Ribbit Good

I've been in a frogging mood this week. So far, I've ripped out the mohair hat I started on my trip. It was ginormous, so it had to go. I've also ripped out a Picovili that was 2/3 of the way done. I just was not feeling the love, so buh bye. I'm thinking of ripping an Irish Hiking Scarf, too, because I don't like the yarn color--mulled wine KP Wool of the Andes.

So...I've been ever so patiently waiting for a Knitpicks order to come in. What? You don't believe me? Are you thinking that the words "patiently waiting" and "Knitpicks order" do not belong in the same sentence? Yeah, I don't think so either. Anyway....the order FINALLY came today--a mere 13 days after we placed it. The package included 6 skeins of pepper red KP Swish Superwash. Oh, boy, is it gorgeous. It feels very nice, too. I may just have to get to work on some of that stuff tonight.

Does anyone know a source of sewing patterns for Bermuda Bag covers? You remember Bermuda bags--those wooden handled purses with the covers that button on and off. All us girls of the 80s carried these things.

Mile High

I have returned from my business trip to Denver, the mile high city. I actually didn't see the city unless you count viewing the skyline from the highway. We were tied up in meetings from the time I arrived on Wednesday afternoon until I left on Sunday morning. I was expecting to see mountains in Denver, but in actuality, the city is not mountainous. I saw the mountains on the horizon but was told they are about 45 minutes or so away.

My wildly colored Clapotis was a hit. It also worked very well at keeping me warm on the airplane and in freezing cold meeting rooms. I didn't do any knitting on the trip but cast on and worked part of a mohair hat on the flight home. The hat, unfortunately, needs to be frogged. What a joy frogging mohair is. It can be done with patience. The reason I have to frog is that the hat is big enough around to serve as a steering wheel cover. Thank the goddess that my head is not that big. I'm sure my mother is thankful of that fact, too. ;-)

I'm patiently (yeah, right) waiting for a Knitpicks order to come in. The tracking says the thing logged in at the local post office on Wednesday, August 23. Seems that it should be at my door by now. The package contains some extra Options needle tips and cords, a chart keeper, and some very pretty superwash wool in the color Red Pepper that daughter is going to use to make a hat and scarf for her guy friend for his birthday. I believe I'm actually slated to make the scarf as she's not ready yet to tackle cables. I'm using a reversible cable pattern from our LYS owner. The hat will be completely knitted by daughter (did you hear that, honey?) and she's going to use the Manly Hat pattern. I wonder if the boy friend curse applies to knitted hats and scarves? Hmmm..... I hope not.

So Long, Farewell

I'm soon going to be tied up with a business meeting, and I know there will be no time to post with that going on. Here are some photos for you to share what we've been up to lately.

Daughter and I knitted Booga Bags several months ago. We just got around to felting hers this weekend. Here's a photo of it. The flower on the bag is one I crocheted for daughter using some of her leftover Noro Kureyon. It is attached to a pin back, so she can take it off the bag later.


I finished two projects of my own over the weekend. First we have a bathing suit coverup that I knit for daughter using Lion Brand Microspun. The photo is just a close up shot of the stitch pattern. You can see the free pattern and more details here. I don't care for yarn, because it splits. However, the cover is nice and soft, and the color is great.


Here's a super size Clapotis that I made for myself. I added 6 additional increase sections. The yarn is some Knitpicks that husband dyed especially for me.


Finally, here's my latest work in progress. You can really tell a lot, can't you?

I'm making Diamond Fantasy Shawl pattern by Sivia Harding. The yarn is Knitpicks Shimmer in color Stained Glass.

Growing Up

This lovely young lady started 8th grade today. It seems like only yesterday her daddy and I were taking her to her first day of kindergarten. Where does the time go?



Our "hurt book" order from Interweave arrived yesterday. I've enjoyed perusing my selections: Wrap Style and Knitter's Stash. I also have A History of Handknitting but have not looked through it yet. I've found a couple of nice wraps in the Wrap Style book and several projects in Knitter's Stash--so many great patterns, so little knitting time.

