Things finally got real.

At first the most exciting thing I had to post this week was my coffee stained counter and my taco flower.

 

 

I have been more or less obsessed with this dumb game.

 

I also read George Takei's book ""Oh Myyy"

 

But then..... Today happened.

 

Newfrienddebbie and I first went to Ali Baba's for the lunchtime buffet. Mmmmmmmmm.

 

This was followed by a trip to a teeny tiny yarn store called Mia Sofia. This photo really is most of the yarn that they have but it was buy one and get one half off. The chiagoo (or as I like to call them chiagoogoo) needles were part of the same sale. Dare I say I love those needles MORE than Addi's?

 

 

The traffic leaving Mia Sofia was dreadful and required a detour that took us to the other LYS- I can never remember the name of it. The coolest part of this place (in addition to the Noro silk garden I convinced myself to buy) was this yarn swift. It's like my Lazy Susan one but those slanty rods accommodate the changing skein size. It's handmade (of course) and the maker has no interest in marketing.

 

 

The adventure ended at our favorite Terra Cafe where the hilarity of the art was not lost on me. The funniest part of this trip was the confession that newfrienddebbie made regarding her hibernating spring break days. Says she "there's this new app/game called candy crush" (see above) and I can't quit playing it. Come to find we've been living parallel lives all week without knowing it. Today's adventure was the only possible outcome.

Is there not a walk in closet?

I really don't like this carpet. The curb appeal is charming and adorable.

 

Once home I wound two recently acquired balls of yarn (Ella Rae dk) and purchased Stephen West's Daybreak pattern.

Now there is this much done. However I have NOT made it past level 77.

 

 

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Do Not Feel Sorry For This Cat

 

 

All attempts to get her to come inside have failed. She is a martyr. Until there is food involved. But it better be turkey and not hot dogs.

In other food news, Mr. Sophanne and I went for our usual Sunday dinner at Trob Revvens today. Why do we keep going there? Because here in this little Burg of Wayne there are no other options.

Today's dining entertainment involved our waiter Shawn who came to or table to check and see if everything was o.k. three times before the food arrived. Each time we said, everything was fine but would be much better with food. He said "Are you hanging tight?" What does that mean exactly? If it means we're hungry and waiting patiently, then yes, we're "hanging tight."

After much longer than it should have been, he arrived with food saying that "he told the cooks we were hungry and wanted our food" as if that was an exceptional stretch of power on his part. When the pancakes of Mr. Sophanne failed to have the promised whipped topping ( as suggested by Shawn when we ordered), he promptly blamed the cooks, took the pancakes back and returned with a smiley face that had eyebrows. Whipped topping art as it were. Then he stuck around as if we wanted to chat with him. While we usually do, as a general rule, we like to decide whether we're in the mood for that or not.

My family members have regularly informed me that I would be terrible as a waitress. I am happy to report that if I ever lose my teaching job, even I could find employment in the Burg of Wayne.

 

The sleeves to the Welcome Friend Kathy Zimmerman cable sweater that I am calling "Glacier" in hopes to wear it on the Alaskan cruise look like this- about 8" of 22".

 

 

The yarn festival scarf, Man oh Man, which is serving as a distraction from the sleeves, looks like this. Question. Is tencel a natural fiber? I think it's made from wood? This yarn is wool and tencel.

 

 

Given that its spring break, maybe I will find an adventure to have and post about.

 

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The results.

I must tell the truth. While I have most recently embraced a minimalist version of consumerism, making zero extraneous purchases from thanksgiving through Christmas, I make a conscious exception at a yarn festival. I try to save enough prior to going so that money is no object. It's so much fun that way. As much fun, I'm guessing as Mr. Sophanne has at the casino.

First Steven Be. Oh my. I didn't stick around that booth very long. It was just a little over the top for me.

 

His sweater was super sized yarn and camera film. He's hosting a slumber party as I type. It would have been interesting to see what he chose for sleepwear, but not that interesting. Here he is trying to work the credit card iPad combination and I can't help but noticing that he and his customer resemble one another in a small way.

Knitnighttara got to see the bunny out of the cage and grabbed this Instagram photo. Bonus gratitude points to the person who captions this one. That bunny has a Mona Lisa eye.

 

In addition to replacing my peg-missing swift, I made a few purchases.

 

Kauni for a clockwork. I have a clockwork in these colors. I had it with me. I was wearing it earlier in the day. I realized this after the purchase was final. So it goes.

Some shawl pins so that I can wear either purple black gray clockwork without them falling off my shoulders.

Some gorgeous Brooks Farms merino and a scarf pattern called man oh man.

A cool spirally shawl with a yarn color our of my comfort zone. I ceased all purchases after that one. Colors one doesn't normally get are a sign that one is buying for the sake of buying.

Finally a late lunch at a Middle Eastern place called Aladdin's. Everyone seems to be just a little annoyed at my "picture taking to blog later" self. Out of respect for them, I smoothied their faces. Enjoying the smoothie tool, I also smoothied some of the tableware and the windows. What a fun day.

End of results.

 

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Pittsburgh knit and crochet festival 2013- pregame

 

I've been to the Pittsburgh knit and crochet festival twice.

