The End of Second Sock Syndrome?

After the Yarn Harlot spoke Wednesday night I bought a new book I have been wanting, "2-at-a-time Socks", by Melissa Morgan Oakes. 

I bought some supplies at Knaughty Knitter on Thursday and cast on the "sample sock" pattern this morning. This is a teeny pair of socks that is knit in two different colors of yarn to learn the technique and avoid some of the confusion. (I will have to repeat the process to get two pairs of socks.) The idea is to cast on for both socks onto a really long circular needle (at least 40")  and then divide each set of stitches in half and pull the cable out--like Magic Loop. You work in rounds, completing both socks on each pass. I love it! After the first few rounds I stopped twisting the two balls of yarn around each other and the process became much clearer. So far, so good--hopefully the heel & gussett will go as smoothly. It will be so cool to end the problem of matching stripes, guessing if I'll have enough yarn, & keeping track of rows. Not to mention the dreaded SSS!  When you cast off, BOTH socks are done! Check back on my progress.

Last night we went to the Kindergarten Open House at the elementary school Rachel will go to in August. It was fun and scary at the same time. It is really hard for me to believe that she will be in Real School in just a few short months. We got to tour the school and meet the Principal, as well as wander through all SEVEN kindergarten classrooms. Rachel loved that part and it was hard to get her to leave all the fun things to look at and do. One classroom even had an egg incubator. Neat.

Then I came home and watched the Nashville Predators play Game One of the Playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings. The Preds hung in there pretty well, but ended up losing 3-1. (The last goal was scored into an empty net.) Game Two is Saturday afternoon and I hope we can win that one. It would be great to play at home on Monday night with a tied series. Keepin' the fingers & toes crossed.

On another note, dinner conversation with Rachel was a hoot tonight. She informed us that her (imaginary) friends, Rose and Linda, were out of town. They apparently have gone to Ohio to visit their Aunt. Before they left they gave Rachel a candy bar with chocolate, honey, cake icing, blueberries and other fruit. These were pretty much her exact words--her imagination is a fine & wonderful thing.

Yarn Harlot Comes to Town

Last night my friends--Barb, Sally, Eli, & Linda--went to Borders to see Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, aka The Yarn Harlot. Ms. Pearl-McPhee writes knitting humor books that are completely hilarious. (In case you aren't a knitter: for those of us who do knit, getting to see her in person is roughly equivalent to a visit from the President or an audience with the Pope.)

She came to promote her new book, "Things I Learned from Knitting...whether I wanted to or not". The Yarn Harlot gave a highly entertaining speech (we laughed 'til we cried) that was also very educational. Knitting is actually healthy activity, just like exercise (in a way). According to the scientific study that Stephanie cited, knitters actually go into "The Zone", just like athletes. The highly repetitive action of knitting puts the brain into Theta waves, where the most creative and positive thinking is done. No criticism, no doubts. Bliss. How cool is that?!

Here's Barb, Sally, and Eli while we waited for Stephanie to come out:

Here is a photo of Stephanie with Emily and Dana, from Threaded Bliss:

Barb showed up very early at Borders on Monday morning to make sure we all had copies of the book and to get the slips of paper that made sure we would get the book autographed. The Yarn Harlot was impressed that Barb had slip #1 and she even took a picture of her:

Mitered Squares

It's been a while since I mentioned any knitting projects...

I know I have referred to the knitting group that meets at the Main Library downtown on this Blog before. It's a terrific and eclectic group and they are always bringing in really creative projects that I want to make. 

Francie, in particular, seems to choose projects and colorways that make me stop whatever I am working on and go and take a closer look. She is very generous about sharing her ideas and I know she understands that imitation truly is the highest form of flattery. (heehee) Back in January she walked in with one of the most striking scarves I have ever seen wrapped around her neck and I just had to have one. She designed the scarf based on the directions for the small Mitered Square , found in the Psychedelic Squares Afghan. Francie also used  the technique for knitting four squares together devised by Kay Gardiner to greatly reduce the amount of sewing up at the end. You can find directions for this here on the May 10, 2006 entry at masondixonknitting.com.

The yarn Francie used had been discontinued, so I decided to make mine out of Brown Sheep Yarn Co.'s Cotton Fleece. I bought 10 skeins at a local yarn shop, and although I easily could have included more colors, I figured ten colors in a scarf was enough. The finished scarf requires 56 squares so I still have a way to go, but these are some photos of what I have finished. I guess I'll be wearing it next winter, lol.

Mule Day

In the 20 years or so that I have lived in Nashville, I had yet to make it down to Columbia for the annual Mule Day festival. I guess it's just one of those events that you don't think about until you hear it has already passed and then think "I'll make it next year."  

Our Harley-Davidson Chapter planned a group ride to go down today, so it seemed that the opportunity had finally presented itself. Despite the grey skies and chill in the air, Rach and I drove down in the truck and stopped along the highway to watch the parade. Lots of riders and teams with wagons went by and Rachel had a great time waving at them all. We found our way over to the park, arriving purely by chance within moments of the motorcycle group.

