Vacation Recap: Part 2

Tuesday dawned bright and mild; a good day to go on an adventure. After a yummy brunch, we went to the ocean (just a few feet away) and played in the surf, laid in the sun, and generally relaxed. Around 11 we piled in the car and drove to the Tedeschi Winery. It was serene, gorgeous, and welcoming. We tried several yummy wines and brought a few home. My favorite was the Raspberry Dessert wine. We didn't have time to take the tour, but I hear it is lovely.


Our defenses down, we crossed the street to the Ulupalakua Ranch Store and had some lunch. I had the Maui Cattle Co cheeseburger and it was fantastic. They also have local elk-burgers, but they were sold out by the time we arrived. They are trying to build a market for local-grown, grass-fed beef on the island, instead of shipping the cows to feedlots on the mainland. This beef was sweet and flavorful, the burger made right there on the porch for us. Add the relaxing (to me) Hawai'ian muzak, the calm cloudy day, and the greenery all around, and I think it might really have been heaven.

The highlight of the day was the trip to the Surfing Goat Dairy . We took the 3:15 Farm Chores tour, and got to bring in the goaties from the pasture, learn how to milk a goat, watch John milk very fast with the automatic milking machine, feed some goats, play with the babies, and taste some amazing goat cheese. It was a blast. The goats they keep for milkers are all hand raised and very friendly. They keep Saanens and French Alpines. I bought a cute t-shirt and some yummy cheese (feta, sun dried tomato, and mango flavored).

After those adventures, it was time to turn in to the resort and have some dinner. There may have been a spot of laying by the pool / beach too. I did make some progress on the burgundy Icarus shawl and Mandy's sweater over the course of the week, while in the car and during odd moments in the hotel, watching Law and Order. Hey - it was my vacation, I could watch TV if I wanted!

And again, there ARE pictures, but they are trapped in the laptop.

Vacation Recap: Part 1

We arrived in Maui on Sunday night and stayed in Kihei at a lovely little place. I particularly enjoyed watching the birds - even the parking lot birds were interesting! I saw zebra doves, a purple breasted dove, mynahs, sparrows, and a cardinal. We breakfasted at Denny's (outdoors!) and watched the ocean while we ate.

We drove south along the beach until we got to the lava fields, where we could go no further. We visited an 1838 church and graveyard and dipped our toes in the ocean at Makena beach. We also visited Big Beach and the red sand beach. Lunch was found at a roadside taco stand which had great ambiance and fantastic food.

In the afternoon we settled into our room in Ka'anapali. I forget where the rest of the afternoon went - wading in the ocean or a well-deserved nap, I think. We also browsed the brochures and Maui books in the room and discussed what we wanted to do over the week. We walked to the corner store and got some supplies for dinner and then watched "The Claim" which was one of the Netflix I brought. It was okay. I think I ordered it because it has Sarah Polley (from "Go"), but it was a very slow, convoluted story with a lot of poorly defined flashback sections. It was beautifully filmed, but hard to figure out what was going on and unsatisfying in the end. The credits say it was based on Hardy's "The Mayor of Casterbridge" which I have heard of but never read.

PS. there are pictures, apparently I hit publish by mistake. I will try to upload the pictures tonight.

Sniffly

I am hanging on. Thanks for all the well-wishes. There are parts of his explaination that I am not posting about (although some of you have heard), because I don't want to be unfair back, no matter how I feel I have been treated.

If anyone can go back and cancel this last mercury retrograde - which is about when he says his passion ended - or at least bring about an early close to it, I would appreciate it. In fact, read the entry for this MR, as it is scarily accurate about what has happened.

Abandoned...again

Kip left me yesterday. He picked me up from the airport, took me to breakfast, drove me home, and dumped me. He said I have problems and he just doesn't care about me anymore.

Maui

I'm here, it's gorgeous. Today we snorkeled. There are fish in the ocean! Who knew?

Recharged

I went out to dinner with Mr. Fixit last night. He is just as cute as I remember. We had yummy health food and a cranberry-apple cobbler (a la mode) for dessert. We had a review of my therapy session and I think I can get used to this honesty and sharing business.

