Bad Knittng vs. No Knitting

Every night this week I was really proud of myself because no matter how tired I was, I still managed to get some knitting done. Just a few rows here and a few rows there. I had been so tired that no knitting was getting done at all for a while. The other night, I thought, this row looks a little off, but I was too tired to figure it out so I put it away and quickly fell into a TV coma. Then this afternoon, while waiting for a rainstorm to pass before a bike ride, I pulled out my knitting to get a few rows done. However I quickly realized that something was amiss. Instead of the 22 stitches that should have been on the needles, there were 46! Yes, more than double the amount for the pattern. How that happened is beyond me. Obviously, my few tired nights of a few rows there and few row here took a turn for the horribly worse. So I ripped back several, several rows and am now knitting with some nicely caffeinated Diet Coke.

Mystery Project....

I've started working on a new project. It's fun, it's pretty and it's a surprise for someone dear! That's all I'm saying now....

How does your garden grow?

Hopefully pretty damn well! I finally got around to planting my container garden this weekend. I have to say, I'm pretty excited for this years crop! We'll have lettuce, cherry tomatoes, rosemary, oregano, basil, parsley and zucchini. Oh, and I planted lavender because I just love it!

Hopefully Mother Nature will give me a little help with this! I'll keep you updated throughout the growing season...

A great combo!

I came across this - OK, I get a newsletter from the Jane Austen Centre in Bath and this was in it - but it's worth sharing. As a fan of the band Keane and Jane Austen movies, it's just brilliant! Enjoy!

Ahoy Matey!

We had our first sailing lesson this weekend! It's something we've talked about doing since we moved to Seattle, so for a first year anniversary gift to ourselves, we said why not! We are taking the lessons at the Center for Wooden Boats in South Lake Union. If you've never been there, I highly suggest checking it out! It's a pretty interesting place to visit and there is always someone there working on a boat or two. Like knitters, when asked about their project, they are always glad to chat about their obsession - I mean hobby.

Our first class was "shore school." Just stayed on dry land and learned a few sailing terms like keel, line, boom. Next week, we head out onto Lake Union for our first of seven hands on sailing lessons! I'll keep you updated.

The spring crud

It's going around and I'm the latest victim. Actually I've been sick for several days now. And I'm sick of being sick. Luckily I've had my clapotis to keep me company. I'm almost finished with the first skein and ready to move onto the second one - so exciting!

I also realized it's been nearly three months since I've bought yarn. I think I deserve a little treat this weekend. I'm sure the doctor would agree.

Ah....public transportation

On a recent sunny and beautiful afternoon, I was waiting at my bus stop for my ride home. I wasn't on the phone, Ipod or reading my book. I was just simply soaking up the sun, waiting for my bus. So when it came, I hopped on at the back door (it was one of those long articulated buses) and found a seat. I pulled out the Ipod and book and quickly became engrossed in finishing my book. Soon I realized that the bus was going pretty fast for a neighborhood street. I looked up to figure out when my stop was coming along only too see a building address with "Aurora" in the name. Then, we were crossing the Aurora bridge. I was on the wrong damn bus. I had gotten on the express instead of the local. I could have sworn there wasn't an express sign, but apparently the sunlight was rather distracting.

So I calmly put away my Ipod and book, got my bus pass and decided to act cool. I hoped off at the first possible stop, trying to figure out just where the hell I was and how I was going to get home. But as I was trying to figure out my own situation, as couple came up to me who also got off the bus. The woman had a map and a very thick accent. They were foreign tourists who had made the same mistake I had. She was pointing to her map and to the roads. I basically told them to get back on another bus and head downtown and start over. Then I called Rebecca. She - luckily had taken the day off because she had just ran the Vancouver Half - she answered and I said:

Me: "You can totally make fun of me, but I need your help."
Her: "Ah.......yes?"
Me: "I got on the wrong bus and I need you to pick me."
Her: Hysterical laughter.

So once we figured out where I was (turned out, not that too far away from her place), she came and picked me up- still laughing. But then she confessed that she's done this too. I guess I am now a true bus commuter.

Catching my breath

For some reason, it's been another couple of busy weeks around here. Too much working, not enough working out, and even sadder, very little knitting. In fact, the hubby even noticed my lack of knitting the other night and wondered if everything was alright. That's not good. The most action my knitting has seen in recent weeks is this: I pull it out and put it on the coffee table next to the recliner. Then I get all comfy, and realize, I'm really freakin' tired. So I veg out in front of the TV. The next night, I move the knitting bag from the table next to the recliner on to the couch, where I proceed to get all comfy, and realize, I'm really freakin' tired. You get the picture right. In fact, the quickest I've moved all week (because the workouts haven't been happening either) is when I came in to the t.v. room and found the hubby laying on the couch, on top of my knitting bag! I grabbed it while yelling "My knitting!" Luckily, it was just the clapotis and not the socks with the small, sharp pointy needles, although, that would have taught him a good lesson!

So this weekend is all about catching up on life, knitting and me. I did get some knitting done on both the sock and the clapotis. In fact, I'm at the first point to drop the stitches! It's very exciting and scary as dropping stitches is always something I've tried not to do. So far, so good.

Oh, and I snapped this pretty picture the other day. I though you all might like it. It truly represents springtime here in Seattle: raining on one street, sunny on the next.