Fun Times...

What a fun day today has been.   I spent a couple of hours this morning visiting with old friends and the rest of the day shopping with my Mom.   Tomorrow we are having lunch with a friend of hers and I am having dinner with another old friend.    The only un-happy thing about my day is my allergies.  I had forgotten how vicious Fall allergies can be in NJ.   As much fun as I am having, I won't be coming back during the autumn season again.

I am back at my hotel now (Isn't my living room pretty?) debating whether or not to go soak in the hot tub.   Would it help the congestion or make it worse?

Traveling...

I got a pedicure this morning while waiting for my flight to NJ (visiting my mother).   

Then I did some window shopping, some knitting and now I am blogging.   Travel has become so civilized.    I know that lots of people hate getting to the airport early but I actually find that I am more relaxed this way.   Sure I am a near nutcase while packing and getting out of the house but once I am here, with two hours to kill, I use the time unwind before boarding.

As usual it took longer to pick my trip knitting than it did to pick my clothes (although not by much).   In the end, I brought the rest of my TKGA homework, socks in progress (of course), baby hat yarn & needles, and the yarn & needles for the Holly Shawl.    I have had the yarn & pattern (from an older Jo Sharp book) for the Holly for years, always telling myself that I would get to it eventually.   However, just lately, the yarn has fallen on my head twice.  I took that as a cosmic hint that its time had come.   Looking over the pattern last night, I had trouble making sense of the cable (I have cabled before) but by looking up a different C14B, I realized that it was just the wording that was getting to me.  Once I got that, I had no trouble understanding it at all (says I, who has not even cast on yet).

The flight attendant is almost here with my tea.   I will post this from the hotel.

ETA:  Arrived safely, had a really pleasant dinner with my mom, got to the hotel and unpacked.  Now I am going to watch IRT and go to sleep.

But not forgotten...

Nine years ago today, something awful happened.    We, the US, were victims of an unprecedented attack.   Thousands of people died while going about their normal lives.   Moms & Dads, Husbands & Wives, Sisters & Brothers, Friends & Lovers, took their leave of one another with, never kept, promises, to “see you later”.   Many more were lost through bravery, duty, and simple human kindness. 

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11 someone assured me that things would go back to normal.   I knew, that for me, and others who were living in the NY Metro area, DC/VA & Eastern PA, at the time, that would never happen.   We would, and have, achieved a new normal, even a good one, but, even with that, our lives will always be divided into before and after.   “Never Forget” will always be more than a touching slogan or a pithy bumper sticker.  

How do I feel?   Sad, with the heavy memories of that day and the weeks following;   Angry, that those not directly affected, seem so willing to “just move on” and expect me to do the same;   Furious, at those who would use our pain for political gain or worse as an excuse to promote ethnic and/or racial hatred;    Hopeless, that things will be any different next year or the one after that.

TKGA Basics Swatch 1

Check it out, I finally started my homework. The boys have been threatening to take my computer time away if I d0 not get serious about my schoolwork, LOL.

Snakes & the Clue Fairy...

This is Jack.

This is the snake.

This is the true story of a sweet but clueless dog named Jack.   Yesterday afternoon, when T2 opened the back door to let Jack out, this snake was laying right there across our door mat.  Before T2 could stop him, Jack jumped over the snake and ran out to take care of business.    Worried about his ability to get back into the house unharmed, Hubby sent T2 to the side gate to call Jack in from there.    Did Jack go to his boy when called?   Not so much.   Instead he ran to the back door, stood right on the darn snake, and waited to be let back in (all the while happily wagging his tail as though there was nothing trying its best to bite his belly & legs).   Luckily Jack got back into the house  unharmed and unaware of the potential danger.   At my insistence Hubby swept the snake (which was scary fast) under the fence.

The weird thing is (because the whole rest of it was not odd enough), not 5 minutes later, we saw a different kind of snake on our back fence.   I guess it was a good day for snakes in NoFL yesterday.

Threw a party but nobody came...

Mat's Tats Pi Shawl

Six-ish months ago, my brother suggested that I start my own darn (He didn't say "darn".  He is a Marine.) knitting group.   One that is closer to home, smaller/cozier, has coffee/tea, and is altogether easier and more convenient for me.   It has taken this long to ponder, plan, & implement his very good idea.    Thus was born the  "First Coast Fiber Enthusiasts" Meetup group.    We will meet at my local Panera Bread, each Wednesday morning from 10am-noon.    So far four people have signed up, none of whom are able to make it today but a couple of whom expect to be here next week.   I came today, anyway, just in case someone decides to stop in and check "us" out.    Theoretically, I am using this time to work on my Master Knitting homework (I have been less than diligent?).

On my non-homework knitting front, I just can not make up my mind what to knit next.   The last sweater I knit is already too big.  I am thinking, no sweaters until my weight loss (14#s & two sizes, so far) levels off.   Normally that would not be a problem since I LOVE knitting & wearing shawls.   The thing is that I can not decide on my next shawl.   I thought I would start another Pi, or maybe a Josephine, or maybe something more complicated/time consuming, or maybe I could finally work out the deets of the pattern that has been rattling about in my head for years, but I just can not settle on a single idea and stick to it.   Part of the problem (?) is the wide range of choices (can you say "Ravelry"?), and part is that I have lots of co-op knitting to do, so, I don't actually have to make up my mind in order to keep my hands moving.   Yes, I have too much yarn, too many choices, & too many opportunities to do what I love.   We should all be so troubled :-).

For the time being, I thought I would revive a napping project.   The first place I looked revealed this brightly colored Pi shawl.    I started this as part of a KAL, at my LYS, back when we lived in NJ.    The yarn is hand-dyed in colors inspired my their UPS man's tattoo.  Hence the name "Mat's Tat's.   After counting rows and taking a close look at this WIP, I came to three conclusions: 1. it was only two rows away from the border, 2. I liked the colors better two years ago, and  3. I had made a dreadful mistake at the very beginning of the last section and would have to rip back 50+ rows (insert gasping sobs here) to correct it.   How could I have missed this?    I suspect that I told myself that it would block out (heaven knows I tried to convince myself of the same just last night), but that just is not going to happen.   Sadly, I admitted the truth to myself and did the deed.   Happily, I have something other than co-op projects to work on for a while.       Hopefully, the color will re-grow on me.

It is almost 11 and I am still on my own.   I guess I should just go do my homewor...hey look a squirl...