New Improved Stuff!!! With Pictures!!!

My car is being fixed as I type this. Just in time for the really hot weather we’re expecting tomorrow (around 85°F). I will be happily air conditioned in my little car.

I got a really nice Thank You note and an awesome overnight tote bag (complete with company logo) from one of the Project Managers I support here. How cool is that? I can put maybe 4 or 5 sweaters plus all the yarn to knit them in there. Scary huh? But scary 'cause you know I'll do it.

It’s a holiday weekend here in the US and I plan on doing the same thing I did last year. Only this time I’ll be finishing up my Socktopia sock and Tomato sweater.

Knit Picks Shine Worsted in Crocus and Cream

Socks knit with Yarn Pirate "Daisy".

I’ve also been doing some crocheting. I have these hexagons to make a blanket of my own design. I’m using Caron Simply Soft (Dk Country Blue, Sage and off white) and Caron SS Shadows (Soft Merino). It is going to be so cool when I finish it.

And these few little babies to make the Babette Blanket from the Spring 2006 Interweave Crochet. See the Flicker Group for an idea of what the finished product will look like. I’m making it with Cotton Ease so I can keep it in my car for cold Pee Wee Football mornings and still be able to wash it easily when needed.

Mostly I’m planning a very quiet weekend. Last weekend was very busy full of family and parties and whatnot. Having three days in a row to chill out will be wonderful. I may even get a chance to do a little closet cleaning… Nahhhh – who am I kidding?

I ♥ Joss Whedon

This is why.

Wow...

I didn't realize I sounded that whiney in the last post. I'm really not in a bad mood. I promise. It's all just - life.

So here is a happy thing...
In a few short hours I will be laughing so hard I can't breathe, because my brothers are the funniest people I know.

Stuff and Nonsense

My mind is all over the place today.

My parents and middle brother are flying in today for my nephew’s 1st Communion tomorrow. Both nephews have baseball games tonight, but the latest weather forecast looks like it will rain all day. So Mom and Dad and my brother won’t get to see them play.

I started Tomato and all I want to do is go home and knit.

Why can’t I find any First Communion cards? Honestly. Even at Hallmark the only one they had for "Godson" was all glittery and girly looking. What's up with that? I ended up getting one that said "nephew" and wan't overly religous.

The Fed Ex delivery guy is such a honey. He flirts, I flirt back, but nothing will come of it. Mostly because I suspect deep down, when it comes to women, he is a pig.

I’m starting to get used to the idea that I’ll be single for the rest of my life.

The last meal I had that had protein in it was lunch yesterday - a BBQ Beef sandwich. before that I can't tell you when I had a well balanced meal. I’ve been on a Pop Tart and Nutri Grain bar kick.

The car repair will cost over $800 and will take 3 days to get the parts.

I have a new cell phone and I don’t think I’m happy with it. I hate flip phones and I’ve not had good luck with the batteries lasting on the last 2 Motorola phones I’ve had. So I got an LG Chocolate phone. I’m not too keen on the navigation pad in the center of the phone. When I talk, my cheek hits the pad and all of a sudden I’m in all sorts of different modes and I can’t hear the person on the other end because of the pad clicks. Unfortunately, I think this is the only choice I have for a phone. The other one the sales woman was trying to sell me is a Motorola and – well – no.

My feet, ankles, knees and hips have been hurting for weeks now. My SIL thinks I have lyme disease. I'm going to see the doctor on Monday about it.

Is it time to go home yet?

Another month, another car repair

Remember last month when the car door broke? The door hinge rusted and broke off, which was a major repair and a big pain in the butt.

The AC in my car can never be cold enough, so getting the Freon charged is an annual event. I took Barbie (did I mention my car’s name is Barbie?) to the mechanic on Saturday. I had coffee, knitting and a book to keep me company because they were really busy and I thought I’d be there for at least a couple of hours. I knit for about a half hour and then the mechanic pulled the car up in front of the shop. He came inside and said “You’re done but you’re not done.” That is never a good sign.

Apparently there is some do-hickey that is attached to a thing-a-ma-gig that snakes all along inside the engine compartment and eventually meets up with the what’s-it that makes the air blow cold and they are broken. OK – not only broken but totally missing. The what’s-it is still there and operational, but the other parts, not so much.

I had to take the car back there yesterday so that “my” mechanic could look at exactly which parts he’d need to order. “My” mechanic is the manager there and he doesn’t really work on the cars any more. He is a good friend of my brother’s so I know I have someone looking out for me. I still haven’t heard from him with an estimate, but yesterday he said it was going to be expensive.

So, now I’m wondering if this is going to be one of those years. You know – when all these weird things break on your car and you end up spending $2500 - $3000 fixing it and then realizing that amount of money is like having a car payment and why oh why didn’t you just get a new car then? This happened to me about 3 years ago and since I had already replaced a bunch of stuff that cost basically what a down payment on a new car would cost I didn’t go the new car route.

