The Wandering Stitch

Beautiful Shawl

2010-10-14T07:20:00.007-08:00

I've been meaning to share this for awhile, but school, family, and my new doggie have taken precedence over blogging. Will you ever forgive me? For today's post I get to share my first ever test knitting project. Michele Bernstein aka "PDXKnitterati" was looking for knitters to test her "Pacific Shawl" pattern. I so love Michele's designs that I asked if I could give it a try.

Over Labor Day weekend (yes, that long ago), I cast on using some stash BMFA lightweight yarn & away I went. I've never done a test knit before, so I was a tad bit nervous. Fortunately, Michele is such a great pattern writer & the pattern so wonderful that I was able zip right along.
As with many triangular shawl patterns, most of the first section is knit in stockinette with periodic increases to give it shape. Then came the fun "waves" lace pattern. Michele had included beads in the pattern & after my last experience with beads, I was a little reluctant. However - these beads are placed as you knit, using a tiny-weeny crochet hook - no pre-stringing required (Huzzah!)

Of course - beading is easier when you have the correct size crochet hook. I was down on the Kenai Peninsula with friends when I realized the hooks I had in my bag were too big. I was just going to forget about the beads (they are optional) when my ingenious friend created a mini-crochet hook using a twist tie. How clever is she?! She admitted that she really wanted to see the beading process & what the beads would look like against the yarn. I have to say - the twist-tie hook was perfect. So - if you ever find yourself in need of a teeny-tiny hook, you can save a few bucks & use a twist tie - provided you have one of those lying around. :0)

Details:

Pattern: Pacific Shawl by Michele Bernstein

Yarn: BMFA Socks That Rock Lightweight, "Beryl" colorway

Beads: Size 6 Triangular Seed Bead

Needles: US 6

Size: Small

Thanks for this opportunity Michele! :0)

Ciao!

Welcome Lyra!

2010-10-02T15:41:00.008-08:00

I've been scolded for not updating my blog introducing the newest member of Chez Arctic Knitter:

Meet Lyra:

We've been without a dog since we had to say good-bye to our dear, lovely, Joulee, last March. It took a while to get used to the quiet, not having to step over a dog in the dark of the early mornings, and not having a furry friend greet you with a head sticking out of the doggie door as soon as you pulled into the garage. Finally, about a month ago I decided we were ready for a new pup. Dear hubby was more reluctant than I, and it took that month to convince him that having a new pup would far outweigh the cons of being "dog-free".

I'd been stalking the ASPCA, Friends-Of-Pets, and the Animal Control Center websites trying to find another lab-mix. Last Saturday I decided to stop by the pound when I saw a photo of a black lab who was available for adoption. I finally convinced hubby that we should go and at least check "Jake" out to see if perhaps he was the right dog for us. To make a long story short, he wasn't. Poor Jake had already been in and out of 3 (yes, 3!) homes & had a history of destroying everything. While I thought he was certainly trainable, Wade & I decided that with both of us working during the day, we didn't have the time to commit to training Jake to be the great dog he could be. Too bad it wasn't the beginning of a summer vacation when we weren't traveling - then it could have been a possibility.

Enter "Louisa May". I noticed another lab also available for adoption earlier that day. I mentioned to Wade that there was also a chocolate lab available, but his reply was that he didn't "like" chocolate labs. (What that statement was based on, I don't know). I figured since Jake wasn't going to work out, perhaps we should take a look at "Louisa May". Funny, but Wade spent most his time at the pound hanging out around her cage. Turns out - she was the perfect dog for us.
She was picked up as a stray, so she had no history. After taking her to the vet this week, our vet estimated she's between 1 & 1.5 years old. We renamed her "Lyra" - the name Iain would have had if he had been a she. She comes. She sits. She loves to play fetch (whoever invented the "Chuck-It" ball thrower is a GENIUS!!). She stays. She is so completely full of love. She's potty trained (yup! only 2 wee accidents on her first days at home alone). But get this - SHE DOESN'T CHEW ANYTHING SHE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO!!!! What?!? Yeah - no paper, no couches, no shoes, no yarn, no needles (requite knitting reference) - nothing! I think she knows that she had to convince Wade that she's a good dog & we are a good forever home for her. The cat isn't convinced, but Lyra is certainly trying her hardest!

So - no knitting to share with this post. Iff you can, adopt a pet from your local shelter - you'll be so glad you did.

Ciao!

Back to School Sweater...

2010-09-18T13:33:00.011-08:00

I'm baaaaaaaaack.... (think Poltergeist). I know - it's been a while & I'll use the usual excuse that I've been crazy busy as is expected with the beginning of a new school year. So let's just cut to the chase & share with you a F.O. I've designated as my "Back to School Sweater" well - because I wore it on the first day "back to school". And yes - the school year is going well; classes are large, but my students seem to be a great bunch, thankyouforasking.

Project Details:

Pattern: Kiama by Berroco. This was "harlotized" earlier this year & I was fascinated by the drape and construction.

Yarn: Origami by Berroco in the "Canteloupe Freeze" colorway (I think...) Very interesting mix of fibers - acrylic (!), nylon, cotton, and Linen. I've yet to officially block the garment, so I can't report on how well it softens up. I can say that while the yarn has a different feel than wool, it wasn't hard on the hands & the finished garment has a nice feel to it.

Needle: US8

Size: S/M

Overall - I very easy knit. You essentially knit starting at one sleeve, increase for the arms, knit flat for the back & then decrease for the other arm. Arms are seemed together up to the armpits & then stitches are picked up & you knit back & forth in a ribbed pattern for the collar & skirt of the sweater. Pretty easy even though I'm convinced I've made some mistake somewhere as the ribbing on the shawl portion goes in a different direction than the collar/skirt portion. I think it's a little too long in the back & the Yarn Harlots suggestion of doing short rows at a certain part of the pattern would have been a good idea. Love hindsight and all that. I figure that with standing in front of teenagers all day having a slightly longer sweater certainly isn't a bad thing.

I think it looks fine & I've received plenty of complements. It fits well & is surprisingly 'in style' - I've notices lots of similar type cardigans being worn this fall - full & drapey in the front.

Of course - since it's the beginning of the school year (or at least it was - the first day of school around here was August 18) I must include the requisite first day of school photos in front of the fireplace (I planned ahead this year - no last minute shots in the driveway before we zip off to school!)

First - My 3rd grader:
Pretty cute photo if I do say so. He is often uncooperative with photos - perhaps I threatened him this time? Can't remember...

Next - my 5th (!!) grader. How is it possible I have a child who is 10 years old?

He is more comfortable and cooperative in front of the camera.

"Hey boys - let's get a photo of the two of you together":

Grrrr.... Fortunately this was really all in jest & that most of the time the following photo best captures their true relationship:

I'm a pretty lucky mom.

I plan on less blog silence and more knitting (another wee FO & test knitting FO to share) coming soon.

Ciao!

Home Again...

2010-08-06T10:39:00.004-08:00

Leave it to me to post about a finished sweater before I've posted that we've safely returned home. Oh well - such is the life of my brain. Of course, I also have more posts regarding our travels to share with you. But.... I thought perhaps I'd announce that Road Trip 2010 has officially ended - we returned home the afternoon of August 1st.

Overall our trip was wonderful. The van cooperated - even though we had the brakes replaced in California. It decided not to start making mysterious ticking noises until we were back in Anchorage, and the tire repair held up. The kids were troopers - good sports about long days (8+hours) in the car, constantly having to set up camp, sleeping in new places, and putting up with their older/younger brother 24/7. Wade and I still love each other (we celebrated our 14th anniversary on the road into Canada) in spite of long days in the car, constantly having to set up camp, and sleeping in new places almost every night. So - I think we can say it was a successful journey.

Road Trip Round-Up:

Total Miles Traveled: 11,456

I find this interesting as it seemed that we were driving a farther distance than that of the 2007 & 2008 road trips. I think the lesser mileage was due to traveling more direct routes for this journey.

Total Days of Road Trip: June 9 - August 1, 2010 (54 days)

Audiobooks Completed: (Membership to Audible was a good expense)

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Prey by Michael Crichton (lots of "f-bombs" - parental guidance certainly suggested!!)
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome (GREAT children's book! - 1st of a series)
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson (listened when kids were engaged w/their DS games & audio limited to front speakers)
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson
This Immortal by Roger Zelazny (Wade's choice; I wasn't a fan...)

Actual Books I Read along the Road (on my Nook):

Teach Like Your Hair Is On Fire by Rafe Esquith (Good inspirational education book)
Healing Hands by Dr. Ben Carson (too much spirituality for my taste, but otherwise okay)
The Art of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein (almost done)
The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (will I ever finish this book?!?)

Total Volume of Gas Consumed: (I don't even want to think about the size our our Carbon Footprint) - 561.134 gallons

Total Cost of Gas (I just added the US & Canadian totals - close enough): $1888.30

Cost for a family of 4 to fly round trip to Washington D.C. from Anchorage, AK: $4354.00 - So, I'd say driving, while certainly a longer journey to the nation's capitol provided a significant savings. In addition, we were able to have the flexibility and economical means of visiting much more of our wonderful country by driving.

States & Provinces Driven Through along our Journey: 27
Alaska, Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota,, Minnesota, Wisconsin. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon
Washington state, Washington D.C.

Road Trip Knitting projects by ArcticKnitter:

I'm fortunate that I can knit, read, draw, etc while in a car. Wade gets carsick, so he did the lion's share of the driving. I think maybe I drove 100 miles on this journey.

Kids' Highlights of the Journey: Visit to the Noah's Ark Waterpark in Wisconsin Dells, WI

Heather's Highlight of Journey: Spending birthday at Lake Tahoe

Wade's Highlight of Journey: RUSH concerts in Milwaukee and Toronto

It was a great journey and it's great to be home (despite the Alaska rain & cloud socked mountains). Would we do this again? Certainly - however I think we're reaching a time where the kids really want to be home & spend the summer with their friends and participating in soccer. Would I recommend long journeys to other families with children? Of course! Do your homework, know your children and your limits - overall, be flexible. We think we'll do one more summer long adventure next summer (Europe??) if the budget allows. Then - just shorter trips so we can enjoy the wonders of Alaska and perhaps catch up on the home improvements that are neglected in favor of family travels.

Well - I'll recap more of our Road Trip adventures (Toronto, family & friends, the Cassiar adventure) plus another knitted FO soon. Make it a great day!

Ciao~

Road Trip Sweater FO

2010-08-05T21:27:00.002-08:00

As promised - a post about my 3rd Road Trip knitted finished FO, albeit much later than intended. We've been home for a few days now, but haven't had the weather cooperate enough for a photo shoot. So - when the skies finally "cleared", I grabbed my sweater, camera, and photographer and set out to finally get some photos so I can finally write this blog post.

Details:

Pattern: Mondo Cable Pullover by Chic Knits. Before our road trip I was looking for a pattern that would be an easy knit for the road. Luckily for me, my knitting/blogging friend at OneMoreRow shared that she was currently knitting this & I thought "That's Perfect!" (And it was!) Thanks HollyJo!

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts "Peru" - A blend of silk, angora, and merino wool. Total yarn yumminess! The yardage on the skeins of Peru are so generous (500 yds/skein) that I only used 1.5 skeins for the entire sweater! I think I used one skein for the entire body of the sweater & only dipped into the 2nd skein for the ribbed edge of the body & the sleeves. My knitting goals for the road trip knitting were to complete as many projects as I could (check!) and also reduce the stash. I thought knitting a sweater would be the perfect project to destash. So - it looks like to fully complete my goal I have to knit another project with this yarn. I'll share that project soon, I hope.

The Raglan Detail - My First!

Needles: US8 on my knit picks options (love them!) I only chose the 8 because it was the recommended size for this yarn & seemed to give me the gauge I needed for the size. After completing the sweater & blocking it, I think I could even have gone down a needle size. However - the size 8 created a nice drapey fabric - perfect for a sweater that I can throw on in a pinch, or pair with a nice pair of slacks or a skirt for a more dressy occasion.

Have I mentioned how much I love cables?!?

Mods: This was my first top-down sweater (!), so I didn't want to embark on any drastic changes. However, the original design is more of an "A-shape", and I thought with the yarn, perhaps a more fitted shape would be better. After searching ravelry for suggestions, I decided to do some decreases rather than all of the increases called for in the pattern. Then, as I neared the bottom, I increased again to help account for my hips. I think it worked okay, not perfect, but okay.

Overall - I think I'm going to get a lot of wear out of this sweater. It's so soft, comfy & warm. Can't wait until it's sibling project is complete. It was the perfect choice for knitting on the road & other than having to learn how to graft live stitches to a cast on edge (for the neck), I think I did pretty well.

Happy Day - more reports of our travels coming soon (I hope....)

Ciao!

Holidazed on Holiday

2010-07-25T14:52:00.000-08:00

Finally - I share with you FO #2

"Holidazed"

Details:

Pattern: "Holidazed" by Anne Hanson

Source: Rockin' Sock Club 2009

Yarn: BMFA Lightweight "Muddy Autumn Rainbow"

Method: Magic Loop

Mods: Toe up over 56 stitches rather than cuff down. Worked well except the Diagonal Twill Rib stitch count did not work evenly over 28 stitches per needle. So.... I just added a purl & knit stitches on either side of the 24 stitch pattern.

"Toe Pic"

Time Frame: Well.... Sock #1 was completed during our Thanksgiving Holiday to Hawaii last year. I started sock #2 while we were there, but then returned home, lost my sock mojo & the sock languished in a sock bag until our 2010 summer road trip. I think I actually finished sock #2 somewhere on I-80 in Pennsylvania.

Of course, I neglected to bring the sock pattern with me & didn't have the mental capacity to figure out where I was. So - my wonderful BKFF was also a member of RSC 2009, so she was able to email me the Diagonal Twill Rib pattern. I couldn't remember where I had left off last November (write it down - what a novel idea!), so just had to make my best guess. I don't think I guessed correctly, but oh well - I doubt anyone could really tell unless you were up close and personal. And.... if you're that up close & personal....

Diagonal Twill Rib Pattern Detail

Since this is supposed to be a blog about knitting and traveling, I hope I've upheld the knitting end with this little tidbit. While I'm posting this as FO #2, I think it's actually the 3rd FO completed on the road trip. I still have 2 more to share - as soon as they have their respective photo shoots. And when it's 90°F+, it's hard to put on wool & stand in the sun without looking like a wilted flower. Perhaps I'll suck it up before we drive off.

Until then - Ciao & Happy Travels!

Happy Birthday!!

2010-07-24T10:00:00.001-08:00

Happy, Happy Birthday to my BKFF!!

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."

- Anais Nin

I just thought I'd take some time to wish my dear friend a very, happy birthday. I'm sorry that I won't be there to celebrate your special day with you in person, but rest assured I'll be thinking of you as we travel north.

For her special day, I thought I'd share some photos of my special friend. Some are a few years old, but it's what I could find at the time. How embarrassing is it that I have more photos of yarn than of my BKFF? :0)

"What is a friend? A single soul in two bodies."

- Aristotle

(Our soul just happens to love cupcakes)

Treat your friends as you do your pictures, and place them in their best light. Jennie Jerome Churchill 1854-1921, Anglo-American Mother of Winston Churchill
(get it? It's the closest "friendship" quote I could find associated with Winston Churchill...)

My BKFF hob-nobs with the knitting elite!

My BKFF is not ashamed to knit in public nor wear slightly too large head gear.

"See you and me have a better time than most can dream of, better than the best, so we can pull on through, whatever tears at us, whatever holds us down, and if nothing can be done, we'll make the best of what's around."

-Dave Matthews Band

Happy Birthday Dear Friend!

Roaches Day Off in Chicago!

2010-07-21T15:05:00.008-08:00

Captain's Log, Star dates July 1 - July 3, 2010
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Distance Traveled: Ummm - a lot! (notebook not nearby for me to check...)

After our brief visit with my aunt in New Jersey, we headed west so Wade could be back in Milwaukee in time for the RUSH concert on July 3. We camped overnight in northern PA where it actually got chilly during the night - a significant change in the weather we've been experiencing during our journey.

Since we were "in the neighborhood", we thought we'd spend a couple of days in Chicago before heading back to the Sivils' homestead in Milwaukee. I've been to Chicago twice before & have had wonderful experiences each time. We decided to splurge & spend 2 nights in a hotel situated downtown within walking distance of the Navy Pier. This was great as we had access to showers, free cook-to-order breakfast, T.V. for viewing World Cup matches, and free Happy Hour drinks. :0)

Museums were not on our agenda for this stop since we'd had plenty of museums in D.C. and NYC. We opted to take advantage of the wonderful bike path around the Lake Shore for some much needed & appreciated exercise:

A Picture Perfect Day!

Along our travels we admired the beautiful skyline of Chicago & stopped at Millennium Park to have a cold, refreshing beverage and hang out at the Bean:

Wade was able to get some fun shots of the boys & the Bean:

And just one I find particularly interesting:

I think it could be used as "What's This" photo contest. Anyhow - I think it's pretty neat...

After lunch at the Weber Grill (yum! Note the grill covers they use as heat lamps) we took an Architecture Cruise along the Chicago River. Did you know the city of Chicago actually switched the direction of the river so as to prevent polluting Lake Michigan? Just goes to show how humans can manipulate their environment to suit their needs. 2 Years ago, Wade's mom, the boys, & I took a similar cruise, but one geared more toward the history of Chicago. This particular trip focused on the types of architecture (there are so many!) along the river. Very interesting & informative & hot as the sun was out in full force, there was nary a breeze, and like a dumb-dumb, I wore a black shirt. Duh! Turns out our tour guide did not have any formal training in architecture, but had a degree in Chemistry! I guess now I can tell my students what they can do for a career if they choose to pursue a chemistry degree. JK

I couldn't possible share even a fraction of the photos Wade took along the tour. Picture, tall, sleek, glass-infused buildings & you'll get the idea. I did like these: The Riverwalk Cottages, (I think) which used triangles in unique ways.

We spent the early evening swimming at the hotel's pool, and then walked along Navy Pier. The boys were disappointed with the Pier as they were expecting more of a carnival/fair atmosphere & not so much shopping and food establishments.

We ended our visit to Chicago by watching the Germany vs. Argentina blow out (Go Deutschland!) the morning we drove out. It was pretty cute as the boys were in one room cheering for Argentina (complete with colored Argentina flags) and Wade & I were in the other cheering for the Germans. Too bad it seems that Germany used all of their magic during that game & had nothing left for their match against Spain.

Anyhow - another grand day out for the Roach clan on our Summer 2010 voyage.

Ciao & Happy Travels!

Bitten By The Big Apple

2010-07-13T13:41:00.009-08:00

After our forays in Washington D.C., the family loaded up the van and headed north to New Jersey. As I've mentioned before, my aunt lives there at "The Shore" which is a beautiful place. No one should judge jersey by the Newark area. My aunt has a swimming pool which was a big hit with the boys. We ended up spending three nights there - 1 day spent visiting the Liberty Science Center (of course - my third time visiting...) and another in New York City.

June 29 - A Day in The Big Apple

There are several choices to travel into the city from New Jersey. You could:

a) Drive your car - but that'd be insane - especially when you want to find parking. So - not an option

b) Take the NJ Transit train into the city which takes about 1.5 hours, or...

c) Take the SeaStreak Ferry like many of the 'suits' do. This is a more expensive option ($23 one way??), but certainly the fastest (only 40 minutes from Atlantic Highlands, NJ to Lower Manhattan) and what felt the most civilized.

