I really have so little to say tonight that here I am, filling in with a barely-changed-from-last-time photo of my shawl.

Because, let’s see . . . here’s what I did today.

• Stayed inside the air conditioning as much as possible because It was hot and sticky today–like 95 degrees–my least favorite kind of weather.
• Did NOT take Chappy out for a walk (because, well, it was hot and sticky!).
• Ate a fried egg on toast for supper because Mom and Dad went out with friends. (A good thing.)
• Colored my hair.
• Baked–highly unusual on a week day–because Mom had a brain freeze at the grocery store and thought we needed more when we had about five at home, and there’s no way we were going to be able to eat all of them before they turned brown, so yes, I converted some to banana bread.
• Ate about half a bowl of cherries. (I love them, and they’re in season for such a short time, I can’t seem to help myself.)
• Listened to the Music and Lyrics soundtrack in the car . . . because, no, I wasn’t able to restrain myself. The music is really pretty catchy.
• Was amazed at how many comments yesterday’s "Paper or Plastic" post generated–who knew so many of you had such strong opinions on e-books? More comments on that one than any of my knitting posts lately, which I find really pretty interesting!
• Made sure my monthly reading list was up-to-date for tomorrow morning’s post . . . just so long as I don’t finish anything before bedtime….
• Um . . .

Yep. That’s about it. Those four new rows on the shawl really are just about the only thing "new."

You know, except for the banana bread.

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:New? // 1 Comment »

• Do you read e-Books?
• If so, how? On your computer, or a PDA?
• Or are you a paper purist? Why?

My answer’s pretty simple, really. I do not read e-books. Not as a rule. (I won’t say never, but, well, maybe once out of every 1000 books? Every four or five years or so?) I have nothing against them, but I like being able to curl up with a book–something that’s hard to do with a computer. Even the e-readers that are out, they’re not the same–and also harder on the eyes. You don’t get the nifty little "flick" whisper of the turning pages. You don’t get the satisfaction of closing a book after the last page. It’s just not the SAME. And not nearly so portable.

Of course, this isn’t to say that I’d never change my mind about this . . . or at least, that I wouldn’t start adding some e-books into my life at some point. But will it ever replace the paper variety? The volumes I have on my shelves? The loved volumes with tattered corners and tape marking the multitude of times I’ve read them? Inscriptions from loved ones in books I was given as gifts? I don’t see how anything electronic could possibly replace that.

Hey, I still buy CDs for my music, too, even with my MP3 player . . . and I even still have my vinyl LP collection down in the basement. Electronic can be nice and convenient and all, but sometimes you need something you can hold in your hand.

And–entirely off-topic, but check out this car video . . .

The 10 Second guy was kind of funny, too.

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Paper or Plastic? // 22 Comments »

So.

Or, "sew," as the case may be.

Because here’s my pile of Celtic Icon pieces, waiting to be sewn together so that I can finish knitting the hood.

What, this doesn’t give you a good enough idea of the miles of seams?

Here’s a better idea. All the pieces laid out on the floor, with my handy assistant for scale.

Not to mention the sheer acreage of my bedroom floor covered by knit pieces.

That’s two fronts, one back, two sides, and two sleeves.

And only then, after all the seaming, will I know if the darn thing is going to fit!

One more picture. Just to really show you how many pieces there are . . .

. . . And, okay. Maybe just a little because I’m stalling about actually starting the seaming process I wonder what the point of the separate side pieces is for, as opposed to having integrated that into the fronts and back, anyway?

Oh, and the lace? The beauty of the beginning of a triangular shawl that starts at the center back is that the beginning goes oh, so quickly. I’m up to row 32, into the second chart already. And, well, cherishing the illusion that this is moving quickly. . . I know it’s going to slow down to a snail’s pace along about chart number three, but, well . . . leave me my illusions.

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Still Seamingly Endless // 13 Comments »

First, happy Memorial Day, everyone. (Well, the U.S. readers, anyway . . . although I hope everyone else has a good day, too. And of course, I don’t see why non-U.S. people couldn’t take a moment to remember those  who died for their country, too, so . . . )

I’m digressing. (Yes, I do that from time to time.)

The shawl?

Definitely in Zephyr "Curry."

See? I’m up to row #14 already. It’s really very nice to be doing lace again! The first time since October when I finished my rectangular Peacock Stole.

The one problem? Nothing to do with the Japanese chart, but with the lace needle.

See, I had bought one of the Addi Lace Needles to try a couple months ago, when they first came out, and it’s sat in the closet ever since, waiting for a chance to be used. But, when I bought the yarn on Saturday, I figured I’d get a needle there, too, specifically for this shawl . . .

What do you suppose the odds are of my accidentally buying two of the exact same size and length?