We all walked in together and everyone found their yummy fair food of choice. (BBQ for Doug and I, Rachel had a corn dog.) We walked around the exhibits and did a bit of shopping for an hour or so until the bike group left for their ride back to town. Rachel and I went to see the skill driving teams which was really neat, and then went to the arena for the mule pulling contest. Mule teams in a similar weight class compete to see which team can pull the heaviest sled filled with concrete blocks. We didn't get to stay until the end, but when we left the sled weighed more than 43oo lbs. It was really impressive.

We bought some peach preserves and local honey on the way out and Rachel was sound asleep before I made it to the highway. We had a nice lasagna dinner courtesy of Stouffer's and I think it's safe to say it was a fun day for us all. I hope it isn't another 20 years before I make it back to Mule Days...

Oh, by the way, the Predators did lose to the 'Hawks last night, so we finish in 8th place and will face the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Games 3 & 4 will be played here in Nashville late next week but I'll have more on this subject when the schedule is announced. I can't wait!

The Little Team That Could!

In a stunning reversal of fortune the Nashville Predators clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs late last night. The Preds were determined to keep their fate in their own hands and win their remaining regular season games, a goal they have been meeting with the tremendous play of goalie Dan Ellis. 

The Preds beat the St. Louis Blues last night 3-2 in one of the most exciting and emotional games I have ever attended. With about four minutes left on the clock and the Preds leading by just one goal, a TV time out was called. The sold-out crowd rose as one in a spontaneous standing ovation to the team that had survived so much.  We twirled the free t-shirts we had been given over our heads and roared for a full two and a half minutes. It was unbelievably emotional--one of those moments that defy words and that no one who was there will ever forget. While not as historically important as the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team beating the USSR for the gold medal, I found myself remembering watching that game with my family and feeling just as proud and happy and and inspired as I did that day when the "Shot Heard Round the World."

Later that night we got a little help from the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers defeated the Vancouver Canucks and eliminated them from their 8th place playoff spot.  

The Preds will play the Chicago Blackhawks (in their last home game) tonight in a game that has no real impact. Key Nashville players will probably not play in order to rest and prevent injury, so it will be fun to see some of the Preds who don't see much ice time get to play. If we win we could move into the 7th seed, but that would mean meeting the San Jose Sharks in the 1st round for the third straight year and that hasn't gone so well for us. While I would never suggest that the Preds should lose on purpose, but hey--if we should happen to lose I'd rather see us take our chances with the Red Wings.

Nashville is only one of 7 NHL teams to make the Playoffs four years straight, so this fan hopes that some of the bashing of this wonderful, scrappy, hard-working team can be put to rest. Go Preds!

Mac Attack

Today I gave in and bought the Macintosh laptop computer I have been drooling over for months. I stopped in to the MacAuthority store on my way downtown and they happened to have a second-hand MacBook Pro with a 17" screen for a price I couldn't pass up (I had been looking at new ones). I am so happy to have a Mac again and I am amazed by all the cool things that have been added to the system since I bought my G3 in 1999. 

I also can now use our wireless DSL connection anywhere in the house and that will make it so much easier to keep up with my e-mail and this Blog. There is software included to do just about anything, including iMovie, so I am looking forward to editing together my home movies and being able to watch them on DVD.

Happy Easter!

We had a wonderful holiday today. My sisters Susan & Christine, my brother Lou and brother-in-law Eddie all came over for an early dinner. It isn't very often that all of us make it into the same room, so it was a real treat for me to have everyone together. 

We had spiral ham and lamb chops, with my mother's famous (to us) au gratin potatoes, asparagus, and all the trimmings. It was hard to pry a few colored eggs away from Rachel to make deviled eggs so here is a photo for posterity.

The Easter Bunny was good to Rachel, too. I may even be able to sneak a Peep or two for myself...

Got Snow?

Rachel had a Snow Day from school today and in a departure from our usual dusting we actually got almost 4 inches of snow this morning. It was really beautiful, with a bright sunny day to go with it.

I am glad I let Rachel (and Doug) out to play right after breakfast 'cause it was all gone by 1:00 pm. (smile)

Birthdays

Today is the birthday of both my sister Christine and my brother Lou, born on the same day nine years apart. How cool is that?! Lou says Christine was the best birthday present he ever got. aawww. Happy Birthdays you two--I love you!

Although it is my half-birthday I wasn't counting on a surprise like this:

I had just dropped Rachel off at school and was driving home. I turned onto our street and I guess I got distracted thinking about other things. I looked out the passenger window for a moment and when I turned my head back I was about to hit my neighbor's brick-enclosed mailbox. I hit the brakes, but it was too late and I basically drove right into it.

Both front airbags went off and although I wasn't hurt at all, I was very upset that I had been so careless and stupid. I am very grateful that Rachel wasn't in the car and that she wasn't hurt or scared. The crash was really loud and bricks flew everywhere. The damage to the Escape is pretty severe and I won't be very surprised if it can't be fixed. We'll have to see what the body shop finds and what the insurance company decides to do.

Birthday Knits

We went to two birthday parties today; one for Rachel's friend Kaila, and another for my nephew, Angus. Both of them have birthdays later this week, and by coincidence both parties ended up being today. Kaila had her party at the YMCA and Angus had a Bowling Party. Rachel had a wonderful time and got to eat plenty of cake, lol.

Angus is going to turn 6, and I gave him the tunic sweater I started knitting a year ago and finally finished. He seemed to really like it and I am glad I knitted the largest size in the pattern, 'cause it still fit fine!