Whew! Just in the nick of time for the Trek-Along, I finished my current socks, a pair of anklets in Sockotta. I picked this colorway (#11) to go with the sneakers I bought last month.

This is the first time I’ve used Sockotta, which is 45% cotton/40% wool/15% nylon. Cotton blends are not bad at all, I had no trouble knitting with it, and they’re a great weight to wear for the summer. (Because the sneakers really must be work with socks–I tried without, and it was an unfortunate thing.) I’m pretty sure I’ve got enough for another pair of anklets if I want, too.

But my favorite part? I got the stripes just right. Perfect, as near as makes no difference. So much so that I was able to use the color changes to judge when to start the heel, and how long to knit the ribbing. I mean, I compared actual measurements, too, but seriously . . . look how close these are! That alone makes me love them.

Now, I do have to weave in the ends, but that’s a mere bagatelle. The important thing is that this pair of socks is done in time for the official kick-off of the Trek-along tomorrow. I pulled out my skein and my needles, sorted out the yarn vomit that came out of the middle of the skein when I searched for the center, and now it’s ready to go.

How much did I want to get these socks done today? Well, first, I didn’t touch any of my other knitting projects today–not the Celtic Dreams, not the diva-ish Peacock Stole, not the Green Gables which has been waiting so patiently lately. Nope. I didn’t touch any of them. I concentrated on my socks.

How hard did I concentrate? I even knitted while I was reading–something which I never do. Yes, I know, even with my prodigious reading lists each month, I don’t read while I knit. (While brushing my teeth, while cooking, while eating, sure–but not while knitting.) But today, I did. Not very quickly perhaps–mostly because fighting to keep the book propped open in my lap was a struggle. I had to reposition it every time I switched from the page on the left to the page on the right, and every time I turned the page. Ugh. That part was a pain. (Hello, welcome to the main reason I don’t read and knit at the same time–I read too quickly and have to pause to turn/adjust pages far too often.)

Anyway, I’m proud of myself for getting these done. I only started them on Saturday, too–that was remarkably fast for me!

I’m enjoying the guesses for “L”–keep them coming! But only one guess per person.

Oh, and the Creative Zen Micro Photo MP3 player I’ve been complaining about? I actually rebooted it the other day . . . once I found the instructions for it on the labyrinthine help-pages at the Creative Zen site. (You’d think they’d put that kind of thing into the manual, huh?) Anyway, since the actual reboot, it’s behaving itself, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

And–Marley is getting a little brother tomorrow . . . go and wish Shelley luck with the new puppy! (Oh boy, a brand-new little puppy . . . I’m melting at the very thought . . . In chorus now . . . Awwwww! Puppypuppypuppypuppy….)

Tags: Finished Knitting, General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
8 Comments »

The letter “L” is coming up this weekend for the ABC-along, and . . . even though it’s short notice . . . I thought I’d have a quick little contest.

What do you think my “L” is going to be?

I already know what it is, so it’s not like I’m going to be looking for ideas or am going to waffle on this. There’s a clear “L” in mind, and I’m wondering who can guess what it will be.

You can leave your guess in the comments or–if you don’t want other people to see your guess and decide to adopt it themselves–e-mail your guess to chappysmumATaolDOTcom.

If more than one person guesses correctly, I’ll randomly select one person for a prize. I’m not going to say exactly what the prize will be, but it’s something that, worked correctly, could keep your feet softly warm…. (Hey, I am trying to clear out my stash, you know!)

The contest will end on Saturday, say, at midnight (Eastern Standard Time).

Tags: ABC-Along, General by Deb
14 Comments »

  Look what came for me today!

  My Knitter’s Tea Swap package, filled with all sorts of goodies.

First, the yarn. On the left, two skeins of hand-dyed (just for me) superwash merino in lovely blues, greens, and other complimentary colors. Really lovely. (She’s obviously been reading my blog to know how much I’m loving this color scheme lately.) But, just in case I somehow didn’t like it, she sent a skein of Diakeito Diamusee yarn as backup. (Gotta love a Pal who’s thorough.) As it happens, I think all the yarn is lovely–but I like the hand-dyed the best.

Then, the cookies. A package of delicate Madelines. Ginger shortbread–I’ve had one of these already, and yum! Shortbread, which I already love, with just a hint of zing from the ginger. Chocolate-hazelnut wafer cookies (which actually were my first choice for sampling, but the chocolate was rather, um, soft from the heat in the delivery truck, so I stuck them in the refrigerator for a while). And a pile of chocolate-dipped chocolate biscotti. I’m looking forward to trying these with some coffee–and also sharing them with Mom, since chocolate biscotti is one of her very favorite things.

The tea? A box of six samplers from Adagio, who always have good tea.

And, to whom do I owe thanks for all this wonderfulness? Lu from Maglia. What a super Pal!

Oh, and this is a (blurry) photo of my assistant, who helped me unpack the box. Let’s hear it for my furry little helper, huh?

This swap was such a nice idea–so, thanks Suzie. Great idea, and a wonderful job hosting!

The question now . . . How well would these new teas take to ice? Memorial Day is the unofficial start to Summer, and it appears to have taken itself very seriously this year. The last few days have been hot (well mid- to upper-80s) and muggy, and I really, really hate hot, humid weather. (This is why I don’t complain about normal winter weather–I reserve most of my weather complaining for summertime.) I can’t believe we’re at the end of May already. Excepting allergies, it’s one of my favorite months of the year.

Now, I need to write my introduction/stash confession for the Summer of Stash-along, and I also need to start getting my monthly book list typed in . . . the month’s almost over, you know, and that list can take a while! Hmm . . . I’ve got to get those anklets finished, also, so I’ll be ready to start the Trek-Along, too . . .

Tags: General by Deb
4 Comments »

Amazing Lace Update Shocking news from the Chappysmom camp this morning, when the Peacock Stole expressed her intention of packing up her extra skeins of yarn and moving out, thereby quitting the Amazing Lace team.

She stated her reasons as “Neglect, pure and simple. I’ve been in that knitting bag longer than anybody, and when is the last time she picked me up? Weeks! It’s been weeks. She just keeps harping on that stupid cabled sweater, acting like I’m not even there!”

This just in!

