I'm Famous!

I was so honored when I found out that Sage at Quirky Nomads wanted to read my essay about a drive I took near New Orleans. I love her podcast! Go listen!

ARGHHHH!!!

I was just getting ready to introduce you all to Branching Out. We had gone to a softball game today where we knit - fitting on Knit in Public Day- eh? And she was looking so fluffy and beautiful. I was getting a bit tired but decided - just one more row. Finished the row and then counted - off by one stitch! Uh oh! Well, I thought I could be smart and just knit back a few rows- I tried this and the number of stitches on the needle kept getting smaller, and smaller and smaller - till I had nothing similar to what the pattern said I should have. F*#K! I thought- and FROGGED THE WHOLE THING. Of course the yarn got stuck and I had to throw a part of the dang scarf away. Hopefully I will have enough to finish - if I ever do finish.

What are you supposed to do when knitting lace and you notice a mistake like this? I have no idea how I ended up one stitch short but I could have easily just made a stitch on the next row. I know this would have thrown the pattern off a bit - but that would have had to be better right? I am having panic attacks now of being on the 34th repeat out of 36 and making a mistake - no way would I want to frog at that point. Or even if I was somewhere in the middle. Come on all you experienced lace knitters - how do you deal with a problem like this?

Update: OK just now I went and read the Amazing lace blog- WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS BEFORE??? I found out that one answer to my problem would have been putting in a LIFELINE! Ok yes I am glad to know - for next time- but right now I could just light a fire to that mohair!!!!!!

Hurricane Season Begins.

It's nine months after Katrina and it's here.

Hurricane season.

Please take some time to send your thoughts, prayers etc to the people in New Orleans and the area that was effected by Katrina. They still need our help. It still looks like a disaster zone there. Nine months is a long time but not long enough. Take a look at this to get another view of how things still are.

I am back from NOLA but still there in my heart.

May this Hurricane Season be uneventful...

Most People Just Don't Get It.

Well, here I am back in New Orleans (aka NOLA). I've been here about a week thus far - doing more counseling services for Katrina survivors. Today I slept in after a VERY late night with friends (the most fun I have had on my trip thus far!) I had a chance to see the wonderful Treme Brass Band at Preservation Hall (I thought this was a HUGE venue and was shocked at it's tiny size). The concert was wonderful and we sat/dance right next to the band. I have pics that I will try to share later.

Anyway - I woke up late today and decided to take a drive. I had been wanting to see what the areas around Waveland and Bay St. Louis Mississippi looked like. I knew it wouldn't be a pleasant view but I felt it was something I needed to see to understand. On the drive over I stopped in at Cracker Barrel (I have to admit a fondness for their Chicken and Dumplings ) due to the storm they are only open from 6AM to 6PM so I had an early dinner. After satisfying my Cracker Barrel craving I continued on to Waveland. Words can't began to really describe the devastation there. It was amazing to drive down the street looking at storm damaged homes and then suddenly there are NO homes. The houses are just totally missing from the foundations. I looked around online for an example of what I mean and this one from The Decatur Daily was the best I could find. On the Saturday before Hurricane Katrina hit Waveland, Miss., on, Aug. 29, Assistant Fire Chief Mike Smith photographed Waveland's beachfront homes. After the storm, he took pictures from the same vantage points.
All of Waveland is like that as is much of Bay St. Louis.

I had seen pictures online and on TV - but today I realized nothing, I mean nothing can really make you understand the enormity of this disaster unless you see it with your own eyes.

I realized this even more clearly as I was driving back "home" to my hotel in NOLA. I was talking to The Studly Boyfriend on the phone and explaining how one of my front tires was getting flat. I had filled it up with air but there was no gauge to check the pressure available. I explained this to him and he proceeded to tell me that I should pull into the next gas station and have them check it. Trouble is there are no gas stations to pull into that have attendants who can check things at 7PM. In this area you are lucky to find any store gas pump open. Gas station with someone to do something - hah! I again called him when I was driving home to say I was tired. He suggested I pull over and get a coffee. Hah again! I was driving down the highway with complete devistaion on each side of me. The malls that used to have Sam's Club, Toys R Us, Office Depot, Sears, etc are all completely closed. There are no people living or working in these areas. No electricity is on in most places. It was completely understandable to me that he suggested these options - they would make sense in most situations - but right now- right here things are different. Normal just isn't normal. And I think most people outside of the area just plain don't get that. How can you?

