when usually it's nothing...

Wips....

I have a few to many things going on knitting wise currently. These are just a few of the things I have going right now.

I need to concentrate on finishing these things in the next couple of weeks. The little bit of black yarn on the top of the pile is Silky Wool. I remember Mare saying she loved the stuff, and I have to agree, I like knitting with it. I picked this up in Fredericksburg yesterday. I am making a black scarf as per request. I never get asked to knit specific things so I am glad to do this.

I spent all day yesterday walking around Annapolis, MD. Little did we know the North American Sailboat Show was in full swing.

There were so many people milling about. I grew up around boats and spent lots of time cruising the Great Lakes but it holds no interest for me anymore. Annaoplis was interesting and very pretty. Lots of old buildings and neat shops and stuff. The historic area was very....cozy. The traffic was horrendous.
We walked all around the United States Naval Academy as well. This place is huge. The buildings are gorgeous and kept in great repair. The setting is amazing, right on the Chesapeake Bay.

Tomorrow I am back to Washington , DC for a little yarn shopping and monument gazing. Maybe I will hit the National Gallery. I spent a half hour there last week, having just been through the Hirshhorn . I can only spend about an hour in the National Gallery, any longer and my brain gets over loaded and everything starts to look the same and I find myself rushing through the place. I need to formulate a plan and visit specific galleries. Moderation is the key. All for now......

What I did on my end of summer vacation......

I have been having a blast showing these two ladies around town. My mother is in the black shirt and my Aunt is in the red. Actually, the lady in red is not my aunt but I call her aunt because she and my Mother have been best friends since they met in seventh grade. I can not imagine such a long friendship. I always have fun with them as they are game for just about anything. We all put on our pedometers and walked, and I mean we WALKED! All over, EVERYWHERE!

We have had a ball running all over Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. Obviously, this picture was taken in front of the White House. This was the first time my mother had ever been to DC and she loved the buildings. I think they were both impressed. My mother loved the metro and thought it was the neatest thing since sliced bread. We ate WAY to much, drank to much coffee, and shopped something fierce.
My mother fell in love with IKEA......We spent two afternoons in IKEA.......I am on IKEA overload.....
We shopped for yarn, and yes, the lady on the right in the picture is the person who taught me how to knit back in the late 1960's. My god it was a long time ago. I still remember the house we lived in at the time and the white yarn I used while learning to knit. I wish I still had that little swatch. Oh well, I have the memories.....If you are lucky enough to still have your mother in your life, give her a call! All for now.....

40 and Fabulous!...........

I turned forty years old yesterday. I did not feak out, quite the contrary. I was as relaxed as could be. Thirty freaked me out, boy did it ever, but forty just seemed to float on by like any other day. I am so much more content and settled now than I was ten years ago. I would not go back for anything. I might like to relive a couple of wild weekends but I wouldn't trade my life as it is now for anything. My Mother (who will be visiting for a week on Monday) always said her life did not begin until she reached forty. She then said her life REALLY began when she hit fifty, this statement was later amended. She now states that life just gets better with age. I belive her. I think the secret is staying active mentally and physically. I think the two secrets of life are moderation in everything and an engaged body, mind, and soul. If your mind body and soul are fully engaged in life everything else falls into place.

I have actually been knitting quite a bit lately. Nothing fancy, just some scarves and a couple of baby / childrens sweaters. Somthing to keep me busy. I want the weather to turn so I can start a big project.

I knit these two scarves for my Mother and Aunt. they will arrive Monday evening and I thought they would get a kick out of these. The first scarf is out of Noro Silk Garden, I can not remember the color but I think it was #84? The second scarf is some wool I had in the stash. Both the same pattern. I really like this pattern and it is probably going to become my favorite scarf pattern. A six row repeat with great texture and just interesting enough to keep me engaged.......Tee Hee. One might notice the balled yarn in the background. I was the lucky recipient of a lovely wooden swift and a ball winder yesterday! I am so lucky. I do not know how I lived without them. I went a little crazy and would up all the loose yarn in sight.

More on the little kids sweater later. I started the thing a few weeks ago and was waiting for measurements to complete the thing. The recipient in in her "terrible two's" and was not cooperative during the measuring process! The measurements were taken and I am finishing the sweater.

My stash was unpacked after the move and put into the armoir but was never really organized. I am alone this weekend so I will do a major overhaul on the stash cabinet. I can not wait for my guests Monday. It will be fun to show them around Virginia. All for now........

Swatching.......

