It is a dark and rainy day here in the Pittsburgh area – perfect for a bit of knitting, listening, and getting some laundry done.
I completed clue #2 of Kirsten Kapur’s Mystery socks just under the wire last night. Clue #3 has been printed out and I will see what I can get done this morning – we are up to the heel flaps, so perhaps both can be finished today! (Which is a very good thing because I have two sweaters I want to get done!!)
In the Finished Object Category – I managed to get my Very Valentine Honey Cowl done last week, it got a nice Soak™ wash and it was all ready to wear on Sunday. Can I just say that I love the extra stitches I cast on – it loops nicely around my neck and even drapes quite a bit! All the details are here, if you are following along.
In the Reading/Listening Category – in my ears is I am No One by Patrick Flanery. Curious, very curious. I love the narrator and the story is interesting. I am only up to chapter 9, so the story is yet unfolding.
On the iPad – I have not yet started Tana French’s novel – I know, what is wrong with me!? I am almost done with Menace in Malmö. Bedtime reading has its ups and downs – as in how tired I am when I go to bed as to how many pages/paragraphs I get through!
Happy Valentine’s Day, Gentle Reader! Today a poem from my favorite poet, Pablo Neruda. Go and laugh with your loved ones today.
Your Laughter
Take bread away from me, if you wish,
take air away, but
do not take from me your laughter.
Do not take away the rose,
the lance flower that you pluck,
the water that suddenly
bursts forth in joy,
the sudden wave
of silver born in you.
My struggle is harsh and I come back
with eyes tired
at times from having seen
the unchanging earth,
but when your laughter enters
it rises to the sky seeking me
and it opens for me all
the doors of life.
My love, in the darkest
hour your laughter
opens, and if suddenly
you see my blood staining
the stones of the street,
laugh, because your laughter
will be for my hands
like a fresh sword.
Next to the sea in the autumn,
your laughter must raise
its foamy cascade,
and in the spring, love,
I want your laughter like
the flower I was waiting for,
the blue flower, the rose
of my echoing country.
Laugh at the night,
at the day, at the moon,
laugh at the twisted
streets of the island,
laugh at this clumsy
boy who loves you,
but when I open
my eyes and close them,
when my steps go,
when my steps return,
deny me bread, air,
light, spring,
but never your laughter
for I would die.
For a weekend in which we had no plans, we sure as heck did lots of things!
Saturday, I went to my local Huddle and let me tell you this – when you find your people, it is so INSPIRING!!
Then Steve and I walked at the mall – because well, rain made it nicer to be dry inside. Bonus, a 1 Day Macy’s Sale scored a new suit for Steve.
We stopped by the “new” Whole Foods near us to see what all the hype was about. Sushi and Lobster tails somehow fell into our cart. And, maybe 2 donuts…
Then there was a massive joint Kon-Mari-thon for the remainder of the day on Saturday and half the day on Sunday. Sometimes you need to Kon-Mari with someone else, to help you over those rough patches – you know those “it does not spark joy, but…” moments.
I even managed to get half way through Clue #2 of TTL’s MKAL – one sock down, one to go! And, there was even some stitching time!
There was a quick trip to TJ’s and Steve got me a couple of bouquets of daffodils. This morning their sunny faces sure made it feel cheerier than a typical February grey Monday in Pittsburgh. AND Monday is not quite so painful knowing that this is only a 4-day week.
I am a firm believer that the week following an incredibly short feeling weekend should go equally as quickly. Score one for this week, because it did just that!
AND!!! Next weekend is extra-long! Yes, really. Friday the 17th is an unofficial (official) General Strike Day! I did not even have to twist Steve’s arm to get him to participate AND Monday is President’s (you are proud of) Day.
So a HUGE thanks to February for having two short weeks!!
We got more than the 4 inches of snow that they forecast (So Steve had a Snow Day yesterday…) However, they are saying it is supposed to be in the 60’s on Sunday. Snow today, gone tomorrow. This has truly been the year of No Winter!
We have absolutely no plans for the weekend, and I am just fine with that! (Outside of the Huddle we are going to on Saturday morning, that is!!)
One last thing I wanted to share with you – Michelle is having a spring Just Five Things Workshop and registration is now open! I really enjoyed this last fall and would love for you to join me on this spring journey!
That is all I have for this week – have an awesome weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
This week’s Think Write Thursday task is to write a love letter. It could be a letter to a person, an idea, a project, a dream, a wish, a relative, a famous person, an ancestor or anything (or anyone) else you can think of.
Well, as you could have guessed, today I share my deep love for all that is knitting.
Knitting, I love thee! I will gauge the ways! I love thee in the knits and purls and YO’s My needles can knit, and cables to slip Even when there are many ends to weave in I love thee without fail in every day’s Netflixing or some audio-booking. I love thee in a top-down pullover. I love the joy of matching hand knit socks. I love thy charts, repeats, and in the round And when I grow old and my eyes weary I will knit my love in miles of garter With warm, bulky yarn on great big needles Right sides and wrongs sides are loved equally, And blessed are they that inherit my stash.
If you would like to join Carole and me in our Think Write Thursday journey, we welcome you to sign up here!
