Memorial Day Weekend – Days of Wool, Sun and Margaritas
Hi everyone - I've decided to start a blog – I’ve been thinking about it for awhile and decided to just go ahead with it. Was worried I wouldn’t have enough to say but then started thinking about everything I did this weekend and thought I probably have enough to talk about – why not?!
My approach on this - I’m not going to spend any time introducing myself initially as I don’t think anyone will be reading that doesn’t already know me to some extent. Details will be filled in as we go in my usual rambling style, and most will be easy to pick up even from my first post.
From my observations, I think in blogging and/or podcasting there’s a balance to strike between editing/ making things sound perfect and talking or posting on a regular basis in a down to earth style like you would actually talk to people. I’m going to lean toward the latter as I’m going to focus on updating more frequently and am not going to do a lot of editing - so will leave this in a stream of consciousness format for the most part. Let me know what you think or if it’s hard to follow and/or read and I will move a little closer toward the other end of the continuum.
Friday – I finally got my upper wisdom teeth extracted – Dr. Ron has been nagging me about this for the last five years, now I can get him to stop whining already! I hadn’t had the best experience in my early 20s when I had the bottom ones removed – for lots of reasons (story for another day) – but this time was as pleasant as having two teeth pried out of one’s mouth can be. I got through TWO songs on my iPod. Galileo by the Indigo Girls will forever remind me now of the oral surgeon urgently getting one after another instrument to quickly pull out vestigial teeth.
No, I didn’t watch (that was one of my mistakes last time) but I could definitely tell there was a sense of urgency. $500 - not bad for 10 minutes of work! Jim asked if I got to take the teeth with me (I didn’t ask!) and hinted that I might have gotten a visit from the tooth fairy if I would have gotten them – I love that guy. I’m thinking I missed my last opportunity for the tooth fairy unless I have to have another dental implant down the road…. Anyway, no swelling, no pain meds needed, just a pre-emptive Tylenol and I was good to go.
I decided to pull out my Rowan Calmer “Soul” top, sit outside for the day and finish the last 1/3 that I had been putting off and I finished it! I’m really happy with this one – I’ve discovered that stretchy, DK weight yarn and negative ease is the way to go for me on summer tops. No more oversize 100% cotton monstrosities. Makes me really want to try the Annie Modesitt corset that I bought the pattern for the other day….
Saturday – Jim golfed in the morning and then we went to Chili’s for a margarita & chicken quesadilla soup – one time when you feel completely fine about saying “I’m thinking a liquid lunch” is when you just got your teeth extracted!!! Then went to the pool store to get another motor for the filter (!!! only had it 3 years and it died already) & “The crappy JoAnns” on 75th to look for foliage/trees that were on sale this weekend (nothing).
Then margaritas continued - started and worked on back of “Dress Me Up” from the cover of the Yarn Girls’ Guide to Kid Knits for little cousin Mia’s Christmas gift. She is quite a girly-girl, so I know she’ll like it. I like the main yarn for it too – it is Stacy Charles’ “Victoria” and it is sort of a stretchy shiny chainette ribbon-esque type of yarn. I like the stretchiness of it, but I’m not sure if it’d be scratchy. It looks pretty great so that’s all that matters (in my book.)
Sunday – got up early, sat by the pool and worked on the Victoria dress and Jim drove to the JoAnns Superstore in Bloomingdale so I got to work on it in the car. We hit the jackpot on the silk plants (needed a bunch for the tray ceilings in the bathroom and I think it worked out pretty well!) 60% off – was definitely worth going for the sale. Spent the rest of the day out by the pool, drank some Corona Lights, and finished the back of the Victoria dress.
Next door neighbor had some friends over so they ended up seeing us outside and sort of inviting themselves to come over to go swimming. One of the things that goes along with having a pool, I guess. It was fine on Sunday, but Monday was annoying. On Sunday, we truly invited them over (they were wearing their swimsuits already though next door) and on Monday they walked over from the neighbor’s house with their swimsuits on and neighbor himself (my dear friend Sandy’s husband – she was out of town for the weekend visiting a friend in Florida) didn’t even come over or swim. Kinda weird. Two days in a row is a little much – and providing towels, suntan lotion, etc. gets to be a pain. If you wear your swimsuit over to your friend’s house in the hope that their next door neighbor will invite you over to swim (more like guilt someone into asking you to swim) why would you not bring all of the accessories??? Sorry to sound snarky, but this was fun the first day (after 2 Coronas), not so fun the second day.
After they left, Jim and I walked over to Los Burritos Tapatios for some enchiladas, and when I got home I started my father in law Bob’s Basketweave Cardigan (from “Men in Knits” by Tara Jon Manning) for his Christmas gift. I’m using some Big Wool in the “Cloak” colorway and boy, does it work up FAST! Big Wool is the ONLY way I’m making anything for a guy with a 50”+ chest (as our friend Tim would say when referring to himself and others of similar size “a portly gentleman”.) I should be done in a week! (If I practice project monogamy, which I am notoriously bad at – preview of coming attractions there….)
