O’Hare because the plane left late because some idiot didn’t move the jetway away from the airplane, annual air-travelers who get in the way, lost luggage.

That has been my world the past couple of weeks. Last week it was Vegas. And I just got back from 2 ½ days in Austin, Texas. Not a bad place, really, for Texas. There are good bars and restaurants, lots of music, the bat bridge.

My bag didn’t arrive last night, but it showed up at 5:00 AM this morning! My phone rings and I see it’s the “Front Door.” Huh? Who is at the front door of my building at 5 o’clock in the morning? I usually ignore things like that, but I answered.

I have your suitcase.

Really?

Yes.

Ok, I will buzz you in.

For a split second I thought Gabriel was playing a joke on me because the voice had an accent.

Regardless, I was glad to have my bag.

I am heading back out tomorrow, but this is a fun trip. Every year my college friends get together in York Beach, Maine, for a reunion. Heather’s mom and step-father own an inn and they let us have it for cheap for the weekend. It is great fun, usually pretty chilly, a wonderful get-away.

But even this trip is not without drama.

A few weeks ago I invited Gabriel to join me. I figured things between us were going really well, he is always up for an adventure, and he has never been to Maine. He said sure, sounds like fun, and that was the end of the conversation. So a couple of weeks ago I mentioned it again because he needed to make his arrangements. He kind of balked, explaining he didn’t know what his work travel was going to be so he couldn’t make flight arrangements. He might be arriving from somewhere other than here and departing for another job somewhere else.

OK, fine, I let it go. He can make his own arrangements, but I forwarded him my itinerary on Southwest.

Fast forward to Monday night when he breaks the news that he can’t come to Maine. Something about an expensive ticket (no shit, you waited too long), not being able to charge the customer, blah blah. I was pretty upset and disappointed which for some reason surprised him (???).

For kicks I checked out a ticket prices on Southwest. It would have been $200. About $10 more than what I paid and I booked WEEKS ago. Am I missing something here? I did go to Expedia and saw that tickets on other airlines were in fact in the $600 range, which he claimed. But I can’t get past the cheap SW price. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want him to think I was checking up on him.

But now I can’t shake my feeling that he really didn’t want to do. Which is fine. It’s the lying I don’t like.

Or maybe I am overreacting, making this all up in my head.

But I REALLY need to let it go.

We haven’t seen each other in 3 weeks because of our different travel schedules so finally tonight we are meeting. It’s kind of weird, I feel like there needs to be some reacquainting between us.

Shut up, I can't hear

Damn Wisconsin Avenue traffic. Shut up, I can’t hear the blubbering fight going on in the building next door!

I just can’t understand why.

I didn't jeopardize...

I walked out ...

Snippets, I can’t make out more than a few words the woman is saying here and there …

I am not into kinky sex

Hey, this is getting good.


Vegas Baby

I am back from a business trip to Las Vegas. It was my first time to Sin City and it was fun for about 2 days and then I was ready to come home. I gambled my $100 away on the slot machines at the Bellagio, Paris, New York, Caesar’s, Wynn, the Flamingo. I was traveling alone which made it a little boring. I can see having fun going with a crowd of fun, outgoing people. I also went to see “O,” Cirque du Soleil’s show at the Bellagio which was amazing.

I am off to Austin, Texas, on Sunday. This is an annual business trip so I have gotten to know and like Austin. I will visit the Mediterranean place on Congress and Tesoro, the import store. I will be traveling w/my friend from work so that will make it more fun. We will look for some jazz one night and she hasn’t seen the bats yet.

Swatching always pays

I received my second package yesterday from my Secret Pal. Thank you! The highlight for me is the lace-weight yarn. Something I never would have bought myself. Now what to make… She also included some manly yarn to make socks for G. ;)

I swatched the Lipomo and I don’t think I like it for the the Ribbon X-back. The pattern calls for seed stitch which doesn’t really compliment this yarn. Straight knitting or stockinette will show the colors in the yarn better. But it will make for a cute tank top for the summer so I will search for the right pattern.






I am this close to finishing the second side of the Sunrise Circle Jacket. Cool. This picture shows the left sleeve and left front. The blog is filling up with pictures of FOs. They are so nice! Click on the button to check it out.

Inspired again

I can’t believe how off track I have become. I have let so many things slide. Like my knitting projects, the job search, keeping in touch with my friends, my blog. When my normal routine gets altered it really throws me off.

My job has been nutty over the past 6 weeks or so. But the annual meeting has come and gone so that stress and time-suck is over. And the new boy, G, has been around a lot. Not complaints there, but he is very active so knitting in front of the tube is not really an option at this point in the relationship.

