12.31.2006

Auld Lang Syne

One of the major benefits of working in Education is the time off. Seriously, I woke up this morning and realized I had no idea what day it was, since I haven't been to the office in over 10 days. Fabulous!
Christmas came and went supersupersuper fast around here. I got some fun new big girl toys like a Singer sewing machine, new toaster & blender, wine fridge (from TNB - he knows me SO well), and a pretty right-hand ring from pops. I've already managed to 1) impale my finger with the sewing machine, 2) rearrange my kitchen to accommodate the wine fridge, and 3) lose the ring for 12 hours. Typical me!

I have been knitting like MAD... finished all the Christmas gifts (including the yogamat bag from hell), and this beauty just in time for Christmas Eve:


Lady Eleanor from Scarf Style
Patons SWS, about 7 balls
Size 9 needles

I love this. Like, "favorite thing I have ever knit" love it. She drew rave reviews from TNB's grandmother (always a good thing!) and is as functional as it is pretty. Viva also seems to enjoy sleeping on it. All around, a 100% success!

I highly recommend this yarn in place of Noro Kureyon/Silk Garden. Limited color palette, but I like the sheen the soy adds. I have plans to use this yarn again soon, possibly for Klaralund.

I also finished the Hourglass Sweater, but photos of that tomorrow. It turned out too good not to have some legit photos taken of it. Before diving into the final sleeve of Aline, I started a pair of cozy socks for TNB, because his poor toes have been turning into icicles during these freezing-cold nights.

Two strands of Knit Picks Andean Treasure on size 7 needles make this a super-fast endeavor. I started the first one yesterday about 1pm, and cast off this morning at 9:30am. It's the least I could do since the actual socks I had planned for Christmas were axed early on.

With that, I raise a glass of champagne (figuratively... it is 11:30am) and toast everyone a happy new year! Be safe tonight and see you in 2007!

12.20.2006

Holiday Parties and Much Talk about Wine...

This is all that is left of the Christmas Knitting!

1. Om Yoga Mat Bag
2. Quicky Bib from MDK

That effing yoga mat is the bain of my existence. I cannot tell you how many stupid mistakes I have made - poor Matt has had to witness me cuss at the damn thing more than once; and I wasn't even drinking while knitting on it!

However, speaking of cocktails, it's Holiday Brunch Party Time (albeit 2 weeks late)!


My sister (right) is looking a little less than sober in that last one. I love me some good friends and good champagne on a Sunday afternoon. Since we are hypothetically getting older and wiser, it wasn't quite as wild as some past events, but epic as always.

Oh Yes-siree, Christmas Spirit has come and barfed all over my life.


(I've got a great shot of Matt with the Santa Hat sitting on his head, striking an entertaining resemblance to a lawn gnome, but he'd probably kill me if I posted it here)

In the spirit of HO HO HO, Matt and I were in the Bay Area on Saturday. I knew this was going to be a great party as soon as I got there and they had my 2 of my favorite wines flowing (I'm realizing I am starting to sound like an alcoholic in this post... but hey it's the Holidays... so what if I'm a little over-indulgent!). The morning after we walked around Ikea and oooh-ahhed over the kitchens, but managed to walk out with only about $50 worth of stuff. Amazing. From there over to Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf for Clam Chowder, Oysters, and Irish Coffee (I resisted yarn shopping all day and for that, I deserve a medal). It was a fabulous trip - no photos, obviously, because I was feeling the effects of the good wine and forgot it in the car. Bah.

On the way back I finished the cabled body of the Sideways Spencer. Upon blocking it, I noticed that one of the balls of yarn soaked up MUCH more water than the others, making it much darker. At the time, I thought it was due to the differnet dye lot because I was S.O.L. on the other one. I was all freaked out about it, and next thing I know, Matt is on his hands and knees blotting the offending area with a towel. I almost cried it was so cute.

FINALLY, Jennifer tagged me for a meme, 5 things you might not know about me. So here we go:

1) I LOVE vinegar or anything pickled. It is somewhat embarrassing the amount of white wine vinegar & Antipasti I go through every month.

2) I am a bargain/sale whore. I seriously have a problem buying anything that isn't marked down.

3) My first pet was a guinea pig named Snowball. It was an albino with red eyes and had long hair I had to cut out of her eyes and away from her, um, backside, but I loved that thing. After she went to that cage in the sky, I got two more which I cleverly named "Murphy" and "Brownie". Can you tell what my favorite show was as a pre-teen? I have a sneaking suspicion there will be another guinea in my life at some point.

4) My dream is to star in a staged production. I have decent acting ability and can dance pretty darn well, but I can't sing to save my life. Is there any hope for me?

5) I like living in my "small" town. F'no tends to have a pretty crappy reputation from other Californians, but I love it here. Something about knowing everyone around you and even the Agricultural vibe is something I totally value.

I'm tagging May (who just graduated! Go give her congrats!), Lauren, and Kate. Get crazy, ladies.

12.12.2006

Lets Do The Time Warp Again.....

Instructions -- Copy the first sentence that you posted in each month of 2006 (seen all over blogland)

January 2006
"Ok, so I didn't exactly "clean my sticks for 2006" (a la Lisa)"

February 2006
"Guess who drove 30 miles into the Yosemite foothills to see a legend last night?"

March 2006
"I actually finished a sweater... Sort of."

