Shock of shocks. . . .

. . . There's been serious progress on Skully. But, because I am contrary, you'll have to skip down to the knitting progress section for the specific information.

Life has been unusually hectic of late--my team at work is down two members--our leader and my closest co-worker both have taken new positions in the past few weeks, so there's PLENTY of work to go around, I'm afraid. I thought I was doing okay, until last night. After I got back from the cat shelter and ate a bit of dinner, I fell stone cold asleep on the couch at about 9:30. When I did wake up to go to bed, I was so out of it, I forgot to turn off not just the TV the whole way, but also my computer. Maybe I've been more stressed than I give myself credit for.

In knitting news, however, we had the opportunity to spend a weekend on Round Lake, and much knitting was accomplished by me. It was just a bit too cold to swim, so I didn't feel too bad about spending a lot of time knitting and purling. I did get to see the wonderful touristy boulevard that is Nisswa, MN, however. It doesn't get much more "Up North lodgey" than Nisswa. Had a lovely time visiting with my in-laws and Squid's aunt and uncle and their three daughters.

A busy weekend ahead--a Middle-Eastern Potluck on Saturday, along with possibly helping a friend bedeck the shelves in her store, and Book Club on Sunday (discussing The Namesake, which I enjoyed, but didn't really feel that it stuck with me past the last page)--and a trip to the Textile Center to retrieve the sampler that's been on display there this past month. And tomorrow night? The Magnetic Fields in concert at the Pantages. I'm excited--should be wonderful.

And now, without further blather, the hot knitting action:

Finished: Nothing's 100% complete. But there was PROGRESS, I tell you! Progress!
On the Needles:
Skully: Nearly done with the front! I've made the armhole decreases and should start the neck/shoulder shaping tomorrow or Friday, if I'm lucky.
Fiona: The bag part is finished, and she has her I-cord through the eyelets. I just need to do the pocket, the I-cord trim, and find a button, and she's finished for reals.
Colinette Throw: No progress (see what happens when I put her away?
Party Time Apron: Finished the eyelash section, and started the seed stitch hem, and about 3-4 rows into it, I got my seed stitch pattern so hopelessly muddled (never knit tired or drunk) that I had to rip out some rows. She's cooling her heels while I make some Skully progress.
New: Baby Stripey Hat: Crankyjake and Smilie's baby (due August 1 or so) needs a little piratey sleeping cap, so I found some baby-weight red and white and am making one. I figure combining the striping/decrease logic of the adult sleepy hat pattern with the dimensions of the umbilical hat should give me the desired result. I started striping in the car on the way back from the lake. Looking good . . . .

Obligatory Cultural References
Reading: Quicksilver, though I really need to get reading and stop doing crossword puzzles at night.
Listening to: The Magnetic Fields, in preparation for tomorrow night's festivities!

Hmph. Another week gone.

Sheesh! I'd intended to do so much with my week of bachelorettehood, and as it turns out, Squid got home before I'd accomplished any of it. Alas. However, being so dang busy meant that my loneliness and self-pity factors were at an all-time low. Usually by the time Boundary Waters Thursday rolls around, I'm climbing the walls and I think the cat is doing a bang-up job of holding up his end of the conversation.

So, yes, Squid and the boys returned safe and sound from their wilderness adventure. The Boogiemonster's new kitty is striving to make friends with Stinky, the resident diva cat, but not making much progress. If Stinks doesn't accept new kitty soon, she might have to go back to the shelter. Boo hoo.

My organizational skills need a touch-up. Last week I panicked about Father's Day--had to get a gift! Had to get it in the mail so it would be unaffected by Reagan-related mail delays! It didn't dawn on me that I was a whole WEEK early until TODAY, when all the newspaper ads were advertising Father's Day as June 20th, NOT today, June 13th. Argh.

Enough life-related blather! Let's log the knitting:
Finished: Bupkis. Last week was finished-project week, I'm afraid.
On the Needles: Some nice progress to report, actually:
The Sherbet Sock: I gave up and unravelled it. I shall knit socks out of this keen wool at some point in the future, but for now, I don't need it sitting around, looking at me, and making me feel guilty.
The Colinette Throw: Second repeat completed, and I've put it away for a while so I can focus on some other projects (read: I need to free up one of my Denise cords for a new project)
Skully: Not quite languishing in obscurity--I plan to take it to the lake with me this upcoming weekend.
Fiona: Cruising right along. Just a couple more repeats of the triple cross, and I'll have the 9" I need and can more on to the final top sections. Whee!
Party Apron: Six rows of eyelash done. Really. This thing's going to be so WONDERFULLY tacky, I can hardly stand it.

Obligatory Cultural References
Reading: Back to Quicksilver. (not Cryptonomicon. I am a dolt. Wrong Neal Stephenson novel.) I just need to find the rhythm of reading Stephenson again, and I'll be burning up the pages.
Listening to: Nothing right this very minute. I'm pleased to say that I found Neneh Cherry's "Buffalo Stance" on iTunes the other day, and I've been driving Squid crazy with it ever since.

Bachelorette for a week

Well, I've safely packed Squid off to the Boundary Waters for a week, and I'm enjoying puttering around on my own for a few days. I'll get really lonely round-about Wednesday, but at least for the first day or so, I generally like being a lone wolf. My days have been pretty action-packed, actually--yesterday, after dropping Squid off at the in-laws, I did some hard-core yarn and needle shopping--picked up some dpns in sizes I was needing, the bamboo #9 for the tacky, super-fun party-time apron, and a copy of Socks Soar on Two Circulars. In the yarn department, I picked up some Rainbow, to make the sweater pictured--only I got the "green banana" color.

Today, I got to do a guest spot on Cosmic Slop as a "thank you" for purchasing a large number of watts during their last pledge drive. Since I'm board-certified at KFAI, and have guest-hosted for Ron "Boogiemonster" Gerber before, I had a fine time and wasn't too nervous. After that, the Boogiemonster and I went cat shopping at my shelter to find him a companion for Stinky--after the loss of her buddy Pukehead last year, and the loss of La Femme Makita and all her stuff this year, she's a bored little kitty. We found a wonderful new kitty for Ron, who'll go home with him later this week. We followed that up with ICE CREAM FOR DINNER! Hah! at Izzy's.

In knitting news, I actually have had some time to put some rows on of late, so let's just cut to the chase.

Finished: Round About is done! Straps sewn on, opening reinforced, and now it's holding my balls of Colinette for the throw. I also finished Stripey Sleeping Cap #2--Iole, it's bound for you as soon as I get your zip code.
On the Needles: I'm nearing completion of the 2nd repeat on the Colinette throw, and the colors are starting to work together--I had been worried. I actually put another row or two on Skully (Shock! Horror!), and several more rounds on Fiona. I couldn't resist casting on the party time apron, though all it is at this point is one row of very fluffy eyelash. I know the apron is one of the loudest things going, but Babs, the Homemaker from Heck, really needs one. The rainbow-sherbet sock continues to languish in obscurity.

Obligatory Cultural References
Reading: I finished The Namesake last night. I think I'm going to return to Cryptonomicon now. I miss it, and Squid's ahead of me in his copy.
Listening to: My own CFTP show. I finally had the guts to listen to it. I didn't do too badly!