Hi there! Happy 2013! I know we're nearly at that time when it's too late to say happy new year, so I'll make sure I get that out of the way.
I have a bunch of FOs for 2012 that I must put together into posts and I promise I'll do it soon. But first is a post long overdue...
Nearly two years ago, Partner secretly went about an attempt to teach himself to knit. Not long before Sock Summit 2011, he admitted he needed help. And no wonder! A usually good LYS had set him up with a dark, fuzzy yarn for his first project. Ugh.
I came back from Sock Summit with yarn from Twisted PDX and Partner tried again and worked on a scarf which I just can't find a picture of...
Fresh excitement quickly produced another FO...
Then it was back to that blue yarn, and more success. The proud knitter...
There was a bit of a break with knitting for Partner while we were in Britain. After we returned, Partner had a very specific hat idea. In fact after he was done with the hat, he decided he wanted to make a set.
One for him and one for...
Wiggle!
That's right, we brought home one last, very special souvenir from our United Kingdom adventure, confirmed our final morning in London:
After weeks of quiet to make sure I was safely past the first weeks, we told my family and then slowly told friends. I'm at around 23 weeks and have moved into the definitely showing phase.
After weeks of waiting for some outward sign, now I feel like each day I look different!
Ironically Partner completed the first FO for Wiggle, but don't think Mama hasn't been working on some handknits too!
Who knows, maybe there are two new knitters in the house...
So, sorry for the very sporadic blog posting the past few weeks.
I've been keeping a bit of a secret. Back in the Spring, I applied for another job. During the summer, I was told I'd made the final cut. Then, while we were in England, I was given a final job offer. And then the kicker: they asked when in September I wanted to start. When we were still in England.
Did I mention the new job isn't in California?
So, when we arrived home I had less than three weeks to wrap up everything in California and move. Of course, in reality, there was no way to move everything - including 3 cats - in that amount of time. So, I've been hanging out on my own, while Partner has been back in California getting the house and cats ready. I've been starting a new job, finding a car, and finding a new place for us to live.
I flew back for our anniversary and am finally get a little bit of time to breathe.
Before I left, we spent two great days absorbing some of my favorite things about California.
Partner marked a running course...
The next day I swept a leg of the course.
The next day, a romantic (and goofy) evening out enjoying amazing Japanese food.
And then, the day after our dinner out it was off to our new home.... in Hawaii. The next adventure begins!
There has been intermittent knitting, including knitting up some fast gifts for the friends that have been putting me up until I find us a place to live. Dish clothes, of course!
Pattern: Each is linked above Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream, 149 yards - they all ended up being kind of small, especially after a wash Modifications: on the log-cabin, I did more garter rows along the outside. Knitting yardage total 2012: 1881
There is an etiquette in trail running that says that slower runners should keep to the right and when faster runners want to pass they say, "On your left." It is a rare day (and on a downhill) that I'm on the left side of the track. I've often considered that I should write about "the view from the right side of the track."
While I know the faster runners appreciate the trails (because you don't run up hills unless you care about the view over that on an easier, flatter road), I sometimes wonder if they see as much as I do. You figure that I have about twice as much time to see the same things - I average around a 13 - 14 minute miles and the fastest folks run 7 - 8 minute miles.
I was one of many that walked in the beginning. Ahead is my trail friend C, who kept me company on my mud run a few months ago (and then ran another 5 miles).
Because it's quite steep when you begin (yes, that's the same parking lot).
There were even stairs. Yay! Not.
One of the neatest things about this park is that it was a gun battery to guard the Bay during World War II. I think that it would have been a spooky place indeed on a foggy night, fearing the Japanese were coming. Normally we run through some of the batteries, but this time, they were overgrown with poison oak - no thanks!
It was foggy. There is normally a beautiful view of valley here.
It's not the foggiest it's ever been. After all, you can see other runners. Barely.
We run through a horse stable. Happy horses...
Races aren't possible without those wonderful people at the aid stations!
I love this grove of eucylaptus trees! On a warm day, it provides relief from the sun. But it ALWAYS means you're at the top of the Tennessee Valley - a 700 foot climb in just over a mile! Other people (that guy running being one) don't have as much trouble with it as I do!
A view of the parking lot from the top of Tennessee Valley. Ha.
These crazy bushes??trees?? appeared out of the fog
It's scenes like this that make me love trail running.
On a clear day, you'd think you'd be able to touch the bridge when you round this corner.
You know, this bridge (which I did get to see later on, but from further on)!
Sailboats at Point Bonita lighthouse.
And finally, the finish! It took longer to get here than I wanted, but get here I did (3:07:xx). My last race before England!
I have been so remiss in introducing you all to a beloved and wonderful addition to our family.
On Veteran's Day (November 11th), Partner and I went to Texas Roadhouse. When we were leaving, Partner went ahead of me and then comes back and says, "you're going to have a rough time outside so prepare yourself." Now, if you've seen the damage to my car from careless drivers and knowing this is a small, crowded, busy parking lot, you'd understand why I assumed someone had hit my car.
But no.
It was worse.
Outside, a little fluffy baby kitten was outside, mewing and kneading the pavement in a drizzle. No mama in sight, we coaxed it out with milk and yarn.
I had to rescue it, if only take it to a shelter. We couldn't keep it, we have two cats already!
But on Veteran's Day, the shelter was closed. And it had fleas, so I gave it a bath. I helped clean the axle grease off the ear fur, used a flea comb on the mites and fleas. During the process, I flipped it upside down, and seeing nothing through the fur, decided it was a girl. Little Buttercup!
I decided to take her outside to show Partner. Mistake.
