That trip, my friends, was a bit much.
To keep from having to do the brutal flight today, then do the signing tonight all wiped out, Jayme-the-wonder-publicist and I agreed that she would book a flight out of Toronto at 9pm, I would change in Las Vegas at midnight and then fly into Oakland on a flight that got here at 1:30am. Then I just had to find my luggage, grab a cab to San Francisco (since that’s where I’m flying out of tomorrow morning, and I would rather have things easy early mornings than late at night…I’m much more of a night person.) I’d arrive in the hotel at 2:30 or so, which really didn’t seem so bad. Sure…it’s late…but I really am a night person, and I could sleep in in the morning and on the flights and it would be no biggie.
Enter the part where I am an idiot. (There seem to be a lot of stories in which that problem features largely, doesn’t there?) I left Toronto at 9, stuck my yarn and my water in the back of my seat pocket and knit my way to Las Vegas to change planes while trying to figure out why I was so tired if it was only midnight.
That’s slot machines in the airport waiting area. There are women in get-ups walking around letting you know that you can have credit for your plane ticket and start playing NOW. I don’t know what about this struck me as so appalling, but it really did. I have some objections to casinos in general, but you can choose whether or not to go into them and I respect peoples individual choice to gamble or not (although I have noticed that it is so often people who can not afford to lose a dime sitting there ) but who am I to make other peoples rules. That said, I found it sort of galling somehow to have the machines right there, in a common area that you can’t avoid. The chairs and gates are all arranged in a circle around this centrepiece of slot machines and I …well. I bought two big cookies in rapid succession, averted my eyes and knit madly on my sweater.
By the end of the wait in Vegas I was delirious. I thought maybe it was the flight or the cookies or the slots or the sweater…I couldn’t believe that I was a staggering disaster at only 12am. I somehow got myself onto the plane, slept the rest of the way to Oakland (something I never do, as I believe on some level that it is my constant vigilance that keeps planes in the air.) and staggered off the plane and into a cab for San Francisco exhausted and scarcely held together. It wasn’t until the very nice cab driver pointed out that though it was very reasonable to be tired at 2:30am, that I must be especially tired because of the time change from Toronto that I got it. It wasn’t 2:30 am….it was 5:30 am! I’d been up all night, changing planes and holding planes up in the air with the force of my will. No wonder I was tired. No wonder the sweater was almost done too.
I left my house at 7pm and arrived at the hotel at 5:30 am…my time. That’s a lot of knitting time. The sleeve is done, the neckband is done and the first 50 cm (19″) of I-cord is done. That means all that’s left is to knit another metre of the stuff (40″), try to block it with the hotel steam iron, and I’m done. It looks good, if I finish it before I go to the bookstore I’ll try and get one of the knitters there to take a finished object picture for you. (Assuming it fits. There’s always that.)
When I got to the hotel room I fell down on the bed in my clothes and got up seven hours later and feel much better. I opened the curtains and got the surprise of my life….I’m at the ocean! (That’s the thing about arriving places at night. It isn’t until the burning bright day-star comes up that you have any idea where you are.)
The sock and I went to see it….
But it was out when we called.
I hear it will be back later, so I’ll keep an eye out for that.
I had a lovely walk, looking for the ocean, and found a bird I think was a heron of sorts…..
and I saw what was probably a hummingbird (that or there are some alarmingly large bees here that we should worry about) and these are palm trees…
Which I always find exotic and impressive. I remember the first time I saw one, I looked up and thought “Wow, Movie trees!” They’ve never stopped being just so fancy and extravagant to me.
I’ve got a few hours before I head to the bookstore, (how much traffic will there be on the Golden Gate bridge at 5pm?) and I know I can finish the I-cord in that time. That means I can start my reward sweater.
This is the yarn. I’ve got two.
Any guesses?
As silly as it is….. YEAH!!! I’m first!.. maybe?
It’s not a grown-up version of the dream-in-colour baby sweater is it?! 😉
Wow, no guesses, but after seeing those colors I know I want one.
Sorry to hear you gotten bitten by “what time is it really here?” bug – the airlines like to support that particular plague by reporting all their arrival/departure times in “local standard time”, what ever that may be. To find out how long you are really traveling takes math, plus realizing there is something they are hiding from you!
Snort! The ocean was out! Snort!
Ha! I understand the frustration of time-zone math. When I flew home from Beijing, we left at 12:30 pm on the 29th, and landed in LAX at 1 p.m. on the 29th.
I was warry about carrying my needles, so I crocheted for part of the 14 hour flight.
I don’t know but whatever it is, I have to have one too.
I once had that same delusion about flying from South Carolina to California. Of course it didn’t help that two of the planes were delayed so I didn’t arrive until 5am PDT… which was 8am my time. I also flew through vegas and found it weird that there were slots everywhere. However, I loved that most of the food stands stayed open in the wee hours. No idea on the sweater, but my penchant for varigated things has me drooling!!!!
I’m with Gradschool Knitter… the Dream in Color Sweater… ’cause we all know you wouldn’t be knittin’ a bikini, even though you are at the OCEAN!
Transcoastal Yarn Harloting is serious business. Hope the ocean wasn’t avoiding the sock…
my friend and I would have been happy to drive you around this afternoon on a SF yarn crawl! So sad we are going to miss you in Petaluma 🙁 Have a great time- if you can, go by Noe Knits, ArtFibers, and Cottage Yarns!
Wow, that’s a tough time change. I’m glad you’re feeling more rested now.
That rainbow yarn is awesome! I can’t wait to see what you knit with it!
No idea. But gorgeous yarn! *jealous*
Hey! Is it going to be one of those Kauni sweaters? And you’re makin’ me miss S.F. Have fun, and don’t worry about resting, that’s what the return plane trip is for.
I don’t know but you better tell us quick. I want some!!
Uh, Steph, please don’t wait until the last minute to be driving over the GG Bridge and up to Petaluma. That’s a prime traffic zone, rush hour or no (and 5pm is, of course, rush hour, and you will be going in the same direction as EVERYONE else). Give yourself a minimum of two hours, and three would be better, to get there.
After all, if you get there early, it’s not like you’ll be sitting there twiddling your thumbs 😉
Oh that yarn! Oh, can I have one? Please?
How about now? Can I have one now?
I’m pretty sure that that was a hummingbird, but I still have to smile — and shudder — at the notion of bees that large. I lived at a writer’s colony in northwest Arkansas for a month in the summer of 2004. On my first morning there, I fixed myself a smoothie and sat out on the deck and thought, “well damn, I could just sit out here and write all the time” — then I looked at the mimosa tree over my head and saw it being buzzed by a wasp the size of a soybean pod. I did all of my writing indoors after that.
If you hook up with the ocean later, tell it I said hey. 🙂
A tulip sweater for yourself?
LOL @ movie trees. My stepdaughter comes to visit in AZ (from Montana) and calls saguaros Taco Bell cactus.
My guess would be another dream in color sweater, maybe adult sized. I went to San Jose to visit a friend and I can’t help but think that palm trees are fake, just Gilligan’s Island props. The Redwoods, however…those took my breath away.
I’m glad to hear that in spite of the time-change insanity (it always gets me worse going west than east), your flights went alright.
As for the yarn, it looks like Kauni, but I don’t know what you’re making with it.
Could that be a white egret perhaps….I too love the palm trees, guess we just didn’t get enough of them growing up back east…I have a small 2 foot one here on the west coast but it is a crunch trying to lay under it….lol..welcome to the west coast stephanie…the new wool looks very enticing….cedar
Holy rainbow fetish, Batman!
I second the Kauni sweater motion! Inspired by Purlwise, perhaps?
