Party Week!

1-17-07

Our administrators brought us lunch! Soup, salad, fruit, veggies, rolls and brownies. etc. Very nice! We earned it back in September when we all participated in the "Steptember" initiative to become more active and healthy. Yay us!






1-18-07

This being Thursday, I did storytime. Here is the stuff I used. Our theme today was eggs. I got to tell 2 of my favorite jokes. First, why do chickens like the library? Because of all the "book book books!" Then, when we talked about all the other kinds of animals that lay eggs, I asked the kids why frogs like the library. Because they like to "read-it read-it read-it"! :-)



1-19-07

Mike and I went out to our favorite place for dinner. Lovely little restaurant called Ba Sho, where we go for sushi. Best we've ever found! Here is Mike's plate of sashimi . . . and Mike, of course.

1-20-07
I cast on the baby sweater at the Merc on Friday, Jan 12. I had been going to make the Baby Surprise Jacket, but I wasn't confident that I understood the pattern's instructions, so I frogged it and started this kimono jacket sweater. Love it! I altered it a bit so I wouldn't have to sew any seams. I did Kitchener stitch across the tops of the shoulders, then picked up stitches for the arms and knit those in the round to the cuffs. It was fun! I'm really looking forward to making a grown-up sweater next.

BEFORE PICTURE: I didn't quite finish the sweater before the shower. I still had to sew on the ties, so I wrapped the sweater and the ribbon and gave that to her. I asked her to open it first, and then while she opened all the other packages, I sewed the ties on.

AFTER PICTURE: with the red ties. Isn't she the cutest pregnant lady? She's a dear, sweet person. I'm so excited that we'll have a baby in our small group! Jheng's mother is going to be arriving in Columbus on Tuesday, from China. She is a knitter, too, so I plan to bring her to the Merc (even though she knows no English, I'm sure we'll figure out a way to communicate). Jheng doesn't knit at all, and her mother knits, crochets and quilts, so I'm going to do my best to spend some time with her!

Jheng also got 2 baby blankets, both crocheted, from other women in our group, as well as lots of store-bought loot. It was a lovely shower!

Meme and pics

1-13-07, Saturday, was my friend Martha's going-away party. She's moving to Kentucky. This is her, holding her new scarf (look familiar?).

Sunday, 1-14-07 I had some ladies over in the evening for a hobby night. We just sat around, knitting or crocheting and gabbing. It was very nice. I didn't take any pics while they were here, but this is one of the candles I'd lit. I've always liked this circle of frogs. Luckily we did no frogging that night!

1-15-07 was MLK Day, and this is Simon at the breakfast we went to. See my other blog for a brief overview of that event, if you like. That afternoon we visited friends up in Mt. Vernon, OH. I call it a retreat center - nice house out in the country.

This is the boys' lego city. Obviously, Simon has fun playig with Tim (the elder) and Sam. They've been friends since they were very young and Megan was Simon's fulltime babysitter (I think he was 3).

Tuesday, 1-16-07 I spent a good deal of my work day at the Main Library in meetings. This is a pic of the atrium. You can see the check-outs down there. I'm on the second of three floors taking the pic. I love how the architects incorporated the exterior wall of the original Carnegie building as an interior wall of the updated/expanded building (dedicated in 1990).

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Shetland Wool. You are a traditional sort who can sometimes be a little on the harsh side. Though you look delicate you are tough as nails and prone to intricacies. Despite your acerbic ways you are widely respected and even revered.
Take this http://www.quizilla.com/redirect.php?statsid=20&url=http://www.quizilla.com/makeaquiz.php">Make A Quiz More Quizzes Grab Code

Since this is supposed to also be my knitting blog, I have this meme for your quizzy pleasure. I should be working out this morning, but I'm going to go back to bed for another hour instead. Blah.

NAKIE!

The weather outside has been gray, grey, gray. Not very cold today, windy sometimes, rainy a lot, and more gray. Blah. I, however, have had some nice days.

