Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner!

Remember Dirty Dancing? Shot on location at Mountain Lake, 20 minutes from my home. The last time I was there, about 3 years ago for a wine tasting, the lake was a little lower than normal, due to it's crack at the bottom. The crack needs to be there...so water can also flow back in and the lake not become stagnant. Well, this morning the family decided to shuffle up there and show Baby the water. I also was interested in investigating the idea of having a knitting retreat up there next year.

Here is a shot I took standing in the middle of the lake, err, where the lake was...



I shall now rename this place "Mountain Pond". Quiet. Cold. No lake.









I find it all very depressing and sad that this has happened so fast. It happened before and the lake was dry for 50 years. So I'll be dead before it fills back up. Hopefully, Baby will be able to show his son or daughter once it fills back up. On a side note, I need to find another suitable place for the Knitting Retreat, that isn't so dang depressing. Any ideas?

Kwick Progectz

The 45 minute scarf
Take 15 odd balls of stash yarn that are over 5 years old
Grab size 50 needles
Cast on 8 stitches, holding all 15 strands together
Knit Stockinette Stitch till you run out of yarn
Make fringe
You've got yourself a funky scarf made in 45 minutes.



The Noro Shrug-esque turned out to be really cute on everyone...except me (DD ladies) and anyone with a breast cup size bigger than a C. It was a quick knit, for sure. If you want the pattern, email Bobbie, I'm sure she'll share the cuteness...

Only mindless projects for me right now. A FO.....

Only mindless projects for me right now. A FO...the Ultra Alpaca Ruffle Scarf. Done. Just in time for summer! Can't wait to wear it to the pool! All my friends will stare with envy! It will cover my goiter and swollen thyroid glands. What's next? Leg warmers for the golf course to cover my gout.

Bad Karma or Bad Luck?

karma |ˈkärmə| noun (in Hinduism and Buddhism) the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences. • informal destiny or fate, following as effect from cause.

The April 16th shootings

Michael Vick's murderous hobby

Carbon Monoxide poisons 23 students on the day of the Shooting memorial. 2 are suspected brain dead.

I'd like to suspect bad luck. But who really knows what's going on here in Blacksburg?

Charlotte NC Trip Part Uno

Saturday morning, Julie, her daughter and I went to South Park Mall in Charlotte to get some retail therapy for the weekend.




My eye caught a Stella McCartney sweater that I thought was interesting...it was around $1800.00. I can't remember exactly how much it cost but I know I felt nauseous by the price tag. So I figured the smart thing for a knitter to do is to take photos on her phone and see if she can lovingly copy it and make it her very own! So I'll be knitting some swatches in the next couple of days to figure it out. I'll most likely knit it out of Berroco's Pure Merino or Tahki's Zara Plus. And save myself $1600.00. Speaking of saving money...







Julie's Squeeze made us a reservation at the Marriott Renaissance across the street for Saturday night (Which is a comfy and nice hotel). When the bill slipped under the door in the morning, we realized that the rate for the night was $39.00!!!!!!!!! He gets some special rate since he works for Va Tech. From now on, he's making my reservations! In fact, I think I want him to be my boyfriend too! (Kidding, Honey Bunches O'Oats!) High Five! I also bought myself a purse (an Orla Kiely)...and some True Religion jeans that give me some desperately needed junk in the trunk. Pictures of my loot tomorrow!
I'll leave you with a photo of me in my new jeans...

Keen Living

I bought some really ugly shoes today. I have shin splints so bad now I can barely walk...due to daily one hour walks to work. So, Keens. The ugliest shoes I have ever seen. However, I will be cremated in these shoes. It's going to be a real B@#$% finding a ball gown to match the color of these Keens at the next black tie event I go to. Not even a beautiful ball of Koigu, from Purl Soho, can save the looks of these babies.


I've got a question for ya'll out there...a debate and dialog that has been raging in the shop for the past few days...a very controversial idea.
Should we send Cho's parents a Hokie Healing blanket?

Name that CD Contest!

Just wondering if ya'll thought I should grow my hair out again? Or am I too old? Long hair on a haggard face is not a pretty sight. The top photo taken today(I am wearing a wig) seems perfect for the cover of my music CD due to be released next spring entitled "Long Haired Knitter Grrl". But wait! I almost forgot! This is your next contest! You need to rename my CD, Tony at Sony isn't wild about my choice! The best name wins...2 skeins of Koigu! The most delicious hand painted hanks of goodness. Good luck, Knitter Grrls or Boyz!

Oh, and don't forget to vote on whether I should grow my hair out or not!



Botox? Face lift?



Speaking of long hair, Bfriend wants to cut his...he feels like Deedee of the Doodlebops.

Pretty In Pink

Uh-huh...that's a uterus knitting. Um-Hum. A project off of Knitty.com that Gynos and med students across the globe have made for their friends, family, and colleagues. I keep thinking it might be interesting to knit it. But why? And for whom? Someone who just had a hysterectomy? Going thru menopause? Bad Painful periods every month? You know, if you think about it, wombs are pretty amazing little organs. Think of how big they can expand without breaking...nourish and protect a child for 9 months...get us out of gym class in 7th grade. Wow.