There was some netflix watching in my week - I got disc one of "A Fine Romance" with Judi Dench, and it is OK but did not grab me right off. 4 episodes later I was still not grabbed. I like "As Time Goes By" far more. I also managed to watch "Vanity Fair" with Reese Witherspoon and *yay* Johnathyn Rhys-Meyers. I had forgotten he was in it. He plays a bad man. He is really good at that. I liked it quite a bit, especially the costuming. It was spectacular. There was a little incongruity when she was gifted with a parrot "from India" that was actually a blue and gold macaw (from the Amazon). Considering the extravagance of the settings and costuming AND the fact that the director is a native of India, I could hardly believe the props people couldn't scare up an Alexandrine Parrot or an Indian Ringneck (like my own Kiwi-bird). Perhaps they were not as big and splashy as the blue and gold. At home I have "The Claim", and two more things arriving Saturday, but I suspect they will have to wait until I get back from vacation, unless I want to watch them on the laptop.

Open spinning is tonight. I don't know that I will bring spinning to work on, but it will be a good time anyway. Progress can always be made on Mandy's sweater. I have spinning to do, but my empty bobbin for my Majacraft Millie is AWOL, and it is technically plying that needs to be done.

I get on the plane Sunday afternoon. If you break into the house, you have to sweep up under anything you steal.

Mish Mash

I am title free at the moment. I will try to think of something brilliant before I hit "Publish". Yesterday I managed a 1/2 day off as my computer tanked and ALL my tasks require it. Today I have a computer and a smattering of programs, NO saved email and NO internet favorites. We shall not speak of the personal files I meant to back up. It makes me a little sick to think on it.

Las Vegas was great. There are *gasp* no pictures. Sorry kids. I sold clothes with a vengeance and drank lemonade like there was no tomorrow. There were many men in kilts and none of them turned my head (as well it should be) even as much as Mr. Fixit in a greasy jumpsuit, working on the van. I may have bought some jewelry and a woven throw with ravens on it (big surprise there) and I needed another pouch as I forgot my new one at home. Sigh. But basically I was too busy or exhausted to shop. This year they had the vendors on one side of the lake and the guilds on the other, and I really liked it that way. I would have liked to spend more than 2o minutes over there though.

This week has been filled with preparations for Hawaii (read: laundry) and angsting about my appoinment with the shrink today. Long story short, I did NOT want to go. But I did. I was not too happy there, but the dust has settled over the last couple hours and I am feeling much more chipper. I have "homework" which I feel silly about. I have also spent some quality time sleeping (alone, sadly), and visiting with the pets, who have missed me, and who I feel really badly about leaving for an entire week. We have been watching some Netflix and eating fast food in the evenings for our quality time.

Monday night was quilting class. I had homework there too, which I did last night. It was to sew (no thread) along the lines of an index card to practice my 1/4" seam and sewing in a straight line. I got to do some fun things like break and change the needle, change the presser foot and guide plate, go to the store and buy thread, set up my spool thread, and fiddle with the bobbin thread. But, try as I might, I just can't get the needle thread to pull up the loop of bobbin thread. I gave up after a while and it will just have to wait. I was bummed, as I really wanted to get some strips put together.

The Rum Runner socks continue (I am on the leg of sock #2), as do Mandy's sweater and SG1. If the gods are with me, there will be a new Booty Club box on the porch tonight. I could use some comfort yarn.

Teaser

My appointment went well, I had a good time in Vegas, I am bone tired and at work anyway. More in a little bit.

Inside My Head

I go to see the therapist this afternoon. I am counting the minutes. Yesterday was pretty low and while Mr. Fixit cajoled me into joining the rest of the human race again, it is not really his job to fix me. He is patient and supportive and prods me when I need it, but not too much, and generally keeps me going on days like that. I want there to be fewer of those days, though. It wasn't so long ago that I was satisfied being sad all the time - it doesn't seem so bad when it is your everyday state - but I have been a lot happier lately with spinning group, lace group, knitting group, soap activities, and yoga stuff, even before Mr. F came along, and I want that to be my new everyday state. Thanks to all who leave comments, by the way, I love to read them. I check my blog stats and know people are reading (thank you!) but feedback is always appreciated.

Whew.

I did manage to finish the foot and heel of Rum Runner sock #2 yesterday, but had to stop when I got to the leg pattern section. While I have the pattern memorized, I forgot which row to begin on. I suppose it isn't the end of the world, but I would like them to match.

I also managed to make it to yoga. It was slow deep stretch night (Wednesday always is) and Barbara was the sub. I really enjoyed her style and when I have a free weekend (2012 maybe) I want to go to one of her regular classes. I also picked up a flyer for a concert thingy on 11/16 and paid my bucks for the home practice class on 10/28. There is a link to Inland Yoga in the sidebar if you would like more info.

