"Throw it again, Mom!"
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
How Romantic!
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
2013 in Books
As I finish I book I write down the title and author in my datebook. At the end of the year I like to compile that information into a list and see where I went that year via books.
Here's the 2013 recap.
1. Best Food Writing 2012 by Holly Hughes (editor)
I like to read about food (almost as much as I like eating it). I like compilations as books I can hold in my hands so I read the paperback version of this.
2. Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
I remember this showed up in my email as a special offer from Kindle. It was cheap, involved Abe and vampires, so why not?
3. The Dinner by Herman Koch
I read a good review of this somewhere and it intrigued me. I enjoyed it. (Kindle)
4. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
I got news that my geology field trip would be to South Texas. I was going to places I'd never been, such as Del Rio, Marathon, and Big Bend. Somehow I knew (or was told) that I'd be near the setting of No Country for Old Men. So I had to read it. (Kindle) Yes, it's a bit bleak and probably not a good warm-up for my trip, but it seemed necessary to read it. I don't know of a lot of books that take place in that part of the world. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It kind of surprised me. The last time I'd tried reading Cormac McCarthy I was really put off my his writing style and total lack of quotation marks. This time the story just sucked me in and I didn't even notice those pecularities. And yes, I also watched the movie as part of my field trip preparation. And I saw The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada which takes place in that general part of the world too. It was a bit of a Tommy Lee Jones filmfest.
5. Mary Coin by Marisa Silver
I have always been intrigued by the Dorothea Lange photograph of the migrant mother in the depression so when I read that this book was a fictional account of the photographer and mother, I had to read it. (Kindle)
6. Inferno by Dan Brown
A Dan Brown book featuring Robert Langdon--what more do I need to know? I'm there! It wasn't a repeat of DaVinci Code because Robert Langdon was solving both the inferno mystery and the mystery of how he became involved. (Kindle)
7. Joyland by Stephen King
Stephen King is my all-time favorite so the minute this one came out I bought it. It wasn't available electronically but even if it was I would have bought the hard copy. It's such a good story and not at all a scary tale, but one of a young guy growing up.
8. Benediction by Kent Haruf
I really like this author. His writing isn't flashy, the stories are about ordinary people, and they really convey a sense of place. I got this in hardback to go with his other books on my shelf.
9. The Shining by Stephen King
I knew that Stephen King would have a new book in the fall that featured the little kid from The Shining all grown up. I hadn't read The Shining since I was about 14. So it was time for a reread in preparation for the new book. I hadn't realized the time frame was as compressed as it was. I seem to remember that Jack Torrance went crazy over the course of about a year, but it happened much quicker. This may have been the first Stephen King book I ever read after being introduced to him by my friend JoLynn. I remember borrowing her copy. This time I read the Kindle version.
10. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Once J.K. Rowling was outed as the author I had to read this mystery. I thought it was very good and entertaining. I don't read a lot of mysteries so I have no idea if this was better than the average mystery or not. (Kindle)
11. Coming Clean by Kimberly Ray Miller
One Sunday I read a blurb about this in the magazine section of the paper. I have seen enough of the hoarder shows that I was intrigued. It was a quick non-fiction break from all the fiction I'd been reading. (Kindle)
12. And the Mountains Echoed by Khalid Hosseini
I absolutely loved his two previous novels so I had to read this one. It was different in that it involved so many people and took place in many locations in addition to Afghanistan. Very good. (Kindle)
13. The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F. G. Haghenbeck
I've always been intrigued by Frida Kahlo. So while I was browsing in a bookstore (a rare occurance these days) and saw this novel, I bought it.
14. A Face in the Crowd by Stephen King and Stewart O'Nan
This is a Kindle Single, basically a short story, so it doesn't really count as a book. I think I was between books so I looked for something on Kindle and came up with this. Stephen King!
15. Everyone's Reading Bastard by Nick Hornby
Another Kindle Single.
16. The Maid's Version by Daniel Woodrell
I was on my way to work and heard an interview with the author. Though I never read Winter's Bone my boyfriend liked it and I know the movie was good. So I read this. I liked it. (Kindle)
17. Smaldone by Dick Kreck
I was home visiting my mom and we went to the history museum. While browsing the gift shop, I picked up this book. It was about gangsters in Denver and Pueblo and the history and violence and one-for-one murders. It was very interesting. I read it in an afternoon. My mom remembered her parents speaking of some of the main characters. I learned some things I'd never known about my home town.
18. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
Finally, the book I'd been waiting for for months! It's great! I lugged around this big heavy book because I prefer my Stephen King in hardcover.
19. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
I have always enjoyed her short stories. She is an author who really transports me to the locations she is writing about. This was a great novel. (Kindle)
20. Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger
It seemed like every time I flipped through the movie channels Friday Night Lights was on. I eventually managed to see the whole movie though not necessarily in chronological order. So I felt it was time to finally read this book which I'd been meaning to for years. (Kindle) Interestingly, that part of Texas was in a deep depression during the time of the story but is experiencing boom times now. That's oil for you.
21. Sycamore Row by John Grisham
A lawyer story by John Grisham? You know I'm going to read! (Kindle)
22. Wolves of Midwinter by Anne Rice
I really liked the first book of this new werewolf series so I was eager to read this one. (Kindle)
23. Provence, 1970 by Luke Barr
Food again! I have been intrigued by M.F.K. Fisher for years. I remember soon after I moved here after college I declined an invitation to go bowling with friends because I wanted to watch an interview with her on PBS. I love Julia Child too so it was natural that I read this. (Kindle)
24. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
I read a review of this book in the Sunday paper. I visited Iceland back in 1987 on a geophysical field trip. A good read. (Kindle)
25. The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vasquez
As I was browsing Amazon's "best of 2013" list I found this book. It was on a bunch of other "best of" lists also. I think I agree. (Kindle)
That's 25 books though two were actually Kindle singles.
I read 5 physical books (two because I knew they deserved a place on my shelves, one because it was the only way it was published, two because I purchased them while browsing) and 20 Kindle books. A word about that: I currently use the Kindle app on my iPad. I haven't used the actual Kindle for about a year. I think I finally realized I didn't need to take two devices with me on vacation; the iPad could do it all.
I read 5 nonfiction books (italized titles) and 20 fiction. I'm not sure what that says.
In compiling this list I realize that most of the books I read this year weren't random finds. They were suggestions from reviews in the paper or on NPR or even Amazon. Only two were totally random finds through browsing, the Frida Kahlo book and the Smaldone gangster book. I love reading electronically for several reasons, primarily the space ones. Books can be big heavy objects. They aren't travel-friendly and they add up on your shelves. As a lifelong reader, I must regularly cull through the shelves to make sure all the books fit--electronic versions don't get this culling.
But I really miss browsing in a book store, never knowing what I'll find. That has always been one of the great joys of being a reader.
I'm not sure how to balance my love for the electronic and the randomness of browsing. (I feel so guilty going into a store to browse with the intention of buying from Amazon later. The one time I did this in my local independent bookstore I was sure I'd trip, drop my purse, and my Kindle/iPad would fall out, thus outing me.) Maybe I'll figure that out in 2014.
Here's the 2013 recap.
1. Best Food Writing 2012 by Holly Hughes (editor)
I like to read about food (almost as much as I like eating it). I like compilations as books I can hold in my hands so I read the paperback version of this.
2. Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
I remember this showed up in my email as a special offer from Kindle. It was cheap, involved Abe and vampires, so why not?
3. The Dinner by Herman Koch
I read a good review of this somewhere and it intrigued me. I enjoyed it. (Kindle)
4. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
I got news that my geology field trip would be to South Texas. I was going to places I'd never been, such as Del Rio, Marathon, and Big Bend. Somehow I knew (or was told) that I'd be near the setting of No Country for Old Men. So I had to read it. (Kindle) Yes, it's a bit bleak and probably not a good warm-up for my trip, but it seemed necessary to read it. I don't know of a lot of books that take place in that part of the world. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It kind of surprised me. The last time I'd tried reading Cormac McCarthy I was really put off my his writing style and total lack of quotation marks. This time the story just sucked me in and I didn't even notice those pecularities. And yes, I also watched the movie as part of my field trip preparation. And I saw The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada which takes place in that general part of the world too. It was a bit of a Tommy Lee Jones filmfest.
