Hapagirl Knits

I Miss My Freezer

2009-04-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

"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).

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!

Unsolicited advice for the day: Don't buy Amana.

Coffee Swap IV

2009-02-27T03:02:00.000-08:00

How lucky am I?

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)!

Shanda really spoiled me! I received two packages of coffee; a Sumatra roast from Sisters Coffee Company and the Purr-fect blend from Flying Cats. 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 Caffe Appassionato 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!)

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.

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 Rainy Days & Wooly Dogs. 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 very soft blend of superwash merino, nylon, and cashmere. It feel so 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!

Thank you so much Shanda! You did a wonderful job!

Proof of Knitting

2009-02-01T12:17:00.000-08:00

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 supposed to be a knitting blog).

#16 Knit from the stash.

I am making a neckwarmer using this pattern and Artfibers Satori. 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.

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! Hmmm, the ideas are percolating already...

Coffee Swap IV

2009-01-27T22:18:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to have made it into this swap for a third round!

QUESTIONS

1. Whole bean or ground? I prefer whole bean, please.
2. Fully-loaded or decaf? Fully-loaded, of course!
3. Regular or flavored? Regular -- I've never really gotten used to flavored coffees (traditional girl at heart, I guess).
4. How do you drink your coffee? With milk.
5. Favorite coffee ever? My favorites to date have come from Stumptown Coffee and the Pacific Bay Roasting Co. (however I am open to new things).
6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do? 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).
7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee? Slightly sweet cookies or milk (not dark!) chocolate.
8. Anything else about your coffee preferences? You can find my other coffee swap questionnaires here.
9. Yarn/fiber you love? Alpaca, alpaca/silk blends, and bamboo. Pretty much anything natural that feels soft in my hands.
10. Yarn/fiber you hate? Acrylic, novelty, or eyelash yarns.
11. What's on your needles? Rectangles and socks.
12. Favorite colors? Earthy colors: deep blues, greens, reds. I do not like khaki, tan, beige, or white. I'm far too pale to get away with wearing those colors!
13. Allergies? Nope.
14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest? Hmmm...is it really clear how much I despise khaki? :o) Most of my old swap questionnaires are here; the list of questions for the last swap I participated in is on my "about me" page on Ravelry (I'm hapagirl).

Trivia for the Day - I started writing this blog because of a Knitters' Coffee Swap!

Looking forward to getting my match!

43 things to do before I turn 44

2009-01-25T13:53:00.000-08:00

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 (here and here). 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 Hula Seventy's lead and try to set forty-three goals to reach before my next birthday (309 days to go).

For better or worse, here it is:

Get a new passport.
Go home to Hawaii for a visit.
Go on a trip outside of the U.S.
Start to ski again.
Continue on the road to fitness by going to the gym 3-5 times a week.
Improve my yoga practice (get into a headstand without flopping over after 2 seconds).
Look into yoga teacher training programs.
Participate in a 5k.
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.
Read more during my free time, instead of zoning out in front of the t.v.
Start by reading So Many Books, So Little Time (the story of my life!)
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.
Start using the multitude of cookbooks in my possession and cook/bake something new each week (using the cookbooks, of course).
Write every day, even if it's just a lousy paragraph (Hmm, blogging about the stuff on this list would be a start).
Reduce clutter in my life.
Knit from the yarn stash / reduce the stash!
Finish knitting that @#$* Clapotis!
Knit something that is not a rectangle.
Buy a walking foot for the sewing machine.
Finish the sampler quilt.
Get the house painted.
Go out to listen to music more.
Explore the Bay Area on mini-road trips.
Have a meal at Chez Panisse (it's so close, for goodness sakes!)
Go see the butterflies hibernating in Pacific Grove.
Go to Tahoe or Yosemite.
Learn how to scale a rock wall.
Spend a night by the sea.
Get over my fear of bathing suits (trying them on, not using them!), so I can go swimming again.
Get over another fear and go on a date (bleah!)
Study Italian more and speak more often.
Improve my spoken Portuguese.
Remember that it's good to be pampered once in a while--use those gift certificates and get a pedicure.
Find more films on Netflix to help with #31 & #32. Watch La Dolce Vita and Bread and Tulips.
Watch two movies (DVD) a week.
Go to the movie theater more often and see something other than a "kid" movie.
Get the PC fixed.
Go see a musical or a ballet.
Start using the grill again.
Have people over more often. Begin by doing #15, and you won't freak so much.
Be more flexible in body, mind, and spirit.
Do something about the garden.
Sing like nobody's listening, dance like nobody's watching, LIVE more, and love more.

Well, it's out there -- guess I'll have to start trying to accomplish some of it!

Blue Sky Swap

2009-01-24T19:47:00.001-08:00

BSA Swap 2
Originally uploaded by Hapagirl Knits.

I've gotten so used to posting on Ravelry that I neglected to post about the Blue Sky Alpaca swap over here. My secret swapper was Trumom, 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.

I was SO SPOILED ROTTEN, it's not even funny!

She sent me a wonderful project bag in a Japanese print, three packets of Soak wool wash, and the sock blocker key chain 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 (maneki neko-good luck cat), some bath salts (I think that’s what they are), and a daruma. I think Trumom was stalking me in the bento group, because she also sent along some supplies to jazz up my bento 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! Trumom 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 Malabrigo, with the gift of a skein in a beautiful blue.

I am still so very grateful for the thought and care that went into this package. Thanks again, Trumom!

Another Attempted Return to Blogging

2009-01-24T18:06:00.000-08:00

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.

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. :- (

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 will blog about them!

Surviving

2008-09-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

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 cute and they get along with each other. When my class has those two components, the learning will happen. Kind of like a teacher's Field of Dreams -- "if there is kindness, they will learn." I'll just keep my fingers crossed and try to channel Pollyanna.

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...

Hi-ho, hi-ho, It's Back to Work I Go

2008-08-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

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?

Good-bye lazy days . . .

Confession

2008-08-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

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, Choco Flakes are chocolate covered corn flakes. Yes, "Mar" I will be doing treadmill time to burn it off!)

Last week, I found myself in Lupicia, a tea store based in Japan, that has an outlet here in San Francisco. They had a great summer tea called Sakurambo, 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!

I thought putting them in tea cups would be a nice touch.

Since I can't find the recipe on their website, I think it will be okay to share it here.

Sakurambo Tea Jelly Recipe (from a Lupicia recipe)

4 tsp Sakurambo loose tea
1 cup hot water
2.5 envelopes gelatin
7 tbsp sugar (I used 6 and would probably reduce it further, but that's my taste)
3.5 cups cold water

Steep the tea in hot water for 3-5 minutes and strain.
In a saucepan, combine gelatin with sugar and slowly stir in the cold water.
Bring the mixture to a boil and remove from heat.
Combine gelatin mixture with tea and pour into molds.
Chill in refrigerator for six hours and serve with honey syrup (2 tbsp honey, 4 tbsp water-I made it with tea instead of plain water)

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.

Now to get back to the knitting...

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!

Chocolaty Goodness

2008-08-09T00:45:00.001-07:00

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:

I'll have to agree with your comment; they're "hella good too!"

The Internet Time Suck

2008-08-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post before Blogger pulls the plug for their scheduled outage.

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.

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.

Mmm, good!

2008-08-07T17:40:00.001-07:00

I recently discovered these: Boy, am I in trouble!

Let There Be Balance in the Universe

2008-08-05T00:55:00.000-07:00

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.

I warned her to be careful about teasing me, because it was "bachi" (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.

Queen of the Fishermen

2008-08-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

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!

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).

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!

Oh, by the way, she was never in any danger of actually falling in!

Knitting Mojo

2008-08-01T14:39:00.001-07:00

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.

I took my openwork scarf out of hibernation:

I love this yarn! It's Artfibers Alfabeto 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?

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 Mohair and Lace.

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!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 Ravelry! 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.

Back in the Saddle Again

2008-07-31T11:19:00.000-07:00

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.

I haven't blogged for a while, but this time I have a legitimate excuse. For the first time in many 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 was a lot of wildlife.

Humpbacks:

Killer whales:

Basket starfish (aren't they pretty?):

There were almost always deer in the backyard:

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.

I'm still trying to figure out whether or not this is the upside or the downside of my trip. Behold my freezer:

Anybody want some halibut?

Mid-life Crisis

2008-07-02T23:49:00.000-07:00

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 UC 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?

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 Helvetica, a documentary about the typeface. 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 Helvetica's 50 years. 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? ).

This week, I had to photograph signage: billboards, posters, etc. Of course, I had to have a juvenile moment:Is it me, or is the word of 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)!

We've been designing stamps too (it's all based on the alphabet):

Such a Slacker

2008-06-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

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.
Last month, I played "dutiful daughter" and went Iowa with my sister for a shin-dig at my mother's alma mater. They had Linda Purl 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!
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.
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. This is the point where I will publicly admit that I should have listened to her in Omaha. 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!
And my mother wonders why I don't like to travel anymore...

Little Girl

2008-06-21T10:03:00.001-07:00

Eighteen years ago, this fluffy little furball wandered onto my patio and into my life. 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 very 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.
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.
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 here.
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. 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.

Some of What I've Been Up To

2008-06-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

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 aggressively. 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 almost here and things seem to be getting back on track.

Some of the things that have happened while I wasn't blogging:

Cut and donated my hair.

14 inches gone!

I also tortured the cats at Christmas. She looks thrilled, doesn't she?

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).

Winter was colder than expected. Jack Frost did a number on my car too many times to count. But it was pretty, wasn't it?

Just Mark Me Absent

2008-05-16T00:18:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine posed this question to me the other day: "So, what happened to your blog?"

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!).

But, in the words of our Governator, "I'll be back."

Update for "M"

2008-01-10T01:04:00.000-08:00

To the not so anonymous "mtf" . . . here's an update just for you!

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!

My Swap Partners Are Terrific!

2007-12-30T12:33:00.000-08:00

To quote a certain country song, I've "Been a Long Time Gone." I don't quite know how that's happened, but I'll make a resolution to work on it next year. I hope everyone has been enjoying a happy holiday season!

In the meantime, look what arrived on the Thursday before Christmas! My SP 11 reveal package. Shawnee was so very creative, the gifts she gave me started with the letters of her name!

A rundown:
S is for the Santa Swankie hankies, the snowman ornament (it says I love my cat), and a mini scrapbooking kit.
H is for holiday bath beads (beautiful lavender scented blue beads).
A is for a new calendar - Knitting Pattern a Day!
W is for a beautifully crocheted warm scarf. It is a wonderful variegated blue that will go with everything.
N is for "N" sticky notes and new needles to go with the yarn she sent me (A generous hank of rayon/cotton blend from Newton Country Yarns. It's base is steel grey, surrounded by black and multi-colored rayon threads).
E is for Nicky Epstein's Knitting Never Felt Better. How I have been wanting that book! It is such a great resource.
E is for espresso beans from Starbucks(yum!) I also received a crocheted cupcake, a snack which is a much better for my waistline!

Shawnee was amazing; poor thing, her husband was in the hospital (thankfully, he's recovering), yet she managed to send out this wonderful package! Shawnee, thank you so much, I appreciate all the thought and care that went into this reveal! (And I'm sorry I didn't blog about this sooner, during the breaks in holiday madness, I had to do some post-surgery hand holding for my cousin).
I received the nicest snail mail thank you from my downstream SP 11 swap partner, Brooke, with an invitation to meet up at Stitches West. Those flip flops are so up my alley (My tree is covered with Hawaiiana: rubber slippers, geckos, cows that hula, and tropical Santas!) Thank you Brooke!

Finally, I received a Christmas greeting from Elvis via my coffee swap partner Susan. I hope you had a Merry Christmas as well! I thought of you when Stitch went up on the tree.

I must go, I have to go give my mother a guilt trip about my birthday...heh, heh, heh.

