I got nuthin' Part II

Well, same sh*t, different day. Not too much new. We attended the UNR vs. Boise State game this past weekend, which was fun! On the knitting front (where the heck is that camera, anyway?). I am knitting on SFS sock #2 and will have a pair done before I turn 112, which is a good thing. Murphy's Law being what it is, the war (all of them) will be over before I finish all my SFS socks, which isnt' really a bad thing....ending war and all.... I am deceasing on a sock 2 of a pair of trekking socks...and now am giving serious thought to giving them as a gift.. i cast on thinking they'd be for me, but has the gift giving holiday approaches, I am thinking of giving them to someone kinda special and worthy of handknit socks. I am knitting each night until hand pain forces me to stop on the Interweave Knits dress for The Girl Child. We will be flying to see her Wednesday (hey - SP pal, I'll be out of town until Monday!!). and I'd sell my other kid to get it done to a point that she could try it on.. but selling adult children is against the law, apparerenlty and since I hate camping, I'm pretty sure i'd hate jail and/or prison, so, I'll settle for knitting a bit faster and see how it goes.

I'll dig for the camera and take some pics.. and try really hard to post tomorrow as we leave for the airport rather early wed. If i don't post until I get back.. ya'll have a great Thanksgving.

I got Nuthin'

I am cheating here. I got nuthin' really. These pictures were taken at The Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, CA in April. The sunset picture is of a bagpipe player who played each night at sunset - very cool. The other is of me (yes, that would be a glass of wine needing a refill). I LOVE the ocean and miss that I do not live near it anymore.

Knitting wise - I am pleased to announce that I did finish sock 1 of my Socks for Soldier Sock - Now for its mate. The leg is done, the heal is turned and the foot is about 3 or 4 " done... so it's not so bad.

I am frantically working on my daughter's dress (pattern from Interweave Knits). I think she thinks I can wave a wand and it will be done by Christmas - ya - not so much.

The good news is that with all my traveling lately, I have made great progress on a pair of socks for me. I've no clue what sock yarn I am using could be Trekking, its self striping wich is impressive to muggles. I have about another inch or so and then decrease for the toe. this is sock 2 so whooo hoo - i'll have one for each foot!!

I was at the Mission Inn in Riverside this past weekend (work related). Very nice, historical place. Loved it.. i'd go back for a fun trip for sure!

My next business trip will take me to the Bay Area the same weekend as Stiches West and I was upset that I could not attend this year as my meetings are at the same time as Stitches. Then it hit me - I could go part day on Thursday and part on Sunday.. then my husband says "why not leave tuesday night and spend all day Wednesday there?" OMG! What a great idea.. live out of suitcase for about a week, have fiber fun, work and then end it all with another dose of fiber fun on the way home! G*d, I love that man!!

SP 13 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

A: Soft to the touch. It's really hard to say. It seems my favorite is whatever I am knitting at the momment.

1.1. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
A: itchy, scratchy stuff. Colorwise, I don't like neon stuff.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

A: Have you been snooping in my stash closet? It's shameful, I know. I try, really I do. I have some adorable fabric needle holders that I have acquired from past swaps, those are in a basket in my stash closet (straights and DPNs). My circulars in in a canvas hanging thing. each sleeve is mrked with the needle size.. to TRY and keep me organized.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

A: I've been knitting for a few years now. Crocheting since I was probably 5 or 6 yrs old, but I'ts been ages since I've crocheted. I learned at my local yarn shop, KnitWits. I think by now I am an advanced knitter. leaning more towards the intermediate side.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

A: Yes, but it's probably been a year since i've even looked at it. Shame on me - there is a goal for something to get done this year.

5. What's your favorite scent?

A: Wet wool, but nobody else in the family likes it - go figure. Perfume wise? I like John Varvados, Jo Malone, I also like Clinique's Happy, and Calvin Cline's Contradiction.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

A: I am woman hear me roar "give me chocolate" - I like dark chocolate - even better if it's covering almonds.. (allll munds - not ALmunds).

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

A: I do spin, but as far as other crafts, not really. I've made sugar scrubs before and tried homemade soap, that was a total disaster and will not be attempted again in this lifetime.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

A: I like all kinds of music and I have an ipod. and a CD player. Currently in the car is: Carrine Rae Bailey, or is it Bailey Rae??; Big Bad VooDoo Daddy, Chris Issac (he's so dreamy); Diedra Flit (a real hoot, check her out in itunes.. i have shuffle board queen, but need to download more). AC/DC Highway to Hell (ya, see I am all over the place with music).