Yes, You Can!

You really can knit a cashmere scarf on toothpicks! And save a lot of money on materials!

I Need to Hike to the Noth Pole...

TV and knitting go together like a hamburger and french fries, Red Wine and Chocolate, Shampoo and Conditioner...yeah, you know it. Here are 5 of my favorite TV shows right now. Guilty Pleasures, so don't make fun of me for this...
1. American Idol
2. Flavor Flav, (but I hate New York, what a skank)
3. Sex in the City
4. 6 feet under
5. Scrubs
Let me say for the record that I heart my Bfriend very much, but, damn, Mr. Big, Chris Noth...You are so beautiful! Amazingly stunning hot man! I am not the only woman that feels that way, am I? Sure Carrie thought he was hot but...ohmigaud. Beautiful. I don't care if, in real life, he picks his nose and eats it. On screen, I am mesmerized. Truly. Utterly. Deeply. Hey, Beck...on the same level for me as Bowie and Lang.


Now I know Desperate Housewives, 24, and Grey's Anatomy are great shows...all you Boob Tubers out there, what am I missing? I used to like "Queer Eye" but its just tired to me now. Is there some amazing show that isn't hitting my radar that I must see?
One thing about Knitting and TV...and just Knitting...books don't fit in. I used to read voraciously, maybe 3 books a week. Now Iam lucky to read a book every 3 months. The last really great book I read was "The Kiterunner" Yipes. Moving. I just cant figure out how to knit on the treadmill, watch TV, and read "Anna Karenina" all at the same time.

TV Adds 15 Pounds

Tonight the shop and I will be on Channel 10 local news at 5pm. I expected just a reporter asking questions, but she brought the heavy duty camera with her and took footage. Here are some issues...
1. I didn't take a shower today.
2. I wore the same black t-shirt I slept in last night.
3. I should have waxed my ZANY eyebrows, total Einstein!
4. Unmanicured nails and they filmed me knitting, ug.
5. Hair, a bedheaded fright!

Oh Lord, please let my mug NOT be on the news tonight! You can let my name be mentioned, just no shots! I probably have food in my teeth and buggers in my nose! I've been a relatively kind person the last few years and your humble servant (sort of)...hear my prayers!

Tag Rhymes With Brag

Catie tagged me for this meme.
Here are the Daggumit Rules:
*link to the person who tagged you
*post the rules
*name 8 things others don't know about you
*link to 8 other bloggers

1. I hate Mayonnaise

2. I love Barry Manilow and Karen Carpenter

3. I long for just a pin-prick of anorexia and insomnia. Thin and productive...

4. I don't knit with black yarn.

5. I'd rather eat artichokes than chocolate.

6. I do not wear makeup, except for lipstick. It surprises me everyday.

7. I want to ski this winter so I can, in good conscience, go to the DMV and get the personalized license plate "Knitski". I haven't been on skis since 1983. But I really want that license plate!!!

8. I never use the same brand of shampoo or conditioner twice. Ever.

So now you know everything about me. There is nothing left to uncover. I am a simple organism, along the same vein as a Mitochondria...I shall now tag Mimi, Loren, Belinda, Mary, Jane, Nancy, Heather, Allison. If you've already been tagged, then whoopsie!

Torn Between Two Lovers...

Do I read?
Or do I knit?
Harry Potter?
Or Hanne Falkenberg?

TNNA Wrap-up. RATED R

I just got back in town from TNNA. Whew. What a weekend! First of all, I spent entirely way too much money. It is still all about socks and hand painted yarn...
Here is the Twinkle booth that I thought was very cute and inviting.



My KFI Successor, David...he is voting for Obama.



Debbie Bliss...she is also voting for, oh, she's a Brit! Nevermind.



My X-Boss, Jay Opperman, an unprovoked double bird...



Louisa Harding, an Obama fan, but alas, a Brit.



"You are too nice to flip me the bird? You won't do it?"
"I can't do it."



Stephanie Japel is just so sweet, she couldn't be any thing but sweet.



Annie Modesitt, doing her thing with her book scheduled to be out soon...



The owner of Lorna's laces...



Her skirt and shoes...



X-Porn star, Darry. He says the Jews won't vote for Obama unless Hillary is on the ticket.



My Rowan rep Peter and his wife. Tan folks.



All in all, a good weekend. Exhausting. Good to see old friends. Still mildly disturbed by the sheer girth of Debbie Bliss' middle finger. But I'll get over it. Time for Purl Jam. 10 days away.

[image: Online Dating]

My Favorite Guys on American Idol

All the other guys can go home right now.

Are you sitting down?

I had the weirdest dreams last night. I dreamt I was flirting with Anthony Bourdain for hours and he was about to kiss me, flash, next scene, he is fat and sitting on a curb trying to bum a cigarette from someone. Then, my next dream of the night, I'm flirting with one of my extremely hot X-boyfriends and we are about to get it on...when he says his stomach hurts and goes into the bathroom for 2 hours. Never see him again. I would never cheat on Mr. Cocaine in real life...but, come on! Brain, throw me a bone here! I'm disgusted. What does this have to do with knitting? Absolutely nothing. Thank you and goodbye, for now.

Don't stop dancing...