Picnic Dinner

Today we decided to pick up some bread, cheese and sausage and go for a dinner picnic after camp. We rode up and got the kids, hit a greenmarket and Fairway for fresh fruit, bread and cheese (the salami turned out to be overly moldy) and then rode south to this lovely spot along the Hudson River.




After a meal al fresco, we continued downtown for ice cream sandwiches at Chocolate Haven. Yum!

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The only knitting accomplished today was a little bit of this sock for Summer of Socks. It is the second of the pair.***

Now a question for those of you with a sense of design / proper furniture arrangement. (We have none.)

Here is the way the far wall of our living room looked before we emptied and moved three bookcases into our bedroom in anticipation of painting the walls next week.This is what it looks like right now, without the thinner bookcases.

The question: When we return the thinner cases, should we slide the 3 thicker pieces into the left corner and put the two thinner cases together on the right side near the balcony door? Or, should we move one of the two narrow-thick cabinet cases (shown) into the left hand space with the bookcases on the right near the balcony door? Or, should we leave everything alone and return it to how it was with the thin cases flanking the thicker ones?

(The space to the right of the balcony door holds a third book case.)

So? Any ideas? You have until probably Monday evening since we will probably paint during the day on Monday. Nothing exciting -- all white again. Tuesday we do the dining room / hallway and hopefully can finally call this place finished after last summer's construction fiasco.

Feel free to ask questions.

TdF: Staying with the Group

In the Tour de France Knit-along today our intrepid knitter churned out a front panel. Yesterday she did both sides to the back panel so she is solidly within the peleton.

No progress was made on the biking front, however, as yesterday was just too hot and today we had afternoon appointments to get the Squidlings to. Papa Squid and I did walk around, however, in search of an antique watch. The search was in vain but we did find this cute cat outside of Myers of Keswick. We think it may be the one who was trapped a year or so ago. I was wondering why she was rolling around on the ground for so long and then ... she adopted the pose in the last picture. Uh, got it! I had a cat when I was a kid, I know what this means!

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The Squidlings went to the ophthalmologist earlier and now have HUGE pupils. It's kind of funny, actually. The upshot of this that Little Squid has joined the ranks of the optically challenged. No more reminding him to put on sunglasses! Woo Hoo! (We will get Transitions lenses in his glasses.) I promise pictures when he has his new glasses -- give us two weeks or so. Now I can clean 4 pair of glasses at a time! Saturday we go choose frames for me and the kids -- time to finally replace my damaged pair.

Tour de France: Crash and Recover!

When last seen, our knitter had a strong start from the gate. It looked like the vest was on course to win the first day's time trial with a completed back panel. One inch, two inches, three inches ... 17 inches! Then the knitter consulted the pattern for the next step. Knit 1, ssk, knit 28 ... knit 28? Um ... there aren't enough stitches to do that. Crash! And back to the start for our knitter. Think it was the fault of the British?

Day two dawned clear and comfortable with our knitter well rested. The stage was mostly flat and she now understood the directions. Knit. Knit. Knit. Purl. Finish up that kinky ripped out yarn. And at the end of stage 2 our knitter had recovered her place in the pelleton.On to Stage 3. Now the bikers are in Belgium and our knitter is aiming to finish the back panel. Knit. Knit. Knit. Uh oh, it's raining in Belgium. Watch the spectacular crash in the bikers version of the Tour de France. Ouch! That must hurt! Knit, Knit. Purl. SSK. And our knitter, stalled by the crash, comes in with the same time as the rest of the pack. Maybe she can pull ahead in Stage 4 -- the side panels.And somewhere in there our Knitter turned biker and rode 24 miles -- 12 of them in 95 degree heat and the 5.5 of the other 12 with a violin on her back. Her children? 11 miles to and from summer programs. Ice cream was consumed upon the completion of the second journey -- as a prologue to dinner.

Party in the Sun

Every year my sister-in-law hosts a party sometime near the 4th of July. Last year was the first year that we went and it was great! We Squid are not really party people but this is a big, casual, outdoor affair with lots of really nice, non-threatening people to talk to. Even a fairly asocial person like myself can strike up some nice conversations.
There was a bouncy house for the kids (don't ask my why it says Happy Birthday), as well as lots of water guns for family drenching fun.At one point Squidette lured me outside to be greeted by a drenching! Later we used the guns to cool off. It was HOT with temps running into the mid 90s. Phew!

Little Squid had to be forcibly pulled out of play a few times until the color in his face went back to close to its normal paper white. The kid gets seriously red in the heat. Yes, sunblock as generously applied and today he is mostly nice and pale again. (I take pride in having the palest kids in the playground!)And the food! Dear SIL married into a family that owns an Indian restaurant and they arrange for them to do the catering. YUM! Appetizers were South Indian munchies and dinner was Indian-Chinese food (what you would get if you went to a Chinese restaurant in India). Since we are New York Chinatown snobs, this is not the greatest to our palettes but if you take it as it is and remove the "Chinese" label then it is still really good food. This year we told Squidette to take careful notice of what she liked and did not like and at the end we asked and received permission to hold her Bat Mitzvah party at the restaurant. Score! Always a good thing when your kid agrees with what you want to do. Sister-in-Law

On the knitting front, I didn't bring along my TdF project but did finish a sock!

