Insomnia

It's 4 am and I've been wide awake for two and a half hours.  AURGH.

Miscellanea

Hello, Blog!  I keep thinking I'm back for real, and then life gets in the way again.  I'm sorry for that.  I think about you a lot more than I actually show up here.

Lots of busyness in my world right now.  Work got extra exciting yesterday and may simmer down over the next day or two, but then again, it may not!

We finished work on the garage, and it's nice to have such a large, well-laid out storage space.  We've also finished emptying out our two storage units- wohoo!  Now we have to get our junk organized, and prepare for a giant garage sale. 

I haven't knit a stitch since the Olympics.  Since I became a monogamous knitter a couple years ago, I always have a lull between major projects.  While I'm not sure what I'll cast on next, I've got a couple ideas brewing.

That's all the news for now!

Medals ceremony

Cue the national anthem!

Gold Medal Photoshoot

My Ravelypics Cobblestone as modeled by Mr. C.  
Team Austin Project 
Specs:  
Pattern: Cobblestone by Jared Flood  
Yarn: Jamieson & Smith Shetland Aran  
Needles: Addi turbo circs, sizes 7 and 8 
Approximate age of stash used: 2 or 3 years in my stash, a lot longer in its prior owner's stash 
Finish Date & Time: Thursday, February 25th around 10:00 pm  (Started February 12th- 14 days!!)



 



And one of me:



Raveled here.

Finito!

I finished knitting, finishing, and blocking cobblestone last night.
I'm a winner!

Hopefully we can do a photo shoot on Saturday.

Sent from my iPhone

Going really well....

I finished my second sleeve this morning and am about to join for the yoke. I don't want to jinx anything, but this is going a little too smoothly.... (Knitting [Cobblestone](/patterns/library/cobblestone-pullover))


And in my other challenge, I'm down 2 pounds (I did start before Wednesday), which means I am 8 pounds away from leaving obesity and being merely overweight.

Ravelympics, and another challenge

Well, I didn't make it to my 17 inches yesterday.  I did make it to 15.25, which is still pretty good.  We're going to a concert tonight so I don't know how much knitting time I'll get in before we go.  Hopefully about an hour? 

I've decided to add a challenge to my February and into March- revamping the old diet.  I gained around 40 pounds after our wedding, hovered there for a year and a half, and have lost about 10 pounds.  I am still technically obese.  My recent blood work indicates that while my blood sugar levels are technically normal, they're higher than they should be.  I do not want to end up with diabetes.  I do not want to suffer the adverse health effects associated with obesity.  I do not want to have foot and back pain any more. It is time to shape up, literally and figuratively!

Today is Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras, and tomorrow begins the season of Lent.  While I am not as religious as I once was, I love the discipline of Lent. 

So, in observance of Lent, I am giving up refined carbs and sugar for the next 40 days (until Easter).  I plan to follow a sort of Atkins/South Beach/low-glycemic index- type plan by almost eliminating refined carbs for the first two weeks, and possibly adding in fruit or whole grains a couple times a week after that.  I'm also going to attempt to limit dairy, though not eliminate it completely.  This leaves me free to enjoy lean protein and a vast array of fresh veggies. I've found that this type of eating is good for my weight, allows me to feel satisfied, helps get my blood sugar/cholesterol in better shape, and gives me lots of energy.  The first couple days are rough as I get over the sugar withdrawals, but I hope to be back on track by Monday.

I don't foresee any interference with the Ravelympics- knitting is not like a marathon that requires major carb-loading, much to my chagrin. :-)

Ravelympics: Weekend Report

I managed to knit through 10" of the body of a men's sweater this weekend, which is pretty fantastic!  On Friday night, I felt like there was no way I would make it to the finish line, but last night I saw a glimmer of hope.

Here's the latest:  (Knitting Jared Flood's Cobblestone).

Ravelympics 2010 , and Knitting Olympics 2010

Yes, my joiner instincts have gotten the best of me.  I have signed up for this year's Ravelympics (ravelry lnk) and the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics.
I'm a member of Team Austin (go ATX!) and will be attempting Jared Flood's Cobblestone out of some long-stashed Jamieson & Smith Shetland Aran (still debating on colors- olive or grayish).  I'll be competing with this project in both the Sweaterboard Cross and the Stash Compulsory Dance.








