Zombies, Cold, and Science. Naturally.

There are a lot of zombies around Boston today, and not just for Halloween. Now that the Red Sox have won the World Series, there are going to be a lot of people catching up on their sleep, the way I did in July, though without the satisfaction of my team having won. Ah well. Are any of you wearing a costume? Or have you seen anything particularly good? I got to see an angel and a skeleton close up, as well as many small shapes wandering all over the sidewalks (Halloween is so nerve-wracking as a driver, isn't it?).

It's raining a little tonight, but on the plus side, not that cold (around 60). It has been really cold at work lately; seriously, I'm wearing my winter coat at my desk, I'm wearing long underwear, it's ridiculous. And what I don't understand, other than why the hell* it is that cold in the first place, is why no one else seems to think it is a solvable problem. I'm not the only one who is cold, though I seem to be the one most bothered by it (before I put the coat on, I'm the one with the scarf, shawl, fingerless gloves, and so on), but why is this acceptable anyway? It's a twenty-first century American office park, you know, not a yurt on the tundra. Mind you, those are probably warmer.
*Mmm, hell would be warm....

I brought a thermometer in to work, and got interesting results this morning: when I put it on the right side of my desk, which is the side by the window, it registered 68 degrees, and when I moved it to the left, it went up to 72. Doesn't that seem a little extreme for a move of two feet? Tomorrow I'm going to try moving it to a desk farther away, where it seems less cold, and we'll see if science backs that up.

For science!

Of Knitting and Knitting

I mentioned at the end of yesterday's long Rhinebeck-and-yarn post that I have knitting updates. So, what is up with my knitting lately?

Thanks to all the knitting time over the Rhinebeck weekend, I got the second sock for my friend to a point close to done by the time I was home again. It wasn't done yet, but it was at the point where it needed to be checked against the first sock for where to start the ribbing, and then for how long to make the ribbing. In other words, it wasn't going to make good knitting to bring to the Bruins game--not that I planned to knit during the game, but for traveling to and from, and while waiting.

So I cast on for a new sock last Monday, to be the next purse socks, which I had decided (before Rhinebeck) to make in the same pattern, the Dead Simple Lace Socks, but a smaller size, in hopes that it will fit me this time. I had wound the yarn (Foot Notes yarn, from Fiber Optic) before Rhinebeck, even though I knew it wasn't at all likely that I'd need it then, and on Monday I was glad to have the decision made and winding done when I needed it. I went to the other knitting group Wednesday night just to get the toe done, so the sock would be ready for Thursday.

And then, of course, we drove in, and I never knit a stitch. Oh, well, at least it was ready! I finished the pair for my friend this weekend, and it was nice to have the next one lined up. It's not a bad idea, given my level of knit addiction, to start the next one before I finish the current one--not too far ahead, but avoiding that nothing-to-grab stage.

The finished ones:

And the toe of the next:

They're farther now, of course; maybe this weekend, with daylight, I'll catch up on the picture-taking.


I finished a quick knitting project over the weekend (well, Monday night, anyway), which I need to photograph
better, but here's a hint (this has since been ripped, but it gives an idea).

I will say that "acrylic" isn't the kiss of death in terms of yarn feel anymore, is it? This is almost silky soft. Amazing. I have an idea for the leftover yarn, too; we'll see how that works out.

In other knitting news, I'm got the itch to make a super-warm hat for this winter. A few years ago, I took a stab at double knitting, and for multiple reasons ended up frogging it. I think I'm ready to try again!


Then, my friend who is pregnant cleverly posted this on her Facebook page recently.

Dear Knitting Goddess, I am so grateful for all of my knitting friends. They created such beautiful gifts for (first child) when he was born, from sweaters to hats to blankets to cocoons--all of which I can't wait to use again on the new baby in February. Please, if they're thinking of making gifts for the new baby, could you whisper in their ears that what I'd really like is a wardrobe of warm socks ranging from 0-12 months? It's hard to find warm woolies for such tiny feet.

Which made me laugh: okay, I won't make the blanket and the sweater, but will go for multiple booties instead (these, to start; do you have a pattern to recommend?). I'm still making her a hat, though. This pattern is just too cute for me to resist. Sorry!


