today

 

santa monica in mid-september

Rollercoasters

And sailboats

 

Favorite Socks

Embossed Leaves Socks
Handmaiden Casbah – Wine
-Delicious-

 

a while

Knitting.

Yarn.

Not much new here. Working. Heading to San Francisco this weekend (staying where we stayed last year.) It should be wonderful.

Once I finish the socks above I will probably be knitting a solid color Tempest from some Shivaya Naturals yarn.

Good knitting makes life better.

 

cats

This is a common occurrence at my house. This cat is Milo.

 

Yarn

So, I did a bit of yarn shopping (and redeemed some pre-birthday gifts.)

The local Alaska yarn stores were very nice, but the knitters were a bit competitive to get to the yarn–there were just more of us than yarn (which is why my mother, aunt, and I strategized and beat the rest of the cruisers to the Beehive Wool Shop in Victoria. Totally worth it.)

There are notes on the picture if you click on it.

 

passed!

It is done, and over, and I passed. They don’t tell you your score, just a pass or fail. Sigh. I am so relieved. I slept about 3 hours total last night, and almost didn’t go to the test. So happy that I did, and that I am done. And passed!

Thank you for your emails, texts, and comments of support. They are very appreciated.

Next up with 1 last exam. Once that one is passed, I am officially licensed.

 

adventures in yarn shopping

 I spent this past Saturday hitting up 4 semi-local yarn stores with two good knitting friends.

Wildfiber

Our yarn adventures began at Wildfiber in Santa Monica. Gorgeous store, a *ton* of really nice yarns (including Socks that Rock in stock….) and a helpful staff. Prices were a bit high, but I am guessing that rent in Santa Monica is also a bit high. I really, really enjoyed their selection, but was overwhelmed and didn’t purchase anything.

Next up was Knit Cafe (no pictures–I was told that the owner did not like pictures being taken of her store). This one was a mixed bag–good selection of yarns, generally nice staff, and overall good vibe to the store. The feel of this one was my favorite. But there was something just a touch snobbish about one of the workers that made it less than perfect. I did purchase some magazines here (Fall and Winter Interweave Knits from 2004 to 2007 for 12$. Not bad).

After this was Skein in Pasadena (I realize that I am not linking to any of these. Sorry.) Not my favorite–possibly my least favorite). They had a great selection of Rowan and RYC yarns, and then a great selection of fun fur and other novelty yarns, and that was about it. Overall a friendly place, but nothing that made me want to go back.

Last was Unraveled in Monrovia. This store is in a nice space, with a good selection of malabrigo and other general wools, plus some sock and lace yarns. I would probably return here, but didn’t find anything I needed right now.

We also stopped at Dots, a cupcake shop in Pasadena. Their strawberry shortcake cupcake was great–the others were just ok. But it was a cute shop and a nice stop in the otherwise all yarn all the time day.

Dots

And a mini-pic from Friday night, which included wine and Mall Madness (a shopping game from 1988). A good night. (I am on the right).

 

20/20

As of 9:15 am this morning, my vision was 20/20, which ain’t half bad. Still feel drowsy from all of the sleeping pills I had to take yesterday. T got to watch and was kind of grossed out. I actually got to watch the person before me, who had a slightly different procedure, but it allowed me to picture what he was doing to me while it was going on.

I was really relaxed with the right eye (the first one he did) but then the left eye started to get all twitchy and I got incredibly anxious. Fortunately it only took about 15 minutes total in the operating room, which was nice.

And now, no glasses. I am legally cleared to drive, but don’t feel comfortable. I can still feel that my eyes are a bit swollen and just odd feeling, which should go away in a few days.

thank you all for your well-wishes!

 

another year

I had pictures planned, but they aren’t happening.

26 today. Its odd–the number sounds bigger, older, more grown, than I feel. And then I realize that I really am 26, or how I imagine 26.

The only thing I would really change would be my in person social life. That has been hard hit recently, by changes that I knew were coming. I am a bit sad that my birthday celebration will be much smaller than I would have thought a few months ago, but really, there isn’t much better than spending time with T. And that is what I will do.

Happy birthday to me. (and Ms. Acrylique).