I'm not dead.

Nope, really I am not. I am trying to do laundry, pack, work and get all my sh*t together before Vegas this Friday.

So, my little world here in Boston has been pretty much- Hi, I live in Boston. Born and raised. Multiple generations living in the family house, etc... I love it. And for the month of Sept, I will be in FRANCE. (cue: cheesy French music)

Work has dictated that I spend one week in France (in the Alps) for my corporate meeting. Then I am working here, stateside, for one week... then BACK TO FRANCE. For two weeks. My flight for my return from trip #2 is October 7th. Yeah... umm, what happened to September?

On top of all of this: I am knitting. Well, trying to.

Updates:
1. Kepler... back almost done- this guy is going to France for second trip--- hotel room knitting
2. Sockpal2za- one sock down, at the heel for #2 (will turn heel tonight while laundry rocks)
3. PC's sweater...oh, will restart when I get home from French trip 2.
4. a request from a very cute and doens't-ask-for-anything-8-year-old: can you make me a poncho? yikes. yup, can do.
5. 2nd request from 14 year old: i want a shrug.

I need a vacation where I don't do anything.

Oh, in case I wasn't clear- all tests came back negative from scary B-day.

Oh, and PC got a new job! :) Everyone leave him a comment and tell him"congrats"! We are off to Vegas on Friday, back on Tuesday night--- i will try to post next week. Knitting photos- I promise!
:) Mini

One Brave Little Toaster...

that's me! I went to the doctor Tuesday afternoon (with my mom). After a very nice visit with wonderful surgeon, I am off to the "biopsy room." My technician is rocking out to the Rolling Stones (this is SUCH a good sign... nothing bad can happen if Mick's in town,right?). Now, there are several things they want to do, in order, as an example "if this is X, we'll do Y." Ok, so start wtih X: needle aspiration biopsy.

DID I MENTION I AM TERRIFIED OF NEEDLES?

I spent an ENTIRE year, sacrificing poor little defenseless mice (~50 per day) and I have seen the insides of a human, alive and deceased....but, put a needle in front of me and it's like instant nausea, waves of it... feeling lightheaded...panicky... and I am NOT a good patient.

Back to the Stones... the radiologist and technician put me at ease. I look away whilst they plunge 3 needles of lidocaine into me to numb me. This hurt the MOST. I watch the monitor with my "little"black spot on it. Then I see something attacking my little black spot. It's the needle for the biopsy. When did they do that? My inner scientist comes out: "wow... that's cool" The radiologist who just spent 20 minutes calming me down says "cool? ha ha ha... what do you do for a living?" I explain the whole biochemist thing and he says "and you are afraid of a NEEDLE?"

Ok, I never said I was a RATIONAL biochemist.

Onto knitting:
Oooo...first- presents!

I know, crappy blurry photo... but these are BEAUTIFUL stitch markers from HAWAII. Yup, my swap partner came from HAWAII (the only state I haven't driven through or flown over).
They are perfect for socks!
Thanks Debbie!

This is the cable for Kepler. Or it was. Nope, no frogging... but I did make major progress but finishing off the back cable, and picking up stitches for the body. :) The pattern says to make the cable bands all at once, but I really wanted to make each piece as I go. :)

Not too shabby, eh?

On top of all of this: I LEARNED TO CABLE NEEDLE-FREE.

I just thought of something... I am knitter that is afraid of needles!
happy knitting Thursday

It's "B" Day....

Nope, not a birthday- Boob Day. :)

Today is the "big scary doctor" appointment. I am going to the best place for my tests today and I am getting a little bit nervous. So, it's something they saw on the ultrasound of my breast and they need to biopsy it. Today.

PC is forever my rock. He's been great throughout the whole thing and I would like to publicly tell him: I don't know how I would get through this without you.

No results for a few days and probably no blogging. I will be knitting. And some sewing if I feel up to it. :) Lots of Tylenol and ice packs. And ice cream. (honey, don't forget the ice cream!)