April 2006
"Day-Light Savings time has once again wrecked havoc on my life in the following ways: 1) I had a dream last night that I was pregnant and giving birth, 2) Viva had me completely freaked out that there was a ghost in my apartment by silently stalking it in the middle of the night, and 3) My body HATES me for making it get up at 6:30, I mean 5:30, I mean 6:30. Send coffee." (ok that's 2.... but the last one was needed for dramatic effect!)

May 2006
"First off, I've been on the road for a week at hotels where the internet SUCKED"

June 2006
"I love, love, LOVE this."

July 2006
"See me live over at Knitty!"

August 2006
"These are small small small - even for my size 6, narrow feet!"

September 2006
"It's football time at the U. and someone out in F'No State Athletics must be reading my blog."

October 2006
"I might quite possibily be the most dull blogger right now"

November 2006
"First off - has anyone else seen this - Lion Brand goes natural?"

December 2006
"Man I miss the city"





NameGiftYarnProgress
MollyPink Earflap HatKnitpicks MainlineDONE!
DadCal Pride SocksCascase 22040%
LexOm Yoga BagLion Cotton15%
MattMerino SocksKnitpicks Gloss0%
KaciMy So-Called ScarfManos Del Uruguay99%
ArdenRed Earflap HatKnitpicks MainlineDONE!
GageFunky Earflap HatPatons RumorDONE!
GaretMittens + Earflap Hat Knitpicks MainlineDONE!

12.11.2006

Time Warp

One word for you. Weffriddles. Do NOT click that link if you plan on accomplishing anything else today. Isweartogodiamnotkidding!!!!

15 years ago today, I was…
1. realizing what it felt like to have curly hair
2. making the move to competitive gymastics
3. best friends with liz, katie and tara

10 years ago today, I was…
1. driving a POS Ford Escort, dubbed "White Trash"
2. in my firts "real" relationship
3. drinking alcohol for the first time (ooohh bad girl!)

5 years ago today, I was…
1. president of my sorority
2. researching graduate school
3. living on the beach in santa barbara

3 years ago today, I was…
1. writing my thesis and trying not to go insane
2. living in Sunnyvale, CA
3. really getting into cooking

1 year ago today, I was…
1. in the midst of moving back to Fresno
2. newly single
3. so, so, SO happy to be home

So far this year, I have…
1. met the most amazing person in the world
2. lived in the same place continuously (that's big for me)
3. learned a lot of very valuable skills at my new job (hello job security!)

Yesterday, I…
1. hosted my 4th annual holiday brunch
2. cried in front of TNB for the first time
3. cuddled with Viva for a long time

Today, I…
1. wore a shirt I haven't worn in two years
2. overslept
3. found a BOMB ASS jacket on eBay

Tomorrow, I…
1. will walk down Christmas Tree Lane
2. will be excited for TNB to come home
3. will be thankful yet again that I am back home

12.08.2006

All I Want for Christmas is a Winning Giants Team

NameGiftYarnProgress
MollyPink Earflap HatKnitpicks MainlineDONE!
DadCal Pride SocksCascase 22040%
LexRuffles ScarfNEED YARN0%
MattMerino SocksKnitpicks Gloss0%
KaciMy So-Called ScarfManos Del Uruguay85%
ArdenRed Earflap HatKnitpicks MainlineDONE!
GageFunky Earflap HatPatons RumorDONE!
GaretMittensKnitpicks MainlineDONE!

In the meantime....



It appears that there has been quite a lot of movement going on over in the Giant's main office this week: Rich Aurilla is back (WOOO HOOOO!!!! My all time fav is back is the Bay!), Bonds will finish it out as a Giant (Where he belongs), Molina is in and Snow is back as well (as a broadcaster? Hmm....)

All and all, this makes me very happy. However, this makes me want to puke. And this might be the funniest eBay listing of all time.

Enough baseball talk... how about some distractingly-cute photos of my niece and nephew (and my dads big head)


Edited to add:
New Knitty is out. Love it. Love it. Love it. Love it. Love it.

12.06.2006

I Left My Heart in San Francisco....

Man I miss the city. San Jo? Not so much. But the City by the Bay? Desperately. We visited this past weekend for TNB's birthday and the Annual Cal-Stanford Big Game.



We stayed at this fun little place, which I recommend for all out-of-area visitors looking for the full "San Francisco Experience". We stayed on the top floor, which overlooked Powell St., and ate at some yummy restaurants all within walking distance.

The game was, well, the Big Game, where all bets are off and anything can happen. I think Cal was favored by 29, and they failed to even score this many points! Stanford really gave them a run for their money, but in the end, the Blue+Gold NATURALLY prevailed (not to say that they didn't leave us hanging until the VERY last play of the game).

However, the big winner of the weekend (besides finding out, at a time of total hung-over deperation, that Starbucks now offers a MEAN Spinach Florentine breakfast sandwich) was our pre-dinner cocktails on Saturday night. There is this little known bar/speakeasy that opened up in the Tenderloin called Bourbon and Branch and let me tell you, the entire experience was phenomenal. You have to make a reservation, at which time they give you their location and a password to get in for the night. Once there, the drinks were to DIE for. The entire table was more than pleased - I myself had this amazing Gimlet with cucumber-infused vodka, bitters, lemon juice and champagne. Not cheap, but I would definitely go back again. You should give it a try if you are in the area!

Tons of knitting has been going on. My fingers feel like they are going to fall off.