Babymoon

The view from our porch

 
Why hello!
 
Yes, sadly, we are back to normal life once again.  Our 6 days in Maui almost seem like a distant memory already, though it was only a mere few weeks ago when we set foot on that sun-kissed isle.  Every time I arrive on Maui, or any of the Hawaiian islands (and yes – I know I’m incredibly lucky to be able to say “every time”) I am instantly transported by the tropical sun, palm trees, white sand, and bronze-skinned locals, to a timeline that could have been.  Once there was a girl who dreamed of a carefree life not her own; if only she had the guts to make the leap, the confidence to turn wishful thinking into reality.  I entertain these thoughts quietly upon each visit, wondering if we could make it work even now.  I could get a job at a luau shakin’ it for the tourists and R. Darling could spend his days at the beach spearing fish for supper and pretending not to look at the local hotties while working on his tan.  But under the mystique of island life and the glossy tourist facade, lies a place rife with poverty and an astronomical cost of living.  So we settle instead for an exotic sampling every few years or so and then make our way back home with happy memories, gaudy beach towels, and smatterings of sand packed in our bags to remind us of time well spent and much enjoyed.
 

An unusual rainbow

 
Given that I was just over 5 1/2 months pregnant during our trip, and that it was our second time in Maui, we didn’t plan anything too strenuous for ourselves.  We had chosen to stay in a condo this time instead of a hotel and were instantly pleased to have made the decision as it was quite like staying in an apartment but with many of the wonderful amenities that come with staying in a hotel.  Because our digs were so cozy, we found it easy to laze away our mornings and even our afternoons just dozing, sitting on our ocean-view porch (so glad we paid extra for that!), or reading inside when it got too hot outdoors.  The weather was somewhat uncooperative when it came to swimming as the winds were rather high while we were there, but the intermittent rain didn’t bother us at all.  With temperatures in the mid to upper 70’s and low 80’s, the rain was actually kind of a nice contrast to the heat.  We were rewarded with rainbows the first 3 days of our visit due to the showers and the one pictured above especially fascinated me.  It was situated directly over the surface of the ocean, quite close to the shore, and I can say I have never in my entire life seen anything like it.  Truly spectacular!
 

Giving the palm trees a haircut

 
One lazy mid-morning after breakfast on our balcony, there seemed to be a quite a lot of commotion going on down below on the grounds of the building.  Peering curiously, and vertiginously, over the edge we spotted several workers beginning their ascent of the assorted palm trees surrounding the pool area.  We watched them climb fearlessly up these palms, swaying in the somewhat stiff breeze, with nothing to keep them safe save the spikes on their boots and a single chain attached to their waists.  I watched, both fascinated and increasingly queasy, as each man swung his giant machete lopping off huge limbs and tossing them down to the velvety grass below.  Over and over they climbed up, chopped and hacked, then made the trip back down. And on each return trip I sighed with relief knowing that they would be safe on solid ground and their families would be able to welcome them home that night with laughter and a warm meal.  Until, there was one remaining palm.  The palm directly in front of our balcony, 9 stories up.  It swayed more heavily than the others, its rubbery trunk set in motion by the winds that picked up throughout the day.  The picture above shows the poor man whose job it was to trim this beast of a tree.  Did they draw straws to choose who would have to wrestle with this leviathan?  I could see him almost directly in front of us as he casually went to work sweating in the sunshine.  And once he made his trip back down I remembered how to breathe.
 

Can you see my baby belly?

 
As I mentioned, we spent a lot of our time lazing, but we did make it to the beach several days for some swimming and snorkeling.  Maybe you can tell by the face I’m making in my photo up there, but I was absolutely miserable this day.  It was the first day we went swimming and I was wearing a new maternity swimsuit that we purchased in Maui seeing as it wasn’t exactly the best time to find a swimsuit here on the mainland.  Without going into any TMI gross-me-out kinda detail, let’s just say my skin is uber-sensitive these days.  And what doesn’t feel so bad to the fingertips can be excruciating in other places.  I thought I could live with an itchy swimsuit, but it turns out, I really can’t.  I tried everything and frustrated, finally resorted to cutting out the lining on my tankini top.  Ah, so much better.  Who woulda thunk it?
 

Say "Howzit!"

 
Our best day of snorkeling came with an early morning and some crappy weather. This pretty much guarantees the tourists will stay home.  But not us – we love adventure!  By just before 9 AM we had found ourselves a nice parking spot in one of ten public parking spots near the Sheraton (where we stayed on our honeymoon). Black Rock in front of the hotel is one of the best snorkeling spots on the West side of Maui, or so we’ve been told, and we’re inclined to agree.  The wind made it difficult to spread out our mats and towels, and the lack of sun wasn’t exactly picturesque, but the water felt just fine and the fish rewarded us with plentiful attention.
 

A Pufferfish!

 

Unicornfish

 
The most wonderful part of the day was being able to swim with a turtle.  It made the whole $36 snorkel gear rental completely and totally worth it.  We had the good fortune to swim with one for quite a while when we were in Kona a few years back, and we felt incredibly lucky to get to do it again here on Maui.  Later in the day he apparently made his way back, quite close to shore, and the resultant swarming horde of snorkeling tourists made us feel rather sorry for Mr. Turtle.  We were glad to have had a more private glimpse of him earlier on.
 