Yeah, you guessed it. Very good. I’m assuming that I can take yesterday’s back to the store and exchange it for a different size at some point . . . In the meantime, I’m using the one that’s been in the closet–it’s only fair. The plus side is that these needles are all that the reviews have said they’d be–sharp, but not too sharp–sleek but with enough "grab" to keep the lace yarn under control–flexible cord with that perfect Addi join. All of that. The bad part? One, the cord, at this stage of the shawl is annoyingly long (which is my own fault, not the fault of the needle), but also, the brass-tipped needles smell annoyingly metallic and keep leaving a metallic tang at the back of my throat . . . and my fingers smell like brass. I’m hoping that will go away. Although, I’m also thinking about switching to gray Inox needles on a shorter cord, or maybe Knitpicks Options, for a while . . . you know, until I have enough stitches and "heft" on my needle to make the longer cord a little more reasonable and a little less annoying.

Incidentally, I just joined another KAL, one which fortuitously started up just as I got ready to start my shawl–the Knitting Elegance KAL, for anyone knitting one of the patterns from the Japansese "Let’s Knit" series.

The shawl I’m making, you’ll remember, comes from Book #11.

And, while we’re talking about Japanese knitting, let me also point out that there’s a Yahoo! Group, Knitting in Japan, dedicated to it.

But mostly, the really important thing, is that I’m not cheating.

I had promised myself that I wouldn’t start any new projects until one or the other of my sweaters was done. And while my Celtic Icon isn’t entirely done, it’s done "enough" that I’m not feeling guilty.

I finished the sleeves last night (you can see them here, blocking as proof), and the next official step of the construction process is to sew in the zipper. Now, first of all, I think that’s a little silly–shouldn’t that be the final step–but anyway, since I’m not going to know if I want to use a zipper or buttons until the entire thing is done, that’s not happening for a while anyway. Which means the real next step (for me) is to sew the fronts, sides, and back together, sew up the raglan seams, sew up the sleeve seam, and THEN pick up the stitches and knit the hood. Well, all that seaming is going to take a while and really, I’m not feeling any guilt at all about starting my next knitting project in the interim. Except for a couple, little Christmas gifts, one Mystery Project and, what, two pairs of socks? I’ve been plugging away on the same two "big" projects for almost half a year (Celtic Icon since October, Tatami since December) . . . so, well, it’s almost June, I want to knit lace, I finished the sleeves of C.I., and darn it, I’m just not going to feel guilty about this! All in all, I think I’ve been doing just fine in the perseverence-on-endless-projects stakes . . .

What else have I done today? Well have I have NOT done the two things I planned to do–thoroughly vacuuming my room and giving Chappy a haircut. But I DID organize all my lace and sock yarns, and sorted them into these canvas sweater organizers (that even have a cedar insert, which is never a bad thing). It came in a set of three, my sock yarn fits into one, my lace yarn (pictured) into another, and the third is currently home to the odds and ends that don’t quite fit into any categories–leftovers, and whatnot. (My other two storage cubes are filled with specifically "sweater" yarn.) I could wish that these had solid bottoms so that I could stack them on the top shelf of my closet a little easier–reaching to get that third one on top is tricky because they’re just a little longer than the shelf is wide and so I have to stack them horizontally, so that I can’t reach the handle, and, well, but who cares? It’s a good size, the canvas is breathable, I love the scent of cedar, and the top is plastic so I can easily tell what’s in there.

I did some other organizing/cleaning kinds of things, too. Took Chappy out for a short walk (it was only about 80 degrees but very humid). Made potato salad for supper. (In all modesty, mine is the best in the family.) Started my shawl, as you saw. Did some reading.

Oh, and yesterday? We celebrated the family birthdays–my niece and nephew, as well as my giving my brother-in-law his belated gift, and us giving my sister her gifts a little early (since her birthday is the day before Graduation, and my Mom wanted to be sure she had her gifts in case she wanted them for that day . . . not to mention it kind of made more sense to Mom to celebrate her birthday along with the others, rather than doing it on Graduation day. It was a nice day, although we came home to a house without any electricity. Not just us and our next-door neighbors, though, for a change–and it was back on within three hours, but still . . . it’s lucky that I have a front door key on my keyring, because the only other way into the house requires electricity!

Mom and I also finally got around to watching Music and Lyrics this weekend–we had thought it looked charming when it came out in February, and sure enough, we both enjoyed it. A romantic-comedy that didn’t quite go over the edge into ridiculousness, and one in which the two leads (Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore) shared real chemistry. And, really, I enjoy watching both of them when they’re being charming and funny. The faux-80s pop video was highly amusing, too, and the songs remarkably catchy. (The actress, Haley Bennett, playing the newest teen sensation could really sing, too.) It’s romantic-comedy, so it’s a "fluff" movie, but it was entertaining fluff and one I’m very glad I picked up.

Now, I think that’s plenty long enough for one blog entry, don’t you? Congratulations if you made it this far. (Actually, one of my co-workers wanted to figure out a basic word-count for a decent-sized paragraph and started looking at emails in his inbox to copy/paste one of them and then said, "Oh, let’s just look at one of yours." I guess I have a reputation for being wordy or something . . . or maybe it’s just that I use complete sentences when I explain things??)

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Memories // 8 Comments »

Well, Ina’s been talking about them for ages. They were highlighted in the Star-Ledger the other day. And they are having a special, Memorial Day/80th Anniversary combo celebration this weekend. So, today, Mom and I went.

The Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, in Montclair NJ.

Over 800 irises and 400 daylilies. Lots of smiling (and occasionally sneezing) people. Lots of cameras. Lots of celebratory artwork by local school kids. Plenty of (slightly hazy) sunshine.

And, really, did I mention the 1200+ flowers? Really, I feel kind of badly that I only took 95 pictures.

Here are some for you to enjoy. (Oh, and there will be some knitting content to follow the flower pics–just so you know. If you’re not interested in the flowers, there still will be some other stuff to talk about at the end.)

And, yes, I know that’s a lot of pictures. But they were really, really pretty flowers! Can you tell how glad I am that we went?

Now, the other reason we went to Montclair today was to visit the yarn shops. The usual two, Modern Yarn and Stix-n-Stitches. Really, you know, I like both these stores, and often end up getting yarn in both of them . . . but not today.

Today, I was looking specifically for lace yarn for that beautiful shawl I showed you the other day, and well, not everything fit the bill. I have yarn at home that I seriously considered–not least of which is the Claudia Hand-Painted Silk I bought in February (the plum-colored skein all the way on the left in the picture in the link). It mostly scans as a solid color but it does have variations, and I think this shawl would look best in a solid. I considered some of the Punta del Este Mericash cashmere/merino that MY had in stock (and was recently reviewed at Knitters Review)–and it’s luscious stuff, but none of the colors called to me for THIS particular shawl. (Note that you can see some of that in that linked photo as well.)

So, I ended up with Jaggerspun Zephyr in the Curry colorway. It’s a lovely, golden terra cotta kind of color. Pale enough to show the lace stitches well, and yet not boring . . . actually, come to think of it, and looking at it across the room, it almost perfectly matches the color of my dresser . . .

I also bought a skein of Baruffa Cashwool in the Bordeaux colorway. Not only is this one of the loveliest shades of red ever, and incredibly soft merino, but it was a bargain. What do I mean by "bargain?" 100 grams of weight, at 1350 meters (1460 yards) . . . for only $14. That’s like 1.4 cents a yard. And did I mention it’s incredibly soft and beautiful and I adore the color? There was absolutely no way that yarn wasn’t going to come home with me.

Now, the hard part–deciding which of the two would be the better choice for that shawl . . .

And, the best part? I agreed with myself that I could start that shawl as soon as I finish the sleeves for my Celtic Icon . . . after that, I need to stitch everything together before I can finish the hood, and I figure that that means I can count the knitting part as mostly done once the sleeves are done . . . and they’re getting close. The alternative "deal" is that I can start the shawl on Monday. (What’s more American than starting a Japanese shawl on Memorial Day, huh? Um, don’t answer that. Because really, all that matters there is that I won’t be at work on Monday.) But either way . . . a new project is right around the corner. I can’t tell you how excited that makes me!

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Iris // 13 Comments »

One of Mom’s pictures this week (Hi, Mom!). She took this at Ocean Park on Martha’s Vineyard last week, and we were both enchanted by the daffodills blooming up under/behind the park bench.

Kind of sweet, really.

Brought to you by:

• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday, Martha's Vineyard • Permalink:Ocean Park // 4 Comments »

Let’s take a gander at my Endless Sweaters, shall we?

I haven’t shown you my Tatami in a while . . . mostly because there’s been little progress to SHOW.

I’m just under the halfway point.

Yes, you heard me. I’ve been working on it since December, and it’s not even half done yet. Close, but not quite.

See? The ruler there by the arm? The sleeve is about 9" wide at this point.

It needs to be 20" before I can bind off the front edges of the sleeves and work down the fronts of the cardigan.

You heard me. I started the sleeves in February when Liz was here. And sure, granted, I’ve been focusing on my Celtic Icon, and there was the Mystery Project to get done, but still . . . Three months for 9 inches worth of sleeves.

The worst part? I’m getting a little bored with this sweater. (Getting? Who am I kidding? If I’d been loving every stitch, it would have moved up ahead of C.I. by now.) I still love the pattern. And I love the way my handspun is knitting up. And I love the way it looks. Just . . . sooooo slow. The stitch pattern is more interesting than plain stockinette, but not that much more, if you take my meaning. And it’s back and forth in rows, which really, is my least favorite sweater method. (So how have I ended up with this many knit-and-seam projects lately??)

Well, on the plus side, I’m into the sleeve shaping on the Celtic Icon sleeves. Finally. Once they’re done (still a few days away), I need to stitch everything together and THEN knit/finish the hood. And then either sew in the zipper. (One of many.) Or I might, at that point, decide that it would be better with buttons. I’m really . . . not worried, exactly, but . . . concerned about the way this sweater is going to fit. And since it’s turned out so long (after blocking), I don’t know that I’d want to put a zipper all the way up the front. So, I might, at that point . . . with everything sewn together and able-to-be-tried-on . . . decide to go for button bands and buttons instead.

How long, you ask?

Well, to give you an idea, I laid out my two "Celtic" sweaters. Granted, they’re not at all similar in style, but, well the names, the cables . . . I thought they’d like to get together.

