katyknits

Waiting for Gracie to email me a G

In the meantime, direct your eyes to poor Cameron whose face slid across the ground...although he prefers to tell people he was mauled by a bear.  Thank goodness it is healing nicely but that scab is going to itch!

I guess it has been a while and there is a post saved in draft waiting on a teenager to send me a picture she can live with.  Although a Central Park Hoodie picture would have killed two birds with one stone.  Poor birds.  I have finished my sheep sweater.  Granny and I are planning to wear them to the NENA show. 

D, E and F

Can I squeeze 3 letters out of the trip?  Diet, Exercise and Fun!

I can't find card or cord to upload any new pictures to the blog or ravelry.  My latest WIP can be seen at Purlingswine's.

Thanks to the diet and exercise...I have lost over 30lbs and had tons of fun on the trip.  Please forgive the lameness of this post.  And Vicki, don't kick me out of the ABC Along. 

Wasn't gonna blog without a picture but...

Aww...Scooby has his paw resting on the laptop and I was just moved to share.  A D post is brewing in my head.  Specifically "Daughters".  Being one and having one.  In other very exciting news, I toured Owen's new school (he starts in July).  I was really quite delighted.  It is a genuine school building which is very exciting considering he has been in an office park for the past 5 years.  The very best news--besides the gym and adaptive PE teacher--is he will not require a 1:1 aide.  This has been one of my greatest concerns and cause for many sleepless nights.  Life cannot be 1:1 and I don't want him dependent on an aide that way. 

Knitting.  I absolutely hate everything I am knitting right now.  I started a blanket on the trip for Kevin's coworkers baby to be named "Caty".  Colors aren't working.  Started a second one in Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton.  Not liking that one either.  Anyone have any suggestions for a summer baby blanket for a well-named baby? 

A little funny story...Gracie and I stopped by the stationary store of an ex-boyfriend today.  The very first boyfriend.  He gave her some sweet advice not to think your first boyfriend is THE love of our life.  Needless to say, Gracie has moved on to his best friend.  Just as I had moved on to his best friend in college.  Some things never change.

Return to reality

All in all a very relaxing trip.  We canceled more things than we actually did.  Golf was canceled twice, tennis skipped--even a spa treatment was canceled.  Pool, beach, pool.  On the excursion day we kayaked and snorkeled.  I made it to the gym 4 times and swam laps.  The food was pretty good too.  I think I only put on 4lbs and the chocolate brownie with ice cream was worth it!  Highlights were Miss June's and Montpelier Inn.  The biggest highlight was spending time with Kevin.  The kids did well with Grandma...in fact Owen has requested, "I want Grandma" twice now.  Grandma has now informed us that she is ready to do it for the next 5 years!  Kevin better get cracking at work!

I worked on a baby blanket for Kevin's coworker who is giving birth to a girl to be named, Caty.  I was basing it on 100 Afghan Squares to Knit but I am not feeling it.  Back to the drawing board.

Life has been absolutely crazy of late!  I guess it is pre-trip insanity. Doctor appts, hair appts, parent training...never dull!  The shower this weekend for Cara was a blast!  Best shower I have ever been to.  Ann is an amazing hostess--as always.  It's always delightful to spend time with Nancy and Maribel.  What more could one ask for?  And Nancy brought carrot cake!  The only sad part--wait two sad parts--Norma and Sandy didn't make it do to cursed weather.  And my cell phone fell out of my pocketbook and landed in a hot cup of tea.  It's not the same...the front buttons are broken but it flips--so I can dial inside and the end button doesn't work.  Anywhere--in or out.  $450 to replace it so I will make do! 

  I finished my (and by finished I mean did a loop and sewed a button) on my Koigu Kersti cardigan. (241)  The knitting was done ages ago and I was wearing it without a button but it is finally almost completely finished.  One last end to run.  What is my problem?  I use the excuse that it looks like I made it.  Sigh.

Work on the Colinette throw for my sister's birthday progresses.  I may have it  finished before I leave if I don't continue to screw up the chevron.  I seem to have quite a bit of yarn left over in the mohairs.  I have to cut fringe but there isn't enough of the other yarns to make it longer.  Still, it will definintely be ready before July--which is awesome because a pile of mohair in my lap over the summer would stink! 

Camonator

Cupcakes for Cameron!  It was his 10th birthday earlier this month.  Double digits...I can hardly believe it.  He very kindly chose his birthday place based on what he thought Owen might like.  The place had an indoor train ride.  The compassion and kindness Cameron and Gracie show never ceases to impress and amaze.  It took Owen quite a bit of time to warm up and find the courage to ride that train but we are seriously thinking of Disney this winter.   

Knitting on the Central Park Hoodie is finished.  It's smaller than I would have liked--no buttons either.  Oh well.  It needs its final block and Gracie can't wait to wear it for the all of two weeks it might fit.  Sigh.