We opted to ferry over and then take the train home in the evening. We were able to have the best of all travel possibilities.

You can take advantage of the travel time to knit or read. I'm reading on my Nook - I love this little device & highly recommend it. In fact -the price has come down substantially, especially if you only want the WiFi capabilities instead of WiFi and phone signal. I'm currently reading "The Fiery Cross", book 5 of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I love the series; I'm trying to get caught up (again) so I can be best prepared for the latest release. However - as I remember from the last time I read it, this book takes forever to read. I'm currently on page 800-something out of 1300. Uggg. Okay - I digress from our trip & I'm not being compensated in any way for endorsing this e-product or book.

After disembarking in Lower Manhattan (right at the end of Wall Street), we wanted to do the Circle Line Cruise around Manhattan. I'd taken this tour when I traveled here 5 years ago with my BKFF and 12 high school students. However - the tour we wanted was having technical difficulties, so we went on a NYC Water Taxi. Not nearly the same and was crowded with many non-English speaking tourists who spoke so loud you couldn't hear the canned commentary. Oh well. Orion made a friend:

What more could you want from your visit to the U.S.A. - a photo with two iconic images of America: The Statue of Liberty and a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy. It was pretty cute.

During the "tour" we saw Lower Manhattan, the area where the Two Towers used to stand, Battery Park, Ellis Island (a very cool museum of the history of immigrants to our country), the Statue of Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge. We didn't sail all the way around & missed other pertinent landmarks. That's okay, perhaps we'll save those for another visit. After the tour we walked up Wall Street for a bit and then rode the subway to Times Square.

Times Square is pretty overwhelming with all of the neon lights and billboards, but pretty spectacular none the less. There was a giant screen dedicated to World Cup Matches. It would have been fun to watch a US game there - especially the one where the US scored in the 91st minute to advance out of the group stage.

This was a fun "interactive" billboard. It captured live images of the street across from it. Then, a young woman would walk into the screen and take a Polaroid photo. If you were standing in the correct area, you could have been the subject of the photo. At least once the boys and I were in the photo. At one time, the woman "picked-up"people in the image by their hair. It was pretty fun.

We had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe where in hindsight our trip took a turn for the worse - although we wouldn't know it until several days later. It seems that when we paid for our meal & our credit card was out of our immediate control (as in the waitress will be your cashier) - someone made off with our credit card number & charged hundreds of dollars to our account over several days. Fortunately I noticed it when we arrived here in CA & our credit card company has sent us new cards and negated all of the fraudulent charges. To the company's credit, they did freeze our account when Wade tried to use the card back in Wisconsin, but we told them we had been in NYC, so we weren't aware of any unauthorized purchases. Turns out upon close inspection of our statement, someone had been purchasing liquor (lots of it!) and such using our number. So lesson learned - pay close attention to your credit statements and keep a close eye on your card at all times!!

Other highlights of the Big Apple Included:

Grand Central Station (where a t.v. was set up to watch the World Cup)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Special Picasso and Bamboo Exhibits

A view from the Top of the Empire State Building (I hadn't done this on my previous trip)

and dinner at an Italian Restaurant with a college buddy who now lives and works outside of Manhattan.

It was a long, busy, and fun-filled day. The kids were troopers - but here's what they looked like as we pulled out of Penn Station for our 1.5 hour train ride back to Jersey:

I'm sure even with the credit card set back we'll still take a trip back to the Big Apple. So much more to see and do that you couldn't possibly squeeze into one day.

Ciao & Happy Travels!

Timing is Everything!

2010-07-12T16:34:00.006-08:00

We interrupt our cross country travels to show you what I've been up to while dear Wado is driving. Because I've been blessed with the ability to read, knit, etc in a car w/o getting motion sickness, I've been able to get lots of knitting accomplished. I recently reported that I have 2 projects to share with you, but since that post, I'm please to announce that I have FOUR (yeah!) finished objects. I'll intersperse my travel posts with reports of knitting just to spice it up a bit.

Because my timing is impeccable, I chose a nice hot, sunny day (perhaps 90°F in the sun?) in Sacramento for the finished photo shoot. I think I actually finished this project while driving from my aunt's home in New Jersey back to our friend's home in Wisconsin. It's been sitting in my knitting bag and occasionally balled up on the dashboard of the van until now.

This is a project inspired by my friend Sandy (not blogless, but hasn't blogged in many moons...). She's knit quite a few & they just look so fun, especially when they're rolled up along the waviness of the scarf.

Details:

Pattern: Sea Lettuce Scarf by Lucy Neatby. A fun lesson in the skill of short rows and picot edges. I've mentioned before that I don't knit many scarves because my knitting attention span is that of a flea with ADHD, so I didn't knit it until the yarn ran out. I figure I'll probably just use this as an accessory rather than a piece of functional winter wear. It is a fun knit and the directions are easy to follow. Lucy has provided directions for different weights of yarn depending on your preference.

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts "Twisted" in Jubilation colorway; less than 1 skein. I think I have enough left over to knit a small hat. Perhaps something for my new nephew expected to make his debut in September? I know that natural occurring Sea Lettuce is not purple (as Wade kept pointing out - "Sea Lettuce isn't purple, it's green!!"), but I was attracted to this color way (as I often am to purples) & that was that.

Needles: US7 The pattern recommends a US2, but I figure that's for those using fingering weight yarn. Also - since scarves are very forgiving in terms of fit, I just used a needle that was close to that suggested by BMFA and what I thought produced a nice looking fabric.

Overall: Very fun project!

I'll share more FO's later (they're drying in the warm, dry Sacramento air) & more of our travel adventures soon. Tonight - Wade & I are going to see Carbon Leaf in concert - should be fun!

Ciao & Happy Travels!

More D.C. & Time with Family

2010-06-29T18:35:00.005-08:00

We've made it back to our friend's house in Milwaukee, WI. After leaving D.C., we journeyed north to my Aunt's house in New Jersey, spend a day in the Big Apple, camped in Pennsylvania, and then drove and spent 2 nights in Chicago. We've covered a lot of ground. We've been so busy that I haven't had the energy to update the blog or to report on knitting progress. I'll do a quick recap of our remaining time in D.C. & happily report I've finished 2 knitting projects (TWO!!) with a third just a bind-off away. I hope to get some breathing room in the next day or so for a quick photo shoot & then some posts. Knitters, stay tuned!

Our last couple of days in D.C. were spent visiting the capitol and spending time with my sister. Since she lives so far away from Anchorage (which we hope she'll fix, soon!), it was a nice treat just to hang out with her. (Who knew I'd say such a thing - I can remember wicked arguments when we were growing up) :0)

After reading Dan Brown's book, The Lost Symbol, I really wanted to go & see the capitol rotunda. So our first stop was the capitol building. Both the House & Senate had adjourned for the day (flags were not flying over their respective buildings). The Capitol building is magnificent. When you enter you have an opportunity to visit a museum of types to understand the history of congress and learn more about the capitol itself. However, if you want to venture further into the building, you either have to wait in a very long line to obtain tickets, or have an "insider" (say, your congressman/woman) escort you. We were not prepared for either, so I had to be satisfied with the mock-up of the painting on the capitol's dome. Oh well - perhaps another time. FYI: The dome is made from iron and can expand/contract as much as 4 inches in extreme weather conditions. Wow!

Our next stop on our whirlwind tour was the National Botanical Gardens. Not a big hit with the kids, but very pretty. It was on the way to the focus of the days' visit: The Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum.

Again - the Smithsonian outdoes themselves with so much cool artifacts of our nation. I was overwhelmed. Highlights of the Air & Space Museum were the lunar module from Apollo 11 and the Wright Brothers first plane. I particularly liked their exhibit for Eastern Airlines (now defunct) requirements for being a flight attendant:

Female (check!)
At least 2 years of college or a nursing degree (check!)
Between 5' 2" and 5' 6" (check - barely!)
Single (oops...)
Weigh somewhere between 100 and 135 lbs (pushing it...)
Be of adequate proportions, somewhere below "Hollywood Standards" (their words, not mine)

So - looks like back in the60's and 70's I would not have been able to make a career as a flight attendant (an earlier aspiration of mine...) Wade figured that mostly businessmen were flying, so the airlines wanted to provide a little "eye candy" while they were on board.

Does this image look familiar?
After the air & space museum, we hightailed it over to the Natural History museum - setting for the "Night at the Museum, part II" movie. During the summer the Smithsonian museums stay open until 7:30, so we took advantage of the time. Of course, we didn't arrive here until 6:30 pm, so it was a true zip,zip,zip tour of the museum. The docents and security guards were great about ushering everyone out of the building so that we wouldn't have to spend the night with creatures such as:

Ahh!! What a tasty snack!

Okay - I'm actually posting from our campsite in Nebraska (The Good Life!) & Wade is anxious to get back on the road for another 600+ mile day. Our goal is to arrive in Sacramento the night of the 10th (happy birthday to me!) so that we'll be able to watch the final game of the World Cup (Go Netherlands!!) on Sunday morning. Hopefully I'll find some energy to really update this blog of our journey & adventures.

Until then.. Ciao & Happy Travels!

Washington D.C. - Day 2

2010-06-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

For lack of any title creativity, I figured I'd just stick with description.

Day 2: June 24, 2010 - We venture into the city...

Since we had just visited an air & space museum, I convinced the boys to visit a different themed museum & then we'd go to the air & space on our 3rd day.

Highlights of Day 3:

Record heat for the D.C. area. It was well over 100°F with humidity. We greatly appreciated the air conditioning, but found the heat really drains you when you're walking between monuments.

The boys' first foray on the Metro. Since Springfield was the first stop on the blue line, we were able to get seats. This was not the case for our return trip as we boarded the Metro during peak rush hour & had to stand for most of the journey. This was not a big hit with an 8-year old who was hot, tired, and thirsty.

The National Museum of American History was the first stop of our day. We spent most of our day here, as the museums are so large it's difficult to see all that D.C. has to offer. Due to the enormity of the museum, we concentrated our visit on personal interests:

Julia Child's Kitchen: After seeing the movie Julie & Julia w/my BKFF, I just had to check this out. It was very impressive - the collection of pots & pans, cookbooks, & custom fitted counter tops to accommodate Julia's above average height.

We spent some time within the inventions area of the museum & had that chance to see Stanford's entry into the DARPA challenge. A fully autonomous vehicle - pretty cool!

Inventions - Including Thomas Edison's light bulb & lab notebooks. However - I was on information overload at the moment, so I opted to visit an exhibit I thought the boys' wouldn't be too interested in: the First Ladies' exhibit. Mary Todd Lincoln's dress was amazing - such a tiny waist. It is now tradition that the First Lady donates the dress she wore at the inauguration to the Smithsonian. Michelle Obama's dress and Jimmy Choo shoes are prominently on display as she is the current first lady. I didn't take photos - so enjoy via the aforementioned link.

After spending several hours at the museum we decided to brave the heat & humidity and walk along the Mall to visit some of the memorials:

The Alaska pillar at the World War II Monument

At the end of the Mall we visited The Lincoln Memorial. My BKFF says I was to rub Lincoln's left foot for good luck. Couldn't do that as his statue was way up high & behind ropes. So - I hope good luck comes nonetheless.

Near the Lincoln Memorial is the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial. This is a special place for me as my father was killed in Vietnam in December 1970. I have no memories of him as I was only an infant. Fortunately for me - my mother & step-father made sure I maintained a close relationship with my paternal grandparents & family. My father's sister is one of my favorite people in the world.

Grandchildren he never got to meet in person, although I'm sure he's smiling down on them. My oldest looks uncannily like his biological grandfather. I know he would be proud of these 2 boys.

Capt. James R. Heimbold, Dec. 4, 1970

By the time we'd finished walking the length of the Mall & visiting the Lincoln & Vietnam memorials, we were pooped & ready to head back to Virginia.

A good first day in our nation's capitol.

Ciao!

Houston, The Roaches Have Landed....

2010-06-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

I thought it time to perhaps bring the blog up to "real-time" (or a close approximation) & then recount our days prior. After spending a few days with friends in Milwaukee & driving for a couple more days, we've finally reached our penultimate destination: our nation's capitol: Washington D.C.

My sister & her family live in northern Virginia & allowed us to use their home as a base for our trip. (Thanks Aurora, Brian, Sydney & Baby-to-come Bilbo Baggins) We would drive to the "nearby" Metro Station & take the blue line into the city.

I hadn't been to D.C. since my college roommate & I visited back in 1991. There are a few new memorials (Korean, World War II), but one thing certainly did not change - the oppressive heat & humidity. Oy-Vay! Fortunately our tax dollars are well at work providing "free" admission & adequate air conditioning in the major attractions & Metro.

Day 1: June 23

After breakfast & yummy coffee we watched the nail-biting U.S. vs Nigeria game. Wow - I think I aged 30 years during that 90 minute match & thought my heart was going to leap out of my chest! We were very excited that the U.S. team was able to win their group & make it to the elimination Round of 16.

Since we were getting a bit of a late start, rather than commute into the city which would take about an hour, we opted to visit the "nearby" Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Air & Space museum. This is the 'hanger' of the Air & Space museum & houses tons of aircraft that couldn't fit in the regular Air & Space museum off the Mall in D.C. Big named aircrafts that were on display included the "SR-71A blackbird", A Concorde, The Enola Gay, and a test space shuttle "Enterprise". It was pretty impressive & a big hit with two young boys.

SR-71A Blackbird

The Enterprise

An Interactive Flight Simulator - the boys actually went upside down!

The visit to the Udvar-Hazy was a nice way to begin our trip to D.C.

Day 9: Welcome to Wisconsin!

2010-06-18T10:00:00.003-08:00

On June 17 we finally arrived in Wisconsin. As we were still a few hours away from Milwaukee, we decided to stop in the Wisconsin Dells area. We camped at "Rocky Arbor" state campground - a welcome change from the "campground/RV parks" we encountered off the highway in Saskatchewan & ND. Lots of trees, the ability to have a campfire, & limited highway noise.

As usual - the evening was very pleasant - clear skies & nice temperatures. However, sometime in the night that changed. I woke up to wind & water blowing into the van (we sleep with the back up so as to have fresh air - similar to a tent atmosphere; the boys sleep up top). I told Wade that rain was blowing in, to which he replied "Oh - it can't be that bad" (basically "suck it up"). He soon realized the wind was picking up & the rain turned into a downpour - complete with *you guessed it* thunder & lightening. So - my knight in shining armor got out of the van to shut the back. This entails a bit more work as you have to first swing the bike rack out of the way. Add to the scenario the torrential downpour & lightening & you have a recipe for a very irritated hubby. We had to speedily shut windows & zip up the "upstairs" vents to keep the water out. It was pretty amazing how quickly the storm came through. We were very happy to be in a vehicle & not in a tent.

Being "south" in the summer is very different from Alaska. For example - it gets dark here!

We chose to spend most of Day 10 visiting a popular attraction of the Wisconsin Dells - the water parks! We went to "Noah's Ark" which is apparently the largest water park in the U.S. No photos from that outing: digital cameras & water don't mix. We had a great time riding the waves - a nice break from the car & fun way to spend the day in the warm temperatures. After fun at the park, we loaded up the van & headed to our first major destination: Casa de Sivils in Milwaukee, WI

Ciao & Happy Travels!

Mileage Begin: 109,245
Mileage End: 109,778
Total Miles Day 9: 533 (finally - a 500 mile day!!)
Miles from home: 3,145
Tunes du Jour: "Prey" by Michael Crichton audiobook (oy-vay: lot's of "f-bombs!")
Knitting Project: More of Kiama
Gas Total: 32.342 gallons
Total Cost: $88.41 US

Day 7 - Day 8: Making Progress

2010-06-17T10:25:00.001-08:00

I know - it's been a while since I've updated you on our cross-country journey, leaving many of you wondering "where are you"? Perhaps I really did decide to move to Edmonton & I'm now sitting inside the Muttart Conservatory sipping coffee.

Nah - it's just that once we left Edmonton, driving east through Canada didn't afford much blog fodder. Once we arrived in Wisconsin, we were busy enjoying the company of our friends & the luxury of unconfined space that I didn't update the blog. I'll remedy that now....

Day 7: Calgary to Regina, Saskatchewan

Highlights: Ummmm...... lots of flat, grassy, expanses of land. I think I saw a sign that said we were driving through the "Badlands" of Canada.

Our view for hundreds of miles...

Wildlife: (Besides the creatures in the backseat?) Prairie Dogs - lots of Prairie Dogs.

Mileage Begin: 108,256
Mileage End: 108,749
Total Miles Day 7: 493
Miles from home: 2,156
Tunes du Jour: "Enders Game" audio book
Knitting Project: More of Kiama & SeaLettuce Scarf
Gas Total: 31.74 gallons
mpg: 15.53 (??)
Total Cost: $116.24 (Canadian)

Day 8: Saskatchewan to Grand Forks, ND USA!

Highlights: Being able to skirt Winnepeg & it's crazy traffic. Having a perimeter highway around major cities is a brilliant idea! Crossing back into the US. The border station guards in North Dakota were quite nice. Views along the highway - much of the same: flat!

We drove as far as Grand Forks, ND & found a campground within the city limits. The evening was clear & nice, so we opted to disembark the bicycles & go for a bike ride along a long, flat, dirt road located next to the campground. Good thing we rode in the evening, because when we woke up it was pouring rain w/thunder & lightening - so much for a morning ride to the Starbucks that was close by. :0)

Mileage Begin: 108,749
Mileage End: 109,245
Total Miles Day 8: 496 (the 500 mile day alludes us again...)
Miles from home: 2,649
Tunes du Jour: "Enders Game" on audiobook
Knitting Project: Sea Lettuce Scarf
Gas Total: 17.78 gallons
Total Cost: $65.21 (Canadian)

Next stop: Wisconsin! Ciao & Happy Travels!

Day 6:Enjoying Edmonton

2010-06-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

After blasting through most of the communities in the Yukon & northern BC, we decided to slow down a bit and enjoy Edmonton, the capital city of Alberta. Wade's always hesitant regarding big cities and being thrust into the masses of humanity, but I thought it'd be a shame to just blow on through this city. The Milepost had lots to say about Edmonton & vivid photos of some the major attractions, so we thought we'd stop.

Edmonton is home to the West Edmonton Mall - the largest mall in North America with over 800 stores. We had no desire to wander around stores that we can find in the U.S., so we decided to visit the Muttart Conservatory. This attraction piqued our interest because it's composed of four glass pyramids that reminded me of the glass pyramid entrance outside of the Louvre in Paris. Each of the glass pyramids showcase plants from different biomes of the world. Temperate, Arid, and Tropical plants are on display year round. The fourth pyramid was called the "Feature" pyramid whose display changes around five times each year. During our visit several species of geraniums were on display.

If I had a budget that would allow, I'd love to remodel my home so that part of it housed a glass pyramid with spectacular plant displays such as the ones we saw here. They were absolutely gorgeous. I think the temperate pyramid was my favorite as not only was it visually appealing, but pleased the olfactory senses as well. I told Orion that I was going to move to Edmonton & buy the house that was for sale across the street (the conservatory is located in a nice residential area with access to a large green park & the city's bike trails) & visit every morning while I drink my coffee. He was like "Are you serious, mom? You're going to move here?!?" I assured him I was not - it was just a statement on how peaceful and nifty the conservatory was.

