the knitting chase

Spring?

2009-03-10T08:23:00.006-04:00

Saturday and Sunday were GLORIOUS! I sat on the front porch, knitting and enjoying the warm temperatures. A little exploration of the yard found bright sunshine, and in a patch of shade, a little leftover snow. And lookie here - the beginnings of spring! Of course on Monday, we had snow and ice. New England weather never ceases to amaze. What's going on in your neck of the woods?

Sewing

2009-03-06T14:30:00.006-05:00

Like many crafters, I have more than one craft that I love. Of course I don't love all of them equally, and the relative rankings change based on mood, inspiration, time, etc. (although knitting is almost always at the very top of the list). Lately I've become re-interested in sewing. It started with some newly-published books. Then I saw some really cute things (mostly for kids) in stores (including Etsy) and thought, "I could do that!" My success has been mixed, but I'm having fun re-discovering the craft. I have been fighting with my sewing machine a bit. I finally took it to a great little "sew and vac" place and they were super helpful (thanks Amy!). Turns out I had threaded the machine wrong and that caused the tension to be all wonky. After a quick tutorial (and a suggestion that I take a class to learn more!), I'm back on track. And what a difference a correctly threaded machine makes! Instead of feeling like the machine and I are at odds, it feels all symbiotic, and the machine is humming! I working on some simple pajama pants. I'll post real photos when they are done. And then I'm diving into this great collection: "more than 40 projects and idea for inspired stitching." I can't wait!

Technology

2009-02-27T13:57:00.002-05:00

This will be a photo-less post. I've had so many technology issues lately. Do they comes in waves? First it was a loss of wireless service (at home). Still not fixed. Then it was two separate email problems at work (both fixed). Now I can't seem to get Geocities to let me into my book group's website to update it (they haven't responded to my email "help"; I can't seem to find a customer service phone number to call them; so still not fixed).

In the meantime, I've started being more active on Twitter. I do like it a lot! I'm finding new, interesting people to follow all the time.

Podcasts

2009-02-12T16:25:00.002-05:00

I like listing to podcasts. I have several favorites: Ready, Set Knit (I'm a guest on the show that airs on 2/14/09!) Cast-On This American Life It's a Purl, Man
I'd like to have more on my "regulars" list. Any suggestions?

Let there be light!

2009-02-12T10:32:00.004-05:00

When I left the office Monday night, it was still light out!! It's so nice to imagine warm weather (of which we had a taste this week), and long stretches of being able to leave the office while it's still light out. You can't really tell, but here's the hint of light I saw as I was walking out to my car at 5:45pm.

Of course we still have a lot of dirty piles of snow to contend with. There will have to be a LOT of warm days for all of this to melt - and that's assuming we don't get any more! Ha.

testing ... testing

2009-02-05T11:47:00.003-05:00

Can I add video? Did the test work?

Trip to Portland

2009-02-04T16:16:00.004-05:00

Last Friday I drove up to Portland, ME, to meet with my colleague, Pam. We got a TON of work done - well worth the 2-hour drive each way!

We had the pleasure of meeting Jil Eaton - knitwear designer extraordinaire - for lunch. Lots of business-y things to discuss - but what a lunch we had! I had a great salad with chicken, blue cheese, and other goodies. Jil had the lamb salad. Pam had the chicken satay special with crispy noodles - wow!!

This is a little local place. I wish we had a local place like that here!

Culture Shock

2009-01-26T11:17:00.009-05:00

I'm back from California. What a great trip - I wish I could have stayed longer. I don't know any place that has better food, overall, than CA. Imagine artichokes, once grilled and once baked. Yum. And avocados on everything! I stopped at a little cafe in San Rafael one morning, just looking for a bagel, and here is what I got. It was so delicious. I think I'll buy up a bunch of avocados and have them ready for any breakfast that comes along! (But they never taste as good in MA as they do in CA, do they.) After a day of airline food (which had to be PURCHASED along with everything liquid, including water, that had to be PURCHASED - shame on you, USAirways), California cuisine seemed very far away.
And then I experienced this.
"Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music!" We had a great time, but I had forgotten how commercial these shows can be. From the lobby, to intermission, and then the post-show onslaught - it's no wonder that kids learn to "need" and "want" everything. Of course we indulged. But the music was fun, and it was a joy to see our granddaughter soaking it all in.

Now back to reality.

Weather

2009-01-15T17:33:00.004-05:00

What a difference a plane ride makes. What I left behind:
Now the view from my hotel balcony in San Diego this afternoon:
Just for the record, I feel a little guilty ... just a little bit.

Let it snow!

2009-01-11T11:50:00.006-05:00

It snowed last night. On top of what was already on the ground (and tables and stairs), I think we got about 4".

Sorry it's so hard to see - this is the only ruler I could find in the house. At least this time the snow is fluffy and easier to push around than the icy mess we had last week. Yesterday we spent over an hour getting most of the remaining ice off the driveway so that it wouldn't be lurking under the snow that was (correctly) predicted for last night. I do love living in New England, but this is already a long winter. Fortunately I leave on Thursday for California! San Diego here I come!! I'll be indoors 90% of the time, working the trade show, but I'm pretty sure I won't have to deal with snow. I'll try to post some photos, from the show as well as from my trip to northern California, which is where I'm going when the trade show ends. In the meantime, I have to go put on some socks - it's cold here!

2009-01-04T12:41:00.001-05:00

New Year's Eve

May you have a healthy, peaceful and prosperous 2009! Happy New Year, from my home to yours.

Fourth File

2008-12-22T16:26:00.004-05:00

Leslie suggested we all play along with the photo challenge. So, as instructed, here's the fourth photo in my fourth file.
It's a diaper cake that my daughter created for her cousin's baby shower. I helped her put it together - it takes two people to construct because it wants to fall down. It was loads of fun - you roll up diapers (we used disposables) and build the cake from the inside to the outside. Then you just build the layers up from there. We tied it all off with some pretty ribbon. She also added little goodies - most are hard to see except for the stuffed dog on the top.

This photo was taken on the kitchen counter at the "beach house" on what appears to be a beautiful day in June. I sure wish we had that weather today - this morning I returned from 5 days in Houston to a foot of snow!

Really

2008-12-15T09:53:00.005-05:00

I stopped by Home Depot on my way to work and this was the scene in the parking lot.

That's a lot of trucks!