I HEART Cast-On

Go! Listen Now! If you haven't heard it before you MUST take a listen to Cast-On. I am loving it! I found Brenda a few weeks ago and am now totally, completely addicted. I love driving to work listening to her - or listening to her anywhere for that matter. I could listen to this woman all day! Even if you don't knit I recommend you take a listen!

I haven't had much motivation to blog lately. Seems like life is just flying by...

Lately I have been thinking about blogish things I want to do. I keep thinking - I need to modify the format of the blog, add some more stuff to the sidebar, share some more pics of my recent travels with all of you, and then yesterday when I had to call the Boyfriend at home to ask him to look through my knitting needles to see if I had a size 8 I realized I could even make a page where I can keep track of that kind of stuff. How handy it would have been if I could have just looked online at work and then gone over to the yarn store to pick up those size eights!

In other news I am preparing for another trip to NOLA. I am interested to see what (if anything) has changed there since Jan. Let's just say I am not feeling hopeful. I am excited that I will be there over the Memorial Day weekend - I will be working during most of my trip but then I will get to have some F U N!!! Yippee!

I have a number of finished projects I should show y'all - maybe later tonight.... and then there is the new project I have begun. Details to follow!

The Goods Have Arrived!

When I got home tonight I didn't check my mail - figured it was unlikely anything good had come. However when I went to Amazon.com and checked the status of my package that was shipped on the 15th I found that - It had been DELIVERED!!!!! I almost - almost ran down the three flights of stairs in my pajamas and flip flops to get it - but I thought better of it and asked the Studly Boyfriend to check my mail for me. The anticipation was killing me as he was walking up the stairs (at what felt like a very slow pace!)!

Inside the box were the three books I have been wanting for the last month! Yippee! I had already looked at One Skein in the store - so I have some ideas of what I am going to knit out of there and I am saving the The Yarn Harlot's new book for in bed reading tonight but I immediately cracked the spine of Big Girl Knits!

I had been wanting this book since I heard about it's conception. And I am so excited to have it - from the twenty minutes or so I have spent looking through it it looks like a great resource for beautiful patterns as well as wonderful guidelines on measuring, fit, etc.

But alas it also made me sad.... The book is divided into three guidelines for fit - Boobs, Belly and Butt - now I see the value in this totally and I was so excited to have patterns that would flatter me, A Belly Girl - but I have to say - I love the Boob patterns!!! Some of the patterns are supposed to work for big girls of all shapes, but many are specified. To me all of the belly ones look rather - big - they seem like a ton of fabric. I pictured myself knitting for days with the yarn that would cost me almost a week's salary to buy.

As I said, I am much more drawn to the Boob patterns but Boobs, for sure, aren't my biggest assert. There is a tank top I LOVE called Cherry Bomb - recommended for Boobs and Butts, not Bellies. A great coat - the Natalie Coat - but again for Boob and Butt girls. And then the oh so cute Curvalicious Cardigan - yeah it will look great on ya - oh - as long as you aren't a Belly girl! GRRRR.

So I like the book but am now feeling a tad frustrated - with it and my belly body...

I know I sound like a whiner... :( I still recommend the book for the reasons above but why oh why can't I love the Belly pattern?!?

OK now I am off to dry my tears ;) and to figure out some good yarn substitutions for some of the patterns in the book (I am considering Bombshell and Lift and Separate).

PS Note the Marshmallow bunny in the pic? Studly Boyfriend knew I was lamenting not getting a one for Easter (they are my fav Easter candy) so he went out and picked me up a WHOLE BOX today! (Can you freeze marshmallow?!?)

