Syndactyl Salutations

Thoughts on writing, knitting, and the world around me.

Saturday, May 21, 2005

V! A! C-A-T! I-O-N!

Yes, starting today, I am off until the 31st. I don't know what I'm going to do with the time, frankly, but the not going to work part is a huge plus. I think today will involve laundry and other cleaning-type activities.

The thought of a day in New York has crossed my mind, but I don't know if I feel like spending the money to take the train, and I'm certainly not driving there.

I'll play it by ear. I stocked up on light reading at the library yesterday when I returned No Idle Hands: A Social History of American Knitting. It was an excellent read, by the way, interesting to see the war-effort cycles and how lifestyle trends influenced what people were knitting and vice versa, to some extent.

It's lovely out today, but yesterday was rainy and cold, which, I believe, is what lead to my leaving the library with three novels, one memoir, and two DVDs. I finished the shortest novel last night.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Thursday, May 19, 2005

Thinking About It

Posting, that is. I've been thinking about it for the past week, but haven't sat down to it until now. Not sure why, especially since we got DSL last week so everything goes faster than it used to.

I guess it's because things are happening in non-blog segments of my life that I'm trying to process.

It might also be because I've been working furiously on the multi-directional scarf to donate to Arch Street Center for their annual fundraiser this weekend. It's taking a bath in the sink as I type.

I'm also not exactly sure about how it's going here. I don't really know what I want it to be, and if it's living up to anything. It should probably fall somewhere in the intersection of knitting, writing, and random life, and I'm not sure it's succeeding.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

My Small Haul


What I got: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Purple Iris, several hanks of Brooks Farm Four Play in what I think of as sunset colors for Clapotis, Mountain Colors Bearfoot sock yarn in Crazy Woman, a T-shirt (I don't usually feel compelled to buy the obvious souvenir things, but this time I was. Of course, by the time I was sure, all I could get was this red child's XL), a beautiful bowl for my mom for Mother's Day, and a bottle of lavender Eucalan, which I forgot to put out when I set up the photo. Posted by Hello

Fuzzy Friend


Here's another view of Claudia's Two L-lama. Posted by Hello

Sock at Sheep and Wool


I figured I needed to do the obligatory traveling sock photo. I spent a bit of time knitting and watching the Sheep to Shawl festivities. The never-ending sock is now at the heel-turning point, after I picked up the left-side stitches for the gusset and took them back out when I realized something was missing... Posted by Hello

My Maryland

I've been reading everyone's accounts of MDS&W, and it seems that everyone else met tons more people than I did and had more dinner parties and bought more things. But that's okay, because I had a lovely time, even though I wandered the festival most of the day on my own.

I got up early, but not early enough to go to Stephanie's breakfast. I drove down on seemingly empty highways (just one of the good things about early-Sunday-morning travel), and wished I'd had my camera at the ready when I got on I-70. There was a huge mileage sign announcing distances to places including Columbus, St. Louis (845), and Denver (1700). I, personally, was going less than 12 miles on that particular highway, but I liked the sense of possibility it offered.

I reached the fairgrounds at just after 9 am on Sunday (would have been sooner, but I zipped past the turnoff and had to turn around). I spent the first couple of hours wandering around feeling totally overwhelmed. So much so that when I spotted the Harlot and decided to go ahead and introduce myself, I had nothing to show when she asked what I had gotten. She was very gracious, even though I was cutting into her last hour of yarn shopping time, and kindly waited for me to dig the bookbookbook out of my bag so that she could sign it.

I don't know when I became bold enough to stop people and announce to them who they are and introduce myself, but Stephanie was not the only person I met. Later in the day, after a Brooks Farm purchase, but before the working dog demonstration (weren't those border collies something?), I spotted Lolly , wearing her lovely new Tempting, going into one of the barns. I only spoke to her briefly, but it was still very nice to meet her.

The whole, scan the crowd, just in case there might be someone I recognize from the internet thing was very strange, frankly. But I didn't let it drive me nuts. I had a great time wandering around on my own, poking my head into various booths, stopping to watch sheep shearing, watching the guy carrying two little curly goats in his arms across the festival grounds. I had thought about bringing my mom with me, but I ended up being glad I went on my own, so that I could take my time and play it by ear the whole way through.

If I hadn't been on my own, I probably wouldn't have ended up spending the last half hour or so of the festival with Rachael and Lala, and that would have been quite a loss. They are as friendly and cute and funny as you would imagine them to be, and were completely welcoming when I walked up and introduced myself. We talked about what we got, then walked some. They kindly offered me funnel cake, but I declined, not mentioning at the time my fear that the grease/sugar combination would punish me at an unfortunate time during my two-hour trip home. (Yeah, don't admit it then, wait to put it up for the internet to see. We visited the alpaca pen on our way out, and parted ways at the edge of the parking lot.

I know this isn't the most coherent of accountings, but suffice it to say that I had a really good time, and I'm glad everyone else who went seems to have had a good time as well. Maybe someday I'll meet tons of people and spend tons of time with them, but even if I don't, it'll be okay.

I have three photos, but my knowledge of Hello leaves much to be desired, so they'll come as I can get them to show up.

Oh, I decided to wear Paris Loop, and it was the perfect thing for the warm but windy day that Sunday turned out to be. And I got more positive comments than I ever would have expected.

Thursday, May 05, 2005

What I'm Up To

I'm still sick, the sore throat has progressed to a cold. I'm fighting it and still planning to go to MD on Sunday.

On Tuesday I knit two of Harlot's "Ken" hats for Dulaan.

Tonight I started a Multi-Directional Scarf out of Noro Kureyon (Whichever color I used for Sophie).

I'm picking away at the socks, but not as much as I should be.

Sorry for the lack of links, just wanted to pop in. I'm going to take something and go to bed now.

Monday, May 02, 2005

Why This Week?

I woke up with a sore throat this morning and have felt progressively worse throughout the day. I still have a lot of end of semester stuff to do this week, graduation to work on Saturday, and I want to go to MDS&W on Sunday. I'm getting ready to take a Theraflu dose and hope for the best.

Wish me luck.

I finished The Finishing School, The Art of Mending, and The Highest Dream. I'll comment on them when I'm feeling more coherent.