An update on the situation.

The two have reconciled. Chappysmom apparently apologized for being so cable-centric of late, citing pressures of upcoming warm weather and wanting to get the heavy yarn out of the knitting bag so that Peacock could breathe. She promised to do better, for the good of the team, and for heaven’s sake, to stop being so sensitive!

So, the team stands as it was originally.

Knitter: Deb, Chappy’s Mom

Project: Peacock Feathers Stole, who apparently has an inferiority complex as a rectangular version of the famous, triangular shawl created by Fiddlesticks Knitting.

Yarn: Royal Blue Jaggerspun Zephyr

Needles: Inox Gray in U.S. size 4 (3.5 mm)

Tags: Knitting/Spinning by Deb
7 Comments »

Today was the family birthday party for my niece (17) and nephew (13). Here’s a photo of them, just starting to open their presents, with their furry assistant standing by to help. (Disappointingly to their assistant, they were able to manage the wrapping and tissue paper without him. I think he was rather disappointed. None even fell to the floor for him to “help” pick up.)

It was a nice day, if long. Not only the seven of “us,” but also my brother-in-law’s brother and his new wife, and his cousin. (And just as we were leaving, his Aunt and other cousin pulled up–at 6:15 for a 2:00 party. Even allowing for the fact that they’d said they’d be late, they said they expected to arrive around 5:00. Tardiness bugs me.) But that’s beside the point. It was still a good day, even if it was warm. The temperature was in the 80s today, and there were 10 of us in a room with no fan or a/c, with the kitchen oven on . . . it wasn’t unbearable, but it was warm. I’m really glad I brought an elastic for my hair.

In the month and a half or so since I saw him, my nephew has gotten taller, his voice has gotten deeper, and good heavens, he’s got some curl in his hair! Where on earth did that come from?? He’s had a short hair for as long as I can remember, and even at Easter, didn’t have that much wave.

And these days, it is almost impossible to take a bad picture of my niece. She’s not shying away from cameras anymore, but smiling beautifully for them . . . I love that!

Chappy is exhausted–between the heat, the two hours in the car, the socializing, the late supper, he’s had a busy day. He sure enjoyed seeing everyone, though. Cousin Chris–an accomplished cook–brought a trifle for dessert, in addition to the cake my sister made and the donuts my nephew made. (That’s two men in the family that can cook, anyway.) The only pity was that there was so little that Chappy could eat, though I gave him a bite of ham and a bit of trifle. And, lord, that trifle was yummy! Angel food cake, custard, and tons of fruit–blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, banana, pineapple . . . really good.

Ooh, and I now officially have a reason to use that baby yarn I bought in March. I’ll need something I can get done by the end of October. How many skeins does a baby blanket take, anyway?

Tags: Family by Deb
9 Comments »

Believe it or not, this pile is four different birthday presents. I know, you’re thinking it looks kind of pathetic, huh? In fact they’re pretty good presents, just . . . you know . . . small.

Only two of them are actually for my niece and my nephew, whose party we’re going to tomorrow. One of them is or my brother-in-law, whose birthday was the 11th. And one is for my sister, whose birthday this year (June 7th) is inconveniently on a Wednesday. Her weekends for the foreseeable future are tied up, so on her actual birthday, my parents are going to go up for dinner, but I’ll be staying home. I figured the choices are to either bring the present up myself tomorrow, a week early, send it up with them, or wait until the next time I see her (probably Chappy’s birthday in July). All in all, I’d rather bring it early and get to watch her open it.

Anyway, today we ran errands–including a stop at a bookstore. (For the record, I bought six books.) I bumped into a woman browsing the knitting section looking for a book of shawls because a friend’s son had just died and she wanted to make her something, to do something. So sad! This afternoon, I boiled potatoes for potato salad, finished a book, started my second sock, and wrapped presents. All in all, a pretty relaxing Saturday.

I did finish the first Sockotta sock last night. I stayed up until midnight watching House, and figured I could get the sock done during the episode more easily than I’d be able to read. Cindy asked what I think of Sockotta? A perfectly nice yarn. Between this and the Cotton Fleece I’m using for my Green Gable, I have to admit that cotton-blend yarns aren’t horrible. I still maintain that the only 100% cotton yarn I like are ones like Calmer, which are manufactured with some stretch built into the yarn, but cotton blended with wool? It works. (For that matter, my first shawl was made in Rowan Wool/Cotton way back when.)

I did actually just get two skeins of denim-y blue Cascade Fixation today, which is 98% cotton, and 2% elastic. They had had a sample to try out at Modern Yarns when Risa and I were there a couple of months ago, and I was surprised at how “knittable” it was–that little bit of elastic makes a huge difference! This is something I ordered over a week ago (before signing up for the S.O.S. stash-along, which, in any case, doesn’t actually start until Monday), and mostly ordered because I was getting a few knitting needles from Webs and felt I needed to “fill out” the order. The problem? I asked for two 16″ Inox needles and one 16″ Addi Turbo–which was the needle I really needed for my Celtic Dreams sleeve. When the order came today, though . . . three Inox needles, no Addi. Sigh. (Their shipping department does seem to be a bit irregular, doesn’t it?) On the plus side, I called their customer service number–not actually expecting an answer, since this is a holiday weekend, but an actual person answered the phone, apologized, and said I could keep the Inox and they’d sent out the Addi ASAP. I must say, I’ve had some problems with them, but their customer service department does a good job.

Still, it’s kind of frustrating. The one error in the order was the one needle I really wanted, since I’m not enjoying working the sleeve on my C.D. I’ve been working on it for a week and the sleeve’s about 5″ long . . . it almost feels like it’s taking as long as the body did! (grin)

Chappy, I’m glad to tell you, seems just fine today. Quite himself, which is quite a relief. He thanks you for your concern. Mom and I were actually watching some baby-Chappy video tonight . . . oh, lord, it’s so easy to forget how absolutely adorable a baby puppy is. And he was one of the cutest. (Well, he was. If you don’t believe me, click here. I absolutely adore that picture.)

Hey, check out this portrait of Elvis, made out of post-it notes.

