An FO!!  I started out making Colonnade with this Silk Garden yarn, but that was just not meant to be.  I tore it all out and decided to try something new — Allison LoCicero's  Entrelac Scarf.

Washed and blocked and everything!  I loved making this — my first-ever entrelac project (but, already, not the last) and loved the colorway.  My mom loved it, too, so I gave it to her.

Went out shopping and lunching today.  I didn't buy a thing, just watched.  Katie scored a very nice starter set of cookware at Macy's (One Day Sale!) and a few other gadgets, which we then dropped at her apartment.  She'd intended to do some major moving today, but it turns out the floors won't be done 'til tomorrow, so… next week, I guess.  Lunch was at a newly opened Italian bistro called Carmella's and it was wonderful!  "I'll be back!"

Today's "Ten On Tuesday" theme is "10 Things You Wish You Knew How To Do."  I'm having a problem with this because every time I think of something, I also think that if I really wanted to know how to do it, I'd just learn how to do it and then I wouldn't have to wish anymore.  It's a bit of a conundrum.  Unless I followed Carole's lead and went all fantastical about it and, in that case, I wouldn't change much.

So how about just 10 Things on Tuesday — which might make tomorrow's Random Wednesday seem a little like deja vu, but we'll worry about that tomorrow.  I'm living for today.

1.  Nothing makes me happier in the morning than a good, fresh, strong cup of coffee.  We've been brewing Alterra's Dark Sumatra Gayoland, which Ali carries at the coffee shop, for the past several months.  DH is usually the morning brewmaster, and has struggled with being consistent day-to-day – I will admit, almost ashamedly, that I have been grumpy about the coffee on occasion.  Well, I am happy to report that I think he's found his coffee groove!  It's been terrific!!

2.  I stop at the coffee shop every morning on my way to work.  I never get coffee (see #1), except to refill my bag for home, but sometimes I do get a cuppa tea or some juice to go – a muffin, a ProBar (usually only on Zumba days), and/or some dark chocolate.

3.  This morning, I couldn't resist the cookies — some new ones that I've only sampled before, she'll also be using them in gift baskets/boxes.  Savory Green Tea Panels today – a little package of three with a side of almonds for breakfast.  Yum.

4.  After a bit of a hiatus, and one or two false starts, I'm back at Zumba — twice a week is good.  I still need to get better shoes.

5.  I watched Brothers & Sisters on Sunday for the first time in quite a while.  I'd read that Gilles Marini had a role — I never watched Sex & The City, but I am a fan of Dancing With The Stars and he was pretty compelling competitor (say that three times fast!) last season — so I tuned in and, obviously, wasn't surprised to see Gille Marini!  I was surprised to see FRITZY cheating on BRENDA with SALLY FIELD, though!  Heheheee.  Yeah.

6.  When I'm alone at work I don't lock the door when I go to the bathroom.  For no good reason, I'm afraid that the door knob will fall apart or jam and I won't be able to get out.  Plan B: If I accidentally lock the door and something happens, I have noticed that the hinges are on "my" side and I could pop them in a pinch.  I've fallen short of actually looking for what type of "tool" I'd use to pop those hinges — or procuring and/or actually stashing one — I'm thinkin' I'd be doing my best MacGyver in that unlikely situation.

7.  The door knob malfunctioned on the bathroom door at the coffee shop a few weeks ago with Ali inside.  Luckily, she was not alone.  (New door knob has been procured and installed.)

8.  See???  There is a good reason.  It can HAPPEN!  Not so dumb.

9.  I thought I'd found a pretty cool scarf pattern to use up one of the two Hundertwasser yarns I've got kicking around — it's not working out, though, and now I'm floundering with too many other yarn/pattern choices.

9.b.  I saw the Interweave Knits Winter 2009 Preview yesterday and immediately signed in on Ravelry to fave Nora's Sweater — it's on the mag's cover, but not yet on Rav.  I think I'll be havin' a sweater on the needles soon!