Mr. Honu

 
On our last day we treated ourselves to a lovely dinner and show at the Hyatt called Cirque Polynesia.  We decided to splurge a little and pay for the show package that included dinner and, honestly, I almost enjoyed the dinner more than the show.  Though the show was quite spectacular, it really wasn’t nearly as glamorous and big-budget as the Vegas productions we’ve seen.  Perhaps if we hadn’t been spoiled with the “real” thing, it would have been a wee bit more exciting.  But having dinner on the veranda in front of the Hyatt with my sweetheart, while watching the sun sink into the ocean, was possibly one of the most romantic things we’ve done in a long time.  A fitting end to our Babymoon.
 
Though our traveling days aren’t over forever, the time with just the two of us is fast coming to an end.  It’s bittersweet because, as much as I cherish the trips we’ve taken and the time we’ve had as a couple, the arrival of our little one is going to be a journey that will outstrip everything else we’ve ever seen and done in our lifetimes.  And it will be wonderful!  But best of all, it’s a journey will be taking together, one step at a time.

 

Last Day

Goodbye flowers from my work "family"

 
Wow, so I like totally forgot how this whole blogging thing works.  It’s amazing what you lose once you stop doing something consistently!
 
Today was my last day of work.  I’m 5.5 months along now and it feels like time for some rest and relaxation before my real work begins.  Everyone keeps joking about my “retirement”, but really, my work is only just about to begin!  It was bittersweet saying goodbye today.  Though I’m happy to be moving onto a new phase in my life, and grateful that I get the chance to do it at my own pace without having to worry about going to a job every single day when I’m exhausted and worried about other things, I really am going to miss my good friends at work.  I’ve been with them for a very long time now (years!) and they feel more like friends and family than simply co-workers.  Though we say we’ll stay in touch and still see each other, I know it won’t be the same.  It never really is.  But I have a good feeling we’ll at least give it a try and that’s comforting.
 
Speaking of friends, one of my very special bloggy friends has recently moved her blog!  My pal formerly at Knit One, Blog Too, has now newly re-opened her bloggy over at Knitting Up North.  Please stop by and welcome her to her new corner of bloggyland!  She never fails to make me laugh and inspire me with her beautiful knitting projects, darling stories about her 2 little girls, and now – lovely forays into the spinning world.  I hope you’ll visit and admire her projects and enjoy her wit as I do :)
 
Thanks so much to everyone who commented on my big announcement!  I am sorry that I haven’t had the chance to write back each and every one of you as of yet, but I surely will just as soon as things slow down here (which I hope will happen sometime soon….).  September was (and always is) a crazy month for us and I wasn’t home much, not to mention still struggling with morning sickness (ha! it’s not just for mornings!), and trying to work without passing out from exhaustion.  But I’m doing much better now and I hope to be in touch with each of you very soon.  I do so much appreciate all of your kind thoughts and congratulations as well as sticking with me through all the recent gaps in my bloggy history.  I hope to be back up and running at some kind of normal “schedule” soon.  I kinda remember saying I might not be back here again, but I guess I just can’t keep away ;)  Besides, I’m pretty sure that I’m going to need some human interaction very soon.  Being at home all day every day is likely to make me a little stir crazy!
 
But first, to celebrate all the good things, we are headed to Maui!  Hooray!  I’ll be back soon with pics and until then I hope you are all staying well & healthy!

 

New

New day….

New year….

New life….

New path….

I am one year older today.  Whether I am also one year wiser is….we-e-e-ll…debatable.  There have been a lot of changes in my life this summer as I’m sure you’ve picked up on, what with the deafening sound of crickets here at the bloggy.  Of course, that’s assuming anyone is still reading and I’m not so keen on myself as to think there is anyone left.  But just in case there is, I figure I got some ’splainin to do.

In the last two months I’ve gained six pounds and lost my waistline.  I’ve quit knitting and blogging and pretty much ceased all internet activity except for that which I’m obligated to do.  I read like a fiend and sleep as much as possible.  I’m sick a lot but still find myself hungry several times a day.  I find it hard to fit everything into a day that I used to and my clothes don’t fit anymore.  My wedding ring is getting tight on my finger and I look in the mirror and wonder how much bigger I’ll get.  March seems a long way away but in other ways not long enough.

Have you guessed my secret yet?  My big news?  Yes, that’s right.  In about 5 months from now, we will be celebrating the arrival of our very own Knittymunchkin :)  I’m due March 9 and I’m completely petrified.  But excited too.

Needless to say, my life is going to change even more in the next few months and for the next couple years.  I’m not really interested in talking about any of this life changing stuff here at the blog and I don’t anticipate that changing for a while, but just in case I change my mind someday in the future, I’m not deleting this space just yet.  Who knows, maybe I’ll need some kind of outlet when I’m home with the baby after his/her arrival (I’ll be staying at home and quitting my job as early as November this year).  But until that day arrives, I just want to thank each and every one of you who has stopped by and taken the time to leave a comment or share a moment of kindness.  I’m sincerely grateful to all of you for your friendships throughout the last 3 years and I hope that this isn’t goodbye forever.  You each have given me something special throughout my blogging “career” and I hope that you know I cherish each and every one of you!  Thanks for always  being there!

