tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28665026430168649122024-03-13T12:09:02.844-07:00Hapagirl KnitsA Mixed Plate of Knitting, Teaching, and Life in Generalhapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-32629255014605747592012-07-12T14:36:00.000-07:002012-07-12T14:37:19.454-07:00Celebrating Julia Child<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www-tc.pbs.org/food/files/2012/07/300-JULIA-BRANDING-FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www-tc.pbs.org/food/files/2012/07/300-JULIA-BRANDING-FINAL.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">PBS is celebrating Julia Child's <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/julia-child-100-birthday/">100th birthday</a> in August. One way to celebrate her legacy is to cook one of her recipes. They have a whole page of <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/julia-child-100-birthday/julia-child-recipes/">links</a> to inspire the budding chef to pursue their own <i>Julie and Julia</i> homage. Additionally, her publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, launched the <a href="http://jc100.tumblr.com/">JC100</a>, a hundred day celebration of Julia Child.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Think I may have to get cooking!</span>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-1134402663234442132012-04-11T11:45:00.007-07:002012-04-11T12:12:03.019-07:00The Return From the Three Year Nap<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">What a sad, sad, little excuse of a blog. My last post was three years and two days ago? Oy. Well, blame Facebook and Ravelry -- much of my time has been spent on those sites. Add to that, an incredible lack of motivation or inspiration. I think this will be my last ditch effort; if I can't stick to it this time, goodbye blog!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">I stopped knitting about the same time I quit blogging. In February, I joined the HPKCHC (Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup) on Ravelry. My knitting productivity really shot up, because I had to start and finish at least one project per month. Big motivation for me, the knitter with a seven year old work-in-progress! But there is evidence of knitting!</span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">A Pygmy Puff</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:georgia;font-size:medium;"></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8122913@N05/6911867125/" title="Pygmy Puff by Hapagirl Knits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6911867125_b405c13b81_n.jpg" width="220" height="320" alt="Pygmy Puff" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Scrubbies</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8122913@N05/6911351171/" title="Untitled by Hapagirl Knits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/6911351171_bf98002c39_m.jpg" width="240" height="240" alt="Untitled" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">A Wonky Owl Bookmark</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8122913@N05/6914640773/" title="Bookmark by Hapagirl Knits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7039/6914640773_fa34c79a9c_n.jpg" width="242" height="320" alt="Bookmark" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Felted Fortune Cookie</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8122913@N05/6912759717/" title="Fortune cookie? by Hapagirl Knits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6912759717_196c3388a1_n.jpg" width="320" height="320" alt="Fortune cookie?" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">A Shamrock Cloth</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8122913@N05/6963708881/" title="March homework by Hapagirl Knits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7207/6963708881_e26b31b587_n.jpg" width="239" height="320" alt="March homework" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">A Teabag Cozy</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8122913@N05/7028351965/" title="Untitled by Hapagirl Knits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7225/7028351965_34911f549b_n.jpg" width="267" height="320" alt="Untitled" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Granny Squares (Crochet)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8122913@N05/7028363485/" title="Untitled by Hapagirl Knits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7100/7028363485_cbe46f8980_n.jpg" width="320" height="214" alt="Untitled" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">A Scarf (Affectionately known as the Tide Pool Barf Scarf, because it looks like all the junk that washes up in tide pools!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8122913@N05/6888052592/" title="Untitled by Hapagirl Knits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7262/6888052592_353d5c9531_n.jpg" width="232" height="320" alt="Untitled" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">What, pray tell, do I get for doing all of this knitting? <i>Other than actually having <b>finished</b> products for a change?</i> Well, I learned how to navigate around the site, and use all the bells and whistles that Ravelry provides. It's a lot of fun to play the game, and I get to interact with others, albeit online. Secretly though, most of us are motivated by the badges! I guess you would call them the "gold stars" of knitting.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NdfI7-rp-R9UFuA145A74678FY5V4g342ztCME-1Dcf16h8B0JhtxgiFIvx0o1l9Pg8N5X85YjgjAVHgsCrSFZZ2wQf8SzjjFskGV1Wraz5X1nmbzsIbQcWqtJ6wmz-3R7oSZ-I6vvay/s200/index-15-1-1-1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730219608775098610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px; " /></span></div></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-92097193121137015712009-04-09T20:53:00.001-07:002012-04-11T11:14:42.915-07:00I Miss My Freezer<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">"No hope." Those were the repairman's final words yesterday, no hope. My refrigerator was proclaimed beyond repair. I should have known that this day would come when I had to take the halibut to my sister's house, so her freezer could babysit it for me. Yet, I held out hope that it could be fixed (after all, it was only eight years old). </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Lucky for me, I have my bar fridge from school to hold me over until I buy a new one. The only drawback is that those things really don't freeze well. Man, do I miss ice cream!</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-77105127074708853992009-02-27T03:02:00.000-08:002010-10-14T19:42:35.931-07:00Coffee Swap IV<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLTSXY1hbyTfj3m3lK-oe8XONeK2zJFxqFMqpMs4mN_jC6-oLkNHQGpft1dfkDYub_iE0xrjO2UMIHiZhMXag_eBjeW18UOLCv8c9dKW4nm3uckZlDAh6YyC1I-MN1IK7xmHl60ALcVt0/s1600-h/DSC00575.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307431419955688882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLTSXY1hbyTfj3m3lK-oe8XONeK2zJFxqFMqpMs4mN_jC6-oLkNHQGpft1dfkDYub_iE0xrjO2UMIHiZhMXag_eBjeW18UOLCv8c9dKW4nm3uckZlDAh6YyC1I-MN1IK7xmHl60ALcVt0/s320/DSC00575.JPG" /></a> <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic" class="Apple-style-span">How lucky am I?</span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Nothing makes me happier than getting a package in the mail. Having been sick with "the crud" for the past couple of weeks, I was doubly thrilled when my coffee swap package arrived on my doorstep last weekend. Totally made my day (& maybe even my week)!