Since Edmonton also has one of the largest series of Urban parks in North America (according to the Milepost it's 22 times larger than New York's Central Park) & we'd brought our bicycles, we thought a bike ride throughout the park would be a nice way to get some long sought after exercise. We only biked for about 30 minutes (hunger was taking hold), but it was great. Much of the trail reminded me of the Coastal Trail in Anchorage. What I really enjoyed was how dedicated the city was to pedestrians and cyclists - in addition to vehicular bridges, there were several bridges over the Saskatchewan river dedicated solely to pedestrians and bicycles.

We ended our visit by having a very late lunch/early dinner at an English pub located in the Strathmore historic district. It had great food & was dedicated to football. Flags, jerseys, and scarves from the English Premiere League decorated the wall. It was too late to watch any WC matches (they were over earlier in the day), so instead we watched a rugby match between the U.S. and England. Wade had played rugby while in high school, so was able to explain the convoluted rules. Did you know when you score in rugby it's called a "try". I find this hilarious - calling it a 'try" instead of a "do". :0)

A quick visit into a shop to stimulate Edmonton's economy (the boys each purchased a leather bound sketch book & I found a fun "Hello Kitty" metal lunch box proclaiming my love of Nerds) we hit the road to head south to Calgary. Since we'd spent some time in Calgary in 2007 & have visited the Calgary Tower, I think our plan will be to camp & then head out. We've decided to continue east through Canada on the TransCanada highway #1 rather than pop down into the U.S. in Montana. So - we'll be able to add a couple of more Canada provinces to our list!

Reporting to you from TransCanada Highway #1 - Ciao & Happy Travels....

Mileage Begin: 108,039
Mileage End: 108,276
Total Miles Day 6:
Miles from home:
Tunes du Jour: Pink Floyd, Richard Shindell
Knitting Project: More of Kiama
Gas Total:
mpg: Total Cost:

Tags: Road Trip 2010, Edmonton, Muttart Conservatory

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Day 5: Rolling into Edmonton, AB

2010-06-13T20:31:00.006-08:00

We're just plugging away. We reached the official end/beginning (Milepost 0) of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, BC. Of course, we didn't stop for a photo - Wade swears we've stopped before (we haven't), but oh well.

We turned east to head towards Edmonton, Alberta. We decided not to continue southwest into Prince George & then through Jasper/Banff since we had driven that route back in 2007. Now that we've arrived in Edmonton, I can say that the route through Jasper/Banff is much, much more scenic. The highway is a pretty standard highway connecting Dawson Creek & Edmonton. Edmonton is about 363 miles from Dawson Creek & in another time zone (Mountain Time), so we 'lost' another hour as we traveled east. We took a brief stop in Grand Prairie so Wade (not me!) could have a little "pick-me-up" at Starbucks (I told you - the VW just knows where these places are) & I took the opportunity to download 3 podcasts that were related to the 2010 World Cup.

The downer is that there are very, very few provincial park campgrounds near Edmonton, so we're "camping" (use that term very loosely) at another RV park called "Glowing Embers" (sounds like a retirement home, doesn't it) and the source of WiFi for this post. While there are tons of RV/motorhomes, there are trees & it is surprisingly quiet. I wonder where all the people who own these rigs are? Do they just sit inside? Did they take their extra vehicle (we've noticed many RVs tow an additional, smaller car behind) into the city? Just curious....

Not much in the way of scenery or wildlife along the way with the exception of this:

A 15-ft tall Beaver perched on a log outside the visitor center of Beaverlodge, AB.

The journey reminded me of traveling along I-80 or I-70 through the midwestern states -flat with lots of green farmland. We did encounter a substantial rainstorm - complete with thunder & lightening. That added a little excitement & caused us to consider a motel/hotel should we pull into Edmonton during the storm. Fortunately we were able to get ahead of the storm & set up "camp" - so far there's a fair amount of wind, but no rain.

Begin Mileage: 107, 634
Ending Mileage: 108,039
Total Miles Day 4: 405 miles
Miles from home: 1, 939 miles
Tunes du Jour: U2, Indigo Girls, RUSH, FIFA World Cup Today podcast (focus on US vs England match) , ESPN soccernet podcast, BBC News World Football podcast
Knitting du Jour: Kiama - only 1 more repeat & about 3 inches left.
Total Gas: 53.082 litres (14.02 gallons)
mpg: 20.36
Total Cost: $56.74 CD (gas is getting cheaper!!)

Tomorrow we hope to go & explore the city for a bit. No, we're not visiting the largest mall in the world. :0)

Ciao & Happy Travels!

Day 4: Liard Hot Springs to Fort St. John

2010-06-12T10:57:00.007-08:00

After a morning dip in the hot springs, a breakfast of oatmeal & coffee, we were back on the road. We'd just pulled out of Liard when we spied our first signs of wildlife - a herd of buffalo.

We continued along the Alaska Highway, southeast through beautiful British Columbia. We drove through the northern Canadian Rockies - very awesome, scenic vistas. We took a short break for the 3 boys to hike up a small wash of a 'folded mountain'. Folded mountain refers to the geological process that formed the mountains of the area. According to the Milepost, these mountains were higher than the Himalayas millions of years ago & are now only a fraction of their previous massive heights. I opted to stay below to stretch my legs while the boys went exploring.

We stopped at the summit for a quick bite & run around time.
The plan for this day was to listen to a live broadcast of the US vs England match of the 2010 World Cup. However - this was foiled by the fact there are very, very few radio signals while driving through northern B.C. and that we were unable to obtain a satellite radio. Before we left Anchorage, I tried to buy a radio - no luck; you can't buy a satellite radio in Anchorage because XM and Sirius satellite don't broadcast in Alaska. Apparently our mountains get in the way of good reception. No worries - I was only concerned about having a radio while we were in Canada - that's when the games would be broadcast. So - when I called customer service of satellite radio, I was first told that if I subscribed via the US, their coverage would cease at the US/Canada border. Ohhhhh - is that so? Apparently there is some invisible shield that doesn't let those satellites up in space send a signal to your radio after you cross the border out of the US. Very interesting.... I was then told I had to subscribe to both the US & Canada satellite services (?!?). So when I tried calling the Canada customer service, I was told they did have coverage throughout Canada (I figured I'd purchase a radio online & have it shipped to me), but.... I couldn't subscribe because to do so would require my mailing address. Since I'm a US resident, I have a zip code, where Canadian addresses use postal codes. I see. So - to end this crazy saga, I decided it just wasn't worth the hassle...

So - to support the US, I wore my US jersey I purchased while I attended the 2006 World Cup in Germany. I think it may have worked just a little as the US ended up in a draw 1-1 with England. We only found this out when we pulled into Fort Nelson (about 194 miles from Liard) and were able to pick up a CBC station, which reported the results of the days' World Cup matches.

The highlights of today's drive were the numerous wildlife we encountered along the way:

5 Black Bear
3 Moose
5 Stone Sheep
1 Marmot

Campground #4: Rotary RV Park just north of Fort St. John. This was not our intended place to camp. We'd hope to stop at Charlie Lake Provincial Park (more of the nice, treed camping spots near a lake), but it was full. Apparently Canadians like to go camping! We tried another park near Fort St. John as well, but it was full. So - the RV "park" (Urban camping, - glorified parking lot).

Pros: Green grass & a playground for the kids, Free Wi-Fi (that's how I've been able to post, was able to find WC scores, & listen to part of the Ghana vs Serbia live webcast), and Showers!!
Cons: Barren area, no trees

Classic Shower Story: The showers at the RV park were not free. You had to pay $1 (a "Loonie") for about 3 minutes of "instant hot water". The plan is to get prepped for your shower, put in the coin, get into the water, soap up, rinse off & viola - you're fresh & clean. Take a moment now & determine how long 3 minutes is. (I'll wait...) Okay - seems like plenty of time to take care of business, yes? Ah... non. Yes, you guessed it. First - the water was not instantly warm. No worries - I didn't wait for fear I'd run out of water. Foreshadow you say? Yup - I'd just shampooed & rinsed, soaped up, put conditioner in my hair & was about to rinse of when THE BLOODY WATER SHUT OFF!! (Yes, I think my sentiments at the time makes that an appropriate use of all caps). Did I have another coin? Of course not - that would make for a lousy story. Were there other people in the shower room to help out? No. Would Wade or the boys hear my pleas for help? Nope. What did I do? Well - the only thing I could do - run out into the main bathroom area & use the sinks to rinse off. Geez....

Begin Mileage: 107, 208
Ending Mileage: 107, 634
Total Miles Day 4: 426 miles
Miles from home: 1, 534 miles
Tunes du Jour: Robert Plant, "Intro to Robotics" podcast (yawn...), "Complex Systems" podcast (less of a yawn..), U2
Knitting du Jour: "Sea Lettuce" scarf..
Total Gas: 64.512 litres (17.04 gallons)
mpg: 18.83
Total Cost: $78.00 CD

Ciao & Happy Travels....

Day 3: Haines Jct to Liard Hot Springs

2010-06-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

According to our travel journal from 2007 & 2008, we were “behind” in mileage by day 3. We decided to remedy this situation. Our travels on day 3 took us from Haines Junction through Whitehorse (capital of the Yukon Territory), Watson Lake (home of signpost forest), and dipping in and out of British Columbia.

We made our requisite stop in Whitehorse for gas, lunch, & coffee. (I told you we’ve mapped out the location of all Starbucks along the Alcan) Our usual stop is at the park, which houses the Klondike paddlewheel ship. This ship used to ply the waters of the Yukon between Whitehorse & Dawson City carrying mail, passengers, silver lead ore, and other cargo necessary for northern living. Now it serves as a museum – we’ve yet to step foot on board, but enjoy it nonetheless. The expanse of green grass is ideal for 2 little boys (and 1 adult one) to run around & kick the soccer ball. My healing knee doesn’t allow in much of the way for running, so a leisurely stroll is my exercise du jour. We though we’d unload the bikes & ride along the river, however the winds were howling & we wanted to get some miles under our belt, so the stop wasn’t very long. Another plus – the visitor center offers restrooms with warm running water – very much appreciated after a couple of days on the road.

We finally saw some 4-legged critters – here’s the wildlife count for Day 3: 2 Black bears munching grass right off the highway; 11 Buffalo, 1 Fox, 1 Porcupine. Not too shabby!

Dandelions are yummy!!

Wood Bison/Buffalo

We saw mostly male buffalo – perhaps the females are somewhere in the forest giving birth? Buffalo has a soft undercoat very much like the Quiviut of Musk Oxen. I looked along the roadside for evidence of some of this fiber – no luck. Just as well anyway – it would require I learn to spin; not sure I need to take up another hobby that could substantially add to my fiber stash.

We rolled into Liard Hot Springs around 9:30pm. The gates were closed & the campsites were full. No worries – we parked in the overflow parking area & camped there – just as we did each time we passed through in 2007 & 2008. The advantage to camping in the overflow lot is that you’re very close to the boardwalk leading to the springs & to the toilets & playground.

While soaking in the hot springs doesn’t clean off all of the grime of travel, it sure feels nice on bodies stiff from sitting in the car most of the day. Along the boardwalk we observed this:

A moose browsing in the marsh. Previous visits I’d always thought that would be a perfect spot for a moose – guess I was right! It was a beautiful evening – nice alpine glow sunset.

Ending mileage: 107,208
Start Mileage: 106,711
Total mileage: 497
Tunes Du Jour: RUSH, Duran Duran, Beatles, Coldplay

Total Gas: 75.902 litres (20.05 gallons)
Mpg: 24.79
Total Cost: $87.46 Canadian
Knitting Project: “Sea Lettuce Scarf” by Lucy Neatby using “Twisted” by BMFA

Ciao & Safe Travels….

Day 2: O, Canada!

2010-06-10T11:00:00.001-08:00

Today we entered Canada via Port Alcan. As most of you know, you are required to carry passports when traveling the highway between Alaska & Canada. I had a brief scare when Wade went to retrieve the passports & asked, “Did you already take them out?” Gulp… They were right where they were supposed to be, he’d just overlooked them. The border guard asked all of the pertinent questions: “How many on board, all you all family, how much alcohol/tobacco are you carrying (he asked this twice – did he forget, or was he trying to trip us up?) & of course – “Do you have any firearm on board?” When we answered “No”, he was surprised. BPA: “You aren’t carrying any of your guns with you?” Us: “We don’t own any guns.” BPA: “?!?”. Perhaps it’s a perception that all Americans are packing heat.

The road conditions on this section of highway are a bit dicey. Permafrost makes having a smooth, frost-heave free road bed quite the challenge. There are orange flags dotted along the highway to warn travelers of the bumps – it’s a great idea to pay attention to these warnings. Since we’re traveling with our bikes this year (primarily for added exercise & therapy for my knee), it’s imperative we not hit any bump too hard.

Wade does most of the driving since he has a propensity towards carsickness. I usually knit, read, do crosswords, consult the Milepost (a publication that’s a must for Alcan travelers), or documenting our journey for blog posting. Occasionally I give Wade a little break…

The boys spend a good part of their afternoon doing this:

Campground #2: “Pine Lake Government Campground” ~4 miles north of Haines Junction. We decided to stop early while the weather was nice & have a chance to relax with a campfire. We unloaded the bikes for a ride & rode
down to the lake. A regional biologist and camp ranger were present & gave a talk about bears. The talk went on for around an hour (too long!) – especially since we, as Alaskans, were pretty familiar with the topic. Canadian campgrounds are really nice – wooded site with firepit, picnic tables, pit toilets & access to firewood is included in the $12 fee. I think we all appreciated the shorter day & exercise.

Mileage End: 106, 711

Mileage Begin: 106, 471

Miles Day 2: 240 (short day)

Tunes du jour: Dave Matthews Band, RUSH

Knitting Project: More Kiama

Wildlife Count: No 4-legged creatures, numerous birds (swans & eagles)

Gas 10.720 litres (10.76 gal) (fill up Haines Junction)

Mpg: 27.11

Cost: $52.08 Canadian

Ciao & Happy Travels!

And We're Off!!

2010-06-09T15:14:00.005-08:00

The Roach clan has left Alaska. We were able to leave on June 9th as planned, albeit a little later in the afternoon than anticipated. So far so good. We've followed our usual routine: drive to Palmer, fill up w/gas & get an iced coffee for the road. This is our 3rd trip along the Alcan & we've mapped out the Starbucks along the way. Too bad Kaladi Bros isn't international. My plan is to log our journey as we go & then post when I have access to the internet. I hope you enjoy our travels...

I love this sign. A reader of the blog in 2007 wondered if there is a similar sign w/in Canada that reads "US this way". This sign comes at the junction of the Glenn & Richardson highways in Glenallen. The highway was in rather nice shape & there was very little in the way of construction delays. The weather made for easy visibility with the exception of a significant downpour before reaching Glenallen.

When we travel we limit the amount of eating out we do. This is pretty easy since there aren't many commercial eating establishments along the way. We try to find a nice place to pull over when the weather is cooperating & it's near a mealtime. On day #1 we chose to make dinner (Hamburger Helper) at Mile 1 of the Tok cutoff. The Tok Cutoff takes you from the Richardson highway to Tok, AK. All vehicular traffic must pass through Tok when driving to & from Alaska. (Unless, I suppose you take the ferry across the Gulf of Alaska).

Camp #1: Lakeview Campground approximately 30 miles west of the Canadian Border, around 7 hours from Anchorage. We'd stayed here before during our 2007 trek. It's nice as it gets you close to the border & has NO FEE! The lots are secluded & the lake is beautiful & perfect for bird watching. Orion & I counted 2 Sand Hill cranes, 2 Loons, and 1 Swan. At night you can hear the birds calling which is a pretty neat way to drift off to sleep.

Mileage Begin: 106,100
Mileage End: 106,471
Miles Day 1: 371
Tunes Du Jour: Glee Soundtrack Shuffle
Knitting Project "Kiama" - working on the final 7 or so inches.
Gas Total: 19.625 gallons
Gas Cost: $70.46
mpg: 18.904 (although Wade & I debate on the correct way to calculate this....)

Ciao & Happy Travels!

Road Trip 2010: Coast to Coast

2010-05-31T12:00:00.000-08:00

We're hitting the road again for the summer of 2010. Hubby and I figured we bought our 2003 Eurovan for the specific purpose of being able to travel the wide open road to our hearts content. You'll remember in 2007 we embarked on our first journey to the west coast & several National Parks. Then in 2008 we launched a more ambitious trip traveling to Wisconsin and covering almost 14,000 miles.

This year we're trying to outdo ourselves by driving all of the way to Washington D.C. Should prove to have loads of fun along the way. Anticipated highlights of our journey:

1) Camping throughout Canada with stops at Liard Hot Springs, Banff, and Jasper

2) Wisconsin to visit Orion's godparents & our dear friends Jen & Steve plus their two young daughters.

3) Washington D.C. My sister and her family live about 30 miles south of D.C., so we'll use that as a home base for the time we're visiting D.C.

4) A drive north to visit my fabulous aunt in New Jersey

5) A quick stop in PA to see a friend

6) Return to Wisconsin so Wade can attend RUSH concert #1 (of 3!!) on July 3rd.

7) Drive west to California w/unplanned stops along the way

8) Trip to Toronto July 15 - 19th to celebrate my 40th & for Wade to attend RUSH concert #2 with his brother. (fly in and out of SFO)

9) Return trip home with stops in Oregon and Washington.

10) Listening to the 2010 World Cup when we can't watch the matches using Sirius Satellite radio.

Of course - I'll share our journey along the way. I'm looking for some sort of off-line blogging software (suggestions?) so I can easily keep updated with our adventures & then post when we have internet access.

Because...

2010-05-30T14:21:00.004-08:00

Who Doesn't need a pair of 100% wool mittens when it's 86°F outside?

Details:

Pattern: Wood Hollow Mittens (rav link) by Kirsten Kapur of Through The Loops

Yarn: Cascade 220 Tweed - leftovers from my Tangled Yoke Not-Cardigan. The irony? I still had leftovers, cast on for a matching hat & will need to buy more of this yarn if I want to finish the hat (I'm 2/3 of the way done, so ripping out in favor of a different project isn't an option). I see a very unfriendly loop of sorts in my future - buy new skein, finish hat, have leftovers still, cast on different project, need more yarn, buy more yarn, etc. Arghhhh - 2010 is supposed to be about stash reduction!

Needles: KPO US5. Should have used a US6, but since the US5 tips were already on the cable from the TYNC, I just sallied forth...

Time Frame: Not exactly sure, but I think it probably took me around a week of on & off knitting.

Overall a fun knit & great addition to the knit gift basket.

Ciao!

Science Lessons For the Day

2010-05-29T20:30:00.004-08:00

Since our family is set to embark on a major road trip in the next several days (I still need to blog about the details, huh?) & hubby is out of town attending a friend's wedding, we decided to stick around town this long weekend. The boys and I had yet to check out the new Imaginarium at the Anchorage museum. Saturday afternoon seemed a great time to utilize our membership & stimulate the minds beyond DS and Wii video games.

The photo to the left is called "String Theory". A nifty exhibit using light & motion. Many of the exhibits in the imaginarium focus on physics & boy did it remind me of how much I've forgotten since college.

O was very proud of his use of the Bernoulli Effect (Cool YouTube Video by Science Theatre here) and ability to get two balls to hover over a fast moving stream of air. You can easily accomplish this scientific feat at home with a blow dryer & ping pong balls. Kids love it (we do this as part of my science club's Elementary Science Day program) & you can use it to discuss the ideas of lift.