The bridge shouldn’t be bad but you’ll probably hit traffic in Marin. Want a lift?
i love the ocean! if it’s in later, say hi for me too! pretty sweater… and very pretty rainbow yarn<3 can’t wait to see what it becomes
ok where exactly are you? I admit I’m not so familiar w/ the area near the airport, but I really don’t know your hotel. Clearly not city-center or right on Union Square. And not Fisherman’s wharf. It’s a gorgeous day…thanks for bringing it on by finishing (nearly) the sweater.
ps. head over the bridge early and snoop around Marin a bit. v. pretty, but traffic’s bad by 3:00.
(Hoping this doesn’t appear 3x…)
Geez, and you still managed to make a post to tide us over? Honestly, I’m constantly amazed. I’ve never had that much stamina in my *life*! I have no idea what that gorgeous rainbow yarn is, but I’m drooling. 😉
Just guessing, but I think your bird is possibly a snowy egret, or some sort of egret. Which, according to Wikipedia, *are* herons – they all seem to be sort of vaguely lumped together – so hey! Good catch, there!
Have a great time tonight! And when you arrive in PDX tomorrow, may it an oasis of calm and relaxation. Well, that’s what it usually seems like to me in comparison to other airports. With Rose Festival madness in full swing, though, ghu knows what it’ll be like. But as has been said, you can get coffee! And good beer! And you might check out the Made in Oregon Store(s) for munchies if you arrive starving, and need something before you get to your hotel. Tillamook extra sharp cheddar – that’s the ticket. [g] It’s not squeaky cheese curds, but it’s the Cheese of the Gods.
That’s a long time to be up. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. SF is a beautiful place. It’s too bad you don’t have more time. You’d love Muir Woods. Good luck tonight!
I once got stuck in the Las Vegas airport due to a canceled flight. I demanded that they fly me ANYWHERE so I could get a flight the next day rather than spend another moment listening to slot machines. Maybe knitting would have helped, but probably not. Glad you survived.
YES, there will be traffic, come early- find us- we will be around- and we WILL GET YOU BEER! I promise!
Can’t wait . . . the school day can’t end fast enough so I can pick up mom and get the heck off to Petaluma.
I don’t think I have been so excited to get to Petaluma since the last time I went to the spa!
Hey, that’s Kuani yarn! Do I win? Is my prize the finished sweater? I think that’s a neat looking sweater, but I’m having a tough time convincing myself that I can handle a pattern like that in German. I don’t have the guts to tackle that, yet. Oh, and my fair isle tensioning still sucks.
Poor Steph…can I buy you a beer? No guesses here but I want some just like it…what is it???? Love the colors.
It was probably a hummingbird but I’ve been fooled by hummingbird moths more than once
I love the yarn.
No idea what the yarn is but lovely colours.
Reminiscent of those giant flat lollipops…
No guesses, but I know that I want that yarn.
Drool.
Not to correct you, but I believe you mean evil burning day star. At least, that’s what my son says on the rare occasions it shows up in Kalamazoo.
Guessing on that yarn’s a sucker-bet. You’re just asking us so we’ll immobilize ourselves going “Well, it looks just right for … but she’d be thinking we’d think that…but then maybe she figures we’ll think that and it actually IS for the…” And once we’ve all voted you’ll choose something else. Nuh-uh.
I’m so bummed I can’t make it to Petaluma tonight! It’s only a couple of hours away (barring awful traffic) but I just can’t do it. Rats. To all of you who do make it, I hope you have fun!
Ah, the Las Vegas airport. Be happy that you landed in the old terminal (or as I have deamed it the Canadian terminal because all Canadian airlines land at that terminal) and not the one that the US airlines fly into. That one is pure madness! Talk about slot machines around every corner! It was crazy!
Aha! Is that why Denny is talking about winding and winding and winding?
Are you switching up the yarn for the Dream in Colour sweater???? The same colour way is in your current choice… and there’s only two, so it’s gotta be something wee… just wondering…
OOH! I so miss San Fran. My dad lived there for 6 years and I visited him alot. Perfect weather to me…now if they could only do something about the earthquakes.
Movie trees! *snort*
The yarn is gorgeous, and I can’t wait to see what you make out of it! Don’t keep us waiting too long!
The Baby Sweater! Does this mean Ken can have the kit you have hidden home?
Ah, yes, the time change. For some reason, even if I’m up all night, it doesn’t wallop me near as bad going as coming. I continue to be totally impressed by your I-cord skillz.
Hmm… could that be all the yarn for a baby sweater wound into one giant cake?
Oooo, pretty! No idea at all what you’re making with it, but the yarncakes are gorgeous. All I’m wondering about is where to get it and can I afford it! (well, no, I can’t)
The whole of Nevada seems to be blanketed in slot machines. I’ve never been in Vegas, but I’ve been through Reno on the way to Burning Man, and they are freakin’ everywhere. Except at Burning Man.
will this be a wedding present
for the sock it has married
the security guard
thank you for being such a good sport
its been nice to laugh
you will have to learn
an incanation when the hotel
hallway ghosts wont let you out
You have chosen wisely. The-son-who-no-longer-has-stitches approves the choice of rainbow yarn wholeheartedly.
We’ve gotta get him together with Hank sometime.
As I read what you wrote, I knew immediately why you were so tired before I even got to your question. I live in the Mountain Time Zone, that’s the one everyone forgets about all the time, and you just get used to having to subtract 2 hours or add 1 to the times in the media. Everyone knows the earth revolves around that eastern time zone.
I have no idea what you’re making, but I have no doubt it will be beautiful. You have a real eye for color or colour as you would write.
If there is anyone out there who does NOT get all turned around by flying across several time zones, PLEASE do NOT comment about it – the rest of us do not need to feel inferior! I remember the first time I “saw” a humming bird. I was out in the middle of a field in Idaho & something buzzed (or so I thought) up next to my right ear from behind & I jumped about 5 feet straight up in the air thinking it was the largest bee ever – then someone told me what it was. I’m with everyone else – I have no idea what you’re making but I covet it!!!
OMG – If you hit the Golden Gate bridge at 5pm you are TOTALLY going to be late.
Please leave sooner, please leave sooner!
You can hang out at Knitterly just down the street from the bookstore (or McNears behind Knitterly) until it’s time to start.
I got 2 sentences into this entry and started to laugh-haha-I am in Maine and I flew to Reno via Las Vegas for a strings educators convention 2 years ago. What was identified as a 4 hour trip ended up being almost 20-what with plane changes and all, and I arrived at 5AM my time after leaving at 7:30 the morning before. Never again…..and you are right about Las Vegas airport. I couldn’t get over the fact that there were slot machines EVERYWHERE-it was like the city that never sleeps- VERY WEIRD.
Mary
*smack* (that’s the sound of my palm hitting my forward, in answer to the question “how much traffic will there be on the GGB at 5pm”)
I certainly hope you posted this then RAN to your car, smoked across the bridge and will soon be knitting somewhere in Petaluma….
It’s a Snowy Egret. The white heron, not the yarn. 🙂
If you get a chance to see them when they’re not standing in the water, they have bright yellow feet. It’s cool.
oh, i hope you don’t underestimate that gg bridge traffic. northbound at 5 is about as bad as it gets, and you need time to go to knitterly (just down the street from copperfields) before the signing.
snowy egrets are lovely – they have a larger cousin, the great white egret, and hang around great blue herons in this area…
Gee, I had no idea you kept those planes aloft with your mind…I do that.
I am a smidge north of Petaluma. By 3:00pm traffic is already meshed on 101 from south of SF airport to north of Petaluma. It would be so good if you got on the road soon…I’m going to assume someone who knows how to wind through SF is driving or you have a number to call to get redirected?
Traffic will drop to a 15 minute c.r.a.w.l. immediately after Novato, the town immediately below Petaluma. But as soon as you are out of the c.r.a.w.l then you are a hop/skip/jump to the bookstore. I am sending commute-prayers and offering sacrifices to the Cal-Trans gods as I write. I am sure all will be OK.
The yarn is breath taking – looks in the same color category as the delicious children’s jackets!
