Did You Miss Me?

I didn’t mention that I might be absent from the blog because I had hoped that there might be internet access available at the resort we were visiting. There was, for a fee, if you have a laptop… (‘nuff said!) So no, I wasn’t able to do an live vacation feeds to keep my readers informed… And you’re wondering… “wheredja go?” “Whadja do?” (right?) Well, wondering or not, I’ll share some of my adventures. So enough preliminaries I guess… DH and I took a little jaunt to Fabulous Las Vegas. Despite the “what happens…” slogan, I can tell you a few things that we did. We stayed at a nice time share resort (the one that Alan Thicke is spokesperson for). We swam in the pool, we checked out the mountains, we ate a lot of good food, drank a few drinks, and of course dabbled in a couple casinos. Most of the stuff people usually do in Las Vegas. We didn’t get to any shows this time because we just didn’t see anything that appealed to us. (And Cher ticket prices cost more than our room!) It was a very laid-back vacation and we were just happy to have a nice place to relax and escape from every day life. We also visited a very nice yarn shop and had fun driving around the area and seeing a lot of different sides of Las Vegas. You can’t really appreciate the city if you don’t get away from the areas where the casinos are concentrated.

If it weren’t for the heat and the current housing crisis, I think DH would still want to move there. The city just has a funny appeal to both of us.

I must be getting old though, because I saw some really young girls all fixed up to go out partying at the clubs and I was really shocked and a little embarrassed/offended by the dresses (if you could call them that) that they were wearing. Since when is it OKAY to go anywhere in anything that doesn’t even come close to covering your cleavage up top or your rear end at the bottom and call it a dress? The thing that I don’t get is they wear these items with really high heels to go dance in? But first they walk a mile or so on the strip to get to the club… it baffles me. Seriously! And don’t get me started on the time we walked into a casino and there were pole dancers in the main area! It’s definitely not a family place, (which didn’t stop people from bringing their kids) but really! Some things still belong behind closed doors – even in Las Vegas! But, it was a fun trip and I actually did get some knitting done during some of it. On the landing/approach to our gate at the airport, I bound off the last stitches of this: Blue T-shirt; Eden Madil, 100% Bamboo; Size 4 needles; Knitting Pure & Simple Neck-down Shaped T-Shirt by Diane Soucy Here’s a shot of me wearing it in front of the Paris Hotel/Casino Then I started this: Spring Forward Sock, Fleece Artist Sea Wool, Size 0 needle; Started on size 1, knit cuff + 1st pattern repeat, decided it would be way too big, frogged, started over with smaller needle- adjusted pattern to work magic loop. And I also worked a little bit on the Hey Teach I haven’t made as much progress as the Harlot, but my goal is to get the back done by the end of the week. Maybe then I can show a picture! Both Spring Forward and Hey Teach are from the Summer Edition of Knitty. (Just in case you haven’t seen it). Oh and yes, I did win on a couple of slots, but nothing BIG, here’s a pic I snapped of my big jackpot on a quarter machine. It wasn’t enough to bring home.

Apparently, any money you win in Vegas, does stay in Vegas…

Diary of a Mad Knitter

Weds Morning Knit beginning of toe shaping for August socks (approx 2”) Weds Night Knit beginning of toe shaping for Secret Prayer Swap (SPS) socks (approx 1.5”) Thursday afternoon Think to self “August sock foot looks short” measure, try on, realize toe will be 1.5” too short, frog, reknit 1.5” before beginning of toe shaping, put away in disgrace. Take out SPS sock, think to self “this foot looks short, too” double check partner’s foot measurement info, gasp! Sock will be 2” too short, attempt to frog back to end of pattern without getting into pattern stitches. Frog one row too far, pick up stitches carefully, start knitting again in pattern, knit 6 rows of pattern, put away in disgrace. Stop to help prepare car for shipping to SD#2 (long story, don’t ask). Go to work. Thursday (after work) Knit additional pattern repeat begin toe shaping (again), finish toe, put aside and cast on for sock #2, finish ribbing and start pattern. Friday AM Sit in clinic waiting room for 2 plus hours with non-stop Olympic coverage of women’s gymnastic win and men’s swimming achievements. Read book; head hurts from lack of caffeine/repetitious Olympic babble. Finish book, bug receptionist about why-am-I-still waiting? Finally get called back to start test. Get injection, back to waiting room to wait for effects… pull out SPS sock, find difficult to knit because of headache, work a couple rounds, wait more, watch more Olympic coverage… finish test, go to lunch… get coffee finally! Friday afternoon Wait for hubby to finish work in quiet office with NO Olympic coverage. Headache finally subsided; work on SPS sock until time to leave. Stop by car lot on way home to review number’s one and two on short list. Discuss options; decide maybe need to test-drive number three. Friday PM Blue T-shirt calls out in sad, neglected voice from knitting basket work on it for a few rounds. Put aside to work on SPS socks. Watch really awesome finish to Cubs game, check in on Olympics, and go to bed Saturday (all day) Eat breakfast out at Wildberry's (pancakes Yum!); Look at more cars at different lots. Review prices of cars on short list. Stop and have coffee. Spend lots of time on decision making; work on SPS sock while discussing, think number three is best all around, but need to drive first, head out to finalize decision. Test drive car; this is the one. Do financials; work on SPS sock while waiting. Drive old car home while hubby drives new car home. Collapsed until after dinner. Saturday PM Finish up 3rd repeat on SPS sock, but stop knitting to watch Olympics – who can knit with competition like that? Sunday afternoon Church in the Park / softball – Have great fellowship time and picnic, pull out SPS Socks to knit; realize that it is time to start heel, but pattern is at home. Put aside, work on Blue T-shirt. Sunday evening Tired of SPS socks and Blue T-shirt, worked on ribbing of August socks (sock #2) Monday no knitting in morning or afternoon, need to do chores and get ready for work. Monday Evening (after work) Worked heel flap of SPS sock #2 Tuesday AM Realize haven't posted blog or taken pictures in almost a week, knitting progress is negligible, but inching forward. Hope to have pictures and finish something soon!

You Might Have a “Startitis” If…

You are already working on this: (Top down t-shirt) And this: (Baby Bunting test-knit for shop)

(Oh, and let’s not forget the secret swap socks… with no pictures until they are mailed!)

But then you cast on for This:

And this: (hey teach)

And these: (August sock-a-month socks)

As well as complete 3 sewing projects; do you think?

Yes it has been sort of busy around here at Chez Nana. I’ve found plenty of things I want to knit and apparently am attempting to knit them all at once. It’s really not bad if you have a system. I knit on each project for half and hour to an hour depending on where I’m at in the pattern and then I take a break (or go to work or the store... or...) then, once the break is over I pick up a different project and work on it for a little while. It’s sort of like; um… I guess... time management! Hmmm, yeah, time management… yeah... sounds a lot better than startitis.

Oh, and just in case you’re thinking that I am incapable of finishing anything. I did actually finish these on Sunday. Pair # 2 of the Skinny Stripe socks. How many projects are you working on over there?