Ma-rooooooooooo!

Look what we saw driving back from Bennington late this afternoon...

He/she was not 30 feet from the road, just standing there! Right off a main road! I was so excited--and glad that I always carry my camera with me!

Before we came across the moose, I was taking pictures of the sunset.

A great end to another great day in Vermont...

MORE confessions of a blogger

OK, there's something else I've been holding out on you guys about...

You remember last month when I was whining about having to report for jury duty. Federal court in Brooklyn. Well... you see... it turns out that they were looking for jurors for this trial.

Yeah.

Can you say "holy crap!"? I had joked to my sister and mother that as long as it's not the Gotti retrial I'd be OK with it. Yeah, well, I was wrong--I didn't know anything about this one... until after the judge introduced us to the attorneys and defendants, and described the case to us, and we filled out the 50-page questionnaire. I had to start calling in on February 2nd to see if I had to go back in for additional questioning. I've been calling in every day since then and my number finally came up for this past Thursday.

(Oh, I forgot to tell you that this is going to an anonymous jury. Yup. I would only be known by my number. And this jury is going to be brought into and out of the courthouse by court officers every day--for their protection. And this trial is expected to last about 12 weeks... it just gets better and better, doesn't it?)

Believe it or not, I had some serious reservations about serving on this case--like, what if my identity became known? Anyway, I went before the judge (and lawyers and defendants), was questioned by the judge for about 10 minutes, and was excused from the trial. I don't want to go into specifics about why I might have been excused (which would only be conjecture on my part), but let's just say having a blog--any blog--doesn't hurt your chances of being excused...

OK, enough about that... aside from getting excused, the next best thing about Thursday was that while I was waiting, I was able to finish the leg on my Vesper sock!

Garter rib pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks,
Vesper sock yarn (Bleu), Size 2 Addi Turbos (40")

I could've started the heel flap, but my concentration level wasn't there so I thought better of it. I brought the watchcap as well, so I worked on that--mindless 2x2 ribbing.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Well, now that I'm a free woman, I headed up to Vermont this weekend to celebrate my freedom and Valentine's Day with my dear fiance. He just got home from work and he's got a new buddy waiting for him.

Oh... and apparently winter has come back to Vermont. Here's what the temperature is outside right now.

Kiss me, you fool!

And in honor of Valentine's Day, I present the results of unplanned
S(tash) E(nhancement) X(peditions) from last week. (You know, I really didn't intend to buy anything. Really. Please--you gotta believe me.)

Clockwise from top left: Trekking XXL (color 133), Art Yarns Supermerino
(color 130), and Claudia Hand Painted Fingering in Chocolate Cherry.

Can you feel the warm glow of love coming from that yarn? All are destined to be socks, because, you know, it's all about socks this month. And maybe just a little S.E.X.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Olympic knitting update

Friday, February 10th

Training Gauge knitting is done. Materials are gathered. It's time to frog the gauge swatch and prepare to cast on. Let the games begin!

Saturday, February 11th--11:30 a.m.

Stitches were cast on after the flame is lit, and I attempt the Magic Loop with some practice yarn--successfully!

Saturday, February 11th--9:30 p.m.

I begin the Vesper sock with Magic Loop. I wind up with this giant gap. (What the @#$^#?) Two rows later, after an unsuccessful attempt to close the gap, I frog the sock. I then cast on, frog, cast on, frog... many, many times. After lord knows how many attempts, I decide that I'm just too tired for this tonight and I should probably just get a good night's sleep.

Sunday, February 12th

After a good night's sleep... Success!

Of course, a cupcake helps to provide energy some much needed energy.

I'm really liking the Magic Loop!

Monday, February 13th

The sock enjoys watching an interview with Kelly Clark...

...as well as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

There's just too much on T.V. tonight...

C is for...

Cupcakes...

...and Lake Champlain aboard the Carillon...

...and Cascade Yarn at Countrywool!

Knitting Update

Note: I had tried to post this last week. Had if just about done. All of a sudden, it just disappeared. Poof! Gone! So, finally, here it is...

Just a little 'ol update on some of my current projects...

First off, the watchcap for my mother's boyfriend.

Pattern from Lily Chin's The Urban Knitter. Rowan Cashsoft Aran.

This was originally supposed to be a Christmas present, but it's now on track to be a birthday present. It needs to be done by March. This picture was taken after I'd knit up one ball; I've since started a second ball.

Next is a gauge swatch for my entry in the Knitting Olympics.

Vesper socks that will be knit using the Magic Loop method. It's my first time using Vesper sock yarn and I'm so hooked on it! It's also my first attempt at the Magic Loop, and if it starts out well I might even add a simultaneous second sock. Let the games begin!!!

And finally the Malabrigo double rib wrist warmers to match my emerald ring.

I was going along on this one just fine, but there's something up with the thumb gusset. See?

I've finished the gusset, but the rib pattern is off. I'm just going to keep going with this and see how it works out. What's the worst thing that could happen--I have to frog it and start over? Whatever, I'll see how it works out.

Well, these are the thing's I've been alternating with lately. I'm hoping to get back to a few other projects, including Jim's Civil War socks and his arm sock. I mean, the guy's willing to marry me. The least I can do is finish his knitted items. Plus, he's been asking about them. He even remembered that I'm using Malabrigo for the arm sock! He actually said "Malabrigo!"

I'd better add that arm sock to my bag for tomorrow...