Iwantthatyarn. Iwantthatyarn. Iwantthatyarn. Iwantthatyarn. Iwantthatyarn. Iwantthatyarn. Iwantthatyarn. Iwantthatyarn. Iwantthatyarn.
I really want that yarn…..
The Dream in Colour sweater is looking might…. greenish?
You really need to come to South Louisiana. We have palm trees too, albeit of a different sort –the shorter, much fuller variety that you normally see on the news, being shredded by hurricanes. We also have gargantuan oak trees, which I think would duly impress the sock.
We have gambling as well, but I consider it a perfectly justifiable tax on people who are bad at math.
Fortunately, you are not assaulted with slot machines in the airports here; the gambling is required to stay inside the casinos, where it belongs.
BTW, I have made the exact same time-change error more times than I care to admit.
Yarn is lovely. Looks very much like the handspun you donated for MS.
Last year I had to fly to Vegas for a work thing. I left at something horrid like 6:30 am, so I had to be at the airport at like 5. Did I mention AM? I had a little layover in Salt Lake City and then on to Vegas. Where they allow smoking everywhere :(. I landed. Got a cab to the hotel. checked in and called the boyfriend. mentioned I was hungry. Starving in fact. Weird since it was 2:45. He says, “when did you eat last?” ummmmmm. Well, I don’t eat breakfast and I didn’t have lunch because I figured I wasn’t hungry yet and would just do that when I got to Vegas, I mean I frequently don’t eat lunch until 1 or 2 without breakfast, so whats the big deal? Why is my tummy gnawing on my spine??? He says, “honey, you are in PST…it is 5:30 at home. You haven’t eaten since this time last night.” Oops.
Anyway, the slots. the smoke. ugh. the Vegas airport isn’t one of my fav places. They are very clear to announce you must take your shoes off to go through security (I do anyway, doesn’t matter what airport I am in, I just do – I wear hand knit socks to keep my feet off the floor) but the guy behind me was MAD and mean about it. I am pretty sure he had just crawled out of some ooze…
How did I not know that you were coming to my neighborhood? Even though my Internet connection was giving me troubles for the past few days, I should have known.
I hope you enjoy California! We’ve been having rather chilly (for us) weather lately – I hope you got the sweater finished!
I think it looks like you’ll be making a Kauni sweater or something like Ruth’s sweaters
http://www.myblog.de/mindfulknitting
oops…the right website is
http://ruths-workshop.blogspot.com/
LOVE. THAT. YARN! Looks like it could be handspun????
well, um – I’m thinking it HAS to be an overly lit pic of the Kauni Rainbow colorway, don’t you agree, Ms Cassie??
ps nyc peeps, you can find it in the USA at knitty city – I finally enabled Pearl into getting it; it came in yesterday and will probably be able to be seen, felt, and bought tomorrow Friday 6/8/07 but don’t hold me to it (and I’ve got about 4 skeins on reserve for something else that’s quite amazing –
enjoy your western journey,
mhv
I don’t know what the yarn is for, but I did notice that it very much resembles the spinning bits on the slot machines. Hmmm…maybe that is why they drew your attention so much?
oops…the right website is
http://ruths-workshop.blogspot.com/
I so wish I could be in Petaluma tonight, but I live about an hour south of San Francisco and could not make the logistics work.
I’m wondering if your hotel might have been on the Bay because that path looks very familiar to me…
Hummingbirds are my favorite. I have a feeder on my deck and when I am filling it(the sugar water needs to be changed ever 3rd day or so) they fly right up to my face and hang there as if to tell me,”Get on with it Wench”. They do sound like giant bees which can be disconcerting the first couple of times they fly up to see what you are doing.
Love the Yarn.
Vegas is too hot,too void of vegetation and trees and too full of tourists(which I guess is what it’s all about,duh) for me-but Michigan seems to think Casinos will solve all. Don’t see it myself and if I lost more than 10.00 I would be thinking of the yarn I could have bought. Or the people I could have fed.
Hummingbirds are my favorite. I have a feeder on my deck and when I am filling it(the sugar water needs to be changed ever 3rd day or so) they fly right up to my face and hang there as if to tell me,”Get on with it Wench”. They do sound like giant bees which can be disconcerting the first couple of times they fly up to see what you are doing.
Love the Yarn.
Vegas is too hot,too void of vegetation and trees and too full of tourists(which I guess is what it’s all about,duh) for me-but Michigan seems to think Casinos will solve all. Don’t see it myself and if I lost more than 10.00 I would be thinking of the yarn I could have bought. Or the people I could have fed.
Oh the time change! Blasted!
That’s why I thought you might be a little too tired for some Beer Knitting in Victoria after your talk and book signing. Since the talk starts at 7pm, that would actually be 10pm your time. Would it be past midnight (your time) by the time Beer Knitting would start?
Either way, I can’t wait for your talk in Victoria. 🙂
No idea what that yarn is but an earlier commentor said it in spades–a giant lollipop!!! It’s lovely a sight for sore eyes Movie trees and “the ocean was out ” !! You are hilarious and have a GREAT gift for imagination and words and putting them all together and keeping all your readers in stitches in more ways than one . Have a super time thanks for the post and the laughs
The yarn: baby sweater number 4
The bird: one of several types of egret..possibly snowy if it had a tuft of longer feathers on its head
The trees…ho hum…I live in SW Florida and see them every time I am ouside with my eyes open
The plane: I don’t have to keep them in the air, my only job is to talk the pilot down to land it. This can be very tiring when its a multi plane trip.
The missing sock: See it at Kay and Ann’s blog
“Women in getups?!” How is it that you did not see fit to share such an image with the rest of us? I’m imagining lots of sequins and feathers.
Traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, at 5pm?
Excuse me while I go laugh myself silly. You’ll be in traffic all day. Go early. Much better to arrive early than to be late & stuck in traffic!
Um, yeah, all of Nevada is vaguely appalling in that kind of way. Slot machines in the grocery stores and in restaurant lobbies, and everyone smokes everywhere. I had blocked from my mind that you are HERE today because boo-hoo! I can’t go! It’s the school concert and I would be fired as a mom if I played hooky from that to see you. sob. And I think that’s an egret but don’t quote me.
The yarn appears (or maybe it’s just the colors on my monitor) to be appropriately psychedelic & trippy for San Francisco…can’t wait to see what it becomes.
wait. I thought it was *MY* force of will and vigilance that kept the plane in the air…….
The yarn colors remind me of the baby sweaters you’ve been doing, but I have no idea what they’re for. I just love the pattern for the wrap sweater you’re knitting now, I might have to do one myself, I just love wrap tops!
I hope you are well rested now! All night flying (and keeping your planes aloft) sounds really exhausting.
That lovely white heron-thing is a male snowy egret in breeding plumage. Very cool, especially since they were nearly eradicated in the early 1900’s in pursuit of fashion — embellishments for ladies’ hats.
Another baby sweater?
I don’t know what kind of sweater you will knit with that yarn…but it sure is beautiful!
I was so hoping that the Reno airport was the only one like that… with the island of slot machines in the middle… at least there no one was offering credit for plane tickets.
As for the reward sweater? no clues, just yarn lust.
i am sooooo jealous. i am a SF bay area native now living in vermont (i was the one who brought you maple cream and a general store t-shirt at WEBS?) and seeing the tide out and the heron made me a little verklempt.
too bad you have so little time in that area-you could visit some GREAT yarn stores in SF.
hang in there-it’s a long trip, but i think you will make it.
The yarn is gorgeous – whatever it becomes will be beautiful! And I’m with you about the Vegas airport – I’ve had to change planes there a couple times and was pretty appalled. I find casinos really depressing, and to force innocent travelers to wait in one is just not right.
Get some sleep!
Holy Pride Yarn!! Would LOVE that, and an appropriate month for the purchase!
You are all wrong. It is not the force of your will holding the plane up in the air. It is the engines. And the engines keep going from take off to landing because I listen to them all the way in case they stop and I have to let the pilot know that we are about to plummet to a fiery death.