(Thanks to texturedknitter for the TeamAustin graphic, and to zzwhitejd for the Ravelympics graphic!)


Bobicus Maximus, and Citius, Alitius Fortius!

Knitting 2009, the finale- all about me

And I knit a few things just for me.

Marian

Ah, the Marian that started it all.  I love this. I'm about to make myself another.

Pattern: Marian by Jane Richmond, on 41 stitches instead of 45

Yarn: Twinkle by Soft Chunky

(Raveled here).

Textured Shawl

I was at a rock concert one night, and the yarn/pattern combo hit me like lightning.  I hadn't been too interested in knitting this, but then the thought of this buttery soft merino silk just wouldn't let go.  A match made in heaven!
Pattern:  Textured Shawl pattern by Orlane
Yarn:  Plymouth Mulberry Silk, purchased in Colorado a year ago.
(Raveled here).

Featherweight Cardigan

I know, no final picture.  I may or may not get on that.  I like this sweater.  I chose the wrong yarn (it was summer in Texas- cotton or nothing), and ignored the voice in my head that was screaming that the armholes were going to be too deep.  I may knit this again in Malabrigo laceweight, making the body and sleeves longer.  In the mmmmalabrigo, and longer version, this might just be sweater perfection.
Pattern:  Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig
Yarn: Arucania Ranco
(Raveled here)

February blahs

I'm not quite done with my 2009 knitting updates, but I'm too
preoccupied with 2010 Ravelympics project selection to focus on much
of anything.
I love winter, even in Austin where it doesn't get cold enough and it
never snows. We've had plenty of dark, rainy days with highs in the
upper 40s so far this year. It is very hard to get motivated for
anything in this weather- all I want Is to curl up in the couch with a
cat and some tea, and to pretend to watch a movie while napping.

Knitting 2009, Part 3- gift edition

I knit several gifts in 2009- here they are.

Knit Chicken

My friend Amy has a great house in the hill country outside of Austin. She raises heirloom chickens, which are awesome. I want to be Amy when I grow up. She also knits a little bit. I took this to her as a hostess gift when she had us all over for a girls' night slumber party.

Pattern: Knit Chickens by Susan B. Anderson, with fair isle pattern by Elle M.

Yarn: Cascade 220

(Raveled here)

Socks for my brother and his dear girlfriend.

My middle brother and his wonderful girlfriend moved in together this summer. They're both grad students and appreciate hand made goodness. I made them matching socks--hers are reddish pink and brown, his are navy blue and brown--and I think they love them.

M's socks-

Pattern: Mad Color Weave by Tina Lorin

Yarn: Claudia handpainted

(Raveled here)

T's socks-

Pattern: Mad Color Weave by Tina Lorin

Yarn: Fleece Artist Merino 2/6

(Raveled here)

Mom's Anemoi Mitts

I made my mom some norwegian mittens a couple years ago- my first fair isle- and they have been well loved. I gave these to her as a replacement, and she keeps threatening to frame them instead of wear them!

Pattern: Anemoi by Eunny Jang

Yarn: Louet Gems, Sport weight

(Raveled here)

Katie's Bellas

Law school bestest bud Katie has tiny hands, so these were perfect for her.

Pattern: Bella's Mittens by Marielle Henault

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky

(Raveled here)

Marian for Wendi

This cowl pattern is like crack- I've made three, and can't stop.

Pattern: Marian by Jane Richmond

Yarn: Rowan Big Wool (I much prefer the Twinkle Soft Chunky, but they didn't have the right green)

(Raveled here)

Marian for Meg

Like I said, crack. I have yarn for yet another one- red, for me.

Pattern: Marian by Jane Richmond, on 41 stitches instead of 45

Yarn: Twinkle by Soft Chunky

(Raveled here)

Knitting 2009, part 2

Here's what I knit in the first half of 2009:

Sunshiney Lace Ribbon Scarf

I made one of these in blue and loved it dearly, but gave it to my wonderful mother in law for her birthday. This was my consolation, and I love it *almost* as much.