I have been playing around with stuff in my stash making swatches. It has been fun. I ordered this pattern From Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill, at Mare's suggestion. Mare is correct, the pattern is deceptively simple and I love the results. I have only played with one of the patterns but the others will be fun to try.

I have been wishing for cooler weather so I can start a bigger project. I have ideas for three sweaters. One will be another Astrid and one will be just plain wool although I think I might try a custom dye job on the wool first! We will see......

I also fell in love with the Noro Yarns Pattern Book 2 by Jane Ellison. I want to make "James"
In Kureyon #55. A nice plain, simple sweater to show off a nice Noro yarn.

My Mother and Aunt are comming for a visit next week, I can not wait to show them around Virginia.
And I am turning.......40......goodness I do not feel 40 years old, well my kness feel 40 sometimes.
All for now................

I just love Virginia.......

I finished this Noro Kureyon scarf a day or so ago. It was a fun little project. I got the pattern from one of the local LYS's in Fredericksburg. This pattern is reversible and easily memorized which made for great in front of the television knitting.

I just love playing around with Noro yarns, especially Kureyon. It is goofy but I like the stripes. I also love the texture of the stuff, thick and thin throughout. Nothing new to report here. Will be in Fredericksburg tomorrow. This is a neat place. I have been several times already and I see and learn something new here every time I visit. It is only a twenty minute drive. Hopefully a contract will be signed and a new kitchen will be closer to reality. M wants to test drive this car as well, it is his birthday Thursday. He has been talking about buying a new car since the first time I met him. I will believe it when I see it in the driveway. I just want to buy some more yarn! Will have a full report shortly. All for now.......

I have been knitting a bit as of late.....

I just found out I am an uncle again. Baby Clint was born recently and I thought I would whip him up a sweater. Most of my recent experience with infants was during clinicals in school, and that was a while back. I picked up a little pajama thingy and used it for size. Well, to make a long story short, Clint will be wearing this sweater next fall. I just made a top down raglan. I knew I needed to make the neck larger for his big head as he was over nine pounds at birth. The whole thing is ending up a little large for an infant. I will pass it along to my Mother when she visits next month, along with the extra yarn. Mom can make adjustments if need be. Clint is going to end up being a hunter so I thought his sweater would be smashing in a camoflage print yarn. I think the family will get a kick out of this.

I am three fingers short of finishing the second glove. I also ripped the Kureyon scarf I was working on as I found another pattern I liked better. I was visiting a local LYS today and they had a free pattern I loved. Will post more on that visit and the scarf later. All for now.........

It is ninety degrees outside, of course I am knitting gloves.....

Well, I know it has been a while since I posted but believe me, I have been busy. I have been knitting though. I picked up some Cascade Pastaza at a really cool place last week called Sprinwater Fiber Workshop . It was only a few blocks walk from Knit Happens . I am such a fool, I was traipsing around Old Town Alexandria on a day (Monday) that Knit Happens just happened to be closed. I did look in the window and can not wait to visit again. I looks just as I imagined it would look, very pink! I am so lucky to have access to all the knitting shops in Northern Virginia.

Back to the Pastaza. This stuff is nice and soft and I could not wait to play with it. I cast on for a scarf then ripped it out, then cast on again, etc... I must have started six different scarves with this stuff and I did not like the fabric it produced but I sure like the softness. I decided I would knit gloves. Well, it has been a bit tricky as this stuff is a bit hefty and single ply. I am knitting on size 5 us needles and it took some getting used to the single ply on smallish needles. I did get the hang of it and am having fun. The color I chose is a deep green with lots of heathering in it although you would never know by looking at the above picture.

I have spent a lot of time lately exploring My new "home". Every weekend we just get in the car a drive all over the place. I am really loving Virginia. I went to the DMV and got a drivers license and it only took 30 minutes!
I was flabbergasted. The next day I went back to get license plates for my car and it only took 30 minutes! I was expecting an all day affair, but they have it down pat at the Virginia DMV! So, I have a drivers licens and plates for my car, I now consider myself a Virginian!

I can not wait to see this place when the leaves start changing. All for now.......

Virginia reveals a new secret everyday.......

I am still here! Busy but not busy knitting. The only thing I have done knitting wise in the last couple of months is a scarf and I have not even finished it.

This is the same scarf I knit last fall. I think the pattern is from Noro book 13, I will have to check on that. It is an easy pattern with a couple of cables to keep it interesting. I used Noro Kureyon #55. I know the picture could be better...