Oh, and breathing in and holding your breath helps the plane take off because filling yourself with air makes you lighter.
I’m a real joy to travel with. Can you guess?
I love that yarn, and I do NOT think it’s a baby sweater. It’s gorgeous though.
I remember my first palmtree, coming out of LAX and being stunned, just stunned at actual palmtrees lining the streets, just like normal trees. It never gets old, never loses the awestruck.
Since I’m pretty sure I was sitting beside you when we saw some of that yarn and you looked at me and said ‘I just ordered that’, ‘guessing’ would be unethical. And if I’m wrong, well, that’s happened before.
Rams my sweet, I think what Denny was referring to yesterday was all the winding she’s having to do at work to keep up with the run on Tulip sweaters someone’s caused.
I think someone’s up to making a much larger baby sweater, perhaps for herself? It’s gorgeous, no matter what you’re doing with it!
It’s too late now, but I thought I’d chime in anyway.
1. I understand the “keeping the planes flying by force of will” concept. I’m the same way. When DH was gone on a trip when we first moved here, I would stay up all night, keeping imagined prowlers away by force of will. I’m almost past it–which is good, considering that I’m lousy company on two hours’ sleep . . . ;o)
2. My guess is that’s a Snowy Egret. It’s definitely some kind of egret. We had them on my dad’s farm in California (just over two hours from where you are now) where I did all of my first-phase growing up. (The second phase happened after I left for college.)
3. Yes, you saw a hummingbird. There are at least four species common in the Bay Area. There are four native species in Ontario, too (Ruby-throated, Rufous, Green Violet-ear, & Broad-billed, in case you were wondering). If you put a feeder outside a window, you should see some of them. (It might help keep your teenagers busy during the summertime.) 1-2 parts white sugar to 4 parts water; stir until dissolved. Change when it starts to get cloudy. You can also plant catmint and other flowers to attract them, if you’re anti-white sugar.
4. If you haven’t left by now, you’re probably in trouble. California traffic is horrendous, legendary, cold-tar-thick and -slow. My dad commuted across various bridges for most of my time in high school. He’d leave our house about 5:00 and get into Oakland just before 8. Midday, that’s just over a 90 minute drive.
5. That yarn is amazing. I’ve got to knit my kids some sweaters out of that stuff. Do tell!
You and Jayme need to stop with the beer & knitting while you’re planning these things, so you’re thinking clearly.
Oh…I don’t envy you the traveling. But I sure wish I was in Petaluma this evening! (I’m six hours north of there!) I’d LOVE to know what hotel in SF you were in. I lived there and I can’t figure it out by your pictures! And I’m taking my daughter for a weekend there this summer. Looks perfect.
Steph, Welcome to California!!! And the sun is out for you today (not necessarily a normal occurence here in the Summer). I wish I had a way up to Petaluma. Please, Please, next time you’re on a tour, consider those of us without cars here in the Bay Area. Book yourself at one of our LYS (Imagiknit would be great) so we can get to you.
No guesses… Just one great big OOOOoooOOOOooOOOooooOOooHHH!!! 🙂
No guesses… Just one great big OOOOoooOOOOooOOOooooOOooHHH!!! 🙂
I do not have to guess. I KNOW.
No guesses… Just one great big OOOOoooOOOOooOOOooooOOooHHH!!! 🙂
No guesses… Just one great big OOOOoooOOOOooOOOooooOOooHHH!!! 🙂
You are absolutely right. It IS constant vigilance that keeps planes in the air, and also cars on the road. I have no idea what that very pretty yarn is for but I like it.
Is the yarn the one you see as almost a sweater on http://www.Purlwise.com ?
Snowy egrets look so graceful in the air. Surprising how long their necks actually are. And hummingbirds get very used to humans. Years ago I had one that would hang out on my balcony with me after I’d fed him for a while. Of the many Bay Area hummers, the Anna’s is the most common.
Yeah, I guessed the flight issue, too. It’s so annoying when you forget. I’m one of the rare ones who do better flying west. I normally stay up until 3, so having to get up at what’s an extrememly early hour for me is my problem.
Himself and I had a wedding to attend in Las Vegas in 2002. We landed at the airport and Himself asked if I wanted to gamble. I said only if he could find a knitting-related gambling device.
On the way to dinner that night, he pulled me in front of a sheep-themed slot machine. We only lost $18 trying to figure out the point of the game it was offering.
That yarn is amazing, whatever it is you knit with it I want one! I hope you made it across the Golden Gate in a timely manner, I’ve spent a heartbreaking amount of time in traffic going through the bay area when I lived on the central coast and the husband lived in Sonoma.
I hate the airports in Nevada (it’s the same in the Reno airport). We drive a camper from Colorado to California now and my youngest son’s favorite “campground” is in Wendover behind a very bright casino (it was clean and relatively quiet and easy to find, we slept and left so I was amazed that he remembered it).
OMG, I hope you immediately caught a cab across the bay after writing this. I.M.M.E.D.I.A.T.E.L.Y.!!!
I’ve been caught on that bridge before….
This yarn looks like my Rainbow Kauni or EVilla, as well. Would be interesting what it is. I’m sure we’ll hear about it. ;o)
Oh Stephanie…had I known, I would have warned you. The Las Vegas airport sucks rocks! I should know, I was born and raised there. I escaped to Albuquerque 12 or so years ago, but sometimes people expect me to…return. My rule lately is that I only return when people die. Fortunately, this has been infrequent, so most of my loved ones are still alive and I don’t have to…return. And even when I do, I almost always choose making the 10-hour drive (one way) over dealing with that horrible, horrible airport.
I wish I had known that you were staying right near the San Francisco Airport! I work at the airport and I’m a knitter. I know where you took that picture of the bay with your sock. I go for walks there and take lots of pictures. I could have bought you lunch or something. I could have even taken you up to the Control Tower for a tour.
I wish you would come over the East Bay. Petaluma is just tooo far to drive after work.
How much traffic will there be on the Golden Gate bridge at 5pm?
Ha ha ha ha ha!
Ow… I’m not supposed to laugh that hard; it makes my back hurt.
Hope you have good luck with the traffic gods. 🙂
It’s another one of those baby sweater kits, wrapped in one center pull ball?
I don’t know, but the colors seem right for it, so it’s the best guess I have.
Made the same mistake once when my husband was working in Seattle and I flew out to visit him. The cheap flight was Newark (NJ) Vegas change to Seattle. I couldn’t figure out why I was so out of in Vegas at midnight either. When I woke up to get off the plan and that little bit of air between the plane and then gangway hit me I thought “It’s July why do they have the heat on?” Since it reminded me of the blast of air at malls (an other buildings) in the winter.
Now I know why the sun was out early this morning! The ocean had its Will Be Back At… sign, but the sun was expecting you.
Alas and woe, I am not in Petaluma. Yippee! I’m not in the traffic!
I hope that you left before 5. That can be a super slow drive. While in SF, see if you can check out Carolina Homespun, a nifty yarn/spinning store. Is the yarn from Epicurus’s Etsy shop? Regardless I hope you enjoyed our Golden State, the weather really shined today!
I had to read ahead and make sure that “stuck my yarn and my water in the back of my seat pocket” wasn’t a setup for “I changed planes in Vegas but the sweater didn’t.” (Don’t DO that to me! I spent a good 20 seconds imagining a terrible fate for that poor sweater!)
I think that is an egret, which is, indeed, a kind of heron. 🙂
I’m guessing that’s going to be a Kauni Cardigan. I’ve been watching one get knit up over at http://www.purlwise.com/ (check the archives for lots of awesome pictures) — that’s almost too much fun!
mmmmmmm……….. look at those delicious lollipops of candy coloured yarn. whatever will they become? can’t wait to see!
It looks like Lorna’s Laces yarn in Rainbow. I just made a gorgeous, though thick, pair of socks in the worsted weight. Hey, I’m a slow knitter and the heavier weight knits quicker. Do I win a prize if I am right? Or if I’m close?