I have returned to browsing my favorite one hundred or so knitting blogs, and THANK YOU. I am inspired again to get back some of my time and use it for knitting.

Elann.com had amazing yarn sales. I bought this (Schachenmayr Lipomo in dried lavender) to make another Ribbon X-Back. Here is my attempt from last summer. This v-neck will look great on any body and I remember it being a pretty quick knit.


G does appreciate my knitting hobby, however. He proposed us heading to a tennis tournament this summer in Florida. When he asked me what I thought, my only question was what is there for me to do.

"You can knit."

I died laughing, how cute is this man. But sorry, this girl can not knit for 2 and half days.


Here is a picture from the trek at Rose River in Virginia last weekend. Gorgeous place in the Shenendoah mountains.

The Hinterlands

I am back from my week-long business trip and whirlwind weekend with G out in the hinterlands (read: Ashburn).

Knitting

I brought the Sunrise Circle jacket on the business trip, fully thinking I would finish the left front on the long plane trip to the west coast and back. But no, I just wasn’t in the mood. And knowing that when I am not in the mood, I will make no progress because I will end up frogging half of what I have completed.

And I have to get my second package out to my secret pal in South Dakota. That means I will be getting something soon, too. Yay.

The Boy
I was anxious the whole week to get back home, probably because of G. Things are going really well with him.

We went hiking at the Rose River in Syria, Va., on Saturday. It was a good day, but he is much more of a dare devil than I am, jumping over rocks, swimming in the river, trying to cross the river (uh, no).

The trail wasn’t marked which was frustrating to me because I had never been there before. We wandered on and off the trail because it was hard to see. It probably gets cleared once a year, if that, and here were so many trees down. At about 4PM we completely lost the trail. The only thing that didn’t send me into a panic was that we had a few more hours of daylight. There was a horse trail up from where we were, how far we didn’t know. So up we went, through the thick woods and rocks and downed trees. Ugh. But not too much later we found the cleared trail (thank you St. Anthony!) and made our way down to the car.

It was a beautiful spot and the weather was perfect (I tried to post pics but blogger won't let me, I will try again another day). A good day all around.

Spending the weekend in the far suburbs was kind of interesting. It is so different than living in the city like the families and minivans and soccer fields. And there are new developments everywhere. I have read about it in the paper but really had no idea how extensive it is. It is all brand new.

Have You Seen This?

http://www.todolistblog.com/

I won! I won!

Last night I went to see Eric Hutchinson at Jammin’ Java in Vienna (Va.) and had such a great time. And I won his new CD!







Before Eric went on this guy came around with a slip of paper that read:

Dear Eric,
I had a bad week because:

So I was wracking my brain trying to come up with something witty and clever and all I could come up with was how ridiculous work has been lately. But Corey suggested the mishap I had on Saturday at the symphony.

Dear Eric,
I had a bad week because:

I took my date to the symphony on Saturday night but we were there on the wrong day.

Love, Sarah

(Yes, it’s true. But Gabriel took it in stride, we laughed, and had a fun Sat. night regardless.)

So Eric starts his set and he is so funny and a great singer. Then he comes to the part of the program where he gives away free stuff. He pulls out the bag containing everyone’s entries on their respective bad weeks, and the first one he pulls is mine! We all died laughing.

It was a fun night. The Weepies and Tyler James also played. Tyler was great.

Now I am off to SoCal for our annual meeting. Yippee.

I don’t desire you carnally

The view from today

The crazies are back in Dupont Circle. And I have to admit I have kind of missed them.

I work in Dupont Circle so I often eat lunch in the park. Today was my first visit this season and boy, what a welcoming.

On my walk from the bagel place to the circle I encountered the homosexual. That’s his name, don’t be offended.

As I was walking up P Street, I heard and then saw a man ranting about something at the top of his lungs. As he approached I noticed the crayola orange and yellow hair and the Hollywood Video shirt. Before I knew it, he as on bended knee in front of me yelling

It’s not my fault I am a homosexual. I don’t desire you carnally.

at the top of his lungs

My first thought, wouldn’t this message be better served on a male? I KNOW you don’t desire me carnally.

It was funny, not threatening in any way. It’s interesting how you get a vibe off of people. Some aren’t threatening, others leave your heart pounding in your chest.

