Showing posts with label guilty pleasures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guilty pleasures. Show all posts
Friday, November 18, 2016
Fantastic Beasts
Tomorrow. The next trip to the Wizarding World. Thank you, J.K. Rowling. I can't wait!!
Friday, July 29, 2016
Wait's Almost Over!!
Two more days until this shows up in my Kindle account. Two. More. Days.
Two more days til I log off of social media and read my face off, and not log in again til I'm done so i don't see spoilers. Two days til I put down the knitting and not pick it back up til the book is finished.
Two. More. Days.
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Well, Hello
Hello from Summer Living, where we're running around living life and not blogging about it! It's late July already, and we've done so much stuff this summer already.
The boys spent a week with their grandparents in PA, enjoying the things that campground life has to offer. Stuff like arcade games, swimming pools and riding in the golf cart. Mom and Dad, having to work back at home for the week, did NOT enjoy going out to eat at non-kid-friendly restaurants, nor getting ice cream almost every night at a different place each time. No, no they didn't. :)
Then we took the kids for a week in Williamsburg, VA. And man, we did it ALL. If Williamsburg offered it, we took it up. Busch Gardens (twice), Water Country, Colonial Williamsburg.....and had a lovely time. It was a heavy-walking vacation, I logged 17,400 steps on my Fitbit one of the days. We'd been four years ago so we knew the area and Will could relax quickly being somewhere familar. Sean, our resident daredevil, went on every single wild ride that he was tall enough for, which this year was a lot!
After that, camp started. And now we're in kind of a groove, routine-wise. Enjoying the dog days of summer, doing day trips to things like the Maker's Fair in Boston, and heading to Six Flags this weekend. School will be here again before we know it.
The boys spent a week with their grandparents in PA, enjoying the things that campground life has to offer. Stuff like arcade games, swimming pools and riding in the golf cart. Mom and Dad, having to work back at home for the week, did NOT enjoy going out to eat at non-kid-friendly restaurants, nor getting ice cream almost every night at a different place each time. No, no they didn't. :)
Then we took the kids for a week in Williamsburg, VA. And man, we did it ALL. If Williamsburg offered it, we took it up. Busch Gardens (twice), Water Country, Colonial Williamsburg.....and had a lovely time. It was a heavy-walking vacation, I logged 17,400 steps on my Fitbit one of the days. We'd been four years ago so we knew the area and Will could relax quickly being somewhere familar. Sean, our resident daredevil, went on every single wild ride that he was tall enough for, which this year was a lot!
After that, camp started. And now we're in kind of a groove, routine-wise. Enjoying the dog days of summer, doing day trips to things like the Maker's Fair in Boston, and heading to Six Flags this weekend. School will be here again before we know it.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
"Legendary Stash"
I've officially crossed into "SABLE" status in terms of my yarn stash. (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy.) I can hear my husband's eyes rolling as he's reading this, and probably nodding enthusiastically in agreement. I finally put away all of my yarn from the Webs Tent Sale earlier in the month and made the mistake of telling him how many yarns I have stashed in Ravelry. (Answer: triple digits.) He did some quick calculations to see how much I spent on all of it and almost fell off the couch. Dude, don't do the numbers. We don't wanna know.
This year's Tent Sale was on May 14th and was fantastic as usual! A gorgeous day, not a whole ton of people the second we got there and a small group to boot. I had been squirreling cash from yard sale items and things for quite a while and was pretty proud that I covered all but $10.00 of my yarn with it. We had a fantastic lunch at Northampton Brewery and then Maureen and I headed home to get our knit on. We've also picked out a new KAL project, "The Joker and the Thief." (Photo courtesy of Melanie Berg, on Ravelry.) mine will also have grey as a base color, but then varying shades of turquoise and purple. Fitting, right? :)
Anyway, I wish I could say that I'm going to go cold sheep (no yarn purchases until a set amount of time/stash is used) but I know that I don't have the willpower for that. Especially since I'm making my first trip to the Maine Fiber Frolic with Maureen and Cindy this weekend! AND Mom and I are trying to make plans to go to Rhinebeck in October. Yep. The stash will continue to grow, though no exponentially.
This year's Tent Sale was on May 14th and was fantastic as usual! A gorgeous day, not a whole ton of people the second we got there and a small group to boot. I had been squirreling cash from yard sale items and things for quite a while and was pretty proud that I covered all but $10.00 of my yarn with it. We had a fantastic lunch at Northampton Brewery and then Maureen and I headed home to get our knit on. We've also picked out a new KAL project, "The Joker and the Thief." (Photo courtesy of Melanie Berg, on Ravelry.) mine will also have grey as a base color, but then varying shades of turquoise and purple. Fitting, right? :)
Anyway, I wish I could say that I'm going to go cold sheep (no yarn purchases until a set amount of time/stash is used) but I know that I don't have the willpower for that. Especially since I'm making my first trip to the Maine Fiber Frolic with Maureen and Cindy this weekend! AND Mom and I are trying to make plans to go to Rhinebeck in October. Yep. The stash will continue to grow, though no exponentially.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
A few Somethings for Me
So, with all of the Christmas knitting behind me. (Hey it's February, let's hope so) I've decided that it's high time to work on a couple things for yours truly. I still have gifts to work on for other people, things that I've picked out for one reason or another. But it's my turn. So with that in mind:
here is the short term Project. Sewanee, a shawl. One can never have too many shawls. This one is a navy blue wool sock yarn, with streaks of purplish-pink and greenish blue. It's quite pretty, and I can't wait to see how it turns out. I LOVE that lace at the edge. Whether or not I'll love knitting it is yet to be determined. (Pattern and photo credit goes to Beth Bradford, aka Bethasaurus on Ravelry.)