As you can see, the front pieces of the Celtic Icon go well beyond the bottom of the Celtic Dreams.

And, really, my Celtic Dreams is just about the right length–give or take an inch either way. So, you can get an idea how very long this sweater’s going to be when I wear it, huh?

Before you ask, yes, I did measure it as I was making it, and yes, I did periodically check my gauge, and yes, I did block it . . . but that’s where the problems started. It definitely grew in length during blocking. For some reason, my pieces always do, no matter how careful I am.

So, ultimately, I’m thinking that putting a zipper into a sweater that’s going to be THIS long is probably a mistake. Assuming it fits well enough to wear when all is said and done (cross your fingers for me), I’d most likely be wanting to leave it open. You know, so it won’t look like it’s trying to be a mini-dress or something. I’d probably just button a couple buttons up near the bust or waist and leave it at that . . . so those zippers might not be going anywhere!

And, in retrospect, it’s really no wonder I needed that extra yarn, huh?

(Now I’m just worrying about how far past my fingers the sleeves are going to reach once I wash this the first time . . . Why ISN’T there a way to block pieces smaller?? I’m so afraid this isn’t going to fit at all . . . after eight months worth of knitting. Eight months!)

Other than knitting? Today is my niece’s 18th birthday. The one whose Senior Prom was last week. She’s not a little girl at all any more! An adult and old enough to vote. How did that happen? I’d swear she was this size just a year or three ago. Anyway, happy birthday, niece!!

(And yes, I know, my nephew should still be this size, instead of fourteen. This is the kind of stuff that makes me feel old!)

Ooh, and I saw this over at JenLa’s and had to try it.

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Endless Series // 4 Comments »

My dog is silly. We gave him the container from the leftover pot roast to lick out . . . because, you know, he likes to help around the house . . . and after he’d cleaned it, and bounced it around the dining room a bit, and chewed on the corners . . . you have to get every last iota of flavor out of there, you know . . . he just stretched out, with both front paws cozily tucked inside, and meditated on the joys of leftovers.

It looked very cute, but it really is just a little silly, huh? Which pretty much sums up my boy Chappy.

I had some bonus knitting time at the office today. They needed to reboot the entire system and we were all told to shut our computers down completely. Well, about 98% of my work requires me to be ON my computer (well, in front of it, technically), so . . . there was nothing I could do. And so, I pulled out my knitting and stood in the hallway, my yarn bag dangling from my wrist, chatting with other co-workers who couldn’t do anything constructive, either. Except, of course, that I was. I must have added about half an inch to my socks–which might not sound like a lot, but it’s a half inch more than I’ve added any other day at work . . .

Hey, for the "wow!" of the day, go here to check out this person’s functioning harpsichord built entirely out of Legos. I know I’m impressed!

The other "wow" is about how awful I thought the series/season finale of Veronica Mars was last night. What a depressing end . . . I didn’t need to see things tied up in a nice, pretty little bow, but darn it . . . Veronica walking off into the rain (to the tune "It never rains in sunny California") having basically ruined her father’s career and no chance to put things right? Leaving them basically exactly where they were when the show started, all because of the Kane family? Why? Whywhywhy?? SO unfair. I wanted to see Keith and Veronica looking HOPEFUL, darn it! Things were finally looking up for them, right up until the last episode or so, and if I’m not going to get to see them in the future, I want to at least have the feeling that they’ll be well and happy. Sigh. So much for that plan….

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Leftovers // 9 Comments »

I really need to work on my foreign language skills.

Because I just got this lovely delivery of Japanese knitting books.

A book of 300 knitting stitches.

A book of autumn/winter patterns.

A lovely book of lace patterns, because I saw it on Fleegle’s blog, when she compared it to Lace Style.

And, an extra bonus, a very helpful guide on reading the patterns.

Now, Fleegle has a "how-to read Japanese patterns" also, which is really helpful. More than one, in fact. Not to mention this post with links to other sources–including that guide book you see above.

Here are a couple more for you, too.

The lace book has some really lovely patterns in it. Not least of which is this simply gorgeous shawl. Gorgeous. Beyond gorgeous.

I’m telling you, one of these days, I really need to buckle down and decipher this stuff . . . I can’t say that I love every Japanese pattern I’ve seen, but some, like this shawl? Wow.

Just, wow.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Japanning Around // 18 Comments »

No, you’re not seeing double.

(Well, you know, other than the mirror–I figured I’d have some fun with the photo and mess with you just a little.)

There are, in fact, two earrings in that picture.

Two.

Not so surprising? Earrings usually come in pairs?

True, but you might remember that a couple weeks ago, one of these ran away from home.

Well. Apparently she got lonely, because last week, while I was on vacation, one of my co-workers found it on the sidewalk outside the office’s front door. She brought it in and left it on the time-clock (the unofficial "lost and found," since everybody has to stop there at least once a day). One of my friends–who had heard the whole car/tire/earring saga back when it happened, recognized it as mine and brought it back to her desk for safe-keeping. So, when I came in this morning, there was an email from her, telling me to come pick it up. Woohoo. It’s a miracle!