</span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><a href="http://dipladyknits.wordpress.com/">Shanda</a> really spoiled me! I received two packages of coffee; a Sumatra roast from <a href="http://www.sisterscoffee.com/">Sisters Coffee Company</a> and the Purr-fect blend from <a href="http://www.flyingcats.com/index.html">Flying Cats</a>. The Flying Cats coffee made me chuckle... not only have I had each of the cats on the label, but it turns out that the coffee was roasted by <a href="http://www.caffeappassionato.com/index.html">Caffe Appassionato</a> in Seattle. My mother loves their coffee and we used to go to their Fisherman's Terminal store (where they do the roasting) all the time. What a small world! I'm looking forward to trying both of the brews -- however, I think I'll have to wait until I'm well, so that I can appreciate them to the fullest! I also received Snickerdoodle scone mix, which was cleverly packaged in a to-go coffee cup (I think I will have to make those this weekend), Snickerdoodle almonds (not pictured because I already ate them :-D), and a mint chocolate bar from the Chocolate Crisis Center (funny, that's gone too!)</span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Shanda also sent me the cutest notions bag printed with Japanese kokeshi dolls, two bars of olive oil/coffee scented soap, and a sticker and pin from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. </span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Of course, I had to save the best for last -- the yarn is fantastic! Shanda went to the Madrona Fiber Arts Winter Retreat and picked up a beautiful yarn from <a href="http://rainydayswoolydogs.blogspot.com/">Rainy Days & Wooly Dogs</a>. Even though I am a Pacific Northwest girl by birth, I have to go Californian here: "Dude! It has cashmere in it!" The yarn is a<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic" class="Apple-style-span"> very</span> soft blend of superwash merino, nylon, and cashmere. It feel <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic" class="Apple-style-span">so</span> nice (yes, I am a confirmed yarn petter). The picture does not do the color justice. The yarn is a beautiful progression of dark blues, teals, and forest green. It reminds me of Puget Sound, when the sun is shining on the water. This gorgeous yarn is definitely not destined to become a pair of socks -- it's just too pretty for that!</span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Thank you so much Shanda! You did a wonderful job!</span></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-58022747057094976602009-02-01T12:17:00.000-08:002009-02-01T13:15:45.112-08:00Proof of Knitting<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">I am getting a slow start on tackling my list. But here! Proof! I knit! (Which would be a good thing, considering that this is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">supposed to be</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> a knitting blog).</span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7m_RqEo62ud6WT9MYFIL1LSBZe1iuoQtkn7RjbiEQW816wLaDVhOvSsH497EKkl1Am-IOXQ_oimSZVbGPEaHgmVVpNaJvUpoxIuFvfkyupVP80iKeEivKc13QEwvsuFNeLstjF2IohBC/s1600-h/DSC00553.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7m_RqEo62ud6WT9MYFIL1LSBZe1iuoQtkn7RjbiEQW816wLaDVhOvSsH497EKkl1Am-IOXQ_oimSZVbGPEaHgmVVpNaJvUpoxIuFvfkyupVP80iKeEivKc13QEwvsuFNeLstjF2IohBC/s320/DSC00553.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297929339471124258" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">#16 Knit from the stash.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">I am making a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">neckwarmer</span> using </span><a href="http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/01/cashmere_neckwarmer_pattern.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">this pattern</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Artfibers</span> </span><a href="http://www.artfibers.com/yarn.php?yarnID=6146&page=3&sort=name2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Satori</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">. I added more stitches to the pattern, as the yarn is thinner than called for. Easy, relaxing knit. Now I have to find an interesting button.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">I was just matched with my coffee swap partner and am happy to see that we have a lot in common! Really pleased that our yarn preferences seem to be the same -- right down to the colors! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hmmm</span>, the ideas are percolating already...</span></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-59067189335664296242009-01-27T22:18:00.000-08:002009-02-01T12:16:05.214-08:00Coffee Swap IV<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">I</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">'m so happy to have made it into <a href="http://coffeeswap.blogspot.com">this swap</a> for a third round!</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">QUESTIONS</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 17px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 17px; font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1. Whole bean or ground?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">I prefer whole bean, please.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2. Fully-loaded or decaf?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">Fully-loaded, of course!</span><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3. Regular or flavored?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">Regular -- I've never really gotten used to flavored coffees (traditional girl at heart, I guess).</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4. How do you drink your coffee?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">With milk.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">5. Favorite coffee ever</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">? </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">My favorites to date have come from</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://stumptowncoffee.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Stumptown Coffee</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">and the </span></span></span><a href="http://pacificbaycoffee.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pacific Bay Roasting Co</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">(however I am open to new things).</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">I'm a little bit of a coffee snob, because there are great local roasters here on the west coast! I especially like Nicaraguan blends, Brazilian blends, and Italian roast (Pretty much anything from medium to strong).</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">Slightly sweet cookies or milk (not dark!) chocolate.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8. Anything else about your coffee preferences?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">You can find my other coffee swap questionnaires</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://hapagirlknits.blogspot.com/search/label/coffee%20swap"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">9. Yarn/fiber you love?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">Alpaca, alpaca/silk blends, and bamboo. Pretty much anything </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">natural</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);"> that feels soft in my hands.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">10. Yarn/fiber you hate?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">Acrylic, novelty, or eyelash yarns.</span> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">11. What's on your needles?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">Rectangles and socks.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">12. Favorite colors?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">Earthy colors: deep</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">blues</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">greens</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">reds</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">I do not like khaki, tan, beige, or white. I'm far too pale to get away with wearing those colors!