Christmas Quiz

2007-12-05T22:33:00.000-08:00

The following quiz was on my SP 11's blog. I thought I would post my answers here, as she should be opening the reveal package soon! (Kind of a "Welcome to my blog")

Welcome to the 'Christmas Edition' of getting to know your friends. If you post to your blog, leave a comment here so I can go and read all about you!!
Don't forget to change all the answers so they apply to you.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Either - it depends on the size of the gift.
2. Real or Artificial tree ? Artificial. With cats, it's easier on my nerves.
3. When do you put up the tree? Whenever I have free time. It's 3/4 of the way up (I string on lights as I put it together), but it's been (stuck) that way since the day after Thanksgiving.
4. When do you take the tree down? Before January 1 (it's a Japanese thing).
5. Do you like eggnog? I like Silk Soynog. Sounds gross, but it's not as rich as other commercial eggnog (and it won't clog your arteries, either!).
6. Favorite gift you received as a child? Usually books, although there was the year (1972) I received Barbie's Friend Ship United Airplane. I was a pretty popular girl on the block, because of that plane. Well until my best friend/enemy got Barbie's Dream House...then I was toast!
7. Do you have a nativity scene? No.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My sister.
9. Easiest person to buy for? After myself? My mother.
10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? It's a toss-up. All time worst gift was an umbrella, then a few years later, the same guy (naturally) tried to say that the toaster oven we needed was my Christmas present.
11. Christmas Cards...Snail mail or E-mail? Snail mail.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story. It may have taken place in Indiana, but when I watched it with my dad, I could tell that so much of it rang true to his South Dakota childhood. Especially the "stick your tongue on the flagpole" dare. Dear old dad laughed a little too hard during that scene. I suspect he had more memories than he cared to share.
My sentimental favorites: It's a Wonderful Life, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated).
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I start after Thanksgiving and keep shopping up until the 24th!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not yet, knock wood.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Holiday cookies.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Gold mini-lights.
17. Favorite Christmas Song? Contemporary - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas & Baby It's Cold Outside. Traditional - What Child Is This/Greensleeves.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home
19. Can you name Santa's reindeer? Most of them.
20. Do you have an angel or a star on top of your tree? A star.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We always opened one on Christmas Eve and saved the rest until Christmas day.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? That Christmas merchandise was in stores BEFORE Halloween. And Hello? What happened to Thanksgiving? Retail just treats it like a really big meal to fuel up for Christmas shopping!
23. Shopping...mall or online? Both, although I prefer to give more business to independent (small) retailers.
24. Do you decorate outside for Christmas or just inside (or at all?) Mostly inside.
25. Favorite Christmas cookie? Nyakers Pepparkakor, Swedish gingersnaps.
26. Do you own Christmas-ey clothing or jewelry? I have some vintage snowflake and poinsettia pins. Although I'm not big on Christmas sweaters, I do own a cardigan with skating Santas.
27. Do you believe in Santa? I think there's a little Santa in all of us (and most of us don't save it just for Christmas!)

Wake Up to Smell the Coffee

2007-12-01T21:02:00.000-08:00

As I stated yesterday, I received the best package from my coffeeswap partner Susan! Can I show off the swag?
A pound of Sumatra Mandheling coffee from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. I was so excited to see that the beans came from there, since I haven't had their coffee in years! I used to hang out in one of their shops when I went to college. The beans are going to christen the new coffee grinder my mom gave me for taking care of her beast until Christmas. Susan baked me some awesome oatmeal/chocolate chip cookies; unfortunately, they were camera shy and refused to be photographed (If you believe that, do I have a watch to sell you!) I also received a coffee take-out ornament, featuring my two favorite coffee drinks. It will look great on the tree with my Starbucks ornament.

Susan also knit for me! Not only did she knit a cabled coffee sleeve; she knit me a pair of pocket slippers using some hand spun/hand dyed yarn in beautiful fall colors. Can you see the heart-shaped buttons? I'll be honest: I've never seen pocket slippers before, but I put them on my feet and they look like Mary Jane's. Very sweet. I think all the women in my family deserve a pair. I'd better go snoop around on Ravelry for a pattern!

But wait! There's more! (Okay, I think I've been watching too much late night t.v. Sorry 'bout that) Beautiful, soft, sock yarn from Knitted Wit. I swear, I think this skein of yarn has every one of my favorite colors in it! Greens, blues, purple, magenta, & even a little light cocoa color when the colors blend together. Did I mention that it was hand painted, too? Wow, wow, wow.To round out the package, Susan also sent me some point protectors, a soy candle that smells like lime sherbet, and two tins of The Girls mints (Cafe Girl & Knitting Girl - yum!).

Susan, I cannot thank you enough! I really appreciate the effort you put into this package. Thank you for making this swap a terrific experience!

Swaps

2007-11-30T06:20:00.000-08:00

How lucky am I? I just received the best package from my coffeeswap partner, Susan. I haven't taken pictures of it yet, but I will post some this weekend. I am just so grateful for the time and effort my swap partner put into creating this package.

To top it off, I also received an email from my SP11 partner, telling me that she's knitting for me! News like that simply makes me smile!

Back Again

2007-11-14T02:01:00.000-08:00

Hallelujah! The report cards are done, done, done! Lucky for me, my school district is technologically up to speed and I am able to write report cards online. Laurie, I'm so sorry your district is still in the dark ages...I remember the days of writing in triplicate, having to shake out your hand after writing each side of the report card. My hand will have sympathy pains for yours, ok?

Since writing report cards is not my favorite thing to do, I occasionally (ok, frequently) procrastinate. I did mention fiber therapy in my last post, did I not? The results:

Squares for the San Diego Wild Fire Blanket Project

My first toe-up sock, with a Turkish heel

And since it's been a while since she's made an appearance, Zoey would like to remind everyone that paper bags can be recycled into cat beds. Apparently, they are warm and comfy. Me? I prefer the couch.

Still Here

2007-11-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been over a week since Halloween. I think I am still suffering the after effects! Actually, I'm knee-deep in report cards, but I have managed to squeeze in some fiber therapy. I will post more about that this weekend.

I Think My Bee Done Died

2007-10-30T23:33:00.000-07:00

I think my mystery stole is now officially D.O.A. I wonder if I will ever want to resuscitate it?

Meanwhile, socks rock! Mine looks like a footlet right now, but I'm almost finished with the heel (a Turkish heel). I am liking toes up socks much more than top down. Funny thing happened while I was in my sock class tonight - we suddenly quieted down and the woman across from me said, "We're moving." No, she's not moving from the area, we were really moving! There was a 5.6 earthquake in San Jose. We just sat there, riding it out, seeing if it was going to get strong enough to merit sliding underneath the table. After the earthquake, we had an interesting discussion as to whether or not a yarn store was a good place to be during a shaker. On one hand, the bags of yarn won't hurt too much if they fall on you; on the other hand, the shelves would probably leave a mark!

By George, I Think I've Got It!

2007-10-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

The secret to consistent blogging...stockpile posts on the weekends to use during the week.

Halloween is tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it. Really... truly...I'm not being one bit sarcastic. . . Honestly!

Sorry, I have to go. My nose is getting uncomfortably long.

Yay! Sock class tonight.

Firestorm

2007-10-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

The fires in Southern California have brought some memories of another firestorm rushing back to me.

I remember it as if it happened yesterday. On Sunday, October 20, 1991, I had been lolling around, having a lazy day, debating whether or not I should drive out to Berkeley to see my boyfriend in his new apartment at the Parkwoods complex. Then I got the call. "Honey, stay where you are; don't come to Berkeley. I'm o.k., but my apartment and the hills are on fire." WHAT?! I remember running out my condo and looking west, toward the Berkeley/Oakland area. All I could see was a gigantic plume of black smoke.

Panic began to engulf me. Fire scares me like nothing else. Earthquakes, I can tolerate. After all, I have been extremely lucky with earthquakes. I get a ride that spikes the adrenaline momentarily; but I have had the good fortune to be in safe structures during "tremblers" (A small sampling: the Whittier earthquake, Loma Prieta, Northridge, and countless other small shakers). Fire is another beast altogether; it has a life of its own and leaves very little in its wake.

I spent the next few hours, worrying and trying to get any information I could on television. Why was it taking so long for my boyfriend to get to my place? Was his sister o.k.? Did they get the cat out? It was really windy, was the fire going to jump the hill and come towards us? Eventually, my boyfriend and his sister made it to my apartment safely. They were unscathed, but lost almost everything.

Including this poor guy. I still miss Oliver.

We spent the next few days looking at scenes like this. Word finally came that we could go back into the area, to see if there was anything salvageable. When people describe firestorms, they often say that it looked like a bomb went off. It's true, it looked like Armageddon. But fire is a funny thing, it can take one structure and leave another one untouched five feet away. As we went back into the apartment complex, we were stunned to see the lobby of one of the other buildings untouched. The entire structure had been gutted, but the lobby and its white sofa were pristine. While my boyfriend and I stood looking at the burned and rusted shell of his sister's car, our jaws dropped as a man drove his shiny sports car out of the building's garage. Life sometimes is really just the luck of the draw.

I don't think that people affected by that firestorm would have been able to get back on their feet without the help of the Salvation Army or the American Red Cross. These two organizations were our lifeline during the first few days following the fire. They mobilized quickly and helped with the most pressing needs of the fire victims. Later on, FEMA (they were good in those days) and countless others pitched in at offices, churches, and fundraisers. If you have the means to help, please do. You may not get a thank you note, but you have the eternal gratitude of the people you are helping! Hmmmm...I wonder if any knitters have a group up for this? *I just found the San Diego Wild Fire Blanket Project via the 25 Things for Charity blog. I believe the group is also on Ravelry. (Good thing I took that granny square class!) If you know of any others, please let me know!

By the way, if you live in a wildfire area, the Red Cross can help you get prepared. Cleaning the gutters and clearing a 30-100 foot safety zone around your house may seem like an odious job, but it does pay off in the end.

I Love California in the Fall

2007-10-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

California is known for its warm weather, but I love it the most when the weather begins to cool down and the fall colors appear.

Fall seems to bring out more wildlife as well. I saw these characters on my way to the dentist's office.

Wild turkeys are everywhere in the Bay Area. I know this sounds preposterous, but I once saw a pack of them use a crosswalk to cross a busy intersection during my morning commute. They almost made me late for work, but I was so busy laughing about it that I really didn't care!

The last of the summer blooms.

Back to the Blogosphere

2007-10-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

My life has started to follow a pattern that goes much like this:

Wake up, hit snooze button (it's cold outside and the bed is cozy).
Wake up again, get ready for work.
Commute, teach, work some more after the kids leave, go to gym.
Go home, feed angry animals ("Human! You're late with my kibble!"), crash in the first place my bottom hits (I fear I am becoming my mother, who's notorious for falling asleep on the couch).
Lather, rinse, repeat.

I'm busy, work is good, but admittedly, this schedule is making me boring. I don't know if I can make the mundane interesting, like the dillydallyknitter can (by the way, cpurl, thanks for the comment!). I'm also facing the fact that only Crazy Aunt Purl can get away with blogging about cat poop, cat litter, and the lack of fancy panties due to the growing mountain of laundry. I don't know if I'm emotionally ready to tell the world about resorting to using the ugly underwear because I haven't had time to run a load of laundry.

But every so often, I leave the hermitage to do something interesting. I took a crochet class at Article Pract, so I could learn how to make a granny square. The class was fun; it's always interesting to see what other people do with the same pattern. I initially signed up for the class because it said the teacher was going to teach how to read a pattern. I have some Japanese craft books that use crochet symbols, so I was hoping the class would help me with that. Unfortunately, she taught us how to read a pattern that was written out in words and only touched on pattern symbols. Still, it was a good class!

The class was packed. With the amount of interest in crochet, I hope the instructor comes back to teach a more advanced class that addresses symbol reading and trickier stitches.

I'm also taking a class to learn how to knit toe-up socks on two circular needles. I know I could learn from one of my books, but honestly, I was feeling the need to get out more! There hasn't been enough progress on the sock to merit a picture yet, but when there is, it will give me an excuse to write something for a change.

What Are You Doing? A Call to Action

2007-10-15T22:46:00.000-07:00

Today is Blog Action Day. What are you doing to help the environment? It's not that difficult, really. You can start by following the 3 R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle. As knitters and crafters, we certainly been known to reuse and recycle things by incorporating objects into our work. Many of us even use knit dishcloths instead of wasting paper towels.

Knitting gives us the perfect excuse to turn down the thermostat. After all, keeping the temperature in the house turned down allows us to use the fabulous knitted socks, sweaters, and throws that we have made for ourselves! What better way to show off?

But why stop there? Here are 50 simple things you can do to start helping the environment. Want more? The Green Guide offers tips for a green home makeover. Little changes, like cleaning green, are not only healthier for the environment, they're healthier for you. (If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, check out the Chron's Green section on SFGate. )

We managed to make some significant changes in the 1970's. For our own sakes, we need to do it again.

Knitters' Coffee Swap 3 Questionnaire

2007-10-12T21:53:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad I made it in for another round!

1. Whole bean or ground? Either is fine. I generally use whole bean during the summer; but since school started back up, I have been using ground (for drip or french press).