Wednesday, 1-10-07, Simon went to Claddagh with me to meet up with the Wed. Night Knitting Group, a.k.a Sharing Needles. We had a very nice time, Simon drawing and me casting off this long narrow scarf for my friend, Martha (she's moving to KY - the state, not the jelly). It's got a picot edge. It's from yarn I got a while ago and wound into balls and I can't for the life of me remember what kind it is. I think it's wool and alpaca blend, worsted weight (maybe DK?), and I knit it long and sideways on size 7 needles. I got bored and did some YOs and stuff to keep myself interested. I wasn't going to block and flatten it, but I think, now, that it will look better that way.

Thursday, 1-11-07 NAKIE!

I did what I usually do on Thursday mornings - I did storytime! Little Amina (age 3) decided that this doll needed to be "nakie" before and during storytime - it was so funny! Me: I don't think he needs to be nakie - it's chilly outside.
A (with great glee): yes! Nakie! Nakie, nakie nakie! (while taking his clothes off him)
Me: Well, he really should wear a shirt in the library, what with all these people around and all.
A: Nakie! He wants to be nakie! (yes, she was nearly shouting)
What I would have liked to say: Why don't we all get nakie for storytime! LOL
What I really said: Well, his shoes and socks are sewn on, so you can't take those off. Sorry!


Friday, 1-12-07 - Met with Carol E for knitterly fun and chattering galore at Bear Rock Cafe - love knitting on the couch near the fire!

I had cast on and begun a Baby Surprise jacket, but the pattern was confusing me and I need a baby sweater in a week, so I need to put off this experiment until I don't have a deadline. I've frogged this green stuff and I'm going to find a simple, quick knit to be ready for next Saturday's baby shower for Jheng. I'll knit this: http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/pie/pie.html instead. For some reason I can't make the links html stuff work here on blogger right now , so you have the full link. Not as cool looking, but gets the job done.

Finally Winter!

1-8-07 - the cold is finally here, and thankfully, so is my new space heater under my desk! See how toasty warm my feet look?

1-9-07
It's gray and sad in Columbus today. This is due in part to the Buckeyes losing the National Championship game last night. I didn't watch, but I hear that they played a lousy game and deserved to lose, bascially, so there you go. It's also gray because it has snowed a little! See the white stuff?

Jan 6 and 7

Two complimentary hats for some friends - going to send them out tomorrow (Monday). My picture for Jan 6.

Today we took down the tree - behold the emptiness of the space.

1-5-07

I did 3 big things today. 1. I took DH to get his colonoscopy. All clear! He's in great health, that way, I guess! Yay! No pictures of this will be shared.



2. I met up with Knittingbrow for a little knitfest at Panera. Yummy salad, yummy yarn, fun pic.

3. I took dinner and knitting to Carol's house to help her recoup from knee surgery. She was in great spirits as the drugs are still in her system from this morning. Was a delightful time.

All in all a very nice day. Funny that Jerry was knitting blue and I was knitting pink. Too cute.

Pictures for 1-4-07

Another hat off the needles - this one for my buddy, Scott. I need to make a companion hat for his partner, Tony, and then I'll mail them. I really like the colors with black. Tony's will be a variegated yarn with green. We'll just see how it goes!

And this is Rosie, playing with one of her new Christmas toys. Please pretend you don't notice how I need to vacuum.

WIP and Pic of the day

This is the hem of the baby jumper I'm making - my son consented to hold it out flat for the picture. Lovely, soft merino yarn. A delight to work with, but gosh, these 5 inches of plain knitting is boring!

These are the Impossible Socks of No End. I started the ISONE's months and months ago and figure that, given another 10 years or so, I might eventually complete this second sock on impossibly small needles.

My official pic of the day is this - I came home from work after just 3 hours, became a vegetable on the couch through 2 1/2 movies, then played Star Wars for a bit, blasting out little Lego Stormtroopers until I wore myself out. Beside the game of my obsession (and my son's, of course) is my bottle of antibiotics. I will beat this damn bronchial infection!

Jan 2

Simon on the couch. As this is his last day of Christmas Break, I imagine he'll alternate between this aproximate pose and that same look in front of the computer all day. It's good to be a kid.

