To Whom Do I Owe The Honor of Great Mail This Week?

Thanks for all the feedback on that skirt. I really do like the pattern and am pretty sure I would wear it, but I think I going to put it on the back-burner until Spring. Seeing as me and lace and still getting acquainted, I think this may be a little over my head and don't want to make this a painful experience.

Onwards...

Yarn and Knitting
I got the most AWESOME surprises in my mailbox this week. To whom did I owe such a great week of mail?

	Secret Pal, this package was AWESOME. I have never actually bought myself any Alpaca Silk and I broke into a happy dance when I opened this! They stayed wound up in balls for about, um, 30 minutes. I threw them in my travel bag and immediately cast on for some wrist warmers. Oh I love the card, that is so me and Viva! And those stitch markers! So cute! Thanks again, this was an awesome package.
	Koigu is finally mine to try! Jessica sent me this as an exchange for some Noro Kureyon. I can't wait to make yet another pair of wrist warmers with this goodness. See the dpns waiting so patiently? I can't be held responsible for another started project if these guys just happen to CO themselves....
	Cheryl, you must have been listening in a few weeks ago when I was furiously digging through my desk looking for notecards. Seriously, buying some were on my list of 'things to do' and these are PERFECT! THANK YOU!

My roomie and I spent all yesterday knitting on the couch, taking time out to go to the grocery to buy salt and vinegar chips. Just how much time was spent knitting? Well, lets put it this way: I finished up the alpaca silk mitts (still need end-weaving), 1 side of the recycled silk bag, the crochet edging on the baby kimono, all the decrease sections on the lacy kerchief, and the gauge swatch-satchet for Sweet Mary Jane. I also did some searching for a winter sweater to knit. I am thinking this sweater:
from Debbie Bliss Cathay, but since the thought of spending $90 on Cathay makes me shake, using Knit Picks Elegance instead.

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Travels and Good Times

	In between work travel, I spent a weekend in Capitola with my friend Kaci. We decided, being the crazy cat women we are, to have kitty play group at the same time. I will say, I have never seen two cats get along better after being thrown together in a room for 10 minutes.
Lola (Kaci's cat) even let Viva play on her scratch pad and eat from her food bowl. So while mom and Aunt Kaci drank some wine and played at the bars in Capitola Village, our girls drank water from the same bowl and played with cat toys. Really, we were very excitied about it.

Of course, there was a little party called 'Halloween' this weekend as well.

A few notes on Halloween costumes. I would just like to make it clear that in my opinion, it takes REAL women to actually wear clothes on Halloween. And speaking of wearing clothes, I would just like to point out that 90% of my 'Hippie' costume came from my own closet. I had to improvise this year because I didn't have time to put together a real costume, like Witchy and Peg Bundy. And that 2nd photo? No words, I just think its funny the things I do when I come home after a night at the pub. I may answer the door like that tonight when all the kiddies come trick-or-treating.

Happy Halloween Blogland!

Another reason you should drink red wine

King Tut was a man of good taste.

Updates soon. Yours truely has been "on the road again" and had some lovely things from a few generous bloggers to take with her...

To The Point

This post is to the point, because a) I have about 10 minutes and b) the 'wit' portions of my brain checked out about 3 hours ago.

New WIP (AKA: The Startitis at Casa De' Wine and Needles has gone unchecked for too long)

Starburst Sling Bag
Recycled Silk
Size 9 Needles

You're looking at my progress after 1 night. Not too shabby, considering this yarn tricks you into thinking you have carpel tunnel syndrome.

New FO's (AKA: There is light at the end of the tunnel!!)
1) Quick Mits in Knit Picks Andean Silk (size 6 DPN's), 1 Ball
2) Vineyard Socks for my brother in Knit Picks Simple Stripes (OK, these were done like ages ago but I never grafted the toes. FINALLY got around to it this weekend), 2 balls
3) Baby Hat to match the Baby Kimono (which I actually started and finished in pretty good time. This was also my first colorwork!), Leftover scraps of Rowan Calmer and Wool Cotton.

New Additions (AKA, Goodbye summer yarn diet, HELLO fall wool cravings!)

1) 4 Hanks Knit Picks Shadow, to make Sweet Mary Jane
2) 1 Hank Knit Picks Color-Your-Own, to see if I can sucessfully dye yarn without ruining my kitchen/bathroom/clothes.
3) 2 Balls Cotton Fleece and 1 Ball Sockata (thanks Kate for letting me stash dive!)
4) New books/patterns: Knit Scene (I give it a rating of a B-; I could make this, this, or this sweater) and Sweet Mary Jane from Knit Picks. Knowing my speed, if I start this now I can wear it next Spring.

