Ok, Mr Yarn come home now!

Yesterday was one of those days that you think that cosmic forces were against you. I got home from having a great dinner with Lori to find that the refrigerator and some of the lights were out. I guess something happened to the circuit breaker. Now I am no whimp. I lived alone for years, but it sucked. I went to the breaker box in the dark to try to find the answer. No luck. So, I had to drag out an extension cord to plug the refrig into another outlet. Fun.

Enough whinning. I turned on the TV to see the destruction of the hurricane. I sat there emotional and helpless. My heart breaks for all those people. I have no real reason to complain.

So, I finished the main part of the sweater that I am making for a friend. As irony is my witness, I can't upload the picture. Flickr won't let me this morning.

So, I am going to put a paperbag on my head and go into the shop. Pray for me that I don't stab myself with knitting needles.

Oh yeah, and I got off my tush and posted a job opening at the shop on Craigslist. Anyone know of anyone that wants a job in a yarn shop? Fun place.

Stench

The compost went into the yard today. Looks pretty, no? Well it stinks. Really stinks. This big truck drove into the driveway yesterday and dumped about 1000 pounds of the stuff right there. Incense doesn't work in covering up what it smells like in the house and outside. Good thing the backyard is looking so pretty.

On another front, I wish Mr. Yarn would come home. Lily and I got in a fight. The damn dog wouldn't come in from outside last night and when she did she was covered in dirt. I thought she was eating the dirt at first but noooo. She found the stuff the crew left from leftovers of lunch.



At first I just thought that they had left cardboard there (ok, I did think it was weird that a piece was chewed out so I checked further). Then I saw THIS



Lily is in big time trouble

Ouch

Ok, I know you can't tell from this picture, but I went for a massage yesterday. OUCH! I woke up black and blue. I swear. You can't see it in the picture but I am. I guess I told her to just put as much pressure as she needed on me but did *I* know that I had huge knots all over my back and arms. Yep, I am a knitter. I mean I knit non-stop. Knots. . . I hate stinkin knots. I don't mean the kind in the yarn either. So, she DID tell me to drink lots of water when I got home. I drank wine. Same thing. Who knew that the detox thing was for real. Now I have a headache (thanks Brig) from drinking some wine with Brigid when we got home AND I am black and blue AND I think the knots are there for good. Ya think it is too late for water?

On another note, I am knitting this sweater for a friend.

Lily is disgusted

I went and done it. I disgusted mans best friend. I think that even Lily knows that a picture of her means that I am just too dull to have anything to say. I did finish the 4 panel jacket but I am struggling with the welting. I am dragging my feet on everything. I think I am coming down with a cold. Mr Yarn is leaving for a Chemistry thingy in Washington D.C. and it will be Lily and me and the cats. My dog ate my homework. Oh wait...



No she didn't. She is just an innocent victim.

I love my stumps

Remember the mushroom burl? This one is doing great. I haven't killed it yet. I watch over it like a hawk. Who knows when we will be back to a redwood forest to get a new one if I fail.



Well ya know me. Mrs "I EVER leave well enough alone". I bought a mushroom burl at the Ferry building in San Francisco. I have been growing it for a week and already the mushrooms are growing. Yes, the legal kind. My sister pointed out that I have a "thing" for stumps. She would point that out.

My camera failed me

Ok, not exactly, but it ran out of juice on me. I guess we forgot to plug in the rechargable batteries as well. So, lucky you have to just read babble WITHOUT pictures. I will spare you and keep it short. I really don't have anything to tell you. Tons and tons of Rowan came in at the shop and I have been putting that away. I am getting Jamieson's yarn in soon. I just have to decide what I want to carry. I am waiting to see the samples from a woman in Nova Scotia whose yarn I want to carry.

So, why do *I* always have to carry the conversation. You could add to it as well ya know.

Boozy

Well, sis is gone. I wish she lived up here. Not much knitting got done and probably won't for a while. I am going to be knitting a "secret project" for a while. It is sample knitting for Art Yarns, and not for me (or you, so don't think I am knitting any of ya a surprise).

