2009 in Review

I can't believe it's already 2010.
What happened to 2009?

This stuff:
rang in the new year
met 2 Canadian mounties while on vacation in Mazatlan
got sucked into Facebook
started knitting again; got sucked into Ravelry
reconnected with someone I hadn't seen since 1990
my maternal grandmother died; she was well over 100 years old
moved to NYC
went to Atlantic City for the first time
went on my second cruise
got sea sick for the second time
25th high school reunion
got a great deal on a KitchenAid mixer
enjoyed a quiet Christmas
prepared to ring in the new year

Ravelry, Part II

Another cool think about ravelry is that there are 8 Sheree's.

Here's where we live:
California (3 of 'em!)
Pennsylvania
Upstate NY (that's me!)
Georgia (she's a peach, not a former Soviet)
Germany
New Zealand


Pretty amazing.

FYI: there are over 15 Cherie's!

My new favorite way to procrastinate is Ravelry. The knitting thing is making me think about returning to crochet, and the possibilities on ravelry are (seemingly) endless.

I mean, really, how cute is this baby afghan?


Of course, I'm knee-deep (ok, ankle-deep) into a blanket for Idara, who's due next month. Here's the pattern, although I'm making it in yellow.
Simple, but a good way to get back into knitting.

But back to Ravelry:
One of the coolest things is that there are affinity groups, which is fun. I've reconnected with many women I went to college with.
AND there's a Hello Kitty group. Woo-hoo! Just think, I could make this:

Friendly Knitting, Part I

Today I went to my office to catch up on paper- and lab-work. I was excited to finish, because I wanted to go to a local yarn shop which I learned about on Ravelry. The shop has a lovely website and I was eager to check it out, and perhaps even to pick up a nice pattern book or novelty item.

HOWEVER (and you knew this was coming, right?), that didn't happen. Oh, I made it to the shop with no problem. Mapquest was accurate, for once.

It was a small, homey shop just as I'd expected. It was even busy- full of women sitting in comfy chairs and on sofas, knitting. 2 young women entered the shop just before me, full of purpose: one of them needed help with a project.

I strolled in, and began looking around. The shop has adorable buttons and some metal needles I hope to get in the not-too-distant future. But not one of those women spoke to me. And no, I didn't sit down and try to engage anyone in conversation. I did loiter a bit, hoping to be noticed. Alas, everyone was too busy with their own project/conversation.

I didn't find yarn I felt compelled to buy. I'm not ready for the metal needles. I don't need buttons. So, I left.

There are a couple of other yarn shops in the area. I'll check them out too, just to see what other my other options are. Maybe I'll find someplace a little less busy and less, well, intimidating.

Hat Gone Wrong

This is for Cass, who isn't surprised that I lost my first hat. I even stuck to the pattern and it was lovely hat. The only problem was that it was too long in the front. Below are photos of my second attempt. And now I know that increasing (or decreasing) too quickly makes for a notsoattractive look.

Here's how I "designed" it, increasing at the crown to make it more fitted and decreasing in the front to prevent it from hanging in my face.


Note the resemblence to a helmet.




Now, notice how if I wear it backwards, it looks so much better. But now it oddly resembles a bonnet. Not the most attractive look, but it's amusing and it keeps my head warm.





Oh, and notice the lovely crocheted straps. I was afraid my ears would get cold if I couldn't cinch the hat closed.

Dishcloth, Part II

Ok, NO ONE at work has claimed responsibility for leaving this in my purse. Not only was my guess about who left it wrong, I spent the better part of the day on a wild goose chase asking folk if they'd left something in my purse last night!

The cloth was not in my bag Monday evening.

I went to work Tuesday and left my purse where I always do. I share an office with 2 other dentists; neither of them works on Tuesdays.

I left work Tuesday evening and did not see the dishcloth in my purse. The purse is a bucket-type bag with a thin strap/hook mechanism to "close" it. Something placed on top could easily slip to the bottom. I left work, stopped at a drive-through, then went to my chiropractic appointment. I stopped at the supermarket on my way home and discovered the dishcloth then.

Maybe someone left it in my purse at my chiropractic appointment? But it was with me the whole time.

Maybe someone left it at the supermarket. But again, it was with me. And I didn't see anyone I knew at the supermarket. Why would a stranger drop a handmade dishcloth into my purse?

Odd. Odd, odd, odd.

===========

So, to the person who gave me the dishcloth, I say thank you!
I will use it and smile.

How'd She Know?

Found in my purse this evening:



I think a young woman in my office left it for me. A lovely cotton knitted dishcloth.



Now, how'd she know I left dishes in the sink this morning?