Cancun Christmas 2008

The Adams Family took a Christmas break from our normal routines by traveling to the Yucatan Peninsula. Our ultimate destination was just south of Cancun on the Mayan Riviera. We stayed at the Grand Mayan and took side trips to Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen, entered the Nohoch Nah Chich cave system and snorkeled in cenotes, snorkeled off the Fat Cat catamaran in the Caribbean, unimogged through the jungle to a Mayan settlement for lunch, and kayaked to a reef through challenging currents. We also spent some serious "sloth time" at the hotel pool, sipping coco naturales(not coco locos).


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Now to the yarn portion of this blog...

I received two skeins of quiviet, a scarf pattern, Signature needles and two skeins from Ancient Threads Farm.

Then, when we arrived home, our neighbor came over with mail and packages from Germany. Yes, most of the Wollmeise has arrived. It is truly breathtaking! Claudia emailed and said the next package should be arriving in a few days.

 I hope you enjoy the pictures...

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Squirrels and Wollmeise

The squirrel mittens are coming along. I have finished the body of the first one. This project has been a huge learning experience which will continue with the second one. Tension is an issue when knitting two colors coming from two directions, using different styles. I did it once before, over a year ago on a simple hat. This is a different animal altogether.

As you can see, the glove is positioned on a laptop. That is because last night (more correctly, early this morning, PST), the Wollmeise shop was updated. Thanks to Ravelry, I had all my squirrels in a row and was in position when the  virtual door opened. I scored big time thanks to all of the hints from my fellow Wollmeise addicts. I was on two computers. On one I monitered the shop website and on the second I chatted with people from all corners of the world who were waiting with me. What interesting times we live in!

Happy Boy

Jackson and his mother were in town this weekend and had dinner with us on Friday. Before going to El Portal, we met at Hobby People to see what Jackson might be interested in for a holiday gift. I think he found the perfect item...it includes fast cars (a consuming interest).

Friday and Saturday were work days at Skein. We were quite busy and I had several students drop in. I also had the pleasure of meeting two fellow Ravelers, DougLaughlin and Asplund. They were checking out LYSs and we were on their list. Asplund showed me some of his knitting (very impressive) and I mentioned that I would be interested in attending a class if one was held close by.. You never know who might come into the store! 

The Cherry Garcia was a quick knit and another will be cast on in a day or two. The cables turned out nicely in the Malabrigo Chunky, I think. The poor squirrels are inching along, too. Today it struck me that stars look more like dive bombing birds of prey intent on doing harm to the scraggly squirrels.

Yummy!

We had the best ever turkey. Gravy, stuffing(made in oven, outside of bird) and brussels sprouts were over the top. After a small sliver of pumpkin pie there were several flavors of Bulgarini gelato to be enjoyed. Did I mention wine? We had some of that, too.

In between bouts in the kitchen, I made some progress on the squirrel mittens and Noro Striped #2...as you can see.

I have much to be thankful for this year...most of all, my wonderful husband and daughter.

Happy Turkey Day

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving planned for tomorrow. If you live in another country, celebrate anyway!  I discovered a last minute site for those of us who are recipe challenged. It even provides a shopping list. Several items on the menu appeal to me. If interested, take a look.

The Knotty Gloves are finished. The pattern was well written and I managed to make it through the chart without too many do-overs.  Photographing them proved to be a challenge, however.

The other projects currently on needles are a top-down sweater:                   

and Squirrelly-Swedish mittens, a pattern that is available as a download on Ravelry.

There is also one more Noro Striped Scarf.

Project Completion

Our group yarn sale on Saturday was a huge success. Thom was a gracious host for the event and provided his shaded front yard for the sale. I was only able to stay until shortly before 10AM because Saturday is a teaching day for me at Skein.  Mindy, Larry(knitdad) and Judy manned the register and provided personal shopper service as requested. The consensus is that we will probably have another destashing event in a few months. 

On the knitting front, I have been working on mittens and gloves for Meghan....who soon will need them! She provided me with some fantastic pictures of the Druid Mittens in Boston. I hope you enjoy them.

My personal favorite shot is on the table surrounded by lobsters...

Just off the needles and searching for the perfect buttons (I'm thinking acorns) are the Broad Street Mittens.Due off the needles sometime later today are the Knotty Gloves, a wonderful pattern that I have enjoyed making. 

Yarn/Yard Sale

I plan to post some more pictures of the Druid Mittens in Boston tomorrow. But, since I promised information to some of you by the end of the week about next Saturday's FANTASTIC yarn/yard sale....

The Mittens of the Freedom Trail

Meghan sent a picture from Boston of the mittens hitting the trail. 

