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Dear Self

Dear Self,

You have been woefully absent of late, and I have been growing concerned.  What’s up?  I’ve been hearing you’ve been having a rough time of it with traveling lately.

~Jen

Dearest Jen,
 You’re right, it’s been hard to stay with Weight Watchers when I’m taking the train with the boy somewhere every weekend.  Traveling is both a treasure and a pain.  It’s no reason to neglect you, I know, but I know our friendship will not suffer with my distance.

Let’s go through what’s been going on lately: I’ve decided to take my teaching to the next level, and have been arranging for classes at some really great yarn stores.  I can’t tell you all the details yet, but I will be in the upcoming weeks.

I’ve also been taking a really great class with Knitgrrl online.  While it’s been terribly helpful, it’s been sucking up all of my freetime.  You know how that goes.

Yours,
Self

Dear Self,

You aren’t the only one who has been busy.  I’ve gotten a new spinning wheel. It’s a Ladybug, and the wonderful people (Specifically Victoria) at The Yarn Spot ordered it for me.

I’ve been taking really good care of it, and just finished spinning some really nice angora/merino/silk.  Still don’t know what I’m going to do with it, but I’m just letting it breathe right now.  Sometimes after spinning I’ve got to give the yarn a rest before it speaks to me about what it wants to be.  Which is fine.  Now I’m spinning some lovely silk, and I”m alternately cursing myself and really pleased with my results.  This is a drafting technique that doesn’t come naturally to me, so I have to take my time, and sometimes I just want to GO!  I also don’t get into a rhythm as easily as spinning from the fold.

What about you?  What have you been working on?

Best,
Jen

Dearest Jen,

I’ve been working on a variety of things.  I’m working up a sample for a class I’m going to be teaching at Tangled Skein.  The pattern is called Meets in the Middle by Lorna Miser.  I’m in the swatching phase for a sweater made out of Rock Creek Yarn, and halfway through a vest out of Mountain Colors.  Finally, I’m crocheting a Cap Sleeve Top, which will also be for an upcoming class.

I’ve also been able to borrow an Antique Sock Knitter from my good friend Bobbi of Covers and Soles, and have been playing around with that for a neat little demo I’ll be doing with her.


The End result being, I don’t think I’m going to run out of things to work on during the second half of the Chicago trip, which starts tomorrow.  But that’s another story.


Until Later,
Jen

Feline Friday and Friends!

March 184Oh Hi.  Today I want you to meet a friend of mine.  Her name is Monkey.  She is quite young, and gets into everything.

See, Jen thinks that because this blog is about knitting, she should at least try to have some photos of me with yarn.  But I am very clever.  I don’t let her catch me playing with the yarn.  I only leave it in a spiderweb all over the house.

But apparently that’s not very photogenic.  So here, I give you Monkey.  Monkey is playing with yarn.

2010 October and November 009Are you happy now, Jen?  I will try to get into more yarn so you can take pictures of me.

Feline Friday: I AM FEROCIOUS!

Zephyr 016Rawr!

Today I am being Ferocious!

I have CLAWS!

I HAVE TEETH!

I HAVE A BIG MOUTH!

Thus, I must be Ferocious!

PS:  I am so small today because Jen didn’t have her camera on the right settings, and I am a bit blurry. She posted it anyway because I INSISTED that I am FEROCIOUS, and this is proof, even if I am blurry.  So for all of you who think I am cute, remember that I am quite scary.

Feline Friday: I Cans Too Read!

Zephyr 011
Hi.

Today I am very serious.  You see, I have heard a most upsetting thing.  Jen had told me that some of you were dubious about me being able to read.

She told me that last week, and all this week I was most upset.

Zephyr 018

See how upset I was?  Look here, to the right.  I have my sad face on.

I am looking down and my ears are drooping and my paw is listless.  (See the big words I use right now?  This must mean that I reads!)

I am really sad here.

Then I decided I should show you all.  I would show you that I cans read.

Zephyr 007
Look here.  I am reading a book.  It says Jump!  Jen didn’t even have to tell me what it said.  It has a frog on it.  I like frogs.  They are nice and hoppy.  I like to chase them.

See?  I have my paw on the book and everything.  I am about to open it.

I am a very talented cat.  Can your cat read?

Feline Friday

March 012Oh Hi.  I am too tired today to be cute.

So today I give you another cat.

You know Jen tries to improve her pictures, right?  It’s important, so that you guys all want to buy her patterns or her lessons or read her blog.  Every book is better with pictures right?

