Random Wednesday

It's been a rough couple of weeks, so I figured it was time for Random Wednesday.

• Bad - I was in a small car accident. I wasn't hurt, it wasn't my fault, and the accident wasn't that bad. But dealing with the other guy's insurance company is starting to test my patience (the accident was a week and a half ago and they still haven't sent someone to look at my car).
• Good - My parents came to visit for a weekend. Yeah! We took Lorelei to the zoo and had a great time.
• Very bad - My grandfather died.
• Good - I finally finished my Roza socks. I love them. I'll post photos soon.
• We're having a baby shower for one of my coworkers today. I knit her a baby hat and a pair of booties. Lorelei helped me make cupcakes for the party.
• Lorelei went to her first birthday party (non-family) over the weekend. She had a great time until I wouldn't let her "help" open her friend's presents.

Crazy Friday

• I used the bathroom at work this morning and there was someone in there having a conversation on their cell phone. Why do people do that?
• I watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy yesterday for the first time. Today I heard the Isaiah Washington got fired. I've been reading some of the message boards and people are either extremely happy that he's being made to pay for his "crimes" or they vow never to watch the show again. This has been expected for months, so I don't understand why people are getting so crazy about it.
• I work on the 4th floor of an 8-story office building. I got an email this morning that the 5th floor will be closed all weekend so that birds can be removed from the building.
• Pearls Before Swine is one of my favorite comics. I love the new neighbors.
• Tiny ponies in sneakers.

Random Wednesday

In no particular order (because it's random!):

• I spent the weekend sick. YUCK! I sat around for three days and wasn't even able to knit. I'm finally feeling a little better.
• I drove past a sign today that said "NO 1 Carryout." I thought it said "NO Carryout." Wouldn't that be a strange sign?
• I finished knitting a bootie (all except the finishing). This pair has now taken way too long to finish. Thank goodness I still have two weeks before the baby shower.
• Still not finished with the second Roza sock. Maybe this week.
• Lorelei's been invited to her first birthday party. It's for one of her classmates at school who's turning three. Who schedules a party for 2- and 3-year olds at 2 in the afternoon? That's nap time!
• My parents are visiting this weekend. So I need to clean the house. All the attractions/museums/monuments in DC and my dad wants to go to the Insect Zoo. Doesn't that sound like fun?
• I'm so excited that Hell's Kitchen is back. Donkey! Since The Apprentice sucks now, HK is my favorite reality show. I can't wait for Kitchen Nightmares this fall.
• We went to the playground yesterday evening. Lorelei found a rock and immediately named it Rocko, after Zoe's pet rock on Sesame Street. She brought it home and was playing with it for hours.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Happy Friday!

The Friday before a holiday is always quiet at work and this Friday is no exception. Memorial Day is a big deal in DC. There is almost no one here at work today, except me of course. So I'm enjoying the quiet and not doing work. I have done almost no work today, but my sock has gotten more attention than it has in weeks.

We're now all moved into the new house. There are only a couple of boxes that still need to be unpacked. My in-laws are coming to visit this weekend. Our first visitors to the new place (not including the friends who helped us move). I wish I had had more time to get everything ready. At least my parents are coming for another two weeks, plenty of time to finish up the house.

So I haven't been knitting much lately. Unpacking boxes has been taking up all of my time. Well, that and the end of the tv season. Gilmore, Lost, Heroes - I've been getting all caught up on my tv. And I've been reading the Internet to see what everyone thought of the finales. Anyway, the second Roza sock is coming along. Only a couple of more inches before I start the toe. Cozy is coming along too. I LOVE cozy. I'm on ball 6 of 9 and it can now go around my shoulders. And it is warm and cozy and squishy and did I say that I love it. I'll almost be sad when I'm finished with the knitting of it. Maybe there'll be some picutres next week.

Have a great weekend!

Goodbye Girls!

(Note: I haven't been posting lately because I've been busy moving into our new house - which I WILL post about soon.)

The series finale of Gilmore Girls.

On one hand, I'm sad that it's over. Gilmore Girls has been one of my favorite shows since it started 7 years ago. I even named my child Lorelei (I know the gilmores spell it differently). I have to say that Kirk, Miss Patty, and Babette were some of the most unique characters on tv.

