People Were Still Buying Perms & Cabbage

Just a quick update for those of you that were following Hurricane Tropical Storm Tropical Depression Sun Shower Ernesto and sending your thoughts of concern and hopes for the best.

We're fine!! It's raining, but the internet..err...electricity is on and working. I'm very grateful that we didn't spend more time putting up hurricane shutters and that we focused more on the important things like increasing the calorie content of the pantry.

My friend Opal made a very poignant comment yesterday to assure me that Ernesto had indeed punked out, and that we had no reason to worry. As she put it:

"Sonny's [BBQ] was jumpin, they were hanging over the rail at Bone Fish Grill, and people were moseying thru WalMart buying perms and cabbage..."

She really knows just how to put me at ease.

MWAH!

I Am Still Knitting

I think I'll reuse this post heading repeatedly...

Just to catch you up, I was able to finish the Wrist Warmers from Last minute Knitted Gifts for Kamau's birthday gift (and when I say finished, I mean that the 2nd one was bound off and wrapped about 10 minutes before he came downstairs for breakfast). Here are a few pictures, unmodeled, modeled by Mau and modeled by me mid-progress.

The neatest thing was that everyone totally humored me and complimented them. Hopefully he finds good use for them on a brisk Georgia day or on his next ski trip! (Plus, his mom is a knitter and I LOVED the opportunity to make another small connection with her - she's ultra cool).

I liked the ease of this pattern, and it gave me great experience knitting a tube on 2 circulars...much faster than the DPN method I found. I wasn't too sure about the thumb opening instructions though. I ignored them on the left hand warmer and the ribbing is great, then I forced myself to follow them on the right side, and as you see in the photo, the ribbing is off a stitch. Knit and learn darlings...knit and learn. The patterns, they can be wrong.

More pictures to share later - this time, there will be yarn.

Y'all Know Me and Lists

I've been tagged for the first time! Yippeee! And the subject is BOOKS - wicked!
Thanks Del for including me in the list of tagees!

1. One book that changed your life: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver & I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (I could put a bunch more here)

2. One book that you've read more than once: The Color Purple by Alice Walker

3. One book you'd want on a desert island: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (I'd act out each of the charactres to keep me from going insane)

4. One book that made you laugh: Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

5. One book that made you cry: The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance (picture a 14 year old under a blanket with a flashlight on the top bunk - bawling)

6. One book that you wish had been written: The Secret to Finding the 25th Hour in Your Day

7. One book you wish had never been written: haven't come across it yet (knock wood)

8. One book you're currently reading: Eat Right 4 Your Type by Peter J. D'Adamo

9. One book you've been meaning to read: Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela (started and need to finish this one)

10. Tag 6 people: Mau, Kelli, Nancy, Julie, Cindy, Sara Jayne

Oh!

For those of you that came looking for knitting content, I'll post some yarn porn and my latest project on the needles berry, berry soon!

Take a Look At This

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An Important Piece

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This film was made by Kiri Davis, 16, Urban Academy

Let's talk about it...

Unplugged

Hello darlings!!
Been a while hasn't it? I do so miss our chats...but ironically I'm writing to say that I'll be "offline" for the next week or so.

As you know, I've just returned from 2 weeks of being away from home. Well now I have sweet talked my way into 5 days vacation from work. Woo hoo!! Vacation - As in, no phone calls, no IM's at ridiculous (outside of business) hours, and no travel. I almost don't know what to do with myself. Luckily, the 3 other people that live here are SO good at making a schedule of fun and laughter for me that I won't be idle for any time at all, I'm sure of it.

I had a fantastic time at so many different points in my trip. Even though it was hard to only talk with the girls every day and not actually squeeze and smooch them, I met up with old friends and brand new ones who made me feel loved and welcome. Here's a short, but I hope complete, list of those who made 14 days away such a treat.

A HUGE thanks to Cindy, my first out of town hostess who made me love NY for a whole new reason.
To all the KH Mod Squad Crew (Kelly, Hilde, Julie, Andrea, and Angelia) + Vicky for your company and open arms (and also of course, your expert yarn shopping enablement). Mercy my bags returned heavy!

To Susan and Nora and their friends, thanks for showing me that urban living really does have great perks!