A favorite exhibit was the IR sensor. The kids sat in front of an InfraRed sensor & had their thermal images projected on a screen. IJ has always run at a higher temp than others - if I'm ever chilly, I just snuggle up to him & warm up almost instantly. It was pretty obvious that his temp is naturally higher. This was a lot of fun.

IJ couldn't wait to get to the bubble center. He was a bit disappointed that the large bubble wand (the one attached to ropes that you pull & envelope yourself within a bubble) didn't work very well. He was placated by the smaller versions & spent a significant amount of time creating large, long bubbles. Using the bubble wall, I demonstrated the idea of "Like dissolves Like" by soaping up my hands & placing them through the bubble film without breaking the bubble. He and other kids thought that was pretty cool. As long as your hands/fingers are soapy - the bubble will not pop. As soon as skin not coated in bubble juice touches the bubble, it will pop. Here's another fun YouTube video discussing hydrogen bonding, surface tension, and cohesion using a bubble wall like the one found in the Imaginarium. I think that's one of the cool things about being a science teacher - being able to invoke such awestruck moments in kids.

Science rules! Ciao~

Not Knitting

2010-05-25T12:00:00.003-08:00

I did promise to post about some crafty endeavors soon, I just didn't promise that craftiness would involve knitting. I am knitting - finishing a neck cowl, using up yarn from the TYC on a pair of mittens, and even working on a summer shrug. However, my latest endeavor involved this:
A Quilt!! I've dabbled a bit into sewing and have made a couple of hand tied quilts many, many years ago. It just so happens that my favorite LYS is within a quilt shop. So I'm constantly bombarded by beautiful quilts every time I go to look/fondle yarn or take a knitting class. I have a colleague who has shown me a couple of quilts she's made, so I guess the quilting bug is contagious.

I have a friend who will be celebrating a milestone birthday very soon. I thought she might like a little something to wrap up in on a chilly evening. I also thought a quilt would be something I could finish relatively quickly. Well - perhaps not so much. I started this quilt top several weeks ago & only finished the borders yesterday. I still have to piece together the back & then send it off to someone for the actual quilting. My machine is pretty old & simple & I've never done machine quilting before. So - I figure if I want this to look nice & get done before my friend celebrates another milestone, I should pay someone who knows what they're doing to quilt it.

While the quilt is far from perfect (I have a lot to learn & practice in regards to measuring & squaring up a quilt, I just love how the colors blend together. I used a set of batik fabric strips known as "Bali Pops". These strips help alleviate much of the cutting that's done during quilting. Now if I can just find something magical to help me with measuring accurately. The colorway of this set of strips is called "Green Tea" - a perfect color combo for my friend.

I've enjoyed this quilting process & love the colors. However, I can't foresee it becoming a passion or accumulating a stash of fabric any where near the likes of my stash of yarn. Quilting ties me to a machine which makes it very not portable. If the quilt is done before we head out on our next road trip adventure (post about that coming soon), I'll be sure to share.

Back to enjoy the afternoon sun & knitting.... Ciao!

8 is Great!!

2010-05-23T20:00:00.001-08:00

My youngest just celebrated his 8th birthday & has proclaimed it to be "the best birthday ever!". I can see why - the end of school year, a birthday celebration with school buddies, another birthday BBQ with neighbors & family friends; what's not to like?

I can't believe my youngest is 8. Wow. I remember when my oldest son turned 8. I remember witnessing the transformation from little kid into big kid. The sassiness, appreciation of potty humor, demand for more independence. I truly believe these changes occurred at 4:56am - the moment of his birth. I'm hoping my youngest takes a little time before the transformation takes hold. So far, so good.... he still likes to cuddle, sleeps with his lovies "Hippo & Puddles", and can charm the pants of Attila the Hun. Granted - he's only been 8 since 6:19am.

To celebrate, all he wanted to do was to invite a few of his school buddies to see the latest Shrek movie (it's cute!) & have a sleepover. Pretty simple. We were fortunate that the weather was spectacular. It helped me feel less guilty about having 5 8-year olds inside for 2 hours knowing that they could all run around outside until late into the evening. Alaska summers are great like that.

Like the goggles? We're all about safety here at Chez Arctic Knitter. During the ultimate Nerf Gun wars between adults, older siblings, neighbors & the gaggle of 8-year olds safety goggles are a must. While I'm sort of sad that my youngest is getting older and marching toward independence, I do appreciate that at this age I don't need to constantly entertain. The extent of birthday party planning involves making sure there's enough food (pizza!) and candles for the cake. 8-year old boys can entertain themselves for hours with Nerf guns, Wii, Nintendo DS, a trip to the park, and numerous outdoor toys.

We capped off the birthday weekend this afternoon with a BBQ for our close friends & neighbors. Certainly I'd have to agree with little IJ, this was the "best birthday ever!"

More craftiness soon..... Ciao~

Tangled Yoke Not-Cardigan

2010-05-16T10:00:00.007-08:00

Finally - a knitting F.O. to share. This project started out as my spring break knitting & knitting "while-I-recover-from-meniscus-repair-surgery-since-I-can't-do-anything else." I actually made quite speedy progress until I got to the cabled yoke pattern. Apparently I have a hard time counting to 13 (let's not dwell on the irony that I've taught math for several years) & had to rip back hundreds of stitches to fix silly mistakes.

But alas - even after starting another project (cough*tapestry cowl*cough), I finally picked-up & knit the collar, thus finishing the sweater.

Details:

Pattern: "The Tangled Yoke Cardigan" published in Fall 2007 issue of Interweave Knits

Yarn: Cascade 220 Tweed - Don't ask about the colorway - I've had this yarn for years & finally decided to do something about it. I call it "Confetti" because tiny flecks of different colors are interspersed throughout the neutral color of yarn. It was originally intended for a different sweater, but I think the pairing works quite well. Remember - 2010 is all about the stash here at chez Arctic Knitter.

Needles: US5 for ribbing & main body, US 4 for collar.

Modifications: Well, as you can see - this is definitely not a cardigan. Since I've knit a few cardigans already, I wanted another pullover. This pattern seemed easy enough to modify & I was looking to some easy, knit in the round, minimal purling, knitting. I came across a project knit by The Rainey Sisters using a similar idea & followed her modifications (for the split neck, etc).

What I learned while knitting this sweater:

#1: Swatches lie. Hasn't the Yarn Harlot warned us of this before? Here's the irony - I normally don't swatch. I just choose the size that looks closest to my measurements & knit away. Normally this works great. This time, according to the swatch & some math I needed to cast on 210 stitches to get the appropriate size. Well - when all was said & done, the sweater was a smidgy too big, especially in the bust/yoke area. I can live w/a loose fitting body, but a baggy bustline isn't too attractive. Sooo....

#2: Cascade 220 is a great felting wool. Warning: Only the strong at heart should read ahead. I let the sweater soak in the washing machine w/some Euculan. Since it was sopping wet and I wanted to somehow magically make the bust/yoke a smidge smaller, I thought I would throw it in the dryer (yeah, I know) for a wee bit. I put it on the setting using only air & no heat. After a short bit of time the sweater still seemed a bit damp (boy am I impatient), so I reset the dryer & this time used the setting w/heat (gasp!!) meaning only to leave it in for a couple of minutes. I have young children, so of course I lost track of time & the sweater stayed in for far longer than I had intended. While it didn't felt 100%, the sweater was smaller - and *Fit As I wanted it to!!*

#3: Felting diminishes the depth of cables & ribbing. I pinned out the still kinda damp sweater to get the shaping settled & could tell the cables & ribbing don't "pop" as they should. At first I was a bit sad - lots of work put into knitting a sweater only to diminish it's beauty by my stupidity. But a friend stopped by & gushed over the sweater Friday night. I thought "she's right - this is a pretty nice sweater". So - I threw it on the headless lady (my dress form needs a real name - suggestions?) & have been admiring it all weekend.

So - it's finally too warm (for Alaskans) to wear wool sweaters for any length of time, so I'll carefully put it away for the summer & be pleasantly warm come next fall. I think I might even knit this again, but perhaps go down a needle size on the yoke so I don't have to resort to drastic measures. It worked once, but I don't think I need to tempt fate.

:0) Ciao!

Contest FYI

2010-04-18T09:24:00.004-08:00

For those of you looking for something new to read, Confessions of a Knitter is having a little contest. Go ahead & visit her blog & check it out!

Courtney is finishing "How to Knit a Love Song" & would like to pass it along to another knitter. Simply leave her a comment, mention her contest on your blog & then you're all set. If you win the book, you can hold a similar contest & pass it along to one of your readers. I thought it was a pretty nifty idea - kind of like a literary, knitterly chain-letter.

On the knitting front: Working on the "Tapestry Cowl" by Pepperknit. It's a great lesson in color work & double knitting. No photos yet - I'll wait until you can actually see something taking shape.

On the weather front: Snow is still lingering, clouds have returned, & the temps are cool. Surely spring will arrive soon? Lots of soccer games scheduled for outdoor play have been postponed due to the weather. The JV squads are feeling the brunt of these postponements. - I guess my knee injury & subsequent hiatus from coaching came at a fortuitous time.

Okay - off to make some progress on the cowl before knitting class this afternoon. Check out Courtney's blog.

Ciao~

Seriously?!?

2010-04-14T19:15:00.002-08:00

Mid-April:

I'm Speechless.

Here's something to cheer us all up: GLEE's rendition of Madonna's Vogue video starring Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch). If you don't watch GLEE, you're missing something great!

Everybody's Dog

2010-03-14T10:32:00.003-08:00

Good-Bye Sweet Girl....

"Joulee" July 1996 - March 13, 2010

It'd be hard to find a good friend of our family who isn't in some way connected with our dog, Joulee (named after the derived unit of energy, the Joule - in honor of her very energetic nature & our nerdiness). After almost 14 years with us, we bid her a final farewell yesterday. Friends called & stopped by not only to check on my knee recovery, but to give her a final pet,hug, & to say good-bye. So many memories we have of her - she was everyone's dog. We were just the lucky ones who got to live with and care for her.

She came to us as an unexpected birthday gift for my husband. Turns out the brother of hubby's best friend was swayed by a pretty girl outside a grocery store to take a cute little puppy home. His mother said 'no' & decided to give it to Wade for his birthday. I can still remember bringing her home & trying to get her to sleep in the cat's crate in the garage. Yeah - that didn't go so well. After several minutes of howling, she broke me & I let her come inside - she worked her way into our hearts so quickly; it's hard to believe she's gone.

I should take comfort in knowing she had a very long, happy life & was able to pass into the afterlife so peacefully. The countless memories of adventures, trips to San Diego before kids, the miles hiking & ski-joring, her ability to roll-over, help erase the chewed shoes, furniture, paper, porcupine quills, & forays into stinky stuff. She was a great dog.

Good-bye Sweet Girl. We miss you....

Stash Busting Bag

2010-03-13T10:34:00.004-09:00

I've been promising to show another FO, but have been waylaid by other life events such as tons of snow & knee repair. The delay in the post in no way reflects my feelings of this bag. I *love* this finished project.

Presenting: The "Felted Slip Stitch Tote" designed by PDXKnitterati, Michele Bernstein.

I've had this pattern for quite a while meaning to use it to lighten the stash load. Finally, after having 100% wool spilling out of containers & finishing a couple of French Press Slippers, I decided to finally cast on.

I wish I hadn't waited for so long as this bag is so great! It's the perfect size for holding knitting projects such as my Olympic sweater. It's a great way to use left over wool & the color combinations are endless!

Yarns I used: Lamb's Pride Worsted (Purple & Pink) and Paton's Classic Wool (Blue & Light Purple) All felted very well = I used Michele's suggestion & placed a box within a plastic shopping bag inside the tote to help with drying; great idea! I found the game "Blockus" is just the right size.

Needle: US 10.5

Mods: Instead of using DPNs to knit the straps, I made a 7 stitch i-cord. Worked out rather well! Otherwise - this pattern is just perfect & well written.

I'm planning to teach a beginning knitting class to my high school students in April. I asked Michele about using this pattern & she thought it'd be great - felting is so forgiving for new knitters, and I think they should be able to finish this in a relatively short period of time. So - expect another bag within the coming month; I'm looking forward to using up more stash, because after all, 2010 is all about stash reduction here at Chez Arcticknitter.

Happy Day! Ciao~

Here I Go Again....

2010-03-12T10:45:00.007-09:00

Getting old & playing soccer turns out to be a deadly combination. About a month ago, while playing 5 v 5 soccer in the O35 (over 35) league, I twisted my knee. Now I've had several knee injuries (read: 3 ACL repairs over the last 19 years), so I'm no stranger to the warning signs that something just "isn't right". Overall soccer is a sport prone to knee injuries - especially in women. There's a great book called "Warrior Girls" which discusses this 'epidemic' and what coaches and parents can do about it (read: diversity in sport, strength training!). Since my last ACL repair 5 years ago, I've tried to "be good" & keep my legs strong, do other low impact sports such as hockey & cross country skiing while limiting the amount of serious soccer playing. I only returned to league play ("old people league") just last year & was feeling great!

So - bad luck struck & during a routine defensive play, when I went to clear the ball, I planted my left foot on an opposing player's foot & ended up tearing the medial meniscus of my knee. The injury is known throughout the orthopedic set as a "bucket handle tear" because the meniscus folds over & looks like the handle of a bucket. Not only is it painful, but the meniscus gets trapped in the knee joint & prohibits the leg from fully extending. After a couple of weeks on crutches the pain eventually subsided, but I still walked with a noticeable limp. Skiing, ice skating, & general outdoor play were put on hold.

An MRI confirmed my amateur diagnosis & my doctor's suspicion, so the plan was to check out the damage through arthroscopy. There were two possible outcomes dependent on where the tear was located within the medial meniscus: 1) Totally trim out the damaged area or 2) Repair the tear with sutures. Trimming meant a shorter recovery, but more wear & tear of the surface cartilage within the knee. Repairing was dependent if there was a suitable blood supply in the region of damage & requires a much longer recovery period.

Turns out the latter was my case. The good news is that I don't lose any of the meniscus, so I may stave off arthritis of my knee for a longer period of time. The not-so-good news is that I'm confined to crutches and a brace with limited weight bearing for several weeks. I should be up for "light hiking" by June. Coaching JV soccer this season will be impossible, which is kind of a bummer, but also a load lifted from my shoulders during the very busy end of the school year. I guess this also frees up my time for more knitting!!

Speaking of knitting... I hope everyone's experience with hospital staff has been as positive as mine have been. My surgery yesterday was no exception - my prep nurse, surgical nurse, anesthesiologist & of course my orthopedic surgeon were fantastic. They made me as comfortable as possible & were so kind. The best part came in the recovery room. While I'm slowly waking up I could hear the recovery nurse talk about knitting. Well - that put my radar on full alert & helped me wake up more quickly. I told her that I too was a knitter & asked if she was on ravelry. Of course she was! So - we spent the last bit of my wake-up period surfing each other's ravelry profiles in the recovery room! Pretty fun! It was a slow day for the day surgery team (about 1/2 as many cases as usual) so there was no neglect to other non-knitters.

Well - off to elevate & ice. I hope to have some knitting photos to share soon.

Ciao!

March Bites Back

2010-03-09T12:16:00.008-09:00

Yes - I love March. It's bright, close to summer, yadda, yadda, yadda. However - I'm no dummy. I know it doesn't mean winter is totally over. It doesn't mean the end of snow. Yes - the 's' word. Snow: pretty, fluffy, bright. Snow: Silent, sneaky....

Snow doesn't let you know it's falling during the night. Nope - all of that frozen precipitation falls silently to the ground - I think it appreciates the surprise factor. Now - I do like surprises. But not on mornings when I have to be at soccer practice by 8am. You know it's bad when you wake up and it seems like everyone in the neighborhood is snow-blowing their driveways before 6:45am. Opening the garage door to a wall of snow = Not a good sign.

Fortunately we have a steep driveway, so getting down to the street was no biggie - gravity works. Of course - this incline totally works against you when you come home. Normally our good ole Subaru can handle anything - even without studded tires; it's that good of a vehicle. But not today. Upon returning home from soccer practice, after several failed attempts - I had to "park" (if that's what you call it) the Sube at the bottom of our driveway. Sorry kids - no time for lunch yet - we get to dig out the driveway & the car. We were in for a long afternoon.

Have I mentioned our driveway is steep? And rather long? Oh - and that hubby is in sunny San Diego right now? And perhaps that I'm having my torn meniscus repaired on Thursday, so my left knee is not at 100%? No worries - I just sucked it up, put on the snow bibs & boots & went to work. Of course, while I was digging at the top of the driveway, our neighbor across the street was merrily snow-blowing her nice, flat driveway. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a few choice thoughts for her, or that running to Sears or Home Depot & laying down the cash for a snow-blower of our own didn't enter my mind.

Then, the heavens opened & the choirs of angels began to sing. As I was hauling off the snow - up the street comes my new knight in shining armor - or at least my knight in Carharts with his trusty heavy-duty snow blower. One of our neighbors noticed the 3 of us (shoveling is a family affair around here) shoveling & digging out the car. He asked if I "minded" if he took a few passes at our driveway with his machine. Did I mind? Heck no! I'd say he spent about 15 - 20 minutes clearing the snow & helping me get the car up the driveway & safely into the garage. What a nice, neighborly thing to do. I'd like to think that if we ever invest in a snow-blower of our own, that we'd do the same for others.

Here are the thank-you cookies. Yes - March is nice. But having kind, thoughtful neighbors is even nicer. Well - given the conditions of the roads, I guess errands will have to wait; seems like a good excuse to get some more spring break knitting done.

~Ciao!

I Love March!

2010-03-08T18:48:00.003-09:00

Hands down, I think March is my favorite month of the year. It doesn't have Christmas, nor Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday), and sometimes not Easter (favorite candy) - but for me, March is my favorite month because it heralds the end of winter & return of the light. Cliche perhaps, but for us Alaskans a welcome respite. I know the official 'return of the light' occurs after winter solstice, but for us, the gain of 5 seconds of daylight is merely a tease.

I love it primarily for this:

Do you see that big, bright thing up in the sky? High in the sky? I've heard rumor that such a celestial body exists. I'm pretty sure it's the sun - that "Great Big Ball of Super Heated Gas" (my apologies to "They Might Be Giants"); I might need to confer with NASA.

See those mountains below the sun? They shield the sun from us here on the 'eastside' for most of the winter. When the sun does "rise" it normally does so well south of where we live - essentially to the very right of the photo & then it doesn't get very high, nor very bright.

Raja concurs with Holly Jo's cat - the sunshine is very much appreciated.

During March the sun is high enough & at the appropriate angle that the rays actually feel warm. The sun rises at a decent time that it's light when I take the kids to school. The sun stays up long enough so that I can come home before it's dark. Spring break for our school district occurs during March. The kids can go outside & play for extended periods of time - often without having to wear tons of layers in March. My oldest son was born in March. Yes - for many reasons March is a great month. The fact that summer vacation is here in 8 weeks is an added bonus.

I just had to include this photo. This is a "giant street snow blower" (for lack of the official name) that came to clear our street yesterday. The kids thought it was so cool (as they observed from a very sizable distance) as it created nice tall berms of snow for them to play on. The down side was that it also filled in their dug out snow fort with tons of snow. Oh well - we adults certainly appreciate the clear streets.

Ugg - just checked the calendar & see that "Daylight Savings Time" is this weekend. Bah - what party poopers! DST is just absurd up here!

Okay - off to play Blockus with the kids & get back to knitting on my Spring Break project.

