Knitting Last at Butler's Paneras

I knitted last night with Chelsea and two other women (I don't know their names I was not and did not introduce myself to them). I am ready to decrease for the toe on my second sockapaloooze sock that is to be in the mail May 2nd. No sweat. I successfully knit one repeat on the Branching Out Scarf while Listening to the women talk. No I did not talk while knitting it.

This afternoon I hung out at Morraine State Park, fishing and talking with Jack another fisherperson. Jack gave me fishing tips and gear. It was a pleasant afternoon.

It is so nice to see the sun. And the long daylight hours.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish it could be like this year round.

I am already thinking about Christmas Gifts. I'm looking for a felted knit pattern for slippers. If you know of a free one please let me know. Last November/December I told a woman at work I would knit her a scarf. I think I will start that project this weekend. I picked an entrelac scarf pattern from knitty.com. One goal for this year was to learn entrelac. (Another was to knit a pair of cable socks which I am doing for my sockapaloooza socks.)

F is for Fishing

This fish does not look very happy to be in my hand. I caught a dozen bluegill at Lake Arthur this afternoon.












A view of Lake Arthur.










I fished off this picnic table.

Spring is Finally Here

The view outside my office window.

The View a few days later (pic on right).

Sue Monk Kidd

Last Monday Clare and I went to see Sue Monk Kidd the author of Secret Lives of Bees and The Mermaid Chair. The Secret Lives of Bees was a Bestseller for two years. The Mermaid Chair was not near as good. I did not like The Mermaid Chair because the main character betrayed her husband and had an affair (with a monk).

Back in the Knitting World

The First Sockapalooza sock is finally done and the second one started. I have two weeks to knit the second sock. Plenty of time.

Still Not Much Knitting happening...

I had a pretty busy week last week. I had lunch with Connie in Oakland Thursday, Coffee with Jennifer Saturday night and a video and dinner with Bruce Sunday afternoon. I have lots of favorite people I like to spend time with. One such friend is Jennifer. She will moving to Chicago this summer. I feel very sad about this. She is a very kind, warm, intelligent, interesting person. I will miss her when she is gone. I don't think I've mentioned I finished The Subtle Knife the sequel to The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. The last page leaves you hanging, dieing to pick up the third book in the trilogy to see what happens. However, I had to start the book for the Classics Book Group I lead at Barnes & Noble a week from tomorrow. It is 500 pages long so I needed to get started. The trilogy will have to wait. I am also reading The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel. Lee addresses difficult questions like how can there be a loving God with all the pain and suffering in the world. One of my big obstacles to Christian Faith.

Monday is Dollor Draft night...

It is officially Tuesday but it is still Monday Night at the Bar where I am off to in 5 minutes for a drink before going to bed. I knit yesterday. I worked on my sock pal cable sock. There is an Amish mistake that is not very noticable so it will stay in....I am knitting the gusset right now. It is more complicated than I am used to...I repeat rows 3 and 4 6 times while I repeat another row 7 times then I work the cable. Two things to keep track of Yikes!! I don't know if I could do it at a group knit...Thought you might be interested to know I plan on reading Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis while at the bar tonight...it gives the evening balance. Balance today makes for a good tomorrow. :-) Tonight is a good night...Hence I am blogging. I plan to play catch up on the ZYX Fridays this week. I run weak on the creative side...so this is a struggle for me....Well I plan on having a good week...I will be seeing some of you soon. Looking forward to you.....Thank you to everyone who is my friend. It is not always easy being friends with someone who is in my situation...so Thank You. I love you.

1. I need: More Money

2. Sex: Is taken too lightly these days.

3. Relationships: All relationships are important, including friendship relationships.

4. Your Last Ex: Left me for a man

5. Power: Often abused.

6. Marijuana: Don't like it. Don't like Alcohol either.

7. Crack: Never tried it, never will.

8. Food: Sweets I can live on.

9. The President: Don't trust him. Not a good leader. Does not have a mind of his own. Is destroying our wilderness. Lies. Pretends to be a good christian with a lowecase c.

10. Drama: Hate it.

11. Cars: Prefer Trucks.

12. Gas Prices: Piss me off.

13. Halloween: Satanic Holiday. I like costume parties, but not Halloween.

14. Politics: I stay out of it because there is noting I can do about it. Politicians are all liars.

15. Religion: Is an individual, personal thing. No one knows what is absolute truth.

17. MySpace: Just learned about it. Have a sketchy site out there. No photo, not much.

18. Worst Fear: Being Homeless

19. Marriage: Should not be only for hetersexual couples. Discrimates against loving same-sex relationships.

20. Fashion: I wear what I wore in the 60's when I was a kids. I will never change.

21. Brunettes: Long.

22. Redheads: Gorgeous

22. Blondes: Bleached. Most of the time.

23: Work: All for the profit of the company, never for the good or benefit of the emplyee. Money is the bottom line.

24: Pass the time: Reading.

24: Football: Could care less.

25. One night stands: Stupid. Have more self-control.

26: Pet Peeve: Gossip

.27: Pixie Stix:???

.28: Vanilla Ice: ????

29: Porta Potties: Nasty, but come in handy..

30: High school: Hated it.

31. Ice cream: Soft serve

32. Pajamas: Sweatpants and sweatshirt.

33. Wood: Love old Oak.

34. Surfers: Idols.

35. Pictures: Last forever.....more than a lifetime.

I've been reading tons, knitting little

I finished The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman and immediately started the sequel The Subtle Knife (it is a trilogy). I read book one of Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. Of course I read The Accidental Spaceship by Gene Hunt. Did I mention I finished Orient Express by Graham Greene? I think I did. I plan to knit some today on my sockapoloooza sock. I need to pick up the stitches on the side and work the gusset.

Author Gene Hunt

Gene Hunt is 83 Years Young and just recently got his first children's book published The Accidental Spaceship. It is a wonderfully written story about twin 13 year old brothers who have a spaceship delivered to their backyard by mistake. Mr. Hunt is a delightful person with 11 children and tons of grandchildren. By the way, Mr. Hunt lives in Cranberry, Pennsylvania.

Frank McCourt Pic

Finally here is a picture of Pulizer Prize Winner Author Frank McCourt.

Not Much Knitting News...

I finished Orient Express by Graham Greene. I like Greene. I'm back to reading The Golden Compass (a kids book). I finished the heel flap and turned the heel on the first sock for my sock pal last night. I did not work on it for a good two weeks. good thing I have until May 2nd to finish the pair. It's doable. I went to see Frank McCourt Monday night. He was great. Witty, humorous, intelligent, entertaining. I'l post a picture later. I'll try to write more tomorrow...it is late and I want to read before going to bed.

Curled up in a ball

What has happened since Feb 15th? Not much. Not much knitting. I've been mostly curled up in a ball.
I finished Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism. I started The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. I started Orient Express by Grahame Greene. I read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I read Watership Down by Richard Adams. I'm going to turn over a new leaf later today and knit. I am meeting blogless Connie for lunch today down in Oakland...this I am looking forward to very much. It was good to spend time with the Cranky Knitters tonight. It is late so more will come after I sleep 8 hours and have time to knit later today.

I Can't help it ... more pet pics..

This is the only picture where all three of my pets are in the same picture. Can you find them all?












This is Sophie sleeping in an awkward position on back of the chair.











This Sophie posing with her furry friends.

Spring Chronicle

This is the view from my office window...the tree actually has little buds on it.

Sockapaloooza Update

I have finished the leg portion of the first sock. I'm ready to begin the heel flap. You can't tell it by the picture but there are cables running the length of the sock. I hope my sock pal likes it.

More Pet Pics

Molly and Rosie
Molly in her Nappie (as my penpal from England calls a diaper).
Barnsie and Molly
Rosie

meme tag

List seven songs you are into right now. Nomatter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re any good, butthey must be songs you’re really enjoying now. Post these instructions in yourblog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see whatthey’re listening to.

1. Pachebel's Canon in D Major
2. Tuxedo Junction
3. Misty
4. Fur Elise
5. The Rose
6. Fly Me to the Moon

I listen mostly to classical music on the radio but don't listen for who the composer or the name of the piece. This is a listen of my favorite songs to play on the piano right now.

I'm tagging anyone who has not been tagged and just read this.

Reading Update

I finished Giants In The Earth by O. E. Rolvaag. It was not a favorite read, but I did like it. The author cinch the book with the ending.

Now I am reading Wurthering Heights by Emily Bronte









And The Preacher's Daughter by Beveryly Lewis. The Preacher's Daughter is about Annie, an Amish girl, who is struggling with the decision to join the Church and abandon her passion for self-expression through art or purue her art which means having to abandon the Church.

Sockapalooza Update

I bought a hank of Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn, Painted Rock for the pair of socks I am knitting for my sock pal. I chose the cable sock pattern from Fall 2005 Interweave Knits Magazine. I am so excited to be knitting a pair of socks for my sock pal. She was easy and fun to select yarn and a pattern for.