So no knitting, but lots of drinking. We went wine tasting on Saturday and Mr. Yarn and I bought MORE wine. It is in the overflow room (kitchen) because it won't fit in the wine refrig in the basement. I think I better start drinking faster and having more people over! What difference does it make if that sweater has three arms?

Still busy

Sis is still here and she is leaving today. I swear that I will start being more interesting soon. Not much knitting going on for me. Having fun doing other stuff. In the meantime, here is the progress on the "party yard"



and

My sis!

(note I have my hand on her head. I was probably annoying the crap out of her. Oh, by the way, *I* am the baby.)

My sister is coming to visit today. I am so excited. She is my big sister. I am taking Friday and Saturday off and we are going to go do stuff. "Mr Yarn" is taking friday off and so is my brother. You all can too if you want. Just tell em *I* said you could. So, I don't know where we will take her Friday, but Saturday we are doing the Sonoma (BETTER than Napa) wine tasting thing. So, I won't be blogging for a couple of days because ya know, she already thinks I am "weird" from the times as a teenager (and when I was like 30) and I don't wanna push my luck.

Yawwwn!

Well, went to another City Council meeting last night. Was there until 2:30 in the morning. Won't get in to it here because I am sure none of you could care less, but I am so tired that I feel like my head is going to explode. Come watch.

Here is an update (as if you care) of the backyard project. You know it could almost have been an archeological dig. Ya never know, the house is over 110 years old.

Finished but I can't show you

I finished the red sweater that I was waiting for the yarn for. I decided that I had to get it out of the "To do" pile. I am sick of it. In fact I am so sick of it that I am not sure I will ever wear it. Too bad, it is a pretty sweater. To remind you for the 100th time what it looks like here is an older picture of it. Flickr isn't letting me upload anything this morning.



The backyard is really starting to come along. I can't show you pictures of that today either.

I couldn't help myself

I started this baby sweater. Kristine at Curious Creek sent me the yarn to do this sample. I love her! These yarns are so beautiful and when blended together they get even better. So, I stopped with the seed stitch just for a little while and I am making this and the baby hat for samples for the shop.

Other than that this weekend was just one spent working in the shop. I have nothing else to show ya.

Knitted object sighting

click on image to see more detail

So I DO knit. I really do. I finished the back of "Fern". I also only have one more sleeve on the 4 panel jacket. This summer I knitted (when the 4 panel jacket is done) 2 jackets, a cardigan and a pullover. The corset that I was too lazy to bring home counts too. I just never did anything with it. Don't even ask how many attempts at starting stuff I made. All in all not too bad though. Lets not even discuss how much yarn I BOUGHT this summer. I think I feel Fall in the air. Yeah, that is it...I can tell, it is coming soon.

I hate summer.

Whadda ya know

I got my yarn. I can't believe that I did. I only waited 3 months for it. It was replacing yarn that came in a kit in error. I sent that yarn back and was waiting for the right color. I emailed and called and emailed to see where this puppy was. I heard about animals and weather but still no yarn. It finally came.

Now I can finish this:



Remember this one?

Oh, and I excavated another stupid sweater. Another "what was I thinking" kind of sweater (Mr. Yarn I know that you love this sweater but uh, you wear shirts with your company logo on em. I don't trust you in a fashion kind of way, love you though). I made this sweater while on my honeymoon (yeah, shut up) and we were watching the dreadful election 4.5 years ago. Not easy to get romantic when politics are involved. You would have had to been there.



A cross between Cousin It and a hair shirt.

Yo! Where did all the knitting go?

I really can't keep showing the yards and yards of seed stitch rectangles that I am knitting for the 4 panel jacket. I also can't keep showing "Fern" because it is creeping along. I get home from work and I feel like a slug. No knitting has been happening once I hit the chair that is in front of the TV. I think I go into the 5th dimension or something. So, you get to see the progress of my backyard. . . again.



They have started building a new fence that was falling down and they are digging a hole where the patio is going to be. Garden will be a few steps up.

So tell me all you people out there that aren't reading this because you saw no knitting content. What are YOU knitting? Have you seen anything inspirational yet for next season? Do you have projects that you can't wait to start?

Oh yeah, and another question: Would anyone be interested in attenting a pot luck at Yarn! Ya know, eat, drink and knit. What could be better?