2. Fully-loaded or decaf? Fully-loaded! I need all the help I can get!

3. Regular or flavored? Regular, please.

4. How do you drink your coffee? With milk. I'm a latte kind of girl.

5. Favorite coffee ever? A friend of mine gave me this coffee from the Pacific Bay Coffee Company, a local coffee roaster. It was wonderful. I always thought I'd be faithful to my Brazilian blends, but I've been seeking out Nicaraguan coffee since I was gifted with those beans.

6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do? I'm a bit of a coffee snob, since we have so many great local roasters (besides, my mom lives in Seattle & always brings some good stuff when she visits!)

7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee? I tend to go for pastries or cookies. I'm a sucker for a good oatmeal raisin cookie!

8. Anything else about your coffee preferences? I like medium to dark roasts.

9. Yarn/fiber you love? Wool, alpaca, bamboo, soy, silk blends. I like soft yarns.

10. Yarn/fiber you hate? I'm not fond of novelty/eyelash yarns.

11. What's on your needles? A chemo cap, a baby gift, and a couple of scarves.

12. Favorite colors? I like strong colors, especially reds, blues, or greens. Light colors (khaki, beige) tend to wash me out, so I'm not crazy about them.

13. Allergies? Nope.

14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest? If this wasn't enough information, all my swap questionnaires are on the sidebar. Oh, and I'm on Ravelry. My user name is hapagirl.

Just When I Thought It Was Safe To Go Back Into The Bookstore

2007-10-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

I blame Borders and their email coupons for feeding my addiction. Amazon is also an enabler. Seriously, I should just quit my job and open up my own book/yarn/coffee shop. This book makes me want to become a better knitter. I like how the Beyond the Basics columns are interspersed throughout the book, so that they are near the patterns that would use the highlighted techniques.

~ sigh ~ If it's not the yarn that gets me, it's the books!

Fall Forecast: Music and Knitting

2007-10-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

MY SP11 PAL ROCKS! Well, at least she is helping me to rock out. I received a generous iTunes gift certificate this month. I've had an iPod for a while, but I never purchased any music off iTunes. Her gift was the nudge I needed to get off my keister, set up an account, and buy some music to get me moving. Thank you so much, Sassy! My new music will keep me going at the gym (I just have to remember to restrain myself & not start dancing right there)!

I've missed knitting. This past month has been so busy, I can only manage to fit in a few rows here and there. Hopefully things will start falling back into a routine, so I can have the time and energy to knit, blog, and read blogs. On that note, I am so going to knit this hat! The pattern was on Crazy Aunt Purl today.

Laurie a.k.a. Crazy Aunt Purl makes me laugh and always makes my day (you should see the giant cat toy pattern in her book). She also has a great roll-brim hat pattern on her site, with a formula for calculating the number of stitches/gauge/head size. I think I could probably size it down for a child, if the math doesn't hurt my head too much. With the number of bambinos being born to my co-workers, I may be knitting a lot of these as baby gifts!

Emicat Made Me Do It

2007-09-30T23:06:00.000-07:00

I am 73% Addicted to Coffee

Knitter's Coffeeswap 3 sign ups officially opened ten minutes ago. I was wrestling with the decision to join or not to join (yeah, yeah, that was the question), when I clicked on Emicat's blog. She stated, and I quote, "C'mon, do it, you know you wanna :)" How could I resist?

Runagogo Round 3

2007-09-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

I joined Runagogo to keep me on track. Join in! Details here.
You can walk, run,

or cycle.

Edited: July 7. The wonky date of this post is to help keep the finish line in sight. Please scroll down for current posts.

This and That

2007-09-24T00:15:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to thank the bloggers who left comments for their kind remarks about my first sewing project. I appreciate the support. Someone in class christened them with the moniker of the "Demon Pants" (because I clearly wasn't jazzed about them); but once they were hemmed, they looked a lot better. They're still roomier than I would have liked, but really, only the cats are going to see me in them (like they care what I look like). I finally figured out that it was really more about the process; so what if I screwed up a bit on some seams? It got finished and I'm not as intimidated by my sewing machine anymore. Besides, if I find that I really can't stand them, I can cut them down into shorts and use the excess as really fancy dusting cloths!

About two weeks ago, Emiko over at Java Gibber tagged me for Name Tag. Apparently, I have to list some things about myself using the letters in my middle name. Happily, my middle name is considerably shorter than my first name!

A is for Anal Retentive. Oh wait...one look around my house blows that one out of the water. I suppose I'm only that way when I'm organizing my books, cd's, or yarn. Blame it on my father, the accountant. What other A things could tell something about me? Absent-minded? Sometimes. Acorn? I think they're pretty. Antique? Sometimes I feel that way. Aaah...found one! Adaptive. My childhood was spent moving around and out of the country. The perennial new kid, I had to learn how to adapt and fit in as quickly as possible. "A" Things I Like: angel food cake and Louis Armstrong.

N is for Nerdy. I have to face the facts...I got excited when Target had a 4 MB flash drive on sale for under $30. If that's not nerdy, I don't know what is.

N is for "N" Things I Like: Namaste (I take yoga), Napa, nachos, nasturtiums, nature, necklaces (I make them), and needlework (knit, crochet, cross stitch, and now sewing).

I'm going to be bad and I'm not going to tag a specific blogger. However, if you want to play along, "Tag, you're it!"

My First Secret Pal Package Arrived!

2007-09-23T22:55:00.000-07:00

One of the things I like most about participating in swaps is that the packages tend to arrive when you've had a long, tiring day. You make the move to open the door, see the parcel waiting for you, and things begin looking up! My September package seemed to hit on most of my interests. The first thing that caught my eye was the set of espresso cups and the chocolate covered coffee beans. My sister has been trying to get me to buy an espresso set for months now; wait until she gets a load of this! It reminds me of my friend's set in Brazil -- I'm sure I'll feel very fancy drinking from it. But wait, there's more! Three, count 'em three skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky (love it's springiness), a set of beads (stitch markers, anyone?), some lime pepper (my partner uses it on chicken), and if that wasn't enough, toys for the furballs in my life. Gotta love a spoiler who even thinks about the cats! Thanks so much, "Sassy" whoever you may be!

Much Sewing, Little Knitting, and Ravelry

2007-09-16T21:24:00.000-07:00

Years ago, when I was newly married, I bought a sewing machine from my brother-in-law, thinking that I would take up sewing. My (then) husband got more use out of the machine than I ever did. I was always a bit embarrassed by that, as my Hawaii grandmother was an accomplished needle worker. Not only did she sew beautifully, she taught sewing classes as well (she even went to other islands to teach!) She also knit and crocheted. My mother did not inherit my grandmother's talents; consequently she did not find it necessary to teach my sister or myself. Evidently, the crafty gene skipped a generation, because I am finally learning how to sew.

I have been taking a series of classes at Stone Mountain and Daughter in Berkeley. Funnily enough, my knitting created the need for me to learn how to use my sewing machine, since I wanted to make a holder for my dpn's and line the purses I've knit. My first sewing project is a pair of pajama pants. It's a pretty easy pattern, since I only have to worry about the inside seam (Yay! No outside seam needed!) I'm not entirely thrilled with the (almost finished) project - the legs are wide, my fabric choice was a little loud (ok, a lot), and they remind me of clown pants. My sister (God love her), told me to "get over it," because they are cute on and I would want them roomy in order to lounge comfortably. I guess I'll bring them out at Christmas time and try to blend in with the decor.

I just need to finish the hems.
Loud, isn't it?

There isn't much to report about my knitting projects, since the sewing class is taking up some of my free time. My projects have stalled out, but I hope to get back to them soon, since I finally received my invitation to Ravelry! My ID is hapagirl. I haven't added much to my notebook yet, but it is fun to look around and see what everyone else is doing.

Blogging on the Fly

2007-09-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

Still alive and kicking....Just a quick post to thank my SP11 Pal for the e-card she sent (Was it last week? I've lost all track of time).

I've been tagged by Emiko at JavaGibber, so I will add to this later.....

Just Watch the Foot

2007-09-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

My cat, Little Girl, just loves to be brushed. However, a curious thing happens when I hit the "sweet spot" under her chin. It never fails to make me laugh!

We Now Return To Our Regularly Scheduled Blogging

2007-09-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a week! My absence has been caused by the craziness associated with the beginning of the school year (and the fact that I needed to entertain mom).

I felt that I needed a brand-new beginning this year, so to start the year off right, I : rearranged all the classroom furniture (including the massive teacher desk), put new paper and borders up (amazing what some calming colors can do for your psyche), and generally decluttered my room. The room now seems more spacious; it also feels welcoming, although I think the fake vines climbing the walls and the hanging monkeys might have something to do with that!

This years class is so social! I couldn't believe how chatty they were on the first day of school. Usually kids are shell-shocked and quiet, but this bunch acted like they had known each other for years -- even the kids that are new to our school! It's a dual-edged sword: on one hand I hope they will be quiet when I'm teaching, on the other hand, I'm grateful that they are all so sweet and seem to get along well with each other.

Another positive note, I survived back-to-school night! A part of me is always afraid that I will blather on incessantly and sound like an idiot. One mom, bless her heart, kept smiling and nodding at me every time I looked up during my presentation, so I must done all right (although at one point near the end, I did mention that I needed more caffeine!) I have high hopes for the parents this year - they seem like a good bunch. I already know a few of them well enough to joke around with them and razz them right back when they start to tease me.

I don't have much to report on the knitting front, as I haven't been doing any lately. I didn't even get to finish the coffee sock in time to get it in the package to my vacation swap partner. So spoilee, if you read this, you will be getting a small padded envelope in the mail in the not too distant future! Heck, you may even get to see a picture of it before it gets mailed to you!

Speaking of vacation swaps, I received my package from my KVVS partner! She's Sally from Newcastle Upon Tyne in the United Kingdom. When I opened the package and saw the postcards, my brain immediately said, "Newcastle United!" My ex was a football (soccer) player and a huge fan, so I've actually sat through some of their games via satellite.

The cat liked the package, too.
My virtual tour of Newcastle upon Tyne. Beautiful!
A book and tea towel written in Geordie, a dialect associated with the north east of England. I especially like the sentiment on the tea towel, "TO AVOID DISH-WASH HANDS, Avoid Dish-washin!" My kind of thinking!
Sheepy goodness from Hutton-le-Hole in North Yorkshire! A sheep key chain, sheep worry dolls, a magnet, soap, and two skeins of wool yarn. The yarn is from British Breeds, spun in Yorkshire from Bluefaced Leicester sheep. It feels so nice, I know I'm going to enjoy knitting with it! Edit: I have no idea why the above photo is linking to the Geordie site. Weird...
Finally, coffee, tea (Earl Grey), and a pen & pencil that say Newcastle Gateshead (Gateshead is on the other side of the River Tyne).

I am truly a lucky, lucky, girl! Sally, I can't thank you enough for my vacation in a box! It makes me want to rush right out and renew my passport! Thank you ever so much!

Ravelry's Getting Closer

2007-08-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

The Ravelry invitations seem to be speeding up. I checked today to find this:

Found you!
You signed up on July 2, 2007
You are #12099 on the list.
1905 people are ahead of you in line.
16495 people are behind you in line.
35% of the list has been invited so far.

I knew I should have signed up sooner...

* A note about the mini circs in my last post. They have been discontinued, but are still available at Halcyon yarn (scroll down to the bottom of the page). I have small hands - I can wear knit gloves from the children's dept. - so the needles are pretty comfortable for me to use. I've heard people with larger hands complain about them.

Crazy Busy

2007-08-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday, right? I've been running around so much that I momentarily forget what day it is, since everything is blurring together. On the up side, my classroom is almost ready to go, after the annual rearranging of the furniture. I'm hoping this is the year that I have the perfect set up for years to come (but then again, I thought that last year!) On the down side, I wish my mother chose a different week to visit, as she invariably needs to go places. I find myself thinking of things I need to get accomplished by Monday and start to slowly stress out while I take her to the hairdresser, shopping, etc. Poor thing, she's lonely; I hope my stress isn't turning me into too much of a beoch.

Lucky for me, two things are keeping me sane: knitting and my animals. I've started knitting a chemo cap for an acquaintance who's sick. I'm making this pattern out of Rowan Calmer. Love knitting in the round -- no brain power required.

Since I have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to my knitting, I'm also making a coffee cozy for my KVVS partner. Good old K2P2 ribbing. It's so easy on my mini-circular needles; I only wish they had not been discontinued!

The animals are also keeping me amused. Why is it that cats prefer to sleep in a cardboard box, instead of the nice beds not two feet away? They're so easy to please; just give them food and a box.

SP 11 Contest

2007-08-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post today -- between house guests and classroom set-up, I haven't had a lot of time to blog, much less read blogs! (Although I really appreciate the kind comments that were left the other day. Thank you!)