Tonight is a flurry of activity before I leave for Las Vegas in the morning. Packing, feeding pets, laundry, appointments, gas in the car, wash the car, get directions, go to the bank, go to the pet food store. I hope to have a fun weekend though, even if I will be working. It is always fun to work with Don and Andrea at Whimsy, though.

The Yarn Harlot posted her pictures of the finished Mystery Stole #3. I am hip to knit it. But not yet. Not only is my plate full, I may have made plans to go to a quilting class on Monday night. Anybody wanna come along?

Temptation

I forgot to post this tidbit yesterday. Tien Chiu, a woman whose blog I read with great interest, is riding in the AIDS Lifecycle again. Be sure to check out this post and sign up as a sponsor or just wish her well!

Little Miss Sunburn

Ow. Ow. Ow. My poor little nose. At least I didn't get burned until the last race. Darn those Trans-Ams! The windburn is starting to ease, though.

Otherswise, a good time was had by all. Amazingly, I managed to catch up to Mr. Fixit around Encinitas and followed him the rest of the way to Coronado. There was a little excitement when a tire blew out on the motorhome just as we were coming down off the Coronado Bridge, but it happened in a "good" spot where we could pull out of traffic and feel safe. Ish. It was man vs. Winnebago, but Mr. Fixit prevailed and we were rolling again shortly, headed right for the reception and cocktails.

Saturday dawned bright and cheery, and it was off to practice for The Boys. Jamie had a little issue with the Berkeley, and had to spend the rest of the day tinkering with it, but it was up and running by that evening. Mr. Fixit raced the little red racecar and I was impressed as always. To unwind, we went into town in the evening and had some pizza (Village Pizza in Coronado *yum*) and some beer and generally had a grand time.

Sunday was more practice and more racing. This time I knitted on Mandy's sweater (SG1) during the morning and after lunch I stayed in the stands and watched races for most of the afternoon. They are getting more and more interesting as I understand them better and can keep track of what is going on. It also helps to have good earplugs so that I am not in pain or deaf by the end of the day. I finished the first Rum Runner sock Saturday morning, and continued working on #2 while I watched. I finished the toe and 6" of foot by the end of the weekend! Gotta love that stockinette foot. It was fun to have people come up and ask what I was making and / or reveal that they too are knitters. I saw one woman quilting! I am threatening to start a group called the "Crosley Crafters" for interested parties.

After all the cars ran, it was time to go to the reception, which was swanky as usual. They take good care of their drivers! The USS Ronald Regan was our host and after the awards ceremony and nibbles we got to wander around the flight deck and ask questions. Mr. Fixit was enthralled and I was wishing for my knitting, but it wasn't too cold or windy, and I learned lots of neat things, so it was still a good time. I even saw a shooting star.

We each made it home safely, tired but happy after a fun weekend. I didn't hit all of my knitting goals, but I made some progress and I got to spend lots of quality time with Mr. Fixit, which is always my favorite part of the weekend. Even better than admiring the Tiger Sunbeam. Way to go, dear!

Zoom Zoom

We are off to the races. Mr. Fixit has his racecar, I have my knitting, life is good. More on Monday!

The Incredible Shrinking Woman

I am going to see a therapist on Thursday. I am excited and scared and can't really remember, now that I am a little happier, what it was that was bothering me so much in the first place. I am sure it will come back to me *ha ha*

Rum Runner sock #1 is nearly finished. Just another 1 1/2 inches on the ribbing, I think. It is my "the computer is slow at work" sock, knit in the spare moments when I am trying not to double click until my finger falls off.

Mandy's sweater continues. Progress has been slow this week, as I have taken the opportunity to work on Secret Gift #2 (which is going swimmingly). But I want to have both sleeves finished by the time I get back from Coronado this weekend.

After a couple weekends at home(ish), I am off gallivanting again. This weekend Mr. Fixit is racing at the Festival of Speed, next weekend I am at the Las Vegas Renaissance Faire with Don and Andrea of Whimsy. The weekend after that, The Soap Plantation is heading to Maui for a week or two. It is fun to go on vacations and adventures, but I have enjoyed being a blob at home these last couple of weeks.

And About Time Too

I finally figured out how to give my posts titles. I am a happier girl now.

It's Like Crack

My new favorite place is Etsy. Man-o-man. Only the need to pay the rent is restraining me. I may have had a knitting bag accident earlier this week.

