A made-to-order rainy day

Here's Saturday's Sky, when the clouds broke for a few minutes at about 6:00pm. Since last night it's been nice and rainy. That's my kitchen window up there.

Why is the rain nice, you might ask? Because a rainy Sunday means that I have the perfect excuse to stay home and knit this:

A Mason-Dixon hand towel. It's been just the right kind of knitting for a day like today. I can't wait to finish it and throw it in the wash to see how soft it will be. After this one's finished I might just cast on another one! All those mateless socks will grumble, but that's too bad.

I added a nap to my schedule, too, which is another rainy day pleasure. I won't be getting a day off till the weekend, so I'm trying to bank some z's. I've come to terms with the way it will be at work this week, and all I can do is keep swimming. Shore is in sight.

Patience rewarded

I'm speechless! My KSKS pal is Liz of Dalai Mama. She put together this most amazing box of goodies, and made two of the most beautiful blue bags. There's a lovely skein of Fleece Artist (one of my favorites!) in blues and lavenders, and some gorgeous handpainted mohair from Lonesome Stone Yarn.

There are double-pointed needles, a cute tape measure, and the pattern for Evelyn Clark's Acorn Socks. There's even a little suitcase box of Lemonheads candy -- good candy, great little box.

And because Liz is a Texas girl, she included some chili mix -- and it's the same kind I've used for my whole chili-making life. I haven't had any in a long time, so now I'll have to whip up a batch. (The afternoon light was nonexistent, so pardon the strange photos.)

And so Annabelle wouldn't feel left out, she included a big old felted cat toy.

She just loves her roly-poly cat head!

Thank you, Liz!

I also got the word from my pal -- Chittavrtti -- that her package had arrived safe and sound.

She loves it, and my search for all things amber-ish (including local honey) to go with the purples was just right. I had a great time putting her kit together.

It's looking like it will be a rough weekend at work, if today was any gauge. Busy, rainy/cloudy, stressful. Next week could do us in, except that next week is also the last week. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...

So I think I'm going to go and cast on a Mason-Dixon Moss Grid Hand Towel. The linen arrived today, too, and the new needles. A little knitting will be a fine end to a crazy, exhausting, but happy day.

Anticipation

I seem to be doing a lot of waiting this week (drums fingers on desk...).

I'm waiting for the new Petals Collection shipment to arrive. Sundara shipped it on Monday (or was it Tuesday?), and it is only Wednesday.

I'm waiting for my Carodan order, which contains the second ball of Regia Bamboo. The out of stock Brittany dpn's are holding things up. The first sock is done, and waiting for a mate.

I'm waiting for September. Our beautiful weather -- cool at night and breezy-warm in the daytime -- keeps my eyes on that prize.

I'm waiting for my order of Euroflax linen from Purl. It does have to come from California, after all, and it is only Wednesday (twiddles thumbs...).

I'm waiting for my Knit Picks needles to get here. I ordered a few interchangeables, just to give them a try, thinking that they might be good for lace knitting. How long does that free shipping take, anyway?

I'm waiting to hear from my KSKS pal -- the one I made a kit for. USPS says that the package was delivered on Saturday, but was it really, or could it be lost? I made a fabuolus kit, if I do say so myself, and I'm eager to hear what she thinks.

I'm waiting to hear from my KSKS pal -- the one who's sending me a kit. Since I have no idea where it's coming from or when it was sent, I can't let myself get too antsy about it. Yet. I was hoping it would be at the PO today, because I might not be able to get there until next Thursday, and I don't know how I'll be able to wait that long (wrings hands a little bit...).

I'm also waiting for the dryer to finish.

While I'm doing all this waiting, I'll start thinking about what I can knit for the Red Scarf Project 2007. All the details are over at Norma's blog. There's even a button or three. Go have a look -- I'll wait...

How did I get here?

Have you ever found yourself halfway through a sock before realizing that you were, well, halfway through a sock? I had this nice ball of Regia Bamboo "Jamaica," you see. By mistake, I'd ordered just one from Carodan Farm (these things happen to me when I am not paying attention at checkout time), and the second ball hasn't had time to arrive. That didn't stop me, apparently, because here I am, about to turn the heel. Why did I start another sock? I just wanted to make a bamboo pair, I guess. I don't even remember when I started it. Was it Thursday? Friday?