Secret Pal stuff:
My "spoil-ee" is the amazing: BloBerry. Go say hi! I have been spoiling her and her kiddos all summer and I have to say, it has been an honor and a whole lot of fun! :)

My Sp5--- I haven't heard from you this summer too much. I hope everything is going ok. Email me if there is anything I need to know.

I have signed up for SP6... I am more the "better to give than receive" kind of person, so I am going to try this one more time. One of the things I LOVE about Jan (BloBerry) is that she always posts when I send her a package. She also has sent me some funny pics of her kids in a water balloon fight with the balloons I sent them. That really made my day! She has been a someone that I am happy that I am getting to "know" and I hope she'll continue to be a good friend. She amazes me with all the charity knitting she does and it inspires me to be a better person and to start making my own things to send to charities. She is a wonderful single mom and one "crazy cat lady" (ha ha ha). Jan, it's been a pleasure!

More knitting last night, but the cabling was going slow. I am trying to do it "sans needle" now.

Happy Knitting Tuesday!
:) Mini

...I need your help...

All of you, please.

My name is Mini and I have a problem. PC's sweater sucks. No really. It's a HUGE problem. The Cotton Ease has no bounce, no "oomph" for the cables, doesn't "hold" a rib and well... it's just a PROBLEM. yes, could completely switch out the yarn (no prob, it is a worsted sweater--- there are a few brands that might work... ha ha ha).

But, right now, I hate the pattern. He still likes it. I don't. At all. I have some red Cotton Ease to go with the black. Rip back and make a "baseball" style with the "andre" logo on the front?
TRANSLATION---> Learning Intarsia

Or, does anyone have a great sweater for guys pattern that has the following:
1. v-neck
2. cables or something, but not "busy"
3. all one color
4. no bulky or chunky yarn
5. comes in a 44" chest?

EMAIL ME... I beg of you. Save our relationship! He already waited for the quilt for like 8 months longer than he should have. "The quilt" almost ended us. Now I am so afraid the sweater myth will materialize before my eyes!

Sockapal-2-za.
No photos, 2nd sock definitely cast on. And I need to finish it ASAP, b/c after I get back from Vegas, I am at work for a week, then off to France. Not a lot of knitting time! Yikes!

Kepler... have you seen this? I started drooling immediately and then said "mine!" I am using the Lana Grossa that I got at the W&W sale this spring. Purple eggplant color that will just be "wow" on me. :)
This my first "real" attempt (i.e. successful) attempt at cables. And did I just pick plain old cables? Nope a gaelic style plait. In a 16 row repeat. :) I love it. I already memorized the chart!
1. Never knitted from a chart
2. Never knitted a real cable
3. Never knitted a garment for me.

I think I'm in love. But, I got to work on the sock! Sock will be worked on while 13 year old cousin gets hair cut and new highlights for back-to-school. From hair to her butt to chin length. Saturday at 9. :) I can't wait. New school (high school) needs new hair.

Very Little Knitting....

But a WHOLE LOT of sewing!

Some of you know already that I sew. Actually, I specifically "quilt" more than I sew. But, I've made myself some pretty cute little project bags over the past few years. But, now that I have made this:


I want one for me. Oh? I didn't say? It's not for me. It's for someone else. It will be popped off in the mail tomorrow with some other treatlets for this person! :) Lucky chica, huh?
They are also getting these:

for regular knitting needles:

for circular knitting needles:

Yup, that's one lucky person!

So, what's this?

Oh, I missed my friend's birthday--- so I am knitting a Sophie for her very quickly. Have the perfect button for this one too!

