And because I'm feeling nostalgic...

I'm posting a few more photos from our honeymoon...






Ahhh...

Happy One Year Honeymoon Anniversary to me...

As much as I'm not the kind of girl who likes to gush about her husband, my husband proves time and time again that he's worth gushing. Sometimes I wish he'd stop being wonderful and let me go about my bitter day. And sometimes he does. But today I'm reminded of why I love him and why I suckered him into marrying me.

First of all let me say that this time last year, we had just gotten back from our honeymoon. It doesn't matter that we didn't get married until August. We took our honeymoon in June. Yes, it's out of order. It's what we do. (We bought our house a year before the honeymoon.)

So as I was saying, we took our honeymoon last June. As far as honeymoons go, it rocked. We spent a week in Paris, and then a week in Antibes, on the French Riviera. We had each been to Paris before, but the south of France was a new experience for both of us. Swimming in the Mediterranean is different than swimming in the Atlantic.

We have good friends who go to the South every year in June and their raving is what made our decision. So we even got to meet up with them while we were there. It's truly a magical place and if you can swing it, you should go. One day we'd be lying on a sunny beach, swimming in the clear blue sea, and the next day we'd be hiking the snowy alps. The area is full of small, medievel towns with stone roads too narrow for even modern European cars.

One such town is Biot.
http://www.provenceweb.fr/e/alpmarit/biot/biot.htm

We made a new friend in Biot and got to dine on his rooftop patio with an amazing view...


But I digress. Biot is known for their glass. Biot glass is very expensive, hand-blown bubble glass. Since last year i've been kicking myself for not buying some Biot glass WHILE I WAS ACTUALLY IN BIOT!! But oh well, live and learn.

Now remember the part about how our good friends go to the Riviera every year? Well unfortunately we couldn't afford an extravagant vacation this year. But like clockwork, our friends (who also happen to be our NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS) hopped a plane for France the first week of June. And being the good friend and neighbor, I went next door every few days to water their plants and feed their fish. But not without grumbling to John every time about how WE should be in France too. (If it were up to me, we would have spent everything in savings and maybe even hocked some valuables to go back. John is much more logical and realistic and wouldn't let me spend our new-car-down-payment on airfare.)

So our friends just returned from "my honeymoon" with a big surprise...my really sweet, amazingly thoughtful husband found our leftover Euros (we're too lazy to actually cash them back in for US dollars) and gave them to our friends, telling them to pick me up a nice piece of Biot glass. They came back with two! A beautiful green bowl, and a pitcher. I'm touched. It's definitely not the same as going back, but it's a really nice consolation prize.

Monkeysuit Update

Here's a photo of the WIP Monkeysuit cardigan...



Since the photo I actually finished the left front (which is still on the needles in this photo)and started the back. Moving right along. John tells me that I better finish it quickly. he says it's because she'll grow out of it soon, but deep down I think he just wants me to get back to his scarf.

My Hero

My husband is the absolute coolest. We went to a wedding today. The wedding of two of his students. An outdoor wedding, in 96 degrees of humidity. The ceremony was at 1:00 pm in the glaring sun. We sat perfectly still, afraid that even breathing too heavy might cause heat stroke. We were already drenched with sweat by the time the bride made her way down the aisle.

The reception was, thankfully, under a tent, although the tent was set on freshly sealed blacktop. So as we cowered from the sun, we inhaled the dizzying fumes which were only intensified from the heat. We sat with a few of his co-workers and their spouses. The main topic of conversation was Batman Begins, and while I'll probably see the movie, I'll never spend an afternoon discussing it. I got excited for exactly 30 seconds when the bar opened, but quickly realized that while a few glasses of wine would most certainly make the conversation better, I didn't necessarily know ANYONE at the wedding well enough to mix wine and 96 degree heat on an empty stomach. I don't mind embarrassing myself in front of MY co-workers, but then my co-workers are a bunch of drunks.

After the toasts, but before the meal, my awesome, awesome, god I love him more every day, anti-social husband, stood up, said his goodbyes, and took me home. I saw the envy on the faces of our table-mates. Of course, that could have just been the headaches from the fumes.

Thank you John. Thank you for hating weddings. Thank you for hating discomfort. Thank you for being more irritable than me.

Sold out

Well, the promotion I've been hoping for is officially mine. It was offered up today. I'm pretty excited. It's a decent sense of accomplishment. It also means more money. I fell blindly into the datacommunication field with an art degree and a just over minimum wage job in a photo lab. I don't love datacom. Hell, I barely like it. But I learn quickly and I retain some of what I learn, and IT work pays way more than, say...developing film in a mall. Eight years ago I could barely buy myself lunch, now I own a house.

My first IT position was on a helpdesk. I took it only for the money. I was poor and stuck in a dead-end retail job. I figured it was going to suck, but I'd work it for a year or two and then jump back into creative waters. Well, my first paycheck was double my retail salary and that was 8 years ago. Since then I've gotten consistent raises and promotions, and on top of that, it turns out I'm pretty decent at what I do. Who knew. Add to that an excessive supply of days off, an excellent retirement, and a bitch of a shoe habit...yeah, I'm a slave to the man. I never thought I'd settle, but it would take me years to make a comparable salary elsewhere.

