I'm on a man hunt...

Yes, it finally came. The dreaded invitation to the company holiday party. The day every single girl without a boyfriend dreads. I have 3 weeks to either come up with a date or RSVP for one, the sure sign of a loser. Now, you could sit there and say, RSVP for 2 and mabye you'll find a date closer to the party, but no, my employer is sneakier than that. You must provide the name for your date. Yes, indeed. Not only will I be going alone, but they decided last year that it would be better to have assigned seating so everyone could network with others in the company. So odds are, my little single self will be sitting alone with strangers. Strangers and their wives/dates. What could be better than that I ask you??? Did I forget that it's formal wear too. So, must buy expensive uncomfortable dress, to sit alone at a table with strangers. Now, why couldn't I just stay home you ask??? Unfortunately, did that last year and got away with it because I had only started 2 weeks before the party, but my absence was noted and remembered because everyone is asking "You're going to be there this year Gwen, won't you???" "It'll be lots of fun Gwen." So, staying home, not really an option. The only thing I can look forward to is buying new shoes to go with my new dress.

UGGHHHH!!! Anyone know the number for Rent-a-Date???

Playing Hooky and a New Yarn

You can't really appreciate the yumminess of the new yarn from the picture. It's called Amelie. (visions of the french film, which I love come to mind) It's soft and cool to the touch which makes it so yummy. I was a little worried about the fuzziness, so I bought some of the Queensland Llama Seta yarn in the same color, thinking I could use both.


I was playing around with them all evening. Well, okay, half the evening, I was petting the Amelie and envisioning myself sauntering down the Champs Elysee in spring wearing my new scarf. (Yes, I'm having Europe withdrawl. Everyone it work has been going and I haven't been in 4 years now.) Then I actually started to work with it. It calls for a 7 or 8 needle. So I knit up a little alone in garter stitch. No exactly what I was looking for. Added in a strip of the Llama Seta. Not what I was looking for either. Tried the two yarns at the same time in garter, with ladder stitch, with a slight lace pattern. Still haven't come up with exactly what I'm looking for. I've frogged everything and put away for the evening to see if divine guidance strikes me overnight.

I had a wonderful day off work. First, had to go get an emissions test and safety inspection. Got to the DMV at 9am and got my expired plates renewed by 9:30. So, then I had the rest of the day to play. I went to Michaels and Joanne's, again looking for divine guidance. Nothing really struck my fancy. Looking to make a prayer shawl for a co-worker who's husband has non-hodgkins lymphona. Then I came home and logged in to work (bad Gwen it was a vacation day). Met my mom for lunch and went to our favorite place and had lemon meringue pie. The women's exchange is the best place in the world for lunch. Great salad and the best lemon meringue pie. It's tart. These days too many people make their pies sweet. Lemons aren't sweet. They're tart. If you want sweet, make something else. After lunch, we went to Homegoods and I got a new knitting bag. My other one had fallen apart and what I was using, too small. Again, bright pink with a map of paris on it (see the withdrawl is creeping up again). Anyway, my Scarf Style magazine had come to my Mom's house, so I brought it home and spent an hour looking through it and reading patterns. I'm probably going to end up making 1 or 2 in the near future. Still in love with the ruffled scarf. Anyway, wasn't too bad for my day of hooky.
2 yarns

Time

You never realize how much you depend upon a watch until the battery goes dead. Then you're sitting in a meeting, wondering what time it is and if you've gone over time and are missing the next meeting. And if you're late for the next meetingl, you'll be late for the really important meeting with the important person and then where are you?? Well, I'll tell you where you are, in charge of yet another event because you weren't paying attention in the meeting that you were in and someone nominated you to take charge. All because of a dead watch battery. All I can say is at least I didn't get nominated to tell a committee they couldn't do something that they'd already sent an e-mail to the entire office about without getting permission.

On the knitting front. I finished a toddler hat tonight. Got gauge. Thought the hat was a little large. Maybe more than a little large. I was so inclined to try it on my head. It fit. I won't show pictures, because baby hat looks quite ridiculous on me and not the image I'm trying to portray. Who am I kidding, I can't figure out how to take a picture of myself even though I tried propping up the camera on various things and just couldn't get it. Oh well, another day.

Hurrah!!! I became a ring memeber!

Finally, I could join the Knittingbloggers ringer!! So I guess I should write something exciting about knitting. Don't really have anything exciting. I don't even have pictures of my new yarn. All I can do is dream of it until Wednesday when I can pick it up from Beth. I've been trying to consol myself by petting the Cascade Indulgence yarn (that I still haven't found a pattern for), but it's just not the same. Of course, if I had the other yarn, it would already be a scarf, so this is all a moot point, but a girl can dream can't she.