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

A: not a fan of the neon stuff. I tend to migrate towards the earthy tones, but also deep blues, rich reds, I don't have a "favorite" color.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

A: Married to my highschool sweetie for over 25 years. Two kids - both grown and out of the house. The Girl is married and a college professor - The Boy is in the Army and single. I am taking applications to date him - so if you know a nice girl, i'll send her an application and set up an interview. No pets currently (we shall not talk about my bitching about wanting annother dog and DH saying "no way"

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

A: Scarves - Yes; hats - yes; mittens - yes. ponchos - if I had one, i'd probably wear it. Does anyone wear ponchos??

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

A: Yes. Seriously, whatever I am working on tends to be my favorite. Sometimes I need the instant gratification of a small project, and other times I like the challenge of a larger project (think Interweave Knits, Tilted Duster).

13. What are you knitting right now?

A: 1. A dress out of Interweave Knits, for The Girl; 2. bum gloves for my assistant; 3. Socks for Soldiers BBSs (always have SFS on the needles); and 4. always have a pair of "regular" socks on the needles.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

A: yes.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

A: I prefer circulars. Using straights feels like rowing a boat, except DPNs - i guess 'cause they are so much shorter.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

A: Yes, almost mandatory for spinners.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

A: about a year ago I cast on a sweater, decided i did not want to knit it on straights and there it sits.. i've not frogged it back, so technically those 2 rows are a UFO.

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?

A: Besides my B-day, which Hallmark has yet to acknowledge as a national holiday? Thanksgiving is my all time favorite holiday. We observe Christmas.. as much as it saddens me how commercial it has become and for most has lost it's biblical significants (why are the stores already dispalying Christmas stuff? Let's get a bit closer to Thanksgiving please.. ARRGGG).

19. Is there anything that you collect?

A: the obvious of yarn & fiber - the newest is 1.25 magnifying "readers" for my poor eyes. I have pairs all over and never where I need them. Why is that?

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

A: check out my ravely thingy. I did a pretty good job of logging in most of my books. I susbcribe to Interweave Knits, Spin Off and Wild Fibers magazines.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

A: two socks on 2 circulars, but honestly, I think i'd hurt myself.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

A: Yes. I wear a size 6.5 woman's shoe (US). I'd have to measure my foot for more accuracy.

23. When is your birthday?

A: May 7

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

A: BrookeKnits

Perfectly Proper Socks

As you can see, in the first photo we have my feet - one wearing a perfectly proper wool, self-striping sock. The other foot is sporting a BBS (that's Big Black Sock) that I am knitting for Socks for Soldiers (accept no substitutes, make sure you find the SFS group with Kim O as the founder). Anyways - back to socks - can you see that the civilian sock ends just past the ankle area? Not uncommon as I tend to get a bit of ADHD when knitting socks and want to turn the heal sooner rather than later. Do you see how BBSs go waaaay up to the knee? That's 12" freakin inches of ribbing folks! Now, can you just see my freshly painted toes peeping out of the BBS? My friends, I can't even THINK about decreasing for the toe until that little (i use the term loosely here) is 8" long. Then, and only then, can I think about decreasing. Want to just pee your pants in amazement?? To test your gauge on these bad-boys.. we pull them over the top of a 2 litre soda bottle! If it fits over that - it will fit over most stud-muffin military dude calves!! I took these adorable socks to Knit Night last week - turns out, I knit rather tightly and have a rather sturdy grip on the needles.. ya, well one broke! Good thing i've got enough size 1 DPNs to open my own needle store! OH BY THE WAY: I've ordered some regulation yarns for my two angels who said they'd knit some beanies for our troops. It's starting to snow in afganistan and our boys (ladies too) need to keep their heads warm. If you want to knit some regulation helmet liners, let me know.. i'll send you the pattern, the yarn and you'll promise to knit the hat and send it back to me so it can be properly submitted to Kim at Socks for Soldiers!

Irena Sendler, Hero

There recently was the death of a 98-year-old lady named Irena Sendler.

During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist.

She had an ulterior motive... She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews, (being German). Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of her tool box she carried, and she also carried in the back of her truck a Burlap sack, (for larger kids). She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers, of course, wanted nothing to do with the dog, and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.

During her time and course of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs and arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard.

After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it, and reunited the family. Most, of course, had been gassed. Those kids she helped were placed into foster family homes or adopted.