Time Flies

Time flies when you are having fun/busy...that is for sure.  

Last week we visited the Huntington Library to see the Darwin exhibit and the new Chinese garden. That is a must see, if you are in the Los Angeles area.

Knitting-wise I have been very busy and productive.  It is always good when you have a product at the end of the week-my knitting stars aligned!  Announcing the Druid Mittens, just in time for a trip to chilly Boston.

My current "new" project on the needles (yes, sadly...there are some languishing in my bag) is another Brooklyntweed design, Porom.  It is going quickly and will go well with the mittens.

Forging Ahead

Last night I spent too much time trying to figure out what I should do at a certain spot on the instep of my Rattlesnake Creek Socks. At one point you begin with the 3rd stitch of the pattern...and that totally threw me when I got to the place where you are supposed to do a 3/3 cable on the edge. Finally, after agonizing for WAY too long, I went to bed. First thing this morning, it was clear to me what I needed to do and all is well again. Duh, just do a 2/2 cable instead. Please don't tell me it was obvious....I already know.  

Here is a peek at the socks a little further along than last time.  Yes, I am still on the first one!

Helicopter Tour

Today Greg and I took a long-anticipated helicopter ride with the Pasadena Police Department. This was the eTicket ride I thought it would be when I bid on it at the Bienvenidos benefit last year. The pilot who took us up, Mark Lang, was a true professional and a credit to the department. We met the entire staff, pilots from Pasadena PD and other cities, and the support staff who keep the ships in the air. The weather couldn't have been better....here are a few shots of my adventure.

I've also been busy knitting.  Yesterday was a work day for me (at Skein), some friends dropped by, I taught several lessons and managed to complete a hat out of some lovely chunky Malabrigo that was purchased two weeks ago.

The pattern is Foliage, from knitty.com. It literally flew off the needles once I got the top down bit started. Next I'll try the worsted version as I just happen to have a few skeins around.

Sad News

I haven't blogged in awhile...and since my last post, we lost our very special cat, Spooky.  It was obvious that he wasn't feeling well so we took him into the vet. He had lost quite a bit of weight and his temperature was below normal.  She was able to give him some in house lab tests and determined that his situation was grave.  We decided that it would be better to not prolong his suffering and had him put down.  We miss him terribly.

The craft room is moving ahead.  It should be finished next Sunday...pictures to follow.

There are more finished knitting projects!  Valour and my Rainy Day Scarf are both off the needles.

A Little Weather, Finally

Yesterday and this morning we woke up to cloudy skies and humidity.  Thunder and lightening remind me of Arizona during the monsoon season. Funny how certain sights and smells can trigger childhood memories.

I have been busy knitting and spending time with family this past week. Over the weekend we went out to dinner to Mike and Anne's. We ordered the two "special" appetizers for the evening- squash blossoms and eggplant. Both were delicious!

We finished dinner off with some Port, beignets and ice cream. What a treat.

My knitting is humming along. Over the last week I have managed to finish two scarves and have made some progress on both the Rattlesnake Creek Socks and the Green Autumn Gloves.

The picture to the right is the Noro Striped Scarf, by Jerad Flood (Brooklyntweed). I started it last week and will weave the ends in this afternoon. There will be several more of these knit by me as it is way too much fun to see the color combinations roll along.

We are no longer hog sitting. The little critter was returned on Sunday. The experience was fun and not too painful...I think it likes us.

Hog Sitting & Knitting

For the past few days I have been hedgehog sitting and knitting up a storm. Truffles is her name and running on the wheel late at night is her game...

Her roomy three story condo is smack dab in the middle of my yet to be finished craft room. That insures that Spooky, our killer cat, doesn't stress the little creature. Truffles is really sweet and appreciates visitors if you can keep her hours. During the day, she curls up in a pouch on the bottom floor and naps.

One project came off the needles today. The hat pictured above is a test knit for CathyCate (on Ravelry). It is the second version of her Hat without a Name...a fun, fast knit.

 

This morning, after breakfast out, we took a different route home.  When I spotted this little fellow camped out on a roof...I had to turn around to take a second look and snap a photo.  He was silently enjoying watching other dogs pass by from a safe vantage point. Smart fellow!

LA County Fair...

Yesterday we made our annual trek to the LA County Fair in Pomona. Thanks to L. (Knitdad's daughter) we got in free. I might have to go again as I had hoped to see some animals...we got sidetracked by wine tasting. Actually, two wine tastings. It was a fun day full of interesting sights and smells. Oh, my!

 

Several projects are on the needles right now. There is that Secret Project(on the last skein) and Rattlesnake Creek Socks. Pictures will be taken and posted early this week. Stay tuned!