Haven't Forgotten

I have not dropped off the face of the earth... I am in the midst of blessedly cool in the mornings and evenings and pleasantly balmy days of Vancouver Island. I hope pictures will come soon. I do have my camera, but left the cord at home and Mom's camera is suffering a power problem. I have started a new project here - I hope to post a pic soon...

Just my luck

Well, today started like a good day... My group at work was given tickets to sit in my company's luxury suite for this afternoon's Phillies vs. Padres game. I took my father-in-law with us and we were having a great time... and then this happened:


Just my luck

I got hit in the bum by a fly ball hit by the Phillies' pitcher Flanagan Tejada! It is high on my left cheek a few inches below my waist and it stings like a bitch! It's bound to turn many colours in the next few days as well. The dumb thing is that I thought it was coming at me in *my* seat - so I moved a seat over, expecting it to bounce (I had no glove or hat in which to catch the ball). Oh well... at least we won the game...

At the Birthday Party

At the Birthday Party
We had a birthday party at Willow's school for her today. Next to her are her friends Haley and Marisa. Haley is wearing one of the party hats we made for the party. I bought a dozen of the visors at Michael's for fifty cents a piece and some self-adhesive teddy bear foam stickers. Marisa (in red) is the youngest and smallest girl in Willow's class, and she loves me. I bend down to get a kiss and hug from Willow, and Marisa swoops in to give me one, too. Willow gets a bit jealous sometimes, but I tell her she has to learn to share. Someday (not anytime in the next 9 months - relax!) she will have a sibling. Willow and I made the cupcakes and iced them last night. Willow was very specific - "I want yellow cupcakes with chocolate icing!"

Take the damn picture now, Mommy...

Take the damn picture now, Mommy

Happy Birthday, Willow!

Birthday Girl 1

Ever since her first birthday, Andrew and I have taken a picture of Willow in the morning as she first wakes up - and here was my baby girl all bright and bushy-tailed this morning. Andrew woke her up with Tutter's birthday song from the 'Bear in the Big Blue House' CD and she opened one present. She will get the rest of her presents on Sunday when we have our family birthday party.

Done!

Sequence of Events from Yesterday:

• 10:00am: Went to Weight Watchers. Don't ask.
• 10:30am: Deposited check at bank.
• 11:00am: Stopped at B&N and picked up my copy of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and shared bottle of mandarin orange/mango juice with Willow.
• 11:15am: Stopped at the video store and picked up 2 Dora the Explorer and 2 Rugrats videos for Willow to keep her occupied so I could read above-mentioned book. I am such a bad Mom.
• 11:30am: Arrived at in-laws. Gave Willow lunch. After lunch, put video #1 and started to read. Read for the next 3 hours.
• 4:30pm: Came home, made dinner.
• 5:15pm: Next set of videos went in. Andrew went to have hair cut and I continued to read.
• 7:30pm: I am obliviously reading. Andrew puts Willow to bed.
• 11:00pm: FINISHED!
• 11:05pm: Andrew starts reading...

I am sooooooooooooo braintired today. And Absolut Citron mixed with Minute Maid Limonada is very yummy.

Too tired - so happy it's Friday

Sorry to be so absent this week, but I was only in the office two of the last few days, having an off-site conference and a project management seminar in the middle of the week. My brain is tired... but apparently not tired enough to stop buying yarn and starting new projects...

Purchase #1

4 skeins of natural un-dyed worsted weight merino from Knitpicks. I'm going to play with some Koolaid and dye the yarn myself while I am on vacation at my parents' house. This blog might be the first my Mom is hearing about this... um, Mom - this okay with you? I just need a microwave-safe dish, the microwave, and the closeline. I'll bring everything else with me. I also bought some other yarn for a birthday present (the fiber, not the resulting garment) for a friend. I know she reads this, so I will detail it later. And, also 4 skeins of Knitpicks' Dancing in 'swing' (sort of a multi-green and pink colourway) to knit a layette for one of my many preggo or new mother friends.

