Welcome to Tuesday. I am posting to you live from beautiful downton Riverside's Jury Assembly room. Can't bring my knitting, but I can bring my laptop. How funny is that?

I had a very easygoing weekend - the kind I really wanted. I am trying to resist feeling guilty for getting nothing "useful" done. I did go to a soap show Saturday, made some soap on Sunday, did do some laundry yesterday, and I did knit a few repeats of a lace scarf of my own design. Pictures tomorrow, or tonight if I can get my home scanner fired up and connected. No, not pictures of the laundry. You crazy people.

I was tagged by Rose to do a quizzy thing... it is totally not fair to tag me because I don't know any other (not hugely famous and above me) bloggers. While I figure out who tag (or if), here are 7 random (hopefully interesting) things about me:

1) I can't stand not to have work or projects in progress. I have no ability to finish all of my tasks and have nothing pending for tomorrow.
2) I have to put on my seatbelt as soon as I get in a car, before starting it or backing out of the spot / driveway. It feels so wierd to even go around the block without it.
3) The more people yell at me, the more I try not to offend them.
4) This is a trait I share with one of my dogs. It drives me crazy when she does it.
5) I am against the death penalty.
6) I would rather sleep in than get up early, but when I do get up early, I always wonder why I don't do it more often.
7) I just got called to go to a courtroom. Just this second. Wish me luck!

*edit* so I got called at 9:20 or so, and they kept my group on hold until about 11. Then we got to break for lunch until 2. I had some chinese food, read my book, did a little emailing, and then went back in at 12 ish to play on the laptop (which was being balky). At 1:30, the lady at the counter mentioned that my group's case had been continued at 11:30 and we should hit the bricks. Wheee! So now I am at the coffee place, WITH MY KNITTING, and am about to play a little WoW. I should keep track of how often I die. Maybe I can set a record.

Socking it to Myself! I finished the Regia socks last night at knitting (wiggles toes) and am wearing them today, even though I have not worked in the ends. Neener Neener Neener. No more socks for me until the Summer of Socks starts.

While I was there we discussed the 2007 Knit N Stitch Fall Knitting Retreat and I am looking forward to it (and hoping I can get the days off). We have big plans for a toe-up sock knitting class. Keep September 24-26 free!

In celebration of having another F(inished) O(bject), I tried to cast on for the Rona shawl from Knitpicks. I don't know who thought up "cast on 6 stitches, arrange on DPNs, knit one row", but s/he needs to either have her head examined or come over here and do the first 5 rows for me. Anybody think I can knit it from the outside in? It is going back in its drawer and Icarus is coming to math class again tonight. Icarus might get very big, as I have no idea how many repeats I have done / should do of chart 1. I will look tonight at the directions. Maybe. I am pretty happy just knitting away.

Continuing in the depressing movie vein, Netflix told me that the next disc of Law&Order: SVU will be arriving tomorrow. I think I need to go watch Pirates of the Caribbean 2 tonight and PoC 3 tomorrow at the theater. I have a stack of gift certificates somewhere.

Today Wendy had the cutest picture of Lucy that I have ever seen. Go check her out!

Almost Done for Today. I am ready for a vacation. No work, no soap, no yoga, no pets, no house, no car, no spinning, no knitting, no school. Just me and a case of Guinness. Just really, really tired. All those things are things I choose and enjoy, but I am ready for a short break.

Knitting: Icarus grew quite a lot last night in math class - half a repeat! I am still in love with the pattern and the fine yarn, although the green-ness of it is wearing on me. It is just barely all the wrong shades of green. It is going to look great when it is done, though.

Netflix: Finally got around to watching "Grave of the Fireflies". It is very well done, but wow, is it sad. If you saw "Nobody Knows", it is along the same lines. Moving, disturbing, sad, not a good choice for late night viewing. There are some cute and funny parts to balance, so all was not lost. Also at home are "Becket" and "The Prestige" - it might be time to watch something funny to give myself a break!

Good Girl. I had my oral surgery recheck this afternoon and he said that everything is healing really nicely. He said not to worry about the things I was worrying about, as the gums can take 2-3 weeks to heal completely. One of the techs asked how it went, and I said "I don't remember it, so that must be good!"

Not much else to report today. They had me in and out before I could even start some Waiting Room Knitting. Let me send you to some other fun sites: The Yarn Pirate has updated her shop (buy it please, so I don't), and I saw a fun link on mellowtrouble's site. It is an animated version of the Bayeux Tapestry.