I don't remember but I think I went with knitnightclaire in 2008. It was my first cashmere, my first swift, my first drop spindle and one of my first attempts at getting past the social anxiety that has always been a part of my life.

I went alone in 2009. They changed locations. I dropped mr. Sophanne off at the casino and went in the cold February rain. I'm pretty sure this was a conscious choice. People make me nervous and I wanted to enjoy the yarn. In spite of that, I wore my Central Park hoodie hoping that it was such a recognizable pattern that people would notice it and magically be my friend. Later I sat in front of a hotel fireplace with other knitters pretending to be part of their group. Lacking adult supervision, I purchased blocking wires and a felted tea cozy pattern that looked like an orange slice. The blocking wires have been used minimally. The fruit slice was used as a hat once and discarded.

 

 

The 2009 trip reminds me of the dog pre-bath time. She play bows as I go for her and in the next moment runs away barking because I say the word bath. She is a dog conflicted. I was a social being conflicted.

Tomorrow I will be at the festival with three knitting friends gathering from hither and yon to travel together in knitnightgina's van. It is likely that I will run into another friend who is going as well.

In addition to the fine and sometimes not so fine items I have made, the greatest gift of knitting has been the funny laughing friends and the slow process of relaxing in and enjoying the company of others. If I have to increase my yarn stash as part of the process, that's a sacrifice I am willing to make.

And tomorrow if I see someone wandering alone in a hand knit sweater, I will welcome him/her and bring him/her into the fold.

 

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What's for dessert, you ask?

 

 

Anyone who has known me for a long time, likely looked at the previous post and thought, "man o day, that Sophanne hasn't said no to too many desserts lately." That much is true. Mmmmm...ice cream. But I digress. What you see above is what I say no to ON A NIGHTLY BASIS. Yes, this is Mr. Sophanne's bedtime snack. Unless its a birthday, you won't see him indulge during the day whereas I will eat any treat, any time, except at bedtime. Maybe there is method to his madness.

 

In other Mr. Sophanne news, he is in the process of applying for early retirement. As a result, he does not go to work anymore. I would enjoy this much more if I also did not have to go to work but such is not the case. So far he has spent each day working a full 8 hours filling out forms, making phone calls to bureaucracies and government agencies and visiting doctors offices bearing gifts of donuts and cookies.

All is well and it's all good- not to worry- but there has been some adjusting to do. As you might imagine, the cute LizaJane I thrilled.

In other news, hey medical friends, what is the likelihood of a false negative on those instant strep tests. The 10 minut culture test says no, but my body says otherwise. The CNP must have been doubtful as well, as she gave me strep fighting meds and I've heard those are harder to get lately.

I am grateful for those meds. The Pittsburgh knit and crochet festival is this weekend and we're having a little mini knit night field trip. Plus newfrienddebbie is going to get her first experience of fiber overload and new knit friends. Aren't you so excited for her?!?!

 

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The not really a doctor but I play one at knit night is in.

Above you see knitnightmedstudentJustine demonstrating how to suture. Below you see what I look like after a day of work when I get to have real medical instruments in my hands. Note to self- put on a little makeup before knit night, wouldja?

 

Maybe you can see on the side, I've started the sleeves to the Kathy Zimmerman sweater. I ordered the last just in case skein of yarn... Just in case.

I have some achey streppy action going on today. Maybe the Panera's pretend hospital is has as many bugs floating around as the real hospital.

As newfrienddebbie says, in the event of a zombie apocalypse, when someone (not me) has to cut her infected hand off, I will be able to sew the pieces back together, knit a glove for her, and soothe her with song as I do it.

 

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Garlic - o - Butt and some random

Now that I see it on the blog page, I'm pretty sure I've posted this before but maybe you forgot and will laugh again.  The latest Nutella rage that has me cracking up over spreads.

I'm knitting the cable sweater, some lace and finishing a pair of felted clogs for the Mr. today.

In other funny, there is a custodian that I know that has been given multiple jobs to do at once in his school.  He must enter lunch numbers into a computer, lock the doors, scrape the trays, and take care of any spills or messes that occur.  

It's a little over the top but it's what happens when there aren't enough people to do everything.  

Last week I suggested to him that because he doesn't have enough to do that he should provide some entertainment in the cafeteria.  Without pause for thought he said, "Oh yes, I've got a puppet show lined up for today and for the adult entertainment, I've ordered a pole for next week."

In movie news, the Mr. and I watched Monsieur Verdoux with a talking and directing Charlie Chaplin last night.  What a movie.  What begins as a farce about a man who is a "bluebeard" (I had never heard that term before last night) - someone who marries for money and then kills his spouses- turns into a treatise on war that kills millions versus people who murder.  I'm guessing it's where this line came from:  If you kill millions in war, you're a hero but if you murder one, you're a criminal."  I'm not getting all political here, it was just a peculiar movie (1947) that left an impression.

My favorite line in it (one I'm sure I'll remember when the drugs stop working) is 

Despair is a narcotic that lulls one into indifference.

It won and Academy Award nomination for the screenplay but was panned by the critics.  I'm guessing the change in tone didn't win them over, and apparently the perceived trivialization of murder was offensive to them as well.

End of random.