Back to School!

Another weekend in my hometown is making me very nostalgic! I can't believe how much I actually miss this place. When I lived here I couldn't wait to leave - get out of the small town and into a bigger, "more happening" city. But coming back now years later - it's so nice to be in a smaller, slower paced town.

If you remember from last weekend - my high school is replaying a game that ended in a tie over 15 years ago. This was band practise #2, followed by a dinner and then a bonfire!

SO much has changed at my high school - including this new statue. I couldn't resist a picture of our mascot - the Easton Red Rover:





The band practised our field show today too - and we were running around for over a hour. When I say running - I mean running! At top speed. We have to run on the field into our spots to form the letter "E" for Easton. Crazy. I'll make sure someone takes pictures tomorrow of the real thing!

And there were even more old friends to see at the dinner following our band practise.



After the dinner - it was on to the bonfire!

Now - this may seem odd - but in my school - it's a tradition to build the hugest most amazing bonfire the night before the big Thanksgiving day game. Seniors gather wood for an entire week, build this massive bonfire and the night before the big game we light it and party around it for most of the night. It's seriously bigger than most houses. Well - we made one this time too - only it was at the Riverside Bar and Grill - where the football players, cheerleaders and band members (along with most of the rest of Easton) gathered to celebrate the Replay game.

Check out the football players - 15 years after their prime! I see lots of potbellies and bald heads!



And the band alumni:



After the intros and speeches - it was time to light the fire!

They must have thrown in an entire can of gasoline - because the thing ignited with a bang!



And soon grew to this enormous inferno. It was so hot - we had to move back like 100 yards to keep from getting fried!



It was so great. And what beats being able to get drunk (legally) with your high school friends!

I can't wait for tomorrow (well today... it's after midnight!) for the big game.


Go Rovers!!! Beat P-Burg!

Simon's Stipey Sweater

I think my sister in law should have recieved the sweater I knit for my new nephew Simon by now - so it's safe to post the pictures!

I knit this stripey sweater for Simon - I hope he likes it!



Stats:
Pattern: Little Coffee Bean Cardigan by Elizabth Smith
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Wildflower D.K.
Needles: Addi Size 5s
Mods: I made the sleeves a bit longer and added 4 button holes.






What's next? Maybe a vest?

This one time at band camp....

Yup - I was in the band in high school. We all got back together this weekend to practise for the Redemption game. What is the redemption game you ask?

Check this out...

Mission G


My high school football team is replaying my senior year Thanksgiving day game with our rival school - from Phillipsburg NJ. The original game ended in a 7-7 tie. Yes these guys are now 31-33 years old and will suit up and play "real" football again!

And what's a football game without the band!? We will also be taking the stage and attempting to spell out an "E" for Easton on the field. We will also be playing in the stands during the game.

It was so amazing to see my old friends!

Here are my fellow flutes!



And here are some pics from the rest of the practise...



About 30 of us came back for practise on Saturday and hopefully even more will come back next week. Many people are actually flying in from places around the country and as far away as Japan! They can obviously only be there for one weekend - so next week will be even more fun!

I can't wait to see how good (or bad) we all do!

Simon update!

I just got some new pictures of Simon! John's mom went out to visit last week and took some great shots. He's such a cutie!!








I'm knitting him a sweater right now - I was hoping to get it done for today since John's parents are going out to Boise today, but alas - I'm still not done. Just the button bands to go! I'll be mailing it soon and I'll take pictures before I do. They promised to take pics of Simon modeling the sweater for me too :)

Monkey Socks... finally!

I started these socks in June 2007 and just finished them a few days ago. That has got to be some kind of record for longest UFO! I knit the first sock and then put it aside because the way the colors pooled didn't thrill me. But I dug them out again one day when I was looking for a portable project and finally finsihed them off.



Stats:
Pattern: Monkey socks by Cookie A
Needles: Size 2 Addis
Yarn: Socks that Rock medium weight - in Metomorphosis colorway
Mods: I did one less repeat than the pattern called for. I think I would have run out of yarn if I hadn't!



I'm still not 100% happy with the way the colors blended, but I am glad they are finally done!






What do you think? Wearable?

Weekend fun - catchup post!

I've been slack about posting about my last couple weekend outings. Three weeks ago I was actually in Raleigh NC visiting one of my best friends from high school, Marc.

The best part of visiting - was spending time with his animals! Here they are:



Brit, Mia, Gizmo and Rex the cat. They each have such different personalities! Brit is a bundle of energy and a snuggler and has the coolest eyes ever - one blue and one brown, Mia is the shyest dog you will ever meet, but sweet once she warms up, Gizmo is a belly scratch hore, and Rex the cat is more like a dog - loving people and attention.

I was there the weekend after St Patricks day - but due to rain their St Patty's day parade and Irish festival were delayed a week - so I got to see the festivities! They really know how to do a parade - it went on for over an hour! After the parade - we hit the Irish festival - we saw bagpipers and Irish Wolf Hounds everywhere!



It was a fun event. After the parade - we checked out the rest of Raleigh's cultural events - town hall and their musuem.

At city hall - there was actually a rally going on - I was joking around and called out "Go Obama!" to the anti Obama rally... Marc got all nervous - he told me I was in the south and had to keep it down - someone was likely to shoot me! Can you believe it!



Once safely inside - we looked around at the beautiful architecture...














After the town hall - we went to the art museum:


Here we are with an Indian princess!



We had a great weekend - thanks Marc!!

Last weekend - I went out to a coworker's party. His weeping cherry tree was blooming and he wanted to celebrate spring.

Just look at that beautiful tree!


His wife is quite an artist and one of her specialities is mosaics. Just look at this awesome dragon:


And I couldn't resist this cool birdhouse:



Unfortunately I have no pics from my recent trip to New Orleans for work - I was too busy!! Maybe next time!

Homespun Yarn Party

Better late than never! Here are the few pictures I took from the Homespun Yarn Party last month:



It was so great to see friends old and new - I even got to see a preview of Karida's new book Pints and Purls! It's awesome by the way. I bought one skein of yarn and three skeins of fiber. I already spun up two of them - and I am excited to start the third!

Navajo Plying

I finished Navajo plying half of the BFL I’ve been working on the past few days. I was planning to spin this into thin singles for a three ply fit for socks. I think I may have been a little too thick - because I ended up with 136 yards for 2 ounces. I’m still going to finish the second half and I will still knit socks with it, but I will have to use another yarn for the cuff, heel and toes. I think a nice solid blue or green will set it off nicely.

Here's a mosaic of the life cycle this yarn went through: Roving, singles, and Navajo plied:



This is Three Irish Girls roving - purchased at the Homespun yarn party. Speaking of the Homespun yarn party! I just remembered I never posted pics of the fun! I think it's probably because I took my "small" camera. I have to hunt down the cord and upload those soon!

6 years!

I survived 6 years of being married today :)

I came home from work to the scent of flowers...









Happy Anniversary to me!

Need a little sunshine...

I'm sitting in the Birmingham airport... waiting for my plane which is an hour delayed. I originally had a 1 and half hour layover - and now it's 2 and half hours! I spent the last few days in New Orleans for work. It rained or drizzled or fogged the entire time I was there. And now a huge storm is delaying me more! Ack!

I could definitely go for a little sunshine. - So I thought I'd share some of the Spring that has been popping up around my house... before all this rain of course!

My neighborhood cherry trees are blooming!



The hyacinths are popping out...



And the daffodils are blooming...





And another little piece of sunshine... I bought these daffodils from Trader Joes to brighten up my table... aren't they gorgeous!