PPS the afghan in the back was knit (?) by my maternal grandmother - anyone know how she managed to do that? It has all of these cool little strips with pieces reaching up into other strips - hard to explain, maybe I will take a closer photo someday!

Time Flies...

Holy Cow! How is it that almost two months have gone since I last posted!?! I do have to admit that I am having a bit of a lack of inspiration lately. I finished clapotis, made a booga bag that I don't like, whipped up a hat for my friend Denise and continued to work on a sock in Opal yarn that I am thinking may bore me to death. For some reason there just isn't anything that I have been passionately knitting or dying to knit. I wish there was. For weeks now I have been searching - looking through my stash trying to figure out what to make, surfing the net, even feeling willing to invest some hard earned moolah in yarn for a new project - BUT - I can't find one!!!

I had high hopes for the new Knitty that came out recently, but there isn't really a thing in it that I would want to knit for myself - or that I think will look good on me. I like UnGranny Smith but fear that all of those beads would feel annoying while wearing. At first I was SURE I was going to knit T-twist tee but then I looked at the back of it and realized I couldn't wear a comfortable bra with it - so that eliminated it right away!

Now I am holding out for Big Girl Knits - Amazon informed me that my order shipped today (which also includes Knitting Rules by the Yarn Harlot and One Skein). Now I all I need is Mason-Dixon Knitting and I will be set! Anyway - I have big hopes for Big Girl Knits - I am ready to make something knit that I love that I can wear - ALL FOR ME!!!!

Well that's all for now! Time to hit the sack - I have to remember to blog again soon and tell you about all of the podcasts I have been enjoying lately! Knitting Podcasts Rock!!!

Please make the call...

I haven't been posting much lately - mostly because life has been hectic, I a terrible cold and I have been knitting the same thing forever. I also am trying to decide what to do about this blog - I know it isn't exactly fitting my needs at the moment - so I am considering starting a new one - but we will see what happens there....

My main concern for the day can be found here. Yesterday as I was home convalescing I watched Oprah - lately she has been irritating to me, but her show was on "Katrina Stories No One is Telling." I was so glad to see her do this and to see how accurate of a portrayal it was. One story that she told was that of St. Bernard parish - one of the areas I worked in last month while in LA. St. Bernard was completely devastated by Katrina. Many of the residents that are still there basically have no where to stay and no way to cook food - but for now are living on a cruise ship, the Scotia Prince, that is set to leave at the end of this month - which is NEXT WEEK! The ship needs to stay - FEMA isn't getting trailers there quickly enough and the residents of the parish need this resource. Please please take a look at the St. Bernard Parish website and make the call to the White House asking for the ship to stay.

Knitting and Levees...

I have been one of the world's laziest bloggers lately. I keep meaning to write but then have these great ideas of what I should write but get overwhelmed by the effort it will take to write them! So tonight I was inspired and decided to just type already!

You will notice my blog has somewhat morphed into writing about New Orleans... Well today's post will be both knitting and New Orleans related.

For those of you who are interested in hearing more about the current situation in NOLA head on over to Tim's blog. He speaks from a personal and political (how can the two not be mixed on the issue of NOLA these days) view on things there. He has moved back to New Orleans with his wife and child after having had their home ruined by the flood. To me his posts really reflect the reality of the situation in the city. He makes many good points including that to rebuild the city New Orleans needs IMPROVED hurricane protection. They don't just need the levees to be rebuilt - things need to be improved. Our government needs to hear this loud and clear from all of us... A band aid just won't do the job!

Now on a knitting note Ray has help to organize a wonderful project called Bundle Up New Orleans. Head on over to the site to find out how you can help just by knitting warm items such as hats, scarves and mittens for the people in NOLA who so desperately need something warm at this time of the year. When I was there two weeks ago I was surprised by just how cold it really is. It was cold and windy and I didn't have a hat or scarf but so wanted one. I now have one hat ready to go and need to look through my stash to see what else I want to make. Please please join me!

New Orleans is Alive (well some of it anyway)!

So I meant to blog everyday while I was here - but obviously that hasn't happened! Today I actually shouldn't be blogging as it has been a kind of crappy day - but I had one happy thing to share with y'all - I picked up some yarn at the LYS so that I could make another clapotis (yeah yeah so I am not finished with my first one yet) - The yarn is a lovely hand dyed wool and I got a colorway that is grayish/bluish - I don't have the ability to take a good pic at the moment but when I do I will post it for y'all! (Notice the southern twang!) :)

I am super tired as the work has been very draining today - and note to self - if coming to New Orleans in January bring more pants - what were you thinking packing so many pairs of shorts!

Hey everyone - by the way - COME VISIT! They need you down here!

Back to New Orleans

Happy New Year to my few readers!

I have been having a difficult time keeping things updated on here - I went on my Caribbean Cruise vacation, got back and attempted to get ready for the holidays and then actually survived the holidays, and finally had to get ready for another deployment to New Orleans.

This time I am staying in the city itself and working on the cruise ships housing first responders (police, fire and city workers and their families who are from New Orleans and have had their homes destroyed). This experience is only beginning but is VERY different thus far from my first time here. In some ways it is similar - things are sort of confusing and plans change by the minute - for example I thought I would be working with children but now it looks like I will be working more with adults. I also thought I would be on the ships in New Orleans the most but now it looks like I will be in St. Bernard Parish which is just outside of NO and was also hit VERY badly.

I had many feelings coming back into the city yesterday - I hadn't been here since my vacation in November 2004 and things are different - but the odd thing is that the touristy area of the city isn't that changed. If you walked out of my hotel right now things would look pretty regular. The streets are filled with cars and people are out walking around - it might look less busy than usual and some of the businesses aren't open, but it all looks pretty functional. The same can be said for MUCH of the city. There are many houses, businesses, schools and public places that are still here and open. The New Orleans Tourism website is great! It lists many restaurants, hotels etc and tells you who is open - I would highly recommend it!

Today was a day of running around - trying to get a rental car (but of course the "system went down" and they had my reservation wrong in the first place), getting a badge (wait in line...). We also went on a driving tour of the city and saw the incredible devastation that has happened. Now remember there are MANY areas of the city that are doing well. Despite what the media has shown us New Orleans is doing a great job functioning. I haven't been down to the French Quarter yet, but I hear that area is mostly open. However there are areas that have been destroyed for sure. A wonderful resident of the city who is also a psychologist working to help the first responders showed us all around. We took many pictures - though I have to admit that after awhile seeing so much devastation - everything starts to blurr together. Home after home destroyed. Someone told me that it looked like a bomb went off. They were correct. Entire neighborhoods - communities - gone.

I am looking forward to getting on the ship more tomorrow. And to sleeping tonight!

I leave you with some pictures of what we saw today... the bad parts - I will have to take some pics of the good parts while I am here too... (I seem to be having problems uploading to blogger- but if you go here you can see my photos).

I feel so advanced!

Had a wonderful holiday - better than I had expected! Enjoyed the company and got many lovely gifts - including some moolah to buy some goodies! I used the first bit of it at Bath & Body Works yesterday to get the antibacterial foaming soap I am addicted to (even though I worry that antibacterial is evil) and then today I bought my first knitting related bit... A ball winder! :) Somehow this purchase made me feel like a grown up knitter! Like I somehow actually know what I am doing if I need to possess such an object. I mean what novice knitter would need a ball winder. I don't have a swift yet - so maybe I am not a knitting adult - maybe I am a knitting teenager! Am I insane to think that I could wind a ball without a swift? We will see!

It's been so long...

Since I've posted.

Lately I have been feeling kind of down in the dumps. My Caribbean vacation was lovely - blue sky, warm blue water, sunshine - but it was a challenge to come back to "real life." I am realizing that I feel stressed out at work, am not thrilled about the upcoming holidays, and really miss my friends that seem to be scattered around the US. Granted I loved going to college and grad school far from home. But when you want to hang out with your buddies it sucks. I can't instantly be in Atlanta, DC, Boston or Albany.... Unfortunately. It is hard having your favorite people live far away.

