Erica’s Blog

Today’s question is suggested by Carrie.

What’s the most desperate thing you’ve read because it was the only available reading material?

If it was longer than a cereal box or an advertisement, did it turn out to be worth your while?

Easy one here:  One night, when I was desperate, I grabbed one of Thing One’s Nancy Drew books.  NO, it was not worth my while…

OK, it’s been a rough week or so, but I think I’m pulling out of it now.  Sadly, I now have an extra three pounds to cope with, but oh, well…

FINALLY managed to sleep in today.  Woot!  Actually, I woke up, read, etc. for a bit, but then I was in and out of sleep and didn’t get out of bed till 11:00.  Yippee!  I can’t remember the last time I slept in.

“Library Day” today.  We’ll return the videos (Did no one recognize “The Electric Company” in my other post, or was it SOOO obvious that it went without saying?) and books and get a new batch.  Just in time, too, b/c I read all my books.

KNITTING:

On Saturday, I really wanted to do something for Sandy’s daughter, so I grabbed the Hip-Hop (color = Be Bop) I won from Tiff and cast on for a shawl.  I did a simple triangular shawl with YO edges, using giant needles (US 17’s!) so it would go fast.  It came out nicely, and I’m going to deliver it to Sandy today for Dana with a note.  The shawl used about 3 1/3 balls of it, so I have some left for something else.

Sunday evening, I started on Robin’s baby blanket.  I’m using Rowan 4-ply Soft and size US 5 needles.  I swatched with both size 6’s and 5’s, and I really liked the fabric I got with the 5’s better.  The bummer with that is that the yarn won’t go as far with the smaller needles, but I just love how it’s coming out.  I’m doing a square baby shawl a la Elizabeth Zimmerman with Barbara Walker’s Heart Motif, Swing Stitch, Pyramidal Lace Check, and either Star Rib Mesh or Vertical Lace Trellis.  Not sure yet what I’ll do for the edging, but I’m leaning towards a crocheted loop bind-off I saw in Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls.  The patterns go out from the middle in the order I wrote them.  So far, I’ve done the hearts, the seed stitch divider, and am a whopping one row into the swing stitch.  I just loooooove how the Rown feels.  If possible, I want to get this done before we leave for Mexico b/c I’m not going to want to knit this on the boat.  (Wool?  In 100-degree heat with high humidity?  Mmmnnn….NOPE.)

Speaking of knitting on the boat, I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to take with me.  I’m thinking of using the Euroflax to make a beaded triangular shawl similar to the Shawl in Syrian Pattern in Victorian Lace Today.  Still need to find some appropriate beads, though.  Actually, I’d originally wanted to do a rectangular stole, but I don’t think 540 yards would be enough, even on big needles.

Well, I’d better go get dressed now…

Steven and his current girlfriend - number SIX!

So, here’s how it works:  You go to Wikipedia and search on your birthday, then post a bunch of the stuff that happened on your birthday in various years.  I tag…whoever feels like it.  My birthday is November 24th, so here goes:

EVENTS:

1859 - Charles Darwin publishes The Origin of Species.

1898 - The International Conference of Rome for the Social Defense Against Anarchists opens.

1904 - The first successful caterpillar track is made.

1960 - Wilt Chamberlain pulls down 55 rebounds in one game, setting an NBA record.

1969 - Apollo program: The Apollo 12 spacecraft splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean, ending the second manned mission to the Moon.

1976 - The Band gives its last public performance, documented by Martin Scorsese in the film The Last Waltz.

BIRTHS:

1713 - Junipero Serra, Spanish missionary (d. 1784)

1849 - Frances Hodgson Burnett, British-born author (d. 1924)

1853 - Bat Masterson, American gunfighter (d. 1921)

1864 - Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, French painter (d. 1901)

1897 - Lucky Luciano, American gangster (d. 1962)

1941 - Pete Best, British musician

1946 - Ted Bundy, American serial killer (d. 1989) YIKES!!

1955 - Elvis Ramone, American drummer (The Ramones)

DEATHS:

1572 - John Knox, Scottish reformer

1957 - Diego Rivera, Mexican painter (b. 1886)

1963 - Lee Harvey Oswald, accused assassin of John F. Kennedy (b. 1939)

1980 - George Raft, American actor (b. 1895)

1991 - Freddie Mercury, Zanzibar-born singer (Queen) (b. 1946)

1991 - Eric Carr, American drummer (KISS) (b. 1950)

2004 - Arthur Hailey, British-born author (b. 1920)

2005 - Pat Morita, American actor (b. 1932)

ALSO:

Teacher’s Day in Turkey

Are you going to get up, or are you just going to stay in bed all day?

I CAN’T stay in bed all day; I don’t have  anything to read.

Sorry for the lack of posting this week.  It’s been a rough one, between bad allergies, back pain, the stress on Monday of Jenna’s injury, finding out that my friend Sandy’s daughter’s baby died (she was SIX months pregnant and now has to choose between delivering or having a horrendous procedure done), a headache that lasted two days, and a general malaise.

I did, however, finish Bobcat’s second shawl.  She loves it!  This one turned out bigger than the other one — 72 inches wide and 39 inches from the bottom point to the middle of the top.  I used the Shoulder Shawl With Syrian Border pattern from Victorian Lace Today, but I left off the border.  I almost put a tassel on the point b/c I had enough yarn to do that, but I think it looks better without it.  Yarn was Cascade Jewel, and I knit it on size US 13 Addis.

I made good progress on Shannon’s wristers.  There’s only about an inch or so of the hand left, and then I have to go back and…remove the waste yarn and do the thumbs.  Eeeeek!  When she tried them on last, I told her that there’d be a little something extra in it for her b/c she’d been so patient about it.  I have some Merino Style in Coal, and I think I’ll make her a really plain pair of black wristers, too.

I’m still working on the never-ending Silver Thaw scarf.

We’re having a slow weekend for a change.  The Things & I are getting our bangs trimmed today, and that’s all that’s on the schedule (oh, plus preparing for our children’s ministry class tomorrow, but this is an easy one to prepare).  Tomorrow after church, Hubby’s golfing with John, that teenager from church he’s taken under his wing.  By last night, I was exhausted, and my nerves were completely fried.  Hubby, fabulous husband and father that he is, had no problem with my going out for the evening, so after I dropped off Bobcat’s shawl at her house around 7:40, I hit Barnes & Noble, bought the Spring/Summer issue of Vogue Knitting b/c I wanted that Meg Swansen article (note to locals:  They have it at the B&N in 280 Metro Center, but not at the one in Tanforan), browsed around, then bought an iced decaf grande non-fat latte, plugged in my iPod headphones and listened to Kelly Petkun and Christa Giles while I read the magazine, then worked on Shannon’s wristers.  I finally left around 9:45, and by then I felt much better.  What a swell guy!  When I got home, he & the Things were watching Sergeant York on the computer. 

Oh!  I finally broke down an ordered a swift this week.  I have yarn in the attic that is calling my name, and I can’t wind it w/o a swift.  I used one of those 50% off coupons from Joann.  Despite having to pay shipping, it still came out much less than I’d be able to buy one that size for, so it’s OK.  Now, if it would just arrive!

Got a belated email this week that our friends Sarah & Eric had their son Jack earlier this month.  Yippee!   I’d post the picture of the happy family, but you can’t really see Jack in it, and I don’t think Sarah would want it out there.  Here he is at home, though: