One of those non-knitting posts (almost)

A friend of mine bemoans the fact that I spend most of my time on this blog writing about knitting and not so much time on any interesting personal insights.

And here I was thinking that I was able to occasionally blend the two.

It's been hard for me to write lately because I have an inner conflict. As much as I enjoy writing a blog and sharing my knitting projects and life stories, I'm not so comfortable sharing my personal struggles. And while life hasn't been so full of struggle per se, it can be difficult to share one's life without being too specific.

Which can be frustrating. I want to share, but I don't want to be too personal. I have learned the hard way to choose the consesrvative option when in doubt. As much as something can be difficult for you, and as much as it seems like your whole universe, most people really don't want to know. I mean this is a knitting blog. this isn't the -insert your favorite medical problem/social issue here- blog. So here, we talk about yarn and knitting projects and we like it!

I suppose this is why therapists are so expensive. But one can't afford both a therapist and a yarn habit.

Besides, yarn is a much longer lasting expense and infinately more theraputic. Yarn doesn't pretend to listen to you, doesn't give you that uncomfortable half-hug. Yarn doesn't email you on the infrequent whim. It just sits there, looks pretty, and feels nice. Wow suddenly I have a lot more in common with middle aged men that I thought I did. And no that doesn't mean that I'm experiencing a mid-life crisis.

just to interject here. I'm watching American Idol and doesn't Sanjaya have potential as a possible Knit-wear model? With tonight's hairdo he sure does look like a Filati Model.

So in lieu of therapy there has been a lot of knitting. A foray into LACE. A new sock design. Oh and a new fingerless glove design here. I'm gonna take some photos.

See I feel better already.
GG

Five Favorite Things Meme

Izzytart got me to thinkin' about my five favoritiest little things that make me happy and satisfied.

1) Whenever Mr. G wears anything that I have knit for him.
2) Serving friends and family a dinner that I have prepared from scratch.
3) Walking into a new yarn shop.
4) The little wooden dolphin that my mother-in-law gave me that reminds me of my honeymoon.
5) Crying at the movies.

GG

The Best Secret Pal Ever

Hello All,

Welcome to my long overdue catch up post.

First up: Secret Pal! It ended just about a month ago and I finally can post photos and tell you who my marvelous spoiler was. Nicole The Knitting Goddess. She's the increadibly thoughtful woman behind the Endless Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Sock Yarn. Brilliant I tell you Brilliant!!!!!!!!! It still makes me smile every time I see it. Thank you Nicole for being a sweet pal. I want to send you a little thank you package...

So here's what she sent me for my secret pal finale:

This looks like an innocent tin. I LOVE the presentation.


Inside there is a treasure trove of knitterly goodies and a cute card!


Nicole made a washcloth for me. Love it! It's my new kitchen washcloth. It reminds me of a quilting block.


And this Noro neckcuff. Beautiful colors and amazing button.


Take a closer look at the button:
Very arts-and-crafts-movement. Which is my favorite era of home decor.


And she got me a nail file from her LYS. Very useful and cute.


Last, but not least, some dark tweed. I'm a tweed freak so this was a good choice. In fact I might use it for the leaves on that Rowan cardi on the cover of last fall's magazine...


Nicole: thank you again for your generosity and thoughtfullness, you are seriously one the best secret pal!

Now, visit her blog it's supercute. She's just finished that fitted bodice project that everyone's doing.

Soon to come: some finished objects, a trip to stitches (the credit card groans) and more works in progress!

GG

No More Resolutions

I've let the year do all the resolving for myself in 2007. I eshewed my usual New Year's introspection and goal setting. I didn't want to think about it. I got the feeling like anything I chose to do would somehow be thwarted by fate. And indeed this is the case. This has turned out to be the year of movie watching and travel. So far I've already been to San Diego and I'll soon head to Japan, but last weekend I took a last minute trip to visit my grandparents in Dallas.

I made the most of it, reading, knitting and hanging around with the grandparents. I did my best to make up for all the years of being an obnoxious teenager and difficult child. I helped in the kitchen, I watched game shows, and I even went to church with grandma to meet all of her friends. It was very fulfilling to witness them in their routines and to see them with one another. It makes me wonder what Mr. G and I will be like when we're in our golden years. I feel like I know them better now than I did when I was a teenager and I didn't get that chance with my dad's parents. It's a good feeling. I also got to see some other family members that I don't get so see so often, cousins I knew when they were infants. Oh boy.

Aside from all the family stuff grandma did take me to the Shabby Sheep on Boll street, a cute little bungalow of a yarn shop. Very welcoming staff and an abundance of yarn falling from every nook and cranny. It took some serious self discipline not to take the whole shop with me. Instead I settled for two skeins of the Araucania hand dyed cotton. Hopefully I'll get another chance to visit the shop. I still have my eye on some beaded knitting needles there.... drool drool drool.

As a result of the Japan trip I'm also trying to learn some Japanese. There's nothing funnier to me than talking with a tape in Japanese in my car as I drive to and from work. koNeecheewaaaaa. Ahhhh Sasayamasan, KoNeeecheewaaaa. I have to practice for the wedding. I don't want to be an uncultutred American. Although I'm sure I'll do something very stupid American-like while I'm there. Needless to say, learning Japanese wasn't at the top of my list of things I thought I would do in '07, but I'm better for it. I kinda forgot how much I love languages.

I also got a chance to visit the Dallas Museum of Art, which is one of the best Art Museums in the US, in my humble opinion. When I'm there the art fatigue doesn't set in nearly as fast as in other institutions. The building in itself is so serene that you don't feel bombarded by design. This allows for the art to speak for itself and it doesn't compete with it's surrounds. As much as I enjoy the new De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. It's so design-y that I get overwhelmed just entering the darn thing. It was certainly a treat to see the original sketch of Van Gogh's cafe painting. And I saw a couple of Gherhart Richter's paintings again. He's one of the few modern artists that's able to elicit an emotional response from my. When I see it's work it's like being reunited with an old friend. I pondered for a bit if I give assign paintings an emotional response associated with an experience. I like Ricter because he reminds me of being in Sydney. I like Van Gogh because he reminds me of France and of my husband. I love David because he reawakens my love of French history.

All this introspection now? Is this because I didn't do so much of it at the new year? The year of being, since it appears I'll be in many different places.

I feel more connected to the universe than I have in a long time. I feel like I'm seeing signs again, positive reinforcements from the world when I need it.

There are still surprises ahead. One of my millenium horoscopes said back in 1999 that in 2007 a dream would come true. I suppose the question now is. Which one?

GG

Because I'm Big in Japan

yep soon I'll be going to the land of Japan for my brother's second wedding. It's all a little intimidating, so much to plan and organize. I need to learn some phrases in Japanese, like "where is the nearest yarn shop?" Or, "do you carry sock yarn?"

As such I've been reading up quite a bit on the local customs and came across this, on the Gojapan.about.com website:

Packing Tip 4: Shoes

Since it's a Japanese custom to take off your shoes indoors, you might have to take off your shoes often in Japan. Bringing a pair of shoes that you can slip off and on easily might be convenient. Make sure to bring, and wear, a nice pair of socks or pantyhose to avoid any embarrassment when you take off your shoes.


I don't think a nice pair of socks will be a problem do you?

GG

Surprise

I've got a new website. I've been working on some knit patterns of my own design. They're fun. They're simple and, they're free.

the first one has just gone up. It's a hat inspired by medieval knights. Very simple too. Just knitting and purling with a little decreasing.

Check out KnitLuck.

Stash Moment

I was looking at sock yarn on the internets and it occurred to me that perhaps I should fondle the sock yarn I already have.

Lord knows theres some lornas laces shephard sock in VERA in my to-be-knitted box.

But that would assume that I have finished the pair of socks I've been working on.

I'm going to finish a pair of socks this weekend so that I can have a new pair of socks to knit during the superbowl.

That's right. You heard me. The Superbowl.

I have been watching football. American football. It's as much a shock to me as it is to my coworkers and friends. But the Patriots are contenders and as a former New Englander I'm obligated to watch.


Ra Ra Ra
GG

In Recovery

Must. Get. Rest.

No. More. Yarn.

I'm yarned out. I just got back from TNNA, the wholesale needlearts tradeshow, where I worked the booth for the Fabulous Yarn Company. Unlike my previous foray I spent the most of the time setting up and working the booth, which was great. However it required a lot more energy and hard work and I'm exhausted and need to recharge. But it was great to get to know my employers and coworkers better. And I got to visit some fabulous restaurants and cafes. It was a mini work break.

This was my first time to San Diego and it is a beautiful city. So well spaced out in relation to the ocean. It felt so light and airy -quite welcoming. The restaurants are just as charming.

Across from the convention center is Tin Fish, a seafood restaurant with some tasty crab cakes. The fish tacos were huge and yummy -the American version of the real thing. Usually when I order from a taqueria you get two small tacos, Tin Fish's is more likea Fish Burrito. The staff was friendly even if the atmosphere was a bit lacking. More like seafood restaurant meets airport bar, but considering it's proximity to both a ball park and a convention center it still exceeds expectations.

We stayed at the Horton Grand Hotel, an old haunted Victorian Hotel where Wyatt Earp once stayed. The accomodations were comfortable and cute. It reminded me of where Mr. G and I got married.

After setting up the show we went for dinner at the Dublin Square which is one of the best Irish Pubs outside of Ireland that I have ever been to. It was cozy having a dinner next to the fireplace on two couches and a coffee table. The music was loud enough to be recognizable and provided good conversation. I was still a little full from the seafood so I kept dinner light with a bowl of tomato basil soup and a dinner salad, which were both yummy and flavorful. Everyone shared their dinners so I also got a taste of the Guinness braised beef, which melted in my mouth with a taste of gorgonzola cheese.

mmmm. Gorgonzola.

And the fish and chips were crispy and we didn't have to ask for the malt vinegar.

The next morning the hotel clerk directed me to Cafe 222 for breakfast, which is just down the street from the Horton. The staff were super friendly, evenmoreso than at Tin Fish. They commented on my hat and scarf and even better they were quick to refill my coffee. The decor was supercute. Check out the photos

I like the lighting


check out the cups and saucers!


I ordered the Eggs Italia, very satisfying. Toasted foccacia with herbed scrambled eggs and creme fraiche and spicey home potatoes. Wish I could get that a little closer to home.


The complimented hat and scarf. Pardon the expression. It was cold.


A little more of the atmosphere.


San Diego is a rockin' place. Don't tell anyone but I like it almost as much as I like San Francisco. Maybe even more. The restaurants are remarkably more welcoming.

But I need to rest.

and maybe knit.

GG

More Movie Fun

A while back you may have read that I love the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth. It's a movie that I revisit once a season. Truly the best romance happens when two unlikely characters despise each other and learn to love one another. Because even if you fall in love with someone whom you admire, there is still so much that you need to reconcile; behaviors that you have to learn to accept that may be contradictory to your own. Both parties have to reevaluate their habits, customs, and expectations. This is not something that some people realize when their dating or in a relationship. The focus is finding Mr. or Mrs. Right, whoever is going to fulfill your fantasy of what a relationship should be. The truth is that no matter how much in love you are, no matter how much you admire someone, interpersonal negotiation and reevaluation is necessary for a successful relationship.

All this intellectual stuff makes for some prodigious knitting.

So imagine my joy at finding a new BBC drama: North and South the story of a family who is forced to move from their luxurious parsonage in bucolic Southern England to the harsh Northern manufacturing city of Milton. I went through the whole miniseries in one afternoon and enjoyed it as much, if not more than Pride and Prejudice.

Go on, get thee to Netflix and tell me what you think.

GG

The New Movie Habit

Still catching up on movies.

We watched Superman Returns, which was much better than expected. Superman was always too much of a goody goody for me. If he was a dnd class he would be a paladin, no doubt and I prefer rogues and bards.

Friends With Money was excellent. I enjoyed the simple quiet of it, the portrayals of different kinds of depression. One of the best character pieces of the whole year. I really do lean towards ensemble character pieces. It's in my top ten of 2006, which I will fully flesh out by early February.

but so far my favorites are:

Friends with Money
Scoop
The Prestige

That means I have to find another 7 movies to add and most of the good ones aren't on dvd yet.

Ugg guess this means I'll have to actually go to the movie theatre. Or we'll end up with my best of '06 list in '08.

GG

Record!

I finished the sock last night while watching a History Channel doco about Marie Antoinette.

Yay!

However I didn't get to the 3rd dvd of Lord of the Rings. Apparently I had had enough of Hobbits.

Gasp!

GG

What Are You Doing New Year's Day?

Me?

I'm watching the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy on dvd.

Yes, I'm a geek.

But I've been knitting like a fiend. I started a sock on Christmas Day and miracle of miracles I might have it done tonight, just one week later. That's a record for me. Usually it takes me weeks plural to finish one sock.

The Record One-Week-Sock


I suppose it helps that I've had this last week off.

It's knit with Crystal Palace Panda Wool, which is a dream to work with and feels fabulous on foot. I've decided my favorite sock yarns are the ones that aren't too thin in gauge. Out of the five pairs I've knit, the two favorites are knit with the Panda Wool and Fleece Artist Merino. So if you like the gauge of the Fleece Artist, you'll like the Panda Wool. Yum!

Not one to continue being entertained by one project I had to cast on another project, this time a hat of my own design to match the fingerless gloves I made for Mr. G.

This New Year's Day beats last year's when it was 110 degrees in downtown Sydney and Mr. G and I were madly hungover, wandering the empty city looking for water (there was none to be found!) and a diversion from the heat. (however NYE last year will go down as the best so far -come on partying on the steps of the Sydney Opera House?"
Perhaps one could hypothesize that you can't have both a rocking New Year's Eve AND a great New Year's Day.

Guess we'll try to prove that 365 days from now.

GG

New Year's Moviethon

Once or twice a year I have enough time to knit on the couch and watch endless movies. I rarely go to the movie theatre. It's not much of a bargain if you think about it and you can't pause the movie to go to the bathroom (or to fix a dropped stitch). Funny how just 5 years ago I would watch this many movies on a thrice weekly basis.

So here's what we've caught up on so far:

Tristram Shandy A Cock and Bull Story
Art School Confidential
A Scanner Darkly
Little Miss Sunshine
Talladega Nights
Pirates of the Carribean 2 Dead Man's Chest
Clerks 2
The Family Stone


Tristram Shandy: It was just ok. Seems to prove that the film industry is full of wankers. However, it did reawaken my desire to write a master's thesis on the period genre*, using this film as an example of how one can skewer the genre in a comedic way (which also reminds me of Singing in the Rain -it too has a period film skewering comedic scene).

*note: I've decided that pursuing a master's thesis in the period genre would be rather wanky of me -it seems rather self indulgent and not too valuable to the rest of the world.

Art School Confidential: I love Daniel Clowes. His previous film Ghost World changed my life and introduced me to Mr. G, but Ghost World is 100 times better than Art School Confidential. Unfortunately the main character in Art School Confidential changes dramatically for not any particular good reason. The film tries to go dark, but without sacrificing it's light touch and it doesn't work. I actually stopped the movie at the point I lost interest and fast forwarded to the end. (another good reason to watch movies at home). I liked the ideas presented, especially about plagiarism and about the reasons why young men want to be great artists, however the follow through was lacking.

A Scanner Darkly: Better than the two abovementioned films. It's nice to see Winona Ryder back in the movies. I'm desperately awaiting her comeback. Even if the film's a bit slow, it's a familiar reflection upon the other side of suburban life. Despite that the film is set 7 years in the future, it seems that the film could be about the present especially with oxycontin and crystal meth taking the suburbs by storm. And Keanu Reeve's laid back acting style works for him this time. One of my favorite films of the year.

Little Miss Sunshine: There was a lot of hype around this film and everyone pushed me to see it. That's the silly thing about hype is that it hightens your expectations. And while LMS was funny with some remarkable moments and fantastic acting, the ending just fizzled out. Making it a good film, not the great one everyone was talking about. Still it's rent-worthy.

Talladega Nights: It was funny, but it poked fun at the south. And that's it. Considering how few portrayals there are of Southern America in our cinema it seems a shame that they couldn't balance it a bit with a little poke here and there at liberals*. It gives Hollywood a bad name.
*note I am a liberal democrat and as such I don't like to see any one region singled out for ridicule. The film needed some balance, and it's lack of one showed why Hollywood has such a bad reputation in this regard.

Pirates of the Caribbean 2 Dead Man's Chest: Too long. Too slow. Sequal. That said I'll still eventually rent the 3rd one.

Clerks 2: Glad I didn't see this one in the theatre. It was still funny with some touching moments -loved Rosario Dawson. And the progression of the characters made sense. Wow this movie, despite it's interspecies erotic comedy was better than Art School Confidential. Didn't see that coming.

The Family Stone: As far as all of these films go, this one had the best screenplay out of all of them. The familial conflicts were interesting and realistic. And it's the only film out of the bunch that made me feel good, which I suppose makes me a sentimentalist. Cute, funny and I was interested in all of the characters. And the story makes them come together in an engaging way.

And on this holiday week I've managed to read 2 books: Knitting Under the Influence and A Good Yarn, both books are worthy breaks from my knitting projects. I wasn't sure I was going to like them...

GG

With No Further Adieu

Christmas came early this year, but I was so busy that I didn't get a chance to properly post anything about this fabulous secret pal package.




The most awesome thing about this secret pal package is that it's based upon one of my favorite movies: The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.



It included the dvd, some beautiful custom-dyed sock yarn, some scissors with a gingerbread man, a beautiful handmade card with knitted motifs, a little knitting reference book, and a sock pattern -as well as some gorgeous stitch markers.

I can't help myself. I'm going straight to my favorite part of the package. The custom dyed yarn. When I first opened it, there was something familiar about the colors in the yarn, but I couldn't put my finger on it, but then it occured to me that they are the same colors that Clementine dyes her hair in the Endless Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. That's some one of a kind, original yarn. I can't wait to make socks with it.



Have a closer look:


I also love love love the mini knitting reference book. It's permanently stashed in my knitting bag. And I might buy some of the knitting books recommended inside!


Let us not forget the cute miniskein keyring and the adorable stitch markers.
Look closeley -you'll see that they're mittens and snowballs!


And the cute gingerbread scissors. Secret Pal, how did you know I needed another pair?



And last but not least, the wonderful handmade card. Makes me so happy to be a knitter...


Again SP, you were super thoughtful and imaginative in creating this package. It was absolutely wonderful and I can't wait to start the socks. I can't wait until you're revealed and I can thank you properly!

Since my houseguests are gone I'll finally have time to write decent posts. I've been off work all week and I've been catching up with movies. It's pathetic for this film school graduate but I've only gone to a few movies for the last year so I had a lot of catching up to do. Since yesterday I've watched: A Scanner Darkly, Tristram Shandy a Cock and Bull Story, Little Miss Sunshine and Art School Confidential.
Reviews on those later.

GG

shawl

ok i look like the wrath of god, but the shawl looks pretty good.

Apparently I have a thing for hats.


thanks mom

GG

Apologies to my Secret Pal

I feel very sorry for the lovely secret pal spoiler I have because I haven't written much here in a while, and she has been so sweet emailing little greetings here and there. I hope she knows how much I'm looking forward to her next package and I hope she has an awesome weekend this week!

Honestly though, this has been a busy couple of weeks.

My brother got married in Los Angeles the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Here's the lovely couple. I'm so proud of my bro. I have a new sister in law and she's so sweet and her family's absolutely wonderful.




I knitted a shawl special for the occasion, you may remember it as the never ending shawl, countless rows of stockinete and 500+ stitches to be picked up and increased.


Unfortunately no one took a picture of me in the shawl so you'll have to settle for a photo of me in my beret.

The truth is that the shawl didn't get 100% finished. I was supposed to pick up stitches on each side of the long stockinette rectangle, but I only had enough time to do one side. And since I've been knitting Christmas presents like there's no tomorrow I haven't really been too keen on returning to it. But eventually I will and the shawl will hopefully be finished sometime in 2007, hopefully in time for next fall.

On the Christmas present front, I've already knitting two scarves and I'm almost done with a flower shaped washcloth. However I won't get much knitting done today because I'm going to the Dickens Fair. I'm going with my mother in law who's in town from Australia to experience the American holidays. We'll be meeting my mom there. Hopefully we'll be able to get in for a Devonshire tea.

Thanksgiving itself was fabulous. We had our first organic free range turkey. And it was unbelievably delicious. I think it may have even shown my mom how much better organic products are. Who knew that turkeys were actually quite succulent? That organic turkey is proof that it's all about the bird. Mom didn't do anything special, she just roasted it with stuffing. But it was the most flavorful bit of turkey I've ever had. Top that off with interesting family, guests and good scotch and you have a festive holiday.

Hopefully Christmas will be the same.

Oh and tomorrow there's Alex Marshall's Studio Sale in Mill Valley. She has the most unique line of tableware, linens, lamps and candles, with lucious colors and glazes. Get there early because she has a big following in these parts and she'll be sold out in a minute.

happy knitting
GG

Toeing Up

Ok so I'm still working on the endless shawl. I'm almost done with the straight section. But there is a consequence to such knitting project monogamy, especially when it's endless stockinette stitch.

You end up teaching yourself how to do a short row toe-up sock in bed at midnight. I also taught myself how to do a crochet provisional cast-on in the same sitting.

I should do this more often because there were significantly fewer mistakes than when I've ever tried any other new knitting technique.

photos of this miraculous achievement to come.

GG

Knitting

nuff said.

GG

Holiday season is already here.

Did I mention my mother in law is coming to visit? She's arriving the day before thanksgiving and will be here through Christmas. Thankfully I have a great relationship with her. We're going to have a great time. We're going to go wine tasting, to the Dickens Fair. We're going to buy a christmas tree and decorate the house. There's going to be cooking and movies. In general, this just spreads the whole holiday season. I'm really looking forward to it.

And then my brother is getting married next weekend. And I've been working on this shawl to wear and making good progress. I hope to have the length of the shawl done this weekend.

as such i have a lot of work to do! I have to get crackin'

GG

Retreat in detail

Okey dokey there have been a few comments and emails bemoaning the brevity of my retreat post, so here's some details and some photos!

The cool thing about the retreat is that I made my mom go with me. In my world everything is better with your mom, especially if it involves knitting. So mom came up to my house and my husband came home from work and we all went out for dinner at Chili's. I pigged out on the southwestern cobb salad and fries and even indulged in a Dr. Pepper.

Then mom and I headed out to the retreat which was only 10 minutes away. I know not so far for a retreat, but far enough. We stayed at a gorgeously remodeled victorian house. I felt like I was suddenly on that Real World reality show, you know the part in the first episodes where the cast sees the house for the first time and they go running around checking everything out. Yeah I did that. It was a pretty awesome house. Plenty of room for everyone to get comfortable and knit.

Unfortunately since mom and I were the last to sign up we were stuck with the den room with fold out couches. But that was the only room with a tv -a tv with cable. Not that I'm so tv crazy, but I do enjoy watching David Letterman.

So once everyone arrived, Warren introduced us to the yarn that we would be playing with. We got twelve boxes of Lana Grossa yarn. They have now moved up in my favorite yarn company list. Soft and versatile. There really was a yarn for everybody. I fell in love with the Pashmina (and managed a sneaky trade to get an extra ball) while my mom liked the Luxor. There was this other soft green one that I really liked, but can't remember the name of. There were some yarns I didn't like so much, but I was on a mission to horde the ones I liked. Eventually I ended up going home with a bunch of pink Maxi (aka that big pink stuff) and two balls of pashmina, as well as a couple of sample balls of Jo Sharp's new yarns (yay!!!!). So yarn wise I was a happy camper.

Not that I did a whole lot of yarn tasting anyway. I've been on a feindish knitting mission to finish this Lana Grossa shawl. And I really wanted to get those odd duck socks done.

The other ladies were fabulous and everyone got a long pretty well. It was nice spending time with women of all ages. It seems all of us have a tough time with doctors. For people that spend so much time and money getting education, they can be pretty stupid sometimes.

Anyhoo after an evening of knitting and new yarn (and irish coffees too) I went to bed and watched Letterman. Unfortunately I should not have had that Irish Coffee because I didn't sleep well at all. I usually have a tough time getting aclimated to new sleeping arrangements. So I got up at 6am. It was nice to watch the sun rise and the fog lift. It was very relaxing and nice to have a bit of quiet alone time.

Soon enough everyone was up, but I couldn't stay for breakfast. I had to go to the grocery store to get the last fresh ingredients I needed to make dinner and dessert. I made a deal with Warren that I would provide dinner and dessert in exchange for attending the retreat. I actually like cooking for people and I needed to get some practice before Thanksgiving. Anyhoo I made spaghetti bolognese and vegan bolognese, greek salad, garlic bread and apple-cranberry crumble. It took me 5 hours to put it all together, but I was well organized and knew how to direct people when I needed help. You would think that something like this would stress me out, but I was odly relaxed through the whole thing.

Anyhoo that was the weekend in a nutshell.

I did manage to finish the socks



yay!
GG

This kind of fun should be outlawed

12 Women

One immaculately restored Victorian house with a front porch over looking the redwoods.

Twelve Boxes of Lana Grossa Yarn for us to play with (one of which was cashmere)

Three dishes for dinner cooked by me (and an apple cranberry crumble for dessert)

for one weekend of knitting.

I had so much fun I need time to recover.

GG

Works in Progress...

This box by the couch is home to all of my knitting projects. I only just recently cleaned it out of all of my random bits of yarn that I won't be using (which I will be donating to a school)



So here's what I'm working on right now:


The Central Park Hoodie from Knitscene.





A shawl that I just started that needs to be finished in less than three weeeks:


And I'm making a pair of socks. I'd have them finished, but I left one of my needles behind at my mom's house the other week. doh!


I'm going to a knitting retreat this weekend so hopefully I'll get a lot done!

GG
PS: Blogger was a PAIN in the you know what today. Stupid photo program

For my Knit Nighter Friends

I can't tell which is worse:

That I'm watching Dancing with the Stars

or

That Joey Lawrence just danced to a bad version of the Rolling Stones Sympathy For the Devil

GG

Secret Pal Package!!

Yay I came home the other day and there was:

A box! From My Secret Pal!!!!


It had lots of cute stuff in it.
A candle, 2 skeins of yarn, a ghost cookie cutter, and some Halloween stickers!!! Oh and some candy too! it was an early Halloween treat.



It also had lots of cute Halloween confetti!


It was like a party in a box, which was just what I needed after work. Thanks secret pal!!!!

GG

Jumping Shark Week 2 (aka Lost)

can we please get away from alcatraz and back to camp?

I'm over the fake pace makers and stressed out bunnies.

this is televised torture.

GG

some things never change.

This weekend I went to my parents house for a little relaxation. Mainly because it's nice to be taken care of by my mom. :)

Last night I hung out by the tv and she made a yummy dinner. My brother lent me the next couple of trades of Transmet. I've already read one and I burst out laughing, just at the Patrick Stewart foreward.

Then today mom cooked me breakfast (scrambled eggs and waffles!) while I read the Sunday paper. And we went to Target where I stocked up on some winter clothes and skin care stuff.

It wouldn't be a weekend with mom if we didn't go to a yarn store. This time we checked out Nine Rubies, a new store in San Mateo. Gorgeous. Knowledgeable staff, tangeable knitting community. Beautiful displays and yarns that my LYS doesn't carry. They were super friendly and even insistant to check out the blog. So hello to them if they're reading.

So if you're in the Penninsula go to Nine Rubies on Third Street near El Camino and check it out.

GG

SP9 Random Fact

I wasn't a knitter when I got married. My husband didn't have the slightest clue what he was getting into. Sure, I made a few quilts and did some scrapbooking, but no where near the scale that knitting has invaded my life.

I learned how to knit three weeks after our wedding.

The husband and I were dancing a waltz at home, so happy that we were together, finally experiencing the wedded bliss that everyone talks about. We were so happy that we cried together, thrilled at the possibilities before us.

And then the phone rang. It was SO's auntie, calling from Australia with the news that SO's brother was in a coma.

Within 24 hours, my new husband was on a plane to Australia. It was terrible all around. I had never even met SO's brother. And I had never seen my husband so sad. And I was miserable that I couldn't be there to support him. I was alone, all of my good friends lived away. I sat around the house and couldn't figure out what to do. Nothing could calm me. TV was too trivial, movies too sad.

I had to snap out of it. A voice in my head said "when in doubt, learn a new skill". I had always wanted to learn how to knit and a Michaels had opened just around the corner so I went there and picked up a little Lion Brand learn to knit kit, in the least offensive color possible. The instructions were easy to read and I was able to teach myself how to knit and purl. Though I was a bit too tight at first soon enough I eased on the needles and the movements became simpler, more natural. In no time was I experiencing the calming effects of knitting and the satisfaction of my first finished scarf. Knitting got me through this terrible time.

My brother in law lay in a coma for three weeks, he had septisemia, a systemwide infection of the blood. He showed some signs of improving, at which point my husband came home, but within days he had taken a turn for the worse and he died, surrounded by family, two years ago yesterday.

He loved fishing, the ocean, being with his friends, and playing the guitar. I remember him whenever I see crows or hear Creedence Clearwater Revival and sometimes while I knit.

GG

Watch Out World

what doesn't kill me makes me stronger.

GG

LOST Quote of The Week

You never made soup for me.

GG

Don't Cry For Me Argentina

You can uncross your fingers.

I was officially rejected by Knitty.

But worry not.

I will make some changes and make a better apron.

I have no regrets. Basically I feel like I just played a hand of blackjack and I doubled down with 20 against the dealer's 3 and lost. Considering how much I like playing blackjack it's a good thing.

you don't win if you don't play.

But that just might be the yoga talking.

Back to the drawing board.

GG

In Brief

new season of Lost. I've been telling everyone that I'm not joining their book club. And I've been telling them that "it only took the bears two hours to figure that out"

new season of Battlestar Galactica. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?

Went on a knitting frenzy. Finished the Clapotis in Creme. Halfway done on a second sock. And finished the back on the Central Park hoodie. photos to come soon.

Got my haircut. I love my stylist. He's a pro with my hair type. He makes me laugh. and his hair rocks. It's only taken me 27 years to find the right one. I should have known that I would prefer a male stylist.

Watched 10 hours of Battlestar Galactica this weekend. Gee, maybe that's why I got all that knitting done.

Bought a new knitting book: The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. Gee, I wonder what I'll be designing next? Could it be hmmm.... a sweater?????????

Went to visit Warren at Marin Fiber Arts. I love what he's done with the place. It's filled to the brim with the BEST yarns in existance. It's become yarn heaven. Please visit Warren, he's lonely without Papaya Girl.