Tags: Family, General by Deb
5 Comments »

I’m finally almost done with my first Sockotta sock. See? I’ve turned the heel, and since it’s going to be an anklet, well, there’s not a whole lot more to go, is there? I’m going to try to get this finished tomorrow. Considering it’s “half” the sock I usually make (again, since it’s an anklet), you’d think one wouldn’t take me so long, huh? But I started this about two weeks ago . . . and still have the second sock to go!See? this is why I like the two-socks-on-Magic-Loop method so much. No second sock syndrome.

My Creative Zen Micro Photo is still in the doghouse. You remember? It failed me on vacation last week. Debbie mentioned that she’d had a similar problem with her Zen Nano, but when she changed the battery, the files all “reappeared.” And, in fact, when I charged the battery, it’s true, the data was still there. So, I figured everything was all right . . . right?

Well, not so much. Sure, the data is there, but . . . now, I know I’m new to this whole MP3 thing, and I know that all computers (and computer-driven things) freeze up and need to be rebooted now and again. But in the past week, I have had this player freeze not once, not twice, but at least seven times. (I’ve lost count.) Freeze so that I had to pull off my handmade little cover, peel back the protective skin I bought it, pry off the unit’s back, and then pop out the battery. Wait five seconds, then replace the battery, slide back the plastic cover, pull the silicon cover back into place, tug the yarn cover back into place, turn it on . . . and then cross my fingers and turn it on. So far the ratio here is that I’ve had to do this about three times in succession before it would actually fully load. This is NOT fun, and really not acceptible in a brand new piece of high-tech equipment. Wouldn’t you agree?

Which makes the next decision . . . what do I do now?  Assume that this is a faulty unit and return it for another one? Return it and buy something else altogether? And if so, what?? All my music files are WMV format, so I believe that excludes an iPod (and, really, I’ve got 64 albums copied onto my computer, almost 3,000 songs. I do not want to have to load those cds over again! Sigh.

Beyond that, Chappy’s not at his best today. Last night he was walking around extra carefully, and reluctant to jump up or down off of furniture. And then this morning, not quite himself. Apparently, when Mom vacuumed the living room–not only did he not “help” her, but he lay in the middle of the rug while she vacuumed around him. Literally. Not normal behavior for just about any dog, I think!

I was all set to take him to the vet this afternoon. A couple years ago, he pulled a muscle in his back and spent a snowy weekend sitting next to me on the couch with a heating pad on his back, while taking the cortisone meds the vet had prescribed. I didn’t want this to get that far . . . but when I got home at lunch, he came running to greet me, wagging his tail, even jumped up to lick my nose. And when I got home at 3:00 (got out an hour early for the long weekend, yay), he seemed like he was feeling fine. Not 100%, perhaps, but 80-90%. So . . . I cancelled the vet appointment. He’s been quiet tonight, but more like he’s being careful than like he’s still in discomfort. And, unlike a couple years ago, I don’t think this actually reached the “pain” stage–thank heaven. That time, we got up on a snowy Saturday morning, and he just stood in the middle of the kitchen and shook. There was no question he needed to go to the vet that time. In fact, my Dad–at the worst stage of a bad cold–actually drove us to the vet, during a huge snowstorm which was forcing the vet’s office to close at 11:00.

Anyhow, he seems mostly okay tonight, which is good. Not perfect, but good . . . even if I do miss his usual, cheerful, energetic self. I’m glad that this is a long weekend. I’ve got some errands to run tomorrow, and then Sunday is my niece and nephew’s birthday party–iIt’s always the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. And then on Monday, I’m hoping to stay home and relax. (Why yes, being secure at home IS my way of thanking all the Vets who’ve made it safe.)
Before I forget, check out this string of emails asking a seller a ton of stupid questions about a car he was selling on ebay.

Or, how about these very nifty “seamless” pictures?

These 360-degree pictures may be more your cup of tea.

Tags: Chappy, Family, General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
6 Comments »

Well, I’m nothing if not consistent.

Here’s a look at the ring from this year’s trip to Martha’s Vineyard. (The green peridot in white gold, as seen yesterday.) Next to it, the citrine in yellow gold with tiny little diamond chips–the one from last year. Two different jewelry stores, but remarkably similar styles, no?

Sure, the citrine has a little curve to its edges, while the peridot has straight sides. The citrine’s facets are straight lines across the top, while the peridot is checkered. And those tiny diamond chips make the citrine a slightly “dressier” ring, but still . . . it’s obvious that my tastes haven’t changed much in the last year, huh?

So, let me ask you--what’s YOUR current favorite piece of jewelry? (Assuming you wear jewelry, of course.) Does your “favorite” change over time? Or has one piece been a favorite for years? My mother, for example, wears the same jewelry–diamond stud earrings, wedding/engagement ring, and a Martha’s Vineyard watch every single day. She varies some other pieces, but those three things you can count on. I, on the other hand, while wearing a ring and a pair of earrings every day, vary those pieces every day. But still, there are earrings I pick up more often than others, rings that get worn at least twice a week. So, consider it a meme. You’re tagged just by reading (sneaky, I know). Let me see your favorite (or favorites), or even just what jewelry you’re wearing today. (Hint: Pictures would be great! I love admiring jewelry.)

I was just saying to Risa today that my stash is marginally out of control. Usually it fits pretty nicely into those three bins at the top of my closet, but at the moment it’s sort of overflowing. Since February, I’ve gotten–just as an example–enough Cascade 220 for three sweaters, and enough Silky Wool for two. And that doesn’t count a plethora of sock yarn and lace yarn which have somehow added themselves to my collection.

And then, today, I heard about the Summer of Stash (SOS) Along. The idea is to go from Memorial Day to Labor Day (this weekend until the first weekend of September, for those of you who don’t know the US holiday schedule) without buying yarn. You’re allowed two exceptions, though (like, being in a sock-yarn club, or souvenir yarn for an upcoming vacation–whatever you want), and you’re encouraged to plan a post-Labor Day reward for yourself. Nor does it restrict the accoutrements of knitting like patterns or needles. All in all, It sounds like it’s just what I need, don’t you think?? I saw it over at Two Pointy Sticks, a new-to-me blog. It certainly sounds doable, and maybe I could reward myself with one of the many St*rmore kits I’ve been eyeing for so long . . .

