Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back!

If my blog could play music--it would be the Welcome Back, Kotter theme. Imagine you can hear it in the background as you read along. I know, it's been quite some time. I do have a Welcome Back, Kotter child's puzzle somewhere in this house. Too lazy to find it and post a pic right now, maybe some other time.

Life has been hectic! I went to Salem, MA, then to the Outer Banks the next weekend, then came back and hosted a BBQ at the house. Last weekend was supposed to be the man's sister and her hubby and two children staying with us but alas, they cancelled. I missed seeing them but was glad for some time to unwind a bit.

I went to the Arts Festival downtown, was a bit dis-a-POINT-ed (you'd get the pun if you lived here). It was not at the Point as usual due to the nasty park "renovations" (like cutting down 100 year old trees to make a giant amphitheater is fantastic). Most of it was where it usually is but I missed going to the stage by the Point and seeing the fountain and pausing to sit along the rivers (count 'em, three) and relax. We ended up in Market Square instead and this was not as relaxing as you would think. They had a live art exhibit there called Jaggerbush Junction that was quite noisy. I only bought one thing, a leaf made of clay. A maple leaf, like the tree outside our house in the front. We did get a free mini box of Chocolate Chex, which is still laying around here somewhere. Any takers?

The next day we did some yard work and I went to join some friends for a book study at a sweet little joint that serves up the most delectible vegan fare, the Quiet Storm. I would recommend the Raspberry Beret to anyone. Cue the Prince song, as Welcome Back has finished by now.

Knitting is still happening, along a slow, middle-of-a-gargantuan-sized-project-that-is-mostly-stockinette-stitch rate. Don't get me wrong, me likes the stockinette, it can just get a wee bloody boring at times. I had to run to the yarn shoppe for some extra balls of the yarn, as usual, and they still had it, thankfully. I have used 3 so far, am on the 4th. I bought 15 balls total. This should about explain right where things are at.

I also scored the most recent Knit 1 (the Green Issue, I know, it actually came out in May) and now feel I need to knit a dress from organic cotton. Here's the sitch: can't keep up with my subscriptions. Only have 3: Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits & Knit 1. Doesn't sound that hard, does it? Well it IS hard when the stupid publishers keep sending you renewal notices when you have paid like, two years in advance. So you stop responding to these letters cause they don't fool you anymore. Then the mags stop coming. Then you stalk the mag racks in the Super Markets and Mega Bookstores to make sure you didn't miss out on something so spectacular that once you find it, you will be inspired to create your own line of beautiful knitwear and the Queen will knight you and Donatella will court your designer prowess and you will become a star on Knitty Gritty, so much so that you will have your own spin-off show, called Knitsburgh with the Point as the backdrop. And there won't be any "knitsters" around either-your guests will be "yinzers" of course and will eat pyrohy while knitting and will all proclaim a deep hatred for Sienna Miller at the start of each episode.

Just a few more things to get out there, ok? First, the good news: I got new glasses! And I'm going HERE this weekend! And the garden has grown like crazy! Now the bad news: Losing two good friends to the giant-skeeter-laden south (yeah, I'm talking about you). And crying when reading of a whale that lived for a century and was killed and it had a really old piece of harpoon embedded but was still killed anyway in a hunt. And finding a nice big hairball on the carpet right outside the bathroom door as it smooshes underfoot following your morning shower. And more good stuff to close to try and keep it positive: Eating soy icecream with some choco tortilla shells crunched on top and watching a fantastic summer storm. Dreaming again after a dream hiatus. And MTV for keeping my late nights REAL. As in REAL WORLD VEGAS REUNION BABY--gotta run, you know you're running to watch it too!

Good Karma Stocking

That's right, stock-piling good karma here.

1. I let a lady get in front of me on my way to work, even after having to wait for the asphalt truck and about 4 men hand shovel asphalt onto the street before letting me drive on through. Meaning I was cutting it real close to being late to work anyway. WOAH!!

2. I listened to the girl at work who really grates my nerves talk to me for the 80th time about her upcoming laser eye surgery. Sure, it was at the lunch table and it was just not me enduring the pain. And sure, she also mentioned said price of this surgery (yeah, she's a price-dropper) and explained in great detail the benefits of the Premium Plan she purchased. Let's also not forget the addition at the end where she basically said she lost a glass contact in her eye cavity several years ago and it has yet to be located. Others called her out and told her not to lie; I held my tongue. Impressed, aren't we?

3. I not only went to the grocery store after a heinous work day, but also bought chese and a meat product with my own money for a very lucky carnivore. Not only that, but I bought a box of Drumstix (ice cream cones, not chicken) for said carnivore as a special suprise treat. I then had to watch him eat all of this as well (homeade mac-n-cheese, Chili's buffalo wings, and Drumstix). I had a vegan mac-n-chreese. That's right, vegan cheese is often spelled chReese, you grammar nazis...

I'm hoping to reap the benefits of this good karma tomorrow, or I will find it hard to venture out into the world again and may just stay curled up in my bed. With knitting. With chocolate. And with my cats.

Happy Blue Moon!

You can read more about what a blue moon is here:
http://www.obliquity.com/astro/bluemoon.html
and here:
http://www.paganspath.com/magik/moon.htm#bluemoon

Vegan Beach Weekend

Tips for the Outer Banks Vegan Experience:

-DO buy some good vegan SPF 30 sunblock. I used the spray-on Kiss My Face version and look ma, no burn!!! Remember to rub it on good after you spray it. I used Alba SPF on my face and also have no zits, imagine that!