The long-turn project. It's a sampler blanket. It's 63 different squares, and supposedly by the time I finish them I will have knit pretty much every stitch pattern out there. I chose a teal acrylic for this, since let's face it: I am not rich and pretty much only afford acrylic for such a large project. (this is a Bucilla pattern, vintage from 1964.) Photo credit: jjgordon on Ravelry.
here is the short term Project. Sewanee, a shawl. One can never have too many shawls. This one is a navy blue wool sock yarn, with streaks of purplish-pink and greenish blue. It's quite pretty, and I can't wait to see how it turns out. I LOVE that lace at the edge. Whether or not I'll love knitting it is yet to be determined. (Pattern and photo credit goes to Beth Bradford, aka Bethasaurus on Ravelry.)
The long-turn project. It's a sampler blanket. It's 63 different squares, and supposedly by the time I finish them I will have knit pretty much every stitch pattern out there. I chose a teal acrylic for this, since let's face it: I am not rich and pretty much only afford acrylic for such a large project. (this is a Bucilla pattern, vintage from 1964.) Photo credit: jjgordon on Ravelry.
Note: mine will not include a cat. However, Joey will probably try to claim it at some point.
Monday, June 1, 2015
I like the sound that deadlines make....
Ever had a knitting project that feels like it's never going to end? I've got one of those right now. I'm working on a GORGEOUS cabled baby blanket for a new niece or nephew due in August. It's bulky-weight cream-colored yarn and I'm loving how it's turning out. (No pics yet.) The only thing is....the shower is on June 20th and I just reached the halfway point! I also am about to run out of yarn....I did find a website to order some more but seriously....not what I need on a deadline. In the zone.....
Also, staying up late last night working on it while watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows #2 seemed like a good idea at the time. For the most part, I don't sleep well on Sunday nights anyway. Today, my brain is screaming at me while I'm processing the usual beginning-of-the-month stuff. I'd like to say that I've learned my lesson, but I doubt it. :)
Friday, July 25, 2014
Harry Potter Happiness
In the weeks before our trip, Universal Studios started running ads for their new Harry Potter attraction. We hadn't made plans to go to Universal, because it was expensive and having been there nine years ago, didn't think they had much to offer then.
But then, there was an hour-long TV special on Diagon Alley, at Universal Studios. Will and I watched together, amazed. I said to Brian, "Now I'm dying to go!" Because he's so wonderful, he said "Not like we're going to Orlando all the time. Since Sean and I won't get anything out of it, why don't I drop the two of you off one day?" :)
And so we went!
Hogsmeade, the Magical Village. We got to try butterbeer here! It's delicious and tastes like butterscotch.
Look! It's one of Hagrid's "Monster books." This was creepy-looking up close and actually growled.
Hogwarts! The ride "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" is inside, and you walk all through Hogwarts to get to it. We went through some passages that had talking portraits just like in the books. In one area, the portraits of the four founders of Hogwarts argue with each other...it was incredible. I had to beg/convince Will to go on the ride with me, it wasn't easy. Afterwards when I asked what he thought of it, he said "Uh....it had it's ups and downs. I liked the quidditch flying but was scared of the dementors."
Bought him his very own wand. One of the COOLEST features of the Harry Potter Wizarding World is that there were wand prompts everywhere, and they were interactive with the wands. Standing in front of Honeydukes, if you made a particular movement with your wand arm and repeated the spell written on the ground, a big box of chocolate frogs would open in the window and start ribbitting.
Bertie Botts every flavour beans! We brought some home and are afraid to try them.....you would be too with flavours like earthworm, earwax and ugh....VOMIT.
This is where we picked up the new Hogwarts Express Train and took it to the other side of the park, to Diagon Alley. Diagon Alley was simply incredible. You step out onto what looks like the streets of London, and have to go looking for Diagon Alley because obviously there's no signs. And then suddenly, there you are! It was absolutely crowded, but you couldn't hear the people in Diagon Alley from the street. I don't know how they do that!