If you like tank top type patterns, you must take a look at Amanda's page. She has two very nice patterns that she's designed. Yes, I bought both. I couldn't decide between the two, so what would any good knitter do in that situation??

I was chained to my desk today for a conference call most of today, and in order to maintain my sanity, there had to be yarn in my hands. I crocheted a flower pin for daughter. We felted her Booga bag (finally!) the other day and I used some of the leftover yarn for the pin. I'd post a picture, but the pin has disappeared somewhere in the "teen zone" of the house. I'll have to go search for it.

Creativity of the Edible Variety

I've not felt like going to the grocery store since returning from vacation, so we're currently eating whatever I can find in the pantry, fridge, and freezer. I made up a recipe last night using what was on hand, and it was rather good. I'll share it with you.

Turkey Meatloaf Burgers
1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 envelope Lipton Golden Onion Soup Mix
2 tablespoons Heinz 57 Steak Sauce
about 1/2 cup Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs
1 small can Hunts Tomato Paste

Mix turkey with soup mix, steak sauce, and enough bread crumbs to keep the mixture from being too sticky. (Ground turkey is very soft and tends not to hold together in patties without some bread crumbs.) Form into small patties and brown both sides of each patty in a non-stick skillet. Pour tomato sauce over patties, cover, and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. Shortly before serving, uncover skillet and top patties with freshly ground parmesan cheese.

I served these with fresh green beans and spooned some of the extra tomato sauce over the beans. Yummy! My family just ate this up.

Now, to address comments about yesterday's post. Many Southerners drink sweet tea--so sweet it will put you into a diabetic coma! I detest sweet tea although I was born and brought up right here in SC. I'm so sorry, Theresa. I know that changes your opinion of me drastically. :-) I drink my tea unsweetened unless it is hot tea. You really have to protect your glass in restaurants, or the servers will automatically refill your glass with sweet tea. It's also helpful for us non-sweet tea lovers to taste our glass before adding artificial sweetener just to make sure we've indeed been given our unsweetened tea.

Texas Pete is hot sauce. No good Southern kitchen is without a bottle of Texas Pete.

Today was a busy one. In addition to other appointments and work, daughter had to check in at school and set up her locker. Tomorrow is her first day back to school. She's excited. The kids have grown so much over the summer. I know they hate when we moms say that.

Wish They All Could Be CAROLINA Girls

No knitting content or photos today! It's the weekend, and I'm feeling lazy. Instead, I'm going to share something my mom forwarded me via e-mail.


THINGS I HAVE LEARNED HAVING RELATIVES AND FRIENDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA:

1. Possums sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air

2. There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 of them live in SOUTH CAROLINA.

3. There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 of them live in SOUTH CAROLINA, plus a couple no one's seen before.

4. If it grows, it sticks; If it crawls, it bites.

5. "Onced" and "Twiced" are words.

6. It is not a Shopping cart, it is a buggy.

7. Fire ants consider your flesh as a picnic.

8. People actually grow and eat okra.

9. "Fixinto" is one word.

10. There is no such thing as "lunch". There is only dinner and then there is supper.

11. Ice tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it when you're two. We do like a little tea with our sugar!

12. Backards and forwards means "I know everything about you."

13. The word "Jeet" is actually a phrase meaning "Did you eat?"

14. You don't have to wear a watch because it doesn't matter what time it is. You work until you' re done or it's too dark to see.

