(Here's me being a big fat dork).

Last night I met up with Jessie. She didn't have two heads, was funny and likes to knit and sail. AND drinks beer. While she may think I'm a weirdo or not-so-cool, I liked her and that was exciting. While DC is chock full of people, sometimes its hard for me, yes me, the chatterbox that I am to make friends. Yay!
The pink sock continues. I'm hoping to turn the heel at the baseball game tonight!

Monday and Sock Club!

Why do Monday's stink so much? The Tall Guy told me this morning that I was acting like a lunatic, as if everyone was in my bubble and it was true. I think even I was in my own way. The day went okay for the most part, except for the whole construction outside my office continuing. At one point my the ceiling of my office was shaking so much that dust and who-knows-what was falling like snow on my head. It can only get better tomorrow, since tomorrow is Tuesday and not Monday, right?

Spoiler Alert! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Over the weekend I got my first shipment for Scout's Swag sock club. (Basically, for those confused by Sock Clubs, you pay once, ahead of time, get a certain number of shipments, usually at a slight discount then if you paid one by one AND its typically yarn that the indie dyer will only dye for the club, thus making it a rarity.) Its super cute, not something I would have bought myself, but I love it all the same. Here it is!
And another pic. .. I have no idea what pattern I'll make with this. Maybe I'll just look at it for awhile...and, well. I keep getting yarn, so I decided to get some wip's done with so I don't have this weird guilt about unfinished socks lurking places as I cast on new and exciting socks. If you don't knit socks you may not understand... So, I'm back to the Carolina socks using StormMoonKnits sock yarn in Pretty in Pink. I'll add the links when I finish, but I'm about a third of the way into the second sock, so things are looking up.


I have a reasonable amount of knitting time coming up this week, with a baseball game with co workers on Wednesday. Its my first time to DC's new baseball stadium, so I'll give a full report after. Apparently, the food is supposed to be realllllly good. We'll see.

And before I forget... I'll be at Maryland Sheep and Wool this weekend! Looks like I'm going both days this year, which should be an adventure. I can't find my Ravelry button anywhere, but if you see me and I look vaguely familiar, say "hi", if its not me, you may make a new friend anyway!
Edit: for those who notice, I have no clue why the font is different sizes and can't seem to resize it. My apologies to those as anal as me.

Warren, we're over.

So, you may have guessed that I have a thing about cupcakes. Incidentally, there are freshly made coconut cupcakes in the fridge if you want to come over for one.
Anyway... some of my peeps remember my most recent infatuation with cupcakes started about 5 or so years ago when we wandered down (the now much more hip) U st. in DC. We happened upon a little known bakery at the time and I feel madly in crush with Warren Brown and his cupcakes. For those of you not in DC, you may know him now as the man on Sugar Rush. So, for the last five years, a treat would be a cupcake from Warren's ever expanding empire.
I found, slowly that I wasn't liking them quite as much each time I had one (and yes, CakeLove people, I do eat them at room temperature). I started finding the frosting just a bit "off", the cake too dense, or sometimes tasting a bit stale.. It seemed every time there was something not-quite-right about my cupcake. In February during a particularly stressful week, I came to the conclusion, as I was unable to finish one of Cake Love's cupcakes and the Tall Guy spit it out, that my love affair with Warren was dwindling. Yet, like any long lasting love, its hard to let go. Well. I think today the love I had for Cake Love was officially over. I was at Tyson's Corner,(a swanky suburban mall that has a Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, etc) and there was a coming soon sign. Warren. Not only do your cupcakes kind of suck lately but, you are opening up in the place that I would consider to be the complete sell out and arch nemesis to your humble beginnings on U St.
Bye CakeLove, It was nice knowing you.

more details from yesterday

First I must say. I work hard as a Gov't employee... and all of my co workers do too. Seriously. That said, I don't think I can ever go back to a normal work week. See. Every other Friday, I'm off. I work 9 hour days the rest of the time and its totally worth it. I say that as today I'm off and the Tall Guy is off sailing for the weekend so Annie and I have the run of the house. I've been picking up and she's been napping. I'm just starting a new project (based on this pattern) and am just enjoying a quiet day at home. This is key to my job satisfaction.
Anyway.... yesterday you saw my new socks.
The details, for those that care, while outlined here, and based on the Sell Your Sole pattern found at this site. I'll also say... this is a super easy pattern. Basically, I took a basic sock pattern, cast on on size 4 (yes 4) dpns and somehow managed to only use one skein of Lorna's Laces' Sheppard Sport. I have size 7.5 feet and these are apt to be some of the best fitting socks I've ever knit. Seriously!

a finished object!!!!

