Ready, set, go...

Over the past couple of months, I have been moving my office around to what I hope will be a workable arrangement for work & play.   Thanks to Hubby and the boy, the two longest walls are now lined with bookshelves filled with books and art supplies.   My desk is now by the window so that I can see the hummingbirds at their feeder and my chaise is snuggled into the corner by the closet (home to my yarn stash).    The fit is a bit snug but I think I finally have have everything just the way I want it.

Yay! World Wide Knit In Public Day...

So where are you knitting today?   The last two years I have knit at Disney, but this year, we are staying closer to home.   Today, I am knitting at my local Starbucks.  I love having a 24 hour Starbucks just a short drive (or a long walk when we are in the mood) away from home.

The Bigger on the Inside Shawl has certainly presented some challenges.  First of all, I don't care to knit from charts.   I like to have them to refer back to but I prefer to knit from words on flip cards (each business card sized card has a single row on it and I flip them as I go).   My favorite patterns have both.   For some reason, I found it difficult to translate these charts into words, so when I got to the first row of the increase section and there were knits where I thought there should be purls, I assumed that I had gotten it wrong.   I tore up my previous efforts at translation, and started again.   I read over the pattern, made notations on the charts (I really should have done this the first time because it really, really helped), and hand wrote (rather than typing) each row one line at a time.   When I compared these new notes with my flip cards, there were numerous errors (ouch).    However, the last row of the beginning lace instructions, still had knits where I thought there should be purls.

That is when it occurred to me to go to Ravelry and read the pattern comments.   Sure enough, there was talk of errors and a not from Kate Atherly saying that a revised pattern went up a month ago.   If I had thought to check sooner, I would have known that those knits really were supposed to be purls.   But, I probably would not have caught my errors until I was much further along.   So when you think about it, this little bit of frustration now, saved me a lot of angst later.   I have decided to be happy with how this worked out and as you can see, I am once again actually knitting the Bigger on the Inside Shawl.

A Happy Birthday for me...

Birthday collage 7Jun12

Today is my birthday.   Heaven help me, I am 50 years old.    Should I feel different?   I don't.   Maybe that is because my family has made sure that I have a wonderful day.    I slept until I wanted to wake up.   There were flowers and a balloon on my dressing table.   Hubby brought me breakfast in bed.   I got mushy cards from Hubby, both boys, and the dog (yes, Jack gives greeting cards).    The guys really outdid themselves this year.   Hubby gave me this gorgeous tote/knitting bag, made in Maine, from recycled sails.   I have been visiting this bag for quite a while and am just so happy to finally be able to call it mine.   The boys, & Jack, gave me a gift certificate to the Fresh Produce store along with a 25% off coupon (YAY!).

Once up and about, we went to lunch at my favorite restaurant and walked around historic St. Augustine, where I was able to visit the Fresh Produce store and spend my birthday money (3 capris, 1 tank, & a pair of floral Fit Flops).   All this and the day is not over yet.

I have an appointment for a massage this afternoon, Hubby is making my favorite salad for dinner, and there will be cake.   I am a well behaved/controlled diabetic.  Cake is a very big deal for me.  I can't wait :-)

It's smaller at the beginning...

Bigger on the Inside

Maybe, possibly, could be, I am finally on my way to having a Bigger on the Inside Shawl to wear before the summer is out.    My finger and shoulder are both feeling much better, and the other half of the yarn arrived (I keep telling you guys, Eat. Sleep. Knit. is the bomb).    I finding the charts more than a bit of a challange.    I am not sure if I did a poor job of translating them into words or if I am just worrying the whole thing to death (a distinct possiblity.   I am even considering going to hell with myself and just working straight from the charts.

Happy Birthday to us...

Chocolate Ganache Supreme

Another fun day at Chez Serenity.    Hubby's birthday was yesterday and mine will be this Thursday.    Yesterday we went out to celebrate his and will go out Thursday to celebrate mine.   Today, though, was our "at home" celebration.    Today, my mom joined us for a lunch and cake.    So that we would not have to cook, Hubby & I picked up two "Family" dinners from Pollo Tropical, while the boys picked up Grandma and a cake (see above) from Publix (Grandma was not at Publix, She was at her house).    We had a lovely, relaxed, happy, family meal.   We may need to do this again, soon.

Knitting is still limited.    Somehow, while favoring my right hand, I managed to injure my left shoulder, damn.

Still, I can knit in short bursts so that is something at least.

P.S. What you see here is a stock photo of our favorite celebration cake.   It is so good that the guys had it cut up and on plates before I could get a photo of ours with its one blue candle (for Hubby) and one pink candle (for me).   If you live near a Publix, I highly recommend this cake.

Mirror, Mirror, on the wall...

My finger is still in a splint so I don't have much in the way of knitting to report.   Today was Hubby's birthday so we got up early (for a weekend), opened presents, ate breakfast and headed on out to the movies & lunch to celebrate.

Choosing a movie we all want to see is always a challenge and even more so lately since I have just not been up to explosions.    Hubby expressed an interest in seeing "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" which thrilled me no end.    I saw it with my mother earlier this week and, so loved it, that I was, not just willing, but anxious to see it again.    The original plan was that we would see that and the boys would see "MIB3" which was playing at the same time, but the more he thought about it, the more Hubby wanted us to stick together, so Snow White and the Huntsman was settled on.

When we got to the theater, we were surprised to find the first matinee sold out.   Still more surprised where we when we finally got to see it after lunch, rather than before.    This movie is just awful.   That was two hours of my life that I will never see again.   No wonder Snow White fell asleep.    Okay, the sets and costumes were very well done and parts of it were filmed on a beach near a friend's (which is always fun to see), but the story was ridden with plot inconsistencies.    Not the least of which was the premise that Charlize Theron would have to worry about Kristen Stewart being more beautiful than she.   The other thing that really bugged me is, I think, a directing issue.   It seemed at times that Charlize Theron was speaking though a mouth full of marbles  (No, I don't think she had marbles in her mouth.  That is just the way she sounded).    I tried to knit, but that hurt, so then I tried to doze off, but it was too loud.   Now I just have a headache.   My advice to you, if you are considering going to see "Snow White and the Huntsman", is to go see "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" instead.

P.S.  I am blogging out on the patio today because the weather is lovely in NE FL this evening.

Please hold...

This morning I slept in a bit, wound my linen, grabbed a cup of tea, and ran out to pick T2 up at school (exams began today with an 11am dismissal).  I got there just in time, no time to knit.   On the way back we stopped  at the eye Dr to have our frames adjusted (I keep falling asleep reading).    Very efficient staff, no time to knit.   Once home the boys begged and pleaded (not really, they just asked nicely) and we went out to lunch.   No time to knit.   Errands were run and then it was home again.    Finally there was time to knit.    The only problem being that my finger which had been mildly sore all day, hurt like the dickens when I knit!     Hubby came home, poked, prodded, twisted, turned, and pronounced my finger sprained.   Yes, folks, I some how managed to sprain my finger in my sleep.   So here I sit, watching a scary movie (The Lady in Black), unable to knit.   Well, tomorrow is another day.