On the other hand, it was time for it to end. I've long thought that the show should end with Rory's graduation. Time for everyone to move on.

I really liked the finale. Rory going off to conquer the world, Lorelai and Luke back together, Lorelai and her parents finally starting to develop a real relationship. There had been talk of a 13-episode season next year to wrap up the series, but I really can't imagine what else was left to say. Yes, the episode was a little sappy. And there haven't been enough pop culture references this entire season. But overall, I think it was a great way to end a great series.

Goodbye Gilmore Girls! Thanks for 7 years of Tuesday night entertainment!

Tricycles

Who would have imagined that tricycles can be so stressful?

For the last several months, Lorelei has expressed interest in a bicycle (bicycle, tricycle - it's all the same to her). Whenever she saw one on tv, or the neighbor kids leave theirs lying around, etc. For a while the neighbor kids were leaving their bikes on the landing and Lorelei would try to get on every time we walked past, even though it was twice her size.

So I was planning to get her a tricycle after we moved to the new house (in a few weeks).

And then her preschool had a trike-a-thon. Where the kids learn about bike safety for a week and then bring in their trikes one day and ride for charity. So as we were leaving preschool on the one day, Lorelei tried to take someone's bike. [She's only two - she has some ownership issues. As in she thinks everything is hers or should be.] For days after that all we heard was "I want a bike. I want a bicycle." repeat ad nauseum.

Last weekend, we took Lorelei to the toy store to pick out a tricycle. She tried out about 4 of them. She would ride around a little bit (well, walk around, she doesn't understand how to use the pedals yet) and then "I don't like it." So we left without a tricycle. Of course as soon as we were back in the car, "I want a bike. I want a bicycle."

So Lorelei's Dad and I decided to just pick one for her. Dad bought one for her yesterday. She rode it for about 20 seconds. And then started screaming, "I want purple bicycle." [Dad had gotten the blue/red one since there were no more purple ones.] There was half an hour of the screaming tantrum. Dad threatened to return the trike.

So much drama! Hopefully, Lorelei will try out the trike again and decide she loves it. Otherwise, this saga may be continued...

Sad Sock Story

I love love love my Roza socks. It's been about 5 weeks and I'm just about through with the gusset on the second sock. This is super fast for me, considering that it took me 9 months to finish my Jaywalkers.

The Lorna's Laces is the softest sock yarn I've used. It's so squishy and pretty. The brioche pattern is quick and looks great. These are destined to be my favorite socks ever (or at least up to now).

AND THEN ...

Lorelei snapped one of my DPNs last night. My expensive rosewood Lantern Moon DPNs. Of the set that I've already had to replace one. Of the only set of size 1 DPNs in my house.

As much as I love my Lantern Moons - I think they're just too delicate for me. And expensive. Yes, Lantern Moon would probably replace them again and again for me, but that's too much trouble to go through. So I ordered a pair of Crystal Palace bamboo DPNs last night. I already own a pair of 1.5s which I love and they seem much sturdier. Hopefully I will be able to finish my pretty socks soon.

Additional DPNs are definitely on my shopping list for MS&W next week.

Happy to me!*

I had planned to post on Sunday about how it was my birthday. Happy Birthday to me!

But then the storm decided to knock out my power for 15 hours. Yeah! So I didn't get to post.

Anyway, to celebrate my birthday, yesterday Lorelei's Dad and I bought a house. Our first house.

So there has been lots of packing lately, but not much knitting, or anything else fun for that matter. I had thoughts of taking Lorelei to the zoo this weekend, but the yucky weather had us changing plans. Instead there were legos and Elmo and the princess movie (Cinderella for those that don't speak Lorelei). Lorelei also had a good time helping to make my cake, but she's getting to that age where she spends more time sticking her finger in the bowl than she does helping. She's a smart one!

By the way - when is Spring coming back?????

* "Happy to you" was what Lorelei used to say when she was less verbal. She's able to say the whole "Happy Birthday to you" now.

Random Monday

It's been a while since I've posted, so in an effort to catch up - randomness!