Until we meet again…..

 

Snow In July

The morning before last, I awoke at 4 AM with an insistent bladder.  No, I thought.  It’s too early.  Go back to sleep. I tried to roll over, but it was no use.  So I got up and took care of business, then snuggled back into my warm bed to get another couple hours of sleep.  Except that’s not what happened.  I tossed and turned, snippets of stupid songs I hate and to-do lists swirling around in my mind.  I even tried counting, which works on rare occasions for me, but to no avail.  Then, as luck would have it, I finally fell asleep.  My alarm would go off 15 minutes later.  Ugh.  But not before I had a dream that it had snowed overnight.  Like, a foot of snow, in July.  And in my dream I was so excited that I’d have something to blog about that I ran outside, took a photo, and wrote a blog post titled “WTF”.
 
So, it didn’t snow for real.  But if it had, I could have whipped out this sweater I made for Warm Woolies (my second for the 10 for 10 Challenge) that I finished over the weekend and it would have kept me nice and toasty.  Instead, I hope it will warm some other girl who really needs it in an orphanage somewhere.  That it will cheer her up on cold days, and that she’ll know someone somewhere far away cares enough to send her a woolen hug.  She might even have snow in July where she lives.
 

 

 

Pattern: Mystery Sweater by Christiane Burkhard (on Ravelry here)

Yarn: 7.4 skeins of Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Seconds in “RPM Pink”

Needles: Size 9 – 24″ bamboo circs and size 9 – 40″ Knit Picks Harmony Interchangeables

Mods:  None really, except taking some liberties with how many stitches to pick up around armholes and neck opening (my numbers didn’t match those established in the pattern)

New Techniques: Zip. Zero. Nada.  Although this is my first time knitting a sweater in the round, 3 needle binding off the shoulders & then picking up stitches around the armholes to knit the sleeves in the round from the top down.  It’s an interesting design.

Time Lapse: May 24, 2009 – July 11, 2009

Comments: I really enjoyed knitting this sweater and I put as much care into it as I would have if it was going to be mine.  The decorative trim at the hem, sleeve cuffs, and bust area kept my attention but didn’t make me crazy with too much chart reading.  The pattern was straightforward and easy to follow and I’m really happy with the result.  I might even make one in the next smaller size down (this was the adult small size) as my next 10 for 10 sweater.  A really great knit!

 

Friday Fill-In #132

Lovely new Lacey Lamb from last weekend's sale at my LYS

 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Friday Fill-In #132
(get yours here)
 

1. The last thing I ate was leftover Thai food from last night and a few sweettarts.

2. Yarn is something I recently bought.

3. When it rains, it makes me so happy that I don’t have to water my garden!

4. My sweet hubby was the first person I talked to today.

5. Hugs are the nectar of life.

6. When I’m feeling really sad I hug my old teddy bear for extra comfort.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to spending time with my hubby, tomorrow my plans include going to work briefly and picking up a loaner car (mine’s in the shop – ugh) and Sunday, I want to relax and cross a few things off my to-do list!

 

Have a fantastic weekend Bloggy Peeps!

 

What Not To Wear

Whenever I see someone dressed inappropriately for trail use I laugh to myself just a little inside.  I mean, what were they thinking when they put on a skirt, some heels and a hoochie top, and then went for a walk?  It’s not like the parks around here have nice level boardwalks or smooth paved lanes.  We have dips, hollows, mud puddles, rocks and tree roots all lurking to trip you up.  Not to mention nettles and devil’s club, waiting to attack bare flesh.  But Sunday, in the name of the blog, I became one of those people not dressed for either the climate or the technicality of trail activities.  I could see people laughing inside as I walked by. But it’s all good.  I knew I had a purpose.  And maybe those other people I used to giggle at did too, though I think that perhaps their purpose was to try to look hot without somehow breaking a leg.  To each her own!
 

Click me for a larger photo

R. Darling was feeling creative....

 

Pattern: Bell-Sleeved Scoop-Neck Top from Glam Knits by Stefanie Japel (on Ravelry here)

Yarn: 4 hanks of Blue Sky Alpacas Brushed Suri in “Pink Lemonade”

Needles: Size 10.5 – 24″ addi turbos & Knit Picks Harmony interchangeables, size 9 – 24″ KP Harmony Interchangeables & size 7 – 24″ bamboo circulars

Mods:  Worked 1 extra repeat of eyelet pattern at bottom edge for added length, worked extra rows of eyelet trim around neckline to lessen depth

New Techniques: Not really, except I’d never knit a sweater with vertical bust shaping before

Time Lapse: March 11, 2009 – June 19, 2009

Comments:

First a note about the yarn.  There’s an error in the book.  You do not need 9 hanks of yarn to make the smallest size.  I used 4 but had purchased 10.  Oy.  The good thing is, I can knit a whole extra sweater most likely so the small fortune I spent won’t go completely to waste.  This yarn is absolutely sinful once it’s knit up, but I didn’t enjoy the process in the least.  I would say this is very “technical” yarn.  It’s furry, it catches, and I found myself with the tendency to drop stitches or knit two together without even realizing I’d done it.  I had to resort to counting stitches on every single row of knitting, to prevent from having to go back and fix mistakes.  And forget frogging.  It looks like a mess if you attempt to rip it out for any distance.  The alternative benefit is that, if you do make a mistake, no one will ever notice.
 