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I can't say enough good things about this experience. I love how Universal Employees really get into it. We were in a shop and looking at hats and gloves with "Gryffindor" markings and an employee said "Professor Trelawney warned me to expect this....need to restock the gloves!" I was paying for a Christmas ornament in the same shop and when it came time to sign the receipt the cashier said "Your signature for the Ministry, please." They did such a great job bringing the pages of the book alive!
p.s. the only thing I feel that we missed out on was not getting to ride "Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts." Brian dropped us off really early, soon after the park opened. We went to the Hogsmeade Side first and by the time we made it to the Diagon Alley side the ride had a 300 minute wait. Yeah.....that's five hours. FIVE HOURS. There's no way a seven year old can stand in a hot line for 5 hours....and I promised no more wild rides after the last one! There's always next time. :)
But then, there was an hour-long TV special on Diagon Alley, at Universal Studios. Will and I watched together, amazed. I said to Brian, "Now I'm dying to go!" Because he's so wonderful, he said "Not like we're going to Orlando all the time. Since Sean and I won't get anything out of it, why don't I drop the two of you off one day?" :)
And so we went!
Trying to pull off a selfie in front of Hogsmeade.
Weasley's Wizardly Wheezes.
p.s. the only thing I feel that we missed out on was not getting to ride "Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts." Brian dropped us off really early, soon after the park opened. We went to the Hogsmeade Side first and by the time we made it to the Diagon Alley side the ride had a 300 minute wait. Yeah.....that's five hours. FIVE HOURS. There's no way a seven year old can stand in a hot line for 5 hours....and I promised no more wild rides after the last one! There's always next time. :)
Monday, June 30, 2014
Ice Cream Festival!!
Mom and Dad are taking us to the Ice Cream Festival in Worcester! Even though one of us doesn't like ice cream, we're still pretty psyched!
Mr. "Ice Cream is too cold for me" changed his mind and tried some raspberry chocolate chip. He liked it so much he requested it the second time we went under the ice cream tent.
Mom with her goofy kids. Love the hats and the sunglasses.
Daddy is the best tickler in the world. And I think Will's hungry again.
And let's end the day with a train ride. This just keeps getting better. :)
This was a ridiculous amount of fun, on a lovely Saturday. We've already put the "Big Dipper Ice Cream Festival" on the calendar for next summer.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Memoirs of a Manager
I'm a sucker for a good memoir. I detest reality television but love reading about people's lives. Celebrities and other famous people sure, but the average everyday person is pretty intriguing as well. I especially love ones that feature people serving the public, such as waitstaff or once, a librarian. Or the one about the guy who got stood up at his wedding and decided to go on the honeymoon anyway with his brother. That book lead to them traveling all over the world. Though the title "Honeymoon with my Brother" needed some work.
I'm in the middle of one called "Hungry: What Eighty Ravenous Guys Taught Me about Life, Love and the Power of Good Food "by Darlene Barnes. It's pretty good so far. And like with many other memoirs that I've read, my mind starts to wander towards writing my own memoir someday.
Someday I want to write a memoir on the joys and travesties of being a property manager. I'll combine the sweet tales with the sordid ones and come up with a good read. And if that's someone else's idea and they come out with it first, heck I'd read the hell out of that! Sadly, it'll probably have to wait until I retire, or change a lot of names and details. I should probably start scrawling down the goods now, instead of waiting on my future-failing memory to recall it all.
I'm in the middle of one called "Hungry: What Eighty Ravenous Guys Taught Me about Life, Love and the Power of Good Food "by Darlene Barnes. It's pretty good so far. And like with many other memoirs that I've read, my mind starts to wander towards writing my own memoir someday.
Someday I want to write a memoir on the joys and travesties of being a property manager. I'll combine the sweet tales with the sordid ones and come up with a good read. And if that's someone else's idea and they come out with it first, heck I'd read the hell out of that! Sadly, it'll probably have to wait until I retire, or change a lot of names and details. I should probably start scrawling down the goods now, instead of waiting on my future-failing memory to recall it all.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Guilty? Guilty.
My Five Favorite Guilty Pleasures
1. Pretty office supplies. I always loved back-to-school time because it meant new school supplies. I never lost that happy feeling, and I love to go to Staples for this reason.
2. "Alone time." That hour or so that I get at night when everyone else is in bed and I'm up either knitting, reading or watching TV. That means I always go to bed late but most nights I don't get to sleep easily anyway.
3. When my kids repeat funny things, such as "There's a time and a place for decaf; never and in the trash!"
4. The first night of a freshly made bed, because we store our sheets in a cedar chest. I love the smell of cedar.
5. Lastly, the occasional chocolate bar that my kids don't know that I have stashed in the kitchen. And if it's studded with almonds, all the better. :)
1. Pretty office supplies. I always loved back-to-school time because it meant new school supplies. I never lost that happy feeling, and I love to go to Staples for this reason.
2. "Alone time." That hour or so that I get at night when everyone else is in bed and I'm up either knitting, reading or watching TV. That means I always go to bed late but most nights I don't get to sleep easily anyway.