*****
Is it bad that I'm already looking forward to an extra hour of sleep next weekend? Whoosh, time to fall back.

Now, Rhinebeck, This Time I Mean It

Well, I only rode the bike for five minutes last night before my legs were done. Hurmph. I mean, yes, better than nothing, but not by much. I had missed a few days of riding recently, what with the Bruins game Thursday, the attending exhaustion Friday, and the cramps on Saturday. I did get back on it on Sunday, not for that long, but I don't want to lose what little momentum I have. Still, those legs, ow. I do stretch before and after riding, but for whatever reason, some days are harder than others*. At least the sock is coming nicely, past the heel decreases (in two months of biking time, but hey, whatever).
*Have to agree with my aunt's suggestion that the seat might need either cushioning or replacing. Add that to the to-do list.

I did get to bed around 10 last night, not too-too late, but I've still been really tired today. As I was saying to someone recently, "Work full time, get enough sleep, have any sort of life: pick two."

On to a happier topic: Rhinebeck and the yarn thereunto appertaining! I was amused to read on the Yarn Harlot's blog that she "fell down" at the Fiber Optics booth (swiping her credit card on the way), since that's where my friend and I saw her, in my only celebrity sighting of the weekend. Come to that, there aren't that many knitting celebrities I would know on sight, so I guess I should be glad I saw the one I did! Other sightings of interest included more than one man in a kilt; I saw at least two different ones on Saturday, then on Sunday saw one that might have been a third, or might have been a repeat.

While on the topic of men and Rhinebeck, on Sunday afternoon, we sat for awhile on the benches opposite buildings B and C, and had a nice chat with a man there who was knitting an interestingly constructed sock. The way people stopped to ask him what he was knitting reminded me of a story in one of the Yarn Harlot's books, where she described biting her tongue while people gushed over her friend Ken and his garter-stitch knitting project, while ignoring her and her lace shawl. Gender politics in knitting, whoa; it is interesting to observe. There are absolutely male knitters, but they were vastly outnumbered at Rhinebeck, and a number of the men who were there were in the camp of the man who complained to my friends as they walked past him that he just wanted to go home, but "she" wasn't done (and also that "she" had claimed she didn't need to come, but he knew she wanted to, so he figured go Saturday, so he could watch the game in peace on Sunday).

Other random notes: the moon on the way home was huge and awesome to see; also, we saw a cloud shaped just like the USS Enterprise, which was unexpected. And a few notes to remember for next year: for the love of your sanity, either stop requesting library books by mid-September, or freeze the holds until the traveling is over; also, it's a good idea to visit the stash before going to Rhinebeck, just as a what-do-I-already-have refresher.

Now, yarns!

All that I got from Socks That Rock are Mill Ends, as I mentioned. On Saturday, a yellow-brown-gold lightweight and a medium-bright blue heavyweight, and on Sunday, two darker blue heavyweights. Will they all be socks, or will the blues aspire to something larger? Time will tell.

When I stepped into the Bittersweet Woolery booth on Sunday, the man working there, noticing my Sheldon t-shirt, said, "Dave Kellett is the nicest guy," and told me about meeting him at a convention. Then he pointed out my shirt to his wife, who told me that after Sheldon had that knitting storyline, they told him to put it on a t-shirt, because the knitters would buy it. I thanked her, both verbally and by buying a skein of yarn (no hardship); I bought a skein from them last year, and haven't used it yet, but it's damn nice yarn and I doubt I will regret the purchase.

Oh, you want to see it?

I know you're shocked: blue! Get ready for more.


Also, by the way, while I was in that booth, I found myself next to a knitter wearing her own Tardis shawl, which was fun. Since I wore mine to Rhinebeck last year, I wasn't expecting it to be a big deal this year, somehow, but over the course of the day, it got several compliments, and two different people asked if they could take a picture of it, including one woman whose teen daughter lurked in the background in an agony of embarrassment--and interest.

Next skein (this is in order of how I photographed them, not bought them) is this lovely blue-and-green skein of blue-faced leicester from Misty Mountain Farm. So soft!

After that, a lovely tonal green skein of alpaca-merino-tencel (60-20-20) from Snowshoe Farms that just wouldn't be put down.

Next, I decided that although I wasn't going to splurge on more mink yarn this year, I would try something else from Grinning Gargoyle, and got a lovely skein of her Seda Sock, which is 50-50 silk and wool. The colorway is called gun metal, but I think bright denim would work, too.