At least that made ONE good reason to go back to work this morning. Because, otherwise? Blah. Staying home and hanging out with Chappy is SO much better.

Now, about knitting. My Celtic Icon sleeves are coming along. In fact, they’re coming a little too quickly–I’ve reached the 18" length (finally) before having all the stitch increases done. I’m not worried about this too much–I can adjust the raglan decreasing as I go–but still. I’m actually a little worried that these are going to end up being too long. The body pieces, when blocked, grew in length, so the sweater practically comes down to my thighs at this point–so I’m concerned that the sleeves will end up too long, too . . . but it’s one of those "No way to know in advance" issues. The blocking might change the length, it might not. For that matter, my arms aren’t that long anyway, so they might be too long already . . .

Hmm. See? That’s why I like knitting in one piece . . . you can try things on as you go . . .

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Seeing Double // 10 Comments »

It’s been a relaxing Sunday for the most part–I did some laundry and cleaned the bathroom. I cooked a complete pot roast supper for all of us. (Yes, Chappy got some, too.) I read one book and started another…

We took Chappy out for a walk and met up with his two favorite neighbors, who joined us on the walk and came back to our house to see vacation/prom pictures. (Because, really, they show us pictures of their new grandchildren ALL the time, it’s only fair!) Chappy was beyond thrilled to have them IN his house.

Other than that, though? Really, it’s been pretty quiet. I’m racking my brain to come up with something more interesting to say, but honestly, it’s just been a quiet day. It’s back to work tomorrow (sigh)–something to which neither Chappy nor I am looking forward. After a whole week together practically ALL the time, the heading-back-to-the-office thing is HARD.

It’s my nephew’s 14th birthday though, today. And it didn’t even rain like it was supposed to . . . hopefully, he’s out enjoying his new bike somewhere . . .

Happy birthday, nephew.

We just really can’t believe how big you’re getting . . . and tall!

And, also? I’m out of school 18 years today.

Talk about Unbelievable.

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Unbelievable // 5 Comments »

Well, Kim might not technically qualify as an “old” friend, since I only met her in March, but it was so nice having her and the Kiwi come visiting today. (The Kiwi and I, of course, having known each other since December 2004.)

Somehow, though, I don’t think she (the Kiwi) is missing me at all. I mean, I hadn’t touched her since November of 2005, she looks much, much happier now. Fulfilled. Appreciated.

Yes, I’m still talking about the Kiwi . . . although, come to think of it . . . Kim does, too. She is clearly very much enjoying spinning these days. She might not be an old friend, yet, but I think she’s on the way to being a good friend–which, really, is what matters. Her bag of hand-dyed roving from Liz was lovely. (Wilton cake dyes, maybe, Liz?) She brought some lavendar pound cake, too, which was very yummy. It’s nice to eat someone else’s baking once in a while (grin).

Mystery Project? 100% finished. Now I just have to try to contain myself until it’s time to give it to the recipient. I just hope he/she will appreciate this bag/sweater/vest/gift. I’m assured by my mother that this is not an issue, that he/she will love it . . . I just hope that she’s right! All it really needs to be perfect is a “Handmade for You” kind of label. (And, well, better beading skills would have been nice.)

But, really, it was kind of nice pulling out my old sewing machine. I noticed on the back that it has a 25 year warranty, and by my calculations, I should just about be at that . . . give or take a year or so. I think I got my Kenmore as a 16th birthday present, but it might have been 15th . . . but, it was kind of funny to see that label and realize that I have, in fact, owned it for just about that long. Poor thing. It doesn’t get out much, either. October was the last time. And before that? About four years, I think–when I pieced together my still-unfinished quilt (you know, to get it done “quickly”).

It’s been cloudy/rainy here today (though, luckily, the rain didn’t start until after 2:00, so there was time for a walk for Chappy), so instead of OUR sky from today, here’s another pic from Martha’s Vineyard earlier in the week. Really, it’s much prettier than all that gray we’ve got, don’t you think?

We haven’t heard any details yet, but apparently my niece had a great
time at her prom last night. Which is wonderful, but it’s kind of
killing my Mom that she hasn’t gotten a play-by-play account . . . Of
course, to be fair, tomorrow is my nephew’s 14th birthday, so I’m sure
my sister’s been pretty busy today. Understandable, naturally.

Oh, and before I forget, I’ve been tagged a couple of times for the “Seven/Eight Weird Things” meme, but really, I’ve done that one already. Although, since the last time there were just Six things required . . .

Let’s see . . . 7. Unless I’m actually doing something like cooking, knitting, spinning, holding a leash, I more or less find it impossible to talk without using my hands.

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Old Friends // 4 Comments »

You’ll be pleased to know that, despite the cloudy, looks-like-rain weather we had for most of the day, I did not waste my day off, frittering away the time reading or playing on the internet.

Or, you know, not entirely.

There’s one, last, little, step  do on my Mystery Project, and then it’s done.

Really, I can’t wait to show you the whole thing.