My wierd moodiness continues. Everybody is right, I need to get out of this job, but I never take / find the time to go interviewing or I am so ground down that I don't feel like anybody would want me. That is a terrible way to live my life. It may be shrink time again. Or maybe I can get my doctor to write a note that I am required to sit by a window during the winter...

Martha read to us about fear in yoga class Wednesday. Geez that woman in on-topic. But it was good to get out and visit with classmates and do a little stretching. I am going to make it to Ashtanga on Sunday. I am I am I am.

Craft progress continues on the Rum Runner socks. I am well into the leg of sock #1. The cable pattern disappears into the color, but I like them anyway. Progress is stalled on Mandy's sweater (secret gift #1), but I think I will find a little quiet time this weekend to concentrate on it. I am going to pick up the fabric for secret gift #2 tomorrow and am really, really excited about it.

I also dug out the Blue BFL roving and singles and spindle (Bossie featherweight) and plied up a spindleful at Market Night last night. It was very satisfying. I started this project with the intention of making a lacy summer shawl, but it has been languishing for a couple years now. I hope that the happiness that Some People will feel about my spinning from the stash will blind them to the fact that I was not knitting on their sweater.

All righty. I had better get some work done today. Then I can go home and play Chocolatier until 3 am. Or WoW. I wonder if I even remember my password....

Missed You and Happy Mabon

It seems as if I have been offline forever! There was some excitement this weekend in Mr. Fixit's neighborhood that resulted in a total lack of electric, gas, telephone and cable. We still had water and cell phones though. We went out to the Haute Cakes Cafe in Costa Mesa for breakfast, did some visiting with friends, knitted, and did some maintenence on the cars.

There was a bunch of crafting progress over the weekend. I finished the Saffron socks on Saturday and have less than 2 yards of yarn left - just what I intended. I went to my Hedgehog Lacers meeting and worked on my bobbin lace project - a moon in burgundy, salmon, and gold. I made good progress and worked on it Sunday when the power was out. I set up shop in the driveway. Luckily the sun was out. I worked on Secret Gift #1, which really isn't a secret anymore. It is Mandy's birthday sweater. I am still in denial about Secret Gift #2, which is still a secret and for which the challenge of finding fabric is still giving me nightmares. I hereby resolve to work on the sweater exclusively until the first of October and then work on SG#2. I also found some time to work on the Rum Runner socks. I finished the heel of sock #1 yesterday and started the leg pattern. It is slow going with with teeny yarn and size 0 needles, but it is my comfort knitting when I just need something to do and not think too hard about. Yesterday I visited with the pets and even worked on my inkle loom project - a woven drawstring / strap that I began maybe 5 years ago? Geez. I thought about ditching it, but got out the lint roller and have resurrected it. My weaving skills have really deteriorated. But it is fun, it got easier as I went along, and it got me into the bird room to enjoy their company.

I totally love the fact that it is fall now. Fina-freaking-lly. It rained Friday and Saturday (both drizzling and pouring) and it made me ecstatic. We left the window open and fell asleep listening to the music it made. Mr. Fixit made me cocoa (with milk, even! I shall never again doubt that I am loved), pumpkins are everywhere, I broke out my fall jewelry, and soon the lone maple tree by my work will change color. I am ready to hunker down at home and get snowed in. Too bad I have to go to my day job still. Something is messing with my mood, though, making me hyper sensitive when anything does not go my way. I hope it is a short-lived phase. But I have lots of fun things to look forward too - Coronado with Mr. Fixit, Las Vegas Ren Faire, the Soap Plantation's first annual trip to Maui, Halloween / Samhain, Lace Day, the Fall Into Knitting Retreat, Thanksgiving dinner, the trip to Mexico, and Yule / Christmas. Must focus on the positive!

Dammit.

I am the kind of person who does not do something if everyone else is jumping on the bandwagon, no matter how much I like it. I like things that no one else knows about so I can feel special. I put off joining the Ravelry wait list for a long time. I scoffed at those who were already in. I said, how much fun is it to look at other people's yarn? But I signed up. There were many thousands (thousands!) of people in line ahead of me. Then I waited for my invitation. For 2 months. I'll just look around and not like it, I said. I don't have to stay.

Well, it came today. I went, I looked, I was blown away. It is fantastic, amazing, gorgeous, and inspiring. And that is after only 20 minutes. I sense some photography in my future. This is worth cancelling my Netflix subscription for.