</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">13. Allergies?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">Nope.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">Hmmm...is it really clear how much I</span> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 153, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">despise</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">khaki? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">:o)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);"> Most of my old swap questionnaires are</span> </span></span><a href="http://hapagirlknits.blogspot.com/search/label/swap%20questionnaire"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);"> the list of questions for the last swap I participated in is on my "about me" page on</span> </span></span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ravelry</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);"> (I'm hapagirl).</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 17px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Trivia for the Day</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">- I started writing this blog because of a Knitters' Coffee Swap!</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 17px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 17px; font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);">Looking forward to getting my match!</span></span></span></span><br /></span></span></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-55982356322458237942009-01-25T13:53:00.000-08:002009-01-25T14:33:55.028-08:0043 things to do before I turn 44<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I've been thinking a lot about lists lately. Looking back in my neglected journal, I noticed I had written about Crazy Aunt Purl's blog post about 101 Things in 1001 Days (</span></span><a href="http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/archives/2008/08/lists_and_happy.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and </span></span><a href="http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/archives/2007/12/the_big_list_1.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">). Basically, you make a list of things you want to do in 1001 days. It seemed like a good idea when I read about it; I mean it motivated me enough to think and write about it. Yet I am finding that I am a creature of limited attention span; therefore I am going to follow </span></span><a href="http://hulaseventy.blogspot.com/search/label/38%20things"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hula Seventy</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">'s lead and try to set forty-three goals to reach before my next birthday (309 days to go).</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For better or worse, here it is:</span></span></div><div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Get a new passport.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Go home to Hawaii for a visit.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Go on a trip outside of the U.S.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Start to ski again.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Continue on the road to fitness by going to the gym 3-5 times a week.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Improve my yoga practice (get into a headstand without flopping over after 2 seconds).</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Look into yoga teacher training programs.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Participate in a 5k.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Be more charitable. It's not just about donating money; I want to be more charitable with my time, just by giving more of myself.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Read more during my free time, instead of zoning out in front of the t.v.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Start by reading </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/So-Many-Books-Little-Time/dp/0399150838"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So Many Books, So Little Time</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(the story of my life!)</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are about 49 weeks left in the year. Make a list of 49 books that I want to read this year, and try to read them all.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Start using the multitude of cookbooks in my possession and cook/bake something new each week (using the cookbooks, of course).</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Write every day, even if it's just a lousy paragraph (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hmm, blogging about the stuff on this list would be a start</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">).</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Reduce clutter in my life.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Knit from the yarn stash / reduce the stash!</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Finish knitting that @#$* Clapotis!</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Knit something that is not a rectangle.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Buy a walking foot for the sewing machine.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Finish the sampler quilt.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Get the house painted.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Go out to listen to music more.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Explore the Bay Area on mini-road trips.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Have a meal at Chez Panisse (it's so close, for goodness sakes!)</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Go see the butterflies hibernating in Pacific Grove.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Go to Tahoe or Yosemite.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Learn how to scale a rock wall.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Spend a night by the sea.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Get over my fear of bathing suits (trying them on, not using them!), so I can go swimming again.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Get over another fear and go on a date (bleah!)</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Study Italian more and speak more often.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Improve my spoken Portuguese.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Remember that it's good to be pampered once in a while--use those gift certificates and get a pedicure.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Find more films on Netflix to help with #31 & #32. Watch </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">La Dolce Vita</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bread and Tulips.</span></span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Watch two movies (DVD) a week.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Go to the movie theater more often and see something other than a "kid" movie.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Get the PC fixed.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Go see a musical or a ballet.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Start using the grill again.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Have people over more often. Begin by doing #15, and you won't freak so much.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Be more flexible in body, mind, and spirit.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Do </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">something</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> about the garden.