Many families have been without power since the New England ice storm on Thursday, including my daughter and her family. They have been staying with us since Friday afternoon, but are hoping to have power back sometime today so that they can go home. At least today's forecast is for warm weather; Saturday was really cold. The power outage has disrupted their holiday plans - they were going to put up their tree this past weekend, decorate the porch - but instead they hung out in the condo. At least we live close enough to help. I feel sorry for the families that have to stay in a shelter.

What do you think?

2008-12-10T16:04:00.002-05:00

I changed my template and added a header. Do you like it? Thanks to Leslie for the great photo!

Am I crazy?

2008-12-10T13:50:00.003-05:00

I decided, on Monday, that I should knit a scarf for my mother. I'm flying down there on the 17th for a few days. Do you think it will be done by then? I'd love to have it done before I go - then I could block it here - but if I can't get it done by the 17th, maybe I can knit on the plane? It's moving right along (although I must admit my left shoulder is sore - from too much knitting time??).

I must be crazy.

Happy 3rd Birthday Sugar!

2008-12-08T11:27:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was C's third birthday. I can't believe it. She is looking SOOOO grown up. So thank you, Sugar, for being such a great little person, and being such a special part of our lives. We love you!

P.S. Nice earrings!

Wow

2008-12-04T16:17:00.004-05:00

I love Brooklyn Tweed's design aesthetic. He's outdone himself this time.

Gorgeous. And I can think of tons of beautiful yarns that would be great for this project. If only I had more time.

Do you see what I see?

2008-12-03T10:09:00.005-05:00

There is a tall smokestack in my town, and every year they drape it with lights to mimic a Christmas tree. This is the view from my office window. I was delighted Monday night when I noticed that it was there - really makes it feel like the holidays are just around the corner. I hope you are seeing and enjoying the holiday lights in your neck of the woods.

P.S. C loved her new Advent Calendar. She got to pick two surprises last night (a fancy crayon-like drawing device and some JellyBellies). I wish I could remember what today's surprise will be!

Advent Calendar

2008-12-01T11:14:00.007-05:00

My daughter thought C would like an Advent Calendar this year. About a day later, I saw this and knew I wanted to make one instead of buying one, especially since the bought version would probably be filled entirely with candy. So I purchased all the materials and set to work. The embroidered numbers were done on the way back from Thanksgiving at my brother's house. And my new workspace was perfect for laying out the squares of felt. Purl Soho made a slight error in my order, so I only had one of the two red shades they recommended. I had to do a little rearranging of the colors, but I think it turned out well. (I photographed it lying on the floor so it's not the greatest picture.)

Yesterday I went looking for 24 little things to go into the pockets - the pockets are only about 2.5" square, so each day's surprise has to be small! I mixed in some candy along the way, but most days are little goodies like post-it tags, a couple of ornaments, hair do-dads, and some little jewelry items. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Oh - I split it in two pieces (unlike the original which was one long panel) so that it can be hung out of the reach of inquiring little hands. Each panel is 12" square, and there are four of them, so the original design was quite long from top to bottom. By making it in two pieces, it can be hung at normal picture-hanging height. I also got some tension-mounted curtain rods, so H can hang each panel in a window if she wants.

I can't deliver it until tomorrow night, but I can't wait to see the reactions! Can you guess what December 20th's goodie is?

Subways, Trains, and Automobiles

2008-11-21T12:17:00.003-05:00

I went to New York City earlier this week. Did you know that 2009 has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Natural Fibers? Very exciting concept! There is a small group putting together some plans for how to celebrate the "Year", and I was invited to participate. Most other participants are involved in the breeding of animals or production of fibers. I wore my TNNA Board Member hat (and marketing committee hat). It was an interesting conversation. It turns out that cotton has the biggest natural fiber production worldwide, and numerous activities are being organized around cotton. But these folks wanted animal-based fibers (wool, alpaca, silk, etc.) to be the focus, so that's what they are doing. "Keep the Fleece" is the moniker they will use. Watch for loads of ideas coming out this group in the coming months.

Anyway, I drove to Connecticut and stayed with my brother and sister-in-law for a night, then did the Connecticut-to-New York commute into the city on Wednesday. The meeting was in Soho, in the afternoon, so after the subway ride down, I had mini-meetings with a few business partners in the morning. It was a good use of my time in the city. After the UN-IYNF meeting, I did the back-to-CT commute (subway and train), dinner with relatives, spent the night, the drove back home - well actually I drove straight to work - on Thursday morning. What a whirlwind! But it was fun to do something different for a change.

Happy (Belated) Birthday!

2008-10-31T12:55:00.002-04:00

Wednesday was my my baby's birthday. Well, he's not such a baby anymore. Happy Birthday T - we love you!!

Who knew there would be so much math?

2008-10-16T10:11:00.014-04:00

It always amazes me how much math is involved in crafting. When you sew, you have to do the math to figure out sizing and how much fabric you'll need. Knitting has tons of math - from gauge to yardage to sizing and shaping. Now I have learned the importance of math in weaving. I had two hanks of a hand-dyed sock yarn, and wanted to make a scarf thingie - just a simple one. I did the math, see?
I figured out how much I needed for the warp and set it up. A few months later (I had trouble focusing on this project over the summer, I'm just saying), I realized that I was going to run out of weft way before I ran out of warp. See the empty shuttle? How did that happen?
So I have little bits of leftovers - I have no idea what I'll do with them - but I also have a beautiful scarf/wrap/neckwarmer! I love it. Here it is on my (now empty) loom.
See how pretty the colors are?
Next I'm doing a scarf for my mother for the holidays. With sparkly yarn in a burgundy color! I'll need one hank of Silk Pearl for warp and one hank of Bead Pearl and Sequins for weft. Kathy wrote out hers here. I hope I do the math right this time!! Of course I also have this pretty little scarf (and I mean little yarn, little needles) that I'm trying to do. There just isn't enough time in the day.

Busy Weekend

2008-10-07T09:06:00.009-04:00

From work, to charity, to play - a great weekend!

Friday morning, our company participated in an event at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium called "Made in Lowell." Although we are mostly importers/distributors, I thought it would be fun to be part of this event, and we do "make" all our patterns, marketing, etc. Not everyone "got it." We had to do a lot of explaining about what a yarn company does. But overall I think it was great to participate. Next year I think we'll attend rather than exhibit; it was fun to see the companies that do manufacturing in our City. And I think I found a local printer, and a guy who does great tote bags out of recycled and organic materials. I'm calling him today!

