A Full Week

Nancy Bush



Our guild was very lucky to have Nancy Bush as our guest lecturer this month. I only wish I could have taken off work in order to attend the classes she was teaching while she was in the area. The main topic, in keeping with her latest book, was knitted lace of Estonia. She has beautiful photos of Estonia as part of her presentation - makes one want to run out and buy a plane ticket immediately.

Knitting

Another Noro scarf is done - with the exception of weaving in the ends...



and, unfortunately, there are many of them.


(Click to enlarge and check out the bottom of the photo.)

I've got to find similar yarn that is not Noro for more of these scarves. It is extremely frustrating to pay that much per skein and have knots in them. It is now my experience that if the skein does not have a knot/knots in it, it's by sheer luck - rather like winning the knitters' lottery.

Work on Girasole continues - I am up to chart F, after which is Chart G and then the border. Right now, it looks like a beret for a giant and, as you can imagine, it is difficult to take a decent photo.





A row feels like it takes forever - which could be attributed to the fact that there are 640 stitches on the needles. After not knitting much for the past week, I got quite a bit done last night while watching Enchanted April and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn - such wonderful films. It's getting heavy to hold at this point, but I'm still enjoying it. We'll see if my enjoyment of this project continues through the end. What I'm not looking forward to is the blocking of it. Any suggestions on how to handle such a large piece of knitting when blocking?

Warm Ewe Up Swap

I received my first package this past week from my swap partner. Thanks, partner!

Warm Ewe Up Bi-Weekly Blog Question #4

What are your plans for Valentine's Day this year?

Even though the 14th falls on a Saturday this year, we have no fixed plans. I imagine it will be one of three scenarios: (1) either I or both of us may be working; (2) perhaps we'll go to the movies; or (3) have dinner and movies at home.

We've never been ones to celebrate February 14th. I really hate how everything is more expensive. (The same can be said for New Year's Eve.) I don't see the point for DH to pay $50 for a dozen roses that 2 weeks earlier cost $10. I also don't see the point (especially in this economy) of heading out to an over-crowded restaurant where the kitchen and wait staff are overloaded and mediocrity is nearly assured.

There's also something in me that balks at the idea that others/tradition can dictate that I must be romantic on a specific day of the year. To me, Valentine's Day is any other day when DH brings home flowers for no reason - or does some other unexpected romantic act.

Last of the great romantics, aren't we?

Not Your Average Bedtime Reading

I forget where I saw this - but the rules are:

Grab the book nearest you. Right now! Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST!

Turn to page 56.

Find the fifth sentence.

Post that sentence in your own blog, along with these instructions, or post that sentence as a comment on this post.

Here's mine - try not to fall asleep.

In counties having a population of at least 100,000 but not more than 500,000, the county board may create a circuit court commissioner position to supervise the office of probate court commissioner and to assist in probate matters.

The spine-tingling page-turner this quote is from is the Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations 2007-2008, Volume 5, Chapters 707 to 995, Appendix, Supreme Court Rules, Index. The specific citation would be sec. 757.68(4m), Wis. Stats.

Imagine reading books like this all day - makes one think a root canal or an IRS audit might be more pleasant alternative.