GO. Go get on the waiting list NOW. If you are already in, add me to your "friends" if you like me (pickyknitter75).

I hate it when everybody's right.

Loomacy

Remember that pile of sticks a couple posts back? It is mostly assembled into a 45" Walling floor loom. Here, for your consideration, is my Single Girl's Guide to Assembling Your Loom.

1. Lay out pieces. Move them around. Put them back. Flip them all over. Put them back. Go to bed.
2. Next day, pretend you do not see them in the living room.
3. Third day, look at laundry pile, get motivated to assemble loom. Rearrange pieces.
4. Put all cross beams in finger tight. Decide I am a ninny.
5. Decide to tighten nuts with the wrench. Have to flip loom frame over to reach bottom nuts. Forget that the 4 beams and 2 frame pieces weigh the better part of 50 pounds by now and are 5' square.
6. Flip loom over again. Put in cloth beam. Discover that it doesn't fit, and holler at the dog "I just screwed them all in!". Dog blinks, not helpful. Undo all cross beams to widen frame. Have to flip frame over to undo my wrenching.
7. Flip loom over, put in cloth beam. Retighten nuts.
8. Flip loom over, realize treadles are now resting ON the cloth beam and will not touch the floor.
9. Flip loom over, unscrew nuts, widen frame, pull out cloth beam, drop treadles, put cloth beam back in, screw frame together.
10. Flip loom over.
11. Put in warp beam. Have to step inside loom and lift over back beam because I forgot to allow for warping room behind the loom. Make mental note, move entire contraption to middle of room.
12. Go make soap from 7pm - 9pm.
13. Retighten all nuts with wrench.
14. Wrestle with castle. Step inside loom (again). Do not fall over. Get castle lined up, and realize it nests INSIDE the frame. Take castle back out, set aside. Do not step on cat, dog, or catch foot on frame.
15. Flip loom over, unscrew one side of frame (4 points). Remove cloth beam and warp beam. Set aside
16. Flip loom over, get inside with castle. Slide castle into place and slam the bolts in to hold it. Congratulate self on not needing two helpers. Decide the directions are written for wimps, block all memory of flipping the loom over from mind. Replace cloth beam and warp beam.
17. Tighten nuts finger tight. Remain in denial about lifting the now over 100 lb loom up to screw in bottom frame nuts.
18. Place harnesses in castle. They are numbered, thank the gods.
19. Put reed inside beater. Place beater over loom frame.
17. Look quizzically at the leftover pieces.
18. Repeat step 1.

Secret Gift #1, day 2

Ah, the wide open feeling of starting a new project. Everything has a bit of a rosy haze to it. The knitting will proceed swiftly, I will not run out of yarn nor have so much left over that I am annoyed, the cats will not "help" with the knitting, and I will not balk at the making up.

I chose an easy place to start. It will be a good warm up for The Serious Knitting and might even enable me to take A Knitting Shortcut later (please please please please please). Progress is swift when the rows are short.

Secret Gift #2, day -1:

Still need fabric. Sigh. I can order it online and be done with it, but will it be the right color? And I will have to wait for weeks. The other option is driving all over creation with the pattern in hand, trying to find a shop that stocks it and then praying to find the right color. Meanwhile, I can get the other materials. If I rememer to take the pattern with me to the other shop. This is the one I panic about getting finished on time. I got the cold chills when I realized it will have to go to a secondary crafter after me for the finishing up - adding 2-3 weeks to the finish time.

Must not stress out over Secret Gifts. Must craft with patience and love. I can always buy gift cards at the last minute.

Other Knitting - progress on the saffron socks continues. I think I will be able to knit until I use up every darn inch of the yarn. The rum runner socks are on hold until I finish the saffron socks - I am so close!

To Tide You Over...

Until I free the pictures from their purgatory, here is a quick synopsis of my Renaissance Weekend with Mr. Fixit. Friday- mad dash to finish laundry and dinner at Ruby's (mmmmm). Saturday - long drive up to Gilroy / Casa de Fruta, some knitting progress on the Saffron socks, an amazing amount of chatting about all things great and small, a fabulous time at the faire until closing, and passing out, exhausted, at 6:30. Sunday - part 2 of a fabulous time at the faire, a pleasant peasant lunch, and a long drive home, marred only by a headache so intense it made me cry. Advil came to my rescue and the last 1/3 of the trip was filled with chatting.


Tonight, I have a date with this:

Lucky me!