It amuses me that I bought an unknown-to-me yarn from Good Karma Farm the weekend before my week of extreme good karma. They're from Maine, and it's 100% wool in, I'm sure you are shocked, not blue!

Well, there's a little blue in there, but hardly like my fetish color.

The next one also isn't; one of my friends wanted to get more of a nice bamboo-wool-silk blend (52-43-5) that she'd gotten from Maple Creek Farm before. Since she was wearing the little shawl she made from it, so pretty, and had nothing but praise for its wear and non-itchiness, and since I liked other fibers from them, I followed her lead.

Next, the skein I mentioned that I bought from the trunk show Saturday night. The line is called Spencer Hill, and she uses all natural dyes, so I don't know how on earth she got some of those colors, they were amazing (the lighting wasn't great in the room, so I didn't take pictures). For me, I went with a soft lovely green.

Not quite as much green as blue purchased this year, but a close second, I think.

I mentioned before that my last purchase at the festival on Saturday was a skein of Briar Rose that I couldn't put down. This is it.

Technically, I did put it down for a moment, as I was going to be responsible and take a picture of the label and think it over ... but then I picked it up again in a fit of non-buyers-remorse, and that time, it clung. It's alpaca-merino-silk (50-30-20) and just delectable. Squish, squish.

I have knitting updates as well, but they will have to wait. Why am I so damned tired? Dunno, but I am. Enjoy the pretty pictures!

Well, Someday I Will

Right, now that I caught up on the Bruins game, time to wrap up the Rhinebeck weekend, with much yarn stash to flash!

But yeah, not tonight. Sorry! It's already 8:30, and if I'm going to ride the bike and pet the kitty and get to bed at a decent hour, well, there we are. Are you free tomorrow night?

Here, for now, ponder this, and non-knitters, answer me this question:

What would you change "knitting" to, in your case? What makes you happy?

Not *All* the Pictures Are Blurry

It's probably related to having my period, but I have had very little energy today, and combined with Carlos having a limpet day, I've spent more time on the couch than I'd planned, not getting a whole lot done. The annual end-of-October exhaustion! But Friday night (when, by the way, I was in bed shortly after 8) I promised more Bruins pictures, and I will at last deliver.

First, the only hockey connection is that this was seen in the garage. How quickly would I cut my leg open on the horns, if this was near me regularly?

The extremely artistic effect of someone (one of the officials, possibly) skating into the view juuuuusssstttt as I clicked the photo.

Lucic, looking, well, large as life, or larger!

Action shot of the snow barrel advertising the team's 90th anniversary. I honestly feel like they just celebrated 75. Sigh. Am old.

Tuukka! During a break in the action, obviously.

Reflections in the ice, half resurfaced.

Leaping out for the third period: I can fly!

I wonder if Vlasic has a nickname that is pickle-related?

Action shot: My puck! You can't have it!

Non-action shot: before the face-off, the linesman set the puck down in the circle. See, between the skates, on edge?

Coming right at me!

Finally, the money shot. Point eight seconds!

Meaning that:

Everyone celebrates with the game-winning goalie. Two Us, two Ks, two points!

Both Krejci (the second star) and Tuukka (the first) gave their sticks to fans in the crowd. Isn't that nice?

Some things I did not get pictures of: Bergeron taking a face-off and his helmet banging repeatedly into his opponent's. (Or vice versa: I don't know who started it.) And Marchand, standing around just in front of us in his best wiseass manner, while a linesman removed his (Marchand's) stick from the groin area of a San Jose player. Nice. He's totally a guy you love on your own team, hate on any other.

What a game. Is it any surprise that I'm knitting something for my friend? Specifically, for her grandson, a scarf in Bruins colors. I found some nice, machine-wash-and-dry yarn in Bruins colors, and after a few not-quite-theres, seem to have found just right, and it's half done.
Nooo... too many color changes.

Not that, either... not a big enough needle, no drape.

Yes, I think so!

I know, the pictures aren't that good, but they give an idea, anyway, and only time will tell if this is it, but I think so.

And given that I typed most of this with a handicap, it will have to do. What handicap, you ask? This one:

A loveable handicap, to be sure, but it does add a degree of difficulty to using the computer that I could do without.

