Sometimes, You've Just Gotta Garden

Last evening I decided I needed a patio garden rightthisverymoment. Yes, I know it's a little late in the game to start planting stuff, but how could I resist giant pots that were 60% off at Joanns? And that rack? 20$ at Ross! It was meant to be!

It's amazing how productive you can be when you get home from work at 3:30pm. Don't get me wrong, the butt-crack of dawn wake-up call still gets me EVERY morning, but my house has never been cleaner, more organized, or more comfortable since this schedule started. Martha, watch your back! Last night, after what was a seemingly endless productive day (plant garden, cook dinner of Aspargus with Tomato Compote and Pasta Puttanesca for mom, organize pantry), Viva-ness and I settled in for the night. Some of us drank more wine than others.

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Knitting
Here is what the Prarie Tunic looks like, as of 5pm yesterday:

I have a good feeling that this will actually be finished in a reasonable amount of time. I knit that back piece (with 4ply yarn on size 3 needles) in less than two weeks, while sharing time with about 3 other projects. Yes, this is progressing nicely.

But you know, sometimes a girls just got to knit on a sock.

Crusoe, from Knitty
Koigu-ness, Color #107 (I think) from awesome SP7 Sarah
Size 2 dpns
These are racing along - you only cast on 44 stitches!!! That was about 45 minutes of knitting, right there.

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Anyhow, I love that it's already Wednesday. Downside: My week has SUCKED thus far because I am recovering from the big Memorial Day BBQ, which suceeded in throwing me completely out of whack (I blame the hard cider). Upside: After all that talk of sushi (ya'all have me seriously reconsidering installing a hibachi grill), I conned invited my pops to meet me for Japanese at lunch today. YUM.

Ciao

J is for Japanese Cooking

I'm a little bit obcessed with Japanese food. Hands down, it's my favorite 'type', and I could easily eat sushi every day of my life. Of course, neither my pocketbook or family members would allow me to do that, so I have spent the last couple years trying to perfect my skills in my own kitchen.

No, I'm not rigging up a Hibachi grill in the ol' apartment, but I'm pretty darn close to getting the rice just right and my tofu noodles kick some a*s. Seriously, an old roommate of mine got me a pound of Ahi as a birthday gift one year and it was the best EVER.

Ok, so that's another thing I miss about the Bay Area. Buying FRESH seafood right off the boat in Live Oak Harbor!

Is it lunch yet?

Nothing Says "Good Morning!" Like a Puking Cat

Thanks for the suggestions on the baby items. I actually do love knitting them because they work up so fast! and Chris - I wish I was talented enough to draw that; I think I found it in an online clip-art directory.

So onto today. I woke up to a pleasent surprise this morning - Viva hacking up a hairball next to my bed at 5:10am. Nothing like going to town with a wad of paper towels and some Resolve to wake you up.

Of course, I didn't get to bed until like 11:30pm because the completely annoying band of 18-year-olds living and partying it up 6 nights a week in their first apartment my new neighbors decided it would be a fun idea to climb the cherry tree right outside my bedroom window with flashlights at 10:30pm. I felt like the cranky old lady at the end of the street as I slammed my window shut and added this shinanigan to my running list of 'things to report to the management' but hell, a working woman needs her sleep! I really hope I didn't bring this sort of headache to anybody during my wilder years...

Anyways, I actually have knitting stuff today.

Here's Aline's back and fronts sewn together. I had to crop the photo because I looked like absolute hell despite 90% of my head being covered by the camera. I need to block this and actually put some [ahem] supportive undergarments on to make this fall right.

Cathay splits like hell. Viva got a nail stuck walking oustide today and let me tell you, it is beyond repair. I also can't tune out and knit on this because of the same problem. sigh.

I've also been slowly working on the Prarie Tunic in between the baby mania items. I realized what it is that I don't like about this yarn.


While everyone else is dying their yarn, I'm bleaching mine out. I think this tank will look MUCH better (for my tastes, anyway) after a good bleaching. So that's the fate. Here it is when I got to work this morning:


Note to self: Do not throw a project in your purse when you are 1/2 way through a lace panel. Just don't.
P.S. I have no idea why my hand looks orange.
Earlier this morning, since I was up oh, an hour early, I sat outside and knit a baby bootie. It was actually pretty nice sitting there in a blanket, with some tea and rice cakes, watching morning creep up. Of course, I had to seriously fight the urge to go climb the Cherry Tree with a bullhorn and shout "GOOD MORNING WORLD!" in the immediate direction of the sleeping 18-year-olds window.


Assorted Wool Cotton from Rowan & Debbie Bliss. Adorable pattern here.
So that's Wednesday AM at the Casa. Back to ploting how I am going to stake revenge on the neighbors.