See you all on Thursday for knit night (now without that pesky farmers market, though I admit, I will miss the atrocious Rolling Stones covers*)

GG

*in the sitcom version of my life, I will complain about the Rolling Stones covers only to realize that the Rolling Stones are performing them live, at the farmer's market.

Guilty Pleasures

Tonight:

kookabura wings at the Outback

and now: America's Next Top Model. They just ran the opening credits and I can't help but think: haven't I seen all of these same women before? Are all models the same?

Does it really matter?

No.

It's raining outside. Love it.

time to knit

see you after Lost and Project Runway.

GG

SP9 questions

Welcome to SP9!

Below is the questionnaire for this round. Please post your answers to your blog before October 15th. Be sure you post the questionnaire where your pal can easily find it. :-)

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Favorite yarns: lorna's laces, Crystal Palace, cascade, rowan, Blue sky's, Goddess Yarns, any sock yarn. Hate 100% acrylic.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have a couple of handy dandy cases, but I've been feinding after the Susan Todd and Lexie Barnes cases/bags.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Been knitting for 2 years. I would call myself intermediate/advanced.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Why yes I do. I'd better update it.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)Citrusy, but not too sweet. Orange bergamot, orange ginger, eucalyptus and mint, lavender and basil

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Not so sweet toothy. Love peppermint patties, junior mints and microwaveable kettle corn.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? Beading, quilting, scrapbooking, comic booking -I've done some drop spindle spinning and I'm not so good at it.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I can play mp3s til the cows come home. I love lotsa different music. Except hardcore gangsta rap. Top 10 bands: radiohead, fiona apple, scissor sisters, nirvana, death cab for cutie, john mayer, garbage, van morrison, david gray, Ben Harper, U2.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? hate royal blue. Not so big on orange either. But I love pinks, teals, purples. Think Lorna's color Desert Flower. I also like the colors in Lorna's Vera.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? One husband and a cat that lives with my mom

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? yes to everything but the ponchos

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? socks, handbags,scarves, sweaters and shawls

13. What are you knitting right now? A clapotis, a cardigan and a pair of socks. Oh and a dice bag for dungeons and dragons.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? but of course!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I love all needles. But when it comes to sock needles 6" or shorter

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Why yes I do.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? E gads theres a baby blanket that's in pieces and it's like a year old.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Hallothanksmasnewyear. I love the whole season between Halloween and New Years.

19. Is there anything that you collect? Old Susan Bates Circulars (the plasticy ones), fabric, pins, Skipping Girl handbags.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I have subs to Interweave and Knit Simple. Would love to get my hands on the new Rebecca and the special Rebecca featuring Savannah. Would love Alter-knits, A Gathering of Lace, Vogue Accessories, Mason Dixon Knitting, oh and the Knitter's Handy Guide to Sweater Patterns.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Lace knitting! Short rows!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Love socks! I'm a 9 1/2. I'll get back to you on the exacts...

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 6/2

October

Is one of my favorite months. the name has such a nice ring to it. Oc-to-ber. Hmmm. just the words rolling off my tongue reminds me of falling leaves and roaring fires.

I celebrated the beginning of this favored month by doing something I do best. Knitting by the TV. Today was Battlestar Galactica dvd marathon day. And I got a lot of a second sock done and if I work wee into the night I might finish a clapotis. Always a good way to start the month. Finish a project. Oh and pay some bills.

Also watched the old version of Dune on cable. V. entertaining. Totally didn't realize that Virginia Madsen* has a bit part as Princess someone or other, a character who in the movie has no real importance, but who is muey importante in the book. Still. I didn't realize how far back her career went. Keep that in the back of your mind for that random pub quiz.

GG


*recently of Sideways fame.

this is what Friday Night is supposed to be about.

Just got home from seeing the Scissor Sisters.

One of the best nights of my life. Definately a highlight of 2006. You really can't beat seeing this band in San Francisco.. except maybe seeing them in London...

The whole joint was rocking.

It was exactly what the doctor ordered for this ridiculously stressful week:
a Maker's Mark and coke, my husband smiling, and the show of the week.

Simply put, I boogied my troubles away, something I haven't done since I was 22.

Oh to be 22 and irresponsible again.

Give me 10 years and I'll say "oh to be 28 and irresponsible again" because really, irresponsibility is relative.

good night
GG

Strange Cat

The cat can be snoring asleep. But when I go to take a shower, she wakes up and just sits in the bathroom and watches.

Is she astounded that I can tolerate the water torture?

Or is she desperately thirsty?

Sometimes she paws at the shower door as if she wants to come in, but when I open the door she runs away.

I think she's just trying to mess with my head.

GG

Did It

Sent a submission to knitty.

Fingers Crossed.

GG

Next time, at the Comic Book Shop

I'll be purchasing the Graphic Novel version of the 9/11 Report.

2 more trades of Transmet

and

2 more trades of Fables.

PS: to whoever spat their chewing gum on my recently replaced windshield: YUCK!!!!!!
Instant Karma is gonna get you. With thanks to John Lennon.


Instant Karma's gonna get you,
Gonna knock you right on the head,
You better get yourself together,
Pretty soon you're gonna be dead,
What in the world you thinking of,
Laughing in the face of love,
What on earth you tryin' to do,
It's up to you, yeah you.

Instant Karma's gonna get you,
Gonna look you right in the face,
Better get yourself together darlin',
Join the human race,
How in the world you gonna see,
Laughin' at fools like me,
Who on earth d'you think you are,
A super star,
Well, right you are.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun,
Well we all shine on,
Ev'ryone come on.

Instant Karma's gonna get you,
Gonna knock you off your feet,
Better recognize your brothers,
Ev'ryone you meet,
Why in the world are we here,
Surely not to live in pain and fear,
Why on earth are you there,
When you're ev'rywhere,
Come and get your share.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun,
Yeah we all shine on,
Come on and on and on on on,
Yeah yeah, alright, uh huh, ah-.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun,
Yeah we all shine on,
On and on and on on and on.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.
Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.
Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.
Yeah we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.

Have you ever heard of this?

My cat is crazy for dryer sheets.

Whenever I fold laundry I have to be extra careful to throw away any of the used dryer sheets because my cat is addicted to them.

Tonight I left one behind and she rooted it out and spent the evening rolling around the carpet with her dryer sheet. You'd think it was cat nip with the way she clutched it with her paws. Mr. G had to fight to get it back.

GG

When in doubt, sing the Beatles

Someone once told me that he doesn't read blogs because there's too much complaining.

And yes, occasionally that's true. In some cases I have deleted blogs off my bloglines because people couldn't get off their complaining trips. Secret Pals that don't come through. Knitting patterns that are wrong. Presidents that don't satisfy. Some people like to go on forever. Perhaps it's more affordable than a shrink.

Right now I have a lot to be upset about. But I really don't want to share the details with you.

1) for privacy reasons
2) it's unbecoming
3) it's really not all that interesting

What I do want to share is that when things get cruddy, you just have to grab onto something, heck, anything that can raise your spirits.

For me it's the Beatles. Specifically the song Help. It reminds me that yes, things suck, but they suck momentarily.

Because all things will pass. And help is on the way.

Actually Let It Be makes me feel a lot better too. And I don't even have to listen to it. I have an automatic Beatles jukebox in my head. Perhaps from my parents playing the oldies station on the radio as a child. Which is probably why it's such a comfort when I'm in need.

Of course it also doesn't hurt to soak in the tub with a glass of wine and the Knit Picks and Patternworks catalogs.

Like they say; knitting is cheaper than therapy.

Maybe you'll see me at Marin Fiber Arts. Lord knows Warren has practically anything you could possibly want from those catalogs for you to view in person. Me, I'm eyeing the Reynolds Whiske (either in America or Tennessee), Lorna's Laces Worsted in Desert Flower, and some lace weight yarn whose name eludes me. And there have been sock yarns that have been calling my name, but I seriously do not have enough feet to cover with all of the sock yarn I already have. I don't have twenty legs or anything. Nor would I want them.

