Throwback Thursday | Moving to NYC.

Hello and happy Thursday! I'll be back next week with more about our trip (in short, it was awesome!), but today, I have a different story to share.

Way back in 2009, Katie's first job out of college was in New York City. She worked for NBC/Universal at 30 Rock.

Katie in the driver's seat - June 2009

That June, she and I made two trips to the city - the first to find an apartment (we flew) and the second to move in. For that second trip, Katie drove a U-Haul and I rode shotgun. Looking back, it was a crazy couple of weeks (here's a link to all the photos and the story I shared here on the blog), full of wonderful mama memories.

Next month, I have the privilege of helping Sara make her own move to NYC. Her last day with Epic in Madison is September 15. She starts a new assignment working from New York on October 2. Last week she found an apartment on the Upper East Side and signed a lease. She'll be driving a U-Haul from Madison to NYC - with me riding shotgun - starting September 16.

I'm excited to be part of this new chapter in Sara's life - and look forward to sharing the story with y'all.

I'm also looking forward to catching up with you and the 100+ blog posts in my Feedly reader. But my mom is here until Sunday and the weekend is full of family plans ... so, next week for sure!

A Quick Hello from Vancouver.

Hello! Stopping in quickly to share a few photos of the beautiful sights:

I took a scenic walk along the waterfront yesterday afternoon - lots of activity 

and lots of boats!

The view was a lot calmer when I took the same walk early this morning 

...and the view from our room as I type this post - we'll be sailing in that harbor on our way out to sea this afternoon.

...more soon from the ship!

Words on Wednesday | The Sun.

Sharing something special from my Monday with y'all today.

Lauren and I attended a class (on chakras - more to come on that!) at Mary and Martha's Place. It was our first - and hopefully not our last - experience with this community. The director opened by lighting a candle, reading this poem and then we all shared a moment of silence. It was the perfect way to begin. I hope it provides a lovely beginning for your day, too.

The Sun 

Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful

than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon 

and into the clouds or the hills,
or the rumpled sea,
and is gone--
and how it slides again 

out of the blackness,
every morning,
on the other side of the world,
like a red flower 

streaming upward on its heavenly oils,
say, on a morning in early summer,
at its perfect imperial distance--
and have you ever felt for anything 

such wild love--
do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough
for the pleasure

that fills you,
as the sun
reaches out,
as it warms you 

as you stand there,
empty-handed--
or have you too
turned from this world-- 

or have you too
gone crazy
for power,
for things? 

- Mary Oliver (from New Poems)

My next post will be from Vancouver, assuming I can remember how to post from my iPad.

Happy Wednesday!

Travel Knitting.

My suitcase isn't packed, but my knitting's ready! Would you like to see?

I wound 3,166 yards of yarn today (and 218 yards on Sunday; one of the projects is already underway) - nine cakes plus Sunday's one for a grand total of ten. Five of those cakes (and nearly one-third of the yardage) is for 2nd Avenue.

It's a very colorful (and most uncharacteristic for me ;-) wrap with a LOT of stockinette. Yep, this is my social/cocktail project. I plan to cast on tomorrow morning en route (accompanied by a mimosa).

Four of those cakes are for Whiskyfied. Melanie Berg gifted me this pattern as a thank you for test-knitting A Twist to it. I told her I was planning to knit the piece as a souvenir for an upcoming trip...and that I hoped there would be no whisky spilled on it (gin, maybe, but definitely not whisky).

I'm a few repeats into the first chart and the pattern is clear, rhythmic and surprisingly addictive. This is also in my carry-on for tomorrow - but I can't get too far - the other three balls are going in my checked bag!

Last but by no means least - socks! I fell hard for the NoShow Socks when the pattern came out last month. It's been ages since I knit socks (and those size 0 needles are brand new - yep, a first!).  But the pattern promises to teach me a few new techniques and I actually wear no-show socks. Plus I have a  lovely skein of souvenir yarn from my sister's trip to Scotland last year. Lydia and I will be knitting these together. over coffee, I'm thinking.