5. Mary Coin by Marisa Silver
I have always been intrigued by the Dorothea Lange photograph of the migrant mother in the depression so when I read that this book was a fictional account of the photographer and mother, I had to read it. (Kindle)
6. Inferno by Dan Brown
A Dan Brown book featuring Robert Langdon--what more do I need to know? I'm there! It wasn't a repeat of DaVinci Code because Robert Langdon was solving both the inferno mystery and the mystery of how he became involved. (Kindle)
7. Joyland by Stephen King
Stephen King is my all-time favorite so the minute this one came out I bought it. It wasn't available electronically but even if it was I would have bought the hard copy. It's such a good story and not at all a scary tale, but one of a young guy growing up.
8. Benediction by Kent Haruf
I really like this author. His writing isn't flashy, the stories are about ordinary people, and they really convey a sense of place. I got this in hardback to go with his other books on my shelf.
9. The Shining by Stephen King
I knew that Stephen King would have a new book in the fall that featured the little kid from The Shining all grown up. I hadn't read The Shining since I was about 14. So it was time for a reread in preparation for the new book. I hadn't realized the time frame was as compressed as it was. I seem to remember that Jack Torrance went crazy over the course of about a year, but it happened much quicker. This may have been the first Stephen King book I ever read after being introduced to him by my friend JoLynn. I remember borrowing her copy. This time I read the Kindle version.
10. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Once J.K. Rowling was outed as the author I had to read this mystery. I thought it was very good and entertaining. I don't read a lot of mysteries so I have no idea if this was better than the average mystery or not. (Kindle)
11. Coming Clean by Kimberly Ray Miller
One Sunday I read a blurb about this in the magazine section of the paper. I have seen enough of the hoarder shows that I was intrigued. It was a quick non-fiction break from all the fiction I'd been reading. (Kindle)
12. And the Mountains Echoed by Khalid Hosseini
I absolutely loved his two previous novels so I had to read this one. It was different in that it involved so many people and took place in many locations in addition to Afghanistan. Very good. (Kindle)
13. The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F. G. Haghenbeck
I've always been intrigued by Frida Kahlo. So while I was browsing in a bookstore (a rare occurance these days) and saw this novel, I bought it.
14. A Face in the Crowd by Stephen King and Stewart O'Nan
This is a Kindle Single, basically a short story, so it doesn't really count as a book. I think I was between books so I looked for something on Kindle and came up with this. Stephen King!
15. Everyone's Reading Bastard by Nick Hornby
Another Kindle Single.
16. The Maid's Version by Daniel Woodrell
I was on my way to work and heard an interview with the author. Though I never read Winter's Bone my boyfriend liked it and I know the movie was good. So I read this. I liked it. (Kindle)
17. Smaldone by Dick Kreck
I was home visiting my mom and we went to the history museum. While browsing the gift shop, I picked up this book. It was about gangsters in Denver and Pueblo and the history and violence and one-for-one murders. It was very interesting. I read it in an afternoon. My mom remembered her parents speaking of some of the main characters. I learned some things I'd never known about my home town.
18. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
Finally, the book I'd been waiting for for months! It's great! I lugged around this big heavy book because I prefer my Stephen King in hardcover.
19. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
I have always enjoyed her short stories. She is an author who really transports me to the locations she is writing about. This was a great novel. (Kindle)
20. Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger
It seemed like every time I flipped through the movie channels Friday Night Lights was on. I eventually managed to see the whole movie though not necessarily in chronological order. So I felt it was time to finally read this book which I'd been meaning to for years. (Kindle) Interestingly, that part of Texas was in a deep depression during the time of the story but is experiencing boom times now. That's oil for you.
21. Sycamore Row by John Grisham
A lawyer story by John Grisham? You know I'm going to read! (Kindle)
22. Wolves of Midwinter by Anne Rice
I really liked the first book of this new werewolf series so I was eager to read this one. (Kindle)
23. Provence, 1970 by Luke Barr
Food again! I have been intrigued by M.F.K. Fisher for years. I remember soon after I moved here after college I declined an invitation to go bowling with friends because I wanted to watch an interview with her on PBS. I love Julia Child too so it was natural that I read this. (Kindle)
24. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
I read a review of this book in the Sunday paper. I visited Iceland back in 1987 on a geophysical field trip. A good read. (Kindle)
25. The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vasquez
As I was browsing Amazon's "best of 2013" list I found this book. It was on a bunch of other "best of" lists also. I think I agree. (Kindle)
That's 25 books though two were actually Kindle singles.