I know that yarn–I “pretend” put it in my shopping cart two nights ago to get out of my system how much I wanted it. It looks like the coolest thing to make a matching pair of socks–I know it’s an etsy seller, but etsy is slow tonight and I don’t have patience to find it. Maybe Painted Tiger? Maybe not…it got “removed” from my cart which means somebody with a real credit card and intention actually bought it. If it was you, enjoy, Stephanie!
Ruth’s Kauni Cardigan! If it is, I’m jealous!
“women in get-ups”??? What does that MEAN??? Is that some Canadian thing? What kind of “get-ups”?? And it is horrifying they would be encouraging people to trade in their tickets to gamble!!!
Have to say, on my two forays into casinos in Connecticut I was shocked, appalled and saddened by the number of apparently homeless people living in the casinos, having arrived, blown the bank, and unable to get ‘home’. It really got to me. I love Tim McGraw, but I’d prefer to see him someplace where I am not haunted by the incredible horror of a casino when your blinders are off.
Why on earth would you need a reward after Dream in Colo(u)r? Shouldn’t the D in C be the reward?
Have fun in the sun!
It’s 7:30 and I am in San Francisco. You are in the swing of your talk. What does it say about Bay Area traffic that flying to New York seems doable, but driving to Petaluma, not?
Ummm…..The bird is an egrett, and I don’t think you are on the ocean, but probably the bay….
Sorry….
Ummm…..The bird is an egrett, and I don’t think you are on the ocean, but probably the bay….
Sorry….
Ummm…..The bird is an egrett, and I don’t think you are on the ocean, but probably the bay….
Sorry….
It looks like you were in the NEW parts of McCarran Airport, from the photo. Otherwise you would have had slot machines AND clouds of cigarette smoke to contend with. (The smoking section is separated from the “non”smoking section by plexiglass that’s only 5 or 6 feet tall.) Most hideous airport in the USA.
I’ve been reading through your archives since I got the cold from hell a couple of weekends ago. (This is what I do when I get that sick… lie on the couch and find a whole new knit blog to take away the misery.) Anyway, I just wanted to say that I’d stumbled across your blog last year during the Olympics. I was trying to learn to knit and now I wish I’d learned years ago. Late to the party? You’ve been all over eastern MA and I never knew ya 🙁
Thanks for your sense of humo[u]r, colo[u]r, and equanimity. You set an example not only of fine knitting ability but a fine human being through and through.
I’ll stop gushing now 🙂 Again, thanks.
Kauni Kauni Kauni. Welcome to the world of Ruth’s Kauni Cardigan. At the rate you knit I bet you will be finished yours before I finish mine (and I am already at the armholes!) Have fun and have a great trip
Baby sweater #4? Loooove it! 🙂
No guesses… Just one great big OOOOoooOOOOooOOOooooOOooHHH!!! 🙂
It was a fantastic day today, wasn’t it? I was on the Bay side of town, rather than the ocean, but it was still quite lovely. I bet you’ll need the sweater later though….
Now you’re off visiting my Dad. I swear, I’ll never get to see you. You should try visiting the Sutro Bath house while you are there. It’s the kind of thing you will love. It burned down to the walled foundation and is on the edge of the water. It’s built into the cliff. There’s a tunnel. You probably won’t have time but if you do, try it.
My guess on the yarn? Toe up socks, with short row heels. 🙂 My personal favorite.
I completely agree with the exoticism of palm trees. The first time I saw them, I thought they looked just like something out of a Dr. Seuss illustration! (Ok, I still do.)
Your sweater is beautiful. I can’t even imagine what the new one is going to be!
If you think the Vegas airport is bad, every grocery store in Nevada has slot machines after the checkout. Once your done with food purchases you can let your ice cream melt and waste the rest of your payroll, while the kids watch.
I understand having a problem with slot machines so temptingly and accessibly placed. Gambling addiction is a serious and widespread problem, and unlike some addictions, which harm (mostly) the sufferer, gambling addiction equally harms the dependents of the sufferer, as well– like children who have no other source of material goods.
I don’t know what the yarn is, but I want some!
I hate time changes. It screws everything up.
My brother got married in vegas (otherwise I would not have gone there ever). I was pretty disturbed by the fact that while I was waiting for my flight at around 7am, there were a lot of people playing the slot machines. Seriously? at 7am? I don’t plan on going back.
That yarn looks similar to the Rainbow yarn from Epicurious. It’s gorgeous! Epicurious used to also have ones that were multiple shades of the same color. (My favorite was the burgandy.) Can’t wait to see what yours becomes!
That yarn looks similar to the Rainbow yarn from Epicurious. It’s gorgeous! Epicurious used to also have ones that were multiple shades of the same color. (My favorite was the burgandy.) Can’t wait to see what yours becomes!
Oh, wow, that’s some crazy traveling, esp. the time change traveling debacle. No wonder you were so tired. You’re so close to finishing the wrap cardi, can’t wait to see the FO pic. I’m sure it will fit with no problem. I know the reward swater is for the Kauni sweater. Very pretty color choice!
Another baby sweater, perhaps?
2 skeins aren’t enough for a sweater. I say Kauni Jeanie Shawl!
So gorgeous!!
The City is COLD Lady. It’s the fog. Glad your in CA wish you were closer…. it’s a big state.
You’re not only a yarn harlot, you’re a yarn TEASE! What ever happened to a pic of the finished Bohus? I’m hanging in painful suspense! That was AGES ago, and I never saw a pic of the completed sweater.
The KPS sweater you’re almost done looks great. I’m actually knitting the same sweater right now. I’ve done the body and almost finished the first sleeve. Yours looks so much better! Crap!!@
The KPS sweater you’re almost done looks great. I’m actually knitting the same sweater right now. I’ve done the body and almost finished the first sleeve. Yours looks so much better! Crap!!@
Hah! You think real palm trees are extravagent looking. Try the FAKE palm trees at the Ventura (Calif) fairgrounds… They are cell phone towers but the most patently fake palms on the planet. I laughed a LOT when I first saw them.
The Cell Palm. Oh, it’s amazing. 🙂
Whoa!!! Look at this here– I do believe I recognize that trail you were on today as I live a couple miles away and walk this lovely little stretch quite frequently. Do you see airplanes taking off and landing a bit across the water there? If so, the body of water you see is sort of the ocean– it connects with it under the Golden Gate Bridge. You are actually looking out on the San Francisco Bay!!! I’m so glad you got to see a snowy egret too– they are indeed the supermodels of the shorebirds. Oh my, what a long, painful drive you must have had to the North Bay– hope you still like it here when you are through…
Time changes – bah! My last two overseas trips were marathons; 38 hours from Paris to SF, which comprised journeys on the Metro, Eurostar train, London subway, Virgin Air, a 6-hour overnight in the Newark airport trying to sleep under one of those incessant announcements about taking care with one’s luggage (remember, I’m one of perhaps three people in the entire place at this time of the morning!), Continental back to SF, a 2-hour wait for my son to pick me up and a final shuttle trip home to Palo Alto.
And then there was something like 28 hours (it gets really confusing) from Sydney to Auckland to LA to SF, the only adult with a group of 85 college musicians and a plethora of percussion instruments traveling on their own that had to be schlepped between each leg.
After either of these I would have been grateful for a 12-hour duration! You’re holding up great, by the way. Tonight was fantastic and thanks for the great sock mojo!
And you are definitely on the Bay, not the Pacific, but you’ll probably see that further north. The egrets are common along the baylands, and yes, the giant bumblebee was a hummingbird. Darned cute critters they are – and they do love the lavender and the passion flowers in the garden.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming to the North Bay this evening. It was wonderful to see you, and you were very funny. I came home and told my hub some of your stories (not as well as you, unfortunately), and I think a little light went on. It almost looked like he understood why and where I went tonight – a little bit… well maybe that’s projecting. Anyway, I had a blast and he could see that!