Now there's a dilemna I'm thankful that's not my problem.

Grenadine Girl

Just a Quick Note Before Dinner...

I went all martha stewart today. Dinner will be broiled tri-tip, corn fritters and bean salad.

And I knit til the cows came home (or at least until Mr. G came home from the gym)

I got to the armhole decreases on the back of the Central Park hoodie.
I finished all of the knitting on the knitty submission I'm working on. Just need to do some last minute embroidery and then actually write the pattern in time for the October deadline.

And I knit through another ball on the clapotis I'm making in Crystal Palace creme.

Despite feeling lazy and slightly guilty for knitting all weekend. One could say that I got a lot done.

I mean. I even managed to make a chicken soup yesterday.

I'm just going to sit here and pat myself on the back.

pat pat pat.

GG

PS: not to forget my geeky side, I did roll my new gnome rogue for the all girl campaign that starts next week.

I think I may have been losing it there...

I had a dream this morning.

I was driving down the freeway and there was this ouija board on the side of the road, stuck in some vines. Then all of a sudden I was on some beach next to a heroin-addicted hobbit.

but then I realized I wasn't dreaming and I was actually just stuck in traffic.

Think I've been watching a little too much Lost.

You think?

GG

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

Autumn has come early here in Northern California. Although I should have written that a week ago when everything was cooling off. The morning air was crisp and in the evenings I was tempted to light a fire in the fireplace. But today the sun is back and we're expected to have a hot day. Actually that's pretty typical for us we don't really cool off entirely until mid October. Perhaps I'm just anxious for the cooler rainy days where knitting is entirely acceptable to do all weekend long.

As if I've been terribly active this summer anyway. Aside from the comic booking and the gaming I've been catching up on my quality televison. Mr G and I are flying through the first and second seasons of Lost to make it in time for the October premier of the third season. Next week season 2.5 of Battlestar Galactica comes out on dvd so we can get fully caught up with that too. The only downside about all of these new seasons coming out is that I'm going to have to watch the new shows with commercials. YUCK.

On the plus side those commercials will be good times to focus on my knitting.

What can I say? Always look on the bright side of life*.

Grenadine Girl

*(extra points for you if you can sing the song associated with that phrase)

The Gig Is Up

Alright alright I confess!

I'm a total geek.

I was at a party and somebody pointed out to me that I was a knitting geek. I didn't even know that there was such a thing, but apparently my obsession with knitting, knowledge of techniques, and hoarding of yarn is geeky. Since this was brought to my attention, I thought why not take on other geeky obsessions? I already watch a lot of Sci Fi -battlestar galactica anyone? And I used to read comic books in high school...

So leave it to my friend Izzy to reawaken my geeky side. Not only have I returned to the comic book store, but gasp! I have also started gaming. And I mean gaming of the d&d variety.

Which is why I haven't been blogging of late. I've had to get tutored on all this dnd stuff. And I've been reading some comic books. Back in my day I loved Bitchy Bitch, but nowadays I'm reading Fables, Bumperboy, Little Star, Chances Are and some others that I can't remember.

I also read Continuity, which rocked. If you like Ursula K LeGuin's The Lathe of Heaven, you'll like Continuity.

But the reason why I've diversified my interests is that they are all compatable with knitting. I knit too much to read actual books (and I don't like most of the fiction written these days) and I can knit during a dnd campaign. Did I mention that I"ve only been playing a month and I'm now with 3 different campaigns? Oy vey I don't know how I'll keep all of my characters straight!

But still I knit on. I'm working on the Central Park Hoodie from this season's Knit Scene with some Rowan Yorkshire Tweed. And there's yet another gift that I'm knitting that I can't share with you. All I'll say is that I'm knitting with Crystal Palace Creme in Periwinkle and it's yummy. A very soft wool silk blend with a nice sheen.

Grenadine Girl

Been Busy

will write soon...

I've gotten a couple of new hobbies...

GG

Must not buy. Put the Silk Wool Blend Down.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

There was a yarn sale at Warren's last weekend. Yeah I know: danger. I'm not allowed to buy anymore yarn for the rest of the year. How can I resist 30% off ALL YARN. Well I took my mom for moral support because she didn't have the same self-imposed yarn restriction. And she did find her favorite yarn to make hats.

But then nobody had bought the Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb in Vera, my FAVORITE lorna's colorway. And I did want to make a clapotis with it, and I held four skeins of the yarn (30% off, that's like one skein for FREE!). But I maintained my composure.

Somewhere there will always be Lorna's Lion and Lamb in Vera for me to buy when I'm ready for it. And I will feel that much better knowing I waited. In fact I'm appreciating the anticipation.

There just better be some LLL in Vera for me when I'm ready...

And my conscience loves me for it.


feeling better
GG

Hodge Podge

Hey check it out. Crystal Palace has a blog.

You may not know that I'm entirely OBSESSED with Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille. It was one of my favorite yarns from the very beginning. In fact I don't know another yarn that I use more regularly. Its my go-to yarn for gifts. You wouldn't know it from it's fuzzy appearance, but it's quite versatile and you can make a fancy shmancy handmade gift with just one skein. Washcloths, baby hats, socks, baby anything really. The only other yarn I could possibly appreciate as much is Cascade Fixation or Cascade 220. I made my first complicated scarf (wavy from Knitty) in cream colored 220. It's really bizarre because I think their 220 is a little bit different than it used to be. I thought about buying some recently, but it seemed much rougher than I remembered. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I just said that to myself to prevent Yet Another Yarn Purchase (aka YAYP).

Just so you know I am not allowed to buy anymore yarn this year. it's obscene the amount of yarn I have and it would be a crime for me to buy more, especially since I work for a yarn company. Unless somebody can give me specifics on my future reincarnation so I know how to address my leftover yarn, I will not be able to knit my current stash in this lifetime. OK well, at least not within the next 5 years.

Not to rub it in anyone's faces, but I had a fabulous day at work again. An overseas supplier came to visit and brought gifts, specifically the first samples of a new yarn.... it's so yummy! And there's nothing like it.. I would tell you more but I don't want to get in trouble. Let's just say that it's like walking on air, or walking on sunshine or strolling on cloud nine. Soft! Soft! Soft! Yarn!

let's see what else is new. I tried intarsia knitting and my bad, I knit an entire repeat on a scarf in the wrong gauge. It was much too tight and the image looked like someone had stretched it like saltwater taffy. Not a nice effect that. It's sort of like the Nicole Richie post-suspicious-conspicuous-weight-loss photo. So I'm trying again with larger needles.

This intarsia project is actually something of my own design, knitted with Jo Sharp DK wool (another favorite yarn). It's a series of violet magnolia blossoms and either I can't draw or something b/c the finished effect isn't quite what I envisioned, which as an aspiring kntting pattern designer is quite frustrating. Designing a pattern is a different kind of knitting entirely. I suppose I should latch on to the unknown. And be pleasantly surprised when I finally get something right. It's going to take a while.

And most of the stuff I've been knitting these days have been gifts, which means I haven't been photographing the progress. Which means my blog has been pretty boring of late. And I actually finished the sweater for Mr. G, but I fubar'd it and it's now the perfect size for me. Oh well. Izzy says that it looks cute, which I appreciate, but I fear that it has now become my video-gaming sweater. I have a bizarre outfit I wear in the winter, when my uninsulated house is freezing cold. It is my handknit hat, glovelets, and now my new sweater. None of these pieces match each other, and somehow I look like a refugee from the fabulous yarn company's trunk show closet, but I don't care because the only people who see me like this are the pizza delivery man and my husband. It is this outfit I wear in the winter while I play video games (usually Baldur's Gate). it's sort of like my costume. It helps me get into character when I'm ready for a new mission. I should really put that outfit on an make it my new profile photo...

Anyhoo I'm currently in my sleeping costume and I'm tired, so I'm going to sleep.

Good night.