In fact, that sounds like a plan, doesn’t it?? (grin)

---

Booking Through Thursday

1. What are the last five books that you finished reading?
   This is easy. In reverse order: Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn, The Outermost House by Henry Beston, Learning to Bow by Bruce Feiler, Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn, and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami.
2. How long did it take you to read them?
   Well, let’s see. I read all five since the 17th and finished Ella last night, so . . . a week?
3. Did you enjoy reading these books? Why or why not?
   Well, the Wind-Up Bird Chronicles wasn’t really my cup of tea, though impressive. Ella Minnow Pea and Summers are both books I’ve read multiple times, so, well, yeah. Learning to Bow was really interesting, about an American teacher adapting to modern Japan, and the Outermost House was strongly, descriptively evocative of Cape Cod Massachusetts–which is why I brought it along on vacation last week.

Tags: General by Deb
13 Comments »

I’ve mentioned before that my favorite souvenir from vacation is jewelry. It doesn’t have to be expensive, mind you, but it makes a great remembrance. I rarely ever buy jewelry at home . . . craft shows are abut the only time . . . so almost everything in my jewelry box has come either as gifts or from somewhere special.

Anyway, last week, I bought a ring, but it needed to be sized, and wouldn’t be done while I was still on the island, so they had to mail it. So, imagine how happy I was when this little box arrived today.

As I was opening it, I admit I was a little . . . not worried . . . but there was a little rush of nerves. What if I didn’t like it anymore? What if I’d changed my mind? What if it didn’t fit?

Well, that was silly. I love it as much as ever. A green peridot in white gold, thereby matching two of my favorite accessory colors–silver for jewelry and that pretty, light, olive kind of green that my whole family seems to like.

Want a closer look?

This is very handy (if you’ll excuse the pun), too, because I didn’t have much else to talk about tonight.

Not that I have nothing to talk about, though. The knitting, well, there’s nothing new to show you–progress is being made, but everything looks pretty much the same as in the last progress photo, so that’s kind of pointless. I wouldn’t want you to be bored, so moving on….

My Knitters Tea Swap Pal, Jennifer from Piddleloop, got her package today. I got an email from her filled with thank yous and exclamation marks, so I think she’s happy! (grin) I sent her a box of Tetley’s British Blend tea which is, in fact, my favorite tea. (Easily obtainable at the grocery store, convenient bags, and a good, strong flavor.) It said in the rules that you should send your favorite–so I did. But, hey, a box of supermarket tea? That’s not good enough for my Pal! So I also sent her a bag of “Vineyard Blend” tea which I picked up last week on a day when that tea store was actually open. (I was so excited.) It’s a black tea blended with vanilla and berries, and the bowl (open like potpourri) in the shop smelled yummy. To aid the brewing thing, I sent her an IngenuiTEA pot from Adagio–because heaven knows it makes a nice, easy pot of loose-leaf tea. For yarn, I sent her that skein of Trekking from the other day. Much as I liked it, when I reread her list of preferred colors, I realized that I’d obviously been meant to send it along to her. They were perfect, and, well, it’s Trekking. How can you go wrong?

Incidentally, if you like tea, check out the list in the Tea Swap blog sidebar. They’ve got a great list of tea sources I’ve never heard of before. Mighty Leaf. Choice Organic. Peets. Republic of Tea. Teaism. Stash. And more…..

One last thing that Chappy wanted me to mention. Abner and Basil (with Rebekah’s help) are hosting a charity drive for soft knitted blankets, toys, and things for her local humane society. Isn’t that a wonderful cause?? I offered up two skeins of Koigu KPPPM to add to the generously looong list of prizes she’s already got. In fact, I need to get those in the mail….

Tags: General, Martha's Vineyard, Sky by Deb
11 Comments »

Check out this video over at CNN.

Naturally, it’s a Boykin!

Chappy’s all chuffed for his breed.

---

How about some more, miscellaneous kinds of links?

How about these nifty 360-degree views?

Have you heard about the Shangri-La diet?

Or, these fabulous paper sculptures that put "regular" Origami to shame.

Looking to change any habits? Here are some tips.

With the start of hurricane season only a week away, here’s how New Orleans is doing almost nine months after Katrina.

(As usual, most of these links–all but the first, which Cindy sent me–come from MSNBC’s "Clicked" page.)

Tags: General by Deb
1 Comment »

Look! It’s one of those sock needle tubey metal thingys–yes, that’s its real name–made famous by Stephanie back in April. (Apparently her blog entry started quite a run on these things.)

It looks rather flute-like in that photo, but there are pictures at the Harlot’s of the gizmo in action. I’m almost ready to switch my sock from one Magic Loop cable to DPNs just so I can try it out! (If you’re interested, I ordered mine from Woolworks Ltd in Putnam, Connecticut. I also notice that these are now on the front page of the website. They really must have been popular.)

On the knitting front, I’ve just started the first sleeve of my Celtic Dreams. I know it doesn’t look like much, but that’s 2″ of sleeve, and I’ve just joined the round. I already told you what I thought of the US size 3, 16-inch needles when I did the neckband . . . to sum up, ow! . . . I think the sleeves may take me a while. Although, at least they’ll be getting smaller as they grow in length . . . and, of course, at some point I can switch to DPNs, which might be easier (I hope). Still, it’s not like I’m going to give up, oh no. I’m loving this cabled beauty far too much.

My Green Gables, on the other hand, isn’t very far along at all, unfortunately. I’m a few rows into the straight, stockinette portion, and about 8 rows away from breaking out the sleeves. It’s actually bigger than it looks here . . . this is crinkled onto a smallish circular needle, so you can only see the merest “slice” of the front, here. But still. I’d like it to be further along, but see? Now the cable-lust for Celtic Dreams has kicked in again, so it’s back to second-string for sweater knitting.

The project, of course, that’s really suffering neglect is my Peacock Stole. The poor thing hasn’t even managed to summon up the enthusiasm for the Team Profile for The Amazing Lace. Isn’t that sad? I keep explaining how I want to get the heavy cables out of the way before real, hot Summer kicks in, but the poor thing just sighs and snuggles back down into its corner of the knitting bag, sulking a bit. It’s really a bit pathetic. I’m ready to move onto the next pattern chart, too, although I think that clear demarcation is actually helping me leave it unknit–like stopping at the end of a chapter . . . it’s a little easier to let the book sit a while longer when you’re not in the middle of something.