Monday – picked up Jaeger Roma Violet lace tank top to work on from JB40 and discovered I was off a stitch on one of the increases, so took it off the needles then made an executive decision that I really wasn’t liking it much anyway. The yarn is kind of weird - I was so convinced I’d love it before I opened a ball up to swatch with – then when I didn’t get gauge until size 3 bamboos were used, thought maybe not so much.
Did actually (believe or not) see a really cute embroidered keyhole neck tank in Knitter’s(where I usually never see anything I actually want to make or even anything that isn’t just completely hideous or screams “Rick Mondragon designed me and I’m fabulously loud and proud!”) which I actually considered making, and their gauge was more realistic (4s) – but I just decided life is too short to make do and knit with yarn that I don’t love, especially at $10.25 per unopened ball. I can do something else with that $$$.
I’m returning the Roma to Peggy’s Strands of Heaven in Plainfield this weekend (although they do have a 30 day policy so I’d be safe a few more weeks) so I’ll write the review for the Windy City Knitting Guild’s next newsletter on that shop when I go back there. I’ll go in on a Saturday this time and see if my impression is any different than it was when I visited a few weeks ago on a Sunday with Amanda, a fellow knitter and blogger I met in my MBA program class. Her blog is quite interesting, check it out if you haven’t already!
Anyway, sat in the sun and actually got to swim a lot as the water had warmed up to 84 degrees - worked on Bob’s cardigan, got up to the armholes on the back– love Big Wool! I also reknit the sleeves of my Rowan Cotton Tape sweater (from the cover of the Cotton Tape Collection) for my short arms,just need to sew them into the armholes.
Dinner at DuPage Inn, then on a whim started the Teva Durham ballet T from Loop d Loop in Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in alpine lilac. Love, love, love it. Although she comes across as a little flaky in the book, she is really innovative – I have been poring over her book for the past day to decide which of her designs to do next.
Whew – I’m kind of exhausted just thinking about that weekend! This won’t usually be anywhere near so LONG but I had to make up for lost time. Pictures of the projects to come next post (and they’ll be simultaneous next time.) The weekend was all about stash reduction, tons of sun (got a lot of reddish brown color and quasi-burned my shoulders) and a good number of margaritas and Coronas. Adios wisdom teeth!
Robin
My approach on this - I’m not going to spend any time introducing myself initially as I don’t think anyone will be reading that doesn’t already know me to some extent. Details will be filled in as we go in my usual rambling style, and most will be easy to pick up even from my first post.
From my observations, I think in blogging and/or podcasting there’s a balance to strike between editing/ making things sound perfect and talking or posting on a regular basis in a down to earth style like you would actually talk to people. I’m going to lean toward the latter as I’m going to focus on updating more frequently and am not going to do a lot of editing - so will leave this in a stream of consciousness format for the most part. Let me know what you think or if it’s hard to follow and/or read and I will move a little closer toward the other end of the continuum.
Friday – I finally got my upper wisdom teeth extracted – Dr. Ron has been nagging me about this for the last five years, now I can get him to stop whining already! I hadn’t had the best experience in my early 20s when I had the bottom ones removed – for lots of reasons (story for another day) – but this time was as pleasant as having two teeth pried out of one’s mouth can be. I got through TWO songs on my iPod. Galileo by the Indigo Girls will forever remind me now of the oral surgeon urgently getting one after another instrument to quickly pull out vestigial teeth.
No, I didn’t watch (that was one of my mistakes last time) but I could definitely tell there was a sense of urgency. $500 - not bad for 10 minutes of work! Jim asked if I got to take the teeth with me (I didn’t ask!) and hinted that I might have gotten a visit from the tooth fairy if I would have gotten them – I love that guy. I’m thinking I missed my last opportunity for the tooth fairy unless I have to have another dental implant down the road…. Anyway, no swelling, no pain meds needed, just a pre-emptive Tylenol and I was good to go.
I decided to pull out my Rowan Calmer “Soul” top, sit outside for the day and finish the last 1/3 that I had been putting off and I finished it! I’m really happy with this one – I’ve discovered that stretchy, DK weight yarn and negative ease is the way to go for me on summer tops. No more oversize 100% cotton monstrosities. Makes me really want to try the Annie Modesitt corset that I bought the pattern for the other day….
Saturday – Jim golfed in the morning and then we went to Chili’s for a margarita & chicken quesadilla soup – one time when you feel completely fine about saying “I’m thinking a liquid lunch” is when you just got your teeth extracted!!! Then went to the pool store to get another motor for the filter (!!! only had it 3 years and it died already) & “The crappy JoAnns” on 75th to look for foliage/trees that were on sale this weekend (nothing).