~Ciao!

North to Nome!

2010-03-07T09:37:00.004-09:00

And they're off! Saturday, March 6, 2010 marked the beginning of the 38th Iditarod. As many of you know, the Iditarod is the annual sled dog race to commemorate the Serum run to Nome.

A little background history: The original Iditarod trail begins in Seward, AK. However, due to several geological and financial challenges, the ceremonial race start is in Anchorage, AK and the official race start (which begins today, March 7) is in Willow, AK. When the official start was in Anchorage, mushers would race through town and out to Eagle River, AK. Upon arriving in Eagle River, the mushers would pack up their dogs & sleds & drive northwest to Wasilla, AK to continue on to Nome. I can remember going out to watch the teams leave Wasilla when I lived there during high school. Several years ago, the Iditarod Race Committee decided to make the start in Anchorage a ceremonial start. This was nice as it allows the mushers a more relaxed start & gives spectators a chance to interact with the mushers. For example, one neighborhood in town passes out muffins to the mushers as they pass on by. In fact, one of the mushers, Canadian Karen Ramstead actually stopped to sing "O, Canada" with the spectators. When Martin Buser, a perennial favorite and local mushing celebrity, passed us - he gave my oldest son a "high five". Never during an official start would mushers take the time to do that. The ceremonial start through Anchorage provides the spectators a chance to see the dog teams up close and allows the mushers to get one more good nights' rest before heading out on the trail. A win-win for everyone!

Here's Karen & her beautiful team of Siberian huskies. These are CKC registered dogs - not the typical choice of dog for the Iditarod, but boy do they make a striking team!

Another Alaskan celeb = DeeDee Jonrowe comes down the trail. What a tough lady! Like me, she was a military brat & came to Alaska when her father was stationed here. If I remember correctly, she also lived in Okinawa, Japan during Jr. High - just like I did! She is a breast cancer survivor & has come oh-so-close to winning the Iditarod with a 2nd place finish back in 1998. She is quite the inspiration to all women. Her mother is now battling cancer while DeeDee is on the trail - please send good wishes to both of these strong women!

The Anchorage Daily News prints an insert with photos and bios of all mushers. Here the boys are trying to figure out who's coming down the trail next.

Fun Times! For more great photos - including one of Karen Ramstead singing with the crowd, visit AK Knitting Diva's Blog!

For those of you who are so inclined, there is a group on Ravelry hosting an "Iknitarod" - knit a project while the mushers are on the trail, before the last musher arrives in Nome. I think I'll be a casual participant - I don't know if my wrists are quite up to the challenge after the crazy knitting during the Olympics.

Happy Trails! Ciao~

Mandatory Rest

2010-03-01T19:43:00.005-09:00

Ahhh - I can tell I've been knitting like a fiend for the past 17 days - little twinges in my wrist. Guess that's a good enough excuse to take a wee break from knitting & perhaps catch up on the mountain of clean laundry that needs sorting, folding, & put-awaying. For that reason alone, I think I'll have to bow out of the group of Ravelers undertaking "Iknitarod" (isn't that clever?!)

Here is the long awaited prize: My Gold Medal, courtesy of Mr. Franklin Habit by request of the Yarn Harlot:

Would it be too much to print it out, paste it on a wooden circle & wear it about my neck for the next week or two? Okay - perhaps just a tad overkill. I'm pleased as punch & so proud to have met the challenge.

Students, friends, and co-workers were equally impressed with my sweater. My orthopedic surgeon's (more on that later....) assistant wanted to take a photo so she could show her daughter. Instead, I suggested she join Ravelry & check out the pattern. I'm such an enabler...

Thank you to all who've left such nice comments regarding the sweater - I'm glad it's not just me who thinks it's pretty neat. I'd reply if I could, but for some reason the email reply isn't working out. Any suggestions how to fix that? Is it a settings thing?

Anyhow - back to the laundry. Another pre-olympic knitting FO to show soon.

Ciao!

Gold Medalist!!!

2010-02-28T18:51:00.004-09:00

I've done it! I've earned the Gold Medal in the Yarn Harlot sponsored Knitting Olympics! According to the rules, I had to cast on a project that would be somewhat of a challenge during the opening ceremonies. I then had to finish the project before the Olympic flame was extinguished during the closing ceremonies.

My friends - I have done it. When I opted to join the Knitting Olympics, I knew it would be work. When I finished the sleeves ahead of my "schedule", I thought - no sweat. When I wasn't even halfway through the body as of Tuesday, I began to sweat bullets & doubt I'd make it. I was sure I'd "trip & fall" as the finish line approached.

But - I'm happy to report that as of 5:00 AST, during my finishing class (how apropos!) I wove in my last end & tried on my new sweater.

Introducing my "Olympic Eastlake"

Pattern: "Eastlake" by Norah Gaughan - **Errata available**

Yarn: Dream in Color, Classy - "Happy Forest". A great, superwash 100% Merino wool. Oh how I love this yarn! I first met this yarn when I knit the Baby Tulip sweater. So soft & sproingy.

Needles: US5 for the ribbing & neck; US7 for the body...

Mods: I took a leap & transferred the pattern to be knit in the round rather than in pieces so I could A) Avoid as much purling as possible & B) Avoid seaming as much as possible. I just knit in the round to one row past the eyelet row. The pattern includes a funky neckband extension - I'd certainly leave that out if I were to knit this again. I'd also learn how to use short rows to knit the sleeve caps for a better fit.

Happy to be done - perhaps now I can get my house back in order. At least the dilemma of what to wear to work tomorrow is solved! :0)

~Ciao

Tickled Pink!

2010-02-09T20:42:00.007-09:00

That is how I feel about my latest FO: My February Lady Sweater.

Please forgive me if this post is especially photo laden. I'm absolutely ecstatic about my latest finished object.

Details:

Pattern: February Lady Sweater - an adult version of Elizabeth Zimmerman's February Sweater.

Yarn: Tahki Yarns New Tweed (60% Merino Wool, 14% silk, 26% Viscose) Great yarn, small balls - 50grams/92 yards per ball, so you feel like you fly through this yarn. I was cutting it close at the end.

Needles: US 8

Size: Medium - I have the newer version of the pattern. Apparently the earlier versions were a bit sketchy when it came to determining the correct size, so several knitters knit sizes XS when they normally knit a size M. No way in the world am I an XS!

Modifications: Left out the eyelet row before the start of the lace. I think the eyelet row was originally intended for weaving a piece of ribbon, but that's not my style at all. The color pink is already pushing the envelope. 15 lace repeats on the sleeves, 19 lace repeats on the body.

Let's admire the buttons, shall we? What a great find! Sometimes details just fall into place.

The lace pattern is the famous "Gull Lace" pattern - very simple to memorize, so this project was perfect Sunday English Premier League knitting. What I didn't like was having to purl back a gazillion stitches (perhaps just a slight exaggeration). The yoke is straight garter stitch w/increases at the shoulders. I did a kfb for the increases - very simple, blends in well with the garter stitch & leaves no holes.

The back fits just perfectly. I was worried the neckline would sag, or maybe even ride up. But nope - all sits as it should. I think perhaps the hard blocking I gave the sweater last week helped out a bit. Last year when I was at Madrona Fiber Arts retreat I met a woman wearing a FLS & it sagged all over the place. The ravelry forum for the FLS warns against how the lace grows. I haven't noticed this happening yet & the sweater has been hanging for several days while it waited the adornment of buttons. I'm going to fold it neatly rather than hanging it in the closet, just to be safe.

This week is "Spirit Week" at our school & today's theme was "Girls in Pearls & Guys in Ties". A perfect day for my sweater's Maiden Voyage. My friends, colleagues, and students all admired with lots of 'oohs and ahhs'. You know you've done a good job when students say they want one (wear something that a teacher wears? Highest praise from teenagers!) & that it looks like something they might find at Nordstroms. Several conversations today went something like this:

Colleague: "You Made That?!?"
Me: "Yup, Why yes I did..."
Colleague: "Nu-uh!" (how do you spell that?!?)
Me: "Uh-huh!!"

Anyhow - I was very pleased with the responses & complements my sweater & I received today. If I'd known earlier how well this would turn out, I would have finished it much, much sooner!I leave you with my "Bio" photo I'll use in the engineering notebooks of my FTC robotics teams (we all have to add photos + biography). I'd like to think that my role on the FTC teams is that of kind, yet effective, Project Manager. After having to ask a couple of students not to return since they were hindering progress & my constant (yet gentle) reminders for the teams to focus & stay on task (I can even say it in ASL as one of my students is hearing impaired), the students on the teams have dubbed me, "The Hammer".

The smile and the pink kind of softens it, don't you think? :0)

Ciao!!

Still Knitting....

2010-02-06T12:47:00.004-09:00

Okay - another month has passed & no blogging. I don't know why I can't seem to develop a habit or schedule to sit down & blog a bit. Perhaps it's because I feel that the daily happenings such as "Today I graded homework & taught teenagers that electron configuration really is exciting, really!" are too mundane to write about. I guess the science teacher in me isn't well versed in word-smithing the mundane to sound exciting. And then there's the fact that I don't have any finished objects to share. Until now....

To quote a famous elephant (or perhaps paraphrase), "A finished object is a finished object, no matter how small". May I present the latest FO at chez Arcticknitter: More 10 cabled baby hats!

Pattern: Cabled Baby Hats
Yarn: Classic Elite Jil eaton minnow-merino; 100% super fine merino.
Needles: US 8, 16" circular
Time to knit: 1 afternoon each; very, very quick knit!

The recipient is a much awaited baby (gender TBA) of a former colleague. The parents also happen to be Green Bay Packers fans, so I figured I couldn't go wrong with yellow & green. I just adore the yellow, although I don't know if I'd ever wear it. Perhaps the gray days of winter have left me longing for bright colors. The hats are so cute - I added the pom-pom as a little embellishment. Of course I was frantically casting off on the yellow hat while getting ready to go to the baby shower, so no pom-pom.
While not a knitting FO, I also made a no-sew fleece blanket using some fleece originally destined for Iain's pre-school blanket. I didn't use overhand knots, but think it should work just fine. Of course, after cutting & tying, I noticed that every other row of letters were backwards/upside down. What kind of fabric is that? Perhaps it was designed so that you'd always see some letter in the correct orientation, no matter which side of the blanket you're on. Oh well - if their child has dyslexia, I guess we know who they can blame.

I was an utter failure at NaKniMitMo - failing to finish even one pair of mittens during the month of January. How sad considering that I knit 3 pairs over Christmas vacation. Oh well - I'm finishing a pair right now, but in all fairness they are lined, so finishing one pair is like knitting 2 pairs. Yeah - that's my story & I'm sticking with it! At least when I finish it'll be more fodder for the blog.

Other than knitting, robotics is in full swing. The Alaska FTC championship is in 2 weeks up at UAF. My team won last year & are very excited to defend their title. I've added an additional team & they're doing quite well. I hope both teams are proud of all they've accomplished. For more info on the FTC robotics program, go here. I'll be sure to post about their results when we return from competition.

Okay - that's all for now. I hope everyone enjoys the big game tomorrow, and by big game I know you all are tuning in to watch Chelsea take on Arsenal in the English Premiere League. I've heard rumor there's some other game going on here in the states, but I don't have much to say about that.... Go Blues!

~Ciao!

FO Flashback!

2010-01-04T17:43:00.009-09:00

So much for starting out the new year by blogging! Oh well - time to jump back on the wagon. So much to share since my last post (over one month ago, gasp!!) - Here we go - hang on!!

FO #1 - Wonderful Wallaby Hooded Pullover
Size: 4 (yeah, right)
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Needles: Ummm.... 8? I started this in January '09 & finished in October sometime. My gauge was way off, so the size 4 would really better fit a 2 year old, I think. So - this FO ended up as a donation to the kid's school fall auction. Overall a fun knit; I'll knit it again, but pay closer attention to the marriage of yarn & gauge.

FO #2 - My Kuspuk
This is the kuspuk I made for me. I *love* it!! It is so roomy & comfy; no wonder native Alaskan women wear them. Traditionally they are worn over other clothes as an outer, protective garment. Traditional kuspuks have a ruffled skirt at the bottom, but I learned that more modern AK native women opt to leave the skirt off. While you might not be able to tell from the photo, this kuspuk has a zipper - the first I've ever installed - I was proud to say the least! This was a fun & relatively fast project. I have another kuspuk just about finished (just need to hem up the hood lining - we know how much I love hand sewing!) & fabric to make another for me & one for my 7 year old.

FO #2.5 - Orion's Kuspuk
Okay - you're right, this isn't a knitted FO. I haven't abandoned my passion. I learned to sew a gazillion years ago, and pick it up now and again. Orion's class was doing a long term unit on Alaska studies and the teachers wanted all of the students to have a kuspuk to wear during their final presentations. It just so happens that I'd recently taken a Kuspuk class at the my local quilt/yarn shop, so I was good to go.

FO #3 - My Lanai Lusekofte Cap
Pattern: Lusekofte Cap from Hat's On by Charlene Schurch.
Yarn: Eco Alpaca
Needles: US 6
I call this my Lanai Lusekofte cap since I knit it while I was lounging on the Lanai during our Hawaiian vacation. I meant to write a post dedicated to this project alone entitled "Fish Out of Water" - I mean, who needs an alpaca hat in Kauai? But.... we misplaced our camera cable somewhere in our condo - there's the explanation as to why the vacations posts stopped to abruptly. I always feel the need to include photos in my posts.

FO #4 - Mini Sweater Ornaments
Pattern: Mini Sweater Ornaments
Yarn: RSC sock club yarn. Purple: Incredible Shrinking Violet, Red: Dragon Dance
Needles: US 2
What a great way to use left over yarn! My original intent was to knit these for my fellow teachers. However - the end of the semester got in the way, so I was only able to finish 2 before vacation started. So... made a wee "coat hanger" out of white pipe cleaners & used them as decoration for our 12 ft Christmas Tree. (Yup - that isn't a typo, our tree is 12 ft tall... One day the tree deserves a blog post of it's own) Perhaps if I stick with it I can crank out enough of these to use during the 2010 holidays.

FO #5: "Kitten Mittens"
Pattern: Cat Mittens by Jorid Linvik
Yarn: BMFA "Shadow" and "Branwen" - lightweight
Needles: US 2 (2.75 mm)
I was "smitten by these mittens" when I first ran across them on Ravelry. I purchased solid colored yarn with the thought I'd knit these for me as an end of 1st semester celebration. However - gauge bit me in the arse yet again. The lightweight yarn + needle combo created a mitten more appropriately sized for my 7 year old - hence the new name "Kitten Mittens". They were too fun to knit to rip out, and I'd purchased the yarn with these exact mittens in mind. I only went through a fraction of the balls too - now to decide what to do with the left overs. I think mini black sweaters is just a bit too goth for my taste. This project gets two photos so you can appreciate just how cute both sides of these mittens are. Perhaps I'll seek out a better yarn/needle combo & finally knit a pair for me. Little Iain loved the fact I knit his name into the cuff (although I think I can do a better job).

FO #6: 10 Cable Baby Hat
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran
Needle: US 8
Pattern: Cabled Baby Hats by Julie Hentz
Finished Size: Newborn
Our neighbors welcomed a brand-new baby boy on Winter solctice. So - what a better way to welcome him to the neighborhood than to knit him a cute little hat to keep him warm. Cute - how I love me some cables! I think this would be a perfect baby shower gift for a baby expected during the dead of winter. Baby won't get to wear it long (especially if they're born with a largish noggin - yes, Orion - I'm talkin' to you!) so act quickly & plan accordingly. :0)

Egads - I had more FOs to show you than I realized.... onwards...

FO #7 & #8 - Wood Hollow Mittens #1 & #2
Pattern: Wood Hollow Mittens by Kirsten Kapur of Through the Loops
Yarn: Red: BMFA Heavyweight "Mustang Sally" Green: Cascade 220 Heathers "Irelande"
Needle: US 5
We know how much I love cables - so these mittens just screamed "YOU MUST BUY THIS PATTERN & KNIT ME.... NOW!!" Who could ignore such a siren song? So.... I knit the red pair during the first few days of winter break (when I should have been finishing up a sweater that's on the needles) and I knit the green pair while we were out at my parents remote cabin. The pattern is well written & produces a wonderful mitten that fits, well "like a glove". These are destined for the "2010 gift basket" to make up for my lack of gift knitting in 2009. January is "NaKniMitMo" (National Knit Mittens Month) on Ravelry, so you'd think I'd save these to use as official entries. Of course not. So.... I guess I'll just have to knit another pair. I have yarn in the stash (2010 is all about using the stash!) that will work quite lovely, I think. And have I mentioned there's a matching hat? Yup - that might be on my list of projects to do. But not in January - no, January is for mittens! :0)

FO #9 & #10 - French Press Slippers #1 & #2

Pattern: French Press Slippers by Melynda Bernardi
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Purple Pair: "Wisteria"; Blue Pair "Worn Denim"
Needle: US 15

Virtually overnight, thanks to a post regarding this pattern on The Yarn Harlot's blog, these slippers became the must knit project of the 2009 holiday season. I fell hook, line, and sinker & smaller that I need (I wear a 8.5) So - I highly recommend giving this pattern a go, and if you don't mind seaming (some don't) - then just sally forth. Otherwise, join the French Press Knits group on purchased the pattern + yarn as soon as I could. However - I felt like I wasn't told the entire story, such as how much bloody seaming there is to do for these things. Yes - they are knit IN PIECES - that's 4 pieces PER SLIPPER - which requires seaming (BLAH!) before felting. Well - the finished project was so cute that I felt like I could overcome my aversion to seaming (sound familiar?) & give this project a go. It seems (hah!) like I was a glutton for punishment that I ended up making 2 pairs! The kicker is that this project was advertised (I must consider the source) as a "quick project" - one that could be finished between 1.5 & 2 hours. Yeah - right. Not so much for me. I probably spent 1.5 hours in seaming alone. Granted, I do things a bit overkill, so the length of time this took me shouldn't be that surprising. Thankfully there are others out there who aren't as fond as seeming & have figured out a no-sew modification to the pattern. Clever knitters! So - my next attempt at this pattern (these are destined for the gift basket once they are totally dry) is to do a no-sew pair for me. I knit the medium size (7/8) & they felted down to be just a smidgeRavelry, & check out the no-sew mods. I'll report back (I promise!!) when completed a pair of my own.

Whew!! 10 FOs that could have each had their own post had I kept on top of things. Okay - I'll attempt to do better. But with a new semester, robotics in full swing followed by high school soccer, I can't make any promises!

Hope 2010 is a good one for all!

~Ciao!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T11:50:00.005-09:00

To echo the sentiments of so many others - Happy Thanksgiving!

Things I'm thankful for...

1) Family - The folks who love you no matter what & help keep you grounded. I'm happy to have a DH who can remind me when I'm steppin' over the crazy line.

2) Healthy & Happy Kids - When so much can go wrong that is out of your control, I'm thankful my concerns have been limited to runny noses. Let's hope they are continually blessed with good health & that our country can figure out a way to ensure that all children are so fortunate.

3) Great Friends - They know all about you & love you anyway. It's nice to know there are people out there you can chat with about anything, any time.

4) Financial Means - As we explain to our kids - we're not 'rich' in terms of cash, but rich in so many ways, I'm thankful to be in a profession that offers relative job security. So thankful that we're able to take our kids on vacations such as the one we're on now. Thankful that I can indulge myself in yarn & books. I'm hoping that educating youth will help them pave a path to financial security in their futures.