 
As for my overall opinion of this sweater, I’m not particularly happy with it.  It feels gorgeous to wear and I will probably keep it just because it feels nice.  I think the problem is most likely the ease.  I tend to like 2-3 inches of negative ease in my sweaters and this has about 1 inch which totally doesn’t work for me.  I feel fat in it and it makes me look dumpy.  Because it’s so “full” it doesn’t go with anything I own.  I admit, I had a clue it might turn out this way but didn’t want to frog back all that expensive yarn knowing it would look like crap afterwards and be possibly useless.  If I were to knit it again (and I could since I bought twice as much yarn as necessary) I would use smaller needles to adjust the size and possibly add more shaping.  I would probably add even more trim to the neckline as well, or even adjust the depth as I was knitting.  It’s just way too indecent and I think a camisole underneath might just spoil the look.  On a side note, I think the pictures in the book are highly deceptive.  The way the lights are shone on the model, you never see that the back of the sweater is rather loose.  The picture makes it look much more fitted than it is in reality.  The neckline appears much higher than it turns out to be as well.  Just sayin’ in case you think you’d like to make one yourself.  Maybe in a different yarn, with less drape, it would turn out differently.  I still like the design and the idea of how it should look, just not how my version turned out.
 

And where would we be without an outtake?

 

The traditional outtake

 

Hope your projects are coming along nicely!

 

Friday Fill-In #131 – Saturday 4th of July Edition

Today's Knitting Project - Another Warm Woolies Mystery Sweater

 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Friday Fill-In #131
(get yours here)
 

1. When I heard an M-80 at 2 AM last night I was totally incredulous and really kinda pissed.

2. Laughter is most definitely the best medicine.  But sometimes retail therapy goes a long way too ;)

3. It’s late, but I’m still being sort of lazy today.

4. Be good to those you love always.

5. My eyes have seen plenty of change in my hometown; some good, some bad.

6. I strongly hope that all of you have a wonderful 4th of July!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to knitting with my pooch, and Sunday, I want to try to get some photos of Pink Fluffy taken!
 

Happy 4th and Happy Weekend Bloggy Peeps!

 

A Churchmouse, A Hilltop and One Bad Woman

I have to apologize in advance for what will most certainly be a boring post.  The subject matter, though far from boring, will most likely not be elevated by my current lukewarm attitude towards writing and blogging.  Which is sad, really, because I had such a lovely day last Saturday with Troy on our own personal LYS mini-tour.  He deserves a much better account of our day shopping together down south and I think that’s why I have hesitated to blog about it yet, hoping that I would find some inspiration to write something deserving of the amount of fun I had on our trip.  But I will do my best and I’ll just tell you and Troy in advance that I had one of the best days ever hanging out with him last Saturday, whether or not you can tell from what I post.  Right up there with kissing alpacas ;)
 
Our day dawned bright and early.  Troy picked me up around 7:15 AM and while R. Darling was out working hard for his money, I was just getting prepared to spend some of mine.  After a quick stop for coffee crack and pastries at the local Starbucks, we hit the highway headed for the Bainbridge Island Ferry.  Our first stop was going to be Churchmouse Yarns & Teas on the island and I was supremely excited.  Troy had amped me up by showing me this blog post he’d found and ever since then, we’d both been trying to figure out the soonest we could possibly go visit.  On the ferry we chatted & knit, me on my mystery sweater for Warm Woolies, and Troy on his scarf from our Luxury Yarn Retreat back in the spring.  Before we knew it, we were there and looking for a parking spot.  The shop isn’t too far from the ferry dock, but finding parking takes a bit on a sunny Saturday.  But we scored a great spot right in front of Churchmouse and made our way inside. (Just a note – I think I’ve finally figured out the clickable photo thing, so all of today’s photos can be viewed larger except for the yarn pics.)
 

Troy entering the tour's first stop

 
I was stunned at the visual beauty and sheer amount of yarn in this place.  Yet, with the huge variety of yarn present, you never got the feeling that it was crowded in there.  And it wasn’t as if this was a gigantic shop or anything, they just have a very keen sense of space and aesthetic.  We were sort of dazed at first, not knowing where to start but wanting to look at everything all at once.  So we split up.  I only took one measly photo because I always feel weird taking photos in yarn shops, as if someone will come sprinting from the back room and tackle me the instant I point my camera at something.  Why do I feel that shops are off limits to photography?  I wish I could get rid of that feeling.  But I did look around surreptitiously about four times to make sure someone wasn’t giving me the eye, and managed to sneakily shoot this photo so you could see just how lovely the displays were inside the shop.  (Psst – go to that blog post I mentioned up above for better photos.  He’s obviously not afraid to take them!)
 