This is for a SP11 contest

1. What is the one knitting accessory you could not live without?
My row counter. It has saved me on more than one occasion.
2. If you're heading on vacation, do you take knitting with you? Of course!
If so, how much and what type of project? Something easy, like plain socks, a scarf, or a hat.
3. Where have you travelled to that you'd consider your favorite spot? I love just about anyplace with water and mountains, such as the Oregon and Northern California coasts, and Lugano, Switzerland.
4. What is your favorite knitting book at the moment? Do you own it? The evidence (click on the picture) shows that I am rather book addicted. I'm slightly embarrassed to say that the collection has grown since that post. My current favorite is Mason-Dixon Knitting, although I use the general knitting section of Domiknitrix to help with technique (and I do own both of them).
5. Do you listen to podcasts? Which is your favorite(s)? I occasionally listen to Socks in the City and the Knit Picks podcast.

Secret Pal 11 Questionnaire

2007-08-14T23:59:00.000-07:00

Hello to my SP11 Spoiler! Thank you for your e-card :0 )
Here's my questionnaire.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I like to knit with soft, natural fibers (wool, alpaca, silk, soy). I can't say that I'm fond of acrylic or novelty yarns (yes, I'm a little yarn snob).

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I store my circular needles in a little expanding file box that is meant for storing pictures, my Knit Picks needles have their own case, and my straight needles are in a felt wine bag. I still haven't figured out a good way to store my dpn's; they're wrapped in rubber bands and stuffed into an old cookie canister.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I started knitting in 2005. I would consider myself an advanced beginner.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Nope.

5. What's your favorite scent? Coffee! No really, I tend to like lighter scents, such as lavender, rose and citrus. I also like the smell of honey.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I have a sweet tooth and a salty tooth (if there is such a thing!). I like milk chocolate; I really don't care for dark or white chocolate. My favorite candy is Charles Chocolates Milk Chocolate Caramelized Rice Krispie Bar, but Twix and Kit Kat bars are good too.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I make jewelry - wire wrapped, beaded, kumihimo, beaded loom work. I occasionally paint (watercolors), rubber stamp, and cross stitch, but not so much anymore (knitting and jewelry are my mainstays).

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I have pretty eclectic musical tastes. I listen to a lot of KFOG, which is adult alternative/rock, but I also listen to R&B, jazz, Brazilian, and Hawaiian music. I use itunes.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I like earthy colors: various shades of red, blue, green, and chocolate brown. I'm not fond of neon/fluorescent colors, pastels, or khaki.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Divorced mom of two cats.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I wear scarves, hats, and mittens/gloves. I haven't worn a poncho since the late 1970's and really don't want to wear one ever again (I prefer shawls and stoles).

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I like small, portable projects such as scarves, hats, and socks.

13. What are you knitting right now? Just call me Miss Short Attention Span. I'm knitting the baby kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting, a camisole from Knitting Lingerie style, a chemo cap, and Mystery Shawl 3 (although I'm doing my best to ignore it!)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes! I really appreciate it when people take the time to make something for me.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer circular needles (they fit my itty-bitty hands nicely). I like to knit with bamboo needles, although I do have the KnitPicks set of "Options" needles (which I love).

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes to both, thanks to my sister.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Clapotis, started in the summer of 2005 and more or less neglected since then.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Summer break? Seriously though, I enjoy the fall/winter holiday season -- Thanksgiving, Hanukkah (even though I'm a gentile), & Christmas. I like the cool nip in the air outside and the coziness of good food and family inside (not to mention the holiday TV shows that have been on every year since I was born!).

19. Is there anything that you collect? Books! It's been said of me before -- I should have been a librarian. I also seem to have a growing yarn collection.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? There's nothing I desperately want right now, but given time, I'm sure I'll find something to covet... I don't have a magazine subscription at the moment, but I used to subscribe to Interweave Knits.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I'd really like to learn modular knitting or shadow knitting.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am a newbie sock knitter. I usually wear a size 8 shoe.

23. When is your birthday? After Christmas, at the end of December, just in time for my dad to get that tax deduction.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? I'm still on the waiting list. Edit: I'm in! My ID is hapagirl.

P.S. If it helps, my other swap questionnaires are on the sidebar of this blog (Swaps Past & Present).

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

2007-08-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

I've been neglecting this blog in the interest of squeezing the last bit of fun out of my summer vacation. A friend of mine from Hawaii came to spend a few days with me, so she could go to the American Craft Council Show in San Francisco. She's opening a small boutique and was on the prowl for some unique things to stock/decorate her store. The show always has a good assortment of artisans who display beautiful work. I broke down and bought a bowl from my favorite potters (yay, Nichibei Potters!), a pair of earrings, and an excellent coffee mug that I can cradle in my hands every morning (I need mugs like I need a hole in my head, but I couldn't pass this one up!)

I'm off to school tomorrow, to begin setting up my classroom for the coming school year. I'm grateful that I'm not dreading going back...I'm not ecstatic (I would prefer to goof off some more), but I think it's a good sign that I'm not moaning about going back and dragging my feet in a theatrical way. There have been some staffing changes at my grade level, so we're pretty optimistic about the coming year.

I hope to get a good deal of work done tomorrow, because my mother is flying down on Thursday to visit me for a week. While I was a little stressed out over my friend's visit, I'm really not feeling any pressure to entertain my mom when she gets here. She even said I could put her to work in my classroom! I don't know about getting her to work for me (her handwriting would be illegible to a second grader!), I'll be grateful for the company and the excuse to take her out to a real sit-down restaurant for lunch, instead of grabbing something from the supermarket. It will also give me the chance to sell her on the Bay Area, in the hopes that she will move down here to be closer to my sister and me. Fingers crossed...

50 States Meme

2007-08-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

I seem to have lost my knitting mojo, so I think I'll post this meme that I found on the Purl Parables. At any rate, it seems to go along with the Virtual Vacation Swap.

The original rules were: Bold the states you’ve been to, underline the states you’ve lived in and italicize the state you’re in now… Since I can't figure out how to underline things in Blogger, the states I've lived in are in yellow and my present home is in orange.

Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C /

The things I do when I can't sleep....

Bay Area Yarn Stores - Any Recommendations?

2007-07-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

I received an email from Midori, who is coming to California and wants to know what yarn stores I can recommend. If you live in-state and can contribute to the list, please add your picks in the comment section.

These are the stores I know about in the Bay Area.

San Francisco

Artfibers - I absolutely love this store! The yarn they carry is manufactured for their store alone. They allow you to sample the yarns before you buy them; you can park yourself in their sitting area and knit up a swatch from the yarn samples they have. You can learn more about Artfibers through this review.

I have to admit, with the exception of Artfibers, I have not shopped for yarn in San Francisco. I have heard good things about Noe Knit. The review from Knitter's Review. If you find yourself in the Castro District, you may want to drop in on ImagiKnit. I only know about this store by word of mouth and this review.

East Bay

Article Pract is easily my hands-down favorite yarn store in the East Bay, if not the entire Bay Area! I know I am not alone in this thought, as the store is frequently mentioned in glowing terms in the Bay Area blogs that I read. Article Pract has a great selection of yarn, no matter what your price point is, and I've never gotten that "yarn store attitude" thrown at me. They are located in the Temescal section of Oakland, on the Oakland/Berkeley border. Another great feature of this neighborhood is Bakesale Betty, which is just a few doors down!

On the rare occasions that Article Pract doesn't have what I am seeking (and I need it right away), I have also dropped in on the following stores:

Stash - located on Berkeley's Solano Avenue, which is a great street to explore. You can spend the day poking around the boutiques, drinking coffee at Peet's, and eating pizza at Zachary's. Oh, but this was supposed to be about the yarn...Here's another blogger's review of Stash.

Knit This, Purl That! - located just off Main Street in Pleasanton, this store has a little bit of everything. If you like Noni patterns, you can find most of them here.

Most of my yarn buying is restricted to the East Bay, but I have also heard a lot about the following stores:
North Bay - Marin Fiber Arts located in San Rafael. I haven't had a chance to go to this store, but you can see what's in stock on the store's blog.

Peninsula - Nine Rubies Knitting located in San Mateo. I haven't made it to this store, either, but I've heard good things about it. I've met some of their employees while taking classes at Article Pract.

That's the end of my list, can you think of any I need to add?

Crazy About the Coffee Cozy

2007-07-18T00:33:00.000-07:00

I don't have that many vices, but I am well known as a coffee fiend. I really find this funny, since I usually only drink one latte a day. O.K., it's a triple venti, but I nurse that baby along! When you are slowly sipping from a rather large cup, it tends to get a little cold. The solution? A coffee cup cozy! I knitted one for my coffee swap partner (here it is in action!). I found the pattern here. A picture of her finished product. I knit it a bit longer than the original pattern, because I tend to drink larger cups of coffee.

As I was catching up on my blog reading the other week, I came across this version created by MK Carroll. Go look! Isn't it great? It may take me a while, but I'm definitely going to have to knit the French press version. You've probably seen some of MK's patterns online. She's the genius behind sushi for the bathroom, this little beauty that I crocheted for my mom, and she was published in SNB Nation (Head Huggers, Mobile Monsters)/SNB Crochet (Ladylike Lace Gloves).

Other coffee cup cozies:

Cabled Coffee Cup Sweater
Jazzy
Java a Go Go
Mug Cozy

Ravelry

2007-07-17T23:53:00.000-07:00

It seems that every other blog I look at these days is either announcing their invitation to join Ravelry, or where they are on the waiting list. The buzz seems to rival the upcoming Harry Potter.

I just checked my place in line. Guess I should have signed up sooner.

You are #12099 on the list.
6027 people are ahead of you in line.
6023 people are behind you in line.
32% of the list has been invited so far

Random Fact #1

2007-07-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

I have never been tagged for a meme, so I'm just going to throw out random facts about myself here and there (like I haven't done that already!)

Random Fact of the Day: I have lived in Brazil on two separate occasions.

The first time I lived in Rio de Janeiro, about two blocks and a canal away from Ipanema. My dad was a troubleshooter for a multinational accounting firm, so we were transferred there. I spent my junior high (6th-8th grade) years here. I learned to speak Portuguese by watching the dubbed versions of "Hogan's Heroes," "The Six Million Dollar Man," and the "Monkees" (for the record, Lee Majors sounded sexier in Portuguese). I had a blast living there. Well, except for the times when I was locked up in the apartment during Carnival, while my parents and older sister went out to party. I managed to have fun anyway, staying up all night watching the parades on TV, making mini-pizzas in the toaster oven, and climbing up on top of the washing machine so I could watch the sunrise.

The second time I moved in Brazil, I lived in Sao Paulo with my (then) husband, a Brazilian citizen (but Taiwanese national). To this day, I describe that city as New York City on steroids. It is huge...ginormous even. In the sixteen years that I was away, Brazil had changed quite a bit. Satellite/cable TV had arrived and I could watch shows in English (with subtitles). I no longer had to bring American food in my suitcase (or cozy up to the military kids for PX contraband); if I wanted Ruffles, I could just go down to the corner store and get them. McDonald's seemed to be everywhere, which was kind of amazing to me, since my sister played in the band for the opening of the very first McDonald's in Brazil. They infiltrated the nation in less than seventeen years. In some ways, I found that development to be kind of sad. On one hand, life is easier for the expatriate, but on the other hand, they miss out on so much. I taught in an American school and couldn't help feeling bad for the other American teachers. Some of them only hung out with Americans, went home to watch TV in English, and barely ate Brazilian food. Boy, they missed out on so much.

Why am I babbling on incessantly about Brazil today? Because of this post in the Technicolor Kitchen, a blog written in both Portuguese and English. When I read it, I end up missing all the foods I used to eat, or else I start saying, "Hey, I remember that!" She has some recipes for things I love to eat (but am too lazy to make), like empadinhas and pastel. Today's post made me want to jump on a plane and head back to Brazil. Pudim de leite (condensed milk custard) is a lot like creme caramel/caramel custard, but denser. It is also one of my all time favorite desserts. Unfortunately, I can't eat it for a while (diet), so I end up drooling over it and writing about Brazil.

Finally!

2007-07-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a good day. A day that I was able to say, "Finally!" a few times.

I finally finished Chart A of Mystery Shawl #3. Here's proof!

I'm using Zephyr wool/silk in charcoal. The hematite colored beads are from my favorite bead store, Baubles and Beads in Berkeley.

My sister and I took advantage of her day off and finally made it to Point Reyes Station. My brother in law wasn't teaching (he's a tennis pro), so we dragged him along. We had a late lunch at the Station House Cafe; I succumbed to their peer pressure and had the Station House burger, fries, and the three berry pie. (I'm thinking that if I write it smaller, I'll feel less guilt. Oh, who am I kidding? It was mighty fine pie!)