3. When my kids repeat funny things, such as "There's a time and a place for decaf; never and in the trash!"
4. The first night of a freshly made bed, because we store our sheets in a cedar chest. I love the smell of cedar.
5. Lastly, the occasional chocolate bar that my kids don't know that I have stashed in the kitchen. And if it's studded with almonds, all the better. :)
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Books in Review and 2014 Reading List
I love books almost as much as I love knitting. If I could find a way to read a book AND knit at the same time I'd be a happy girl. Yes, I know that I could download an audiobook onto my iPod and listen to it, but that feels a little strange (and unsociable) in my own house.
For now, the 2013 review. I turn to the fabulous tool Goodreads, which is so much better than keeping an Excel spreadsheet or (eek!) writing down all of those books in a notebook.
I left 2013 with 185 books on my "to-read" shelf. This isn't an accurate portrayal of what I will actually read. I put books on that "to-read" shelf if they catch my fancy for any reason. Once in a while I go through and delete some of them in a "what was I thinking??" moment.
I read 96 books in 2013! This includes books that I read aloud to the boys. (Yes, I do think that they count. I read them, didn't I?) 2013 was the first year that Will started reading books to himself, but I make sure to read out loud to him too, because I know that he loves it. We are still plugging through the Harry Potter series, having finished the second book sometime in December and seeing "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" during this past Winter Break. I debated giving him "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" for Christmas, but ultimately decided to take a short break and read something else. He got a little afraid of some of the situations in the second book and the books get darker as the series moves on. Perhaps this Spring we will start it, sooner if he breaks me down by begging.
Here's my list of books that I would like to read in 2014. I'm trying to get some of the books that I queued on Goodreads when I first got my account (2008!) There are other books, not counting any knitting books, and who knows what will catch my fancy at the library this year!
1. The Yarn Whisperer. (Clara Parkes) I received this as a Christmas gift, so it will likely be first.
2. More books from the Dresden Files series by James Butcher. I stopped at the third one but will definitely keep going into the new year.
3. Home Front. (Kristin Hannah.)
4. The Thirteenth Tale. (Diane Setterfield.)
5. The Post-Birthday World. (Lionel Shriver.)
6. Growing Up Amish: A Memoir. (Ira Wagler)
7. Bowling Avenue. (Ann Shayne.)
8. His Dark Materials (Phillip Pullman) One knitting friend told me that these books were enormously satisfying after finishing the Harry Potter series for the second time and missing them.
9. The Wander Year: One Couple's Journey Around the World. (Mike McIntyre)
10. The Signature of All Things. (Elizabeth Gilbert.)
11. We Are Water. (Wally Lamb)
12. Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West. (Dorothy Wickendon)
For now, the 2013 review. I turn to the fabulous tool Goodreads, which is so much better than keeping an Excel spreadsheet or (eek!) writing down all of those books in a notebook.
I left 2013 with 185 books on my "to-read" shelf. This isn't an accurate portrayal of what I will actually read. I put books on that "to-read" shelf if they catch my fancy for any reason. Once in a while I go through and delete some of them in a "what was I thinking??" moment.
I read 96 books in 2013! This includes books that I read aloud to the boys. (Yes, I do think that they count. I read them, didn't I?) 2013 was the first year that Will started reading books to himself, but I make sure to read out loud to him too, because I know that he loves it. We are still plugging through the Harry Potter series, having finished the second book sometime in December and seeing "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" during this past Winter Break. I debated giving him "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" for Christmas, but ultimately decided to take a short break and read something else. He got a little afraid of some of the situations in the second book and the books get darker as the series moves on. Perhaps this Spring we will start it, sooner if he breaks me down by begging.
Here's my list of books that I would like to read in 2014. I'm trying to get some of the books that I queued on Goodreads when I first got my account (2008!) There are other books, not counting any knitting books, and who knows what will catch my fancy at the library this year!
1. The Yarn Whisperer. (Clara Parkes) I received this as a Christmas gift, so it will likely be first.
2. More books from the Dresden Files series by James Butcher. I stopped at the third one but will definitely keep going into the new year.
3. Home Front. (Kristin Hannah.)
4. The Thirteenth Tale. (Diane Setterfield.)
5. The Post-Birthday World. (Lionel Shriver.)
6. Growing Up Amish: A Memoir. (Ira Wagler)
7. Bowling Avenue. (Ann Shayne.)
8. His Dark Materials (Phillip Pullman) One knitting friend told me that these books were enormously satisfying after finishing the Harry Potter series for the second time and missing them.
9. The Wander Year: One Couple's Journey Around the World. (Mike McIntyre)
10. The Signature of All Things. (Elizabeth Gilbert.)
11. We Are Water. (Wally Lamb)
12. Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West. (Dorothy Wickendon)
Thursday, December 19, 2013
It's My Birthday!!!!
I woke up briefly at 4am today and with dread....yep. I'm 37 today. 37 sounds so, so much older than 36. But Brad Pitt woke up yesterday staring at 50....so I'm feeling pretty good.
When I woke up and got out of bed I was my usual birthday self....smile and ready to party. That's the Sagittarius taking over. It's my birthday today, let's party!
