Knitting lessons

Garter stitch for now

How green are you living?

Play American Public Media’s “Consumer Consequences” game and find out how many planets we would need if everyone lived like you.

get going:

http://sustainability.publicradio.org/consumerconsequences/

My score was 4.0 - yikes! Much worse than I thought it would be. Need to work on that I guess.

Red Scarf Project

It's that time again... here's the rules:

The OFA will take scarves from September 1-December 15, 2009. Approximately 3,500 scarves are needed.

Please remember QUALITY. This is not for beginner knitters or crocheters.

The goal is for gift-worthy tasteful unisex collegiate scarves for middle class American college students -- something they would feel proud to wear, just as if they were your own college-age son, daughter, or grandchild -- using the following guidelines:

• * 5-8 inches wide
• * 60-70 inches long
• * RED! is the MUCH PREFERRED COLOR. Other tasteful UNISEX colors are acceptable, but RED is PREFERRED. Absolutely NO PINK or LAVENDER, and no colors that the general public might not like. Yellows, oranges, and certain shades of green... some people love those colors - other people don't.
• * UNISEX, please.
  
• * Soft yarns, a drapey gauge, evenly knit or crocheted
  
• * Does not have to be machine washable (but please include washing instructions)
• * DK or light worsted weight is the preferred weight
  
• * NO BULKY or SUPER-BULKY (it does not fit in the care package boxes)
• * NO FUN FUR. NO LACE. NO FRILLS. NO ROTINI SCARVES.
  
• * No felted scarves.
• * No used scarves.

A little daunting, right? Well, no matter. Norma has kindly suggested some patterns but since I seem to be on a roll with the scrappy lengthwise scarf, that's what I'll be knitting. And it's Norma approved! In her own words:

Oh, that is GORGEOUS! I love that stitch that looks woven. Awesome choice. I love it, too, when people can think on their own. :) I'm psyched about it, and may make one of those myself.

Happy Canada Day!

Facts about Canada
- total population: 31,612,897
- largest city: Toronto (5,555,912)
- average age: 39.5
- notable knitter: the Yarn Harlot

Another scrappy scarf

Does this say Steelers to you?



That's what I was going for... hope the red and blue don't stand out too much. The pattern is the

Scrappy Lengthwise Scarf by Zona Sherman. Yarns are a mix of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, Red Heart Soft, and some random black acrylic yarn I got from my sister.

What a difference

Before Max steamed the JMU inspired scarf with the iron:



And after:



Braided fringe:



The finished scarf is so much flatter and more polished than it was before it was steamed. What a difference!

Max's new toy

Max got the new iPhone last week because I insisted that he bring his old one to the race and because of the rain, it was damaged beyond repair.

Le sigh.

Absolutely devastated at the thought of having to buy the latest and greatest in mobile phone technology, we stood in line outside the Apple store on the second day after the iPhone 3GS was released. Here's the very first video he took on his new phone.



Eye-rolling aside, which I love, I'm amazed at the clarity. Max seems to like it too... despite all his complaining. :) You know, because I forced him to buy the new phone!

Lemon sorbet and berries

I bought a quart of buttermilk thinking I would make pancakes and scones, but then we went away for the weekend to Lancaster. So suddenly I had all this buttermilk and no time. In looking for a recipe to use up alot of buttermilk, I found this Lemon-Buttermilk Sorbet recipe from Bon Appétit. It's quick and easy to make - and easy to serve, a plus for Max who usually ends up having to scoop it. We ate some tonight with the HUGE blackberries that we bought at the farmer's market this morning. Delicious!

A beautiful twilight

New shoes

I went to Pacers on Friday to pick up my race packet. While I was there, I got a shoe fitting. Picked out the Nike Air Zoom Elite +4 from the three that I tried. They're definitely lighter than my old shoes and they feel more snug, in a good way. I roll my left foot in when I run, probably because I sprained my ankle in 2006, and this shoe is supposed to help compensate for that. Plus it's Nike+ enabled for instant workout feedback via my iPod nano.

Yesterday was my first run in the new shoes. They feel good but I didn't really notice the difference until I went for another run this morning in my old shoes again. Although it felt good running, my hips hurt and I could tell that my new shoes are better for me than my old ones.

Also, I found a way to map my run online. Automatically shows the mile markers and you can calculate your workout. I was able to create a new longer route to add to my training program. My usual route is 1.66 miles/2.68 km. The new one is a full 3.11 miles/5 km and includes a bigger hill. Max and I will probably run the new route on Saturday.

Turn a square hat

Cast on 88 stitches. Brim is garter stitch instead of rib and I knit a little more than 5" for extra snuggliness around the ears. The destination is north and it gets pretty cold there in the winter.

Run for the Rainforest 5K

Two weeks ago I ran my first 5k in 15 years. My goal was to finish the race without stopping. Amazingly, I did. Having achieved my goal, we accepted Missy's invitation and decided to give it another go. For today's race, Max's goal was to finish in 30 minutes. Yikes! Four minutes faster than our last race? Would it be possible? I just wanted to do better than last time.