This past Sunday the Lexington (MA) Arts and Crafts Society had a "knit in". They asked us to provide a trunk show, so Saturday I met up with my friend Cass (who is a member, and the creator of the pretty pin cushions I wrote about recently) and put up some posters and hung some sweaters. Two other yarn companies had things displayed too. I heard it was a fun day - even Wren Ross was there - but sadly I didn't make the actual event. Some amazing work was on display by the Society's members. The exhibit will be there until October 18 - if you're in the area, check it out.

I didn't make the Lexington event because on Sunday, I walked with my daughter and her family in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event in Boston. 38,000 walkers! It was amazing; they raised a lot of money for breast cancer research - hooray! C and her friend were troopers.

After riding in on the T, we trekked over the to Hatch Shell and the official starting line. We all made it the 3+ miles. Although the weather wasn't beautiful, it was perfect-enough for a walk. Not too hot; not too sunny; brisk is how I would describe it. After the walk, we went to brunch at a family-friendly place in Cambridge called Full Moon - really fun for the group, and great food!

Next weekend it's all about getting some knitting done...oh, and some baseball. Go Red Sox!

Travel Is Over!

2008-09-26T13:55:00.004-04:00

I'm home! What a journey ... 9 days and 8 nights ... too much. As as much as I planned to photograph the entire journey, the only shot I have is from the last night. I stayed at the O'Hare Hyatt (which I had thought was the hotel on site at the airport, but the hotel at the airport is a Hilton!). The Hyatt is a beautiful hotel, and I had a lovely room. I grabbed a bite before crashing into bed, and it was wonderful! An appetizer called Grilled Prawns and Avocado, with Chipotle Dressing (along with some bread and wine). Yum! Other highlights of my trip? A great photo shoot in New Harbor, ME; 3 great days with friends in Chicago, shopping, dining, giggling at the Bobbi Brown makeup counter with Jasmine (the makeup artist), and going on a great river boat architecture cruise! Chicago's skyline (or river-line) is something else. Then on to Lake Geneva, WI, to another great location. But this time it was two days of hard, volunteer board work. And I came home with way too much to do. It's going to be really wet here this weekend. I hope to re-organize my office, get some laundry done, and chill/knit a bit. Hope you have a great weekend too!

Photoless

2008-09-16T09:31:00.003-04:00

It's been a busy few weeks. I took a trip to New York via train, and had a really good visit. I met with, ate with, and visited with my colleagues at Vogue Knitting and Knit Simple; I had lunch and dinner with my brother and his family. And I did a little visiting and shopping at three great New York stores: Knitty City; Purl Soho; and String. Each is very different from the other, with a unique personality, stock layout, and ambiance. And one of the highlights of my trip was getting to see Maksim (a.k.a. Max), who is now 6 weeks old! What a cutie. I was lucky enough to stay at my brother's apartment on the Upper West Side, and managed to get around New York via subway most of the time. What fun to be in the hubbub of NYC!

But no photos. My camera stayed safely tucked inside my bag for the entire three days.

Late last week I had a chance to drive out to Webs, America's Yarn Store. It was fun to see Kathy and Steve and show them some new things we may do next spring. And they gave me a tour of the new bead store, aptly named Webs, America's Bead Store. It's a good thing the bead store isn't in my neighborhood. I could do a lot of damage to my pocketbook there.

I meant to take pictures of the storefronts. Nope. Didn't happen.

Last weekend we went to a great wedding - my husband's 2nd cousin was married in Portsmouth, NH. A beautiful setting by the sea; great weather; wonderful family. What a nice day for them. And they really lucked out - Friday it rained, and Sunday it rained, but Saturday (the wedding day) was PERFECT! Congrats to the newlyweds. Saturday during the day, the two of us explored Freeport, ME, home to the L.L. Bean store and numerous outlets. We didn't do much shopping, but it was a nice day so we enjoyed wandering around.

And no photos from me. Not of the wedding. Not of Freeport or Portsmouth. None.

Tomorrow I head to northern Maine for our spring photo shoot. It's a beautiful area and I know our products will look great in that setting. I'll be there until Friday, then I flyto Chicago for an annual WWW (wild women weekend). Then Monday, I drive to southern Wisconsin for a trade association board meeting.

I PROMISE TO NOT ONLY TAKE MY CAMERA, BUT TO ACTUALLY TAKE SOME PICTURES! Promise.

Next post will be very photo-intensive ... stay tuned!

FO

2008-09-05T08:32:00.003-04:00

I always have at least one project on the needles. Right now I have two active projects, and have my eye on a third. Completing projects is a whole other problem. But guess what - I finished my Lace Ribbon Scarf! Veronik Avery created this great pattern. She did hers in a solid color of Alpaca Sox; I did mine in one of the new kettle dyed colors (not yet available in stores...sorry). Don't you love the way the waves of the lace stitch (easy to memorize, by the way) and the changes in the blue hues work together?

I can't wait to wear this, although I dread the cooler temps. And I liked the pattern so much, I may do another one for my Mom! Do they wear alpaca blend scarves in Houston?

If you live on the east coast, stay dry and safe this weekend.

Nuts

2008-08-18T14:03:00.002-04:00

My favorite snack mid-afternoon is almonds. Even though I probably eat too many, it still feels like a healthy snack, at least healthier than cookies or chips. I went into my snack stash this morning to open a new can, and discovered that I had bought the wrong kind! I like the Dry Roasted Almonds, and I had mistakenly purchased the Smoked Almonds. Bummer. Guess I'll have to have a party and pass the Smoked Almonds around before dinner.

The knitting is a cardigan for granddaughter C, out of Summer Sox. In Huckleberry. Yummy color.

Crafts

2008-08-13T08:32:00.004-04:00

I belong to a great knitting group. We don't knit much any more when we're together, but we all do a lot of crafts when we have the time. It's more of a fun get-together with friends than a knitting group, but we still call it knitting group. My friend Cass showed us some pincushions she had made. She took various materials including machine-knitted pieces, beads, embroidered bits, and yarns, and made little "cakes". They are so cute! I think she did a great job (I bought the one in the center). I'm encouraging her to put them up on Etsy. What do you think?

P.S. The pieces in the foreground are coasters I bought at a crafts fair. They are just felted pieces, cut into squares (not even very evenly). I really liked the colors (one is solid orange; the other is stripes of green and beige), and they are very handy here in the office. And how appropriate for a yarn company!