After lunch, we ambled around the main drag for a bit. I peeked into Black Mountain Artisans, where they had a small selection of hand spun/dyed yarns, but sadly, no sock yarn. We also visited a great store called Zuma, where I bought a little bag that is just large enough to keep a sock project safe. It's made out of Thai silk, so it should "fancy up" my plain old "vanilla" sock knitting (no fancy patterns for me until the shawl is finished).

We finished up our little trip with a visit to the Cowgirl Creamery. My sister has been getting into artisan cheeses, so she was in heaven! We each ended up buying some to take back home.

When I got home, my old cat finally decided to leave her favorite mattress pad and come hang out with me on the couch. She doesn't do that nearly enough, now that the new cat is on the scene.

Like I said, yesterday was a good day.

The Mystery Shawl is Kicking My....

2007-07-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

I think it's official. I'm the slowest of the slow bees on Mystery Shawl #3. The third clue came out today and I am still on clue one, Chart A. On the bright side, I'm beginning to appreciate purling now. It's the only mindless thing on those charts!

I have a strong suspicion that I'm in a knitting funk right now. I'm just not feeling the love. MS#3 is going at a snail's pace, as is a tank top I'm knitting from Knitting Lingerie Style. I really wish I was a faster knitter like some of my fellow knit bloggers. I mean, you look at their blog one day and they're just casting on for something, then whiz-bang it's finished and blocked! I find myself thinking, "How'd they get that done that fast?" I hope that it's a case of practice makes perfect. Yeah, that's the ticket! I think I'll go put "Finding Nemo" on and start chanting, "Just keep knitting, just keep knitting,..."

Mystery Stole #3 & UFO's

2007-07-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

I joined the Mystery Stole #3 crowd with great intentions of dedicating myself to one project and sticking to it. I bought some great black lace yarn, started swatching, and began to think, "Yeah, not so happy." Black lace yarn + astigmatism = blurred vision. I should have known I was in trouble when I reached for my glasses on the second row of the test swatch! By the fifth row, even they were not helping much. I think I need a new prescription. I've started over, using JaggerSpun Zephyr in charcoal (a lovely dark grey). My eyes are much happier now. Since I'm so far behind, I've joined the Slow Bees.Like the badge? Bonne Marie of Chic Knits made it! It's nice to know that I'm in such good company. Makes me feel that I can do this! (I think I can, I think I can....you get the drift)

My issues with the black yarn made me procrastinate (procrastiknit?) with MS3, so I have started to dig out some UFO's. I finally finished the knitting on my Noni bag. Unfelted, I think it will fit my yoga mat. I have a front loading washing machine, so I think I will stockpile all my "need to felt" projects and do them all at the same time. I'll probably have better results that way. I wonder if throwing in a pair of old tennis shoes with the lot will help everything felt better...

Knitters Are Good People

2007-07-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

I love how knitters answer the call when it is put out to them. I've been seeing that called answered a lot in the past few weeks....

Most of you probably know about Annie Modesitt's husband by now. She's offering a pattern for a donation to help offset the costs of her husband's care. Main Street Yarn & Fibers has also set up the We Love Annie website in support. (Check out their Six Weeks of Socks Contest!)

Then there's Digit the Wondercat. (A picture of a recovering Digit). It looks like his needs are now taken care of, so Milo and the Best Friends Animal Society will now benefit from the overflow.

If your philanthropy comes from your needles, might I suggest Wee Angels? The Knitting Contessa has created a giving opportunity aimed at helping families who have lost newborns.

Yup, knitters are good people.

The Rivers Ran White

2007-07-07T23:38:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I have been thinking a lot about past summers lately. Maybe it's because I was watching Live Earth today. Talk about a walk down memory lane. I remember seeing half of the acts that played today on stage for Live Aid in the summer of 1985 (it was on MTV when they still played music). This time, the cause is different, yet still (if not more) urgent; it's readily apparent to anyone paying attention that the climate is changing.

When I was a child, a river caught fire and an environmental movement began. I grew up during a very idealistic time; we were going to clean up the pollution and stop the polluters (we were also going to live in perfect harmony, with a Coke and a smile, but I digress). It's hard to believe that we are still facing the same issues today that we were forty years ago. Only now, thanks to development in third world countries, it's on a global level.

Nineteen summers ago, I backpacked across China. Life was different then; before the economic boom of the '90's, most of the population still rode bikes or packed into buses like sardines. But the warning signs were already there: I saw rivers that were greenish white, due to all the dumping, and coal dust was everywhere (especially in my hair after train trips--you know it's bad when you have to wash your hair 3 times before the water runs clear & not black).

So what do we do? Any little thing we can. Why? Because wearing our handknits is nicer when it's cooler!

Public Service Announcement?

2007-07-05T20:32:00.001-07:00

I don't think that this would really qualify as a P.S.A., but Knit Picks is having a summer book sale (40% off - sock books, here I come!). Just thought you should know....

Driving Me Crazy

2007-07-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

I can put pictures on the sidebar. I can make hyper-links to other sites. But for the life of me, I can't get the little pictures in the Html so they become buttons! It is truly maddening. Aaargh! What the [blank] am I doing wrong? I've tried posting the pictures on flickr and taking the url, I've put the picture in my own blog entry so I could click on it and get the url that way, but to no avail. Every time I insert the code, nothing happens, bupkis! Oy, it's driving me crazy. Suggestions? (Pretty please!)

Just Tell Me That I Won't Go Blind

2007-07-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

It's official - I'm a joiner. After teetering on the fence, I signed on to knit along with the group at Mystery Stole #3. I signed up a little late in the game, as Clue #1 was already out. Amimonogatari's pictures did me in. I had to try it!

The first clue suggested using either white or black yarn if we wanted to stick with the theme of the shawl. Since most of my lace yarn is some shade of red, I just had to go online to get more wool! (Hey, it was 11p.m. on Monday, my favorite store was closed!)

Boy, elann.com ships quickly! When I saw this petite little box today, I had my doubts that my whole order fit into it (The SPAM can is there for scale; it's a collector's edition, I'm not going to eat it!) But fit it did..now tell me that I won't go blind knitting with black lace wool!

Yes Virginia, Miracles Do Happen!

2007-07-04T03:03:00.000-07:00

Have You Heard About Digit? A few months ago, Yarn-A-Go-Go's beloved cat Digit disappeared. When I read this in her blog, I cried. I know what it's like (and how rare it is) to have a true "cat of my heart." Then last week, something amazing happened. Go look, I'll wait. . . If you clicked on the "Main" portion of her blog, you'll see that she's been taking donations for his care; anything raised above that amount will go to the Milo Foundation (where I got Zoey, but she was called "Sheba" back then) and the Best Friends Animal Society. An added bonus: you may win one of her hand knit sweaters!

Have a Happy Fourth!

More Blog Things

2007-07-03T17:14:00.000-07:00

I never had much faith in these things, until I read the description.

I am a
Snapdragon

What Flower
Are You?

"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh." I get that from my dad, the ringmaster for our family circus. Funny, the other clown in the family (my sister) taught me how to make snapdragons "sing" by squeezing the sides of the flower in (It's really fun to make them sing Motown). It takes so little to amuse us in our family.

Swapalicious

2007-07-03T14:50:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to take a break from swaps. Don't get me wrong - I have received some wonderful gifts from my swap partners (Hi Cece! Hi Carol!) The thing is, I was getting a little overzealous about swaps. I was a little like the dog in the Snausages commercials - but instead of saying, "Snausages," I was saying, "New swap, new swap." I swear, even my hind end wiggled. Very Pavlovian response (can you tell I want a dog?). Last week, I showed some restraint; I narrowly avoided signing up for the Dog Days of Summer dishcloth swap. Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, I saw this: Sign ups for Secret Pal 11 have started. I am in such trouble....

Yes, I did sign up, but in my defense, I've wanted to be in this swap since Secret Pal 5! The only thing that stopped me then was the fact that I was blogless. Guess that excuse won't work anymore...

My Comments on Comments

2007-07-03T13:11:00.000-07:00

I never know exactly where to respond to comments. Sometimes I reply in the comment section, other times I leave comments in the commenter's blog. I'm not always quick with my replies, but I am thankful for the help you've given me with my knitting, the laughter some of your comments incite, and the overall friendliness of knitting bloggers. It's nice to be in this community!

For those who comment, a few words to you:

To Elaine (Kim-Chi Crafts), Blogger e-mails your comments to me and I'm constantly cracking up while reading them -- especially that day (you know the one) when you filled up my mailbox! You wouldn't be telling me about the Panda Wool because it was your staff pick this month, would you? I hope to bump into you one day at Article Pract!

To Tina (The Knitting Contessa), you make me smile, you make me laugh! Thanks for your support with the sock. The good sock zen helped :-) Because of you, I now listen to podcasts when I work out. I hope your EZ Pi shawl continues to be knitterly bliss! (I'm going to write about your special project in a separate post).

To Alicia (Ponyknit), Thank you for the comments! I see we share the same love of swaps (are we in trouble, or what?) By the way, I love the mittens!

To Enna (Loose Yarn and UFO's) Thanks for your support for my house hats! For Slytherin, I used this join, but managed to mess it up a bit somehow (whoops!). Blocking performed its usual miracle. I will conquer that jogless jog yet!

To Midori (Amimonogatari), I hope to be as a fearless knitter like you are one day! (A cabled hat as a first knitting project? Clapotis as your second? Rewriting the Pomatomus pattern to fit your feet? You rock!) You inspired me to join in Mystery Shawl 3. I only hope my results are as good as yours!

And finally, to my spoiler from the Knitter's Virtual Vacation Swap, I did receive your email!

No Blogging = More Knitting

2007-07-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I actually finished some things:

Hat #2 for the Charmed Knits knit along

I was so excited on Saturday, because I finally finished my first sock! I had to try it on and share it with Zoey. She rubbed up against it for about a minute, before trying to eat my ankle.

My instructor told us to cast on for the second sock within a week of completing the first one. I don't even thing I waited an hour. I have a pair of Clover mini-needles that I was aching to use. I have very small hands and the mini needles helped me speed through the cuff in no time. Actually, the second sock was a very quick knit; I was so determined to get it done, I even took it to the gym and knit the gusset and part of the foot while cycling on the recumbent bicycle (It's a women's gym--they've seen it before!). I think I understand the draw of sock knitting now.

First pair

My sister and I were supposed to go to Point Reyes on Friday, but she got a little flaky on me and we ended up going to buy plants at Annie's Annuals and Berkeley Hort. Since our plans changed, we also went to Stash. I was looking for short Crystal Palace DPN's for knitting socks, but no luck...I couldn't leave empty handed, so I had to buy yarn instead!

Gee, do you think I like red and berry colors? I have been wanting to buy some Malabrigo for the longest time; I finally broke down and bought two skeins of the lace-weight in the Pagoda colorway (the vermilion color is actually from Article Pract). At less than $9 per skein for 470 yards, I think I can justify it as a good deal. I also picked up some Panda Cotton (must knit more socks) and a skein of Rowan Calmer (it will be a chemo cap for a friend).

Addicted to Blogthings

2007-06-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Natalie and I'm addicted to Blogthings. It's true, I could probably spend hours on there, if it wasn't for the knitting. Whenever I see one on someone else's blog, I have to click it and take the test too. Invariably, I start taking more of the tests. Since I was accused of being prude and prissy as a kid, I thought I'd check to see how far I've come:

You Are Not Prissy

You're the furthest thing from a princess - and you probably stay far away from any princess types you know.
You have an easygoing approach to living. It doesn't take a lot to make you happy.
And when life requires it, you're ready to get your hand a little dirty.
There's no problem you're too prissy to tackle!

How Prissy Are You?

Yay! Now that's settled, I can go out and have some fun (I'm going to see Joan McGowan-Michael of Knitting Lingerie Style fame.)

Pride's On My Mind

2007-06-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the big Pride parade in the city (San Francisco). I tend to avoid the downtown area on parade day, since the time I got stuck in traffic, having forgotten that the parade was going on (I still have the vision of a guy's posterior in a gold lame thong seared into my brain. I only wish my hiney looked that good!) Consequently, I spent most of the day hanging out with my sister and finishing up my sock class. We did manage to catch some of it on t.v.; what little I saw of the parade made me happy that I live in a place that honors diversity -- be it ethnicity or sexual orientation. (And how cool is Elizabeth Edwards? She took a big risk for a politician's wife.)

