Uncategorized

It’s finally happening

I’ve been walking 3-4 blocks between house & car since late last week, as street work has intensified. I turned around & took this pic when I left the house this morning.

IMG_2028-EDIT

It’s still a mess and I’m still not used to the changes. There’s so much gravel everywhere, piles of dirt, branches, the terraces are all overgrown, spraypainted markings all over the sidewalk…

376506577_822119672979814_621647584162527465_n
378023874_666108252160535_6250800727459821789_n


But they’re moving in the right direction today. I’m a bit mystified at how that giant machine will make its way back once it reaches the end of the street but I’m sure there’s a way.

Way back in June, I bought a large, lightweight, collapsible wagon. It sat unboxed by the front door for a while, then I unboxed it and put it in my car and it rode around for several weeks, a little voice in my head asking if it was a necessary purchase. Well, this week has already provided the answer to that question: a resounding YES!! It’s been back & forth to Ann’s several times, hauled groceries, vacuum cleaner, laptop, knitting, lunchbox… tomorrow it’ll haul biking & camping gear as we head north for the Peninsula Century Fall Challenge.

I had another cycling-related setback on Saturday, so I’m just playing it by ear at this point. We were getting prepped for a ride and decided it would be good to pump up the tires before heading out instead of when we reached our destination. My front tire was flat as could be, I pumped & pumped but it would not hold air. I was exasperated, stressed, made a wrong move and felt that telltale twinge in my back. DAMNITALLANYWAYFRICKINGBICYCLETIRES. Unlike sometimes when that happens, I was able to move and keep moving right away (as opposed to being in the shower and having to go through quite a lot before just casually waltzing around). Needless to say, we didn’t go cycling — loaded up my bike & took it in for a new tube (the old one was pinched because of blahblahblahwhocares). Anyway, we’ll see how it goes. I have no problem making a bee-line from the route to the park without finishing. There’ll be food & beer.

Family Temperature Blanket

Unraveled Wednesday: Stripe City

I’m joining Kat & the Unravelers today for Unraveled Wednesday!

KNITTING:

Can’t stop, won’t stop! The Family Temperature Blanket is getting ALL of my knitting attention these days.

IMG_2011

The morning light is getting dimmer every day, but my phone does well with available light, so I hastily arranged all the panels on the sidewalk for a group shot. That’s my panel on the left, Rusty’s in the middle, and Kate’s underway on the right. I think I’m into December for her “April ’85 to April ’86 in the Pacific Northwest” panel. I finally took the time to learn the weaving-in method that’s most often used to trap floats in colorwork, and I love it… things are moving right along with much less dread. I get in a zone when I’m weaving in… but it often takes a while to work up the will & resolve to just.do.it. heh. Anyway, it’s so great to take care of most of that while I’m actually knitting.

READING:

Still working on The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. I’m about half-way now! Maybe I’ll squeak by in time for zooming.

LISTENING:

I don’t know exactly when, where, or why, but not long ago, Spotify served me up a song called Meeting the Master by Greta Van Fleet.

https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6jXwOrrBoutMICNxckeDNQ?utm_source=generator

It’s the kind of song that has me immediately cranking up the volume. Rock, vocals & guitar that immediately reminded me of HEART — in fact, I thought, Wow, she sounds like Ann Wilson — with a side of LED ZEPPELIN, RUSH, stadium/arena rock, hair band/glam. But modern. Turns out, it was the first single released from their newest/third album.

I was a little chuffed a couple of weeks ago when I had my “Liked Songs” playlist on while Kate & I made dinner and she was Soundhound-ing many of the songs, or asking me about them if Soundhound came up short. This was one of them. Last week, she shared another Greta Van Fleet song with me, and I said something about “her.” Kate said, I’m not so sure that’s a girl… I think it’s a guy! And sure enough, four guys — young guys — from Frankenmuth, Michigan, of all places. So, like, we’re practically neighbors! Anyway, I can’t get enough of them and thought I’d share.

Oh, and the story of the band’s name — and namesake — is pretty great, too!

Family Temperature Blanket · Unraveled Wednesday / Knit & Read

Unraveled Wednesday: FO & Progress!

I'm joining Kat & the Unravelers today for Unraveled Wednesday!

KNITTING:

Sonia's stocking is finished! It's my third FO of the year.

IMG_1968

IMG_1968

Details:

Funny story… I received a text from Sonia's grandmother, Janet, on Friday evening. "Hello Vicki!! I have to ask… would you be up for another Xmas stocking?"

I thought about it for a minute, then replied, "I'm in the groove, so hit me."

What a miracle, she wrote, and alarming… I forgot that I already asked about Sonia!!

So GREAT!! There isn't another stocking to knit after all! Whew.

I'm back to the Family Temperature Blanket! It's been sitting close for months while I've worked on the kids' 5-Point Bomber, Mack's Graduation Blanket, a Musselburgh hat, a shawl, some dishcloths, and a Christmas stocking.

IMG_1965

I've knit about 100 rows since I picked it up over the weekend! So happy to be working on this again, moving right along…

READING:

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. Slow as molasses… but still reading and I'm about 1/3 of the way right now.