Saturday, September 16, 2006

Washington, DC (and very little knitting)

OK, so I know I haven't posted in more than a month, and there's lots to catch up on, but first, I have to tell you how happy I am about the new Knitty. For once, not only are there patterns that I like, and think would be fun to knit, but there are actually things I myself would wear.

First of all, despite my poor record with long-term afghan projects (read: totaly failure in the perseverance department), I am really enamored of this afghan. It is way out of my budget right now, but since it's a long-term project, I figure I can just pick up a few skeins here and there, every once in a while, and eventually, I'll have an afghan. Think that'll work?

Then there's this man's cardi, which I really hope I can convince Taz to let me knit for him, even though he often shies away from cables. I also like these two pullovers, although the first one might need some waist-shaping added.

Finally, I am really drooling over Lucie. My only concern with it is the variegated yarn. It creates horizontal stripe-ish forms, and horizontal stripes are something that busty girls like me should usually try to avoid. So, beloved readers (if there are any of you left after my long hiatus), my question for you is, can I get away with it? Or should I use a solid color or tweedy yarn instead?

So what have I been up to since moving to DC and starting my new job? Here are the highlights:

  1. Traveling back and forth to CT at least three times in two weeks to get various loads of stuff, and paying twice as much for movers as we had planned (and our stuff took twice as long to arrive as they said it would, too).

  2. Meeting my co-workers and feeling deeply grateful that they are so willing to answer all my dumb questions and help me learn how to work with the tools that we all have to use to get stuff on the web and let our activists know what issues need their attention and how they can help.

  3. Unpacking, organizing, decorating, unpacking some more.

  4. Learning where the shops and restaurants are, including a yummy Afghani restaurant, and a great Indian grocery (whose owner has already offered to teach me how to cook dal makhani.

  5. Seeing my brother (who just came back from four years in Japan to start looking at grad schools) and his girlfriend (who took two weeks off of her doctoral work in Tokyo to come see us).

  6. Starting the new Eastern Market SnB around the corner from my work, since despite the plethora of local knitting groups, there weren't any that I could easily get to, at a time when I could attend.

  7. Discovering local sports. First, we went to a Nationals game, which, surprisingly, they won. Then a week or two later, at the same staduim, we saw DC United. As a lifelong soccer fan, I can't begin to describe to you how thrilled I am that I finally have a local professional team to cheer for. And the fans are just as enthusiastic as soccer fans should be, lighting firecrackers and colored smoke and throwing their beer in the air when the home team scored. The seating area where the "barra brava" sits jumps up and down is called the "black hole." I love the team colors:


As for my own knitting, I haven't been making tons of progress. Even though Grandma M's birthday was last week, I'm still not done with her socks, even though they're pretty much all I've been working on. My commute, though blissfully shorter than my CT to NYC commute, doesn't easily lend itself to knitting time, and when I get home, I have been trying really hard to be good about making a dent in the unpacking. Still, I have managed to finish the first sock and get almost to the heel on the second one. Unfortunately, you don't get pictures yet becuase the camera is out of batteries and I haven't unpacked the USB cable yet. (I know, excuses, excuses, but it's true).

So, if you have managed to stick with me through this long and rambly update, I would like to express my deepest awe and gratitude. Now that I finally have internet at home again, I have high hopes of getting back to some semblance of a regular blogging schedule. I have missed it! See you all again soon!

7 comments:

cindy said...

Welcome back!!! Glad your move was successful! I think either tweed or solid would be great fro Lucie.

Joanne M said...

Great to hear from you! Glad to hear that things are getting re-settled down in D.C. (yay!) even if the moving part was less than fun.

I like the first of the 2 sweaters (and Suss has come a long way from the Cosby Show designs, I guess), the afghan looks cool and could be worked on gradually (but you might never finish if you don't have the yarn for it on hand) and Lucie is cool but I would stay away from the variegated yarn on that one.

Oh, so you get to watch Freddy Adu?

Cathi said...

I'm so happy to see your post! It sounds like, despite all of the pots that are on the stove, you are doing well and are happy (I still get excited when you say husband, is that sad? I don't mean it in a retro way, like 'Thank goodness you nailed him down', it's just exciting when two great people are together. And don't you love how I act like I know Taz, too?). Can't wait to hear more of what you've been up to. I've missed you!

Ginny said...

Welcome to DC! Enjoyed meeting you at SnB Eastern Market, and glad I stumbled across your blog.

The kiddo and I won't be able to make it this week. My husband actually got some Nats tickets from work. But I hope the socks are going well!

Anonymous said...

Welcome to DC!!
and good to hear you are having a fun time here.. and me too thought of Lucie in solid.. somewhat the variegated yarn seems cant-put-my-finger-on-it-odd!!

jennsquared said...

It's great to hear from you again, although we talk quite a bit through instant messanging, but that's not the same!

I, too, think you should use either solid or tweed for Lucie. I actually don't like the varigated look at all on that sweater. I want to make one as well :) Maybe in pink ;) J/K.

Zarzuela said...

So glad you posted an update. I was wondering how things were going! Glad you are settling in and doing well in the new place. I'm seriously drooling over Knitty myself. :) And go you for starting a new SnB! :) Always great to hear how you're doing. :)

Jessica
http://zarzuelaknitsandcrochets.com