It's not that I don't have a bunch of other interesting projects on needles. I'm about to turn the heel on my second Trek-Along sock, and I'm working on the cuff of my Hippy Crunchy sock, and I'm making another dishcloth. Most of these are mindless enough, except for the Hippy Crunchy sock, which is on a time-out until it quits hiding the yarn-overs.

I have a basketful of other knitting that isn't boring or unwanted, but each one is waiting for the right moment to get my attention. I gave up trying to cut back on the number of my current projects a long time ago. I am a knitting polygamist, and that's that.

So what do I go and do? I caved and ordered some Euroflax from Purl. A couple of Mason-Dixon Moss Grid hand towels are in my knitting future. Seeing them in person just made it impossible to resist any longer. Want to join me, Rho?

My crazy work week went pretty smoothly, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the next two. The weather has been cooperating, keeping the Last-Half-of-August People happy. They are the toughest crowd, but I think we're up to it. We have books, tons of books. We won't run out of books, if I have anything to do with it.

I'm reading (and laughing my way through) Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck because sometimes I do. Feel bad about my neck, that is. I'm also looking forward to listening to Jane Hamilton's new book When Madeline Was Young. I love Jane Hamilton. I'm not enjoying, as much as I thought I would, the audio of Geraldine Brooks' March. I think I'd rather read it on the page.

Seems like I'm going to make it, doesn't it? Just a little longer, just a few more grin-and-bear-it days, and then I can sit back and take pride in the good job I've done this summer. It's barely light now when I get up at 5:30. Before long the days will feel shorter, and Autumn will come, and I'll still be upright.

Not a random Wednesday

The weather was beautiful, breezes were wafting, Summer People were flitting here and there...

And hey, I almost forgot! I spent a few hours with a bunch of knitters and Ann and Kay! We lunched, we talked, we knitted, we saw some fantastic knitting, we talked, we listened to some great stories, and we had cake. Then we wandered off into the afternoon, filled with stories and inspiration (honest, I'm going to have to make one of those mitered square blankets).

Here are Ann and Kay, waiting while the crowd assembled. Knitting, of course.

The big room at the Southampton Historical Museum was filled with knitters, making the noise level something like a gazillion decibels. You know how knitters are. It was warm, but nobody fainted in the aisle. There was plenty of lemonade and iced tea to cool us off, and cookies, too.

In this next picture: Ann on the right, and Deborah on the left. Deborah came all the way from Annapolis, MD just to spend some knitting time with the Mason-Dixon Knitters. Well, she was also in town to visit her mother, but that's a minor point. In the back on the far right is Kathy, who is speaking to Rho. Sorry, women, but the picture I took of the two of you is best left unpublished. I must have set the camera to Blurry. It was wonderful to meet Kathy, since we live three towns apart but met only after stumbling across each other's blog. And Rho kept my cool for me when I had a little freakout about the last-minute raffle. It all turned out fine -- I didn't really lose it, I was just frazzled -- but having her there sure helped!

I love reading the Mason-Dixon blog. I love how Ann and Kay write, and I love how easily they seem to do it. I love their book for the same reasons. It's got a great attitude, just like its authors.

They seem like they are women like you and me, who have put one foot in front of the other, made some choices, maybe some compromises, too. Now they're doing something they love and sharing it with people who get that knitting is all about possibility. Creativity is all about possibility. Even Ballband Dishcloths are full of possibility.

These two lovely knitters stood up in the front of the room and marveled at what's coming back to them as a result of what they sent out there, at the limitless creativity of everyone who's inspired by the designs in their book. I wonder if they have any idea that they've started something? I think they have, you see.

Here's Kay describing an improvent she's made to the mitered square blanket design, while Ann might be about to say something about the crazy-many number of stitches in the border. I don't think she'd say Kay is nuts to knit for what seems like ever around the edge of a blanket. That's a lot of stitches, but knitters get it.

What else did I do today? I packed up my KSKS box! It's finally ready to send off to my pal. I have pictures of what's inside, but I'll save them for another post.
I'll be off now. There's a Ballband Dishcloth waiting for a little more of my attention. This has been a wonderful Wednesday. I made some new friends, visited friends I haven't seen in a while, and got to know a good friend even better.