Picture A Day

I think it will be fun to try to take a picture each day of the year as a sort of record of what one year is like for me. My first day, as you can see, I have 2 pictures. I don't promise to post every day, but I'll try to post regularly enough to not exceed my 5 pictures-per-post limit. :)

January 1, 2007. I spent the entire day knitting. Samwise enjoyed it, as well, as you can see. Yes, I stayed in my jammies all freakin' day. It was loverly. I was going to go join up with my knit-wit ladies . . . but I was feeling raspy in my chest and thought laying around in jammies sounded lots easier.

I worked on several projects throughout the day, including my final (I think) pair of the Socks of Doom for Sock Wars.

You can see the socks, knit from some soft gray stuff that was bought by another warrior and sent along to me. I only had to knit the second sock . . . but I finished my Christmas gifts before even casting on. I can't tell you how nice it is to no longer have that hanging over my head. For those of you who are wondering . . . no, I never received a pair of socks from this game. Ah well, it was a fun pattern, a quick knit. So well did I like the pattern that my FIL's socks were from it, as well.

Christmas Knitting!

This is our gingerbread house. Lovely little abode, eh? Notice the little people on the front?



Jay, Andrew, Daisy (their new puppy) and Simon. It's really cool to see my own son playing with the younger kids and being sweet and wonderful about it. Warms the heart.



My dad and mom with their new scarves. You can see that Dad is wearing the hat I made him for his birthday, too - they are of the same yarn. Yes, they love their gifts! The moebious scarf is so long, Dad was getting creative in putting it on - looping it all around his body. I have decided not to share those pictures. :-\


A closeup of Mom's scarf. The yarn is exquisite, and Jan at the Merc found me the absolute perfect garment for it. It turned out perfect (well, except for a few well-placed mistakes so that we all remember that I am not perfect like God . . . or something).

Christmas, part 1

A few pictures from the present orgy of the morning with my in-laws. No pictures of them, or of me, as we were still in jammies and . . . well . . . to put it kindly, my FIL's hair was stupendous. ;-)


Mike was often honored to play matress for Sunshine, a very old kitty. She's frail now, and doesn't move well, but she does love body heat, and Mike is gifted that way.



These are the socks (and the feet) of FIL and MIL. They fit perfectly - yay - and they both seem to like them! I just hope they actually wear them and don't "save them for good".

My parents are joining us this afternoon, so I should have a few more pics later today or tomorrow.

Gratitude!

I don't have any pictures to update you with yet, but I just had to come back and tell you how lovely my staff at work have been! They've all been talking about how great it was, all the work I put into their gifts and how each thing I made was just perfect for the recipient - each one unique and all that. Yay! I should have known they'd come through and be wonderful - that's why I made them all nice things, afterall! Now I just need to get them to all wear their new gifts so I can take pictures!

On the needles now: another hat for another friend, that summer tank top I started for myself ages ago, the second of my final pair of sock war socks (yes, I still have to finish that darn thing and no, I never did receive a pair of socks from the stoopid war).

Soon to be on the needles: hubby's sweater (gasp! a full-size sweater!), a baby gift for a friend

Gift Giving

I finished all of the presents I made for my staff: 2 scarves, 3 tiny sock ornaments, 12 hats. I went in to work today (I've been off all week) for the party (just a potluck in the break room) and delivered them. A few people were very touched by the time it took, etc. A couple just sort of brushed it off (it seemed) and the rest hadn't opened them by the time I left. Makes me wonder: what do they think, really? Are they expecting presents from me, the "boss" of the branch? I never expect gifts from my own supervisor. Sometimes all of the administrators will go together and make a donation in our honor to the Literacy Council or something, which is very nice. I've not received a gift from my staff for a few years now. Maybe I should just stick to family and just give out cards at work. I was just feeling - I don't know - generous. I wanted to do something nice for each of them. There is a little, tiny bit of me that feels like they don't appreciate me . . .but I am trying to drown that out with feelings of being giving and happy and generous and how nice that feeling can be.

Ah well - I didn't get any pics, since the big pile on the bed pic. Maybe some other day I'll ask them all to wear their stuff and take a group pic. Maybe not.