And then there is the guy (??) who see around a lot. S/he was once on my bus, harrassing this woman and her child. The bus driver kicked him off, into the welcoming arms of the secret service cop-on-a-bike who happened to be riding by (my bus rides by the VPs house). This person scares me. Even when s/he wearing blue fuzzy bunny ears like today, I avoid him/her. I am not sure of the sex of this individual. Rather androgenous.

Only in America

Knitting

I am participating in a secret pal exchange organized through the Knitters Review web site. I got my package this week! It as a very nice interruption at work which is nutty right now.

Thanks KRSP!

I had fun putting together my package for my SP. She lives in South Dakota and does not blog so I have to go on her likes and dislikes from the questionnaire. It’s fun shopping because I don’t feel guilty buying stuff for someone else like I do for myself.

I am still plugging away on the Sunrise Circle Jacket. I picked up the 70s jacket last weekend because I needed some mindless knitting while watching a movie. Sunrise has a pattern that has to be followed line by line so it’s hard to do both.

Other Entertainment

I rented “Assisted Living” which was so disappointing. I didn’t even finish watching it.

I also saw “Tsotsi” which was great (it won the Academy Award for foreign film).

Spring in D.C.

Here are some pictures from my Cherry Blossom trip to the Mall (that’s the National Mall) w/new-guy-G on Sunday. We had a marathon 8-hour first-date that started with lunch in Georgetown, walking all the way to the Capitol, and then back to Georgetown (via cab) for dinner.

It was such a beautiful day! If you have never seen the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, D.C., put it on the list of things to do in this lifetime. Pictures and words can not capture them at all. The light they produce, the color, the number of trees, it’s like a pink cloud. It is one of the highlights of living here, and I go every year.

Don't Snip the Tip

One of the more humorous things we encountered on the "marathon" was the protesters on the lawn of the Capitol. Yes, you read that correctly. They were protesting cirumcision.

The bus driver who was waiting for his young charges to return after snapping their pictures at the Capitol couldn't believe it. "With the war going on, the healthcare crisis, phones being tapped, these people are protesting circumcision. My goodness."

Only in America.

Bad art in Bethesda

What is with the schlock hanging in so many of the art galleries in Bethesda?

On Sunday, Corey and I recreated the Friday night gallery walk in Bethesda, thanks to a handy postcard we came across in a kiosk. I was itching to get out on Sunday and he was game so off we went.

The day was fun, but the art was so disappointing. I shutter to even call it art. None of what we saw was original, in any way.

In one gallery there was an artist whose work consisted of recreations of great works (The Last Supper, for example), substituting martini decorations, like olives and lemon twists, for Jesus and John the Baptist. OMG.

It was embarrassing. And people buy this shit which makes me even more scared.

What is with oil paintings that are numbered like prints? Now I understand the ‘10/250’ means this is print number ten out of 250 created. But bad oil paintings are being churned out, too, a la Thomas Kincaide, was all I could figure.

There were a few galleries that weren’t open, like the Washington School of Photography that we will go back and see. And another one that was closed on Sunday and had a By Appointment Only sign in the window meaning, if you aren’t a serious collector, stay away. Hint taken.

During the trek through Bethesda we stopped for hot chocolate and got to sit-in on what looked like a second date. Its not like we were eavesdropping because it was all we could do not to hear them. After checking them both out, we gave it the thumbs-down. They just didn’t look like they went together.

Sunrise Circle Jacket progress

I have been working on the Sunrise Circle Jacket exclusively in order to get it done before July. I have posted on the KAL here.

So far this is fun to knit, the pattern looks long and complicated but it really isn't. Actually, having a pattern makes is go faster I think.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Ahh, the weekend is here. This is one of those Fridays where I sit on the couch and let go of a crazy week. It’s a feeling of relief that I don’t have to do anything tomorrow but what I want to do. What a great feeling!

Knitting
Tonight I am working on the Sunrise Circle Jacket. I think I am going to work on this project exclusively so I get it done in a reasonable time. Translation: maybe I can wear it before it gets to warm.

And I am part of Secret Pal 8, put together through the Knitter’s Review list serv. This is going to be fun. I see so many of these posted on blogs I read, so now it’s my turn.


Dating
Last weekend I was going on and on about how great things with Chris were going.

(sound of brakes squealing)

This weekend, not so much.

I just don’t understand. I am dumbfounded, hurt, confused, angry, embarrassed, and pissed off. Last Friday we met for dinner. It went fine, had a nice time, showed him my place. Things were peachy.

Saturday we were supposed meet down on the Mall after my shift volunteering at the Smithsonian and go the American Indian Museum.

