I’ve mentioned the epic awesomeness of my best friend Quinn on a number of occasions. She’s everything you could ever want in a best friend, and more - kind, brilliant, thoughtful and hilarious. Plus, she genuinely appreciates the knitting in a way that’s really rare for a non-knitter.
Given her many exceptional qualities, it takes an exceptionally great guy to meet the good-enough-to-date-my-BFF standard.
Luckily, she has just such a guy. He’s good and kind and makes her laugh. They’ve made a really lovely life together over the last several years. And this past weekend, they made it all official: my darling BFF eloped with this wonderful guy and got herself married.
He’s everything I could want for her, and I know they’ll be brilliantly happy together.
So, congratulations again, pumpkin!
You did good. Really, really good.
July 16, 2008
July 11, 2008
TMI
Like most women, I keep a stash of feminine products in the office. They’re in an unassuming IKEA box on the bottom shelf of a crowded bookcase.
So a few minutes ago my (male) boss walked into my cubicle, said “Nice hatbox. What’s in here?” and just opened it (while I was mentally screaming "NOOOOOOOO").
He got this completely appalled look on his face, said “Oh – I see” in a very small voice, carefully shut it and backed far, far away.
I’m going to go die now. But I bet you a million billion dollars he won’t be poking around in anyone else's office stuff. Ever. Again.
So a few minutes ago my (male) boss walked into my cubicle, said “Nice hatbox. What’s in here?” and just opened it (while I was mentally screaming "NOOOOOOOO").
He got this completely appalled look on his face, said “Oh – I see” in a very small voice, carefully shut it and backed far, far away.
I’m going to go die now. But I bet you a million billion dollars he won’t be poking around in anyone else's office stuff. Ever. Again.
July 8, 2008
Leagues, both major and minor
I went to a baseball game last night.
This will surprise just about everyone who knows me, since I consider baseball unwatchably boring. Happily, knitting does radically increase my tolerance for watching sports. And since it was a Stitch ‘n Pitch, the event did combine four out of my five very favorite things: Drinking beer, eating greasy food from carts, smoking in publicly owned facilities (yay minor league ball parks!) and knitting.
Incidentally, when I told one of my fellow knitters that I was doing almost all of my favorite things, she leaned over to me and, with brilliantly dry delivery, said “I'm not sure what your other favorite thing is, but no matter how nicely you ask, I will not have sex with you.” Awesome. I do love my dirty-minded knitting ladies.
And it really was a blast being surrounded by my people, including the aforementioned mind-firmly-in-the-gutter friend Sarah, and the always-awesome Quirkles ...
Needles and yarn everywhere you looked! Socks on circs! Socks on DPNs! An entire section full of random people that really cared about the difference between metal, wood and bamboo. At a baseball game. It was especially charming to be sitting in a ballpark and knowing someone within shouting distance would be able to provide almost everything I needed to finish a sock – such as scissors and a darning needle, and a reminder of how to do the kitchener stitch (which I somehow COMPLETELY FORGOT HOW TO DO while sitting there – I blame the heat. Also, possibly, the beer).
Our local minor league team, the Lowell Spinners, got their asses resoundingly kicked, but I had rather more success. Despite the kitchener stitch memory lapse, I finished a sock…
Plus, there were some major league knitting celebrities, handing out buttons and stickers and being their charming selves. I didn’t want to be all intrusive with the picture-taking.
So I Kinneared them, Yarn Harlot style. Because there's nothing weird or stalkerish about that.
And I did score some of their Ravelry goodies (including a much-coveted-by-me “Where my stitches at?” pin). I always thought of myself as someone who would be calm in these situations, but I believe I received my pin and stutttered something along the lines of "SWEET! I mean, thank you, er, so much. And, um, thank you for, uh, Ravelry." Suave!
Now that’s my idea of a night at the ballpark.
Next up! I continue to drown in greens, but now I at least kind of know what to do with them, thanks to the fabulous advice from all of you....
This will surprise just about everyone who knows me, since I consider baseball unwatchably boring. Happily, knitting does radically increase my tolerance for watching sports. And since it was a Stitch ‘n Pitch, the event did combine four out of my five very favorite things: Drinking beer, eating greasy food from carts, smoking in publicly owned facilities (yay minor league ball parks!) and knitting.
Incidentally, when I told one of my fellow knitters that I was doing almost all of my favorite things, she leaned over to me and, with brilliantly dry delivery, said “I'm not sure what your other favorite thing is, but no matter how nicely you ask, I will not have sex with you.” Awesome. I do love my dirty-minded knitting ladies.
And it really was a blast being surrounded by my people, including the aforementioned mind-firmly-in-the-gutter friend Sarah, and the always-awesome Quirkles ...
Needles and yarn everywhere you looked! Socks on circs! Socks on DPNs! An entire section full of random people that really cared about the difference between metal, wood and bamboo. At a baseball game. It was especially charming to be sitting in a ballpark and knowing someone within shouting distance would be able to provide almost everything I needed to finish a sock – such as scissors and a darning needle, and a reminder of how to do the kitchener stitch (which I somehow COMPLETELY FORGOT HOW TO DO while sitting there – I blame the heat. Also, possibly, the beer).