There are several projects I should be knitting, but the cheerfulness of Deep Sea Jelly Fish is hard to ignore. Plus, it will be the perfect Valentine’s Day Cowl – so I have been ignoring things to get this done. I will bind off momentarily, and then it is back to those projects.
Clue #2 came out yesterday for the TTL MKAL – I have not started yet, but I have printed out the clue out…
I am almost done with I am the Messenger and I am still enjoying this book tremendously.
I was excited to get email overnight from the library for In the Woods by Tana French. I have added it to my Kindle and will hopefully start this later today. This will be the first book I have ready by Tana and I am excited to get into it.
February is Black History Month and I saw Clint Smith’s Brief but Spectacular moment last week on PBS Newshour. It is so powerful and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Insomnia strikes again. I am not sure what it is, but it now seems like a habit that I wake at the 2 AM hour and I am sure it has nothing to do with the stereo snoring going on, right?
Through the Loops MKAL socks are both done through clue #1 – I caught up sock #2 yesterday while catching up with Victoria. Now, I have to tell you that the V&A in London is one of my favorite museums in the world. I really love history and I am enjoying tremendously watching this PBS series.
I have made more calls to my representatives in the past three weeks than I care to admit. Do I feel this is successful? Yes, and no. Will I stop? Nope. It is the most important thing I do right now.
Do you think the weekend just flew by, or Is it just me?
Friday happy hour started early (as it has been since Hair Hitler has taken office). Steve also hooked up a new PC for me – so there was all that “transfer” stuff that goes on with all of that. There are still things not on the new PC yet.
Saturday was “Outlet Mall Retail Therapy” Day. I will say one thing, dieting is definitely not good for the clothing budget.
Sunday I cast on MKAL Sock #2, but I did not get it completed, however the cuff is done! We watched the Super Bowl (Steve watched until the end of regular play – I did not make it that long.) I was thrilled to wake up at 2am-ish and discover the Pat’s had pulled it out!
And, today is the birthday of one very special woman – my Rachel is 28 today! This is one of my favorite photos of her with her siblings – Rachel is in the middle. Happiest of Birthday’s dearest Rachel!
Oh, Friday – how the heck are you! And, why did it take you so long to get here!
Yeah, it was one of those weeks that seemed to go on forever.
On the knitting front – Cuff One of Sock One is done. Cuff Two of Sock Two might get started and finished on Sunday. I just love how these yarns are playing together. They are not the most vivid contrasting colors, but I am liking the way they are knitting up.
Way back in December, I was asked if I would review some Knitter’s Pride Needles – I said yes and this lovely set of needles arrived just before the end of the year. Knowing that Kirsten Kapur’s Sock MKAL would be starting in February, I waited to use the needles in this project to tell you all what I think. My go-to needles for sock knitting are Knitter’s Pride Karbonz – they are so fantastic, except when you are knitting with dark sock yarn, then even the brightest of light is not always enough to see the stitches clearly. So, when these 6″ Royales arrived I was happy to see they were very different. The US size range in the set is nice also; 0, 1, 1.5 (which I am using for the MKAL socks), 2, 2.5, and 3. The needle size is marked on each needle but the markings look like that of the Karbonz which has rubbed off with use. And while I am not certain I would ever use the size 0 needles, the other sizes will absolutely get good use. The Royales are not as stiff as the Karbonz so I am not sure how they will hold up in comparison, but if you found the Karbonz were too stiff and hurt your hands, these would be a very good option. The join of the metal tip to the wood is smooth and is completely unnoticeable, and the point on the Royale needle is identical to the Karbonz. This made me very happy and I have had no issues with the tips splitting my yarn at all in knitting. The wood of the needle is very smooth and the stitches slide easily along as I knit. There is no tugging and the wood is beautifully polished. I do not think these needles will snag your knitting at all. It is also great that they come in a nice storage pouch! If you are looking for a set of needles – I would highly recommend these.
Thank you to Stitch Craft Marketing for sending the needles and asking me to review them!
Now, how about some links?
First up this week, Romi begins a new year in her 7 Shawls series – 7 reSizable Shawls This time however, her concept is very interesting – you can get the pattern book and you can get the work book. Both are available at a reduced price until February 27. And the first project will be released during Stitches West later this month.
This week’s Think Write Thursday topic is to write a post titled “Hello, February.”
Hello, February!
You might be bleak, but you just happen to be one of my favorite months! You are short and sweet with days that are slowly lengthening and you are the last full month of winter!
Those are some darned good things – but you have so much more packed in to your 28 days!
There is some Groundhog excitement today, and apparently, Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow and there will be six more weeks of winter. (However, remember this – only 49 days until SPRING!!)
There is one particularly SUPER Sunday and I will be cheering for a certain team from New England. It’s practically a patriotic thing to do!
You bring the birthday of my Rachel, who this year will be 28! Okay, really? How on earth can that be! (And, for those of you wondering – yes, I did use the calculator to determine her age!)
You bring a reminder that love is important on Valentine’s Day.
February 15 would be Susan B Anthony’s 197th birthday…which I think is kind of a big deal this year. A good day to put a pink hat on and celebrate!
We all get a long weekend for President’s Day…which is never a bad thing! (Also a great time to reflect on what makes a good president!)
And, all month long I will be putting pen to paper to send out a letter nineteen times.
I would be REALLY happy if you were a Leap Year – sadly this year you are not!