She's Gone, She's Gone, Oh, Ah*

Right now I have miserable cramps, and I couldn't be happier to be going back on the pill; three cycles off, no apparent effect on the blood pressure, so fuck it. Control this. Owwww.

The other blot on my evening was the Bruins, who played so well during the first half of their game that they apparently felt they had done enough. New Jersey, on the other hand, continued to play, and came back from two down to win in the final minute. Ugh.

Overall, though, it was a good day, and I'm not saying that because I get seven loads of laundry done, or ran a few errands, or got half a knitting project done, though all those things are true. I'm saying that because, as of this morning, we are a one-cat household. Miri has left the building!

I felt a mix of feelings actually, not just relief, but that's what predominated. That's really the bottom line: it's over, and Carlos and I can now move on and see how we do. (If he's lonely, I'll find him a better friend; if he's okay, we'll keep it simple.) No more Miri-stress. Wow.

One follow-up on what I've often called her bug-eyed look of fear. One of the cat blogs I read, the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee, has been showing lots of pictures of the foster kitten that they decided to keep this year, and she looks startlingly like Miri, all the way to the eyes. However, she is not scared! She's friendly and relaxed, and I can't tell you how odd I've found it. This is a kitten who stays still for acupuncture! And yet my brain, trained by the experiences I've had, translates what seems to be her natural expression as meaning fear. It's so disorienting.

Bent over groaning. More codeine, and bed, I think.
*Here's your earworm...

What. A. Game.

(I'll share more pictures in days to come; I'm falling asleep here, and I want to get something up but can't manage it all tonight. A lot of them are not as sharp as I would wish; the lighting and the motion are challenging.)

No, you put your right foot in...

Mind you, it wasn't the absolute best game to see as a Bruins fan, not the whole time. The Sharks are a damned good team, undefeated in regulation going into* last night, and deservedly so. They out-shot the Bruins by an incredible margin, and the Bs were lucky to come out of the first without a deficit. The second wasn't a whole lot better, but late in the period, Iginla finally got his first goal of the season, and it was happy time. The Sharks spoiled that in the first minute of the third, and then it took until the actual last second for the Bruins to turn the tide. They stole one, and don't think I don't know it. But as the saying goes, "They don't ask how pretty, they ask how many," and a win is a win is a win.
*I love that I get to specify "going into last night"

So much for the game itself. How was being at the game? Oh, it was Fabulous. The tickets (face value: $300 each, plus a premium parking pass in the North Station garage) were for the same seats we got in April, but this time my friend got all four, so she could bring her daughter and son-in-law. They picked me up at home after work and we drove in. The traffic getting off 93 was ... unfortunate, shall we say, but we still got there in time. Did you know that with the preferred parking pass, the nice man moves a cone so you can get in to the good spots, as soon as you're in the garage? It's true, he does. Mind you, it's still one of those garages with small space and many columns, which I hate to park in, but after all I wasn't driving, so I didn't have to do the parking, did I? No. We went up, and in, and arrived in time to hear the anthem. Then they were off!

View from above, before going down to our seats.

In terms of seeing the overall flow and plan of a game, I can't recommend sitting right at the front, because there's an angle you can't see clearly, and you're too close to see the big picture. However, for getting into the spirit of it, you can't beat the excitement of being close enough to make eye contact with the players--and the officials, for that matter, as I was reminded when, during a TV time-out, the linesman threw a puck over the glass to the dad-and-kid next to me, as well as the many times when my view before a puck drop was the rear of the linesman. Or a defenseman.

And how close were we, really? Well, I was watching video of the winner, and I can pick myself out on-screen. Not so that even anyone who knew me well would say, "Wait, is that...?", but here, click on the picture to make it big.

Now, see, in the circle, lower right? In the gold sweatshirt, with the black purse strap across? That's me. It amuses me mightily, seeing myself on replays. The man next to me had a red shirt on, and my friend in black is to my right. She told someone where we were sitting (straight across from where the visiting team takes the ice*), and got a text asking if she was the one in black between two gold shirts. Yup!
 *See?

The game was on NESN when I got home tonight, and I watched it again, as if for the first time, knowing when to look and when not to bother.


Some things I learned:

• Jordan Caron makes tremendous faces as he skates.
• There are people who will wear banana costumes to a hockey game.