One last thing. I don’t think I am wrong in assuming that having knit, chatted, exchanged emails and blog-comments, and shared opinions with someone qualifies as some form of acquaintance. Nothing as strong as friendship, by any means, but enough that a brief hello when face-to-face is polite. Who knew that my remembering that I’d had a long conversation about high school teachers and sock-knitting at a S&B gathering made me “creepy?” I was taught that that sort of thing came under the heading of “friendliness,” “people skills,” and “good manners.” Huh. Live and learn. I suppose it’s just something to chalk up to the fact that this medium of communication can be misleading as to people’s intentions.

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
17 Comments »

It just seemed like the right “K”–considering how we were just there a few days ago. Katama. One of my favorite spots on Martha’s Vineyard, and the origin for my Katy’s name. So, first, here, and to play fair–a road sign pointing not only toward Katama, but also to Chappaquiddick (can’t play favorites with the “kids,” right?)

Of course, once you’ve started driving toward Katama, eventually you’ll come to Katama Road.

Not to mention passing by Katama Airfield. From here, you can take bi-plane tours of the island–something I’ve never done, but which sounds fun, don’t you think? Although, considering how Chappy gets carsick, I somehow don’t think he’d get along with a biplane….

But then you’ll come to the end of the road, and a line of sand dunes . . .

And, there you are, at South Beach. By far my favorite beach on the island . . . or, really, anywhere. Pure sand, with few rocks or shells.

It’s also got the roughest surf on the island–since South Beach, of course, there’s basically nothing south of South Beach but the Atlantic Ocean. I mean, literally, for thousands of miles. The whole, eastern coast of the U.S. slopes away toward the the southwest from New England, and so there is nothing shielding the south shore of the island from the waves and wind of the ocean except the occasional dolphin or whale.

Not that that makes it an unappealing place to be. It’s a great place to visit in the summer. I took this picture in June, 2001.

It was also the Katama ferry that Mom, Chappy and I sailed over on last week. (Chappy, of course, has his own ferry, though it’s called the OnTime III.)

And, of course, you can find the name Katama all over. (Note how it’s right next to the Chappy rock. Which is just as well, as Chappy’s a little jealous of his big sister.)

The original Katama, of course, was an Indian Princess.

Although, of course, my favorite Katama was my Katy. But you knew that already, didn’t you?

(Did you notice how I restrained myself, too, from using Knitting? I figured it was bound to come up once or twice, and I wanted to be different!)

Tags: ABC-Along, Family, Katy, Jilly, Muppy, Martha's Vineyard by Deb
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What a happy-knitter kind of day today.

First, there was meeting Wendy, shown here holding MY sock (it’s honored).

I got to Montclair about 10:00–half an hour earlier than I’d planned, and sat on a nice little bench waiting for Risa and the twins. While sitting there, knitting my sock, I saw a limo stop at the wrong end of the one-way street and back down the road until it got to the front of Modern Yarn. It stopped, the driver got out and opened the door, and . . . there was Wendy. Quite an entrance, huh?

Anyway, she went inside the shop, while I waited for Risa–who ended up pulling up in front of me and inviting me for a lift. So I hopped in and rode to the parking garage with her. (Yes, I know, I was excited, too.) Then we went into the shop, and . . . what a nice time we had. It was still early, so we were the only ones there, and so had a chance to chat about yarn colors, spinning, knitting–all sorts of things. It was so nice to meet Wendy in person–and not just for a “I love your blog; thanks for signing my book” kind of meeting, but a real conversation.

Did I mention the yarn colors? Because, of course, I bought yarn. Two skeins of Diakeito Diamusee Fine in color 112. (This, of course, is meant to be socks.) I had no choice about this yarn–it literally jumped from the shelf into my arms (No, I mean, it really did–I caught it as it fell. Wendy should be able to vouch for this.) A skein of Trekking in color 102 because–nice as the yarn that arrived this week was (and it was color 100, not 105), it’s a little too “rainbow” for me. These soft grays are really lovely, though. And then five skeins of Noro Iroho–three in green (color 100), two in teal (color 99), because I loved both, but couldn’t decide which I liked better. Wendy liked the green best, and I really loved it, but it’s almost identical to the green I made my Flower Basket Shawl last July, so . . . this way there are options.

Then, we went across to Stix-n-Stitches, which was having a sale. I ended up buying 8 skeins of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in color 23 Plum–a really lovely, deep purple. And then two skeins of Artyarns Unltramerino 4 in color 114. Not only are the purple-golds lovely, but boy, it looked just fabulous with the Silky Wool. They were meant to be together, don’t you think?

Afterward, the twins were starting to drag, verging on tired-hungry-cranky, and so we went to a cute little place called Soda Pops, with a fun 50′s decor and a very kid-friendly menu. (PB&J sandwiches, chicken fingers, ice cream, BLTs and so on). That helped, although they were still tired by the time we got back to the parking garage.

A good day, though. Chappy got a walk after I got home, and I actually took a nap–rare for me. And, look! More good mail. A trio of Japanese knitting books, two of patterns, and one stitch dictionary of 250 very lovely knit-stitches. I wish I could remember whose blog I saw this on–it’s her fault I ordered it, but also to her credit. There are some really great stitches in there–some, I’ve seen before, but some are new (to me) and lovely.