Yesterday, I was reading my favorite Contessa's blog and she mentioned the post on the Knitty blog about pride. Amy blogged about having pride in who you have become and how she changed her photo icons after seeing A Fat Rant by Joy Nash (a very powerful video about this country's attitude toward plus sized people).

Why do I mention these things? Simply because having pride in yourself is important and sometimes, the hardest thing to do. It has taken a long time for me to be comfortable in my own skin; there have been times in my life that people have tried to take my pride in myself away from me.

Back story #1: I am hapa-haole. My mom's Japanese and was born in the Territory of Hawaii. My father was a South Dakota farm boy of German descent. Anti-miscegenation laws almost prevented my parent's marriage; part of my dad's family never accepted my mother (or, by extension, my sister and me). It seems that we were always fighting for acceptance or standing up to bullies who couldn't deal with the fact that we were different. In the mid-1970's, we moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, right behind Oral Roberts University. Those four years were really a challenge! (No offense to you Okies out there, but Dad called those years our first foreign assignment). My sister and I were often called "half-breed", my sister was physically bullied by a teacher (luckily the principal witnessed it and took action), I was suspended from riding the school bus after defending myself against a boy who beat up on me and ripped my clothing (lucky for me, my mom raised holy h*ll and the suspension was pinned on the boy instead).

Our saving grace was a transfer to Brazil, where we attended an international school. It was a different world, in more ways than one. We were taken into a special family that is unique to international schools; our peers and the Brazilians (warm and friendly people) accepted us without hesitation, or questioning what we were.

I can tell I'm about to get all preachy on 'ya. Suffice to say, whatever your ethnicity or sexual orientation, surround yourself with people who love you and accept you without question (or move someplace where they will!) As a teacher I've learned that everybody has a redeeming quality; find that in yourself and take pride in it. Here endeth the sermon.

Swaps and Socks

2007-06-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

I've been a little swap crazy since I started this blog. This week, I received two sets of stitch markers direct from Canada, as part of the Summer Stitch Marker Exchange. Robyn sent me these great blue stitch markers. I wish my camera took a better close up shot, so you could see the detail in the larger bead (Notice I blame the camera; it's certainly not my fault. Ha!) Thank you so much Robyn, blue is one of my favorite colors!

I also received a set of stitch markers from Leigh. The central bead has a little flower with white heart petals. The white and red combo made "Oh Canada" start playing in my head! Thanks so much Leigh! These markers will certainly dress up my knitting!

On the knitting front, I was a little impatient for my sock class tomorrow, so I just charged ahead. Whoopee! I turned the heel! I put in life lines all over the place, just in case I made a mistake and have to frog back. By the way Tina, thanks for the advice on the sock book! I'll probably end up getting it, for as you so wisely stated, I can never have enough books!( I found that out this week when I packed up my personal classroom library -- twenty 12 gallon flip top crates. Yikes!)In addition to the knitting, I spent part of the day knee deep in laundry. Look what I found on my freshly laundered mattress pad. You turn your back for a second......

Embossed Leaves Baby Hat and Sock Questions

2007-06-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness my colleagues keep having babies (at least four more due by the end of the year). It will give me a chance to knit this hat. It's hella cute! The hat was based on the embossed leaves sock pattern from the winter 2005 edition of Interweave Knits. Hmm.. I have that issue...maybe I'll knit the socks too.

I've become a little sock obsessed, even though I have not finished my first pair yet. I have some more sock yarn, but I'm not quite sure what to knit next. I don't think I want to knit a plain sock again - maybe a simple lace pattern? Any advanced beginner/intermediate pattern recommendations?

I have a few sock books in my library:

Knit Socks by Betsy McCarthy

Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles by Cat Bordhi

Socks by Rita Buchanan

I have heard this book recommended on podcasts. I'm wondering if I need to buy it (Or do I have enough books? Does anyone ever have enough books?) Opinions?

Your Trip to Hawaii is Just a Click Away

2007-06-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

An article in today's Honolulu Advertiser said that the Pakele Lounge in the Ala Moana Hotel was going to be streaming their summer concert series. You can find the concerts here (5:30 Hawaii time, Wednesdays through July) and here at LavaNet. I'm listening to it as I write and it makes me want to eat local food and just hang out.

What kind of hostess would I be if I didn't offer you food, too? This is my standard mainland luau for homesick Hawaii folk.

First, the Kalua Pork. I don't have space to dig the pit for the pig, so I just use the slow cooker. You will need:

1-2 lb slab of boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
2 Tbsp Hawaiian salt (it's red)
2 Tbsp liquid smoke
1 cup water
1 cup apple cider

Slash the meat all over and rub the liquid smoke and Hawaiian salt into the meat. Put the pork in the crock pot and add the water and apple cider. You can set it on high and cook it for 6-7 hours, or cook it on high for the first few hours and turn it to low and cook it overnight. I usually turn the meat over a few times during the first hours of cooking. Sometimes I add a little more liquid smoke to the pot about halfway through. The meat will start to fall off the bones when it is ready. Pull the meat apart and shred it. Keep warm until you serve it. Serve with short grain white rice (not Uncle Ben's!)

Vegetable: I also serve spinach with the pork as a side dish. Take about 1/4 cup (or more) of the cooking liquid and use it to cook down one huge bag of spinach.

I always make chicken long rice as part of the meal. The recipe I use is from A Taste of Aloha(p.329), but this recipe is very similar to it.

We love our Jell-o in Hawaii. We eat it with the meal, not as dessert. My friend always begs me to make Confetti Jell-o; I got the recipe off the Aloha Airlines recipe page years ago, but they no longer have the 2002 recipes archived. Since it's no longer there, I hope it's o.k. to put it here:

Confetti Jell-o by Robyn in Aloha Airlines Marketing

3 packages (3 oz.) flavored gelatin (lime, strawberry, orange)
4 cups hot water
4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 can (12 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

Mix each package of Jell-o with 1 cup hot water. Pour into separate bowls. Chill until set, then cut into small cubes. Mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk with 1 1/2 cans hot water and 1/2 can cold water. Stir until dissolved. Mix 1 cup hot water with four envelopes of unflavored gelatin (until dissolved). Mix into condensed milk mixture and let cool. Place cubed Jell-o into a 9x13 inch pan (I use a tiki man mold I found on eBay), then pour the cooled condensed milk mixture over the cubes. Chill to set.

My mom is usually visiting when I cook this meal and she manages to put more stuff on the table. Supreme Japanese hostess that she is, it's usually sushi and an assortment of Japanese pickles in pretty little bowls.

If that wasn't enough food, there's still dessert! Mmmmm...haupia cake. I love this recipe, but I don't add the gelatin/coconut milk mixture to the frosting as per the recipe. It gets too gloppy. I also lightly toast the coconut before chucking it onto the frosting (it looks like sand & I can plant my plastic hula dancers on it!)

There. That's my once a year cooking extravaganza. There are 364 days left to work off all the calories in this meal.

Summer's Here - Let the Knitting & Reading Begin!

2007-06-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

In between the concert-going and report card writing, I did find some time to knit...OK I knit while I procrastinated! But hey, it's stress reduction!

I am almost done with my second hat for the Charmed Knits knit-along. This time, it's Slytherin. I hope to send the first two off by the end of the week. All this Harry Potter knitting makes me want to reread the series before the last book comes out in July.

Thanks to some inspiration I've found in other knitter's blogs, I've decided to jump in and try to become a sock knitter. My progress so far:The yarn is actually a lot greener than the picture shows, I think the flash washed it out. To the naked eye it looks more like a green teal, instead of bluish teal. I'm using Cascade 220 Superwash (color 859-Lake Chelan Heather); they should knit up quickly. Why am I using worsted weight and not the Regia that has been calling my name? Because I am taking a sock class so the instructor will hold my hand and talk me through turning the heel. I could have probably figured it out from a book, but I like the social aspect of class. It's always nice to be around other knitters!

Knitter's Tea Swap

2007-06-18T15:11:00.001-07:00

My package for the Knitter's Tea Swap arrived. I was so spoiled by Carol! My package seemed to have a blue & brown theme to it.

First, the treats: Stash Tea Double Bergamot Earl Grey Black and Creme Caramel. Stash Teas come from my old stomping grounds in Portland, Oregon. I got through many a rainy day, thanks to that company! I also received a package of Nonni's chocolate coated biscotti, a package of Creme Savers candy-the Dessert Collection (I broke into the back of the bag before I took the picture), and Creme Caramel mix (I'm getting my hand torch ready for that one!). Carol also sent me some kitchen towels, and a glycerin soap made locally that smells like apples.

Shall we get to the knitting portion of the package? Two skeins of Rowan's Tapestry yarn. It is a wool/soy blend. It has a wonderful sheen to it, probably from the soy. I always like to try new fibers -- especially if they're soft. I think I will use it to knit this pattern; I learned about it on her blog (fitting, isn't it?)

Perhaps the best part of the package was the knitting basket she sent me. Lantern Moon! I was so excited to see that! I love their products and have always wanted to buy one of their baskets. Now I can keep the grey monster's paws out of my knitting!

Carol, thank you so much! I love it all.

It Was a Very Good Night Indeed

2007-06-17T23:30:00.000-07:00

It's four days later, and I think I am still in a haze from last Wednesday.

It started out normally, for the end of the school year. We had field day, I got hot and sticky along with the kids, a couple of them called me "Mommy"(the highest compliment), and one of my students asked me if I wanted to have kids (to which I replied, "Why, do you want me to adopt you?" ) Normal, everyday school stuff.

But then I ran home, hosed off, and went out on a school night(oooh). My sister and I traded text messages for half an hour while I waited for their BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train to get to the Coliseum. She wanted the play by play of my people watching (who's there? there r deadheads here. what else? some middle age, some young, some that didn't age well) Sorry-that last comment is a direct offshoot from a girl's school education! Actually, the people watching was fun. It really illustrated how music can be a great equalizer. There were people of all ages, ethnicities, shapes, and sizes. The Deadheads came in their tie-dye and people bought their kids. It was nice to see.

We finally got in and sat down just as the first opening band started up. They were o.k., but we pretty much tuned them out, apart from clapping at the end of each song (ditto for the second opening act). Before long, my sister and I were playing with our phones again in order to amuse ourselves (we just got new ones). She taught me how to take pictures and then took mine. I really hate pictures of myself. I have one of her, but I'd be dead meat if I put a picture of her sticking her tongue out online! (Besides, Mom would be mortified).

Finally, after sunset, a light show started on stage and the sounds of Message in a Bottle blasted through the air above the applause. It was a different experience than when I was 17 (as it should be). Songs had new arrangements to compensate for the changes age makes in vocal ability; but I think it was also a reflection of how they have grown and changed as musicians over the years. What had once been raw and frenetic is now a little smoother and jazzier. Nonetheless, I was mesmerized. Sting looked great and Stuart Copeland did an amazing job (making me pout, once again, because my mother made me take flute instead of drums).

My only complaint is aimed at the section I was seated in: "People, we had great seats, why were you in them?! Dontcha know that you're supposed to dance at concerts? Instead you sat like bumps on a log, feeding your faces, and drinking beer!" I wanted to tell them to save that for an A's game and get off their duffs and dance. Every section to the left and right of us was up and dancing, but my section was the only one sitting still. So we sat there, dancing in our seats, because we didn't want to block the view of the little kid behind us (but all bets were off during the encores).

My sister and I are in agreement that this concert was better than the one we went to twenty-four years ago. Then: they were on the verge of breaking up, they were sick of each other, and they played for only about an hour. Now: they played for two hours and gave us two encores. To me, they still have it -- photographic evidence here and here (wouldn't you want to be doing that at 65?) Disregard the review, it's baloney.

All in all, it was a very good night, indeed.

So Excited

2007-06-12T21:35:00.000-07:00

Twenty-four years ago, my sister, her lousy boyfriend, and I had just completed a road trip from Salt Lake City to my family's home in Portland, Oregon. What occasion would make us get into my sister's VW Rabbit (aka The Great Pumpkin) that vibrated once it hit 55 mph? This magazine that was taped to my door as a homecoming greeting held the answer:

We were en route to the Tacoma Dome to see one of the last Police concerts. The Police were the soundtrack for my high school and college life. At one time, my roommate and I even had a wall of Sting up in our common room. I didn't know that I would have to wait so long to see them perform again. But tomorrow night, I am taking my sister and her stellar husband to McAfee Coliseum to hear them play again. I hope it was worth the wait!

Slow Knitter

2007-06-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the Gryffindor hat. In the end, I decided not to frog back to the beginning of the colorwork. Another participant in the knit along suggested I just block it, and pass it along with some good mojo. It's not perfect, but the jog is much less noticeable now. I've already started on a second house hat -- this time, I think I'll try either TECHknitter's method or Meg Swanson's jogless jog. My thanks to the knitbloggers who offered advice!