-DO eat at good places. The Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills has brought back the tofu (they took it away last summer). It was curry-coconut with veggies and DEE-licious. Remember to request they make it vegan for you, and ask nicely, and they will be glad to help you out. And should you see Lynn or Paula there, tip them well, they are good people!

Another good place is Mama Kwan's in Nags Head. Mama makes a meal for a vegan like no other. Two great choices besides the boring salad you usually have to settle for at other places. One is the Cali-wrap. Ask for no cheese or dijon--it comes with some yummy spicy guacamole. The second and by far the best is the Garbage Plate. Comes with cucumber salad, pineapple, jasmine rice with sesame seeds (toasted) and some mescaline greens. Yum-taculer, super-fresh and filling but not heavy for all you surfer chix and dudes out there. I also scored on the bargain t-shirt sale, just dig through the bin til you find your size, don't be afraid.

-DO look in the shell you pick up on the beach to see if there is a sea creature still in it before you take it on home. Nothing hurts a vegan like the smell of a dying sea creature in their car. Catch and release, baby!

Now the DON'Ts:

-DON'T assume you will find vegan fare at KFC and don't cry when you get back in the car after your guy eats the popcorn chicken. Just don't.

-DON'T think you will sit back and knit on your vegan, animal friendly new project and your boyfriend will drive the whole way. He will punk out and you should not be pissed. Even though he only has to drive 9 hours and you drove 15 last weekend. Even though he brought no constructive, crafty activity and just wants to drool on your seat.

-DON'T assume the Seaside Vegetarian in Kitty Hawk will be there to save your ass. It was freakin' CLOSED this weekend, the kick-off to the tourist season! I hear they closed not to cater a wedding themselves but to let a local caterer use their kitchen to cater a wedding. That's just wrong people! So don't count on them being there for you in your time of need, especially when all you want is their yummy noodle bowl. Ok, so I will probably try them one more time when I get back there again....but it will be their last chance, seriously!

-DON'T assume because you are vegan you qualify as the Moat Engineer on the Castle Construction Project. Because you do not and your moat will fail and you will be told by others who did not help in the Castle Construction Project hours later all the right ways it could have been done.

I did get to see my favorite band Carbon Leaf play at Soundfest. It was a beautiful day and nothing else could get me off the beach before sundown but them. Here are some pics of me and the band:

Me & Barry (lead singer/tambourine/penny whistle)
Me & Terry (guitar/sometimes lead vocal on Led Zep covers)
Me & Carter (mandolin and guitar)
Me & Scott (the elusive drummer from PA) Jordan the bass player (stand-up bass, hello) just had a baby and was not there. I didn't get a pic with the newer member who plays the accordian and the keys. Maybe some other time. They played a good mix of the older tunes and the new, of course I'm partial to the old, stand-up bass and mandolin music.
I also got a new Carbon Leaf t-shirt. Which means I am ready to go on tour with them and play the triangle, just have your people call my people.
Here is a spiderweb on my porch:

Here is my climbing rose bush with blooms--there are a gazillion blooms on this thing:
It may just crawl onto the sidewalk and eat trespassers-so look out, it's Suddenly Seymour!

If I were a carpenter...

Here are some shots of the new hand-crafted bench. If you look closely, you'll see a bird has already christened it:



Here are some shots of our garden; the peas and beans are up now and the tomatoes are staked. The stakes were also made by my guy from leftover untreated shop wood (he's a carpenter).

Here are some shots of some strawberries that must have been planted some time ago.

What a nice suprise! I also think we may have a raspberry or blackberry bush near the garage. There is also a climbing rose in the front, also surely planted long ago, that is growing like crazy and has a ton of blossoms on it. I hope to see it blooming when we get back into town.
Have a nice long wonderful weekend everyone!

Homecoming

I came home to...a dirty house! YAY!

I also came home to a new bench for the yard, handcrafted to my wishes and specifications by the most wonderful not to mention talented man on earth, my guy. If only he cleaned too...

My Salem/Boston trip turned out to be mostly a Salem trip with one short stop in Boston. Had a good time but wish we could have seen more of Boston. I guess I will need to return to do that, but I think I will definately be flying next time! It took us 15 hours to get to Brockton, MA and 12 hours to get home. That just hurts. A lot. So what do I have in my future, you ask? Why, more driving! Heading south to the beach to see my sisters this weekend. But this time my guy will be the D.D. freeing me up for, what else, KNITTING. Since I have finished the Wee One Cardigan, what do I have to knit next? Here is a hint:

We're talkin' a linen/acrylic blend, 10 skeins' worth. Which can only indicate a project of epic proportion. Details will be released in small increments so as not to overwhelm and cause general panic and hysteria among you, the readers. Or shall I say, reader? Let's face it, I know of perhaps four people who read this nonsense and two reside in the same household so they really should count as one. You know who you are.


Also of note, the fabulous fibre is perched on our new dining room table with new chairs!!!!
It was delivered today and now my guy and I can eat as far away as possible from one another. And without a television (until he figures out how to fit that in the room too). Love, aint it grand?

Picture Pages

Here is a photo montage account

of a very recent walk-about

Hiking with friends at McConnel's Mill Park

Pictures of my garden taken while dark

Flowers and trees, blooming and leafing...

And look! Wee-One is blocking and preparing for leaving!