Sure, I could leave, take a pay cut to find a job I love, but for a self proclaimed shoe-whore, a pair a week habit is a tough one to kick. I know I sold out. I know I'm a disappointment to free-spirits everywhere. And somewhere in the back of my mind is a voice (very faint at this point, silent for 6.5 days a week) that tells me to go. Run. Do something fullfilling. but instead I graciously accept my promotion and celebrate with a pair of lavender stiletto mules.

Another day, Another project

Because I'm not happy with just one, er, umm...three projects at one time, i added yet another. I bought a super soft merino mix to make a sweater for my friend's baby. I decided on a hooded cardigan from Monkeysuits and I'm very excited about it. It's knitting up quickly and the colors look great. I took a couple pictures the day I started it, so that's what I'll show, even though I'm much further along now.

Anyway, I'm knitting this little monkeysuit...


For this little monkey...

baby talk

I was cornered into the most uncomfortable conversation at work. It was with a woman who's worked in my office for years, but by no means are we friends. Friendly, yes...but our discussions don't normally go past face lotion or work. I was walking into a door she had just come out of, and she made a point of calling me back as the door was almost closing behind me...

Her: Crystal...
Me: Yeah? (at this point I'm thinking she has a work question)
Her: Umm...I was just thinking of something and thought I'd share it with you. I hope you don't think it's rude of me to bring it up.
Me: Okayyy...
Her: I realize this is personal and different people feel differently about it, I mean some people choose not to have kids...
Me: uh huh (oh no)...
Her: Are you guys having kids?
Me: Umm...someday?
Her: Oh, good. Well, my husband and I tried for a while before I got pregnant, but my sister-in-law told me about these ovulation tests you can buy and they're very accurate. Works every time.
Me: Oh, oh Okay...thanks.

There was a little more that I edited out. Mostly because it was me stammering and saying stupid things, hoping this conversation would end quicker. But also because she went on for a few more minutes about ovulation and I still cringe every time I think of the whole conversation. I'm not a prude. Ovulation talk doesn't make me cringe. Hell, my friends can know how often I have sex if they want. But ovulation talk with people who shouldn't even be considering my menstrual cycle weirds me out a little. This was uncomfortable on so many levels. She's a devout Christian who believes married couples who don't have children are selfish. I don't believe being married, being a couple, or having children need to be related at all. We were in the hallway at work where anyone could be privy to this conversation. I'm hoping to be considered for an upcoming promotion. Promotions aren't exactly handed out freely to the woman who's already talking about taking half a year off. And frankly, ovulation tests aren't exactly a secret. They've been around for a while, right next to the pregnancy tests and the KY jelly in the drugstore. They also aren't a huge necessity for someone who knows her own body and can do basic math. And, oh yeah...I never asked for advice.

What makes someone feel justified in asking about my ovulation patterns? Is this just what happens when you're 34 and you recently (read:FINALLY) got married and you are as of yet, childless? Is this the equivalent of strangers touching a pregnant woman's belly? This woman was not the first to make inappropriate pregnancy comments to me. This was by far the strangest and most random, but I get "Why? Are you pregnant?" every time I go out and don't drink, every time my stomach feels off, every time I don't want sushi for lunch. And nine times out of ten, it's someone from work asking. Or my mother.

The truth is, getting pregnant wouldn't be horrible right now. We're financially secure, we own a house, I have months of sick time, and yes...I am 34. A baby could be a welcomed addition to the family. But I'm not frantic, I'm not rushing out to buy ovulation tests, and I'm sure as hell not discussing it with my co-workers.

New Beginnings

I decided on a size and pattern to remake the Dr. Who scarf. The husband vetoed a good number of swatches before we landed on this. It's nothing outrageous. Just a basic K1 P1 rib, much less wide than the last. So for any interested parties...here's what the scarf looked like before I had my meltdown...


Notice the length.

Now here's where I am on the new design...


Notice the length.

Three years down the drain.

But I'm much happier with it. And I think I'll feel much better about hearing him say "my wife made it."

I did it for love...or guilt

Yes, I know what I said - I was going to get to work on Aurora right after I signed off last night. Yeah, well...I WAS going to. But then I went downstairs and saw my husband. The husband who watches patiently as I knit. The husband who, instead of complaining about the balls of yarn EVERYWHERE, brought home a dresser for me to fill exclusively with yarn. The husband who doesn't give me much more than a raised eyebrow each time I start a new project, even though HIS project - the one I'm making for him, the only one he's ever asked for - sits unfinished after three years. It's a scarf. It's not even close to finished. It's barely halfway done.