Last year Irena was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize....

She LOST.

Al Gore won for doing a slide show on 'Global Warming'.

(Google her name for more interesting info, including a CBS moving due out later this year!)

Wine, Weddings and Wool

Where to begin?? I've been a busy girl.

WINE: As you can see from the pictures - I've been wine tasting... it was very fun. We were in the Sonoma area of CA. We drove, our daughter, her husband & his parents flew up from Southern CA. Our daughter's sister in law (husband's younger sister) and her BF drove up from SF, the sister in law's BF's parents drove from the Bay Area.. all total - there were 10 of us! One great big happy family!! We rented a big van, which we called The Silver Bullet. This is the second time we've done this.. about a year ago we did the same thing, but in Napa. So - we did 3 wineries on Friday, 4 on Saturday and Sunday was a "go home" day... all in all very nice.

WEDDINGS: It was actually one one wedding. No pictures, sorry. One of our daughter's friends got married in South Lake Tahoe this past weekend. The chapel had a lovely view of the lake, the bride was beautiful, the groom handsome, etc etc. I have a few comments here on South Lake Tahoe - i've not been in about 20 years.. First - Harvey's Hotel/Casino - nice - i'd go back; MontBlu (the old Cesears casino/hotel) - seriously, don't waste your time/money. Here is the deal and go ahead call me an old stick in the mud. We met up with the bridal party after the reception... about 10p at the hotel's Club Blu - since we were not guests of the hotel, i got in free, but hubby had to pay a $10 cover charge.. EXCUSE ME?? The place was just about empty.. i think our group was about 1/2 the folks there. The drinks were served in PLASTIC CUPS! I ordred a vodka/cranberry w/Kettle One vodka.. you could not even tast the vodka in it.. horrible. The girls all went down to the bar to order shots of Kamakazi - all said it was the worst they'd drinken/drank/drunk... whatever. Then, and here is where I said "enough" - earlier we had kinda made fun of the 3 booth like things ajdacent the dance floor with brass poles.... you know where I am going with this?? So, i notice that one of the "booth's" lights are on, and who is standing there but some fairly flat chested young girl sporting pasties on her boobs and a g-string.... apparently it was body painting night.. I would have spent the money to write "my mom is so pround of me" across her tummy, but the idea of the body painting just made me want to puke. I did not go there for some strip club thing... it really pissed me off. So - MontBlu - you shall never again get a dime of my money.

WOOL: Before I headed off to SLT (south lake tahoe), I was checking out The Needlecrafters' Travel Companion (www.needlecrafterstravelcompanion.com) and discovered that about 3 miles from the hotel (on US 50/Stateline) was The Wool Tree, a lovely knitting shop. It's on the corner of US 50 /Stateline and Alameda Street, but that's rather deceieving.. in that its one of several shops on the corner in a little strip mall thing.. around the corner was The Yellow Submarine - where we grabbed some yummy sandwitches and had a picnic... but I digress.. The Wool Tree is a place I will go back to the next time I am in SLT... very friendly.. the ladies there at the Stitch and Bitch were very nice to me too. I got a little something in anticipation for SP13 to start too!

BACK TO WINE: So I can't recall all the wineries we went to, but kinda the funny part was - on Sunday just me and hubby driving home, we decide to stop at Kirkland Ranch, thinking its the winery that is at Costco, and joke, "do we have to show our Costco card to get in" ha ha ha. well, turns out - it has nothing to do with Costco, Kirkland just happens to be the name of the two brothers who have the winery. They had very nice wines - reds and white.. we got some of each. I'll do a better trip report on wines later.. but don't you think these pics are pretty?

My Life...

Well, another week has gone by (where?) - It seems I get back from some out of town thing and I am packing again. I leave in the morning for a b-day wine tasting weekend.. not MY b-day - my daughter's sister in law..... I've started The Girl Child's dress from Interweave Knits - Fall 2008?? I'll have to post proper pictures. and I finished the English Driver's Cap from a book written by the 2 owners of a LYS......not thrilled really with the pattern. There were two "errors" in it - I called the owner/creator of the pattern and asked her a question on my first "error" (seriously, I think the instructions could have been more specific, like "turn work" - oh welll, the same thing at the very end... if it had said "turn" - then I would not have had to take out a row or 2 ... ok, confession - I did not take out anything.. my yarn yenta did for me! The batteries are charging in that brick I call a digital camera.. So, when I get back from my weekend away, I'll post some pics..