Technically, half-bananas, as you can see better here.

But still. Bananas. Hockey. It's a mystery.

• It's damn cold at ice level. I did remember this from last time, actually, so I was wearing a turtleneck under a t-shirt under a sweatshirt*, and long johns under my jeans, and knit cuffs, too, but still I was chilly, and my hands were freezing.

*Though I admit the sweatshirt wasn't zipped up. Have to show the shirt!

Thanks to the parking situation, I was home by 10:15, but that odd mix of tired and adrenaline that made sleep impossible for an hour or so. Meaning this morning, I could still feel the bed trying to pull me back when I got to work. So! Tired! But I did a little redecorating at my desk today. While Chara was the player pictured on the tickets, I bought a program and guess who was on the cover? And had a centerfold? That's my boy!

Mind you, if he ever (heaven forfend) has trouble with his left quadriceps, I'm blaming that staple.

Now, I have a form to fill out related to giving Miri back--quickly, before I fall asleep. Wish me luck catching her in the morning! I'm quite nervous about that.

With Point Eight Seconds Left

Utterly Random

No time for real posting tonight, but I wanted to share this picture, circa 1918, which I saw on Boing-Boing, and which on the Retronaut page is headed "Pole-climbing class for telephone electricians". Because of course.

I love the guy in the middle, leaning back almost horizontally and throwing out both hands. I bet he tells a great story, that one.

OK, Now Rhinebeck

First, I did not win the lottery (though I did get two numbers on one ticket, which is more than I usually get). However, when I called the hairdresser this morning to reschedule my Thursday appointment, she was able to get me in tonight since she had just had a cancellation half an hour earlier, and when I was leaving there it was sprinkling and I saw a rainbow, so it's safe to say that the week is still going swimmingly. (Not unrealistically so: I did not get three extra hours of sleep last night. It is still real life.)

Now, Rhinebeck! The weekend was awesome, good weather, good friends, no car trouble, and only some spots of traffic. Lots of gorgeous yarn, as I alluded to on Saturday night. All in all, wonderful. Here's how it went down. Are you ready for many, many pictures? Let's go!

Two of my friends were dropped off at my house Saturday morning, and we got all our stuff into the car and picked up one more person, then hit the road. The drive went fine, and it was sunny and nice fall weather. We got there before noon, and I (of course) led the way to The Fold's booth first. I got to show the mink shawl I made to Linnae (Grinning Gargoyle, the yarn) and Drin (Mushroom Knits, the pattern), which was great fun. I wedged my way into the booth, oohing and ahhing, and ended up grabbing two skeins of mill ends (which are discounted because there may be knots or other issues) one in a gold/brown mix and one (of course) blue.

Our next stop was, as planned, the Sliver Moon Farm booth for Periwinkle Sheep, but I was downcast to learn that she had not brought any of the Sock Dreams line; it hadn't even occurred to me to ask, but she said she'd had trouble with her supplier, and the only other she had found in time to be able to dye it for Rhinebeck was much more expensive. The good news is that she will be making it again, so there's that. I consoled myself with plenty of other yarn; there's no feeling of deprivation here. From that point on, we made our way through a blur of booths and buildings, seeing so much loveliness it was overwhelming. And fun decor! And animal parades!

When we did start feeling overwhelmed, we went to the animal areas and made some friends there.

It was nap time for a lot of the animals. Ear in the food bowl.

Head on your neighbor.

All in a row.

Nom nom nom, clipboard is delicious.

More naps.

I'm awake! Just resting my legs.

Whazzup? Over there?

Looking askance.

 Hey dude, what's up?

 Did you hear that? I heard something...

 Dude, all I hear is my stomach rumbling. Let a fellow eat.

 Why, yes, I am just that cute! Thanks for noticing!

I mustache you a question...

 Now I heard something over there.

 Take a load off.

 And bat those eyelashes.

 Hello, fluffy!

The name of the 4H club cracks me up.

 Spots!

 All over!

I'm just a little guy...

 What did you say? I am shocked!

Here's Saturday's haul in the improved light of Sunday morning. Beauteous!

The top one is the Briar Rose that was the last purchase of the day, that I couldn't make myself put down, and couldn't stop hugging. Mmmmmmm.