Actually, that’s one of the things Wendy and I were talking about. (And now I’m starting to feel like I’m name-dropping.) We were talking about Fiona Ellis’ book, Inspired Cable Knits, and how I loved some of those designs, while she loves the traditional styles more. I have a slew of traditional-knit books in my library, but I also enjoy seeing new twists on the classics, and this stitch dictionary does that–there are some interesting combinations in there that I don’t remember seeing anywhere else . . . now all I have to do is figure out how to read Japanese. (grin)

The only negative to the day? One of the workers at Modern Knits, a college student who I met a couple of years ago at a local S&B meeting, lives in my home town, graduated from my high school, and with whom I’ve exchanged blog comments (but, come to think of it, has not answered any of them in months) . . . she was there today. She even took a picture of Risa, Wendy, and me–with our socks–when Wendy asked. But when I went over to her to say hello before we left? Barely turned her head toward me, muttered hello, and then turned her back and walked away. I cannot remember the last time I was snubbed so rudely for no reason whatsoever. Risa’s jaw hit the floor–which helped reassure me that I was not imagining things. Well–all I can say is that I hope she’s more helpful to the other customers. I mean, I had just made a very nice purchase, and while I was on my way out the door, still, she was at work. What kind of behavior is that? If the owners of the store weren’t so darn nice (which they really are), that’s definitely the kind of behavior that would make me say, “I’m never shopping there again.” Is she nicer to the other customers? If I hadn’t paid yet, would she have at least tried to be civil? Heaven forbid I should ever go and have her be the only salesperson in the shop. I just couldn’t believe it. She deserves to be Lady Catherine. (Edited to add: Apparently she wasn’t officially working, just there as a customer who stepped up to help out a few times–which I did, in fact, see her do. Maybe she just doesn’t like me, personally?? Because, really, I was flabbergasted, and it’s not like there were other customers to be helped right that moment.)
On the other hand, I’ve got to say, the staff at Stix-n-Stitches were just marvelous with Risa’s twins today. In the middle of a crowded shop full of sales-shoppers, they found some little puppets for Kat to play with, and let Alex help with putting things in bags. Especially considering how busy they were, and how very close to dangerously-cranky the twins were at that point . . . they were wonderful! Paige at M.Y. was great with them, too, and let them move her chairs all around, and provided crayons and coloring books, but the twins weren’t so tired at that point. The wrong move at SnS could have led to tired-tantrums. I’m always so impressed by people who can handle kids just right! But really, I’m just as glad to have an adult dog to come home to….

Tags: Friends, General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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So, home again.

First load of laundry is washed, dried, and put away.

Second load of laundry is in the drier.

Chappy has also been washed and dried–he needed a bath so badly! That slightly fishy smell from romping in the lagoon yesterday….

Food for Chappy is cooked and in the refrigerator so that he can get back to his regular diet ASAP.

My car is nicely tucked into the garage for the weekend since Dad is in Dallas until Monday. This was particularly helpful since it meant we could unload the car inside instead of out in the rain.

Everything is unpacked and put away, and the new things (a couple books, a Black Dog shirt, some jewelry) been found homes. Chappy’s glad to have his doggie-door again, and his first stop when he got to the house was to check his water dish.

I sorted quickly through my mail–have my bank statement to deal with, and my Whole Dog Journal to read, a couple odds and ends, but the best part? Look, my Trekking yarn is here! (Along with two skeins of Koigu because, well . . . do I need a reason?)

Did I mention the rain? Lots and lots of rain, as in for a while we were driving at about 35 mph on the highway because it was pouring so hard and visibility was so bad. And it took closer to six hours than five to get home.

And that was after a slightly late start–we got up and had the car loaded and on its way by 7:15. We went into Edgartown to pick up breakfast, then back to Vineyard Haven to catch the ferry. Our tickets were for the 8:30, and we arrived in good time, at 8:00 . . . but we ended up on the service boat, Govenor, which left at 8:45 instead. It seems that the Steamship Authority only had one slip working at the dock and so could only handle one boat at a time, and were running late. But, really, what’s 15 minutes, right? We got to Woods Hole at 9:30, fed the car, and were on our way at 9:45.

But then, yeah, rain. It was raining before we even got to Rt. 25. And poured for most of the rest of Massachusetts. And through most of Rhode Island. It paused for a while in Connecticut (the longest portion of the drive), and we were able to stop in Mystic for the bathroom and to grab a quick lunch, but it was raining again when we left. And while the sun came out for a little bit of a tease, it rained again for the western end of Connecticut, and for New York and the Tappan Zee Bridge, and it poured for the last few miles of the drive in New Jersey before we got home. I ended up doing all the driving, which was fine since Mom was tired, and we listened to three chapters of Harry Potter.

Speaking of our trip book, we still have about half the book to go, but that’s okay. All our favorite tv shows have ended for the season, and reading will give us something to do in the evenings (grin).

And now, I’m tired. I cooked dinner for Mom and me. Okay, it was just pasta, but still. I cooked! I’d almost forgotten how nice it is to eat off of porcelain with real silverware. We clocked almost 800 miles since Sunday–which for me is huge–and my car passed 30,000. This is a number at which my Dad and sister will scoff since my car is 4.5 years old, but hey, a milestone is a milestone, right? But, anyway, I’m tired. I want to go take my shower and then make the first cup of tea I’ll have had since Saturday.

Tomorrow morning, I’m going to Montclair to Wendy‘s book-signing. Exciting, huh? (Come on, admit it!) At least it will be a relatively short drive…. I’m looking forward to it, tired or not!

Tags: Family, Martha's Vineyard by Deb
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  You know how it is on a vacation–you get to the last day, and suddenly realize, “Oh no. I’ve got so many things still to do!”

So, one of the first things on today’s list–after breakfast–was to get Chappy to the beach so he could romp. We parked at the Inn and then walked to the beach–the Sengekontacket Pond side of the road, not the Nantucket Sound side. And there, Chappy splashed and ran and made sand castles . . . well, okay, no sand castles.

This picture I’m posting, I love–a nice action shot, drops of water splashing, the happy look on his face . . . you’ll just have to pretend the leash isn’t draped across his head. (Hey, the water moves pretty quickly there, and he’s never really swum–just waded–and I’m not taking any chances. When we’re near deep, moving, water, he wears his flexi leash.

  Anyway, this afternoon, we sat by Ocean Park again while Mom and Chappy napped, then headed to Edgartown. Here’s a picture of Chappy looking at his namesake, Chappaquiddick from the top of the “wharf”–one of the best views and a place I absolutely love.

Today’s weather was lovely again. A little hazier than yesterday, but blue and sunny, and I now have a tan-line on my wrist from my watch. Tomorrow, it’s supposed to rain . . . so I’m not sure how that will affect our drive home. Our ferry leaves here at 8:30 in the morning, it’s a 45-minute ride to the mainland, and then five hours or so on the road, depending on traffic and weather and how long a stop we take for lunch. We’re all looking forward to getting home, though. I think we all miss the house! (Not to mention Dad.)