• I've finished the first Roza sock. I love it! It's so soft and squishy and pretty. It took two weeks start to finish (not including swatching), which is very fast for me knitting a whole sock on size 1 needles. I've balled up my new skein of Lorna's Laces and I'll probably cast on for sock #2 tonight.
• We took Lorelei to her first baseball game last week - the Nationals Opening Day game against our Florida Marlins. Lorelei had a good time clapping and cheering (until she had a tantrum in the 6th and then we left). Our Marlins won and had a pretty good first week.
• Cozy is still coming along. I'm on ball 5 of 9.
• It snowed here on Saturday morning. Just enough to make everything look white. Just enough to make me wonder why I ever left Florida.
• Lorelei has a stroller for her baby doll. The other day Lorelei was sitting in it and I threatened to put the stroller in time out if Lorelei didn't get out of it. And then I went back to my knitting. Five hours later (after Lorelei had gone to bed), I realized that Lorelei had put the stroller in time out herself. She is too funny!
• We're supposed to be closing on our first house next Monday. Wish me luck!

Happy Monday!

It's a Sock!

I started a pair of Roza's socks with my Lorna's Laces - girly stripe. I don't know whether it's the yarn or the pattern, but I am loving these socks. I can't put it down. I'm almost to the heel in about 4 days (which is definitely a record for me, my second Jaywalker took about 9 months). And so far, I am LOVING the Lorna's Laces. It's the nicest sock yarn I knit with (though I don't have that much to compare it to). The brioche stitch is also a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.

Happy Monday!

Tuesday update: I added a picture from Sunday night. I've already started the heel flap. I upsized this sock because I have wide feet and my gauge was a little off and I didn't want to change it. So I did quite a bit of math to figure out the heel (and toe) numbers. I feel like a big girl adjusting the pattern all by myself. Of course I say that before I actually knit it, it probably won't fit and then I'll feel stupid. Oh well.

I did it!

I finally finished my Jaywalkers. I started them on June 30, 2006 and finished March 18, 2007. I knit a whole other pair of socks in the time it took me to finish the second sock. I do love these socks and I love the pattern - I will definitely make another pair, I already have the yarn sitting in the stash. I also made a hat for Lorelei's baby doll yesterday. I love baby hats, they take no time to make.

Since I'm down to only 1 WIP (Cozy), I was finally able to pull out my new swift (my Christmas present to myself) and my not-so-new ballwinder. The swift makes it 1000 times easier to make pretty yarn balls. I balled some Lorna's Laces for my next pair of socks. I also balled some Cascade 220 to swatch for my Perfect Sweater. I don't think I'm going to start this for a while, but I'm getting ready for the day when I feel motivated.

100!

I'm finally up to post #100 and it only took a year and a half.

To celebrate - FOs!

I finally finished the socks for Lorelei's dad. The second sock took me two months, so the entire pair took about 6 months to finish. I've decided that I will never again have two pairs of socks OTN at any one time.

In other news, I'm in the process of buying my first house. We won't be moving in for another two months, until the current occupants move out, but I've already started preparing.


Look, new dishcloths for the new house!

I'm down to only two WIPs - my Jaywalkers (I'm half-way through the foot on the second sock so these are almost finished) and Cozy. Cozy is on ball 4 of 9 - it's taking forever, but I love the way it's turning out.

You are

What Rejected Crayon Are You?

TGIF

I don't want to be at work today ...

Randomness:

• Lorelei's Dad comes home tomorrow after two weeks in California. YEAH! I can't beleive I made through two weeks alone with Lorelei and the dog, and with a snow storm, too.
• I'm down to 3 WIPs: Jaywalker #2, Lorelei's Dad sock #2, and Cozy. I really want to cast on for Branching Out and some new socks and of course, my perfect sweater. But I won't. I'm trying to cut down on the number of WIPs I have going at any one time. Maybe if I only work on one (or two) project(s) at a time, they will be finished faster. I've been working on the second Jaywalker for what feels like 6 months - which is crazy.
• I finished the Log Cabin baby (doll) blanket this week. I'll post pictures after Lorelei's Dad brings back the camera.
• Tickets for the Nationals Opening Day game go on sale tomorrow. We're hoping to take Lorelei to her first baseball game (the Nats are playing our Marlins).
• February sweeps is over. My favorite shows right now - Lost, Heroes, The Office, Gilmore Girls, and Veronica Mars. Jericho is another show that I like - I ended up watching most of the first half of the season on the internet.