Saturday after we left the grounds, it took us over an hour to make the 15-minute drive into Kingston. Once we finally got there, we checked into the Superlodge without trouble, then went a mile or so down the road to meet friends for dinner at the Olympic Diner. I'm sorry to say that the food was only "fine" and the service was mystifyingly slow, so I can't recommend it.

After dinner, most of the group went back to the motel, but I joined one of my friends to go to a gathering back in Rhinebeck of some of her "friends in the computer" who had rented a house there for the weekend. We didn't stay all that long, what with being all exhausted, but hung around talking to people, and looking at the beautiful yarns that one of the group, a dyer, had brought (I took home one skein, the one on the right in the picture above). Eventually I had to call time, though; it was 10:30 before we got back to the motel, and I was a weird combination of exhausted and wired that meant I didn't get to sleep for an hour. Morning came all too soon, though not soon enough given all the super-weird dreams I had. The brain is a funny thing.

Once we all checked out, we drove over to Rhinebeck and went to the Everready Diner that's across from the fairgrounds for breakfast (as opposed to the one in Hyde Park that we'd eaten at in previous years). The food was delicious, a vast improvement over the previous night's dinner, but the service was again mystifyingly slow, especially given that the restaurant wasn't full up. Who knows.

Before we went in, we stopped to admire some amazing cars in the parking lot. I want this one, of course, in Bruins colors.

 But this was also a beauty.

 As was this. All in amazing condition.

The weather, which had clouded over Saturday afternoon and thrown some rain down overnight, cleared beautifully for Sunday. Sunny, but not too warm, just what the knit-fiends were hoping for.

 The trees are just lovely, right?

 

 This one agreed, of course.

 It's hard to tell what this one was thinking.

This little guy was having the best scritch of his life from the man leaning over. I'm not sure if they knew each other, but that little guy was in heaven.

 Throwing his head around, begging for more.

 Just a gorgeous day.

 I noticed at one point that Sunday, I was back on the blue wagon. What can I say, I like the blues.

 Colors everywhere.

All right, I'm flagging. I'll wrap up, and show all the yarns, another time... probably not tomorrow, definitely not Thursday, but Friday night or over the weekend.

After I take Miri in Saturday morning, that is; I heard back about that while I was working on this tonight. What a week!

By the way, for the reader who commented on Monday's post asking why I was getting rid of Miri, since there didn't seem to be an e-mail address I could respond to directly, I thought I'd mention it here. My initial reaction was, "Have you been reading here long?" Because I feel that I've complained about Miri for so many years, the question surprised me. Anyway, it's all in the archives, but this is the Cliffs Notes version.

I got Miri, in January 2009, for one reason: to keep my other cat, Harold, company. I'd had Pan and Harold since they were kittens, and when Pan died 10+ years later, Harold was desperately lonely. I looked for a cat that would like other cats, and took Miri because she'd been seen with another cat before she was rescued, and also loved the other cat where she was fostered. She was very good for Harold, and it didn't bother me much, that year, that I couldn't get her comfortable with me; I had Harold for a pet, plus that was the year my father died, and I didn't have the energy to spare worrying about her. I tried to be nice to her, and she was skittish and fearful at me, and that was it.

In November, however, Harold died, and suddenly Miri and I were all each other had. She was clearly lonely, and would try to get close to me, only to flee when I moved, or sneezed. It wasn't working well for either of us, and I knew I'd need to find another cat soon, for both of us.

In January 2010, I brought Carlos home. He's a love, sweet and cuddly with me, and he mostly didn't mind Miri's attentions, though he never sought her out or seemed to return the love. Still, she was happier and I was happier with Carlos around.

Now, four and three quarters years later, the situation is pretty much the same. I love Carlos, and he loves me; Miri loves Carlos, and he is indifferent to her. Miri is just as scared of me as ever, no matter how I've tried to be friends with her. It isn't her fault she doesn't trust people; maybe she was born this way, or maybe something awful happened to her before she was rescued, but either way, she can't help it.

On the one hand, I do believe that when you get a pet, you commit to take care of it for its lifespan. On the other, I feel I've given this sufficient effort, nothing has changed, and it's time for her to move on. The organization I got her through is willing to take her back, and I hope they can find her a situation with lots of other cats to love, and not much human interaction to trouble her.