I read 5 physical books (two because I knew they deserved a place on my shelves, one because it was the only way it was published, two because I purchased them while browsing) and 20 Kindle books. A word about that: I currently use the Kindle app on my iPad. I haven't used the actual Kindle for about a year. I think I finally realized I didn't need to take two devices with me on vacation; the iPad could do it all.
I read 5 nonfiction books (italized titles) and 20 fiction. I'm not sure what that says.
In compiling this list I realize that most of the books I read this year weren't random finds. They were suggestions from reviews in the paper or on NPR or even Amazon. Only two were totally random finds through browsing, the Frida Kahlo book and the Smaldone gangster book. I love reading electronically for several reasons, primarily the space ones. Books can be big heavy objects. They aren't travel-friendly and they add up on your shelves. As a lifelong reader, I must regularly cull through the shelves to make sure all the books fit--electronic versions don't get this culling.
But I really miss browsing in a book store, never knowing what I'll find. That has always been one of the great joys of being a reader.
I'm not sure how to balance my love for the electronic and the randomness of browsing. (I feel so guilty going into a store to browse with the intention of buying from Amazon later. The one time I did this in my local independent bookstore I was sure I'd trip, drop my purse, and my Kindle/iPad would fall out, thus outing me.) Maybe I'll figure that out in 2014.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Pizzelles
I decided to make some pizzelles. They are Italian in origin, but in my mind they are synonymous with Pueblo, Colorado, my home town. We eat a lot of pizzelles there.
These are traditional anise flavored. Yum! This is a delicacy if you are a Puebloan.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Infinity Scarf -- Brown September Circle
I'm still a knitter. Albeit a slow one. And mostly an accessory knitter. I wish I had mounds of time and mounds of attention to create a proper sweater (instead of just start them). But real life gets in the way.
Oh well.
I love infinity scarves. Really I do. I decided to make one that I'd made earlier, the September Circle by Melissa LaBarre. Hmm, it seems I never posted to this blog my previous one, which I have been wearing a lot. It's a real easy project that I love so I thought I'd make another one. This time I chose brown, which may seem boring, but my Patagonia down sweater is brown so it does match. I think brown is a nice winter neutral. I recently found out my mom hates brown and refuses to wear it. Seriously...she liked a dress a lot but refused to try it on because it was "brown". Um, excuse me, that dress was actually "leopard". But I digress.
Since this pattern is so quick and easy I thought I'd easily finish it over my 10-day vacation in Colorado. I even took another project to begin since I was so sure I'd finish this in a few days. I underestimated how much activity would fill up my time and how busy I'd be with friends and relatives. Honestly, this was my best trip home in a long time.
I finally finished knitting this a week or so ago, put to block a few days ago (yay for that "snow day" we got on Friday), and took it off the blocking board today.
Hmm, probably should not have taken a photo after a trip to the grocery store with minimal makeup and uncombed hair. And my fox shirt. Oh well. This is me.
Here are some better photos of the photogenic infinity scarf.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Monday, June 24, 2013
I finished the mitts.
Talk about a quick project! Each mitt took only a couple hours to knit.
I think I was supposed to make fingerless gloves for him a few years ago. Originally they were supposed to be so he could wear them to drink beer on cold Thursday nights with the running buddies. He has been running in the mornings instead of afternoons for a couple years now. So the mitts are no longer needed for the original purpose.
The yarn is the same Vanna's Choice that I used to make the cap for cold days at the fire station. So maybe these can be used at the fire station too. I still call them Beer-Drinking Man Mitts anyway.
Monday, June 17, 2013
In Progress
Got one done in a couple hours yesterday. It was quick! Tonight I'm casting on for the second.
That's not a man hand modeling. It's me.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
A Knitting Blog? Yes, Once Again!