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sing like nobody's listening, dance like nobody's watching, LIVE more, and love more.</span></span></li></ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Well, it's out there -- guess I'll have to start trying to accomplish some of it!</span></span></div></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-30371884803803762922009-01-24T19:47:00.001-08:002009-01-25T14:35:55.086-08:00Blue Sky Swap<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8122913@N05/2866683329/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/2866683329_61f67f619a_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.9em;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8122913@N05/2866683329/">BSA Swap 2</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/8122913@N05/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hapagirl</span> Knits</a>. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I've gotten so used to posting on </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ravelry</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> that I neglected to post about the Blue Sky Alpaca swap over here. My secret swapper was </span></span><a href="http://14mos.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Trumom</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, who also lives here in the Bay Area. When I received my package, I found out that she had requested to be my swap partner! We're both half-Asian and teachers, so we do have a couple of things in common.<br /><br />I was SO SPOILED ROTTEN, it's not even funny!<br /><br />She sent me a wonderful project bag in a Japanese print, three packets of Soak wool wash, and the sock blocker </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">key chain</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> that I had been coveting. She also sent me Japanese goodies! Japanese snack food, a very pretty fan, some chopsticks with a kitty on them (</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">maneki</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">neko</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-good luck cat), some bath salts (I think that’s what they are), and a </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">daruma</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. I think </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Trumom</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> was stalking me in the </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bento</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> group, because she also sent along some supplies to jazz up my </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bento</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> lunch! No more boring triangular rice balls for me; I’ll be pulling stars, hearts, and bears out of my lunch box :-D All this, and I haven't even mentioned the YARN yet! </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Trumom</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> gifted me with four skeins of Blue Sky baby alpaca; two skeins of an amazing red and two of a pretty plum/eggplant color. She also introduced me to the magic of </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Malabrigo</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, with the gift of a skein in a beautiful blue.<br /><br />I am still so very grateful for the thought and care that went into this package. Thanks again, </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Trumom</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">! </span></span>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-78280489829938496972009-01-24T18:06:00.000-08:002009-01-25T14:36:09.524-08:00Another Attempted Return to Blogging<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Poor sad, neglected, little blog. I've fallen under the spell of a social networking site (that shall remain nameless) and spend far too much time playing with old friends over there. It seems that every time I think about updating this site, I go and play over there instead. Coffeeswap IV has opened up (although it closes today), so I'm back to blogging, in the hopes that I will be among the swappers.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">School has been keeping me busy, as usual. I've also been spending many hours trying to finally get myself fit. This, of course, means that I haven't been making enough time for knitting. :- ( </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I picked up the needles again before Christmas to make a scarf for a colleague who has been helping me with a student. Taking breaks from knitting really makes you remember how enjoyable it can be! Since then, I've started two more projects -- and I </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> blog about them! </span></span></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-7189752838187405032008-09-15T22:12:00.000-07:002008-09-15T22:27:32.159-07:00Surviving<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Whew! Hectic few weeks full of assessing kids, trying to appear professional during back to school night, and keeping my head above water. Things are starting to settle down and I'm getting back into the rhythm of things. I am firmly convinced that I am a very lucky person, as it appears that I have another good group of kids this year. They may not be the highest academically, but they are <strong><em>cute</em></strong> and they get along with each other. When my class has those two components, the learning will happen. Kind of like a teacher's <em>Field of Dreams</em> -- "if there is kindness, they will learn." I'll just keep my fingers crossed and try to channel Pollyanna.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Meanwhile, the mid-life crisis continues to push me towards self-improvement. This time it's Italian lessons. I forgot how much I hated to conjugate verbs. If only the mid-life crisis manifested itself as an Italian sports car... oh wait, I forgot, I'm a teacher and that's a pipe dream...</span>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-53045395635308157592008-08-24T23:05:00.000-07:002008-08-24T23:13:33.584-07:00Hi-ho, hi-ho, It's Back to Work I Go<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">School's starting again, thus the radio silence. I have had such a great summer that I am in complete denial that tomorrow is the first day of school. Where did the time go?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238334107897026946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw13fCwFT21_SKQJkxohRg0MGEhe5U9TUbkZ8eSBksHNb17IqFAqeOnU3t_OtCi0hi6vb-ibMgiWaTFCc7hKJv2HniWNZj2xWDnoDX2l-4OK3UCvOdI4xfXg8qvrvUHNmo7yo_tpYXRfit/s320/alaska+051.jpg" border="0" /></span><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Good-bye lazy days . . .</em></span></p>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-72429555815609904402008-08-15T10:40:00.000-07:002008-08-16T17:26:50.797-07:00Confession<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Confession: I am a closet foodie. I love strolling through the "gourmet ghettos" around the Bay Area, I'm a fan of our local farmer's markets, and I'm a compulsive recipe hoarder and cookbook collector (which is really ironic, since I don't actually cook too often). Obviously, I'm not a food snob, as witnessed by my last few posts on chocolate (and Tina, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Choco</span> Flakes are chocolate covered corn flakes. Yes, "Mar" I will be doing treadmill time to burn it off!)