Pattern: Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery (from Knitty! Free!)

Yarn: Mmmmmmalabrigo lace

(Raveled here, blue version raveled here).

Selbu Modern

Meg came to Texas for my 2008 birthday, and we hit several yarn stores while she was here (shocker.) She picked out these colors of koigu, and I had to copy. She's so amazing with color.

Pattern: Selbu Modern by Kate Gagnon Orborn

Yarn: Koigu KPPM

(Raveled here)

Bamboo Cap Sleeved Top

Ugh, this is a disaster. $80 worth of crappy yarn, unflattering pattern, horrible fit despite 6(!) swatches, and just bad bad bad. When will I stop being seduced by Debbie Bliss patterns?!?!

Pattern: Cap sleeved top by Debbie Bliss.

Yarn: RYC Bamboo Soft. Splitty, slippery, and every single ball had at least one knot (most had more than three). Gawdawful.

(Raveled here)

Mistake rib brioche baby blanket

Meh.

Pattern: From a kit that didn't actually contain the pattern featured on the packaging. Hill Country Weavers to the rescue!

Yarn: Appalachian Baby Design Organic Cotton

(Raveled here)

Knitting, 2009 part 1

Finally, some pictures!

I am still knitting, though not as much as I would like.

Here's what I've knit between the last knitting-related blog post and the end of 2008:

Plain February Baby Sweater

My dear friend B is a thrifting queen. She knows I'm obsessed with yarn, and has brought me several yarny finds from Goodwill and various garage sales. This was undoubtedly the best score-10 balls of gorgeous silk and wool in perfect condition!

Pattern: February Baby Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmerman

Yarn: Louisa Harding Grace, found by the baby's Mom at a garage sale. AWESOME!

(Raveled here).

Dusted Roses Hat

I'm a knitter and didn't have a hat- the shame! This one is dreamy and super warm. I wore it skiing in Colorado last winter and loved every minute of it.

Pattern: Dusted Hat by Evi T'Bolt

Yarn: Ellen Cooper Yarn Sonnets Homespun, a wonderful gift from Meg) and Rowan KidSilk Haze

(Raveled here)

An Earflap Hat for my brother in law, by special request.

B is quite the hunter, and asked for a brown earflap hat to keep him warm.

Pattern: Large Earflap Hat by omly

Yarn: Rowan RYC Cashsoft Aran

(Raveled here)

Greatest Product Ever- Greenling.com!

This post is only good for people in Austin, but I want you all to know how much I love greenling.com. Greenling is a local grocery delivery service. You point, click, and lo! and behold, deliciousness arrives at your door.

I usually order the local produce box, which is a box full of locally grown, organic fruits and vegetables from small farms in the area. I sometimes add the local farmstead box, which includes local non-veg products (usually nuts, breads, cheeses from local producers, and there's a gluten-free option!). The best part is that you can also order other normal grocery items- some local and/or organic- like milk, bread, eggs, cheese, bananas, tortillas, dog treats, beer and wine.... It's pretty awesome. And did I mention that it all just appears at your door?

This week the local produce box includes:

• Broccoli or Cauliflower - Homesweet Farm
• Bagged Spinach - Oak Hill Farm
• Green Shallots - Acadian
• Salad Mix - My Father's
• Red Potatoes - Naegelin
• Red Russian or Curly Kale - Homesweet Farm
• Red Spring Onion - My Father's
• Lemons - G&S Groves
• Green Garlic - Green Gate
• Tomatoes - Village Farm
• Herb - Pure Luck

And the local farmstead box includes:

• Caramelized Cocoa Nib Chocolate Bar - Fat Turkey
• Oatmeal Orange Scones - Little Bluestem Bakery
• Orange Blossom Oolang - Zhi Tea
• Fire-roasted Nuts - Austinut

Today is my delivery day- cannot wait!

Two Years.

Yesterday was my two-year anniversary at the current job. My second anniversary as a working lawyer.

