R i i i p p p

It was while watching today's time trials that I finally came out of a Tour induced stupor and realized that if getting the sock over my heel was a struggle, then I probably was not going to wear the socks. I knit a few more rows after switching to a larger needle and then finally caved in and ripped it back. Time to start over.

Mike and Squidette are at a "all about the Performing Arts High Schools" seminar and Little Squid and I are home enjoying a quiet evening. After I finish this post, I will put on my audiobook and get down to some sprint knitting.

***

No knit finishing today. Instead, we finally managed to get a maintenance worker up to repair our broken towel rod and toilet paper holder. Not their fault. The towel rod has been broken for over a year ... we just never got around to calling to have it fixed. The toilet paper holder fell off the wall last week and broke in two. That was a problem.

Mike and I did take a short walk and spotted this sign. This place apparently makes the best tuna fish sandwiches in the city.

***

KnittyOtter asked when I was going to show off our summer egg creams ... well, they are tricky to photograph since they disappear so fast ... but maybe Thursday. I'll even share the sacrilege of our newest invention, the Ginger enhanced Egg Cream.

***

Lastly ... we passed the 300 mile mark today for family biking. We are putting on 11.5 miles every time the kids agree to ride to camp and have done 3 camp rides so far. Technically, Little Squid does 10.5 and Squidette does 11.5 if he decides to go straight home and not while away the hour between their ending times. However ... Squidette owes the family 22 miles for a couple of rides that we did without her and did not put in the over all totals. So ... we are crediting Little Squid with Squidette's extra mile per day -- which he does sometimes ride. All in all, we figure that it will even out in the long run.

And on the Seventh Day, She Vested

Elizabeth Zimmerman's Rib Warmer. Finished knitting long ago, sewn up on the 7th of July.

After dropping the kids at camp, yesterday, we continued riding past home to "stalk" two invitees. We know where they live but did not have the actual addresses written down. So we stalked them and got the building addresses. Then we realized that neither of them uses their husband's last name and we are back, essentially, to square one. Oops!

Today to stalk a friend of my mother-in-law. I know where she lives, I even get her mail for her when she is away. I just don't know the building address. At least she isn't married ...

We have now mailed most of the invitations save the few we are waiting on for addresses.

Scarf of the Sixth

And on the sixth day of vacation, I finished a gift scarf.Once again it was an icky sort of day here so we mostly stayed inside. Squidette and I took a walk to get some trendy teen-type clothing (for her) but then returned to the less humid environment of our apartment.

Back at home we were greeted with this sight.And this one. Pretty much how they looked all day as they played with electronics. Little Squid is working his way through an introductory book and managed to light up an LED. He also managed to blow up two LEDs, much to his delight.We ended the day watching the end of the Tour de France rebroadcast and I made some progress on my TdF Knit along project.

Finis on the Fifth

Rainy day here in New York City so no riding for the Squid. Instead, a trip to Costco for new glasses for the squidlings; to Ikea for lunch; to Fairway for more groceries and then home for the day.

Once home, we tuned into to the Tour de France and I got busy on my Green Jersey project. During the last two kilometers I had to pause to concentrate on the finish line, but returned to my project during a viewing of The Inspector General.

Not forgetting my promise to finish stuff, I cut the yarn ends off of these socks (yup, that was all that was needed)and worked with Mike and Squidette on this project. Most of this one is done and ready for the mail. Just need a few more addresses and a final check with my folks.

Which brings me to this question: If you invite someone, who you know will probably not come, to an occasion, is it interpreted as "hey, I'd really love to have you there," or as "send a gift?"

Please chirp in here because there are a number of people with whom I am on the fence because I do not want to seem to be gift fishing.

Finishing on the Fourth

I thought about making the day all about finishing but decided against it. Instead, I finished one knitting project and one spinning project and made progress on one of each.