Not only that, but I DID spend some quality time with my book, and with Chappy, and yes, I may have spent a little time online, too . . . And while it was wet outside when I got up this morning, it did not actually rain today. The sun even came out around 3:00, so that Chappy and I got to go for a nice walk.

But most importantly, as a good aunt, I don’t want it raining on my niece’s parade tonight. Or, technically, her prom. Mom went up to see her and take pictures, like a good grandmother should, and I, um, borrowed her pictures so I could share with you. (Yes, you, personally!) Gotta love that 1940s hair-style….

So, let’s see . . . yep. That’s really about it.

Let me think.

I trimmed Chappy’s nails this morning, which was badly needed, but which he hates.

Oh, and I also transplanted my new violets so they can hang out with the ones I already had. They all seem very happy together.

Another author I liked passed away–Lloyd Alexander, author of the Chronicles of Prydian (The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, the Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, and The High King.) According to the obit, he was 83 and his wife just passed two weeks ago. That always seems kind of sweet….

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Home Vacation 2 // 6 Comments »

Okay, the last time I posted pansy pictures, they were gleaned from the internet because, well, I don’t exactly garden. These, though? Luckily, Martha’s Vineyard is famous for its gardens….

(Although, really, in the interests of full-disclosure, I should probably mention that Mom took three of these . . . but I’m not saying which ones!)

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Just in case you’re wondering how far away Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts is…

I love the sign, and Mom particularly likes that it plots the distance to Waterville, Maine (at the very bottom), because that’s where her mother was born.

So, anyway, today we’re home.

Well, we didn’t STAY home the entire day. It’s supposed to rain for the next few days, so we didn’t want to waste the chance for a walk in the park.

Which Chappy definitely enjoyed–even if it did mean having to get in the car again.

Mom, Chappy, and I are still pretty tired, so we kept the walk-part short, but still, it was nice.

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve been to the park, and what a difference! It’s like an explosion of growth–leaves, grasses, all that. But most especially, the skunk cabbage, which is plentiful and huge.

At least, I’m pretty sure it’s skunk cabbage, but I’m positive that there’s lots and lots and lots…

But, otherwise? We were home by 1:00 and spent the afternoon mostly relaxing. I cooked Chappy a batch of food, and made tea for Mom and me this afternoon. As in, mugs of tea, which we drank with the Death by Chocolate we brought home from the Black Dog bakery yesterday. I’m almost done with my "book du jour," and plan to finish it momentarily. It’s even possible that I might have dozed off a little there. I know Chappy has. He’s zonked today, and has spent as much time as possible today, just being glad to be HOME.

Really, I know the feeling. It’s just a shame tomorrow’s supposed to be rainy. It’s my niece’s Senior Prom tomorrow . . . I don’t want her getting wet!

One last thing–I saw this sign by a church in Oak Bluffs the other day, and it just cracked me up….

Nope–one MORE last thing–I just read about this site: Kiva. A do-gooding site with such a great premise . . . I only just heard about it about 1.5 minutes ago, so can’t vouch for it beyond just saying, "Wow, how great." And so I pass on the knowledge to you, to do with what you will….

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Booking Through Thursday

It happens even to the best readers from time to time… you close the
cover on the book you’re reading and discover, to your horror, that
there’s nothing else to read. Either there’s nothing in the house, or
nothing you’re in the mood for. Just, nothing that “clicks.” What do
you do?? How do you get the reading wheels turning again?

————–I hate it when that happens! In fact, it’s one of the reasons I like reading series so much . . . the progression from book to book is already laid out (grin). This usually happens to me when I’ve read too many "similar" books in a row–either the same genre, the same author, the same series, the same "feel" . . . whatever. So I find that the only thing that really works for me is to do a 180 and pick something completely different. A mystery if I’ve been reading too much fantasy. A historical-fiction book if I’ve been reading too much science-fiction. Something completely unlike what I’ve just finished. Something fresh to the palate.

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Well, we’re safely home.

Here’s a recap of the day for you:

A pair of “hitchhikers” that came home with us. I’ve missed having African Violets that actually bloom (since mine are still recovering from their January surgery), so I decided I’d bring one home as a souvenir. So Mom and I stopped at Donaroma’s yesterday, but I couldn’t choose only one, so . . . um . . . two of them followed me home. Now I just need to get them some prettier pots than the plastic ones they came in . . . good thing I still have two more days off!

My socks while on the ferry this morning. We caught (as usual) an earlier ferry than we had tickets for, and ended up on the delivery boat–the one you have to back onto–so there was plenty of light to knit with. Once we finished our breakfasts. First thing this morning, Mom and I drove to Edgartown to get our food from Espresso Love and ate that on the ferry. You’ll have to excuse the vastly-streaky windshield. Pollen, you know. So MANY things in bloom! But you’ll be pleased to know I cleaned it when I stopped to fill up the gas tank.

As usual, we stopped at Olde Mistick Village for a stretch-the-legs break (very important, especially for the furry one of us). Chappy was happy to add a couple more admirers to his list. If he had an autograph book for fans, it would be full by now!

