Payback?

It's amazing what a few bad days at work can do to you, isn't it? A short update: my work has always been out of control with new people, new titles, new everything and I am feeling a little overwhelmed. Add the heat and humidity that I hate so much--- cranky Mini. An upset belly sent me to bed early last night ( as Stephanie would say " i needed a lie down") and I got a chance to work on this:

I feel like I might need to explain what it is, but then again... no. Here's a photo of what it is going to be (in the photo, the white part is where I am putting the green and the red is where I am putting the white).

It's a DROPS design from Garnstudio... it'll be my first STEEK... can anyone help me??? it's for my mom for Xmas and I am really excited about the steeking, but I am going to need help!
:O)

Sorry for the delay-- work interrupted life

This is the red bamboo that my SP sent... isn't it gorgeous? It's a real wine-blood-luscious-red.














My Knit Sock Kit Swap pal (Jeane-- blogless) sent me some gorgeous Crown Mountain Farm sock yarn! Isn't it pretty? I pet it every night before bed... :)















She also sent me a great felted bag... She included the extra yarn to make a handle (so I would have it be the length I wanted!)-- how sweet! This yarn is fantastic! It's like an Icelandic wool and it feels heavenly! She also included the Elenora sock pattern (one I really wanted!) and a nice note introducing herself. :) Thanks Jeane!















I got this sock pattern off the Posh Yarn website... it's a slipped stitch cable... what a great idea! This knit up so fast that I am past the gusset of the heel in just 2 days visiting with friends in Maine.














Speaking of Maine, we headed up to visit with friends this past weekend in Kennebunk (yup, right near the Bush compound) and the rain gave us plenty of time to knit/read/watch baseball. Our friends are starting a small business where they make and sell beaded necklaces and earrings. I'll see if I can get some photos of them and see if M might want to put some up for sale here. :) After we left our friends on Sunday, PC and I were off to Maine Open Farms! Sunday was a day where farms all over Maine opened up their barn doors to let people see what farm life is like. Where did we go? Sea Hill Alpaca Farm. The wool seen above is from 4 different alpacas and is their coat color. Each "skank" is 75yds-ish. It'll be a fair isle hat for moi. I have been knitting--- I will have more photos later. My SP spoilee got her present and she's happy! YAY! I am working on my KSKS bag this weekend (yarn and tools are already selected!)... so it'll be on the way next week I hope! I also have to shop for my Yarn Aboard II package... oh, the yarn!

:) Mini

Secret Pal

Ode to my Secret Pal...

Oh, Secret Pal, with your Post-Its so bright,
how do you know how to make my night?
Your inside knowledge of what will make me coo
was very obvious when I saw the red Bamboo!
Patterns for chokers and mini socks that block
are perfect gifts for someone who like to "rock a sock"
Pumpkin was shy, not wanting to appear a zealot
but she meowed "can we have the pattern for Carrot?"
Carrot, it seems, has met a nasty fate
Pumpkin overloved her--- she doesn't look great.
Tempted by chocolate mousse, she quietly waits
While Mini pets the Bamboo and contemplates.
So, if dear Pal, you have a good think
send the Carrot pattern along, quick as a wink.
Pumpkin has Luke, the fish, that you sent
but when Carrot's around, we don't know where he went!
Carrot is a friend that we carry and lick
PC can't even distract her with her other friend, Stick.

Photos of my SP package tomorrow, the camera died (again....anyone know a GOOD rechargeable battery?) and the batteries are a-chargin'.

Thanks for the great package!

:) Mini (&Pumpkin)....

Umm, I really do need to to make a second Carrot for her. She's holding the Fish hostage.

Oh, you want pictures?

Here' s the baby sweater before I wrapped it up (button installed about 2 minutes before i left for the shower!)








Doesn't it look lovely?








A closer-up of the collar and the mismatched buttons
I had two white pearl and 2 pink pearl. I think it looks cute!



The lace detail...oh, so girly!!!







FO details;
Pattern: Oat Couture "Crocus" Sweater
Yarn: 1.5 skeins of Cotton Fine in "Pink a Boo"
Needles: Size 1 and 2 Susan Bates alumninum straights
Comments:
I would totally do another Oat Couture project-- easy and well done instructions.

What else did I do this weekend? Older brother #2 turns 30 soon, so we thought we'd throw him a party! (umm, me and 50 people?) It went off without a hitch and here's my favorite PITA (pain the a$$) at age 3.