I really should be writing my report cards, but I'm procrastinating by reading blogs and posting here. Even Zoey stalking her kibble for soccer practice is a welcome diversion. Could my procrastinating mean that deep down I don't want the school year to end? Nah! 3 and 1/2 days to go!

Knitter's Virtual Vacation Swap Questionnaire

2007-06-06T22:45:00.000-07:00

My first experience with a knitting swap was so good, I signed up for another one. The questions:

1. If you could visit any state in the US, which would it be and why?

No question - Maine. From what I've seen of it in pictures and movies, it's beautiful. It has all the things I appreciate: old-growth forests, a rugged coastline, lots of water, boats in the harbor, and plenty of places to hike and fish. Then there's the food: blueberries, lobster, maple syrup, plus other things I've yet to discover.

2. If you could visit any country in the world, other than your own, which would it be and why?

England. The England I got to know through books. I want to see all the places that I've read/dreamed about over the years: London, the Yorkshire Dales (James Herriot, the Brontes), the Lake District (Beatrix Potter).

3. Have you ever driven across several states/ providence/ countries?
a) The U.S. - My family moved and "road tripped" a lot, consequently I've driven through every state west of the Mississippi River. I've also driven through New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
b) Canada - Back and forth (repeatedly) to British Columbia from Washington state.
c) Europe - Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and France.
d ) Brazil - The states of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro. Road trips while living there.

4. Have you ever visited someplace you consider exotic? Where was it?
Yes - Brazil. Although I lived there, I didn't get to see it all. I'm going back one day and dragging my sister with me!

5. What was your favorite "travel" vacation? Why?
In 1980, my family went to Peru. From Lima, we flew to Cusco, so we could take the train to Machu Picchu, where we stayed in the "new" hotel. We had altitude sickness, the train had big gaping holes in the floor, and there were spiders in the shower. We laughed so much; I was fourteen and thought it was fantastic! Machu Picchu was amazing and humbling. There were alpaca, vicuna, and llamas everywhere. I wish that I still had the alpaca sweater I bought.
Added: Then again, there was the summer of '88, when I backpacked through China. I climbed up to the top of this (there were stairs...lots of them!). I also saw these. Oh, but I also caught mono when someone on a bus coughed on me.
On the other hand, maybe the week spent hanging out with friends who lived in Lugano, Switzerland, was a better vacation!

6. Have you ever played tourist in your own home city/state (if international, country)?
It's my favorite thing to do. When you are going about your day-to-day living, you forget about the things that make your home a great place to live. Playing tourist helps me remember the things I take for granted and why I live where I do.

7. Are you a museum visitor, beach comer or an amusement seeker?
I'm a museum visitor (minored in art). I also like going to the beach, but I prefer rocky beaches with tide pools, places to dig for clams, and things to climb on.
8. What's your favorite type of yarn?
Anything soft, especially wool or alpaca.

9. What's your least favorite type of yarn?
Novelty or acrylic.

10. What items do you like to knit/crochet?
Hats, scarves, washcloths, simple lace, and purses. I want to add socks to this list someday soon. Edit - July 2007: I added socks to the list! :o)

11. What do you pack, knit/crochet wise when you go on vacation?
Something simple with a pattern I don't have to think about too much.

12. What other crafts do you do/would like to do other than Knit/Crochet?
I make jewelry - wire wrapped, beaded, kumihimo, beaded loom work. I occasionally paint (watercolors), rubber stamp, and cross stitch, but not so much anymore (knitting and jewelry are my mainstays).

13. Are you allergic to anything? (Yarn wise or treat wise).
I'm not allergic to anything, but I'm not crazy about white or dark chocolate.

14. What is your favorite color? Least Favorite?
I like colors that are found in nature: autumn colors (reds, chocolate browns, & dark orange), ocean colors (greens & blues), jewel tones, and muted greens. I prefer subtle to bright.
My least favorite colors: khaki, pastels, and neons.

15. Sweet or Savory (Treat not personality)?
Savory, but sweet is good too.
16. Anything else we are forgetting to ask that you think your partner desperately needs to know?
Not that I can think of. If it helps, my other swap questionnaires are on the sidebar of this blog.
Just have fun! I'm pretty easy to please.

Sometimes the Days Just Crawl By

2007-06-05T23:27:00.000-07:00

biding time

Remember when time seemed to go at a snail's pace? The days just seemed to drag by and they felt endless? I haven't felt that way in a while; the last time was in fifth grade, when all I wanted to do was to get out of that classroom and be done with school.

I usually hate the end of the year...half the time, I want to flunk the kids just to spend more time with them. I've been blessed with three great classes during the last four years; all the kids got along, even the hellions have had a certain "bad boy" charm to them that just made me shake my head at them and grin. But this year..oy vey...it seems as though the last day will never come.

6/6
I wrote this last night when I was tired, stressed out from planning a class presentation, and evidently about to have a pity party for myself. Mothers with small children will surely understand the feeling - when the kids have sapped every bit of energy out of you and the only thing you want to do is curl up on the couch with a) potato chips, b) ice cream, c) chocolate, or d) fill in your comfort food here. I like my class, I really do. Granted, some of the kids make me appreciate the quiet in my house more than others, but for the most part, they are a sweet and funny bunch. However, every so often there are those days...

My Brain is Saying "Summer," But Nature's Saying "Spring"

2007-06-04T23:28:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to get into the habit of carrying my camera around. You never know what you will find.A pink calla lily at my school.

This bird started nesting right outside my classroom. Hope the kids don't scare her.

Nature may want to hold onto spring, but I'm starting the countdown to summer. T-minus nine days and counting.

My Coffee Swap Package Arrived!

2007-06-01T22:27:00.000-07:00

As I unlocked my front door last night, I saw a flash of pink out of the corner of my eye -- my postman hid my coffee swap package from Cece behind a potted plant! Good thing he did that, because I would have been seriously disappointed if someone walked off with such a great package. Everything in the box had a story to go along with it; as a teacher, I just love a good story!

She sent me two different coffees to try (her local favorites). The one on the left is from Equal Exchange; I keep sniffing the bag, it smells so good! The other coffee is from the Black Bear Micro Roastery. I can't wait to try them -- I just don't know which one to try first. :- )

There is also goat milk soap made by a friend of hers who has her own goat farm. It smells like summer...honeysuckle and roses.

Wow - a book! Knitting Lingerie Style, signed by the author. Not only is it great to look at, but there is a tank and some socks I might have to start knitting as soon as summer vacation starts.

Finally, the yarn. Handspun alpaca from Massachusetts Sheep and Wool! When I first looked at it, I thought it was dove grey. Upon closer inspection, there are shades of Wedgwood blue and light fawn. There is also what looks to be a strand of Kreinik blending filament running throughout the yarn. It gives it a subtle glow; the picture below does not do the yarn justice.
Funny, I have the perfect shoes to go with the yarn. I will be well accessorized, once I knit something!

Thanks so much for the awesome package Cece! This was my first swap and it was a pleasure having you as my partner!

Gryffindor Hat

2007-05-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

A big "Thank you," to the knitters (hi Cece!) who left comments about my hat woes. In the back of my mind I knew that the rows wouldn't stack up evenly, but I didn't realize it would look that wonky. I'm still debating whether or not to just keep on knitting it up or to frog it. My assistant at school thinks I should just turn it into a "design element" and duplicate stitch a lightning bolt over the jogs. Since I used Gryffindor colors, I guess that would make it a real Harry Potter hat!

Did I Mess Up?

2007-05-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

I might have mentioned that I am knitting hats for the Charmed Knits knit-along. I got a late start on my knitting for the project, but I hope to make up for that once school lets out (yes, I am counting the days!) However, there seems to be a bump in the road:

Is this normal, or did I make a mistake somewhere? I have knitted hats in the round before, but I've never added stripes. Does this have to be frogged? Please say, "no." Should I just keep knitting along and hope the recipient will just hide this in the back? I'd actually feel funny giving this away as is, if I made a mistake that can be corrected. Any ideas?

Knitting Resources

2007-05-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

Have you signed up for Knitting Daily? At this point, they only have the newsletter up, but there are free patterns accessible through links in the newsletter. Hey, free patterns, what can I say?

I stumbled upon a great site the other day, while searching for something completely different. TECHknitting is going to be on my summer reading list. The blog starts out with this explanation: "So, after 25 years of knitting, various knitting tricks have manifested themselves to me. And, after 25 years of knitting, these tricks, like a virus, are desperate to get out and infect other knitters." There is a handy index on the side, that can lead you to the help you might need.There is too much there for me to write about here, so go check it out! It will be well worth your time.

My Fear of Intarsia is Walloped by Sasha Kagan

2007-05-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sasha Kagan came to my lys this weekend to teach a few classes. I decided to take her intarsia class, because color work (other than stripes) has kind of intimidated me. I never really liked the idea of weaving in all the ends when I was finished knitting a piece. Sasha's method carries the unused color along the back and weaves it in as you knit by wrapping it around the knit stitch. Because the other color is woven in, it doesn't "float" as you carry it along the back. The fabric is firmer and the back looks neater, too.

Of course, as with any new technique, there was a big, "huh?" factor. In between the sighs of frustration, someone commented that she felt like a beginner again. I was really glad she said that! It meant that I wasn't alone (as I crawled along at a snail's pace). I think it really helps if you can knit with both hands. Look Ma! I made me a swatch! The square shows how many rows it took me to "get it" and the top part is the beginning of a poppy. I really like her technique; you end up using a bit more yarn, but it looks neater and it saves you the time of weaving in.

Sasha also brought some samples from her new book, Crochet Inspiration. The book has a number of different patterns and motifs, from granny squares to lace and flowers.

Napa

2007-05-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I went to Napa with two of my friends from school for a girls day/night out. Since I live the furthest south, I volunteered to pick everyone up and do the driving. We were supposed to be heading out to the outlets, but somehow my navigators only directed me to the wineries. Funny how that happened..Now, this would be great if I drank, but I don't...I can't. One of the few Japanese traits my mother passed down to me was an affliction known as the Asian Flush, or as I prefer to call it, the Asian blush. (Really, what were they thinking by calling it Asian flush? So much inappropriate humor springs to mind. Sorry, I teach second grade...potty humor abounds. But I digress...) Apparently, I have a mutant gene that affects how my body breaks down alcohol. Whenever I drink, I turn red (sometimes burgundy - real pretty!), my face and ears get hot, and then I can feel my heart beating in my ears. On the bright side, I'll probably never be an alcoholic.

After a day of chauffeuring my friends and their ever escalating buzz around, I'm ashamed to say I was a little cranky. I really like Napa; I think it's beautiful up there, but c'mon, there is only so much "view" that one can enjoy! I began to wonder where in Napa a drinker and a non-drinker could go to have fun. The answer came from my student's mom who is in the wine business: Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food, and the Arts. They seem to have it all: wine and food tasting, organic gardens, concerts, art exhibitions, films, shopping, and dining. Copia was featured in the first season of Top Chef (love that show!), where they cooked in Julia's Kitchen.

Hmmm...Julia's Kitchen now has a lounge. With a happy hour. Maybe I can take them up there, get 'em snockered, and then we can play the game of Blackmail. Heh, sometimes not drinking can have its advantages.

5/29- Edit - If you're interested, we went to the V. Sattui winery in St. Helena and Mumm Napa.

Is There a Support Group for This?

2007-05-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

I seem to recall a poem that start with the lines, "Books to the ceiling, books to the floor." My "fiber" library is threatening to bust out of the bookcase. It appears that there are three things that I cannot get enough of: yarn, coffee, and books. At least they combine well...

I finally got a start on my knitting for the Charmed Knits knit-along. The knitting should go fast after the 1x1 ribbing. I really want to crank out a couple by next Monday, to make up for the procrastinating. I can't wait until this weekend, I can finally just sit and knit for a change!

Lazy Sunday at the Hermitage

2007-05-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, I finally got together with a friend of mine to exchange Christmas gifts. It took us four months, but we finally did it! She gave me this: It's a sandcastle bundt pan from Williams-Sonoma. Cute, isn't it? Unfortunately, I don't have kids and I bake cakes only about once or twice a year. Even though I felt guilty about it, I exchanged it for one of these. Now, I've never been a big pancake eater, but I have wanted one of these pans ever since I read about them in third grade (I am such a literature nerd! I tried to whittle once, after reading about it in the "Little House" books. Took off the top half of my thumbnail!)

