Olympics Talk

Expect a bit of this, I am quite the Olympics fan.

I am beginning to think that this difference in what I can find to watch is a matter of country. In America I am used to being able to watch rotation after rotation of gymnastics because I think America is quite into gymnastics (maybe because we have so many great gymnasts?). Here, well you can watch all the rowing and sailing you can handle, lots of tennis and TONS of football (ie: soccer). So far I have caught like half of a single rotation on the gymnastics and I am peeved as it’s one of my favorite sports. As to swimming? Pshaw. I expect the diving to be quite well covered because of Tom Daley, the 14 year old British diver. When your adopted country and your home country have different sporting loves, what’s a person to do?

In knitting news: the cowl is done. I’m halfway done with the hat for my sister and have a Rose Red waiting in the wings. I’ve decided to post a single post-Olympics post covering all the projects I’ve managed in that time (nearly two done on day one isn’t bad). Ravelry will be updated more regularly (I’m phoeknits over there).

And I Knit Day is coming up soon! Anyone planning on going? J. and I will be there.

Oh, and before I forget, today is Duran Duran Appreciation Day. No, really. So go forth and appreciate the best thing to come out of Birmingham and the 1980s ever. And they’re sexy to boot. *squishy love to DD*

 

Back To Day To Day Life

Hello 2008! Last year was a rough one and I’m glad to see the back of it. This is the year of wonderful whimsy and awesome, just so you know.

On New Year’s Eve we had a busy day. We met up with friends at an American diner and then I had a doctor’s appointment where I learned that my shoulder problems were caused by a swollen and sprained joint! Since it happened four months ago it’s a very slow healing process but it is getting better. Which is good. Later that night Mr F wrestled with his computer (which is now virus free) and then we had champagne, ate some yummy cheese (Wensleydale with cranberries, yum!) and watched the fireworks on tv. The firework display in London is always wonderful and mid-way through the finale I always start laughing in disbelief, it’s so huge! And long! And fantastic. Afterwards we talked, watched cheesy pop videos and Monty Python and pulled up our roots, quite literally. And then (it was a long night) we watched the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice which I got for Christmas. It was fantastic. Only very long.

Yesterday I finished up a few projects and started two new ones. We took down all the Christmas decorations and had a good tidy. I also spent day in proper American tradition: I woke up earlier than I would have liked and watched the Rose Parade! (Thank you, KTLA website.) Mr F didn’t quite understand the concept behind covering huge parade floats in flowers but we watched it anyway. I don’t suppose there is any point to covering parade floats in flowers but it’s tradition. I still don’t understand the concept of wearing paper crowns at Christmas dinner but I do it anyway. Or at least I try to, they are always too small for my head.

And now the knitting:

Aura never has liked me. And I don’t like Calmer.

• Name: Bad Aura
• Pattern: Aura by Kim Hargreaves
• From: Rowan Calmer Collection
• Yarn: Rowan Calmer in black
• Needles: Denises US 6 (I think)
• Notes: Bah. This is the second time I’ve made this hat and both times it’s come out as an oversized saucer shaped hat that doesn’t even pretend to fit. I also really dislike Calmer.

This Gloss is neverending.

270 yards left: Child’s Socks from One Skein Wonders. First time trying a heel like this. It feels odd.

• Name: Le Slouch en Gloss
• Pattern: Le Slouch by Wendy Bernard
• From: Knit and Tonic
• Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss in Dusk, about 1.5 skeins, held double
• Needles: Denises US 8 & 9
• Notes: Squishy and slouchy. But not for me.

This yarn is very very blue and super squishy.

Mr Greenjeans cardigan in Malabrigo.

In the oddness that is English weather we had a mild rainy Christmas and now winter is going to kick in with a vengeance. Tomorrow the forecast is for snow! It’s freezing and bitter and brrrr. Good thing I’m a knitter, eh?

 

And So It’s Christmas

And I hope everyone’s having a good day. Here it’s rainy and grey and Santa has brought me Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn dvds, some BBC Jane Austen goodness and Edith Piaf to boot. And a hamper from Harrods. This would make me feel very posh if I were not sitting here in curlers and a hairnet and eating roasted peanuts straight out of the bag.

And look, there’s been knitting!

Imogen still isn’t done, but I am halfway done with the front. I decided that arbitrary knitting deadlines are a stressor I just don’t need. It will be winter for awhile yet now. Plus, it’s warmed up considerably recently.

I started another Chevron Scarf.

I finished a hat for Mr F.

• Name: Gloss Hat
• Pattern: Silk Garden Beanie
• By: Stephannie C. Roy
• Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss, less than 2 skeins held double.
• Needles: Denises US 6
• Notes: Mr F gets a warm hat and I get rid of more Gloss. Bonus!

And Moderne is done. Half sized but fully done. It’s a good size because I knit it on bigger needles than the pattern called for. And it looks like what it is, which is good.