15. You don't PUSH buttons, you MASH them.


YOU KNOW YOU'RE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA IF:

1. You measure distance in minutes.

2. You've ever had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.

3. You use "fix" as a verb. For example: "I'm fixing to go to the store "

4. All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.

5. You install security lights on your house and garage, then leave both unlocked.

6. You know what a "DAWG" is.

7. You carry jumper cables in your car ... For your OWN car.

8. You only own five spices: salt, pepper, Texas Pete, Tabasco and ketchup.

9. The local papers cover national and international news on one page, but require 6 pages for local gossip and sports.

10. You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday.

11. You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit "a little warm".

12. You know all four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, still Summer and Christmas.

13. Going to Wal-mart is a favorite past time known as "goin' Wal-martin" or off to "Wally World" ... Mall Mart.

14. You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good Gumbo weather.

15. A carbonated soft drink isn't a soda, cola or pop .. it's a Coke, regardless of brand or flavor. For example: "What kinda coke you want?"

16. Fried catfish is the other white meat.

17. We don't need no stinking driver's Ed. If our mama says we can drive, we can drive.

18. You understand these jokes and forward them to your friends from South Carolina (and those who just wish they were).

Not EVERYONE can be a SOUTH CAROLINIAN, it's an art form and a gift from God! AMEN!!!!

Picture Time

I have a few pictures of our HHI vacation to share. Here's the great Lantern Moon knitting bag I got at The Courtyard, the LYS at HHI.




The inside of the bag is a yellower shade of green than the photo. I love this bag! It's really sturdy and just beautiful.

Here's a bird having his breakfast in a little creek that cuts through the beach.



The tide was out when I took this photo. When the tide is in, the creek is too wide and deep to cross.

Here's a shot of daughter "driving" our chosen mode of transportation while on the island--our cruiser bicycles. We really had a great time riding our bikes every day.



We also enjoyed swimming (or soaking in the pool!) every day. Here's daughter in her new inner tube. It is 54 inches across! Did you notice that daughter stole my noodle??



We did a bit of golfing, since HHI has so many lovely golf courses. Daughter won both rounds.



Carolyn asked to see bracelet pictures, and I've not gotten a chance yet to make those. I'll try to do that by the weekend.

I started knitting a great pattern from The Garter Belt this week. I'm working on this wrap for daughter. The pattern is easy, and there are three different (but similar) items included, all of them using the same basic stitch. I'm using Lion Brand Microspun (I know; eww) for the wrap and am using a lavendar color. I figured a cheap yarn would be just fine since this thing is mean to be worn by a 13 year old at the pool. I hate to say it, but I really like the look of the fabric I'm getting with the Microspun. It also feels pretty good. Warning: It is splitty as heck! I had to wrip back a row because I split a stitch and didn't realize it. I'll try to post a progress photo soon.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Leaving Paradise, ah the pain of it. Daughter and I packed it all up yesterday afternoon and headed home. It was inevitable. We have obligations here starting tomorrow (ick...Monday....) and wanted a day at home to sort of ease back into reality.

Vacation Days 5-9
Our days all started with bike rides on the beach followed by swimming in the pool. They seemed to end that way, too. You just have not lived until you've felt the rush of the sea breeze on your body as you peddle down a gorgeous beach.

Tuesday found us on the miniature golf course for two rounds. It was a lot of fun, but we seemed to keep finding the water hazards, daughter in particular.

We explored the south end of the island this week, too, with shopping at Coligny Plaza. Our souvenir of the trip was screw ball type charm bracelets. These bracelets are made of sterling silver wire (fairly thick) with balls at either end. One of the balls screws off so that you can add charms and beads to the bracelet. I went "traditional" with my bracelet adding Hilton Head Island map charm, a bike charm to represent our chosen mode of transportation for the week, and a dolphin charm to represent the dolphins we saw on our first bike ride of the week. Daughter chose a rubber duck charm (just because she thought it was cute) a crab (we saw some of those), and a star fish to represent all those starfish we tossed back in the water. Hopefully we saved the life of one or two of them. We'll keep adding more charms on future beach trips.

That's it....that was our vacation, and I do believe it was the best, most relaxing vacation I've ever had. We want to go for two weeks next year! I do have a few pictures and will share those later in the week.