New Addition

2008-08-07T14:38:00.003-04:00

We have a new addition to our family. (Drum Roll Please.) Meet Max! My new grand-nephew. Isn't he cute!! He lives in New York, and I hope to get there to meet him in person sometime soon. Welcome to the world, little Max!

Hydrangeas

2008-07-22T12:17:00.004-04:00

We've had a pretty hot summer. June was hotter than usual too. I've never had much luck with hydrangeas - I try and try, but many summers go by without a single blue blossom. But look what happened this year! I have two kinds of hydrangea - one that is pretty traditional (above), and another variety produces a kind of lacey blossom. It's big and bushy, and I can only remember one other year when I got any blossoms at all. But this year is amazing!

And see how delicate the flowers are? I love it.

I hope you are having a great summer! Oh, and let's hope Dolly is kind to Texas.

Baseball and Bunny

2008-07-08T11:14:00.004-04:00

It happened again! I've been a bad blogger. Where does the time go? There was a lot of travel in June (a trade show; a great business trip to Georgia, visiting shops & knitters at three wonderful locations), a lot of business to deal with (banks; customers; suppliers - but what's new with that really). And then, before I could blink, it was the 4th of July!

Summer has already been great. Family fun on the 4th, and then yesterday, we all went to a Lowell Spinners game with a bunch of knitters. It was Stitch 'n Pitch night at the ballpark, and we had a grand time. There were probably 100 knitters in attendance, including Jess & Casey of Ravelry fame.

But best of all, C came along, and brought her new best friend, Bunny.

Who could ask for more - family, friends and knitters, a new hand-knit bunny, baseball, and of course, cold beer. Happy July!

Random

2008-05-30T09:07:00.005-04:00

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted. A lot has happened around here, but mostly it's just been a busy time. We had a great long Memorial Day weekend - the weather was perfect, we all went to the beach, some flowers were planted (some by me, some by H), and besides the fact that I worked 2 of the 3 weekend mornings, it was a relaxing time.

I was thinking this morning about what joy people can bring into our lives. People like Harvey Korman, who I always loved to watch. Or my family, some of whom are motorcycle nuts, doing silly things on bikes in big cities (when they probably shouldn't). Or little kids. Or good friends. And things that bring joy to us. Like most crafts. Especially knitting. (Wrap/Cardigan knit in Embrace, 100% cashmere. Yum.)

I leave on Thursday of next week for our trade show in Columbus, OH. It's a long trip - 7 days - and I find it exhilerating and exhausting. Then I get to really enjoy my summer.

Spring Has Sprung!

2008-05-07T12:23:00.004-04:00

There are the most amazing flowering trees on one of the city streets I travel to work each day. I love how they look, but it doesn't last long! By next week, the flowers will be long gone (especially if it rains). But in the meantime, I savor how they look coming, and going. Enjoy spring!

The rest of the story

2008-05-04T06:34:00.005-04:00

April and May are crazy/busy months for me. Trade shows. Launch of a new line. Conference calls. It's hard to keep up with daily activities much less "extras." So, finishing up the last post, I took the photo of me, along with a photo of my daughter at about the same age

Then I took a picture of C - voila!

3 generations, but all photographed at about the same age. I framed us side-by-side. I think it looked great.

Spring has sprung here. I took a photo of some beautiful flowering trees, but I can't find my camera cord...I'll post them you next week, after I find the cord.

Birthdays

2008-04-13T09:05:00.003-04:00

Next week is my daughter's 35th birthday. I can't believe it! It takes my breath away that she's that old - which means that I'm getting up there too! Some days I feel like I should be 30; some days 60. But mostly I'm just glad to have such great kids (including kid-in-law) and grandkid. I'm cooking up a surprise for the birthday. Here's a photo of me when I was about 2. I'll tell you after the official b-day gift what I'm doing with it.

Disappointment

2008-04-04T13:56:00.002-04:00

I was supposed to take a weaving class tomorrow. It was cancelled. I am sad. But I think I'll take the day, which was already set aside for moi, and do some more experimenting with the loom. Some FOs for you next week? Perhaps. In the meantime, check this out!

What the........

2008-03-28T11:40:00.003-04:00

Just for the record, today is March 28th. Spring. I know it's New England, but COME ON GUYS -- we need some sunshine, some little buds on the trees, some HOPE that this will end sometime soon!

Enjoy your weekend. I plan to knit. After all, what else would one do on a snowy day ... in March.

Windy City

2008-03-27T09:29:00.002-04:00

Wow. What a great 2+ days I had. I just returned from attending the Yarn Market News Smart Business Conference in Chicago. Fabulous. Really fabulous. It was a great mix of hard core information, fun, networking (really great networking!), and swag. Yep, swag. The conference sponsors (of which my company was one) really outdid themselves with giveaways. I'm having a raffle in the office today to share some of the goodies with our hardworking staff. And the speakers were fantastic! Check out their bios and websites. They had great information to share.

Yesterday, before we all headed home, we were treated to a tour of Lornas Laces.
Beth was a gracious host, explaining her products, showing us works in progress, and she even did a little dying demo! It was fun to see the action.

Soho Publishing (parent company of Yarn Market News) did a great job. I hope this event becomes an annual one, and that I am fortunate enough to be able to go again. It was wonderful meeting so many talented retailers, and brainstorm how we can all grow the yarn/knitting/needlearts business together.

Now I just have to find the time to summarize all my notes and implement all the great ideas I heard about!

Texas

2008-03-18T12:21:00.002-04:00

I just got back from 6 days in Texas, visiting my Mom, brother, sister-in-law, and 3 nieces (2 local, one from NYC). I was lucky enough to travel with my daughter and grand-daughter, so there were 9 of us enjoying each others' company. It was a really good visit, and we were able to parcel out small-ish times with everyone. I helped Mom finish her taxes and hang pictures on her walls. She moved to a new space recently, and has lots more room, with big windows and a good location - such an improvement over where she had been! I also had some relaxing time by the pool and on walks. It was great to skip wearing a coat for 6 days!

Now it's back to the grind. Hopefully lots of knitting and weaving too. Even though it's going to snow overnight tonight, I sense that spring is right around the corner! And that means more playground time...