</span><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Last week, I found myself in </span><a href="http://www.lupiciausa.com/default.asp"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Lupicia</span></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, a tea store based in Japan, that has an outlet here in San Francisco. They had a great summer tea called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sakurambo</span>, which is a black tea blended with sour/sweet Japanese cherries. The tea itself is very light and refreshing; however for me, the kicker was the little jello shots they made with the tea. So of course, being a closet foodie, I had to buy the tea and go home to make jello shots!</span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234804223463997330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTC9zRhyQ4rjoOxJ3TU3NoUM3wsPTrdHJA4gkz33DDJrPkJL3hK2qQ2CUpH7GW2-5kDq_W1FVVoCVoaV4VsdSj1vY_My_81YheBWXhSvaEppOwDH-QAN9WR9oJWQpPvsKVQyrWiDLHnXTY/s320/Sakurambo+jelly.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>I thought putting them in tea cups would be a nice touch.</em></span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Since I can't find the recipe on their website, I think it will be okay to share it here.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sakurambo</span> Tea Jelly Recipe (from a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Lupicia</span> recipe)</span></p><ul><li><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">4 tsp <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Sakurambo</span> loose tea</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">1 cup hot water</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">2.5 envelopes gelatin</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">7 tbsp sugar <em>(I used 6 and would probably reduce it further, but that's my taste)</em></span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">3.5 cups cold water</span></div></li></ul><ol><li><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Steep the tea in hot water for 3-5 minutes and strain.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">In a saucepan, combine gelatin with sugar and slowly stir in the cold water.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Bring the mixture to a boil and remove from heat.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Combine gelatin mixture with tea and pour into molds.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Chill in refrigerator for six hours and serve with honey syrup (2 tbsp honey, 4 tbsp water-<em>I made it with tea instead of plain water)</em></span></li></ol><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Verdict: Once you get over the fact that you are eating tea jello, it's a fairly tasty, light summer dessert. I will probably try this again with some of the other teas lurking in my cabinets, as it seems to be a good way to move through the stash.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Now to get back to the knitting...</span></p><p><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Edit: Hey Mar - You think this is "fine dining" wait until I tell you about the mac 'n cheese I made . . . in the rice cooker!</span></em></p>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-35100188123987351112008-08-09T00:45:00.001-07:002008-08-09T00:53:25.934-07:00Chocolaty Goodness<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Oh dear...emicat just had to tell me about Choco Flakes. So what do I find when wandering around Ichiban Kan, my Japanese dollar store? Yeah, you guessed it:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232421244316484322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBrH23o187TKgWtBb-vCQLp4BOOpzHTb1rbPe6CKYuEHI1d19EvyN8y4xQHRQ3jN0Mzu3X-zfmEBBiOH3UYdtsmIlnVl7zhTxbg-ALUhkCr8BVhsLhu4NqR93hpN0TH5MJXR5u46G3pgt/s320/choco.jpg" border="0" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I'll have to agree with your comment; they're "hella good too!"</span>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-25439193638311732612008-08-08T15:28:00.000-07:002008-08-08T15:41:22.084-07:00The Internet Time Suck<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> <em>Just a quick post before Blogger pulls the plug for their scheduled outage.</em><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><p align="left"></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcZq8Hkstjy2H3xg3u1Qv7ALjhnbeqO-v7gQC62_hOC2RuzydWZfeJ17InAKwdHKC1CtjxNW-jKWbf7kE4nHzp_-lHy5KP1uOW6i5saf5CBQFssEzGV7hVEEtYjKkyzym1sNVGTmUhnYU/s1600-h/ravelry-88x31-borderless.png"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232278229709440034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcZq8Hkstjy2H3xg3u1Qv7ALjhnbeqO-v7gQC62_hOC2RuzydWZfeJ17InAKwdHKC1CtjxNW-jKWbf7kE4nHzp_-lHy5KP1uOW6i5saf5CBQFssEzGV7hVEEtYjKkyzym1sNVGTmUhnYU/s320/ravelry-88x31-borderless.png" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This week passed in a blur. I joined that swap on Ravelry and learned a new phrase in the process: the Ravelry time suck. Oh my gosh - it's amazing how you lose track of time! Once you get in those groups and forums, the addiction really sets in. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I can't believe summer is already almost over. I have my classroom 80% set up, since a "friend" invited herself to stay at my house the week teachers officially report back to work. I'm not ready to start getting up early in the morning, let alone plan my lunch for the day. Thank goodness for those Ravelry groups; I joined the "Bento" group just to get some inspiration. Think I'll have to go practice, now that I've pulled out all the supplies.</span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232277852702127234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ca7GBMoEXoYnaexO0OrHOVcVftPP8mCdVF6b6hOMaEjIVuK88XbldtmpD1kE9U78mp_hxehZzaPRhx44BQtQZNSFCwAQ2mbhoTeLpNBZmnRbs82hPa0ooTw4Wwv0z9kYsXZFJyMtA4Ic/s320/supplies.jpg" border="0" />hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-45198523373318973922008-08-07T17:40:00.001-07:002008-08-07T17:42:40.130-07:00Mmm, good!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I recently discovered these:</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-xutS03RtD9ZNNaqQFNpskl5KxbSdXfe1AN_PyLXcptWlr16Jwnxq22r4LMbyewrY9VVl6sFVPlIvgxifzNZ_2ysrmuX-Y0yKOxQoR3twq28iM8LX70qqn15k3ML0yn95VUoOCycXWOK/s1600-h/ritter+sport+corn+flakes.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231940544916586306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-xutS03RtD9ZNNaqQFNpskl5KxbSdXfe1AN_PyLXcptWlr16Jwnxq22r4LMbyewrY9VVl6sFVPlIvgxifzNZ_2ysrmuX-Y0yKOxQoR3twq28iM8LX70qqn15k3ML0yn95VUoOCycXWOK/s320/ritter+sport+corn+flakes.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Boy, am I in trouble!</span><br /><div></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-80307600715327244242008-08-05T00:55:00.000-07:002008-08-05T01:16:15.582-07:00Let There Be Balance in the Universe<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">When I got back from Alaska, my sister started leaving "funny" little messages on my Facebook wall. She started out with, "Got fish?" and progressed to, "We're all waiting to see if you grow fins and gills." Yeah, hah, hah, hah.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I warned her to be careful about teasing me, because it was <em>"bachi"</em> (loose translation: what goes around, comes around). So today I get a text report on the first day of fishing; everyone caught something & she caught a 90 pound halibut. Who's laughing now? Yeah, that would be me.</span>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-44006214740063989642008-08-04T15:11:00.000-07:002008-08-05T01:09:36.852-07:00Queen of the Fishermen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIpWprvViRZleHd5kCXSeBhXwibEisRQHj8h74bXEOKS0thpShLeoLgqTwCc6QdJ57MrqLkALBX41FwKCQnqR1h9jg3c3IAj3qQGfL9mlSR_duxgZbPYsOCK0r8wwvSoy2rVwumF5bAvD/s1600-h/alaska+022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230790082344764834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIpWprvViRZleHd5kCXSeBhXwibEisRQHj8h74bXEOKS0thpShLeoLgqTwCc6QdJ57MrqLkALBX41FwKCQnqR1h9jg3c3IAj3qQGfL9mlSR_duxgZbPYsOCK0r8wwvSoy2rVwumF5bAvD/s320/alaska+022.