And, PC and I were off for some "us time" this weekend (about damn time too!) and we turned off the cell phones and walked through Government Center, Quincy Market and then onto the waterfront. Several cows later--- this one is my favorite! That's right people! Mini, live and in person...on her own blog! We went on a whale watch out of the aquarium.
Lunch at the Central Harbor Legal Seafoods (If it's not fresh, it ain't Legal!) and dinner at b.good. Bostonians: check out b.good for some good healthy "fast food"... these guys are great!









What a great weekend! I might need a little bit more sleep tonight...

Found Out...

Yup, that's right. I've been found out.

Don't worry it's only my "little cousin" Jason....

Little my butt... he's like 8 inches taller than me. He's been taller than me since he was 4. And I have to say, there is no one better to dance with at a wedding than my cousin Jason. (I dunno if he's single,but if he is... I'll start the bidding soon... :) )

Oh, and Jay? That guy called "PC" well, you know who he is and what he looks like. :) I am trying to protect his identity, Witness Protection and all that...oh wait. That was on of Jon's girlfriends? ha ha ha.

Shoot me an email so I can have your address so I can properly harass you from afar :)

All together now: "Hi Jason!"

Everyone leave the guy a nice big hello in the comments... He and I grew up pretty far apart (Mass and Pennsylvania--- yeah, I know, I'm luckier.. ha ha ha) but we have always been kindred souls as well as cousins. He's a great guy and I say "Welcome Cuz!"

Now, I can maybe put some pressure on him to come up and visit. Ahem.

And yes, I am 28. I'll fix it today. Pretty soon I'll be 29, but not before PC turns 30! Ha ha ha.

:) Mini

Home at last...

Vacation was wonderful! Thank you to everyone who left me a comment saying "have fun" or sent an email wishing the same! Oh, and b/c I am a native New Englander and never thought to mention this:
The White Mountains are in New Hampshire, about a 2 hour drive from where I am now. It's a goregous place with many mountains and valleys and hidden ponds and waterfalls. It's huge. It's also part of the Appalachian Trail.

Now, I need to preface this soon-to-be-long post: we forgot the camera. Yup. No pictures. BUT, I have searched the internet high and low, and I think you are going to be happy! ;)

First, here is where we stayed:














Conway Lake in Conway NH... we camped in our ole' faithful, the tent. It was a goregous site--- right on the water. We had a great view of the fireworks that the people on the other side of the cove (non-camping) were setting off nightly. Yup. NIGHTLY. Warming my toes by a fire, eating a marshmallow and watching fireworks.

Now, some of you fellow New Englanders are saying "did you go to North Conway?" (you non-NE's--- North Conway was outlet shopping Mecca for decades... today, notsomuch) And yes, we did! We shopped at Zep's and hit the 5 and Dime. We did go to Stonewall Kitchen and to
Harry and David. These two items made it into my bag. :)














We went swimming here:














Echo Lake State Park

Now, we were on a lake, right? But, the swimming area at Conway Lake was very small, and packed with children and boulders. Yup, boulders. There were these large boulders that the kids kept jumping off and tons of turtles. And besides, I like Echo Lake better. It's sandy bottomed, ultra clean, fairly shallow and never crowded.














Why does the Lake echo? Well, b/c of this large ledge: Cathedral Ledge. It's a tough climb, but you can drive a mountain road up most of it. It's fun spotting little specks of red and orange and yellow up there--- the climbers!


So, besides eating hot dogs for way too many dinners and counting marshmallows as a food group, what did we do? Something PC REALLY wanted to do. He was like a little kid the night before " let's hurry up and go to sleep b/c then when we wake up it'll be tomorrow and we can ride the train!".... it was great!
We rode all the way up to the Notch. 5 hours roundtrip--- and I want to do it again on my birthday. :) We saw all kinds of ponds, waterfalls, mountains, hikers (yup), historical sites, valleys and some turtles. PC was looking for moose, but alas, no moose.












This is the Crawford Notch station...there is only one more station up the tracks (~30 minutes north).

If you have hiked the Appalachian Trail all the way through, you have seen this: the Highland Center. It was beautiful. I would stay there any day! It was right next to the train station and across from Saco Lake. It was breathtaking!

This is from one of my favorite sites for photos... I love these pictures! This is the "notch". beautiful, no? So, that was vacation! A lot of stuff, but a lot of sitting too. I started a scarf on the way up the Notch train. I finished the baby sweater (photo tomorrow)... I am almost done with PC's sweater (from LAST YEAR)-- i want it Done.Done.Done. Last night we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean II . It was good... not as good as #1 but I am oh so happy to see there will be a number 3! _mini