by Kat | Mar 17, 2017 | General
Into every bloggers life, there comes that moment when you say to yourself – wow, I would love to hang out with all of them, like every day! And, you wonder what might happen if you could spend a few hours with a blogger friend. Would it feel like you have known each other forever? Would it be weird? Would they be nothing like their blog? Would it be the best time ever.
That happened to me this week…on Monday I was incredibly fortunate to be able to spend a couple of hours with Kym and it was so awesome! (Really, you can’t tell at all that I was having any fun especially with the grin I have from ear to ear and I think subliminally I am trying to hang on to her so she could not leave… lol)
So, true fact – we are a one car household and Steve heads off to work at the ass crack of dawn, so yeah – my hair was looking marvelous – not. Oy.Vey. And, I cannot even believe I am sharing the above photo…haha! Although, Kym tried to clue me in on the angle thing… she won the day for sure! (Also, her Peace Cowl is gorgeous! And, Peace Cowl… Peace Sign Earrings – she had it all going on! Oh, and her LipSense was perfect!!)
So – because you probably want to know – it did feel like we knew each other, it was not weird, she is even more incredible than her blog, and it was the best time ever!
But, you know what Dickens said about the best of times; it is directly followed by the worst of times…
Yep, enter Thursday… and the day of the DOCTORS APPOINTMENT.
I simply love how everything about visiting the doctor is “hurry up and wait” – I mean really. I get to the appointment (early) and I am told that in 10 minutes I can check in via a “remote user-friendly” access point. Why the 10-minute wait? Apparently, you cannot check in more than 30 minutes early!
Once the 10-minutes have expired, I head off to the kiosk to “check in” only to have the remote log in station tell me I need to go to the desk to check in. I kid you not. They needed to get my “finger print” for future visits… really. So, how hard would it have been to ask me that first? (or freaking look at the record, which they have access to on their computer system – right?) By now, it is about 15 minutes before my appointment time and I am pleasantly surprised when they call me back almost immediately.
This surprise quickly was squelched when I realized that I was only being taken to another ‘waiting area’ where the board with all the physician’s names were listed along with if they were “on time” for appointments. Please note, every physician BUT mine was on time. My physician – 30 minutes BEHIND.
However, I am not the only one sitting in “cattle class” and the children there are beyond adorable so I have plenty to keep me occupied. (AND, dear Armand Gamache was with me too!!)
So, by now it is over an hour after my ‘scheduled appointment’ and I finally get the fun necessary part started – you know, those lovely vitals. I was most certain my blood pressure would be at dangerous levels… however, crazy as it may be my BP was LOWER than it has ever been (and I have never had high blood pressure) and when I had to get on the scale, the nurse said – wow, you have lost weight! I wanted to do the dance of joy! So maybe that was the fun part after all.
The appointment ended on the highest of notes – my very behind doctor is behind for a reason, he actually talks with his patients and more importantly – he listens to what they say. My office is a “teaching office” so he usually has a “doctor in training” with him – so if he can share with the new generation of physicians that this is the most crucial part of being a doctor, I don’t mind waiting.
Oh, and I won the “award of the day” for listening to him about losing weight.
The REAL reward of the day was (a very late for us) dinner at Casa Reyna’s in the Strip – with Guacamole prepared tableside and Margaritas for two! (Because you know Guacamole and Margaritas are the BEST of diet foods! LOL)
Now, how about some links?
First up – did you all notice the excellent update to Ravelry this week? If not, you should head there and look! It is AWESOME!
Next… this craziness happened this week. Really… I know, crazy!
That is all I have for this week, have a safe and very happy St. Pat’s Day! See you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Mar 10, 2017 | General
Happy Friday? Yeah, I am not so sure with all the SNOW that we got last night. Oy vey. The warmth of the week has abruptly ended and it is back to hats, mittens, socks, and sweaters here! I am thankful that the snow blanketed everything to protect it from the bitter cold that is forecast for later this weekend. Fun times, I am telling you!
Now, how about some diverting links?
- Romi’s Mystery Shawl 2017 – I am really tempted to join in with this. I will be tossing my stash this morning to see what I might have that would work! Who’s interested in joining me?
- Stormy Sky Shawl – I love the simplicity of this pattern, and the suggestion of using a special skein of yarn for it is brilliant. I might just have one that would work…(also FREE!)
- Linen Noir is perfect for the thoughts of summer dancing in my head!
- These Kissing Cousin Socks are GENIUS! Really… oh.my.gosh. Genius!
- Isabel Kraemer’s Aileas… perfect timing for this sucky weather!
