Knitting, Fireworks, and a Flat Tire

Happy Fourth, errr, Ninth of July!

I was out of town for the week, and, as usual, didn't get around to posting before I left...

So, for starters, here are some of the goodies that I picked up at the LYS last week, as promised:

For another chevron scarf (I think this time I'm going to use the zigzag pattern in scarf style), koigu!

I loooove these colors, and could hardly wait to start knitting this. unfortunately, after i cast on like 15 times and kept inexplicably messing up, i decided that it might be prudent to wait a bit and try again another day.

This is a really awesome colorway of Artyarns supermerino, which I had never seen before and couldn't resist. I'm making a multi-directional diagonal scarf which is easy as pie.


What's with all the lame-ass easy scarfs lately? Does it seem as if I'm no longer challenging myself as a knitter? I blame the bar exam, kiddos. That's all the challenge I can handle for the time being.

Oh, now here is something special. Let's call this picture "i should really buy an umbrella swift".


obviously, the skein of Cascade 220 was too large for my average lamp shade, so i decided to improvise with kitchen towels and pot holders. in case anyone out there is getting any ideas, it's worth noting that this contraption collapsed into disaster about 15 seconds after the photo was taken.

and, then, there's this: TD's Ravenclaw (book colors) Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban scarf
proof that i really did intend to post before i left, and a no-flash daylight photo:
and my current progress:
it's knit in the round on size 8 dpns with karabella aurora 8. it's a little slow going since it is a whopping 90 stitches around, but so far i'm pleased with it. only 10 more sets of stripes to go!

Speaking of TD, i spent the week with him down in DC. As usual, I didn't want to leave. God help me, I'm totally smitten. We spent the 4th at his parents house in Frederick, MD - birth place of Francis Scott Key, where we saw Blue Oyster Cult (more cowbell!) and a pretty impressive fireworks display.

This meeting of the parents went exceedingly well, and turned out to be extremely fortuitous later in the week when I found myself stranded on rt 270N about 5 miles outside of Frederick with a flat tire, only a donut spare, no tire shops open on Sunday evening, and no chance of making it back to Pittsburgh on the donut. As you might imagine, his parents found me returning for a second visit much sooner than expected.
It's a good thing that I really loved his parents, and they seemed to like me as well, otherwise this could have turned horribly awkward. Happily, it felt like the most natural thing in the world and was anything but awkward.

I think it is rare to find an amazing boy. It's got to be damn near impossible to find an amazing boy with an amazing family. It appears that I have hit the jackpot.

I hope they like handknits.