I've hit an all time low. All of my friends have to quit having babies. I have 5 baby items, 2 pairs of socks and a scarf on needles. I have a baby blanket, 2 baby Einsteins sweaters, a baby hat and baby mitts. For 5 different people. Then I need to get on with the hats I'm going to make for my boss's twins for their birthday November 5th. The hat is for an already born baby, so I should finish it. Baby Einstein #2 is for a baby shower on 11/14, so it can wait. Baby Einstein #1 is for a friendand baby is due 11/16 so it can wait. The mitts are an x-mas gift so they'll be last and the baby blanket is for 11/8. So, where should I draw the line, hats for boss's twins # 1, baby blanket #2, but then where does that leave the hat for the child already born. Ugggghhh. So confusing. I just want to be done with it all. Then, I'm done making baby stuff, so hear this, no one else I know is allowed to have a baby. Gwen's law.

I must be getting old...

for I have forgotten just about everything today. I went to the new knitting store, Knitorious today to keep Beth company and sit on their very comfortable chairs and knit. Of course, they had some new yummy yarn. It's called Amelie and it was so yummy. So, I bought some in a pale pink color to make myself a short scarf along with some lama yarn in the same color because Amelie is kind of fuzzy and I think I'll have to mix it with something else to make it less fuzzy. Anyway, the point of the story is, that yes, Gwen forgot her gorgeous new yarn at the store as she rushed out to get to her sister's second baby shower. And of course I discover this as I'm racing down the highway with my convertible top down. If I go back, I'll be late for my sister's baby shower. If I don't go back, I can't play with my yarn until Wednesday when I see Beth (who is very graciously taking care of it for me until knit night). So I proceeded on to the shower and I sit here blogging instead of playing with my new yarn. I can't even have it sit on my lap as I blog about it. I feel the loss with every fiber of my being. I hope my sister appreciates this greatly.

Well, one good thing about going to the shower, I won one of the shower games. I won some new kitchen towels, which I desperately need because the Blues Rally towels from 2 years ago are starting to look gross. The towels were pretty cute. They have cherries on them. Guess where they are??? Yep. You've got it. I left them at the shower. Score for Gwen on remember absolutely nothing today.

In other news, I ordered two new knitting books from our good friends at Overstock.com. The first is shown below.


I saw so many scarves I wanted to make, not only for myself, but for x-mas gifts. There is this totally cool Ruffle scarf that I can't wait to make. The minute it arrives, I will abandon the long suffering Faina's scarf, the Baby Einstein, the baby blanket and both pairs of socks to try it. I also go the new Last Minute Knitted Gifts book. It had some really good stuff after you get past the fact that they included a chapter on under 2 hours with pompoms. Please. But the stuff that takes longer more than makes up for it.

While on overstock, I could not resist ordering, what I'm sure will be the definitive Christmas Album of all time...


Yeah me!!! October's not to early to start listening to X-mas music is it?? I can't wait til it comes.

Cardinals are going to the World Series!!!!!

I have to admit I did have a minutes doubt when they came back to town down 3 games to 2, but they have pulled it out. What a fantastic game! I even shed a tear. Sniff! I can remember the 1982 World Series better than the 85 for some reason. I think because we won, it was imprinted upon my 8 year old brain. That and my aunt who was working downtown at the time got us the cool world series flags that my sister and I hung onto forever... Ahh the real power of gifts.

In knitting news, we had our first male knitter. You don't run accross too many of them. Of course, he was the son of one of the knitters, which may explain his passion. He knits lace, although he was finishing a cat bed while there. As for me, still working on the blanket formerly known as the 5 day blanket, which has now taken 15 days, but the good news, halfway done and I can start decreasing. But, have to make baby hats this weekend. My bosses sister, whom I've met, is have pre-labor contractions. So in other words, I need to get off my rear and start knitting. Of course, finishing the sweater is the goal for the weekend.

Gee I don't feel so guilty now...

..that I saw Beth's treatise on procrastination. Over the summer I discovered that my air conditioner didn't put out air until you nudged it up to "2." But I thought, what the heck, I have a convertible who needs the air conditioner unless it's really hot and then I'll want it on "2" anyway. Well, now that it's been cold in the morning, I'm slowly discovering the heat doesn't work until it's on "3." Best get it fixed before it's -12 and I have no heat for the 45 minute drive to work.

Goal for the week, find a place to fix heater/air condition issue, fix small divet in windshield before it becomes a big crack, fix bumper from accident in June, fix dent from Accident #2 in June.

