Reading Moby-Dick at 30,000 Feet

At this height, Kansas
is just a concept,
a checkerboard design of wheat and corn

no larger than the foldout section
of my neighbor's travel magazine.
At this stage of the journey

I would estimate the distance
between myself and my own feelings
is roughly the same as the mileage

from Seattle to New York,
so I can lean back into the upholstered interval
between Muzak and lunch,

a little bored, a little old and strange.
I remember, as a dreamy
backyard kind of kid,

tilting up my head to watch
those planes engrave the sky
in lines so steady and so straight

they implied the enormous concentration
of good men,
but now my eyes flicker

from the in-flight movie
to the stewardess's pantyline,
then back into my book,

where men throw harpoons at something
much bigger and probably
better than themselves,

wanting to kill it, wanting
to see great clouds of blood erupt
to prove that they exist.

Imagine being born and growing up,
rushing through the world for sixty years
at unimaginable speeds.

Imagine a century like a room so large,
a corridor so long
you could travel for a lifetime

and never find the door,
until you had forgotten
that such a thing as doors exist.

Better to be on board the Pequod,
with a mad one-legged captain
living for revenge.

Better to feel the salt wind
spitting in your face,
to hold your sharpened weapon high,

to see the glisten
of the beast beneath the waves.
What a relief it would be

to hear someone in the crew
cry out like a gull,
Oh Captain, Captain!
Where are we going now?

© Tony Hoagland

Where is Emily?

I have been crazy busy with work and school and parenting so not much knitting has been happening around here. I've knit a few more rows on the Rainbow Brite socks and cast on a hat with some Fun With Yarn for a quick project but that's it. Once I get whip my schedule ino submission (or forsake responsibility for knitting) you'll be hearing from me.

Christmas in October

The President of the college where I work sent this to me today, I told him I needed a raise...

Small Dog Electronics, New England'’s premier Apple Computer Specialist and a top five Apple Specialist in the USA, announces the opening of its first retail store in Chittenden County, located at 100 Dorset Street in South Burlington, one of New England'’s most popular shopping destinations. This will be Small Dog Electronics flagship retail operation, and will offer an unprecedented Apple Computer shopping, service, and education experience. The retail store plans to open in mid-October of 2006.

In blogging news, this is my 200th post! I will celebrate by eating cake at Elah's 6th birthday party tomorrow.

Sheep & Wool 06

The VT Sheep & Wool festival was this weekend and I went with some fellow knitters. Go check out some pictures here:
http://web.mac.com/e_to_the_m/iWeb/emilysaid/swf06.html

I purchased 1 skein f yarn while I was there, 500 yards of an 80 wool, 20 nylon sock yarn from Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farm. She also has straight wool, wool/tencel blends and wool/silk blends displayed on a wall of socky goodness.

Emily Stoneking was home sick and we all missed her very much.

Burn Your Bra

OK, so it's not a bra for Barbie nor Betty Boop. I'm knitting toe up socks with Regia Nation Fun. I don't know where I'll wear them; I must be having some kind of weird 1984 Rainbow Brite flashback. My original plan was to knit the 3 skeins I have until I ran out of yarn and hope it was enough for knee highs but Elah loves them so much I'll use 2 skeins for my ginormous feet and 1 skein for her.

School's started and my knitting is suffering but I hope to be done with these soon. In the mean time go check out the socks Jared just finished; I am totally in love (with the socks). Also go check out Cara, I'm pretty sure she's responsible for my knee high obsession.

New Beginnings

So Scatter's been scrapped for now; she too short and too wide. I should have realized the problem earlier (and indeed did) but I was hoping against hope that the situation would magically rectify itself. I know better and have no one to blame but myself. I will reknit it eventually but not quite yet.

To make myself feel better I cast on a new project, can you guess what it is? *Hint: It's not a bikini for Barbie.



PS Did you listen to Cast-On this week? The intro if effing high-larious.

Scatter

Here's that Scatter progress shot I promised. It's not the greatest picture but you get the idea. I'm loving the pattern and the yarn; hopefully I'll be done by the weekend.

The Big Reveal

Yesterday I received the final package from my Secret Pal. I was amazed at the plethora of great gifts and totally stunned that she managed to be such a great pal through a very chaotic summer.

Without further ado:


Look, not only did she wrap everything (just like Solstice!), she even matched the tissue paper to the card - amazing.


Lemon parsley anti-bacterial hand gel and lavender mint hand lotion.


Mmmm, hot cocoa mix, perfect for these rainy days we've been having.


I think the only material thing I love more than shoes is yarn; this notepad is perfect.


Chocolate covered sunflower seeds (already hidden from my daughter) and strawberry Pocky (which I will share).


Caffeine, my drug of choice.


Little Savory Bites crackers - these are already gone.


And last but certainly not least, 320 yards of beautiful orange yarn hand spun by my Secret Pal especially for me! I am so touched that someone would take the time to do this. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Finally, I know you're all asking who the fantabulous SP is............it's Carla from My Little Tribe. Stop by her blog and say hello, get a good dose of liberal activism and learn how to make yogurt.

Thank you again, Carla, I love everything.

---

In other knitting news I've been working on Scatter and will post a progress shot soon. I'm a little worried that I might not have enough yarn but I always worry about that so I am choosing to trust the designer. I didn't work on it yesterday but pick it up every chance I get and just reached the neck shaping.