I finished watching The Illusionist this weekend. I really liked it. It is a bad knitting movie, however, as it requires one's (well, my) full attention in order to try to figure out the details of the plot. And Mr. Norton is easy on the eyes. I think that "Beckett" is somewhere in the stack of mail on the dryer, and then "The Prestige" is coming after that. Whee!

Sorry to be away so long... Whenever I managed to find the time, Blogger was down. I have managed to tap into a wifi signal from home (at long last), so am posting from the comfort of bed. How indulgent!

Knitting is progressing slowly. I am nearly ready to bind off the Regia socks - they were my saving grace during The World's Most Boring Math Class last week. So many urges to stab people with my DPNs. But that would be wrong, and more importantly, might break the needles.

Icarus is also growing. I managed a few more rows on Friday night at Open Spinning/Knitting, as it was the first large block of time I had when I was not also on Vicodin. If I can find my size 4 DPNs, I am also gearing up to start the Rona shawl from Knit Picks. It's a pretty big if, though.

I was mulling over the Summer of Socks and have made a list of all the stash sock yarns, the people on my to knit for list, and the types of techniques I want to try / have been avoiding, and came up with 12 pairs of socks to make during that 3 months. I don't know that I will manage it, but I figured if was going to sign up for the "most socks" contest, I should have a plan going in. I am also going to hold off making any more socks until the Summer starts.

Mandy says that only gives me a month to finish Icarus. I say, game on!

As you know, I had my wisdom teeth out last week and things have been very non-eventful in the recovery department. I am pleased. My checkup is Monday, let's see if the dentist is also pleased. I can hardly wait to have a celabratory Dr. Pepper when I am all healed up.

Soap News
Our next event is at Valley Center Western Days this weekend (May 25, 26, and 27). We have made up some brand-spanking-new soaps for this event and are looking forward to having a great time.

Then the very next weekend we will be in Scottsdale, AZ at the Arizona Gathering of Soap and Candle Artisans. We will be selling soap and giving demonstrations.

The lovely Sheri at The Loopy Ewe will be carrying our little soap lambs in Loopy Lemon and Loopy Lavender - keep an eye out for them!

And don't forget, you can find us every Thursday at Riverside's Market Night, it's not just for Wednesdays anymore! Each week we have soap, lotion, spinning fiber and yarn, and we invite you to stop and smell the soaps!

I am Feeling Ambitious Today.

The Loopy Ewe reveal has occurred and I am pleased as punch at the warm reception our little Lemon Lambs have received. I have big dreams for taking over knitters' soapdishes everywhere *bwahahaha*

I got a box in the mail last night and inside was this:
Claudia Hanpainted Yarn in "Peppermint Mocha", purchased from The Loopy Ewe. This is the yarn my boss chose to be my "thank you" for working on the weekend a couple weeks ago and for struggling thru a big project here at work last week. I got two skeins (enough for a pair of socks) and just want to sit here and pet it. It is soft and squashy and really gorgeous. See? Checking every 5 minutes for the Sneak Up really does work!

Last week I had a big adventure when I had to go to LA for a class for work. I took the train to Union Station, the subway to 7th, and the bus to my destination (and back again). It was all very exciting. I particularly liked the poster I saw on the subway of a handsome man in a suit knitting a hot pink scarf with boucle yarn. It was an ad for getting a lot done on one's commute and it made me smile. I would have pulled out my sock and worked on it, except I was only going 2 stops.

I worked on both the Regia sock #2 and Icarus that day (last Thursday), but have no new knitting progress to report. I have been afraid to knit while I am taking Vicodin (for my wisdom teeth extraction). I am feeling so much better that I had ziti for lunch. Little tiny bites is the answer. And I am NOT using a straw to drink with. (I forgot to post a link to Ruthie Pie's website yesterday. It is The Dizzy Ewe.)

We have a soap show coming up in Riverside this weekend (Saturday the 19th) at an event hosted by the Old Riverside Foundation. We will have soap, fiber, yarn, and more soap. Come on by and say "Hi!". There is no charge to look around at the vendors.

Not Dead Yet. Sorry to be gone so long! I had a big adventure this weekend - I had my wisdom teeth out on Saturday. I am feeling better now. I was under house arrest this weekend, ordered to sleep all I wanted and then some. The Downside? No laundry, no cleaning, no WoWing, no homework, and no knitting. The upside? All the chocolate pudding I could stand. It was so nice, I am thinking about having my tonsils out just for the unlimited ice cream. I was amazingly anxious about it all week, but everything has been easy peasy so far.