Just a little

First, here's my Saturday Sky!

I've had a bit of a hard time keeping up with it, so I apologize to anyone who's surfing the ring and finds my blog skyless. What a glorious day it was, too. The temperatures have been so cool that I pulled out some comfy handknit socks this morning! I had a wonderful day off today...

I did a little ironing.

I did a little laundry.

I did a little sewing.

And I did a little knitting. These are my Trek Along socks. They haven't trekked much, but they live in the bag I take to work, just in case. One done, one to go. I love the way Trekking yarn makes fraternal socks, and this 4x2 rib is an easy knit.
~:~

I'm getting so excited about Ann and Kay's visit to Southampton! Wednesday at noon! Bring lunch and knitting! I'll have books! The wonderful sales rep is sending some goodies, too. I'm not exactly sure what they are yet, but I know they'll add to the fun. We don't have many knitting "events" in our area, so this is exciting for everyone in the Knitting Circle and beyond. What shall I knit? A dishcloth, perhaps? Not very original, but at least I know the pattern by heart! I've had a request for more, too, from my friend K. His local source (a lady at the local church bazaar, I think) has stopped making them. I'm more than happy to oblige.

~:~

The weather, the calendar, and my weary brain all agree that it feels like autumn is on the way. I'm looking forward to all that I have planned for my favorite season: crisp air, perfect for sweaters and socks; the slow but steady return to a more normal pace at the bookstore; some spinning and knitting projects that have been percolating for quite a few months; a trip to visit my mom and the family sometime in September; Rhinebeck (happy dance!) with Judy and the Radiant R's in October (chocolate chip pancakes, R!); the Knitters Review Retreat (happy, happy dance!) in November, when I'll get to spend a weekend with all my favorite knitters. What are you looking forward to as summer draws to a close?

Quiet zone

I can't believe how cute the little socks are! They were just the knitting I needed these past couple of days.

• Yarn: Socks That Rock Mediumweight in "Fairgrounds"
• Gauge: 6 stitches per inch on 2.75mm Brittany birch dpn's
• Pattern: Basic heel flap sock formula, tweaked a little
  

I washed and sort-of blocked the set this morning, and the yarn got so soft and snuggly -- just right for a little baby.

The weather fairies have been kind today, helping me to relax in the cool air of my day off. Even out in the world (or Sag Harbor, which is where I went) the air was clear and comfortable. I'm grateful for these little bits of sweetness, because I need all I can find.

I think that I'm just tired. The downsides of my job get to me when I am tired. The little things take more concentration. The big things become too big. It is only when something happens -- the barometric pressure takes a dive and throws me into a migraine -- that I realize that I'm just one Jane, and that I can't push it, and why should I? So today I played with tiny socks and photographs and Annabelle, and I took a nice long nap filled with dreams. I stayed quiet, and I feel so much better!

O is for...

... OCEAN.
I moved here to Long Island because it made sense at the time. I didn't know why, except that visiting here opened my heart in a way I'd never known before. Leaving my life and starting a new one here was a leap, for sure. I had friends here, Judy and her family, but I was also alone. I think I was drawn here by the ocean, though.

In the bad months at first, the ocean was there to listen, and I screamed and howled at it, out into the surf. I got better at my new life. Since then the ocean has lifted my spirits, heard my prayers, delighted my senses, and inspired me to paint.

O is for my Ocean.

Woke up, it was a comfy morning...

... Oh, sorry... Anyway, it was! Sunday morning was perfect. I opened all the windows, flung open the door, and turned the ceiling fan on to clear out the stale air-conditioned air. I poked around on my teeny-tiny "deck" -- see how small it is? -- and barricaded the stairs so that Herself could not escape. No ticks for us, no ma'am!

Fresh air at last! Breezy, fresh, oceany air! Nothing could have been more welcome. I brewed the coffee, started the computer, and went back out to breathe some more. Pure bliss.

I spent the morning working on my Project Spectrum Postcard for my July pal. I love making stuff with paper. I don't scrapbook or do paper crafts, really, but I have a huge collection of images and bits that are fun to assemble. I'll post photos after she gets the package, because I don't want to spoil the surprise! Lisa has been very patient!

