Happy Halloween

With Halloween falling on a Monday, we decided that true celebrations would happen on Saturday. With parties to attend, we met up at a local bar to get our Halloween spirit together. Shortly thereafter, we headed out to the party. One of my co-workers throws the BEST parties, really the very BEST. The party was packed with fantastic costumes and unique expressions. Though I did hear the Zombie Juice turned one into a ZOMBIE!



Mot dressed up as Frida and I went as a spider. Let me tell you, those eyebrows are sure to get the opposite sex's attention! Others in our group went as a Hurricane Television Reporter, a Half Patient/ Half Doctor, the Lone Ranger, a Kitty and The Bearded Lady.

Not all this weekend was spent Halloweening, I finished another Dulaan Hat and Ethan's baby sweater is currently blocking in preparation for the collar addition and final sewing up.

Hat Knitting

A few nights ago, I cast on for another Dulaan hat using some of Linda K's donated Lorna's Laces Worsted Weight yarn. This one is knit using two different yarns in order to create a double-thick warm and cozy hat.



After a few nights of knitting, including one while at dinner with my Grandfather (Yes, I often knit when I go out to eat with my Grandfather. He eats at a much slower pace than me and the knitting keeps me from rushing him while allowing us to enjoy our time together), I've started the lining. I forsee a FO on this shortly, maybe even this weekend depending on how much Halloween fun I have.

I love the pointy-ness of this hat along with the wonderful lace pattern, which is hard to see right now but will pop once the yellow is beneath it. Lovely!

In other un-related news, I finished reading Marcell Proust's "Swann's Way" last night. So lovely! I'll be putting a review up in Reading shortly.

Wishing I had something to say...

Life has been pretty routine this week with the usual deviations. There was Spanish on Monday which was good and last night, running with Mot and Zubin. Then I had dinner with my Grandfather. I made the poor man eat at 8 p.m. at night but he wanted to visit with me and that is when I usually eat dinner. It was a nice evening but I didn't get home until 9:30 p.m. which meant that I didn't end up going to sleep until Midnight which is way too late for me. I did however finish up the first half of my second Dulaan hat. I don't have a picture though because that would have required fore-sight.

Tonight will feature eye brow waxing (it is TOO exciting!) and a sneak preview of "Prime" at the downtown theatre. I know, life just gets sooooo exciting at times!

And so here's to an blah update! May your days be less blah!

Dulaan Knitting



Saturday arose bright and sunny, reminding us Seattlites of our brief Summers and plunging some of us (me!) into a wee depression about the coming months of rain, fog and darkness. There was something to save the day though and that was the Dulaan Knit-In at Mary's house.



I arrived a tiny bit late (because arriving on time is so not my thing) and quickly cast on for a cabled hat. I was using yarn that I won at the Seattle Stitch and Pitch back in July. I figured one good turn deserved another.

Linda was also thinking the same thing and brought bags and bags of beautiful yarn to Mary's for Dulaan knitting. I was so excited by all the beautiful yarn, I neglected to take photos but I can tell you that there are kids in Mongolia that will be warmer due to Linda's generosity. I took some Lorna's Laces for socks, hats and a possible scarf (still in the decision period). This will be a great boost toward my 14 items goal.

I then returned to the knitting and after snacking on treats and discussing yarn with others, I finished up the hat.



I made Ryan pose in the hat but somehow in my excitement, I shook the camera and got a fuzzy photo. (Sorry, Ryan!)



And of course, I had to model my own creation before it was placed in the knitting pile for another who can really use the warmth.



Dulaan Knitting -- 1 Down! 13 to go!

Running with Zubin



My friends Julie and Eric are off in Chicago at a wedding this weekend so I'm staying at their place with the Zubster. Last night when I arrived home from work, I was tired and a bit grumpy. Zubin didn't care about any of that, he just wanted to RUN! While I got ready to go on a run that I didn't want to par-take in, I made him sit on his green chair. The whining and talking back that I heard was vastly amusing.

Once I was ready to go and Zubin was leashed up, we sprinted outside. I started my heart rate monitor and off we flew. Zubin was pulling as hard as a sled dog and I was his poor victim. We sprinted past walkers and other dogs and began heading up the one hill we needed to climb before the fun part of the run started. Once we hit, the peak the serious running began. Zubin wanted to fly. Zubin wanted to enjoy the run and so I ran like Phoebe in Friends. I just didn't care about style or the proper way, I just ran. We ran through the leaves and over the freeway and down the hill. It was on the downslope of the hill that I raced Zubin and won! Once we were within a few blocks of Zubin's house, I slowed us to a walk and once we arrived home, Zubin rested his weary body on his green chair. This time though there wasn't any whining or back-talk, just some sighs of happiness. In the end, I'm glad that Zubin made me run as it ended up being a good one.

Missing the Ribbons

This last weekend, I went nuts and visited Weaving Works where I purchased some happy yarn. I then quickly headed home and started working on some lovely fingerless gloves from Alter Knits which took less than two hours to complete and only one skein of Manos Del Urguay.



And now all that is missing from these delightful gloves is the side ribbons. Once I have time to go shopping for that, these will become part of my everyday wardrobe. I know they will be great for those cold mornings when the steering wheel is freezing and the car is a cold freezer.

Secret Pals ROCK!



Friday night I arrived home tired and worn out from an extremely busy week. Upon my doorstep, I found a delightful little box filled with wonderful treats! My Better Pal had struck again! Saturdays are my long run day and this package full of treats for my feet was just the right thing to bring a smile to my face.

I've not yet used the bath bombs but I sense I will shortly as there are some aches and pains that need to be taken care of by a nice warm bubbly bath.

And have any of you tried the Knitter's Balm? This stuff is awesome! Completely Awesome!

THANK YOU BETTER PAL!