Where Have I Been

2008-02-25T08:03:00.004-05:00

I did it. I bought a loom. It's very small and portable, and it's called a Flip - and I love it. Not only is it portable, it was really easy to learn. At the recommendation of 2 very helpful people at Webs in Northampton, I bought the loom and a book. By reading through Betty Linn Davenport's Rigid Heddle Weaving, I was able to begin a small project all by myself. The photo above is warping. The Flip provides a spindle that can be attached to pretty much anything (I used the edge of a bookcase) and you attach the warp to the loom as you go. It's a 1-step process instead of two - easy-peasy!

Once the warp was rolled onto the warp beam on the loom (below)

I was ready to get started. I didn't take any pictures of the work-in-progress; I guess I was too absorbed! But look what I did!

The piece is about 20" long, and is W.A.Y. better at the end than at the beginning! I learned a lot and am really proud of what I completed! I used Cotton Bam Boo for the warp because I wanted something pretty thin, sturdy and non-stretchy. I experimented with various yarns for the weft. First I used a different color of Cotton Bam Boo; then I experimented with stripes. And then, I found some really beautiful Koigu in my stash. So I used the Koigu for weaving about 9", then switched to the Cotton Bam Boo in the same color that was the warp. I love it. I can't wait to try some other combinations.

A new hobby ... woo hoo!!

2008-02-08T13:36:00.000-05:00

Have you seen all the great spring yarns that are flooding into yarn shops and online stores? They are amazing. And great patterns too. Of course I'm partial to the ones from CEY.

Speaking of which, our creative director is hard at work on Fall 2008 - can you believe it? I drove up to Maine in a little snowstorm on Tuesday and worked with her on the line and other work-related stuff. It was great to see her progress - lots of photos on the walls, with little snippets of yarn and project notes. Putting a new season together is always challenging; I don't know how she does it! Once the designs are in progress, being written by pattern writers, or knitted by knitters, or being blocked for the photo shoot, then my work begins in earnest. That's when I have to put it all together, create a package that makes sense to salesreps and customers. For now, I'm just the consultant, the watchdog, the advisor.

It's hard to imagine now, but Fall is going to be great! By the way, have you seen Spring? Happy weekend.

Sharing

2008-02-01T10:54:00.000-05:00

This week my family had a milestone worthy of mention. My daughter completed her breast cancer treatments. She still has a long road - to getting her stamina back, getting her hair back, moving towards pill-free days - but surgery and chemo and radiation are complete. The joy we feel is so immense, and the gratitude we have for all those who have been so supportive the past 7 months cannot be adequately expressed. Thank you.

I am so proud of how she has managed all the scary moments, and there were a lot. She remains beautiful, intelligent, talented, a great mom and wife, and now she has another moniker: she's a survivor.

I'm Back

2008-01-25T14:34:00.000-05:00

California was great / exhausting. We had a pretty good show, but the travel was hard. I was able to see my son for a few hours - awesome treat - and had dinner with sister-in-law and her husband. Fun.

Two years ago when I was returning from California I bought some yarn and a pattern at the last minute and spend my plane ride working on a project for granddaughter C. It was a quick knit and fun to do. I don't remember if was knitting for her last year on my way home, but I decided, when I was in Oakland, that I should make this an annual tradition - each year I'll knit something for C when I return from my January California trip. It's a 6-hour trip, more or less, and I can get some really good knitting time in. In Oakland, I bought some yarn and a pattern for a vest. I didn't finish it, but I did complete the back and most of the front. Since coming home, I've finished the front, sewed together the shoulder seams, and knit the neckline rib with picot bindoff. All that's left is the side seams and armhole rib/picot. Can't wait.

I did complete a little jumper before I left town. Too cute.

Today is not Friday

2008-01-08T16:35:00.000-05:00

I usually post on Fridays; it seems like a good day to wrap things up. But this Friday I'll be standing in a trade show booth, hopefully selling yarn like crazy. Yep. I'm off to Long Beach in the morning - 2 days of prep; 3 days of selling; 2 days of meetings; a short visit with boy-child; then home - 8 days away from New England! It was really hard to pack for such a long trip! (Let's see, if I wear these shoes on the plane, then these other shoes on the show floor for 3 days, then ... wait, what about that brown outfit? well maybe brown should stay at home 'cause it would dictate another pair of shoes and there isn't any room for more shoes!)

I'll try to post a picture or two on Friday. I expect they will be pictures of yarn, 'cause that's what it's all about.

Starting 2008

2008-01-04T12:08:00.000-05:00

Since 2007 was so difficult for me and my family, I'm hopeful that 2008 will be a winner!

Having everyone home for the Xmas holidays was a great way to end last year. Lots of little joys add up, so I'm going to make a point of celebrating and noting the special moments. Here's my first one. Can you count to five? Happy New Year!

Packing Up

2007-12-21T09:58:00.000-05:00

In addition to everything else that has to be done in late December, I have to coordinate getting a trade show ready. We have 4 big packing crates - you can see a couple of them above (open). They must be packed up ever so carefully; it's quite a challenge getting everything to fit, but Judy is a miracle-worker and makes it all happen. These two are only partially filled. We have to finish packing up all 4 of the trunks by the end of the day today - the shipping company comes first thing Wednesday to haul them to California, and I don't plan to be here between now and the 26th.

May you and yours have a wondeful Christmas weekend. I plan to celebrate joyously with my husband, children, and blessed grand-daughter. Merry Christmas!

Making a List, Checking it Twice...

2007-12-14T10:20:00.000-05:00

My husband is REALLY hard to give good gifts to because (a) he never tells me what he wants, (b) he is prone to shopping in December and getting things for himself that I may have had on my possible-gift list (I'm not sure where this December buying spree gene comes from; it's very odd but quite predictable), (c) I can't seem to hide boxes/bags from him very well - he always seems to find them, and (d) when he does see a package under the tree, he is amazingly good at guessing exactly, I mean EXACTLY what the gift is, so the surprise factor is gone.

I think I found something this year that may work - it's a surprise, I told him he wasn't getting anything this year because I was spending on my money on our granddaughter, I had it shipped to my office, I'm NOT taking it home until it's wrapped (and I may even put it in a bigger box to throw him off), and I don't think he has a clue.

Ho Ho Ho!!

Turning Two

2007-12-07T10:21:00.001-05:00

Today is grand-daughter C's 2nd birthday. When I spoke with her on the phone this morning, she ended the call by singing "happy birthday to me". What a cutie. I won't see her today, but we did celebrate her special day last weekend, so I feel as though we gave her a good send-off into her 3rd year of life. It's so hard to believe that it's been two years since she looked like this.