I also knit up another hat for me which will be a post of it’s own. And a side to side scarf for Mr F is slowly coming along.

And that’s about it. I’ll leave you with a few pictures of Winchester Cathedral at midnight and a spooky Christmas moon.

A very happy Tuesday to you all.

 

Memories Of Airports

Sounds like a song, doesn’t it? It’s really that the airport is where the majority of my Christmas memories from the age of 12 take place. I was one of those kids with the court ordered visitation from hell and by noon of each major holiday I had to be on a place heading to the Other Parent’s House. Day long celebrations that I had enjoyed as a child were crammed into the few hours before noon or cancelled altogether. And because it is the time for crazy weather and busy airports most of that time I was put on a plane was spent waiting. I spent a six hours on Thanksgiving marooned at the San Francisco airport. Untold hours on the plane itself waiting for fog clearance. More hours spent circling airports due to rain or fog. Then came the frustration of those having to take me to the airport and who had to wait for the delays. Here I am schlepping bags and sitting upright in airplane/port chairs. I was the only kid flying alone. It was lonely, boring and very, very unChristmassy.

Lest it sound like it was all misery sometimes you got a flight crew bound and determined to make it cheerful (always on one particular airline). Once the entire cabin was decorated with garlands. Flight attendants wore reindeer antlers. Once a man got on board with a guitar and the flight attendants got him to play Christmas carols over the PA. An entire plane singing along with Jingle Bells was pretty cool. But mostly, it wasn’t cool. It was sucky.

And right now Christmas is sucky. I’m not flying anywhere (for which I thank the gods, I hate flying), not going anywhere, not doing anything. Sucky. It would really help if I could call up some memories of all the awesome Christmases I’ve had and integrate little bits of them into my celebrations now. But they were mostly sucky. I got so tired of airplanes and holidays and the whole thing that I think it’s stuck a little.

Mr F keeps joking that he feels like Charlie Brown. When Christmas seems to be all about spending time with people you’d rather not, presents and crass commercialism, it’s a bit hard to stomach.

Driving by the airport tonight, fog thick as peanut butter. Those yellowy-orange lights that I first saw lighting the clouds from below the first time I ever flew into London. Home in a new country, family far far away. What Christmas is and what it means to be discovered, I suppose. I’m just not entirely sure I’m up for the search.

But for those of whom find meaning in this season, Mr F and I wish you the very best. And for those who don’t, have a happy Monday.

At least the tree still seems magical. That’s a start, right?

 

A Hodge Podge

First, the current knitting. Imogen sleeve 2 is nearly done. It seems that after the slog of the back (145 rows of 150ish stitches each in stockinette) everything else seems to be going quite quickly. Lucy socks still being knit, slowly. This past week has been crazy busy, I’m looking forward to some downtime over Christmas.

And now, the hodge podge.

I’ve been taking a good hard look at my knitting recently. I have periods of cleaning cycles, as I’m sure a lot of people do. Spring is the time to clean, autumn is the time to get organized. Late December seems to be the time to let go of the old and make room for the new. I think this is a very positive thing, if a bit scary. I don’t like giving up on things, even if I hate it, even if I would rather get my teeth drilled than continue the project I’ll tend to see it through. Only between getting joy out of things and needing to take my ability into consideration (I never used to!) I am thinking this is not a good way of doing things. As such I done the following over the last week or so:

• frogged Cables and Os. While I do still really like this sweater, there was just no way I could knit an entire sweater out of yarn that hurt my hands so much (cotton/linen blend). I have plans to make it in wool I have in my stash. It’s even in a similar color! So that’s a plus.
• given up on Moderne. This was a hard decision which just seems a bit insane. Knitting + hard decisions = uh, no. I’m not enjoying it. It’s been hanging over my head for over a year now. I dislike knitting it and the yarn is not nice on my hands. And while it’s taken me awhile, I am beginning to think it’s better to knit because you love it. I could go out and buy a really wonderful blanket to give as a gift and enjoy it far more than knitting the damn thing. I think that’s important to note. I’m going to finish it off (it’s about lap blanket size now) and then donate the yarn somewhere. And it will stop hanging over my head. Double plus.
• had a good look at my knitted wardrobe in the same sort of way I look at my normal wardrobe. If it doesn’t fit, if I don’t love it, if I don’t wear it - it’s got to go. Just because I knit it doesn’t mean it will fit me forever or even that I’ll like it all that much.

Good, no?

And now, some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Thursday was Mr F’s work Christmas party and I did my hair. Alas, I neglected to take pictures of the after but I quite liked the silliness of hairnets and curlers. Yet another reason my mother considers me a throwback.

Crazy Christmas lights. This is one of the moderate displays. Some people go absolutely batshit on lights. Which is fun, so long as they aren’t your neighbors.

The Twisted Clapotis vs the Glossy Clapotis. What a difference twisting each stitch makes, eh?

/hodge podge. Happy Sunday!