Have fun in Portland. By the way, the bright day star does sometimes shine there, but usually only in July, so you should be okay with no sunscreen.
I’d go for it being the Kauni Multi Effect yarn that I was hanging my nose over on ebay last night. You may have only two balls but they’re big balls aren’t they? There may well be 500g (a pound) of yarn there. I can’t wait to see what you knit with it, I loved the yarn I saw but I didn’t have a clue what I’d make with it so I passed it over. Give me a good reason to buy it and I’ll be back on ebay like a shot.
I’ve lived in Cali for four years now and I still think of palm trees as exotic.
There will be lots of traffic at 5:00p.
When I was a kid, my mom tried to take advantage of the slots in the Vegas airport to teach us the “reality” of gambling. She put in a quarter, intending to show us how quickly the money would disappear, pulled the lever, and hit one of the minor jackpots. We thought it was a great trick 😉
that’s an Egret… they are gorgeous and love all the waterways around these parts… and the hummingbirds are everywhere too.
i was completely bummed that you were SO CLOSE (i live in the east bay and have family in Petaluma).. and i couldn’t get to see you. i don’t drive… and all my rides were working.
May I be the first to welcome you to Portland! See you at Powell’s 😮 )
1. Definitely a snowy egret. If it was blue-grey, it would be a great blue heron.
2. You look to be at one of the SFO airport hotels….so it’s the bay that’s out……
3. Well,I don’t know when you left, but you got the Petaluma in time….Fantastic, funny, funny talk, loved listening to you….
4. The sun seemed to come out just for you, today…..it was a real pretty day here….
Hope your very short time here was enjoyable,
Safe Journeys on the rest of your trip (I think you stay in one time zone for the rest of it, I’m not sure on Alaska…)
1. Definitely a snowy egret. If it was blue-grey, it would be a great blue heron.
2. You look to be at one of the SFO airport hotels….so it’s the bay that’s out……
3. Well,I don’t know when you left, but you got the Petaluma in time….Fantastic, funny, funny talk, loved listening to you….
4. The sun seemed to come out just for you, today…..it was a real pretty day here….
Hope your very short time here was enjoyable,
Safe Journeys on the rest of your trip (I think you stay in one time zone for the rest of it, I’m not sure on Alaska…)
1. Definitely a snowy egret. If it was blue-grey, it would be a great blue heron.
2. You look to be at one of the SFO airport hotels….so it’s the bay that’s out……
3. Well,I don’t know when you left, but you got the Petaluma in time….Fantastic, funny, funny talk, loved listening to you….
4. The sun seemed to come out just for you, today…..it was a real pretty day here….
Hope your very short time here was enjoyable,
Safe Journeys on the rest of your trip (I think you stay in one time zone for the rest of it, I’m not sure on Alaska…)
The yarn could be “Evilla Artyarn” in “Rainbow” colorway. Maybe…..
Greetings from Germany!
Theresia
I *want* that yarn!
(I would) Heh. the time difference would make a bit of tiredness. We will be facing a 17 hour time difference by the end of next week….
so, I have a Police local crew t-shirt for you
where can I send it, I wanted to come to the Portland reading signing thingy, but I can’t!
my current sock is sad to miss you!
Laura
The thing about Lost Vegas that really burned my toast was that there were slot machines in the LADIES ROOM. Yeah.
The thing about Lost Vegas that really burned my toast was that there were slot machines in the LADIES ROOM. At the airport. Yeah.
That is really beautiful rainbow yarn – I hope there’s a crock of gold at the end of it!
We were amazed by how TALL the palm trees are in California
I have to say that was some ~wonderful~ yarn PrOn!
I want that yarn so hard it hurts!
And I can’t wait to see what you are going to be making with it!
Those are really big yarn cakes. How do you get them so big? Mine are never wide like that. I think you’re going to knit a rainbow tree. 😉
you’re going to knit ruth’s stranded sweater, aren’t you? There goes the neighborhood. Now maybe we can convince north american yarn distributors to pick up kauni yarn, for pete’s sake, becaus eonce the blog world gets a load of that on your blog, everyone will want one.
you rock, and I’m totally jealous of that yarn. I have been planning on dying my own for it by painting the blanks a la Nancy Roberts. And I have borrowed the knit machine to do it. I’m lost, I know.
Lorna’s Laces Child’s Play?
Kauni- certain. (well, mostly) And yes- after this travel and all the recent- you SHOULD be knitting a rainbow.
Did you see this? It’s also spectacular!
http://www.ruths-workshop.blogspot.com/ 4 seasons sweater…. WOW. Taste the rainbow….
Egret. Baby surprise?
Bing Rachel H.
My right arm= powerful
Oh my, that yarn is exquisite! I love those colors! Have fun on the bridge. And don’t ask the taxi drivers about what happened there during the earthquake 15 years ago until you are done crossing it for the last time.
I really enjoy your blog -you have the best sense of humor. Enjoy your traveling!
San Francisco is really awesome. I visited last November and I just loved looking out at the ocean.
My guess for the yarn? A big rainbow sweater. But, you know what would be great with the baby sweaters? rainbow longies.
** sigh ** I’m back to being comment number 12 zillion… oh well, at least the first commentor leaves you wondering if I managed to get up at some un-godly hour and hover over your blog, waiting… waiting… waiting for your post!
I can’t wait to see the sweater you just finished. I am so wishing I were seeing movie trees right now instead of sitting at my desk in an overly air conditioned office. Sucks!
Kauni Cardigan!
Hey Samina, Susan at theraineysisters.com has a link to the pattern in English. See Susan’s blog entry at: http://theraineysisters.com/?p=446
The English version of the pattern is at: http://www.ruths.dk/kauni%20regnbue%20engelsk.pdf
We live on the ocean and it seems to ALWAYS be out when we go there. I know there must be some time when it is IN, maybe in the middle of the night when we cannot see it. Welcome to the West Coast have a nice visit.
And I thought I was the only one who kept planes up in the air by sheer will! I’ve gone trans-Atlantic worrying all the way. Have a great time on the West Coast!
Jet lag stinks. And I have to agree, looking at palm trees, up close and personal is still magic. As for that rainbow coloured yarn — it looks like the Kauni that Robyn has been blogging about over at Red Bird Knits. But I have no idea what you are going to knit with it. I guess I’ll have to stay tuned to find out.
Safe travels!
Very cool yarn! I love the colours! Enjoy the ocean!
Oh Steph. Slot machines in the airport? That’s nothing. Vegas actually has them EVERYWHERE. In gas stations, in convenience stores, in GROCHERY stores, in the malls, they really are everywhere. You can not escape them. Eventually they become mundane. When I first moved back to Virginia, I actually missed their random noises while grochery shopping. 🙂
Have fun in SF!
Those are some bigass yarncakes you got there, sweetheart…
(Don’t use that line in a bar, by the way.)
Yup – a rainbow sweater for yourself!
How gorgeous is that going to be!!!
Dude. I don’t want to freak you out, but the bee-bird could have been a MOTH. My hubby discovered one a month ago. It’s the size of a hummingbird, but colored and stripey like a bee would be. It is an abomination of nature, and BAD FOR YARN. We’re up in Eugene, OR, but they are pretty common on the west coast. Unfortunately, I cant’ remember the name of the moth. Just a friendly warning for all that beautiful rainbow yarn!
Alarmingly large bees, hee hee! I am also lousy with plane changes and time zones. Even a tiny two-hour difference kills me, but having to do it in the wee hours, oh boy. Sleep is too good to miss out on.
The rainbows look gorgeous. Can’t wait to see how they knit up.
Pretty yarn!
Pretty Egret!