WORK:
Is going very well. Scary well. I know, don't jinx myself. But I have to say this; my first ever business trip is here:

http://baiedesvoiles.com/site_baie_des_voiles_en/

I leave in September (a Tuesday overnight flight) and get there a day ahead of the meeting. My boss decided that I needed some time to "adjust" to traveling abroad. So, Wednesday morning- arrive in Geneva, picked up by driver, carried over to France through the ALPS (!!!) to Lake Annecy. Will be there by noon. Sleep a bit. more of a nap. Hang out in the ALPS for the afternoon. Dinner with colleagues. Thursday a.m. sleep, hang out in the ALPS, short conference meeting in the afternoon. Friday, small meeting in the morning, afternoon off. Saturday: PLAY DAY. With the boss on the French side, this could be anything. We heard a rumor that we might be getting HANG-GLIDING LESSONS. Sunday, back to Geneva, through Paris and back to Boston. :) I love my job! Next trip: off to the South of France (Avignon) to train with some French colleagues for 2-3 weeks. The training is set so that you train 4 days, have 3 off, etc for several weeks. So, I will be exploring southern france 3 days a week!

PC and ME:

Hmm... so, somebody has a b-day coming up. It's not the big 3-0, but we are celebrating it anyway! It's 29 and it's PC's. So, I thought a few months ago: everyone makes a big deal about 30. Why not celebrate 29 and kick off the last year of being in your 20s in style? So, what are we doing?
Viva Las Vegas!

PC's never been... so, I am taking him for his 29th b-day (go ahead.. wish him a happy b-day!) We are actually arriving in Las Vegas on his birthday and we'll be there for all of Labor Day Weekend. Leave Friday, back on Tuesday. He's excited. That's good... it's sometimes tough to find him something he'll like. This trip thing seems to be working!

It was also our anniversary on Tuesday. We had gone away this weekend and then out to dinner on Tuesday night. 3 years. Damn... somedays it feels longer, some days it feels like we just met. It doesn't hurt that we are still completely madly, truly, deeply crazy about each other. :) My mom always told me I will be very lucky if I can find a man who makes me smile, gives me goosebumps and loves me unconditionally. Yup, got him! Love you PC!

happy knitting thursday!
~mini
PS- if anyone wants a bag or a needle case, let me know... nominal fee... will help me bust through some fabric stash. (i.e. the material is free... only the labor cost involved--- make me an offer!)

wow... a Quizilla that is right on the money!

What color of sock yarn do you prefer?
brought to you by Quizilla


Anyone who knows me, knows that I am THE AUTUMN BABY. I firmly believe that the season you are born in is the season you are MOST comfortable in. I am a fall baby (October 9 for anyone who wants to know). I love fall. Apples. Leaves. Football. Sweaters. Crispness. Cool air. Pumpkins....oh the pumpkins!

I think in a former life, I WAS A PUMPKIN. Anything pumpkin-orange makes me smile. My fave dinner is pumpkin raviolis with pumpkin seed sauce, a pumpkin beer and a slice of pumpkin pie with pumpkin ice cream on the side. Favorite snack? Toasted pumpkin seeds of course! So, is it any wonder that I am considering making ERIS in pumpkin? Nope, didn't shock me either. I love all things fall and pumpkin. I actually detest summer (well, if not for camping and lake swimming.. this would be a useless season). This summer hasn't been that bad... this morning I had something on my car that I have been waiting for (impatiently):

FROST

It was a beautiful thing!

Another Monday?

Already? huh... 24 hours ago, I was in NH, with the adorable PC, working up a sweat.

...taking down a tent. dirty, dirty minds people!

:)

So, what did I come home to this weekend? Umm.. how about 4 new stitch markers and some homegrown-handspun-hand-dyed yarn? This is the same yarn that I was drooling over at the League of NH craft fair last week. I broke down. I bought it. Alot of it. But, it's going to be used almost immediately!
I have an unknown yardage of this...
210 yds + 93 yds + 176 yds = 476 yds

I am thinking of the brioche stitch raglan from IK Fall '05 for this yarn... but, i think i need more...
Stitch markers from Uta If you are reading:
I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really think they are going to be perfect for socks. Oh, about socks. One down, one to go on my SockPal socks. I am *hopefully* going to start them tonight. I have a secret project (one involves a sewing machine and pins...) for my SP5 for her last parcel d'art. (ha ha ha).