Finished, one pair of gift socks. Recipient yet unknown.Finished, twisting up washed skeins of what was supposed to be Mike's next sweater. Since I do not think I have enough, I bought a whole lot of shetland roving to start over. No idea what this stuff will become but there is about 1500 yards of it. (Not all pictured here.)
Made progress on a project involving a whole lot of these and then went and bought more. I hope to mostly finish this project today.Did a lot of spinning and finished listening to the latest Janet Evanovich novel, Fearless Fourteen. It was the first time I listened to one of her books instead of reading it and I have to say, the characters are even clearer in my mind now. I really have a good feel for what Ranger is supposed to look like. Whew! Hot!!!

Basically, it was a stay at home day, except for Squidette who went and had waterballon fights with her friends. When she returned, we all went to services and then to see the fireworks.It was the first time seeing them fairly up close for the kids. Our view was somewhat obstructed but it beat the occasional burst that we usually see from our windows. Yes, it was raining.

Now I am the only human awake in this apartment (Mike is out running). The kids are getting some well earned sleep after which we will go order new glasses frames for them. Another quiet day planned here at Chez Squid.

Third Day of Vacation

You know, this is a really easy way to title posts ...

Really, nothing exciting to report. But, continuing in my finishing endeavors, I present this "gift" scarf. I have a recipient in mind but all of that hinges on the outcome of some work related stuff.

Second Day of Vacation

Today was a little different then yesterday, mainly because we wanted to get out of the apartment while Maria cleaned.

So, after taking the kids to camp (via automobile, not bicycle) we came home and, after dropping the car off for service, took to the streets on foot. Walking toward the Bowery, in search of soda syrup, we passed many historical places -- but I only took this photo.The Amato Opera Company on the left and the former CBGBs on the right.

We did not find soda syrup but did stop at the greenmarket on our way home and got lots of yummy vegetables for dinner. Lunch at the diner and some quiet time at home brought us to the end of our afternoon. Mike went to get the kids and I went to get the car.

As I walked uptown, I noticed this view. On the left, the New York Times building with it's ladder like facade and on the right, the Empire State Building. I'm sure that the Empire State Building is taller but at this angle, it actually looks puny.

KnittyOtter asked what my knitting plans were for the summer. To answer simply, finishing.

I have several projects that just need binding off or end hiding or assembly. So, I am going to attempt to finish a project a day for a few days. Today's project: Girly Girl Cycling Socks (not their real name, I can't find the pattern right now).
I also intend to knit these socks as my Tour de France Knit-along project. I figure that since the Tour is all about finishing then these combined with my "finishing" projects should suffice for a Green Jersey. Also in the planning stage, but slated to be finished before the end of the summer, a shrug for Squidette to wear over her too revealing dress on her special day in September.

Yes, Squidette's blanket is in the finishing queue, but only when the weather cools off or I get too cold from the air conditioning.

First Day of Vacation

It was a lovely day. I slept late woke at 5:30 when Mike's alarm went off. Rode to camp with Mike and Little Squid. Rode home with Mike. Spent some quality time with my husband. Rode to camp with Mike. Rode home with Mike and Little Squid (who made awesome time on the trip uptown and battled the headwinds manfully on the trip home). Set up a wick watering system for one of my tomato plants and basically had a lovely day.

Then Mom called and told me about this. Yup, kid bro' has a new job! Time to check out the biking in Pittsburgh. Any bloggers out there with housing, eating, general suggestions for that area?

On the to do list for day two: bring car in for oil change, take kids (after camp) to opthomologist and go combing the city looking for diet soda syrup for our Soda Club system.

More Waterfalls and Riding Around Brooklyn

This morning we went on a breakfast ride to the Brooklyn Fairway. To get there, we crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and got another 4-Waterfall view.

Number 1: The Manhattan FallNumber 2: The Brooklyn Fall
Number 3: The Governor's Island Fall
Number 4: The Brooklyn Bridge Fall ... as seen from the walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge
While Little Squid rated them one "awesome" yesterday, today they were old hat.

Replacing them on the awesome scale were all the cool things along the waterfront behind New York City's first Ikea.
In order to ingratiate themselves into the neighborhood, Ikea fixed up the waterfront and preserved some cool details left over from it's heyday as a working waterfront.






Oh, and this? What NYC does to protect it's plants on the day of a big parade.

