A Moment of Silence

I wasn't going to talk about this but yesterday's events at Virgina Tech hit a little too close to home. Not only was it sobering to arrive at work this morning to a "campus crisis" plan from the President, but it took me back 6 years ago to my junior year of college. Four students were killed by a "legally insane" student with his car. He ran them down in the middle of a busy pedestrian intersection adjacent to campus at 11pm on a Friday night for no good rhyme or reason. Every single student had walked that intersection, many, MANY times, and the anxiety that many students felt as a result of this senseless crime was pungent for a very long time. I'm getting chills thinking about it right now.

My heart goes out to all the kids on that campus. Not only did the shooter take 33 lives, he took a sense of security from that entire campus that is not easy to recover from.

On another note... thank you so much for your thoughts on the house! We are so, so SO excitied - it still doesn't seem real! (Oh the joy of being house-poor for the next year... I better start yarn stashing now!)

All Grown Up

There has been an unusally-long silence at this blog lately. Despite it being my busiest time of year (common kids! 2 weeks left to decide on college!), Matt and I decided to make a major leap into adulthood.



WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!
After looking at tons of condos & townhouses, mulling over how much we could afford, and learning more than I though possible about the morgage/loan process, we thought we were going to have to settle on a glorified apartment condo. Not that these aren't great options for some people, but deep down we both really wanted a house but thought we couldn't afford it without giving up the neccesities like sushi and coffee and wine and catfood (which is just mind-boggling given our combined incomes... CA real estate.... geesh...)

Anyway...

Through a random series of events we found ourselves at this new development in a different part of town, fell in love with one of the plans, and thanks to a hefty incentive, omg.. we could afford it! We got pre-approved, signed the papers on Saturday, and construction is due to start at the end of this month. HOME OWNERS!

So needless to say, things have been just a wee bit busy around here. I've been squeezing knitting in when I can, and have planned the demise WIPs that just aren't meant to be (i.e. Sideways Spencer - WHEN will I learn that certain styles just don't work on an ample chest?!?) All a part of the process of cleaning out and planning for a new home together :)

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All my time in the last couple weeks has been on Dollar and a Half. This cardigan really is flying by:

The back, 1 front, and 1 sleeve. (also see various loan scribblings)

I knit the entire sleeve in one day while volunteering at a wine competition. Here's the cast on:

Is it normal to drink wine at 10am?

And the sleeve shaping that evening. Don't ask how I did it - all I know is I didn't follow the authors directions because a) I didn't like the way they looked, b) it seems to have worked, and c) I'm hoping that I will even be able to replicate it on sleeve #2.

To ease the boredom of my single-project syndome, I'm taking a 24 hour break from $1.50 to play with the new Cotton-Ease I picked up @ Micheals last week. The color is "Charcoal", but whoever named it that might be colorblind because this is definitely Navy.


I love this yarn, SO glad it's back... but this is only a break. Back to $1.50 tonight.

Today's Post Brought to You by Cliff Notes

Eff Blogger. My entire post is gone. %(#$%*@$%*#@$)#(@($#@($!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Birthday Wine Tasting



Missing sunglasses

These guys were jerks. Avoid if possible.

Cute Cute CUTE cat, sleeping under her hand-crocheted blankie.