Gorgeous Churchmouse displays

 
I think we spent perhaps an hour petting yarn, looking at patterns, admiring the sensibility of the place.  There was a lovely gentleman there who was quite friendly and extra solicitous.  I am not used to that much personal attention in a yarn shop, but he was kind and really interesting to chat with.  I wondered if we were getting some special attention because he’d seen me snap my photo and thought perhaps we were important yarn folk of some kind.  Either way, it was a lovely shop and I’m so glad we made the trip over to see it!  Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed will be there teaching at some point towards the end of summer and I’m betting Troy will find his way back there since he enjoys Jared’s blog so much :)  So here’s what I bought at Churchmouse….
 

2 Hanks of Curious Creek Omo in "Birches in Norway"

 

1 Hank of Malabrigo Sock in "Rayon Vert"

 
Lovely new yarn in hand, my stomach started to grumble.  We decided that rather than eat in Bainbridge Island, we’d try to catch the next ferry back to Seattle and find some place to eat closer to our next stop which would be Hilltop Yarns.  I think we missed the ferry we’d hoped to catch, but stayed in line for the next sailing so as to be sure we wouldn’t miss the next one.  Ferries can be hard to catch on sunny Saturdays in the PNW.
 

The New Hilltop Yarns

 
Back on the ferry, we knit on our projects again and then disembarked and drove around quite a bit (no, not lost!) looking for the way to Queen Anne.  Troy, not being your typical guy, finally stopped and asked for directions and it turns out we were quite close to the shop after all.  Spotting it on the corner of the block, we drove around until we found a parking spot about a block behind it and then made our way up to the shop.  It was much smaller than we’d expected from all the hype, but still nice inside.  To their credit, they were moving the week before we arrived and I’m sure things felt very up in the air for them.  We browsed a little and though I had hoped to find some Hazel Knits Rogues, I was disappointed.  Perhaps at Hilltop East in Bellevue I might have found what I was looking for.  But I did find one color that she hasn’t had in her Etsy shop until the big update on Friday June 26 (at which I scored 3 new colors: Strawberry Lemonade, Stick o Butter & Blacklight).
 

Meet "Lipstick 1984"

 
By the time we finished browsing Hilltop, we were starving.  I don’t know if any of you familiar with the Queen Anne area of Seattle have ever noticed this, but I swear that you could throw a rock, blindfolded, any direction in this area and hit an Asian eatery of some kind.  There are sushi places next to Thai places, next to Asian bistros, next to Japanese places, next to more sushi places.  It was crazy.  I could totally dig it.  We ended up choosing Thai food and boy am I glad that we stopped there.  Orrapin was perhaps the best Thai restaurant I’ve ever been to. Sorry On Rice, but I believe there’s a new standard for you to live up to.  They first served us with a delicious cabbage and broth soup with just a hint of spice, and then our entrees came quickly after.  I had ginger chicken and Troy had yellow curry.  Everything tasted so good I ate until I thought I might burst, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to take it home with me as I normally would.  But still, there was room for coffee afterwards of course!  We filled our caffeine tanks at Caffe Ladro and then began our way home.
 
Commenting on the exorbitant traffic which we assumed was just a normal Saturday in Seattle, we came across a charming old building on the side of the street.  As traffic had slowed to a standstill (which we later found out was due to the Solstice Fair in Fremont) we had the chance to look more closely at what turned out to be one of the best stops of our day.  I desperately wanted to stop but didn’t want to make Troy go if he wasn’t interested.  He said, I kinda want to go in.  And I answered with, It does look cool.  And then, We’re kind of passing it. Then he said, I think we should go in.  So we turned into Wallingford Center, parked and headed inside where we were greeted by one of the most glorious sights I have ever seen – CUPCAKES!
 

Simply Sweet Trophy Cupcakes

 
We decided we would most definitely have to come back for those because I had noticed on the shop directory that we were in the presence of yarn!  With a wistful backward glance at Trophy Cupcakes, we made a beeline for Bad Woman Yarn.  Which, incidentally, was the yarn shop I’d expected to see when I went on my trip to Manzanita, Oregon last summer, but which had been replaced by the T-spot Yarn shop instead.  I found out today that it’s the exact same shop, just moved north!
 

Bad Woman Yarn - Not So Bad At All!

 
The shop owner asked, as we stepped into the shop, “Did you get a good picture?”  I said I hoped so, but it turns out I didn’t take too many great photos that day.  But you get the idea.  I felt guilty carrying my iced coffee in there, but he didn’t seem to mind, just whistled along to the bluegrass playing in the background.  This shop had quite a selection of yarns I’d never seen before and some I’d heard of but had never seen in person, much as Churchmouse had.  We amused ourselves walking through the extensive sale section and up and down the many aisles of cubbies filled with yarn. I could have easily spent much more than I did, but I was trying to be good that day (and there were still cupcakes to buy!) so I limited myself to 4 hanks of Malabrigo Chunky in Pollen and a Norah Gaughan booklet.  Both the owner and the gal in line behind me wanted to know what I was going to make.  I said I didn’t know – maybe a scarf, or a hat and a cowl, or a hat and some mitts (any of you Malabrigo Junkies have some good ideas for something more exciting?).  All I knew was, whatever I ended up making, it was going to be something that would cheer me up on a cloudy day!  Somehow I still ended up spending more than Troy in this shop though (How is that possible, Troy?).
 