It's the first birthday I've had in like 10 years that I didn't take the day off work. I'm kind of a princess that way, but it's the only princess-y thing about me. It's gonna be a good day though, Chinese food with co-workers, a pedicure this afternoon, my parents are cooking spaghetti at my house, gifts and time with my family, and my husband made me an incredible-looking chocolate cake. I say "incredible-looking" because I didn't have any for breakfast. That doesn't mean I wasn't tempted. After Will got on the bus I treated myself to reruns of The Big Bang Theory and knitting the hem of Sean's sweater. (What can I say....I'm easy to please.) And I wasn't late to work! My phone has exploded with Happy Birthday texts and Facebook postings, someone sent me an online gift card for a Starbucks fancy coffee.....it's a great day.
37, you are going to be a great year. And Brad.....50 will be a good year for you, too.
When I woke up and got out of bed I was my usual birthday self....smile and ready to party. That's the Sagittarius taking over. It's my birthday today, let's party!
It's the first birthday I've had in like 10 years that I didn't take the day off work. I'm kind of a princess that way, but it's the only princess-y thing about me. It's gonna be a good day though, Chinese food with co-workers, a pedicure this afternoon, my parents are cooking spaghetti at my house, gifts and time with my family, and my husband made me an incredible-looking chocolate cake. I say "incredible-looking" because I didn't have any for breakfast. That doesn't mean I wasn't tempted. After Will got on the bus I treated myself to reruns of The Big Bang Theory and knitting the hem of Sean's sweater. (What can I say....I'm easy to please.) And I wasn't late to work! My phone has exploded with Happy Birthday texts and Facebook postings, someone sent me an online gift card for a Starbucks fancy coffee.....it's a great day.
37, you are going to be a great year. And Brad.....50 will be a good year for you, too.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Help! I'm stuck inside a movie!
Today's prompt: What movie would you like to be stuck in for five days?
That's easy...Harry Potter! Don't make me choose which one....because it's too hard. Any one of them will do. I want to go to Hogwarts, ride the train there. I want to experience the "Beginning of the Year" feast and see all that magic up close! I want to play Quidditch and drink Butterbeer and experience all the tricks of the Weasley twins. I especially want to visit The Burrows, and Hogsmeade. Oh, can I go? I'll don a Hogwarts robe and make a great student. I'm not even sure which house I'd be sorted into, and I don't care. Seriously, when do we leave????
That's easy...Harry Potter! Don't make me choose which one....because it's too hard. Any one of them will do. I want to go to Hogwarts, ride the train there. I want to experience the "Beginning of the Year" feast and see all that magic up close! I want to play Quidditch and drink Butterbeer and experience all the tricks of the Weasley twins. I especially want to visit The Burrows, and Hogsmeade. Oh, can I go? I'll don a Hogwarts robe and make a great student. I'm not even sure which house I'd be sorted into, and I don't care. Seriously, when do we leave????
Monday, October 21, 2013
Rhinebeck!!!
The mecca for all knitters/crocheters/fiber enthusiasts. The holiday of the year!
I never thought I'd be able to arrange going, since it's about 3.5 hours from home. But it turns out that Webs offers a bus trip and tickets were a mere $45.00. For $45.00 you get a ride that you don't have to drive, a busful of awesome knitters like yourself all excited to be going somewhere, the ticket to the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival and your name entered in several of Webs' fabulous raffles. (Mom and I won none of them, but all of our seatmates around us seemed to hit the jackpot.)
Mom stayed over on Friday night because Saturday was going to be a super-early start. Brian scoffed my "I'm going to get up at 4:45AM!" and remarked that this was something that he just had to see. True to my word, when the alarm on my phone went off, I popped out of bed and said "Look at that, I'm up and no snooze button!" (it helps to have a continual nightmare that you've missed the bus.)
5:30 AM: Mom and I are in her truck, cruising down the MassPike in the dark. We made it in plenty of time for the 6:30am bus boarding, and it was a fairly uneventful trip to the Duchess County Fairgrounds. Well, except for the part where it took 45 minutes to get in there. But what are you gonna do, it's a fantastically popular place! People flock from all over to attend this. I've never seen anything like it, I've been to a few festivals but this was by far the biggest gathering of "my people," all wearing hand-knits and radiating excitement. And oh....the hand-knits! Everyone oohs and aahs over things that people are wearing, and they bond over patterns and yarn types. Chatting about yarn and patterns almost sounds like a different language. (I love your shawl...is that Wingspan? No it's Hitchhiker. Oh, this? It was supposed to be a dress but I modified it to be a tunic. You can find it on Rav under "Pambe dress")
We'd been warned that there would be long lines for food, so Mom and I opted to eat right away. The place had everything for food....barbecue, greek, fancy, pasta, burgers, seafood, etc etc etc. What it also had that was kind of annoying was bees. It was an unusually warm day for October and they were out in full force.
