Super Seattle Sunday

We really took advantage of one of the first nice weekend days this year. This morning we headed to the Ballard Farmer's Market where we got fresh produce to make pickles (beets and radishes), a baguette and some cheese curds. We also stopped to listen to Caspar Babypants.



It's Chris Bellew of The Presidents of the United States and you can find him many Sundays busking at the market. He's fairly awesome. There were a lot of toddlers rocking out to his music. My favorite was when he played Nirvana's "Grandma Take Me Home" which was suddenly really different in the performing-for-children context.

We spent some time exploring Ballard and I got City Walks: Seattle 50 Adventures on Foot. When we got home I found this note of the Phinney Ridge walk.

Knitters should stop by well-stocked The Fiber Gallery, an inviting yarn store.

We're famous!

We decided to walk over to Woodland Park to throw a frisbee around and then, once we were there, went to the zoo. For once I made the kids go see the animals I wanted to see. Older Son spent much of the time trying to act too cool for the zoo but Younger Son had a lot of questions about the animals. We had planned on dinner at home but instead just rolled down Fremont Ave and had a delicious, though enormous, dinner at Uneeda Burger. Then we waddled home.

We are all completely exhausted but what a great day.

Another List of Stuff

1. Thank you for all the anniversary wishes. Wes and I celebrated on Saturday by having a delicious dinner at the always fabulous Dahlia Lounge. Dahlia never fails. Tom Douglas just opened a new restaurant by Pike Place Market called Seatown Snack Bar that has take away and dine in.


2. Then we went to see Ira Glass at Benaroya Hall. If you don't listen to This American Life, you should. It is an hour of radio (or podcast) that is guaranteed to make you laugh, cry and think. Sometimes all at once.


3. I took my older son with some of his friends to see Scott Pilgrim. Again. I really enjoyed it the second time two.


4. Audrey in Unst is getting to look like a sweater.
   
   


5. Based on your enthusiasm, I bought the dress from last week. I was going to wear it out last night but as I was getting ready to go--thankfully, before I cut off the tags--I noticed that there was something wrong with the sleeve lining that made it hang down below the hem. I'll have to return it. Too bad. I got it at Macy's. You can get one for yourself if you're interested.

What is the World Coming to?

10-year-old accused of armed robbery

"Seattle police say this isn't the first time they've encountered the 10-year-old. They say he has a history of assault and robbing people with a pellet gun."

Kick Off the LYS Tour on TV!

Are you planning on starting the Puget Sound LYS tour Destination:Yarn first thing on Thursday morning? How about joining us to kick off the tour at the KING 5 studios on Dexter Avenue for a taping of Margaret Larson's new show - New Day. Thursday's show will showcase a yarn fashion show and information on the tour. We want to fill the audience with people knitting while wearing their favorite handknit items.

We need you at the KING5 studios on Dexter Avenue at 915a. We will have you on the tour no later than 1130a. (The actual show airs 11a-noon this Thursday).

If you can join us, please email neuroticknitter@gmail.com. Any questions, please call Kristin at 206.718.1406.

Spring Sprang

I know most of you are buried under snowdrifts and all cold but Seattle has been crazy warm this year. We never saw even a hint of snow and now it's spring. Yesterday it was 60° and my older son and I went for a long walk with the dog. There were crocuses and cherry blossoms popping up everywhere. So weird!

School Rivalry

A local school rivalry has turned into an internet sensation. Shorecrest High School challenged Shorewood to a lipsync video competition. They put together this fun but facile rendition of Outkast's Hey Ya.



Then they got their asses handed to them, in my opinion, by Shorewood's awesome backwards rendition of You Make My Dreams Come True.



What do you think? You can vote for your favorite one here.

I'm a Northwest Icon

Counterprogramming

Today I

• Went to the art museum
• Went to the ballet
• Went on a dinner date with Wes
• Went to see Milk

I know there was that whole football thing but I like my way more.

In the Words of Emerson Cod

Oh hell no!

Disgruntlement Pays Off

Seattle to use salt in future storms

Of course, now it won't snow for another two years.