A peek at the earrings I bought. I couldn’t entirely resist the temptation to buy jewelry, but since none of these was too expensive (not less than $25 but not more than $40 or so), I indulged.

And look–pretty notecards! A set of Cara’s latest, that was waiting for me when I got home, and a set from Stephen Huneck that I brought home with me.

Okay, I’m not QUITE as wiped out as Chappy was last night, but after covering 300 or so miles today, followed by unpacking, doing laundry, giving Chappy a bath . . . I’m a little tired. So . . . good night, all!

• Tags: Martha's Vineyard, Uncategorized • Permalink:MV 2007.5 // 8 Comments »

Well, we had gray, gray skies this morning and lots of gusty wind (as in, gusts up to 45 mph), but still . . . nice day. The sun finally broke through around noon, the temperature climbed up to about 70, but it was comfortable enough with my thankfully-packed wool sweater and socks.

It was our Last Day on the island today. (I capitalize it because that’s the way Mom says it . . . the dreaded, ominous, Last Day Here.) We made a point of spending some time in each town center (Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, and Edgartown). As I said yesterday, we decided not to inflict the car-ride up to the Aquinnah/Gay Head cliffs on Chappy this year, and so have stayed “down island,” and concentrated on eating at our favorite spots, walking our favorite neighborhoods, and visiting our favorite shops.

We spent a couple hours again, sitting at Ocean Park. Chappy snoozed in the back seat while Mom and I enjoyed the view in our gustily-rocking car. We both got out to take a few pictures . . . this one is Mom’s, a close-up of the roof of the bandstand, with the clearing sky turning blue behind it.

Otherwise . . . breakfast at Espresso Love, lunch from the Black Dog, dinner (lobster rolls) from David Ryan’s. My car smells like coffee beans, and I may even have bought a bottle or two of Chicama Vineyards wine, the only vineyard on the island. And, um, maybe a pair of earrings (or four).

Doesn’t Mom look happy, though?

Incidentally, speaking of Martha’s Vineyard, did those of you who read Philip Craig’s Vineyard-based mysteries know that he died last week? Such a shame–and so sudden, to a fast-moving cancer.

Oh, and on a non-vacation note, I’m so relieved that Friday Night Lights is coming back. And How I Met Your Mother (which I had heard was on the “bubble.”) I’m seriously worried about Veronica Mars, though . . . but trying to just be thankful it made it to three seasons….

• Tags: Martha's Vineyard, Uncategorized • Permalink:MV 2007.4 // 10 Comments »

So, remember the other day when I said I was picking my Claudia Hand-Painted “Walk in the Woods” yarn for my next pair of socks because it most reminded me of Martha’s Vineyard Colors?

Well–take the plummy-browns and greens of sea grass, add in the blue-greens of the water and, here you are.

Practically perfect, really.

(And, isn’t it nice to see that I’ve been doing more than just reading and walking around with Mom and Chappy? Real knitting progress!)

It’s been another lovely day today. Blue sky, temperatures around 65-70. The breeze has kicked up, so it got kind of windy this afternoon, but . . . who cares? It’s beautiful.

We did a bunch of shopping today, along with spending a fair amount of time sitting along Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs, enjoying the day.

We haven’t headed up-island at all–we’ve been sticking near the three town centers. Tomorrow, if it’s not too cold and/or windy, Chappy wants to romp at the beach. He does enjoy splashing in the waves!

And yes, Chappy ate his breakfast AND his supper, and looked longingly at the hamburgers Mom and I ate. Nor was he nearly as cranky as he was yesterday–although we’re noticing that he needs more-frequent naps than he used to. At almost 6 years old, he’s not an old dog, but he’s definitely reached the middle-aged demographic. He likes his comforts these days.

Still, though, he thinks it unfair that, as a four-legged person, he’s not allowed into the carousel. I mean, it IS the oldest one in the country.

• Tags: Martha's Vineyard, Uncategorized • Permalink:MV 2007.3 // 12 Comments »

Do they look like happy Mom feet? Serenely sitting next to Edgartown harbor in their brand-new, fresh-off-the-needles socks on Mother’s Day?

Yep. That’s what I thought, too.

Despite my extreme headache, I finished knitting them last night and wove the ends in this morning. Finished them just in the nick of time! Happy Birthday/Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.

We had an exciting morning, too. First, at 4:30, Chappy woke up. We’re not sure if he just decided it was time to get up, or if he needed to go to the bathroom, or what . . . but he woke us both up. I can’t remember the last time he woke me up in the middle of the night. I did take him out–even though it was raining–but still am not sure if that was why he woke me in the first place.

Then, when we’d finally gotten back to sleep, at 5:30 . . . the radio-alarm went off. I leaned over and tried to turn it off, pushing every button I could think of, starting with the snooze button, but . . . nothing. The radio just kept on playing. Finally, Mom realized that the music was coming from the other bedroom. Now, really . . . this radio was loud enough to wake all three of us up in the next room at 5:30 in the morning. Sheesh! She said she thought somebody had left it as a prank, but I think that it was the last person in our room, who had a really early ferry they didn’t want to miss. (Yes, I’m an optimist, she’s a pessimist.)