After lunch it was time for SHOPPING!! There were so many vendors there I lost count. Mom and I brought home lovely treasures: buttons, notions, stitch markers....and Mom got some fabric of sheep knitting on black background to make a few project bags. And of course, there was the YARN. SO much yarn in one place! Chock full of yarny goodness! Gorgeous colorways in every weight. I practiced quite a bit of restraint by only bringing home four skeins of yarn. This one was my favorite:
I never thought I'd be able to arrange going, since it's about 3.5 hours from home. But it turns out that Webs offers a bus trip and tickets were a mere $45.00. For $45.00 you get a ride that you don't have to drive, a busful of awesome knitters like yourself all excited to be going somewhere, the ticket to the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival and your name entered in several of Webs' fabulous raffles. (Mom and I won none of them, but all of our seatmates around us seemed to hit the jackpot.)
Mom stayed over on Friday night because Saturday was going to be a super-early start. Brian scoffed my "I'm going to get up at 4:45AM!" and remarked that this was something that he just had to see. True to my word, when the alarm on my phone went off, I popped out of bed and said "Look at that, I'm up and no snooze button!" (it helps to have a continual nightmare that you've missed the bus.)
5:30 AM: Mom and I are in her truck, cruising down the MassPike in the dark. We made it in plenty of time for the 6:30am bus boarding, and it was a fairly uneventful trip to the Duchess County Fairgrounds. Well, except for the part where it took 45 minutes to get in there. But what are you gonna do, it's a fantastically popular place! People flock from all over to attend this. I've never seen anything like it, I've been to a few festivals but this was by far the biggest gathering of "my people," all wearing hand-knits and radiating excitement. And oh....the hand-knits! Everyone oohs and aahs over things that people are wearing, and they bond over patterns and yarn types. Chatting about yarn and patterns almost sounds like a different language. (I love your shawl...is that Wingspan? No it's Hitchhiker. Oh, this? It was supposed to be a dress but I modified it to be a tunic. You can find it on Rav under "Pambe dress")
We'd been warned that there would be long lines for food, so Mom and I opted to eat right away. The place had everything for food....barbecue, greek, fancy, pasta, burgers, seafood, etc etc etc. What it also had that was kind of annoying was bees. It was an unusually warm day for October and they were out in full force.
After lunch it was time for SHOPPING!! There were so many vendors there I lost count. Mom and I brought home lovely treasures: buttons, notions, stitch markers....and Mom got some fabric of sheep knitting on black background to make a few project bags. And of course, there was the YARN. SO much yarn in one place! Chock full of yarny goodness! Gorgeous colorways in every weight. I practiced quite a bit of restraint by only bringing home four skeins of yarn. This one was my favorite:
Madelinetosh Tosh merino light in "Jasper." Saw it across two tents and it "spoke to me." Green usually isn't my thing but I had to have it.
We also saw animals: I got to pet a beautiful sheep named Leanne, she was a doll. And they had a kids' area that was full of activities had we brought the boys, including a little zoo. There were lemurs and baby kangaroos. I'd never seen a kangaroo up close, and I can now say that our dog Joey is aptly named!
These guys posed for a photo.
Several hours later we piled back onto the bus for the ride back to Northampton and then an hour's ride back home from there. It was dark on the way home too, making the day feel surreal. And when we got home, Brian had cleaned the house and there was dinner for us on the table. It was wonderful!
All in all, a fantastic day. I wish I'd taken more photos. I'm so glad to have attended and I'd certainly do it again. Next time though, I'd like to get the Yarn Harlot to autograph one of my books. :) And see one of the Ravelry meetups. And maybe, just maybe, take a workshop.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Just Right
At the end of the workday yesterday I found myself with a little time to kill. There were showings going on at my house so I obviously couldn't go home. They really frown upon the owner showing up while someone is trying to get someone to buy your house.
Anyway, I stopped at the library in our new town. Actually, this town isn't really new, I've been working there for over a year. And I've been to the library many times. The first time I saw this library I kind of snickered at its size. Felt superior that MY town's library was bigger. Then I spent some time there, and felt bad for judging it by the size of the building. The children's room was full of great books, a pet area with birds and the boys' favorite, a train table!! The library staff is helpful and friendly (having engaged with one of them about knitting books, I found out that she is the one that orders knitting books for the library. And she knits mittens for Old Sturbridge Village, out of vintage knitting patterns on very tiny needles.) And it's arranged in such a easy way, things are a snap to find.
So I found a chair and took out my knitting project., a shawl. As I knit two rows, my eyes scanned over the titles in the aisle where I had chosen to sit. And I realized that I was in the cookbook section. I adore cookbooks, I really do. After my two (long) rows were completed, I decided that even though I couldn't cook a whole lot at home right now, I hadn't just browsed and brought home books for the fun of it in a long time. So I brought home a nice big stack, of books for me, the kids, and cooking. It feels delightful to bring home books again. Really, it is these simple pleasures that are so enjoyable, who knew the act of bringing home library books would bring me such joy. For the first time in a few weeks, the boys had new stories at bedtime and they were thrilled.
