Home Again Jiggety

I do not know how it could possibly happen that I am home again! How could a long weekend away slip through my hands so fast that here I sit at my desk again, sighing longingly out the window. Only my sunburn (which is a beauty) reminds me that for a couple of wonderful days I laughed more than I thought possible, caught up with my Kansas family whom I adore, went out to dinner (twice even) for some really great food, drank countless bartenderly delights and for long swatches of time floated in the pool like a trout.

I am not positive that trout float, well when they are alive anyway, but refused to use the term water buffalo when it came to my lounging. Just know that lounging was done and done WELL. My Aunt lives next door (it is a huge property, but it is still next door) brought down delicious food on a regular basis. It was a dang boogerin' good deal!

The pool water was delightful. As it was 100 degrees without the heat index, let's just say that it was smokin' hot. The lovely blue pool was just steps away from the bedroom housing my suitcase which had any number of lovely treats in it, like books and magazines and of course Liesl. I did not answer my cell phone one time (heaven) nor did I check email or even fire up the laptop. I didn't even miss it! As I drove both ways (over 9 hours coming home) there was no car knitting. Because I was not alone in the rented white Camry there was not an orgy of podcast listening. There were however frequent stops for vanilla caffeine free diet Coke's at any QT that called my name and of course to potty. Or for the dogs to potty. Or for my partner to potty. This is a good thing and I mention it here because the ability to potty whenever and wherever you want only happens when you are not traveling with a man. A man finds some perverse delight in only stopping when it makes him quite satisfied and usually when you are about to pee down your leg. You know it is true, it really is. The other benefit to stopping for a a potty break is not only stretching your legs but finding out what other delightful treats lurk in the gas station. It might be a frozen Snickers bar or perhaps my favorite, the Chik-O-Stik. All in the name of mini vacation it is fair game and completely guiltless as this incredibly wonderful getaway was!

I'll be back in 6 short weeks (woo hoo). My cousin's youngest is getting married and had to go pretty quick on the whole wedding thing in order for us to have an opening in the schedule when we could go out there and make magic. His fiance is the most adorable thing you have ever seen. She does not knit, to my sorrow, but you can be sure that she will hold my knitting du jour at the appropriate time while looking bridely!!!

That is the happy couple above----- darling. And young! They think nothing of having us take engagement photos at high Noon when it is hotter than seven hundred dollars. My nephew will even hoist her cute self up and give her a twirl. I'm impressed because it has not only been a long time since I have been twirled, I think it has been awhile since this has been a desire!

Oh Liesl? I managed a repeat or two and am still wild about the pattern it is pretty cute. With any luck I might get the desk cleared, the phone calls returned, the prints ordered, the internet problem dealt with, the laundry done, the vacuum run and sit down with a big old glass of something from the cocktail family and have a bit of a knit.

After all, I'm just back ---- we wouldn't want to overdo or anything!

Last Day of Mini-Vacay

I can't even stand this photo of my adorable little boy dog Prince. He got UNDER the recliner and got stuck the little bozo! He didn't even make a peep! Little girl dog and I were in the kitchen and she got a little treat, but no Prince to be seen. When I came around the corner this was the sight I saw.

Silly dog! Look at that face!!!!!!!!

Sock Boots?

If you are reading this on the day it posted--- I'm actually out of town WOO HOO!!!! Very rarely does a little getaway happen, and this weekend my bags are packed and I'm gone.

Nothing terribly exciting, no tropical islands, no swaying palm trees, no exotic cuisine. But my dogs a swimming pool and good friends and family all in a day's drive.

My next door neighbor moved and her mail somehow ended up in my door, the Christmas 2008 catalog of The L*akeside Collection. Check these out!!! Knitted sockboots................ for under ten bucks. Of course the yarn is not of the highest quality and who knows where they are imported from. It sort of made me sad really.

Moving past the more than likely imported from some country where no one is paid a living wage---- the catalog does have some rather interesting things in it. I'm not going to buy but a girl can certainly look!

Thanks to the date posting feature on B*logger----- I didn't even have to get out of the pool to write this!

Liesl Progress

First things first------- no, my knitting brides do NOT choose their photos adorably knitting for their proofs or their albums. Actually, they never show up anywhere other than in my collection and I'm terribly grateful that they happily pose for my knitting pics!

And I do have a bit (albeit a tiny bit) of knitting to show. Liesl is coming along! I'm knitting down the torso towards the finish line---- the joy of cap sleeves and top down construction! What a delight Liesl is, I've always loved feather and fan--- fun to knit and fun to watch progress. The only problem was that as much as I tried--- -and no matter how many updates I received on the pattern, the sleeves did not line up as the pattern directed, it just didn't make sense. Once I just did what was intuitively right the cap sleeves lined up and cast off and the body of the sweater marched along nicely.

It is probably one of the worst blog photos ever, and if an award were given away for such a thing I might well be the winner. I apologize. I did want you to see that there IS progress, even though it looks to be a pink blobby thing. With any luck there will be finished object photos soon! And before one of you smarty pants Blitters comments, yes, I do realize that to me SOON as it relates to a knitted project completed is a relative thing!

I have a feather and fan dishcloth pattern tucked away and was going to make several with some handmade soaps for Christmas this year. I think by the time I finish Liesl I might be ready to move away from that lace pattern for awhile!

Katie Knit Saigon

Knit Saigon?