Of Waterfalls and Weaving

So the buzz about town is the Waterfalls. Having heard so much about them we set out, as Squid will do, on our wheels.

Riding over to the Hudson River Park, the Now-Teen-Speed-Demon took the lead and I took off after her. Following were Little Squid and Papa Squid. For a while the NTSD was riding at a nice clip, 15 - 16 mph or so. After the first mile and a half she slowed a bit to let her mother catch up (I was actually right on her wheel) when suddenly I hear "pass mommy." Two seconds later, Little Squid sprints past me, followed by his grinning father. Then he slows down and I'm stuck in the rear with NTSD two blocks ahead of us. The path is too crowded for me to pass them easily and anyway, they'd just speed up on me if I did.

So on we pedaled, down the Hudson River path, detouring past the lines for the Statue of Liberty ferries and back uptown on the East River path. And then, a block past the Governor's Island Ferry slip we saw the first Waterfall.

Oh wait, not that!

This! Click to enlarge and look way in the background. Above is the Governer's Island Waterfall. Below, the Brooklyn Waterfall.

Below, again, the Brooklyn Waterfall

The Manhattan Waterfall up close.

The Brooklyn Bridge Waterfall from three perspectives.

And, an empty loom.

Yes, that means that it was only two weeks from warp on to warp off. Warp speed?

What I Do for Love

... schlep a dressy suit to school, on the subway.

... walk four long blocks, in the blazing sun, in high heels, in a dark suit.

... abrade my heels with the straps of the sandals (strange, they didn't hurt when I wore them a few weeks ago).

... spend an evening celebrating the accomplishments of his students and sharing in his pride.

Yeah, I'd do it again.

***

Back story

Mike asked me to join him for the annual Awards for Excellence ceremony held by the Campaign for Stuyvesant, a group working to build an endowment for our alma mater. When I arrived there I immediately hooked up with two Assistant Principals and a glass of wine.

I was guided around the room and introduced to various students, most of whom he described as "awesome," and one as "one of my knitters." To the knitter, I pulled out my current sock in progress and she was astonished to see that I knit real garments and that it was not another sock puppet. Gee ... make three recursive sock puppets and some funky character socks and you get a reputation ...

Eventually we were moved to another room, fed (much to Mike's relief as the food had disappeared as soon as I walked in to the first room and I was complaining about being hungry), and presented with the evening's honorees.

Each kid walked away with a substantial check, except for the kids representing the fencing team -- their check was for the support of the team.

Will I go back next year? Yup. Even with abraded heels.

Thirteen years ago I held a sweet, smiling baby in my arms ...

That baby has morphed into ...

A funloving seven year old ...
A curious eight year old ...
A creative nine year old...
A best friend 10 year old ...

A moody, eleven year old ...


A joy to be with twelve year old ...
A poised, intelligent, sweet, smart, slightly obnoxious, Teenager.May I introduce to you, my newly minted teenager, Batya.

I love you, sweetie!

Graduation Day!

Don't look for photos. The auditorium was too dark and shadowed for anything good.

He made us laugh. All of the kids said thank you to their parents and Little Squid's bit went something like this (I am paraphrasing but NOT making this up).

"I'd like to thank my mom for dropping me off at school almost every day and my dad for making sure we are fed. Thanks to my sister for being here and for being the best sister there is. Thanks to my grandparents for giving birth to my parents. I want to thank my turtles for being the best pets even if they want to take over the world. And, I'd like to thank Homer for writing the Iliad."

Really. No kidding. The kid thanked a long dead Greek poet.

Laughter, tears and smiles.

Congratulations, Little Squid!

Summertime means ...

Lots of biking. Think we have enough maps?

(In Mike's defense, because he is the map magpie, I tend to give them away whenever we give directions to some one. He wants each adult to have one which means that I really have to carry two with me at all times.)

Lots of weaving. About 8 inches so far. No, I am not going to torture you with endless photos of the same white on white weaving. Consider this it until I take it off the loom.
And graduations. Watch for a special post tomorrow evening. I'm going to go put some tissues in my purse ...