Knitting Update

Well, I had originally planned to post pictures of my hexagon blanket, but I put that project to the side for a while. I enjoyed working each hexagon, but I'm still only halfway through. A baby sweater goes much more quickly. This one is knit in Berroco Plush, 100% nylon ... I wanted cotton, but I couldn't resist how soft this stuff feels. The pattern is called "Gary" (which I think is a stupid name for a sweater, but oh well), by Anny Blatt. Na'amah helped me choose the buttons at my local yarn store, Loopy Yarns. A lovely place where the people are mostly very nice and un-condescending (unlike the snotty knitters at some other yarn stores I've been to).

I made up my own pattern, based on a knitty.com pattern called "Argosy," for this headband for Na'amah. It started with my desire for a neckwarmer--not a scarf (the main difference being that there are no ends to wrap and unwrap and otherwise fiddle with)--that was more interesting than a plain rectangle. I ended up knitting myself one, but then wearing it as a hat (my ears are more sensitive than my neck). So when Na'amah came to visit, she picked out this lovely Cleckheaton yarn (the darker green is a wool/silk blend; the lighter one is just wool), and I modified my original design to be more head-shaped. There was enough left to knit a short scarf, in case her neck does get cold.

My dad is here for a week. He's hoping to finally see Chicago this time--but we have other plans. On Wednesday, he's judging the Science Fair at my school, and we're also planning to solicit his help in re-doing the floor in our pantry. We spent half of today at Costco, using his membership to purchase our way toward happiness in the form of 52 ounces of Nutella, more of that great basmati rice, and endless cereal. We're still only about 1/2 way through the toilet paper we bought when Patrick's dad was here last (he was thrilled to take us to Costco, too).

As a final note, more flowers for Mother's Day. Tulips, this time, at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Love you, Mom! We must go there next time you visit.

Happy Mother's Day!

April Showers

It's that time of year again--spring! We're still having chilly days, but the trees are starting to show buds, the grass is already green, and early flowers are blooming. We went to the Garfield Park Conservatory yesterday (Patrick needed a break anyway from his mad rush to review his notes of the approximately 250 books that he's read since September; his exam is tomorrow), for a stronger dose of greenery, and found some neat things. Here's a bromeliad in flower (and I thought the red spears were their flowers!), and a bowl made out of paper-thin slices of kiwi and papaya that have been pressed, dried, and shaped.

I'm on Spring Break next week. Once Patrick's exam is over, we'll be free!!! The plan is to drive south, where spring will hopefully be a little farther along than it is here, to his grandma's house in Indiana. We'll spend a few days with her, then drive about 120 miles farther south to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, where we'll hike, camp, and kayak. I'm really looking forward to getting out of the city for a while.

I was rummaging around and found a card that Auntie Nancy and Uncle John gave us right before we moved to Chicago. There's a sweet message inside. I wanted to share the words on the front, which the card says is adapted from and old Irish prayer:

Take time to work.
It is the price of success.
Take time to meditate.
It is the source of power.
Take time to play.
It is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read.
It is the way to knowledge.
Take time to be friendly.
It is the road to happiness.
Take time to laugh.
It is the music of the soul.
And take time to love
and be loved.

All for now. I'll hopefully be posting again at the end of the week with pictures from the trip and my latest knitting project! Lots of love.