Hope all is going well... wish me and PC a very HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! 3 years and still madly and truly in love with each other! If we are anything like our parents, it'll be 40+ years of this! :)

happy knitting monday!
~mini

Monday, Monday....

Mondays are not so bad, especially for bloggers like me (y'know: the M-F bloggers) b/c it makes our weekends look exciting!

Friday, I came home and these were waiting for me:

Isn't the giraffe just the BEST? I LOVE HIM! Actually, I love them all! Thanks to Lea over at KneeDeep, part of the Stitch Marker Mania.

Saturday, me, mom, PC's mom and a co-worker (S) went to NH for the annual League of NH Craftsman's Fair. This is my all-time favorite craft fair of all time. It has everything- woodworking, textiles, pottery, jewelry... Well, you have to see it to believe it! It's held every year at the Mount Sunapee Ski Area for one whole week. We did the fair in 6 hours. Here's the haul:
1. brown leather bag (last year it was $80, this year $39)



2. gorgeous silver bangle and kinda-matching silver earrings (from two different vendors!)

3. handmade buttons for me to use on felted bags- S picked up a pink one for me to put on her bag that I made for her... will do that tonight!

4. WOOD earrings. the pair on the left, my mom (your the best!) bought me last year and I wear them alot in the fall (they match everything!).... so I bought the pair on the right for me this year to wear with everything else! hee hee... less than $20, what a deal!

So, that's my haul. There was a great little demo booth with handspun yarn, but they couldn't sell me any b/c of the "rules" for the fair.

More knitting... I will keep you updated!
Happy Knitting Monday!
~mini

Not so much idiosyncrasies....

but more of "what mini does that's weird." (PC might not even know all of these).

1. I talk to myself. All the time. People catch me doing it all day. I look crazy, but I think it's a science thing--- I talk myself through my work throughout the day.
2. I live in constant fear of losing my job. Now there's a history here... i have been unemployed more than employed lately. Current job= 100% job satisfaction.
3. I can't sleep in an unmade bed. At all. It's hospital corners or nothing!
4. I love all things pumpkin... pumpkin beer, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkni yarn and pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice and pumpkin... well, you get the idea.
5. I hate summer. If it weren't for cool lakes and camping, I would never leave the house in summer.

I had seen this meme and thought it was cute.

More knitting content later.
~mini
PS_ has anyone knit with Rowan Kid Classic?

When Life Interrupts Knitting....

I get angry. Well, actually- frustrated. But we have been doing GOOD things instead of knitting. An example: finally catching up with old friends and having dinner with them. Doing laundry. Eating dinner. Getting presents. Hitting the gym.

Oh, wait. I said presents, didn't I?

these dazzling beauties came from KnitWitMomma via our "just us" stitch marker exchange. OMG! I think I should send her more, b/c mine don't even COMPARE to hers! Yikes! No seriously, Jenn... they are awesome! (and currently in use!). :)

So, what else is new? Today, I went here. Yup. Scary.AND I have to go BACK. Double yuck. Have to say, for a very scary "reality check" doctor appointment- these nurses RULE. What class and sensitivity! They took a very scary thing and treated me like a human. I love them. I thank them. I thank them for taking me seriously and treating me with respect and NOT dismissing me b/c of my age. I am still scared, but at least now, I know I am in good hands. Capable hands. Caring hands.

Knitting stuff:
1. sockpal socks... almost done with sock #1--- camping trip next weekend should finish off sock #2.
2. PC's sweater. Well, I am 5 cable repeats into it and it looks great. And I was right, with my "gauge growth" i am at the "right" size. :)
3. pattern picking... what's this? I have some yarn from the W&W sale that is calling my name! I need to knit it!
4. making the "realistic" X-mas list.

So, what's new with you? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Happy Knitting Wednesday!
~mini