I also love palm trees, and take way too many pictures of them when on holidays.
hmmm… i feel like i’ve seen that yarn before…
perhaps one like this http://www.purlwise.com/2007/06/post.html?? 🙂
in terms of the flight times? i got really screwed up a couple of years ago on my way home after visiting my mom in south korea. i left (a connecting flight from) Tokyo at 2pm on thursday. landed in minneapolis at 2pm on thursday (before my last leg).
very odd, don’t you think? 🙂
Vegas… yuk.
Are you starting an Elizabeth Zimmerman surprise sweater?
bird: snowy egret (black beak is a giveaway)
hummingbird: almost certainly, especially if it’s swearing at you as it goes by (did the air turn blue?)
yarn: oh pretty
jetlag: been there, done that, survived the experience
Hey Stephanie, you made it on the front page of the Oregonian. Well, sort of anyway. They have a header on the front page, saying there’s an interview with you on the front page of the Living (B) section of the paper. Pretty big thing, too, with a great picture of you. Love the sweater, by the way, and I’m soooo envious (well, not quite the word I mean, but closest I can think of) of you having knit and made up the pattern in only 2 weeks! Go you! ^_^
Hope you have a great time in Portland tonight!
Oh, please. You made that waaay too easy. Duh. It’s not really one reward sweater, it’s two. Tulips. (Unless you’re making one youth-sized one). Sigh. Jealousy…
A little off topic but I just had to share this, commenters. It’s from a NY theatre message board:
“Knitting at MOON last night
Posted by: MrsBerk 11:22 am EDT 06/08/07
——————————————————————————–
Just when I thought I might have seen it all…
I saw a woman knitting at MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN last night. During the second act, I see a woman a few seats over with a rather large bag on her lap with her hands buried deep in it. Since I found it more intriguing than what was happening on stage at the time, I wanted to find out what she was doing. After a few minutes she pulls a huge ball of yarn out and a needle, shoves them back in her bag and keeps going! I have no idea how she got in the theatre with that bag and with knitting needles in it… ”
And tomorrow’s Knit in Public day, right?
Reward sweater – how true!
I, like so many others, don’t know what that yarn is, but still want it. If two balls are enough to make a willowy ninja-like Harlot a sweater, then four ought to be enough to make something for a 40-inch chest…
It was probably a hummingbird, but don’t relax yet. They look so sweet and charming, but they’re like the pirhanas of the sky. Their metabolisms are so overcharged that they can’t afford to let other hummingbirds chase them away from food sources – so when they encounter each other, they either mate or attempt to run each other through with their beaks. Generally the latter. This extends to other creatures as well, like…..oh, my father, if he gets too close to the feeder while they’re feeding. And my great aunt, who got speared in the hand as a child when she went to touch one. And at least one hapless sparrow.
Stick to the yarn! Better yet, send me the yarn!
I’m so so sad. I really wanted to meet you in Portland this year. I missed last year and now due to the lack of a sitter, I’ll miss this year as well.
I did have a great morning sans kids (they were in school). I had a cup of coffee and the Living section of our paper. The write up on you was great! Fun to open the paper and find your smiling face on the front of the page 🙂
http://www.oregonlive.com/living/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/living/118117593781620.xml&coll=7
Ha ha. If you hit the bridge at 5pm you will be very late. Leave early. Leave early. Hang out somewhere on the other side of the bridge…there are yarn shops, coffee shops, etc. north of the bridge too, you know. If you are on the bridge at 5pm you will have another story of woe to tell.
Ha ha. If you hit the bridge at 5pm you will be very late. Leave early. Leave early. Hang out somewhere on the other side of the bridge…there are yarn shops, coffee shops, etc. north of the bridge too, you know. If you are on the bridge at 5pm you will have another story of woe to tell.
No guesses. Just… slurp… drooling on the yarn. It looks lovely, and appears to be the perfect reward!
It looks like you might be knitting your very own slot machine with those bright colours!
As long as you don’t wear any Vegas getup with it!
If it is that Kauni sweater, it’s lovely.
I love that rainbow yarn. Must. Have. Rainbow. Yarn. It’s beautiful, and so is your sweater.
My sympathies on the jet lag. When I flew from Chicago to London I was awake at the weirdest times until I cured myself with beer. It set me straight after knocking me down.
Jaywalker Sweater. I am sure. 🙂
San Francisco is delightful. There are wonderful needlearts shops. And bunches to see, absorb adn recall for knitting purposes later.
Don’t worry, those aren’t bees. San Francisco is positively filthy with hummingbirds, and they are everywhere. We don’t even have to pull in our red light district hummingbird feeders come Labor Day, they just camp out all year long.
I can’t believe you took photos of Palm trees !!! Having grown up just south of the city, Something I have never associated with the city…but now that I think of it, there are quite a few (and going down the penninsula, even more). If the traffic was too much on the golden gate, you could have come up here, only about at 2-21/2 hour drive…but of course then you would have had to deal with the bay bridge. Would have loved to have come down there to see you, but it wasn’t in the cards.
Kris
I’ve only ever flown once and it was to Las Vegas for my best friend’s wedding. They have slot machines in the laundromats, convenience stores, and drug stores. Seriously. It’s a crazy, crazy town. No one ever knows what time it is, and you can never know who’s just woken up and who’s just going to bed.
Love that rainbow yarn! It’s so beaituful in cake form, I don’t know if I could being myself to knit it!
No worries. Timezones are nasty and you’re tough.
By the way, there are some days of Prague or days of Czech Republic at Toronto these days so you might have an one grade encounter with me:D
I’m going to do my worrying. The hank of Noro Transitions that arrived today will maybe help me a bit.
Ooooh! Great yarn.
Here’s tip, if the iron in the hotel won’t work, put your sweater on the counter in the bathroom and turn the shower on hot w/ the curtain open and shut the door. Wait 15-20 mins. and wallah! No…I’ve never blocked a sweater in a hotel room while on vacation before…why do you ask?
Love your sweater….I believe that the white bird is a snowy egret, one of my favorites.
My husband’s then-boss once was on a business trip to Japan, turned 40, crossed the international date line on the flight home, and turned 39 again.
(Oh, and yeah, of course we threw him a surprise party: anyone who has to turn 40 twice?)
Palm trees are so Southern California. (Hint: that’s why you think of them as “Movie Trees.”) We like to pretend we don’t have them here in SF. (Apparently we are tree snobs in California del norte, in addition to being coffee/chocolate snobs.)
I remember being in Nevada once and finding slot machines in the women’s bathroom at the Safeway. Enough to make you want to lock yourself in a stall and knit a few hundred rounds on a sock.
I am still glowing from last night. What a blast! You were awesome, in spite of your difficult travels. I think the lady 2 rows behind me convinced me to knit Birch. Today is payday. I feel a little yarn shop accident coming on. Why no, I’ve never knitted a lace shawl before, let alone one made out of un-rippable KSH that starts with casting on a bazillion stitches. Why yes, I do drink. Why do you ask?
I feel exactly the same way about palm trees, the Vegas airport and time zones: awed, appalled, confused.
The ocean “was out when we called.” Bwahahaha!
The yarn sure is colorful. I am having a hard time envisioning what it will look like knit up. I am hoping it won’t be a clown sweater, as is the risk with rainbow colors.
*Snork* “how much traffic will there be on the Golden Gate bridge at 5pm?” So umm, tell me, how much was there? *Snork* The one reason I wouldn’t travel to Petaluma to see you was the Thursday afternoon traffic. An even better question, how was the traffic up 101 after Santa Rosa? Sorry, I just couldn’t help but laugh. And if I’d know you’d be coming in at 5:30 am I would have happily come and pick you up, even in Oakland. I’m already up getting ready for work. Didn’t you notice the “burning bright day-star” coming up as you were landing?
While we do have a lot of bees, I’m pretty sure you got to see one of our lovely hummingbirds instead. That’s one thing I definatly love about CA. And perhaps I’m wrong, but it looked like the BAY was out, not the ocean? Perhaps you were in South City?
If it’s a grown-up version of the baby sweater, I really, _really_ want the pattern. I will happily bribe you or kidnap your WIP for a grown-up tulip sweater. Not that I’m making a threat or anything.