When I sent the race information to my Dad, he asked me, "What does it mean when they say it is chip timed?" I explained that we would receive an RF tag to attach to our shoe that would record our time and then the results posted on the race website. His response is priceless: "Well, I guess marathons have gone high tech. We have come a long way form Sparta."

Here's the tag from the first race:



The chip for this race was different, more sturdy and reusable.

It started raining just before the race started but it felt good because it was warmer this morning than it was two weeks ago. At first, it was just sprinkles but then it really came down. So much so that I couldn't see so clearly... but we kept on going. The only time Max or I stopped during the race was when the other person had to retie their shoe laces (which had only come undone because they were so wet). 373 people finished the race.

Results
#250 Max 32:39
#260 Nicole 32:50

Favorite photos from last weekend

Amish on rollerblades



Max and Nicole at the fountain by Central Market



Shoofly pie from the Good 'N Plenty Restaurant



Max and Nicole at the Good 'N Plenty Restaurant



Max at Hershey Park



Waterpark at Hershey Park

Thanks!

Thank you Missy and Max for a great weekend in Lancaster.

Thank you Noelle for a super cute birthday card.



Thank you Olivia for giving us the day off yoga so we can go drink instead.

Thank you Facebook for facilitating the many birthday wishes from all kinds of friends from all over the world.

Thank you Angela and Amanda for taking me out to lunch tomorrow.

Birthdays are still fun even as I get older...

:)

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

This is our half... the ones with the "carmelized" bottoms. Saw these cookies on the Keyboard Biologist Knits blog and thought they would make a great hostess gift for Missy's parents, since we stayed with them over the weekend.

Followed the recipe pretty closely except for the chocolate. All we had in the house was milk chocolate chips. Missy's nephew didn't like them (he's nine and wasn't shy about telling me that he didn't like them either) but that's because he doesn't like nuts.

Lancaster County

This past weekend, Max and I went up to Lancaster with our friend Missy and stayed with her parents. She and I drove up together Friday morning while Max was at work and spent the day together in the village of Intercourse. We visited Missy's Mom's shop:


We also went to the Lancaster Yarn Shop:



Here's what I got:



Lancaster County Fibers, alpaca, 230 yards, DK weight, naturally coloured. Made in Lancaster county. Added to Ravelry.

Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball, 75% wool & 25% nylon, 460 yards, Fingering weight, colourway is Tropical Fish. Made in Germany. Added to Ravelry.

Whorled Peace Zephyr, 255 yards, superwash merino. Made in Lancaster county. Added to Ravelry.

Go Dukes?

It's coming along...



I took this picture on Sunday. There are probably twice as many rows now. Despite the long rows, it's a quick knit and I'm really liking the look of it. Thinking that a matching hat might be fun. Not sure if my coworker "bleeds purple and gold" but she'll certainly look like she does if she's wearing the hat and scarf!

Rustico

Last night Max and I went out to dinner at Rustico. What a fun place - great decor.

Our meal was delicious and the price was just right. Max had the soup of the day (ham and something else) and we shared a basket of fries for an appetizer - the smoky BBQ sauce for dipping our fries was wonderful! For dinner he had the ribeye and potato beignets, both incredibly delicious. I had the white pizza with duck confit - so good! The beer menu is pretty extensive, pages and pages. Max tried to the two heiferweisens. He liked the second one better because it was smoother. I had a sip but even after all these years, beer is not for me.

The server was attentive but not intrusive. The only downside was that we were too full for dessert. Alas! I would definitely recommend it.

From my sweetie

Awwwww...

Giant basil

Thanks to our friend Slav, we are the proud owners of a giant basil plant. It's huge. Practically a shrub. And right now it's taking up our entire kitchen island. You think I'm kidding?



Guess again! Max had some with his bread and cheese tonight at dinner. There are plans for pesto in the works, as well as an addition to garden salad. Even our cat Erin is getting in on it... a small one fell to the ground and I swear I saw her eat it.

Thanks again Slav! You're a really good friend.

Komen Global Race for the Cure

The weather was good but we started late. There were alot of speeches before the start, including an appearance by Joe Bidden (which was unexpected and pretty exciting). I've walked in the past... this year, Max and I started with the runners for the first time. We started out with my friend Angela but quickly she outpaced us and we lost sight of her. It was Max's first time running a 5k and my first time in 15 years. Almost every kilometer he would ask me, do you want to stop and walk?

No.

I kept going.

Sometimes barely faster than people that were walking but my goal was to keep going as long as I could - and I completed the entire race without stopping. Not even for water. I almost lost all my juice after the 4km but then two friends, Missy and Eunice, whom I consider much better runners than me appeared from behind me. That gave me the motivation to pick up the pace. Then I heard Angela cheer my name from the sidelines. I finished strong, only seconds behind Missy.

