Erica’s Blog

Yesterday was Doily Dude’s birthday, so we all chipped in to get him a gift certificate to Cottage Yarns so that he’d be able to buy some GOOD STUFF for a change.  When Kathryn heard that it was for Matthew and the amount, she kicked in some money, too, so that it would be a nice, even amount.  Wow!  Matthew was really happy about the gift.

Mrs. M’s scarf isn’t really Starbucks knitting, so last night I worked on a fisherman’s rib scarf I’m doing out of the rest of the Silver Thaw.  Good thing I got more allergy pills, b/c without them the angora in that stuff drive me crazy, I’m telling you.

Met Bobcat at Cottage Yarns yesterday, and she bought a bunch of yarn for me to make her a couple of small shawls.  She was only going to have me make one — to replace the original one I made her out of LB Homespun (shudder) — but she fell in love with two different yarns.  Sooo, she ended up with some Cascade Jewel (color #9890) and some Debbie Bliss Donegal Aran Tweed (color #11).  When we were done picking out her yarns, we had this conversation:

Well, aren’t you going to get anything for yourself?

No, are you kidding?  Hubby would shoot me if I bought yarn right now!

Well, I’m going to pay you for making the second one.

Hmmm…How ’bout you pay me in yarn?

Yeah, that’s what I was planning to do.

Since I hadn’t been expecting to get anything for myself, I didn’t have anything particular in mind, so it took me a while to choose.  I instinctively gravitated toward the Noro, but then I decided that I should get something I’ve never worked with before, something I wouldn’t normally buy for myself.  This is how I ended up with the aforementioned two 100-gram hanks of Euroflax linen (color: sandalwood) and a beautiful ball of laceweight Malabrigo.  I figured the linen would be good summer knitting on the boat, plus it would be a good summer-weight wrap.  The Malabrigo is sooooo soft and yummy.  (Color is Mariposa, but I don’t see it on their website.)

 I worked on Shannon’s wristers this weekend.  Really, I did!  They seem really small to me, but I have big wrists, so I’m taking them to church tonight for her to try on and make sure they fit before I proceed.  Plus…I’m terrified of the thumbs.  There, I said it.

Lastly, I seem to have been getting fashion guidance from Thing One.  When I drove to school this morning, I was wearing my nightgown with sweats thrown on over (the top) and under (the pants), plus my new knit cap and Hubby’s slippers (mine being in the dryer at the time).  Ah, yes, I was a sight to behold.  NO, I did NOT get out of the car.

 It’s NOT MY FAULT!  Really!

• I won four balls of Hip-Hop from Tiffany.
• Bobcat bought me two hanks of Euroflax linen and a gorgeous little ball of Malabrigo as “payment” for some shawls I’ll be making her.
• David’s brother Phillip brought a boatload of yarn from Nepal (which he bought at insanely cheap prices!), and David gave me a huge hank of grey wool to knit up into…something…for him (I get to decide the something).

So, those disclaimers being given, here’s the update:

Mileage:  19.5548 miles

Weight:    35.702 pounds

Mom, even my FEET are sleepy…

[Heard at the baby shower on Sunday night.]

Victor:  Would any of you like some cake?

Erica:  No, thanks.

Hubby:  (Lifts sweater, exposing undershirt-clad belly.  Sticks belly out, rubs it in a circle.)  Do I look like I need any cake?

Victor:  Uh, no.

Victor’s Dad:  (cringing) Later, I’ll tell you what the correct answer to that question was.

Erica:  The correct answer is, “Yes!  Everyone needs cake.”….By the way, how old are you Victor?

Victor:  Twelve.

Erica:  Yupp, that’s what I thought.