Tags: Family, Martha's Vineyard by Deb
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  We actually had this weird stuff today–the sky was this bizarre shade of blue, instead of the normal gray color, and it was all bright and squinty . . . very strange. But there are these handy things called “sunglasses” which help cut down on the glare. . . . Wow, people come up with the most creative things!

Okay, seriously. Today’s weather was beautiful. Mid-sixties and sunny all the livelong day. We went up to see the cliffs at Aquinnah (formerly known as Gay Head). This was the first time Chappy’s actually been there. We did drive up on his first trip to the island, but it was raining so hard when we arrived, we never got out of the car. So, this was exciting.

  My sock thought so, too, though it was rather windy. It was just as glad to be attached to the skein of yarn in my purse. I think, in fact, that the view of the cliffs is the windiest part of the island. I don’t think I’ve EVER been there and had the air be still. The colors weren’t quite so vibrant as usual, and the water not quite so clear since all the recent rain had churned up so much clay in the water, but still. It’s always a good view.

Anyway–sunshine. Lots of it. We drove Up-Island, where I haven’t been in years. (Though, unfortunately, Allen’s Sheep and Wool Farm was closed.) We had lunch up at the cliffs–where a tourist actually recognized Chappy as a Boykin Spaniel.

On the drive back, we stopped at the Field Gallery to admire these fabulous sculptures. They’re huge and playful, and it’s one of those places we’ve always meant to visit, but never gotten around to actually stopping the car. Mom and I took a whirlwind tour of about 10 minutes, with Chappy still in the car, and us snapping pictures like mad.

We got an afternoon snack from the Black Dog Bakery and then went to Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs and just sat in the parked car with the windows open, enjoying the breeze, and reading or chatting. Chappy napped. He’s particularly tired because (1) he has had practically nothing to eat all day, since he snubbed his breakfast yet again. (Though I gave him a Black Dog biscuit while Mom and I were eating our breakfast this morning–they’re really pretty huge and so reasonably filling, if not exactly nutritionally complete. But then, I had a cinnamon croissant, so I don’t know that my breakfast exactly met all my FDA standards, either.) Also, (2) Chappy met not one but two playful puppies today, with whom he was happy to romp, but who wore him out. And finally, (3), he missed out on a lot of his regular naptime . . . I think Chappy’s going to be almost glad when I go back to work after this vacation, and he can get some uninterrupted nap time again! (Well, no, maybe not.)

And, again, here are some bonus pictures!

Tags: Family, Martha's Vineyard by Deb
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It started wet this morning. We drove into Vineyard Haven to get our breakfast from the Black Dog bakery (wonderful donuts), and in the 10 minutes or so we were in there, the puddles outside went from, you know, puddles, to ankle-deep rivulets lining the street. Just running back across the street to the car, my feet got soaked. (Thank heaven for those handknit, wool socks, huh?)

We moved the car over to Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs and ate our breakfast to the sound of raindrops on the roof. I took this picture while we were sitting there. One thing about this ever-changing weather–it’s making for some really dramatic skies.

Little by little, though, the day got drier. We browsed and walked around Vineyard Haven, got some lunch (we split a lobster roll), and came back to the room to relax for a while. Then, back to Edgartown around 4:00 . . . most of our favorite restaurants for dinner are there, so we usually end up there at the end of each afternoon.

And that, of course, is when the sun came out. Clearly, we should be spending more of our time in Edgartown, because so far, we have had the best weather there, by far, than anywhere else on the island.

Tomorrow’s weather? It’s actually looking pretty good. Not perfect, but they’ve used this odd word that I had to look up in the dictionary–”sunshine.” Anyone else (in New England, anyway) ever hear of this stuff?

I haven’t been getting much knitting done–I’ve barely started my Green Gables, haven’t touched the Peacock Stole, but I have worked away at the little socklette in my purse. I know, I’ve said I don’t really like self-patterning yarns, but I bought this Sockotta because its colors would go so well with my pink-and-orange sneakers, which really must be worn with socks. So, this is destined to be a little anklet of a sock, and it gave me something to do while Mom was getting tonight’s dinner.

It’s not, after all, like Chappy was a whole lot of company while we waited.

Now, if only he would eat his breakfast in the mornings….

Oh, the biggest disappointment of the trip? My brand-new Creative Zen Micro Photo MP3 player? It completely lost its memory yesterday. I turned it on, the screen said, “Rebuilding Media Library” and when it was done . . . absolutely nothing in the memory at all. No songs. No albums. No playlists. No Organizer data . . . thank heaven I thought to (1) bring addresses for postcards on paper, instead of relying on the Zen and (2) decided to bring the Harry Potter audio CDs in the car “just in case.” Sheesh.

And here, to end for the day, a couple more pictures. The first sky picture? Mom and I thought the clouds looked like a waterfall…

Tags: Family, Martha's Vineyard, Sky by Deb
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What . . . interesting . . . weather we’ve had today. Except for hot, we’ve had pretty much every kind of weather you’d expect from New England. It was cold and misty this morning when we got up. (All three of us slept well, and Chappy quite happily kept my feet warm all night long. Even Mom slept well and through the night–almost unheard of for her on vacation.)

Anyway, so when we got up, it was cold and misty, but not actually raining (here, anyway). We loaded into the car and drove to Edgartown–about six miles from here–and got breakfast to eat in the car. (Known, on vacations, as Cafe Volvo, Chappy’s favorite restaurant.)

Then, we walked around, noting all the while the sky was lightening and there were even hints of blue peeping through. We visited some of our favorite stores (I bought two books at Edgartown Books (the first book store I’ve ever been to that welcomes dogs), Mom bought a Black Dog shirt). We stopped to see Karen and Steve, our favorite inn-keepers (although they unfortunately don’t accept dogs between April and November). Nice, pleasant morning. The funniest moment? When, in the Black Dog store, Chappy saw his own reflection in a mirror at the back of the store. Now, he’s almost 5. He’s seen mirrors before. But he would NOT believe that was not another dog, so I walked him all the way up to the mirror, until he literally bumped his nose against that of his reflection (known at home as Yppach). I have to admit, I laughed out loud at him, silly boy!

