all about me.

I walked the dog and gave her a smelly-good bath.

I don't hate my job.

I don't hate my boss.

I have miles of lace knitting on size 3 needles- on three different projects. I have a second koigummmm sock to finish.

The most exhilarating thing I have to report is that the "Service Engine Soon" light came on in the car today.

Kindergarten starts tomorrow and knit night is tomorrow night so there might be an anecdote or five to relate.

In the crack me up sine wave of my existence, we seem to be in a valley and that's o.k. with me.

Macro-ni

It was the first day of school and I have no complaints. In fact I went to work with a smile and came home feeling the same way.

Last night Jen and Ursula brought me some lemon balm and white lavender. No sunlight for these photos but I told you I was going to play with the macro setting on the camera.



Of the other 10-15 pictures I took, the Queen Anne's Lace pleased me.




Chatting about imaginary friends last night, it dawned on me that blogging isn't the only place where there are imaginary friends. While I have met a few of them, I certainly wouldn't recognize any of Mr. Sophannes co-workers on the street but when he talks about them, I know them. He knows the whole knit night community, regularly asking who was there and fondly remembering that one who could do the killer Italian accents and tell hysterical jokes- he never even met her.

Rock on imaginary communities!

What's Wong with this Picture?

Dr. Harry K. Wong is an educator turned publisher embraced by our county school system. While I had never heard of him, his quotes seemed relevant (if not slightly commonsensical) and I have no real opinion of him one way or another.

What I do have is a quote from this afternoon's staff development session where our academic coach said- and I quote- I wrote it down word for word- "Who here has experienced Harry Wong?" I'm 12 in my head- what could I do?

Other than that 30 second quote, the rest of the day was full of what Mr. Sophanne called the Kumbyah of back-to-schoolness.

"Think back to your favorite teacher- what were the qualities that made him/her your favorite? Share them with the people at your table. Now think back to your least favorite teacher and do the same. What qualities do you want your students to remember you as having. Make a list- staple is shut- I'll give them back to you in January and you can check your progress."

This was a meaningful activity the first time I did it. I even remember reflecting a little the second time I was asked the same thing. Today I just reached back into the file folder of previous answers and watched everyone else reflect.

As I recall, "jaded" wasn't one of the redeeming qualities but brutally honest may have made the list. I scored a 50%.

That being said, I wanted to put a positive spin on the wasted day so I'm having a give-away. I like that better than the word "contest" Tell me a story in the comments about your best or worst teacher and I'll randomly draw on Labor Day. The prize? I like to make it easy on myself and fun for others so it will be a $25 gift card to my favorite crack Namaste dealer Scout's Swag

I can't really keep track of the "if you post it on your blog-send somebody-extra entry" business so everybody gets one chance but if you spread the word, there will be more stories and that might be nice.

A Fresh Start

I may not be fresh and ready for the new school year to start but my fruits and vegetables will be.

Oh what a difference one leader can make. The thing about the Michael Scott that left that was unlike the "real" Michael Scott (as if there actually were a REAL Michael Scott) was that she lacked sincerity. The New Michael Scott did in 45 minutes worth of usually useless meeting time what she was unable to do in 4 years.

He said essentially "Hey- I'm here. I'll do my best. I care about you and the kids and the school and the community. Let's have a weenie roast! I don't like them steamed- I'll do the grilling. I like to cut grass- I'll take care of that. Help me learn what I don't know. I'll be here before you get here every day. You can count on me."

I Don't Have A Stomach Ache About My New Boss. That can always change but it's a seriously MUCH better way to start the year. (If you're reading, my condolences HRDL)


Helping the situation is some luxury yarn. This is trying to be the Lacy Prairie Shawl from Folk Shawls- malabrigo lace-weight forest green. I also cast on for the same project in cascade marled eco-wool for something big and warm to do later this winter.



Hey kids- name this yarn- koigummmm- too easy. I just found the macro button on my camera. There's no real light this evening but consider yourself warned oh those afraid of closeups.

It's a wonderful town...

This is what Coney Island looks like on a hot day in August. It took every bit of effort to remain vertical in the heat!





I highly recommend West Side Story. Tony was a bit of an acting/singing disappointment but Maria and the rest of the cast made it worthwhile.