Have a great weekend!

Where am I?

How long do I need to live in DC before I remember that Indian heads mean "Redskins" and not "Seminoles?"

Every time I see the Redskins logo - I think "oh, a Florida State fan."

Who are you?

Bert is not one of Lorelei's favorite characters, but at least I wasn't Oscar.

You Are Bert

Extremely serious and a little eccentric, people find you loveable - even if you don't love them! You are usually feeling: Logical - you rarely let your emotions rule you You are famous for: Being smart, a total neat freak, and maybe just a little evil How you life your life: With passion, even if your odd passions (like bottle caps and pigeons) are baffling to others

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

Happy Valentine's Day

Lorelei's Dad is in California for two weeks for work, so this is a pretty sucky Valentine's Day so far. And the weather is yuck, so I decided to stay home and knit. And update my blog.

I finished a pair of booties last night. No pictures because a) it's the fourth pair I've done of these and b) Lorelei's dad took the camera to CA. This makes 6 FOs in 2007 - two pairs of baby mittens, 1 baby hat, 1 pair of baby booties, 1 pair of Fetching, and a scarf. OK, so most of them are tiny and took a couple of days but they still count as FOs. I'm also almost finished with a log cabin blanket for Lorelei's baby doll.

A Case of the Mondays

I started nephew's mittens version 2.0. I realized what went wrong with the first pair. 1) My gauge was very off and 2) Nephew has giant hands. 5-month-old nephew's hands are the same size as 2-year-old Lorelei's hands. Anyway, I'm halfway through the second mitten of version 2.0 which will probably be too big, that's just the kind of luck I have.

I finally turned the heel of my second Jaywalker - I might have a finished pair by Spring.

I also made a baby hat for a friend who's due next month.



This is the umbilical cord hat from Stitch 'n Bitch in lovely acrylic. The yarn actually is pretty soft and looks nice.

Lorelei caught me using her baby as a model and now thinks that baby needs her own hat.

First FOs of 2007

Well, January is almost over and what do I have to show for it?

A scarf! I used 4 balls of fat yarn and it only took me two weeks to finish a scarf. I think it looks more pink in real life, but Lorelei's dad took the picture and he's convinced that it's red.

I also knit a pair of mittens for my 5 mo old nephew. My first completed mittens. Each mitten only took me an evening, but sadly they are too small for his giant boy hands. So I'll be working on my second pair of mittens this week - hopefully this pair will fit better.

I also got a lot of work done on Cozy this month. I was stuck in Austin during the ice storm and spent two days knitting. Cozy is at about 20" now (or about 1/3 of the way completed). I'm also still working on some socks - I turned the heel of Jaywalker #2 this weekend and the second sock for Lorelei's Dad is about a row away from the heel.

I now have the yarn for my Perfect Sweater - I need to wind it into balls and start swatching.

I'm not dead

For years, I was jealous of other people's business trips. Now that I've had two trips (+ another next week=3)in 2 months, I'm tired. I'm glad that this next one will be the last for at least several months. My life has been so crazy that I never did finish sending out my christmas cards.

But the travel has gotten me some good knitting time. I'm half way through the foot on the second sock for Lorelei's dad. I started a new scarf - it's about 20 inches long so far. And I'm making plans for my first sweater project. I think I'm going to make a Perfect Sweater in dark blue Cascade 220. As soon as I finish up some other projects and order some yarn.

I'm not sure what other projects I want to attempt this year. Last year I did hats, scarves, socks, bags, I learned cables, knitting in the round, several cast on techniques, felting.

So in addition to my first sweater here are some possible projects -

• Learn Fair isle - maybe a hat first.
• Work on lace - I'm working on cozy. I think after this I'll be ready for something more complicated - like maybe my charlotte's web shawl.
• Socks - there will always be socks. After I finish the two on the needles (both 2nd socks), I think I want to try something a little more complicated than the jaywalkers I've been working on (though I'll probably make some more jaywalkers too).
• I also need to make some baby things for my friend who is due in March.
• I guess I should finally finish the baby blanket I started for Lorelei's doll. I didn't find the log cabin thing as fun as everyone said it was, but I'll finish the thing anyway.

So that should keep me busy for a couple of months. Once work settles down, I'll start blogging more again. See you soon!