Looks like a swatch, feels like a swatch

J has turned in her thesis!

Yay.

This actually happened on Thursday, but I think we're still recuperating from the day's event and stress, and everything that event means.

I've started a new project, or at least I've done the swatch. I looked on knitty for what I wanted to do, and couldn't see on listed, so I've decided to might as well design one and submit it. This unfortunately means I can't post pics, but here's the mini swatch.


I have three socks I'd like to make, so I think I'll also start one of them today or tomorrow. It's from Cookie A's new book, Sock Innovations. J picked out the pattern (the sock is for her) and it looks like it might be the most difficult one in the book.

So there might be some panicky and frustrated posts from me in the near very future...

Finally, photos

I've sneaked on the computer (Jessamy's thesis is due on Thursday, so I need to sneak my computer time) to post pics of the sock yarn I dyed last week. Not sure how well it shows up in this picture, but it's a semi solid blue.
I feel some sock knitting coming on.

These were earrings. I really can't remember what was my original intention with these, since I don't have ear piercings, but I recently saw an example of "needle wrapping" in a book and remember I had these sitting in the closet. It was only after I did the wrapping that I realized that they don't even work as earrings anymore since they need to stretch to be put on. Maybe I'll make them into a necklace?

Ukelele Orchestra

Hopefully you can hear this if you're in the US.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/events/Proms/b00m68x7/

It's the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain. I might just have to take up the Uke after hearing this.

In the middle of the show there was some audience participation with The Ode to Joy, Beethoven. Even though I was listening to the show in the comfort of my own home, my eyes started welling up with tears. On the news there's so many negative things, people banding together for war and hatred and angry and violent mobs that it's really uplifting to hear a crowd making music together and being happy together.

We are kind of amused

It's finished!
J has been wearing it since this "photo shoot," so I think she likes it.

The mods I made from the original pattern on knitty was the high collar, originally a mistake but she liked how it looked long. The mod for where the cables join is from a helpful note by jmfknits on ravelry. Also made the sleeves longer, but I did something wrong with the decreases and they are oddly bunchy, but I've decided to ignore that.

Someone on Twitter said she looks like Sandra Bullock in this photo. What do ya think?

Terminado empiezo

I finished El Hobbit! Actually, for the past month I had been reading El Hobbit and The Hobbit simultaneously because after the first short page of El Hobbit it became apparent that my Spanish was only good enough to understand everyday simple words. And I did not consider agujero (hole), the third word in the book, to be an everyday word. I'm still not sure why I didn't just put El Hobbit down and just read the English version, since I really did just want to reread the book before the movie comes out. It was probably just stubbornness. Whatever the reason, I've finally finished them both!

It's also looking like this will be a week of finishing projects. Jessamy's sweater is almost done, I had gotten a little crazy with the collar, knitted a few inches too much, so all I think I have to do is rip out an inch or too, bind off, and weave in ends. I'm trying not to think about what I'd do if she tries it on and something looks off.

The last of my sock yarns has been dyed, it's drying off as I type. Sadly I won't be buying anymore yarn until more money comes my way, so that's the end of that for a few weeks.

Of course this means this is also a week of new things - I've already started on The Diary of John Evelyn, as I've decided, after I read Pepys' diary a few months ago, to try and fill in my knowledge of British History (not that I really know much in the first place) from 1660 to the present through historical diaries.

And, I have a fiber project all lined up. Yay new projects!

Black bean singing in the dead of night

My latest dyeing experiment is dry!

It's made with ..... black bean juice!

Meteor Shower

Turned off the lights, opened the window.
I looked out.
Nothing but the glow of a city reflected in the sky.
A single ray of light shone through on the right.
Perhaps it was a star, or maybe a plane.
Its metal bulk spewing exhaust into the night air, but its travelers asleep
On the way to see family.
Or awake
Staring above the light of the city
Or at the meteor shower I can only wonder about.
Drunken revelers below don't notice my disappointment.
Continue to revel, should you need my blessing.
Continue to be happy on the ground, not in the sky.

Fish n Chips

We heard tell that there was the best fish n chips place just a few blocks from our flat. So today we finally checked it out.


We were really hungry and actually started eating it before I could take a picture. But it is the best we've had so far! Could have done with more salt and vinegar though.

I was tempted to also order their deep fried Mars bar (what is quickly becoming a staple of fish n chip shops here). But I think they would have looked at me weird because I wasn't drunk.

LA County Fair needs spinning demonstrators

Found this on a yahoo group:
Demonstrators are needed for the entire run of the Fair. Please contact Roadie @ the Sheets Gallery for the full scoop. 909-865-4562.

Day 11 of Hadrian's Wall Walk

Yesterday was Day 11 of our Hadrian's Wall Walk.

This was actually the first time in over a month that we hadn't had previous engagements on a sunny day! Our walk started at Housesteads Roman Fort and ended at Milecastle Inn. The path along the wall stretched for 5 Roman miles. Each Roman mile is .95 of today's miles, so we actually walked 4.75 miles, not including the walk from the parking lot to where we left off last month, and the walk from the wall to Milecastle Inn.

Here is the view of Whin Sill, where we walked last month.


This is some of what we walked yesterday.


The first milecastle (there's one each Roman mile) on this leg of the trip.


One of the first of many, many hills we climbed during the course of the day.

We aren't actually sure if the rocks are the actual wall, or if they've been placed there for walkers.


A sign for Pennine Way, a popular mountainous walk. I'm pointing up, where our path leads.


Highshield Crags

Yes, we did climb to the top of that too.

And here we are looking down at Crag Lough.


J waving under Sycamore Gap.

It's also known as Robin Hood's Tree because it was in the Prince of Thieves movie.









Milecastle 42, the last of the milecastles on this leg of the trip, and unusual for a milecastle since it's at an awkward slant.


Cawfields Quarry.


Surprisingly we arrived at Milecastle Inn, where the bus would pick us up to bring us back home, at 3:30, and hour before we had to leave. So we ordered a half pint, ate a cadbury egg, and then went home.