Done

I stayed home today because I wasn't feeling well. The good part of that is that I got to catch up on Math 4 Knitters, Lime & Violet and Craft Sanity. I also finished Hedera.


I couldn't be bothered to put on 2 socks so I mirrored the image of one...

Pattern: Hedera from Knitty Spring 06
Yarn: Rowan 4 ply Soft
Color: Wink - 377
Source: Yarn Market (it's left over from one of the baby cardis)
Needles: Unknown brand, metal, US1, 7" DPN
Size: Women's Large
Started: August 6, 2006
Finished: August 21, 2006
Modifications: I have a big foot, I normally cast on 72, and I know this lace pattern is stretchy but I was concerned about the ribbing section. I cast on 70, worked 9 rows in the twisted rib pattern and then decreased 10 on the last row.
Notes: I did a total of 31 pattern repeats and the socks are a smidge snug, I should have done 32.

It Was This Big...

Dear Anonymous Designer,

I know you mean well. I was so excited when I saw the beautiful cabled sweater pattern on your blog. The cables were brilliant, the neckline oh so flattering. I know, from you picture, that you are more petite than I but I also saw that you pattern went up to an XL.

Imagine my disappointment when I opened the pattern I'd purchased and found that the XL bust size was a measly 39 inches. It's true that 39 inches is indeed a large bust line but it is not enough for an XL and now I must rework all the math in your lovely pattern if I am ever to wear it.

Please, please, please look at some standard size charts before you make your next pattern; I recommend Annie Modesitt's or the one at yarnstandards.com.

Thank you,
Emily

---

Note: While writing this I did have one particular designer in mind but in actuality it could be any number of well meaning designers out there who just have no concept of what it is like to go through life without being able to see your toes.

Welcome to VT

We have a new VT knitter and blogger. Stop by Lovely Purls and say hi to Megan. a recent transplant from Brooklyn, now living in Mont-peculiar.

Blinded By The Fractal

How awesome is this light?



The directions are here.

1 Down, 1 To Go

Here is my first completed Hedera. I'm using US1 DPNs and Rowan 4-Ply Soft in Wink (left over from one of the baby cardis).



I'm also finished with part 1 of 2 of the mystery project. I'm getting very bored with it though so I may have to rethink how I do part 2.

And finally, especially for Margot, a little orange:



Margot, let's talk about the trunk show on the 26th, I'm totally in to it.

My Neighbor

How awesome is Adrian? This is the coolest pattern ever!

Knit Nerds Are The Best Kind

This product could have real potential.



Some questions I would ask:

• Does it work for both pickers and throwers?
• Would it work if you fair isle with a color in each hand?
• Would you need a different base for each size of needle or one base for all your needles?
• Could it really work?
  

Secret Pal 8

My spoilee from Secret Pal 8 received her final package today and now I can reveal who she is and what I sent her.

Meet Andrea, beginning knitter and crochetier extraordinaire. I have been admiring how this self-proclaimed wip & chain fanatic hooks her way through beautiful items with apparent to be ease and grace.

I had fun spoiling her and sent three packages:
Package 1
Package 2
Package 3 and 3

I had a great time Andrea, thank you for your kind posts.

Best Weekend Ever

We had a busy, perfect weekend. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from Saturday because I didn't think to bring my camera. But Saturday I packed a picnic dinner with fried chicken, potato salad, roasted asparagus and watermelon. Then Elah and I had a picnic with Reba, Ron, Galandrielle and Lucy at Oakledge park. We also did a little kite flying (except me, I did some kite dragging).

Sunday started with Elah, who loves to get up at 6:30 on the weekends, sleeping until almost 10!

Sunday we swam at the pool.


Marveled at the clear sky.


Took Flat Scout to the A&W in Middlebury, along with Reba, Ron, Galandrielle, Lucy, Emily and Bill.


Saw this creepy church sign.

I get the point they're trying to make but it's flawed in two ways:
1) It sounds stalkerish and gives me the heebie jeebies
2) People don't live any better when they're being watched, think Flavor of Love or Big Brother.

In knitting news:

One finished Fetching fingerless glove.


One mystery project.


One finished pair of footies for Elah.


Pattern: Generic
Yarn: Cascade Fixation
Color: Hyacinth - 9989
Source: I think I got it at Creative Habitat
Needles: 2 Addi Turbo, US3, 16"
Size: 8 years - Women's Small
Started: July 30, 2006
Finished: August 2, 2006

172

eBay Woes

I bought some Regia Nation (Fun) on eBay with visions of super cute rainbow (it is my middle name after all) stripe socks. I won the auction on July 24 and pain of July 25. Unfortunately I have yet to hear from the seller. So frustrating.

**Update**
I finally heard back from the seller on August 6th. They apologized and said that they were out of stock and should have more in this week. The also said that they thought they had already contacted me which is why I hadn't heard from them.
I understand that mistakes happen but I probably won't be buying from them again.

Knitting Nature

I've been thinking about buying Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan. There are a couple of patterns that look interesting but I'm still on the fence. I've heard mixed reviews from Yarn Harlot, Grumperina and CMEknit. Luckily my LYS is having a Knitting Nature trunk show. Any local knitters wanna go with me?

Sighted

Guess who showed up today?