Where have I been?

You know the story, busy busy busy. No, seriously, we've had ongoing illnesses at work, and I am either nurse, fill in to cover other jobs at the office, deal with contractors and electricians on 2 remaining house projects, do my own job, and oh yeah, find a little time to knit.

I actually have a F.O.! I finished up my Clapotis 2 months ago, and even took some pictures, but they are on my computer at home, where I keep forgetting to post them! It turned out great, I used the artyarns http://www.fabulousyarn.com/fabyarnpage_artyarns_supermerino138.shtml
in royal purples. I wore it to Stitches East and actually got some compliments on it (even if Clapotis is so several years ago) I actually started another one for my sister, but she informed me yesterday after seeing mine that she would prefer something more shaped like a shoulder shawl with ties. So, I'll pick a different pattern and start that.

We are just going into production week for "Maria Stuarda" but the good thing is, now that we'll be running the show from beginning to end ( in theory anyway) we will have alot of down time between stage appearances. We are on in the first act and then at the end of the second act for the execution scene. I'll be the one missing all my cues because I'll be crying....
but what it really boils down to is this. I'll have 60 to 90 minutes of unadulterated knitting time in the dressing room. Yea!! I'm enjoying this show, we have really good principle singers:
http://www.baltimoreopera.com/07-08/maria.asp
and we are not getting yelled at by the conductor or stage director. We open this Saturday.
Ciao.

and now some singing.....

So, I don't wear skirts to work so much anymore, but I had an audition right after work yesterday and I took my "dress up" clothes, a nice black skirt with embroider around the hem, a black tank and a pink linen jacket to the office so I could change there before the audition. When I came down from the ladies room, one of my co-workers ( the cretin) said,
M: "What is that? a costume? I didn't know you wore a costume for an audition"
Me:
M: No really, is that a costume?
Me:
Anyway, I ignored him and went on to sing very well in spite of the nerves. (Donde lieta from La Boheme.)

In other singing news, I have a concert next week coming up in which I am singing the Kodaly Missa Brevis with the very high soprano solo line, High sustained PPPPPianissimo b's and c's.
Yeah right, they'll get one dymanic level out of me and it won't be ppppianissimo baby. I'll be sure to post an mp3 file.

Not much knitting, I've started a small felted bag to carry my cd player to the gym. I want to start listening to some audio books now that the library has started carrying them, and it takes to much trouble to download them as mp3 files to my player. So the old fashioned cd method will have to do.

I had a great weekend up at my mom's with a terrific brunch prepared by my niece, pics to follow.

Md Sheep and Wool

Well, I actually made it to the MD Sheep and Wool Festival thanks to my friend JL. She very graciously went with me even though she has no love of fiber in her soul!! (gasp, how is that possible?) We both fell in love with the baby pygora goats and wanted to take 2 home with us. But, obviously, not allowed in Baltimore city!


"The Pygora goat was purposely bred and then registered starting in Oregon by Katherine Jorgensen. She wanted an animal, which would produce fine fiber for hand spinning. She bred the Pygmy, a goat with short, soft down to the Angora, a goat with long silky fleece. The Pygora Breeders Association was formed in 1987. Since then, the Pygora has increased in number and popularity. Today the registered Pygora goat may not be more than 75% AAGBA registered Angora goat or 75% NPGA registered Pygmy goat"


borrowed from http://www.pygoragoats.org/AboutPBA.html

I really enjoyed the day and bought some gorgeous yarn at Ellen's Half Pint Farm, 1500 yards of a beautiful purple,green,olive,gray variegated worsted weight, that I plan to use on the Lady Eleanor Stole once I learn to to entrelac. I'll post pictures I promise.

in which 5 days have passed....

In honor of the upcoming visit to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, I give you this adorable baby. ( borrowed from http://cuteoverload.com/ , one of the best sites, gives me a lift to my heart every day)

I had quite the busy weekend, managed to do a whole 6 minutes this time on the eliptical before I had to change to the regular treadmill, but hey people, that's a big improvement over the 2 minutes I used to be able to do! I'm also trying to loosen up the "grip of death" I use on the handles of the treadmill, I hold on so tightly that it makes my left hand hurt. Then I have trouble knitting!
I also got a little bit more done on my clapotis, but I'm getting some unhappy pooling going on. I switched balls of yarn to see if that would straighten things out, but had to stop because of hand pain (see above).
I'm taking a few days off work this week to try to get the apartment in order for spring/summer. I know it will help me to feel better in general to get rid of some of the clutter and to be more "settled". I'm trying to decide if I want to stay there or to buy a house. Since I couldn't make up my mind, I really never got the place the way I wanted it, but it's so much cheaper for me to live there, I should just make the best of it for a while longer. I must come to terms with the following:

1. No dishwasher (Ihate washing dishes, and i never feel like they get clean enough)
2. Having to go 3 flights down to basement to do laundry, (who needs a stairmaster?)
3. REALLY TOO SMALL ( I don't have enough room for my yarn stash let alone all the other necessities of life.)

Things I love:
1. Nice large living room
2. Separate office/yarn room
3. Can vacuum the entire apartment without having to unplug and move the vacuum cord.
4. Beautiful trees all around from every window (cats especially love this point )
5. Too small for overnight guests or relatives dropping by.
6. Did I mention Cheap!?
Much pondering to be done about this yet.
Later.

Little Helpers

so, I decided that instead of going to the gym like I should, I would much rather go home and finish the second section of my Clapotis. Which meant that I needed to wind another hank of the ArtYarns Super Merino, and look who decided to help:

I also wanted to show you my very hi-tech swift:

In the meantime, it's taking a very long time to get the hang of the placement of pictures and text, and I have to leave for choir rehearsal, so this will just have to do for now, and so I hit

Publish....

My first sweater

This is a picture of my first baby sweater:

Some sort of acrylic (washableyarn), I think it's the 5 hour baby sweater pattern.

It's About Time!

I finally decided to start my own blog! I've loved reading and lurking around the internet and have joined. Let's see what the future holds for this site now