I seem to have been making negative progress on my Hippy Crunchy sock. Since I'm not a complete fool (and I know when to quit while I'm "ahead"), I decided to set it aside for a couple of days. I turned my feeble mind to figuring out what to do with my STR Rockin' Sock Club Fairgrounds yarn (the mediumweight that wasn't thrilling me as socks). I came up with this sweet little baby hat. My niece L is going to have a baby in October, and I want to make her something special. I started with a simple hat in the round, did a rolled brim, and added some purl rows every once in a while. I came up with a nice little decrease plan, to make the crown a little different -- and I really like it! I have more than enough yarn left over for at least one pair of little socks, and I could probably make a pair for the big brother as well.
My sister E is planning the One Skein bib wardrobe, and I think I'm going to do a Mason-Dixon Kimono. We'll have to try to control ourselves! This will be a well-knitted baby, because her Auntie A knits, too.

Work keeps surprising me with its strain and drain. I have been doing this job for eleven Augusts now. I mean, I know what I'm doing, and I know what to expect. But this year, I seem to be getting slapped around more than usual. We've decided that the heat wave took all of our energy, and the customers have stolen our very souls, so now we're nothing but empty husks waving in the breeze. We like the drama, we do.

So far I've been able to keep up with the demands of the busy season, and it's helped to retreat to my little home each evening and each day off. But I miss the rest of my world -- walks on the beach, visits to Judy (I haven't seen the Remarkable R's since when, June?), unfettered travel around the villages and towns. I've sacrificed many of the bits of spontaneity my life had for peace and quiet. I've put many things on hold, with promises to myself that I will go there, or do that, and be that Jane again, after Summer. Four weeks till Labor Day.
It's damp and humid again, so I'm back to breathing chilled air (but at least I'm not all sticky and uncomfortable). I'll live with it for now, because you can be sure that the next time a cool breeze blows, or the temperature dips a bit, I'll have the windows wide open in the blink of an eye. Four weeks till Labor Day!

It's hot here, too.

We're in the middle of our first real heat wave of the summer, and though our temperatures are just hovering close to 100, it's still awful. The air, if that's what you can call it, is thick and soupy, and the breeze is anything but refreshing, and doesn't do anything but move the sticky air around a little. Breathing is hard, thinking is harder. May as well stay home. There's nothing to be done except complain and try to stay out of the worst of it.

The shoreline at Short Beach in Sag Harbor was empty this morning, except for this one gull. He stood there for so long that I began to wonder about him, but then he flew off into the thick air -- slowly, it seemed. Everything seems slow today.

I'm comfortable at home, with my little window air conditioner and my icy tea and my windows that I covered with dark cloth since I have no blinds and all my windows face south. Though I feel a bit like Miss Havisham, shrouded as I am in the dim, strangely pink light of my "curtains," I know that I'm lucky. I didn't have to go to work today, where it's hot no matter what the AC is doing, and unpacking books and hauling them around makes everybody weak and cranky.

I was so numbed by the heat yesterday that I unpacked the box containing the new Vogue Knitting, but I forgot to even glance at it! Oh well, there's always tomorrow. My mailbox contained the new Interweave Knits, though, so I'm happy.

My mailbox contained another, more exciting treat. Lisa of Knitting by the Sea was my fabulous Project Spectrum Postcard Pal for July. Look at the lovely purpleness she sent! I just love the card (and the "spare" card she included was the perfect purple pick-me-up for a friend who's going through a rough time). Thanks, Lisa, and yours is almost on its way!

It's August already? I'm behind in everything! Hold on -- I have an ABC-Along O in mind, I'm almost ready to send my PSPostcard, I'm putting the finishing touches on my KSKS pal's package, and think I'll even be able to manage a Project Spectrum-themed project. Not too bad! All these things, and the knitting that started them, make every day sweet. Work can be bitter, hard, tiring, or whatever, as long as I have the knitting.

I'm making progress on the second Hippy Crunchy sock, but it's slow going (those pesky yarnovers keep going AWOL!). I have a washcloth on the needles (or maybe two). I haven't worked on my Flower Basket Shawl in a while, but that's because I know that I don't have the ability to concentrate on the pattern right now (if I can't manage the yo's on a little sock, I'm sure not going to try to work on a lace shawl!). None of my knitting has an expiration date, thank goodness!