I've also put together a very streamlined knitter's toolkit. Thinking through the three projects, I shouldn't need much, but I want to be prepared. Do you see anything missing?

...and the million dollar question - how much of this do you think I'll actually knit while I'm away (remember, I'm gone for two weeks!)? leave your answer in the comments!

Drive by Monday.

Since my lists are multiplying, I think it's a perfect Monday to borrow Kat's wonderful meme.

My mom arrived Thursday and the whole crew met Saturday morning to tour her "new place". The development has a long way to go (they're now hoping to be moving in residents in October), but her cottage is getting close. The walls are up, the granite's in, the tile is laid. We were able to take lots of photos and measurements and ask questions. We're all getting excited for her move!

the front door to Mother's cottage - my sister, nephew, brother and brother-in-law in the back and me, Mother and my sister-in-law in the front

Yesterday afternoon I finished that last layer and blocked it. I think I'm set ... at least in the hand knit department. Seems like the only to-do I don't still have on my list is "finish up Alaska knitting".

Hope your week is off to a good start - happy Monday!

Five on Friday | In Pictures.

Trying to figure out what I would post about today, I realized I have five photos from this week that I haven't yet shared with y'all. Here you go!

 Alaska Cardigan ... done! (modeled photos coming from Alaska!)

a half scoop of coffee chip ice cream (for my summer bucket list)

Lauren and fabulous author Karen White (Lauren invited Karen - and me! - to her bookclub yesterday to talk about The Night the Lights Went Out ... and a lot of other things :-)

Alaska Hat & Mitts ... done!

... so of course I had to start another Alaska project (I still have 4-1/2 more days before I leave!)

Looking back on the week, I'm reminded - yet again - how powerful photos are to tell our stories. I'm so grateful to each of you for reading mine! Have a wonderful weekend. Take photos!

A Thursday Haiku.

dark early today

making lists, drinking coffee,

and shortly, knitting.

Hope you've enjoyed a productive day ... or maybe I should say productive week. How did it get to be almost Friday already?!

Unraveled Wednesday | For Real (again).

Joining in with Kat and friends today to share a good unraveling story:

Before.

During.

After.

I am so happy I decided to frog the sock and knit this little set instead! I bought the yarn from my Madison LYS way back in February 2015, fully intending to knit socks, but I just couldn't get enthused about the project. When the shop published this pattern for a slouchy hat and fingerless mitts, I knew I needed them for Alaska (how perfect is that pattern photo with the camera?!)

Last week I finally pulled the sock out of its months-long hibernation, took a photo and unraveled it. After a good soak, all the kinks disappeared. It's knitting up beautifully. I finished the hat last night and started the first mitt this morning.

This is the last bit of knitting I want to finish before my trip. I think I'm in good shape!

I finished my Bingo reading yesterday and find myself not quite sure what to read next. Perfect timing to catch up on that last season of Sherlock that I somehow missed.

Looking forward to seeing what y'all are knitting and reading this week!

Sleeping Over.

We had a very special sleepover guest at our house this weekend - Charlie! It was his first visit since he and his family moved (back in April - yes, it's been four months already!) I met up with the whole family at the pool Saturday morning. We played and had lunch 

and then he came home with me. After a good nap (swimming is great for that), we walked over to the golf course. Marc had been looking forward to this outing for weeks. He and Charlie both had a great time! (I was just along to take photos.)

Back home, it was time to make supper. Pizza, of course!

A little more play time before bath. Charlie loved his "ho-hawk" hairdo.

Then stories.

and a good night's sleep for all.

Sunday morning, Marc showed Charlie how to make grits and eggs with cheese and sausage. Both boys enjoyed that breakfast.

...and all too soon it was time to take him home.

Not gonna lie - Marc and I both looked like that last photo of Charlie by 6 o'clock Sunday ... it was an early night for us  💤. But Marmie and Poppa sure had fun.

And hey - it's not very often I have enough material (or photos!) to get two blog posts out of a weekend! Regular programming (in other words knitting and reading) resumes tomorrow.

Better than Christmas.