He never showed up. I called him when he was 20 minutes late, wondering what was going on, and his phone went right to voice mail. What the… I was stunned. I tried him a few more times over the weekend and every time his phone went right to voice mail.

Every scenario I could come up with was running through my head. I was convinced he got mugged after he left my place that Friday night. I have even been reading the obituaries this week! My friends convinced me to stop calling him after Sunday. They are totally right, but it has been hard. Not one word from him. He could have bowed out in an email or text message even. But I haven’t gotten on single word.

I just don’t get it.

But I guess I am better off knowing now what a toad he is rather than months from now.

On a completely hysterical note, Charles is back. In D.C. no less. He moved to St. Louis a few months ago, finally, after finishing the house he was fixing up. We had spoken a few times since his move. But Wed. he calls to tell me he could not find a job that paid enough in St. Louis so he is back at his old firm, working here.

My life is a sit-com. I envision these crazy scenarios unfolding on TV screens across the country. It’s not on my TV screen, though, because I am living it.

Wool? It's 70 degrees!

Here's the progress so far.

I am using Sierra Aran in Mulberry that I found on sale at elann.com for $3.00 a ball. The color is a little darker than I wanted but it is growing on me. And now that it is 70 degrees is D.C. I am also rethinking the wool.

Per usual, I am a little off in my rows already, but no worries. It all ends up working in the end. So far the pattern is easy to follow.

There are some great pictures on the blog st up for this piece, click on the button up top.

U-turn ahead

Dear readers, I have been holding out on you. The dating life has taken a major turn this week. Major.

Remember Chris, met back in December, went out a couple of times, had fun, then he disappeared? He then resurfaced in January, acting a bit aloof, which was getting annoying. All I wanted to know was ‘What do you want? Are we just going to talk on the phone occasionally for 5 to 10 minutes? Will we ever see each other?’ It was going nowhere.

I took my friend Sophie’s advice, don’t call him. Ever. Even in a moment of weakness. So I didn’t. (Except for last Thursday.)

Brrring-brrring on Tuesday afternoon. It’s Chris, how are you, do you want to meet at Starbucks after work today, call me on my cell.

Brrring-brrring. Hi Chris, what’s up.

We have perfectly enjoyable conversation. Banter, wit are passed back and forth. And then I went for it. “So, do you want to meet for coffee in a few?” He wasn’t asking so I thought I would.

We met at Starbucks in Dupont Circle. You know, the triangular one. It was crowded so we sat outside because it was pretty nice. More enjoyable conversation, banter, wit. We talked about the black/white thing again, are we seeing anyone, do we have any prospects. Then moved to Books a Million because it was getting chilly.

The place was empty, perfect for the conversation getting more serious. Then Chris starts pouring his heart out to me. How much he likes me, how afraid of his feelings for me he was, how he was hoping I was dating someone when he got back in touch in Jan. so he could just not deal with his feelings and move on, how when you reach our ages (36 & 37) you know what you want in a mate, how he thought he had it together on his walk to Starbucks but when he saw me standing there reading the paper he lost it again. Yadda yadda yadda. Forgive the yaddas, but I can’t even remember half of what he said. Does that happen to you in intense situations?

Phew, I was overwhelmed. But in a good way. In a great way! All of this has been sinking in and we have talked a lot since and it is all really good.

a thorough blast

My weekend in N.H. w/my college friends was a thorough blast. It was so much fun surprising them! Deb and I planned this trip back in February and she kept the secret, bless her. The great thing about this group of friends is that we pick up right where we leave off, regardless of how much time has passed since our last get together.

I really miss that living in D.C. I have a few friends here but nothing like my college buds. Maybe it’s the circumstance that we all met. Scared college freshman, no one knowing anyone else. We all had one thing in common: we were freshmen in college. It gets harder and harder as I get older to make and keep friends. Everyone is in their own world, myself included.

So it is so refreshing and energizing when I see the Simmons crowd. We hung around talking, drinking wine, eating a lot of cheese, a little shopping, made earrings. Great fun. Our next reunion is the annual trip to York Beach, Maine in early June. Everyone brings their kids and husbands so it is great fun.

They loved their scarves, wore them all weekend, which was very gratifying and they really appreciated that I made them. I was frantically knitting, trying to get them all done at the end of last week. I was weaving in ends an hour before I left for BWI! And I found out on Wed. night that another friend was driving up from Conn. on I cheated and gave her the spiral scarf I made for myself a few months ago. No worries, I will whip out another one.