Back to Normal... For Me, Anyway.

Thank you all for letting me vent and for your kind comments to calm me down. I think I've fully gotten over it, I mean, how can I keep the pity party going when there are so many people out there that have it SO MUCH worse right now. I mean, at least it was just my wallet.

On another note:


I've heard it's a really, REALLY bad idea to knit skirts. But I am really, REALLY digging this one. And it would only cost about $35! Someone, anyone, convince me why this would be a good/bad idea....

KARMA'S A BITCH

F*ck the Bastards who came into my office yesterday at 3:30pm, stole my entire wallet (but left the Love Bag, thank god), and proceeded to fill up their friends at 4 gas stations in 30 minutes.

To you, the a-holes that are too lazy to do real honest work and have a need to steal from others, thank you for taking the one day I had to get shit done and making me hang out at the DMV, Wells Fargo, and the University Police Department.

Karma's a bitch, my pretties.....

Proof I Still Walk The Earth

In the past 3 weeks I have spent time in: San Jose, Fresno, Lemoore, Visalia, Madera, San Francisco, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Cruz, Capitola, Santa Clara, San Pablo, Walnut Creek, Danville, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. Whew. And that was just the work side of things.

Yep, me and Julia (my car) have been spending some quality time together.

But I think I am back at home base for awhile, so I figured I should at least make it apparent that I am still around, just seriously neglecting my camera and laptop.

I took a bunch of photos of stuff I am working on and new stash additions last night but, of course, I overslept this morning and didn't have time to upload them. So you get the meme-of-the-moment instead:

Delia Needs....
... to work on her language - GUILTY!
... more airtime - Because I have so many brillant things to say!
... a home - No more ghetto-fab apartment!
... to be investigated immediately - I swear I always follow traffic rules officer!
... to continue to house a coven of evil witches - This is not going in a good direction, given I already need to be investigated.
... a vent board - I don't know what that is but I definitely want one.
... to be taught how to be a lady - I guess this goes with the 'work on the language' provision.
... to build a diorama for Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - HELL YEAH! Best movie EVER!

Google your name and 'needs' and see what you get. Great way to kill a few minutes at work!

Back to knitting/eating/drinking content tomorrow (or the next day, or the next, or the next...)

It's Raining Lace!

Well I finally blocked Hot Lava (WHOA, did that thing REEK), and I think I like it much, much more:


I like the shape and all, but I am doubt it is EVER going to get cold enough around here to wear this thing. About 1 minute after I took this photo, I ripped it off gasping for air. Maybe if I'm hanging out on Fisherman's Wharf in January, otherwise it might just make for a good photo.

As for other projects in current rotation:



That's the Lacy Bolero from Vouge Knitting and Lacy Kerchief Scarf IWK. It's raining Lace! Can you say "someone learned a new skill and can't get enough of it???"

I am totally digging the scarf because I love this...

... but have will DEFINITELY not drop $88 on it. Yes you read that right. Delia's version = $8. Woo. Other neat-o scarves from the ultimate knitting inspiration:

.
Also...


Click for an over-priced heart-attack. Cable KAL here I come!

Time to Eat... Again!

2 New Recipes in 1 week - I rule!

Napa Valley Tacos with Shrimp and Goat Cheese

1 lb small shrimp (51/60 size)
1/2 cup lime juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 + 1 T. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped white onion
about 4 tablespoons of goat cheese (1/4 of a log)
a few leaves of lettuce
pico de gallo
small corn tortillas

Mix the lime juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1 T. olive oil in a plastic bag. Remove the tails and shells from the shrimp, add to the bag, and marinate for 30 minutes to one hour.

Add 1 T. oil to a large skillet, and saute the onion until it just starts to brown over medium high heat. Raise the heat to hight, then dump the entire contents of the marinade bag into the skillet. Cook shrimp until pink, about 5 minutes. Add the goat cheese, stir until dissolved. Lower heat to medium, then let simmer until contents thicken, about 8 minutes.

Place 1 lettuce leaf, and a spoonful of pico into each tortilla (I suggest doubling them up). Add a giant spoonful of shrimp mix to each taco.

Serve with a California Chardonnay, I recommend

Clos Du Bois.

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Yes, I have been knitting and this is still a knit blog. I have been insanely busy with my school travels, so I will be getting a REAL post (opposed to, you know, this FAKE post) in soon.

Till then, here's me and the Vive-Master. Do you know how hard it is to get a cat to sit still and take an arms-legnth photo at the same time?

Yeah, not easy.

Happy hump day!