Day 3 in Kauai:

Orion & the perpetual sand castle building endeavor. Love how he's wearing goggles up on the shore - must be prepared in case a tidal wave floods his moat.

Iain off on his first snorkle. Poipu beach offers a nice shallow area perfect for kids. The lagoon is surrounded partway by a set of rocks which allows views of tropical fish such as Needlefish, Butterfly Fish, & "Gill" fish from Finding Nemo.

It's raining today (crazy rain!!) - but that hasn't dampened (ha ha ha) our spirits. It's great being together with family & having the opportunity to relax. Think I'll sign off for now & go finish sock #1.

Aloha ~

Aloha!

2009-11-25T10:16:00.007-09:00

Aloha! I know - it's been so long since I've posted on line. Best intentions, and all that you know. In fact, I thought I might just designate November as "NaNoWriBloMo" - i.e. - National No Write Blog Month", since I haven't written since (gasp!) mid-October.

Quick recaps:

1) Knitting - Yup: I've finished at least one project that I haven't shared yet & of course photos are on my computer at home. So - take my word that I finished "The Wonderful Wallaby". I knit a size 4, which really looked like a size 2. So - since I don't have anyone suitable for such a small sweater, I donated it to my children's school auction.

2) Non-Knitting: I took a sewing (gasp!) class at our local quilt/knit shop to learn how to make a Kuspuk (a traditional Alaskan garment). It is really cute & pretty darned easy to make. I've finished one for me, one for my 9 y.o (for their Alaska studies project) & have 2 more in progress. Photos to share upon my return home...

3) Vacation: The fam & I flew to Kauai last Sunday for a Thanksgiving vacation. It's similar to a vacation we took w/friends 3 years ago. Unfortunately we weren't able to coordinate travel plans with our friends for this trip. Fortunately we were able to travel with hubby's family. It's a nice treat as we haven't spent Thanksgiving together since we were in college.

Day 1: Day at the Beach

Fun in the sun. Iain's suitcase didn't make it to Kauai on the first day, so no swim shirt for him. Lots & Lots of SPF 50 sunscreen in it's stead. I think you can easily spot the Alaskans at the beach - glaringly white (yet healthy!!) skin.

We got up close & personal with a Sea Turtle - very cool! Throughout the day we spied several turtles close to shore in addition to 2 Monk seals.

Day 2: Trip to the North Shore

On our last trip to Kauai, we stayed mostly on the south shore & didn't venture past Lydgate state park on the east shore. We decided to drive north to the end of the road (literally!) to "see what we could see". We knew the beaches wouldn't be conducive to swimming (HUGE waves due to winter storms), so we opted for a hike on the north end of the Napali coast.

We only hiked about 2.5 hours & maybe went a total of 2.5 miles ??? Lots of up, up, up & after the previous weekend's rain, lots & lots of mud. Slippery conditions, but the views were spectacular. Just like Jurassic Park.

This is one of the caves/tunnels near the end of the road. Don't drink the water - Leptospirosis lurks within.

Knitting - the drive to & from the north shore took a few hours - a great opportunity to knit on my vacation project - Holidazed, the November RSC 2008 installment. I was able to finish the foot, turn the heel, & finish the flap before we returned home. It's a bit long, but not too big that I feel the need to rip back. I'm choosing to knit this from the toe up which has been a bit of a challenge. I'm knitting the 56 stitch size, meaning 28 stitches per needle (I magic loop). However - the pattern is a 8 stitch repeat. Hmmm - I know I haven't taught math in a while, but I'm pretty darned sure that 28 is NOT divisible by 8. Arghhh - so, in order to center the pattern on the instep, I used 2 stitches on either size of the 24 stitch (which IS divisible by 8) pattern as a 'frame'. I choose to alternate 2 rows of knits w/ 2 rows of purls for the "wing" stitches. So far so good - now that I'm on the leg, I've just adjusted accordingly & now use only the charted pattern. Here's what it looks like so far....

Well - the photo was taken in haste & only shows the pattern. Oh well - I'll share more later.

Okay - off to the beach!

Aloha!

Lickety Split FO

2009-10-17T17:06:00.005-08:00

One pair off the needles means another pair on (not counting the TTL Mystery socks, of course). I wanted to start a pair of socks that I could easily work on during staff meetings and while riding in the car across town to soccer games & soccer practice. Little did I know that my car project would take such a hold of me that I would work on them outside of riding in the car...

Presenting:

Van Dyke Socks by Wendy D. Johnson

Yarn: STR Mediumweight
Colorway: River Rocked
Needles: Knit Picks 2.75mm
Size: 52 stitches - 5 repeats on the foot before gusset increases, 6 pattern repeats on the leg

Neato-Bandito trick: Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off. It is slick & makes a nice stretchy cuff, perfect for toe-up socks! You can find the how-to in the Fall issue of Knitty.

Cast on: Sunday afternoon, October 11, 2009
Finished: Saturday afternoon, October 17, 2009

These were such a blast to knit. I was inspired after reading the Rockin' Sock Club forum on Ravelry & saw another knitter had used her Sept. yarn for a pair of socks other than the intended pattern. I felt like I had been given permission to deviate from the club shipment. I loved the yarn - such pretty fall colors!, but the pattern did not interest me that much. So - I followed her lead & knit the Van Dyke socks - a pattern from "Socks From the Toe-Up" by Wendy D. Johnson of Wendy Knits! Fantastic, fun, quick pattern. It certainly didn't hurt that the yarn was a heavier weight than what I've been knitting with lately & that every other row of the 10 row repeat was a knit row.

True, instant gratification knitting. Now to find another project that will be easy to work on while in the car....

Happy Knitting! Ciao~

It's Go Time!

2009-10-16T15:33:00.003-08:00

The Babies & Bears Sweater KAL has officially begun. I know - crazy to think about a sweater project when holiday knitting should be forefront in my mind, but that's just how I roll, I guess. Also - my BKFF & I thought we'd make this a nice and loooooooong KAL (through Feb) so that folks can get the holiday knitting completed without having to stress over the KAL progress. Since I haven't really started any holiday knitting, I figured I'd start right away.

Here's what I have so far:

Not too much - cuff #1 is done (who knew 2" was so big?) & 2 sets of increases of the sleeve are done. The construction is interesting as the sweater is knit from the cuff to the middle of the back & front, repeated for the other side & then the backs are grafted together. Pure knitting genius, I say. Right now the knitting is fairly straight forward & brainless - good t.v. knitting for sure!

Meanwhile I'm plugging away on the TTL Mystery sock as well as sock #2 of some instant gratification knitting.

More later - it was an in-service day today, so I'm actually home at a reasonable time. Kids & hubby aren't home yet, so perfect quiet atmosphere for some quality knitting time.

~Ciao

Socktober is for Socks!

2009-10-12T17:39:00.005-08:00

Nothing like a witty name for the month of October to get me inspired to finish languishing pairs of socks!

Details:

Pattern: Shur'tugal

Yarn: BMFA Socks That Rock Lightweight

Colorway: Star Sapphire

Size: Medium (64 stitch count)

Needle: Knit Picks 2.25mm

Cast On: March 28, 2009
Cast Off: October 11, 2009

These were started for the Socks That Rawk Ravelry group's Q2 KAL. I finished the 1st sock in a reasonable amount of time (for me) & then let it sit, and sit, and sit. Fortunately I left it on my dresser so I'd have to look at its lonely face every day. Finally I'd had enough & in my flurry of finishing of late, decided to finally knit up its mate once and for all.

So glad I did - this is a great pattern & the socks fit fine. I really love how the pattern flows into the heel:

Expect a couple more pairs over the coming months. I've finished clue #2 for the TTL Mystery Sock KAL and cast-on a pair using a pattern from Wendy Knits' Socks From the Toe Up book.

Happy Knitting & Happy Fall!

Ciao~

FO: Hey Teach!.... Again...

2009-10-01T19:04:00.008-08:00

Few patterns harness my knitting mojo and make me want to make it more than once. Monkey Socks, Leyburn socks, the Danish Ear Flap Cap are the ones that spring to mind. And now - Hey, Teach! Joins the list. Last year I jumped on the bandwagon & knit Hey, Teach only to underestimate my size & the finished project was too small. So - I ordered the same yarn & set out to knit it again - a size larger - for me. And finally - I have achieved my quest.

Details:

Pattern: Hey, Teach! (knitty - Summer 2008)

Yarn: Knit Picks Shine, Worsted

Needles: KPO US 8

Mods: Nothing except the three-needle bind-off.

Lots of finishing around here. Another project is on its way to FO status. I think that gives me the green light to cast on a new project.

This is some Malabrigo sock yarn, remnants from the Jeanne Shawl that I'm going to use for the 2009 Mystery Sock KAL designed by Kirsten Kapur of Through The Loops. Come along & Join us!

~Ciao

In Season

2009-09-27T12:00:00.001-08:00

As promised, another FO to show:

Details:

Pattern: In Season by Melissa Morgan-Oakes the July kit for the 2009 BMFA Rockin' Sock Club.

Yarn: BMFA Lightweight in Garden Daze colorway. Tina's notes said the color reminded her of heirloom tomatoes. Since I'm not a fan of tomatoes (much to my Grandfather's dismay), I didn't really see it. Other knitters thought the colors reminded them of bell peppers - yup - that I agree with more.

Size: The Medium (64 stitch). I think these will fit someone w/a size 8.5 - 9 foot.

Needles: Knit Picks US 1.5

Dates: Cast on: August 11, 2009
Finished: September 24, 2009

Modifications: None really to the pattern other than I decided to knit these toe-up. I'm a big fan of Judy's Magic Cast on & thought the foot was incredibly easy (1 x 1 rib), that toe-up might be more fun. I used Wendy Knits instructions for a heel-flap & should have followed the instructions for the smaller size as the heel flap is just a tad too wide. I also knit 2 more pattern repeats than the pattern called for. These are relatively short socks, so I'm glad I went with 2 more pattern repeats. I could have done more - plenty of yarn left over. I'd heard about Judy's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off (thanks Michele!!) and decided to give that a go (after the tubular bind-off wouldn't work due to my lack of smaller dpns). JSSBO is fantastic & so easy to execute. You can find the instructions in the latest issue of Knitty.

Intended Recipient: Someone at my children's school fall auction.

A bit blurry, but that's the best I have of the pattern detail.

Feeling good about the progress made with knitting projects this week. As mentioned before, I have a finishing class next Tuesday (mostly for socializing with friends & getting wee bits of assistance) where I hope to get a head start on seaming up my Hey, Teach. I have another project for the school auction that is just about finished & I picked up the 2nd sock of a pair started 5 months ago. It would be nice to finish these up before the September installment of the 2009 RSC arrives & Socktoberfest's Mystery Sock begins.

Must be the drop in temperatures & snow on the mountain tops that has kicked my knitting into high gear. Now I need to think about holiday knitting - maybe hats for the boys' teachers. What about you - what are your holiday knitting plans?

Ciao~

Hello again...

2009-09-26T17:10:00.006-08:00

It's been a while. That's what happens I suppose - school begins, things get a bit more crazy. I'd considered giving up the blogging bit, but I figure - nah, every once in a while is good & I like to post progress of my knitting. So yes, while I haven't been blogging, I have been knitting. In fact, it addition to the flurry of snow on the Chugach Mountains (hello winter - I see you!) there's also been a flurry of knitting around here.

Let's start with my first FO:

Details:

Pattern: Jeanne by Kirsten Kapur of Through The Loops. My Aunt's name is Jeanne, so I thought this would be a great pattern for her birthday.

Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in Velvet Grapes. I used 1 + a smidge of a 2nd skein to make the large size. Now I have to figure out what to make with the remaining yarn. Decisions, Decisions....

Needles: KPO Size 5

Finished Size: Size Large - It ended up with 375 stitches & I didn't take specific measurements, but think it didn't block out as large as it could have. I tried using blocking wires to no avail, so I think it could be blocked a bit larger.

Overall it was a relatively easy knit & fun. The edging took way more time than I thought it would (this will be a belated gift...). The yarn is incredibly soft - I think it will also make a great pair of socks. Kirsten sponsors a Mystery Sock through her blog & Ravelry, so I wonder if I have enough for that. hmm...

Stay tuned - another FO for tomorrow & if Tuesday night's finishing class goes well, I should have another by midweek.

Ciao~

Summer's Over...

2009-08-19T19:26:00.004-08:00

Summer, for teachers and students is over. While teachers returned to work last Thursday, summer's end didn't feel official until today. Today students returned to the classroom. Some teachers think today is the easiest day to plan for: hand out textbooks, go over class rules/expectations, etc. Not me. I think it's one of the most difficult, as I see today as the one day where I can really make an impression on whether or not a student is going to enjoy being in my class. So, I agonize over what I'm going to do. How is my class going to be different, more memorable, even perhaps, more enjoyable than the ones experienced earlier in the day, or yet to come. So - in chemistry I don my tie-dye lab coat, put on the goggles & sing "We Dig Chemistry" loudly and proudly. Some students joined in & others sat in bewilderment, wondering what on earth they were in for during this school year. I figure if I can take a risk and put myself out there, so can they. Success follows risk taking. I certainly find it's more fun than going over rules - I figure I can go over those later & incorporate my philosophies and expectations by examples by what we do in class. "Hi Johnny, Welcome to class - oh, back row, huh? Don't you think you'd rather sit closer to the front in the "learning zone"?" Sure enough - Johnny moves & realizes I mean business. It's all good. Hands on demos & an inquiry based lab & before we know it, class is over & I've taught (and learned) some, the students learned some, and we had fun. Not a bad days' work.

You can see from the photo above that my boys also headed back to school. My big 4th (gasp!) grader is on the left, my 2nd grader on the right. Where does the time go? These photos were a bit impromptu & quick as I'd almost forgotten to take the annual first day of school photos. I usually do this in front of our fireplace, but today - a quick jump in the front yard had to do. My kids are in combo classes (1/2 and 3/4), and loop with their teachers, so both were able to slide right back into school as if an entire summer's worth of fun hadn't taken place. I'm so impressed with how independent they've become and easily settle into the expected educational routine. Very nice and comforting to know they'll do well and be fine as I zip off to do my educational gig.

On the knitting front, I have an FO to show:

Details:

Pattern: Orion Sock (The official sock of Sock Summit '09). No longer available to download from the site, but I did notice at Sock Summit that Blue Moon Fiber Arts was selling hard copies of the pattern - perhaps you could order directly from them.

Yarn: Koigu (dark blue) and Shibui (light blue = "River Rapids") One ball each. I had to dip into a second skein of the Koigu just for the ribbing of sock #2. Can you say, Stash Busting! :0)

Needle: Mostly a US 1 (2.25mm). However, after the fair isle on sock #1, I decided to move up a needle size to a 2.50mm for the fair isle on sock #2. This made it much easier to put sock #2 on over my heel.

Project Dates: Cast on during July & knit part of the foot of sock #1. Working on sock during our Lower 48 vacation & finished up on the plane ride home from Sock Summit on Aug. 9th. Overall a very quick knit. I'd certainly knit this again.

Even though school has commenced, I plan to keep knitting away & hope to share more FOs very soon.

OTN: "Hey Teach" = only 1 sleeve left to knit & then seaming.; Jeanne shawl = edging left, In Season (July RSC kit) = finished foot of sock #1, February Lady Sweater = finishing garter portion (once needles are free from Hey, Teach, I'll be ready to pick this up again.

Enjoy the remainder of your summer & knit on!

Ciao!

Summit Aftermath...

2009-08-14T16:10:00.007-08:00

Sock Summit was kick-ass. I've already talked about the classes - learned some (forgot to mention the new way to SSK taught by Meg Swansen (slip as if to knit, slip next stitch as if to purl, knit both together), but was just pleased as punch to be in a class taught by such highly regarded knitters and designers. I was surrounded by like-minded peeps, or as Mrs. Q describes them - our tribe. It was so comforting that everyone there spoke my language & didn't find it odd at all that I was knitting on a sock, or that I draped said sock over the Sock Summit sign. Love my peeps.

The photo above is my wonderful MIL holding up the little sock she knit during the beginning socks on double points class. It's adorned with a wee ribbon & filled with a fragrant sachet. Wow - she's very pleased & as you can see, 2 of knitting rock stars, Stephanie & Tina are equally impressed. That was another thing I loved about SS09 - you could approach these wonderful knitters and they would talk and interact with you. I'm sure it was quite tiring for them being constantly approached by us star-struck knitters, but they were so gracious. Somehow I doubt other celebs would be as gracious.

What else was kick-ass? The marketplace. To quote my students: OMG! I wandered through Thursday afternoon and was totally overwhelmed (I blame the wool fumes). Everything was so pretty.... I was able to contain myself & bought nothing on my first venture through the market. I don't think I even saw everything because after about an hour and a half, everything just started to blur together & I became overwhelmed.

Luckily, on Friday and Saturday I was recovered enough to buy:

5 skeins of Dream in Color Classy - a worsted weight yarn that is sooooooo yummy. I was first introduced to this yarn when I knit the Tulip Cardigan & have been on a quest to find this so I can knit a sweater for myself. The color way is "Happy Forest" - remind me of that painter guy on PBS who always painted "Happy Little Trees and Happy Little Clouds". I think this yarn is destined to be Norah Gaughan's Eastlake pullover (rav link) when it grows up.

Look what else just happened to jump in my bag....

More Dream in Color - but this time the sock weight, smooshy. However, the 3 skeins I purchased are not destined for a sock, but for a Waves in the Square Shawl (rav link) designed by Sivia Harding.

What I loved about this colorway was that it was dyes specifically for Sock Summit & it won't be available again.

But wait.... There's more!! Flashin' more stash:

"School Supplies" by Knitted Wit. I'd used her yarn in my Tessuto Socks & loved it. She also left me a message saying she'd grown up in Sitka, AK and likes to meet fellow Alaskans. So - when I wandered by her booth, I just had to buy more. The gal who took care of my house & pets while we were away always bugs me about knitted socks & likes bright colors. So.... I thought this was a perfect colorway - very timely for this time of year.

Another Knitted Wit creation called "Take Steps". This colorway is destined to become socks for my boys. I hope I can squeeze 2 pairs of child sized socks from this skein. Perhaps something simple... When asked what color socks they both wanted, they rattled off a litany of colors & started to describe something that would end up requiring intarsia to knit. I. Think. Not. Camouflage was also another request, but I didn't really like any "Camo" colorways I came across. So - this is what I found & both my guys think it's perfect.

I knew I wouldn't leave without something from Blue Moon. I just love their yarns & colorways. I think I'd have to say that STR is one of my faves. So - in honor of Sock Summit, I had to have the colorway "Sock Gate".

No self-respecting chemistry teacher could pass up a colorway called "Carbon Dioxide". I know the pictures are crap (thanks cloudy, rainy skies) - but it's a colorway that, if you could see CO2, works perfectly. A nice mix of greys, blues, and greens. Perhaps a pair of Nanner socks by Wendy Johnson are in order. Or.... perhaps I'll have to find a pattern with a very scientific name.

This is "Beached". I just liked the colors, but after 3 weeks of eating & feeling like a beached whale at times, very apropros.

Hmmm - seems I've left out another skein - a BMFA skein of Twisted in the "Jubilation" colorway. I purchased this on a whim after admiring my friend Sandy's Sea Lettuce scarf by Lucy Neatby. Other purchases include Jared Flood's new book & sets of stitch markers created by (and featured in the Fall edition of VK) knitwit momma.