GG

Ewe.

Giving new meaning to "touchy feely American"

I'm totally grossed out.

Gross!!!!

Too bad SNL is in the off-season.

Grenadine Girl

Faith

Hi there friends.

I got the lovliest comment from this cool guy Mark from England.

He's inspired me to think about my spiritual side today. Since I live in the San Francisco Bay area there are a lot of people who think I'm totally without faith, or entirely disrespectful of it. However they couldn't be further from the truth.

I spent a lot of time in church throughout my childhood and teenaged years and I embrace much of what religion teaches us, however I could never accept the singularity of Christianity, that the bible's god is the one true god. And I've found that at least in the US, Christianity is often used by people as an excuse to judge.

However this cool guy Mark embraces everything I've ever admired about Christianity -love and brotherhood. He's all about spreading the love. Unconditional simple love. It's the closest that anyone has gotten me to going back to church in years.

We need more of that in this world.

I'm one of those crazy people who loves to talk about religion, which is one of the most taboo subjects in polite conversation. I am fascinated by peoples beliefs. However I do have a difficult time when people start wars in god's name. I'm not convinced that god ever wants us to do harm to one another or to the earth. BTW I just say god for lack of a better word. I find it more fitting to appreciate existance of the universe, to appreciate the uncertainty of how/why we came to exist and simply enjoy it for what it is, which is a form of love in itself. I can't really categorize what kind of belief that is. I'm not really atheistic because I can accept the idea that there might be a god/gods out there, but I'm not really agnostic either because I don't really belong to a church. I refuse to cut out any possibilities when it comes to the origins of the universe.

I think I'm a universalist. The universe is here, I live in it and it's beautiful and I love it.

The only sure thing in life is death, and that's where I'll find all of the world's secrets.

Hopefully not any time soon.

Keep on loving,

Grenadine Girl

Summer's Here

and I'm too busy to blog.

But hopefully that will change soon.

GG

I love my job.

See this truck?



It's full of yarn.


My job: to help unload the yarn so that you, my fellow knitters can make beeeautiful things.




You want to be exhilirated. Try signing for a 3500 kg container of yarn! Man I never thought signing my name to something would be so exciting!


They must all think I'm crazy....



GG

Help

OK. I've not been home during the weekend for the last two weekends.

I feel so behind in everything.

Laundry, cleaning, car maintenance, health insurance.

yuck.

And it's record high hot around here so the only thing I feel compelled to do is make fruity iced beverages.

GG

And now a non-tnna post

You would think I've been in hibernation since I came back from tnna. It kind of does take a wee to get back to normal.

But then Mr. G and I have to go out of town to my brother's graduation. Good times were had by all. There was the watching of world cup soccer USA v Italy at a pub. Awesome crowd, pleasing result. And beer. It's been a while since I've had beer. Oddly enough, I haven't felt more American ever routing for USA in the World Cup. It's the only time I've thought about being american without being entirely ashamed by the Iraq Debacle. Watching all these international teams, playing by rules and uniting world inspires me.

Allow me to reiterate: Peace is entirely possible. Only one thing needs to happen to promote peace: no more killing people.

It's that simple.

But back to the graduation. Brother G got a degree in Japanese. We feted him at dinner and toasted his success. And then we got some exciting news: Brother G is engaged! Yay! I'm going to have another sister-in-law!!!

and there's a good chance that I'm going to have to go to Japan for the wedding.

And you know I love any excuse to travel.

I think I smell a round the world ticket in my future!

so many congratulations for brother G and Sister E.

But back to the world cup. I'm going for France, USA, and Australia and now Japan. Funny how when my family grows, so do my favorite international soccer teams.

Another little note. I'm totally disorganized. My office is a mess and it's so underused that Mr. G is threatening to turn it into a guest room/library. To which I ask "but what about my yarn!!!???"

eeek!
GG

PS also a very happy father's day to my dad who I got to sit with at dinner both Friday and Saturday. I hope he's had a great day we've had a beautiful family weekend.

love too you all

GG

Yarnia 8 - King Yarnthur and The Knits of the Round Table

For those of you who are keeping track we're still only on day 2, the first day of the actual convention. According to the knit-nighters at Marin Fiber Arts I'm writing a small novel.

But that's because so many fabulous and funny things happened to us on our trip. If it wasn't so action-packed there wouldn't be so much to write!

Aside from the yarn, getting to know Warren has been one of the most interesting things about the trip. Together, Warren and I can get pretty goofy, especially when fatigue sets in.

I know this may be hard for you to believe, but there is only so much yarn that a person can see in one day.

I know. Blasphemy.

Sad but true, we became overwhelmed by yarn and other knitting products. Even more overwhelming was the fact that we were supposed to go home the next day and we were no where near ready to make any actual purchasing decisions. OK, so we bought some buttons, but buttons alone a yarn shop does not make.

There were four knitting bag vendors to choose from and we could only take two. Warren wanted to introduce another hand dyed yarn, but which one? And we don't even want to get started about the Karabella booth.

As to the buttons. We purchased a bunch of buttons from the button lady at. She is a one woman workshop of ceramic buttons. My personal favorite are the coin-pressed buttons. She takes coins from around the world and impresses them into the clay, and glazes them with your chosen color. Perfect for that manly sweater that we won't mention that's waiting to be seamed in the craft ( a.k.a.junk) room. Anyhoo, the lady was missing a coin from Australia, and by some crazy twist of fate I had an Aussie 20 cent coin hanging out in my bag.

Shortly thereafter, we went to the GGH booth. Where they have multiple boxes of buttons to examine. At this point, Warren was at a level four goofiness, with level 5 in sight. This means that Warren has seen too much yarn, hasn't slept very well and is in need of food and beverage.

This was the level that Warren was at when choosing buttons. It was all the more difficult because there were so many to choose from. Being the assistant, it was my job to keep Warren on task. Thus I presented page after page of buttons. And Warren would put them in one of two piles, LOVE IT or HATE IT. I felt like a page at court, showing the king a selection of fabric or food for his approval. Sometimes I would purposely choose something I knew he would hate, and he would look at me with disapproval "how could you even think I would sell this in MY store?". Thus I came up with Warren's new nickname: Napoleyarn.

Warren didn't like that much.

He thought King Yarnthur was better. Hey he's the king, who am I to argue?

I suppose that would make the knit-nighters the Knits of the Yarn Table.

hardy har har.

Grenadine Girl

Yarnia 7 - Little Girls With Big Hair

It took a little while to get to sleep, what with me being on California time, so I took the opportunity to catch up on my late night tv. I feel asleep a little after David Letterman's lively game of Will It Float (that night it was a giant can of condensed milk and it sunk).

I slept very well on the sofa bed. But I had the strangest dream.

Warren and I were eating breakfast in the hotel restaurant and we were surrounded by these strange little girls, in dancing outfits and massive big hair.

Then I woke up and realized that I wasn't sleeping. Warren had dragged me out of bed in time for the hotel's free continental breakfast and I was in fact truly surrounded by strange little girls with obscenely perfect ringlets of hair.

Apparently there was an Irish dancing competition also meeting at our convention center.

It was entirely creepy. It was 7:30 in the morning and each of these girls had perfect makeup and intricately elaborate masses of curls. Yet none of the mothers looked like they had lost any sleep and the girls looked quite comfortable.

I began to worry that they were cylons.

Warren and I kept making jokes about them all morning, but I noticed something on our way to lunch in the convention lobby.

One of the older dancers was holding her hair in her hands. I almost let out a scream because well, I always assume the worst.

They were all wearing wigs.

Mystery solved.

Good thing too or I wouldn't have been able to eat my lunch.

GG

Yarnia Part 6 - I Left My Heart In San Francisco and It Followed me to Indianapolis

For some people, Elvis is a great way to close a night. For others, it's a sign that the night has only just begun.