Snow, Snow, a Thousand Times Snow

I took this picture to illustrate just how much snow and ice remains on my street. It did rain a bit yesterday and things started to melt. But now it's snowing again! Really hard. Sigh...

Let the City vs. Snow Staring Contest Begin!

Seattle refuses to salt

Snow End in Sight

Snowpocalypse '08 rages on. Now in most cities snow falls and people come along and clean it up. In Seattle snow falls and we stand around waiting for it to melt. Well folks, it's not melting. And I work in retail and there are no snow days in retail. In fact today I had to go to work because several co-workers felt they were not able to come in.


Morning snow

It started snowing the moment I got to work.


Phinney Ridge just as it started to snow again

It snowed all day and still has not stopped!


Night snow

It's supposed to keep snowing through the night. Fortunately--or unfortunately--if I am unable to drive to work I can walk. It's a long walk and pretty much all uphill but I can do it if necessary. My car handles pretty well in snow and I drive pretty carefully and cautiously. I'm still not looking forward to tomorrow's commute.

The fingerless gloves are kind of mostly done. I need to rework the fingers. But I tossed them aside to work on a few small gifts. (I won't put any pictures here so as not to spoil any surprises but you can look my projects on Ravlery if you're curious).

Wes and I made a run to the grocery store last night for a few essentials and spotted some knitting on the wine aisle.



I hope it doesn't seem like I'm complaining. I love the snow. I just went out and shoveled just to spend some time listening to it fall. The city is sooooo quiet these last few days. It's wonderful.

Blame it on Snow Madness?

As you all suspected I do have a little yarn lying around the house. In fact I bought a skein of yarn yesterday to make Wes a pair of fingerless gloves. So I pulled it out last night and cast on. And then I put on Coupling (Season 3) on Netflix Watch Instantly and knit my little hands off.



It is not my way to make a lot of changes to patterns but when it came time to knit the fingers on these I had to go my own way. The pattern I was using has you knit the cuff, start the thumb gusset, knit the rest of the hand then knit the fingers starting with the index finger. Look at your hand. Most people's pinky finger starts lower than their index finger. In the other gloves I've knit I've started with the pinky finger first, knit a few rounds and then knit the rest of the fingers. I'm also unhappy with the number of stitches I used for the fingers. Pinky is too small, middle finger is baggy.

At this point it was around 2:45 am. I decided to be sensible. Instead of ripping out and reknitting the fingers in the middle of the night I cast on for the other cuff! What was I thinking? Why didn't I just go to bed? Even when I went to bed I was awake for a while thinking about what other changes I needed to make to the gloves.

And now I'm am completely exhausted and I'm home with the kids for the end of Snow Week '08. My poor beautiful sweater is still stuck at the shop. I really wanted to show it to you. I've started the fourth chart in the main colors.



Snow, Day 2

Snow My Goodness!

Well that will teach me to complain.

Oh Come On!

Now school is canceled because it might snow today. That is just silly.

BTW, there was absolutely no snow overnight.

Again With the Snow

What the National Weather Service is saying: Tonight: A 50 percent chance of snow after 10pm. Increasing clouds, with a low around 27. South wind between 3 and 8 mph. Total nighttime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

What our customers were saying all afternoon: It's going to snow 6 inches tonight!

Where do they come up with this stuff?

I Have Commanded It

The kids, dog and I are all very happy with the snow. The rest of Seattle...not so much.

A Pep Talk for Seattle

People of Seattle,

Chill the fuck out. There is a possibility of "a few snow showers." You all are acting like Armegeddon is imminent. It's a little snow. Maybe. Just don't do any unnecessary driving on hills. You'll be fine.

You may also be concerned because it is supposed to get cold. By which I mean Seattle-cold. Yes, it will go below freezing. There may be a 24 hour period where it stays below freezing. You'll be okay. Just shelve those flip flops and your lightweight fleece and put on some socks and a coat.

You will survive this. I have faith in you.

Sincerely,

Jessica

Still Another Great Seattle Headline

Teen sets record for blowing up balloons with nose