I have still been knitting a bit - finished a purple scarf for a little friend of mine in Louisiana last weekend. Still plodding along on Clapotis every so often. I think my knitting is in a little slump. Also I have been feeling bitter due to the fact that I participated in both SP5 and SP6 and was basically forgotten about by my pals. SP5 sent me a first package that was cool - and told me a second was coming... But it never did. Now SP6 - I was skeptical but hopeful - I have received a card, but nothing else. I emailed the coordinators and they say something is on the way. That is cool but I am bummed. I had hoped that I would have some lovely SP I could keep in touch with and enjoy - no such luck. I think I am giving up on SP exchanges for the time being. It sucks to put in the effort and not get it in return.

Bah Humbug!

Check this out!

I was hunting for Christmas cards tonight and stumbled upon this at the Red Cross store.
I think it is pretty cool! In fact I want it - but I am trying not to spend too much money at the moment so I am not going to get it right now... isn't it neat?!?

An odd email....

Last night I logged on to a random email account to find that I had a message waiting for me at classmates.com I was shocked to see that it was from my ex boyfriend from high school. I haven't talked to him since he dumped me on Christmas eve 1993 (I think that was the last time we spoke). Anyway this is what I received:

From:	R
To:	Jennifer
Sent:	November 20, 2005 08:55:11 PM
Subject:	A long overdue, heartfelt apology
Jennifer, This was a shot in the dark, but I'm glad it worked. I owe you an apology. Hopefully, you've forgotten me and this won't mean anything to you. I, however, have not forgotten, and I've realized over the years how much I owe you an apology. Over ten years ago, I behaved like a dumb, selfish kid, and tried to use a sweet, loving, beautiful young woman to satisfy my own wants. Thank God you didn't let it go too far! You certainly did not deserve what I did, and I am truly sorry. I hope all is well with you, and I wish you success in everything that's important to you. Sincerely, R I was ASTOUNDED to get this. I never thought I would hear from this man again let alone have him apologize for his behavior. It gave me faith in dating again.... Somehow it is good to know that as we get older we really can realize our mistakes. I wrote back to him. I am so curious what prompted him to send this.

I love nights like this...

Cold and crisp but not wet. It's foggy tonight but a comfy cozy kind of foggy - makes you want to just light a fire or snuggle up under your down comforter. I had a pretty good day today - got my house cleaned (I love having someone help do this - almost like having rent-a-partner someone who can clean while I do laundry!) I also hosted my cooking club - New Orleans inspired food, and went to see Harry Potter.

Lately I have been addicted to NPR segments on hurricane Katrina - I found out that you can subscribe to a feed on bloglines that lets you know when new Katrina stories are available for listening. I don't quite know what to say about why I want to hear all of these stories but somehow it feels important to keep all of this in my mind.

I really want to go back to New Orleans and I have been looking into ways to do this in the last week or so. I haven't let my family or my job know that I want to go back but I figure if it seems like it will work out I will talk to them about it then.

I am trying to get together some knitters to help me with a little Louisiana inspired knitting project so if you have any desire to knit a hat, gloves or scarf for someone special who has been effected by Katrina drop me a line and I will tell you more!

Join this KAL!

Check out this great Knit Along that Margene and Carole are hosting! These great ladies are doing it again by being the hostess to a great cause! I just cast on tonight for a rolled brimmed hat using Patons Melody that I am hoping to send to Anne at the Village Knitter to help warm someone in Indiana who has been effected by a tornado. So now you - go join up too!

Knitting update! At last!

Ever since I returned from Louisiana I have been struggling with blogging... I guess with knitting too... other things just seem to be getting in the way...

However I did complete the corner to corner baby blanket for my cousin's new arrival - Tyler! He was born on Halloween! :) I mailed it off and they should have received it so no problems showing you the finished object.

I used Paton's pixie yarn and didn't love how it knit up but it was nice and soft - which I know my cousin will like!

The photos aren't great but here are a couple!

Quiz about me!

Take my Quiz on QuizYourFriends.com!