So I will never judge a library by its size ever again. This place isn't too big or too small, it's just right.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Webs Weekend!
....and it's all over. The Webs tent sale has come and gone, and it was a fabulous time! This year was a small group, so we all fit in my car. After a couple of hours browsing yarn and petting it and deciding on what was coming home with me, this is what made it into my bag:
It's ok to say it. "Holy Crap, that's a lot of yarn!" Yes, yes it is. I got everything on my list! The only impulse buy in there is some baby yarn in the way back. That's for baby hats. This is my haul for the year. In this pile is a sweater for Sean, cabled vests for next Easter for both boys, three pairs of socks, a sweater called 'February Lady" for me, a couple of Christmas/Birthday gifts and next year's mittens for the boys. I can't wait to start working on ALL of it! That's one thing about going to Webs...I always want to cast on a hundred things as soon as I get home!
After yarn shopping was lunch in Northampton and strolling around a bit, and of course, stopping for ice cream at Herrell's. Now it's all over and Webs is another year away. But hey, we all have the New England Fiber Festival to look forward to in six months!
My friend Maureen came down for the weekend to go to the sale, and ended up going home on Sunday morning. My kids LOVE her. That's because she plays with them and thinks they're as awesome as they think that she is. Will told me at bedtime last night that he wished Maureen lived closer so we could see her more often instead of living in Maine. Me too, buddy. He also made a keen observation that when Maureen and I get together we laugh like little girls at a sleepover. He's right about that.
This weekend with friends was just what I needed...it took away the stress of moving and packing for just a little bit. Now it's Monday and back to reality, but at least I got a short escape!
It's ok to say it. "Holy Crap, that's a lot of yarn!" Yes, yes it is. I got everything on my list! The only impulse buy in there is some baby yarn in the way back. That's for baby hats. This is my haul for the year. In this pile is a sweater for Sean, cabled vests for next Easter for both boys, three pairs of socks, a sweater called 'February Lady" for me, a couple of Christmas/Birthday gifts and next year's mittens for the boys. I can't wait to start working on ALL of it! That's one thing about going to Webs...I always want to cast on a hundred things as soon as I get home!
After yarn shopping was lunch in Northampton and strolling around a bit, and of course, stopping for ice cream at Herrell's. Now it's all over and Webs is another year away. But hey, we all have the New England Fiber Festival to look forward to in six months!
My friend Maureen came down for the weekend to go to the sale, and ended up going home on Sunday morning. My kids LOVE her. That's because she plays with them and thinks they're as awesome as they think that she is. Will told me at bedtime last night that he wished Maureen lived closer so we could see her more often instead of living in Maine. Me too, buddy. He also made a keen observation that when Maureen and I get together we laugh like little girls at a sleepover. He's right about that.
This weekend with friends was just what I needed...it took away the stress of moving and packing for just a little bit. Now it's Monday and back to reality, but at least I got a short escape!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Movie Weekend
For the family that rarely sits thru a movie, it's been a Movie Weekend!
First, Brian and I saw Les Miserables on Friday night, finally! It was the first time I had seen it, though we have tickets to see it on stage in April. (Happy Anniversary to us!) It was fantastic! Well, except for the part of Russell Crowe playing the inspector. Hubby and I are in agreement, Russell Crowe is one hell of an actor, but he's not a singer. But Hugh Jackman? MAN! And Ann Hathaway too. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the inkeeper and the inkeeper's wife was spot on, too.
Then last night Tracy came over and I made chili for the three of us, and Tracy and I sat down and finally watched the last Harry Potter movie while Brian watched the Flyers on the other side of the house. I know that the rest of the world has aleady seen the movies and read the books. I enjoyed the movie, but the final death scene felt anticlimactic. The special effects were fantastic, though. Now I'm just sad because I have nothing Harry Potter left. :(
If there wasn't another Flyers game on tonight, I'd watch another movie. I need to get back to my "Five Classic Movies" list item.
First, Brian and I saw Les Miserables on Friday night, finally! It was the first time I had seen it, though we have tickets to see it on stage in April. (Happy Anniversary to us!) It was fantastic! Well, except for the part of Russell Crowe playing the inspector. Hubby and I are in agreement, Russell Crowe is one hell of an actor, but he's not a singer. But Hugh Jackman? MAN! And Ann Hathaway too. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the inkeeper and the inkeeper's wife was spot on, too.
Then last night Tracy came over and I made chili for the three of us, and Tracy and I sat down and finally watched the last Harry Potter movie while Brian watched the Flyers on the other side of the house. I know that the rest of the world has aleady seen the movies and read the books. I enjoyed the movie, but the final death scene felt anticlimactic. The special effects were fantastic, though. Now I'm just sad because I have nothing Harry Potter left. :(
If there wasn't another Flyers game on tonight, I'd watch another movie. I need to get back to my "Five Classic Movies" list item.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
My First Socks
53.