(Jen note: Ya’ll I don’t agree with that statement, but remember, Zephyr is only reading picture books, so don’t be too hard on him)

So she takes pictures of cats other than me.  That’s okay, ’cause I know she loves me the most.  So today you get two pictures.  Me, ’cause I am cute even when I’m tired.  And Sweetness and Light’s favorite neighborhood tabby:

Picture 358 Her name is Ginger.  I think I have a crush on her.  SHHH!  Don’t tel her.  She is very beautiful.

Ellie Made Me Cupcakes

Cupcakes.  Ellie made them for me, which makes them Amazing.

 Yesterday was my birthday party, and a bunch of people I love got together to help me celebrate it.  I will now show you some pictures, because it was amazing.

Even better, she made a cupcake for Michael, which had the most frosting on it of all the cupcakes.  This was a great gift, because if it makes Michael happy, it makes me happy.

There’s a rule at Michael’s and my parties, that you need to wear a silly hat.  My silly hat, and my rainbow cupcakes.  Yes, I really am that happy.  Who wouldn’t be?  They’re RAINBOW CUPCAKES.

Michael, with his cupcakes, which as more frosting on it than cake.

See?  Rainbows.  Amazing.

It’s My Birthday!

205
I know, Weight Watchers and Pie? Read on.

Yarnies,

It’s my birthday, and right now I’m at the boyfriend’s family farm, and probably sleeping in.  (I scheduled this post before I left, because I’m just that considerate).

210So, as I might have mentioned before, I’m a member of Weight Watchers.  I’ve lost 50 lbs on the program in total, 17, since I’ve moved to Maryland.  I go through cycles where I’m really successful, and other times where I’m just going through the motions.  I try to be kind to myself when things don’t go right, and not excuse my successes.  (I have a habit of saying thinking, well it was just a pound.  I could have lost more if I tried.  Really, how silly is that?  A pound is a big deal).

A big part of my success is the Boyfriend, who stands in the background cooking me delicious dishes, cheering me on, and in general walking the fine line between helping me too much and not helping me at all.  (That’s hard.)
215
One of the ways he does this is by setting up rewards.  I’m highly susceptible to positive reinforcement.  The rewards don’t have to be that big.  My latest reward was supposed to be a bikeride to Mt. Vernon, where we were going to have a southern-style picnic which would include lemonade, fried chicken, potato salad, and strawberry-rhubarb pie.  Lest you think that a food reward seems counter-intuitive for a weight-loss program, let me point out the ride to Mt. Vernon is 20 miles.  And I would have had to bike back after I’d eaten pie.

Unfortunately, on Saturday when we were supposed to go, it rained.

A lot.

So instead, we went and picnicked under one of the porticos to the EPA building (near Federal Triangle).  Then we went to the American History Museum and the Natural History Museum.

Not quite what we were planning, but we’re adaptable.

201
Yes, Purple Potatoes.  How Cool is that?  It makes them look so much more nutritious.

The point to this story (other than bragging about Boyfriend’s pie making skills) is that I persuaded the boyfriend to use purple potatoes in the potato salad.

Let me just say, you haven’t had a southern style picnic until you’ve thrown it on it’s head by using purple potatoes.

It was the best.

Anybody interested in the purple potato recipe?

Feline Friday

April 213Rawr.

 I am guardin my toy.

It is red.  I’ve broken the handle twice.  But it is still good.  When I want to play with it I carry it and drop it by Jen, or Boyfriend, or Roommate.

This morning I dropped it by Jen, but she didn’t play with me.  She didn’t flick it, or throw it.

So I picked it up and dropped it closer.  She still didn’t do the flickies or the throwing.

So I picked it up and dropped it on her face.

And you know what?  She kept on sleepin.  Not so very good.  You would play with me, right?

PS:  It’s the Jen’s birthday in two days.  You should be wishing her Happy Birthday.

Sneak Peak: Ideas for a Name?

Yarnies,

277I’ve got a sneak peak for you today. I’ll even tell you what yarn it’s in. Three Irish Girls Aiden on Adorn. Try not to drool too much.

Got an idea on the name of them? The stitch pattern kinda reminds me of Totoro, and well, if you can’t figure out by the link then you’ll just have to go ask a friend.

So, any ideas?

286In other news, Sweetness fell and smooshed her hand between her scooter and the ground.  It was bleeding, and I didn’t have a band-aid (hence why you should always have a paper towel with you… I do!).  But luckily, I had some TIG, to save the day.  She was pretty excited that my special yarn got to be part of her bandage.

So, do you have any inventive ways that you’ve used your yarn lately, besides the obvious?