And now she's full of live, giggles, stories, and so much more. Happy Birthday Sugar!!

What a weekend!

2007-11-26T12:05:00.000-05:00

We had a great weekend! C was a treat, and I was able to give her the hat I've been working on - a cabled hat in (can you believe it) pink cashmere! It's so cute - of course I don't have a photo of C wearing it, but I'll get one soon. Here it is, completed, in my bag with a bunch of other junk... We were able to hang around all weekend, play, visit farm animals, color, eat, pretend to be on the computer, and just plain have fun. I hope your weekend was a good one too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-21T10:27:00.001-05:00

Things I am thankful for this year: - the first phase of my daughter's treatment is complete! - my granddaughter; 'nuf said - all my family, especially my kids and spouse - my health (never take it for granted!) - my work (it's nice to get a paycheck for doing work that you love) - my friends, especially the WW ones (you know who you are!) - the fact that GWB will be out of office in the coming year. What are you thankful for?

I think little C is thankful for her pink sparkle sunglasses and sunny days.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thank You

2007-11-09T12:11:00.000-05:00

For some reason, I have a hard time remembering to say "thank you." I think about it all the time; I appreciate what people do, really; but I know that I don't say "thank you" out loud enough. (Some people even remind me of this fact on a regular basis.) I forget to send cards when they should be sent. And I don't always remember anniversaries when they come around.

A friend of mine wakes up every morning and thinks of a "word for the day." I think I'm going to create a word for the rest of 2007 for myself - THANKS! I'll hang the word above my desk, make it my computer's screen saver, and stop to think about it every morning before I start my day. Maybe I can do better ... I sure hope so. Because there is so much to be thankful for, and there are so many people who make my life better every day.

Thanks for reading my post!

When there's too much to do...

2007-11-06T12:48:00.000-05:00

The past month has been crazy-busy. I used to be able to cope with too much to do (at least I think I was able to ... maybe I'm mis-remembering!). But now any little thing that makes the to-do list one item too long kind of puts me over the edge.

Case in point: I went to the eye doctor this morning. For about a month I've had this haze that kind of obscures my right eye. This is my second visit to the doc; on the first visit he pronounced me fine, but asked me to come back for a complete vision test just to be sure. I can't seem to convince them at the eye doc office that it's not a prescription problem, that it's different than that. But they kept coming back to my prescription being off. So, after "which is clearer, #1 or #2" over and over again, they decided my prescription was just fine. I burst into tears. I'm not sure why, except that this haze is driving me crazy. And I have a lot of floaties too - really annoying. After crying at bit, I again tried to make my case for "it's not a problem with my prescription" once more, and darn-it-all, that doc started to pander. Now there is one thing I really really hate. Pandering. So after spending way too much time, I left more frustrated than ever. Here are the reasons why: (1) He pandered. (2) He didn't figure out the problem. (3) I still have that haze. (4) I was about 90 minutes late for work, time that I could NOT really afford to be away. (5) I'm mad that I cried. (6) It was obvious that he was pandering.

Now I have to find another eye doctor. Damn him. \

Baseball

2007-10-25T10:43:00.001-04:00

I do love baseball. And I especially love that the Red Sox are in the World Series. Go Sox!!

Congratulations!

2007-10-15T13:31:00.000-04:00

I just got back from a wedding in Pensacola, FL. The groom was my cousin's son (making him my first cousin once removed). It was a beautiful weekend; I got to see my mom, 2 brothers and their wives, 2 aunts, and numerous other relatives. As much as I hate traveling, taking the time to go to FL was well worth the hassle of airline travel. Next weekend I'm off to Denver on business. The weekend after that is all r&r!

The Next Season

2007-10-04T17:07:00.000-04:00

Okay, Leslie, this is mostly for you. We had our Spring 2008 photo shoot last week (well actually 1 day was last week, and 1 day was this week). I just finished looking at everything from the first day. It's funny with a photo shoot. During the day you think it's going pretty well, then the photographer tells you she's having trouble getting good poses/smiles/expressions/etc. Then you worry. Then you see the first set of lo-res pictures, and they look good. Then you try to find the perfect ones for the project at hand (in this case, marketing materials), and you realize that the photographer was having trouble getting good poses/smiles/expressions/etc. So you start to panic. Then as you progress, it all comes together, usually pretty well.

So, Leslie, here's a sneak peek. Enjoy!

Ravelry!

2007-09-30T09:13:00.000-04:00

I finally received my Ravelry invitation - how cool! I can't even begin to fathom all the possibilities. I'm so excited. But it's created quite a to-do list: (a) buy a new camera to take pictures of all my stuff; (b) spend time uploading everything; (c) find new "friends" in Ravelry; (d) browse what everyone else is doing; (e) get great ideas for new projects - then find the time for new projets (yeah, right); (f) take a deep breath because this is just so much fun!

I know the sun is shining, but I just want to play with Ravelry...

Busy Busy

2007-09-17T15:13:00.001-04:00

Isn't it amazing how busy we can be? And then somehow something NEW gets added to our already full plate, and we find time to fit it in?

Work is like that for me right now. I thought I was really busy, then two key people in the organization went out on extended leaves, making more work for me (which is really okay - they couldn't help it), and I'm still managing to get most of the work done, somehow. I always wonder what I'm NOT doing now that I was doing before that made me feel so busy before. Apparently it wasn't that important. [On a side note, if I don't find time for a pedicure soon, my mostly-unpolished nails will be hanging off the ends of my sandals!] But when I was doing all that work before I did think it was important. Perspectives sure can change with circumstances.

We're expecting an awesome weekend weather-wise. I'm planning to sit on the beach a bit, knit a bit, read a bit, play with darling C a bit (well probably a lot). And try not to be so busy - just for a couple of days.

Show me your teeth!

2007-09-17T15:13:00.000-04:00

We all had a great day yesterday. It was sunny and warm, but not too warm. I cooked like crazy, preparing a meal for two different cancer-fighting families. I don't cook much any more, and spending time in the kitchen for others was very rewarding. And on Saturday I cleaned my office - how rewarding is THAT! All in all a nice way to spend two days off.

Bright sun is predicted for the rest of the week - little Miss C. is prepared. And she loves to show off her teeth!

Why I don't like September.