I started the Sunrise Circle Jacket. As often happens with my knitting, I miss count rows, miss increases, yadda yadda so I think I am already a little off. But I will keep plowing through. The knit along is very helpful already with advice from people who have started the jacket and have worked out some kinks so the rest of us won’t struggle. Check it out. I haven't posted anything yet but will very soon.

Maybe I am not up to gift-knitting

Yikes. I am now in panic mode to finish the scarves for my friends before I leave on Friday morning.

This is similar to how I felt doing gift-knitting at Christmastime. I hit the wall last night when finishing up #3. I had some family drama to deal with last night so I was behind in the knitting I had planned. So I sped up the knit and purl rows, listening to the droan of the TV, waiting for the end of the row.



From top to bottom:
Antique
Barrington
Sierra
Lion Brand "Homespun"



I got a few rows of #4 done at the office today. But I had to go to Mass to get my ashes for Ash Wednesday. (Luckily boss is out today so I could sneak out.) That cut into precious knitting time, too. (Was that comment a sin?)



I found out about Sunrise Circle Jacket Knit Along so I joined. It’s not a true knitalong because every one is at a different point, but close enough. There is some good advice from people who have finished, an excellent benefit to group-knit. Now there’s much better chance of me completing it so I can wear it before summer. I will get started next week for sure.

Oh the mystery

Still chugging away at the spiral scarves for the girls. I leave for N.H. on Friday so I need to get them all done by Thursday night, but I am more than half-way there. I bring them wherever I go these days to get a few stitches in here and there.

I considered sitting in the kitchen and knitting during lunch at work today. I usually do it at my desk. I probably would have freaked out the co-workers. I have worked at my job for 6 years now and I love that my colleagues know so little about me. Anything I do that is a little different is cause for alarm. Oh the mystery.

I am not particularly fond of some of my colleagues. I have never bought into the fake family atmosphere that lingers. It gives me the creeps, actually. For example, we have parties if people are leaving, having a baby, getting married – I guess that covers the special occasions – that includes a collection for a gift, snacks, cake, the fiancé or fiancée, some sort of presentation from the boss, you know the drill. They can be so painful because it seems so forced.

I finally put my foot down last month when I boycotted the getting-married party for a guy that I can’t stand. And I am feeling pretty good about it. I tend to have very strong principals.

I digress. This really is knitting content! Read on.

Corey and I went to Fast Eddie’s in Alexandria to get some dinner and play pool on Saturday night. I was wearing the bell-sleeve shrug that day (and I got 2 compliments earlier in the day!) and it was working for me. I didn’t know how comfortable it would be and if would I feel like something was missing, but it was fine, I am happy with it.

So I am innocently standing there, sucking at pool but having fun because Corey keeps hitting the 8-ball into the pocket, handing the win to me, when this very buzzed girl who was playing two tables down from us (we will call her Whale Tail) comes over and starts trying to unroll the back of the shrug to lay flat. Whale Tail mutters something like it has been driving her crazy all night, does her thing, and goes back to her table. It all happened in a matter of moments and was surreal. Even now, thinking about it, it was like a flash.

I guess I could have returned the favor and gone over the pulled up her jeans that flashed her thong everytime she bent over.

The final word

Knitters, we have arrived. This is from today’s Miss Manners column:

Dear Miss Manners:
I am a knitter. I took up the hobby a few years ago as a remembrance of a relative who was an avid knitter, and I found that it satisfied me in unexpected ways. It reminds me of my relative, relaxes me and provides a creative outlet.

Naturally, one of the most enjoyable aspects is giving the items I produce to friends and relatives and seeing them in use. Last year I made a little sweater in my niece's favorite color and sent it to her "just because." She liked it and wore it, and I saw pictures of her in it, which was all very gratifying. Recently I saw that my sister had listed it for sale on eBay as part of a large batch of used clothes for sale. It sold for a pittance. I feel kind of hurt and upset over this.

I haven't confronted her because I'm not sure what I really expected her to do with it when it no longer fit. This just makes me very uncomfortable and concerned about the disposition of future gifts. They take a lot of time and money to create. Each one is made with a specific person in mind, and to me that makes it priceless, in a way. Still, I understand that a gift is a gift and it would be improper to request it back. What do you think?

That you had hoped that the sweater would be kept as an heirloom to be passed to your niece's children and grandchildren. You have, Miss Manners observes, a charmingly sentimental nature, as evidenced by your continued association of your hobby with your relative.
But you cannot require this of others. A present is a present to be used as the recipient chooses. True, the giver should be spared pain, but the chances of your finding this on eBay -- please tell Miss Manners you weren't looking for it -- are so small as to be considered an accident.