Buttery Malabrigo in "Pollen"

 
After Bad Woman, we made our way to one of the coolest pharmacies I’ve ever been to called Pharmaca, and an all handmade shop called Amita.  I would have loved to buy so many things in the handmade shop but honestly, $100 for a skirt?  I really can’t afford that, no matter how cute it is and how much I’d love to support someone making things with their hands.  After much browsing, we finally went back upstairs to get in line for our cupcakes. Would you believe that there were now at least 15 people waiting in line for cupcakes?  At least there were still Red Velvet cupcakes on the available list.  That was all I really cared about. I have never tried one and everyone is always raving about the Red Velvet, so I figured here was my perfect chance.  Halfway through our wait, I felt my chances of tasting this cupcake wonder slip away as Red Velvet was removed from the list.  No!!  It can’t be!  But faith was restored moments later as a new batch of Red Velvet arrived.  I bought 2, one for me and one for R. Darling who I was hoping, wouldn’t want his so I could have two all for myself.  Turns out, he wanted his after all, but that’s o.k. :)  I’m afraid my picture of it turned out terrible, so no Red Velvet goodness for you, but you can see what it looks like on the Trophy Cupcakes site.  Mine is long gone.  It was good, but I don’t get the hype really.  Still, I can say I’ve had one and I might enjoy learning how to make them myself someday.
 
Well what do you know? I guess I had a lot more in my verbiage tank than I’d expected! Hope you enjoyed the small glimpse of our lovely mini-tour of Seattle area LYS’s. And many special thanks to Troy for such a lovely day last Saturday! I had a truly wonderful time with you :)

 

I Think An Alpaca Slipped Me The Tongue

And it might have been a girl alpaca too.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Last Thursday I mentioned that R. Darling was taking me away for a much needed surprise weekend getaway.  It was so nice to have that prospect to look forward to at the end of the week!  So when Friday morning rolled around, we put on our workout clothes and loaded up R.Darling’s kayak on the truck to take to Sterling’s shop.  R. Darling needed a few repairs done on it in time for his next kayaking foray (which happens to be tomorrow) and the shop is close enough that we could take it in quickly on our way to our workout.  Fridays are “long run” days on R. Darling’s marathon workout training schedule so after dropping off the kayak we headed for one of the amazing trails scattered around our town and put in a 6 mile run (I rode my bike).  After cleaning up, packing an overnight bag (and some knitting of course!), we left the house and made a beeline for our favorite coffee stand.

Cool, overpriced, tasty coffee drink in hand, we hit the highway.  All I knew about the day’s activities was that there were creatures involved, it didn’t cost much, and R. Darling had “no idea there was anything like this here”.  My first thought was a whale-watching tour, but since those aren’t cheap and there are tons of them around here, that was sort of out of the question.  Imagine my surprise when I found out we were going to The Outback!  The Outback Christmas Tree & Kangaroo Farm, that is, not the restaurant.  Creatures!  Hooray!  We arrived just in time for the 2 PM tour, paid our $8 each, and wandered around seeing what we could see before the tour started.
 

Awww.... what's more precious than baby duckies?

 
There were several peacocks in the yard, as well as these adorable little ducklings, and it was all I could do to resist snagging one and kidnapping it.  But cute little baby ducks grow into big ducks and we all know what that means – big poops and a lot of biting.  Nobody wants that.
 
The tour started with a cute little introduction and feeding of the resident lemur family, and then we headed back to the wallaby homes.  After everyone received a piece of bread to feed the wallabies with, we were led inside the enclosure and introduced to each wallaby in turn.  I wanted to tuck one of these little guys into my bag too, they were so adorable.  When you feed them they take the bread so gingerly and snuffle your fingers for more afterwards, sitting still for pets and cooing.  It was so amazing to be able to get so close to such an exotic creature!
 

A sweet boy wallaby

 
Next, our tour guide tried to wake up “Kangaroo Jack” a young male kangaroo that had been born at the farm.  After poking, prodding, and even good-naturedly wiggling his appendages (gently of course), he finally stood up for us and allowed us to come over and feed and pet him.  Amazingly, kangaroo fur is even softer than wallaby fur and dense and downy like a rabbit’s.  I expected it to be more coarse than that, and was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn’t a bit like I’d imagined.  We also learned that kanagroos have developed a permanent squint due to the bright glare in their natural environment.  What I mistook for a sleepy roo was actually how he protects himself from the sun.  I learn something new every day!
 

Not sleepy, just squinting

 
Next, we were introduced to their Patagonian Cavy (or Mara) which is a large relative of the guinea pig.  This creature was a bit more shy and would come close for bread, but wouldn’t tolerate any petting or too much closeness.  It had the skinniest legs I’ve ever seen on a creature of this size.  No idea how it supports itself on those!
 

Meet the Patagonian Cavy

 
After the exotic creatures we met some more pedestrian creatures, though they were no less fun to feed than the exotic ones.  There were miniature donkeys, pygmy goats, regular goats, emus (too mean to feed!), and a variety of other farm animals.
 