2007-08-31T10:17:00.001-04:00

I've been married to an educator for many many years (too many to convey). When he was a teacher, he usually had the summer off. There were a few years when he worked at a summer school, but not too many. As an administrator, he works for most of the summer, but it's a whole different kind of work. The level of intensity drops. Each day is without the arrival of 400+ little guys on the doorstep. The end of day can be earlier, without faculty wanting a bit more of the principal's time. Which leaves more time for family; less stress during the week; a more relaxed atmosphere at home. Ah, summer.

Guess what. The kids are back. The workload is huge. The principal's time is in high demand. At home time in the evening is sparse. We are more intense. Every September my life changes. I don't like September.

There. I said it.

Birthdays

2007-08-23T07:54:00.000-04:00

Monday was my birthday. I'm way too old to celebrate birthdays, but they come each year whether we like it or not. My family cooked me a great dinner and we hung out a bit; my son called from California; I received some nice gifts; all in all it was a very nice birthday.

It got me thinking about birthdays. In October, my son will have a birthday. This is the year he is making transitions - job, home, relationships - I hope he sees this upcoming birthday as a new start.

Granddaughter C (who wished me "happy day" on Monday) will turn 2 in December. Her mother will be at the end of her chemo treatments. We will ALL be celebrating.

In January, my mother will turn 88. Hard to believe!

Just a few thoughts. If today is your birthday, have a happy one.

Summer

2007-08-19T14:16:00.000-04:00

Most summers, I can't wait to be outside, usually in the sun. This summer has been so odd. By most measures, it's been glorious weather here in the northeast - way better than in the middle of the country! But I can't seem to get myself motivated to do anything. Saturday I finished a great book, Water for Elephants (which I HIGHLY recommend), and today I finished a book I started a long time ago, Simple Genius, a good lazy afternoon read, but nothing startlingly great.

Now what.

I should go for a walk, but I don't want to. I should pick up my knitting, but I'm at a crazy place and have to really think hard and do it well - not just mindless knitting. And I don't have the energy. I could watch the ball game, but even that seems like too much effort.

I need a life...

More Books

2007-08-08T09:09:00.000-04:00

Our book club conversation about Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was really interesting. We realized that many of the books we have read, and will be reading this fall, have themes that go back to mothers, and mother/child relationships. Not all our books are set in contemporary settings, so we can look at mother/child and husband/wife relationships across many centuries and cultures. Cultural traditions (foot binding, for example) and "the times" change, and I'm not sure we can always put ourselves back into the time in question. For instance, in 19th century China, the subordination of a wife to her husband was commonplace. Yet in our discussion Monday, many of us had a hard time imagining that role - would we have been able to stand it? would it have seemed the "natural order" of things? how do you fight what you know is somehow wrong, when all of your culture is acquiescing? Hmm.

Our next book is The Memory Keeper's Daughter. An interesting study in moral issues, husband/wife relationships, and human dynamics. I can't wait!

Reading Group

2007-07-23T14:10:00.001-04:00

Are you in a reading group? I am in a great group. We have a lot of fun when we get together, and we do actually talk about the book we read. I just finished July's book, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See. I really enjoyed it, and it's a great read for a women's reading group (which ours is). Our next book is The Memory Keeper's Daughter which I read last year and will probably re-read before our September discussion. There are some moral issues in this book. which should make for lively discussion. Our book group has a web site which makes it easy to remember what books have been chosen, contact members via email, etc. We call ourselves Bookworms Boston. Enjoy!

Go Sox!

2007-07-23T14:10:00.000-04:00

The Red Sox are back on track, thank goodness. I had a busy family weekend with busy little C. My daughter made progress health-wise -- more tests today -- and I got some knitting done.

Do you like corn on the cob??

Beaches

2007-07-11T13:10:00.001-04:00

Just so you know, this post is NOT about Bette Midler's movie. I love the beach. I grew up in the midwest, where our swimming was done in a pool. Now that I have access to beaches and salt water, I can't get enough of them! Unfortunately I haven't had much beach time this summer, but last weekend we WERE able to go, and we had a blast. Sun, Surf, Sand - what more could a girl want!

Moms

2007-07-11T13:10:00.000-04:00

I have two children. My daughter is 34 (and the proud mother of my g'daughter), and my son is 31. I love them both dearly. They have both had struggles of late and I have tried my best to be "there" for them both. When you have children, I don't think it occurs to you that they will be your babies all your life. No matter how old they get, you want to help them, fix their boo-boos, let them make good decisions. And just when you think they've left you and are on their own, they come back. They need you again. It's one of life's pleasures and one of life's burdens all at the same time. My son started a new job last week - an exciting and terrifying experience all at the same time. I send him virtual hugs every day. My daughter will be struggling with a health issue for awhile. I want to hug her, tell her it's going to be okay (which it will be) and support her every minute. Some days it's easy. Some days my own life intrudes and I can't be there for her, and that's hard. We all just do the best we can. Hug your kids every day you can. Be the best you can be - it's all we can do.

Time marches on

2007-06-14T11:13:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my wedding anniversary. My 37th wedding anniversary. I'm not going to show photos - you can use your own imagination to visualize what the wedding party in 1970 looked like.

How did this happen? I don't feel old enough. I hope I don't look old enough. But time marches on.

Let's focus on the positive! Two weeks of vacation are looming, the beginning of which includes at trip to the Catskills and my niece's wedding. The whole family will be there (well amost the whole family), so it will be entertaining as well as emotional. Weddings always get to me. (Can you believe I've been married 37 years???)

C came for a long visit recently. What a cutie.

Waterplay at the Providence Children's Museum.

Chinese Thursday

2007-06-06T11:44:00.002-04:00

We have a Thursday tradition in our office. We all order Chinese food together. There are about four restaurants to choose from. We call them Good Chinese, Cheap Chinese, Bob's Chinese (because Bob told us about the place), and then there's the default place. Today we're having Cheap Chinese because it's close and - well - cheap. Yum! Yesterday I said I'd finished a sweater - well I kind of mis-spoke. I finished knitting the pieces, but last night I spent quite awhile sewing it all together. And now I have to knit the button/neckbands, find buttons, and sew them on. Photos next week? I sure hope so! Next project? I think I'm going to tackle a Hannah Falkenberg called Ballerina. I saw it elsewhere and fell in love with it. It's a big and complex project, so I may also start a backup project - a lace wrap (or big scarf) from Interlude, a beautiful linen/silk blend with a nice sheen. But I really should be doing something for granddaughter C. I finished a cabled vest not long ago, but it won't fit her long. How about something summery? Maybe so. I don't think she should wear this little coat all summer long because it's the only handknit she has!Happy Thursday.

