Charming Indeed

I was in Charm City yesterday to visit one of the libraries I manage and whip it into shape. The office is right in the Inner Harbor and when I arrived yesterday morning there were very few people out so I had a chance to enjoy it and take it all in without distractions. I felt like a tourist and I wondered how they get anything done in that office with this right outside.

Sculpture with waterfalls

And this…


Plaza Sculpture

And, of course, this…


See the aquarium behind the USS Constellation?
It’s really a miracle that I made it inside at all. I did get a lot of work done though and it was a really productive day. I felt great right up to the point that I started trekking home. Then the trip started to wear on me because it took over three hours to get home. Some of it was bad choices (MARC train rather than Amtrak), some was stupid mistakes (getting on the blue line train rather than the orange), but in the end the blame doesn’t really matter. It all adds up to an exhausting trip home but, like the trip itself, a productive one.

Look what I finished yesterday! Hubbo’s socks. They look saggy on my feet because I have normal feet rather than pontoons like hubbo. I chose to model them myself though in order to spare you the vision of his furry legs. Just say thank you and move along.

The socks are wonky in more ways than I can count but, hubbo says that they feel great and they look cool if you don’t get too close. I’m just glad they’re done. Although I started them during the summer, I did most of the second sock in October which makes them my first Socktoberfest socks. In honor of Socktoberfest and the completion of another pair of socks, I present my answers to Lolly’s questions:

• When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class? - I started in January 2006. I learned by checking my reference books as I followed the Jaywalker pattern.
• What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time? - They were Jaywalkers that I knit in Ruby Slippers Socks That Rock. I really don’t wear them all that much because I they’re a little tight and don’t work well with my Clarks.
• What would you have done differently? - I would have knit them a little looser. I also would have kept them out of the washer. They went through by accident and look a little fuzzy now.
• What yarns have you particularly enjoyed? – Sundara, Koigu and Elann Esprit made my hands really happy. I think that I like sproingy yarns that are a little more cushiony.
• Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method? - I’ve tried many ways but I always come back to my #2 Addi’s. Nothing else works quite as well for me.
• Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?) - If I’m knitting top down (which I rarely do any more) then I like a flap heel with the eye of partridge pattern. For toe up socks I still don’t have a favorite heel but I’m in love with the Turkish cast-on for the toe.
• How many pairs have you made? – This last pair was my twelfth. I only kept four for me. The rest were gifted away.

Still no socks of doom in my mailbox but my victim posted the receipt of hers so I guess that I’m officially an assassin.

Noro and a Bagel

I really wish that my camera took truer pictures. When I looked out of the window of my car this morning the sky was full of blue and pink and purple so I took this picture. Here, the purple looks rather grea but it’s still an interesting sky. I like it.

I got off to a slightly rocky start today because I couldn’t find my Metro Card. It’s kind of essential for getting to work. I got a temp pass for the ride in and thankfully, after tearing my pocketbook apart I located the missing card. It was one of those cases of putting something away extra carefully and then forgetting the super-safe spot you chose. It’s really just a symptom of the craziness that was my weekend. I’m hoping it doesn’t extend to the rest of the month because I LOVE OCTOBER! Aside from the usual craziness, this month will be full of family, fiber and my birthday.

Naturally, I’ll share most of it – beginning with the fiber which will not be found at Rhinebeck after all. I wanted to go but I thought about it too long and the adult side of my brain got way to loud with it’s whining about bills and responsibility. I fought hard but, in the end, I’m really ok with it because then I’ll look forward to next year that much more. In the meantime I will satisfy my craving with a trip to Montpelier, VA this coming weekend. I will be attending the Fall Fiber Festival with the Drama Queen and her buddy. They’ll be taking a class called Knitting for Kids while I wander and play with fiber. I’m doing my best to convert them into knitters. Start’em young! Right?

I was absent from Blogland yesterday while I observed Yom Kippur. At the end of the holiday it’s customary to break the fast at someone’s house and, we hosted it again yesterday for a house full of very hungry guests. I cooked with the assistance of my favorite sous chef’s, Stinkerbelle and DQ, and we finished our preparations in time for the first guest’s arrival. For once I was not chopping veggies while I greeted people. That bodes well for the New Year. I also started right in another sense - I added a touch of fiber to the spread. Would you like a little Noro with that bagel? Can you believe that this centerpiece was my father’s idea?

National Book Festival Recap

This weekend has been great so far. It started well on Friday night when we watched the Capitols beat the Flyers in pre-season hockey. I got into the city a little early and spent an hour wandering around (shopping) and seeing all of the new shops that are popping up left and right. It's a good thing I don't work down there any more. The temptation might be too great!

Yesterday we went to the National Book Festival. After this post I'll shut up about it but first I offer a little overview of our day which started out nasty and overcast. The sky was grey and I was sure that it would pour any minute. Given the nasty weather I was amazed at the number of people in attendance. It just warms my librarians heart to see all of the people braving the rain to hear authors speak.

It did rain but by the time it started, we were all busy listening to Kathy Reichs speak. She writes the books that the show Bones is based on. She was a great speaker and I'll be watching the show with a new perspective. We also heard part of Vince Flynn and George Pelecanos's talks. Ther were all very different but really interesting. Hubbo noted that there was someone at the back of the crowd knitting while she listened.

There were so many great speakers at the festival. In a perfect world I'd have been able to hear them all because they were all good. I found it really informative listening to Rosalind Wiseman who wrote Quuen Bees and Wanna Bees - I'm sure that I'll be getting that book soon. I attended that session with the Drama Queen who enjoyed it too but i think her favorite speaker was Andrew Clements. He's written The Report Card, Lunch Money and School Story among others. For, Stinkerbelle the highlight was the Magic School Bus which she took a quick tour of.

One thing we all enjoyed together was meeting a very famous furry, red, monster. Yup, we met Elmo (and Kevin Clash - the puppeteer who brings him to life).


How cool is that?

One of the beautiful things about the festival is that most, if not all, of the authors take questions and are very accessable. DQ asked Kathy Reichs if she's ever seen anything that was too gross for her. (answer - yes, the bathtub bit in the most recent episide of Bones grossed her out) Stink asked Kevin Clash what he does when he's not Elmo. (Answer - he sleeps) Interaction like that can only enhance a budding love of the written word and I absolutely love it.

By the end of the day our feet hurt and we were weighted down with all of the free goodies from the festival. There were posters (we got ours signed) and dolls (from PBS) and a checker set (courtesy of T*rget). It was all very neat. Also, very cool was the sky which had cleared up considerably. I just love the Smithsonian Castle so I took this picture of one of it's towers against the blue sky at the end of the day.

Finally, here's a little knitting content of the screwed up variety. When I got home last night there was a package for me. No, not the Socks of Doom. I'm still standing. It was the extra yarn from KnitPicks. Boy is it ever extra. I put another wave on the scarf last night and it's now taller than I am. I'm not going to need much of the 3 ball of yarn that I ordered to complete the project. Maybe I'll make my Funky Scaf Pal a matching hat.

Yom Kippur starts tonight and I'm hosting a break the fast for 20 plus of our friends tomorrow at the end of the holiday. I've been cooking all day today in preparation and I doubt that I'll get anywhere near a computer tomorrow. If you're celebrating then I wish you an easy fast.

PS. I am totally stoked that October is here. I'm sure it's going to be full of great things.