Okay. Okay. I know its nearing May. I know its 80 degrees. But, I'm wearing my new socks right now. And. I love them.

Love Them.

adorable photo of the day

She's such a little peanut, I was worried it would be too small for her!
Deets: Umbilical Cord hat from Stitch and Bitch and Baby Kimono from Mason Dixon knitting. All the info is here and here.

Friday afternoon...

My boss (who's about my Dad's age), just referred to me in a meeting as his "Homegirl".
That's funny, right?

hello from bernard

Every backyard needs a garden gnome riding a pig!
At least that's what I told the Tall Guy a few weeks ago when we were at Home Depot. How could I not put Bernard (that's what I named him) into our cart and take him home!
This is... well... A picture that doesn't look like much of anything. It's one of a few present projects at the moment and the finished product won't look like boring brown. In the corner you can see those other socks I was working on. I'm totally a knitting slut right now, I have so many things on the needles and no real direction. I'm okay with it, though.

And, your Annie photo for today.
This is how she "watches" TV. I'm not kidding. Sometimes she even pushes back a bit so she looks even more like a person sitting on the couch, watching the tube. I love it.
Happy Weekend! We're firing up the grill for the first time Saturday, if I haven't told you and you're close by, c'mon by for a little shin dig. Email me if you need our address!
Yay!

spring~

I think Annie is even happier then I am that Spring is here! (She looks much more regal in this photo then she normally is... I love it!)

We made it back from NH in one piece, the wedding planning is basically done and I got a bunch of knitting done. I don't have pics for you at the moment, but I swear I've been knitting!

I'm currently sucked into a weird book though, so it is slowing me down a bit. Anyone read John Irving's Until I Find You ?? I'm not done yet, but I'm really not sure how I feel about it.

Happy Birthday Tall Guy!

The Tall Guy turns a whopping 27 today. He seems to think this is "Old", but as I was reminding him this morning, I'll always be two years older then him. Good thing I was blessed with this baby face!
I suppose I should knit him a new pair of socks, or start thinking about a sweater (don't worry, I said think, not knit. I won't start knitting until after August).
The thing is, now that he knows what he likes, what yarn he likes and knows what I can do, he wants "thin" socks OR even better, the sweater he wants? Well, the boy likes cables. Lots of them. He wants a traditional, scratchy wool, Aran sweater. Sigh. One day. He'll get one and hopefully it will be before our 10th Anniversary. In the meantime, Happy Birthday hon!

hello hello

Okay,
I don't have anything to report, nothing to show, no pictures. I suck, its true. I'm just totally without any sort of creative thought at the moment. I've been knitting on the gathered pullover, have been working, been doing the things that people do, like getting a flat tire, fighting allergies. etc.
We fly to NH tomorrow to hang out with my parents and finish wedding planning (Seriously, we have kicked ass and taken names on this. After this weekend, we're 90% done with planning our wedding and yes, the big day isn't until August) .
I promise next week that I will be more creative, have pictures and be all an around interesting person.

I had grand plans for the evening that included updated photos and witty commentary. I spoke with my Dad a little while ago however and we just lost a dear family friend this evening.
Louis had been battling pancreatic cancer for close to a year and was more elderly then you would have ever known by his amazing spirit for life. He was a wonderful friend to my Dad, me and my family , when we needed him the most and had a one of the biggest hearts around.
So, tonight I'm going to take a moment and think of Lou, his family and how he will be missed.

moving and sniffing

I've just moved offices. a whole two hallways from my old office, but its still different with new noises and none of my old co workers going by all the time.
The worst part, however is the smell. See. There's construction down the hall and whatever they're doing, I'm convinced smells like rubber tires. Or plastic. Either way, I'm hoping to not pass out before the end of the day. The good news is that I just found out the thermostat was set to 78 and has since been turned down to 73. Here I was thinking menopause was setting in early!

I know its almost spring

but socks continue to be my no-brainer project for nights where I can't think and mornings when I'm on the train.
One sock is done here and I've already cast on on the other...

I'm using a basic sock pattern in size 4 needles and borrowed the Yarn Harlot's "Basic Sock with a twist" by adding a two stitch cable down both sides. Its a super fast knit since its on such big needles.

The homespun yarn party was on Sunday and while it was super duper crowded, I came home with some nice yarn (and a few other things which I'll share later this week). I picked up two skeins of Woolarina and one from Mama E. Since this is a pre bed post, I'm keeping it simple and for the yarn-peeps out there, I'll get details and better pics out soon. The bright stuff is Woolarina and the top stuff is Mama E. And, last but not least... I ordered myself a Lexi Barnes bag for my birthday last week. It was on super sale, so don't mind the tropical theme.