10.  I meant to say so earlier than this, but I was so happy to read about your vacuum cleaners and thank you all so much for sharing!  I still have not decided on a "new" one, but I did manage a quick look at my local sew/vac repair shop the other day and was a little bit taken with an old Princess canister machine — still need to do some testing, though.

Rules of the house dictated that Maddy wait 'til her 18th birthday before getting her first tattoo.  On that very day, she was there getting this:

A few weeks ago, she was in the chair again.

 
Her own design, incorporating some of my sister's ditz work — as did Katie's (from some bowls I have — so they coordinate with each other and the place settings).

 
Maddy was home unexpectedly over the weekend, so photo op yesterday afternoon — even though it was a little bit chilly.  Nice for the middle of November!

I had a pretty good weekend.  Didn't get as much done around home as I'd have liked, but some — unpacked a box of books in my bedroom, started cleaning out the big craft cupboard upstairs (the only one to do up there yet), and washed and blocked some knitting projects.  I did some fun stuff — the knitting thing on Saturday afternoon, meeting and photographing my friend Ann's brand new baby on Sunday morning.

And cooking!  I made a nice dinner on both Saturday and Sunday nights — and on Sunday, we had a full house at the table.  So nice.  It was so wonderful using my new, big, nonstick-covered skillet!  I made Chicken Pad Thai on Saturday and a chicken and pasta dish with sun-dried tomatoes and broccoli on Sunday.  Both recipes were from the Flat Belly Cookbook.  Yum.

Yep, there's actual knitting content — and more to come later in the week!

I spent a few hours in a room with over 100 knitters yesterday, listening to a presentation on knitting activism and charitable knitting given by Alison Gates (more here).  Now, I've knitted with and been in large groups of knitters before — at classes, retreats and festivals — this is the first time I've knitted with such a large group that was overwhelmingly local, within a 60-mile radius or so.  Original expectations for attendees at this event numbered in the 20s, when the guest list swelled to 120, there was some scrambling to be done to accommodate us all.  Luckily, there was room at the inn — the building that houses the Atlas Coffee — in an unused portion undergoing renovations.

Interestingly, other than personnel from Iris Fine Yarns, I knew only two others in the group.  Some photos…

 

That's Phyllis, above, owner of Iris.  I didn't get a good photo of Alison — she was wearing a headset/microphone and wasn't too comfortable with it (but she really needed to use it so we could hear her!).

 
Iris will be putting together a list of "who we knit for."  I had the opportunity to talk up the Orphan Foundation of America and The Red Scarf Project.  There were lots of knitters for homeless, hospital and domestic abuse causes — mostly local — I was encouraged that there was recognition of The Red Scarf in the room!

And, I started a new "red" scarf!!

Happy Sunday.  I'm off to meet a new baby!

Last weekend was likely our last of the year at the lake.  We've had some memorable winter visits over the years, even celebrating Christmas there a couple of times.

As fun as it is to get away, I am very much looking forward to a weekend at home.  I have plenty of work/cleaning/organizing to do.  And I'm sure Katie could use some help.  The floors at her apartment (including a stinky process for carpet glue removal) will be done on Monday!  She plans to be completely moved in by Thanksgiving and, even with a few days for airing out, I think she'll easily make that deadline!

I may or may not have a tiny new baby in my viewfinder at some point this weekend – very exciting – and it's been a while.

On Saturday afternoon, I'll be attending a special event sponsored by my LYS, Iris Fine Yarns.  "Changing the World with Sticks and String: Knitting Activism Past, Present and Future" will be presented by Alison Gates, Associate Professor, Arts and Visual Design/Textiles Chair, Women's and Gender Studies, UW-Green Bay.  There's a link to a PDF with more information on the Iris Special Events page (click on "Registration Required") — and, by the way, if you're local and think you might like to attend, registration for this free event is required (registration deadline was last Saturday, but I doubt they'd turn anyone away).

I'd sure like to cook something this weekend — the girls gave me a gigantic covered skillet for my birthday and I've yet to use it!  I've wanted one for years, and even more with all the cooking I was doing recently (until VERY recently).

Well, I'll be back tomorrow — doin' this NaBloPoMo thing, you know!