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My mother is on a mission to become a fishing goddess. I can't believe she's already back in Alaska with my sister, my brother-in-law, and a college friend. Yes, to go fishing. Again. For her sake, I hope she catches some salmon this time, or she will start looking like a halibut before the year is out!</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">It's funny how surprised everyone gets when they see how gung-ho mom is about fishing. I mean, she's this five-foot-nothing lady who looks like a good gust of wind would knock her over. But she gets in there, cutting bait and getting all excited when something is on her line (although we do have to help her reel in).</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZIRqxo2n723hekN2Z-LGLYWNeCBC2pSDKp-QGq40e_cSWx-tu6sLSaITwg6FMj3-kmj9T17PfdYZhn3R0_7t2EggQcUvTp5eiDFknztjjF4MzH9LXFzWuMRNwIJmriVAkGtYHqOniB86/s1600-h/alaska+069.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230790088873536530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZIRqxo2n723hekN2Z-LGLYWNeCBC2pSDKp-QGq40e_cSWx-tu6sLSaITwg6FMj3-kmj9T17PfdYZhn3R0_7t2EggQcUvTp5eiDFknztjjF4MzH9LXFzWuMRNwIJmriVAkGtYHqOniB86/s320/alaska+069.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">She's responsible for two of my favorite memories from this trip. The woman has so much fishing talent that she lassoed a fish! Well, ok, the fish actually lassoed itself while trying to escape, but it sounds much more impressive to give mom credit. I will admit my other memory is a bit snarky, but it was funny to most of us! My mother was reeling in a (little) fish at the back of the boat. Satisfied that she was doing all right, the rest of us on deck went about tending our own poles. Suddenly, we hear this, "OH! OH! OH!" and we turn to see my mother scooting forward towards the very back. Seems the little bugger had a lot of fight in him! Luckily, my cousin was close to her, grabbed her belt loop, and hauled her back to a safer distance. Good thing she has a good sense of humor, because I don't think I laughed so hard in a long time!</span></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Oh, by the way, she was never in any danger of actually falling in!</span></em></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-67279060250032953842008-08-01T14:39:00.001-07:002008-08-01T14:59:55.564-07:00Knitting Mojo<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Apparently, my knitting mojo is back. There's nothing like going somewhere cold after suffering through a heat wave that gets the needles moving! Of course, being the ADD knitter that I am, I have three projects going on simultaneously.</span> <div> </div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I took my openwork scarf out of hibernation:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229667911451229586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9Qvm5GQTuA7BshoDtfEF6SyhJlkOfQGCIVQr4dHgW-4T5aSMxn06BgOvS4LZ0_dKCiFwn34sSs0kBNP6U0C6hl4-JEv0BQ8kjnJgCYSCcfyGj2TuDCd0esQMctZWFSzUHuIaLLM5LRD9/s320/7+30+08+004.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I love this yarn! It's </span><a href="http://www.artfibers.com/yarn.php?yarnID=6149&page=2&sort=fiber2"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Artfibers Alfabeto</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> and it's so smooth and nice to knit with. I want to switch my needles to something with a sharper point, but I'm afraid it will affect my gauge too much. I'm wondering if I can get away with switching them for the KnitPicks wood needles. With all the psso's the blunt tips of my Crystal Palace needles are driving me crazy! Opinions?</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I also started a scarf for my cousin, since she needs pink in her life (sounds weird, I know). It's a variation on Candi Jensen's <em>Mohair and Lace</em>.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229667900423539410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8dFw12r_slr10Nkxw3WnHEjHZQaQGLSf0lyvEnIvy5AWfL5z2vTn-nStR4QxUthNwBNGqoY-6mgLJb0XGWHPHdHFwyrVjXT656Kjh3RpteQgBR96R89gTEPHcjco3MWzap4vYRP5vWn4/s320/7+30+08+003.jpg" border="0" /></span></p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Finally, I was all set to make the cuff for my first toe-up sock, when something went so wrong that it was easier to frog the thing and start over. Talk about blessings in disguise! It was suggested I put a gold toe on it when I knit the first one, but I didn't have the yarn. Now I'll have my gold toes and heels. Sometimes, the little things can really make your day!<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229667896111567266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRqimSITppKIsDK6ShjHY-WCy59UKCpGi9jz4LNj_knX8co_hDSyx8WzRorh9RSqBZWLpR_NrsyYKNAZn5WXtev8wFmmPg7-feENHEYruZ70Fx09eq_7IFRchS3z9gk7GfoT7PPlEfuAx/s320/7+30+08+005.jpg" border="0" />I decided I needed to celebrate the fact that the knitting mojo has returned. So of course, I just had to sign up for a swap on </span><a href="https://www.ravelry.com/account/login"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ravelry</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">! I haven't been in a swap since last winter and the Blue Sky Alpacas Swap looks like it will be fun to shop for.</span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229667916994256130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ToWtqYVI8QSjPfrZ9HlAyUv2vbi5_iWImJjasKuKIKA4g70ti3ZmxjH1_HkK6ST9Xz_9V50XQRN3_AqAAXUM9UKSF5B1obkovG1_nltf4MZ9Z0KQG5T4MAmVg5Z5aASr_SWE4uKoeS6M/s320/BSAbadge.jpg" border="0" />hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-78251258125201874622008-07-31T11:19:00.000-07:002008-07-31T12:26:33.931-07:00Back in the Saddle Again<div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">First, let me start off by offering thanks to Tina and Emicat for their kind comments. Tina, I know you must be a fantastic mother, because you're such a great cheerleader! Emiko, thank you for the condolences, I appreciate it.</span><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I haven't blogged for a while, but this time I have a legitimate excuse. For the first time in <em>many</em> years (7?, 8?), I went on an actual vacation. You know, the kind where there are nothing is expected of you, and you don't have to visit anyone/anyplace because it is your "duty" (which is why I no longer go to Honolulu). So where did I go to have such a relaxing time? Just a little past the Great White North, to the wilds of Alaska. Actually, "wilds" is an exaggeration - I was in Petersburg, south of Juneau - but there <em>was</em> a lot of wildlife.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Humpbacks:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229255883486703826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0kGPLgonPuIppaUAFl6XxHS6PHbIUhW2sVSq4wRDjBJVi-EldHdsYf0dVas1_6yONaTnByVLohJcshFlkBM3iz59GtU3UGxOvq-orEPg1DcLJAcuaUDEEOzO2OG7fnBW8hPzSDyDWg_ze/s320/hw2.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Killer whales:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229255885130067010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1c6zt4iF5tyUkplRWdPp1W_k0zpgZrg47i1vjT5o1zNsiKuRR8YT_ffZi7odGO-y1FOR0xn2GdvrlWv6tfK9JvC6kgYiwPcrMAcIPzlV5nd4AnPK5XBYRE6l42bLjVKLZEkwBmhyphenhyphenLsxv/s320/kw15.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Basket starfish <em>(aren't they pretty?):</em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229255888867257170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTCCTd31g_bBlS7fPb9-Itkq4YHYviyTDFUFgmSv4Ch5mqfEKYsY_BDzevSYtMXb9leVfHGFId3LJdmq7sNYht0vx8uP9997YNaMCmABLbOuUo9vmzuwvgRvSVhfw8u8Ybtlzd14BCz5X/s320/lacy+starfish.