This past weekend, I started a few projects, gathered supplies for the Union Square Sweater and finished up a few other projects. Unfortunately photos will have to wait for now.

If today was not an endless highway,
If tonight was not a crooked trail,
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time,
Then lonesome would mean nothing to you at all.
Yes, and only if my own true love was waitin',
Yes, and if I could hear his heart a-softly poundin',
Only if he was lyin' by me,
Then I'd lie in my bed once again.

Tomorrow Is A Long Time
By Bob Dylan
Sung by Nickel Creek

Learning for the art of learning

I've been taking Spanish classes for almost a year now and I really enjoy them. I finally feel as if I'm getting it. I can make small conversation and watching television shows in espanol is no longer as difficult as it once was. Lately though what has struck me as interesting is how other people react to my desire to learn another language.

They ask if I'm traveling to Spain or Costa Rica, or if I need to learn it for my job or if I have someone I want to communicate with in Spanish. And they are consistently surprised when I tell them, I am taking the language for the single purpose of learning it. And I've had more than one person say in the last week that it is refreshing to see someone learning for the sake of learning.

And hearing that for me is interesting. Don't others want to learn just to learn? Isn't that why we read books, take up hobbies, explore new places to visit? At the end of the day, isn't all that to learn and expand our minds? But maybe it isn't. Maybe people get too busy (and I would certainly put myself into this group) to learn new things. Jobs take up a lot of the day, then exercise (to fit into some ideal), families, responsiblities and laundry take up the rest. Sometimes fitting learning in can be tough but sometimes sacrificing laundry time for learning can be way more rewarding than clean clothing!

Babies, Bebes and Bambinos

Lately it seems my knitting is for little people -- babies, bebes and bambinos -- all the wee ones. It appears that I am in that period of my life where my married friends are busy making miniature versions of themselves. And this provides me with some of my favorite kind of knitting, minature versions of my favorite knits!




And so tomorrow I will send off one treat for a future baby and start a new treat for another wee one.



And luckily for the wee one, the yarn arrived in the mail today. I can already say that I love how Knit Picks Shine feels! It's almost as good as the price!

Let the wee knitting commence!

Dog Filled Weekend

This weekend I watched a new set of dogs, June and Boz -- a pug and a rottweiler. The dynamic duo!



Their size difference often gave me a giggle but the funniest site of the weekend was June the pug chasing Boz around the backyard. Now that is a site to behold!

I learned many things from the beasts this weekend. For instance, a pug can take up just as much room in the bed as a rottweiler but the rottweiler causes more pain when he tries to lie on you like the pug. *OUCH*



I learned that pugs are full of loud snores at night but make great snuggle bugs.



I learned that my car is just a bit too small for a rottweiler but is ok for a short trip to the dog park.



And finally I learned that both pugs and rottweilers will try to steal your knitting if you leave it in steal-able places. Boz took my sheep measuring tape and I found him roaming around downstairs with it. He looked quite pleased with his find but was quickly saddened when I stole sheepie back!



In addition, this weekend I finished another part of the Trellis sweater. Last night I cast on for the remaining right front. After that it is just the collar and sewing up!


All the beautiful parts


Looking like a sweater now

One of THOSE days

Yesterday was sooooo one of those days. First, I had a mini-tiff with my father where there was snootiness involved on both sides. Then I had work upsetness which lead me to announcing that I needed to have the BEST RUN EVER to Julie when I met up with her later.

And you know what, THAT was the highlight of my day. I did have the BEST RUN EVER! I announced to Julie as we were bounding along that I was now SO VERY HAPPY! It was one of those runs where I didn't care that it was raining, that only added to the joy. I was able to do annoying cheers and leaps to show how happy I was and I just wished that the people around me could experience that joy too.

After running, I headed home for some Survivor, Teriyaki and knitting time. I announced early on in the evening that I forsaw a finished right front for the Trellis sweater. I think Karma heard me because later in the evening, there was some swearing and another announcement that the, "Sweater is F**king with ME!" So I did what any smart knitter does, I kept knitting and then I ripped and then I had the needles taken from me since I wasn't playing fair with the yarn.

Here is the right front as of this morning, not finished but oh it will be soon and it better not mess with me again!

Where Rebecca Discusses Why Updating The Blog This Week Has Been So Difficult

1. Spanish Classes started on Monday night. All the new people are super smart (or just appear to be so), speak Spanish fluently (why don't I?) and intimidated me (which is hard since I don't intimidate easily but believe me! If you had seen me on Monday, I looked like a deer caught in the headlights)

2. All my Knitting has not produced anything that can be shown. I love secret knitting, I really do but it is hard to have lots of secret knitting because then you can not show off what great things you have made! :P

3. Work has been insanely busy. Busy! Busy! Busy! For instance, the phone was already ringing as I walked in this morning. AND you know what, it is STILL ringing! Well best to be busy than bored!

4. Watching Movies. Last night I saw Everything is Illuminated which made me want to read the book and tell everything how much I LOVED it! And somehow this weekend, I also watched Crash and The Motorcycle Diaries this past weekend. Both were just fabulous and thought provoking. I seem to be in a movie watching thought provoking mood.

5. Packages. I received two of the three packages I've been expecting in the mail but not the one I was really hoping for! I did get some new awesome books from Amazon and some Mission Falls 1824 Cotton (for baby sweaters!) but I need the yarn for the baby blanket for Kim's baby. That sucker is going to take a long time to knit up and I only have a few months to do this!

So those are my excuses for this week...hopefully I'll have some knitting to show later this week!

Jamie Oliver

I feel so lucky right now! My boss just returned from a trip to New York and brought me a SIGNED Jamie Oliver book. It is personally inscribed to me and I am so excited!

WHAT A GREAT SURPRISE!