First, I must brag about my beautiful TG pie. Dod you see the little leaves and flowers I put around the edge of the crust?



Here is the pile of hats for my staff. I'm up to 9 and #10 is on the needles. I have a few washclothes, too, but I'm afraid I might not have enough "boy" things, so I'm going to work on that now. #10 is a boy hat, I think, and really, now that I'm looking, it's pretty evenly divided. One person on my staff just asked me yesterday if I could make her one of the little mini socks . . . so after this hat I think I'll make some of those as ornaments and offer those to ppl who wouldn't like a hat. What do you all think?

I'm starting to knit according to deadlines. #1 Finish staff stuff first. #2 Finish Christmas stuff for my family, who'll be opening gifts on Dec. 24-25. #3 Finish gifts for my in-laws who we'll visit on New Year's weekend. #4 Finish gifts for other friends who'll have to wait til January. I must resist knitting for myself! OMG - I almost forgot my dad's birthday next weekend. New hat!!!!!! (Mom, keep the secret, please!)

Sock Wars

I have lost the war in the sudden death round. YM put her addy up on our spreadsheet and whomever got a letter to her first would win. Someone sent her flowers - genius! Here is a pic of the flowers of my doom.

I also just received the SIPs from my last victim. I'll finish off the second sock for my current vic and be done. Done, I tell you!

WIP UPDATE! (finally)

Mom- Don't tell Dad, but this is his enormous moebius scarf. It is a big huge loop that goes down to my feet. LOL Sorry for the blurry - operator malfunction on the camera.











This next one is one of the many hats I'm making. My goal is to have something handknit for everyone on my staff (that's 16 items for those of you keeping track) by Christmas. We'll see! Let's count this as one. I think I'll do a mix of hats and washclothes and felted bowls. :-)








This is number two of the great staff knitting extravaganza! It's great bulky yarn. I couldn't get a good picture (obviously), but it has shiny bits, too. I couldn't resist the tassle.












And this is hat #3 - I used some of the Noro Silk Garden for the brim, and lovely heather purple wool for the rest. I likes it.










And this, obviously, is a cat, not a hat. :-) Hello Rosie!

NYC part deux

I wanted to be sure to show the view from one of the coffee shops I found. Was delightful, and just warm enough to eat outside.

I also found the Jefferson Market Library, and it was delightful. It's an historic landmark building, once used at the courthouse. Lots of great stained glass and that cool turret! The Children's Librarian even printed out the history of the building for me.

Here you see the pink pig potholder I made for my uncle.

A pic of my uncle. I was struck with howmuch he looks like my grandmother as I remember her. I didn't tell him that, though, as he is very sensitive about his age.
And then, finally, another WIP - the hat I made while there. 2 strands of Noro Silk Garden together. It's a really beautiful hat, full of rich colors!

I love NY, pt 1

These are not in order, but just some random memories. First, me and my sock in Bryant Park, just behind the Main NYPL at 42nd st. It was a very windy, day, but in the sun it was delightful. I loved the smell of the crepe stand that was nearby, too . . . until some smokers came into the vicinity. Sigh.


This is the knitting store that I think was the inspiration for one of the shops in _Chicks with Sticks_. It was a fun store, if much higher-priced than my own LYS, and it was right above the Jamba Juice shop (yum!).

The white building in the middle there is my Uncle's apartment building. He is on the second floor. You can see the hardware store to the left of the frame, and the greenish awnings on the right are a massage place (I didn't indulge because I can get them at half the price here) and a design place of some kind. Across the street is the home/studio of Donna Karan, and my uncle told me lots of dish-y stories about living across from that, including how she introduced her Fall line there this year and he could see into the dressing rooms from his windows.
I spent Saturday afternoon with my friend, BigGoose. We met in front of the library, rode the subway to Central Park, walked there, went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art(the Vollard Exhibit was amazing, as was the rest!), and then had dinner at a Kosher place around the corner before catching buses in opposite directions. I liked the Alice sculpture in CP, too - and it was a lovely day for walking . .. but after all that walking on marble and pavement, I was pooped! I'll post another installment, including a pic of Uncle Dick, soon.