Yes - a very full 4 days, and I didn't even attend the Sock Hop, Opening Reception, or the Luminary Panel! I arrived at the Rav party late due to dinner out with friends and family. But - no regrets, it was a great time & if there is another Sock Summit (which rumors say there will be - just not next year), you can count me in!

Okay - off to decompress from returning to work by knitting & enjoying a good Petite Syrah.

Ciao!

Summit Conquered!

2009-08-13T18:33:00.006-08:00

I'm back....

Where to begin? (Start at the very beginning.... it's a very good place to start) - Pardon me while I escort Maria Von Trapp out of the kitchen....

Sock Summit was fantastic. Of course it was - anything organized by two of the knitterati's most prominent members couldn't be anything but awesome.

The photo to the left is of the signs posted all over the convention center (with the exception of near the elevators from the parking garage....). I just had to have the Orion sock pose for a quick shot. I so desperately wanted one of these signs. At one point I thought about commandeering the sign with my great friends creating a distraction so I could make my get-away. However - at the time I'd overlooked that the sign was hanging outside the police office within the convention center. Oops. So - rational thought prevailed & the sign was left in place. Besides - how could I have fit it in my luggage?

Wednesday: Registration day! My MIL and I arrived from Sacramento late afternoon & after a brief Seinfeld moment at the rental car desk, met friend Sandy at registration - under the:

dragon boat! The realization that Sock Summit was actually occurring hadn't yet sunk in. I did run into Stephanie P.M. & got over my nervousness about being in the same room with her & approached her to thank her for all of the work she had done to make the summit a reality. I hope I didn't come off as a total gibbering idiot.

Thursday: Day 1 of Classes! :0) My morning found me taking "Moccasin Socks" with Meg Swansen and her assistant, Amy Detjen. What a hoot! I was taking a class from Elizabeth Zimmerman' daughter! I loved it when she referred to EZ as "Ma" - it was classic. Honestly I don't think I needed to take this class to knit the moccasin, but I did learn something new - knitting backwards!!! Meg explained that sometimes when working back and forth, turning the work can be such a pain. So - she examined the knit stitch carefully from the 'other side' and determined she didn't have to turn her work to knit and/or purl back. She could just knit backwards. Crazy! Of course - I was hell bent on finishing my moccasin (I didn't - just a few rows short), so I didn't give the knitting backwards technique much time. But the fact that Meg figured this out is just crazy - I'll have to try it. I'm constantly astonished how clever some people are.

In the haste to secure a class during registration, I signed up for a mini toe-up sock for Thursday afternoon. I didn't pay much attention to what this class was about other than the date, time, and that I didn't have to do any homework. I was hoping to learn how to knit a better short row heel (another class....). So - imagine my surprise when I come to find out the class was being taught by Yarnissima! Her real name is Marjan Hammink. It wasn't until after she'd passed out examples of her socks with the interesting gusset architecture that it clicked who she was. I'm so slow.... Again - nothing new learned in this class as I'd already learned to cable without a cable needle, but I'd made a new knitting friend - GoatLady on Ravelry!

I have to say probably the best part of Sock Summit was meeting blog friends in real life. On Wednesday I had the pleasure of meeting up with Naomi of gnomiejo knits! Then, on Thursday - I met Michele of PDXKnitterati. Here we are in the Knitted Wit! booth:

By chance during a bathroom break, I ran into Ms. Quimby in the hallway! We were both a bit incoherent, without cameras, but as luck would have it - we were sitting in the same row during the World Record attempt on Friday:

Here she proudly displays her bit of knitting (washcloth? swatch?) accomplished during our 15 minutes of fame. I must point out that this photo was taken after the 15 minutes - I can attest that during the 15 minutes I was actively knitting (photo later) and was not operating a camera.
Yes - we are a part of history. We were 2 of the 935 knitters gathered at the Oregon Convention Center on Friday, August 7th to knit continuously on 2 (not 4!) needles for 15 minutes. Crazy! Magic loop is my method of choice, and I didn't even bring straight needles with me. Fortunately, my BKFF, Winston's Mom came to my rescue with some BIG (size 13??) purple acrylic (yes - acrylic) needles. She's such a life saver.

Earlier in the day I was taking J.C. Briar's Bind-Off Bonanza. We'd knit 9 (yes - 9!) small swatches to practice various bind-off techniques. Most I'd tried before, but a couple were new & pretty slick. The best however was the tubular bind off. It's a great technique to use for toe-up socks & incorporates double knitting - something I'd learned at Madrona, but haven't practiced since.

Wow - I think I could just ramble on & on about Sock Summit & still not be able to put together a coherent, descriptive sentence that could do the experience justice.

I'll have to continue later.... today was our first day back at work. I hear the wine bottle calling my name...

Ciao!

2-Fer

2009-08-03T12:33:00.005-08:00

I interrupt this 3-week vacation to present not 1, but TWO FOs:

"Rainbow Sherbet Socks"

Details:

Pattern: Tessuto Socks - The July Knit/Purl Sock Club installment

Yarn: Knitted Wit in "Saturday Market" colorway

Needles: US 2 (2.75 mm)

Comments: A great, toe-up, slipped stitch pattern. Very easy & relatively fast to knit. I really like the texture the slipped-stitch creates. The texture plus the colorway reminds me of rainbow sherbet. I'm not crazy about the short-row garter stitch heel - but I think that's more a function of my ability with the short row heel rather than the pattern. For some reason I've lost my heel mojo - I need to go & inspect earlier projects to recreate acceptable SRH. My only real issue with the socks is that they are a bit looser than I'd like. I think either a smaller stitch count, or a smaller needle size would take care of this. Otherwise, a great sock to take (and finish!) on vacation. I cast these on after we took off from Anchorage & finished the foot by the time we landed in LAX.

Next....

Details:

Pattern(s): Just in case you've been out of touch with the knitting world, it's the infamous Baby Surprise Jacket (BSJ) designed by Elizabeth Zimmerman. This baby sweater pattern is the work of a knitting genius (EZ, not me!). Again, I'd forgotten to take a photo of the sweater before I'd seamed up the arms - it really looks like an amoeba!

The booties are the Saartje's Bootees. These are just the right accessory for this sweater & helps to use up most of the skein of yarn.

Yarn: BMFA Socks That Rock, Mediumweight - "Typhoon Tina" colorway.

Needles: US 4 KPH (Knit Pick Harmony)

Recipient: My dear friend, Hilarey's baby "David Matthew" (at least that's what I've named him until further notice). I hope the weather in San Diego gets cool enough after he's born (he's due in Nov) so he can actually wear a knitted wool garment.

So I guess that's actually 3 FOs! Wow - however, most of the knitting of the BSJ was completed back in May, and the booties were finished during our June Alaska road trip (gee - I still need to post about that!) Only the socks were truly cast on & finished during our recent vacation.

Less than one week of vacation left, but plenty of fun to be had. Sock Summit begins this week! Here's what I'm working on:

Pattern: "Orion's Sock" - the official sock of Sock Summit 09. This was a pattern available through the Sock Summit swag shop. Rumor has it that it's no longer available to download. Perhaps it'll resurface during SS09. Most of the sock (gusset to ribbed cuff) was completed during our 10 hour drive from Las Vegas to Sacramento.

Off to cast on sock #2. Hope to bring the blog up to speed on San Diego, Las Vegas, and Sock Summit.

Ciao!

Where it All Began....

2009-07-27T12:00:00.006-08:00

On Monday, my DH and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. How crazy is that - time seems to be speeding up! To celebrate, we left our children with their grandparents at the family cabin on Palomar Mt. while we stayed in downtown La Jolla for 2 nights. For old times' sake we decided to visit our Alma Matter: The University of California, San Diego (UCSD). We both graduated from UCSD's Revelle College (designed for science nerds) in 1993 - DH in the traditional 4 years, me - 4+. After graduation, he and I loaded up his 1978 green VW pop-top and drove (with lots of push-starting/popping the clutch - think "Little Miss Sunshine") to Alaska. The rest, as it is said, is history (and hopefully a very long future).

Here's my dorm - one of Revelle college's "mud-huts" called Galathea. My room my freshman year is the corner room on the 3rd floor. My friends and I thought it was a great idea to live in the same dorm again during our sophomore year (the year DH and I met) - an idea that quickly got old. We moved to the 4th floor on the opposite side. DH lived in an adjacent mud-hut called "Discovery" - often shorted to "Disco" by some practical jokesters. I wonder how many times UCSD had to replace the -very letters.

This is the Revelle anchor - outside the cafeteria which at the time was named "Anchorview". DH and I both worked there during school. Say what you will about working for the dining services - not very glamorous, I know. However, when it comes to cutting your grocery bill as a poor college student, working at the 'caf' was just the ticket. The anchor is constantly getting make-overs. In the dead of night, groups of students will come and re-paint and decorate the anchor. One contribution while we were at school was the anchor covered in cotton balls.

This is Urey Hall - home of the physics department. However, most Revelle college students know this building for the annual Watermelon drop. According to Revelle history, a physics professor asked his students one year how large a splat a watermelon would make if it were dropped from the top (7th floor) of Urey Hall. Good science is based on experimental results, so of course students took a watermelon and chucked it from the top of Urey. It is now an annual tradition - complete with a watermelon talent show to determine the watermelon king/queen. After the drop, students enjoy watermelon chilled in the Revelle fountain.

This is what we knew as Central Library, now known as Geisel library. It was renamed in honor of Theodore Geisel - better known as Dr. Seuss. His widow has made countless, generous contributions to UCSD, so in 1995 the library was renamed in their honor. It's a fantastic library, one of 9 on the campus and one I wish I could say I took great advantage of. However..... I think I only used it maybe twice. Primarily as it was far from my dorm & 2nd, being in the library was more of a distraction for me. I'd always find something else to do - doodling, counting calories to maintain racing weight as the varsity coxswain, (the link takes you to a great LA Times article about being a female coxswain for Men's crew. I was on the women's crew - but one of my teammates, Meghan and a former suite-mate in my dorm, Annette, and my former coach, Jack, are all quoted) or just people watching.

This is the Sun God - a piece of art in the Stuart collection and icon of the UCSD campus. I remember when I first arrived on campus, my dad thought this was the San Diego chicken. :0) This is where the Sun God festival used to take place while we were at school. I think I only got to attend the music festival once, as the timing always seemed to coincide when I was up in Sacramento for the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships.

The trip down memory lane was fun - it's amazing how much the campus has changed since we were there. I'm glad that not only did UCSD provide me with a fantastic education but also the opportunity to meet my fabulous DH. UCSD was just the beginning of many, wonderful adventures.

Happy Anniversary DH!!

Put Me In The Zoo!

2009-07-24T14:00:00.000-08:00

Our San Diego visit continued Friday with a visit to the world famous San Diego Zoo. We've visited the zoo countless times, but still find it quite fun. Our primary reason to visit during this trip was to visit the newly opened Elephant exhibit. What used to be The Mesa is now Elephant Odyssey. You begin the journey through the expansive exhibit by walking through pre-historic times. A mock-up of the La Brea tar pits and other fossils great you upon your arrival. The exhibit suggests what southern California looked like and the critters that inhabited the region in prehistoric times. I think the highlight of the exhibit for the boys were the numerous models of various animals.

"Ouch!" - Disclaimer: No 7 year olds were harmed in the taking of this photo. Feet belong to an elephant model.

Lions, Tigers, and Bears - Oh My! While we didn't visit the bears (with the exception of the Polar Bears) We did see Lions and Tigers. My oldest loves Tigers, so of course we have oodles of photos. Of course - tigers aren't always cooperative with photo shoots (how fickle models can be!). So - most of the photos captured are of the tiger "making room for his next meal". I'll spare you the visual.

The favorite part of the zoo for my youngest was the Harpy Eagle. During 1st grade his class engaged in a theme study of Rain Forests. One of the animals found in various rain forests is the Harpy Eagle. While a very interesting looking critter, what fascinated my son the most was that this bird was able to carry off Howler Monkeys. What skill! Good thing they're kept in an enclosure.

Monkey See, Monkey Do! -

I saw this at one of the exhibits - thought it was a great reminder for times when we think we are powerless to right injustices in our society.

Still knitting - something to show soon.

Ciao!

Sports Fans

2009-07-24T08:52:00.005-08:00

Our 3-week vacation has begun. DH had been down in San Diego taking a class for the past 2 weeks, so the boys & I flew down Monday night to join him. Direct flight from Anchorage to LAX - very nice! Now that AK air charges for checked bags, we carried on 2 bags & checked 1 + carseats (no charge for those, TG), made getting out of LAX relatively easy. (Finding the correct parking garage is another story..)

Our first event was attending the World Football Challenge on Tuesday night at the Rose Bowl. My favorite English Premiere League team, Chelsea FC, was playing. I've been pretty excited about this game & seeing my favorite player, Michael Ballack. However, come to find out the night before that MB had injured his toe during their stint in Seattle, and was flying home for treatment. What?!? Apparently there are better toe doctors in the UK? Oh well -

Team Stretch

We were seated in the Chelsea fan area- behind the south end goal. Not too bad, and the price was right. We were able to watch Petr Cech (goalkeep) warm up. Very exciting. This was also the goal Chelsea was shooting for during the 2nd half & where we were able to watch Lampard convert a penalty kick for a 2 - 0 lead. A man behind us gave my youngest a Chelsea flag to wave during the match. Apparently the man was from London, so the flag is truly authentic. He let us keep it & will be a nice adornment to my classroom this year.

Overall a great evening - Will Ferrell was the honorary captain for Chelsea, Charlize Theron was in attendance to support the Special Olympics, and I spied Ashton Kutcher (w/o Demi) sitting on the sidelines. Pretty fun. Finding our car was quite the challenge after - most fans were parked at the adjacent golf course & there was really no rhyme nor reason to finding your spot. We wandered the course in the dark for quite a bit before we were successful.

Day 2 of vacation brought us to Petco Park to watch the trouncing of the Padres by the Florida Marlins. Pretty quick game w/a 5 - 0 final in favor of Florida. Bummer... I guess all of our good karma for the team of choice wore off the night before.

The nice thing about the baseball game is that it provides plenty of opportunity for knitting. During the soccer match, you stand for the entire 90 minutes w/non-stop action. Not very conducive to knitting (at least not for me). So - I've almost finished sock #1 that I cast-on during our flight from Anchorage Monday evening. My goal is to finish at least 2 pairs of socks prior to Sock Summit.

Well - more to come. Plans during our San Diego visit include time at the pool, the beach, and a visit to the World Famous San Diego Zoo.

Perhaps some knitting photos on the next post. Before you log off for the day, be sure to wander over to Winston's Mom blog to wish her a happy birthday! Ciao!

Speaks to Me....

2009-07-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

In honor of the latest Harry Potter Flick.....

see more Lol Celebs

This just made me laugh so hard. I think I need this as a poster to hang in my classroom. Anyone see the film yet? What did you think???

FSSHW!!

2009-07-14T16:50:00.004-08:00

Stumped on what FSSHW could possibly mean? Why: Finished Sock Summit Home Work of course! :0)

Details:

Class: Elizabeth Zimmerman's Moccasin Socks taught by her daughter, Meg Swansen
This wasn't a first choice for Sock Summit for me, but think it'll be fun nonetheless. Most sock knitters are aware of the issues 30,000 potential Sock Summit attendees had on the SS server (sounds like a doomed ship!). When I tried to log on at the appointed time, the server was experiencing difficulties (with 30,000 hits, no wonder!!). I had to log off & try again as I had a *cough* spa appointment *cough* to go to (I was on my Alaska cruise at the time). I know - no sympathy for me. Anywho - when I got back to register, most classes were full, including all of my 1st & 2nd choices. So - this looked interesting - a sock with a reinforced foot - might be quite cozy during the winters!

Yarn: Filature Lemieux Québécoise - 100% wool. This is the wool suggested for the class. Being the model student I am, I of course didn't want to go with just anything..... Being that this yarn is 100% wool, it feels a bit scratchy. I'm hoping after a nice soak once the pair is complete, they'll soften up.

Needles: KPHW: US Size 5. Yup - nice big needle + heavier weight yarn = quick knit!!!

Pattern: EZ Moccasin socks with at K2P2 rib along the leg & foot. Nothing too fancy, but the leg isn't the showcase of the project, so a simple ribbing is quite okay. Made for great knitting during The Closer & the kids soccer games (they each scored a goal in their respective games - whoot!)

HW Details: Cast on 44 stitches, do a K2P2 (or some variant) for 6 - 8" (I think mine are about 6.75"). Place 6 stitches on a holder for the heel & then continue flat with slip 1, ssk, pattern to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1, turn. Easy as pie. Since it was so quick, I opted to get the leg done for both socks - that way I can focus on the foot & heel during class & will be more likely to finish these in a timely manner after sock summit is over.

As my reward? Perhaps I'll cast on another pair of socks (those RSC Fraggle socks haven't seen the light of day in a while) & perhaps have a piece of:

Blueberry Boy Bait - a recipe I discovered via fellow knitter, PDXKnitterati. The cake is quite moist & a yummy way to use fresh blueberries. The wild berries aren't yet ripe here in So.Central AK, but Fred Meyer's has had them in the store on sale recently.

A+ for me! :0) Ciao!

FO: Ishbel

2009-07-13T12:00:00.005-08:00

Ta da!! May I present, Ishbel:

Details:

Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolde's Whimsical Little Knits collection.

Size: Large - too big to be worn as a neck scarf, but I think it will be lovely draped over the shoulders to ward off the evening chill.

Yarn: Queensland Rustic Tweed - a wool/alpaca blend. I used less than 2 skeins. I'd estimate about 1.5

Needle: KPO Size 6. I think I could easily have gone up a needle size or two.

Mods: Inspired by Blue Garter's Ishbel, I decided to add nupps as well. These add a nice finishing touch to the scalloped edges. I tried to knit the nupps as loose as possible so that when I was doing the purl bind-off negotiating purling 6 stitches at a time wouldn't be too cumbersome. I think I did an okay job, although during the bind-off phase which took me a couple of hours, I kept thinking, "gee, this seemed like a good idea at the time..."

Overall this is a great introduction to lace, and it is my first completed shawl. Don't know if I'll knit it again, as repeating the same charts over and over gets a little tedious. I'm glad I'm finished (it did go rather quickly as it's fairly easy) and I'm happy with the finished product. It's destined as a gift for a friend who's been so kind during my knitting forays to the pacific northwest.

I'm on a roll - expect a few more FOs in the near future!

Ciao!

Take A Hike!

2009-07-12T16:48:00.005-08:00

As my reward for finishing Ishbel on time (on the 11th - a day early!), I thought while it's blocking I'd take advantage of the glorious weather we've been having and get the kids out of the house. I asked the youngest where we should go & he said 'to Eagle River'. I haven't been to the Eagle River Visitor Center in years, so I thought this would be a fine destination.

I love getting outdoors, but I must admit that my inertia over the past few years has increased. It's just so easy to stay home & hang out. I think that's due to being so crazy busy during the school year that the summer invites pure leisure. The Eagle River nature center is only about a 30 minute drive from our house. From there you can access several trails, including the 26 mile Crow Pass trail. Hubby and I hiked it (overnight) about 10 years ago & I'd love to do it again when the boys are older as it includes a crossing of Eagle River. Check out Midwife Knits' blog for incredible photos - it'll make you want to don your pack right away!

