Archives for March 2007

I did it!

On this lovely, warm afternoon, I made it to 100 miles! I did it this afternoon, and you can read a bit about it HERE, but I did it.

I’m glad. And proud. A really great feeling, isn’t it? To accomplish something, anything, is a great feeling.

And then to follow it with a knit-out is even better! A good little whack of knitters showed up — and the cafe we always knit at was CLOSING at 3pm, so we moved it down the street (but some moron stole the first notice I pinned up, so I hope everyone found us that wanted to).

See?

And Celia brought her AMAZING sock-leftover baby blanket that is almost done — isn’t it gorgeous?

And Writeagogo starts fer REELZ tomorrow, but for those of you writing with me, I’ll start when I get back from my trip up the coast. We’re going up to Mendocino tomorrow for one night, to celebrate our one-year anniversary. One year! I mean, really. I know time flies, but it really DOES feel like just yesterday we were getting hitched. Twice in three days. Man.

Marriage is really good stuff.

If you come on Saturday to the Knit-Out (see below), Christina at Article Pract has said that anyone who says they’re "a friend of Rachael" that afternoon will get 15% off everything but books. Kind of like a friend of Dorothy, only yarn-ier (and less gay).

Also, they’re having a Dulaan knit-in on Sunday, if you’re looking for more knittin’ in public goodness.

That is all. As you were.

I’ve had a lovely, knitterly weekend. Aren’t those the best? A bunch of people came over on Sunday to celebrate Janine being in town and to knit for Dulaan. Becca brought me a gift:

A martini glass full of mini-Cadbury Creme Eggs. How’s that for a charming hostess gift?

Let’s see, also in attendance were Cindy and No-Blog Rachel and Jeni and Breanna and Maia and Celia. I think that’s all, but I could EASILY be forgetting someone, because you know how I am. And I have to say, isn’t it fun to dish knit-gossip? There was a time in all of our lives when we didn’t even know such a thing existed, wasn’t there?

Me and my feral-friend Janine. I swear, I’ve appropriated her for my spinning/knitting/life mentor, and never really asked her if it was okay. Hey, Janine? Is that okay?

Oh my god, I’m sitting on my chair in my yarn room, looking out into the front yard, and I just realized my in-laws are coming in to town today and I HAVE TO MOW THE LAWN. I bought a lawn mower on Craigslist that took about 200 pulls (not exaggerating) to start it the only time I used it (but it was worth the $20), so I’m not really excited about that chore.

Either that or I could tell them we’re experimenting with a low-water form of urban veldt. Veldt pioneers. I like that better than figuring out that lawn mower again. Lala says she knows how to mess with the choke (which is broken) to get it to turn over, but she’s not here, is she? No, she’s selfishly gone off to work, leaving me to sit with little dogs, looking out the windows.

I got off topic. Knitterly. Okay, then, yesterday, I stole Janine again (because I do that) and we traipsed off to the city, blithely crossing the Bay Bridge (which she was impressed with, which validated ME, because I am FINALLY pretty comfortable with driving in the City, ten long nervous years later), picking up Lala, and going for burritos at the best place in town, Tacqueria Cancun.

And if we accidentally went looking for (and found) yarn to buy, well, that happens on accident sometimes. You know?

And last night was my last sock knitting class! I came to really adore my students, and I’ll miss them. That’s not something I thought would happen. I was flattered into doing it, but I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it. It was just something to push me, to expand my knitting horizons. (Honestly, I was worried they’d think I was a fraud. It wasn’t until I realized that yes, I do have thirty years knitting experience, and I guess I kinda DO know what I’m doing and how to fix mistakes, even though I’m more casual about mistakes than many (and a teacher shouldn’t be casual about mistakes OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD THEY’LL SEE RIGHT THROUGH ME), that I finally relaxed enough to really enjoy being there.) And the students were AWESOME.

I mean, when your students do THIS , how can you not have a great time? (Sorry, Stephen darling, I had to.)

So. I’ll be teaching again. I guess I’m hooked.

Today, I’m just hanging out. Must go for a run, maybe a four or five miler. Then I’m only left with one short run before my Saturday 100-miles-done run! And I should cut the grass, but yawn. I should really watch The Amazing Race and 24. Oh, yeah. And I should eat more mini-Cadbury eggs. For sure.

And for fun, my dashboard bobble-head:

Hi hi hi! I have bunches of things to tell you, and as it goes, NO time to do so, so here’s a placeholder post for you. And something to put on your calendar.

This Saturday, March 31st

Runagogo and a Knit-Out (you don’t have to do one to do the other)

1pm: Meet at Lake Merritt in Oakland –  (a change in location here:) at the water fountain that’s IN the lake, across the street from the Merritt Bakery. There’s a little raised area there — let’s meet there.

Then run/walk with me (in front of me, behind me) around the lake as I finally get my 100th mile.

Please RSVP in comments for this, so if you’re coming we’ll know to look for you.

2:30pm – KNIT OUT at Temescal Cafe, on Telegraph, same block as Article Pract. All are welcome, no RSVPs needed. Just show up. I’m sure we’ll be there a couple of hours at least. I can give people rides from the Lake to the knit-out if needed.

And quickly, yesterday’s Dulaan knit-in was a hit! Lala made a hat! As she said, it wasn’t perhaps the best hat in the world, perhaps they could give it to a bad child. It’s small though, so it’ll have to be for a very, very bad Mongolian baby:

It is, no matter what she says, a very cute hat. Great fun was had by all. More to follow.

Ain’t nothing like short notice, right?

Dulaan Knit-In in Honor of FeralKnitter Janine Being In Town

This Sunday, 3-7, Chez Hehu (our house)

Please email me or drop a comment to get directions. Bring your Dulaan knitting and leave it behind — I promise I’ll get it mailed, although I’m notoriously bad at getting to the Post Office.

We’re gonna do it again, over at Runagogo.com. We’re going to move 100 miles in three months, starting April 1st. It’s a reasonable amount, not hard to do, just a little more than a mile a day, but if I don’t push myself, I won’t get there at all, so I need the push. How ’bout you?

And now, to celebrate, we have SWAG!

Yes, it’s the new Runagogo Store. And I’m happy to say that Cafepress has added plus-sized tee-shirts to their line, because, please, NO ONE I KNOW can wear their Jr. Medium size, not even my little pocket vegan friends.

Also, I’m gonna be running around Lake Merritt in Oakland on Saturday, March 31st. It will hopefully be my 100th mile, because I’m gonna JUST cross that finish line (shin splints bothering me again). Wanna run with me? With a little knit-out after that? You can finish the 1st quarter challenge or start the new one! Come on…..