I would love to post a cool cardio picture for C.  Instead I will just share that I am going to the gym 4-5 times a week and loving it.  Diet and exercise...I have lost just over 30lbs.  I think 40lb is my goal.  And then maintain.  A few people have asked how I am doing it.  As I said, 4-5 times at the gym.  I do weight lifting at least 2 days a week plus 30 minutes of cardio.  And 30 minutes of cardio the other days...always changing up the machines.  And abs.  Lots of abs.  I also bought some dumbells for home to work on arms and shoulders.  At night, when I brush my teeth, I do side bends or lunges.  I might be getting fanatical.

As far as diet goes, I have cut back on the carbs considerably.  I allow myself one healthy carb a day.  This is either a hollowed out whole wheat bagel with egg whites or oatmeal.  I eat protein bars for lunch or meat and salad.  Snacks are either vegetables or fruit.  But I don't allow more than 2 fruits a day.  Dinner is meat and salad.  I have cut back on the cookies and drink a lot of water.  I definitely feel my hunger has decreased.  But if I do get hungry...I eat some turkey, a slice of cheese or vegetables.  I do not eat carrots, corn or peas.  They are high carb vegetables.  Better choices for me are celery and cucumbers.  Oh, I also eat a small amount of nuts.  My greatest weakness are Twizzlers so I will occasionally eat fruit snacks--like Shark Bites or something--it comes in a more manageable package and fills that need.

A very fabulous C is coming up next week...and I can't believe I haven't shared this with the blog sooner.  I tell you, though, it got me through the January doldrums!  Caribbean baby!  Kevin won the trip for work and we are going to Nevis March 2-8.  We are staying at the Four Seasons and I am looking forward to some cucumbers on my eyes by the poolside and Evian spritz!  Oh and time with Kevin too. 

A technique question

I just posted this on the Ravelry Central Park Hoodie KAL board...

I am knitting the smallest size for my daughter and it seems a bit small. I thought I would make the button band wider. However, I don’t really like all of that extra width on the hood. Couldn’t I just start a new ball of yarn and knit the button band up to the hood and then continue on the other side with the original ball of yarn  and then when it is wide enough cast off the whole thing using one yarn? Am I crazy with this idea?

I swear I have done something similar to this on another project...just can't think what. 

B+

Bad boy bubble bath....

Looks like this wasn't the first time...

B...b...b!

Birthday boy!  8.  How did that happen?

Birds (by Cameron).  We have as many as 3 male and 4 female cardinals.  We truly enjoy watching the birds.

Bronx Girl!  And blogging in general has brought more to my life than I expected.  (Doesn't it look like Owen is covering his ears?  Nancy was really good on vocals--don't ask her to play drums though!)

Thinking ahead to the letter C.  I hope to have the Central Park Hoodie finished by next month.  I have finished the fronts and am nearly finished on the sleeves.  Grandma is working on the back.  Nothing like knitting together!

A is for Alaska

It is very difficult to post pictures of Alaska for the ABC Along when your scanner decides not to work.  This is the best I could do of photographing a photograph.  What a way to start! 

While autism seems like the logical choice for the letter A...I do talk quite a bit about that on my blog.  Alaska...not so much.  After college, not sure what direction I wanted to go in, I did a year of volunteering.  I found myself in Sitka, Alaska working at domestic violence shelter.  It was quite the experience to be surrounded by so much beauty and such sadness.  Sitka is an incredibly isolated town on Baranoff Island accessible only by boat or plane.  There were about 13 miles of paved road and 100 inches of rain a year.  The picture is from a retreat we had in Anchorage.  The weather is pretty mild in Sitka so I didn't have much in the way of winter clothes.  In Sitka it was all about the rain pants and rubber boots.  The ladies who worked at the shelter outfitted me in this incredible jacket with wolf fur hood and Sorrels. 

My job was in education and outreach and direct service.  We had a 24 hour crisis hotline and a 12 bed shelter.  I did shelter shifts 2 days a week from 3-11pm, wrote the newsletter and gave presentations to the community and neighboring villages on personal safety.  Flying to those remote villages by float plane was an experience I will never forget.  Being the lone white woman in a Tlingit village talking to children and young adults about how to be safe...indescribable.  While I was a vegetarian there, I found it very rude to decline the local food.  I ate some interesting stuff...dried seaweed dipped in seal oil, whale blubber, herring eggs caught on hemlock branches with soy sauce.  I also ate the most delicious food ever--Halibut cheeks!  YUM!

I left the volunteer position a little bit early when my mom developed cancer the second time.  I was considering a "real" position at the shelter or another volunteer position in Bethel--the tundra.  All is well that ends well...Kevin and I solidified our relationship and a few months later I asked him to marry me.  Gracie and I visited Alaska when she was one but I haven't been back.  I would like to volunteer again someday...perhaps when all of the kids are settled..

A little knitting...nearly finished with the left front of the Central Park Hoodie for Grace.