A loud noise freaked her out and off she bolted. We mistakenly gave chase. Because, you know, nothing calms a stray kitten down like being chased by a huge scary human. But I caught her.
She fought, she bit, she mewed. She got away. And we couldn't find her anywhere.
For three days, Partner and I would look through the neighborhood, meeting our neighbors as we prowled their back yards, seeing her and then she'd run away. We found her hidy hole, a screen pulled away from a staircase. Partner left food, but she ran away whenever we approached.
After four days, he got a humane trap from the shelter. And sat on the stairs. And out she came. Let Partner pick her up. No trap needed.
Another bath was in order. Oh no!
An absess on her lower tummy!
I poked, she mewed.
I realized it wasn't an absess.
And Buttercup is no name for a boy kitty!
Partner wouldn't think of taking HIM to a shelter now - he'd grown too attached worrying about him being outside, cold and alone. No shelter for you, little boy!
You like to stretch out your arms, it's so peculiar.
I mean you reallllly stretch out!
Your tail markings remind me of a feather.
We found out you have a heart murmur so you needed special anesthesia.
You're a little splay-legged, and fall over some times because you're pretty clumsy for a cat.
I think it just makes you more adorable.
You have the furriest paws!
You're even fluffier than I thought, and oh. so. soft.
you're affectionate to the point my heart breaks with love
Really, you bring such joy to us, I can't think of you not being part of our family.
Sometimes your sister Sasha disagrees.
You are scared of the outdoors, but love sunbeams.
So, who misses their own birthday celebration?! I had a specific goal in mind before I posted on my birthday. And then missed it (ha!) And then all the things I put off during my birthday weekend had to be done. Well anyway! This is what I did for my birthday.
Presents first!
Yarn!
Pattern book!
And if one is good, two is better! Ha!
Books!
Movies! (the wrapping says, "a secret gift from a brilliant friend" - inspired by the knitting weekend!) And best for last - a handmade jewelry holder!
Stalked by Sasha! (and Beckerman in the first photo, I just realized!)
Since it was also Mother's day in the States, an awesome card:
Baseball!
And knitting!
And knitting while watching movies (while Partner cooked dinner!!)!
And cake! Yum! A fantastic day! And now, finally, the gift for Day 8 - A knitted item! The pattern was given to me by the sweet Kate. Made in a lovely Malabrigo (the label which I cannot currently find)! Since my birthday, I've done a bit more movie watching and knitting and so now have
A hat!
So, to win the hat, tell me: What is your favorite birthday dessert? It's always cake for me!
I don't know what all I need to tell people, so the "rules" continue to get explained as I think necessary. You can get more than one gift in this little party. You just have to leave a comment on each post for that particular gift. I will take comments for this post - and this post only - until 11:59 PST on May 17th. On May 18th, I'll draw names for all of the gifts and contact the recipients!
Well, Kate-a-palooza is drawing to a close, just one day left.
I spent the first day of my birthday weekend enjoying the great outdoors. I was volunteering at a race on my home turf.
Partner ran.
I spent the day working the finish line and started a dishcloth for the down time.
Here was the first finisher of the day.
(it's a dog walking his donkey!)
For today's gift, I have a little bit of sock yarn.
Self striping!
I used Regia for my first pair of socks nearly five years ago. They wear so well, even though I almost always wash them in the washer. They feel so good after a long day of standing, that I've decided to keep wearing them after I put them on for show and tell.
So, to be eligible for this gift, tell me: What is the weirdest gift you've ever received?
I don't know what all I need to tell people, so the "rules" continue to get explained as I think necessary. You can get more than one gift in this little party. You just have to leave a comment on each post for that particular gift. I will take comments for this post, and all Kate-a-palooza posts, until 11:59 PST on May 13th. Please leave your responses on the appropriate post.
It's a busy pre-week of birthday... I probably should have planned this out a little better.
Oh well, today's giveaway is a simple one.
Yarn.
I bought this at Happy Knits in Portland. If you say the name fast, it sounds like Happiness. That is what the cashier told me. I hope this yarn makes you happy.
I enjoy the dependability of Cascade 220. And, though I've only made one sweater, that hasn't gotten a lot of wear, I like the way it wears. But, now that I've spent some money on some super soft yarns, I do notice it's a bit "harder" on the hands, though it softens after a wash.
So, today's gift is 3 skeins of Cascade 220 Heathers in the Mocha Heather colorway. This is the truest picture of the colorway... I guess the kitty fur muted the flash! Brown and a deeper red.
I was thinking this would make a great hat, scarf/cowl, mitten combo. Or a sweater for a younger kid? Is 660 yards enough for that?
So, to be eligible for today's gift, tell me: What yarns do you like and why?
I don't know what all I need to tell people, so the "rules" continue to get explained as I think necessary. You can get more than one gift in this little party. You just have to leave a comment on each post for that particular gift. I will take comments for this post, and all Kate-a-palooza posts, until 11:59 PST on May 13th. Please leave your responses on the appropriate post.
While I was at work, Partner realized today was the last track meet to see some kids we've gotten to know. From there, I went to knit night, and 15 hours after I left, rolled home.
But it wouldn't be good to mess up my own party! So a short post.
Today's item is a collection of bath items - body scrub, body lotion and a spritzer in a lotus and bamboo scent.
For today's gift... how about... tell me something funny that happened during a birthday celebration.
I don't know what all I need to tell people, so the "rules" continue to get explained as I think necessary.
You can get more than one gift in this little party. You just have to leave a comment on each post for that particular gift.
I will take comments for this post, and all Kate-a-palooza posts, until 11:59 PST on May 13th. Please leave your responses on the appropriate post.