Our local minor league team, the Lowell Spinners, got their asses resoundingly kicked, but I had rather more success. Despite the kitchener stitch memory lapse, I finished a sock…
Plus, there were some major league knitting celebrities, handing out buttons and stickers and being their charming selves. I didn’t want to be all intrusive with the picture-taking.
So I Kinneared them, Yarn Harlot style. Because there's nothing weird or stalkerish about that.
And I did score some of their Ravelry goodies (including a much-coveted-by-me “Where my stitches at?” pin). I always thought of myself as someone who would be calm in these situations, but I believe I received my pin and stutttered something along the lines of "SWEET! I mean, thank you, er, so much. And, um, thank you for, uh, Ravelry." Suave!
Now that’s my idea of a night at the ballpark.
Next up! I continue to drown in greens, but now I at least kind of know what to do with them, thanks to the fabulous advice from all of you....
July 1, 2008
Admitting defeat
Over the winter I signed up for a weekly half-share of produce from a local farm. This is a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, wherein you pay X dollars to a local farm during the off-season and get a box of produce per week during harvest season.
You not only support local farms when they have minimal income during the off-season but you get awesome super-fresh produce delivered practically to your door all summer long. Plus, possible hot farm boy sightings every week.
I think it’s genius.
And I like to cook and really, really love vegetables, so this seems like a perfect arrangement, right?
Well, this is what I’ve received so far:
2 bunches swiss chard
2 bunches kale
2 large bunches arugula
2 heads lettuce
2 huge bags spinach
2 bunches of beets, with (you guessed it) greens
2 bunches radishes
2 pints strawberries
I understand of course that it’s early in the season and this is what’s ready to eat in New England right now. That’s actually part of the charm of a CSA – you’re 100% guaranteed to be eating seasonally. And the greens are seriously gorgeous.
But I live alone, so the vast majority of this stuff needs to be cooked and eaten by me. And quickly. I’ve made countless salads with the tender greens. I’ve sautéed pounds of kale and chard and spinach with garlic and oil. They're particularly tasty with polenta and roasted portabello mushrooms. I’ve tossed leftover cooked greens with orzo, parmesan and good olive oil for pasta salad.
I’m done. I can’t eat any more greens. The greens have won. Anyone local want some of this stuff???
Also, despite a valiant effort at cooking them and a sincere appreciation of their beauty, turns out I am not such a huge fan of beets.
Or, if I can't share the wealth with you, do you have a favorite recipe for greens??? Cuz I’m getting a whole new batch of them this weekend…
You not only support local farms when they have minimal income during the off-season but you get awesome super-fresh produce delivered practically to your door all summer long. Plus, possible hot farm boy sightings every week.
I think it’s genius.
And I like to cook and really, really love vegetables, so this seems like a perfect arrangement, right?
Well, this is what I’ve received so far:
2 bunches swiss chard
2 bunches kale
2 large bunches arugula
2 heads lettuce
2 huge bags spinach
2 bunches of beets, with (you guessed it) greens
2 bunches radishes
2 pints strawberries
I understand of course that it’s early in the season and this is what’s ready to eat in New England right now. That’s actually part of the charm of a CSA – you’re 100% guaranteed to be eating seasonally. And the greens are seriously gorgeous.
But I live alone, so the vast majority of this stuff needs to be cooked and eaten by me. And quickly. I’ve made countless salads with the tender greens. I’ve sautéed pounds of kale and chard and spinach with garlic and oil. They're particularly tasty with polenta and roasted portabello mushrooms. I’ve tossed leftover cooked greens with orzo, parmesan and good olive oil for pasta salad.
I’m done. I can’t eat any more greens. The greens have won. Anyone local want some of this stuff???
Also, despite a valiant effort at cooking them and a sincere appreciation of their beauty, turns out I am not such a huge fan of beets.
Or, if I can't share the wealth with you, do you have a favorite recipe for greens??? Cuz I’m getting a whole new batch of them this weekend…
June 24, 2008
It's a Christmas miracle!
Squeezing in just under the Six-Months-Late mark, my mom's Christmas socks are finally done! I like to think of this as extending the magic of the holiday season. And holiday magic in the form of socks is just what my mom needs.
She's heading back to Tucson today, where the forecasted high is 103 degrees, so really my timing couldn't possibly be better.
Pattern: Charade, which has been much celebrated in blogland, as it should be. I will definitely knit these again.
Yarn: Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, Fall Herbs colorway, 2.25 balls for size 10 women's socks. This yarn splits like a bastard, making it possibly the worst choice for a slip-stitch pattern, with an afterthought heel. Also, the yarn has no give while knitting, so it was a little rough on the hands. Well worth it though for the lush, cushy, amazingly soft fabric it produces.
Needles: size 2.5 (3 mm) Knitpicks DPNs
Modifications: because I liked the way the yarn was variegating and am apparently not bright enough to grasp short row heel instructions, I did an afterthought heel instead of a heel flap. Dave over at Criminy Jickets suggested this kind of heel the last time I was bitching about pooly gussets.
Overall, I'm quite pleased with the results. The afterthought heel looks a little weird off the foot...