I broke it out this morning. The hardest thing to do was to flip them over, so both sides would cook. I didn't have any applesauce to put in the middle, so I added pear sauce from Trader Joe's to about half of the ebelskivers. Evidently, you can stuff them with just about anything, provided you cover it with extra batter before you flip them over. They were a little crunchy on the outside and pretty tasty! Kind of like a cross between a silver dollar pancake and a jelly doughnut. I'm trying to figure out what else I can make in the pan... In the end, it was worth the guilt.

I spent the rest of the afternoon knitting (things I can't show yet, bummer) and trying to read the paper. I was getting help with the big words.

50 Things to Eat Before You Die

2007-05-19T14:06:00.000-07:00

One of the nice things about taking part in a swap is getting to know someone through their blog. This list from a BBC reader's poll was on my tea swap partner's blog. Maybe I'm wrong, but going through the list, I am convinced that most Americans are probably more adventurous eaters than people in the UK.

My Results:
1. Fresh fish - Yes.
2. Lobster - Yes.
3. Steak - Yes. I am a confirmed carnivore.
4. Thai food - Yes.
5. Chinese food - Yes.
6. Ice cream - There’s always room for ice cream.
7. Pizza - Who hasn’t eaten pizza? I love the spinach and mushroom one from Zachary's. If you're ever in the Bay Area, you should try it!
8.Crab - My favorite time of the year is when the start of crab season is announced on the news.
9. Curry - Yup.
10. Prawns - Check.
11. Moreton Bay Bugs - Do crayfish count? They look like they’re the same size.
12. Clam chowder - Always New England style on clam chowder Friday.
13. Barbecues - Mmmm. Roast beast! I’ve never met a barbecue I didn’t like. *If you ever get a chance to eat Brazilian barbecue (churrasco), do it!
14. Pancakes - Yep, but I prefer French toast or waffles.
15. Pasta - Yes!
16. Mussels - Yes.
17. Cheesecake- Yes.
18. Lamb - I think people either love lamb or hate it. I enjoy it; but then again, I pretty much like everything except liver, or fermented tofu, or lima beans, or...
19. Cream tea- Mmmm. Clotted cream and scones.
20. Alligator- No, but I bet it tastes like chicken.
21. Oysters - Yes. In winter, I love to eat them in stew.
22. Kangaroo - No.
23. Chocolate - Yes. Pretty much a given.
24. Sandwiches- Ditto.
25. Greek - Yes!
26. Burgers - Make mine medium rare with mushrooms on top.
27. Mexican food - Of course.
28. Squid- Yum! A workout for your teeth.
29. American diner breakfast - Do truck stops count?
30. Salmon- Eight years of my life were spent living in Oregon. There were times when I felt like the Bubba Blue (think Forest Gump) of salmon. I love smoked salmon when it's still warm from the smoker.
31. Venison - Had it. Moose was better. So was elk.
32. Guinea pig - Not Fluffy!
33. Shark - My parents lived in Hong Kong for 14 years. Shark fin is in many dishes. Kind of unavoidable when you’re trying to be polite.
34. Sushi - My people’s soul food. But what’s up with the cream cheese ones? That’s like adding fruit to bagel dough!
35. Paella - Yes. Fried rice, big whoop. Not crazy about it.
36. Barramundi - I don’t think so.
37. Reindeer - Rudolph? No way!
38. Kebab - I love chelo kebabs with a side of fattoush salad.
39. Scallops- Yes.
40. Australian meat pie - No. Isn’t it just a chicken pot pie with beef?
41. Mango - Yum.
42. Durian fruit - Oh, P.U.! If I have to hold my nose to eat it, chances are I won’t.
43. Octopus- Yep, Mom makes a great salad with cucumber, rice vinegar, and octopus.
44. Ribs - My favorite.
45. Roast beef - Yes. Just had some yesterday!
46. Tapas - Yes.
47. Jerk chicken/pork- Yes.
48. Haggis - Not in your life.
49. Caviar- Black, red, yellow, and green. You’re not a good Japanese girl if you don’t eat these.
50. Cornish Pastry- Yes. They sell them at my farmer’s market. I want to eat one in the UK someday.

So much of this list seems normal to me (well, except for durian and haggis, but they're not normal!) I keep thinking there should be more things on the list, like: sugar apples, jabuticaba, feijoada, bulgogi, Nutella crepes, or even a pastrami on rye from a great deli! What would be on your list?

I Just Don't Understand It

2007-05-18T21:40:00.000-07:00

Now that Open House is over, I started to plan a relaxing summer. I wanted to get away for a while, since I haven't taken a vacation for a few years. Look what greeted me when I opened my mailbox today.

Yay. Yipee. Whoo-hoo. Don't get me wrong. I believe in doing my civic duty; I have served on a jury before and reported for service. However, I have lived in my house for almost seven years, and I've been called for jury duty every year, save one. This is a random drawing of names? I don't think so. Out of 671,791 registered voters in my county (and probably twice that registered with the DMV), I fail to understand why my name always comes up! My sister lives in an adjacent county and has never been called to serve; she does, however, manage to laugh at me whenever I get the summons. What a sweetheart (she's older, it's to be expected!) So now I have a decision to make - report for service and miss the last week of school, or defer service and put in long days (jury duty + writing sub. plans + commuting) during the school year?

I wonder if I can take knitting needles into the court house? Hmmmm......

Knitter's Tea Swap 3

2007-05-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

One of the good things about swaps is that it gives you something to write about in your blog when work has zapped your brain cells. I've been busy preparing for Open House at my school: cracking the whip, stressing out, finishing projects, stressing out, cleaning the classroom, and stressing out. There's a theme in there somewhere. As of tonight, it's finally over (whoo-hoo!). I don't know if I can utter a coherent sentence, but questions? I can do those.

Restrictions on type of tea?
I tend to prefer black teas over green or herbal teas. I enjoy drinking Darjeeling or Irish/Scottish Breakfast teas. I like Chai, if it isn't too sweet. When I drink green tea, I only drink Genmai Cha (green tea, roasted rice, & popcorn bits). My mom's Japanese, so this was always in the house. Every so often, I make green tea "lattes" at home using matcha. I like making my own because I can control the sweetness and mine don't have that funky melon flavor that Starbucks has (some flavors just aren't meant to go together!)
Treat preference?
I'm pretty easy to please; I like cookies, milk chocolate, and salty things. Not so crazy about dark chocolate or white chocolate.
Yarn color preference?
I like colors that are found in nature: ocean colors (greens & blues), autumn colors (reds,browns, & dark orange), and muted greens. I prefer subtle to bright.
Oh-and thanks to the Hello Kitty onslaught of 2006-2007, I really don't like pink.
Sock knitter?
I hope to be one by the end of summer break!

My swap partner (Hi Carol!) also added some questions:
How long have you been knitting?
My cousin taught me when I was in fifth grade. I knit some horrendous swatches and put away the needles until 2005, when I saw one of the school secretaries teaching another teacher. I bought some cheap yarn, went home, pulled out the needles, and started to teach myself from a child's craft book. Article Pract improved my technique and turned me into a knitter.
What is your favorite thing to knit?
During the school year, I like uncomplicated knitting projects: dishcloths, purses knitted in the round, scarves that don't require a spreadsheet to keep track of the stitches. I went through a period of baby hat knitting, because there were eight pregnancies in one year at my school. I found this pattern easy to adapt to whatever yarn I had handy.
How would you describe your style?
I like a mix of modern and vintage, especially if it has "clean lines" (as in Mission, Scandinavian, & Japanese). The same applies to my personal style; I like casual, comfortable clothes with a classic line. I'm not trendy. I don't like flowery or fussy things; I prefer "rustic" to country.
Favorite and least favorite scents?
Unscented? No, I like lighter, "clean," single-note, scents. I like jasmine, clary sage, and citrus scents. Even though it's sweet, I find the smell of honey comforting. I don't like heavy florals or "oriental" scents (Have you ever been trapped in a car with a woman who bathes in Opium? Blech!)

goodnight

Film at Eleven

2007-05-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

Alert the media -- I went into a yarn store today and did not buy yarn.
Are the planets out of alignment? (Ha! Maybe I am, considering the neck cracking I received from my doctor yesterday.) I hope I didn't upset the balance of nature, given that I live in earthquake country. Oops, I shouldn't write things like that, it's bachi (bad luck). I'd better change the subject...

I made it into the Knitter's Tea Swap 3. : ) I was a little worried when Suzie wrote this on the blog:
P.S. The swap is closed to new swappers for this round--I'm sorry, I just can't take on any new people. Please stay tuned for KTS4!
Even though I had an invitation to join in, the paranoid part of me kept wondering if I was going to be "uninvited" because I was new. But no, I am happy to say that I did, in fact, get in and my swap partner already sent me a very nice email. Whew! Worries abated!

Knitting for a Cause, Part 2

2007-05-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

After I joined the Charmed Knits Knit-along last week (making Harry Potter hats), I stumbled upon the 25 Things for Charity group. So I figured, "Hey, why not keep the momentum going?" If anyone is interested in projects, Knitting for Peace is a great book and on deep discount (7o% off) on Amazon at the moment. Who knew you could buy good karma for only $5.99?

L. G. has nothing to do with my knitting tonight; she's just keeping me company while I write.

Still Life With Coffee and Yarn

2007-05-12T15:23:00.001-07:00

still life with yarn
Originally uploaded by Hapagirl Knits.

This is my submission for the second contest that the Knitter's Coffee Swap is running. I was trying to organize my yarn stash when I came up with the idea for this picture. I love this yarn; it's Cascade's "The Heathers". The different brown tones in the yarn reminded me of coffee, so I threw it in the coffee pot, added my favorite mug, and some knitting I've been working on (the flower is the camellia from Noni Design).

I guess I should name the photo, "Things to do With a Broken Coffee Pot." Can you see the crack on the bottom? So sad.

So Much for the Yarn Diet

2007-05-12T14:48:00.000-07:00

misti alpaca hand dyed,
originally uploaded by Hapagirl Knits.

It's funny how selective willpower can be. If I'm on a diet (and not stressed out), I'm pretty good at resisting chocolate, cake, chips, etc. The thought of all the exercise I would have to do to reverse the effects of overindulgence usually keeps me in check ("I have to do how many minutes on the stair climber to get rid of this?").

Why isn't it ever that simple with yarn? My inner dialogue always seems to fail me. "Put it back. You told yourself you wouldn't buy any more yarn." I sigh and put it back. I take another lap around the yarn shop. Funny, I end up right in front of the magical skein in question. The colors are so pretty. (Warning: Embarrassing admission follows.) I pet the yarn. (whimper) But it's so soft. I like it. "No, you're on a yarn diet, remember? You have uku billion (pidgin for plenty) skeins at home. Where are you going to store it, anyway? Go find some yarn for your swap partner." I do the shopping I'm supposed to do and end up in front of the Misti Alpaca again. I just can't help myself.

Socks, Socks, Socks

2007-05-08T00:42:00.000-07:00

I almost called this post, "To Sock, or Not to Sock," but I think that might sound a bit perverse. Yeah, like writing that in the body of the blog makes it any better. (Note to self: don't blog when you should be sleeping).

My coffee swap partner knits the most fabulous socks. I'm jealous - she knits them fast, too. I've been wanting to try to knit socks. In fact, I have some books. I even have some sock yarn. So, you think I would at least try. But. I'm. Chicken.

Summer project: learn or teach myself how to knit socks. Questions: DPNs or circulars? Magic Loop or 2 circulars? Knit one at a time or both together? Any ideas/recommendations?

Knitting for a Cause

2007-05-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

I wanted to kick start my knitting, so I've joined the Charmed Knits Knit-Along. I will be making hats inspired by the Harry Potter movies. They will be sending their hats to Warm Woolies, who will, in turn, distribute the hats. Funny enough, Article Pract (one of my favorite yarn stores) is also knitting for this organization. Warm Woolies has donated knitted articles to orphanages around the world, but what really clinched the deal for me was finding out that they donate to the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations (home of the Brule and Oglala Sioux) in South Dakota.

I remember driving through the reservation during summer visits to my dad's family (Dad was a farm boy turned accountant. It was his ticket off the farm). Most of these road trips were in the late 70's/early 80's when things were really bad on the reservation. It isn't something that is easily forgotten. It's been a while since I've been back to South Dakota; I had hoped things had improved, however I don't think they have. According to information on the Warm Woolies site, the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations have the lowest per capita income in the U.S. . . . I sit here shaking my head, thinking how shameful that is. It's hard enough coping with the weather in South Dakota (blizzards in winter, heat wave & drought in the summer); I can't imagine having to do that while living in substandard conditions.

Loosely translated, Lakota means "alliance of friends". Why not join an alliance of knitters and help keep someone warm this winter?

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