Warren was still exhausted from his sleepless Delta flight so he returned to the hotel for some shuteye. But I couldn't refuse an invitation from the Fabulous Yarn Company for some snacks and cocktails.

One of life's great jokes is that you can travel thousands of miles and still feel like you haven't gone anywhere. With San Francisco this is rarely the case because it's such a unique city. It's so unique it might as well be it's own country.

However in the era of eatertainment, that's not so much the case. If you can't afford to fly to Australia, you can go to the Outback Steakhouse. Can't get time off work to go to Mexico? Have some chips and salsa at Chevy's. Now you don't ever have to travel to the liberal bastian of San Francisco, you can instead go to The Alcatraz Brewery in Indianapolis for your taste of life on the rock. This is where we had appetizers and cocktails with the FYC.

Ironically, I've lived in the bay area for more than a decade and have never been to Alcatraz the historical landmark, but at least I've been to Alcatraz, the restaurant and had a margarita.

Anyhoo, the food was awesome and reflected our region's fabulous culinary tastes. I bonded with the fabulous yarn company and partook in some yarn industry gossip. And there was enough food leftover to bring back to the hotel for Warren.

So I guess whenever anybody asks me whether I've been to Alcatraz, I'll just ask them "the prison or the restaurant?"

hardy har har

Grenadine Girl

The Chronicles of Yarnia Part 5: Elvis Lives- In Yarnia!!!

Ahhh yes, post tradeshow beverages... Is there any better way to wind down?

Once I was finished helping FYC I had to attend an industry event with Warren. There was some sort of knitwear fashion show and attendee reception.

The ballroom lobby was crowded and people were quite pushy trying to make their way in. I thought to myself, "Gee, it's just a fashion show. What? Have these people never seen yarn before?". So I started knitting, you know the raison d'etre for that day's festivities. I was surprised that there wasn't more knitting going on. But once the doors opened I realized that everyone else knew something I didn't.

There was food to be had.

and...

There was an Elvis impersonator.

You want to see someone confused? Watch me trying to figure out what to do first. Eat food or get photo with Elvis? Eat food or get photo with Elvis?

Never one to sacrifice, I instead made a compromise. Get food and get photo with Elvis. I cut in line and grabbed myself two egg rolls and high-tailed it to the other side of the ballroom.

Witness: the blurry photo.



Post tradeshow beverages? Pretty Cool.

Post tradeshow beverages and Elvis. Pretty darned awesome.

GG

The Chronicles of Yarnia Part 4. Tradeshows aren't so bad.

Most of the time tradeshows are very unpleasant. Even tradeshows that feature things that are mildly interesting can be tedious. Especially when you're working a booth.

But people, this time it's YARN!!!!!!

The only tedious thing about this trade show is how dang long it took to walk from our hotel to the convention center. But hey, we need to get our exercise somehow.

I got to help the Fabulous Yarn Company set-up their booth. To my surprise I was given the very important task of helping decorate the booth with our yarns and models. Now usually I'm not given the aesthetic authority for such things, but I hung dress forms and arranged colorways of yarns and they looked great. And shockingly enough, the arrangment stayed that way for the duration of the show. The great part was that everybody from the company helped out with smiling faces and positive attitudes. I couldn't ask to be surrounded by a better group of people. I'm blown away by the long standing relationships shared by the reps, partner needle companies and vendors. Working with them felt more like fun than work.

True enough, usually when I'm working at a tradeshow, I'm watching the clock waiting to get the hell out of there, but with FYC, the time flies and I'm sad when it's all over.

Fortunately, we all got together after work for snacks and margaritas!

I guess tradeshows aren't so bad!

GG

The Chronicles of Yarnia Part 3 - Bag Envy

The funny thing about TNNA is that you have to be careful what you say because you never know who's going to be behind you.

This is a no slagging zone. You never know when the owner of a store is behind you, or when the proprietor of a yarn company is next to you at dinner.

Fortunately we learned this the easy way at our hotel.

There was a lady in line at the hotel front desk who was carrying a Lexie Barnes bag. I have been drooling over these bags for ages, but I've only seen them on the interweb, not in person. They are just as fabulous, bright colors and heavy duty materials (because you know my knitting goes everywhere with me).

Anyhoo, I had to tell the lady how awesome her bag was, and what do you know it is Lexie Barnes.

And I had only been in Indianapolis for 20 minutes?

She was very sweet and gave me her card. Unfortunately things got really busy and I didn't get a chance to pick one up, but I'll be heading here soon to snag one.

For now the old tote bag will have to do.

GG

Chronicles of Yarnia Part 2: The Flatulant Bed

I slept well on the plane.

Warren.... did not.

Fortunately our hotel room was ready when we arrived and Warren went straight to bed.

It was made clear to me from the beginning that Warren would get the king size and I would get the sofabed, which I understand. He's the owner of the store; I'm the buying assistant; fair enough. However, one can't help but be a smidge jealous.

But then Warren flopped himself down on the bed, eager for some comfort after the particularly squished seating of the Delta airplane.

And the bed farted.

That's right. This ain't no squeaky mattress, it was a full-on burst of wind. It was so loud that if I was on another room, I would have thought there was something terribly wrong with Warren.

Suddenly the sofa bed doesn't seem so bad.

GG

The Chronicles of Yarnia

I have just returned from TNNA. That's TNNA, not TNA. It's the twice yearly tradeshow for the knitting and needlearts industy, where yarn shops come to choose their wares. I got to go in two capacities, one to assist Warren from Marin Fiber Arts and also to Assist the Fabulous Yarn Company.

Here are the highlights from night 1:

1) We took a red-eye flight. Note to Delta Airlines: Hobbits only exist in Middle Earth. You may want to start installing human-sized seating.
2) Another note to Delta: showing a movie entitled "Failure to Launch" is no way to spend an airflight.

There is much more to come with posts entitled "Yarn Wars", Elvis Lives, King Yarnthur and the Knits of the Yarn Table, Little Girls with Big Hair, Would you like some Barbados with that?, and The Knitwear Model Who Actually Knits.

GG

The Earth Really is Very Full of Things

Unfortunately I'm too small to roll these on my katamari.

Cloud Nine

The knitters out there must have had this dream before: they're somewhere strange, surrounded by unlabeled boxes and a voice tells them "open the boxes, go ahead open the boxes" and you start opening the boxes and there's carton after carton of beautiful yarn. Gorgeous yarn, in delicious colors and textures. You open so many boxes that you're entirely surrounded in balls of yarn. To the point where you create a bed of yarn and you roll around in it, like a lottery winner rolling around in money. But then you realize to your horror that you don't have any knitting needles!

And then you wake up.

Yesterday at work, I learned how to restock our yarn inventory. This entails some pretty laborious activity, but because it's yarn, I'm the happiest girl in the world. In fact, this task was very similar to the above dream, because you're opening neverending boxes of yarn, each of them very inviting. Everyone thinks I'm crazy at work, because I love it so much and it's not like I'm doing anything particularly glamourous. It's filing and order processing and answering phones, but because its in an industry that I LOVE I'm instantly gratified. Perhaps it was because I was told that later this month we will be receiving a 16 wheeled container full of yarn.

I'm learning that work in itself is not glamorous. Which is why it's so very important to discover what it is you really love. Because you will do anything for something or someone you love. It's very simple.

I only just realized how much I loved knitting this year. It was back when I was complaining about the oscars when it dawned on me that I loved knitting more than I loved film. Considering that I studied film in college that was a pretty big realization.

So those of you out there who are trying to figure out what you want to do with your life, discover the thing that comes the easiest to you. Discover the most productive skill that you love. Oftentimes it will be very surprising what that skill will be. I thought that I would be a photographer or a filmmaker or a writer, but these occupations never came naturally to me. I never thought that I would become obsessed with knitting.

Well, one of the biggest things I've learned in my twenties is that love is always where you're least expecting it, and when you're not looking for it.

Take it or leave it.

GG