KnitCrit

Tagged by Barbara

"The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer."

 1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

In summer 1998, I was divorced and living in Columbia, Maryland with my two sons.  My older son was having a fabulous bike racing season with Team Snow Valley.  I was also job hunting because the company who had moved me to Maryland had been sold. 

 2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?

1.      Take son to 2pm doctor appointment

2.      Ride an hour

3.      Blog post (thanks Barbara for the topic)

4.      Work on a special knitting project

5.      Make sure that Debbie and Chuck get an invitation to next weekend’s Scholarship Ball

 3) Snacks I enjoy:

I’m addicted to Nature Valley fruit and nut Trail Mix bars and therefore call one with OJ my breakfast every day.  Lately, I’m enjoying the 100 calorie Lorna Doon packs as mid-day snacks.  Put potato or tortilla chips in front of me and my addictive behavior goes wild.

 4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

I would retire hastily and haul ass to the Northern Neck and buy a nice, comfortable house on the water.  My fiber store there would be next.  At some point, I would travel to Belgium, France, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and Italy; not necessarily in that order.  I would buy my son and his fiancé a house, too.  And then there’s that college thing for the other son.  There’s also a Colnago frame somewhere just waiting for me to ride it!

 5) Places I have lived:

Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland

 6) Jobs I have had:

Before graduating from college: retail mostly, but I was the bookkeeper for the National Athletic Trainers Association my senior year.  After college, every job has been in Finance and Accounting Management; including a Medicare auditor, controller for a real estate developer, department finance manager at Duke University and now VP of Finance for Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.  Hopefully, this is my last real job!

 
I'm going to tag:

Jennifer

Lisa

Cate

Roberta

Dana

I Feel Good About My Neck

This post has absolutely nothing to do with Nora Ephron's entertaining book on "women thoughts."  No, it's about the Northern Neck of Virginia, the place to where I run away as often as possible. 

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you may have read a post or two about particular days, evenings or various adventures at "the Neck."  On the other hand, if you have no clue where I'm referring to, let me introduce you to this little area of Virginia via this link.

We have spent the last two weekends at our little house on the Neck.  Last weekend was a special one because, not only was it Mother's Day, but we bought a new boat!  Please allow me to share some pictures.

The new boat, The Breakaweigh (you cyclists will
certainly understand the name):

The "sly" look of my son as he
unveils the Mother's Day gift (a Garmin GPS).  Also, he pulled the lovely flower from a vacant lot down the street, and gave it to his Mom :-)                     

Earlier in the day, the big doggie pictured, as well as his "dancing fool" sister, were bathed.  His sister, a border collie mix, loves to dance.  We have a large living room at the Neck house, so we dance.  Why not?  And when we do, the border collie always wants to be included. Isn't that weird??? 
"Well, Dad dances, too, and since he feeds me; it must be alright":

Then there's the sign at the little antique junk shop down the road:
                               Doesn't it make you want to stop by and see if they have vintage undies?

I'm going to stop here.  I had intended to post about both weekends, but there is enough here for one.  I'll save the rest for the next post and I will leave you with a few more pictures from the Neck that I love:
                                   

A New Knitting Friend

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I recently started a new job.  I wear my knitted garments to work a lot; at least my favorite items like shawls, wraps and scarves.  Therefore, it doesn't take long, particularly in a small office, for co-workers to become acquainted with my passion for hand knitting.

One of those co-workers, herself a newbie to the organization, was in the midst of cleaning out some of her mother's belongings.  Guess what was in there?  Knitting books that she gave to me!  Yippee!!!

 

Here's what I received:

Mary Thomas's Knitting Book


Mary Thomas's Book of Knitting Patterns


Traditional Knitting Patterns


America's Knitting Book


Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book


Knitting Without Tears


Knitting in the Old Way

I have to admit to not being able to completely immerse myself in them from front to back cover yet as I had hoped.  The day that J left them in my office, it was difficult to work; difficult to concentrate on anything but my desire to be sitting on a cushy couch somewhere - anywhere but my office - with a cup of tea and the books.

That day will come, I'm sure.  And while she is not a knitter, she is certainly a new knitting friend. 

Thank you, J.

H*eye on C*eye*ber Fiber

No, I am not a paid spokesperson.  In fact, I've barely met Mama E.   But, I am completely obsessed with her yarns.  Just this week, I finished two projects using C*eye*ber Fiber yarns.          

                      

The fiber content of the socks is an 80% superwash merino and 20% bamboo blend.  They are so soft and so lovely.  I used the basic pattern for 2 circulars from Cat Bordhi's Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles book, so they knit up really fast.  The colorway, "Man O'Steele" is perfect for husband socks.  I kitchenered them on Monday night and he wore them to work on Tuesday. 

The hydrangea shawl is knit in the 50% superwash merino and 50% tencel blend; the colorway is Gregory.  This was the second time I knit this very basic garter stitch shawl and yet this time I didn't want it to end.  The feel of the fiber is simply amazing.  I blocked it on Wednesday night and I will wear it tomorrow when I attend the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.  This will be about my tenth year there and I do not need yarn; that's an understatement.  However, I plan to make a beeline for the Clover Hill booth so that I can purchase more C*eye*ber Fiber.