It's all about balance

2007-06-06T11:44:00.001-04:00

I've just returned from a business trip. It was exhausting! I have all the usual follow up things to do - making phone calls; handling orders; creating new business opportunities. What I really want to do is just sleep and knit. Sleep and knit.

I did get to see loads of friends. I spent awhile with one special friend who I only see at shows. Hi Leslie - say hi to your sybs and mom too! We always have fun picking out knitting projects. She found some good ones on this trip!

Now it's all about the usual regain-control-of-the-house issues: I think I am now caught up on the laundry, but I dropped off about $75 worth of dry cleaning this morning; I have to do a big grocery store trip or it will be pizza for awhile; and I need to get caught up on my bill paying. All I really want to do is sleep and knit. Did I say that already?

While I was gone, H took granddaughter C to see the Clydesdales! I love Clydesdales. I have always loved them. When H was less than 2 years old, we went to a parade specifically to see them. There is a horse farm in New Hampshire, and that's where C got to see her first Clydesdales. I'm jealous that I wasn't along for the trip, but thrilled that she got to see them.

The weekend before, we spent some time at the beach. C loved collecting rocks with her Daddy. She's getting so big... I finally got two of my gardens planted (one more to go). I can't wait to be there this summer.

Oh. And I finished another knitting project. Photos later.

Happy Holiday!

2007-05-25T12:29:00.000-04:00

I have to say that I really love Memorial Day. Not only is it the start to summer, but it's the first work holiday after New Year's, and that is a really long stretch. I'm also a sucker for parades, and am looking forward to the little one we have in our small town of Westport, MA. It's all about vets, local business people, and most of all, kids. Top all that off with some wonderful weather (we hope), and it's a perfect combination.

Enjoy YOUR holiday weekend. Summer's finally here!!

Woolly Weekend

2007-05-14T11:44:00.000-04:00

What a great weekend! Beautiful weather, and a great trip to the New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Festival in Contoocook, NH. R & I gathered up granddaughter C, and off we went. It was so neat to see her check out the animals, from sheep to llamas to alpacas and goats. And a couple of great rabbits too! R especially liked the Border Collies, herding those sheep around the fields. I found some bison (buffalo) fiber that is fabulous. It comes from the Still River Mill in Eastford, CT. Here's what the tag says: "This yarn is lovingly crafted from 100% American Bison Fiber. It is collected from hides using a revolutionary new enzymatic process that allows the fiber to be removed from the hide without shearing it. This along with our thorough de-hairing process has resulted in the finest buffalo produts ever produced." And I have to tell you, it is really soft! Sorry about the horrible photo. I need to work on my photography skills. I have 240 yards of this very deep blue color ... now what should I knit?

Could it be ... spring???

2007-04-21T12:48:00.000-04:00

Should be almost 70 degrees today. I'm wearing sandals. Even though it's Saturday and I'm at work, it's a pretty good day when you can wear sandals in April in New England.

Correction...

2007-02-28T09:55:00.000-05:00

Ahem. The previous post (Nerves) was actually posted at 9:53 a.m. on the 28th. I'm not sure why it's date stamped incorrectly. Just so you know...

Nerves

2007-02-27T09:53:00.000-05:00

I'm taping a podcast today - it's the WEBS podcast, broadcast via radio on Saturdays and posted on iTunes the same day. I'm really nervous. I've never liked the sound of my voice. But Kathy & Steve are special customers and friends, so I agreed to talk about the spring line on their podcast. I think I need more caffeine.

Monday Monday

2007-02-26T12:01:00.000-05:00

You know those Mondays where everything seems gloomy? That's the kind of Monday I'm having. We had a great weekend. R arrived home safely Friday night and I heard all about his trip. He loved the motorcycle and the cycling - check out the great BMW he rented!

Saturday was busy - first a showing at Brush Art Gallery, which was awesome! R couldn't help himself, so we have a new piece of art. It has to stay in the show until April 1st, but soon it will be in our possession.

In the evening, friends came over before the UMass Lowell vs. BC hockey game. I stayed home, but I hear the game was good. Afterwards, an impromptu overnight by one couple - they decided they didn't want to drive home late. So Sunday was also company-filled! We watched Babel in anticipation of the Oscars, then lunch, then R & I drove to see H, T, and most of all grand-daughter C. What a treat she is. We had a blast.

When we got home, I finished up our book club book in preparation for Monday's meeting. It is very interesting - The Plot Against America, by Philip Roth. I look forward to the discussion tonight.

I always stay up and watch the entire Oscar broadcast. I though it was pretty good - Ellen did a nice job - but it didn't have the excitement of some prior years. Now I'm tired, it's Monday, and I have to focus on work. Sigh.

This and That

2007-02-19T12:24:00.001-05:00

My thumb is getting better. I had to have the bandage(s) changed today 'cause the original one had come loose and was essentially spinning around my thumb. S at work helped - she's and RN, although she reminded me that it's been 15-some years since she was a PRACTICING RN. It didn't look too gross, but I think I'm in for some painful stuff when I see the doctor on Thursday. There is a covering over the nailbed - my guess is that it will need to be removed. Doesn't sound like much fun. We'll see how it goes. R got on a JetBlue plane to CA this morning. I haven't heard anything to the contrary, so I assume he is safely on his way. We had been a bit worried leading up to this morning, but apparently all is well. H & C get home late tonight. Word has it that C doesn't like to walk on grass. That's going to have to change before summertime! I hope H will bring home some nice photos from Texas. Work timetables have me worried. Boss returns tomorrow ... we're going to have to have some serious conversations.

Ramblings

2007-02-19T12:24:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm going to try to blog every week to see if this is worth it. I'm recovering from thumb surgery - removal of a glomus tumor beneath my right thumbnail. Recovery is slower than I'd hoped, but progressing nonetheless. H and C are in Texas, visiting H's Nana. I'm hoping they are taking loads of pictures - can't wait to see them. R is heading to CA tomorrow to visit T. They have all sorts of motorcycle trip plans; should be fun for them both. This week is all about getting ready for the Oscars. I'm hoping to watch United 93 (on pay per veiw) and Babel (Netflix) this week. I wish I could find time to see Venus, but don't think I can fit it in. Wish I had a new photo to post - this favorite of mine will have to do.

April 8, 2006

2006-04-08T15:13:00.000-04:00

This is my first post. Just testing.