The question is – when do you know it’s time for a new car? Barbie is 9 years old and I thought I’d have her for a couple years yet. Insurance rates are sky high here in NJ, especially on a new car and then add in a car payment which I don’t have now and I don’t know if I can take on just now.

Unless I knit from my stash and don’t buy any more yarn…

*gulp*

The yarn (and other stuff)

I took the pictures a few days ago and then left on a business trip. I don’t have a laptop so I couldn’t post from the hotel. And as an aside gripe – the hotel didn’t have a movie rental service. I was stuck watching crap I wouldn’t even watch at home. I was looking forward to seeing something that had just been in the theaters not so long ago.

Anyway – here is what I purchased at MD S&W…

My first purchase was the pattern which is a crocheted scarf. I love the lacy but plain look of it. I was going to get the yarn too but it would have cost almost $200 and I wasn’t about to do that. I bought the yarn pictured with it, which is the same yardage and was just under $40. It’s really soft and yummy yarn.

Second was a rug hook kit. I’ve done rug hooking before and Shannon wanted to try it and I ended up getting this heart which I think is really cute. I have to find my hook and hoop.

Then we found the Fleece Artist Sea Wool and I got two skeins. I also got some Panda Cotton to try.

Then there is the Brooks Farm yarn. They have such lovely stuff, but I only bought the Acero in two colorways. The purple will more than likely be one of the shawls from Victorian Shawls today and the other a ½ pie shawl.

The last is the pattern and Koigu I got at Rosie’s

Believe it or not I've not cast on one of these yarns or started the rug hook kit. What I did do was cast on for a ripple scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I'm using Lorna's Laces and Shaeffer Anne. I may be casting on for the Tomato sweater later today (from No Sheep).

Does anyone know a treatment for cast-on-itis?

FUG!

Run over to Turtlegirl's place to see Le Fug! It's worth it. Honest.

Maryland Sheep and Wool

What a day! It was a great time. I don’t want to spoil much of the day because Shannon and I did a lot of recording for their pod cast, but I will hit on the highlights.

I left my house a little before 5:30. It was still dark. The moon was still up and the sun was just starting to rise.

I arrived at the all important Dunkin Donuts, where Shannon was to meet me (she is very brilliant for thinking about that one), we grabbed coffee and headed toward Philadelphia and Rosie’s Yarn Cellar.

There was no traffic and the directions to Rosie’s were perfect. We found a parking lot around the corner from the shop and parked. We got our breakfast and goodie tote bags and took some time to stand and stretch our legs after the long car ride.

By the way – Rosie’s bus was the best way to go! The breakfast was wonderful, fresh baked goods, fresh fruit cup plenty of coffee and orange juice. It hit the spot!

By this time we were hopped up on caffeine and really excited to get to there. Shannon was so freeking excited she could hardly stand it.

Just as we were arriving at the fair grounds, the bus was cut off and he swerved and we almost tipped over into the median. Applause erupted when the bus driver got us evened out and safely delivered to the entrance. Ahh - thank GOD the digital recorder escaped harm.


The day actually went by really fast. We shopped; we met up with some awesome knit bloggers and had a rest on the grassy knoll. This was actually one of the high-lites of my day. I was eagerly anticipating the appearance of le fug draped artistically around Turtlegirl and Trillian42, but it wasn’t to be. The fug was still being worked on and wasn’t ready for it’s close up. But I did get to see the Tomato sweaters. One of the things I love about knitting is that two people can make the same sweater and they can look so different. They were both beautiful and I can’t wait to make mine in the magenta-ish Shine I got from Knit Picks.

Artsygal was there and so was Stariel. I don't know why I don't have a picture of Stariel, but it seems these were the last pictures I took of the day. How cute is Artsy? I need to keep an eye open for her yarn when she has a new batch for sale.

We spent an hour with them and it wasn’t enough. I can’t wait for the Philly Knitty Meet up to see them again.

My last purchase of the day was, interestingly enough, at Rosie’s. They were kind enough to let people use the bathroom as well as purchase any notions they needed and couldn’t find at the fairgrounds. Naturally Shannon and I found something neither of us could live without – a shawl pattern and the 5 skeins of Koigu to knit it with.

We recorded a lot on the way home. I rambled like an over tired, punch drunk idiot. I hope I don’t sound really awful.

Pictures of the purchases tomorrow!

Tomorrow!

I’m off to Maryland Sheep and Wool! I’m so excited. Shannon and I are leaving on the bus from Rosie’s! I have to get up really early to pick up Shannon at my first destination - Dunkin Donuts. Coffee will be a MUST at that point.

Remember to listen to the SSK podcast. Shannon is bringing her recorder to capture the event for her and Stephanie’s podcast. I’ll be sure to take lots of photos.