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">There were almost always deer in the backyard:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229255887946923666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlZGjLq-BWgEyVzAhuUANjt6KQzZNAK7t-Pu0EbDimguCCVc41H02yRpKt5-2zbf3-dulvsyRbrf0zaFW6uRfWv_gqt4akCmNq5l3duBjIDSqnwWYMyp72hZu7lWHEuH8BQ0kpcVWjMPy/s320/deer+7.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I went on a fishing trip with my mom, my cousin, and his 15 year old son. I had a great time harassing my cousin's kid; which probably says a lot about my level of maturity. I knew that he was getting much too comfortable with me when he started to call me by his sister's name; and she's 19! But I guess it's better to be young at heart -- the alternative being my "I only watch Fox News" cousin (hard to believe I'm only ten years younger than he is). Ah, I'm being uncharitable, he's really a wonderful guy; however, compared to me, he is a grown up. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I'm still trying to figure out whether or not this is the upside or the downside of my trip. Behold my freezer:</span> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229260960733434850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5xAKMHOlq1uYrefg6_R2QHoPZNG_rVbHJbe3RZO4jFPj72pQFQv_y8yEXvaKIjx_4cSSrjPADIUijr8-8wZwycfYSWN-Z_Z2pCvAY4DowmUkqNV46xJhFhz2AsnjWTCVEhyphenhypheniPxyimzIo/s320/7+30+08+006.jpg" border="0" /></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Anybody want some halibut?</span></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-9463860319080544072008-07-02T23:49:00.000-07:002008-07-03T00:48:53.393-07:00Mid-life Crisis<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I swear, I think I am having a mid-life crisis...right before the end of school, I signed up for two summer classes at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">UC</span> Berkeley Extension. Classes that have nothing to do with my professional life, but I have been getting nudged in this new direction by friends and colleagues. So I thought, what the heck, why not?</span><br /><br /><div><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My first class (graphic design) started before my school year ended. At four hours once a week, it is a long class. On the first night, to soften the blow of having to sit in class for that long, we started to watch the film </span><a href="http://www.helveticafilm.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Helvetica</span></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, a documentary about the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helvetica"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">typeface</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. I never thought a film about typography would be so interesting! Of course, after watching it, I became a little obsessive-compulsive about identifying the font every time I saw it around me. Evidently, there's also a traveling exhibit that is commemorating </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkZgiQrSBcc&eurl=http://www.helveticafilm.com/newblog/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Helvetica's</span> 50 years</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. So far, I am really enjoying it; even though it freaks me out a bit creatively (Always comparing myself to others & coming up short. Why are we always so hard on ourselves and easy on others? ).</span> </p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">This week, I had to photograph signage: billboards, posters, etc. Of course, I had to have a juvenile moment:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218691299839020034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpXOL6I0oxCExVDi_YI9gfL_EQqhDxugyu-YVihfkftbs8-THdra2UuhJmcuKkL4vy3cqmFh5Ayx2uWhj9BX-jYBKGPEZFowQ5Ce4KlPwmDngIUrCOgQQ7pp6dD6fmuFazYzpeGV8f-7S/s320/juvenile+humor.jpg" border="0" /></span><em>Is it me, or is the word <strong><span style="color:#ffff33;">of</span></strong> a little too close to the word ART? This is what happens to your brain when you teach second grade for seven years (potty humor abounds)!</em><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We've been designing stamps too (it's all based on the alphabet):</span><br /><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218679647124467522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeMYX14kcwRJu8rP5HelacoScL5e6QjMaPaw0vPC6OHtUQmqbiNXWC3RCJXOfpHC1VBToNsqhnEjsOI2Cu-x6EPuDL8PYdXrxH4PUT9nqkx_dkRfaqFtJltUBFgY0YGzIaGscr0kFhXbl/s320/postal.jpg" border="0" /></em></p></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-55024230923955637642008-06-22T14:36:00.000-07:002008-06-22T14:39:48.057-07:00Such a Slacker<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm sitting here staring at my blog archives. Hard for me to believe that at this time last year, I already had at least 33 entries (and that was only from April to June)! I think the title of this entry says it all.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Last month, I played "dutiful daughter" and went Iowa with my sister for a shin-dig at my mother's alma mater. They had <a href="http://www.lindapurl.net/">Linda Purl </a>come and sing. Remember her from "Happy Days" (Fonzie's fiance) and "Matlock"? She is also an accomplished jazz singer. I really enjoyed it; her performance was top notch, plus her banter was really funny!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The trip itself started out as a comedy of errors. My sister and I took the red-eye from San Francisco to Chicago on what had to be the most broken down plane in the fleet. And what's up with the distance between seat nowadays? I swear, by knees were almost touching the seat in front of me. Neither of us had slept much the night before, & we resigned ourselves to another night of little rest.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">We had an uneventful and more comfortable flight to Omaha, where we picked up our rental & drove to Sioux City (my sister was trying to save money on the flights). As we were pulling out of the lot, my sister said, "Do you smell oil?" Tired and somewhat cranky, I replied, "No, let's just get on the road." She spent the next 90 minutes keeping me awake and entertained while I tried to keep my eyes open and drive between the lines. <em><strong>This is the point where I will publicly admit that I should have listened to her in Omaha</strong>. </em>When we were pulling off the freeway on our way to the hotel, the oil smell got a lot stronger. As soon as we slowed down and parked, we noticed white smoke starting to wisp out from under the hood. My first thought? "Oh crap, she's gonna blow!" Lucky for me, the mid-west is full of good people, who are willing to help out when someone is in distress. A bus driver (who was grandfather-type) ambled over and said, "Ladies, I want you to pop that hood." You should have seen the white clouds billowing out of the engine when I did what he asked! Turns out, the rocket scientists at the car rental agency had changed the oil and forgot to put the oil cap back on. What a mess! *Note to anyone renting from Budget in the Sioux City, Iowa area: there is no Budget office in Sioux City and they will not come and pick up the car from you. I ended up having to go to the Hyundai dealership, where they cleaned up the engine and gave me a new oil cap. They were so nice, they didn't have it in stock, so they took it off of a new car!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">And my mother wonders why I don't like to travel anymore...</span>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-31556319068447260362008-06-21T10:03:00.001-07:002008-06-21T11:07:38.359-07:00Little Girl<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1Lc94urStBWZRIoxazbQ0doWT4lS_44QgsPjrP1TvGhlKRWWW1mb9-uXaadpBpgdkNx7QH6dSogtrMiCUURllMpdvdcoCJE5k0hq45xXnY94yQkGhI48sgeuWzMi6aXSSeH7ztAa85T_/s1600-h/casting+a+spell.