Hey, does that shirt look familiar Ravelry fans?

 
Last but not least, me met Fuzzy Butt and Mr. T, the farm’s friendliest alpacas.  We were told to take a food pellet, place it between our lips, and kiss the alpacas!  I missed one critical part of the instructions though – pick a long pellet.  Needless to say, mine was rather short and Fuzzy Butt got a little familiar.
 

Aren't you going to buy me dinner first?

 
Not one to be outdone, Mr. T decided he needed a kiss too.  The tour guide assured me that Mr. T would be much more gentle to me than Fuzzy Butt, and he was right.  I barely felt him take the pellet from my lips.
 

Aw, Mr. T., you're so sweet!

 
And with that last alpaca kiss, we said goodbye to the creatures and made our way to our final stop for the night.  I still hadn’t guessed where we were going to stay the night, but once we reached the off ramp I had a good idea where me might be headed.  In sleepy Anacortes, WA we checked into the historic Majestic Inn & Spa.
 

The Historic Majestic Inn & Spa

 
R. Darling had booked us a package which included 1 night’s stay, champagne and chocolates in our room (which we ended up just bringing home with us – I know – we’re lame), dinner at the hotel, and a massage the following morning.  Truly maximum spoilage!  We checked in, took a peek at our room, then went to the dining room for dinner.  We were hesitant to eat in the dining room, feeling underdressed as we were, but we were assured that we were dressed appropriately enough and ushered to a well appointed table.  Dinner was served by our blonde Miley Cyrus look-alike waitress and we both felt completed sated after an appetizer course of fresh steamed clams, salads, and a main course of prime rib for R. Darling and razor clams strips and chips for me.  Afterwards, we got our things from the car and settled into our room for the night.
 
What a stunning room!  How I wish it was mine!  It reminded me of a summer cottage with shuttered windows and a cheery yellow and white color scheme.  I would love a yellow and white bedroom, or just a yellow and white room in general; it looks so crisp, clean and cheerful.  But I’ve been told that yellow’s not restful so I always shy away from it.
 

Our bright and lovely room

 
We curled up for the evening with books and knitting, pausing briefly to make some coffee and take a glance at the sunset.  Then we turned in for a wonderfully peaceful night’s sleep and the next morning woke up ready for our massages.  The spa in the hotel is a sister spa to one we’re familiar with up here where we live called The Chrysalis, so we knew we were in for a relaxing visit.  We each had a one hour swedish massage which was lovely, though I found out later that R. Darling got some special heated stone action thrown into his that I didn’t get.  Bummer, since I’ve always wanted to try that. Maybe next time.
 
After checking out, we walked down to Ana Cross Stitch where, if you can believe it, I didn’t buy a single thing.  Then to the Island Cafe for a greasy spoon breakfast, and off to our final activity of the weekend which turned out to be a jet boat tour of Deception Pass.  It was a beautiful day to be out on the water and R. Darling was so pleased for me to be able to see what he sees when he goes kayaking there.  Though we didn’t see as many creatures as I’d hoped, we did get an amazing view of the area in the pass and learned something about some of the history of the islands and pass area nearby.
 
Driving home after our lovely getaway, I couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky I am to have such a wonderful husband who does such unexpectd and thoughtful things for me.  Thank you honey, for everything!  You’re the best :)
 

Because I can never resist hamming it up for the camera....

 

Friday Fill-In #128

 
A couple weekends ago Miami and I took a day trip to Seattle.  We had “noods” (Miami’s name for noodles) at Uwajimaya’s, poked around the Kinokuniya Bookstore for a long time, and goggled at all the asian produce.  I also tasted my very first bubble tea as evidenced by the photo above.  Can you tell that I just threw up a little?  Sorry all you bubble tea lovers out there, but I have to say, this is just about the grossest thing I’ve tasted in a long time.  Those “pearls” are just so wrong on so many levels.  Imagine not-so-delicious gummy bears that taste like absolutely nothing, but yet somehow find a way to be vile flavored, being sucked up into your unsuspecting mouth while you are casually sipping a tasty pineapple slushy.  Quite the nasty surprise.  But now I finally know what all the fuss is about.
 
It’s been quiet here at the bloggy because I’ve been doing 2-a-days with the workout program.  I run a couple miles on the treadmill in the morning and then ride my bike with R. Darling while he runs in the evenings.  It’s not every day, but it does take a lot out of me and I never seem to have enough time during the day to do everything that I usually do.  So, the blog languishes.  But this weekend R. Darling is taking me on a secrety squirrel surprise getaway so I will hopefully have some fun things to share when we get back.  I know there is a massage and creatures involved (but not at the same time, cause that’s not how we roll).  I’m SO looking forward to this.  I sorely need a vacation but we just won’t be able to go on one until much later this year.  This will be a nice substitute.  Thanks honey!
 