And frankly a little weird on the foot...
But because you don't increase stitches at the gusset, the yarn patterning doesn't change. And when the yarn looks this good....
...you don't want to be f*cking with it.
So, um, Merry Christmas, Mom! I'm so glad you came to visit. I had a really great time the past few weeks!
She's heading back to Tucson today, where the forecasted high is 103 degrees, so really my timing couldn't possibly be better.
Pattern: Charade, which has been much celebrated in blogland, as it should be. I will definitely knit these again.
Yarn: Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, Fall Herbs colorway, 2.25 balls for size 10 women's socks. This yarn splits like a bastard, making it possibly the worst choice for a slip-stitch pattern, with an afterthought heel. Also, the yarn has no give while knitting, so it was a little rough on the hands. Well worth it though for the lush, cushy, amazingly soft fabric it produces.
Needles: size 2.5 (3 mm) Knitpicks DPNs
Modifications: because I liked the way the yarn was variegating and am apparently not bright enough to grasp short row heel instructions, I did an afterthought heel instead of a heel flap. Dave over at Criminy Jickets suggested this kind of heel the last time I was bitching about pooly gussets.
Overall, I'm quite pleased with the results. The afterthought heel looks a little weird off the foot...
And frankly a little weird on the foot...
But because you don't increase stitches at the gusset, the yarn patterning doesn't change. And when the yarn looks this good....
...you don't want to be f*cking with it.
So, um, Merry Christmas, Mom! I'm so glad you came to visit. I had a really great time the past few weeks!
June 22, 2008
Sights
My mom’s been in town for the last few weeks, and we’ve been busy seeing the sights. Boy, are there a lot of sights.
We’ve done six museums, Salem (of witch trial fame), the New England Aquarium and parts of the Freedom Trail. We even saw the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus perform their “ExtrABBAganza” – which featured many ABBA songs, dancing men in sequined outfits, and one of my favorite-est coworkers sporting a spiky blond mullet wig and faux-Swedish accent. You really can’t go wrong with that combination.
Mullets and sequins aside, the high point of the mom visit so far was spending a long weekend on Cape Cod.
We stayed in Eastham, aka the gateway to the Cape Cod National Seashore, said seashore being something like 40 miles of uninterrupted federally protected coastline stretching from Eastham all the way to Provincetown.
So what does 40 miles of beaches mean for a vacationing knitter?
Why, knitting on the beach, of course….
The sock quite liked the beach. Though he kind of resented the way the ocean was horning in on his color scheme.
Not every day was nice enough to knit on the beach. Thankfully, my family lived in Oregon for years and we think it eminently reasonable to slog through rain and mud and mist to see cold grey water. So there were still plenty of coastal trails to traverse and gorgeous vistas to see.
Mmm… damp… The way the outdoors should be…
Hope everyone else is having a fabulous summer too!
We’ve done six museums, Salem (of witch trial fame), the New England Aquarium and parts of the Freedom Trail. We even saw the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus perform their “ExtrABBAganza” – which featured many ABBA songs, dancing men in sequined outfits, and one of my favorite-est coworkers sporting a spiky blond mullet wig and faux-Swedish accent. You really can’t go wrong with that combination.
Mullets and sequins aside, the high point of the mom visit so far was spending a long weekend on Cape Cod.
We stayed in Eastham, aka the gateway to the Cape Cod National Seashore, said seashore being something like 40 miles of uninterrupted federally protected coastline stretching from Eastham all the way to Provincetown.
So what does 40 miles of beaches mean for a vacationing knitter?
Why, knitting on the beach, of course….
The sock quite liked the beach. Though he kind of resented the way the ocean was horning in on his color scheme.
Not every day was nice enough to knit on the beach. Thankfully, my family lived in Oregon for years and we think it eminently reasonable to slog through rain and mud and mist to see cold grey water. So there were still plenty of coastal trails to traverse and gorgeous vistas to see.
Mmm… damp… The way the outdoors should be…
Hope everyone else is having a fabulous summer too!
June 17, 2008
Those three little words you long to hear
I had this conversation with my friend Kelley last night:
Kelley: OK, email me tomorrow.
Me: Will do.
Kelley: I love you, too.
Kelley (via text two minutes later): Dude, did we just love each other?
Me: No, I said will do, then you said you loved me.
Kelley: HA. I can't believe I said it first, I feel so vulnerable.
Funny, but those aren't the three words I'm thinking about. All I'm thinking about right now is MALABRIGO SOCK YARN. Seriously.
It's not available to the public yet, but Karen's got some in her hot little hands.
Go check it out. And start budgeting accordingly.
Kelley: OK, email me tomorrow.
Me: Will do.
Kelley: I love you, too.
Kelley (via text two minutes later): Dude, did we just love each other?
Me: No, I said will do, then you said you loved me.
Kelley: HA. I can't believe I said it first, I feel so vulnerable.
Funny, but those aren't the three words I'm thinking about. All I'm thinking about right now is MALABRIGO SOCK YARN. Seriously.
It's not available to the public yet, but Karen's got some in her hot little hands.
Go check it out. And start budgeting accordingly.
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