green in Iowa

So I went down to DM to see the LS graduate with her fancy nurse degree this weekend. I got to see lots of family that I haven't seen in a while. (more pictures on my flicker)

It think one of the best parts about going down there, aside from seeing family, was that the cherry blossoms were blooming.

They have way more green grass, green trees, pretty flowers down in Iowa right now.

But an artist at MCAD is trying to bring the green on faster here.

See, lovely knit green leaves to brighten up a gloomy day.

trying

So I've got a helmet, pads, skates, and mouth guards. Now I just need the $40 skater coverage and some talent.

I've been staking these past 2 days and it's pretty easy to get moving on a flat surface. I'm pretty sure once i get in a rink i'll do ok.

That and boy is street skating good exercise. It really gets the body working.

I got a lot of funny looks when I skated to the Wedge today. I'm kinda used to if from the knitting, but it was still weird.

Oh and I really hope that the new issue of Craft has the article that a photo on their website is toting. It's Roller skates made out of shoes. Now how cool is that!

what i should be doing

I right now should be taking care of this. Laundry needs to be done.




And this. What to have for dinner?














And this. There are needles I need in there. Some where.

The needles that I need to make the socks for HT out of this.







So you may ask... Well what are you doing then?

Watching my guilty pleasure tv show. I'm not telling what it is though.

challenges

So what challenges have we meet head on resently. Our flare up, our work, our knitting and our larger groups of people angzity.

For the last one I give you last nights example. I made plans to see the championship bout of the MNRoller-Girls. I had a crappy day at work and really didn't want to be around people after words and started to have a panicky attack as i walked over to the ticket office.

But I had made plans, gor'amit, and I was going to keep them.

And I'm glad I did. You see here my friends (who are naturally blurry like big foot (in a nice way)) came all this way at my urging and wouldn't i be a jerk to just leave them.

So we stayed, cheered, booed, hissed a little and made fun of the teen agers in front of us that were acting up for their girl friends.

Nicole (the one with glasses) and I are going to try out for the next season of roller derby. I hope we get in. It looks like a lot of fun.

Rob (who is growing out a mullet) and his Lady M came too. They are super cute and hold hands a lot.

HT and I don't do that much anymore, but we didn't do it much at the beginning either. It makes it pretty special when we do.

N bought us some mini doughnuts (ummm tasty). They were my first try of them and I think i'm hooked.

We didn't have the best seats for getting a close view of the action, but I think we could figure things out better from up high.

If we don't make it on one of the teams I think for the next match I go see I'm going to try and get floor seats. Just to try something different.

I have also meet my challenge of 10 FOs. Now, i wasn't super good about not buying yarn until the 10 were completed like Knittymama is, but I did cut back on my yarn buying. Which was really the goal. To save money for the house.

Though this month is going to be spendy. The Lady (not Rob's) and I are heading to the MOA today to try on my bridesmaid dress for LS's wedding. I'm heading home at the end of the month for her graduation. I'll get a good picture of her wearing the Cal... then.

I guess a lot of the girls in her nursing program really like it. :)

Oh so here is the last 2 projects. The not so chunky Golden Compass hood. I call it Green an Blues: a hood. It's comfy and made out of the prize/pity yarn from the Harlot event. And the fingerless short gloves are made of the same stuff and the yarn I used last year for HT's Mom's Hat (that a lot of 's). I was running out of the malabrigo when i started on the second one.

I must say I really like the hood. Its super soft on my cheeks.

Also i really like this pose. I kinda look like a praying statue.




So wish me luck this spring at the tryouts and I'm going to have to start a second list of FOs.

maybe later this week I'll post up a picture run down of them all.

Laters.

The Harlot brought the cold

So today was a bit chilly, then rainy and finally snowy. Yes that silly Canadian bought the cold with her. But that's ok because that means the Sock Yarn Sweeter was worth it.

Here is miss Purple Girl giving our Harlot some local beer. She wanted to get some Surly but didn't find a liquor store that had it. Though i wish i had known because one of the emps has a sister who is a brewer for them. Ah well next time.


Here is Harlot, your Iki and the traveling sock. She liked the sweeter and is thinking of making one herself. I got a lot of people saying nice things about it. It made me blush. I'm really not good at compliments, but I am learning to say "Thank you" and not be little the comment.


As we waited for Mammagrouch to get her turn we showed off our hand knit socks with a Yarnery emp. She was pretty nice to chat with.


Here is Mammagrouch and the Harlot. Both with socks and only one with a baby belly. I promise later i will turn the picture right side up, i'm just being lazy right now. Or if you have a laptop, just give her a turn and you can make out the fabulousness. Oh, and We have a new name for the Twerp, maybe, Penny. I like it. Maybe if Mammagrouch doesn't use it I will.... errr some day.... for a cat.... or maybe a baby.... anyways.



I won some (was handed as they had lots of door prizes) Malabrigo chunky yarn. It's pretty greens and blues and yellows. I also found the 2 library books that i just turned back in yesterday and thought "Shop Local" and got them today too.

All in all a good day.
if you don't count my oil light coming on.
I'm sure it's fine.

Oh, here are some of the funniness from the event. Singing songs to the Harlot

my heart was pounding

KU just tried to give us a heart attack.

But they won.

And the Kitties are happy because now HT and I wont be making loud noises and pacing about the apartment.


And now, I can get back to my knitting.... tomorrow. I'm still to wound up to knit.

(dances about the room)

knitting and manager training

So I finished LS replacement for the "Hobo Hat" in all of 3 days. Does that mean that I'm knitting faster or that i just have way to much time on my hands? The little plastic daisy button was swiped from my Mom's button stash. She has way to many buttons for her own good and I had to relieve her of some.




I had to go to a "Coaching" seminar yesterday. It was ok, at least I wasn't cleaning the basement. I learned a few things. Like that most office managers are push overs. Hummm.... maybe I should get an office job.

After the day of being called "Coach" by the trainer guy ( and knitting on my lace scarf) my boss and fellow managers thought we could all use a beer at Brits Pub. It was soooo nice outside. And the artichoke dip was really tasty.

Oh and check out the super cute TokiDoki bag I got. It fits my knitting really well and keeps strangers kids amused on the bus rides home (lots of characters to point out and look at).

I think it gets the Grimmer seal of approval too. :)

Also I finished the Sock Sweeter in time for the Harlot event. So on Apr 10, I'll be the one sweating :)

We interupt this regularly...

... scheduled blog to bring you a message from Siren.

I will have you know that I do not approve of this knitting and now spinning. It takes my Mom's time away from brushing and playing with me. Blog reading, Ravelry, the lot of it is not Siren approved.

I have tried sitting on her lap as she knits or wanders the web. This doesn't seem to deture her.

What is a cat to do?


Errr, Siren has been kinda upity lately.

So I've been spinning, and knitting. I'm in to the long hall of the sleeve. It's really taking a long time to slog through this sweater. It doesn't help that I keep getting a kitty on my lap too.

(note: edited blog options to enlarge font size. Is it more readable now?)