Lately my life has been filled with many good, exciting, fun, fulfilling things. But none have been knitting-related. A couple weeks ago I rearranged my schedule for the summer and knitting has once again made an appearance in my life. I thought it might be nice to finish some stuff rather than cast on new things. I finished the navy blue fireman hat which I last posted about. Then I finished this shawl.
This is called Carson and it is a design by Romi. I began this shawl last fall when the pattern first came out. I worked away, excited to see two balls of yarn turn into something lovely. I got to the 10-row edging. I made a mistake in row 8. So I set the project aside. And then real life interfered. My company was having difficulties. I hurt my knee and had surgery. Those two things gave me a huge amount of free time but I got nothing done. (The more I have to do, the more I get done. The less I have to do, the less I get done.)
January came. I started a fabulous new job at a much more stable company. My knee was back to normal and my mileage increased. My life was going great! Everything else fell by the wayside. I am not a person who defines herself as a knitter. So while I missed it, it wasn't that big of a deal. Still...I own so much yarn! I really needed to knit and reduce that stash. But first, I should finish some of this stuff that is oh-so-close to being done.
So I picked this up. How long could it take to finish three rows? Um, longer than I realized. But now it's done!
I think it looks like a sunset.
I love knitting with wool, especially fingering weight wool. I remembered that as I finished this.
While I was out photographing the shawl, I saw my sago palms doing whatever it is they do at this time of the year.
I think the above photo is of the male.
So this must be the female.
I'm not really sure, but they are very interesting plants. Please excuse the appearance of plants on a supposedly knitting blog.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
HFD Hat
My boyfriend is a firefighter. He likes to wear a beanie cap (as he calls them) to keep his head warm at work on cold winter days. He has a navy blue Dallas Cowboys hat that he wears a lot. Of course it has a star. The Cowboys star is not a fire-department approved logo. He's been told not to wear that cap. But the fire department does not provide a hat. So I told him I'd make him one. I did!
The pattern is called Cambridge Watchcap. It's really simple to make. And it looks pretty good.
OK, yeah, I did start this project during the winter. I finished it over Memorial Day weekend. Not exactly the time of year one needs a knit cap in Houston. At least it's ready for the first cold weather of 2013 in, oh, maybe November.
He looks kind of grumpy here. I interrupted his viewing of Trouble with the Curve for the photoshoot.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
What's Been Going On?
Apologies to Amos Lee. I do love your music, so hopefully you'll forgive me for borrowing your song title.
Nope, not much of a blogger anymore. Can't say I really ever was. I did it to join knitting/yarn swaps back in the day. I am fairly sure I have only one reader (hi, Ariel!) so I don't think I am missed. At this point I am posting mainly to document events only for myself.
So what's been going on since I last posted?
I finally donated my Project Linus quilt! I finished this over my Christmas trip home. But immediately afterwards I started a new job. This was physically closer to the donation location, Quilt N Sew in Katy, but I was so busy during my lunch hours that I kept putting it off. Finally, about a month ago, I was able to go and donate it. I received a really nice call from Houston's Project Linus lady. She assured me the quilt would be loved by someone, probably a little boy. She told me that last year, 2012, Project Linus donated 8227 blankets to children in need. That is both amazing and sad. I had no idea the Houston area required so many blankets for sick or abused children, but felt so glad to know my quilt would comfort someone in need. It also inspired me to make another one in the future though that's certainly not underway just yet.
On to a lighter subject: a coworker got a group of us dog parents together to visit the dog bar/dog park. I had been here when it first opened. It was fun to go back again. (In case you are wondering, I don't spend much time in bars unless I'm there waiting for a table in the restaurant.)
Yesterday I was busy on a trip to the oil field.
And today our group celebrated our achievements with a crawfish boil!
And there is no knitting to document as of now. Maybe later?
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Boston
I'm not going to lie, the Boston Marathon bombing hit me really hard.
The Boston Marathon was first run in1897. That's amazing right there.
I have run that race four times: 1990, 1996, 2000, 2004. I've been a runner almost as long as I can remember, a marathoner since 1990. I won't go into the personal reasons for running those years, but I can tell you how welcome Boston has made me feel each and every time I have run there.
If you haven't run Boston, I don't think you will feel the same way I do.