It was tough for Max too and the fact that I wanted to keep going pushed him too. It's the farthest we've ever run together. Our finishing time was around 38 minutes. Nowhere near the times I used to run in highschool but then, I'm not 16 anymore either. I accomplished what I set out to do and I'm really glad I did.

There's another 5k on June 20... and I'm definitely thinking about it! :)
--------------------
Updated to add:
Official results

Max 33:58
Nicole 34:00

Erin & Brookline

Whenever Max is out of town, I usually take pictures of the kitties with my phone and email them to him. Here's the ones I took when I got back from Boston while he was still in Massachusetts with his parents and his brother:

New yarn

I ordered some yarn from Knit Picks on 5/29. It arrived yesterday! The purples and yellow is for a JMU inspired scarf for a co-worker whose bridal shower is in August. The red is for another co-worker who has requested a Santa hat for Christmas. Just thinking ahead! :)

I started on the JMU inspired scarf last night and it's knitting up quickly on US size 10.5 needles. Already have 4 long rows of 320 stitches. Using the scrappy lengthwise scarf pattern.

Opening Day

Stop by today! I went last year and really enjoyed it... a great way to unwind after work.

Upper King Street Fresh Farmers' Market
Wednesdays 3 pm - 7 pm
King St. Gardens Park
1806 King St.
Alexandria, VA 22314

First blooms

The day lilies seems to be doing just fine in their new home.

More new plants

A bunch of day lilies and another hosta - this one is more white than
the other three.

Nature Mill update

I'm a little lazy when it comes to adding to the compost, not usually breaking up pieces into smaller bits like I should so I often find myself having to attend to the red "jammed" button. Max finds it bothersome, even though he never touches it and I'm the only one who ever fixes it. Even with the wood chips and baking soda, it's still smelly so we keep ours outside. I don't mind though... for the little gardening that I do, taking care of my Nature Mill feels like tilling the land. Our BBQ meat fork has been repurposed as a garden fork to move all the dried bits from the corners to keep the contents moving at an arm's length.

I feel like it reduces the amount of garbage we throw out but Max only thinks that it has reduced the number of times we empty our garbage because all the smelly stuff is in the compost instead. Whatever. It works for us.

Date night

Dinner and a movie.

Boston eats

Since we were staying at a hotel, eating out every night was inevitable so I made reservations ahead of time using Open Table to ensure that we got to eat at our favorite restaurants and also try out some new ones.

In order of preference:

Elephant Walk
This is one of our favorite restaurants, only a few blocks away from two apartments that Max rented for 3 years while he lived in Boston. I had the Crêpe de Canard aux Poires - Savory crêpe filled with braised duck, pear, scallion and crème fraiche - and the Crevettes Amrita - Natural shrimp sautéed in a lightly sweet Cambodian satay sauce with coriander, cumin, cardamom, galangal, cinnamon, ginger, peanuts, star anise and lemongrass; with button mushroom, onion and scallion. Both were very good.



Max had, as always, the Loc Lac - Sautéed, cubed beef tenderloin, lightly caramelized in black pepper, garlic and mushroom soy; served over shredded lettuce with a lime and black pepper dipping sauce. We shared dessert, the Crêpe au Calvados aux Pommes - Calvados-flavored crêpe filled with caramelized cinnamon apples, garnished with vanilla bean ice cream and crème Anglaise. Also delicious.



Legal Seafoods
I had the clam chowder to start - it's my favorite. For dinner I had the grilled shrimp with snap peas and onion fries. For dessert I had the bananas fosters... no picture though because I had to eat it before the ice cream melted! :)



Upstairs on the Square
It's fun and funky like Harvard Square where it is located. I have always wanted to go there and what decided it for me this time was that there was a vegetarian menu for Max's Mom. Turns out the vegetarian menu is not offered every day, which was a disappointment but there were some vegetarian options on the regular menu for her to choose from. I had the garlic soup to start; it was good - flavorful but not too garlicky. For dinner I had the chicken and fiddlehead ferns. Delicious! And cooked just right. With the bread though, it was alot of food and Max ended up finishing it for me.



LTK (Legal Test Kitchen)
It's different than Legal Seafoods, their attempt to create something hip and trendy. The food was good but only that. Not worth going back. I had the Red Salad (radicchio, crumbled gorgonzola, candied pecans, dried cherries and balsamic vinaigrette) with grilled shrimp. Max had the clam chowder and lobster mac and cheese.



On Friday during our walk, Max and I stopped at Mike's Pastry during one of our walks to get a cannoli and an apple strudel. Yum! There's only a picture of the box because we ate the pastries before I thought about taking a picture.

Boston

On Friday, Max and I flew up to Boston to spend Memorial Day weekend in the city with his parents and his brother. Since the main artery was removed and a system of parks installed, the city is much more open and much improved since I was there last.



We did alot of walking around the city - it's a very walkable city and we had pretty great weather for the most part.



On Saturday we went whale watching. It was fun but we were all freezing cold - I would definitely bring a sweater and a knitted hat if I went again!



There was also alot of eating... but I'll save that for tomorrow!

More than 19 inches