- Kimono – In theory, I love this…but I think wearing it would be disastrous, at least for klutzy me! Although, this might be perfect for a yarn that you know will pill like mad, because there won’t be many friction points!
- This one is for Carole – something she can knit up with all that gorgeous yarn she spun last weekend!
- Rainbrioche – the name says it all!
- Now, this speaks to the Sheep Rare Breed Lover in me – Coburg Mittens knit from yarn that is 70% German Coburg Fox Sheep with 30% Merino. (You only need one skein…just sayin’) Oh, and in case you have never seen German Coburg Fox Sheep… some sheepy cuteness for you!
Do you get Taproot Magazine? The Weave Issue has two really cute patterns: Quill and Three French Hens (LOVE!!)
And, lastly – a huge Congratulations to Gudrun Johnston for designing the official 2017 Shetland Wool Week ‘Bousta Beanie’ pattern. You can get a free copy of it here.
That is all I have for this week – stay warm and I will see you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Mar 3, 2017 | General
Overnight snowfall certainly puts the arrival of March in the Lion Category. And, sadly, while we got snowfall – it was not enough to insulate the newly budding and growing things.
Frozen Chives make me sad.
Oh, and add to the mix what I knew would be inevitable with warm/cold/warm/cold weather – Welcome to the House of the Head Cold! Yeah – fun times!
Good thing I have a pile of knitting to keep me company. And, if that were not enough… Mary shared with me this juicy tidbit (which will make all of us Benedict Cumberbatch fans ecstatic!!) I have not read the books, but I got them on my Kindle yesterday.
Now, how about some links to keep your knitting mojo on track (or get it back on track…)
Sock knitting is always a good thing and there were a couple of nice patterns released this past week:
There was a plethora of shawls:
- High Woods Shawl (on sale for £1 until Sunday morning)
- The Bee Queen (Free until March 4)
- Lori Versaci has sinuous – this is such fascinating construction!
- Persistence – with donations from each purchase to a variety of organizations, i.e. ACLU, SPLC, Planned Parenthood, etc.
- With Ease – a comfortable friend for your shoulders
- More Svetlana – she is an artist with yarn and needles
Garter stitch sweaters make my heart sing:
Miscellaneous, but noteworthy:
And finally, Easter Bunny Egg Cozy… really, we all need these asap!
Have a great weekend everyone, see you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Feb 17, 2017 | General
Valentine’s Day Roses are still glorious. Happiness in a vase, my friends!
And, speaking of happiness…Happy Strike4Democracy Day!! I will be contacting my dear MIA Senator Toomey with some messages to vote no on all the things he likes to vote yes on. Perhaps I should be knitting him a scarf? What do you think? Subliminal messages might work! (And, shadow knitting FTW!!)
Can I just say that my favorite part of a sock is the heel? Well, it is! The heels are turned on my Mystery Sock – I am all ready for Clue #3 next week!
On the agenda for this weekend – sweater catch up knitting. Fortunately, Season 3 of Chef’s Table on Netflix is out today so I have my binge-watch all queued up!
Now, how about some links for your edification?
First up – did you read about The Met digitizing its collection of art? Really, the images are amazing. (Warning – this can be a huge time suck! I spent a good bit of time yesterday looking!!)
First up is Heart On My Sleeve – a compilation of sweaters from an incredible slate of designers in both adult and child sizes! And, here is the best part; this project is supporting the Against Malaria Foundation! So, knit something for someone you love and help fight malaria.
Wooly Wormhead’s Circled 4 is awesome (Circled 1-3 are not bad either…) and who does not have any sock yarn in their stash? (Okay, really – I want to know if you do not have sock yarn stash – please tell me in the comments! You might be the lucky recipient of a skein of sock yarn from MY stash!!)
Checks, please! More sock yarn knitting…
Bihan Heol – more sock yarn, but gosh is this cute!
never say never socks – in sock yarn, of course! (and on sale until tomorrow at midnight in Brussels…)
Kitty Egg Warmers
Three Wee Sheep – now really, these would be so darling on a little spring Easter Tree!
Cullen Earflap Hat – for those of you who might be getting weather that actually resembles winter!
My friend, Simone has just released patterns for matching hat and cowl! So, so cute!
And finally, Lou would be lovely knit up in some Sheepspot CVM
That is all I have for today – have a fantastic weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
P.S. No doctor appointment was set yesterday – procrastination 1, kat 0.
by Kat | Feb 10, 2017 | General
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!!)
Now, let’s get to those links!
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!