You might be wondering now what kind of scarf has been in the works for three years. It's a Dr. Who scarf. It's 20 feet long with multi-colored stripes. (my husband is a bit of a freak) It's been hovering around the 8 foot mark for a while now. I do pull it out to work on it sometimes, but I can never seem to whip off more than three rows before I feel like I might pass out from the boredom. Now granted, i tend to get bored by the time I reach the end of any project that takes more than a week to complete, but this scarf is different. I really abhor working on it. I've been chalking it up to the fact that it's been lying around for over three years - I mean, who wouldn't be sick of it? But last night I realized there's more to the story.

First of all, even after all this time, I still love the colors. I guess the whole idea is somewhat garish - a 20 foot striped scarf - but it's hand-dyed wool that i get from a local woman. The dyes are rich without being too dark or too bright. And the yarn is pretty easy to work with. I would say it's a decent worsted weight. It holds it's shape well. So I was looking at this monstrosity, dreading the fact that I would probably be working on it for another 3 years, when it hit me...this scarf was hideous. I was in the process of making a really horrible accessory...FOR MY HUSBAND!!! Again, the colors are great, the stitches are fine, even the ends I had already tied in looked well hidden. But as a whole, this scarf was unwearable.

First of all, I started it back when I was really getting into knitting. I'm not even sure I knew the purl stitch yet, so it's a garter stitch scarf. 20 feet of garter stitch wasn't proving to be the prettiest thing. Second, because it's so long, I tried to compensate by widening it a bit. Too wide. It was more like stole width. And third, and again - i started this before I knew much about gauge, I used size 8 needles with a pretty dense worsted wool. There's no give to it. It doesn't flex, it doesn't drape, you can't even fold it over to halve the width. It might make a nice bedspread, but as a scarf it sucks.

So after much thought, and realizing that I'd never be able to complete a project I hate, I started ripping. I felt a small lump in my throat as I watched three years of work unravel. More than that though, I felt a sense of liberation. I had been continuing this project grudgingly because I had spent so much time with it. But like a distant high school friend, we had grown apart. We no longer had anything in common; no longer enjoyed each other's company. We stayed in touch for purely nostalgic reasons. Ripping it out proved to me that I could move on. I've grown up, I've made new friends since high school, my knitting has progressed dramatically since I started.

I spent the rest of the night making swatches to test size, pattern and gauge. I easily knitted and ripped 8 swatches. And I enjoyed myself immensely.

SP5

Here it is...the questionairre that one lucky reader has been waiting for...my SP5 answers!!!

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
i am a snob. i love luxe fibers. but i'm also fond of nice simple cottons and wools. i don't mind nylon or acrylic in a mix.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?
no but my goal is to learn both. I just bought myself a crochet book.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
Not sure if it’s a real allergy, but the smell of cigarette smoke makes me sneeze. Also, slightly bothered by really strong florals.

4. How long have you been knitting?
steadily for about 4 or 5 years i guess.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes – amazon, listed under my email address

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
I love grapefruit and anise scents. Also most fruity scents and earthy, musky scents

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
yes. For Swedish fish, and canollis. I also loooove good chocolate.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
I figured I’d list other interests, even non-crafty ones…gardening, cooking, photography, reading, remodeling my house, working out, scrapbooking, drinking wine, shoe shopping, playing with my dogs, bossing my husband around...

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
my musical tastes are all over the place. I love finding more obscure bands that aren’t on the radio constantly. Rock, punk, ska, blues, French lounge…you’ll find a little of everything in my extensive cd collection. Mp3’s are fine.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
i love purples and greens. i'm also drawn to muted, zen-y shades and deep, sexy reds and oranges. I’m not a fan of the primaries (especially yellow) or pastels.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
1 husband, 2 dogs, 1 cat

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)
I love to travel. I hope to do lots more of it. I want to become fluent in a second language. (je parle un peu le francais)

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
alpaca, soft yarns that feel nice next to your skin

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Plain acrylics bore me. Novelty yarns have their place, but I rarely find good use for them.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Fingerless gloves.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Hats. They make me feel accomplished. My sisters get hats for every xmas now

17. What are you knitting right now?
A sweater, 2 scarves

18. What do you think about ponchos?
I’ve always been a fan of ponchos and have worn vintage ones consistently over the years. I’m a little bummed that they are EVERYWHERE now, but I still find them convenient and flattering. They will always have a place in my heart and my closet

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
I use both, just depends on the project

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
bamboo, followed by alum, then plastic in last place

21. Are you a sock knitter?
Not so much

22. How did you learn to knit?
my gram when i was little, then a friend gave me a refresher a few years back

23. How old is your oldest UFO?
over three years. i'm bored with it.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
I’m not sure how to answer this. I like fish and monkeys. But as far as animated characters…ummm…Melissa from Home Movies? That's sort of obscure. I'm a little bit obsessed with Blythe right now.

25. What is your favorite holiday?
Halloween, Christmas

26. Is there anything that you collect?
vintage hats. I used to collect all sorts of vintage clothing. Now I only keep what I wear and I’ve scaled my collectibles down to hats. Now that I’m thinking of it, I have lots of hats, not just vintage.

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Interweave, but I pick up vogue pretty regularly

28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on?
Loop d loop
Kim Hargreaves – winter blooms