I don't understand. The mom of 4 kids in front of us bought skittles- sour gummy drops etc. for her children to crackle throughout the first 40 minutes of the show, stopping only when the German man behind us said, "Can't you find another time to eat? Stop It." Yay for the German guy.

It also begs the question- why the hell do they sell such things at the theater? My theory? People believe that the movies are now like their living room at home and the theater is like the movies. Ugh. It was a similar experience at The Lion King only it was running commentary in Italian-even that was tolerable because it is a sort of "for kids" kind of event.

After the show we went to Maxies on 48th and 7th. We both ordered Maxie's Classic Rueben which was essentially a pound of corned beef smothered in sauerkraut and swiss cheese. There might have been some bread underneath. Neither of us really got that far. It was a little more than I was hoping for (and how often do you get to say that?)



Today I worked on the HP bag. It'll do. Tomorrow I'll attempt inserting a lining. Having never done that, I'm happy for any advice you might send my way.

speed knitting

How's this for some lazya$$ blocking?



I also should have followed all good advice and stretched the stitches out regularly on the rh needle when switching colors. I'm not going to win any patience prizes for this one. There is some crochet finishing to seam the bottom and add form to the sides, some fringe and a strap. I was so obsessed by this that I feel like I wasn't even at last week's knit night. Busy counting red and yellow-gold (which also happens to be my two most not favorite colors together-I can admit that now that I've gotten through it)

I'm taking another train ride tomorrow to NYC- meeting the mama somewhere out there. We've go tickets to West Side Story on Saturday. I think this trip's "one new thing" will be to go to Brighton Beach/Coney Island. If it stays this hot, we won't be alone. Back on Sunday with hopefully no bad stories to tell (you may recall that the last time we tried this trip it was only for one night and the stagehands went on strike that very night.)

more knitting

My friend Maggie is going through a Harry Potter phase of epic proportions. Given that it's likely to last 6 months at best (she's entering 9th grade you know) I thought I'd better get this one on and off the needles as quick as I could. The HP FairIsle pouch bag can be found here. This much is done since about 11:00 this morning. I may even be able to have it finished by the time I see her on Wednesday. O.k. now that I've typed that it's certain that I won't but it will be close.

oh, there's some knitting

and as soon as I recover the misplaced camera, you'll see it. ETA-found it. : )

Daffydil forest canopy is bound off and blocked- thanks to those who suggested I do this sooner rather than later. Artful yarns' is a little twistier than what was used but it didn't really matter on the last 5" of bind off.




Angora/wool Central Park Hoodie is seamed with the ends woven in- could use a good blocking- may or may not get it.

On the needles? Wool Peddler's Shawl in Noro sock yarn, Slinky Ribs from Custom Knits in gold Elsbeth Lavold (though my dye lots don't match and I'm pondering solutions) and another Forest Canopy shawl in Lorna's Laces laceweight.

Each project on the needles has a different goal. The wool peddler's shawl is a new lace pattern- trying to expand my ability to read charts. The Slinky Rib is another attempt to follow written directions, and Forest Canopy in laceweight is an attempt to manipulate the thinner fiber into something beautiful. I know the pattern well so that the only issue will be the yarn weight.

Last night we took the dogwatchers to a Washington Wild Things baseball game. I entered the Tickets for Kids basket raffle. The first winner didn't claim the prize and my ticket was called as the back-up winner. Prizes included a terrible towel, an ipillow with a speaker inside, and various bags and lunch boxes. As the Wild Things lost, the prize basket became more and more exciting.

The dogwatcher drank a gallon and a half of beer in 4 hours. A gallon and a half. He seemed unaltered by this which was a good thing as far as I was concerned, but a damn gallon and a half!

not always the angel

This is a picture of little Miss Thing the night the kids stayed up until 2:00 am. I show her not at her very best because this afternoon as I was taking one of the NY'ers to Red Lobster and Harry Potter, she chewed into my fabric sock knitting bag and chewed every last size 2 wooden dpn I had.

In better news- a skein of "Artful Yarns" canary bound off forest canopy the Two. It will block tomorrow along with an EZ BSJ that's been done for months and will be part of a silent auction.