The hike today was not nearly as ambitious - 2 kids + geriatric dog doesn't lend itself to anything too strenuous. We opted to hike down the Crow Pass trail to Eagle River about a 1.7 mile walk (3.4 miles round trip) according to the signs. The walk is pretty easy & takes you through beautiful trees & ferns.

A few boulders along the way provide opportunities for king of the mountain.

Breaks in the trees provide views of the Chugach Mountains and Eagle River valley.

At the Rapids campground area there is a set of stairs leading down to the river. A shallow pool at the shore allowed the kids to get their hats wet for some welcome relief from the sun and heat. Joulee (our dog) greatly appreciated this as well.

All I kept thinking here was "Kids Don't Float - wear life vests". Oops - didn't bring those along, so I was on constant alert. I was more worried about Iain who has a history with falling into rivers. Happy to report that he stayed dry. :0)

Happy kids to be outside (and at the turnaround point). All in all, an easy hike for kids & elderly pets. I was happy Joulee was able to make the journey, much of it with a 'pep in her step'. My overactive imagination kept my mind filled with images of her collapsing on the trail and me having to carry her up the hill to the car. We spent many hours hiking and skiing these trails when she was a pup and younger dog, so I figured if this was the afternoon she chose to leave us, then it would be doing what she loved to do. Fortunately this did not come to pass and she's happily lounging in the shade of the backyard with me.

Getting out with the kids on my own felt great - just like changing the head light of my car and replacing our wireless router on my own.

Now to rest before the evening's soccer game. FO: Ishbel coming soon!

Get out and enjoy the outdoors! Ciao!

Out of the Mouth of Babes...

2009-07-10T15:33:00.005-08:00

From my youngest this morning: "Happy Birthday, Mom! How old are you?" When I told him, he said, "Man, you're old...". Yup - better old than dead! :0) Not over the hill, yet - but I can sure see the summit! :0)

On this day many, many, years ago:

1) Richard Nixon was President of the United States

2) Mini Skirts & Bell-bottoms were in fashion.

3) "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)" by Three Dog Night was on top of the billboard charts

4) Gasoline cost .36 per gallon (not sure in which city...)

5) According to HistoryOrb.com, in 1040 - Lady Godiva rides naked on horseback to force her husband, the Earl of Mercia, to lower taxes. Let's hear it for strong women! :0)

The following celebrities & I share the same birthday:

Adam Hills, Australian comedian
Gary LeVox, American singer (Rascal Flatts)
Jason Orange, UK pop singer and dancer (Take That)
John Simm a British actor

DH is out of town, so we had a mini-celebration and early presents (cute dress) last week. The boys gave me a Starbucks gift card (feeding my addiction), but probably what I'm most excited about is this:

Before:
After:
A new insulated garage door! Fancy windows (although the jury is out as to whether or not I should call the company and ask to have 2 more installed. What do you think? The angle of the garage frame doesn't cut of the corners as much as we thought they might, but my dad thinks adding additional windows will cause a greater gap near the brush border.) - Supposedly this new fangled garage will increase our energy efficiency (R-value of old garage door: maybe 3 - 4. R-value of new door: probably 12!) Whoot!!! The increased energy value and the fact the entire house won't shudder as the door opens & closes is exciting indeed.

Tonight's plans include a BBQ at my dear friend (BKFF - Best Knitting Friend Forever), Winston's Mom. Since the kids aren't at the age where cooking is really an option, having great friends willing to do something special is great. I'm certainly lucky!

On the knitting front, Ishbel is not yet done, but I'm ready to move into chart C. To be honest, knitting charts A & B multiple times has lost it's charm. I'm ready for something 'new'. Hopefully I'll have a FO to share soon.

Until then - happy knitting! Ciao~

The Way It Should Be....

2009-07-06T15:16:00.006-08:00

Summer is here in all of it's glory! The holiday weekend was fantastic - bright, sunny skies with temperatures in the low to mid 70's throughout Anchorage. Alaskans really can't ask for anything better....

The thermometer reading to the left is from today - in the shade! Yes, it's a hot one over here on the east side of town, although the bright skies have made way for a slight haze. Not sure if there's a fire somewhere blowing smoke this direction, ash from Mt. Redoubt's February eruption getting stirred about, or just dust in general unsettled due to lack of rain. In any case, we'll take the warm weather.

Since we don't own a pool (most Alaskans don't), the best way to cool off is the classic 'run through the sprinkler'. Waters the lawn & berries (the strawberries have taken off!) & entertains the kids simultaneously - perfect!

To dry off, the boys & their neighborhood buddies went into the front (please ignore the clover - the front lawn is having issues this year...) to lie in the sun. The photo op was just too cute to pass up. And in case you think I haven't been blogging because I haven't been knitting, well - let me present the current state of Ishbel:

I'm through the stockinette portion & charts ABA. Just charts BACDE & bind off to do. Whew! I'm using a US6 and Queensland Rustic Tweed, a DK wool/alpaca mix. I probably could have gone up a needle size or 2, but I figured gauge doesn't matter too much for a shawl. At least that's my story & I'm sticking with it! :0) My goal is to finish & be ready for blocking by July 12th. I'd like to have it totally done before the boys & I leave for the lower 48 on the 20th (San Diego, wedding in Las Vegas, and of course Sock Summit in Portland! )

Well - better go if I'm going to finish Ishbel on time. Ciao!

Yeah Buddy!

2009-06-24T12:58:00.006-08:00

Vive Le Football! Today Team USA beat Team Spain in the Confederations Cup 2 - 0 to advance to the semifinals. DH & I are incredibly happy & of course a bit shocked that Team USA, a team that barely made it out of group 1, beat the #1 soccer team in the world! Whoot!! The 2nd goal by Clint Dempsey was via some luck (can we say SHOOT THE BALL DONOVAN!), but as I tell my team when I'm coaching - it doesn't matter how the ball gets into the net; you don't earn style points in soccer.

So - Team USA will face the winner of the Brazil/South Africa semi-final on Sunday. I think perhaps I'll invite my over-35 coed team over to cheer on Team USA & get psyched for our evening game. By the way - I've scored 2 hat tricks (6 goals total) in as many games - Whoot!!

To appease my knitting friends:

OTN:

1) Hey, Teach #2. I've finished the back & half of the left front. I began this project in early spring only for it to sit at the bottom of my knitting bag. I'm using size 8 needles which I needed for another project (see below), but alas this sweater had other ideas. I could not get one of the needle tips off to use on the other project. I guess this is a way of Hey, Teach telling me to get with the program & finish it up already.

2) February Lady Sweater. I'm not sure when I began this project, although I do know I've frogged it once to drop down a needle size & change garment sizes. I just need to finish the 3rd button hole & then begin the lace section. I was looking for some easy garter stitch as a break from the current sock project (see below), but forgot I'd switched out the needle tips for the Hey, Teach. Since Hey,Teach wasn't willing to give up the tips, FLS has to be patient for just a wee bit longer. Not like I'll be wearing the sweater any time soon.

3) Fraggle Squiggle Socks (rav link)- the May 2009 RSC installment. I've almost finished sock #1 & I'm not feeling the love. The colorway, which I love, is too busy for the lace pattern. I'd considered frogging it during our week-long road trip (more on that later), but decided against it since it was the only project I had with me. I think I'll sally forth, but it won't be a priority. I'd really love to see this knit up in a semi-solid so the lace pattern can be easily seen and appreciated. Of course, I'm not volunteering for the job.

Off-TN:

1) Cabled Wrap (rav link) - I've just decided, after ~10+inches (out of 67) that the yarn weight I'm using will not create the drape I want for this project. So.... I'm either going to use this yarn (Queensland Collection Rustic Tweed) on an Ishbel or Braided Wrap (rav link) - we'll see...

2) Another BSJ & matching booties for a dear friend. - I still have to block these & get them packed up before they are revealed here.

Lots to do during summer vacation & of course this doesn't even mention the homework (can you believe it??) I have to do for the Sock Summit.

Ciao!

Jammin'

2009-06-14T16:19:00.002-08:00

Thanks to my fab friend from college, I've been introduced to Dave Matthews Band. I have to say they rank up near Duran Duran as one of my favorites. I've had the chance to see them perform live over Labor Day weekend at The Gorge for the past 2 years. Great shows! Just recently they released a long awaited new album called "Big Whiskey & The Groo Grux King". I've been spending my spare time jamming to these new tunes.

Thanks to ravelry, I also stumbled on the new video "Funny The Way It Is". Check it out:

This tune is one of my faves from the album along w/Spaceman, Why I Am, and Lying in the Hands of God.

If you are looking for something fun - I highly recommend you go & check this album out.

Jam on!

Instant Gratification

2009-06-13T12:00:00.001-08:00

After completing the BSJ, I had tons of yarn left over. I thought a cute pair of booties to match would be just the thing. Ravelry comes through again. May I present Saartje's Bootees (rav link) for Allie:

Aren't they the cutest? Almost makes me want to have another baby. No wait, scratch that. I'm happy with my 2, happy, healthy, potty-trained, energetic boys. I've been overheard to say that if I were to get pregnant again, I'd be a wee bit unhappy about it. However - I think these booties would help take the edge off.

Details:

Yarn: BFMA STR Mediumweight in Faulty Dyer colorway
Needle: Knit Picks Options US 2
Cast On: Evening of June 11
Cast Off: Afternoon of June 12
Size: Large

I'd guess the actual knitting took maybe 2 hours. Crocheting the buttonholes & sewing on the buttons went pretty fast too. A project that was over all too soon.

I hope baby Allie likes them!

FO - Surprise!!!

2009-06-12T17:49:00.005-08:00

Hooray - another FO & again, not a pair of socks. Now it seems like I'm on the baby sweater kick.

May I present Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket

Completed BSJ w/buttons, originally uploaded by Arctic Knitter.

This is actually the 2nd BSJ I've knit - but the 1st that I've finished. I cast on one earlier for the impending birth of my friend Jen & Steve's baby #2. The original BSJ was knit w/yarn in shades of blue. Then - on June 2 we received word that shades of pink might be more appropriate for the BSJ. Fortunately I'd thought ahead & had cast on during the Alaska cruise. Now that baby #2 had arrived with two X chromosomes, I was inspired to finish the BSJ completely. The original BSJ will have to wait for a baby who possesses a Y chromosome.

I love how it resembles nothing like a sweater while you're knitting & even after you bind off. I love how Elizabeth Zimmerman asks you to trust her. Trust indeed! Once markers are placed appropriately, construction is rather simple. Above you can see the 'amoeba' on the left. I had already seamed the top shoulder before I took a photo. I think I was just too excited to finish!

Inspired by Knitting Nuggets' YouTube video, I decided to also add two eyelet rows for a little pizazz. I added the first right after the increase in stitches to add fullness for the cuffs and then again after I bound off stitches for the neck. I think it looks pretty cute - just right for a little beba with two X chromosomes.

Details:

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock: Mediumweight
Colorway: Faulty Dyer
Needle: Knitpicks Harmony Interchangeable in US4
Mods: Eyelet rows, 3 buttons rather than 5, 3 stitch i-cord bind-off with integrated buttonholes.
Size: 3 - 6 months, I'd guess

I think I'll knit this several times more - great TV knitting. Now to find recipients!

~Ciao

I'm Back....

2009-06-09T17:19:00.004-08:00

Hello - did you miss me? Wait - don't answer that; you probably didn't even know I was gone. :0) Typical excuses for not blogging much lately:

1) End of school year craziness
2) End of JV soccer season craziness (we tied our last game, hooray)
3) Quick vacation w/my aunt didn't leave time or availability for blogging (see back-posts)
4) The wonderful springtime sun & warm weather lures me away from the computer.
5) No completed knitting projects. Not that I'm not knitting, just nothing totally finished to share...
The photo above is from the blooming Iris in my backyard. Isn't it beautiful? I haven't seen it bloom for three years as we've been out of state during the last 2 summers. I'm really happy we've decided to stay home (in AK) this summer rather than hit the open road.

Leaving Alaska in the summer is always a risky venture. Not because the travel is dangerous, but because you might be missing out on the spectacular weather of summertime in AK. Summertime is the pay back for enduring long, cold, dark winters. It seems however, that the past 2 summers that we've left, the weather here turned to crap. So - I'm taking full responsibility for the marvelous weather we've been having. Sun, sun, and more sun. Warm weather - in fact, I'd venture to even call it hot. (remember - AK standards for hot are a tad different than the lower 48 standards) So - my forecast is for more glorious weather until July 20th - the day we depart for a trip to California, Las Vegas (sister's wedding), and Oregon (sock summit!!)

So - time for some 'back posting' to catch up with my shenanigans over the past couple of weeks.

~Ciao

All things must come to an end....

2009-05-31T19:01:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how quickly 7 days at sea went by! Our last day was spent cruising College Fjords in Prince William Sound. I've been to the fjords several times, but again - still enjoy the magnificent scenery.

During the last afternoon, Aunt Sis & I participated "On Deck for the Cure" - a 3K walk around the ship to support Breast Cancer Research. A great way to get exercise (they say on average cruisers gain 3 pounds per day!!) and to support a fantastic cause.

Here's a photo to show why gaining weight is a distinct possibility:
Yum! Add to that the daily cocktail hour & dessert & if you weren't careful you'd be hauling around your own personal excess baggage!

Here's a photo of our table companions - Jerry & Marsha from Minnesota. Vesi from Romania and Justin from the Philippines were our waiters for the week. We had 2 other people at our table, but they only dined with us only one night. I guess the siren call of the 24 hour buffet was stronger than our riveting nightly conversation.

Cheers!Isn't it pretty?

Alaska at It's Best

2009-05-30T18:51:00.001-08:00

While on the cruise people wondered why an Alaskan would choose to take an Alaska cruise. I explained that it affords the opportunity for relaxation hard to get at home with 2 young boys & the chance to see parts of Alaska not accessible by the road system.

Our next 'port of call' if you will was Glacier Bay National Park. OMG - I think I'll let the photos speak for themselves. Even though I live here, I am always in awe of the majestic wonders of Alaska.

Not the best photos, I know - but take my word for it - this is a place everyone should visit. I'd love to go back & perhaps do some backpacking & just enjoy the scenery. I can see why many environmental groups are concerned with cruise ships entering the bay - I'd like to think the ship left no lasting damage.

Spectacular!

Juneau & Skagway

2009-05-29T17:56:00.000-08:00

Did you know the capital of Alaska is Juneau? The 3rd largest city in Alaska with approximately 30,000 residents & the seat of our state government (much to the dislike of many Alaskans). I'd last visited Juneau back in high school when Steve Cowper was our governor. Now, we have the infamous Sarah Palin, who helped put my hometown of Wasilla, AK on the map, but who couldn't be further from sharing my views on many subjects.

Let's digress from politics, shall we? Juneau was fantastic - the weather was fabulous. We spent the morning walking around downtown & just happened to wander into a knit shop called Skeins. (What a shocker!) I purchased two skeins of sock yarn dyed by Bobbi Daniels of Raven Frog Yarns in Sitka. Of course - did I take a photo of this yarn? No. And right now, I'm just too lazy to go inside and upstairs to get it out of the stash. Perhaps another time...

The afternoon was spent on a tour called "The Taste of Juneau". The tour visited the Alaskan Brewing Company, Mendenhall Glacier, and a local cooking school. However, I had to cut the tour short due to some ailment (not Swine Flu). As soon as I entered the brewery & the smell was overwhelming. So - I took a cab back to the ship to spend the afternoon in our cabin. A quick nap, a warm beverage & I was good as new & ready for happy hour.

Next Port of Call: Skagway

As we cruised up the inside passage, our last land port of call was Skagway. In 1898, Skagway was the beginning of the Yukon Gold Rush. Many a miner arrived hoping to make their fortune, only to be thwarted by the rough terrain, and complications of going up the White Pass. Miners were required to have 2,000 lbs of equipment before they were permitted to enter Canada! That meant taking several trips up and down the 2,000 ft pass ferrying needed equipment. I don't remember the exact numbers (this is why I'm not a history teacher!) but I'd guess less than 1% of those hoping to strike it rich actually did so.
We took a short excursion up the White Pass. Since our travels brought us into British Columbia, we were required to bring passports along. Notice the knit hat & down vest? Skagway is Tlingit for "Land of the North Wind" - no lie. It was windy & chilly, so knits were apropos for the day.

A shot of the famous White Pass railway. While our tour was relatively short, it was probably the best of the trip. Our tour guide Paul something-or-other was fantastic. He was very knowledgeable about the area & great fun. He spends his time tending bar in Monterrey, CA and then he and his wife, whom he met in Skagway, drive north to drive tours during the summer. Seems like a fun life.

Of course - after the tour we headed to the spa to enjoy the thermal suite - a room with heated stone beds and scented steam rooms. Pure luxury! And don't forget - happy hour!

North to Alaska

2009-05-27T17:30:00.000-08:00

Back Post #1:

The week after school let out for the summer (the Friday before Memorial Day weekend), I met my fabulous aunt Sis in Vancouver for a 7 day northbound cruise to Alaska. Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, and College Fjord were ports of call along the way.

For anyone considering a trip to AK, I highly recommend this start to exploring our marvelous state. First off - travel in May if you can. May tends to provide the best weather - sunshine & relatively dry. Then, after disembarking in Whittier or Seward (Whittier is closer to Anchorage), rent a car & do your own thing to explore. Lots of companies offer packaged tours, but remember you are on their time schedule - just a suggestion.

My aunt is my father's sister. Many of you may not know, but my father was killed in Vietnam - so she, and his twin brother, are my only biological/blood relatives that I have. I was fortunate enough to have a family (my mother remarried) that helped me maintain a strong relationship with my father's family. Aunt Sis (as I've always known her) is fantastic - she is a retired teacher & tons of fun to be around. She hadn't visited AK since I was married (almost 13 years ago), so we felt it was high time for a return trip. We took the 7-day cruise aboard the Island Princess. I chose this cruise line primarily for the fact that it went all the way to Whittier rather than disembark in Seward.

Day 1: Get acquainted with the ship and participate in the mandatory 'muster' drill.
Doesn't she look smashing in the orange life preserver?

We opted for a stateroom with a balcony. We were on the port side which provided plenty of afternoon sun. In fact, the head maitre'd, Vincenzo, gave me a hard time for the raccoon face attributed to wearing sunglasses.

Port of Call #1 - Ketchikan

Ketchikan is the rainiest place in Alaska. Rather than measure the amount of rainfall using inches, they use feet! I think I remember they have over 200 days of rainfall during the year - no shocker as to why the environs is a lush coastal rain forest. We left the ship to take a quick walk through the rain forest and coastal wildlife preserve. We didn't see any wildlife, but had a chance to experience a quick downpour.

This is a caribou - kept in at the preserve, for a reason I don't know. Perhaps to give tourists a chance to say they fed a reindeer?

The stop in Ketchikan was brief, so we didn't take time to wander into down town & find the local knitting shop. In 1995, my hubby and I (fiance at the time) took a cruise in the Caribbean with Princess as a perk for my summertime employment (I used to drive tour buses). We missed the ship at one port & had to have the pilot boat rush us to the ship & climb up a rope ladder to get on. Pretty crazy, so now I'm very cautious about being back at the ship at the correct time.

Of course, that meant being on board in time for happy hour.

Our evening ritual was to visit the Crooner's Bar on deck 7 - the Martini Bar & decorated with scenes of Frank Sinatra and his gang. We got to know Christian our bar tender & sampled several varieties of Martini. Yum Yum.... I think I need to go to a store & buy the appropriate supplies.

Next stop - Juneau!