Then we headed back toward Oak Bluffs for lunch, and it got foggier and foggier . . . we couldn’t even see the road as we drive, forget about the mainland right across the Sound. We parked, walked to Good Dog Goods to get Chappy some biscuits, and just as we stopped to get lunch, it started to rain. We got back to our room, Chappy collapsed for a good, long nap, and the skies opened and it rained, hard, for a good hour . . . but around 3:30-4:00, it started to clear up.

So, back to Edgartown to pick up supper. But first, we went for a walk. Here are two pictures, taken from the exact same spot. One, looking out past the lighthouse and toward Chappaquiddick. The other looking toward the center of town, over the harbor. Really, a very nice walk.

We got dinner from the Wharf (where we once saw Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley, back before they were married, much less divorced–I was still in high school, so, 1984 or so?). I squealed the car to a stop (well, okay, pulled over genteely at the side of the road) to take this sky picture for Sandy, at State Beach. (See, Sandy? Even on vacation, I’m thinking of you. All these lovely Sky Photos for you!) Then we came back to our room, ate (yummy), and then went for another walk.

Chappy, at this point, is completely exhausted–but happy.

I’m happy, too–the inn now has a high-speed internet access modem that you can rent for $10 a day, so at least I’m able to blog normally and check my email . . . not that I’m tying myself to my computer or anything, but it’s nice that I can do the few things I want to do in an efficient manner. Much, much better than yesterday!

The biggest disappointment of the day? This cute little tea shop–which was open as we drove by yesterday–is closed. It’s only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons, which is a darn shame, because I was going to get my tea-swap pal some tea from there. Darn it!

A couple more pictures, just because I can! (It’s amazing how a little internet access can make a girl happy.)

Tags: Family, Martha's Vineyard, Sky by Deb
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So, here we are on Martha’s Vineyard.

 

Let’s see . . .

 

Minus: The drive was wet. Started off misty, and then started actually raining before the halfway point. We stopped at Mystic CT for lunch and to switch drivers, and then my half of the drive? LOTS of rain. (In fact, we turned on the weather channel and heard that the states of Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire all have states of emergencies tonight due to massive amounts of rain.)

 

Plus: Since we didn’t exactly dawdle over lunch (poor Chappy didn’t get a chance to get out of the car at all), and there was very little traffic, even if it was going slowly because of the rain, we made it to the ferry in Woods Hole around 1:30 . . . well in advance of our 3:45 ferry tickets.

 

Bigger Plus: They were just finishing loading the service ferry (The Katama) and we got to be the next-to-the-last car on board. And gee, I haven’t backed onto a ferry in years.

 

Minus: Well, it was a little, um, choppy. We had an excellent view from our almost-at-the-front position and were just as glad we weren’t the last car on . . . they were right in the front and with the boat rocking that much, it was probably a little unnerving. In the picture, you can just see one of the “regular” ferries passing us amongst the choppy waves….

 

Plus: We were on the island by 2:30—extra vacation time! We stopped in Vineyard Haven for some coffee before heading to the inn, and Chappy was VERY glad to get out of the car for a while.

 

Minus: We had to sit outside and, while it wasn’t actually raining, it was COLD.

 

Plus: Our room—suite, really—is just as nice as last year. Two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchenette. Lots of room for Chappy to explore.

 

Minus: The flue in the fireplace is open and therefore a little drafty. (And no, I wasn’t able to get it closed, though I tried.)

 

Minus: Our take-out dinner was lousy. We order from the Newes all the time, but this time? Mom’s French Dip sandwich had no sauce to dip in. My hamburger was completely dry—no lettuce or tomato like there should have been. No ketchup, salt, pepper, or forks in the bag. And, they tried to put the hot bag of french fries on top of the chocolate cake with ice cream we ordered for dessert.

 

Plus: We called to complain, and explained that we’d driven all day, were in Oak Bluffs, and there was really no way we could put the dog back in the car to come back for a correct order, and so they credited Mom’s credit card for the entire price of the meal. Very nice of them, we thought, we would have been happy with half!

 

Minus: No wireless access in the room, and the dial-up is expensive

 

Plus: At least I can plan ahead and type these things out ahead of time!

 

Now . . . Chappy’s napping (finally!), I’ve had my shower, Mom’s sitting with her journal, and soon, the final episode of West Wing will be on (sniff). Things are good!

Tags: Family, Martha's Vineyard by Deb
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Well, we leave tomorrow morning for our trip. Here’s Chappy giving the evil eye to my suitcase before I started packing. I actually filled his bag first, but I don’t think he really pays attention to what his OWN suitcase looks like. All he knows is that I’ve got one of the dreaded things in the bedroom, and he doesn’t trust it. I’m going to have to put his harness on him first thing in the morning, before we start loading the car, or he’s going to be a nervous wreck.

  Here’s my “stuff” pile. The little extras you need to remember to bring, the things that aren’t clothing. Books (very important). A hat. Little speakers for my Creative Zen. My microfiber hair towel. That kind of thing.

  Here’s a peek into my toiletry kit, filled with the usual things. Toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, soap, hair gel, moisturizer, the usual things. I keep it packed and ready to go at all times–not because I’m that likely to have a sudden need to go somewhere, but because it’s just easier to have stuff like this ready at all times.

  Here’s one of my favorite “basic” items–an emergency sewing kit that I made myself, and which fits into one of those little business card cases that looks like a briefcase (or, you know, a suitcase). Needles, thread, a couple safety pins, and a tiny pair of scissors. What more are you likely to need for a sewing emergency while on vacation?

  And here, my suitcase, filled and ready to go. Well, you know, once I zip it closed! An assortment of t-shirts and light sweaters to layer with. Some wool socks. My nifty new pink and orange sneakers. Our “trip book,” Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which Mom hasn’t read yet.

Everything’s packed except, well, this computer. I am bringing it along, although since there’s no wireless access at the Inn, I don’t know how much I’ll get to actually blog for the next five days. I’ll check in when I can, and will try to at least post something, but since it’ll be dial-up (like last year), I can’t make any promises for long, witty posts or stunning photography. I certainly won’t be keeping current on all of your blogs until next week, though, so try to keep it down, huh?

Tags: Family, Martha's Vineyard by Deb
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