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Hiya,

Actually, I kind of like vegetables as much or more than dessert now, but the analogy fits our approach to this weekend -  play Friday and Saturday, but today we both need to do some work catch up with fiscal year end craziness.

Friday play mostly involved knitting.  Some of it was while watching “Burn After Reading”.  We nearly wept we laughed so hard at the very last scene.  I think it has to hit you the right way.  This is a very dark comedy, so be forewarned.

The knitting content was not so dark:

First helmet liner for the year.  Each year, our work knitting group undertakes making 100 of these. During the movie I knit up the face ribbing and reknit the crown so it would fit a normal human vs. someone from Remulak.  I immediately cast on for another - unlike the following project, I’ve knit enough of these that they are truly brainless and it’s nice to have one going for those spare but distracted knittable moments.

I am progressing on Brainless, moving into the cable section that runs along the side of the foot.  I actually got sore finger tips - the yarn is not soft, even though it feels soft, and I am trying those square cross section needles at a very tight gauge.  Jury is still out on these.  I like their strength, they don’t slip, but are the corners a bit sharp for a size 0 needle?

I took a break from knitting yesterday afternoon to attend Neha’s welcome to Minnesota party.  It is clear that Venkat and Vani are wonderful parents.  I’m sure Venkat gets some of it from us - you can see the family resemblance between us and our “son” so clearly, can’t you?    Neha is getting so big.

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And because I suddenly noted that all I had on the needles were small projects, plus I’ve really loved used every shell I’ve ever knit, I pulled out some stash yarn and swatched for a little shell, Rowan’s Tune.  The yarn is a real mish-mash of cottons that I picked up for a song in Germany - one skein of this, two of that.  I think the line of brick running through the icy cool blues and greens makes an interesting colorway and adds strong visual rhythm, hence the name of this project - Rhythm and Blues.  (Um, I may have accidentally used some yarn I had given to Jenny for this.  But why was it in my stash instead of hers?  Some of you may think that as all I’ve used is a couple of feet of each color at this point, why can’t I give it back?  I’m afraid it has grabbed me and that isn’t an option.  She will likely benefit from this in the long run.)

I hope you had some time for play in your weekend, amid all your move planning and playing with our baby girl.

Love,

Ellen

Hi, Jan,

Technically, the work week has started as the alarm just went off, but I’m still trying to hold on to the glow of the weekend.  I am so satisfied with what I accomplished.

Vegetables planted - done.  I’ve covered the bottom half of the tomato supports with plastic sheeting to protect the plants from the wind as they are established.  When I take the effort to do this I see  impressive results.

All 23 wedding centerpieces planted into various and sundry spots in the garden - done.   Some went into the bed by the mailbox, some into the flower bed by the cherry tree, some marked rows in the veggie beds, and some went into planters with a couple more veggies - can you spot the peppers (2) and tomato (1) in this planter?  (Yes, it is very heavily planted - I will water and feed heavily.)

And Snappy - done.  Still needs a block, in which I intend to massage well to get a margin of fulling to improve wind protection and size her down a hair, but wearable now.  I hope I don’t need to, but if I do…

I’m sure the close supervision I had this weekend contributed to my achievements.

Now, off to get ready for work.  I’m taking a little sun glow in to work with me as a souvenir (not a burn, just a slight rosiness, which isn’t bad for the hours I spent in the sun this weekend).

I have an important meeting today - as soon as I can get out of a strategy meeting at noon, I’ve got a half hour blocked to register for Sock Summit.  Yep, I’ve decided to go.  How about you?

Love,

Ellen

Dear Jan,

This weekend is winding out to be truly delightful. Some of  the simple pleasures of the last few days include:

Ginger Cubes (great deal at the farmer’s market - I’ll cover with water, freeze, and have ready minced ginger for the next few months).

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Planting flowers from Karen’s wedding centerpieces.  I’ve added quite a bed of both, edged with alyssum, in the back yard.

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Photos of flowers from the backyard.  The wild geranium is a delight, spreading but not aggressively around the garden, and the wild type columbine is another wanderer.  I never know where they’ll show up, but they are always welcome.

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And Snappy, not quite done yet as there is some fancy braidwork on the edge, but wholly satisfying.

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Tonight we are out with Becky and Michael for Thai food and Star Trek.  More fun than we deserve.

I hope you’re having fun, too.

Love,

Ellen

Dear Ellen,

The Fishtail Fantasy socks seemed to fly off the needles.  I don’t know if it’s because I wanted to get them to Vanessa quickly or because the pattern just works up that quickly or because I’ve spent 20% of my life in airplanes over the last few weeks.  Probably the latter (and yes, there is some exaggeration there, though it surely feels that way!).  At any rate, they are done and I will mail them tomorrow with goodies from Alaska and DC.

Did I mention Vx is a BIG Obama fan?   Since I had to go brief HASC and SASC staffers this week I got the chance to score a nice collection of Obamaniac souveniers at the airport.  I’m sure she’ll especially love the “First Lady” breath mints, though the White House toothbrush will be in hot competition.  She is not well — surgery yesterday to explore why her liver seems to be slowly failing.  They actually hope it’s tumors so they have something to try to fix it.  I will cast on another project for her immediately.  Keep her in your thoughts.

Love, Jan

Dear Jan,

I am still vibrating from the fun of the last two weeks, but I have to admit being satisfied at settling back to a more normal pace.  That includes an evening of knitting with my buds.  Great conversation - native grass permit strategies, bee-keeping permit expense, cheese-making, even a little swatch washing discussion, the latter after we admired Lisa’s VBS (very big swatch).

Kathleen’s Noro entrelac shawl is also getting very big, and Eryka’s shawl was knit with very big yarn.

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Lisa and Eryka are participating in a very big Spence-along (Annie M’s Sideways Spencer Redux), and Kathy’s socks are not very big, but I think you have to have a very big brain to knit them.  I am finding it a very big relief to be knitting a fun no-deadline project - a simple ear flap hat out of crunchy and lovely Black Water Abbey yarn.  (go to their website and request a free color card!)

So, I guess even thought the pace has slowed, we still are living very big lives here in Minnesota.  I hope you make it home from the very big state of Alaska safely.

Love,

Ellen