Then margaritas continued - started and worked on back of “Dress Me Up” from the cover of the Yarn Girls’ Guide to Kid Knits for little cousin Mia’s Christmas gift. She is quite a girly-girl, so I know she’ll like it. I like the main yarn for it too – it is Stacy Charles’ “Victoria” and it is sort of a stretchy shiny chainette ribbon-esque type of yarn. I like the stretchiness of it, but I’m not sure if it’d be scratchy. It looks pretty great so that’s all that matters (in my book.)
Sunday – got up early, sat by the pool and worked on the Victoria dress and Jim drove to the JoAnns Superstore in Bloomingdale so I got to work on it in the car. We hit the jackpot on the silk plants (needed a bunch for the tray ceilings in the bathroom and I think it worked out pretty well!) 60% off – was definitely worth going for the sale. Spent the rest of the day out by the pool, drank some Corona Lights, and finished the back of the Victoria dress.
Next door neighbor had some friends over so they ended up seeing us outside and sort of inviting themselves to come over to go swimming. One of the things that goes along with having a pool, I guess. It was fine on Sunday, but Monday was annoying. On Sunday, we truly invited them over (they were wearing their swimsuits already though next door) and on Monday they walked over from the neighbor’s house with their swimsuits on and neighbor himself (my dear friend Sandy’s husband – she was out of town for the weekend visiting a friend in Florida) didn’t even come over or swim. Kinda weird. Two days in a row is a little much – and providing towels, suntan lotion, etc. gets to be a pain. If you wear your swimsuit over to your friend’s house in the hope that their next door neighbor will invite you over to swim (more like guilt someone into asking you to swim) why would you not bring all of the accessories??? Sorry to sound snarky, but this was fun the first day (after 2 Coronas), not so fun the second day.
After they left, Jim and I walked over to Los Burritos Tapatios for some enchiladas, and when I got home I started my father in law Bob’s Basketweave Cardigan (from “Men in Knits” by Tara Jon Manning) for his Christmas gift. I’m using some Big Wool in the “Cloak” colorway and boy, does it work up FAST! Big Wool is the ONLY way I’m making anything for a guy with a 50”+ chest (as our friend Tim would say when referring to himself and others of similar size “a portly gentleman”.) I should be done in a week! (If I practice project monogamy, which I am notoriously bad at – preview of coming attractions there….)
Monday – picked up Jaeger Roma Violet lace tank top to work on from JB40 and discovered I was off a stitch on one of the increases, so took it off the needles then made an executive decision that I really wasn’t liking it much anyway. The yarn is kind of weird - I was so convinced I’d love it before I opened a ball up to swatch with – then when I didn’t get gauge until size 3 bamboos were used, thought maybe not so much.
Did actually (believe or not) see a really cute embroidered keyhole neck tank in Knitter’s(where I usually never see anything I actually want to make or even anything that isn’t just completely hideous or screams “Rick Mondragon designed me and I’m fabulously loud and proud!”) which I actually considered making, and their gauge was more realistic (4s) – but I just decided life is too short to make do and knit with yarn that I don’t love, especially at $10.25 per unopened ball. I can do something else with that $$$.
I’m returning the Roma to Peggy’s Strands of Heaven in Plainfield this weekend (although they do have a 30 day policy so I’d be safe a few more weeks) so I’ll write the review for the Windy City Knitting Guild’s next newsletter on that shop when I go back there. I’ll go in on a Saturday this time and see if my impression is any different than it was when I visited a few weeks ago on a Sunday with Amanda, a fellow knitter and blogger I met in my MBA program class. Her blog is quite interesting, check it out if you haven’t already!
Anyway, sat in the sun and actually got to swim a lot as the water had warmed up to 84 degrees - worked on Bob’s cardigan, got up to the armholes on the back– love Big Wool! I also reknit the sleeves of my Rowan Cotton Tape sweater (from the cover of the Cotton Tape Collection) for my short arms,just need to sew them into the armholes.
Dinner at DuPage Inn, then on a whim started the Teva Durham ballet T from Loop d Loop in Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in alpine lilac. Love, love, love it. Although she comes across as a little flaky in the book, she is really innovative – I have been poring over her book for the past day to decide which of her designs to do next.
Whew – I’m kind of exhausted just thinking about that weekend! This won’t usually be anywhere near so LONG but I had to make up for lost time. Pictures of the projects to come next post (and they’ll be simultaneous next time.) The weekend was all about stash reduction, tons of sun (got a lot of reddish brown color and quasi-burned my shoulders) and a good number of margaritas and Coronas. Adios wisdom teeth!
Robin
posted by Robin at 5/30/2006 09:44:00 PM
5 Comments:
Cool! Thanks for checking it out!
I agree - I am going to put links to my old vacation pictures here too. I'm still feeling my way around and figuring this out. Thanks!
You sure did have a busy weekend. It's a good thing your mouth didn't hurt. I think I'm going to enjoy reading this.
Yeah, I was really glad it was pretty much a non-event. I didn't need stitches or anything, but am going in Friday just to have the dr. check the healing - seems fine though! Thanks for reading - I think this will be a good way to keep everyone up to date too!
Robin
Your site is on top of my favourites - Great work I like it.
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