Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Off Again

I leave for (hopefully) sunny California next week to attend Expo. It's the biggest natural products show in the nation. I'm working there for All Terrain and Borlind but that doesn't mean I don't have time to sample all the wonderful products and foods. There just isn't enough time to see or do it all. I've made a list of favorite vendors to visit and see if I can get any little freebies to bring home and stretch my tight "organic, natural, earth-friendly" budget. I'll try and remember to give you the details when I return.

In the meantime, check out my artic explorers.We got about another 14" on Sunday night. I don't mind the snow, not even lots and lots of it. I live in New Enlgand, I chose to live here, I don't bitch about winter. Except one thing...I'm so tired of being super cold. It was ZERO when I got out of bed this morning, definitely not walking the dog. Let's hope CA will let me warm up my fingers a little, if nothing else, I won't have to wear Darn Tough wool socks (the best socks in the world, thank you David O!) and Sorels.

I am almost finished the sweater I started a couple of months ago. It went super-fast (did the body in a few days) until I got to the sleeves. Sleeves are always the death of me, especially when you have to knit them on dpns. I have less than 20 rounds to go...think I'll finish it tonight? Not a chance, I think I'll pick up a scarf instead of going around in tiny circles. I'll finish the sleeve on my lunch break tomorrow, work in my ends, take a picture and let y'all see it. I never photo-ed this one in progress, so you just get to see the done deal.

I wonder what I will bring to knit on the plane to CA...that's a lot of opportunity to knit uninterrupted by a small child, dog or man. Maybe start the linen skirt for summer, or finish the lace scarf, or the wool scarf, or the white Rowan sweater. Finish something? Nah, it's getting closer to spring...start-itis has got me.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Thank you!

My good friend Abbie and 2 of her children came to visit me yesterday. Bubba Lou and T had a wonderful time together and B.L. shared her toys and swing much better than I ever suspected she would. Zeep was well behaved, but quite curious. No one got an accidental puppy bite. All-in-all it couldn't have gone any better. Until I opened a little bag from Abbie containing a skein of yarn! It is a lovely shade of harvest orange (about the shade my kitchen will be someday) in soft, hand-spun, kettle-dyed wool. I had just the pattern for it:
I love that this pattern looks like I'm weaving instead of knitting. And one skein makes the perfect length/width for my chocolate brown leather coat. Many, many heartfelt thanks to you Abbie! I will think of you every time I wear this (and hopefully we have warm spring before I finish it, but I doubt it.)

B.L. was not left out of the gift-giving. For a belated birthday gift, she got the cutest little kitchen tools with bodies instead of handles and a spoon, whisk, and measuring cup for heads! She LOVES them and says "Thank You" again. We used them this morning to make pancakes.

And to top of our fantastic day, Nana came for a sleepover! Does it get better?