And since I’ll be gone, I’ll leave this for you before I head out of town tomorrow:
 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Friday Fill-In #128
(get yours here)
 

1. I grew up thinking I would never live in my hometown.  Just look at me now!

2. Ravelry was the last website I was at before coming here.

3. Why don’t you be good to yourself today?

4. Massages helps me relax.

5. Thanks for the support here at the bloggy!  All of your kind comments really keep me going :)

6. Rudeness is very off-putting.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight (Thursday)I’m looking forward to going to bed early, tomorrow (Friday) my plans include riding my bike with R. Darling for about 8 miles while he runs, and getting out of town for our secrety squirrel trip, Saturday I want to enjoy my massage and Sunday, I want to spend some more time with my hubby!
 

Have a wonderful weekend bloggy peeps! I’ll be back with knitting news soon ;)

 

Revenge Of The Norwegian Punisher

Getting older stinks. The Norwegian Punisher has bested me already and the only thing I can reliably point a finger at is my diminished bouncebackitude and advanced outofshapeness. How is that possible? I’ve only run on it a grand total of 4 times and I have only logged about 9 miles so far. Somehow I have already wrecked my hip flexor in my feeble attempts to become a shadow of the former running machine I used to be, back when I could do a whole lot of stuff a lot better than I do right now. The jelly rolls must be getting a kick out of all of this. So you thought you could get rid of us honey? Think again. We’re here to stay biznitch! They giggle as they jiggle and they wiggle (Remember this commerical? That’s what I imagine jelly rolls would sing while they mock me). The hard part is, I’m not the type of person who is o.k. with taking it easy. Once I start running it’s all or nothing. Go big or go home. So it’s going to be a struggle to take it slow and allow my hip to heal. I guess the fact that it hurts like hell for 2 days after a run might be enough to make me patient. At least for a little while. Funny thing is, it feels better when I’m running. It’s only after I stop that it hurts like a bitch. WTF.

A lot of you have asked about the Knit Picks Interchangeables. I would love to give you a good answer but, well, they still haven’t arrived. And neither has my first installment of the Magnolia Society Yarn Club. Boo. I’m seriously hating the mailman right now. But at least there was something exciting in my mailbox when I opened it this evening after work:
 

Knitterly Things Vesper Sock Yarn May 2009 Sock Club Colorway

 
Pretty pretty “Wildflower Meadow”.
 
And now – back to The Norwegian Punisher. Don’t worry I’ll only be walking this time. Or, limping rather.

 

WIP Wednesday – The Rule Of Three

I decided something recently.  I should never ever ev-er be allowed to have more than 3 WIP’s going at one time.  That’s not to say I haven’t indulged my bad habits in the past, but I’m attempting (emphasis on that last word) to change my evil ways.  I’m turning over a new leaf in my desire to simplify my life because, ultimately, simplicity is what I’m seeking and needing most right now.  Though I absolutely abhor odd numbers, 3 seems like just the right amount: 1 test knit (that rchrispy is a busy girl writing her patterns & such!), 1 Warm Woolies project, and 1 WIP which should most preferably be a UFO that needs finishing.  It’s the perfect amount of challenge, mixed with simple but karmically fulfilling, mixed with the sense of satisfaction that only comes from finishing a project (finally!).  So three it is.

And the current roundup?
 

A Pretty Hem

 

#1:  Pink Fluffy a.k.a. Bell-Sleeved Scoop-Neck Top from Glam Knits by Stefanie Japel (on Ravelry here).  I’m using the suggested yarn – Blue Sky Alpacas Brushed Suri – and it is oh so soft I swear I may never take it off once I put it on that first time.  If I could marry a yarn, this would probably be it.  Except it’s such a little bitch sometimes that I almost broke off our relationship, but luckily I came to my senses.  The body is finished and it just needs sleeves and a neckline.  I wanted to magic loop the sleeves but I didn’t have the right length and size of circs so I ordered a few interchangeable needles from Knit Picks which are in the mail as I type.  This will also give me a feel for their interchangeable needles and help me decide if I want to buy a whole set or not.  The gal at my LYS suggested I borrow them from somebody before committing to the whole set, but I don’t know anyone that has any.  Then Maryse posted about buying a couple needle tips and a couple cables to go with them and I figured – genius!  So I totally copied her :)  Thanks Maryse!

 

Another Hem Shot!

 

#2:  Mystery Sweater for Warm Woolies (on Ravelry here).  I’ve finished the hem pattern and am now in the straight stockinette portion.  I love the color of this yarn and I almost wish it was going to be for me (are you even surprised?)!  Sometimes mindless stockinette can be so soothing and I’m really glad that I have something in this stage right now so I can just pick it up whenever and knit a few rows without thinking too hard.

 

#3:  Secrety Squirrel Test Knit for rchrispy.  Sorry guys, no Ravelry linkies or pics to show.  But it’s in rotation and I’m working on it.  You probably won’t see it for a year (that’s my deadline) but I’m sure I’ll bring it up now and then.  Just ’cause I can.  ‘Nuff said.

 

Our New NordicTrack Treadmill

 

And because I’m the biggest work-in-progress of all, here’s our new toy (if you think it’s cool to call instruments of torture, toys).  Yep.  We gots us a treadmill.  I took the inaugural run last night (and then proceeded to bike 4 miles with R. Darling while he ran some trails) and spent some more time on there this afternoon.  My bikini better appreciate all the hard work I’m putting in.

 

So what are you working on?