Purchase #2

A set of dpns in US9 so I can finish my Manos hat. I've got this cool idea for a picture to showcase the hat, so I need to finish this up. A bag of baby 2 ply mill ends (Jamie? Teri? Don't laugh - I'm not naming my sisters here - those are actually some names of 2 ply baby yarn) in blush pink. I started working on a crocheted baby blanket for another one of said pre and/or post-natal amigos while watching the "Reefer Madness" musical on Showtime. I'm not using a pattern here - it's just basket weave crochet all the way.

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I'm still working on my "Sweetness" pullover, but have a bone to pick with Lion Brand Homespun. I think the sweater is going to be lovely soft by the time I'm done... but the colours are going to be wonky. I triple-checked that my dye lots were all the same - and yet the third skein I started on had a more royal blue/purple stripe rather than a mauve/purple stripe. Design feature, I suppose. I'm not worried about it overly much because I see this as being a comfort garment, not high fashion. I think it is going to look great with a pair of jeans.

Current and Finished Projects

Current projects

Okay, I wish I could say the sweater was the finished object, but obviously since there are only unconnected sleeves and part of a torso, it is the book I have finished. Janet Evanovich's Eleven On Top was an amusing read... I only have one beef... it is a device of Evanovich's to switch Stephanie's romantic interest back and forth between Morelli and Ranger and my preference is for the character not on the receiving end of the affection this time. I won't give it away! I started on Nora Roberts' Black Rose on CD at work and it is interesting enough so far. I love all the Southern accents in this audiobook.

Now onto a more serious matter - London. My husband takes a train every day to work and I was worried today. The first thing I see this morning on Yahoo news is the coverage of the bombings and it sort of set the tone for the entire day. People at work were very pensive - we are close enough to NYC that people here had friends and family members involved in the twin towers and the subsequent clean up and I think everyone was worried it was going to happen all over again. I had to wait until I got to work to see the video of the aftermath because I didn't want Willow subjected to the sights. It's horrible - how can these perpetrators be so uncaring and callous about these people's lives and families and all the repercussions that will be inflicted on the victims' loved ones?

Happy Birthday, Asami!

Jo and Asami

Asami! Why is it in all the years we have know each other, this is probably the best picture of the two of us?!?! Asami is one of my dearest, closest friends in the entire world and it is her birthday today. Asami was integral to Andrew and I dating each other, and when we had briefly broken up, even more of a force in getting us back together. In turn, Asami was one of my bridesmaids, and I was her matron-of-honour. The above photo was taken in Bali in 1996, and I can't believe it was nearly eight and a half years ago. And it is also exactly three years ago, when heavily pregnant and on my last outing before Willow was born, that Andrew and I met the only man we have seen that could make Asami blush and giggle. We are so happy for the both of you. Happy Birthday, Asami!

After All The Fireworks Are Over

Now, doesn't that sound like the title of a country music song? We didn't get the chance to see any fireworks this Independence Day. Personally, I think Willow is still a little young for it and would be terrified of the noise up close. She fell asleep by 7:30pm last night, so in the end the point was moot.

I started a new knitting project and I didn't even have to buy new yarn for it! It is the 'Sweetness' pullover pattern from the Spring 2003 issue of Knitty. Incidentally, that was the same issue that 'Sitcom Chic' was from. I'm knitting it up in some aqua Lion Brand Homespun and it is soooo soft. I had originally bought this yarn for a baby blanket 2+ years ago... um, yeah... said baby ended up getting a different present. The yarn is knitting up in some subtle beige and light lavender stripes and is going to look so cool when finished. I'm altering the pattern a bit as well - changed it to 3/4 length sleeves and making the sweater into more of a A-line to accomodate my wide hips. So far I have finished both sleeves and have about 5" completed on the body - I'll take some pics later this week and show everyone what it looks like.