Contest Winner?

Way back when I posted this picture:Then I forgot about it for a while. We passed the site regularly but the newcomer did not jump out at me and proclaim "I'm it!" And so I continued to forget about it. Finally, I did remember and discovered that I had no clue where it was -- other then that it was along the path to the Greenmarket.

And so, yesterday we set off to the Greenmarket with two missions. 1. Farm fresh fruit and veggies and 2. figure out what was "coming soon."

We totally missed it on the outward trip, being convinced that it was on Fifth Avenue. By 19th street we had figured out the error of our ways and promised to walk back along Broadway.

On the way back, just as we were about to give up, we spotted it and, comparing it to the photo (yes, we had to take the picture along with us, we were that pathetic) confirmed that this is it.It's a bar. How anticlimactic.

No one guessed a bar so technically no one wins. Mike thinks that I get to eat the chocolate myself. I'm of a different mind but I have to think about this a bit. Give me a day or two to declare a "winner."

Tour de France: The Rainbow Jersey

Just to prove that I am paying attention to the Tour (at least today) I noticed the rider wearing the rainbow jersey. Huh? Never heard of it.

Fabian Cancellara is apparently the only person entitled to wear it for the time trials as the reigning world champion time trialer, and he may have just won the first time trial. The Rainbow Jersey is worn during road stages by the reigning world champion road racer.

And there you have it -- a TdF update. On the knitting front, the first 12 rows on the back of the vest are done.

The Tour de France

Let's say it right now -- Fr ahhh nce.

In just two hours I can start my project! Weee!
For the record, I am knitting the Cheveron Shadows Vest from the latest Knitter's Magazine.
No, I'm not cheating, this is my swatch. I'm roughing it and did a quick and dirty swatch that seems to measure right. The yarn was washed after spinning and was not stretched so it should be in its resting state and fairly stable for the knitting. (Yup, the excuses are piling up fast and furious here!)

Mike has located our local TdF channel and once we come back from the Greenmarket -- off we go!

(Since we are not riding this weekend I have to get my thrills where I can. )

On the NYC front ...
No, it does not mean what you think it means. Apparently the old owners had the last name of Bard.


This is, by the way, the Hotel Chelsea. Very famous -- I'll give you more another day.

Side Show

Bob! is who Squidette looks like this morning. She is unhappy that I am posting this but then I promised not to take her picture.

Yes, while we look a lot alike, she has fluffy hair and I have straight. This morning her hair is fluffier then usual.

Other then that, I have nothing for you. Mike and I were sloth-like in our behavior yesterday and after delivering the kids to camp by car (threat of rain and Squidette's first day) we ran some errands and hung out until it was time to retrieve the kids. Today will be similar.

Picnic on the Sheep Meadow

Yes, the Sheep Meadow in Central Park was once used for grazing sheep. Now, however, it is used for quiet recreation such as picnics and gentle games of catch, frisbee, etc. One group even brought their own cornhole set up.

We headed out with neighbors and feasted on pasta salad and cranberry muffins. Balls and disks were tossed around, ice cream was eaten (an smeared over small faces) and a good time was had by all.For your pleasure, the southern view from the middle of the Sheep Meadow.Happy 4th!

Biking to Camp

Yesterday we discovered that there are bike racks right outside of Little Squid's "camp." So today, we rode him up there and figured out how to lock up his bike. Unfortunately for him, his bike has a quick release on the seat post and we are paranoid parents so he had to take the seat and post inside with him. Apparently this led to so many questions that he does not want to have to bring it in again. We did try to get a non-quick release but it turned out to be too small so we will bring the entire bike in to a shop on Thursday and find a solution. He did enjoy the ride and if Squidette is willing to oblige, this will be a regular way of getting to camp. Her program is 10 blocks from his so we will probably lock the bikes together by his program and walk her up to her program. She is due at her program later then he is and she gets out earlier so it works all around -- as long as a parent cycles with the violin on their back.

And so, if things go the way we would like, you will see the Squid on Wheels totals going up about 11 miles a day a few times a week. The adults are actually doing twice that -- if not more.

Meanwhile ... as we were heading home the first time, we spotted a baby bird on the ground. It kept flopping over and we could not figure out where its nest was so I scooped it up and put it in a tree box so it would not get stepped on. When we came back at the end of the day, the bird was gone from the tree box and all of a sudden we spotted this:see the nest poking out from behind the sign? What we first spotted were two baby birds being fed by mama on the other side of the sign but by the time I got my camera out, they had gone back into hiding.
These flowers were spotted "growing" along 19th street as we headed for ice cream sandwiches. Nothing worth writing home about but they were decent.
And then we have these -- Go With the Flow socks from Favorite Socks. No, I did not whip these up in record time, I started them a very long time ago.

