Catching Up

I procrastinate. Now I have to do a catch-up post to tell you all what I have been up to. So you better comment! (x-tina - ahem). I am going to do this in list format. I am a major list maker and I need to do it this way this one time so I don't forget anything.

1) Thanks to Macoco

I want to send out a shout out (woot woot!) to my friend Macoco for sending me this Mexico City guide and the lovely (yet completely uncessary) yarn.

The book totally came in handy on our vacation last week (pictures to come), and the extra commentary handwritten by Macoco herself was an added bonus.

If you want a preview of what my vacation was all about, Macoco has allowed me to share a link to her Flickr Mexico pics. You may want to pay special attention to this picture, as well as this one, this other one, and yet one more. This is what vacationing in Mexico is ALL about. (Especially when your boyfriend's mother was born there and she wants you to experience Mexico to the fullest. (don't judge her folks - seriously this is all I did while in Mexico).
2) Dad Show

My dad is an artist. If any of you ever meet him he will tell you that -repeatedly. His ego is HUGE, it gets unbearable sometimes, but somehow we manage to love him like crazy. Last year, he only submitted his work to one gallery. That one gallery chose two of his paintings and showed them this past month. His ego is now completly unmanageable. However, we all managed to go support him. Here are some pictures of us "being proud". (hola pa!) Not cause I am his daughter (or because he promised me yarn from his trip to Argentina) but his were some of the coolest paintings, if not THE coolest paintings. I did manage to find some knitted work, and of course snapped some pics to share with you. The first one is of a crochetted(?) kimono (my brother looks impressed) and the second one is knitted trash bags. I do not have the name of the pieces/artists, but if I find them I will update this post. 3) Cutest Baby EVER!

You all know her by now. And she keeps getting freaking CUTER! These pictures of her wearing a bolero knitted by her (soon to become) favorite auntie (ok, ok, one of three favorite aunties) was taken a few weeks ago. Reese has informed me today that she has almost outgrown it. It maes me sad, but yet excited to see her grow up.

4) Marice (and her lomester made scarf) Dances with the Stars


About a year and a half ago I made Marice this Windy City scarf because she is the best person to work with. She finally got a digital camera and took the scarf to the Dancing with the Stars show. Her and I discuss reality t.v. all the time because we are junkies. Well, I am dragging her into the junkie category, but I do not think she will disagree. Isn't she rocking it?
5) Argentina gift updates

I finished them in time! Yahooooooo!!! My dad is over there right now (buying me yarn and things) and he has already taken pictures. As soon as I get them, you will see them.

6) Coming up...
I started and almost finished a scarf during my trip to Mexico. I will show you pics of everything as soon as possible. I also am knitting away on my Phildar Swing Jacket and will show pics of that too.

So now... go ahead, comment! (X-tina!!!)

My Sunday started at 5:30 a.m.

Allright, everyone! Guess why I got up at 5:30 a.m.:

a) I wanted to go for an early morning 30 degree weather
b) I needed to get ready for the TBS marathon of The Closer
c) I was visiting Reese and Ava woke me up
d) 60% off yarn

I know, you are all thinking a) because I am so dedicated to running and exercising. But you are wrong, I got up at 5:30 to make sure I got the SpringWater Fibers annual sale. Olga, Ava and I had decided on doing this about a month ago because we love yarn and we love yarn on sale. The sale started at 7 a.m. so we met at 6:30 to have enough time to stop by the local Starbucks. (A total necesity at this early hour).

The streets of Alexandria at this hour are very quiet. And so, when the light refused to turn green so I could make a left turn, I kinda-sorta got tired of waiting and kinda-sorta went. There were no police cars around, so I was safe. We drove down the road for about 5 minutes when all of the sudden I saw the shining blinking lights in my rear view mirror. There is NO WAY this policeman had seen me run that light 5 minutes ago! I pulled over (a little embarassed that my two knitter friends were in the car with me) and waited for an explanation.

He came to my window and asked me if I knew why he had pulled me over. I (of course) told him I had no clue. He told me my tags are expired. Now, I am very responsible and organized and I KNOW I had paid this. I explained this to the officer who listened to me and then told me "Well, I am still going to have to give you a ticket". So, I did what any respectable young woman would do. I begged. I said "oh, pleasepleasepleasepleaseeeee don't give me a ticket!! please pleasepleaseplease!!!" (this is an accurate reenactment and in no way an exaggeration). He took my license and told me he would be right back. At this point, the girls started giggling. I told them that if he left me off the hook, I would ask him for a picture for lomester. But I am generally not lucky in such things, so I did not expect it. I was so aggravated, embarrassed, sleepy, caffeine deprived...can you guys sense what I was feeling? After waiting a few minutes longer than I thought it should take for him to check that I was not a wanted criminal in 8 states, I knew he was writing me up.

I saw him coming back to my car and was prepared to continue to beg a little more. I didn't have to:
hee hee! I promised him that I would not reveal his name ( I actually can't even see it on his badge). And although I did not contribute to his "ticket quota" for the month, now he has a great story to tell all his officer buddies. This man could have completely ruined my day yesterday, but he chose to be a nice guy. Thank you nameless Alexandria police officer!

(btw - I came to work today and checked my files - I ummm, am a little, umm,... late paying my registration fees - but I SWEAR I thought it was paid!)

We stopped at the closest Starbucks and fueled up and made our way down to what we though was going to be a gold mine. We got there (i kid you not) at 7:10 and the place was packed. There were people sitting on the floor going through their collections of yarn they had just grabbed for 60% off. The leftovers were not even worth looking through. I know I am a little bit of a yarn snob, but the 60% off was not enticing enough.

However, we went to the nearby La Madeleine and had a lovely breakfast. We talked about running, and work, and yarn, and Ava showed me her Habu yarn catalog, which is really a very mean thing to do because now all I want to do is knit with yummie soft Habu. Mean Ava! :)

The first pic is of Ava knitting her pretty sock; Olgita plays with the sock; and then she gives me a hand with my Argentina knitting.

My dad is going back to Argentina to visit family so I of course have to knit some gifts. A scarf for my uncle (my own made up mocked cable pattern):
The accessory bags from Handknit Holidays for my grandma:










Olgita helped me with the first 13 rows or so. I have to get a zipper and line it with some fabric, and will show you the finished product as soon as I am done.

I also made Fetching for my aunt, and making Calorimetry to match them. I will show pics of those as well. I need to find a simple hat pattern for my other uncle. Advice/suggestions are completely welcomed.