Step Into My Thimble

Stanley can’t stand the heat, so he got out of the kitchen. The living room, by the air conditioner, is much better.

This post was actually scheduled for yesterday, but then I forgot to bring my camera cable to work with me. We haven’t been turning on the computer at home, because with our 90-billion BTU (or whatever) air conditioner, we’re always on the verge of blowing a fuse in our pre-WWII apartment building, which then requires a trip into the dank and creepy basement 3.5 floors below, and I am way too lazy for that.

I have a progress photo of Trellis, and due to the fact that more progress was made last night, and then it all had to be ripped out (and then some), we’re right back to where we were when these pictures were taken! (I should have just left out these last two paragraphs; you’d never have known.)

I just love looking at the surface of this project. I think it has a lot to do with the quality of the yarn. It’s my first time using Rowan All Seasons Cotton, and now I want to make myself lots of things with it too. It’s very very nice. I know it can be pricey, but do like I did and buy some discontinued colors on sale… you’ll be hooked too.

In other news, my body decided to give me another age spot on my face now that I’m 33. Lots of people on my dad’s side of the family have them, but mostly on their arms and shoulders. I have none on those parts, but now I have one on my right cheek, and another one under my right eye. If it weren’t for my dumb sensitive skin, I’d be wearing sunscreen on my face every day. Can anybody recommend a good one that’s less than maybe $30 or so and won’t make my skin go nuts?

One more day of the heat around here and then it’s supposed to cool off. Last night we had tons of thunder, but no rain. That is weird.

P.S. Little tech tidbit: There are some security holes in WordPress (obviously) but I don’t have time to do the upgrade on mine this week. I deleted a file as a temporary fix, so if you notice any problems with the site please be patient…

Yeah, I got hacked. If you were here in the last two days you probably saw some naughty stuff. It should all be fixed now. Sorry about that!

Otherwise, it’s been a good, if hot, birthday. We went and found the Project APE Geocache No. 12.

Here’s my Friday morning face, on the finally-completed Chard summer top:

Click it if you want to see how it looks from the back. Pretend I ironed it while you are in there too. It ended up looking sort of apron-like, but it doesn’t quite fit this month’s theme on Tie One On… maybe later.

I also “played beads” last night in the cool cool bedroom. My favorite of the lot is this set made with vintage white German flower beads and silver bits. It is for a swap on Get Crafty.

Again you can click it to get more info, and to look at the four or five other pieces I made yesterday. Beads = good!

Tonight is the ALA Chicago librarian-knitter meetup, 7pm in the lobby at the Sheraton Towers, 301 E. North Water St., just north o’ the river and just a tiny bit east of all the fun of the Taste of Chicago! Everyone’s welcome, not just librarians, so maybe I’ll see you there.

Hi everybody.

This Sunday is HEIDI’S BIRTHDAY.

Please come to the Archives Friday afternoon at 2pm for some cake.

Heidi’s birthday FAQ’s

Q: What kind of cake is it?
A: It is a delicious coconut-vanilla concoction called Italian Cream.

Q: I’ve never been to the Archives. Where is it exactly?
A: We are in located the basement of Txx, room 086. Txx is on the corner of Vxxxx and Pxxxx.

Q: What happens to the cake if we don’t come?
A: The item will not be archived. We will eat it all.

FRIDAY 2PM

Be there!

I have used my employee to good measure: she just distributed the above to everyone in our workgroup. All part of my master plan to get as much cake as possible this year. I think it’s working.

Update June 24: Here is the cake.

Last night my local Stitch-n-Bitch tried out a new location, and oh man was it an improvement! Better lighting, more casual atmosphere, more comfortable chairs, just blocks from home, and plenty of space for all to spread out projects. The only downsides were the cold air conditioning blasting directly on me, and my own mistake: leaving without trying the beignets. Next time…

I started Trellis and had 10 rows of the back done when I went to SnB. I proceeded to mess up the next 15 or so rows, but I thought I’d be able to just drop down a few stitches and turn purls into knits when I got home. Not so easy on cables, let me tell you! I ended up ripping out until only 7 rows were left, and I realized while doing it that I hadn’t started the charts on a RS row like I should have. So it was worth it.

But then, our friend the full moon/Summer Solstice happened and I could not for the life of me go to sleep last night. I was up until at least 4am, reading the latest Utne Reader cover to cover (and library ladies, Chris Dodge’s article is one of the best, most passionate summaries of “the present library situation,” written in terms the common person can understand, that I’ve read in a long time–email me if you want to see it), attempting to watch Hogan’s Heroes, writing letters to friends in Africa and Maine, and reknitting 15-plus rows on Trellis.

Speaking of friends in Maine, my old friend and college apartment-mate Chad has a story just published in a collection by Maine writers. It should be available on Amazon soon if it isn’t already…See Warren Machine for info.

The boss, and the boss’s boss, are out today. I am thinking maybe I can take the afternoon off and have a little post-Solstice nap. Wish me luck…