Still, we did manage to get back to sleep. When we got up, Chappy opted not to eat his breakfast and just seemed . . . cranky. Which, for those of you who know him in person, is completely out of character for him. I don’t know if he just didn’t sleep, or what, but he really wasn’t feeling the vacation “vibe” this morning. Nevertheless, we headed off to Espresso Love for breakfast–Mom’s absolute favorite, blueberry scones. We walked around Edgartown for a while, did a little shopping, bought Chappy a biscuit from the Black Dog, and eventually got him cheered up.

This might have helped a bit. “A Dog’s Guide to Life” by Joe Cotton, illustrated by Deb Hoeffner. I spotted this at the bookstore and thought the dog on the cover looked kind of like Chappy. I picked it up and started flipping through it . . . the illustrations looked amazingly like Chappy . . . So I looked even more carefully. Yep. Moose, the dog whose “philosophy” is expounded here, was a Boykin Spaniel.

Naturally, I had to buy it, right? The illustrations are adorable. The book itself is pure, sentimental fluff . . . but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, right? And the illustrations that look so like Chappy were worth the $5.99.

Our weather was lovely, once the early morning rain cleared away. (As in, when I took Chappy out for his bathroom break at 4:30 this morning, it was raining. Of course.) We spent the afternoon walking around Oak Bluffs, and spent a couple hours just sitting in the car along Ocean Park, watching kids chasing geese, out playing with their Moms.

We got dinner from the Black Dog Tavern–Chicken Piccatta, which was excellent, and some Black-out chocolate cake–both of which we split. Chappy’s exhausted and zonked out on the floor. And all in all, it’s been a lovely day. Mom likes her socks. The weather was beautiful–about 65 degrees–not too hot, not too cold.

I hope your day was as good!

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!

• Tags: Martha's Vineyard, Uncategorized • Permalink:MV 2007.2 // 12 Comments »

Well, here we are, safely arrived on Martha’s Vineyard.

Allowing for some road work-related traffic on I-95 through Connecticut, the drive was pretty uneventful. Chappy was looking pretty queasy at one point, though, licking his lips . . . so we pulled off the highway just long enough for me to get into the backseat with him. He seems to do a little better with company back there–reassuring pats and someone to help buffer the bumps and turns. (Sadly, he appears to be backsliding in the carsickness stakes, since we went to visit Liz last year. Not that I’m blaming her or the roads in Maryland, you understand. Really, it’s I-95 in Philadelphia that I hold responsible. But that’s another story.)

Anyway, the important thing is that we’re here and did NOT need to use the carsickness kit. (That would be a ziploc bag with paper towels, a smaller ziploc with Clorox wipes, a garbage bag, and moist towelettes. At least, I do plan ahead.)

Here’s some Vineyard Sky for you–a lovely blue over Edgartown Harbor. That’s Chappy’s namesake, Chappaquiddick in the distance.

Really, we’re all pretty tired. We left the house at 8:00 and caught the 2:30 ferry out of Woods Hole. We spent an hour at Mystic, Connecticut for lunch, and for Chappy to stretch his legs. Our timing was excellent–they were having a puppy-training session in the center of Olde Mistic Village, so he got to see lots of dogs and dog lovers. He was gushed over by slews of friendly people who were dying to know what kind of dog he was. He even met a rescue St. Bernard who had been deserted, chained under a deck, and was about 30 lbs underweight, but a real sweetheart.

Basically, all the attention and adoration, on top of no-breakfast and feeling carsick took a lot out of him, and now he’s completely zonked out on the living room floor. We stay at the Island Inn, and our favorite room is really a suite. Two bedrooms–one of which we sleep in and the other which we use as a staging area, a living room and a kitchenette. Which came in handy since Chappy’s supper was still frozen solid when we got here, so that the microwave was very much appreciated.

But mostly? He’s just glad to be out of the car!

• Tags: Family, Martha's Vineyard • Permalink:MV 2007.1 // 10 Comments »

I don’t have much time tonight to post because I’ve been busy packing.

But here, let me remind you where I’m going.

I’ve got my suitcase packed. My knitting is ready to go–I’m leaving Tatami at home, but bringing my Celtic Icon and Mom’s socks–which hopefully will be done by Sunday. I’m not bringing my spinning. I thought about it, but there’s just not that much room in the trunk, and really, sitting with a book or my knitting sounds more relaxing than all that treadling (grin–I did put a spindle in my bag, though, just in case). The hardest part, as always, was picking out the books to bring along. Good thing there are bookstores up there.

If you want to see more, here are some links from our trip in 2005: Here, here, here, here, here, here.

And from 2006: Here, here, here, here, here.

Okay . . . gotta go!

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Packing // 9 Comments »

Mom bought these grapes today and they just looked so, so beautiful . . . and, what with Mom, Chappy, and I heading for Martha’s Vineyard tomorrow, that much more appropriate to show for today’s Eye Candy, don’t you think?

Frankly, just scrolling through the pictures is making my mouth water….

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• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday • Permalink:Vineyard-esque // 6 Comments »