I've come a long way in the last two years. Yesterday was a tough day, but a good one, and one I'll look back on as a key point in my professional development. I love it here, and love what I do. It's a good feeling.

Sorry to be so cryptic- but it's tough to talk specifics on a blog.

In other news, sorry for no pictures! I guess I'd better get cracking on that if I want to work on my photography, eh?

Twilight

I have a confession to make. I have spent the last three weeks completely obsessed with the four Twilight vampire books. Please don't think any less of me- I simply wanted to know what the kids are up to these days. :-)

I started Twilight on December 20th, and finished Breaking Dawn a few hours ago. For those of you keeping score at home, that's 2,548 pages of teenage vampire and werewolf insanity in 18 days.

One of my coworkers has four kids (boys and girls) in middle school/high school, and they are all reading the books. This coworker was reading the books, too, and we've talked at length about her impressions. She felt like Edward (the vampire) was a great role model for how men should behave in relationships- took things very slow physically, very concerned for Bella (teenage heroine) and her safety, old-fashioned, etc. I can sort of see her point, but I hope my hypothetical children don't ever tell me that they hope to grow up to be just like Edward or Bella....

Edward was, for most of the story, an over-protective, jealous, domineering mysoginist. He treated Bella as if she was a petulant toddler, incapable of basic human functions. Bella didn't help the situation- I was frequently frustrated by her portrayal as an overly emotional, ditzy, whiny, clumsy, out of control basketcase.

The first book was a bit boring, but I kept on reading. The second book was better, despite way too much time on Bella's heartbreak. I really enjoyed the third book, and I couldn't put the fourth book down- absolutely insane.

If you're looking for a good romp, you might consider the Twilight books. It's not great literature by any stretch, and I don't have vampire fever, but I must say I have enjoyed myself. I'm curious to know your thoughts.

Away from home

I'm in Houston for the week, working on a project there. It feels weird to have been away from home for the holidays (December 18th through 31st) and now away again, so soon.

Dear Hubbo bought me a Roomba robot vacuum for Christmas. I love it. While it definitely won't eliminate the need for a good, thorough weekly clean, it will help keep the house orderly in between. We have a small house- around 1000 square feet- with hardwood floors, and three hairy pets. The pet hair accumulation is rather appalling, and I think the Roomba will help keep me sane.

Our house is a work in progress. We've been slowly remodeling the interior, mostly repairs. We're in the process of rebuilding the garage right now, so a lot of things that were stored out there are temporarily in the house. The clutter is driving me insane. Hubbo and I are both collectors- we love stuff, and things, and it accumulates quickly, like pet hair in the corners. :-) I hope that we can get that under control this year.

I want our home to be a welcoming, comfortable place for both of us, and for our friends. I'm looking forward to finishing up the house this year, finally getting organized and putting some systems in place. I hope that we can both feel more comfortable having people over once the work is further along.

Delicious

This may be the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. It's smooth, creamy, chocolatey, with subtle apricot.

Apricots are one of my favorite foods. I grew up in Santa Fe, NM, which is a high-altitude desert town. The apricots that grow in Santa Fe are unlike any other- I think the dry, cool climate makes them more potent and more flavorful than others. Santa Fe apricots are sweet-tart, much more dense (less watery, more toothsome) than others. Each bite just screams APRICOT!

I'm back!

Well hello there, blog! Sorry to have disappeared like that for a year. I missed you.

I stepped away for a number of reasons. I felt like I needed some time to settle into my new job, married life, being back in Austin, etc. I felt like Ravelry and facebook were taking the place of the blog in a lot of ways, but they're different.

I'm back because I missed writing something non-work related every once in a while.

Here are my hopes for this time around:

• Varied content. My knitting obsession is still intact (just binged at the yarn store, as a matter of fact) but is not the all-consuming fire it once was. I hope to write a little about life, work, cooking, Austin, the house, marriage, and other things that catch my eye.
• Regular posting. I'm not committing to a schedule, but once a week at a minimum.
• Intentional writing. Blogs are great for quick posts, but I'd like to write.
• Photography. I like taking pictures, but I would like to develop my proficiency. I hope to share that with you here.

It's nice to be back. Here's to a great 2010!