Big giant hugs to Mandy and Ruthie Pie for Lisa-sitting!!!!!

All the excitement, all at one time. Why spread it out? So I went to the dentist today, and on Saturday I am having my wisdom teeth out. I have avoided this for 15 years and Saturday is the day. So soon! The time slot was open and the price was right. I barely get over this shock, when I go to school tonight (a snoozefest by the way) and the professor tells us that the exam is on Tuesday. Like, next Tuesday. Like, I am sooooo requesting a medical delay. I feel bad for the prof some days - when the term started he had to restrict the class size to 50 and turn away something like a dozen people. Nowadays we have maybe 10 who come to class. Tonight we covered yet more radicals and then imaginary numbers (which are not radical. they are just plain)

I did however get quite a bit of Icarus done tonight - nearly an entire increase. It is already growing to the size where purling back makes my hands hurt. It's a good pain because it means I am just that much closer to being done. Woo!

Randy Rocks. The laptop is up and running and I am beaming from ear to ear. Or I would be, if I weren't in the office pretending to be cool.

The birthday weekend went well. I got some fun ecards, we had a nice dinner with a dishy waiter at Outback, and my new epiphyllum bloomed last night.

Icarus is growing by leaps and bounds. I had my first tinking session with it last night - a row and a half to uncross a twisted stitch. I tried and tried to figure out how to drop the stitch and fix it, but it did not reveal itself to me until the tinking fairy came. Sigh. But I was watching Clive Owen on the tv, so it was OK. There would be a picture today except that I mananged to leave the project bag at home.

Tonight I am skipping yoga and installing myself down at the coffeeshop. I am going to do some algebra homework and then play a little WoW.

I went by Knit N Stitch last night for spinning and knitting night. It was a good time. I have a "for sale" post today - a woman came in to the shop looking to sell her spinning wheel:

This is a scan of the photo, sorry it is a bit grainy. The back of the photo says "antique spinning wheel 1880-1890". Apparently they had an appraiser come out to determine age and value. The asking price is $1,200. The wheel resides in Lake Havasu and if you are interested, please call Linda at Knit N Stitch at (951) 684-7632 for more information.


It's a bird! It's a plane! It's an Icarus! I was generously gifted a skein of laceweight (cobweb?) yarn and promptly cast on for Icarus by Miriam Felton. It will serve a threefold purpose - satisfying my need to knit lace, my need to have Icarus, and we will show it in the store with the issue of Interweave Knits where it is featured (or the upcoming lace book for which Icarus is the cover shot) and hopefully prompt more lace knitting in our little town. And maybe, just maybe, a visit by the M herself. Those adorable stitch markers came from my friend Marti, who made them for me for Christmas. I love them. L-O-V-E them. And they match so nicely!
I am test driving the Addi Turbo Lace needles for the store. I knit with bamboo needles almost esclusively, so these metal ones are a big change for me. So far (9 rows in) I like them very much. They are pointy, smooth, but not so slick I drop all the stitches if I sneeze. The join with the cable is quite smooth.

Excuse me. I need to knit now.

Summer o' Socks. I saw this on Wendy's Blog and joined with alacrity. I forsee a lot of spinning in my future. I signed up for the "most socks" contest.

Quiet here today - I like work so much better when I spend the day not working. I knit on the Regia socks last night during math and today at lunch - knit the entire foot last night and the heel at lunch. I would like to wear them on Saturday for my birthday. Remember being little and getting a new outfit / all dressed up for your party? There were some pretty dresses in my past. However, I will never be 9 again.

I got a "free month of Netflix" ad in my email the other day. If anyone is interested, email me or post a comment and I will forward to you and spread the addiction. And you can always cancel after your free month!

Happy Tuesday! Except for being at work, today has been a great day. Got up on time (well, mostly), made it to yoga by 6:15, the studio was open and I didn't chicken out. It was really wierd practicing on my own - I felt like everyone was going to laugh and point if I did a pose funny or did them in the wrong order. Fortunately, neither of those things occurred. I missed a couple poses and rushed some that I don't like very much, but did the whole first series and still made it to work on time. Early, even!! I will have to overcome the "I don't want to be here, I really want to go back to bed" syndrome, but I really DO want to be there and it will pay off.

I knitted a little on the 2nd Regia sock at lunch today, and have discovered I am bored with stockinette knitted in the round. I am also bored with ribbing. I see a lace shawl in my very near future.