Ummmmmmmmm yeah! Actually the knitting bride has nothing to do with Saigon, last night was all about Saigon, M*iss Saigon that is. But now the post is quite muddled!

That's Katie, above. A Pretty Little Knitting Bride.

She's holding the re-knit of Liesl, which should by all accounts be at least twice as big as it is above---- owing to the fact that I started again from scratch in a smaller gauge.

I'll comment on her veil------ pretty as can be, although in a far less than 'trendy' style this year. Her Mom made it and did an exceptional job. I've seen purchased (and pricey) veils that are miles short of this well constructed. Another non-knitting bride, sigh.

Now, Saigon? Yes! Last night under the most delightful of weather conditions (breezy and super cool) we went to the M*uny for M*iss Saigon. The M*uny is the nations oldest and largest outdoor theater. It is a very large venue, plans were set in motion in 1904 when the World's Fair was in St. Louis. Construction began in 1917 and what remains today is a beautiful area of the park where the complex calls home.

I'd been a little concerned about the weather, c'mon outdoor theater at the end of July? In past M*uny seasons I've sweated my everlovin' off in the name of theater! That fact notwithstanding, I love M*iss Saigon, it is one of my favorite plays of all time--- so tickets were purchased and fingers were crossed. The evening could not have been more glorious, so with the prelude of sushi eated at an sidewalk restaurant in the West End, a beautiful night was in store. The cast? Simply fantastic! I was a little concerned for one of the (I think) pivotal scenes where Saigon is falling, the Marines and citizens of Saigon alike are in turmoil and everyone is trying to get OUT while the giant helicopter buzzes overhead. The M*uny did not disappoint----- the scene ended with a helicopter (and full surround sound) coming from the back of the stage area flying overhead to the rear of the M*uny. Perfection! How many times can you attend a performance of Miss Saigon where a REAL helicopter flies over the audience? Only here I understand!

And, not a stitch was knit although a late lunch with knit group alums RMS, Yoel and Silvana provided knit TALK. I think that might count!

The Great Summer Escape draws near..................... only two more days of hard work until the car, the dogs and 5.5 hours on the open road call my name. A weekend of 'away', the thought intoxicating to this tired gal.

Drizzle Knitting Bride

Well at long last comes the knitting bride from last Saturday. Funny, here we are poised to run smack up against tomorrows bride! This tells you something about the studio workload this week, yes?

Last weeks knitting bride was so laid back, mellow and FUN--- which was a very good thing because the day was full of drizzle all the way to downright hard rain. Mary is good naturedly posing with Pi Are Square, plodding along, yet still a wonderfully happy knitting project. For those of you who don't knit but tell me you wished you did, a project like this is quite easy, despite its growing size.

And no Ann, I'm not knitting the Pi at Knitty. They do have a fabulous space, a groove group of knitters and led by the wonderful Thi----- but there is simply no time to hang with the company of knitters much. Speaking of Knitty, it seems that they are jumping on the knitting olympics bandwagon, that just sounds like so much fun! (Too much pressure, but buckets of fun!) Thi is on my *S* list right now as she is embarking on a trip I would lovelovelove to make, attending Knit Camp with Meg Swansen. Sigh. I love Thi, she deserves this glorious trip. However Thi.......... I'll be stopping by the shop to pick your brain when you get home!

I'll be leaving the studio early today, woo hoo. With any luck you will find me catching my Liesl back up, she looks SO MUCH BETTER on the smaller needles, I'm endlessly pleased that I started over!

Time Part Deux

The PI Chair

Have you ever noticed that as soon as you say something, especially when you make a strong statement that something comes along to challenge you?

I'm trying very hard to hang on to the live in the moment and don't let the small stuff getcha' mode. Being in the self-employed trenches does make you run a little harder I think, and for me as one who finds 'wedding season' especially busy and doubly challenging it all gets to be soupy. And sometimes not in a good way!

Things are pretty insane at the studio right now, tons of work is coming in--- which of course is a good thing--- but the downside is that the load is heavy, and getting heavier. It is becoming more of a daily push to stay even, much less on top of. One of the things that is making me SMILE right now is my Project Runway Ravelry group, I'm in group 4. The group was randomly assigned a designer and when it is all said and done the person with the winning designer wins the goods from the rest of the group. Only week one and it promises to be a lot of fun with a lot of laughs. I don't know how hard I'm laughing because my designer is Blayne, I think he is a dolt with his over-tanned self and stupid trying to come up with a tagline as fabulous as 'fierce' was last season. Not to mention that his design last night was bizarre if not hideous.

While I watched PR I was knitting (imagine that) on the fabulous Liesl, deciding that it needed another repeat or two before binding off for the cap sleeve version. During this I had to face up to the fact that I had been lying to myself==== I hated the way the knitted fabric looked! This can happen to me frequently, I just keep plugging along telling myself that I will like it better when it is done, which of course never works out. What you have then is a garment that you will never wear at all. SO, Liesl has now been completely frogged back (for you non-knitters that means RIPPED_ to the yarn. I have about 6 rows on it using smaller needles and I'm glad that I bit the bullet and just did it. Much better.......... much, much better. We will not discuss the time wasted on the knitting part but focus on the happiness of a better project in the end.

Do you lie to yourself about projects? Keep pushing ahead when you know you ought to begin again or even completely scrap the project????? I'm all ears!