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Post Holiday wrap-up

On Friday, I celebrated Independence Day with my immediate family by eating pork ribs at their house and then going home, and then going to the fireworks at College Park later in the evening. I’ll spare you the police and fire-zone related issues, and suffice it to say, a good time was had. My aunt, uncle, and cousin found us and we all watched the fire works together.

My sister took a short video of them:

Yesterday (saturday) was my 28th birthday, and there was yarn and sheep cake involved:

Huffin and Puffin

(I ate its jugular vein; that is, where the pink ribbon is. I named it Stan.) Earlier in the day, I went peddle boating with my dad at the Lafayette Reservoir and then we had breakfast at Country Waffles.

Now I’m going to order my loom and call it a day.  Looks like we’re in for another heat wave, yay. At least the air quality has been better lately from all those fires that have been raging across California.  Oh, and I learned how to put washer fluid in my car, that was pretty exciting.

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A Week In the Life

I have been run ragged this week, and it’s not over yet! OY VEY.

Last Monday was the last day I was just at home with nothing to do. Oh, Monday, you were great. Tuesday I had a large homeowner’s meeting to record minutes for, Wednesday I had another board meeting to record minutes for, and Thursday I had a Chamber of Commerce mixer, and Friday I went out with my cousin to the movies. So I kind of haven’t been home in forever. Today I am off to Sacramento for a birthday party and tomorrow I am going with the fam to Placerville and a flower farm.

Luckily, next week is a short work week and I don’t have any meetings. Friday is the 4th of July and Saturday is my birthday. I’m hoping that the smoke from the 800 fires dissipates because I REALLY WANT to go peddle boating for my birthday out at the Lafayette Reservoir. However, we are being told to stay inside and not go out and breathe all the smoke.  I can understand this – yesterday I was out in Brentwood on a site inspection, and was horking up snot and ash for an hour afterwards. It was still fun, though, Phil and I went off-roading in his golf cart up on the hill, where I hadn’t been before, to survey the goat damage.

So, my cousin Amanda and I went to see Wanted, starring the fawn from Chronicles of Narnia and Angelina Jolie. It was totally not what I was expecting, but it still really great. Completely violent and excessive, which I have really been in the mood for. Earlier this week I got Shoot ‘Em Up from Netflix and THAT is an AWESOME movie, if you haven’t seen it and you enjoy a spot of violence and Clive Owen killing a bunch of people while running around holding a baby, then that is the movie for you! However, not for the faint of heart, so if you are easily bothered by gore and lactating prostitutes (hi google searchers!) then you should probably avoid Shoot ‘Em Up. I loved it a lot however and watched it twice, it was that good.

/end gushing

So I haven’t completely just done nothing. I got a couple boxes in the mail this week. I purchased Norah Gaughan Volume 3 and a couple of the new pattern pamphlets from Berroco and those came quite promptly.
I also finally got my box of stuff I bought in Texas, which had more yarn and all those beads in it. AND I was bad and ordered from the Loopy Ewe.

Recent Yarn Acquisitions

And I am working on a sock in Araucania Nature Multy:

New Sock

And a swallowtail shawl:

Swallowtail Shawl

I’m knitting this shawl in the Daffodil colorway of some Rio de la Plata sock yarn. I really like the yarn, it’s got a great rustic feel to it, and as you can see, the stitch definition is tops. I’m having fun diving into the stash and trying out the different yarns I have. I’m hoping to finish this shawl in time for my cousin’s wedding.  Not that I am going to wear a wool shawl to a summer wedding in REDDING but it’s a timeline goal anyway.

Now I am off to the post office to mail a check and my Netflix (Talledega Nights, which was funny but stupid) and get gas, drop off some stuff at the library, and go to Target.

Later taters.

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Stash Enhancement

Do you remember at the beginning of the year, when I said to myself, “NO BUYING SOCK YARN!” Well, in anticipation of Summer of Socks 2008 (which I signed up for ages ago and completely forgot about and starts today, the first day of summer), I would like to present photographic evidence of the progression of the stash: It is either scary or awesome, depending on your point of view. (In other words, no buying sock yarn = big fat fail.)

Exhibit A (February 2007):

State of the Sock Yarn Stash

A respectable stash! Some good colors, quality yarn, something to be proud of.

Exhibit B (August 2007):

Sock Yarn Stash as of 8.11.07

Larger, but still respectable. A noticeable love of winding skeins into cakes is starting to come into light. (I bought my swift at Stitches West 2007).

Exhibit C (June 2008):

The State of the Sock Yarn Stash

ZOMG I need to start knitting.

If you click on the second two pictures, I have tagged them in Flickr with the different kinds of yarn. I also maybe possibly made an order at the Loopy Ewe yesterday. OH SHUSH.

However, may I present to you the latest in my upcoming interests:

Yeah, my birthday is in two weeks, and I’m going to use birthday money to hella score a rigid heddle loom. This particular model has everything you could need, and folds up, and turns into a warping board. I’m really excited – I think it will be a great way to use some of the stash, and I’ve been really impressed with some of the weaving I’ve seen around the internets.

If you’ll recall, I’m definitely more of a product over process knitter, and weaving seems to me a great way to get a product, even if to set up it’s somewhat time consuming. I’m looking forward to ordering the loom and getting started on teaching myself a new skill.

Here’s to crafting!