There you have it. Knitting, biking and a bit of my neighborhood. Have a Happy 4th!

Rubber Duckies

Read this.

Then start singing "Rubber Ducky." I love that song!

Squid On Wheels -- In Queens!

Today we loaded up the car and took our bikes to Bayside. Usually when we go to Bayside, it is to spend time with my folks and siblings, often hanging out at the pool. That was the ultimate goal for today but first we decided to go for a little ride. (My apologies, my gps batteries died early in the trip so no map is available.)

First goal: see if all four bikes can fit in the cabin of our minivan. Check! Yup, 4 bikes, (3 folding, one Squidette sized non-folding) fit in the back of our Sienna. Cool!

Second goal: get out there before beach traffic has a chance to develop. Check! Out of the apartment by 9, car loaded by 9:15 and unloaded in Bayside by 10:00.

Third goal: find our way to Alley Pond Park via the greenway that runs behind my parent's apartment complex. Check! This is the first time that I got to take the kids on my old riding routes. Up until now we have either discovered new paths together or ridden on Mike's old routes. Today I had to lead. Yes!

Alley Pond Park. This is really it for the ride photos since we rode pretty much non-stop save this restroom stop.
We rode on the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, one of the first concrete roads in the nation, now a part of the NYC greenway. Lovely ride through wooded areas.

Then, realizing that if we returned the way we came we would arrive at my folks' place later then expected, we took a more direct route back.

Lunch, swimming and tennis ensued and a good time was had by all. Except for poor younger sis who had to work. I kept her company while the kids swam and we traded gossip about our other siblings.Zedda and Little Squid.

Summer Projects

This is where I lay down what I intend to do this summer and you get to laugh at me. First up is my summer reading list:Yes, I have already read the Anne Frank, I want to reread it with an adult perspective. All of these were borrowed from the English Department bookroom hence the heavy duty bindings.

Then, my summer growing list:
Pumpkins. Don't laugh! My favorite Otter is also attempting to grow pumpkins in a container. Look! A tomato! First one of the season.Cucumber vines! Yes, I am aiming for chef's salad with my own cucumbers and tomatoes. Last year we managed a whole pasta dish with our tomatoes. Yummy!

Then we have the knitting which is somewhat constrained by the two Knit-alongs. First up, my first pair for the Summer of Socks.The Padded Footlets from Favorite Socks without the padding. Knit in Regia Silk, these fit Squidette's newly sized 7 feet. Save me from growing children, please!

Then the Tour de France knit-along. I signed up for the yellow jersey. I am making the Chevron Vest from the Summer 2007 Knitters Magazine from my handspun silk/merino/alpaca mix that I picked up at Rhinebeck back in October. Then there are all of the projects already in the queue. The Go With The Flow socks, also from Favorite Socks, a yellow baby sweater started so long ago that I do not even remember how old it is, my cobweb lace stole and a silk scarf that I started a few weeks ago. Oh, and the theoretical blanket that I started weaving on my Hazel Rose looms say ... two years ago? I started in again on this one earlier today and have two more triangles and a square to show for my efforts.

And the spinning ... the bamboo-silk from Susan and some very dirty alpaca that I started on the Journey Wheel after Dave went on about the awesomeness of actual spinning on the JW. Yes, it is awesome to spin on. No, I am not enjoying myself as much as I should since my fingers wind up BLACK during a session with this stuff. I will, however, see it to the end as it is only 4 ounces or so total. That project saw almost 2 hours of work today as I enjoyed myself with an audiobook out on the balcony with my plants.

And there you have it, my summer projects. Will I finish them all? And how many more will get started? And what about the painting?!

Que Serra Serra

After work today, I rushed downtown to meet the rest of the family at MOMA. Friday evenings are free so we decided that this would be a nice way to kick off the summer.Currently on display are the works of Richard Serra -- HUGE pieces of steel that defy imagination. Some of them I found really cool, like this one above and below, others made me wonder "why?"After getting our fill of Picasso, Mondrian, Kandinsky and others, we headed home. First, however, a stop at Myzel's where I met Camilla and got to purchase and eat some amazing chocolate. We chatted about art -- she agreed with us regarding certain works -- and made a new friend. If you are ever in the area, a visit here is a must. It is a small, family owned business and we will certainly do our best to keep them in business if we can figure out a way to ride there safely. (Camilla explained why Elk Candy went out of business. It is a sad story.)Heading home, we passed City Center and I got to show off my knowledge of its history as a Masonic Temple. The bottom picture shows a glimpse of its terra cotta covered dome. Not a pterodactyl covered dome. I read about this recently in a work of fiction and was amazed when I looked into its history. My pictures do not do the building justice. It is really lovely to look at.Now we are whiling away the evening and I am trying to get into vacation mode. Sadly, I forgot to do something, so I do have to swing by the school on Monday to finish up. Only about 5 minutes should be spent inside, so no big deal even tho I did obsess about it for most of the evening. And no, we do not have a new principal yet.