Sometimes people suck

Annie and Tim's apartment got broke into yesterday. They took her brand new iMac. Nothing else. To make matters worse they locked the door when they left. Pisses me off so badly. Also makes me feel horrible that there is nothing I can do to help her.

So anyhow, here are earrings that Annie is selling. I love them.

Ramblin Ramblin Ramblin

I got a new redwood burl. I killed the other one (sorry Molly). So, while driving through the Avenue of the Giants, I made Mr Yarn pull over at the most likely (cheesy) gift shop to buy one. I bought the biggest one there because ya know I just thought it would have a better chance if it was big. Um, the lady said that wasn't really true. She said that if I go on a trip I need to leave it in the tub with water dripping on it. Can you imagine a paranoid person like ME leaving water dripping? I don't think so. I will have to get a plant sitter to come water it every day. Mr Yarn will love this.



The construction continues. I know they mean business because there is a porta-potty. nevermind that they have showed up 2 days out of 7. A porta-potty means they are going to get this all done fast. Right?

Old Subjects

Lily was really excited to see us come home. I think I saw her smile.

On the sweater front



I don't have too much to go to finish the back.

On the backyard demolition front



They have ripped it all out and will start working on the patio

So, coming home this week was full of lots of fun stuff. I feel like I am getting back into the groove of things (only took me one whole week).

So shoot me

My computer at home wasn't working so I can't really post pictures here at work. I can show you what Evan (my kiddo) did. He is an awesome photographer. He is entered in an international photo contest. Go vote for him. Hit A-F and check out Film Guy's stuff. I love my kids :--) Here is one of his photo's that I love:



and a self portrait



Ok, I will shut up about my kid now.

I got a pal!

Ok, so I can't rotate the damn picture. Flickr is giving me a hard time. But I did want to show you what I found when I got home from my trip. My pal Titanium Rose sent me stuff that she made. I love all of it. I especially love the sachet and the way that it smells.
Thanks again Titanium!

On another note here is another picture I took while in some tiny little diner in Canada. I knew that I was in a good place when I spotted this


(click to enlarge).

Last but not least a shot that I saw that I took in Seattle that I actually really like. So, I am sharing.



Oh yeah, and on the knitting front.... Hm. I am working on the 4 panel "do seed stitch till you drop" coat at work and I am working on "Fern" at home. I will get pictures tomorrow.

Oh, I bought more yarn!

Not like it will surprise anyone, but while on my trip I stopped at many yarn stores. In Portland I went to "Lint" and to "Northwest Wool". In Seattle I went to "Tricoter" and to "So Much Yarn" and to "Acorn Street Yarns". In Sequim I went to an adorable shop called "A Mingled Yarn". In Bainbridge I went to "Church Mouse". In Port Townsend I went to another great shop called "Twisted Ewe" and another shop called "Diva Yarn". In Vancouver I went to "Urban Yarns" which was a great shop and another shop that was really interesting but the name of it is on a piece of paper somewhere in Mr Yarn's car.

There is more...

In Astoria I went to "Custom Threads". I also went to Creative Beginnings in some town I don't remember and didn't write down. Last but not least I went to one of my all time favorite shops that I found last time we were up in Oregon. I couldn't remember the name, but Mr Yarn came to a screeching halt when we saw the yellow house that we were looking for. The shop is in Bandon Oregon. It is called "The Wool Co". I scored some Starmore Scottish Champion and a Jade Starmore "Collectors Item" for the original prices.

So, all the yarn that you are seeing in the above is just research I tell you. I had to bring them home to see if I wanted to carry em in the shop. I swear.

PS

Found the cord so here are some pictures of yesterdays trek through the Avenue of the Giants





and this one was from a couple days ago. It was on 101 in Washington

Home at last!

Well here we are. We are home. I think that 18 days was a long time to be wandering. It was fantastic but I am so happy to be back. So, there are still pictures to share and I really want to show you all the yarn I bought along the way. I literally went into about 20 yarn stores. Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria and then back a different way. There are lots of yarn stores I tell you. Mr Yarn stole the cable. I can't find it (probably under a pile of dirty clothes that I have to wash today). If I find it I will post them today.