Okay, that’s it…trip to the ocean…must go…absolutely must go… it looks so gorgeous… (and the sweater and the yarn too..)
Okay, I think the computer ate my last comment (which wasn’t all that witty anyway…) I was just gonna say, you made me long to knit at the ocean…sounds WONDERFUL…I hope you get the chance:-)
Haha, “movie trees”. My husband, from tropical southern India, always scoffs at me when I say “Oooh, look Palm trees!” when on vacation. He informs me that duh, it’s not just a Palm tree, and proceeds to say which of the many varieties it is. I just say “Dude, I’m from IOWA.”
Ahhhh . . . the Las Vegas airport. I have a memories of that place that come to me at night in my very bad dreams. I have a brother that lives in North Idaho, so I have often flown into the Spokane, WA airport. Once I was able to get a cheap ticket to go from the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport to Las Vegas to Seattle and finally to Spokane. Well, there were thunderstorms in Minneapolis, so my 9 pm flight got delayed and I got into Las Vegas around 1:30 or 2 am and instead of having a more peaceful nights sleep in the quiet Seattle airport I ended up having to try to get some kind of rest while people were using the airport slot machines and the recorded Las Vegas entertainers telling you to watch your step on the moving walkways. Yuck!
Don’t know what you’re knitting, but LOVE the rainbow yarn! I’ve saved your first pic to use as my desktop wallpaper at work, my little basement office definitely needs more color.
You’re making Ruth’s Kauni Cardigan!! I’m sure of it. I’ve already started mine. It’s the most fun knit and the easiest fairisle. Can’t wait to see how yours turns out.
I totally agree with your feelings about being in casinos–and Las Vegas is bad bad bad!! Being from out west originally, my experience of LV is usually from driving through. Let me tell you–there are slots in the gas stations and grocery stores, too. Icky.
Your rainbow yarn is really yummy! Whatever it’s destined to be will be amazing.
Hope traffic isn’t too bad (and that you are already on your way)!
Well, The rainbow yarn would make a bunch of great sweaters. It looks lighter weight. . . a lacy summer sweater that you’d wear a tank under????
That’s all I got. . .I know it’s lame.
Oh yeah, Almost forgot. I was at one of my favorite yarn stores, Monterey in Green Bay, when the phone rang and the store owner said, “Wait a minute I have a customer here who knows all about that.” She then asked me if the “Tulip sweater mentioned on a Yarn Harlot website” sounded familiar to me. He he he. I’m on the cutting edge.
I also just figured out the pun behind “Lettuce knit.” Yeah, I’m a little slow on the uptake.
Can you get “winders” elbow?
reward sweater good one I am so going to steal that one….soon
I just knitted my way through Vegas on Sunday. Nothing so impressive as a sweater, although I was very tempted to put my sock on one of those slot machines and take a picture. Too bad it wasn’t finished enough to balance!
I cant wait to see you in Alaksa!! Cant wait, cant wait, cant wait. I have had the day of ever since you listed your tour dates!!
Glenda
I cant wait to see you in Alaksa!! Cant wait, cant wait, cant wait. I have had the day of ever since you listed your tour dates!!
Glenda
Have no idea, but awesome colors.
They’ll be able to see you on stage no matter how far back they are seated. Cause I am sure something that colorful will have to be worn on tour.
🙂
Yummy yarn. Simply yummy. As soon as I saw it I said, “Oooh, yummy.” That’s all I can seem to manage. My in-laws are coming Sunday to stay for two days. Eeek!
I have no idea what it is-but I’m not surprised that it was able to pull you away from the baby sweaters. Looks amazing!
Hi Stephanie! I was there last night in Petaluma!You were wonderful, as always, and I’ve been on a knitting high ever since! I was the one in the Shadow Vest (kit from Shelridge Farm – thanks to you). I meant to talk to you about Cookie A’s German Stocking (which you beriefly blogged about as having sizing issues), but you complemented my vest and I never got anything else out. (That’s what a compliment from the Yarn Harlot can do!) Anyway, I meant to tell you what I am doing to try to make the German Stocking fit ME. My first 2 tries were way too big, and I never got past the ribbing. I measured just below my knee (16 inches) and then decided to cast on the stitch count for the 15 inch size on size 0 needles. I knit the ribbing for 2 1/2 inches. Then I inserted a lifeline (lesson learned). My calf measures 18 inches, so I decided to increase up to the stitch count that would be for the 17 inch size. I needed to add 16 stitches, so I did that evenly around the sock while I was changing up to size one needles. (I was actually doing this at your event last night while waiting for you to come out.) The sock looks pretty good for now. I’m trying to keep it a little on the small side so it might stay up. I hope this works. I’m used to knitting regular socks, so ANY knee sock looks huge to me!
Oh, – about the multi-colored yarn in your entry today — I know it’s Kauni yarn, because I’m also knitting Ruth’s Kauni Cardigan! Great — Now that you have shown it there will be a huge run on the yarn all over blogdom. I’m not using the rainbow yarn, though. I got 2 other colors (mostly blues & greens and mostly pinks & purples) from Astrid’s Dutch Obsessions. That is what I was knitting on until nona started knitting a Sidewinder Sock and then I got sidetracked onto one of those. OMG! I think you have rubbed off on me! I’ve never had so many projects otn at once! Sorry to ramble on, but I had a lot of pent-up knit-talk and it just had to go somewhere. Enjoy Portland and Alaska! Thanks for inspiring us!
Nancy Griswold
Ha, by the time you actually see this, you will be in Portland!!! Yippee! I will have you know, I am braving 5:00PM TRAFFIC ON 1-5 just for you! Not even the President or the Pope would get me out in that mess on a friday evening. Only you!
Heh – I thought I was the only one suffering from the “only my force of will is keeping this plane in the air” syndrome.
I also appear to believe that I make trains run, too. As well as boats. And if I nod off, that my husband will drive us not to wherever we are going, but Tijuana.
It’s hard work, being so essential to basic transportation, but darn it – *somebody* has to do it, yes?
I’m loving the yarn. What “happy” colors!!
I thought you were going to say you went here:
http://www.bonfantegardens.com/circus.html
Very fancy trees! That town also hosts the annual garlic festival, mmmmmm!!!!!
I have no idea what the yarn will be, but it’s beautiful enough to make Rainbow Brite explode into a fit of jealous rage. I should probably go find something else to read as I’m barely restraining myself from doing just that.
My guess: This HAS to be Kauni from Ruth Sorenson….!
Yep, the kauni sweater. I have it too. 🙂
I’m so bummed I couldn’t get up to Petaluma to see you. No car makes it hard to travel that far on public transportation.
Maybe next time I’ll be lucky.
As someone who lives at the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco I can tell that is not where your hotel room is. First off there is no hotel at the Pacific Ocean. Second there are no Palm Trees at the Pacific Ocean. Third. there is no sun at the Pacific Ocean. LOL.
I do hope you didn’t have to sit in much traffic on your trip up to Petaluma. It is a lovely little town.
I’ve got the same yarn! I feel…famous!
It’s Kauni, isn’t it?
Isn’t it fabulous?!
Petaluma. PETALUMA? THAT’S WHERE SNOOPY WAS BORN!!!
Petaluma. PETALUMA? THAT’S WHERE SNOOPY WAS BORN!!!
You may never even get to this comment but, have you ever considered video blogging? You could save alot of time and it would be really fun to see and hear you. First step to a T.V. show?
Keep writing your books though – love ’em.
You may never read this comment considering how many are here, but have you ever considered video blogging? I think it would be great – so much fun to see and hear your great adventures in knitting.
Keep writing the great books though.
Thanks!
I cannot envision a rainbow sweater. I think I would make a shawl and put nice lining on. I am always fascinated with how colors play together making a color harmony.
Did you read anything from Caffe Fassett?
Did you read anything from Caffe Fassett?