I did the fly in and out of Chicago in one day yesterday for work. Flying in a thunderstorm has got to be one of the worst experiences in the world. The turbulence, oh the turbulence. I had to do the deep breathing exercises to keep from puking. Ugghh. Then on the way home, got to the airport early enough to fly stand-by on the 5:30 flight instead of waiting til the 7:40 flight. Bad news, 5:30 flight didn't take off until 6:45. Ugghh. Worst part, spent most of the day locked in a conference room with 5 other people watching one guy format an excel spreadsheet. Has anyone else noticed that more than half of the people around you shut their eyes not only on take off, but also when the plane lands. I can't decide if they're praying for a safe landing/take-off or willing the plane down. Of course, we all have our little flying quirks, I can't sleep because I have this weird fear that the plane will go down while I'm sleeping. Unreasonable??? You betcha. Does that stop me? No. Needless to say, didn't get any knitting on the flight to Chicago and didn't get any done on the way home because I was working on entering information into the aforementioned spreadsheet.

Today was the craziest day. Everyone thinks Monday's are crazy. Nope, I'm swearing by Tuesdays. Sweater still isn't finished. Working on spreadsheet again because it has to be finished by noon tomorrow and crazy day deterred me all day long. I don't think I sat at my desk for more than 15 consecutive minutes until after 5:30pm. Uggh. Hopefully tomorrow is better.

Sweater now has two sleeves...

2sleeves
Okay, I finally start the sweater and then, what happens...it gets warm again. This must be some kind of consipiracy. I still need to seam the sides and sleeves and finish knitting the neckline. I must admit I did try it on. I'm a bit concerned that it's going to be shorter than I wanted (this is by the way after I added two inches in length. We'll have to see after I finish.

You can believe your eyes...the sweater has a sleeve

//
Yes, I finally did it. I started the sweater. I attached two shoulders and one sleeve. The sleeve was a lot more complicated than I thought. It took a lot longer than I thought.

What a crappy day???

So far today, I forgot my knitting for knit night. I discovered this as I was driving down the highway. Then I was thinking as I sat in traffic...I remembered to mail my netflix movie. I stopped at the ATM and got money. Remember taking money and receipt...but do not remember taking card back. Frantic search of my purse reveals that I did indeed forget to take my card out of the atm... So I got to work and called bank. They put a block on the card and ordered me a new one. Unfortunately their policy does not allow you to go pick up your card the next day, they destroy it, so I'm without an ATM card for 7-10 days and I only got $20 out of the ATM this morning. Did I happen to mention it's also raining and yucky outside.

So I guess I'm going to be forced to go try out the new yarn store and by yarn and needles for a new project on my lunch. Battling traffic all the way home and then to knitting is less than appealing. I need to make several more baby sweaters, so I think that's a winner...

Baby Shower Day

Hurrah! Baby Shower is over!!!! I'm free of planning stuff for several months. Everyone oohed and aahed over the Baby Einstein sweater with matching cap I made for the baby. I don't know if I should be offended that everyone seemed to admire the Beatrix Potter buttons with a cat picture more than my superior workmanship...

Kelly got lot of fun stuff for the baby. Everyone had a good time. There was enough food. Most of all only about 20 people showed up, which was what we were looking for when we invited 36 people. So, an unprecedented success in my eyes.

For all that everyone was wondering, I did not finish the 5 day baby blanket. Exterior forces interacted upon my knitting time and it did not get finished. I'll be going to Columbia, where said pregnant woman, lives in November and will deliver it then. Problem solved!

For those that wonder, I don't knit while driving. I'm a bad enough driver as it is, but that's not to say it hasn't crossed my mind, especially stuck in traffic while they have shut down the stupid highway so the president's motorcade can drive by... Why he chooses to arrive at rush hour to make things so much worse that it already is, I'll never know. If I ever was going to vote for him, my 1.5 hour drive home because they shut the highway down for him the other day would have put that vote in serious jeapardy.

5 Day Baby blanket

As mentioned yesterday, I have embarked on trying to knit a baby blanket in 5 days, work a full-time job, and help my mom clean her house for company. Am I insane??? Absolutely, but it's that good kind of insane. After knit night, the blanket is 18 inches in counting. I figure if I finish one more inch tongith, however many I finish tomorrow night will be the final length and then we'll to the decrease half on Friday and Saturday. Short post because I must knit. Wish me luck!

Working downtown...