When I was a brand-new knitter back in 2008, socks were my Everest. I would watch people work on them on Wednesday nights at the coffee shop and say "Self, you are never going to be able to do that. It's just too hard. Stick to these garter-stitch scarves honey, they're more your speed." Honestly, I wasn't sure if this Day Zero List item would ever get done! I had already tried making socks at least twice, and giving up when the going got tough. But I did it!
The first thing I decided that I was doing wrong was starting an adult pair. By making them for the smallest member of the family (Sean) they came together quicker, making me feel like I was accomplishing something FAST. They are rife with mistakes, especially the first sock. The grafting is a bit wonky, and I love them anyway. These things will get better with time and practice.
As for practice, I already made a swatch last night to make a pair for myself. (We knitters are always looking ahead) This sock knitting thing may indeed become addictive!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
A Yarny Day.
Every six months has a trip of yarny goodness. I woke up this morning and BOOM! It was here...the New England Fiber Festival! A day of walking around with my friends and my mom, petting alpacas, perusing patterns and touching all that yarn. I came home with some lovely lavender-sage soap in a felted yarn bag, a skein or two of pretty, variegated yarns and some goodies for my birthday swap partner. Oh, and the people-watching. There's never a shortage of that at the NE Fiber Festival.
First, you observe everyone's handmade wearables. I saw some gorgeous shawls today, and more than one baby sweater that I almost died from the cuteness. BUT. There's the other side, the "how did you think that looked GOOD?" side. To each their own, though. Knitting is all about the creativity. And as the Yarn Harlot points out, "There are no knitting police." The other thing that always blows me away is how people can knit or crochet, walk and carry on a conversation at these things. I will never get there. I saw a woman knitting lace, and I even saw another woman SPINNING with a drop spindle as she walked along. She actually whacked my foot with the spindle...that's how I noticed.
I came home earlier than usual, with a small bag and tired feet from the walking. Mom and I spent some time knitting and hanging out while Hubby cooked dinner, her on a sweater and me on a sock. Yes, I am giving socks another try. This is my third try, and I'm trying to be smarter and starting a pair for the smallest member of my immediate family! Here's hoping that the third time's a charm!
All in all, a great day. And the NE Fiber Festival means something else....six months til the Tent Sale at Webs! :)
First, you observe everyone's handmade wearables. I saw some gorgeous shawls today, and more than one baby sweater that I almost died from the cuteness. BUT. There's the other side, the "how did you think that looked GOOD?" side. To each their own, though. Knitting is all about the creativity. And as the Yarn Harlot points out, "There are no knitting police." The other thing that always blows me away is how people can knit or crochet, walk and carry on a conversation at these things. I will never get there. I saw a woman knitting lace, and I even saw another woman SPINNING with a drop spindle as she walked along. She actually whacked my foot with the spindle...that's how I noticed.
I came home earlier than usual, with a small bag and tired feet from the walking. Mom and I spent some time knitting and hanging out while Hubby cooked dinner, her on a sweater and me on a sock. Yes, I am giving socks another try. This is my third try, and I'm trying to be smarter and starting a pair for the smallest member of my immediate family! Here's hoping that the third time's a charm!
All in all, a great day. And the NE Fiber Festival means something else....six months til the Tent Sale at Webs! :)
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Dye Baby, Dye
Last year we boiled dye on the stove, and threw the yarn into the pot. Well....I put the yarn into the boiling water and added the dye, and some of the powder worked directly into the yarn, making it a dark royal purple in some spots. This year my mom (who came with us) found a great website that had a formula table on ratios of Kool-Aid flavors in order to achieve the color that you wanted your yarn to be. Also, I spent some time on Pinterest and found a website that showed how to make your yarn look like it had been kettle-dyed using a casserole dish instead of a pot on the stove.
First, the yarn has to soak for half an hour. We piled all of our yarns up in Kristina's sink for a group soak.
After that we worked in groups, since there's only four burners on the stove. Before long, the whole house smelled like Kool-Aid, sweet and fruity. It was awesome. :)
I had purchased two skeins of fingering-weight wool/silk blend for this. After doing some perusing, I decided on a 5:1 ratio of Pink Lemonade and Black Cherry. Meet "Cherry Lemonade!" I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this yet, there's 720 yards so I'm thinking a lace shawl.
Warning: yarn dyeing is addictive. Kristina let me have two skeins of wool that she wasn't using (Thank you, Kristina!) so I decided to dye them blue. I used five parts berry blast to one part grape. Say hello to "Surf's Up!" It's about 400 yards of worsted weight yarn....perhaps a sweater for Sean.
Mom used some fingering weight merino wool and a packet each of lemon-lime and orange, the yarn turned this lovely kiwi color. She loves it, and is going to use the 800 yards or so to make a swanky shawl.
All of our yarns hanging to dry in the shower.....so pretty together.
What a fun day! I'm going to get some more bare yarn at the New England Fiber Festival in November, hopefully we can do this as an annual event. And hmmmm....I think I might have just found the way that I am going to dye Easter Eggs next year.
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