Closing Ceremonies

I must say that I was not that impressed with the Closing Ceremonies (Ricky Martin? The best they could do was Ricky Freakin Martin?), and must admit that I didn’t finish Tim’s hat either. I was saving it all week to work on during the Closing Ceremonies and then was struck down Saturday night with the Cedar Fever. Still. With. The. Allergies. Will try to finish the hat this week. I have to admit that I didn’t totally push myself during the Knitting Olympics (if Bode doesn’t have to, neither do I), but did make myself pick up two new knitting skills…knitting in the round and using double pointed needles. I was working my way to doing something besides scarves, and this gave me the little push that I needed. I hope all the other knitters out there feel successful and happy with whatever progress they made.

Oh, because I know they all read this blog (Joey? Call me), a quick note to future US Olympians. If you do not know the words to the Star Spangled Banner, DO NOT PRETEND. It looks terrible. And? We can tell that you just sort of barely mumbled the incorrect line. Chad? Apollo? I am talking to you. Unless you know the song inside out and backwards (like the Italians knew their anthem), just stand there and look humbled, proud and happy. We don’t care if your lips aren’t moving.

I actually made a new recipe tonight to cross off another recipe from my cookbook collection and realized that I only have two cookbooks to go. Well, that isn’t exactly true, I have received two new cookbooks since I put the list up and should probably add those too. So, four left.

Time to rub Vicks all over my face and drink some NyQuil.

The Hat is Too Short

I hope I still qualify for my Knitting Olympics medal if I admit that I am holding off finishing my last hat for the closing ceremonies. Three hats was my goal, and three are almost done. I got a quilting bug 1/2 way in, and have worked on the absolutely cutest, hurts-your-teeth-sweet, quilt that I have made to date. I will certainly post pictures as soon as I am allowed, but you have been warned. It is cute.

Thinking about finishing AJ’s queen sized quilt is also on my mind and I hope to start tackling that soon. I think I finally have all the accoutrements to finish it (Sullivan’s basting spray, quilting thread, new fancy chalk marker thingy, batting, clippy thingies) that all I am waiting for is to block off a huge amount of time to get it started. Once it is started, I can do it in short chunks, but the getting started part will take quite awhile (it includes moving furniture if that gives you an idea…).

All this Olympic watching means I am behind on any Netflix watching, so hope to get back into watching a movie regularly next week. And after AJ’s quilt is done, I am starting to think about some more house painting. Oh, and I am using my breadmachine for the first time today, making Honey Banana Whole Wheat Bread. Yum!

The Hat is in the Mail

Olympic Knitting Update:
Two hats down, one to go. At least. The suprise recipient will receive his hat in the next few days though I am very worried that it won’t fit and may have to totally start over, which would be fine. I have started a hat for Tim, but I am afraid that the beautiful black and grey alpaca yarn is too skinny. These little knitting details still escape me. Or I just ignore them and forge ahead, which is way more likely.

Thoughts while I watch countless hours of the Olympics either knitting or not:
It must be the Colorado girl in me, but I love the winter Olympics. I was actually jumping up and down and yelling for a Norwegian biathlon athlete this afternoon as he was passed by a Frenchman right at the end after having skied for almost an hour and having to shoot in between. It was so exciting. I love that Norway is leading the medal count so far. Of course I am also totally impressed by the generosity of Joey Cheek, and the great attitude of the Flying Tomato. It makes me happy that many of the men’s hockey players are going to the women’s games and vice versa. I hate the Italian outfits, but love the German ones in lime green and orange. And I can’t wait for the bobsled to start, I actually had a dream that Vonetta Flowers won again.

Last, but never least…a great big hug.
Happy Birthday Mom!

Hats for Bats

So I am a few days into my Knitting Olympics and all is going well. Better than expected. I finished a grey cotton hat for myself, that I admit I had about 1/3 finished before the Olympics actually started. But for me the great feat was in using double pointed needles for the first time. It felt funny and awkward, and there was more than one dropped stitch, but I did it! I can believe it and it actually fits. I will post some pics this week. I have started on mystery hat #2, and it is going pretty well.

Of course all this hat knitting has meant that I have done a lot of Olympics watching. A lot. I’ve watched everything from Women’s Hockey to Curling. I love all the skiing (downhill and cross country) and the ski jumping. The Nordic combined is one of my personal favorites…I cross ski jumping with cross country skiing. Not far behind is my love for the biathlon…a cross of cross country skiing and shooting! Really. Also? Ski jumping will always hold a special place in my heart as it reminds me of my honeymoon in France. Really.

While I am throughly enjoying the Olympics and love the snow, mountains and such the commercials are getting painful. Save a few local commercials, there are about 10 national commercials on constant rotation including the TGI Fridays one that is sooooo horrible. There is another one, I can’t remember what it is for…the one where it keeps saying “Life takes…blah blah” and the Asian guy eats that really big sandwich? Well, in the beginning of that commercial they show a woman bowling and I swear it is me. Like the took footage of me at an actual bowling alley and added it to the commercial. This is coming from someone who never sees people who look like me, and people never tell me that I remind them of their cousin or something. If you’ve seen it, let me know.

Other than that, reading, knitting, making soup, knitting, painting a little bit, blowing my nose incessantly, and knitting.

The Knitting Olympics

Citius. Altius. Fortius. Yep, that’s me. A knitter with a dream. I am participating in the 2006 Knitting Olympics. The plan is to start knitting something during the opening ceremonies and finish a tough (based on your level) knitting project before the flame is extinguished two weeks later. Since I am not a) a very accomplished knitter or b) really that motivated, I am knitting hats. (Of course here is where AJ would say, “Hats. Hats for bats, keep bats warm…”) As many hats and I can knit, and that probably will be only two. But my first project on circular needles (which I’ve sort of started, shhh…) and my first attempt at using double pointed needles, which scare me. Regina is also participating, knitting a throw blanket, and maybe Thien too…knitting one hat! We are loosely participating on Team Librarian, though it seems that no one has come up with a cool button yet. I got the rest of my supplies tonight, so wish me luck as I start hat knitting on Friday!

About a Girl

Just posted some new photos…a few from when Mom and Dad were here visiting. Apparently I forgot to take many more photos, but we had a great time, even though (or maybe because) we spent much of it in fabric stores. And I also posted photos of the Smokey Joe Scholarship Gala that I attended last night, which was super fun if you like baseball, great stories, decent food, friends and wine, which I do. Apparently there are thirteen major league African American pitchers who have won 20 games or more in a season. Twelve of them are still alive, and five of them came to Seguin to honor Smokey Joe and the scholarship. Smokey Joe is from Seguin and played in the Negro Leagues and Mark (Thien’s husband) is something of a Smokey Joe scholar. Anyway, the five black aces and a few other Negro League players were in attendance and signed autographs and had a question and answer session where they told great stories about baseball, life and humanity. Our table’s favorite was Cleveland Grant, not a pitcher, but a third baseman with the Negro Leagues who was so endearing, smart, funny and to top it all off, read poetry.

I also thought I was in the clear allergy wise, only to be put in my place, cedar speaking. I was knocked out most of yesterday, only saved by some Afrin before the trip to Seguin. So this weekend is mostly devoted to reading (finished About a Boy), watching (Broken Flowers, which is great), and phone calling, all while not being at more than arms distance to the Kleenex. Though there might be some sewing before the Super Bowl starts. I promised I would look for Cyn during half time. She will definitely be on the field during halftime, and might be in red.

It also seems like a total cliche, but I can’t believe it is February!