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214382016919064530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1Lc94urStBWZRIoxazbQ0doWT4lS_44QgsPjrP1TvGhlKRWWW1mb9-uXaadpBpgdkNx7QH6dSogtrMiCUURllMpdvdcoCJE5k0hq45xXnY94yQkGhI48sgeuWzMi6aXSSeH7ztAa85T_/s320/casting+a+spell.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Eighteen years ago, this fluffy little furball wandered onto my patio and into my life. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We called her "Little Girl," because she was the smallest in the litter, and we couldn't find a name that fit her any better. Once in a while, if you are <em>very</em> lucky (or truly blessed), you will have an animal that becomes less of a pet and more of an extension of you. Little Girl was that kind of animal.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Hands down, she was the sweetest cat that has ever owned me (I'm just being realistic here... felines humor us into thinking we own them). Her rumbly purr started the minute my hand touched her fur. She would always come nuzzle me if I was crying. I used to "fake cry," just to get the attention. If she thought I was distressed she would come running, rubbing up against me, head butting me, as if to say, "Here - pet me - I'll make you feel better." I'd run my hands through her soft fur (she felt like an angora rabbit), listen to her purr, and start to feel less tragic.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I have never had a cat that liked to be brushed as much as she did. She loved it so much, that she would do it herself, if you held the brush up for her. For a while, I thought about renaming her "Thumper", after the rabbit in Bambi. The inspiration? Just look <a href="http://hapagirlknits.blogspot.com/2007/09/just-watch-foot.html">here</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I know it's probably an insult to felines, but I used to think that Little Girl had some dog in her somewhere. She was faithful, always followed me around, and waited on the windowsill for me to come home.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm74n4r_bF5-ZqimDv8SZrKXoSZ-EPLTFbmqbYkeFVeiMdjBLB0EwORLydnRmglqpLVbR4LdffBGTmymMxVhwZRbzg19GDTJyjHve8INaeamwo7dEy4Lq_Yz1VVbDtob1JEqApcA9Np73Z/s1600-h/Face+wash.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214382024340484706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm74n4r_bF5-ZqimDv8SZrKXoSZ-EPLTFbmqbYkeFVeiMdjBLB0EwORLydnRmglqpLVbR4LdffBGTmymMxVhwZRbzg19GDTJyjHve8INaeamwo7dEy4Lq_Yz1VVbDtob1JEqApcA9Np73Z/s320/Face+wash.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Eighteen years ago, Little Girl wandered into my life. On Tuesday, she slipped out of my life, but she will always remain in my heart.<br /></span>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-22381607242936884382008-06-01T09:25:00.000-07:002008-06-01T10:00:05.702-07:00Some of What I've Been Up To<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So, why was I away? In all honesty, some things were happening in my life that made blogging about yarn and cats seem insignificant. A friend of mine lost her battle with breast cancer and at about the same time, my cousin was diagnosed with cancer. I'm very happy to say that things are looking good for my cousin...the cancer was caught early and has been treated <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">aggressively</span>. Me? I did what I always do when I'm stressed; try to bury myself in work and other distractions, so I wouldn't have a chance to think too much. Luckily, summer's </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">almost here and things seem to be getting back on track.</span><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Some of the things that have happened while I wasn't blogging:</div></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206954866173371682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="297" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA52Ww8qBD0PFzQ2xLxUcgWkM9iYn-GDUMvNHEw3o4zdRFAKAVEjDGeK3IlPt0Vz2LCANrPz7yuXaBtVJyXTljmWDnCcsK_g50jgefecECAbycvGm6i5A0K7s0a076Prt1O4CuoC2rywt8/s320/Going,+going.jpg" width="222" border="0" /></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cut and donated my hair.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206954879058273586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 153px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="177" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TkPA1uguhVusvWyJSzVKhyphenhyphenpGRnz8WOSqcHwEBV0nphmgwTrS65D9Z9J1llGkwBPJRiP7sVH0a8GnU6JTSzdBBK66NL6bSzNsz6VETeCPCqDR6wS4IxCXlcEacdqdwW0UwqH5NbbjDWle/s320/GONE.jpg" width="267" border="0" /></span></p><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><em>14 inches gone!</em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I also tortured the cats at Christmas. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206958383751587186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbHztDlmT9OTCsBpBtTaWyUG_Wy936viE3ialPVgX2uobNXKeJskix-mf8MsVbGjX8ILTtKgZhzIahgmvW06ux_K3KXfnUuMHHF0I-tUTOPtzgqWxNSj08bMf4nw-Com1XXc8JeWGvuZ1/s320/Just+you+wait.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>She looks thrilled, doesn't she? </em></span></span></div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206954887648208210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauxWNzZm1MyqJfCQlJbEV8ql7mO73-CNHHk75Gx071NIVLZmfA4CVrz-QgnrCStZDvXIsGuzBXGJd7EuORGCPpjx9y1wD1Nd7XSdB44qjyLKQasdIrD0B8Yf_S_bcT0MR7rFeoc-NNEsy/s320/Xmas+torture.jpg" border="0" />My mother's dumb beast is always fun to pester (Mom always leaves him with me for a few months during the winter so he doesn't have to fly back and forth to Seattle). </em></span></span></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206954887648208226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2z_Ryq9iwQFdZGhSYCKnsfVEZRa6KM_QSLlx6q4TbIip-yg8xp-vcTGvk7ioZmQY-4SnxNV8TiOA6tlTTuvAKGIrghFbzOhHdUHfcUuNQc_bow73l0YD8kBJrL-A81jHjZnqMjyngE1zc/s320/2008+009.jpg" border="0" /></em><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Winter was colder than expected. Jack Frost did a number on my car too many times to count. But it <em>was </em>pretty, wasn't it?</span></span></span></div>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-85962487898155736562008-05-16T00:18:00.000-07:002008-05-16T00:25:24.639-07:00Just Mark Me Absent<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A friend of mine posed this question to me the other day: "So, what happened to your blog?"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I responded with little more than a shoulder shrug and the paltry explanation that life has almost a little too busy to read, much less write a blog (besides, I was always bad at keeping diaries!).</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">But, in the words of our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Governator</span>, "I'll be back."</span>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866502643016864912.post-36856669002787448672008-01-10T01:04:00.000-08:002008-01-10T01:14:40.580-08:00Update for "M"<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">To the not so anonymous "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">mtf</span>" . . . here's an update just for you!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.TickerFactory.com/exercise/wGZNodw/"><img border="0" src="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wGZNodw/exercise.png" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.TickerFactory.com/exercise/wLBcY7E/"><img border="0" src="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wLBcY7E/exercise.png" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yeah, I know, I didn't quite make it as far as we talked about, but I'll make you a deal: I'll keep it up as long as you don't kill me when you come back from maternity leave! I can't wait to see you and the little man on Saturday!</span>hapagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07817397992283765856noreply@blogger.com5