Indeed, I had the best mail day ever this weekend! Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR wonderful things arrived. First up, a stunning hand knit cowl from dear Kat with warmest wishes for my trip. Then the latest issue of the Presbyterian Women's magazine, which includes the announcement about this year's Thank Offering theme (it's beautiful and perfect - and the theme for the first women's ministry gathering I'm responsible for planning at my church - I couldn't be more pleased with it!). Next five skeins of Plucky Knitter Crewbie to knit 2nd Avenue (this is a project I'm planning to take with me on my trip - whew that the yarn arrived in time!) And last, but certainly not least, a lovely card with a sweet note from Margene.

Hoping something welcome landed in your mailbox too!

Happy Monday!

Eye Candy Friday | Stole 2.0.

Oh my, y'all. The seemingly-endless stockinette finally came to an end yesterday morning. After a nice soak and an overnight dry on the floor, it's ready to share. I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. the colors pop! (even on a cloudy day)

the drape.

that subtle alpaca halo.

and the size. It blocked to about 86"x23", which gives me options for how to wear it.

I thought I was adding length and width (see all my notes on Ravelry here), but I'm glad it ended up just being length; it doesn't need to be any wider.

I predict it's going to get a lot of wear on our trip!

Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!

Hello August.

Today's Think Write Thursday topic is to write a post to welcome August. I couldn't resist another haiku 😊

summer blooms fading

shorter days, longer shadows

hold autumn's promise

The photo is from today's morning walk with Holly. The bold, bright colors and the drops of water seemed fresh and alive. But what I saw when I viewed the image on my computer - so much bigger than on my phone - was ... different.

My early walk with Marc is almost back to "dark early"; sunrise was at 6:49am today. School buses are making practice runs for Monday's first day. I'm certainly not wishing away summer, but it's hard to ignore those signs.

Of course it still feels like summer. Here in Georgia that usually lasts well into September!

Thank you Carole and Kat for hosting another fun week!

Unraveled Wednesday | Close.

...as in close to the end of the endless stockinette. Don't let that little garter ridge fool you - the border of this piece is garter stitch worked in the round. yep, knit a round, purl a round. It might as well be stockinette!

Yesterday I was hopeful I might have a new project to share today, but turns out the last four rows of red, then picking up 200+ stitches and putting another 500+ on the needle ... well, now I'm just glad to have a new color to share with y'all.

and an almost color-coordinated book! I'm reading the last book for summer bingo so I went back to the Read Harder challenge for an audiobook. This one fits the "book set in South America by a South American author" category. So far so good.

Joining in with Kat today and looking forward to seeing what y'all are knitting and reading!

p.s.  in case you missed it - yesterday I shared a link to a very short survey that a local young man - working on a project with Georgia Tech to explore technology solutions to help crafters - put together. Please click here if you have a few minutes to help him out.

Looking Back | July 2017.

Today I'm looking back at July through the lens of my daily photos.

Another month "at home" made lots of room for friends, family, books and knitting. Four playdates with my favorite toddler (but none with his little brother ... sigh ... so much for "balance") and a very fun outing with Karen and Lydia. I finished a whopping ten books, two sweaters and a shawl (still need to try on the finished Tide Chart, and maybe snap a photo or two). Stole 2.0 is still on the needles and the cardigan - well, I blocked it last Tuesday and yep, it's still on the mat!

When I put together these collages, I'm always reminded about a story or two that I haven't shared. This month's surprise is a new 'do! Back on July 20, I had my hairdresser cut off about 6". This is my first real haircut since June 2015 and it was worth the wait.

The only "rule" I have for my daily photos is that I have to be the one who presses the button. So this photo (taken by my friend Sarah on July 24) didn't qualify. But it's a great ending to the knitting along series I'd been sharing on Mondays. Five of us from our Monday knitting group participated in the Through the Loops Mystery ... and we all finished!

that's me, upper right

What fun story did your July tell?

...and one more thing for all you knitters - a local young man is working on a project with Georgia Tech to explore technology solutions to help crafters. He's put together a very brief survey. Please click here if you have a few minutes to help him out.