First of all, to those of us who are just average recreational runners, running in Boston is the highlight of our athletic careers. One must run a marathon in a certain time frame previously in a fast-enough time to qualify to run in Boston. Not just anybody who wants to can run; you must qualify. For many of us, that's a huge goal to achieve and we are happy with that. To actually go, wow!
The energy in Boston that weekend is incredible! There are so many people who come from around the world to run, who are so excited, and the city of Boston embraces us! There is never a rude word about the people who show up and crowd the city. Everyone is so welcoming. The hotels, the restaurants, the cab drivers, everyone! This is Patriots Day, a holiday in Massachusetts. People are off work, out of school, and in high spirits. The Red Sox are playing at home. (Off topic, but one year we went to the Sunday game vs. the Yankees. How fun, how many fights broke out in the stands--like nothing I've ever seen--such a rivalry!)
Yeah, the hotels, restaurants, cab drivers welcome the extra income. We understand that. But then it's Monday and the marathon. That's when you really see the true Boston citizens. They line every inch of the marathon route from Hopkinton to Boston. Runners pass biker bars and the bikers raise their beers to us. We pass little kids who are so exited to high-five us, while the whole time I am thinking that I am just an ordinary person. At the halfway point we run the gauntlet of Wellesley women. You can hear their ear-piercing screams long before you reach them. The sound sends a chill down my spine, makes me run faster and taller, and truly makes me feel like an Olympian. During the Newton Hills, the hardest point for those of us who live in the flatlands, fans are cheering and encouraging. Eventually we persevere and arrive in Boston proper, where the end is so near yet so far. It's tough but the crowds are out there cheering. There comes a time when a runner ceases to see or hear anything but that finish line. And we cross it. Hallelujiah! This is the highlight of an ordinary runner's career.
And someone tried to mess with it. At first I thought of the runners. But then I realized the people who were the victims were our supporters, the people who make the running of a marathon so much fun. We runners really appreciate them for everything they do. They cheer, they give us something to look at and ponder, they take our minds off the pain. They are the ones who hold up the signs with the current score of the Red Sox game. They are incredible people who cheer for RANDOM STRANGERS as I saw in a photo gallery on the Runners World website.
What happened was so wrong. The criminals will get their due. And the marathoners and their supporters will be out in record numbers next year. We will not let them win.
The Boston Marathon was first run in1897. That's amazing right there.
I have run that race four times: 1990, 1996, 2000, 2004. I've been a runner almost as long as I can remember, a marathoner since 1990. I won't go into the personal reasons for running those years, but I can tell you how welcome Boston has made me feel each and every time I have run there.
If you haven't run Boston, I don't think you will feel the same way I do.
First of all, to those of us who are just average recreational runners, running in Boston is the highlight of our athletic careers. One must run a marathon in a certain time frame previously in a fast-enough time to qualify to run in Boston. Not just anybody who wants to can run; you must qualify. For many of us, that's a huge goal to achieve and we are happy with that. To actually go, wow!
The energy in Boston that weekend is incredible! There are so many people who come from around the world to run, who are so excited, and the city of Boston embraces us! There is never a rude word about the people who show up and crowd the city. Everyone is so welcoming. The hotels, the restaurants, the cab drivers, everyone! This is Patriots Day, a holiday in Massachusetts. People are off work, out of school, and in high spirits. The Red Sox are playing at home. (Off topic, but one year we went to the Sunday game vs. the Yankees. How fun, how many fights broke out in the stands--like nothing I've ever seen--such a rivalry!)
Yeah, the hotels, restaurants, cab drivers welcome the extra income. We understand that. But then it's Monday and the marathon. That's when you really see the true Boston citizens. They line every inch of the marathon route from Hopkinton to Boston. Runners pass biker bars and the bikers raise their beers to us. We pass little kids who are so exited to high-five us, while the whole time I am thinking that I am just an ordinary person. At the halfway point we run the gauntlet of Wellesley women. You can hear their ear-piercing screams long before you reach them. The sound sends a chill down my spine, makes me run faster and taller, and truly makes me feel like an Olympian. During the Newton Hills, the hardest point for those of us who live in the flatlands, fans are cheering and encouraging. Eventually we persevere and arrive in Boston proper, where the end is so near yet so far. It's tough but the crowds are out there cheering. There comes a time when a runner ceases to see or hear anything but that finish line. And we cross it. Hallelujiah! This is the highlight of an ordinary runner's career.