The move from Georgia to Virginia went off without a hitch. The actual moving was done professionally so I did not have to deal with that. The emotional part was hard to deal with. Moving is so hard. The unpacking is still taking place. The new house in Virginia needs a lot of work to bring it up to snuff.
I have been busy unpacking, painting, and scheduling and meeting with contractors. There is so much to do.

It is like pulling teeth trying to get contractors to return calls and get estimates. Northern Virginia is the place to be if you are a builder, contractor, plumber, mason, or any kind of skilled tradesman. I can not tell you how many times I have been told "we are two months backed up" or "we are not doing any residential until later this fall"! UGH!!!!!!!!

The kitchen is going to be gutted....that is going to be a blast......

Now for the fun stuff! I had been to DC once, ten years ago. It is still really cool to just drive along and see the monuments in DC off in the distance. I can not wait until it gets cooler so I can spend some time playing tourist. There are so many things to see and do here the mind boggles.

Virginia reveals a new secret everyday. I feel kind of out of it after living in Macon, Georgia for seven years. Everything moves very fast here and I have had to learn how to drive all over again. I am notorious for being a slow driver.....

There are so many resturants one never has to wait to be seated, that is a good thing. Any kind of cuisine you could possibly imagine is available. The shopping is great and I have fallen in love with IKEA. Such a fun store.

Some random observations from a Virginia newcommer:

Gas is really expensive and can fluctuate .30 cents or more the closer one gets to DC.

There are 7 11's on almost every corner, and most are just as dirty as I remember them.

Realestate is VERY expensive.

Car insurance rates are lower than in Goergia.

The weather is not very hot, at least not as hot as central Georgia.

The thunderstorms are LOUD!

When it rains here, it pours.

People will not let you in to traffic.

It is every driver for himself in Northern Virginia (NOVA)

NOVA = Northern Virginia

We are only three hours by car from NYC

One hour by car from Baltimore

Two hours by car from Philly

One and half hours from the mountains

My haircut cost twice as much as I am used to paying.

The grocery stores do not stay open 24 hrs a day like in Macon, Georgia.

That just about covers it. I am sure I will think of more as soon as I post, tee hee. I will post more in the future on my progress with the house and hopefully have some pictures. Glad to be back.
All for now........

This too shall pass......

OVERWHELMED! Yup, that's me! Oh how I wish I could go to sleep and wake when this move is finished.
The movers are packing as I type. Why am I so stressed? I have moved countless times but this one has really gotten to me. I can not sleep. My stress seems to be centering on my back. I have never had back pain before.....oh well. No knitting in these parts for a bit. I have not had time. The movers will pack and move everything, even the trash, but one still has to prepare the stuff for the movers. Who knew? Who could know? I am just waiting for the weekend, all the stuff will be gone and I will be alone in an empty house with my beloved cat Uma, decompressing...... I hope to swatch for the Skif inspired knit along with Karen and Mare.
That should help clear my mind. All for now.....

Fun?.....

Preparation for the move continues. Let's just say I am coping. I have no control over virtually all the aspects of the move and it is driving me crazy. Rest assured Mare , I am taking time for myself. I actually knit about three inches of another toe up sock. I have been reading blogs, running regularly, and watching a few movies. If you have not seen The Hours or Under the Tuscan Sun I encourage you to do so.
No pictures to show today but I found the follwing on indigirl and thought it was fun.......and I need something fun presently.

A - Age: 39
B - Band listening to right now: Morrissey, you are the quarry
C - Career future: librarian, or back to nursing, or a medical library.
D - Dad's name: Robert
E - Easiest person to talk to: Mike and April
F - Favorite song: Right now? "No More Drama" by Mary J. Blige
G - Gummy Bears or Gummy Worms: neither
H - Hometown: Saginaw, MI
I - Instruments: Saxophone
J - Job: Cataloging Librarian
K - Kids: a cat, two dogs, and a bird
L - Longest car ride ever: Saginaw, MI to Montana
M - Mom's name: Jo Ann
N - Number of people you slept with: a gentleman nevers tells....
P - Phobia[s]: Heights
Q - Quote: Everything Works Out In The End
R - Reason to smile: my animals
S - Song you sang last: see letter F
T - Time you wake up: 6:30
U - Unknown fact about me: I have slipcovered lots of furniture in my day
V - Vegetable you hate: sweet potatoes
W - Worst habit: diet coke
X - X-rays you've had: head, dental, hands
Y - Yummy food: YES! give me more....
Z - Zodiac sign: typical Virgo

Well, it was fun for me. All for now......