I used to say that I would never work downtown. Drive all that way in traffic. Get up early to get on the road with all the maniacs???? Not me, no way. Then of course, I got offered an opportunity too good to pass up. So, I join the thousands of commuters on Highway 40 everymorning slowly inching my way downtown. I've been trying to figure out if I'm going slow enough to knit. My boss reads her blackberry, why couldn't I knit. Okay, I understand, a bit scary for the other roadsters as the fact that I get into that zone when I get in the car in the morning and the next thing I know, I've been on the road for a half-an-hour and I'm almost to work. So, what brought on this treatise on commuting? I've discovered how fun it is to work downtown where so much goes on during the day. Cardinals rally on Monday. Today's Cardinals playoff game, although I lost two raffles for the same two game tickets :-( I work in one of the buildings overlooking the stadium and we can see the outfield, the jumbotron and lots of fans. So everytime something good happens, the crowd cheers and suddenly anyone who did not manage to snag tickets to the game is standing pressed against the windows straining to see the jumbotron. Good thing the window washers were by last week is all I can say.

Anyway, I decided this evening that I need to make a baby blanket. It's for a friend from college, but we're not all that close anymore and since she already has a two year old, have a feeling will need to be acrylic. So I went to Michaels to buy yarn and bought it home. I didn't realize I had become such a yarn snob. It almost grates on my fingers as I knit. It's that I'm fake and you're using me anyway. We're not talking Pound of Love here or anything. I did spring for the Bernat baby coordinates yarn. Just not enjoyable. Anyway, I've got to finish it in a hurry because I'll see her this weekend and I'm giving another college friend, also pregnant, a gift so I couldn't leave her out. So, I decided on the super easy dishcloth pattern hoping it will go fast. 10 inches done on the angle, wish me luck.

Hurrah!!!

I have finished all my baby projects in plenty of time for the baby shower. I even have time to fit in one or two more small projects if I get going. No pictures since I know my sister lurks occasionally. I'll post pictures after the shower.

It's gotten pretty cold around here, so I had the annual closet cleaning this evening. Donated anything I hadn't worn this summer. Not very much (oops). Put aside my summer clothes (tanks, etc to go to storage) and made room for my new clothes. Closet looks all clean and pretty, well, except for the fabric softner I haven't figured out how to get off the floor since the whole foot broken experience. Don't worry, I'm not in mortal danger, I put a rug down with the plastic backing that sticks to the floor. I've tried everything I can think of, but still very slick. If anyone knows how to break up dried (It never really dries) fabric softner, drop me a line. Between the broken foot and the stitches, I couldn't get in to clean it until after it had a dried and I never managed to guilt my mom/sister/father/aunt into cleaning it for me. :-( I need to work on the guilt persiasion thing.

My Mother, the enabler...

Those of you who know me, know I like to shop...a lot. Well, I went shopping on Friday by myself and didn't buy a single thing. Well, my mom , who is half way home from a wedding in Kansas City, calls and asks if I want to go to Dillards with her. They're having a sale. Now, that's a no-brainer. Of course, I'm going to go. So, I meet her at the mall. Out of everything I bought today (4 pairs of pants, 3 tops and 3 necklaces) my mom picked out everything except 2 pairs of pants and when debating whether I needed the $40 Ralph Lauren shirt (mind you $40 66% off) she said it would be versatile. Which made sense, so it too, went in the keep pile. Now, I got to thinking. She and I went to a sale at Lord & Taylor like a month ago and I bought 5 sweaters and a shirt all of which she picked out. Now, obviously, she knows my taste, but I bought them all. She is my enabler. The person that everyone has that whenever they go shopping with and you end up, not only finding things, but buying them. I don't know whether they convince you or talk sense into you. I would have to admit, I'm usually the enabler. Since I shop...umm...all the time. I know where the best sales are on the best clothes and feel no shame in sharing my wisdom and love of brand name clothes reasonable price. It's almost more fun to find clothes for other people than myself. Yes, you read that right. So, I guess the turnabout is fair play, and I've been enabled today, to the tune of over $100, but I do have the perfect Ralph Lauren shirt. :-)

The problem with Tall Buildings...

Fire Drills suck. Walking down 20 flights of stairs sucks. Walking down 20 flights of stairs while strobe lights go off, there is an emergency speaker blaring and 1500 other people are trying to get down the same stairs really sucks. It was walking and walking and walking and then you realize that you're only at the 13th floor. Crap! I almost kissed the ground when I got to the ground floor. Of course, that reaction might have been assisted by the fact that I was so freakin' dizzy from going round and round and round. And those who know me, know I have bad knees anyway. I can barely walk today after going down all those freakin' stairs yesterday. If there's ever a fire in my building, I'm going to die. If I don't get walked over by all the other people rushing down the stairs, the fact that it takes me like 15 minutes to walk all the way down will. I'll take the sanction next time. My lord.