Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

Goodbye, folks. I'm off to join the circus. At least I know what I'll wear.







I can almost smell the peanuts. Maybe not...but there's definitely something nutty...

New Knitty

I heart the Deadliest Crab.

What to Pack?

I'm trying to get all packed for my trip to Columbus for TNNA. I leave very early on Thursday. I think I'm all ready to go but somehow it seemed too simple. I'm sure I must be forgetting something really important. I'm sure I'll remember when I'm half-way to Denver. I packed an extra empty suitcase because you end up with so much swag and books and whatnot that it's a real struggle to get it all home.

I'm getting back on Monday. Then on Sunday I leave for a ten day trip to Japan! I have never been and am extremely excited. I'm also totally unprepared. I'm going with a group and a lot of my time has been mapped out for me already. I'll be in Tokyo for nearly the whole time with just a few day trips. My biggest problem is what knitting do I bring? I don't want to lug around a big, heavy sweater or anything with charts. Socks seems obvious but I haven't been feeling the sock love lately. My top contender is the Featheweight Cardigan. I have some lace-weight something I won as a door prize at the Knitter's Guild in a great raspberry color that I hope will work well. Then I'll need a back-up project too. Hmmm...

Slow and Fast

Here is proof that knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting on size 3 needles eventually yields something. This is the back of Georgie and the beginning of her two fronts. This is a very slow-going project. Not Auburn Camp Shirt slow but you know what I mean.

Yesterday I allowed myself to be side-tracked by my younger son. He asked me to make him the devil from Creepy Cute Crochet. I sighed and said I could make it but I'd have to find the yarn. His eyes lit up and he marched into my office and proudly pointed directly at a skein of red Lamb's Pride Worsted and said, "Tah dahhhh." Crocheting those little things is really fast.



I wonder how long it will be before I sew it all together.

Head Count

I've been so busy and distracted lately that I have barely given TNNA a thought. But I am going to be there Thursday-Monday. Anyone else going?

Weekend Whirlwind

This weekend is scheduled practically down to the minute.

Friday night was spinning at the shop. I finished spinning singles from the "Batt of Beast" I've been working on on and off (mostly off) for nearly a year and a half. I think that's some sort of record for 2 oz. of fiber! I still need to ply.

Saturday we hosted a party at a local park. Older son is graduating from elementary school. He wanted to have one last hurrah with his gang of friends before the summer. A few friends won't be going to the same middle school so it's a bit of a goodbye too. He invited all his friends to come to the park for games and a potluck lunch. Ten 11 year old boys eat SO MUCH FOOD. There was a pizza, two plates of pot stickers, veggie wraps, crackers, cheese, meats, quesadillas, brownies, cupcakes, strawberries, grapes, watermelon. And there was not much left when it was all done. Older son wanted to bring something special so we made the Fruit Pizza from Clare Crespo's Secret Life of Food. It's the same book that the sushi cupcakes came from. I only have Wes's cameraphone picture of it. It's just a big shortbread cookie with a sweetened cream cheese mixture on top with strawberry jam around the edges, then sprinkled with fruit. It's really tasty, a bit like cheesecake but with a crisp, cookie crust.

After the party ended we hurried home to get ready for a friend's wedding. It was at the Olympic Sculpture Park. It's the perfect venue for a wedding. The space is gorgeous with a fantastic view, the catering was very good and the staff was very nice.

Now today we have Older son's cello lesson, then a simultaneous birthday party (Older son's classmate) and baby shower (knitting friend of mine) and then we all head to the Seattle Storm game with a group from Wes's work! I think I'm going to have a very hard time getting out of bed tomorrow.

I did finish the back of Georgie on Friday. I cast on for the fronts but have only gotten in a few rows of rib so far.

Stop! Hammer Time!

I know it's just a promotion for a new tv show but it still cracked me up.



It's almost as much fun as Hammerman.

Doubleknit #21

It's up.

Muppet Comic Book!

Squeee!

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

Oh dear me. This poor child.



Someone has set her on point and quilted her.

Dinner, the Express Way

I recently watched the Nigella Lawson Express series of cooking shows. I had never really seen any of her shows and I appreciated her passion for food even though I found the series a little over-scripted. It did get me feeling pretty badly about how little Wes and I cook, despite the fact that we both love to cook. But we also adore eating out and it is definitely something we do--too often--to treat ourselves. Any small hiccup in evening plans usually gets turned into an excuse to go out to dinner. But after Nigella I was fired up. We headed to Uwajimaya two weeks ago and loaded up on lots of pantry items. Younger son is an exceptionally picky eater. The kid won't even eat noodles. Except for Japanese noodles. He loves ramen. So he asked us to pick some up. We got fresh noodles and some miso. Last night in about 10 minutes I was able to cook some noodles while making broth with the miso, a shot of soy and a drop of sesame oil. Then we tossed in some strips of cooked chicken to warm while the noodles cooked. It got a thumbs up from younger son. It's a small victory but we take them where we can.

I've also been reading Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook. It is utterly charming. Each recipe is accompanied by a bit of history or family lore. It's very funny and really just delightful to read. The recipes, while appealing to my deep, deep love of Southern food, are not something I'll be delving into any time soon. The first one I read when I opened the book was for BBQ shrimp. The recipe, which serves four, begins with two sticks of butter and half a cup of olive oil! For four people!

Tonight is the local farmer's market. Hopefully I can go over and get inspired for dinner. Although high temperatures (it's supposed to be near 90° today which qualifies for a "severe weather alert" in Seattle) are one of our favorite excuses not to cook. Maybe if I can find that article by Mark Bittman of 100 meals you can make without turning on the stove...

ETA: I found it!

Jim Henson's Fantastic World

We took the kids to see Jim Henson's Fantastic World yesterday. The exhibit is small but filled with wonderful artifacts from Henson's whole body of work, from his early commercials and variety show spots to his later work on Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock and his films, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. There are video installations, loads of sketches and storyboards and, best of all, Muppets. Rowlf is there along with Ernie and Bert and several others. The kids didn't have the patience to look at everything so I will definitely go back on my own and do the complete audio tour.

One of the great videos was a reel of early commercial work, including the hilarious La Choy dragon.