Rain Rain Come My Way!

It is overcast outside. Do you know how happy this makes me? What makes it even better:

Sitting inside (while some nice men build my backyard), knitting with Cascade Pima Tencel, snuggling with the animals, listening to the Allman Brothers. And flowers. Definitely flowers:

So April Showers bring May Heatwaves?

Today is our first day of summer hours at the U [we move from 8-5 to 7-3:30 so all the power generators don't burn up in the summer trying to keep this place cool], and MAN am I not happy to be awake this early. On top of that, it is hot as SIN here in F-No, with tempatures over 100 degrees for FOUR straight days in a row. I think it's like 75 degrees right now. In May. What the EFF is going on here?!?

Yesterday we had a record high (103), and we may do it again today (I've heard as high as 106 is predicted). Oye.

Luckily we were out of town and didn't have to deal with most of it, but it was still pretty toasty in SB. I was forced to abandoned all wool for this:


[Please excuse the less-than-stellar photograph]

The Ballet Camisole from the site formerly known as Magknits. In Cascade Pima Cotton, size 4 & 6 needles. This is my progress after 3 days - not too bad! I think it should be done by Memorial Day.

---

Other stuff from the weekend:

Osyter Love, at Brophy Brothers SB:


Our Girls are FINALLY getting along:


AND

I'm bringing back the Sunday Dinner Party:

[oh how I enjoy my beloved fiestaware]



I can't begin to tell you how good this dish was. I started with the recipe Chili-Garlic Shrimp from Cooking Light. I made Bulgar Pilaf instead of Brown Rice, doubled the amount of lemon & bay leaf, and added an extra T. of butter (something I NEVER do, but oh man, did it make that sauce good). Served with a Crisp Chardonnay and Green Salad w/ Champagne Vinegarette. Yumminess.

SB Love

Longtime readers may recall that I've talked about my Alma Mater once or twice, but for the newbies: I can't put it more simply, I went to school in one of the most beautiful places on the west coast: Santa Barbara, CA.


It's a damn shame I can't get back there more often... but YAY! We're headed back this weekend!

My husband hasn't really gotten to experience SB yet, we drove through and had lunch when we were coming back for a wedding but he didn't really see much. Now there's so much to do and so little time! Happy Hour at the Montecito Inn. Shopping on State Street. Walking around the Mission. A Freebirds Burrito (the REAL one in Isla Vista). Music at the Arlington Theater. The Oh-So-Strong cocktails at Joe's. The Italian Pottery Outlet.

Geesh. I think I am going to need two weeks.

Anyhow, now I need to add two yarn stores to the mix: Knit & Pearl and Loop & Leaf. I know for sure I'd like to come home with some Sea Silk, and maybe some Blue Sky Organic Cotton. So lucky I didn't knit in college.


View Larger Map

I'm going to take the back piece of the Watery Cardigan, and the sleeve of Thermal. Don't know why I'm working on either of these since I won't even be THINKING about wearing them for 6 months, but oh well. I'm itching to cast on socks for some reason, so maybe those too. The casting on never quits around here.