And someone tried to mess with it. At first I thought of the runners. But then I realized the people who were the victims were our supporters, the people who make the running of a marathon so much fun. We runners really appreciate them for everything they do. They cheer, they give us something to look at and ponder, they take our minds off the pain. They are the ones who hold up the signs with the current score of the Red Sox game. They are incredible people who cheer for RANDOM STRANGERS as I saw in a photo gallery on the Runners World website.
What happened was so wrong. The criminals will get their due. And the marathoners and their supporters will be out in record numbers next year. We will not let them win.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Update
This is a knitting blog (primarily) and I haven't posted anything since the beginning of January. Does that mean I have not been knitting? Yup. So what happened? I switched jobs at the beginning of the year. I am very happy, very busy, very excited! I work longer days Monday through Thursday and get off by noon on Friday. I love this schedule! But by the time I do all my other weekday stuff, there isn't much knitting time left. Oh well. I have been very good at not gaining stash.
I'm not NOT knitting (I do a bit when I can) but there isn't anything finished to report.
So what am I doing during my free time? Various things that are important to me (which I never post about here), laying on the couch, and having my usual adventures. At this time of year, in this part of the world, that includes crawfish boils. Here's a photo from a few weeks ago when my boyfriend and I went for crawfish on a nice sunny day.
As I learn to balance my life in its current state, I will add knitting back into the mix. So posts will be coming, eventually, as I finish the in-progress stuff.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Another One
I am totally in love with infinity scarves this winter. Here is my latest. It's the (free) Honey Cowl from Madelinetosh. I used about 400 yards (instead of the suggested 525) so mine is not quite as wide as the official Madelinetosh version. The yarn, Sublime Lustrous Extra Fine Merino DK, has a bit of a sheen to it. So this is my blingy cowl.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Colorado Crafting
I had a bit of time for crafts on my Christmas trip. I am completely in love with infinity scarves! I worked on one called September Circle.
Remember this, the Project Linus quilt?
I finished binding it. Now it's waiting to be delivered to the quilt store that accepts these blankets. I will have a full report and more pictures when that is done.
My plane back was delayed (by several hours). I spent a bit of that time knitting on the latest project.
I also enjoyed a nice view of Pikes Peak.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Repeat
I liked that last cowl/loop/infinity scarf I made so much, I made another one! I used the same yarn but a different colorway, dark purples called Tidewater.
Though I am modeling it, it's actually a Christmas or birthday gift for my mom. (Those events are only three days apart.)
Once again I found this to be a really quick project. Or at least quick by my not-so-speedy standards.
This last photo has absolutely nothing to do with what's above. This is Lucy's giant neck and her new Christmas collar. It has mistletoe! How festive! Lucy's dad buys her collars quite often from 2 Hounds Design. He surprised us with this one.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Throwing Balls for the Beast
Here's a recent photo at the lake. Doesn't she look happy?
Sometimes I do get a good action shot on my phone!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Diana's Bikini
There's a statue of Diana the Huntress in Pueblo. Usually she is naked. Not now. Someone knitted her a bikini out of white fuzzy yarn.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Project Linus Update
I was home in Colorado this past weekend. One of the things I did there was work on my Project Linus quilt.
I found some perfect fabric for the backing at Joann's. This first photo is the backing, the batting (donated by my mom), and the top, all ready to be sandwiched together.
Mom's cousin Cass and a group of ladies quilt for Our Lady of the Meadows. The church gives quilts to those in need. Cass lent us the frame they use to stretch the quilts. Here is the quilt stretched and ready to be quilted.
Lucky for me, my mom knows how to do all this stuff! She taught me how to tie the quilt.
Here's a closeup.
And this is Mom in action.
Here's an artsy in-progress photo.
The last thing I did was learn how to make binding, attach it to the quilt by machine, and hand-sew the rest of it down. I got about one-quarter of the way done with the by-hand part.
I intend to finish the quilt over Christmas. Stay tuned for that!
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