Sean, my fab knit boyfriend, and Gmail companion, you are the best!! Thanks to you I had new yarn, a new pattern, new tea and aromatherapy by candle...In a HOTEL room! Can you even fathom it people??! That's goodness.

Smooches also for my Kelli, who swells my heart each time she shows her unconditional kindness. When all the airport security madness was swarming around me, it was Kel who called to check on me and chat me up until I passed through my first of 5 security checks for the trip.

Felicia, beloved wife of Mau (now 30 but still FABulous)- she throws a mean party, and her gratitude just makes you want to do anything she asks! Kiesha - I don't have to wish we were sisters for real...we're as close as it gets. It's always a better party when you're there.

Whew!! We had a blast in the A-T-L ya'll...it made me feel young again (almost - ha!).
And a big LOVE YOU to the rest of my Section 2 family (Rattlers 'till we die baby). Each of you was a highlight in your own right, and you made my last weekend away pass with joy. There are only a few things that come close in comparison to time spent with my blood family, and you are at the top of that list.

Hub, I know you never ever read this blog, but anyone else reading will know that I said NOTHING I do is possible without you. Knowing you were watching over our girls all day, every day, through all the sometimes fun -but often unsexy - details of parenthood made each day away easier to take. You're it!

So while I'm away, I won't be writing in here, but I will be reading as much as I can about what the rest of you are up to. Keep me posted and watch for me in your comments. In the mean time I've given you plenty of links in here with wonderful reading (trust me).

MWAH! Until...

Adventures in the Big Apple

A follow up to yesterday's post...Cindy and I had a blast!

I'm just going to sum up the events in one word - WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

I was just so happy to meet such a great person. We talked non-stop for hours about knitting and everything else in between. Cindy is sweet and truly talented and gives the title "crafter" a whole new meaning!

And now I'll point you over to Cindy's blog for more of the pictures and goodie goodie details! (Check out her Shop too!)

THANKS CINDY FOR CAPTURING OUR ADVENTURE SO PERFECTLY!!

Miss you much my dearest readers! The way my luck is running, I may be in a city near YOU very soon looking for an excuse to snag more great yarn and cyber knitting buddies!

Another Techno Treat!!

Hello my darlings!!

This is just a quick note because I'm too excited not to share.
Later today, if all the planets will align and the universe will grant me this small treasure, I will get to meet my second KH buddy in person! CindyH lives here in NY where I am attending this year's SpeechTek conference, so we've planned a yarn crawl and din-din! YIPEEE!! One must wonder how I keep it all straight in my brain??! Now was I supposed to be doing a k2, p2 rib as part of that solution implementation for tomorrow's conference call at the yarn store? LOL. Crazy.

We're also going to attend a taping of TRL. Yep, I'm PBS girl in an MTV world, but who can pass up a chance to see what all the hoopla is really about, know what I'm sayin'

HAPPY BIRTHDAY (yesterday) TO MY BEST BUD KELLERS!!! MWAH!! LOVE YOU DOLL.

Wish you were all here too!!

Project Spectrum - August

August's Project Spectrum colors are neutrals, black & white. This is a very timely opportunity to finish and post my Kata Blessing Scarf. I found this easy lace pattern in the book Mindful Knitting by Tara Jon Manning, and really enjoyed reading about how to use knitting to focus and stay in the present. Breathing and repetitive stitches can really help to calm you and allow your thoughts to flow uninterrupted.


Yarn Stats:
The yarn is Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed in the shade #121 - Brindle (85% wool/ 10% silk/ 5% cashmere; 104 yds per 50g ball). I bought it online at Patternworks, and it was knit with US size 8's.

In my dream knit life I will make a pair of Fetching gloves to match.

Please don't remind me how ridiculously hot it is for scarves right now. The Knit Must Go On!

I Am Still Knitting

Actually, the needles have been busier than ever over here.

I'm working on gifts, a few things for me, finishing up some projects that have been languishing, and a Super Secret Project too (more on that in coming posts).

My latest finished project is this pair of "Fetching" fingerless gloves from the summer issue of Knitty. I used some Mandalay 100% silk yarn I found in a wonderful shop in Vermont called Knits & Bolts. Although the yarn is made of silk, this Indigo Tweed is the color and scrumptious texture of well-worn denim.

What have you been chipping away at lately? I'd love to hear from you!